Indonesia Travel 04

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Latest Travel News Daily Email from ASIA Travel Tips.com

Wednesday, 15 May 2013. News from last night Asia time and today.

The ASIA Travel Tips Team
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15/5/2013 Frasers Expands Capri Brand to Vietnam.
http://www.asiatraveltips.com/news13/155-CapribyFraser.shtml

15/5/2013 AHMS to Open Private Island Spa Retreat in Cambodia.
http://www.asiatraveltips.com/news13/155-Akaryn.shtml

15/5/2013 Turkish Airlines Finalizes Order for 70 Boeing Aircraft.
http://www.asiatraveltips.com/news13/155-TurkishAirlines.shtml

15/5/2013 Malaysia Airlines Launches Kids Fly for Free Promotion.
http://www.asiatraveltips.com/news13/155-MalaysiaAirlines.shtml

15/5/2013 Executive Appointments at PATA.
http://www.asiatraveltips.com/news13/155-PATA.shtml

15/5/2013 Thailand's Sawadee Travel Joins Lufthansa City Center.
http://www.asiatraveltips.com/news13/155-Sawadee.shtml

15/5/2013 Anantara Appoints John Roberts as Worldwide Conservation Director.
http://www.asiatraveltips.com/news13/155-Anantara.shtml

15/5/2013 Routes Europe Awards 2013 Winners Announced.
http://www.asiatraveltips.com/news13/155-RoutesEurope.shtml

14/5/2013 Laguna Lang Co - Vietnam Airlines Triathlon Interview with Ross Cain.
http://www.asiatraveltips.com/news13/145-LagunaLangCo.shtml

14/5/2013 SilverNeedle Selects Aedas to Design Colombo City Centre Development.
http://www.asiatraveltips.com/news13/145-Aedas.shtml

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Asia Travel Blog

Nine Awards Go to IHG at 2013 TTG China Travel Awards

Posted: 14 May 2013 06:44 AM PDT

Nine Awards Go to IHG at 2013 TTG China Travel Awards

CNNGo.com

Best London tea experiences

Posted: 13 May 2013 11:00 PM PDT

Loading up on scones, cholesterol-heavy clotted cream and liters of tea is an English tradition that dates back to the days of Dickensian urchins and Queen Victoria.

But your average London tea experience can be a stuffy event, all ancient china and tedious rituals.

Thankfully, a string of new venues (plus a couple of old favorites) across the city, have turned London tea into a far more inviting, gluttonous treat.

Dean St Townhouse

Dean St Townhouse Small enough to devour all six and still have room for dinner.

This is one of London's hottest new hotels, run by the Soho House group.

Forget weak tea and piddly sandwiches. This London tea bargain served in the hotel's classy dining room is all about hefty slices of Victoria sponge, colorful Battenberg and proper finger sandwiches that won't leave you searching out the nearest Pret when you leave.

What makes it really stand out for us are the buttered crumpets. An English delight sorely lacking from the more mainstream teas out there, these should be obligatory eating for all London visitors.

Dean St. Townhouse, 69-71 Dean St.; £16.75 ($25.50) per person

The Orangerie at Kensington Palace

Orangerie at Kensington Gardens Great value for great quality London tea.

Afternoon tea in a proper English country garden, in London.

The tea might cost less than a tenner, but you get indulgent cakes, a huge selection of teas from around the world and the chance to sit on the terrace.

Pay an extra £6 ($9) and you'll get a glass of champagne, too.

It's far better value than the expensive, dressy London teas you'll find in some of Mayfair's fancier establishments and comes without waiters fawning over you.

If the weather's bad (pretty likely), then the high white walls and stunning arches of the 18th-century building are just as good for spending a few hours in gluttonous glee.

The Orangerie at Kensington Palace, Kensington Palace Gardens; £9.95 ($15) per person

The Modern Pantry

The Modern Pantry Perfectly balanced between savory and sweet.

A perfect example of the unfussy, but lovingly prepared food that's becoming increasingly available across London, The Modern Pantry's afternoon tea is one of the finest you'll find in the center of town.

