Asia Travel Information Blog

China part 3. A look at old China, Guangzhou. Song by Sally Yeh and traditional Chinese music.

Tenth part of my summer vacation video. Kinkaku-ji Golden Pavilion Temple, Ryoan-ji Zen Garden (both UNESCO World Heritage Sites) and the Daimonji Bonfires in Kyoto, the final part of the O-bon festival on August 16th. Five giant bonfires are lit on mountains surrounding the Kyoto, to guide the spirits of deceased family members, (who visit during O-Bon), back to the spirit world. Music from Kikujiro by Joe Hisashi.

by: Villas Luz, Lda.

All of this is now less than an hour drive from Lisbon International airport along the new A8 motorway, linking the vibrant capital of Portugal with historic Oporto in the North. As there is also a proposed new international airport to be located at OTA, this little known region is opening its doors to the outside world. For decades the Algarve has been the only realistic location for overseas buyers to enjoy the unique hospitality of the Portuguese, but prices there have put it out of reach for most. Now we are pleased to invite you to experience the heart of Portugal - a secret we can all share.

A region for life Read the rest

by: Priscilla Page

Think you can go an entire vacation without hearing the question made famous by kids all over the world: “Are we there yet?” It’s possible with modern cruise ships and kid-friendly itineraries. These roving resorts make traveling to the destination half the fun.

Disney launched the first family-friendly cruise boat in the mid-1990s; this venture inspired a tidal wave of cruises the gorged family can have. Nowadays, family-friendly cruises are experiencing the prevalent evolution in the cruise commerce. There isn’t a cruise boat being built that lacks accommodations for children of all ages. So find your sea legs, start on timber and take your family on a vacation they will evoke for a time. Read the rest

Travelling to Myanmar presents an ethical decision - Should you go?

With a bustling modern city, emerging beach destinations and more temples than tourists, Myanmar’s rich and thrilling culture - of dozens of languages and peoples - is naturally a drawcard. But going to Myanmar is more complicated than just buying a ticket.

Myanmar - When to Go

Climate wise, the best season for visiting Myanmar is from November to February, when it rains least and isn’t too hot. Read the rest

Sydney, New South Wales

The impact on the city was all-embracing, with fifty years’ worth of development compressed into four years under the pressure of intense international scrutiny. Transport infrastructure was greatly improved and a rash of luxury hotels and waterside apartments added themselves to the skyline. The City of Sydney Council spent $200 million to improve and beautify the city streets, public squares and parks, and licensing laws changed too, creating a European-style bar culture. Sydney now has all the vigour of a world-class city, with the reputation of its restaurants in particular turning the lingering cultural sneers to swoons. Read the rest

Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, or Bandar as it’s known locally, is the capital of Brunei and the sultanate’s only settlement of any real size. Straddling the northern bank of a twist in the Sungei Brunei, the city is characterized by its unlikely juxtaposition of striking modern buildings (the latest and most impressive being the twin malls of the Yayasan Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah shopping complex) and traditional stilt houses. These stilt houses make up the water village, or Kampung Ayer, Brunei’s original seat of power and still home to half the city’s population. Read the rest

Ho Chi Minh City

Washed ashore above the Mekong Delta, some 40km north of the South China Sea, HO CHI MINH CITY is a city on the march, a boomtown where the rule of the dollar is absolute. Fuelled by the sweeping economic changes wrought by doi moi, this effervescent city, perched on the west bank of the Saigon River, now boasts fine restaurants, immaculate hotels, and glitzy bars among its colonial villas, venerable pagodas and austere, Soviet-style housing-blocks. Read the rest

Amazing Thailand

Overview

Cambodia’s capital, PHNOM PENH, sprawls west from the confluence of the Mekong and Tonle Sap rivers. At first glance, the city is a confusing mess with no obvious landmarks. The main boulevards are choked with motos and other traffic and lined with generic low-rise, concrete blocks. Despite initial impressions, however, the heart of Phnom Penh, immediately west of the river, has a strong appeal. The French influence is evident in the colonial shop-houses lining the boulevards, with here and there a majestic Khmer building animating the cityscape. Read the rest