Travel & Food, Itineraries & Guides, Hotel Reviews
Both Singapore and Kuala Lumpur (KL) are major gateways to Southeast Asia with plenty of air routes to regional destinations, making both popular stopovers on any Southeast Asian sojourn. If you are wondering which city is a better place for tourism and can visit only one, here are some points which can hopefully help you decide.
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During a recent trip to Amritsar in India and armed with a Pakistan visa, I decided to travel to Lahore for a couple of days. Both cities are only around 50 kilometers apart and as I was quite curious about the region’s other cultural capital, I decided to travel to Lahore by crossing the Wagah border from the India side.
The two countries actually share a border that spans almost three thousand kilometers but the Wagah border is the only point that is open for foreigners to cross. According to Foreign Policy (FP) magazine, the India-Pakistan border is one of the most dangerous in the world. My experience was actually quite pleasant and it’s one of the easiest international land crossings I have done so far.
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If ancient monuments are your thing, then coming to Southeast Asia is a must. Offering a plethora of (not so) lost cities, and Buddhist and Hindu temples that are almost a thousand years old, there’s no better evidence of the complexity and sophistication of Southeast Asian culture than these architectural marvels. Places such as Angkor Wat have virtually become must-sees, with ensembles like Bagan trailing not very far behind.
There are in fact easily more than a dozen of these sites – some much more spectacular than the rest. Here, I shortlist the ten best, in no particular order. If you liked Angkor, here are some more places to consider!
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With over 140 direct air routes out of Changi Airport and land routes to Malaysia and Thailand, Singapore is a weekend traveler’s dream. Many destinations nearby have now become staples for weekenders – plane seats to Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong and Bali typically fill up very quickly on Friday nights or Saturday mornings. At the same time, plane tickets to these destinations usually cost a lot more for weekend trips!
If you are planning a weekend trip in the near future, consider these top alternative travel destinations where you can explore some stunning natural wonders, view awe-inspiring monuments, shop your heart out and have a sampling of sumptuous food, all within a few hours’ radius from Singapore. …
The great thing about living in the world’s largest and most populous continent is that there will never be a shortage of varied things to see. But beyond the likes of Taj Mahal, the pulsating city streets of Tokyo and Singapore or the temple ruins of Angkor Wat; there is a treasure trove of less known locales that are just as worthwhile to visit.
If you’re looking for amazing places to visit in Asia but want something less crowded, consider these places. You won’t regret it.
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During my short trip to Phnom Penh the other week, I was hosted by La Rose Boutique Hotel and Spa, a relatively new place of accommodation in the city center and one of the top-rated Phnom Penh hotels.
La Rose Boutique Hotel and Spa is located in Preah Norodom Boulevard, one of the city’s main arteries. From here, the road leads directly to the stunning Independence Monument, and further on to the likes of the Royal Palace and Sisowath Quay so the location is pretty strategic. I took a tuktuk ride here and was pretty excited to see how this property ranks among Phnom Penh hotels.
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Cambodia’s capital, Phnom Penh, counts a genocide museum and a place called the “killing fields” among its top sights. With attractions centering on the morbid, coming here was never in my list of priorities. I had been to Cambodia previously but directly skipped the capital in favor of Siem Reap to see Angkor Wat.
Armed with good recommendations from friends and colleagues, I finally made my way to Phnom Penh just last week – nearly 6 years since my last visit to Cambodia. Needless to say, I was bowled over by the laidback vibe and friendly city folk. With rapid economic growth in recent years, Phnom Penh is currently undergoing a massive change with new highrises, fancy restaurants, bars, museums and day trip possibilities. Those who arrive on transit to Siem Reap, usually from Ho Chi Minh, and check in immediately to their Phnom Penh hotel without expecting anything will be pleasantly surprised. Cambodia’s capital is now a destination in its own right with several things to keep the traveler busy. For a city that has earned a gruesome reputation due to its recent past, I found a plethora of things to see and do that were not in any way related to torture chambers or mass executions.
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As a destination that’s well known for its diversity, the essence of a trip to Southeast Asia for most would probably include a rundown of the well-known ancient ruins, beaches and secluded islands, through natural landscapes and tropical rainforests and generally having a good time in the region’s megacities. A not so prominent (and less popular) theme are its old towns, some of which have been preserved as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. These are deserving destinations in their own right, and are perfect supplements to those doing long trips across the region. Earlier this year, I had inadvertently completed a small milestone by visiting all the UNESCO World Heritage towns in Southeast Asia. As there are only five, it’s no mean feat. I was not really ticking it off any list. It just happened.
brightly colored buildings such as these in hoi an, are a common sight in all of southeast asia’s unesco towns
Those of you who have been reading this blog for a while might notice this habit of mine of ranking stuff regarding Southeast Asia. This one’s no exception. In order of preference (and I’ll explain why), this is how I would rank the 5:
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