With a coastline of 7,517 kilometres, disparate topography that spans the Himalayas, Ghats, Thar Desert and Sundarbans and four distinct climates, India is indeed a veritable continent. Rich and precious biodiversity runs through the country from the Arabian Sea to the Bay of Bengal and from Kashmir to Kerala. India has close to one hundred … Read more
When we think of castles, Europe is often the place that first comes to mind. Windsor Castle, Neuschwanstein, Carcassonne, Malbork Castle and the like, dominate our depictions of what a proper castle should look like. A shame because Japan has a rich collection of castles that rivals England, France and Germany. Built for defensive and … Read more
Time to throw some love in the direction of Indonesia. In the wake of natural disasters and terrorist attacks over the past decade, the archipelago republic can be a bit of a tough sell to potential tourists from abroad. Which is why we turn our attention now to the Special Region of Yogyakarta. The Java … Read more
With a collective apology to Sapporo, Kyoto, Tokyo and Osaka, the city in Japan that incites more praise for livability, sustainability and green space is the capital of Fukuoka Prefecture. The city of more than 1.5 million is just across Busan, South Korea on the Korea Strait. Though the city of Kitakyushu, a mere 90 … Read more
The provisional capital of the Republic of China has become a hyper-modern, progressive, information technology hub with a metro population of more than 10 million people in a relatively short period of time. Just when exactly did Taipei and by extension, Taiwan, become such a dominant player in the world economy? The story of how … Read more
As one of the Four Great Ancient Capitals of China, Xian (Xi’an) is a first-rate tourist city in the vast People’s Republic. The ancient and venerable Silk Road outpost city is marvelous, with a rich array of vital temples, monuments, museums and landmarks to explore. With a contiguous area replete with exquisite natural beauty, Xian … Read more
The city of Boryeong, located in Korea, is one of the most beautiful in the region. Surrounded by sandy beaches and towering mountains, the city is considered to be very blessed. Every year the city of Boryeong comes to life for what seems like a frivolous and silly event, yet it is rich with history … Read more
Sichuan is one of the most culturally vibrant provinces in the People’s Republic of China. The province, incredibly, is home to almost 90 million people and hundreds of venerable shrines, landmarks and UNESCO World Heritage Giant Panda reserves. Sichuan food of course, is famous across the globe as one of Four Great Traditions in Chinese … Read more
Nagoya is one of the most culturally vibrant destinations in Japan. The Pacific coast, Chubu region metropolis ranks fourth in the country in population and all told, is home to 2 million people. These ten must-see attractions help make Nagoya a phenomenal city. 10. Grand Sumo Tournament Nagoya’s Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium hosts one of the … Read more
Sapporo is the cosmopolitan capital of Hokkaido, Japan and the winter wonderland of the country. The 1972 Winter Olympics host is a superlative city of ski resorts, streetcars, miso ramen and of course, beer. Lest we pigeonhole this wonderful metropolis of 2 million however, we should also reference the fact that Sapporo has beautiful summers, … Read more