Gadling

Vagabond Tales: Are Plastic Bottles Becoming A Natural Resource?

Kyle Ellison — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Activism, Scuba Diving, Stories, Asia, Cambodia, Malaysia, Philippines, Ecotourism

The island of Mabul, Malaysia, is not big. In fact, it's tiny. You can walk around it in 45 minutes.

A popular destination for scuba divers, visitors to this remote island off the coast of Borneo frequently pass the time by diving the offshore reefs or lounging beneath a coconut palm - pretty taxing stuff really.

While digging into a good book from the confines of a hammock is all well and good, few visitors, I noticed, actually take the time to get out and explore the island. In the hour or so it took me to meander the circumference of the tropical sand spit, I encountered a grand total of zero other tourists.

Zero.

This is not to say the beaches were empty - far from it. All along the shoreline local fishermen mended their nets and rolled canoes on logs in an effort to extract them from the turquoise waters. As the fishermen went about their daily tasks, others sat shirtless and cross-legged on the sand, methodically hacking into coconuts with machetes that had seen their fair share of husks.

All of this activity is to be expected on an island with only two natural resources, those of course being fish and coconuts.

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Vagabond Tales: Are Plastic Bottles Becoming A Natural Resource? originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 12 Apr 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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15 palace hotels that will make you feel like royalty

Jessica Festa — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Arts and Culture, History, Learning, Photos, Asia, Europe, North America, India, Philippines, Russian Federation, Turkey, Italy, Poland, Portugal, United Kingdom, Hotels and Accommodations, Middle East, Luxury Travel

Have you ever wondered what it's like to live like a king or queen? While you may not have been born into royalty, you can still live lavishly, if only for a weekend.

While five-star hotels can offer plush bedding, spacious penthouse suites, and high-class amenities, it's nothing compared to the luxurious living offered at these palace properties. Genuine artifacts from centuries ago adorn the halls, acres of lush gardens, furniture made of gold - no expense is spared at a palace hotel. Not only that, but you'll be sleeping in the same space as kings, queens, and society's most elite members once did, long ago.

Sound like fun? Before you start planning your next royal getaway, check out the gallery below.

[flickr image via CSvBibra]

Gallery: Palace Hotels From Around the World

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15 palace hotels that will make you feel like royalty originally appeared on Gadling on Sat, 10 Mar 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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10 places to celebrate Chinese New Year

Chris Owen — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Festivals and Events, North America, China, India, Malaysia, Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand, United States, Hong Kong

Chinese New Year occurs in the early months of our calendar year, typically January or February and this year falls on January 23rd. This is the first of 15 days of celebration and the start of the Year of the Dragon.

Chinese New Year (also called the Lunar New Year) is the longest and most important festivity in the Chinese calendar and a time to welcome longevity, wealth and prosperity and to eliminate any negative chi from the past.

The origin of Chinese New Year taps several myths and traditions and is officially celebrated in countries and territories such as Mainland China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Macau, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, and also in Chinatowns elsewhere. Chinese New Year is considered a major holiday for the Chinese and has had influence on the lunar new year celebrations of its geographic neighbors.

Gallery: 10 Places that celebrate Chinese New Year

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10 places to celebrate Chinese New Year originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 20 Jan 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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New Seven Wonders of Natural World revealed amidst controversy

Kraig Becker — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Activism, Arts and Culture, History, Learning, Festivals and Events, Africa, Asia, Oceania, South America, South Africa, Indonesia, South Korea, Philippines, Vietnam, Argentina, Brazil, Ecotourism, News

After four years of hype and fanfare, the new seven wonders of the natural world were unveiled last Friday, honoring some of the most amazing landscapes on the planet. But as the competition drew to a close, dark clouds of controversy formed, casting a shadow over the entire affair.

The selection process for the new seven wonders began back in 2007, when 440 natural wonders, from 220 countries, were first submitted for consideration. Over the course of several rounds of voting and judging, that number was eventually reduced to 28 finalist. The seven winners were selected from that list following months of online voting.

