Phuket

Phuket: Talk About Sea, Sun and Sand

Phuket is one of the southern provinces of Thailand. Neighbouring provinces are Phang Nga and Krabi, but Phuket is an island and therefore there is no land border. The island is served by Phuket International Airport and connected by bridge to the mainland and the two are located in the north of the island . This is one of the most popular tourist regions of Thailand.

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Singapore Indoor Stadium

Singapore Indoor Stadium: Stadium Electric

Concert goers and sports fans have thronged this arena since its opening in December 1989. Many sports stars, rockstars and world-famous bands have captivated audiences with performances at the Singapore Indoor Stadium in Kallang. Designed by legendary Japanese architect, Kenzo Tange, this indoor spectacle has a cone shaped roof and pillarless arena.

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Gogreen Cycle & Island Explorer

Gogreen Cycle & Island Explorer: The Cycle of Nature

A true island adventure awaits with the Gogreen Cycle & Island Explorer at Sentosa, Singapore’s island resort. Journey through beautiful tropical greenery on Eco-friendly Gogreen Hybrid bicycles, letting you experience how island life was in the past.

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Wat Benchamabophit Marble Temple

Wat Benchamabophit Marble Temple: The Newest Major Buddhist Temples in Bangkok

The wat was built in 1899 at the initiative of King Rama V on the site of an ancient sanctuary. The king decided this construction to offset the destruction of two old temples necessitated by the extension of the Royal Dusit Palace.

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Canggu Beach

Canggu Beach : Barrelling Surf and Lush Ricefields touching the Ocean

Among Bali’s numerous beaches, Canggu Beach was recently chosen among CNN’s “World’s 100 Best Beaches” in position no. 39. Located in the village of Canggu in North Kuta, District of Badung, quite close to Legian beach, Canggu offers a wide stretch of black sand beach that is world famous for its magnificent surf.

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Universal Studios Singapore®

Universal Studios Singapore®: Ride The Movies at Universal Studios Singapore®

Go beyond the screen and jump into the action! Universal Studios Singapore is Southeast Asia's only. Universal Studios theme park, with 18 of its 24 attractions designed just for Singapore. Hop on the state of the art rides such as Madagascar: A Crate Adventure, Shrek 4-D Adventure, Revenge of The Mummy, and Jurassic Park: Rapids Adventure.

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Wonder Full -- Light & Water Spectacular

Wonder Full -- Light & Water Spectacular: An Award-Winning Convergence of Light, Music and Sound

Voted the “Best New Tourist Attraction” by the ASEAN Tourism Forum, Wonder Full is a stunning showpiece of visual effects, with interweaving lasers, searchlights, LEDs, video projectors and giant streaming water screens. Lose yourself in a show that took three years and 100 architectural, design, creative, musical, engineering, technical and I.T. specialists to develop.

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Gardens By The Bay

Gardens By The Bay: An Awe-Inspiring New Green Space for Singapore

Spanning 101 hectares, this award-winning horticultural attraction houses over 380 thousand plants and is just a five-minute walk from the city. The Gardens comprises three spaces—Bay South, Bay East and Bay Central. From the waterfront promenade, enjoy an amazing view of the Marina Bay financial district skyline. The grounds are perfect for an evening stroll and a picnic with loved ones.

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Ko Chang

Ko Chang: Thailand’s Second Largest Island

Ko Chang is an amphoe in Trat Province, Thailand. It is located on the Gulf of Thailand's eastern seaboard, 310 km from Bangkok and near the border with Cambodia. The island has everything that travelers want from a tropical vacation, from long stretches of sandy beaches to unspoiled rainforests. There are plenty of activities to pursue on the island too, including scuba diving, kayaking, fishing and jungle trekking.

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Chiang Rai

Chiang Rai: Explore Chiang Rai

 The northernmost city in Thailand, Chiang Rai serves as the main commercial hub of the Golden Triangle, which contains the borders of Thailand, Laos and Myanmar. A busy town offering something for everyone, Chiang Rai is often used as a base for exploring the surrounding region.

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Khoo Kongsi

Khoo Kongsi: The Most Magnificent Clan Houses in Penang

When the first immigrants from the Hokkien province of China arrived in Penang, one of the first things they set out to do was build one of the most magnificent clan houses in Penang. Work began on the clan house in the 1890's which resulted in what was said to be a palace which rivalled that of the Emperor of China. As the story goes, this extravagance incurred the wrath of the Gods and on the first night of the clan house's completion, an unexplainable fire broke out and burnt the house down! It wasn't until 1902 that the current clan house began construction.

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Kenyir Lake (Tasik Kenyir)

Tasik Kenyir: The Largest Man-Made Lake in Southeast Asia

Tasik Kenyir, Terengganu, is the largest man-made lake in Southeast Asia, spanning 260,000 hectares.

