You can tell a lot about a city by what it chooses to celebrates. The Philippine cities hold fiestas to honor their patron saints while Japan holds peach blossom festivals every April to cherish the blooming of its floral heritage . Singapore, which doesn’t have the centuries of culture, instead celebrates what its best known for: shopping and food.

Playing with its strengths, the Lion City holds The Great Singapore Sale (GSS, for short) this May 23 to July 20. For eight shopping-filled weeks, this event, co-organized every year by The Singapore Tourism Board and many other retail companies, stores, and malls, invites shoppers from all over Asia and beyond to participate in the many activities, discounts, and promos. GSS is definitely established as a shopping event that is not to be missed, even among international visitors who spent some $3.7 billion in 2006 on shopping in Singapore.

Here is a sample of the activities you can expect during the GSS:

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Posted in Events, Singapore, Things to do |

Kampong Glam is known as the ”Muslim quarter” of Singapore. Designated by Stanford Raffles as the residential section for Malays and Muslims way back in the 19th century, Kampong in Malay means “village” while Glam is short for ”Gelam”, a type of eucalyptus tree that once flourished in these parts. It is now a heritage site for its many mosques, palaces, and distinct buildings, and one of the best places to immerse yourself in Singapore.

A walking tour in Kampong Glam starts at the Malay Heritage Center at Sultan Gate. Once the palace (istana) of the ruling Sultans of Singapore, it has been restored as a heritage museum, with eight themed galleries, dioramas, multimedia, and other showcases. Cultural performances and workshops are held every Wednesdays and Sundays, such as sarong tying, batik painting, Malay martial arts (silat), and native music. The grounds are free to traverse but the museum entrance costs SGD 3.

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Posted in Attractions, Singapore, Things to do |

It’s to the benefit of Singapore that it contains completely different cultures within reach of a train ride. Walking tourists can thus experience a little bit of Asia all within one island. Such a great example would be the community of Little India.

Little India started off as the designated community for Indian laborers and immigrants under the urban planning of Sir Stanford Raffles back in the 19th century. Although the Indian populace is longer required to reside in this area, efforts have been made to keep the cultural heritage of this place alive. Little India is now the focal point of the Indian community of Singapore, and the last area where many of the traditional trades and practices still thrive.

The best place to start your walk is right off Little India MRT station at Exit C, facing Bukit Timah Road. A few shops down the path and you will see Tekka Market, a wet market that provides for the daily needs of the residents in the area. Along Dunlop Street is the Masjid Abdul Gapoor, a mosque that is fitted with a sundial at the entrance. Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Attractions, Singapore, Things to do |

Among the Asian cities I’ve traveled to so far, it is The Lion City that has most gone out of its way to welcome visitors like me. Through the support of the Singapore Tourism Board, this island-state offers a wide array of means to see the sights. From DUCKTours to bumboat rides, any tourist with even a few hours to spare can check out the cool places and historical sites Singapore has to offer.

For travelers who wish to immerse themselves into the true SG experience, nothing beats a walking tour among its heritage spots. And one essential place for any SG walking tour would have to be Chinatown. Singapore’s Chinatown is unique in that its middle kingdom culture has harmoniously blended in with the other ethnic groups in the small island to create a wonderful blend of Asian influences.

A good spot to start your personal exploration is right off the Chinatown MRT station along the blue line. From Exit A, visitors will immediately see Pagoda Street, so-named because of the Sri Mariamnam Temple located at its end. This festive street is bedecked with colorful red lanterns criss-crossing along its length, and packed with an assortment of Chinese shops on both sides. Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Attractions, Singapore, Things to do |

Pen and Paper. Peanut butter and jelly. Porcelain and food. If you think about it, the history of the last pair has been intertwined ever since humanity came up with the idea of cuisine. Porcelain is used to create not only the dishes which hold the food we eat, but also the toilets to hold the food we excrete. And now, from a culture that celebrates both porcelain and food, comes a restaurant devoted to the dual role of porcelain in our digestive cycle.

Marton Modern Toilet (Marton is derived from Matong, the chinese term for ‘toilet’) is a chain of a dozen or so theme dining establishments that revolves around toilets and urinals. Based in the Shilin district of Taipei and other major cities of Taiwan, this restaurant group stuns diners with interior decoration that continually remind them that the food we eat will eventually come out.

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Posted in Attractions, Food, Taiwan |

The first question that entered my mind as I approach the majestic gateway to Hong Kong Disneyland was, “How could any theme park mascot stand this HEAT?”

