A trip through Vietnam promises culture and adventure, but a stop in Da Lat will bring surprises like you never imagined. If you should be lucky enough to venture to Da Lat, make sure you make a reservation in Hang Nga’s Tree House, one of the most unique hotels in the area, if not the world.

The Building of The Crazy House

Hang Nga’s Tree House is owned by the daughter of the ex-president of Vietnam. Because of her status at the time it was built, the government allowed the owner to build her hotel with very few restrictions. In short, she had free reign in what is a traditionally communist country with strict rules and regulations. The local government essentially turned its back while Hang Nga built her hotel, which turned into more of a novelty tree house than an actual hotel.

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Posted in Vietnam |

One great thing about Asia is that there is always something new to see, cultures to experience and great adventures to test yourself with no matter how many times you’ve visited a particular place.  You can learn a country’s local language and taste the local dishes.

Personally, I try to immerse myself in every country’s culture and way of life.  This is why I also make sure that I get to ride on the various modes of transportation in each country most especially the unique ones.  But I would have to say that it is quite a different experience to get a full view of a thriving city from a cable car.  The wind will be blowing on your face and your eyes will be the ones doing the traveling for a change.

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Posted in Asia, Transportation |

Nanjing was one of the four capitals of ancient China and a cultural center for most of its past. In a culture that stressed learning as a gateway to public offices, Nanjing acted as the official imperial examination center for the Jiangnan region, drawing intellectuals, poets, philosophers, and artists within the walls of the city.

The Mount Zijinshan (Purple Golden Mountain) Area contains half the attractions in Nanjing, dominating the northeastern skyline of the city. This mountain is home to Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Mausoleum, Linggu Temple (considered to be the best Buddhist temple in the world), Zijinshan Observatory and Planetarium, and the Plum Garden, where the annual Plum festival is held. On the west side of the mountain is Xuanwu Lake, a former imperial navy training and recreation center that used to be reserved for aristocrats. Fishing and boating are some of the activities enjoyed in this area.

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Posted in Attractions, China |

A lot of locals would tell you that you only need three or four days to go around Kuala Lumpur, the wonderful and thriving capital city of Malaysia.  You can tour the city by foot with a map on hand or if you prefer, you can go for the more convenient way which is to ride any of the numerous hop on – hop off buses in the city.  The key to enjoying Kuala Lumpur is not to be afraid to experience new things and to have a bottomless pit in your stomach for great adventures.

Of course, another great thing about Kuala Lumpur is the availability of exquisite hotels that you can stay in during your holiday.  You can choose from among hotels that are located along Bukit Bintang, near the airport, or near the border of Singapore and Malaysia.  You can check out either the Hotel Grand Continental Kuala Lumpur or the Noble Hotel Kuala Lumpur.  These two hotels are both strategically located at the heart of Kuala Lumpur and near tourist spots like the National Monument, Merdeka Square, Petronas Twin Towers, Lake Gardens just to name a few.

If you’ve already had your fill of Kuala Lumpur and craving for some “change of air,” so to speak, then take that one hour drive from KL to go up to a resort in the mountains – Genting Highlands.  This place is also fondly referred to as the “City of Entertainment.”

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Posted in Attractions, Malaysia |

New Year’s Day, or shougatsu, is the most significant time of the year in Japan. Shougatsu signifies a completely fresh start of things, a time for the old year and its many troubles to end, and hope that the incoming year will be full of joy and prosperity. It is an age-old belief that years are separate from each other, and that ongoing concerns must be concluded at the end of the old year. Friends and companies even revel in bonenkai (year forgetting parties) for the purpose of waving away the troubles of the past 12 months.

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Posted in Events, Japan |

Is it snowing in your place? Or is it warm? Are you with your family, or staying at work? Are you by the beach or in a hotel or resort? Have you given your gifts away and opened your own presents? Wherever you are, whatever you are doing, whoever you are with, AsiaHotels.com and the staff of this blog would like to wish you a Merry Christmas! We hope to have given you a lot of ideas and tips for this year’s Christmas and the coming Christmases to come.

Posted in Events |

One of the worst things you can do in a foreign country is make a social mistake that deems you, in the eyes of residents, nothing more than an ignorant tourist. While some mistakes may only slightly offend your host or the person you area dealing with, some may result in incredibly embarrassing situations, severe anger, or public outrage.

The country of Brunei is located on the shores of the Island of Borneo and is the only sovereign country located on the island. The official name, Negara Brunei Darussalam, loosely translates to “The Country of Brunei, Abode of Peace.”

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Posted in Brunei |

Caribbean Bay, a theme park located at the Everland Amusement Park in the city of Yongin Gyeonggi-do (Gyeonggi Province), opened its doors to the public back in 1996.  It was the first of its kind then and because of this, people from the metropolis who were looking for a different kind of recreation started flooding in from Seoul, South Korea.

It is very popular that it had more than a million visitors last year. Accessibility was no issue too because of buses that drop off passengers at Caribbean Bay, which is only an hour drive away from Seoul.  All you have to do is take the Gyeongbu expressway then exit at Singal Interchange.  From here, you can take the Yeongdong expressway and exit to Maseong Highway.  You will know that you have arrived when you pass through toll gates with a big sign that says “Welcome to Everland Resort!”.

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Posted in Korea, Things to do |

After rice, soy beans have become a staple in many Asian societies. First cultivated in China some 5,000 years ago, this legume became a favorite among Buddhists, whose religion forbade milk or meat. They discovered that processed soy beans can become a substitute for these forbidden food, and so help spread the consumption of soy beans throughout the rest of Asia. Today, soy bean products have become an all-around substitute for milk and meat products, being low in calories, no cholesterol or saturated fats, and rich in protein and iron. It can be stewed, fried, steamed, or barbequed; it can be served as a main dish, additives, snack, dessert, side dish, and/or beverage. Its health benefits are a delight among nutritionists and vegetarians: soy beans help fight prostate and breast cancer as well as reduce cholesterol. Soy bean products are well-associated with the vegetarian and new age movements in Western countries, many of whom propagate soy culture by borrowing recipes from the East.

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Posted in China, Food, Philippines, Taiwan |

There are so many yummy delicacies to try when you are in Taiwan that your stomach will surely beckon you to go out of your hotel room and search for all those goodies.  Definitely, your growling stomach will force you to go out of your room even if you are staying at the posh Howard Plaza Hotel in Taipei – a hotel is located in the eastern part of Taipei and is a short walk from the Jen Ai Road circle where you can have a great view of grand Taipei 101.

Taiwanese cuisine is pretty rich and has evolved from a number of influences from China and Japan. The type of food that you will find in Taiwan has a lot to do with its geographic location and abundance of natural resources like delicious fruits, poultry, seafoods, etc. Dishes are normally seasoned with soy, sesame oil, chili peppers, mixed with pork or chicken that is topped on hot steamed rice.

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Posted in Food, Taiwan |