Asia 2026 — Rick Lee
Rick Lee · Solo · X100V

Asia
2026

May 4 — 17 Seoul · Jeju · Hakone · Seto Inland Sea · Hong Kong 14 days 4 legs
May 4
Korea
Japan
Seto
HK
May 17
Outbound May 4 → 5
Monday
4
May
LAX → SLC → ICN
Fly to Seoul
Depart LAX at 6 AM with a layover in Salt Lake City, then cross the Pacific to Seoul Incheon. Arrive May 5 afternoon.
DL2906 LAX → SLC Departs 6:00 AM
2h 20m Layover · Salt Lake City
DL173 SLC → ICN Arrives May 5 · 3:20 PM Conf G8UJ2D
Transit
Korea May 5 — 11 · Seoul (5 nights) + Jeju (1 night) On:the zip Airbnb · Mangwon
Tuesday
5
May
Seoul — Arrive
Land & Settle
Touch down at ICN, ride the AREX to Hongdae, and settle into the Mangwon Airbnb. Easy evening walk — jet lag expected.
  • ICN → AREX Express → Hongdae (~55 min · ~$4)
  • Arrive hotel ~5–6 PM · Unpack · Walk Mangwon neighborhood
  • Early night — jet lag hits hard after a transpacific flight
✓ On:the zip Airbnb · Mangwon, Mapo-gu Check-in May 5 (Tue) · Check-out May 10 (Sat) · 5 nights · Superhost Mason · Smartlock entry
Arrive
Wednesday
6
May
Buyeo · 2 hrs south
Grandma's Birthplace
Early bus two hours south to Buyeo, ancient Baekje capital and Rick's grandmother's birthplace. Busosanseong Fortress, Nakhwaam Rock, and the National Museum.
  • Early bus 7 AM · 2 hrs south to 부여 (Buyeo) — last capital of ancient Baekje Kingdom
  • Busosanseong Fortress
  • Nakhwaam Rock — where Baekje court ladies jumped rather than surrender to invaders
  • Gungnamji Pond — Korea's oldest man-made pond
  • Buyeo National Museum · Walk the old streets · X100V
  • Back in Seoul by 7–8 PM
Heritage Photography
Thursday
7
May
Seoul — Eungam-dong
Mom's Seoul
The most personal day of the trip, retracing his mother's Seoul — her streets, her high school, her district.
  • Eungam-dong (응암동) — walk her streets, photograph the markets and alleys
  • Myongji High School (명지고등학교) — Mom's school
  • Seodaemun-gu (서대문구) — her district
  • Seodaemun Prison History Hall — historically loaded, right in the area
Most personal day of the trip. Take your time here.
Heritage Photography
Friday
8
May
Seoul
Hike + Landmarks
Hike Inwangsan past shamanistic shrines, then slow afternoon through Bukchon Hanok Village and Gyeongbokgung Palace.
  • Inwangsan — 3.2 mi · ~2 hrs · Easy–Mod · Shamanistic mountain, active shrines, surreal photography
  • Bukchon Hanok Village — slow afternoon walk, great alleyway light for the X100V
  • Gyeongbokgung Palace — changing of the guard if timing works
Hike Photography
Saturday
9
May
Seoul
Friend Day
Antique hunting at Hwanghakdong and Dongmyo markets, then Han River time with a local friend.
  • Hwanghakdong + Dongmyo Antique Markets — best antique hunting in Seoul, walkable between each other
  • Han River
  • Wherever she takes it from there
Friends Photography
Sunday
10
May
Seoul → Jeju
Fly to Jeju · Olle Trail
Morning flight to Jeju, then Olle Trail Route 7 — nine miles of coastal cliffs, waterfalls, and sea stacks at golden hour.
