Either side of the Mansyahs' "Devi" stall were rows of Northern and Southern Indian outlets from which Winnie returned bearing roti prata (a flat bread with a fried egg inside ? a Singaporean derivative of the Pakistani and Indian paratha, served with a curry dipping sauce); dhosa (black lentil flour pancakes accompanied by lentil curry and coconut chutney dips) and two glasses of hot, sweet tea.

You swiftly learn that a visit to Singapore is a series of feasts punctuated ( Read more... )
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For the past few years, most of Chiang Mai's luxury hotel accommodation was found on its fringes ? good for peace and quiet but a hassle if you want to experience the pleasures of Thailand's second biggest city up close. With the opening of The Chedi, Chiang Mai, visitors can now indulge in five-star bliss and be within walking distance of the city's many attractions.

Sited on the banks of the Mae Ping River, The Chedi is constructed around what was once the British Consulate. ( Read more... )
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Thomson

£1,998: Cicade de Goa, Dona Paula. Departs East Midlands 3 December and includes Thomson Airways flights and B&B accommodation. "Goa is a laid-back, affordable luxury destination," says Rob Ansell of Thomson. "The Cicade de Goa is a peaceful and friendly hotel which offers great service. Set on a secluded beach, it has two swimming pools, plenty of space to sunbathe and there is a shuttle bus that takes guests to the nearby town of Panjim. The B&B basis ( Read more... )
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It?s a slightly awkward term, and one that immediately raises questions about the marriage of conscience and opulence: surely the allure of luxury hotels is that you can abdicate responsibility for a short time, in exchange for lots of money? I drain my cocktail and turn from the private balcony to share this epiphany with my dinner guest. He?s not listening. Eyes closed, mouth open, he?s slowly disappearing into the kneading folds of our own personal massage chair.

As dinner is served, we're joined by the head of the house, wearing a mauve sweatshirt that remains unchanged during the three days I spend in the village. His has the furrowed face of an elderly man, but his body is as lithe as a meerkat's and his broad hands could crack walnuts. Both he and his daughter (my amused pasta partner) have the gentle, feline features typical of those from this part of India. As we eat cross-legged on cushions, they nod and smile at me, and I nod and smile back, and ( Read more... )
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Chhatra Sagar, Rajasthan

The majestic location of these 11 hand-stitched tents is a 119-year-old dam, overlooking a bird-filled reservoir that regularly attracts buffalo, deer and pelicans. Following the Rajput tradition of roving luxury camps, the tents contain comfortable sitting rooms, stone bathrooms, henna-painted bedrooms, locally crafted furniture ? and the modern concession of Wi-Fi. Activities include birdwatching and village tours.

Chhatra ( Read more... )
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Neal's Yard Holidays: £2,315: Barberyn Reef Ayurveda Resort, west coast, Sri Lanka; Includes SriLankan Airlines flights and full board accommodation, with daily yoga, tai chi, meditation, all Ayurvedic consultations, massages, treatments, excursions and activities.

"This pioneering all-inclusive resort is situated by a natural reef with a vast expanse of sandy beach. The lovely staff and authentic, personalised treatments make for a wonderfully rejuvenating holiday ( Read more... )
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Even during the so-called winter season ? which runs from now until March, with temperatures averaging 26C ? Bangkok's sensory overload of noise, rush and heat can be unbearable. Burning concrete, brain-melting humidity and the constant fumes of traffic coagulate into one long exhausting throb. So what do visitors do when the Thai capital overwhelms? Most take the easy way out, get back to their hotel rooms and switch on the air conditioning.

Yet there are alternatives. The city's lesser-known ( Read more... )
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I wasn't sure what I had done to deserve it, but the village chief with the red khroma and tombstone teeth was, I thought, fondling my knee in a particularly lascivious manner as our vehicle sped towards Koh Kong in a cloud of dust. I had chosen a "Cambodian taxi" to get close to the locals: these old pickups never budge until every atom of space is taken. Cheek-by-jowl with us on that breezy February morning were at least a dozen bundle-bearing villagers, a cranky sow and several sacks of ( Read more... )
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Like this one, is the implication. I feel lucky for finding it.

The United Arab Emirates, which include Dubai and Abu Dhabi, are almost accidental guests to the global tourism party. Until the late 1980s they were on the itinerary of most travellers between the UK, Asia and Australia, simply because aircraft were obliged to refuel there.

