Whenever I have the chance to guide travellers who have trusted me to venture outside of the usual touristy kiwi spotlights, I make a point of spending a few days in my hometown, Dunedin. And I always get the same feedback….”now we know why you live here…”.
Read MoreSo the “Old City” on the West side remained a sprawling network of canals (called klongs in Thai). Where a lot of work was done on the East side of the Chao Phraya to support the building and maintenance of the Royal Palace, government departments, hotels and embassies with many canals filled up or built over for roads, the west side remained a “Venice of the East”, a network stretching hundreds of kilometres connecting homes, temples, floating markets, public parks.
Read MoreWherever you go in Bhutan, it is impossible not to see prayer flags. You see them on the roof of houses, in the streets and you can spot a row of prayer flags in a valley, a mountain pass or a bridge over a river. The principle is always the same, a meeting of wind and prayers who then travel together.
Read MoreOf all the tea in China, green tea is supposed to be the best. And the best green tea comes from the surrounding hillsides of Hangzhou, near a village called Longjing. The combination of soil, mild temperatures and spring fed water makes Hangzhou the Burgundy of Tea.
Read MoreObviously what is a 5 or a 6 star for one person is different for another. New Zealand is one of the very few countries in the world that can deliver such level of exclusivity and luxury in such a small area with ever changing landscape
Read MoreWalk anywhere in Myanmar, especially in the countryside and you will see something different on women and children faces. I was on my second day in country, in the dry region of Bagan in 2000
Read MoreTravel to Asia is now possible with Phuket re-opening to international tourists. Luxury holidays in Covid-free island in Thailand.
Read More…it was the world's tallest stupa and the third tallest structure in the world when it was built by King Mahasena of Anuradhapura (273–301 AD). Approximately 93.3 million baked bricks were used…
Read MoreI have been lucky to have fallen in a job that allowed me to stay and experience most of the best hotels and resorts around Asia and the Pacific for the last 30 years. And that’s not only once but many times at the same hotels. I experienced in depth and witnessed the changes. And yes, I have a list, maybe 10-15 hotels and resorts spread all over the continent that remain, to this day, my favorites. The Siam is one of them. And believe me, I am picky.
Read MoreI always wondered what you did with coconut shells once you had drank the juice or scraped the inside. During my travels across Asia, you would often see mounds of the shells stacked up in some courtyard and I just assumed they would get picked up and chucked in the garbage pile. I finally got my answers…
Read MoreCarved by 15 fiords, home to a prolific and remarkable mix of flora and fauna, from alpine parrots to black coral, pods of bottlenose dolphins, moss carpeted valleys and vertical mountain sides with waterfalls dropping over 850m, Fiordland is indisputably one of the world’s last great wilderness areas in the southern hemisphere.
Read MoreThis artistic revival increased with support from governments, NGOs, and foreign tourists and by the time our Cambodian itineraries were well established we could organize up to 12 visits with art gallery owners, fashion and jewellery designers, silk weaving centres and carvers of all types of materials.
Read MoreOf the thousands of trails across the country, averaging from 30 minutes to several hours, New Zealand also has an extensive network of multi-day walks. However, the one trek I prefer for our guests is the Hollyford Walk, located in the same area as the Milford and Routeburn tracks, on the west coast of the South Island. Why?
Read MoreThere is a river in Myanmar, formerly known as the Irrawaddy. Stretching more than 1400 from the Himalayan glaciers all the way up north, the river glides south, all the way to the Andaman Sea in the delta region…
Read MoreIf you want a real buzz, Lao people really know how to do it! Get an iced coffee served with condensed milk, ice cubes, in a plastic bag with a straw…not environmentally friendly at all but I guarantee you, you won’t need sleep for the next 48 hours.
Read MoreWhen you think of Asia, one of the images that comes to mind is… rice.As a consequence of Bali’s high population density and tourism infrastructure, water supply is very important. And rice needs water. A lot of it. One of the most important societies in Bali are caleed “subaks”, or irrigation associations. Rice is so important that water management is crucial and highly organized so that every plot of land gets water.
Read MoreOne of the forgotten and very seldom visited temple is Beng Mealea (meaning “lotus pond”), about 70 km from Siem Reap, mostly unrestored, its walls and towers burst apart with trees and creepers. While a wooden walkway guides visitors round the tumble-down structure and it’s a magical spot as very few bother to come visit. Little is known about the history of the temple
Read MoreThe highlight is the Victorian Precinct, the original commercial and business district of Oamaru that served as the focal point for trade through the port. The historical buildings consisted of large grain and seed warehouses which served the prosperous agricultural sector in the district during the later part of the 19th century.
Read MoreLongitude 80 explores northern vietnam hill tribes looking for great hikes and village markets.
Read MoreThis sculpture park is roughly 25 km outside of town and is operated by the socialist government as a tourist attraction
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