Tuesday, June 7, 2011

CNNGo.com

CNNGo.com


Would you pay US$140 for a travel guide ...

Posted: 07 Jun 2011 02:12 AM PDT

India Destination Guide The Luxury Collection

Travel guides are becoming ever more sumptuous and insider tips are worth their weight in gold. Sure. But literally?

Take the new limited-edition travel guide compilation by The Luxury Collection, published by Assouline and wrapped in a vintage-inspired gift box.

For US$140 the special "The Luxury Collection: Destination Guides" gift set includes India, Italy, Greece, Argentina, Spain and the United States.

What do these six countries have in common? An inherent understanding of the good life (sorry France).

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Another tear-jerking viral video -- 'Korea's Got Talent' unearths new 'star'

Posted: 07 Jun 2011 01:53 AM PDT

Just what the world needs -- another mushy viral video of a heart-rending musical performance that proves two things: 1. Never judge a book by its cover, or in this case, a singer by his appearance and 2. Most of us are rubbish performers by comparison.

The latest in the vein of Paul Potts, Susan Boyle, Chooka (look that one up on Google and add "Australia") comes from the first episode of "Korea's Got Talent."

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CNNGo TV explores Beijing

Posted: 07 Jun 2011 12:27 AM PDT

Beijing temple

This month CNNGo explores Beijing -- China's political and cultural heart.

We roam through the hutongs with artist Xiao Bai and explore a rocking music scene thanks to P.K. 14 Frontman Yang Haisong.

We pass on the Peking duck, and instead sample a local lamb joint thanks to widely read food critic Shu Qiao.

Entrepreneur Dominic Johnson-Hill shows us he's clearly friends with people in the right places, snagging rare and exclusive access to a relic from the days of Chairman Mao -- the hidden tunnels snaking under China's capital.

We also escape the congestion and take viewers to an unexplored part of the Great Wall.

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10 exotic escapes, photos for non-snobs, Kylie's drag show

Posted: 06 Jun 2011 09:31 PM PDT

Singapore Airlines, Virgin Australia in new tie-up

Posted: 06 Jun 2011 09:14 PM PDT

Singapore Airlines and Virgin Australia have signed an agreement which will enable them to establish a long-term alliance.

In a report by Channel News Asia, the new partnership will allow both airlines to sell tickets and seats on each other's international and domestic flights from August 1.

In addition, both airlines will offer reciprocal frequent flier program benefits and lounge access for Virgin Australia Velocity Gold members and Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Gold members.

Through the agreement Virgin Australia gains access to about 70 more destinations, while Singapore Airlines customers will have access to about 30 extra routes.

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Kylie Minogue's Sydney concerts begin with a drag show outside Wildfire

Posted: 06 Jun 2011 05:44 PM PDT

At the cocktail party that launched the Sydney leg of Kylie's world tour, it was fitting that she was welcomed by drag queen Joyce Maynge, backed by 100 performing fans.

When Kylie was trying to break free of being Charlene from "Neighbours" in the 1980s, it was Sydney's gay community who embraced her as their queen. Boys dancing all night in hot leather shorts and drag impersonators on Oxford Street first brought her handbag-house to life.

Of course, the pocket rocket became a global sensation. Her single, "Can't Get You Out of My Head," reached number one in 40 countries and she's sold more than 60 million albums worldwide. Four Kylie wax models have gone on show at Madame Tussauds -- only Queen Elizabeth II has had more.

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上海画廊以外的最佳艺术

Posted: 06 Jun 2011 05:00 PM PDT

很多优秀的艺术作品已经开始进军上海的酒吧,在那些低调的室内设计和枯燥的装饰环境里躲了起来。

现在就让我们一起开始留意这些散布上海画廊之外的绝妙艺术作品吧。

充气拱门

地点:达达酒吧外面的弄堂
阿拉欢喜的原因:颜色鲜艳且胀鼓鼓的城堡式充气拱门和隔壁餐厅后面的一桶鱼头相映成趣。

达达的拱门是酒吧经理Brian Huang设计的。

"我对他讲,我们需要对前门这块地方进行隔音,以免打扰邻居,他就弄了这个巨大的红色充气拱门。"酒吧老板迈克尔·奥尔森(Michael Ohlsson)说,"拱门的设计和制作与这块不对称的空间贴合得非常紧密。"

这个拱门是在淘宝上买的,花了大概1200元。

达达酒吧,幸福路115号,近法华镇路,+86 150 0018 2212 

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世上首部 「點心式西部片」《Squattertown 》

