Jun 17th, 2012 at 3:00PM: For tourists who live in fear of having to use the toilet while touring Thailand, the country has announced official plans to switch over to Western-style facilities.
While the goal of the transition is to help the country's aging population, the new toilets will no doubt help tourism, as many Westerners find it hard to navigate the in-ground head. The toilets, which are basically holes in the ...Click on a label to read posts from that part of the world.
asia posts
Thailand Moves From Squat To Western-Style Toilets
Jun 17th, 2012 at 3:00PM: For tourists who live in fear of having to use the toilet while touring Thailand, the country has announced official plans to switch over to Western-style facilities.
While the goal of the transition is to help the country's aging population, the new toilets will no doubt help tourism, as many Westerners find it hard to navigate the in-ground head. The toilets, which are basically holes in the ...New Bike Club In China Allows You To Cycle On The Roof
May 28th, 2012 at 2:00PM: While rooftop lounges, bars and pools are common, have you ever heard of a rooftop bike club? Holland-based NL Architects is bringing Dutch bike culture to southern China with a new concept in cycling.
The rooftop velodrome is actually part of a resort in Sanya in the Hainan province, and will feature a pagoda roof with curves and inclines to increase cyclists' speed and velocity. Moreover, ...Where To Get Singapore's Favorite Historical Cocktail: The Singapore Sling
Apr 23rd, 2012 at 2:00PM: Developed sometime before 1915 by Ngiam Tong Boon, a bartender who worked at the Long Bar in the Raffles Hotel Singapore, the Singapore Sling is a historical cocktail that has made a revival over the past few years. The original recipe used only the best ingredients – gin, Cherry Heering, Bénédictine and fresh pineapple juice. While by the 1980s the quality of the drink had ...Photo Of The Day: Bangladesh Street Scene
Apr 6th, 2012 at 7:30PM:
This Bangladesh street scene, taken in 2008 by Flickr user m24instudio, jumped out at me on the Gadling Group Pool page on Flickr. Currently, next to it on the page are photos of flowers, animals, skylines, an island and snowy panoramas. None of these popped off the page quite so intensely as the above image. The colors, the signage, the handbills, the greenery in the background and the ...Thailand Rings In The New Year With A Massive Water Fight
Apr 3rd, 2012 at 4:00PM:
While many cultures celebrate New Year's on December 31 and January 1, Thailand waits until April 13 to 15 to commemorate the holiday. Known as Songkran, it is traditionally very spiritual. Locals visit temples, sprinkle water on Buddha images to pay respect as well as on each other's hands to wish them good luck. There are also cultural performances and delicious street foods to enhance the ...
Exploring the must-see sites of Tohoku, Japan
Mar 17th, 2012 at 11:00AM: In the twentieth century, tourism was a major industry in Tohoku, Japan, due to its array of unique cultural offerings and beautiful landscape. However, on March 11, 2011, the region suffered much damage due to a devastating earthquake and tsunami. Now, a year later, the area is recovering nicely, and travelers will have no problem visiting the museums, parks, mountains, hot springs, and heritage ...10 reasons to visit Kanazawa, Japan
Mar 14th, 2012 at 3:00PM: One of the most overlooked destinations in Japan is Kanazawa. Although it is the capital of Ishikawa Prefecture, many tourists have not heard of the city or use it only as a quick stopover to other places. In reality, Kanazawa has a legacy in the arts, a rich cultural heritage, and many unique offerings that can't be found anywhere else in the country. To help you learn a little more about the ...A cultural tour of Burma through tilt-shift timelapse
Mar 8th, 2012 at 3:00PM:
For those who've wondered what local life is like in Burma (Myanmar), "Bonsai Burma" by Berlin filmmaker Joerg Daiber can enlighten you. Using tilt-shift photography, Daiber takes viewers on a cultural tour of the country showing daily life, women working in the hillsides, children playing, hawkers selling goods at the market, and fisherman working for their catch. Furthermore, viewers ...
Unusual aphrodisiacs from Asian countries
Mar 3rd, 2012 at 2:00PM: Wondering how to get you or your partner more in the mood for sex? Instead of opting for expensive pills or unnatural remedies, why not learn from the Asian culture and try one of these libido-boosting aphrodisiacs? From dangerously poisonous fish to fertilized duck embryo or snake's blood, it is clear some people really will try anything to have good sex. While these odd ingestants may be useful ...10 St. Patrick's Day alternatives to Dublin, Ireland
Feb 26th, 2012 at 9:00AM: While travelers often think of Dublin, Ireland, as the must-visit place for St. Patrick's Day, there are many other excellent destinations all over the world to celebrate the festivities. To help you decide where to spend March 17 this year, check out this list of ten excellent St. Patrick's Day destinations.
