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voyager.mx Travel & Tourism, Cancún (2024)

31/10/2012

Fresh from the Grill – Charcoal Roasted Thai Food You Can’t Miss

From the streets of Bangkok to the beaches of Phuket, you can find a tantalizing selection of Thai food that’s freshly grilled and waiting to be eaten. The alluring aroma of grilled meat can be smelled easily in most every village, town or city you happen to be in, and finding a delicious, hot snack is never difficult. As an example, a trip to Thailand would not be complete without sampling a handful of bite-sized sticks of grilled meat right off the grill. Moo ping (moo=pork, ping=barbecued), are little pieces of pork marinated in sweet soy sauce, pierced by a bamboo skewer, and cooked to juicy perfection. Other choices include chicken hearts, chicken intestines, and even the beloved all-fat chicken anuses (although you won’t find too many foreigners lining up for those). Meat on a stick is often accompanied by a small bag of sticky rice, and alternating bites of smoky meat with little balls of gooey rice makes the perfect on-the-go snack.

24/10/2012

India’s Dussehra Festival: The Battle of Good vs Evil

Take a brave group of gods and heroes and a beautiful virtuous queen whose legendary stories every Hindu knows by heart. Add a really, seriously nasty evil demon king and then throw in a spectacular open-air burning of the huge effigy of said evil demon king and ten days of celebrations, prayers, feasting and traditional plays, and you have (in a very rushed and inadequate nutshell) the Hindu festival of Dussehra. Every year in October, as the cooler winter climate starts to dilute the harsh Indian summer, the season of Dussehra begins, signaling a stretch of pleasant weather and noisy, public festivities. The festival itself is actually preceded by nine days of prayers and celebrations, and is the best time to experience the visceral punch of a Ramlila, a performance of the story of Ram and Sita and their conflict with the demon king Ravan.

17/10/2012

City Insider: Biking in Bangkok

When people think of Bangkok, it’s a good bet that the first thing that goes through their mind is not riding a bicycle. Already legendary for its traffic jams and maze of concrete highways, the massive city of 8-12 million (depending on who you ask) is built for the car. Indeed, it only got its first above-ground electric train system in 1999, and its first subway a few years after that. Suffice it to say, wide, leafy sidewalks with plenty of room for walking and biking do not exist here. However, despite its spaghetti-tangle of roads, alleys and pathways – or maybe because of them – Bangkok is an excellent city to explore on a bicycle, assuming you’re able to handle it with a medium amount of confidence and skill. There are temples, restaurants, shops – even entire communities – that are nearly inaccessible by car, and that lie well off the tourist trails.

10/10/2012

Aix en Provence: a flaneur’s paradise

The delightful French word flâner could have been created just for the pretty town of Aix-en-Provence. Flâner means to stroll, to walk slowly and unhurriedly. When you are a flâneur, you wander, you take time to stroll about enjoying the sights and sounds, but always at an unhurried pace. It stands to reason that you usually flane in nice weather, too. All of which makes Aix-en-Provence a flaneur’s paradise par excellence.

03/10/2012

Oxbridge: Cambridge University

The English university town of Cambridge is half of the famed Oxbridge, the convenient twinning of the two ancient universities of Oxford and Cambridge into a united academic entity – a concept which exists only in theory, as in practice the two towns are far apart and have had a healthy rivalry for something like 900 years.
Oxford may well be the older of the two universities, but in terms of beauty and pure aesthetics, Cambridge is the clear winner.
Oxford is beautiful, but much of the beauty is hidden away within the privacy of the colleges. Cambridge, on the other hand, flaunts her beauty and fabulous medieval architecture for everyone to see. At every turn of the city’s winding cobbled streets, there is seemingly a college, a chapel, a distant glimpse of an ancient spire – architectural excellence everywhere.

