Saturday January 28, 2012
Image © Getty Images.
You can't say you've explored West Java unless you've gone climbing Anak Krakatau. The climb is rather challenging, though - the ground is unstable and crumbly, having been recently laid down by Krakatau's eruptions. The trail going up the mountain is exposed to the elements, meaning that you'll be at risk of sunburn unless you follow some basic sun protection tips.
The volcano is the remnant of an 1883 eruption that shook the world; even now it's not safe to go up unless you keep up to date on early warnings for volcanoes in the region. And Krakatau is only one of your options, if trekking active volcanoes in Indonesia is your kind of thing.
Your guide was at Anak Krakatau last year, a guest of Club Bali Hawaii Resort and their Krakatau transport service. For pictures of your guide's trip up Anak Krakatau and back, check out this image gallery: A Tour of the Anak Krakatau (Krakatoa) Volcano, Indonesia.
Monday January 23, 2012
Image © Islands Banca Cruises, used with permission. Photographer: Arthur Yap.
In the Philippines, fishermen and ferry boatmen ply their trade on the outrigger boats called banca. As boats go, banca tend to be jury-rigged and not very safe for the average traveler, but it's the most common charter choice for visitors to the Philippine islands, as they've practically got the market cornered.
Here comes Islands Banca Cruises (www.islandsbanca.com) with a simple concept: a banca for island-hoppers need not be a haphazard affair. In fact, what if they put together a banca with bean bags, coolers for cold drinks, and iPod docks? What if they make the banca experience more like yachting than anything else? Read More...
Sunday January 22, 2012
The BOH Tea Plantation at Cameron Highlands - Image courtesy of YTL Hotels, used with permission.
With Valentines' Day coming up, it'll get harder in the next few weeks to find a couples' getaway of your very own. If Southeast Asia's romantic places seem a bit too crowded for your tastes, then you ought to consider spending a tiny bit more for a private getaway like those offered by YTL Hotels to one of their luxurious properties.
YTL Hotels offers a series of three day/two night Valentine's Day packages that all include meals (like an intimate candlelit dinner for two), a bottle of champagne or a non-alcoholic sparkling juice, a bed sprinkled with flower petals and a relaxing Lovers' Bath.
To top it all off, the package comes with a two-hour romantic Spa Village signature treatment and a chocolate body scrub with a rose aromatherapy massage, complete with a rose milk bath. Read More...
Friday January 20, 2012
Mr Siegfried Boerst and Mr Philip Skitch with Ollie the Dragon. Image courtesy of Legoland Malaysia, used with permission.
With the unveiling of a 10,000-brick Lego dragon called "Ollie", Siegfried Boerst of Legoland Malaysia and Philip Skitch, GM of the Thistle Johor Bahru Hotel (compare rates) brought the new Lego-themed park - already scheduled to open at the end of this year - one step closer to reality.
Guests of the nearby Thistle Johor Bahru Hotel may enjoy preferential rates to the park, says Mr. Skitch - "Our hotel is very excited with the possibility of partnering with Legoland Malaysia," he announced earlier today. To mark the partnership, Ollie the dragon will be hanging out at the reception of the Thistle Johor Bahru - "until the end of the year when he will be relocated to the park," confided Mr. Skitch.
The Thistle Johor Bahru won't be the only hotel to sign up for a partnership with Legoland Malaysia - "This is a great start and we look forward to collaborating with more hotels in the months to come," said Mr. Boerst.
(Of course, with Johor Bahru only being a short ride from Singapore, guests can choose to stay at one of many Singapore hotel options if they choose to do so.) Read More...
