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Experiencing Jordan

Jordan – the name itself conjures images of breathtaking desert landscapes, ancient cities and Biblical scenes. Located in the heart of the Middle East, this desert kingdom has a history that dates back to the times when the prophets walked the earth, and ancient empires ruled vast swathes of Asia, Europe and northern Africa. Present-day [...]

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Thailand without the tourists

 Thailand without the tourists Holidays to Thailand tend to be all about lazing on the beach for most people. But there’s stacks more to this fascinating country than sun, sea and sand. Joe Bond heads to the Isaan region, home of spicy Som Tam salad, mountains, ancient ruins and traditional culture. Exploring Isaan The region [...]

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Enchanting spots: Koh Mak, Thailand

A special guest post by Barbara Weibel. A Vacation Where No Building is Higher than a Coconut Tree I stepped off the speed boat that had whisked me from the mainland of Thailand to Koh Mak, a tiny island in the far eastern Gulf of Thailand near the Cambodian border and realized I’d found paradise. [...]

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Nadaam – the Nomad Olympics in Mongolia

This is a guest series called “Unforgettable Travel Moments“. We all have our special travel moments: a memorable meal, meeting someone, an embarrassing faux pas or simply being awestruck by scenery. With this new series, I hope to uncover the moments, the anecdotes and the tales which make travel special. This week’s guest post and [...]

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Phuket: a sweet and sour harmony

Thai cuisine is based on a simple philosophy: the harmonious mixing of the five basic tastes – sweet, sour, salty, spicy and bitter. In that same manner, the Island of Phuket is a fusion of all these flavours and represents, in its own unique manner, the essential Thailand. Sweet Urban Life If this is your [...]

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Confusing cuisine in Cambodia

Delicious curries, soups and rice dishes are first to spring to mind when thinking of Cambodian cuisine. Often described as ‘Thai without the heat’, Cambodian, or Khmer, cooking has a lot in common with its neighbouring Southeast Asian cuisines, however, below is a list of some of their more unique delicacies: Prahok Prahok, or fermented [...]

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Now is the time to visit Burma

A special guest post by Nick Pulley, founder of Selective Asia. For the last four decades, the people of Burma (Myanmar) have withstood one of the harshest regimes in modern history. The country’s military rulers, a cabal known as “the Generals”, have been unquestionably corrupt, imprisoning members of the opposition and refusing to acknowledge overwhelming [...]

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Ten things to do in Hong Kong

Hong Kong is one of the most fascinating cities in Asia. With its awe-inspiring skyline and cosmopolitan buzz, Hong Kong lives up to its billing as the ‘Manhattan of Asia’ with true verve. To many visitors, Hong Kong may seem daunting at first but once you get past the gleaming skyscrapers, sprawling malls and neon-lit [...]

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Confusing cuisine in China

Confusing cuisine: from stinky tofu to century eggs in China! Have you ever wondered what the equivalents of some of our stranger delicacies like toad in the hole and jellied eels are across the world? What better place to start exploring slightly strange and confusing foods than China – here are just a few examples [...]

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Dubai: desert to dream

  The definition of a desert is: an excessively dry region of extreme temperatures with little or no life. The definition of Dubai is: a fully air-conditioned region of ultimate comfort, overflowing with life. But isn’t Dubai a desert? It is, but an unconventional one. Let us try and define it in more detail. Dry [...]

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