According to the preliminary results, the new seven wonders include the following: the Amazon Rainforest (South America); Halong Bay (Vietnam); Iguazu Falls (Argentina/Brazil), Jeju Island (South Korea); Komodo National Park (Indonesia); Puerto Princesa Subterranean River (Philippines) and Table Mountain (South Africa).

The organizers behind the new seven wonders are quick to note that this list is for the provisional winners, as they are currently conducting a recount of the votes to ensure that the correct wonders have been named. The results are now being independently verified and they expect to confirm the winners in early 2012.

On the eve of the announcement of those winners, disturbing stories began to emerge about how organizers were attempting to collect millions of dollars from the nations that were home to the finalists. When the search for the new wonders first began more than four years ago, countries were required to pay a $199 entry fee, but as the selection process narrowed the candidates, some countries were asked to pay large sums of cash to aid in a world-wide marketing campaign. The Indonesian government claimed, for example, that the organizers wanted $10 million to cover licensing fees and an additional $47 million to host the official closing ceremony. Earlier, the Maldives withdrew from the competition altogether when costs to participate spiraled upwards towards $500,000.

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New Seven Wonders of Natural World revealed amidst controversy originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 15 Nov 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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10 best eco-friendly hostels in the world

Jessica Festa — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Activism, Arts and Culture, Hiking, Learning, Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, Oceania, South America, Ethiopia, Philippines, Iceland, Ireland, Spain, Canada, Costa Rica, United States, Australia, Argentina, Uruguay, Hotels and Accommodations, Camping, Ecotourism, Budget Travel, Consumer Activism, Central America, Women's Travel

While you can usually expect an inexpensive stay at a hostel, not all of these accommodations are alike when it comes to being sustainable and green. For your next trip, why not stay somewhere that will not only give you a social experience on a budget, but will also be good for the planet? Check out this list of the 10 best eco-friendly hostels around the world.

Portland Hawthorne Hostel
Portland, Oregon

The Portland Hawthorne Hostel offers a clean, safe accommodation in the Hawthorne District of Portland, Oregon. The hostel has free breakfast, cheap bike rentals, and is a short walk from Mount Tabor and Luarelhurst parks. Not only that, but this hostel does its part in being eco-friendly. One of their biggest draws is their ecoroof, a "green living roof of vegetation and soil". The project is low-maintenance and self-sustaining and is being encouraged by the city due to its ability to soak up stormwater and return it to a natural water cycle (water that is not soaked up usually becomes full of sewage and dirt and negatively affects aquatic habitats). Along with the ecoroof, the hostel makes use of green cleaning products, recycling and composting, and gives guests arriving by bicycle a discount of $5 per night.

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10 best eco-friendly hostels in the world originally appeared on Gadling on Sat, 05 Nov 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Man sets out on 5,000 mile hike throughout Asia to raise money for charity

Jessica Festa — Thu, 13 Oct 2011 15:30:00 EST

Filed under: Activism, Arts and Culture, Hiking, Blogs, Stories, Asia, North America, Senegal, Cambodia, China, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, United States, Ecotourism, Budget Travel, News, Consumer Activism

Winston Fiore, a 26 year old Marine from Bloomington, Indiana, has set out on a 5,000 mile journey, by foot, throughout Southeast Asia and China. Fiore arrived in Southeast Asia on September 25, 2011, for what is called "Smile Trek", and is projecting it will take him a year to walk the entire route, which begins and ends in Singapore.

The goal of the journey is to raise $50,000 or more for the International Children's Surgery Foundation, a not-for-profit that provides children in developing countries with free corrective surgery. Through fundraising efforts, such as giving presentations at rotary clubs across the United States as well as having help from the CouchSurfing community who have helped organize benefit dinners, charity walks, and media interviews, Fiore has been able to raise over $28,000 for the cause.

