Posts, pics, video and motivation on Travel Lifestyle, countries around the world! Addicted to adventure travel and photography, I'm on a mission to inspire your next journey with entertaining stories, beautiful images, fun travel videos, and useful tips.
An unbroken 28-kilometre stretch of golden sand means Adelaide beachgoers are spoiled for choice, but it’s hard to beat the vibe at chic Henley Beach. Dig your toes into the warm sand as you enjoy a scoop of dreamy salted pecan and maple gelato from Bottega Gelateria, then nab a balcony booth at restaurant HNLY on the second floor. Order a round of oysters and local sparkling as the DJ kicks the night off with some Balearic beats, then sit back and enjoy the show as the setting sun turns the sky the colour of a freshly-poured Bellini.
It’s a chilly October afternoon in a tiny village on the outskirts of Shaxi, Yunnan, nestled within rugged mountains and golden paddy fields. I’m here on a slow living retreat to learn natural dyeing, hosted by Shenzhen native Ting Wang.
In the backyard of her rustic two-storey home, we peel and chop five kilos of overripe bananas and apples. The airy space is scattered with a dozen or so dye vats. Hundreds of walnut shells lay drying across the ground, while piles of chopped firewood sit neatly in the corner. We boil the fruits over a hot charcoal stove until they become pulped water. Then, we stir this into a mixture of indigo paste and limestone powder, carefully transferring it all into an enormous ceramic vat.
Are you travelling around Asia with kids in tow this school holiday season? A raft of new attractions – from Hong Kong to Tokyo, Dubai to Mumbai – have opened their doors over the past couple of years, while others have undergone a refresh. Check out these recently launched family-friendly attractions that will delight all ages:
For a taste of the fantastical
1. Explore the magical world of Harry Potter in Japan
Book a flight to: Tokyo
Following its success in London, The Making of Harry Potter makes its Asia debut in Japan’s capital city. Since its opening in June 2023, it also boasts the title of the world’s largest indoor Harry Potter attraction.
Make like your favourite Harry Potter character and get ready to board the Hogwarts Express. Photo: Warner Bros
Visitors will get the chance to explore some of the most iconic sets from the movies – some exclusive to this location – alongside the props, costumes and special effects that brought the wizarding world to life. Wander the colourful winding streets of Diagon Alley, enter the eerie expanse of the Forbidden Forest to try casting a Patronus and board the Hogwarts Express at Platform 9 ¾.
2. Walk Middle Earth at this Shire replica in Malaysia
Book a flight to: Penang
Those planning a trip to Malaysia should stop by Hobbitoon Village, where you’ll be greeted by replicas of the distinctive Shire cottages from blockbuster fantasy films The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. Located in the Perak region, it’s just under three hours’ drive from Penang International Airport, and around an hour away from scenic Cameron Highlands Flora Park.
Hobbitoon Village is replete with charming photo-taking opportunities. Photo: Hobbitoon Village
After you’ve explored the quaint structures and taken your fill of pictures, meander up the hill for a breather at Hobbitoon Café. It serves a selection of Western dishes and colourful, whimsical beverages that you can enjoy while drinking in panoramic views of the verdant surrounding landscape.
3. Find yourself spirited away at Japan’s favourite Ghibli Park
Book a flight to: Osaka
The buzziest theme park launch in Japan, Ghibli Park, which opened its gates in November 2022, has announced all-access ticketing for 2024.
Here, visitors can immerse themselves in the dreamlike world of Studio Ghibli, the creative minds behind classic anime favourites like Spirited Away and Howl’s Moving Castle. The park is divided into five sections. This includes Ghibli’s Grand Warehouse, a mind-blowing maze of all things Ghibli; Hill of Youth, with dazzling architecture from the sets of iconic Ghibli films; Dondoko Forest, a wonderland modelled after scenes from My Neighbour Totoro; and the Mononoke Village inspired by the mountainous landscape of Princess Mononoke. The Valley of Witches, the newest section debuting in March this year, will include a fantastical carousel and a flying machine spinner-type ride.
Nagoya City is about an hour away from Osaka by bullet train, or a two-hour train ride from Tokyo. From Nagoya Station, take a bus or train to the Aichi Expo Park. Note that entrance tickets sell out quickly so you’ll want to book as far in advance as you can.
