Asian Travel Blog

When considering travelling in India by rail, it is worth bearing in mind that even long distances such as Bombay to Delhi, or Delhi to Varanasi, can be covered more time-effectively than flying, using the overnight sleeper trains. The trains are comfortable too, provided you don’t pick the cheapest class of all – and even that can be fun. In terms of comfort, on its main lines the Indian railways now have carriages with air conditioning and tinted windows, instead of the old compartment carriages with open windows. If you still want to travel with the good views, open windows and heat, then you need to go second class - then you can still enjoy sitting on the steps with the door open, watching the world go by.

If you are planning on using the railways in India as part of your trip, it is well worth doing some research beforehand, which is pretty straightforward as there is an absolute mine of information available on the web. In this respect, once again it’s hats off to Mark Smith, aka known as The Man in Seat Sixty-One. His website has loads of information on trains and railways worldwide, not just India. Next up, take a look at the travel forum India Mike, which has info on all aspects of travel in India.

One recommended journey to take is a route that crosses the southern part of the Indian peninsula, from coast to coast, from the Arabian Sea to the Bay of Bengal, a journey of less than 500 kilometres. You can journey either way, starting in Chennai or in Kerala.

If you feel that independent travel is not for you, and you fancy going with an established tour operator, then you could try Explore who offer a delightful two week guided railway journey across northern India from Kolkata to Amritsar, taking in the Taj Mahal and the Red Fort at Agra on the way.

Either way, the Indian railways offer a great experience, and a safe and inexpensive way to get about this vast and varied subcontinent.

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You only have to see the BBC’s excellent programme “Monsoon Railway” to realise something of the intricacy, human background, impressiveness and efficiency of India’s railways. Monsoon Railway tells the stories of some of the ordinary people who travel and work on these railways, that for the last 150 years have driven social and economic development in the country, providing an essential service to the billion-strong population who depend on it.

If you really want to see something of the true India, the railways are a fantastic way to get around the country, providing an insight into aspects of Indian life that you will not get from planes and tourbuses. With 63,000 kilometres of rail routes and 6,800 stations, the railway network in India is the third biggest in the world after Russia and China, and certainly the biggest in the world in terms of passenger kilometres. Indian Railways are also the world’s biggest employer, with over 1.5 million staff. In Britain, half a century or more ago, they used to say that if you got a job on the railways, you had a job for life, and this probably remains true today in India.

The Indian railways are a safe, inexpensive and friendly way to get about. In fact many inveterate travellers to India believe that no visit to this vast and diverse country is complete without the experience of travelling on the trains, negotiating the bustling urban Indian railway stations, and seeing the small country stations, where the hawkers have baskets of guavas, bananas and and other good things to sell.

In my next post we will take a look at Indian railways in more detail.

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Lying off the southern tip of India, the romantic chain of coral islands known as the Maldives, offer aquamarine waters, with gentle waves lapping at soft white sand, and the ultimate in relaxing get-away-from-it-all holidays.

So if you are in need of exactly such a retreat, this month saw the opening of The Beach House on the small holiday island of Manafaru, a beautiful five-star Maldivian resort, which offers privacy, luxury and service.

The lush, green island of Manafaru is at the most northerly tip of the Maldives, in the lagoon-ringed clear waters of the Haa Alifu Atoll.

The Beach House is composed of sixty-eight beautifully designed contemporary thatched villas, offering style, elegance and simplicity, as well as up-to-the-minute technology, such as iPod hookups, high speed internet, LCD TV’s, espresso bars, and luxury in the form of king-size beds, private pools and rather magnificent open air bathrooms. Each villa also has an outdoor dining area, and there are even water villas with glass-panelled floors, and beach villas where you get your own heavenly private beach.

And as well as swimming and relaxing, there is a club house where you can enjoy a 32 inch LCD TV, games consoles, a golf simulator, and even an amazing bungee trampoline where you can jump to incredible heights. Naturally, being on an island in the middle of the Indian Ocean you will probably want to try out some of the watersports available, so take your pick of wind surfing, catamarans, canoes and pedal boats – all non-motorised to maintain the island as a peaceful retreat. But if something a bit more motorised is you thing, then fear not, you can be whisked across to another island for a spot of jet skiing, water skiing, wake boarding and banana boat riding. Really, you can’t fail to have fun here.