The booze selection alone makes it worth a visit. There's a passionfruit Bellini and some worryingly easy-to-drink Prosecco to get you in the mood before a hefty serving of fruit scones and cakes made fresh every day.

Unlike its rivals, The Modern Pantry also offers savory treats on top of traditional sandwiches, such as cheese scones.

Coffee roasted at nearby Caravan, one of London's growing breed of New York-style coffee joints, makes this an ideal option for those who don't want the same old offerings that dominate most afternoon teas.

The Modern Pantry, 48 St. John's Square, Clerkenwell; £20 ($30) with champagne, £15 without, per person

Le Chandelier

Le Chandelier "Waiter, there's a ballerina in my scone."
You'll need to schlep out to East Dulwich in deepest south London to get the full Le Chandelier experience. But the train ride, followed by a short hop on the bus, is worthwhile.

Le Chandelier's afternoon tea offers buttery soft scones with the sweetest organic jam.

Instead of petit fours you get a pastry selection that'll leave you wishing you lived nearby so you could buy croissants daily. There's a champagne option that will set you back £22.

Le Chandelier, 161 Lordship Lane, East Dulwich; £16 ($24.50) per person

5 of the world's best kebab joints

Posted: 13 May 2013 03:01 PM PDT

Kebabs: the food of ancient Ottoman emperors, Persian courts and, in recent times, inebriated persons.

In much of the Western world, particularly Europe, the kebab has become the must-have meal for all variety of people falling out of pubs and clubs between the hours of 11 p.m. and 5 a.m.

This couldn't be further from the situation in the Middle East. Here, grilled meat served with salad and flatbread or rice is a meal for all the family.

Here's where to find some of the world's best kebabs.

1. Barbar in Beirut, Lebanon

Even at 5 a.m., Barbar's chefs smile while preparing chicken shawarma. Beirut is a cosmopolitan city where food standards are high.

When it comes to kebabs, Barbar is a Beirut institution. It's a snack bar with branches throughout the city, but its flagship store is in trendy Hamra, where it takes up a whole block and overflows with customers night and day.

You can eat almost anything at Barbar and be happy, but the chicken shawarma is the tastiest pint-sized snack.

Marinated in spices including cardamom and cinnamon, the chicken is sliced off the rotating shawarma, laid in a piece of warm, fresh Lebanese bread with a smear of garlic paste and a pickle.

Barbar, Hamra, between Hamra main road and Emile Edde (leon) Street, Hamra, Beirut; +961 (0)1 747 721

More on CNN: 10 of the best bars in Beirut

2. Öz Asmaalti Kebap & Döner Salon in Adana, Turkey

Order a kebab in Adana and a variety of mezzes come free of charge. Looking for a town that's crazy about kebabs? Adana, in southern Turkey might be what you're craving.

Adana is famous for its spicy minced lamb kebab cooked on an iron skewer over an oak wood barbecue.

The kebab is brought to your table on flatbread that's been collecting meat juices as it's cooked. Charred tomato and pepper come alongside, as well as a tasty salad of onion, parsley and sumac.

To enjoy it like a local, you'll need to crush the tomato and pepper with your fork, smear it onto some bread, add a little kebab, then top it with onion salad, roll it up and munch.

Öz Asmaalti Kebap & Döner Salon is the place for authentic Adana action.

Öz Asmaalti Kebap & Döner Salon, Kocavezir Mah, Pazarlar Cad. No:11, Kuruköprü, Seyhan, Adana; +90 (0)322 351 40 28

More on CNN: Turkey's best kebab restaurants

3. Nagí in Abu Ghosh, Israel

In Abu Ghosh, Nagí is a legend.In Israel, the kebab joint is one place where Jews and Arabs can agree on something: kebabs are good.

In the Arab village of Abu Ghosh, where residents became famous for their "hummus wars" with Lebanon, you're guaranteed a plate of memorable meat.

At Nagí, chefs mix minced beef thigh with onion, parsley, pine nuts and a little fat before threading it onto an iron skewer.

It's cooked on a barbecue and served with rice or salad, a little pink on the inside.