To whet curious minds
4. Get crafty at Southeast Asia’s largest museum for regional modern art
Book a flight to: Singapore
Among the Lion City’s myriad of family-friendly attractions is Keppel Centre for Art Education at National Gallery Singapore. Reopened at the end of 2023 following a four-month revamp, it’s a dedicated space filled with hands-on activities for kids to nurture their inner creative.
A child immersed in play at the Keppel Centre for Art Education. Photo: National Gallery Singapore
New features include the Makers Studio, where children can experiment with different materials to assemble their own 3D creations, and a place for families to paint, build collages and craft clay pieces together. Other fresh offerings range from immersive digital exhibitions to a cosy book corner and a portrait gallery.
5. Nurture conscious world citizens at the Museum of Solutions
Book a flight to: Mumbai
Most museums require that children be chaperoned by an adult. At the Museum of Solutions, grown-ups can only enter if they’re accompanied by a kid. Opened in Mumbai, India in late 2023 and spread out over a whopping 10 floors, its mission is to inspire young minds to make meaningful change by becoming responsible, conscious and caring world citizens.
Teach your kids about water conservation and climate change through an interactive exhibition; dabble with design thinking, robotics, woodworking and photography at the maker space; and get them thinking about nature and sustainable living at the soon-to-open rooftop tropical garden.
To delight your inner child
6. Enjoy thrill-seeking family fun at Dubai’s brand new indoor adventure complex
Book a flight to: Dubai
Recently opened at Dubai’s Al Ghurair Centre is GLITCH. At this massive indoor playground, adventurous families can take on adrenaline-pumping challenges that run the gamut from obstacle courses to gravity-defying experiences.
Among GLITCH’s many family-friendly experiences is this Jungle Scout obstacle course. Photo: GLITCH
Popular adventures include Sky Surf, Dubai’s first and only indoor roller glider. You’ll be strapped into a harness and soar sky-high through the air. There’s also Newtons Walls, home to an array of themed climbing courses. There’s also a 10-metre-high slide, bowling alley and immersive arcade games to enjoy.
7. Let it go at the world’s biggest Frozen attraction
Book a flight to: Hong Kong
Step into Elsa and Anna’s enchanting universe at Hong Kong Disneyland’s brand new World of Frozen. Built to resemble Arendelle – the fictional, Norwegian-inspired kingdom where the Frozen films are set – this is the world’s first and largest themed land based on the blockbuster franchise.
Photo: Hong Kong Disneyland
Attractions include Frozen Ever After, a musical boat ride to Elsa’s Ice Palace where beloved characters charm you with song and laughter; Playhouse in the Woods, an interactive theatrical experience in Elsa and Anna’s childhood hideaway; and Wandering Oaken’s Sliding Sleighs, a family-friendly rollercoaster adventure that whizzes through the scenic Arendelle Forest.
8. Revel in Pop Mart collectors’ paradise in Chaoyang Park
Book a flight to: Beijing
If you or your little ones collect Pop Mart’s eye-catching figurines, a visit to Pop Land in Beijing, China should be on the cards. Launched in September 2023, it spans a relatively compact 40,000 square metres within the lush and leafy confines of Chaoyang Park.
The attraction is split into four whimsical zones that include a castle, treehouse, mini maze, themed play areas, game booths and retail shops for you to stock up on adorable Pop Mart toys. Life-sized displays of the brand’s flagship characters are scattered throughout the park, providing plenty of picture-perfect moments.
For more information on Singapore Airlines flights to the above destinations, visit the official website.
Tower Bridge, Buckingham Palace and the London Eye: we’ve all heard of these iconic British landmarks. But if you’re seeking memorable experiences off the beaten path, check out these underrated sights in the Greater London region and beyond. These nature, culture and entertainment spots are worth venturing beyond the city for, and better yet – they’re all easily reached from Gatwick Airport.
1. Explore the sprawling greens of Surrey Hills
Hiking, biking, paddle boarding or forest bathing? The choice is all yours in Surrey Hills, a protected national landscape just half an hour’s drive northwest of Gatwick Airport. Spread across a lavish 422km², this is a great place to enjoy the British outdoors during your London getaway.
The breathtaking landscape of Surrey Hills. Photo: Shutterstock
Its most famous landmark is Box Hill, where you’ll experience sweeping views of the surrounding countryside. Other highlights include Leith Hill, the highest point in Southeast England, where you can see as far as London. Visit the 13th-century Frensham Ponds – named Little Pond and Great Pond, the larger of the two has its own sandy beach.