Fiore's inspiration for Smile Trek stems from an experience he had when training for the Marines in a very poor region of Lingure, Senegal. When he returned home, he read a newspaper article about a successful plastic surgeon in the United States who gave up his career to perform free surgeries in developing nations for children with cleft palates and lips. From there, the idea began to grow.

To follow Fiore's Smile Trek or donate to his cause, visit his blog here.

Man sets out on 5,000 mile hike throughout Asia to raise money for charity originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 13 Oct 2011 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Brits behaving badly abroad

Alex Robertson Textor — Thu, 04 Aug 2011 08:30:00 EST

Filed under: Europe, Cyprus, India, Pakistan, Philippines, Thailand, Norway, Spain, United Kingdom, Jamaica, United States

Today the Foreign Office released British Behaviour Abroad 2011, with detailed figures on British nationals in trouble overseas (read: Brits behaving badly abroad). The period surveyed: April 1, 2010 through March 31, 2011.

There are lots of interesting tidbits in the survey. British nationals request consular assistance in greatest numbers in Spain and the United States, though since both of these countries are very popular destinations for people from the UK, this is perhaps not all that surprising.

The more interesting chart in the report is of which countries see the highest numbers of requests for consular assistance per visitor and resident abroad. The top five, in descending order: The Philippines, Thailand, Pakistan, Cyprus, and India. British nationals abroad are most likely to be arrested in Thailand, followed by the United States.

Another interesting detail: The Foreign Office claims that 43 percent of the 18-24 set know someone who has taken illegal drugs while abroad. Aggregate drug arrests are highest for British nationals abroad in Spain (171), the United States (100), Jamaica (63), Norway (55), and Thailand (51).

The good news is that the number of British nationals arrested is down, 10 percent overall and 20 percent for drug-related offenses.

The report also tabulates deaths, hospitalizations, rapes, and sexual assaults abroad. Each of these categories saw slight movement up or down in 2010-2011, with deaths, hospitalizations, and sexual assaults slightly up and rapes down.

[Image: Flickr | La Citta Vita]

Brits behaving badly abroad originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 04 Aug 2011 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Philippines terrorist threat prompts travel warning

Chris Owen — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 07:00:00 EST

Filed under: North America, Philippines, United States, News, Travel Security

When the U.S. Department of State issues a travel warning related to terrorism its serious business. Concerned about the continuing threat of terrorist actions and violence against U.S. citizens and interests throughout the world, its a reminder that terrorism can occur anywhere.

"Travelers should exercise extreme caution if traveling to Mindanao or the Sulu Archipelago. Regional terrorist groups have carried out bombings resulting in injuries and death" the department of state said in the warning.

Indeed, the Philippines have a long history of terrorist activities with hundreds killed in bombings and other attacks by Islamic extremists. The Philippines has also been called the "Kidnapping Capital of Asia", with kidnap-for-ransom establishing itself as a popular and lucrative business for the Philippine underworld. But the latest focus on terrorism in the Philippines may stem from a fear of Islamist militant groups that may be plotting attacks to avenge the death of Osama bin Laden last month in Pakistan.

That should be plenty of reasons for caution when thinking of travel to the Philippines. Tourism officials in the Philippines, unlike their Mexican counterparts, have been silent so far but law enforcement officials downplay the US travel warning.

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Philippines terrorist threat prompts travel warning originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 15 Jun 2011 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Travel television Q & A: Carmen Roberts

Alex Robertson Textor — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 11:30:00 EST

Filed under: Asia, Europe, North America, Oceania, India, Philippines, Singapore, United Kingdom, United States, Australia, New Zealand

Carmen Roberts is a travel reporter for BBC World's Fast Track program. Extraordinarily well traveled, Carmen recently decamped from London--home for over a decade--to Singapore, the country of her birth.

Here Carmen shares a few tips, a secret destination, and gives us the skinny on how her career developed.

Q: Carmen Roberts, how would you define your occupation?