When new technology allowed longer flights, the response of Dubai was remarkably prescient: to set up an airline and make this ( Read more... )
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Inside the grotto, a little sunlight flickered over high walls plastered with clam shells. The cave narrowed into an inky tunnel, and our courage faltered. But a torch beam revealed fruit bats in a roof cavity, crowded thick together, asleep.

I swam in the salty, hot waters of Phang Nga Bay eight times that day. Its 42 islands ? rock monoliths covered with Jurassic scrub and crab-eating macaques ? tower skywards out of the shallows. Underwater, schools of lemon damsel, ( Read more... )
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Why should I fly 6,000 miles to find a beach?

For the whitest sands and the most turquoise of seas, for a Buddhist culture that is both gentle and fun, for a winter-sun break that won't ruin your bank balance. Even the Post Office thinks you should go: in its recent Holiday Costs Barometer survey, Thailand came in ahead of South Africa and Malaysia as the best-value long-haul destination.

Thailand has about 2,000 miles of tropical coastline, so there are ( Read more... )
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Now I've read a lot of guff about Paradise Syndrome, mainly from rich, successful celebrities who claim to suffer from depression induced by having everything they want. The term, I believe, was coined by Dave Stewart, who, after a lifetime of amassing vast quantities of cash with Annie Lennox and achieving everything he desired artistically, stated publicly that it made him miserable. You remember him, the bloke who made the All Saints movie Honest ? a film that made a lot ( Read more... )
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But don't confine your travels to this one country. Visit the hills of Laos, the beautifully preserved towns of Malaysia, the ruins of Angkor Wat in Cambodia, and the emerging beach destinations of Vietnam.

Wherever you travel in this vibrant and engaging part of the globe, you won't need to break the bank to stay in comfortable accommodation. Here are some of the best budget-luxury options in the region ? from colonial villas in Malaysia to serene riverside bungalows ( Read more... )
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On the cards to open in early 2010 are two integrated resorts: Marina Bay Sands and Resorts World Sentosa. The complex will include a Universal Studios Theme Park, two casinos (Singapore's first), and various additions to the hotel scene including the city's very own Hard Rock Hotel. And as cranes hover over towering structures, the Lion City prepares to host her second Formula One night race this month.

Meanwhile Singapore's retail showcase looks set to capture the frisson ( Read more... )
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Qingdao is one of the world's more intriguing destinations. Flying into the city the night before, I had been greeted by a young guide with good English who had adopted the name Jason for the convenience of foreign visitors. He drove me to my hotel, explaining, as I peered through the dark, that I was staying in Badaguan, the city's renowned beauty spot. And just down there, Jason had waved a hand, was Number Two Bathing Beach where he would meet me the next morning.

The scenes around me ( Read more... )
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Borneo: what and where?

Straddling the Equator, the steep forest-clad mountainsides shrouded in mist epitomise the "Land of the Clouds" ? a result of the combination of highland terrain surrounded by sea, and the hot, damp climate. The perpetual warmth and moisture makes Borneo incredibly verdant, with nearly 11,000 species of flowering plants and more than 700 species of trees. Numerous large rivers, most of them chocolate brown in the lower stretches, flow ( Read more... )
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On the cards to open in early 2010 are two integrated resorts: Marina Bay Sands and Resorts World Sentosa. The complex will include a Universal Studios Theme Park, two casinos (Singapore's first), and various additions to the hotel scene including the city's very own Hard Rock Hotel. And as cranes hover over towering structures, the Lion City prepares to host her second Formula One night race this month.

Meanwhile Singapore's retail showcase looks set to capture the frisson ( Read more... )
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Locals will tell you the city was founded 5,000 years ago by Shiva, the Hindu god whose role is to destroy, thus balancing out the work of Brahma the creator and Vishnu the maintainer. Hindus from across the sub-continent and beyond have long yearned to be cremated here, out in the open, when their time in this life is up. Leading to the release from the cycle of re-birth and straight to Nirvana, this is the place to exit.

It isn?t all about the end of life however. ( Read more... )
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WHY GO NOW?

Late May and June are perfect times to visit the Indonesian capital; the wet season is over, school holidays are a month away, and most tourists don't arrive until July.

TOUCH DOWN

There are no direct flights between the UK and Indonesia. The most common transfer point ( Read more... )
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