Nagí, 4 Mahmoud Rashid St., Abu Ghosh; +972 (0)57 943 8242

4. Santorini and Kolonaki, Greece

Friendly service isn't on the Souvlaki Stop menu. But it's easy to overlook the attitude given this irresistible monster is only 2 euros. The Greek island of Santorini is a place where all kinds of dreams come true -- especially kebab dreams. All across the island you can pick up snack-sized gyros for bargain prices.

Pork gyros is a favorite early lunch. The crispy outer layer of the gyros is shaved onto a warm pita, topped with tomato, a little onion and some creamy, sharp tzatziki. It's presented with paprika-sprinkled fries sticking out the top.

The Souvlaki Stop on the Kamari Beach Promenade makes particularly good pork gyros.

The same goes for the souvlaki at Kalamaki Kolonaki in Athens. Halfway up the hill toward Mount Lycabettus, this charming little taverna has mastered the art of making street food look smart.

It's the kind of place where you can order a few chicken souvlaki and a potato salad and wait for everything good about Greece to come to you on a plate.

Kalamaki Kolonaki, Patriarchou Ioakim and Ploutarcho 32, Kolonaki, Athens; +30 (0)210 7218800

5. Salva Restaurant in Bijar, Iran

Failing an invitation from a local, Salva Restaurant's kabab-e koobideh can't be beat. If you've been to Iran, you've likely eaten kebabs. In fact, that may be all you've eaten, such is the ubiquity of kababis, or kebab houses.

But never say you're tired of Iranian food until you've been to Bijar, a town famed throughout the country for its succulent kebabs.

Kabab-e koobideh is minced lamb or beef, marinated in onion juices, spices and saffron. The meat is molded onto flat iron skewers, cooked over a fiery charcoal barbecue and served on top a mass of rice with a dollop of butter.

The side dishes make it magic. Raw onion, charred tomato, beetroot and even kiwi fruit must be eaten with the kebab to balance the meal, according to ancient Persian philosophy.

Being Iran, there's every possibility that a stranger in the street might invite you to their home for dinner, in which case, you should say yes. Failing that, try Salva Restaurant.

Salva Restaurant, Shohada Street, Bijar; +98 (0)872 423 7331

More on CNN: World's 50 most delicious foods

Monday, May 13, 2013

Latest Travel News Daily Email from ASIA Travel Tips.com

Tuesday, 14 May 2013. News from last night Asia time and today.

The ASIA Travel Tips Team
http://www.asiatraveltips.com
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

14/5/2013 Laguna Lang Co - Vietnam Airlines Triathlon Interview with Ross Cain.
http://www.asiatraveltips.com/news13/145-LagunaLangCo.shtml

14/5/2013 SilverNeedle Selects Aedas to Design Colombo City Centre Development.
http://www.asiatraveltips.com/news13/145-Aedas.shtml

14/5/2013 First A350 XWB Painting Completed in Toulouse.
http://www.asiatraveltips.com/news13/145-A350.shtml

14/5/2013 Smiths Detection's eqo People Screener Gains Key EU Approval.
http://www.asiatraveltips.com/news13/145-AirportSecurity.shtml

14/5/2013 United Airlines Prepares to Reintroduce Boeing 787 Flights.
http://www.asiatraveltips.com/news13/145-UnitedAirlines.shtml

14/5/2013 Swiss Launches Daily Zurich - Singapore Flights.
http://www.asiatraveltips.com/news13/145-Swiss.shtml

14/5/2013 Akshay Moza Joins Absolute Hotel Services India as RDOS.
http://www.asiatraveltips.com/news13/145-Absolute.shtml

14/5/2013 American Airlines Launches Daily Nonstop Flights Between DFW and Seoul.
http://www.asiatraveltips.com/news13/145-AmericanAirlines.shtml

14/5/2013 Murlidhar Rao Appointed Estate Manager of The Sanchaya on Bintan Island.
http://www.asiatraveltips.com/news13/145-Sanchaya.shtml

14/5/2013 Boeing Delivers First Direct Purchase 767-300ER to MIAT Mongolian Airlines.
http://www.asiatraveltips.com/news13/145-MongolianAirlines.shtml

