One of the most iconic hotels in Southeast Asia will soon be no more. The Dusit Thani is a landmark of the Silom area, but it now has a date with the wrecking ball to make way for a new mall and hotel development. The hotel was founded by Bangkok-born businesswoman Chanut Piyaoui, who brought […]
Where to stay in Hong Kong: The best areas and famous hotels in Hong Kong
If you are visiting Hong Kong and wondering where to stay, I have listed the best areas for first-time visitors to Hong Kong. Regular visitors may find places further out if it’s going to save money, but for a short-term visitor, it’s best to stay in the southern end of Kowloon or the northern portion […]
Sirima Guesthouse – the last of the old pier guesthouses in Hua Hin, Thailand
Hotel Name: Sirima Guesthouse Address: 31/3, Naresdamri Road, Hua Hin, Thailand I first visited Hua Hun on a one month trip around Thailand in 2008. Back then I was relying on the weighty goodness of the Lonely Planet Thailand. I don’t recall making any online bookings for accommodation in advance, as I was just turning […]
Notes on Seoul – the orderly megacity of South Korea
Seoul was a glaring omission in my visited cities of Asia list. I had long been saving Seoul as a stop-over city as Incheon Airport is a popular hub between Asia and North America. I wasn’t planning to go until I found a good flight deal from Hanoi, which coincided with a visa run from […]
Urban regeneration projects of Seoul that other cities should copy
Every city makes planning and development mistakes in the course of its history. No city is perfect, but a good city will at least try to rectify the err of its urban planning ways. The city of Seoul is a modern city that has razed most of its heritage buildings. The highlight for most visitors […]
Bun Cha Obama: visiting the restaurant that Obama and Bourdain ate at in Hanoi
During the 2016 Presidential visit to Vietnam, Barack Obama went to a bun cha restaurant in Hanoi with Anthony Bourdain. If you didn’t see what happened check out the video and this interview with Bourdain on meeting Obama in Hanoi. I wasn’t planning to visit Bun Cha Obama on my visit to Hanoi. There is […]
Thao Dien – the coolest neighbourhood in Saigon
Even though Ho Chi Minh City is approaching the status of megacity, there aren’t distinct neighbourhoods compared to cities of a similar size. Apart from the colonial-era inner city, most of the city has the same uniform mayhem to it. There is a Japantown in District 1, and a couple of Korean enclaves. Cholon is […]
Cool cafes in Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is a major hub for travel in Southeast Asia and is a great city to make a stop-over. While I’ve always enjoyed coming here for the food and to go shopping at familiar stores, the cafe scene has consisted mostly of the big chains (Starbucks, Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf et al). The […]
The regeneration of Kuala Lumpur Old City
The first time I visited Kuala Lumpur was when I was overlanding my way down the Malay Peninsula in 2006. Like most backpackers I ended up in a cheap guesthouse in the Chinatown area of KL. I was amazed that there were so many heritage buildings that had not been restored. There are sections of […]
Best cafes in Georgetown, Penang
Georgetown is a former colonial city on the island of Penang in Malaysia. The old town is lined with colonial-era buildings and and the entire inner city is a protected UNESCO World Heritage Site. Traditional cafes here are kopi tiam style, which offer a simple food menu and a place to chat with friends. They […]
