Asia

The pool area of the Taj Malabar hotel, Kerala

Get to grips with Kerala in seven days

Known as ‘God’s Own Country’ Kerala is one of India’s most economically successful states.Governed by a democratically-elected communist government, it can boast a literacy rate of over 90 per cent.

Inside Asia

Kashmir: Paradise once again?

Monday, 29 June 2009

The beauty of Kashmir has been shunned by tourists in fear of terrorism, and kidnapping. But that may be about to change

The Complete Guide To: Goa

Saturday, 27 June 2009

This diminutive Indian state packs in miles of relaxed beaches, a rich Portuguese heritage and coconut-laced cuisine.

Attack on US Afghan base kills two

Sunday, 21 June 2009

An attack on the main US base in Afghanistan killed two soldiers of the NATO-led force today, the alliance said, in the first known casualties caused by hostile fire on the base since the Taliban's ouster.

24-Hour Room Service: W Hong Kong, Kowloon

Saturday, 6 June 2009

Is the word "wait" in the lexicon of W, the design-hotel chain? Probably not. But that's precisely what I was asked to do when I tried to check into my "not ready" room at the W Hong Kong; slightly frustrating after a 12-hour flight from London. As the hotel had fully opened just a few months earlier, I put it down to them still finding their feet – and allowing guests to check out a lot later than the cleaners want them to. I was offered free drinks in the Living Room (the "lobby-cum-bar" of any non-W hotel) with breakfast thrown in on both days. Did I really look like someone who could be appeased by the offer of free food and drink? Excellent.

Island idyll in Indonesia

Saturday, 30 May 2009

Weary of the hectic buzz of Singapore, Sophie Lam turns the clock back to discover Nikoi – an Indonesian island paradise where the pace of life is truly tranquil

On The Road: A happy mix of culture and cuisine in Malaysia

Saturday, 23 May 2009

I start my first evening in Melaka alarmingly far back in a queue. The doors of Capitol Satay open at 5.30pm, and by 6pm it's rammed buttock to buttock, with a line of hungry punters snaking out the door. I have barely sat down and had time to take in the charmingly tatty d�cor before I am whisked off to a refrigerated cabinet to choose my satay.

Shanghai's skyline continues to soar

Saturday, 9 May 2009

Harriet O'Brien explores the city then retreats to the limestone peaks of rural China

Jordan: A pilgrim's progress

Saturday, 2 May 2009

Long in Israel’s shadow as a land of Biblical history, this Arab nation has the pulling power to draw the Pope to a kingdom steeped in scriptural history.

Macau: A mix of Cantonese culture and Portuguese heritage, all played out against a Las Vegas backdrop

Saturday, 2 May 2009

It's a rough ride on the flimsy jetfoil which runs between Hong Kong to the tiny peninsula of Macau. And I wonder whether I'm still feeling the effects of the crossing when I clap eyes on a 40-metre high plastic volcano complete with pyrotechnic eruptions. It's flanked by an ersatz Venice Duomo, a concrete Colosseum and a replica Portuguese plaza. This is Fisherman's Wharf, the theme park which opened in 2005 to welcome new arrivals from the ferry terminal. It was seen as a way for the Chinese to put their stamp on Macau – the first European colony in China to be founded. In 1999 it was the last to be given up when it was wrested away from Portuguese administration after 450 years of foreign rule. However, Fisherman's Wharf in Macau is no match for its namesake in San Francisco. The venture isn't an aesthetic success: visitors now have to head a little further inland to see the bricks and mortar of the city's Portuguese heritage.

Mae Salong: from army camp to tourist town

Sunday, 12 April 2009

As the Thai people celebrate their new year, one hill village has another, more curious date to mark – the 60th anniversary of Mao taking charge in China. Andrew Spooner explains

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