May 4th, 2013 at 4:00PM: Considering a trip to see the Northern Lights? This year may very well be the best time to go. 2013 is the height of the 11-year solar cycle. September and October offer peak activity. They can be seen in Alaska, Norway, Finland and Canada on a clear night. Better yet, try viewing on a ship at sea.
Common tips for viewing the Northern Lights say to go North, inside the Arctic circle, bring ...Click on a label to read posts from that part of the world.
Asia posts
Northern Lights Best Viewed At Sea, On A Yacht, French Style
May 4th, 2013 at 4:00PM: Considering a trip to see the Northern Lights? This year may very well be the best time to go. 2013 is the height of the 11-year solar cycle. September and October offer peak activity. They can be seen in Alaska, Norway, Finland and Canada on a clear night. Better yet, try viewing on a ship at sea.
Common tips for viewing the Northern Lights say to go North, inside the Arctic circle, bring ...Thailand Wants To Be The World's Most Popular Golf Destination
Apr 27th, 2013 at 4:00PM: Thoughts of Thailand may bring images of red shirts and yellow shirts, the temples of Bangkok or swimming with elephants. But what about golf? Thailand has hundreds of golf courses and wants the world to know about them.
Starting May 1, 2013, Golf In A Kingdom kicks off, showcasing 12 of Thailand's 260+ courses and resorts to promote the land of smiles as a major force in golf tourism.
"Golf ...Photo Of The Day: All Signs Lead To ...
Mar 31st, 2013 at 5:00PM:
If you calculated how much time you look at certain things when you travel, signs would be at the top of the list. Whether it's indicating a road or a restaurant, without signs we would quite literally be lost.
In some places, there are more signs than others, and in this photo, Flickr user Luke Robinson captures a jumble of signs in Hong Kong. In fact, it's not even clear what each sign ...Not Constantinople: 9 Misconceptions About Istanbul, Turkey
Mar 7th, 2013 at 11:00AM:
The country of Turkey has been getting a lot of bad press this year, due to the tragic disappearance and murder of American Sarai Sierra in Istanbul, and the suicide bombing at the U.S. Consulate in Turkish capital city Ankara, which was quickly linked to a Marxist group protesting the Turkish position on the war in Syria (a Turkish security guard was killed, no Americans were harmed). Both ...US State Department Funds Thai Monument Restoration
Feb 16th, 2013 at 12:00PM: The United States State Department's Ambassador's Fund for Cultural Preservation recently bestowed a $131,800 grant to the World Monuments Fund for restoration work at Wat Chaiwatthanaram, a historic Buddhist temple in Ayutthaya, Thailand.
According to WMF President Bonnie Burnham, "Support from the State Department's Ambassadors Fund will assist the Thai Department of Fine Arts with continuing ...Photo Of The Day: Bicycle In Penang
Feb 5th, 2013 at 6:30PM:
Penang, Malaysia, is an island that reverberates with art and history. Flickr user Lauren Irons captures the vibrancy of this fascinating destination in this image of a colorful bicycle taxi set against the bright blue walls of the Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion. On her blog, Lauren describes a visit filled with Hindu festivals and Buddhist temples. "Should you find yourself in Southeast Asia in the ...Video Of The Day: Laos
Jan 23rd, 2013 at 5:00PM:
"In Asia - Episode 3 - LAOS" from Vincent Urban on Vimeo.
I just had the privilege of watching this beautiful video of Laos. I came across this film on vimeo. Created by Vincent Urban for a series titled "In Asia," this video on Laos is the third out of five films from his trip to Asia in the fall of 2010. The song playing throughout the video just might become one of your new favorites ...
Photo Of The Day: Luang Prabang
Jan 4th, 2013 at 6:00PM:
Kuang Si waterfall, 15 miles (25 kilometers) south of Luang Prabang in Laos, is one lovely spot. ...Budget Hong Kong: The City Of Blinding Logos
Dec 20th, 2012 at 10:00AM:
The streets of Hong Kong have a way of accosting you with neon lights and ostentatious logos. Louis Vuitton and Giorgio Armani lay claim to the Central District, while Tiffany & Co. and Burberry dominate Tsim Sha Tsui. Causeway Bay is a cacophony of luxury labels from around the globe, and let's not forget the lesser brands that sit on every street corner: McDonald's, Starbucks, 7-11. ...Is Illegal Poaching In Africa And Asia A Threat To US Security?