26/09/2012

Ask an Asian - Malaysian vs Singaporean Cuisine

Q: Are Malaysian and Singaporean food the same?
If you want to fan the usually dormant flame of nationalism among Malaysians and Singaporeans, then bring up the topic of their cuisine. I was in Taipei with a Malaysian friend few years back and when we came across a Singaporean-branded hawker stall selling char kuey teow, bak k*t teh and nasi lemak, I kid you not, he went on a verbal tirade that was uncharacteristic of him.
But it's a bit misleading to accuse either cuisine of copying the other. Historically, Malaysia and Singapore share the same cultural heritage; at one point in the 1960’s they were even merged into one nation! Influences in their food come from a multicultural blend of Chinese, Indian, Malay, Thai, Portuguese, and various other ethnic groups. And quite recently, perhaps due to the number of Filipinos who have been working and residing in Singapore for decades, Philippine cuisine has been absorbed in their society as well.

19/09/2012

Montmartre

Pigalle. Le Moulin Rouge and le Moulin de la Galette. Artists and cabaret dancers. Toulouse-Lautrec and Jane Avril. Drinkers and “poseurs” - the very word Pigalle seems to sum up all that is naughty about Paris, or at least all that people think is naughty.
Today, Pigalle tries hard to live up to the expectations of the visitors who still come looking for traces of the romanticized Naughty Nineties (of the 1890s variety, I hasten to add).
Pigalle, with its dubious cinemas and peepshows, is at the foot of probably the most famous of the hills in Paris, Montmartre. Montmartre has many claims to fame : it was (and still is) home to innumerable artists and writers. It was briefly an independent commune in the 19th century. And it is the site of the only vineyard in Paris.

12/09/2012

Inside Bangkok Cinemas

Going to the movies might not sound like a very exotic travel experience, but Bangkok is ever a city of surprises. Luxurious, clean, (too) well air-conditioned, well-priced and with screenings in English or in the case of 'foreign' films, with English sub-titles, Bangkok's cinemas are everything you wished you had back home.
Though most of what you'll find at the main chains is Hollywood blockbusters and mainstream English-language cinema, Bangkok also offers indie and arthouse flicks, foreign film festivals and documentaries. Film buffs interested in Asian cinema might appreciate the chance to catch a Thai horror film – the genre is very well-developed and includes highly-stylized chill-inducing remakes of traditional Thai ghost tales.
If you travel during 'winter' – the dry season from November to March – you also stand a good chance of catching an outdoor movie screening.Last year, the Goethe Institute, Rock Around Asia and Alliance Francais all hosted open air movie screenings – it's worth keeping an ear to the ground for these unique – and frequently free – cultural events.

05/09/2012

Spring into Sydney

Winter in Sydney is a drag. As a city very much about its coastlines, sunshine and outdoor activities, the rain and cold make Sydney – and Sydney-siders – quite inhospitable. While there are certainly blindingly bright sunny days to be had in the middle of August, these are far outnumbered by stretches of miserable rain, cold grey mornings and blustery, tomb-dark evenings that begin as early as 5pm.
Thus, when the bitter gales whipping off the harbor finally begin to mellow and the sun warms and intensifies, Sydney starts its annual metamorphosis from cranky old crone to frolicking party pal. Full revelry won't begin until December, when three months of music festivals, open air cinemas, cultural fairs, cricket matches, food fests and beach parties ensue, but the shoulder season is great time to travel because hotels are cheaper and the beaches are far less crowded.
Every year, spring in Sydney brings with it a full schedule of special events. So, aside from the general enjoyment of outdoor touristic waterfronts such as Cockle Bay, Sydney Fish Markets, Manly Beach and Circular Quay, there are some specific events on that can enhance visitors' cultural understanding of what makes this stunning city tick.

29/08/2012

Koh Si Chang: different type of Thai Island

Islands in southern Thailand have a certain appeal, what with all the azure waters, white sand beaches, excessive sunshine and palm trees. Yet, closer to the capital, you can find the Central Thailand version of an island getaway – an inexpensive, easy-to-execute island trip that rings true to Thailand's unofficial tagline of "same, same, but different".
Getting there…
Koh Si Chang, under normal circumstances, is a 2.5-hour journey from central Bangkok, if you literally start in the center (around Sukhumvit 21) and hail a cab. The drive takes 1.5 to two hours, (add two or three hours if you're attempting this at 5.30pm on a Friday), and costs around 1,000 THB (USD 30), a tariff which is, naturally, subject to the bargaining skills of you and your driver.

