Making Tracks Through Southeast Asia
It’s great that air travel throughout South East Asia is as cheap and accessible as it is. And it speaks volumes that, even though it’s possible to take a one-hour flight from Bangkok to Vientiane, many travellers opt to make the trip on a 12-hour sleeper train – so many travellers that private cabins are booked weeks in […]
All Aboard the Reunification Express: Vietnams Romantic Railway
The gentle rocking of the train, the clickety-clack sound of the rails put you and your fellow passengers in a soporific mood and it’s time for another nap. But wait! The panorama of Vietnam unfolds just outside your window. Just when you thought you couldn’t keep your eyes open for another minute another only-in-Vietnam scene […]
Dos & Don’ts in Myanmar
Do Do smile as a way to get in touch with people. Do wear modest clothing when visiting religious sites. Do learn local customs before visiting ethnic minority villages. Do understand the difficult infrastructure situations when experiencing power shortages. Do keep quiet in religious sites and do not disturb people meditating or praying. Don’t Do […]
Boatloads of Fun: Cruises Set Sail in Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia is a fascinating place. With so many unique countries and interesting cultures to explore, it is difficult to know where to begin. A great way to sample a few destinations in one trip is by taking a cruise. Already a favored mode of travel in the Mediterranean and Caribbean, cruises in Southeast Asia […]
Excuse Me While I Kiss the Sky: Southeast Asias Sky Bars
When travelling, there’s no better way to relax after a hard day of shopping and seeing the sights than with a well-made cocktail. It’s even better when the cocktail is served in a bar with a spectacular view and there is no shortage of sky bars in Southeast Asia. These are some of the best […]
Meet in Malaysia
Kuala Lumpur A small colonial-style city just half a century ago, Kuala Lumpur is now one of ASEAN’s most vibrant urban centres. The total reshaping of the downtown area with the iconic Petronas Twin Towers has helped forge a new image for the 150-year old capital. Kuala Lumpur is today a cosmopolitan city, blending old […]
Meet in Viet Nam
Ha Noi The capital of Viet Nam is one of the most charming cities in Southeast Asia with its harmonious blend of oriental life and French style. With its old temples, its manicured parks and gardens, the serenity of its lakes and the beautiful colonial villas and official government buildings dating back to French times, […]
Chinatown
Chinese merchants were already trading in the Philippine archipelago when explorer Ferdinand Magellan arrived in 1521, and later the Spanish colonial rulers encouraged the development of Southeast Asia’s first Chinatown in Manila. Relations between the residents of Chinatown and the greater city were not always civil, however, and those who refused to convert to Catholicism […]
Naturally Spectacular: Sarawak, Malaysia
The park ranger gets word over his radio: the dominant male has been spotted. “Ladies and gentleman, we shall be moving to the car park.” After trekking back down the path that had taken us into the forest 20 minutes earlier, our group of 25 or so tourists search expectantly up into the dense trees […]
In Love with Luang Prabang
Luang Prabang, considered one of the best preserved towns in Southeast Asia, and inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1995, presents loads of historic, cultural and natural attractions, many of which can be accessed by foot, bicycle, tuk-tuk and even electrically boosted bikes. Luang Prabang straddles a 1-km peninsula at the confluence of the Nam Khan and […]