Aug 3rd, 2011 at 8:00AM:
What do you know about Air Koryo? Probably not much. The state-run airline for North Korea, it's the only realistic way you can fly into the country, unless you have some sort of crazy commando resources at your disposal. Of course, there's a lot you have to do before booking your ticket, and getting a visa can be quite difficult for Americans and other westerners. If you do make it through ...Click on a label to read posts from that part of the world.
Beijing posts
Eight interesting facts about North Korea's airline
Aug 3rd, 2011 at 8:00AM:
What do you know about Air Koryo? Probably not much. The state-run airline for North Korea, it's the only realistic way you can fly into the country, unless you have some sort of crazy commando resources at your disposal. Of course, there's a lot you have to do before booking your ticket, and getting a visa can be quite difficult for Americans and other westerners. If you do make it through ...Photo of the Day - Temple of Heaven
Jun 5th, 2011 at 6:00PM:
Today's photo, taken by Flickr user toffiloff, transports us to the Temple of Heaven in Beijing, China. The photographer's perspective, gazing up from the bottom of the stairs at the magnificent Taoist structure, seems to reinforce the building's spiritual force. A solitary bird in the upper right of the image, floating gently in the breeze, adds an additional layer of visual interest.
...Photo of the Day - Chairman Mao Portrait
Apr 10th, 2011 at 6:00PM:
History is all around us, particularly in a country like China. Whether you're walking along the magnificent Great Wall or gazing in awe at the Forbidden City in Beijing. Today's photo, taken by Flickr user Trent Strohm, offers us yet another unique glimpse of China's remarkable history: Chairman Mao, leader of the Chinese Revolution. Trent's inclusion of the soldier in front of Mao's portrait ...Video of the Day - Learning Chinese in Beijing
Feb 27th, 2011 at 6:30PM:
Do you remember the first moment you arrived in a new city? If you are anything like me, everything about a new place seems strangely fascinating, from the unfamiliar smells and sounds to the new customs you discovered and captivating language. Today's video, which follows the journey of a student as he begins to learn Chinese in Beijing, feels a lot like that first moment. This beautifully ...
Daily Pampering: Private cigar rooms at Davidoff Lounge, Ritz-Carlton Beijing
Jan 3rd, 2011 at 4:00PM: Crystal chandeliers and red velvet furniture adorn what is possibly the most exclusive cigar bar in Beijing. But why would you simply hang out at the bar when you can have your own private room?
The Davidoff Lounge at The Ritz-Carlton, Beijing, attracts the discerning type, just as Zino Davidoff had intended it to be when he opened the world's first cigar lounge in Switzerland back in the ...Daily Pampering: $9,000 presidential suite at The Ritz-Carlton Beijing, Financial Street
Dec 13th, 2010 at 4:00PM:
What does $60,000 RMB buy you in Beijing? The glamorous presidential suite at the Ritz-Carlton Beijing, Financial Street. Converted to about $9,000 USD (plus a 15% service charge), this room has everything fit for luxury living on the hotel's 19th floor:
Scenic view of the city skyline and the beautifully landscaped park
Fully-equipped kitchen
A library equipped with a printer and ...Weekend travel media top five
Nov 1st, 2010 at 10:00AM: Among the best travel stories this last weekend of October: emerging Armenia, undervisited Northern Vietnam, a rail journey across China, top spots to celebrate Halloween (start your research for Halloween 2011 here!), and a wine-free tour of St. Helena, California.
1. In the Financial Times, Teresa Levonian Coles writes about the emergence of Armenia as a tourist destination. Her piece is ...First images: Langham Place, Beijing Capital Airport hotel
Sep 27th, 2010 at 12:00PM: Asia is fast becoming a hotbed for hotel growth. From the Ritz-Carlton's new hotel in Shanghai to the W's entrance into Hong Kong, hotel companies aren't shying away from Asia's tourism growth potential. Now, the Langham hotel group is adding to its China collection.
The second Langham hotel to open in Asia this year, the Langham Place, Beijing Capital Airport brings new meaning to the "airport ...Nine-day, 62-mile traffic jam in China
Aug 23rd, 2010 at 4:30PM: Before you start the commute home for the day, consider how bad the traffic could be. Sure, you could get stuck behind a bus or on the train for an hour or so, but how about 9 DAYS?! Thousands of motorists have been stranded on the Beijing-Tibet expressway since August 13th as a road work project has stopped up an already-busy road, and they could be stuck for another few weeks until the project ...Daily Pampering: The Peninsula Hotels' $20,000 tour of China
Jul 23rd, 2010 at 4:00PM: The Peninsula Hong Kong, The Peninsula Beijing and The Peninsula Shanghai are offering China travelers a new way to see three of the country's best city, thanks the "Tale of Three Cities" – the hotels' collection of itineraries showcasing the very best of China.
