The state capital of Uttar Pradesh in northern India was once the “city of the Nawabs”, a place renowned for culture and the arts. The Mughal Empire ruled India from the 16th to mid-18th centuries and established native governors – nawabs – as semi-autonomous rulers of its states. Lucknow became the seat of power of …
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In December 2015, the West Line of Hainan’s much-publicised high-speed railway looped with the East Line in Haikou, creating the world’s first round-island high-speed railway. Departing from Haikou station, we pick a few intriguing spots that prove Hainan is so much more than beaches and pool bars. Wenchang Station/ Eastern Ring With half of the …
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For first time visitors to Krabi, Thailand, it is always a dilemma choosing where to stay, between Ao nang beach or Railay beach. Railay is known mainly for its great beaches and huge limestone cliffs. Visitors mainly come either for the beaches or for rock climbing. While connected to mainland Thailand, Railay is only accessible …
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The Thai capital’s artisanal cafes will satisfy even the fussiest coffee fanatics. Roots coffee Address: theCOMMONS (Market Floor), Thonglor 17, Sukhumvit Rd. Formerly known as Wattana, Roots has opened an outlet at The Commons. You’ll still be able to choose from a great range of espresso and filter coffees, and pour-over or French-press methods. Conveniently, you” …
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Name: La Petite Cuisine Cuisine: French Nearest MRT: Botanic Gardens (Downtown / Circle line) Address: 10 Jalan Serene, 258748 One of my favourite to-go places for French food, La Petite Cuisine has been around for at least 10 over years. The restaurant serves food at affordable and comfortable prices with good quality of fresh products. The concept is …
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Elemen元素Millenia Walk #01-75A/76 9 Raffles Boulevard Singapore 039596 Nearest MRT: Promenade (Downtown / Circle Line)Tel: +65 6238 0511Opening Hours: 11:30am – 4:00pm Last Order 3:00pm, 5:30pm – 10:00pm, Last Order 9:00pm (Mon – Sun) Though I am not a full-time vegetarian, I do indulge in vegetarian cuisine at least twice a month, as my mum …
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Roam like a local Want to see the city through a local’s eyes? Take one of the many trishaws that fill the streets. Of course, a taxi is a much faster way to get around- but where’s the fun in that? Although trishaws have no meters, the rates are modest: prices start at 2000 kyat …
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**Update** Colombia will lift the “Reciprocity Fee” for all Canadian tourists entering Colombia, effective 1 May 2019, so there will not be any payment of COP200 000 for Canadian passport holders. Cartagena de Indias is the undisputed queen of the Caribbean coast, a fairy-tale city of romance, legends and superbly preserved beauty lying within an …
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On 24 April 24 1915, hundreds of Armenian Intellectuals: poets, musicians, publicists, editors, lawyers, doctors, deputies, were arrested in Constantinople (current day Turkey). They were all sent into exile and horrifically slaughtered. The annihilation of the Armenian Intellectuals was the part of a systematic, fiendish plan to exterminate the Armenian people in their homeland. It …
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Perhaps you may have heard Yangshuo being a very touristic place but it all depends on how you explore it. Places where genuinely friendly and welcoming villagers offer you an insight into the local culture and customs. To little local family-run restaurants with character with true local foods and to beautiful isolated spots you can …
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Address: #03-16/17 Ngee Ann City, 391 Orchard Road Nearest MRT: Somerset / Orchard It was my first time at Paul thanks to the girlfriend who wanted to have dinner here. Being a lover of French cuisine, I have been eating at other French places such as La petite cuisine at Serene Centre or Saveur, but …
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Americans are known for employing hyperbole. Everything in the USA is the biggest, the best or the shiniest. Therefore, if you ask the typical American what the most powerful place in the world is, the citizen would answer “Washington DC”. Whether this is true may be open to debate, but there is little doubt that …
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Bangkok is a foodie paradise. For those craving for authentic Thai food, here is the place to be. Since people from all over the country come to Bangkok to find job opportunities, to school or to set up businesses, Bangkok is the place to enjoy cuisine from each province in Thailand. My friend introduced me …
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It can be considered as my first time taking the budget airline Vietjet and also my first time flying out of Changi Airport Terminal 4 since its inaugural opening last October. I had actually flown on a Vietjet craft on lease under Pakistan International Airlines last year, but that did not really quite count as …
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Saigon (also officially known as Ho Chi Minh City or locally in Vietnamese as Sài Gòn) is Vietnam’s most booming up and coming city, a places where the action never stops. Saigon was merged with the surrounding province in 1976 and renamed Ho Chi Minh City to celebrate the reunification of north and south at the end of …
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Although this is my third time to Vietnam, I still found new things to do. One of the common day tours from Ho Chi Minh city is to the Mekong Delta. For those with more time to spare, you can even spend a night or two around the delta region. For those who wish to …
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One of the highlights of visiting Guilin is to head to the rice terraces in the countryside. Longji, which literally translates to ‘Dragon Backbone’, is home to one of the most amazing rice terraces in China. Construction of the terraces began in the Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368), and continued until the early Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) when …
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Cantonese cuisine is well-known for its blend of color, fragrance, taste and presentation, and it is ranked among the top four in China. In particular, dim sum, a delicate pastry, is famous for being simple yet delicious. Local customs, as well as a long history of contact with the West compared to other regions in …
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M Social Singapore Address: 3 Nanson Road, Singapore 238910 Thanks to Amex cards, I managed to get a one night complimentary stay at M Social Singapore with purchase of one night stay. M Social is a contemporary lifestyle hotel along the stunning and historic Singapore River created for the adventurers, the explorers and those who …
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Guilin (桂林) was China’s first city to develop tourism after 1949. For decades, children’s textbooks proclaimed ‘Guilin’s landscape is the best under heaven’ (桂林山水甲天下). It was the darling of Chinese politicians, the star city proudly presented to visiting dignitaries. Today Guilin’s natural endowments still amaze, yet, thanks to imperfect urban planning, there is a pervasive …
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From Gyumri in Armenia, I decided to cross the border to Georgia through another crossing to go to Kutaisi, the third largest city in Georgia. Another post will be written about how to cross the Armenia-Georgia border. I had taken a marshrutka (minivan) from Akhalkalaki. Kutaisi is the traditional rival of Tbilisi for capital status, …
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Sun, sand and the sea. That is what Maldives is all about. Fly to Male, the capital of the republic. The airport is located on Hulhule island, a strip of island in the middle of the Indian Ocean. Most visitors to the Maldives are met by travel agent reps right outside Customs, who then whisk …
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Cold war, communist state, trade embargo. These are the three phrases that come to mind whenever someone mentions Cuba. Thanks to our western-dominated media influence, many people do not have a good impression of Cuba. When I informed my family members that I was headed to Cuba, they were all so worried for me and …
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Most people only know Johannesburg and Cape Town when they think of South Africa, both of which are serviced by direct flights from Singapore. However, this time I decided to venture deeper into South Africa to explore other regions. Port Elizabeth caught my eye because it is a coastal city and also it was holding …
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