FROM The Oriental Express to the Rocky Mountaineer, the romance of train journeys have long captured the imaginations of travellers the world over. We’ve chosen the top ten rail experiences that will bring out the explorer in you. 1. Peru’s Andean Explorer (below) takes 10 hours to rattle from Cuzco to Puno, making for aContinue reading “Riding the rails …”
Category Archives: Asia
Stay like an emperor …
→ Brunei’s best hotel comes with a heaped helping of the regal … THE Empire Hotel & Country Club is arguably Brunei’s most luxurious place to stay with the sprawling property funded by a senior member of the country’s ruling royal family. The beachfront address, which sits on Borneo’s north coast a stone’s throw fromContinue reading “Stay like an emperor …”
Seaside Stanley …
Where … Stanley, Hong Kong Island When … May 19, 2013 What … Boats bob on the water in Stanley Harbour as locals enjoy a day at the seaside settlement that’s home to the Stanley Markets and a swag of places to eat and drink. Visit the Discover Hong Kong website … posted Tuesday, MarchContinue reading “Seaside Stanley …”
Melting-pot metropolis …
HONG Kong is s a destination where East meets West on bustling blocks, a metropolis rocketing towards the future with a population that looks back to celebrate the Chinese and colonial roots that made the place great. The city is home to famous attractions that have been around for decades – the Star Ferry, VictoriaContinue reading “Melting-pot metropolis …”
Relaxing Rasa Ria …
→ Retreat to Shangri-La’s Rasa Ria Resort & Spa for a break in the Borneo sunshine … SHANGRI-LA’S Rasa Ria Resort & Spa sits between the Borneo jungle and the white sand of Pantai Dalit Beach a stone’s throw from Kota Kinabalu. The luxury resort is not only is home to a championship golf courseContinue reading “Relaxing Rasa Ria …”
More than an airport …
AKIKO Ishibashi has seen great change since moving to Narita City in 1972. When the young bride arrived in the Japanese settlement to join new husband Kikutaro, and work in his family’s famous restaurant, the destination was a sleepy rural settlement with a modest main street and a few residential roads surrounded by vast hectaresContinue reading “More than an airport …”
Capital of contradiction …
IN Japan the locals I meet are reluctant to talk about private matters such as marital status and offspring yet they’re completely at ease getting naked to soak in a pool of scalding spring water with assorted associates and neighbours. This is a land where it’s considered rude to chatter on a mobile phone whileContinue reading “Capital of contradiction …”
Emperor’s silent protectors …
WHEN I was growing up, there were two miniature terracotta warriors standing on the chest of drawers in my parents’ bedroom. Mum bought the tiny statues – not much larger than a TV remote control – when she took my brother and I to see an exhibition of ancient Chinese artefacts touring Melbourne in theContinue reading “Emperor’s silent protectors …”
Badminton and bells …
→ Sightseeing and people watching in China’s biggest city … IT is only when someone starts reciting facts and figures that I begin to comprehend how vast Chinese cities are. Take the prosperous metropolis of Chongqing, which is roughly halfway between Shanghai and the Tibetan capital of Lhasa on the Yangtze River. I can tellContinue reading “Badminton and bells …”
Tradition rules …
→ There are hidden enclaves within the burgeoning city limits of China’s capital that are still hanging to an ancient way of life … I AM standing in the middle of a city that has a population greater than Australia’s. Yes, that’s right, every Australian – and almost every New Zealander – could fit withinContinue reading “Tradition rules …”
the Great Wall …
Where … The Great Wall, Beijing When … Monday, October 20, 2014 What … A bad smog day in Beijing makes it hard to appreciate the scale of The Great Wall, but the handful of guard towers and steps that are visible tell the tale of a miraculous feat of engineering. … posted Friday,Continue reading “the Great Wall …”
CZ3202 cityscape …
Where … Above Xian at the start of my first visit to China. When … Monday, October 13, 2014 at 10.05am. What … A window seat on a China Southern flight from Guangzhou to Xian reveals the first view of a city that’s home to 9 million people as the aircraft descends through a layerContinue reading “CZ3202 cityscape …”
Guangzhou …
Where … Guangzhou Airport When … 6.30am on Monday, October 13, 2014 What … The wide windows in the China Southern Business Class Lounge at Guangzhou Airport reveal an armada of aircraft ready to launch on the first flights of a new day. Visit the China Southern website … posted October 14, 2018 PostedContinue reading “Guangzhou …”
See time stand still …
EVER hear of a place called Matsuyama? No, neither had I until it appeared on the itinerary for this trip to Japan with Jetstar. The low-cost carrier had arranged for a group of travel writers to see some of regional Japan after completing the airline’s inaugural flight from Melbourne to Tokyo, and had flown theContinue reading “See time stand still …”
Go with the flow …