A: Roving travel reporter and video journalist

Q: You grew up mostly in Australia, if my advance research can be trusted. What brought you to London and now to Singapore?

A: I moved to London on a whim in 2000. I quit my job, broke up with my boyfriend and booked a ticket all within 24 hours, and a few weeks later I was on a plane in a bewildered state. Last month I moved back to Singapore, where I will now be Fast Track's correspondent in Asia.

Q: Can you point to events in your childhood or young adulthood that inspired a life of travel?

A: I was born in Singapore, but my father was from New Zealand and then when I was five years old, we moved to Australia. So, from a very early age, I was travelling on planes. I remember going to visit my grandmother in New Zealand when I was about nine and I travelled as an unaccompanied minor. I loved it!

Q: What do you love about London, and what would you recommend that a visitor not miss? Ditto for Singapore.

A: While the Tube is great (when it works!) you can miss so much if you don't go above ground. The Tube map is deceptive at times, and if you walk you can get to many places much quicker and have a far more pleasant experience. I especially love the parks in London. Kensington Gardens in my favourite.

What not to miss in Singapore? The food is amazing and you must try the street food, or hawker stalls. They are very safe and dirt cheap. You can get a bowl of noodles for less than a fiver. Gluttons Bay and Maxwell Food Court are my favourites. And if you are a nature lover, you must go to Pulau Ubin.

Continue reading Travel television Q & A: Carmen Roberts

Travel television Q & A: Carmen Roberts originally appeared on Gadling on Mon, 18 Apr 2011 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Princess chefs cruise to top honors at annual Baccardi competition

Chris Owen — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Europe, North America, Philippines, France, Italy, United States, News, Travel Health, Cruises, Middle East, Caribbean, Luxury Travel

Much is said about the fabulous food and dining options on major cruise lines. Celebrity chefs lend their name to onboard cuisine adding trendy offerings for passengers to select while at sea. On occasion, everyday working members of the cruise industry excel and rise to top their peers in regional and world-wide competitions. Princess Cruises announced this week the award of top honors in the prestigious Bacardi Bartender and Chef Cruise Competition.

"We're tremendously proud of both chefs for demonstrating such culinary excellence," said Jan Swartz, Princess Cruises executive vice president. "It's always a great honor to be singled out from one's peers and receive industry acknowledgment of the creativity that enhances our passengers' experience. We congratulate them on this achievement."

Gallery: Culinary compeittion winners

Continue reading Princess chefs cruise to top honors at annual Baccardi competition

Princess chefs cruise to top honors at annual Baccardi competition originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 17 Feb 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Cell phone signal helps rescue five American sailors

Chris Owen — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 12:15:00 EST

Filed under: North America, South America, Philippines, United States, News, Cruises, Caribbean

After missing for more than a week, five American sailors are safe today. Their sailboat, the Pineapple, developed engine and communication problems after running into bad weather off the coast of Guam. They were lost at sea. A massive search produced no results. Finally one of those on board was able to grab a cell phone signal long enough to call for help.

Relatives and friends of the crew, four male and one female, had reported them missing when the 38-foot catamaran failed to arrive in the Philippines by January 18. Coast guards and rescue authorities from the Philippines, United States, Palau, and the Northern Marianas all searched for the missing sailboat with no results. Yesterday the one female on board managed to contact her husband using her cell phone when the vessel drifted within signal range. The husband called rescuers in Guam to give the boat's coordinate and the US Coast Guard took it from there.

"The husband confirmed the vessel ran into bad weather and suffered a rudder and radio casualty." said a statement from the US Coast Guard, adding "This delayed the Pineapple's voyage but it was never in danger of sinking."

It sounds like they were pretty lucky though. After searching for 63 hours, the US Coast Guard had found nothing on it's own. It turns out that the rescue attempt could have been made much easier with some advance planning on the part of the Pineapple's crew.