22/08/2012

Mauritius's Capital: Port Louis

Port Louis, the capital city of Mauritius is every bit as charming as you would expect from such a pretty little tropical island.
Port Louis is quaint, just historic enough, but yet also small enough for you to wander around on foot, soaking up the hustle and bustle - but not too much hustle and bustle. This is a holiday island, after all.
Port Louis sits between the peak known as Signal Hill and the sea, and as good a place as any to begin exploring is at Le Caudan Waterfront. When the waterfront opened in the late 1990s, it was a source of much amazement, containing as it did possibly the first escalator in the country. People from small villages in the interior of Mauritius came just to have a look at the escalator.

15/08/2012

Guide to traveling India in the monsoon

There are always advantages to every travel situation in life, and this is never more true than when you are planning a trip to India.
Never forget that this vast country is, geographically, a sub-continent. From the snowy peaks of the Himalayas in the north, through the deserts to the west, down to the steamy heat of the south, there is a huge range of climatic zones. So whenever you plan your journey, there will always be the weather factor to be considered. Given the size of the country, there is no single ‘ideal’ time to visit India.
For example, if you wish to travel to Ladakh, high up in Kashmir, you can only do so during the hot summer months, when the snow melts in the passes, and the road and airport become, once again, accessible.

08/08/2012

Inside Kashmir: Snow scenes at Gulmarg

The little Indian Kashmiri town of Gulmarg is in a class of its own in the prettiness and quaintness stakes.
Nestled at 9,000 feet, accessible only by a switchback bumpy road up from the plains that takes you through miles of pine forest, you arrive in Gulmarg and enter a different world all together.
“Marg” in Hindi means meadow, and “Gul” means flower, and that is exactly what Gulmarg is – a vast circular meadow full of flowers, around which the town has grown.In the meadow horses graze amidst fields of lupins and daisies, looking too ridiculously picturesque for words.

01/08/2012

How to order noodle soup in Thailand

I’m not ashamed to admit it. The first few times that I tried to order a bowl of kuay tiaw (noodle soup) in Thailand, I failed miserably. It’s not that I didn’t end up with a bowl of noodles. I just didn’t have the answers for all of the questions the vendor asked me. Who knew there were so many variables at play?
While it’s certainly not rocket science, your first trip to the local kuay tiaw stand can be intimating. So before you take your first plunge into Thailand’s favorite late-night snack, take a moment to review the formula. While the order of your selection doesn’t really make a difference, the following ingredients are listed in the order that most people choose them.

25/07/2012

London Weekenders: Olympic Escapes

So, you are already in London or planning to be there later this summer ?
There will be one thing and one thing only on everybody’s minds, of course: the 2012 Olympics. But just suppose you want to do a spot of sightseeing before and after your London visit? Or if you feel like escaping Olympic mania for a few days?
England in the summer is idyllic – pretty villages, gardens in full bloom, lush green countryside, plus it stays light until very late at night, so there is no excuse for not exploring the countryside and the historic cities that all lie within a comfortable radius of London.

18/07/2012

agoda.com Insider: India for foodies

To describe Indian food as ‘curries’ is as sweeping and uninformative as, say, describing Chinese food as ‘noodles’ and Italian food as ‘pasta’.
Yes, of course, curries are an integral part of Indian food, but there is so, so much more than just that.
First and foremost, what exactly is a curry?

11/07/2012

The Blue Mountains: Australia’s most famous sisters

A short drive from Sydney’s outer metro area are the Blue Mountains: an undulous range of sandstone escarpments, gorges, rivers, rock formations and waterfalls, all covered by a thick carpet of eucalypt-scented Aussie scrub. From the best vantage points in the area, these mountains seem to stretch on forever.
Part of the Great Dividing Range – the world’s third-longest mountain range, and a thing of great national pride and beauty – the Blue Mountains get their name from the purpleish hue of the eucalyptus trees, as noted by the area’s early colonial explorers: Blaxland, Wentworth and Lawson.
How this trio managed to navigate such unforgiving terrain – they were the first colonialists to cross the range – is inconceivable. This serene yet treacherous area, like much of the Australian bush and outback – still regulalry takes the lives of visitors through falling, drowning, starvation, and overexposure.

