Asia Articles (26 articles found)

Enter Ninh Binh, or, Nature's Bonsai Garden Have you ever found yourself staring at a picture of Halong Bay, wondering how such a surreal landscape of limestone karsts and emerald waters even exists in reality? Well, strap in, because I'm about to introduce you to Halong Bay's equally mesmerizing cousin: Ninh Binh. Also known as the "Halong Bay on Land," Ninh Binh is a magical province in northern Vietnam that boasts a landscape of limestone karsts, lush rice paddies, and winding rivers that make you feel like you've stepped into another world.

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A Journey to a Land of Floating Mountains and Rainbow-Colored Skies Just when you thought you had seen it all, Mother Nature pulls a fast one on you and decides to create a landscape that looks like it came straight out of a James Cameron movie. Enter Wulingyuan Scenic Area, home of China's real-life Avatar Mountains.

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Finding Zhangjiajie - Good Luck! China is vast - like the size of Alpha Centauri if it were made of noodles - and in its vastness lies the lesser-known, but no less awe-inspiring destination of Zhangjiajie. You may not have heard of it, but it's a place so stunning that even the eternally unimpressed James Cameron was inspired to create the floating mountains of Pandora in his movie, Avatar.

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Paradise Found Ah, Koh Rong Samloem. Just the name conjures up images of crystalline waters, swaying palm trees, and the gentle harmony of waves caressing the shores.

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Introduction: A Verdant Masterpiece Imagine being in the presence of what can only be described as a verdant masterpiece - a place so awe-inspiring that it seems to have been created by divine forces. That, my friends, is the Banaue Rice Terraces in the Philippines.

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Introduction to Ziro Valley Deep in the lush green hills of Arunachal Pradesh lies a place where time seems to have taken a pause, and nature has cradled an untouched gem - Ziro Valley. This remote paradise, home to the warm-hearted Apatani tribe, is a treasure trove of unique experiences waiting to be explored.

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A Brief History of Pingyao Deep within the bowels of the People's Republic of China, there lies an ancient walled city whose history is as twisted and entangled as the Great Wall itself - the ancient city of Pingyao. Encircled by a wall of blood, sweat, and rammed earth that has stood the test of time and man alike, the city of Pingyao is a relic from a forgotten past.

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A Journey to Biei: The Town That Nature Loves There I was, standing amidst the kaleidoscope of colors in Biei, Japan, surrounded by the breathtaking beauty of rolling hills and endless fields of flowers. This small town, tucked away in the heart of Hokkaido, resembles a scene straight out of a picturesque painting, or perhaps one of those jigsaw puzzles that make you question your sanity as you attempt to piece together 1,000 tiny bits of color.

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Introduction to Ella As the world continues to spin, time marches on, and the ceaseless cacophony of modern existence threatens to crush the very essence of our souls, a bastion of serenity and tranquility still stands defiantly in the midst of the chaos. Located deep in the heart of Sri Lanka, Ella is the very embodiment of nature's serene retreat, a veritable Eden where one can escape the crushing mundanity of everyday life.

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Setting Sail for the Enchanted Isle As any intrepid adventurer knows, all great journeys begin with a voyage across treacherous waters. I, your fearless (and seasick-resistant) explorer, set forth upon the turbulent seas of Japan's Seto Inland Sea in search of Naoshima, the mythical island of the art gods.

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Ah, Da Nang, Vietnam—a place where the sun kisses the ocean and the mountains dare to touch the sky. But let's not get poetic; this isn't a Hallmark card.

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Twenty years. Two long decades since I'd last roamed the streets of Chiba, a city that once chewed me up and spat out a journalist with a twisted sense of humor and an insatiable thirst for adventure.

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Where the Mighty Brahmaputra Meets its Match Amidst the swirling waters of the Brahmaputra River in the far-flung reaches of Northeastern India lies a thing of great and wondrous beauty: Majuli, the world's largest river island. Spanning a sizable 352 square kilometers, this veritable behemoth of aquatic landmasses is quite simply, the stuff of dreams.

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A Journey Into a Bygone Era The sun had scarcely risen over the horizon when I stumbled across the Vijaya Vittala Temple, one of the crowning jewels of Hampi, a UNESCO World Heritage Site nestled in the boulder-strewn landscape of Karnataka, India. It stood before me in all its staggering architectural splendor, a testament to the ingenuity of the 15th-century sculptors who carved this decaying sandstone monument from the very earth upon which it rests.

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Introduction to the Enigmatic Luang Prabang As I meandered through the enigmatic world of Luang Prabang, Laos, I couldn't help but feel a palpable sense of time travel. The scent of frangipani flowers, the gentle hum of monks chanting, and the graceful French colonial architecture all conspire to create an otherworldly experience.

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Thailand, a country known for its stunning landscapes, rich culture, and friendly locals, is also a world-renowned destination for diving enthusiasts. With its warm, clear waters, vibrant marine life, and a variety of dive sites suitable for all levels, it's no wonder that Thailand attracts divers from around the globe.

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History Beckons As You Enter Jeonju As your weary feet touch the ground of Jeonju, the old capital of the Hubaekje Kingdom, you can feel the weight of history bearing down upon you with a ferocity that could overpower even the most crazed of souls. It is as if you are being forced to time travel through centuries of Korean culture, with each footstep transporting you to another era.

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Imagine a place where crystal clear turquoise lakes peacefully coexist with lush, verdant valleys and snow-capped peaks, and where the constant, yet soothing, babble of cascading waterfalls provides the soundtrack to your adventure. The mere thought of it provokes feelings of serenity, yes? Well, dear traveler, let me assure you that it exists, and it's called Jiuzhaigou.

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The Island of Art and Architecture It's a bit like the feeling one gets when they accidentally stumble upon an exotic insect in the Amazon jungle. That's the best way I can describe my reaction when I found myself on the small island of Naoshima in Japan.

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There I was, hurtling through the thin air of Bhutan's rarefied terrain, in search of the elusive Phobjikha Valley. This humble slice of heaven, nestled in the heart of the mighty Himalayas, has bewitched many an intrepid traveler, with tales of its ethereal beauty and extraordinary wildlife.

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Stumbling Upon Paradise Imagine you're playing a game of "Pin the tail on the donkey" with a map of India, blindfolded and spun around, and the donkey is a coral paradise. Well, congratulations! You've stumbled upon Lakshadweep, a little-known tropical archipelago off the southwestern coast of India.

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Chronicles of a Time-Traveling Flâneur As a seasoned globetrotter, I've always been drawn to the interplay of old and new, the places where the past collides with the present and the future seems to take root in the cracks between them, just waiting to burst forth. And so it is with the city of Tainan in Taiwan, a fascinating mishmash of ancient temples, modern architecture, and everything in between.

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I am American and I really enjoy Independence Day. I do not necessarily enjoy the holiday for what it celebrates instead, I enjoy the holiday because I almost always go to the beach to visit my family, who I don't get to see very often.

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I was more excited about my honeymoon than my wedding - we had decided to go all out and book the trip of a life time. We decided on the Maldives, not the most adventurous but I had never been so far away or to somewhere so exotic.

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If your family is like mine it is spread out all across the world. It is very rare to remember us all in one place for a holiday let alone any other day.

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Accompanying several friends on a lengthy trip to India where they were purchasing artifacts for their two stores in America, I felt like a real-life Maharani as we checked into the Taj Mahal Hotel for a few nights in Bombay. It was 1982 and my friends had been to this part of the world many times before but it was a first for me.

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