How to plan a trip to Malaysias Cameron Highlands
So you want to roam Malaysias Cameron Highlands, stroll in tea plantations, and pause for cream-slathered scones along the way? You arent alone. Verdant views and refreshing temperatures lure travellers from around the country (and beyond) to this hilly region on the westernmost edge of Pahang stat
Hip cafes and hot design: exploring the new Dublin
A pint of the black stuff, a cosy pub, some folk music and a shamrock. That green-tinted view of Dublin can be great craic, but Dublin is also a thrilling modern city, awash with shine, design and general pizazz. Grand Canal Dock, Dublin © Mark Stewart / Skramshots.com / GettyPlanning rules limi
Bulgaria’s UFO: the spell of the abandoned Buzludzha monument
In Shipka Pass, it’s hard to shake the sensation that you’re being watched. Atop a 1441m peak in the raw, mountainous scenery of central Bulgaria, a saucer-shaped building stands like a watchtower. This concrete behemoth on Buzludzha mountain is a relic of the communist era, wryly called ‘Bulgaria’s
Top 10 reasons to visit Bavaria
High-tech and traditional, conservative and innovative, quaint and quirky – there’s much more to the Free State (as Bavaria is known) than the stereotypical Lederhosen and felt hat image.World-class museums, thigh-slapping beer halls, speedy cars, Alpine vistas, dreamy castles, belly-filling food, t
Indonesia: travel books to read before you go
With its plethora of cultures, oodles of islands (17,000+) and a history that could be the plotline for an ambitious miniseries, Indonesia has inspired great reads for the road. From an exploding volcano to the violent days of the Suharto era to travellers in search of love and more, youll find book
From temple plains to golden rocks: Myanmars must
Myanmar (Burma) is perhaps the most devoutly Buddhist nation on earth, with a dizzying array of golden pagodas and ancient temples, perched in splendid isolation on hillsides and sandwiched between busy city streets.With so many impressive Buddhist sites to choose from, here are just a few that are
Angkor what? Getting to know Cambodias most iconic temple
Angkor Wat is the ultimate expression of Khmer genius – an awe-inspiring temple that is stunning for both its grand scale and its incredible detail.A visit to Cambodia’s World Heritage Temples of Angkor complex, voted by Lonely Planet as the worlds number 1 sight, is understandably high on the list
Where to celebrate Chinese New Year
You don’t need to head to China to see in the Year of the Monkey this February. Make for Chinatown in cities from London to Kuala Lumpur and we promise you’ll feast just like you would in a Beijing hutong and party as if you were in downtown Shanghai. Pace yourself. Celebrations can last for two wee
Carnivals 101: a guide to some of the greatest shows on Earth
Swept away in a sea of feather headdresses as sequins ping from overtight costumes, few travellers stop to wonder why carnivals exist. These riots of pre-Lenten revelry demand to be experienced rather than understood. Their common element is a gleeful up-ending of social norms, making them among the
Leipzig beyond the Altstadt: where to have fun in Hypezig
Synonymous with cultural giants such as Bach, Wagner and Mendelssohn, Leipzig is a city whose illustrious history is, for many, the most obvious draw.At Leipzig’s heart, the Altstadt (Old Town) has excellent museums and some wonderful Saxon architecture, but its actually fairly unrepresentative of t
Quirky LA – experiencing the unexpected in Los Angeles
It’s easy to sum up Los Angeles in three words: Disneyland, Hollywood, beaches. But the City of Angels is much more diverse – and stranger – than those sights would suggest. Scattered across its neighbourhoods are many quirky and intriguing attractions that will add depth to your knowledge of the ci
San Antonio: the newest luminary in the Lone Star State
The scent of Texas barbecue wafts over the rippled surface of a nearby river while waitstaff set out chairs on a tree-shaded patio overlooking the water. Less than a mile away, eager visitors line up outside one of Americas most storied historical sites.Its a scene is familiar to most visitors to Te
Battambang: Cambodias lesser
The laid-back city of Battambang in Cambodia’s northwest may have a sleepy ambience distinct from the more upbeat hot spots of Phnom Penh, Siem Reap and Sihanoukville, but travellers who venture here will find plenty of excuses to linger.A walkable centre, bags of old architectural charm, day trips
Natchez: 300 years of life on the river
Natchez is a city that has weathered three centuries of tumult and transformation. It is one of the oldest continuous settlements on the Mississippi River, besting New Orleans, its’ bigger, flashier neighbor, by two years. It was spared much of the physical destruction that other cities saw during t
Birmingham, Alabama: the South’s newest rising star
For many who visit Birmingham, the town is a historical reference point, associated with the Civil Rights movement and little else. But while the struggle for equal rights is rightly integral to the Iron City’s identity, it is not the only thing that defines it. Birmingham is a city set against wood
Discover Northwest Arkansas: from small
Granite cliffs, dark forest, rushing white rivers, and streams where the mountain water is so clear you can see the trout mingling in the eddies. This is Northwest Arkansas, a land of great American wilderness and the intense natural beauty of the Ozark Mountains, but also a region speckled with idi
Historic Philadelphia: exploring America’s first World Heritage city
When Philadelphia was named the first World Heritage City in the USA in 2015, the honor recognized the town’s indelible imprint on American history, and by extension, the modern world. It was a well-timed award for one of the oldest cities in the USA; even as Philly’s history, from architecture to i
Shaking hands with royalty: inside the Sultan of Brunei’s palace
The Sultan of Brunei takes an inclusive approach to the Hari Raya Aidilfitri festivities at the end of Ramadan, hosting an ‘open house’ at his official residence in the capital Bandar Seri Begawan. For three consecutive days the palace is open to the public, who are treated to a celebratory meal, gr
48 hours in Dallas
During a quick stopover in Americas ninth largest city youll happen upon world-famous art and stylish eateries before you see a pair of spurs or chaps. And like elsewhere in Texas, hearty cuisine and wide smiles come in large portions in Dallas. Dallas combines competing images of the Lone Star
An art deco journey through Shanghais belle époque
Shanghai is home to one of the richest collections of art deco architecture in the world. A mix of western influences and Chinese deco, the citys signature style saw its heyday in the 1930s and gives insight into the cultural movements of the era.From the 1920s to the 1940s, Shanghai embraced the mi