It is also Malaysia's largest rock filled hydroelectric dam. When the area was flooded, most of the hills were above the water level, thus creating about 340 man-made islands.

The rainforest that cradles the area furnishes the lake with an incredible assortment of flora and fauna.

These include rare ferns, exotic orchids, hornbills, elephants, and panthers. It is also home to more than 8,000 species of flowers, 2,500 species of plants and trees, 800 species of orchids, and 300 species of fungus.

It is a popular retreat for nature lovers as it is surrounded by lush tropical rainforest.

It is also an anglers haven as the lake is home to hundreds of species of freshwater fish like Baung,

Getting There

>By Car
There are several alternative routes to go to Kenyir Lake. If you travel by car from Kuala Lumpur, head to Ajil through Karak Highway to Jerengau-Jabor Highway then onwards to Kenyir. Another alternative route is to take the coastal road through Kemaman, Dungun, Kuala Terengganu and then on to Kenyir Lake.

>By Boat
There are a number of boat operators at the Gawi Jetty, who can take you using their fibre glass or double decked houseboats, across Tasik Kenyir. It is advisable to make prior bookings. Some travel agencies offer tour packages.

Use this search box to find a Hotel in Terengganu to visit Kenyir Lake

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Batu Caves

Batu Caves: An Iconic and Popular Tourist Attraction in Selangor

Site of a Hindu temple and shrine, Batu Caves attracts thousands of worshippers and tourists, especially during the annual Hindu festival, Thaipusam. 

A limestone outcrop located just north of Kuala Lumpur, Batu Caves has three main caves featuring temples and Hindu shrines. 

Its main attraction is the large statue of the Hindu God at the entrance, besides a steep 272 climb up its steps to finally view the stunning skyline of the city centre. 

Monkeys frolic around the caves, and it is a popular spot for rock climbing enthusiasts. Paintings and scenes of Hindu Gods can also be seen in the Ramayana Cave.

Batu Caves is a place where you should not miss on your next visit to Malaysia!  

Getting There

>By Car or Taxi
Batu Caves is accessible by car or taxi as it is situated beside the main highway of MRR2 in Batu Caves area.

>KTM Komuter
There is also the KTM Komuter train service from KL Sentral to Batu Caves.

>Monorail and Bus
From KL Sentral, take the monorail service to Titiwangsa station. Alight here and take the bus to Batu Caves.

Use this search box to find a Hotel in Selangor to visit Batu Caves

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Kraton Yogyakarta

The Kraton Yogyakarta: Palace Fit For A Javanese King

The palace of Yogyakarta, known as the Keraton (also spelled kraton or karaton), is a grand complex that was meticulously planned to reflect  the Javanese cosmos. This splendid example of traditional Javanese architecture has no equal. Designed and built in stages, the Keraton was completed in 1790.

This elegant complex of pavilions was constructed entirely on ancient beliefs and each feature of the complex, from the courtyards to the trees, has a special symbolic meaning related to sophisticated Javanese world view.

The Keraton is built facing directly north towards the majestic Mt. Merapi with to its south backing the Indian Ocean which is believed to be the abode of Kanjeng Ratu Loro Kidul, the Queen of the South Seas and the mystical consort of the Sultan. Malioboro road was originally used as the ceremonial route, not unlike London’s Pall Mall, and forms a straight line drawn from the Sultan’s palace to the Merapi volcano.

A green square called alun-alun  fronting the palace, has a large banyan tree in its center, while behind the palace is another similar square. When a sultan dies, the cortege leaves by the southern gate on its way to the cemetery of kings at Imogiri.

This palace was designed to be more than just a royal residence. It was built to be a focal point of the Sultan’s entire kingdom. Today, the Keraton is a piece of living history and tradition. It continues to be used, both as a home of the Sultan as well as for other important ceremonial and cultural  functions of the Yogya court.

The present Sultan Hamengku Buwono X of Yogyakarta retains the title of Sultan although Yogya has become one of the provinces of the Republic of Indonesia. The Sultan of Yogya,is also the governor of the province, and is still considered the cultural head of this region, and is greatly loved by his subjects.

Even with Yogya’s modernization, the Keraton of Yogya continues to be respected by the people of Yogya, steeped as it is in mysticism and philosophy. In the afternoons, after the palace is closed to visitors, women in traditional costume can be seen respectfully sprinkling water and flowers on the pillars, lighting incense to “cleanse” the keraton from evil spirits.

Getting Around
Visitors explore the palace on foot. The palace is open to visitors from 08.30 am to 12.30 pm except on Fridays and Saturdays which it closes at 11.00 am. It is closed in the afternoons. 

Getting There
The Keraton is located in the centre of Yogyakarta and can be reached easily by taxi, becak, andong – the horse-drawn cart, or by public bus.

Use this search box to find a Hotel in Yogyakarta to visit Kraton

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