The Beach House also has its own spa where you can ease the stresses and strains away with caviar and pearl facials, and host of other healthful and invigorating treatments.

On top of all this, let’s not forget food - The Beach House has three gourmet restaurants, and its very own wine cellar.

Tempted? If you are in the UK, Abercrombie & Kent offer 7 nights at The Beach House at Manafaru from £1,779 per person, based on B&B in a Beach Villa with Plunge Pool, and that includes economy flights with Sri Lankan Airlines, return airport transfers and all taxes.

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Located along an idyllic sweep of beach looking out onto the Gulf of Thailand, Hua Hin has been a resort for well over a hundred years, and much loved by generations of Thai royalty.

Many of the old buildings from the 1920’s have been preserved, and there is a delightful antique, wooden railway station, and row upon row of white villas. The town centre has a distinctive feel all its own, because the original charm of the place has been retained. By the shore there are original wooden fishermen’s piers, which give the place a feel of almost stepping back in time.

Don’t forget to try one of the town’s most famous noodle shops, Jeak Peak, which was established more than sixty years ago. Here you can get generous bowls of seafood noodle soup and plates of delicious pork satay.

Hua Hin has an abundance of top hotels: the Hilton, the Hyatt Regency, the Marriott, and many more. Most of the hotels run spa treatments as well, offering massage, saunas, jacuzzis, and holistic health advice.

And Hua Hin is not without its festivals. Every September is the rather novel King’s Cup Elephant Polo Tournament, with teams coming to the town from as far away as Sri Lanka and Europe. This event raises money for the National Elephant Institute, and also includes parades and other activities. In June, it’s the Hua Hin Jazz Festival which provides three nights of local and international jazz on several stages on the beach. In March the skies dramatically and beautifully fill with colourful kites at the annual Kite Festival.

With its old world charm, Hua Hin is a Thai resort not to be missed.

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Dubai has changed drastically in the past ten years, and is still changing – it is fast becoming one of the most modern and upbeat centres of Asia, attracting attention as a world business hub, and becoming an increasingly popular spot for tourists, boasting magnificent five star hotels and a cornucopia of shopping with top brands, fine products and enviable prices.

The city is also developing a reputation for vibrant nightlife and top-quality restaurants – the pinnacle of which must be Gordon Ramsay’s refined Verre, which is a delight of white china, white linen, simple silver cutlery, and some truly gastronomic refined cusine.

Warm and sunny all year round, Dubai is a great place to jet off to for a bit of sunshine if you live in parts where the winter is cold and grey. At my time of writing, in January, the temperature in Dubai is twenty degrees Celsius. Summer gets a little sweaty, and if you feel the need to cool off, then what could be better than heading off for the slopes of Ski Dubai, the first indoor ski resort in the Middle East.

The only possible problem with being in Dubai is that there is building work going on all over the place – but it’s a growing city and so inevitable. You might bear this in mind when choosing your hotel, and it is advisable to do a bit of research. One place which is currently unaffected by building work is the Jumeirah Beach Hotel, which is particularly good for families and has its own private beach. Another hotel of the same group, which is not close to any current building work, is the Madinat Jumeirah, which is cleverly constructed in the style of an ancient Arabian city, and is threaded by waterways, with cafés, restaurants and its own souk.

For the ultimate in a luxury holiday, it just has to be Dubai.

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Goa in India is becoming increasingly popular as a holiday location, and it doesn’t just have to be about non-stop beach parties either. If you like to take care of your health, then you could give your body a real treat by staying at the Ayurvedic Natural Health Centre near Calangute. Ayurveda is an ancient system of health care that is native to area in and around the subcontinent, and practised by many people in India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, and beyond.

Ayus means life, in particular, long life, and veda means knowledge, hence, Ayurveda means the knowledge of how to lead a long life, and is very much concerned with healthy living and prevention of disease.

When you arrive at the centre you meet the physician, who discusses your health with you, runs a few tests, and decides what therapy you need to have. After this, you can unwind with a scented oil massage and steam bath.

You get to see the doctor every day, who takes the time to listen to your concerns. An important part of being here is the advice that you receive about diet and leading a healthy lifestyle. People who come here report positive effects lasting long after they return home, which is why many return year after year.

Set in its own beautiful grounds resplendent with coconut palms, the centre provides a calm and peaceful atmosphere in which to change your health for the better. It is just over a kilometre away from the Calangute beach, and half a kilometre from Calangute market and shopping area.