04/07/2012

Insider view: Majestic Marseilles

Marseilles, the iconic port city on the French Mediterranean coast, can truly be described by that overworked cliché, ‘a melting pot’. Ever since the Phoenicians sailed in to the city’s wonderful natural harbor in 600 BC, generations of travelers from all over the world have been drawn to the city. Greeks, Romans, and Arabs from North Africa were all drawn to the city over the centuries.
Blessed with a natural harbor, sheltered by a scattering of offshore islands out to sea and with ranges of mountains behind, and bathed in a warm sunny climate, it is hardly surprising that generations of travelers over the last 2500 years chose to settle here, all adding their little contribution to the cultural melting pot that the city is today.

27/06/2012

Focus on London 2012: Shad Thames

London’s iconic Tower Bridge has been much in the news lately. Tower Bridge marked the final dramatic moments in the rain-soaked Diamond Jubilee pageant in early June, which celebrated Queen Elizabeth’s 60 years on the throne.
The panorama from Tower Bridge looking back up the River Thames towards Westminster is, for want of a better word, breathtaking. Cutting-edge new architecture like the GLA building (known rather irreverently to everyone as The Egg) and the Shard, the tallest building in Europe, with the contrasting Tower of London and historic ships, all combine to make a true fusion cityscape. The river is constantly busy, with water taxis, pleasure boats, booze cruises and even working barges.

20/06/2012

The delights of Sri Lanka

For a small country, Sri Lanka has so much to offer, from game drives in the national parks to world-class surfing beaches, from ancient Buddhist sites to misty tea plantations.
Most visitors arrive by air in Colombo, so after a day or so settling in and perhaps sleeping off jet-lag, it is time to explore a charming, friendly, picturesque country. The choice of where and what to see is, naturally, very personal. Some visitors may well opt to lie on a beach for their entire stay, which is fair enough, but a bit of a crying shame, when there is so much waiting to be explored.

13/06/2012

Top tips for traveling in the tropics: India

In a perfect world we would all travel when the weather was horrid back home and fabulous in our destination.
That weather would always be temperate and a little sunny, but not too much, and not too rainy. As a result, we wouldn’t need to schlepp woollies and umbrellas around the globe.
However, as it stands, we all need to travel regardless of weather, and so for travelers heading towards India at this time of the year, there are basic precautions to take against the heat.

06/06/2012

Insider tips: Guide to Chiang Mai’s Buses

Chiang Mai may not have the transport infrastructure of Bangkok, but there’s still a well-oiled system in place for getting around town. The colored pick-up trucks called song thaews make up the backbone of Chiang Mai’s transportation system, but they’re backed by tuk-tuks, proper taxi cabs and a few brand new city buses.
The terminus of Thailand’s railway system is also in Chiang Mai, so long-haul buses are important for onward travel into northern areas. Whether you’re paying 20 baht for a short-haul journey down the street or 1,800 baht for the day-long haul to Phuket, you’ll need to use the public transport system at some point during your stay in Chiang Mai. The following is a quick guide to get you started.

30/05/2012

London in 48 hours

So, you have only 48 hours in London and want to see everything?
Well, not everything, obviously, but as much as is humanly possible, whilst not neglecting to sleep, eat, shop, and have a pint in a pub.
The best way to get an initial (and literal) overview of this marvelous city is to take a tour on an open-top bus. Get your bearings, see all the major sights in one go, and then, the next day of your all-too-brief two-day stay in London, you can go back and visit select places in more detail.

23/05/2012

Bangkok’s Government Buses

Taxis might be cheap in Bangkok compared to those in other world capitals, but they’re not always the best option. Some don’t want to turn their meter on, some might not know where it is you want to go and some will outright refuse to take you anywhere at all.
The BTS Skytrain and MRT underground still have limited reach, so to get to outlying towns and provinces without having to pay for a taxi or private car – Thailand’s buses are worth mastering. In the metro area tickets range from free to 18 baht and for maximum 1,500 you can catch an overnight VIP government bus all the way down to Phuket or Hat Yai. The bus system is not always easy to decipher, however, so here’s a first-timer’s guide.

