RSSJul|16|2010
Banyan Tree Ringha’s Lost Horizon
Posted by Zahir as Asia, Getaways, Hotels, Luxurious, Resorts, Romantic, Spa
Like the Aman-junkies (devoted Aman resort followers who langorously troupe from one luxury Aman resort to another), Banyan-junkies are now flocking to the latest Banyan Tree hotel high up in the mountains of Yunnan, China which opened this month.
Amid a Tibetan-style atmosphere of meditative Buddhist temples, prayer flags and gorgeous mountain views, the hotel is located a gasping (literally) 10,500 feet above sea level in a beautiful part of Sothwestern China in between Tibet, Myanmar and China’s Sichuan province.
The rooms are massive and decorated rather somberly with dark woods and large splashes of Chinese red lacquer and quilted curtains teeming with Tibetan flavour. The smallest room of the hotel, the Tibetan suite sprawls at 2,200 square feet and all the other rooms of the hotel are likewise on two floors.
The bathrooms are equally grand and spa-like in size, with more lacquer and tubs so large that …
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Jun|23|2010
Chatuchak Weekend Market in Thailand
Posted by Backpacker as Asia, Backpacking & Budget, Shopping
Now here’s a shopper’s haven. If you’re into a real shopping experience, you should try the Chatuchak weekend market in Thailand. Situated right next to Chatuchak Park in Bangkok, adjacent to the Kamphaengphet metro rail station, the weekend market is where you can get great deals on all sorts of goods, from clothes, electronics, dry goods, farm produce, and foodstuffs. You get good prices whether on wholesale or retail goods, all at unbelievably low prices. You also get to enjoy thousands of food stalls serving a variety of Thai delicacies–you should kow that Thailand is famous for its street delicacies.
And here’s even better news, Chatuchak is also situated near several mid-range to high-end hotels, so you don’t have to go far from the comforts of your hotel to enjoy all-day cheap thrills.
Areas
The Chatuchak weekend market is basically divided into several zones:
Trees Apr|04|2010 Posted by Noemi as Asia, Getaways, Travelogger Sunset at the beach
Secondhand goods
Pets
Food & …
What Makes You Come Back?
The beach is just “okay.” The sand is not even white – it’s more of a beige-brown color. Neither is it fine. Once you get in the water, the pebbly ground can hurt your feet if they are overly sensitive. The waves are often strong. There is practically no night life to speak ok.
So why do I keep coming back to Tamaraw Beach Resort in Puerto Galera, Philippines? My answer is simple: I feel at home there. Every time I lay my …
Mar|22|2010
Ben Thanh Night Market
Posted by Noemi as Asia, Cities, Destinations, Food and Drink, Shopping, Travelogger
There is something about night markets that attract me – and tons of other tourists, as well. Every time I visit a new city, I make it a point to find out if it has a night market, and I make sure that go there at least once. I don’t know why, but night markets are much more fun than the “day” ones.
In any case, as I was telling you in my previous post, Ben Thanh Market closes in the early evening, but its night market draws more crowds – if that’s at all possible. The night market is composed of stalls set up in the streets flanking the Ben Thanh Market. During the day, these streets serve as, well, streets. The sides are parking areas as well. When the night market opens, they still serve as streets – motorcycles galore – but your …
Mar|21|2010
Ben Thanh Market In Saigon
Posted by Noemi as Asia, Cities, Shopping, Travelogger
At the start of this month, I told you that I would probably be writing mostly about Saigon as I had tons of experiences that I would like to share. I did have a short break yesterday when I wrote about my Mount Pinatubo experience – which is in the Philippines. Let’s go back to neighboring Vietnam, shall we?
One of the attractions of Saigon is the shopping experience. Trust me, even those who normally shy away from shopping will have a blast in Saigon! The most popular shopping destination is Ben Thanh Market. It is located right smack in the center of the city and served as a landmark for me. When I got a little lost, I would always find my way back to this market and rediscover my bearings.
So what does Ben …
Mar|20|2010
Conquering Mount Pinatubo
Posted by Noemi as Adventure, Asia, Destinations, Eco-Friendly, Features, Nature, Travelogger
Many Filipinos still remember that fateful day in 1991 when a relatively unknown volcano erupted north of the capital. The eruption caused a lot of damage and killed hundreds of people. Its effects were felt far and wide, even affecting the global climate. Today, this volcano has become a destination for many a tourist.
The fact that it erupted fairly recently and that you can hike right up to the crater is too tempting to resist. Even more so, the sight that greets you at the end of the trek is enough to entice anyone – even those who wouldn’t normally go hiking. I’ll let the photos speak for themselves.
That’s my first view of the crater. The eruption created this gorgeous lake, the depth of which is currently undetermined. I had seen pictures of this …
Mar|14|2010
Binh Soup Shop, Saigon
Posted by Noemi as Asia, Food and Drink, Historical, Travelogger
Going to Saigon? You will definitely find tons of soup shops around the city. They’re everywhere – and I mean everywhere. From the footpaths to medium sized eateries to classy dining places, they all have pho, the “national food” of Vietnam. My first – and best, I think – taste of real beef pho was at this corner eatery. We got to Saigon after midnight, starving. The shop was right around the corner of the first hotel we went to. Needless to say, it was bliss.
I did have another beef pho experience, and this time, it was more about history than the food. The soup was good, though not exceptional. However, the soup shop – Pho Binh – used to be the secret headquarters of the Viet Cong during the Vietnam War. …
Mar|11|2010
Accommodations In Saigon (Ho Chi Minh)
Posted by Noemi as Asia, Destinations, Hotels, Travelogger
Ho Chi Minh City (or Saigon, as more people call it) is full of hotels. Everywhere you look, you will find accommodations. The problem – if you can call it that – is choosing one. You may opt to go the “normal” route and search hotel web sites such as Asiarooms. I tried this before a month before our trip, but ended up undecided. Lucky for me, my friend found two options that were not that expensive.
You see, the countless hotels in Saigon offer good rates – anywhere from USD15 to USD40. The really big names, like Sheraton and Continental, are out of my league. I would have loved to stay at the Sheraton but it was just too much. Anyway, we ended up staying at Blue River Hotel for the first two nights, and then moved to Blue Diamond for the …
Mar|05|2010
Itching To Discover Saigon
Posted by Noemi as Asia, Cities, Destinations, Travelogger
In less than an hour, I shall be on my way to a country that I have never been to before. I have always wanted to visit Vietnam, if only for their food. Friends who have been there have said nothing but nice things as well. And, apparently, this is one place where I can be a millionaire – at least for a day or two. There aren’t many places where the Philippine Peso has a strong purchasing power, and Vietnam is one of them! For a mere PHP10,000, one call himself a Vietnamese millionaire!
So why am I itching to see Saigon (now called Ho Chi Minh City – HCMC for short – by the way)? As I said, Vietnamese food is to die for. Fresh spring rolls, the famous pho (noodle soup), …
Feb|21|2010
Syria Travel Warning Lifted By The US
Posted by Noemi as Asia, Warnings
The US State Department is known for issuing travel advisories to its citizens on a regular basis. While I understand the need for this and appreciate the rationale behind it, I am also iffy about their warnings, especially when it comes to The Philippines. I guess it’s because I am a local and I feel that I know more about the safety here than they do.
Anyway, I just read that the State Department has lifted the travel warning it issued on Syria. The New York Times reports:
The United States has lifted an advisory that warned American travelers about security concerns in Syria, officials said Saturday, as Washington tries to thaw relations with the Syrians, who are seen as crucial to peace in the region.
Syria’s foreign minister, Walid al-Moallem, welcomed the decision and said “both …