There is an outdoor restaurant, where you can eat wonderful simple Indian meals of rice, dal, and vegetables. There are also a number of international eateries at the beach.

Accommodation is mainly in simple but clean twin-bedded rooms which are serviced daily.

A two week stay costs 980 euro, including treatments, meals, medicines and accommodation.

So, if you want to improve your overall health, while at the same time enjoying a bit of relaxation, why not give it a try?

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I have talked a little previously about the exciting city of Kuala Lumpur, capital of Malaysia, and today I want to tell you about two of the best places from where to get fine views of the city.

One unmissable sight of Kuala Lumpur is the spectacular Petronas Twin Towers, which, until recently, standing at a magnificent 452 metres, were the tallest buildings in the world. These towers have only recently been superseded in height by the Taipei 101 building in Taiwan, and are regarded by many as a symbol of Malaysia’s modernity. The Skybridge, that connects the two towers, is one of the highest suspended bridges in the world. If you want to get the wonderful view from the Skybridge, entry to this is free, but only to the first 1,200 people who show up, so be sure to arrive early. It is interesting to note that the Skybridge, which is not actually at the top of the Petronas Twin Towers, is the highest point that the members of the general public can go.

If you would like to take in the view of the city from a point even higher than the Twin Towers, then you should try the observation deck on the top floor of the KL Tower. From here you can get really great city views, especially because the KL Tower is built on a hill, and so you are a few meters higher than the Twin Towers. As a bit of extra fun, why not try the revolving restaurant which is just one floor above the observation deck. Here you can get a really excellent all round view while you eat your meal.

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Kandy is the English name for the city of Maha Nuvara which is located in the centre of Sri Lanka, in the Kandy Valley, surrounded by tea plantations and hills. At 500m above sea level, the city is relatively cool, and popular for that very reason, as a retreat from the worst excesses of the hot Sri Lankan summers.

The city itself has an interesting layout, having been developed around three open spaces, a long square at the end of which are the public administration buildings, an artificial, square lake and a public park – these features give Kandy a very open, green and spacious feel.

On the north shore of the lake, you will find city’s official religious monuments, including the Royal Palace and the rather interestingly named Temple of the Tooth, which is purported to contain a relic of the tooth of Buddha.

Although Kandy started small, like most cities it has now grown outwards considerably from its original boundaries, and now encompasses Peradeniya, with its University of Peradeniya and beautiful Botanical Gardens.

Kandy offers a variety of shopping, including interesting markets, and beautiful boutiques.

There is a range of cuisine available including Chinese, European, Indian and, of course, Sri Lankan.

The city offers a modest nightlife, with a selection of bars and pubs in the city which appeal to local people and tourists alike, and some nightclubs in the hotels that cater mainly to the tourists.

So, if you are in Sri Lanka, and feel like escaping from the heat, Kandy could be your ideal destination.

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It’s always good fun to have a browse around a “pound shop”, or whatever they call them in your neck of the woods. In Japan these are hyaku-en mise, 100 yen shops, and it is really interesting to see the range of goods on offer for this simple amount, compared to the normally astronomical prices of the Land of Wa. In Tokyo a good hyaku-en mise to try is the Daiso 100-Yen Shop, not far from Harajuku Station, which actually has four flours of 100-yen merchandise, including cups, plates, bowls, pots and pans, tea towels, make up, tee-shirts and underwear.

But if you want to go more upmarket, how about a visit to the Museum Shop at the National Art Center in Roppongi? Thrillingly constructed using plenty of glass, this museum houses a number of great exhibitions, and in the shop you can buy postcards of the works on show, books, jewellry, and paper vases.

Feeling hungry? Don’t forget to check out the food basement at Takashiyama Department Store, at Takashiyama Times Square. Here you can buy sushi, a great variety of bento, (that’s a meal in a box, usually consisting of rice, meat and vegetables), traditional Japanese cakes made from rice and beans which taste just gorgeous, and loads of other lovely food.

When you’ve had plenty to eat, how about heading for the Japan Traditional Crafts Center at Ikebukuro? Here you don’t just get to see the crafts themselves, but also the craftsmen and women actually at work. Here you can get traditional raku pottery, lacquerware, traditional handmade paper known as washi, and beautiful wall hangings which incorporate traditional calligraphy.

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