Travelrific® Travel Journal
Picture postcards in prose.™ Check out the blogroll on the front page for official merchandise and other resources!Archive for asia
Minimalist Ice in Taiwan
By Linda Tancs
Minimalist design focuses on simplicity and functionality. It isn’t a term you generally hear applied to ice cream, unless you visit Minimal in Taiwan’s Taichung City, the world’s first and only ice cream establishment to receive a Michelin star. It earned its award due to the way its artisans skillfully layer flavors and textures through temperature variations and creative combinations. The two-story venue on Meicun Road has both a takeaway outlet on the first floor and a dine-in section on the second floor that offers a seven-course tasting menu.
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Sri Lanka’s Most Famous Park
By Linda Tancs
Yala National Park is a huge area of forest, grassland and lagoons bordering the Indian Ocean in southeast Sri Lanka. Renowned for its leopard population (the highest density anywhere), it also hosts elephants and crocodiles as well as hundreds of bird species. The animals are more likely to come into the open when the water levels are low between February and July although sightings (particularly of the elusive leopard) are not guaranteed. Safaris are plentiful.
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Trekking Sri Lanka
By Linda Tancs
Touted as one of the best-kept secrets in Asia, the Pekoe Trail in Sri Lanka winds its way through the Central Highlands. Trekking through tea plantations, cloud forests, waterfalls, heritage estates and rural villages, the 186-mile trail is divided into 22 stages. The country’s first long-distance hiking trail, most stages are open from dawn to dusk except for those in wildlife corridors and protected areas. Some stages may also require special ticketing or permits, particularly those on private lands. The trail is open year round, but the best time to walk most of it is December to April and July to September.
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Japan’s Island of Art
By Linda Tancs
Nicknamed Japan’s “Island of Art,” art displays and museums can be found all over Naoshima. A small island in the Seto Inland Sea, it has become an international hotspot for contemporary art. Benesse House Museum (both a museum and a hotel) was the very first structure to be built on Naoshima as part of the art island initiative. The newest museum complements Benesse and is home exclusively to contemporary Asian art. Ferries to Naoshima depart from Takamatsu Port in Kagawa and Uno Port in Okayama.
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A Hindu Landmark in Singapore
By Linda Tancs
Located in the heart of Chinatown, Sri Mariamman Temple is Singapore’s oldest Hindu temple. A historical landmark, the religion’s rich traditions are amply demonstrated through carvings of Hindu deities on the temple’s exterior, exquisite ceiling paintings in its main hall and five tiers of sculptures of deities and mythological figures in its majestic grand tower entrance. A bustling place of worship, the temple is also the site of sacred events like the annual firewalking festival.
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Singapore’s Floating Baby
By Linda Tancs
Marc Quinn’s monumental 2008 sculpture Planet has been donated for permanent display at the Gardens by the Bay in Singapore. Popularly called “the floating baby,” the work of painted bronze and steel measures nearly 32 feet long and almost 13 feet high but appears to hover over the ground as if impossibly suspended. Gardens by the Bay is home to more than 200 sculptures from around the world, featuring unique pieces, intriguing crafts and stone works.
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World’s Largest Coffee Shop
By Linda Tancs
So, java lovers, where in the world is the largest coffee shop? The answer: South Korea. Boasting 2,190 seats and 3,600 square meters, Positive Space 566 in Gyeonggi-do takes the cake. Or should we say, bean. Opened in 2022, the shop’s four floors feature a variety of coffees and teas as well as baked goods, wood-fired pizza, pasta, salads and more.
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The Great Stupa of Laos
By Linda Tancs
Laos is a Southeast Asian country particularly known for its Buddhist monasteries. One of the most significant is Pha That Luang in Vientiane, where a reliquary reportedly houses the Buddha’s breastbone. Founded in the third century, the current structure was built by King Setthathirath (or Xaysettha) in 1566 after Vientiane became the capital city. The striking monument has a pinnacle covered in real gold with a set of painted turrets surrounding its central stupa. The temple is easily reachable by tuk tuk or bicycle.
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A Royal Trek in Nepal
By Linda Tancs
The Royal Trek is one of the best introductory treks in the Annapurna region of Nepal. It’s named for King Charles III, who explored the route in 1981 shortly before he married Princess Diana. It’s also known for its low difficulty level suitable for individuals of varying fitness levels and trekking experience. It follows a shrub-like path along the foothills of Annapurna, north of the Pokhara valley, that includes beautiful Gurung settlements, small hamlets, terraced farms, lush green forests and views of the Annapurna range featuring Machapuchhre (fishtail) and Langtang Mountain. The journey ends at Begnas Lake.
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Pagoda of the Celestial Lady
By Linda Tancs
Huế is a city in central Vietnam that was the seat of Nguyen Dynasty emperors as well as the national capital from 1802 to 1945. It’s where you’ll find Thiên Mụ (Pagoda of the Celestial Lady), an important spiritual center for Buddhists. Located on the banks of the Perfume River, each of the seven floors of the pagoda is dedicated to a Buddha that appeared in human form. The city is located on the main railway line in Vietnam running from Saigon in the south to Hanoi in the north. Its riverboat service is a convenient way to access the pagoda, located at Thien Mu Boat Station stop.
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