Tauranga, New Zealand a popular destination for adventure and more

The most populous city (pop. 142,000) in the Bay of Plenty region on the North Island's north coast, besides being a dynamic city that's one of New Zealand's fastest growing, Tauranga is also a very popular tourism destination, thanks to a  cosmopo

Slow travel - cruising northern Vietnam

You'll happily experience an up-close and authentic view of real life in Vietnam while cruising the rivers with stops along the way in villages and hit of the big smoke - Hanoi. Taking it slow...

Torrential! And that’s the perfect word for the mo

The gorgeous beaches of Vietnam's Halong Bay

Although white sandy beaches are not the first thing that may pop into your head when you think of northern Vietnam, several in Halong Bay - reknowned for its spectacular scenery - definitely are on par with some of the gorgeous strands of the sout

Experience Japan's historic Edo period (1603-1868) in Tokyo & Tochigi Prefectures

Edo is the old name for Tokyo and the Edo period was a thriving time in the "Kanto" region of Eastern Japan. There are several places – in both Tokyo and Tochigi [refectures – where the old Edo atmosphere still lives on -- in architecture, crafts,

The luxe villa life in Phuket, Thailand

7 of Vietnam's most thrilling adventure experiences

Exploring India's 'hill station' with the famous name: Darjeeling

Its name synonymous for many with tea, beautiful Darjeeling (pop. 132,000) is located in the far northeastern state of West Bengal, in the lap of the soaring Kanchan Junga mountains (lesser Himalayas). Founded in the early 19th century by the Briti

Yokohama is positioning itself as Japan's premier seaport destination

• 190 cruise ships to dock in Yokohama in 2019
• New Shinko Pier with its five-star Yokohama Grand-operated hotel to open November 2019 
• Bay Bridge Skywalk to reopen during large ship dockings 
• APA Hotel & Resort Yokohama Bay Tower to open September 20

4 exciting activities in Rotorua, New Zealand

Rotorua is known as the "little town" of New Zealand's North Island (though its population is nearly 60,000), and the country's "Sulphur City," world famous for the geothermal activity resulting the area's volcanic activity. There are no live volcan

5 of the top attractions of Seoul

               

Recently I chose South Korea's capital (pop. 10 million, metro area nearly 26 million) for a vacation because of its mix of modernity with traditional - skycrapers and a dynamic urban scene on the one hand, sacred Buddhists temples,

'Deep Nikko,' a nature respite north of Tokyo

A two-hour trip from Tokyo, the region of Oku-Nikko (Deep Nikko), near the small city of Nikko, lets travelers recharge amidst mountains, trees, water and sky; indulge in outdoor activities galore; and immerse themselves in history.

As the warmer

Top 5 local foods you must try in Hue, Vietnam

Once the capital of two Vietnamese imperial dynasties (the second as recently as 1945), near the central Vietnam coast roughly halfway between Hanoi and Ho Chi Ming City (Saigon), the city of Hue is famous for its amazing landmarks including ancien

How should travelers/travel industry respond to Brunei's barbarism against gays?

Many voices in the civilized world have been speaking out in horrified outrage at Brunei's new edict  decreeing death by stoning for gay sex, and numerous individuals and institutions joining a boycott. Should travelers and the travel industry/media

has Denpasar become a cancer at the heart of Bali, Indonesia?

People told me that Bali was still special. “Just avoid Denpasar, or Kuta. Go into the remote valley's and you'll still see the villages, untouched.” That Hinduism still flourished on the island, and that the Balinese had a way of maintaining their

6 of Bali's most popular attractions

This singular island in Indonesia is a pocket-full-of-sunshine and a favorite destination for tourists. With more than ten huge cities and nine scenic destinations, Bali has something for everyone, including cultural and spiritual landmarks, the b

5 fab luxury hotels of Hong Kong

Happy Year of the Pig! One of the most visited destinations in the world, Hong Kong is known for its futuristic buildings including towering skyscrapers, lush mountain backdrops, vibrant lifestyle, splendid harbor, friendly people, traditional corn

Why Busan, South Korea should be on your travel list

You may not have heard of South Korea's second largest city (pop. over 3.5 million), but Busan (about two hours 45 minutes by sleek train from Seoul) happens to be a cool metropolis where you can enjoy a mix of exciting and laid back. Big-city attra

It's ski/snowboard time at Zao Onsen in Yamagata, Japan

Zao Onsen, one of Japan's premier ski and hot spring resorts, located in Yamagata Prefecture, in the northeastern Tohoku region of Japan's main island Honshu, officially opens today for the winter 2018-2019 ski/snowboard season. If there is not enou

Christmas, Mainland-China style

A mere one percent of Chinese profess Christianity, but as in Japan and indeed various other countries of non-Christian Asia, the festive trappings of Yuletide have been widely embraced in China, though for the time being mostly still in Shanghai, B

on our blog: friendship and destiny in Taiwan

Today I left Taiwan. For three weeks I was there, taking each day one by one. The reason, a wedding, a reason I turned into an excuse, an opportunity, to turn this trip to Asia into something far greater...

read complete post