Posted: 06 Jun 2011 04:45 PM PDT

當德國製片人 Marco Sparmberg 三年前搬來香港,他幻想自己將能沉溺於那個造就很多偉大導演,如吳宇森和徐克的電影世界。 結果是,那繁華的電影景象早已離開香港良久了。「香港不再是一個電影城市。」 Sparmberg 說時聲音中明顯帶有一絲失望,他續說:「我來時帶著個1980 年代的夢 ,可惜時過境遷。」

於 80 年代,香港是全球其中一個「電影首都」,它每年出品過百套鉅獻和二線電影,包括許多用創新的及令人振奮的方法,去重新定位的電影類別。

回歸後,電影資金逃離到迅速膨脹的內地市場,電影業就開始墜落了。 近期香港生產的電影,比 90 年代初期生產的四份之一還要少,而在這四分之一的電影中,大部分都是枯燥乏味和不深刻的

然後,Sparmberg 得出一個想法:為何不創造一個全新的電影種類,以向香港曾經光輝的電影業致敬?這個想法的結果,就是Squattertown(寮屋鎮),它是「點心式西部片」(dim sum Western) 網站系列電影,將於六月底進行首映。

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Best milk teas in Hong Kong

Posted: 06 Jun 2011 03:00 PM PDT

Milk tea is Hong Kong's undisputed king of drinks. Stemming from the British colonial practice of adding milk to black tea, the Hong Kong version is strained through a sackcloth to encourage smoothness.

Here are four of our favorite places for grabbing a bite with a cup of hot or cold milk tea.

Do you have a favorite milk tea joint? What makes it so special? Let everyone know in the comments box below.

"Gold tea" at Tai Fat


Milk tea expert Lai Wong Ming has been making the stuff for more than three decades and he reckons he has altered his recipe at least 30 times through the years.

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Malabar Hill: 2 temples, 1 sacred tank, 0 meat

Posted: 06 Jun 2011 02:59 PM PDT

In old pictures of Mumbai, Malabar Hill is seen as a forested tropical outpost with ancient temples and bungalows that served as weekend and holiday homes for the wealthy.

In addition to having some of the highest real estate prices in the country, the Malabar Hill neighborhood also once reflected posh Mumbai cosmopolitanism at its best.

Parsis, Bohris, Hindus and a small, but strong, Catholic community at St. Stephen's Church lived on the hill.

Now, 125 years later, the forest has been laid over with concrete and skyscrapers, the new temples of wealth.

In the last decade, Hindu conservatism and cultural stagnation seem to be eroding the area's multi-faith vibrancy. 

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Asia travel news

Asia travel news


Ayana becomes 1st hotel in Bali to be Tsunami ready certified

Posted: 06 Jun 2011 01:51 AM PDT

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AYANA Resort and Spa has become the first hotel in Bali to be certified as Tsunami Ready, following a comprehensive audit and training program.

Although AYANA's cliff-top location 35 meters above the ocean puts it and its guests at low-risk in case of a tsunami, the hotel wanted to be prepared to take care of guests in case of any emergency.

"We may be considered low-risk because of our cliff-top location, but that is no reason to be complacent," said AYANA's General Manager Charles de Foucault. "This certification will enable us to safeguard our guests and also assist with people from outside the hotel who may come to AYANA to seek refuge on higher ground, in case of a tsunami."

AYANA's 78 private villas and 290-room hotel are located on towering cliffs above Jimbaran Bay, on Bali's south-western peninsula. The award-winning resort occupies 77 hectares of cliff-top land along a 1.3 kilometer coastline. Most of its facilities including the Thermes Marins Bali Spa and 10 different dining venues are located on the cliff-top; beach-front facilities comprise the iconic Rock Bar, Spa on the Rocks treatment villas, Ocean Beach Pool, Kisik seafood restaurant, and secluded Kubu Beach.

Alexander Kesper, senior CIM advisor to the Indonesian Ministry of Culture and Tourism, congratulated AYANA on being the first hotel to achieve certification, despite it not being at high-risk.

"AYANA exceeded our standards in terms of safety and evacuation procedures, and as a Tsunami Ready Hotel, AYANA guests can be sure that a well prepared team will take care of them in case of emergency," Alex said. "Significantly, the resort's management showed great initiative as they had already registered for Tsunami Ready certification before the devastating earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan in March. That disaster further drives home the need for other hotels to be prepared, especially those located on beach-front land."