Nov 13th, 2012 at 8:00AM: The U.S. intelligence community has been issued a new charge from President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Organizations such as the CIA and NSA are being asked to assess the impact that illegal poaching across Africa and Asia is having on U.S. security interests abroad. This shift in policy indicates that the administration may be preparing to get tough on the underground ...Photo Of The Day: Taiwanese Temple
Nov 2nd, 2012 at 6:30PM:
This Taiwanese temple is enmeshed in a field of silver grass, completely dwarfed by the surrounding foliage. Snapped by Flickr user Pamcy.com, it seemed like an appropriately peaceful, contemplative image for today's Photo of the Day. This has been a difficult and draining week for many Gadling writers (and readers) living in U.S. Northeast.
Upload your best images to the Gadling Group Pool ...In Bali With Baggage: Getting A Look Around
Nov 1st, 2012 at 10:00AM:
[read earlier parts of "In Bali With Baggage" here]
Perhaps it is some fluke of Balinese grammar. Perhaps the words for "lonely" and "alone" are the same. But the hotel staff keeps asking me, "traveling lonely?" and I say, "Yes."
"No friends?" they continue, just to make sure.
"No," I say, feeling my nose being rubbed in it. "No friends."
In my short time here, I've already learned ...Video Of The Day: Amazing Kuala Lumpur Time Lapse
Oct 22nd, 2012 at 6:00PM:
Once a small Chinese tin-mining village, Kuala Lumpur has grown to be the largest city in Malaysia, a metropolis of around 6.5 million people. The transformation took only about 150 years, and today visitors will find an ultra-modern city with dazzling lights, cloud-reaching skyscrapers, a state-of-the-art monorail, bustling shopping centers and more.
Architectural photographer Rob ...
Author Lisa Napoli On The Perils And Pleasures Of Bhutan
Oct 4th, 2012 at 10:00AM: When a midlife crisis hit Lisa Napoli in the wake of turning 40, she needed a break from L.A. and her job as a reporter for the public radio program "Marketplace." A chance encounter with a good looking guy led her to a volunteer opportunity at Kuzoo FM in Bhutan, the tiny Buddhist kingdom in the Himalayas, famous for measuring its citizens' well being by the Gross National Happiness metric.
...Macau: China's First And Last European Colony
Aug 9th, 2012 at 4:00PM: Macau, one of only two special administrative regions of the People's Republic of China, features a unique blend of architecture, culture and heritage.
Walking the streets, it will become immediately clear the region makes a lot of money off gambling; however, through the architecture you'll also be transported back and forth from Europe to Asia, and from the 16th century to the present. The ...Air Asia Passenger Jumps From Moving Airplane
Aug 7th, 2012 at 6:00PM: I guess some people need to think their travel plans through a little more carefully. On an Air Asia flight from Miri to Kuala Lumpur, a passenger decided he did not want to be on board anymore. He took matters into his own hands and actually opened the emergency exit door, jumping out of the airplane while it was taxiing on the runway.
According to news.com.au, the drastic move caused panic ...Japan's Newest Summer Treat: Cream Puff With Soy Sauce Ice Cream
Aug 5th, 2012 at 1:00PM: For those interested in creative cuisine, look no further than Japan. Last week, we told you about Tokyo's traditional Eel Day and how they prepare this special dish. Now, a Japanese confectionery company has come out with a cream puff filled with soy sauce flavored ice cream.
"It's a mixture of soy sauce and ice cream, producing a well-balanced salty, yet sweet, ice cream, which is perfect for ...Portugal To Vietnam By Rails: Are You Up For The Ultimate Train Challenge?
Aug 5th, 2012 at 11:00AM:
Last year, Michael Hodson and two travel blogger friends challenged each other to take on the world by train. For a month the bloggers traveled on separate routes from Lisbon, Portugal, to Saigon, Vietnam, on a competitive quest to conquer the longest continuous stretches of train tracks currently on the planet. The rails-only expedition was dubbed the Ultimate Train Challenge, and after the ...Video Of The Day: Maldives Panettone Reef
Jul 25th, 2012 at 8:00PM:
"Panettone Reef" from Jon Kreider on Vimeo.
Swim through the Panettone Reef in Maldives with schooling bannerfish in this video. These bannerfish are native to areas near Africa and although they are strikingly similar to the Moorish idols, the bannerfish and Moorish idols are only distantly related. The Panettone Reef in Ari Atoll is a popular spot for diving. Not only is Maldives the ...
Video: Beautiful Bhutan Footage
Jul 16th, 2012 at 3:00PM:
"Bhutan - A Journey Through The Land of Thunder Dragon" from info@drukasia.com on Vimeo.
It's not every day that I find myself liking promotional videos, but this video seems to be an exception. Sponsored by Bhutan's board of tourism, this video pairs dramatic music and beautiful Bhutan footage. The end result is a gorgeous video featuring hiking, rafting and wildlife that makes me want to ...