"I'm elated for the family and friends of the Pineapple, but compelled to point out that this voyage was made without taking basic, common-sense precautions." warned Captain Thomas Sparks, U.S. Coast Guard Guam commander.

Apparently no one bothered to file a comprehensive sailing plan which is not required but customary on long sea voyages. Also, the ship had no long-distance communication or emergency distress equipment, also standard on world-class voyages.

They did have a good cell phone signal though.

It is hard not to ask "So, who was service provider?" and/or "What brand was that phone?" Neither have been identified. You can bet we'll see that one on a future Gadling Gear review though.

Flickr photo by smith

Cell phone signal helps rescue five American sailors originally appeared on Gadling on Mon, 24 Jan 2011 12:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Photo of the Day (10.30.2010)

Catherine Bodry — Sat, 30 Oct 2010 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Asia, Philippines, Photo of the Day

What I love about this photo is what's at the bottom of the waterfall, in that I wonder what's there. It looks like the jungle got super thirsty and simply swallowed the creek. Otherwise, if I were those hikers, I'd definitely be hoping for a swimming hole. I also appreciate how the steep, rocky drop contrasts with the lush, rolling hills around it. This Southeast Asian scene was captured in the ~~Philippines~~ Guam by snowjumpr.

Have any photos that make might make us wish for a swimming hole at the bottom of our fantasies? Upload them to Gadling's Flickr pool, and we just might choose one for our Photo of the Day feature.

Photo of the Day (10.30.2010) originally appeared on Gadling on Sat, 30 Oct 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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12 historic sites in danger of disappearing

Kraig Becker — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 09:30:00 EST

Filed under: Arts and Culture, Hiking, Learning, Africa, Asia, Europe, Kenya, Bangladesh, Iraq, Pakistan, Philippines, Turkey, Ukraine, Guatemala, Haiti, Ecotourism, News, Middle East, Central America

The Global Heritage Fund has released a new report that lists 200 World Heritage Sites around the globe that are in danger from a variety of threats, turning the spotlight on 12 in particular that could disappear altogether due to a lack of funds, neglect, and mismanagement.

The 12 sites listed in the report include Palestine's Hisham's Palace, Turkey's Ani, and Iraq's Nineveh. Hisham's Palace, the remains of a royal winter retreat built in 747 AD and the ancient city of Nineveh are both under threat from encroaching urban development, while Ani, an 11th century city on Turkey's border with Armenia, finds many of it's ancient structures literally falling apart on their foundations.

Other Heritage Sites that make the list of "most threatened" include Mahansrhangarh, the oldest archeological site in all of Bangladesh and Mirador in Guatemala, which is a pre-Columbian Mayan ruin which sits in a remote jungle location. Haiti's Sans Souci Palace suffered damage during the recent earthquakes that hit the country, while the Maluti Temples in India suffer from years of neglect. Kenya's Lamu Village, Famagusta, located in Cyprus, Pakistan's Taxila, Intramuros and Fort Santiago in the Philippines, and Chersonesos in the Ukraine round out the list.

The GHF's report recommends that the countries in which these historic sites are located invest in restoring and preserving the ancient places. While those repairs could cost millions of dollars to complete, the sites could potentially generate that income back through tourist dollars, although UNESCO representatives say that caution should be taken when going down that road, as sustainable tourism is not always an easy thing to accomplish and there are a lot of factors to consider before proceeding.

One thing that everyone agrees on however is that these amazing sites need to be preserved for future generations to visit and explore. Just how that will be accomplished remains to be seen.

[Photo credit: Christian Koehn via WikiMedia]

12 historic sites in danger of disappearing originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 27 Oct 2010 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Flight attendants find dead Filipino passenger in Gulf Air lavatory

Tom Johansmeyer — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Asia, Bahrain, Philippines, Airlines, Middle East

The cause of death - including suicide - still isn't clear, but the facts are. Gulf Air flight attendants found a 36-year-old Filipino passenger dead in the plane lav today; he was flying home to Manila from Bahrain. Attempts to revive him using CPR were unsuccessful.