Tsunami Ready is actively supported by Bali Hotels Association and cooperates with the Indonesian Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the Association of South East Asian Nations.


UNESCO recognises Ba Be Lake as wetland of international note

Posted: 06 Jun 2011 12:10 AM PDT

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Ba Be Lake is set to receive a UNESCO certificate recognising it as Viet Nam's third Ramsar site on the World Environment Day (June 5).

The first and second Ramsar sites include the Xuan Thuy National Park in the northern province of Nam Dinh and the Bau Sau area in the Cat Tien National Park, southern province of Dong Nai.

Ba Be Lake, in the northern province of Bac Can, covers an area of 500ha and is situated at 178m above sea level. With an average depth of 17-23m, the lake is the only natural lake to be found in Vietnamese mountains.

The lake, the result of an earthquake, is the only freshwater lake to have formed on limestone terrain in the world, keeping it from drying out.

According to an Institute of Geo-sciences and Mineral Resources survey, an earthquake caused the collapse of the subterranean Nang River, creating a natural dam which led to the formation of Ba Be over 11,000 years ago. The cataclysm was additionally responsible for the area's temperate and tropical biodiversity.

The Ramsar Convention (A Convention on Wetlands of International Importance) is an international treaty for the conservation and sustainable development of wetlands.


Thailand to lead in Asia-Pacific green tourism destination

Posted: 05 Jun 2011 08:15 PM PDT

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THAILAND - Thailand could be a leading green tourism destination in the Asia-Pacific region if all tourism-related parties seriously promote the country's potential and address the global warming problem, says the Thailand Ecotourism and Adventure Travel Association (TEATA).

Global warming affects tourism, yet tourism partly causes the problem as well. Consequently, tourists have become more responsible for the environment, especially those from Europe, America, and Japan, who are a premium market.

This has resulted in the trend toward environmentally friendly tourism in many countries such as Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia. However, their green tourism sites remain substandard because it takes times to develop green tourism routes and products, says TEATA. It also takes time to train communities and green hotels and restaurants must be certified by international organisations.

Meanwhile, Malaysia, a rival with potential, has not taken up a green tourism drive seriously while Singapore and Hong Kong have few natural attractions.

TEATA has been promoting green tourism for 12 years but international green tourists accounted for fewer than 5% of the total tourist arrivals to Thailand in 2010.

"We believe the proportion of green tourists will exceed 5% this year. Although the number of green tourists is still very small, global warming will spur growth in this segment in the future. Green tourists are very loyal and responsible," said TEATA adviser Duangkamol Chansuriyawong.

Tourism operators agree and many of them want to go green but it is not easy to craft environmentally friendly tourism products.

The government and the private sector must tailor marketing campaigns and promote them seriously. Thailand's green tourism has received good responses from Europe and TEATA is heading for North America, where green tourism is popular as well.

The association will promote green tourism routes in Thailand with Tourism Authority of Thailand offices in the United States. In Asia, Japan is its focus.

TEATA already launched the green routes, which are operated by specialists with eco-tour guides. The programmes offer guests unique opportunities to stay in green hotels, enjoy eco-tourism activities, and experience life, culture and nature with local communities.

The four green routes are The Flavours and Fragrances of Central Thailand (Samut Songkhram and Phetchaburi); The Charm of Isan Life (Nakhon Ratchasima and Khao Yai); The Spirit of Lanna (Lamphun, Lampang and Chiang Mai); and At the Cultural Crossroad (Chiang Rai). Three more routes will be added in the second half of this year.

Source: bangkokpost.com


Airport Authority Hong Kong announced for HKIA Master Plan 2030

Posted: 05 Jun 2011 07:25 PM PDT

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Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK) has released its 20-year development blueprint for Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) to solicit stakeholder and public feedback on the airport's future development direction. Hong Kong International Airport Master Plan 2030 (Master Plan 2030) outlines two development options for public consultation.

The first option is for maintaining the existing two-runway system, which would help meet Hong Kong's aviation demand in the medium term only. The second option is to build a new runway to increase capacity, which would enable HKIA to meet the city's air traffic demand up to and possibly beyond 2030 while further strengthening its position as a leading regional and international aviation hub.