2. Indulge your inner shopaholic, then admire London from above at Battersea Power Station
A working power station up until the 1980s, Battersea Power Station is now a trendy South London landmark that houses over 140 shops, bars, restaurants and entertainment venues. Visiting in the summer? Enjoy lunch at the sun terrace before or after your shopping tour or sink into a deck chair at their open-air cinema at night. In winter, check out the skating rink and the Light Festival, a free, family-friendly trail of glowing installations by British and international artists.
For those who enjoy panoramic views, book your ticket for Lift 109 to marvel at London’s most famous sights from 109m above ground level.
Since its revamp, Battersea Power Station has become a shopping and entertainment destination. Photo: Shutterstock
3. Stand on the Prime Meridian, the line that divides the Eastern and Western hemisphere
Greenwich Park south of the Thames River is one of London’s eight Royal Parks – and a great place to take in the skyline from the famous One Tree Hill. Once you’ve had your fill of the view, head to the Greenwich Conservatory where the Greenwich Prime Meridian begins. This line represents the historic Prime Meridian of the world – the line from which every place on Earth has measured its distance east or west. Get your picture taken standing with one foot in the Eastern and one in the Western hemisphere, and bask in the thrill of being in two places at once.
An imaginary line made real. Photo: Shutterstock
For a full-day adventure in Greenwich, add the nearby National Maritime Museum and the Cutty Sark – a historic sailing ship – to your itinerary. Along the way, Greenwich Market will satisfy your street food cravings and souvenir shopping needs.
4. Catch a performance at South London’s Old Vic Theatre
While the West End is London’s most famous theatre district, the independently run Old Vic Theatre is a historic space with programming that’s just as star-studded and high quality. You’ll find an eclectic mix here, from musicals (Bob Geldof’s Live Aid musical Just For One Day is on until the end of March) to theatre classics, modern plays and the popular Christmas play A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens.
The theatre is located south of the Thames River – near Waterloo station and connected to Gatwick by a 45-minute train ride.
Catch a range of performances here at the historic Old Vic. Photo: Shutterstock
5. Admire the Old Masters at Dulwich Picture Gallery
If you’re an art enthusiast, you’ll want to stop by Dulwich Picture Gallery between South London’s Brixton and Peckham districts. Not only does it house a permanent collection of over 600 works by 17th and 18th century European masters such as Rembrandt, Canaletto and Poussin, it was also the world’s first purpose-built public art gallery when it opened back in 1811.
Aside from its permanent collection of Old Masters, Dulwich Picture Gallery also has temporary exhibitions featuring other styles of art. Photo: Dulwich Picture Gallery
If you prefer to get more hands-on, there is also a range of fun workshops where you can learn how to create beaded embroidery, cyanotypes and textural collages. Nature lovers take note: the gallery is surrounded by 1.2 hectares of beautiful gardens with over 25 species of trees, including Japanese Maple and Kentucky Coffee trees.
6. Sample fine British wines at Denbies Wine Estate
London’s pub scene is legendary, but did you know that some of the UK’s finest vineyards can be found just beyond the capital’s borders? Denbies Wine Estate in Surrey Hills, conveniently located between Gatwick and the capital, has been around for almost 40 years and is one of England’s largest single estate vineyards.
Visitors can tour the whole estate in a mini-train and explore a vineyard trail with a guide or opt for a classic wine tasting (with an optional lunch). Always wanted to wake up on a vineyard? They also have a charming 17-room hotel right on site.
7. Spot wild deer and other animals in Richmond Park
Richmond Park on the southwestern outskirts of London is the city’s largest park. About 45 minutes away by car from Gatwick Airport, this is where you can spot wild deer (over 600 call the park their permanent home!), foxes, voles, bats and 144 species of birds in their natural habitat.
Wild deer are fun to photograph, but remember not to get too close. Photo: Shutterstock
Explore Tamsin Trail, a scenic 12km-walk peppered with the odd café or ice cream van, or wander around Pembroke Lodge, a picturesque Georgian mansion at the highest point of the park.
8. Peek into the extravagant Eltham Palace
Located in South London, a little over an hour from Gatwick by train, Eltham Palace is a historic building with a varied past. Originally a medieval palace and then a favourite royal residence of the Tudors, it was turned into an extravagant mansion by millionaires Stephen and Virginia Courtauld in the 1930s. Today, visitors can walk through their lavish home and explore all the quirky details, including the heated sleeping quarters of the couple’s pet lemur.
