Category: Asia
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Shopping in India
India excels in producing fine crafts at affordable prices through the tradition of passing down of ancestral skills. You can get handicrafts of different states from the government emporia in the major cities which guarantee quality at fixed prices (no bargaining), but many are poorly displayed. Private upmarket shops and top hotel arcades offer better…
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What to do in India
India has a wealth of opportunities for adventure sports. Such thrills can be combined with more conventional sightseeing. Apart from the activities listed here, you can also try ballooning, heli-skiing, hang-gliding, mountain or rock climbing and even motor rallying. There are even ski resorts in Himachal Pradesh. Birdwatching The country’s diverse and rich natural habitats…
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Best of India
1 Delhi India’s capital city is dynamic, chaotic and a perfect introduction to the country. From the labyrinthine streets of Chandni Chowk to the serene Lotus Temple and the colonnades of Connaught Place – it is a city of magical variety. 2 Taj Mahal The romance of the world’s most famous building still astonishes in…
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The Art of Chos Khor Gompa
Founded in AD996 as a scholastic institution, Chos Khor Gompa is found in the region of Spiti in Himchal Pradesh. It is the oldest living Buddhist establishment in this part of the world and its original layout was planned as a mandala centred around an Assembly Hall. It comprises nine temples, four stupas and some…
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Best of Vietnam
1 Hanoi Vietnam’s capital city is one of a kind. Chaotic it may be, but its charms far outweigh the traffic, with peaceful lakes, crumbling colonial buildings, narrow streets of the Old Quarter and one of the best street food scenes in the world. There are also plenty of great day trips to be made…
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Best Treks in India
Valley of Flowers (Uttarakhand) As the rains start, this high-altitude valley bursts into colour with a stunning array of flowers. It’s best to visit in August, starting this gentle trek from Govindghat. It was discovered in 1931 when a group of British mountaineers got lost. You will find rare flowers and valuable medicinal plants (Ayurvedic).…
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Sri Lanka’s Sacred Summits
Adam’s Peak At the top of Sri Lanka’s holiest mountain, Sri Pada (‘holy foot’), is a giant footprint believed variously to belong to Lord Buddha, Shiva and Adam, and therefore sacred to Buddhists, Hindus and Muslims alike. Join the pilgrims setting out in the early hours to reach the peak in time to see the…
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Street Food in Vietnam
Mark Lowerson has lived in Hanoi since 2002. Together with his partner, Tu, he runs Street Eats Hanoi. What change have you seen in Hanoi’s culinary scene since you arrived? At the level that I tend to roll in – street food – there hasn’t been much change at all. I’m still eating at some…
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Best of Sri Lanka
1 Galle Face Green, Colombo Whether it’s sundowners at the Galle Face Hotel or mingling with the masses out on the Green, sunset from this iconic promenade is an essential Colombo experience. Make time to see the atmospheric Gangaramaya Temple and the beautifully restored Dutch Hospital – chock full of shops and restaurants. 2 Wilpattu…
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Mount Everest
or 13 years after it was found to be the highest mountain in the world, Peak XV had no European name. In 1865, the then Surveyor General of India suggested that it be named after his predecessor, Sir George Everest (1790-1866), the man responsible for the Great Trigonometrical Survey, completed in 1841, which ultimately determined…