ENJOY THE SOOTHING HOT SPRINGS IN SOUTH KOREA

South Korea starting to appeal to tourists not only because of the rich culture that it possesses, amazing cuisine that you can sample or because of the great shopping adventure that one may experience during each visit. Nowadays, Korea is starting to be known to a specific group of travellers for its numerous hot springs. These travellers are specifically those who seek rest and relaxation during their vacation and they make it a point to sample the massage parlors and aromatherapy clinics of the country that they are visiting.

In South Korea, one may find quite a number of hot springs that offer not only rejuvenation but a lovely scenic view of countryside that can already help melt your tiredness away. These natural hot springs are produced when the water from the underground is heated by geothermal forces and mixed with cold water on its way to the surface of the earth. These hot springs are becoming popular to tourists as the water is believed to have a lot of medicinal properties that have therapeutic powers over diseases.

To read more: CLICK HERE

TWO MAJESTIC MOSQUES OF BRUNEI

Touring the Empire Hotel and Country Club was the perfect introduction to the beauty of Brunei. The luxurious hotel can be compared to the appetizer of a 10-course meal where the food that you savor just keeps on getting better with every bite.

There are so many places to explore in this regal country. Brunei’s climate of high temperature and extreme humidity did not even bother me most especially since I am already used to living in a country where the average temperature is around 28 degrees Celsius.

Given that Brunei is predominantly a Muslim country, I made it a point to include a visit to the different mosques in my travel itinerary. From my research before my trip, I learned that there are two impressive mosques that are worthy of a visit and one of them is even located in the middle of a shopping district!

To read more:  CLICK HERE

Thailand Markets Come Alive At Night

There are a lot of countries to choose from in Asia if shopping is the number one item in your list of priorities during your trip. If you decide to go to Thailand for your shopping hunt then I am very sure that Thailand will not disappoint you. You will surely be excited with the variety of merchandise that are available to you and the best part is you can extend your shopping time until late at night because of the dependable night markets of Thailand.

To read more:  CLICK HERE

LIVE LIKE A SULTAN FOR A DAY IN BRUNEI

There are so many travel destinations in Asia and I feel extremely lucky to have been given the chance to visit most of them at one time or another. Some of these destinations are a favorite among tourists because of the great shopping experience that you can get out of your visit. There are countries that are frequented by tourists because of the landmarks and extraordinary architectures that are so photo-worthy. There are also Asian countries that are frequently visited because of their accessibility to various modes of transportation including budget airlines, ferries, etc. You will commonly hear Hong Kong, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, China, Cambodia, and Indonesia to be countries of choice and almost always included in travel itineraries. I guess you would agree with me that Brunei is usually left out.

CLIMBING MT. KINABALU: THE SUMMIT OF BORNEO

So many tourists go to Kota Kinabalu in Sabah Malaysia to test their limits by conquering Mt. Kinabalu, the tallest mountain in Malaysia.

Climbing Mt. Kinabalu can actually be completed within two days but it is not recommended most especially for novice climbers. A slower paced 3-day climb is more comfortable and suggested to acclimatise to the altitude and to give you to enjoy the climb and appreciate the rich flora and fauna including rare plants, colourful birds, interesting insects, etc.

You can reach the summit by taking two trails: the Summit Trail and the other one is the Mesilau Route. These two trails meet at one point called the Layang – Layang which is already at 2, 740m.

To read more:  CLICK HERE

Anime Festival Asia 2008

“For the first time ever in South East Asia, Singapore will celebrate the

diversity of Japanese Pop Culture.”

Singapore will be placed in a spotlight again come November when it hosts what is slated as the biggest anime convention, Anime Festival Asia 2008 (AFA08).  This highly anticipated event will be held at the famous Suntec International Convention and Exhibition Center on November 22 and 23 (Saturday and Sunday).  I’m quite sure that a lot of people including those who are fans of anime and manga have already marked these dates on their calendars. 