Eltham Palace is full of quirkily designed spaces that give a glimpse into the Courtauld’s lives. Photo: Shutterstock
Eltham Palace is surrounded by 7.6 hectares of gardens that are just as stunning as the Art Deco-styled mansion. Schedule in some extra time to have a look around, then sip a coffee (or some British tea) at the beautiful adjoining glasshouse café.
Singapore Airlines’ flights to Gatwick will commence from 21 June 2024. For more information, visit theofficial website.
Chef Jim Ophorst hops aboard an electric buggy and quietly motors inland. His kitchen team arrives soon after him on a fleet of bicycles and buggies. Phuket’s morning sun shimmers on the surface of a pond and lights up the deep green of the surrounding forest.
This is a ritual for Ophorst, chef of PRU, the first and only Michelin-starred restaurant in Phuket. Each morning, he visits Pru Jampa, the restaurant’s 96-hectare organic farm, to pluck produce for his plates. The goods that he and his team gather – snow peas, mulberries, Japanese cucumber, mint and more – make up the bones of PRU’s “farm-to-fork” dining experience. What they can’t grow, they buy from wet markets, farmers and fishermen. Sometimes, they forage for ingredients, too.
Chef Jim Ophorst at the Pru Jampa farm. Photo: PRU
“We try to support the whole community. We search for people and suppliers who are not known by other restaurants to present their products or show their work through our restaurant,” says Ophorst, who was was part of PRU’s opening team in 2016 and one of Phuket’s earliest adopters of sustainability initiatives, especially in the food business. “Even the artwork we display at the restaurant is a collaborative exhibition with local artists.”
The restaurant’s progressive initiatives have made it Thailand’s first to earn a Michelin Green Star, an accolade reserved for venues at the vanguard of sustainability. PRU has received a Green Star three years in a row.
Visit this tranquil farm on a tour, then finish off at chef Ophorst's Saturdays-only al fresco dining spot, HiDEAWAY at Jampa. Photo: PRUPru Jampa's produce supplies both fine dining restaurants, PRU and Jampa. Photo: PRU
Ophorst says that restaurants worth travelling for have begun to open here year after year, citing examples like the fermentation-focused Hom and fine-casual southern Thai spot Laad. Most, he notes, employ initiatives to reduce their carbon footprint, whether it’s sourcing locally or reducing food waste and water consumption.
Prior to the pandemic, Phuket was synonymous with luxury resorts and gorgeous – if overcrowded – beaches for some, and gritty nightlife and street food for others. But now Phuket has exciting new claims to fame, and fine dining is only the start.
Phuket’s sustainability-minded new chapter
Tourism makes up nearly 50 percent of Phuket’s economy, and the pandemic years were devastating. Border shutdowns brought business to a halt, and unemployment climbed to around 10% in 2021, according to the National Statistical Office. At the same time, green sea turtles returned to nest, and it was once again possible to enjoy golden hour without having to rub shoulders with hundreds of sun-crisped strangers.
With the island at its quietest, hospitality groups started initiatives to support local fishermen, farmers and unemployed service workers. Island leaders amplified their sustainability pledges. Phuket had never been so connected as a community.
Keemala Hotel Phuket is a longstanding advocate of environmentally responsible practices. Photo: Shutterstock
“For the longest time on Phuket, it was about nice hotels and keeping people on the beach. That’s great, but there’s more to the island”
And though 14 million people visited Phuket in 2023, more than 100 times the population of 79,000, some hospitality leaders believe there’s hope for sustained change. According to Bill Barnett, founder and managing director of hospitality consultancy C9 Hotelworks and founding advisor of the Phuket Hotels Association (PHA) – a group of 94 hotels engaged in community and environmental development initiatives – the numbers don’t tell the whole story.
Aside from restaurants like PRU, which are drastically reducing their carbon footprint, Phuket is “pioneering sustainability in [other] ways,” Barnett says.
Whether it’s bringing in battery-operated vehicles or helping to retrofit properties so they can use biofuels, the PHA has helped hotels transition to greener practices. “We really stress the economic imperative [to get hotels to buy in]. While you’re making your hotel more profitable, you’re also benefiting the local farmer and the broader market,” Barnett tells me.