23/05/2012

Bangkok’s Government Buses

Taxis might be cheap in Bangkok compared to those in other world capitals, but they’re not always the best option. Some don’t want to turn their meter on, some might not know where it is you want to go and some will outright refuse to take you anywhere at all.
The BTS Skytrain and MRT underground still have limited reach, so to get to outlying towns and provinces without having to pay for a taxi or private car – Thailand’s buses are worth mastering. In the metro area tickets range from free to 18 baht and for maximum 1,500 you can catch an overnight VIP government bus all the way down to Phuket or Hat Yai. The bus system is not always easy to decipher, however, so here’s a first-timer’s guide.
Within Bangkok metro:
First of all, do some research, visit BMTA to get an overview. The maps aren’t very helpful (at the time of blog post), but the route/bus numbers are listed for all major tourist attractions. If you have the time (some bus routes snake around the entire city and get stuck in traffic for ages) you can get anywhere in the city for a few Thai baht.
There are different colored buses for different zones. The names on all of them are in Thai and they don’t really stop as much as slow down for you to jump on and off, so you have to know the route number and pull the cord/push the button when you reach your stop – get a fellow passenger to alert you if you’re not sure. The wiki page has a good guide to the routes and bus colors.
Once on board, wait for the ticket collector to give you a ticket and hang on if you don’t have a seat – Bangkok bus drivers have been known to bend the laws of physics. Buses can also get packed during weekday peak hours, so don’t expect much elbow room at these times, or avoid them all together.
Free buses: For a literal free ride, there are free buses, which may be hard for the foreigner to spot at first, but once you know them, you will recognize them for next time. These are just regular buses with a blue banner with Thai writing draped across the driver’s dash board, over the window, over the side door and/or on the back window. If in doubt, just point and ask someone: ‘Free?’
Long distance buses
From Ekkamai: Easy to get to: right at Ekkamai BTS stop. Buses here service destinations on the eastern side of the Thai Gulf, from Pattaya to Leam Ngop pier in Trat province. You can go there to book a ticket a few days or even a few hours in advance or book online through Thai Ticket Major and either pay by credit card or at a bank, 7-Eleven or post office – quite a convenient option if you’re concerned about securing a seat.
From the New Southern Bus Terminal (Sai Tai Mai): This is a big terminal with a mall, food court, market-style stalls, chain restaurants and dozens of platforms, though all are clearly marked. Buses departing service all the major destinations on the western side of the Thai Gulf , including Hua Hin, Chumpon, Koh Samui, Phuket, Krabi and Hat Yai.
The trickiest part is getting here – Sai Tai Mai is at least a 30-minute drive from Hua Lumphong train station or Wongwian Yai BTS – up to an hour (or more) in peak hour on a Friday, when hailing a cab is nigh impossible. Most of the overnight buses leave between 7pm and 9pm, so it is worth leaving Bangkok center earlier (4pm at the latest) and killing time at the terminal to avoid peak hour traffic and potentially missing your bus.
The fastest way in via cab from Hua Lumphong station or Khao San Road. Wongwian Yai BTS is a similar distance, but cabs are harder to find here. For travelers with minimal luggage, there are public buses (no. 515) and minivans departing from Victory Monument that go to Sai Tai Mai. Bus tickets can be booked at the terminal (signs are in English), but for long weekend travel it’s better to book a week in advance – most conveniently by Thai Ticket Major or through a local travel agent.
Caveat: there is an old Sai Tai station, but most cab drivers will know not to take you there.
Mo Chit Bus Station: Similar to Sai Tai Mai, only this station services all the major destinations in northern Thailand and northeastern Thailand (Isaan) – Kanchanaburi, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Nan, Mai Sod etc, with a handful of southern destinations, as well. You can take a cab there or the BTS to Mo Chit station and then a cab (it’s too far to walk). This is a big terminal, with English signboards, food stalls, ATMs, stalls, shops, ticket booths, restaurants and massage shops.
From Suvarnabhumi airport:
If you’re really pinching pennies, hop on an airport express shuttle. Four different routes cover a loop of popular Bangkok hotels – especially handy if your hotel is one of the stops and you have heavy luggage you don’t want to cart around the Airport Link (rail) terminal. The shuttle is 150THB, though it only operates between 5am and midnight and obviously isn’t as direct as a taxi.

