Taiwan acquired a taste for Japanese-style hot spring spas back when the Japanese occupied the island and missed the onsen of their home country, and started developing the existing hot springs for their personal use. Nowadays, many Taiwanese enjoy a long dip in the many spas in their country while sipping ice-cold beer and engaging in conversation with friends.

Here are 5 must-visit hot springs in Taiwan to include in your travel there.

Lisong Hot Springs: Considered by many to be the most beautiful in the island, Lisong is somewhat remote, nestled by the mineral-stained cliffs of the Sinwulu River. The hot mineral water cascading down the colorful side of the gorge while clouds of steam rise up all highlight the green, white, orange, yellow and brown minerals, creating a wonderful effect as you dip into the waters. The river besides the hot springs is at least 4 meters deep and surrounded by sheer cliffs, making it perfect for cooling off after a long soak in the hot springs. Only determined aficionados venture into Lisong, and they are well-rewarded with such an immersive experience.

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Posted in Attractions, Taiwan |

It was an exhilarating experience visiting the different shopping malls and interesting attractions in the colorful city of Bangkok. One must remember, though, that the beauty of Thailand is not only limited to Bangkok. To have a taste of Thailand’s amazing history, one must make time to visit Ayutthaya.

The splendid and olden city of Ayutthaya, together with its different historical towns, was inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites List in 1991. It is situated on the main North – South railway that links Bangkok to the province of Chiang Mai. Furthermore, it is also described as the city that can be found at the crossing of the Chao Phraya, Lopburi and the Pa Sak rivers.

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Posted in Attractions, Thailand |

The city of Singapore offers visitors from around the globe a unique opportunity to explore the culture that has molded the city and country as it stands today.

While visiting, be sure to include at least a few of these attractions on your itinerary so that you, too, can gain a better understanding of this city’s diverse cultural history. Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Singapore |

It is said that the Philippines is the center of Asia’s marine biodiversity, but it never had a world-class ocean park in the level of Japan, Singapore or Hong Kong. All that changed with the opening of Manila Ocean Park last February 2009, the first marine theme park to adopt a “fusion” concept, combining an oceanarium, a boutique hotel, mall, restaurants and open marine habitat, all in one complex. It is among the biggest and most advanced marine parks in the world, eclipsing its counterpart in Sentosa Island, Singapore and Hong Kong.

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Posted in Attractions, Philippines |

In my previous article, I enumerated some of the attractions that one can visit while touring Bangkok like Pantip Plaza and the Chatuchak Weekend Market.  Of course, the list does not stop here.

MAHBOONKRONG or MBK CENTER – This mall carries the tagline, “The Most Visited Mall in Bangkok.”  Come to think of it, no trip to Bangkok will ever be complete without a visit to this famous shopping stop.  There are loads of fun stuff to buy here from clothes, to shoes, bags, electronics, and souvenirs among others.

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Posted in Attractions, Thailand |

Intramuros is a walled city that served as the Spanish bastion of the Philippines back during its Spanish colonial days. Located along Manila Bay at the southern bank of the Pasig River,  Intramuros has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
A fortress city which successfully defended against Dutch, Chinese and Sulu raiders at the time, the walls surrounding it measure 6 meters high and 3 kilometers long, enclosing 51 blocks of churches, hospitals, military housing, the Governor’s Palace and schools.

Here are several things to do while visiting Intramuros:

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Posted in Philippines, Things to do |

It was a great thing that my partner and I decided to sleep early the night before, as we woke up fully charged and very enthusiastic about our day’s activities. Before heading out for our big Bangkok city tour, we took advantage of the free buffet breakfast that was included in our hotel package. We enjoyed our sunny side up eggs, fried rice, bacon, ham, and sliced fruits. Usually, breakfast is included in the package rates that are offered by the different hotels in Thailand. You can try booking a room at the Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok.

When we were full, we left the hotel with our Bangkok maps on hand.

PANTIP PLAZA – My partner and I are both into photography. A lot of our friends told us that we should check out the camera shops in Bangkok as the prices are really affordable. One of the best places to go to for some electronic shopping is Pantip Plaza. This shopping centre can be reached by taking tuk tuks, taxi cabs, bus number 511 or by taking the Bangkok Mass Transit System or the BTS.

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Posted in Attractions, Thailand |

Chopsticks got a boost in popularity when the philosopher Confucius disdained the use of knives when eating.  “The honorable and upright man keeps well away from both the slaughterhouse and the kitchen. And he allows no knives on his table.” Another ancient practice, in which chefs  chopped ingredients to allow faster cooking time and less use of scarce fuel, led not only to the non-necessity of knives at the dinner table, but also the practicality of chopsticks when picking up bite-sized portions of food. Thus, the use of these pairs of long sticks in dining spread throughout China, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, Thailand and Vietnam.

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Posted in Asia, Food, Guides |

After visiting the Royal Palace, I asked our tuk tuk driver if I can have a souvenir photo taken while riding his tuk tuk.  He chuckled but gamely allowed me to give it a try.

Then in a few minutes, Giva, our tuk tuk driver immediate drove us back to our hotel to help us collect our bags from the concierge.  In less than ten minutes, we found ourselves on the road again and on the way to the international airport of Phnom Penh.  We were in a bit of a hurry as we were left with only two hours before our estimated departure time from Phnom Penh.

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Posted in Cambodia, Thailand, Things to do |

Japan has not escaped the recent economic recession around the world. But despite the financial doldrums, a few industries have emerged unscathed. One of these is the love hotel industry, which pulls in an estimated USD 40 billion in annual revenues, more than twice that of the anime industry. Japan’s 25,000 love hotels, which provide intimate venues for lovers in a country short on privacy and space, pull in more than 400 million customers per year and show no signs of slowing down even in these times of trouble.

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Posted in Attractions, Japan |