“When we start new hotel projects or real estate developments, we tell our clients that sustainability advisors need to be at the table when the architect is there.”
Those efforts may have helped to ignite a paradigm shift. Barnett points to Tri Vananda for example. Scheduled to open by 2025, the wellness-focused resort and residences are built on a former tin mine. The developers, the Montara Hospitality Group, who also own Trisara, where PRU is located, created gardens, farms and ponds that provide produce, water and community spaces for guests and residents. They also built a protected wetland and committed to developing only 15 percent of the land.
Barnett notes that many existing properties are changing the way they are run. The InterContinental Phuket in Kamala now captures and treats rainwater for use in toilets and irrigates its gardens with recycled wastewater. It also installed electric vehicle chargers for guests. The Slate, on Nai Yang Beach, uses African nightcrawlers to help manage food waste and create compost for its gardens. And at Keemala near Kamala Beach – already long considered one of Phuket’s greenest hotels – all the fabrics and textiles found on the property are produced by indigenous groups in Thailand.
Making Phuket a home for creatives
Sustainability aside, new cultural initiatives such as the Junkyard Theatre are also positively impacting the local community and expanding Phuket’s claims to fame.
Hiding behind a garden of monstera plants and ferns, the theatre is not what you would expect to find in the residential Ratsada district. Each Saturday, local performers take to a stage upcycled from literal junk – bits and bobs collected from scrapyards – to riff on Phuket culture in a show that evolves slightly from week to week.
The cabaret-style performance takes place against a set created out of upcycled trash. Photo: Junkyard Theatre
As crowds tuck into three-course meals, singers belt out show tunes under a sign that says “Suzy Wong’s” – a nod to Patong Beach’s colourful nightlife. There’s a choreographed dance-slash-fight in a Muay Thai ring. Sometimes, breakdancers who used to busk in Patong a year ago join the show. You never know what to expect.
“We don’t care about being too perfect. We want to use humour to connect with people and entertain,” says the cabaret’s creative director, Zac Underwood.
Zac is the son of commercial fabricators John and Judy Underwood. Since the late 1990s, the family has run a workshop on Phuket where they upcycle scrap into immaculate décor for luxury hotels such as Shinta Mani Wild in Cambodia and the Tree House Villas on Koh Yao Noi. In 2020, the three had an epiphany.
It’s always a lively time at Junkyard Theatre. Photo: Junkyard Theatre
“For years, we had staged these elaborate dinner parties for friends. We would create props and sets and serve food and drinks,” says Zac. “We’ve always had a passion for recycling and building things from objects that people don’t perceive any value in.”
During the pandemic, Zac says he noticed many local performers out of work, “and it just clicked.”
They gathered scrap goods, contacted performers and got to work. Now, their side project is a hit with locals, expats and tourists alike for the way it reflects the soul of the island. With its clever stage design and tight-knit cast, this one-of-a-kind show marks a shift in the kind of entertainment offerings that Phuket provides.
“We don’t care about being too perfect. We want to use humour to connect with people”
“I grew up on the island. When I was a kid, we didn’t have a cultural scene – there weren’t galleries, shows or theatre performances. For us, it was a bit of a push to fill that void and not do it in the same way as other cabarets on the island,” says Zac. “Any destination has to have many sides to it to keep people coming back. For the longest time on Phuket, it was about nice hotels and keeping people on the beach. That’s great, but there’s more to the island [than just that].”
You’ll soon get to explore more of FullMoon’s brews at their farm-brewery in Mai Khao. Photo: FullMoon Brewworks
Junkyard Theatre is not the one pushing creative boundaries on the Thai island. Local craft beer maker FullMoon Brewworks is in the midst of building a farm-brewery in Mai Khao where they’ll offer tours and tastings of experimental beers made with the island’s fruit and herbs. Meanwhile, expatriate creatives Austin Bush and Christopher Wise’s Phuket Town store, OMG (Outstanding Market Goods), which sells locally made products, has begun to host pop-up dinners and workshops in its grunge-chic space.
As Phuket’s dining scene, sustainability-minded projects and eclectic activities begin to blossom under the watch of its forward-thinking creative class, the island’s reputation for easy-money attractions like elephant shows and jet ski rides fade into the sunset, ushering in a new face of tourism that’s centred on sustainability and focused on the future.
For more information on Singapore Airlines flights to Phuket, visit the official website.