13/5/2013 HD Video of Riva Surya Hotel in Bangkok, Thailand.
http://www.asiatraveltips.com/news13/135-RivaSurya.shtml

13/5/2013 Sir Richard Branson Graduates as AirAsia Flight Attendant.
http://www.asiatraveltips.com/news13/135-SirRichard.shtml

- Prefer the convenience of an RSS Feed? The ASIA Travel Tips daily travel news RSS Feed is at:
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Established in 1997, ASIA Travel Tips was the first online daily travel news service in Asia. If
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CNNGo.com

Gallery: 5 guided Costa Rica rainforest adventures

Posted: 13 May 2013 03:00 AM PDT

Costa Rica -- home of the three-toed sloth, spider monkeys, fer-de-lance snakes, 894 types of birds and a half million more plant/bird/mammal species.

With 4% of the entire world's biodiversity packed into a small territory, it's only natural that Costa Rica trips gear toward seeing as much of the country's biodiversity as possible.

Thanks to a government that's historically been hyper-sensitive to environmental sustainability (Costa Rica aims to become the first carbon-neutral country by 2021) and a year-round tropical climate, Costa Rica is the preeminent eco-travel destination on the planet.

But visitors shouldn't expect to see howler monkeys or furry cowatees at every turn -- on their own, anyway.

Even the most independent travelers will admit that a trained guide can be one of the most important elements of a Costa Rica trip.

Through rainforests, "cloud forests," rivers and dives, these five Costa Rica activities are better with a guide.

1. Rainforest walks

The best way to experience a rainforest? Go for a walk among its spectacularly high treetops.

After biologists discovered that approximately 90% of all rainforest organisms live in the treetop canopy, they built suspension bridges to explore and study the complex ecosystems up high.

The Sky Walk offers guided two- to three-hour tours on six different suspension bridges at Monteverde, a small town in Puntarenas known as one of the Seven Natural Wonders of Costa Rica. National Geographic dubbed it "the jewel in the crown of cloud forest reserves."

Spanning canyons and drainages, the bridges can take up to 12 people at one time.

The boardwalk at Cinco Ceibas is Costa Rica's newest attraction. The private reserve and adventure park is three hours north of San Jose and offers an interesting perspective of the rainforest basin.

The reserve has an extraordinary mile-long wooden boardwalk and personable guides who explain the details behind the green cathedrals of life. The guides also serve another useful purpose: protecting visitors from deadly insects and venomous snakes, such as the fer-de-lance.

2. Diving off Cano Island

Approximately an hour's boat ride from Costa Rica's southern Pacific Coast, Cano Island is a tantalizing destination, especially since most of it is off-limits to visitors.

Only a tiny section of beach and a handful of dive sites are open on the protected island, which means it's also home to some of the world's healthiest coral reefs and best diving.

Rapidly changing currents bring in an abundance of big fish (sharks, rays, large grouper), but it takes experienced dive masters to point out the more elusive moray eel, tiger snake, puffer fish and sea anemones.

The dive center at the Jinetes de Osa Hotel leads various dive trips; 506 2231 5806 (in Costa Rica), 866 553 7073 (in United States)

3. Birding at Corcovado National Park

A pocket of untouched beauty, Corcovado National Park in Drake Bay is described by National Geographic as the "most biologically intense place on earth."

Guides can help spot many of the recorded 894 species of colorful birds hidden throughout the dense treetops and shrubbery.

They also provide expensive telescopes.

Reservations with the park's administration must be made at least one month in advance. Official reservation confirmation is required by guards at various stations throughout the park.

Corcovado National Park, Edificio de ACOSA, frente al aeropuerto de Puerto Jimenez, Peninsula de OSA, Costa Rica; +506 2 735 5036

4. Kayaking

Costa Rica has no shortage of raging whitewater rapids and deep rainforest canyons to paddle.

Water temperatures stay around 21-24 C (70-75 F) year-round, even in the rainy season (May-November), so it's never a bad time to pop into the water for a swim.

Multi-day rafting trips are highlighted by intense hikes and camping, with pit stops for fruit picking, photo ops and rope swings.