This is no ordinary event but it is  a festival where over 80, 000 people like anime consumers and various anime-related industry players not only from Singapore but from neighboring countries are expected to attend. The event will serve as an introduction for the launching of the Japan Creative Centre which will take place in Singapore in 2009.  This particular Centre’s primarily goal is to bring in more of the Japanese culture including Japanese content to Singapore.  These activities will pave the way for more collaboration among related industries, companies, organizations and can lead to better opportunities and networking.

To read more:  CLICK HERE

Causeway Bay Hong Kong is a One Stop Shop

October 10th, 2008 by Kitci Wong

I love shopping! I can do it alone, with shopaholic friends, or with family. I can shop for anything and everything depending on my mood and my budget. But don’t you just hate it when you suddenly have to put a sudden stop to your shopping spree when stores announce that they are about to close and that you have “15 minutes left” to grab whatever it is that you have to grab? So, you are left with no choice but reluctantly head to the payout counter.

This is basically one of the reasons why I love staying at Causeway Bay when I am in Hong Kong for a trip. I will not deny that I prefer this vibrant area as it is the most popular shopping district in the entire Hong Kong island not only for tourists but also for locals.

I Dare You To Eat Those Bugs

I was having the time of my life shopping in so many malls, flea markets and street stalls in Thailand when I suddenly remembered that I have not had my lunch yet at 4:00 in the afternoon! Time truly flies so fast when you are pretty much occupied, in my case, with shopping. So with a grumbling stomach, I was forced to look for something to eat. I left the shopping area and proceeded to the rows of food stalls within the flea market that I was in and anxious to fill my stomach right away so that I can resume my shopping.

There were a lot of yummy looking food choices like hot noodles, grilled squid, assorted food cups, etc. But what caught my attention were the gigantic piles and piles of bugs and insects that were being sold in the food section of the shopping area! I heard myself say “my oh my!” It was as if I was lost for a few seconds and accidentally transported to the pets and animals sections of the market. You can just imagine my surprise when I saw a lot of live locusts, grasshoppers, roaches, and even maggots! And yes, I was not lost. I was still in the food area and the main tourist attractions are the bugs and insects that were being served as exotic foods.

To read more:  CLICK HERE

SMELL THE SCENT OF WINE AT THE MACAU WINE MUSEUM

I’ve only been drunk once in my entire life. Well, I had an excuse for how can anyone resist giving in to a little bit of substance abuse during summer when you are partying the night away in a secluded beach? That is a good excuse, alright. But if you find yourself in a foreign country and checking out the unique sites and sounds, what excuse could you use for taking that pleasurable sip of alcoholic beverage during mid day just after you had your lunch?

If you visit Macau, I can give you a good excuse. You can head over to the Macau Wine Museum and go on a wine tasting escapade!

Macau is located on the South East coast of China and is composed of a peninsula plus two islands. Because of the numerous modes of transportation between Macau and Hong Kong, a lot of tourists tend to include Macau in one of their side trips when they book a trip to Hong Kong. From Hong Kong, there are a lot of ferries or fast vessels that travel the 40-mile distance between these two places. You can choose from jumbo-cats, turbo-cats, or jetfoils depending on the trip schedule and ticket prices. The wide selection of sea vessels translate to over a hundred sailings daily and you can even take night trips that are provided by jetfoils. Now, that is convenient.

To read more:  CLICK HERE

I’ve always dreamed of having a White Christmas. I’ve always wondered how it feels to run wild outside and have snowflakes fall on top of your nose. I guess anyone who is living in a tropical country like me, would at one point or another have thoughts like these run in their heads.

The vibrant and colourful city of Seoul is not only surrounded by towering concrete buildings but by majestic mountains as well. These mountains of Seoul have played a very important role in helping Seoul protect itself and its people from all forms of foreign invasions and even rebel forces that attempt to break Seoul’s barriers. And still up to this day, the overpowering mountains that overlook the bustling city serve an important military purpose that cannot be ignored.

To read more:  CLICK HERE

Hi Friends!

You can already view my latest travel article:

http://blog.asiahotels.com/bargain-hunting-at-the-chatuchak-weekend-market/

Hope you're all having a great weekend.  Smile!