  • Morning flight Gimpo (GMP) → Jeju CJU (~1 hr) · Check in Kenny Stay Seogwipo
  • Olle Trail Route 7 — 9.1 mi · 944 ft · 4–5 hrs · Moderate · No permit required · Start ~1 PM
  • Oedolgae Sea Stack · Seogwipo coastline · Golden hour on the coast
  • Jeongbang Waterfall — falls directly into the sea · Soesokkak Estuary
✓ Kenny Stay Jeju Seogwipo · #1658110323885910 Check-in May 10 (Sun) after 3 PM · Check-out May 11 (Mon) before 11 AM · 1 night · $19 · Ocean view Fl.7–10 · Leave by 10:15 AM
Hike Photography
Monday
11
May
Jeju → Tokyo Narita Direct
Fly to Japan
Check out of Jeju, fly direct CJU → NRT with Korean Air, then Shinkansen to Hakone arriving by 7:30 PM.
  • Easy morning · Check out Kenny Stay by 10:30 AM · Travel day only
  • Narita → N'EX → Tokyo Station → Shinkansen → Odawara → Hakone · Arrive ~7:00–7:30 PM
KE2125 CJU → NRT 12:55 PM · 2h 30m · Nonstop Arrives 3:25 PM JST
Korean Air Expedia #73400151133695 · Economy (K) · Carry-on + 1 checked bag incl.
Shinkansen to Hakone — not Romance Car. Sunset is 6:30 PM, no scenic views on the Romance Car by departure time. Shinkansen is faster and no trade-off.
Transit
May 11 — 13 · Hakone (2 nights) Airbnb TBD · Awaiting host
Seto Inland Sea May 13 — 15 · Onomichi (2 nights) Green Hill Hotel · #981289774
Thursday
14
May
Shimanami Kaido Islands
Cycling the Inland Sea
Electric bike across the Shimanami Kaido — pirate fortress ruins, citrus groves, samurai shrines, and the Inland Sea by ferry back.
  • 7:30 AM — Electric bike rental at Onomichi port · Ferry to Mukaishima (5 min) · Start cycling
  • Innoshima (~13km from Onomichi) — Suigun Castle ruins · Pirate fortress on a hilltop
  • Ikuchijima / Setoda (~22km) — Kosanji Temple · Full-scale replicas of Japan's famous shrines · White marble sculpture garden
  • Lemon sorbet at Dolce · Citrus groves along the path
  • Omishima (~30km) — Oyamazumi Shrine · 80% of Japan's samurai National Treasures · 2,600-year-old camphor tree
  • Tatara Bridge viewpoint — one of the great bridge photos on the route
  • Ferry from Omishima back to Onomichi (~70 min) · Skip cycling back, you've seen the best of it
  • Back in Onomichi by 6–7 PM · Fresh sea bream dinner by the water
✓ Green Hill Hotel Onomichi · Agoda #981289774 Check-in May 13 (Wed) after 3 PM · Check-out May 15 (Fri) before 11 AM · 2 nights · $146.80 total · Breakfast included · Harbor views · 157m from station
Hakone Open Air Museum is optional on May 12 — add between 12:00–1:30 PM en route to Sounzan if energy allows. Don't force it before a 3:30 AM start.
Cycling Photography Heritage Food
Friday
15
May
Onomichi → Osaka KIX → Hong Kong
Fly to Hong Kong
Check out Onomichi, Shinkansen to Osaka KIX, and fly Hong Kong Airlines to HKG arriving evening.
  • 9:00 AM — Check out Green Hill · Walk to Shin-Onomichi Station
  • Shinkansen: Shin-Onomichi → Shin-Osaka (~1.5 hrs) · Haruka express → KIX (~75 min)
  • 12:30 PM — Arrive Osaka KIX · Check in
HX615 KIX → HKG 3:00 PM · 4h 25m · Nonstop Arrives 6:25 PM HKT
Hong Kong Airlines Expedia #73400225411228 · Conf MFFHQ3 · Economy · 1 checked bag incl.
Transit
Hong Kong May 15 — 17 · 2 nights · Local friends
Saturday
16
May
Hong Kong
With Friends
Full day with local friends — Temple Street Night Market, Sham Shui Po, dai pai dong, and the Chun Yeung wet market.