My group got day tickets to HKDL for what turned out to be one of the hottest days of the year in the former British colony. Now, going to the latest addition to Disney’s resorts was a breeze. Literally. The MTR trains in Hong Kong are air-conditioned, and a mild gust blows throughout the cabin interior whenever the train moves from station to station, as if there were open vents built into the roof. Even the above-ground transfer station from the main line to the special Disney Resort Line in Lantau Island had a roof to shield us from the glaring sun, with only the hot wind blowing on our faces as a hint of the furnace that was to follow. The train was already an attraction in itself, with large Disney character figurines behind glass cases adorning each cab.

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Posted in Attractions, Hong Kong |

Which Asian countries come to mind when we think of erotic destinations? Certainly, Japan comes first, the land of sexually-explicit animation and vending machines that sell porn magazines. India may also pop up in the list, though for a culture that developed the Kama Sutra, it’s surprisingly prude when it comes to sex.

South Korea, however, is aching to be a player in the sexually-inclined tourists’s market with it’s first ever erotic park. Just 10 minutes away from Jeju International Airport, Jeju Loveland is a one-of-a-kind theme park in Jeju Island (or Cheju Island) where 140 works of art are erected for the pleasure of the paying public. Targeted primarily towards the newlyweds from the mainland, the park is stuffed with soft-core memorabilia, like statues, photographs, toys, and displays.

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Posted in Attractions, Korea |

There has never been a better time to travel on a budget in Asia. The continent with the largest population in the world now has the highest concentration of low-cost carriers (LCCs) in the world. LCCs are “no-frills” airlines which offer travelers a fraction of the usual ticket prices by eliminating the standard amenities like in-flight food and entertainment. But in some airlines, these amenities are available to passengers for a fee.

Passengers for some of these LCCs should make ample time allowances for connecting flights, as budget airlines are prone to land much later than the scheduled time. And they should travel light, or the excess baggage fees can make them end up paying as much as if they booked on a “non-budget” airline.

Here are the Asian LCCs as categorized by country destination. With this list, getting your dream vacation in Asia would be easy on your wallets. For Part 2 and 3 of Fly the Low-Cost Skies of Asia, we shall discuss each airline and what are their good and bad points to look out for.

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Posted in Airlines, Asia |

Pressured by the needs of the world’s fastest growing economy, the Chinese government has opened the Hangzhou Bridge to the public, proudly proclaiming it’s status as the world’s longest road bridge. Spanning 36 km. (22 miles), the USD 1.7 billion bridge spans Hangzhou Bay to link the financial hub of Shanghai with the port city of Ningbo to the South in the eastern province of Zhejiang (to give you an idea of the length, imagine that if the bridge was transported across the English Channel, it would span the distance between England and France). Thus, the road distance between the two key cities in the Yangtze delta is reduced by 120 kilometers, and travel time is cut by two and a half hours.

A ceremony, attended by Premier Wen Jiabao, was held in the middle of the cable-stayed bridge to mark its official opening (a cable-stayed bridge, practical for spans up to a kilometer in length, is second only to suspension-type bridges as the longest spanning bridge design.). The bridge is reinforced to withstand the annual monsoon winds which blow from the Pacific Ocean and pound the east coast every summer. Additional safety precautions include banning vehicles with large loads and carrying any dangerous chemicals from crossing the bridge.

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Posted in Attractions, China |

If you are an anime lover, then you must know the works of Hayao Miyazaki. For decades, the legendary animator and visionary behind Studio Ghibli has produced many animated classics known throughout the world. Who can forget the post-apocalyptic eco-princess named Nausicaa? Or the perservering teenage witch in Kiki’s Delivery Service? Far different from the mainstream anime aesthetics of ninjas, beguiling vixens and space robots, Miyazaki’s vision is clean and simple, celebrating an imaginary 19th century Europe in all its architecture and mechanisms, and the joy of flight.

Ghibli fans, rejoice! For there is a place which brings to life the visual marvels that Miyazaki brings to the screen. The Ghibli Museum is a compound in the Mitaka suburbs, just 20 minutes away from the Shinjuku Station through the JR Chuo Main Line. Lovingly designed by the people behind Ghibli, the museum is a delightful attraction, part animation exhibit, part recreation center, and part Miyazaki tribute.

Approaching the entrance, visitors will be greeted by a stuffed Totoro and his smaller companions from the film of the same name. Ticket holders will immediately receive a prized item: clippings of film stock from various Ghibli animes. From there on, visitors are left to themselves: there are no set paths to follow, just interconnecting rooms which lead from one surprise to the next. Doubling back is inevitable, just to be certain that no section is left uninspected.

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Posted in Attractions, Japan |