New York
I've attended St. Patrick's Day in New York many times and can honestly ...Changi Airport, Singapore: budget-friendly experiences during your layover
Feb 21st, 2012 at 4:30PM: While layovers are often times boring and filled with endless hours of watching the clock, Changi Airport in Singapore believes that airport experiences should be memorable. Not only that, the airport also caters to the budget-traveler with an array of free activities for people of all ages. Next time you're in transit at Changi Airport, make sure to:
Take a free tour of Singapore- For those ...Why you should visit Singapore in 2012
Feb 18th, 2012 at 4:00PM: There are many reasons Singapore makes a great travel destination, from unique architecture to rich cultural experiences to carefully prepared cuisine. In 2012, the Southeast Asian destination has even more reasons to visit, from exciting new restaurants to the opening of their first river-themed animal park. Here are some reasons to put Singapore on this year's trip itinerary.
New cultural ...Exploring the street food in Singapore
Feb 16th, 2012 at 12:00PM: Singapore is an island-nation in Southeast Asia that has a rich culture, especially when it comes to food. Their unique street food culture can be experienced in the numerous hawker centers: open-air food courts housing authentic, carefully prepared cuisine for a budget-friendly price. Sample delicious options like the local favorite Hainanese Chicken Rice (shown right), peanut sauce-laden satay ...Guide to wine tasting in Thailand
Jan 26th, 2012 at 12:00PM: While Thailand isn't typically thought of as a destination for wine-lovers, there are actually various opportunities in the country to experience vineyards, wineries, and tastings. Whether you want to explore a Thai vineyard on the back of an elephant, try a one-of-a-kind local wine, or have a sommelier guide you through a 10-course wine pairing under a candle jungle waterfall, you can use this ...Life in Japan, from sushi's perspective
Jan 17th, 2012 at 1:00PM:
In Japan, conveyor belt sushi, or kaiten-zushi, is the equivalent of a burger joint or taco stand: a cheap, quick dining option for people from all walks of life. At kaiten-zushi establishments, small plates of sushi, sashimi, and other Japanese specialties are placed on a rotating conveyor belt. Diners select multiple plates to make themselves a meal, and the bill is tallied at the end ...
Photographs of the people of China via Erin Drewitz
Jan 10th, 2012 at 2:00PM:
Our dear graphic designer and occasional photographer Erin Drewitz had a busy 2011, romping between San Francisco, Dallas, China and the far reaches of the planet. Her most recent series, collected between Hong Kong, Shenzen, Changsha and Zhangjiajie captures some of the everyday life experienced among the country's working class, from the street workers in the central provinces to the ...Luxury Vacation Guide 2012: Baku, Azerbaijan
Jan 9th, 2012 at 10:00AM:
Alternately called the Paris of the East and the Next Dubai, Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, is poised to become the Middle East's next big luxury travel destination.
Once the busiest harbor on the ancient Silk Road, Baku is the largest city on the Caspian Sea and in the Caucasus region. A recent flood of oil money has led to massive development in anticipation of a 2020 Olympics bid, and ...Kuala Lumpur mandates WiFi in all restaurants and bars
Jan 3rd, 2012 at 5:00PM: Thanks to a new law, visitors to Malaysia's capital city of Kuala Lumpur will be able to enjoy WiFi in all local restaurants and bars starting in April.
The New Straits Times reports that the law, passed yesterday, will make it mandatory for restaurants, cafes, pubs, bars, and clubs larger than 120 square meters in area to offer wireless Internet services free of charge, or for a reasonable ...Uniquely designed luxury hotel and office complex in China resembles ocean waves
Dec 30th, 2011 at 5:00PM: It's truly amazing what architects can do nowadays in terms of innovative design, and the Hangzhou Waves, a new luxury hotel and office complex proposed in China, is a perfect example of this. While the structure is a 5 star accommodation, it is also a work of art, as it actually resembles the natural waves of the ocean.
Hangzhou Waves is a project of JDS Architects, a firm known for its unique ...6 art classes to try in Bali
Dec 19th, 2011 at 3:00PM:
There's no better place in Indonesia to take art classes than in Bali, an island known around the world for its artistic tradition. Indeed, it seems that everywhere you look, you find traces of man-made beauty. From the ornamentation on the temples to the etchings on the sidewalks to the attention and care given to daily offerings set out on the street, art oozes from every crack.
When ...
