Crossroads Maldives Review: Staying at Hard Rock Hotel and SAii Lagoon The Maldives are becoming an increasingly popular destination for those seeking an idyllic island holiday in the Indian Ocean. I am becoming quite a seasoned Maldives traveller, and I’m fascinated by the diversity of experiences that each island can offer. But Crossroads, whose name […]
Kanazawa, Honshu, Japan
Culture, Crafts and Cuisine in Western Japan My first impression of Kanazawa was monumental. Outside the central station, where most visitors arrive, is the Tsuzumi-mon gate, an enormous wooden structure fit for a giant. It is based on the tsuzumi drums used in Noh theatre and is an apt introduction to a city where traditional […]
Nagoya
Japan’s fourth city Nagoya is a city that flies beneath the radar. As Japan’s fourth-largest city, it attracts over ten million fewer annual visitors than Kyoto and Osaka, with many travellers, both foreign and domestic, transiting through this regional transport hub. On a second trip to Japan, I wanted to explore beyond the big three […]
Cross Paasha Bali Seminyak
A Modern Hotel in the Heart of Seminyak, Bali Seminyak is one of Bali’s most popular beach areas, located on the island’s southwest coast. If you want to stay in the heart of the action, just a short walk from the beach, you might want to consider Cross Paasha Bali Seminyak, a 5-star contemporary hotel […]
Banyan Tree Higashiyama – Kyoto
A sanctuary in the city Kyoto is perennially popular, both for its exquisite temples and exemplary food. While still a vast city, it is smaller than Tokyo and much easier to navigate, being set out on a grid. During my first visit to Kyoto, I reviewed the Dhawa Yura Kyoto Hotel by Banyan Tree in […]
Hotel Chinzanso, Tokyo
Garden oasis in the midst of the city Strolling around a hillside forest with a waterfall and pond, a red wooden bridge, moss-covered stone lanterns, a Shinto shrine, a traditional teahouse and a three-story pagoda suggests you are in Japan. Enjoying this environment in a hotel garden in Tokyo can mean only one thing: you […]
Anantara Ubud Bali
A Unique Stay in Bali If you’re visiting Bali, I would highly recommend taking time to head up into the hills and visit the Ubud area. I was staying at Anantara Ubud, carved into the rock’s edge, with fantastic views of Mount Agung and the jungle stretching as far as the eye can see. Anantara […]
Tanah Gajah, a Resort by Hadiprana, Ubud Bali
Luxury Ubud Resort with Villas, Spa and Rice Terraces Set among stunning gardens and endless paddy fields, my stay at Tanah Gajah, a Resort by Hadiprana, felt truly magical. Just outside Ubud in the lush central highlands of Bali, this former estate of renowned Indonesian art collector Hendra Hafiprana effortlessly blends culture, design, and nature. […]
Chesa Canggu Bali
Boutique Hotel in the Heart of Canggu Canggu is a coastal village on the southwest coast of Bali, Indonesia. This popular resort is known for its thriving surf scene and laid-back bohemian vibe. It’s teeming with scooters, beach bars, massage parlours, paddy fields, hip cafés, boutiques, yoga studios and co-working spaces, all leading down to […]
Uluwatu, Bali
A Guide to Visiting Uluwatu, Bali I’ve recently returned from my first visit to Bali, the lush Indonesian island between Java and Lombok in the Lesser Sunda Islands. My trip began in Uluwatu, on the southwestern tip of the Bukit Peninsula, about 45 minutes from Denpasar International Airport. Here, towering limestone cliffs meet the Indian […]