The event occurred on Gulf Air flight 154, and is the second strange lav event in as many months. In September, according to the Associated Press, an abandoned baby was found in the trash bin after a Filipino maid gave birth in the lav. This time, however, the outcome was life, as airport doctors were able to save the child.

The passenger's wife and relatives had traveled to the airport to meet him.

[photo by advencap via Flickr]

Flight attendants find dead Filipino passenger in Gulf Air lavatory originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 20 Oct 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Travel blogger Q&A: Jodi Ettenberg

Alex Robertson Textor — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 10:30:00 EST

Filed under: Asia, North America, South America, Burma (Myanmar), Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, Ecuador, Uruguay

For many travel enthusiasts, bloggers, and armchair travelers, Jodi Ettenberg's story is downright inspirational. For several years a successful corporate lawyer, she left her comfortable if demanding life in New York to travel the world.

Along the way, she's had an unnerving number of bird crap incidents, documented Thailand's red shirt protests, and provided an enticing introduction to the Perhentian Islands, among many other engagements. One constant throughout is food, and in particular street food.

Ettenberg authors a fantastic blog called Legal Nomads and maintains a very active and always interesting Twitter account.

Q: Describe your profession.

A: A few years ago, I'd have said corporate lawyer. Nowadays: hungry nomad, avid reader, mountain climber, marshmallow enthusiast, and travel blogger.

Q: What drives your instinct to travel?

A: A desire to soak up as much as possible, as intensely as possible. I know this sounds broad, but it applies to almost every facet of what I've done these past few years. I am continuously energized by learning new things and experiencing them firsthand. Travel can be exhausting and it can be awe-inspiring, but I've found the best way to balance between the two is to keep reaching out to local people wherever you go.

My time learning, eating, and traveling with locals has compelled me to keep going, from living with a local family in the Philippines to shaking my head at the sheer insanity of a crazy transportation route in Burma.

Q: Your travels have focused on South America and Asia. What drew you to these parts of the world, in very general terms?

A: For South America, the language and the people. I lived in Uruguay and Ecuador in 2002, and taught myself Spanish by compulsively writing down words in the middle of conversations and then memorizing them at night. In my months on the continent, I managed to pick up quite a bit of the language. I was able to talk to cab drivers and learn about their life stories, and ask questions about South America's tangled history. More importantly, I was able to understand the answers to my questions, which deepened the desire to keep traveling there.

For Asia, the food, with the people a close second. It could be whatever magnificent street eats I find for breakfast, to the many soups in Burma, to sitting down in Kuala Lumpur and receiving cooking lessons in exchange for bringing tourists to a street stand near BB Plaza. I get obnoxiously excited about food, and will happily travel to another town just to try a dish. My interest in food adds a tremendously rewarding dimension to my gallivanting, especially in Asia where food is so integral to culture. I loved reading Anthony Zee's Swallowing Clouds for that reason, as it ties together Chinese food and history and culture in an intoxicating way.

Q: The sheer duration of your travels is an inspiration to tons of travel writers and bloggers, and your pace is both slow and relaxed. Talk about this.

A: I started out traveling at a relatively quick pace, but once I hit Asia and fell in love with Asian food I started to move more slowly. I spent four months in the Philippines and two months each in Indonesia and Malaysia. The 90-hour work weeks I'd endured as a corporate lawyer gave me the freedom to truly explore whatever enticed me as I wandered through the world. I worked hard, and I feel very lucky that I now have the time, energy, and desire to keep traveling as long as I have.

Continue reading Travel blogger Q&A: Jodi Ettenberg

Travel blogger Q&A: Jodi Ettenberg originally appeared on Gadling on Mon, 26 Jul 2010 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Daily Pampering: The world's most expensive sushi

Laurel Miller — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Food and Drink, Asia, Philippines, News, Luxury Travel

Really top-notch sushi is pricey, no doubt about it. But you work hard, and if you're a fan of the raw fish, there's nothing like a serious splurge when your wallet's fat.