During a three-month public consultation exercise starting from 3 June, stakeholders and the public are invited to submit their views and comments to the Social Sciences Research Centre (SSRC) of the University of Hong Kong. SSRC is appointed by AAHK to collect and compile public views independently. A series of roving exhibitions, public forums and stakeholder briefings will form a key part of the exercise, which will end on 2 September. Speaking at the launching ceremony of the Master Plan 2030 Public Consultation, AAHK Chairman Dr Marvin Cheung Kin-tung said: “HKIA is an important asset of Hong Kong. Its expansion is inextricably connected with Hong Kong’s continued development as a thriving international business and financial centre. “With Asia Pacific, and in particular the Mainland, increasingly driving global and regional economic growth, air traffic demand has been experiencing strong growth in the past decade. This trend is expected to continue, and Hong Kong is well positioned to capture the opportunities it presents.

The question is how much of such opportunities HKIA is able to capture in future. The current two-runway system is forecast to be saturated by around 2020, and beyond that, HKIA will not be able to meet additional demand. This could irrevocably harm Hong Kong's position as a global aviation hub. “The rising demand is the reality that we need to confront. We must plan ahead to ensure that Hong Kong can sustain its competitiveness in the wider business sphere and the more specific aviation sector. Master Plan 2030 details our research and assessment of how we can address HKIA's capacity problem and meet future demand. We are totally committed to working together with our stakeholders to implement the option that will serve Hong Kong best in the coming decades.” The Master Plan 2030 study, which commenced in July 2008, is part of AAHK’s regular five-year review of the airport’s development needs. Nine independent consultants were commissioned to research different strategic aspects of the airport's development. After three years of intensive study and review by the consultants and AAHK management, with inputs from the professionals of the airport community, two different options for HKIA’s future expansion are proposed for public consultation.


Monday, June 6, 2011

Latest Travel News Daily Email from ASIA Travel Tips.com

Tuesday, 7 June 2011. News from last night Asia time and today.

The ASIA Travel Tips Team
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7/6/2011 ONYX to Debut OZO Brand in HK; Hotel to Feature Self Check-In Pods.
http://www.asiatraveltips.com/news11/76-WesleyHongKong.shtml


7/6/2011 669-Room Yotel Opens in New York.
http://www.asiatraveltips.com/news11/76-YotelNewYork.shtml


7/6/2011 Le Meridien Angkor's GM to Ride Bicycle to Bangkok for Charity.
http://www.asiatraveltips.com/news11/76-GregoryAnderson.shtml


7/6/2011 Starwood Relocates Global Headquarters to China.
http://www.asiatraveltips.com/news11/76-StarwoodChina.shtml


7/6/2011 Nusa Dua Beach Hotel & Spa Joins Summit.
http://www.asiatraveltips.com/news11/76-NusaDuaHotel.shtml


7/6/2011 Ritz-Carlton in Orlando Opens Largest Ritz-Carlton Suite in US.
http://www.asiatraveltips.com/news11/76-RitzCarlton.shtml


7/6/2011 Singapore Airlines Partners Virgin Australia.
http://www.asiatraveltips.com/news11/76-SingaporeAirlines.shtml


7/6/2011 Banyan Tree Terminates Management Contract in Sri Lanka.
http://www.asiatraveltips.com/news11/76-BanyanTree.shtml


7/6/2011 IHG Signs New Full Content and Technology Services Deal with
Travelport.
http://www.asiatraveltips.com/news11/76-Travelport.shtml


7/6/2011 IATA Unveils a Checkpoint of the Future.
http://www.asiatraveltips.com/news11/76-Checkpoint.shtml


7/6/2011 Numerous Boeing Aircraft to be on Display @ Paris Air Show.
http://www.asiatraveltips.com/news11/76-ParisAirshow.shtml


7/6/2011 Qatar Airways Launches Flights to Shiraz, Iran.
http://www.asiatraveltips.com/news11/76-QatarAirways.shtml


7/6/2011 Taiwan's Win Air Takes Delivery of G550 Business Jet.
http://www.asiatraveltips.com/news11/76-Gulfstream.shtml


7/6/2011 Hertz Australia Partners Myer.
http://www.asiatraveltips.com/news11/76-HertzAustralia.shtml


6/6/2011 Golden Tulip Signs New Hotel in Hua Hin, Thailand.
http://www.asiatraveltips.com/news11/66-HotelinHuaHin.shtml


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W Bali Resort and Spa Provides a 'New Scene Unseen' Within a Trendy Beachfront

Posted: 06 Jun 2011 05:00 AM PDT

W Bali Resort and Spa Provides a 'New Scene Unseen' Within a Trendy Beachfront Enclave