  • Local friends showing you around — open itinerary, no fixed plan
  • Suggest: Temple Street Night Market after 9 PM · X100V
  • Suggest: Sham Shui Po — most authentic old HK, electronics markets, vintage fabric, old signage
  • Suggest: Dai pai dong — only 17 licensed open-air stalls left in HK · wok-fried clams, clay pot rice
  • Suggest: Chun Yeung Street Market, North Point — tram rolls through the wet market (8–10 AM)
The Cityview (Kowloon) or iclub Sheung Wan (HK Island) Check-in May 15 (Fri) · Check-out May 17 (Sun) · 2 nights · Ask friends which side first · Book by April 3
Friends Photography Food
Sunday
17
May
HKG → LAX
Fly Home
Check out and fly HKG → LAX.
  • Check out · Fly HKG → LAX
Return flight not yet booked. Check delta.com for partner availability — Korean Air via ICN or Cathay Pacific direct (~13 hrs) are the best options for May 17.
Transit Book Return
Booking Checklist
LAX → Seoul — Delta DL2906+DL173 · May 4 · Conf G8UJ2D Delta SkyMiles ✓ Booked
Seoul — On:the zip Airbnb · Mason · May 5–10 · 5 nights Airbnb ✓ Booked
Jeju — Kenny Stay Seogwipo · May 10–11 · #1658110323885910 Booking.com ✓ Booked
CJU → NRT — Korean Air KE2125 · May 11 · 12:55 PM · Expedia #73400151133695 Expedia ✓ Booked
Hakone — Airbnb (Tsutaya or Chojuyu) · May 11–13 Awaiting reply ⏳ Pending
Rental Car — Pick up Odawara/Hakone May 12 eve · Drop off Odawara May 13 midday Book soon Book soon
Onomichi — Green Hill Hotel · May 13–15 · 2 nights · Agoda #981289774 Agoda ✓ Booked
KIX → HKG — Hong Kong Airlines HX615 · May 15 · 3:00 PM · Conf MFFHQ3 Expedia #73400225411228 ✓ Booked
Hong Kong — The Cityview or iclub Sheung Wan · May 15–17 · 2 nights By April 3 April 3
Return — HKG → LAX · May 17 · Korean Air or Cathay Pacific Book soon TBD
Asia Trip 2026 · Rick Lee
Korea May 5–11
Japan May 11–13
Seto May 13–15
HK May 15–17
Accommodations
May 5–10
Seoul · On:the zip Airbnb
Mangwon, Mapo-gu · May 5–10 · 5 nights · Superhost Mason · Smartlock entry
✓ Booked
May 10–11
Jeju · Kenny Stay Seogwipo
May 10–11 · 1 night · $19 · Booking.com #1658110323885910 · Ocean view Fl.7–10 · Check-out by 10:15 AM
✓ Booked
May 13–15
Onomichi · Green Hill Hotel
May 13–15 · 2 nights · $146.80 · Agoda #981289774 · Breakfast included · Harbor views · 157m from station
✓ Booked
May 15–17
Hong Kong · The Cityview (Kowloon) or iclub Sheung Wan (HK Island)
May 15–17 · 2 nights · Ask friends which side first · Book by April 3
Book by Apr 3
Flights
May 4
DL2906+DL173 LAX → SLC → ICN Departs 6:00 AM
Delta SkyMiles Conf G8UJ2D · Arrives Seoul May 5 3:20 PM
May 11
KE2125 CJU → NRT 12:55 PM · 2h 30m Arrives 3:25 PM JST
Korean Air Expedia #73400151133695 · Economy (K) · Carry-on + 1 checked bag
May 15
HX615 KIX → HKG 3:00 PM · 4h 25m Arrives 6:25 PM HKT
Hong Kong Airlines Conf MFFHQ3 · Expedia #73400225411228 · Economy · 1 checked bag
May 17
Return: HKG → LAX
⚠ NOT BOOKED — Korean Air via ICN or Cathay Pacific direct
Not Booked
Ground & Rail
May 5
ICN → Mangwon
AREX Express to Hongdae · 55 min · ~$4
May 10
Seoul → Jeju
Gimpo (GMP) → CJU morning flight
May 14
Shimanami Kaido
Electric bike rental at Onomichi port · Ferry Onomichi → Mukaishima (5 min) · Return ferry from Omishima (~70 min)
May 15
Onomichi → Osaka KIX
Shinkansen Shin-Onomichi → Shin-Osaka (~1.5 hrs) · Haruka express → KIX (~75 min)