Hoping to bring back the glamor in travel, the Peninsula's are hosting above-and-beyond luxury experiences at each hotel that ...New travel guide spoofs, "Where not to go before you die."
Jul 19th, 2010 at 11:30AM: Prolific travel writer Catherine Price is over the whole "bucket list" trend. Annoyed that a crappy movie spawned an obnoxious national book craze of all the things one must see, do, and visit before they kick it, Price decided to strike back. Her new release, 101 Things Not to See Before You Die is a hilarious, tongue-in-cheek compendium based on Price's own travel experiences.
Some of Price's ...Shanghai Nights: 24 hours in the Expo City
Jun 11th, 2010 at 10:00AM:
Shanghai is a city of complications and successes. It's one of the most modern cities in China, yet still holds sacred its roots in China's history. It's lived in the shadows of Beijing and Hong Kong for centuries but today offers travelers a new experience, thanks in part to its hosting the World Expo Shanghai. Shanghai is a juxtaposition of old and new on every street. A five minute walk from ...Explore the Tuman Triangle
May 10th, 2010 at 12:00PM: If you're going to travel all the way across the Pacific, you want to make your trip to Asia worth it. The latest package from Koryo Tours is designed to do this, exposing you to three countries, three cultures and three time zones in one shot. From June 30 to July 10, 2010, a small group (only 20 spots are available) will be able to explore the "Tuman" Triangle."
From Beijing, you'll head out ...American Airlines delays start of Chicago-Beijing flights
Apr 27th, 2010 at 11:30AM: Yesterday, American Airlines was scheduled to start a new non-stop route from Chicago O'Hare to Beijing - but a last minute snag has forced them to delay the launch. American had requested a preferential take-off and landing slot from the Chinese Government, but was handed slots for a 2:20am arrival, and a 4:40am departure - making the whole thing pretty useless.
American Airlines is working ...Round the World in 80 Sounds: China's rock star rising
Apr 22nd, 2010 at 11:00AM:
Beijing, China is a noisy place. China's capital and largest city treats visitors' ears to an endless stream of sputtering cars, clanking construction cranes and chattering pedestrians. But amidst all this growth, you could be forgiven for missing one particularly surprising sound – the strumming of an electric guitar. It's the sound of an Asian rock scene on the rise – a new crop ...Beijing tackles trash stench with 100 deodorant guns
Apr 3rd, 2010 at 2:00PM: Fed up with the smell from their largest trash dump, municipal authorities in Beijing are installing 100 deodorant guns aimed to reduce the stench.
The guns can spray about ten gallons of deodorizing liquid up to 175 feet away, but there is no information on what scents will be used. The Beijing landfills are overflowing beyond capacity due to public opposition of 6 incinerator facilities that ...20 great destinations for shopping
Apr 2nd, 2010 at 3:00PM:
Shoppers of all kinds will fall in love with the places that made this list of the top 20 cities for shopping. Whether you live nearby or are planning a trip, this list offers places ideal for anyone in need of some retail therapy.
New Orleans, Louisiana
The French Quarter and Bourbon Street are only the starting point in the unique shopping destinations you'll find in New Orleans. Stroll ...Seven new hotels around the world from Fairmont in 2010
Jan 28th, 2010 at 1:00PM: This year promises to be exciting for fans of the Fairmont. New properties are set to open in London, China and many other cities, each with a distinct style. There's no question that the Fairmont has the art and science of hospitality mastered, so these new properties are going to be exciting to watch.
1. The Savoy
With a design nodding toward Edwardian and Art Deco, the hotel reopens after a ...Seven days in China for under $900, flight included
Dec 15th, 2009 at 2:30PM: I am delighted to tell you about a deal I may snap up myself: China Spree's 7 Day China Express -- Beijing Free-style Travel (2010) will take you to Beijing from San Francisco and put you up at a four star hotel for $588 ($988 from New York). They're even throwing in free breakfasts.
The hotel is The Beijing Huabin, which is located just a ten minute walk from Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden ...Gadling's 13 stranger than strange sites for Friday the 13th
Nov 13th, 2009 at 5:30PM: Happy Friday the 13th! Tributed to being an unlucky day thanks to wives tales, religion and mythology, this is a day when people might think about altering their travel plans. The thought is, why push your luck? Franklin D. Roosevelt was one such person. He never traveled on the 13th. He even died on April 12, 1945. That, my friends, was on a Thursday. That is kind of strange, no?
In honor of a ...