Rafting guides are a must. Not only do they know where to go, what fruit to eat and necessary safety measures, they're good for pointing out sloths, toucans and other creatures above.

Costa Rica Descents offers a number of raft trips, from day trips to longer excursions.

5. Horseback riding

Horses have long been an integral part of Costa Rican culture -- which visitors often find surprising given the country's tropical image and climate.

Guanacaste –- which was one of the first regions in Costa Rica to be conquered by the Spanish -- has a pronounced cowboy culture due to its many cattle ranches that have been breeding their own horses for generations.

Throughout the rest of the country, the locals often use horses as a way of transportation and hold frequent horse parades to show off the best animals and riders.

Horseback riding is also a popular inexpensive and low-impact way for tourists to explore the country -- from riding on the sandy beaches of Puerto Viejo de Limon or galloping along the stunning Lake Route from Arenal to Monteverde. From leading the way to caring for/feeding the animals during the excursions, that you'd need a local guide to ride is a no-brainer.

A variety of guided tours to suit any level can be found through Anywhere Costa Rica.

More on CNN: Living large in Costa Rica

Sunday, May 12, 2013

Latest Travel News Daily Email from ASIA Travel Tips.com

Monday, 13 May 2013. News from over the weekend and today Asia time.

The ASIA Travel Tips Team
http://www.asiatraveltips.com
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

13/5/2013 HD Video of Riva Surya Hotel in Bangkok, Thailand.
http://www.asiatraveltips.com/news13/135-RivaSurya.shtml

13/5/2013 Sir Richard Branson Graduates as AirAsia Flight Attendant.
http://www.asiatraveltips.com/news13/135-SirRichard.shtml

13/5/2013 Dublin Airport Enhances Immigration Process with SITA Technology.
http://www.asiatraveltips.com/news13/135-DublinAirport.shtml

13/5/2013 Hilton HHonors Partners SriLankan Airlines' FlySmiLes.
http://www.asiatraveltips.com/news13/135-HHonors.shtml

13/5/2013 Etihad and Alitalia Increase Frequency on Rome-Abu Dhabi Route.
http://www.asiatraveltips.com/news13/135-Alitalia.shtml

13/5/2013 New GMs at ParkRoyal Serviced Suites Kuala Lumpur.
http://www.asiatraveltips.com/news13/135-ParkRoyal.shtml

13/5/2013 Six Senses Establishes Cluster Office in Vietnam.
http://www.asiatraveltips.com/news13/135-SixSenses.shtml

13/5/2013 Australia's Air Tickets Implements Travelport Net Fare Manager.
http://www.asiatraveltips.com/news13/135-AirTickets.shtml

13/5/2013 Lv8 Resort Hotel in Canggu to Open in June.
http://www.asiatraveltips.com/news13/135-Lv8.shtml

13/5/2013 Hilton Appoints Christian Muhr as VP Operations - Egypt & Levant.
http://www.asiatraveltips.com/news13/135-HiltonHotels.shtml

13/5/2013 HK's Hopes of Sevens World Series Core Team Status Dashed by Spain.
http://www.asiatraveltips.com/news13/135-HKSevens.shtml

10/5/2013 Ramada Singapore at Zhongshan Park to Open 18 May 2013.
http://www.asiatraveltips.com/news13/105-RamadaSingapore.shtml

10/5/2013 Shangri-La to Open Hotel in Istanbul on 11 May 2013.
http://www.asiatraveltips.com/news13/105-ShangriLa.shtml

- Prefer the convenience of an RSS Feed? The ASIA Travel Tips daily travel news RSS Feed is at:
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Established in 1997, ASIA Travel Tips was the first online daily travel news service in Asia. If
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All editorial comments should be sent to the Editor - Steven Howard - editor@asiatraveltips.com

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Saturday, May 11, 2013

Asia Travel Blog

Thailand’s Islands Best in Asia: Trip Advisor Travelers’ Choice Awards

Posted: 11 May 2013 01:43 AM PDT

Thailand's Islands Best in Asia: Trip Advisor Travelers' Choice Awards