THERE are some boat crews that refuse to drop anchor at night in this wide section of the Mekong River. It has nothing to do with dangerous tides, unpredictable weather, or even concerns about running aground. The Vietnamese mariners are frightened of ghosts, and they suspect the spirits of more than 50,000 Thai soldiersContinue reading “Go with the flow …”
Sentosa Style …
FOR a small island, Sentosa delivers an impressive array of holiday attractions, hot hotels and beaches lined with palm trees. I’m sitting with my toes in the sand, a cocktail in hand, and peering out from the shade of a palm tree to the cool blue of an ocean lagoon. But I’m having trouble believingContinue reading “Sentosa Style …”
Hong Kong Indigo …
INSIDE my hotel it’s cool, calm and quiet but right outside, the streets of Wan Chai are buzzing with activity. It’s the sort of hustle and bustle that defines Hong Kong, as the residents of this prosperous neighbourhood dart around to complete afternoon errands before darkness settles and they retire to the apartment buildings thatContinue reading “Hong Kong Indigo …”
Soaking up the views …
SOAKING UP THE VIEWS IN SINGAPORE … When designing new buildings to decorate the Singapore skyline, architects like to think outside the box. Examples of this include the Singapore Opera House, with two domes that look like giant fly eyes; the Supreme Court, with a “UFO” on the roof; Parkview Square and its Gotham moodiness;Continue reading “Soaking up the views …”
Sacred Singapore …
I TURNED my back on the bright lights of the big city today and headed to a quiet spot on Singapore’s northern edge to remember an important episode in Australian history. With a car and a driver at my disposal for a few hours I decided it was a good time to visit the KranjiContinue reading “Sacred Singapore …”
Black and white …
THE black and white house is just as much a Singapore icon as Orchard Road, salt-and-pepper crab, Raffles, Sentosa Island, Changi Airport, Merlion and afternoon thunderstorms. “The black and white houses of Singapore occupy a fascinating position in the architectural record of South East Asia,” Julian Davison wrote in his book Black & White: TheContinue reading “Black and white …”
Glorious Kampong Glam …
TAKING a deep breath of the cool Shangri-La Singapore air, I headed out into the Equatorial heat to explore two more of this island nation’s colourful neighbourhoods this morning. Today I ventured into Little India and Kampong Glam, the two districts that are home to a couple more of the ethnic groups that came toContinue reading “Glorious Kampong Glam …”
What GFC …
WHEN it comes to the financial side of life, things are pretty good in Singapore. While the rest of the world is feeling like it’s just gone 10 rounds with Ali, and only now thinking about stepping back from a state of being alarmed to alert, Singapore in basking in the golden glow that comesContinue reading “What GFC …”
Now that’s luxury …
HOW do you tell the difference between a good luxury hotel and a great luxury hotel? Seems the difference is in the details. I checked into the Valley Wing at Shangri-La Singapore today, the most opulent accommodations in the luxury hotel and the place heads of state choose to stay when they’re visiting the islandContinue reading “Now that’s luxury …”
A rare thing …
I THOUGHT I would post a picture of something you don’t see very often in this part of the world, and that’s a fiery red sunset. Singapore’s position on the Equator means tropical afternoon thunderstorms blow in most days, covering the horizon is a fluffy layer of menacing clouds at the end of the day,Continue reading “A rare thing …”
Chinatown snaps …
Here are a few more photos taken during my afternoon in Chinatown. Visit the Visit Singapore website … posted on Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Singapore fling …
IT’S Singapore in December, which means today was 35 degrees with 100 per cent humidity. The best thing I could have done was find a spot by the pool, park myself on a lounge under the sun, order lots of cold drinks, and submerge myself in the pond every time my core temperature startedContinue reading “Singapore fling …”
Bathroom with a view …
I HAVE a bathroom with a view. I’m staying at Shangri-La’s Rasa Sentosa Resort, which sits on the south-western tip of the little island that snuggles against Singapore southern coast, and my room has a glorious view across the beaches and man-made lagoons to the busy shipping lanes that run between Indonesia and Malaysia. MyContinue reading “Bathroom with a view …”
On your bike …
LAST year I seemed to take a lot of photos of doors, from Argentina and Italy to Sri Lanka and the Philippines my travel snaps featured lots of doorways. I have been organising my Vietnam photos and this year the theme seems to be bicycles and you can see from the collection above that IContinue reading “On your bike …”
Eat, drink and be memorable …
During the eight days we spent in Vietnam, where the top three holiday activities were eating, drinking and shopping, there was one meal that’s worth a special mention. It was my birthday dinner on January 1 and it consisted of real Vietnamese spring rolls and lime juice at my favourite spot on the roof ofContinue reading “Eat, drink and be memorable …”
Far Near Or Here 