Angelito Araneta, Jr. laughs in your face. The 21-year-old, Manila-based chef, known for his "unusual" food artworks, recently debuted the world's most expensive sushi, which goes for 91,800 pesos-an estimated $2,000 to $2,700 USD, depending upon which news report you read. The five-piece nigiri, which appears to be augmented with crab, is encrusted with .20-karat African ("gives new meaning to blood") diamonds, and wrapped in 24-karat gold leaf. Because sometimes, you just have a hankering for precious gems with your hamachi.

Araneta's prior stunt was a diamond-studded, gold-leaf wrapped wedding cake, which sells for approximately $2,500. The young entrepreneur sells his culinary objets d'art as gifts for courtships or marriage proposals. The downside? Getting the diamonds back after the meal...

Want more? Get your daily dose of pampering right here.

Daily Pampering: The world's most expensive sushi originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 15 Jul 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Weekend travel media top five

Alex Robertson Textor — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 08:30:00 EST

Filed under: Africa, Asia, North America, Oceania, South America, Egypt, Philippines, Singapore, United States, Australia, Chile, Caribbean

This weekend's most interesting travel stories include a look at Egypt's seldom explored coast west of Alexandria, a long weekend guide to Singapore, a travel guide to solar eclipse runs, a profile of Boracay, the Philippines' popular holiday island, and a 12-day Great Australian Aircruise.

1. In the Guardian, Belinda Jackson takes a road trip from Alexandria to Marsa Matruh and on to the border town of Sollum. Highlights include the beaches of Marsa Matruh and friendly coastal Bedouin villages.

2. In the West Australian, Veronica Matheson outlines a three-night Singapore visit, full of good restaurant and neighborhood tips.

3. In the San Francisco Chronicle, April Orcutt describes her decades-long interest in solar eclipses, detailing eclipse-chasing trips to Hawaii, Chile, and Curaçao and closing with a calendar of five future total solar eclipses.

4. In the New York Times, Lionel Beehner writes about Boracay in the Philippines (see above), wondering if the island might be morphing into the next Phuket.

5. In the Australian, Judith Elen does an Australian Aircruise over the course of 12 days, exploring the awe-inspiring natural beauty and cultural eccentricity of Australia's "Red Centre."

[Image: Flickr/~MVI~ (surviving on globe tattoo)]

Weekend travel media top five originally appeared on Gadling on Mon, 12 Jul 2010 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Travel Recommendations for The Office

Andrew Evans — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 11:30:00 EST

Filed under: Arts and Culture, Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, Oceania, South America, Morocco, China, India, Kuwait, Philippines, Russian Federation, Thailand, Turkey, Ireland, Italy, Canada, Costa Rica, United States, Australia, Argentina, Central America, Caribbean

Back in the olden days, long before the Internet was born, there was this thing called a travel agent--typically semi-self-aware, middle-aged ladies who helped you pick out a nice vacation destination, find a hotel that was "so you" and then book your plane tickets printed on carbon paper, folded and then stuffed into fancy airline covers. The whole process was about inside relationships, consumerist trust and catering to personal tastes. Sadly, travel agents went out of style along with high-top shoes and dual tape decks, or rather, we all became travel agents and the ones who got paid to do it lost their jobs.

