The Asia Diaries: Claptone savours an enigmatic journey of the Far East

The globally recognised golden bird mask of Claptone recently took flight across the Far East for the Berlin-based artist’s most recent Asia Tour.

Touching down in Thailand, Indonesia and Singapore, the masked-purveyor of lush, indie-influenced house music immersed himself in typical delights of Southeast Asia’s from spicy food cravings, ancient temples and intriguing supermarket visits.

And despite the heat and humidity, the mystifying artist remained masked at all times.

Everything in Bangkok seems familiar but at the same time so different. It’s hot, busy and humid, and there are always 100 different smells around – great food, cold air conditioning, smog… The people here are warm-hearted and friendly. This city has something for everyone, and standing still is impossible. The best way to wind down is at one of the amazing spas, with a traditional Thai massage – be sure to book one of these.

Insider tip: Jim Thompson House has a beautiful garden and architecture, and is a very relaxed place.

Thailand is the best place in the world for eating amazing food, cheaply! You can buy traditional dishes on the streets and in food courts, delicious food which people have cooked all their lives, and have learned from their grandmothers. I’d sum up Thai food as spicy, sour, sweet, salty, and incredibly tasty. Be sure to try Asian noodle soup — my favourite is the tom yum egg noodle.

The culture of Thailand is endless, if you make a day trip to the old major city of Ayutthaya you have many cultural highlights to visit in one place. I loved the enigmatic temple ruins and golden Buddha statues at the Old Temple.

Café Del Mar was a beautiful venue, outdoors and right on the beach. The crowd was full of energy, with a huge variety of people coming together from all over the world.

I love the colourful selection of unusual things in Asian supermarkets.

Insider Tip: Green tea without sugar

Singapore is a melting pot of cultures – with high-end architecture and modern technology coming together with old traditions and incredible food. This city just gets you, as soon as you step out of the aeroplane.

My must-see sight: Gardens By The Bay.

The atmosphere at Marquee was super swish — it’s a very modern club with a great interior, sound and light system. The hippest and richest people of Singapore are definitely regulars on the guest list here.

Jakarta is such a dynamic and vibrant city, it feels different every time I visit. They have a world-class food and coffee scene – no wonder the people are so positive. It’s a city where people can celebrate, and spend long nights in clubs, which works for me.

Dragonfly was another very modern club. I enjoyed all of the different light effects - light balls on the ceiling and top-notch LED wall installations. Though the heat and humidity outside were close to unbearable, luckily for us the air conditioning was working very well inside! The night had a great atmosphere, and it was nice to see a predominantly Asian crowd.

Bali is tropical heaven, that’s why people love it so much. A surfer’s paradise for sure, which would explain all the visitors from Australia. You can calm down in one of the beautiful villas or boutique hotels, or take a stroll by the beach.

Savaya was simply stunning, on one of the most beautiful spots on the island. We were in heavy monsoon rain but the people kept partying – they seemed to have endless energy and stayed right until the end. An epic way to finish the tour.

Sadly then came the end of the tour - but it was definitely not my last visit to Asia!