Asia
Taiwan
Taiwan is a modern industrialised megalopolis clinging to the fringes of an ancient culture; a string of teeming cities at the foot of a glorious mountain range. lt’s traditional noodles from a 1-Eleven, aboriginal tribes in miniskirts and a day of temple rituals followed by waterslide rides. lf you step outside chaotic Taipei, you’ll discover […]
Maldives
This small lslamic nation of fishing and trading people has a history, cuture and language all its own. The Maldives is made up of a string of 1190 tiny islands, most of them measuring less than a couple of kilometers and bobbing only a few metres above sea level. lf your idea of paradise is […]
Kazakhstan
lf you love remoteness, wide open spaces, lunar landscapes, long hypnotic train rides and horse sausage (and who doesn’t?), you’ll be in your element in Kazakhstan. But it’s not all barren steppes-there’s also cosmopolitan Almaty and the spectacular spurs of the Tian Shan and Altay mountains to explore. And if it occasionally seems that the […]
Macau
Macau may be Firmly back in China’s orbit, but its Portuguese patina makes it a most unusual Asian destination. ln contrast to nearby Hong Kong its atmosphere is relaxed and laidback, with Mediterranean-style cafes filled with palm-readers, caged birds and pipe-smokers. Highlights include fabulous architecture, narrow cobbled alleys, grand Baroque churches and balconied colonial mansions. […]
Uzbekistan
Sharing borders with all five of the other ‘Stans, Uzbekistan lies at the heart of Central Asia. lt was here that the ancient Silk Road traversed, that Alexander the Great conquered, that the great warlord Timur was born. Such a crossroads could not be anything but a cultural melting pot, and so it is that […]
India
Everyone wants a piece of lndia. From Afghani and Persian invasions to the British era, people from distant have sought to possess lndia’s treasures for themselves. Buta funny thing always happens: lndia takes these foreigners and makes them lndians. Defying the doctrine of ‘us’ and ‘them’, weaves races, cultures and philosophies into a tapestry that […]
Vietnam
Vietnam’s landscape is sublime: the Red River Delta in the north, the Mekong Delta in the south, and a seemingly endless patchwork of brilliant green rice paddies in between. Long sandy beaches grace the coast, while inland there are soaring mountains and lush forests. A country of traditional charm and rare beauty, Vietnam is rapidly […]
Nepal
Draped along the heights of the Himalaya, Nepal’s sublime scenery, timeworn temples and peerless walking trails leave visitors spellbound. Rich in spirituality and spectacular scenery, the country is the quiet cousin of neighbouring powerhouses China and lndia. Nothing compares to being amongst some of the world’s tallest peaks for a natural high, but while there […]
East timor
The world’s newest nation is fast emerging from a dark past of violence, oppression and neglect. With pristine beaches, newly discovered reefs, superb diving and snorkeling just a paddle offshore, crumbling stone fortresses and elegant Portuguese buildings, you ‘d expect this place to be having with tourists. ln face East Timor is blissfully uncrowded- and […]
Tibet
Tibet is a land of stark, arid beauty, where snowcapped mountains guard sacred turquoise lakes, and centuries-old monasteries are pervaded by the smell of yak-butter lamps, the chanting of mantras by monk is saffron robes, and the prostrations of the pious. Throughout the country, faded, wind-torn prayer flags flutter from the roofs whitewashed brick-and-mud homes. […]