As an empowered, self-proclaimed Internet travel agent, I'm offering my services gratis to the folks that need it the most: those overworked, underpaid, Vitamin-D deficient fun bunch of NBC's The Office, If they're like most Americans out there, the employees of Dunder-Mifflin get only 10-15 days of vacation a year and should be using every bit of it (along with a few sick days) to get the hell out of Scranton, PA. Assuming the medicinal and therapeutic properties of travel, and summoning the travel agents' lost art of matching personality to destination, I offer the following recommendations:

Michael Scott spent Christmas at a Sandals in Jamaica with girlfriend/boss Jan Levinson. So wrong. This was clearly a blatant case of cheesy product placement and failed to take Michael to that place where he belongs, which is on a safari in Tanzania's Serengeti. Yes, the boss man would be just as happy at some wildlife park in Florida, but for the full range of Michael antics, you'd need him to actually be in Africa, mimicking African accents and getting a royal kick out of all the massive animals. Fast-forward to the zebra carpet on his office floor, Masai shields hanging on his wall and his new moniker "Chief."

Continue reading Travel Recommendations for The Office

Travel Recommendations for The Office originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 16 Jun 2010 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ten monkey attack videos

Christopher Rogers — Thu, 20 May 2010 15:30:00 EST

Filed under: Africa, Asia, North America, South Africa, China, Indonesia, Japan, Philippines, Thailand, United Kingdom, United States, Video

Seasoned travelers know that the world is full of wonders as well as occasional hazards like political unrest, diarrhea and of course, monkey attacks. Harmless and cute as they seem to tourists, these are wild animals that are not to be taken for granted.

In 2007, SS Bajwa, Indian deputy mayor of New Delhi, was killed after falling from a terrace while fighting off an angry mob of monkeys. Typically more of a problem in South Asia (India, Thailand) where Hanuman - the Hindu "monkey god" - is particularly revered, attacks by monkeys are on the rise. Luckily, most monkey attacks are more benign, or at least less lethal.

After reviewing the following collection of kung-fu chimps, playful gibbons, and roving monkey pickpocket gangs, certain "travel tips" become self-evident. Don't provoke them. Don't give them knives. And don't, under any circumstances, feed the monkeys, unless you're attempting to exchange your Ray Bans for a piece of bread. As further warning, we've uncovered ten monkey attack videos featured below. Don't let this happen to you!

1) Monkeys attack Dane
Entitled "Wheee!" Or, "Dane gratuitously provokes the monkeys until they swarm him." Make sure to watch until :55 when Dane has to run for his life as he's chased by a pack of crazed primates:

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Ten monkey attack videos originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 20 May 2010 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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17 of the world's strangest natural wonders

Gadling staff — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 14:30:00 EST

Filed under: Asia, Europe, South America, China, Israel, Jordan, Philippines, Hungary, Ireland, United States, Argentina, Venezuela

Nature has the power to amaze. From towering mountains to vast grasslands and immense oceans, there's a world of natural wonder out there waiting to explore. But sometimes the outdoor world isn't just amazing - it's also downright weird. Mysterious sliding rocks, bizarre sinkholes...even lakes where you can float. We've put together a list of 17 strange natural wonders around the world. What strange forces are at work here? You'll just have to read on to found out...

Lake Hévíz - Hungary
Lake Hévíz is Europe's largest thermal lake and a destination for people looking to rest their bones and experience the water's alleged healing powers. The spring-fed lake is rich in blue and green algae, with good bacteria to aid in curing human ailments. Lake Hévíz is able to keep its own water fresh because a spring cave beneath the lake replenishes the entire body of water in a single day day. The lake's strong health tourism industry has helped Hévíz continue to thrive.

Stone Forest - China
China's landscape is rugged, yet lush and full of personality. The Stone Forest is no exception. Tall rocks shoot out of the hills like skyscrapers forming a city skyline. Most of the rocks are weathered to a smooth surface, but some formations look like animals and people. At times the rock formations move seamlessly between trees, blending in to create a scene almost like a painting.

Sarisarinama Sinkholes - Venezuela
The four sinkholes at Sarisarinama are very large and form almost perfect circles on the summit of Venezuela's flat-topped mountains. Besides the geological abnormality, the unique plant and animal life found on the floor of the sinkholes is an object of much research by scientists - some species are found no other place on Earth.

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17 of the world's strangest natural wonders originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 09 Apr 2010 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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