16/05/2012

London by boat

Fed up of over-crowded tubes and buses in London ?
Tired of being squashed ?
Tired of standing, strap-hanging ?
Too tired to pound those pavaments for hours on foot ?

Take heart – there is another way to see this amazing city.

By boat!

09/05/2012

Thailand Temples: The Ayutthaya Nine

Ayutthaya is all about ancient ruins – especially from a foreign tourist’s perspective. What you may not realize is that many of the newer-looking temples in this city are just as ancient as their crumbling counterparts. The difference is that they’ve been maintained, restored and rebuilt over the centuries, and they’re still in active use today.
Now, if it’s your first time in Ayutthaya, or if you only have time for the highlights, then by all means focus on the ruins. They’re spectacular. But if you’re craving an authentic Thai experience, consider following the nine-temple pilgrimage route that Thai visitors embrace.

02/05/2012

Varanasi

Expectations were high as we flew into Varanasi's smart little airport.
Years of wanting to visit one of India's holiest cities had always been tempered with a slight fear as to how to handle the piety and religious fervour and, indeed, the spectacle of death that are an integral part of the DNA of this sacred city.
And now, at long last, here we were, barreling into town on a crowded road through suburbs which looked pretty much any suburb in any small town in India.

25/04/2012

Thailand’s temples: the Bangkok Nine

Every major city in Thailand has a specific set of nine temples that are officially recommended for a mad-dash, merit-making tour. Thai people have an affinity for the number nine, and there’s a sense of accomplishment (as well as utter fatigue) waiting at the end of a daylong nine-temple marathon.
Completing one of these lists is challenging enough in a typical Thai city....

18/04/2012

Do drop by Dubai

There used to be a catchy slogan promoting Dubai, back in the days when it was little more than a shopping paradise.
“Fly buy Dubai.”
Then, the idea was to break your journey from, say Europe to Asia with a stopover in Dubai, where you could shop, shop, shop to your heart’s content, and be on your way. Because, back then, there wasn’t honestly much else to do in this city-state.
Fast forward to...

11/04/2012

10 Asian Art Hotels

An effective antidote to hotel fatigue, staying in an art hotel is a miniature journey in itself. Promoting deep engagement between guest and environment, the art hotel can reignite the spirit of discovery, inspire escapism and be culturally edifying all at the same time. Offering just as much comfort as creativity, these 10 Asian art hotels pay homage to a variety of artists and styles, many literally providing a canvas for...

04/04/2012

Penang’s historic hotels

As a beach escape, Penang can’t compete with the postcard coastlines and waterways of Langkawi. On the flipside, when it comes to food, the arts and architecture, Penang is your Malaysian island of the moment.
Charted by the Chinese in the 15th century and later founded by English trader Francis Light, Penang’s colonial vestiges are becoming increasingly more of a travel highlight, with ongoing restorations bringing the island’s older architecture back to...

28/03/2012

Top Five Things to do in Rajasthan

How on earth do you choose the top 5 must-see places to visit in a state as fabulously picturesque as India’s Rajasthan?
With huge difficulty, is the answer.
Rajasthan is everything a visitor thinks and hopes India will be.
And then some.
It is dramatic, it is colorful, it has forts and palaces and castles, it has camels and brightly painted elephants, and the men wear the most fabulous turbans you can imagine. History, culture,...

21/03/2012

The Chiang Mai Nine

In Thailand, the number nine is auspicious, and it permeates religious culture. Thai households often have a collection of nine pedestals on which they display their Buddha images and family heirlooms. Enormous alms-giving ceremonies may have thousands of monks, but you can be sure the advertised figure is going to be a multiple of nine....

14/03/2012

On the grapevine: Guide to Bangkok's Wine Bars

It's hard to believe, but up until recently wine was not a major focal point for socializing in Bangkok. These days, however, wine bars, bistros and pubs are cropping up like 7-Elevens across the city, giving travelers a grown-up alternative to buckets on Khao San Road and Kombi van cocktails....