High-lights in Hội An
Walk through Old Hội An on Vietnam’s central coast and you’ll pass seamlessly through colourful generations and cultures under a continuous canopy of vibrant oriental lanterns. It’s hard to believe that Hội An was an important trading sea port dating from the 15th century – except that rail and air travel wouldn’t have been an option then, as it remains today. If you want to get to Hội An today, you travel by road. We’ve stayed...
Hanoi highlights
With Hanoi still set to be on the Formula 1 Grand Prix racing circuit at some time yet to be determined; Vietnam will be in the spotlight worldwide but here we’ll take you on a different street circuit. At odds with the razzmatazz of F1, the historically communist capital of North Vietnam has a distinctive and pragmatic character, compared with the more decadent and ‘Western’ south. Our guide who meets us at the airport tells us how...
Inle, Myanmar – Part 2 – Spectacular spires
One for your wishlist when the world settles down! If, like us, you’re prone to getting ‘templed out’ on your travels, when an endless stream of religious sites tests your faith, you’ll be surprised to find that you’re completely mesmerised by the thousands of temples at Indein. Myanmar alternates between a no-go area and a magical destination to explore, dictated solely by political policy and actions. Here’s our review from...
Inle, Myanmar – Part 1 – Lake and life
Travels in happier times that we hope will return. Combine Intha, Taungyo, Pa-O (Taungthu), Danu, Kayah, Danaw and Bamar ethnicities and it alludes to the broad diversity of activities, crafts and lifestyles that you’ll encounter around this picturesque lake in central Myanmar. Inle Lake is also one of the most picturesque and varied landscapes you’ll find in Myanmar, providing you with wonderful opportunities for photography around...
A Royal Klang in Selangor
You’re unlikely to make a beeline for this Malaysian misfit but its shabby rundown appearance hides echoes of a well-maintained heritage and royal history. At the northern end of the Straits of Malacca on the west coast of the Malaysian Peninsula, Port Klang is sheltered by surrounding islands and acts as the gateway to Malaysia’s most developed region, where the capital Kuala Lumpur lies 40 miles to the east. Since the 17th...
Shades of Shan
This traditional highly colourful and practical rural craft, still practiced in Myanmar today, has its origins steeped in history. In pre-colonial Burma, a white umbrella or ‘hti byu’ was a sign of sovereignty limited exclusively to the Burmese king and his chief queen. It was one of the five articles of coronation regalia and use of a white umbrella by anyone other than the king and his chief queen was seen as a declaration of...
