KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA – After an early wake-up call by our hotel in Kuala Lumpur at 3:00 am, we found ourselves riding a cab to Kuala Lumpur Central which was the designated pick up point of the Sky Bus.  We were going around for a couple of minutes that we missed our 4:30am bus and had to wait for another thirty minutes for the next bus.  Since the airport was roughly an hour away, I was getting worried that we might not be able to make it on time for our 7:00 am flight to Siem Reap, Cambodia.

Since we were lucky, the dependable Sky Bus arrived ten minutes early so we were already at the check-in counter by 5:50 am.  After grabbing a dozen doughnuts from a doughnuts stall, we were already comfortably seated at the boarding gate waiting for the ground crew of Air Asia to give the go signal for boarding.  Great thing, the plane sashayed down the runway at exactly 7:00 am.  In no time at all, the in-flight crew started rolling the food cart.  My partner and I took advantage of being able to choose our meals online when we bought our Air Asia tickets.  By doing so, we were able to purchase our meals in advance and at discounted prices.  I chose to have Roti Canai while my partner chose Nasi Lemak.  The meals were served piping hot.  Not bad at all for in-flight food.

In less than an hour, the captain announced that the plane has started its descent to Siem Reap, Cambodia.  Oooh, I couldn’t contain my excitement!!!

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Posted in Attractions, Cambodia, Malaysia, Things to do

Back in 1998, the community leaders of the small town of Boryeong, South Korea, tried to market the rejuvenating properties of their mud in the form of cosmetics. Rich in Germanium and other skin-nourishing minerals, the mud was planned to be the central focus of a festival designed to draw the country’s attention towards the cosmetics. But amazingly, the visitors raved more about the muddy activities of the festival, which brought people together in a messy, friendly way. And so the idea of cosmetics gave way to the annual mud festival in Boryeong.

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Posted in Events, Korea

There’s not a reason in the world why you should visit Asia, or any other country, and find yourself in a hotel with nothing but terrible service. You should be greeted with a smile, treated like royalty, and given undivided attention throughout the duration of your stay.

While some hotels are better than others in this regard, you’ll find that others simply stand out from the crowd. We’ve taken it upon ourselves to put together a list of some of the most popular Asian hotels, ranked in terms of service. Consider adding one of these to your next itinerary. read the rest of The 10 Best Asian Hotels for Service

Posted in Asia

Indian food is quite popular outside the subcontinent. Several  cities all over the world now have Indian restaurants that serve Indian food which is almost as good if not better than the Indian food that is found in India itself. Given this wide ranging popularity of Indian food, it is rather surprising that  Indian sweets haven’t managed to secure the  kind of widespread appeal that dishes like ‘chicken tikka masala’ and ‘tandoori naan’ (the most ordered dishes in Indian restaurants anywhere) seem to enjoy.

One of the reasons for this according to me, is  that the quality and taste of these sweets  is very different outside the borders of the Indian subcontinent. Perhaps these differences stem from the ingredients which are used in the preparation of these sweets. Most Indian sweets are made with ample amounts of milk, ghee (clarified butter) and sugar. These ingredients though widely available outside India, have subtle differences in taste and texture which perhaps contribute to the differences that arise in the finished product as well.

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Posted in Asia, Food, India

Hua Hin, the oldest beach resort town in Thailand, is one of the most incredible beach resort destinations in the country. Located not much more than 200 kilometers (about 125 miles) from Bangkok, this beautiful fishing village is convenient for those who need to commute regularly but far enough away from the city to be a luxurious and relaxing vacation destination choice.

Image credit: batrax

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Posted in Thailand

SUVARNABHUMI AIRPORT, BANGKOK, THAILAND - I will be embarking on a BIG adventure!  My partner and I thought that it would be difficult to go on a trip this year because of the global financial crisis.  It did not help that there have been cases of pandemics and other viruses that seem to be circulating the globe.  But if traveling is really your passion then I guess nothing can stop you from seeing the world.

So for this year, my partner and I decided to book a trip that will take us to three different countries in one week.  Thanks to budget airlines and not so expensive hotels, we felt that we can fit everything in what little budget that we have set for the trip.  About three months ago, we came across airline ticket promotions from one local airline in the Philippines.  We got excited as we were able to book a trip from Manila (Philippines) to Bangkok (Thailand) for only about US$ 100.  After booking our tickets, we figured that if we have ten days to spare on this trip then we might as well cross over to other countries and start ticking off items in our bucket list.

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Posted in Malaysia, Thailand, Things to do

Known as the Times Square of Tokyo, Shinjuku is a major transit hub for Japan’s capital, servicing 3.6 million passengers every day. Containing the busiest train stations in the world has turned this district into an after-work entertainment and dining zone, a travelers can expect plenty of things to do in this must-visit section of the mega-city.

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Posted in Japan, Things to do

Indonesia is not only known for its endless list of tourist attractions.  My stay in Indonesia has also been made memorable by its wonderful people, delectable Indonesia cuisines and nice hotels like the Ascott Jakarta Hotel.  Aside from all these lovely things, I especially enjoyed the different kinds of coffee that I got to savor.

How can I ever resist coffee?  I am a certified coffee addict and it really took quite an effort on my side to limit my coffee intake to just two cups in one day (there were days when I can finish up to five cups!).  So when I found myself in Indonesia, I promised myself that I will try as many kinds of coffee as I can while in Asia’s “coffee heaven.”  Indonesia is actually the third largest producing region in the world!

Coffee beans have their own origins and possess different characteristics that they got depending on how these beans are processed, where the beans were grown and the weather conditions that beans have to face.  In the case of Indonesia, the major places where coffee is grown include Sulawesi, Sumatra, East Timor, Papua New Guinea, and Java.  Unfortunately, only a very small region grows Arabica coffee beans which are most preferred kind.   In terms of percentage, only 10% of the harvest is Arabica Coffee.  Even if this is the case, it is known that Arabica coffee beans that are grown in Indonesia are the best.  These beans are priced high for the rich flavor, gentle acidity, and full taste among others.

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Posted in Food, Indonesia

Many of us have never considered stepping into a traditional Chinese drugstore, a shop only recognizable by its jars of dried herbs and diagrams of the therapeutic relationship between different body parts. This is because not only are the prescriptions even more indecipherable than their Western counterparts, but few of us even know the location of a Chinese doctor, much less consult with him/her. Nevertheless, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has a millennia-old heritage, and plays a major role in China’s healthcare system; the Chinese government provides traditional drugstores and therapeutic centers alongside Western-style hospitals and clinics.

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Posted in China, Guides

Asia is a continent jam packed with diversity. No matter where you turn you’ll find yourself faced with a new culture, unique and friendly people, and the opportunity to see and explore some of the greatest historic and cultural monuments on earth.

The sky’s the limit but, unfortunately, most of us are limited on time. Instead, you’ll want to start your Asian exploration by visiting some of these incredible cities first. read the rest of The 10 Best Tourism Cities in Asia

Posted in Guides