Spread across 80 square kilometres, the project will be developed on the islands of Yongyu-Muui. If Dubai doesn’t come out with something equally crazy to rival the sheer scale of this project, its completion in 2030 will mean that it will be the largest tourism project in the world.

Conveniently located near the Incheon International Airport, the project sits in a perfect location to target the approximately 5.7 million business and holiday travellers who pass through the busy air hub every year. A megastrip will define the project. At 200 metres high, 800 metres wide and 3.3 kilometres long, it will be the world’s largest architectural unit. The megastrip will be accompanied by an inner circle which when built, will be composed of an immense, tubular 14-kilometre building.

Park Seong-Hyun, the Vice Chairman of EIGHTCITY, the developer of this project claims, “It will become the world’s top city that has the creativity of Dubai, convention centres and casinos of Las Vegas and Macau, as well as the shopping centers and financial hubs of Hong Kong and Singapore.”

Every need imaginable will and can be catered for – the project will be home to high-end luxury hotels, private housing, amusement parks, shopping centres, casinos and convention centres.

Funding for the project has already begun. Already, South Korean investors have committed $2.8 billion to the project with the UK’s Sanbar Development Corporation reportedly backing the project with another $1 billion.

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Sure, the prices of DSLRs which deliver the best photographic qualities have reduced considerably over the years but when you are on holiday, all you really need is a fast and compact point-and-shoot camera that you can whip out at a moment’s notice to capture those moments that will be gone in a flash. As the optics of cameras in phones such as the iPhone 5 and Samsung Galaxy S III have brought image quality to an entirely new level, some might also argue against the need to bring a camera along during holiday trips. When you think about it however, do you really want to risk missing out on potentially precious holiday shots by using your mobile phone as a camera device?

Here are some of the best models that you can consider when selecting a camera for your holiday trips:

Canon Powershot S100

The Canon PowerShot S100 is the successor to one of the most popular and successful point-and-shoot camera models of all time – the PowerShot S95.

It now features a longer zoom lens out of the compact body, geo-tagging so that you always remember where your holiday photos were taken and an improvement over the S95′s undoubtedly superior image quality. It’s nondescript body means that it will never attract unwanted attention, which is actually a good idea when you are travelling around busy Asian cities like Bangkok, Jakarta and Mumbai.

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5

The Panasonic Lumix LX5 has one of those retro-esque and chic camera bodies that you can’t help but fall in love with. To sweeten the deal, its bright lens and big image sensor has been designed to help you achieve the optimum shot for most degrees of lighting conditions.

The LX5 is slightly bulkier than the S100 so stuffing it down your pockets while you explore the streets of Asia might be a bit of a challenge. Then again, why hide a camera with such a lovely body? Hang it around your neck for the world to admire!

Olympus Tough TG-1 iHS

Planning to go diving around one of Asia’s many fine beaches or trekking through the jungles and mountains? Here’s a camera suited for the adventure seekers.

The Olympus TG-1iHS provides unmatched rugged durability while delivering great image quality via its fast and bright F2.0 lens. It is waterproof up to 40 feet, shockproof, crushproof, freezeproof and dustproof – all it lacks out of the box is Chuck Norris’s stamp of approval.

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How to Travel Full Time is one of several books written by Colin Wright, an author, entrepreneur and most importantly, full-time traveller.

That’s right, you read it correctly. Full-time traveller.

I bet you’re now imagining how nice it would be to have to travel full-time, just living life and experiencing different exotic cultures…..only to be zapped back to reality when a thousand and one questions start to pop up in your head. What about my job? Who’s going to pay for my bills? How about my family? How do I stay in touch? Is Colin actually just someone who’s fortunate enough to be able to live off a vast family fortune and trying to make himself look authentic?

Thankfully, a lot of these questions and more get answered in this easy-to read book which provides a wealth of information to prepare one for long-term travel. Readers are guided on how to structure their current lives towards the end goal of full-time travel and will definitely be left inspired as they turn the last page in the book. Even if you’re not expecting to be a full-time traveller anytime soon, the practical advice from Colin’s experience on the road on adapting to foreign cultures and practices can be applied and followed on your leisure holidays and/or business travel. I personally enjoyed this book and will certainly flip through it prior to any adventures in the future.

How to Travel Full Time is available electronically via the Kindle for $0.99. At less than a dollar for such great content, there’s nothing much that one can complain about!

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There are plenty of hotels available and most of these are located centrally in the city area. Some popular hotels include:

• Marina Bay Sands
• The Fullerton Hotel
• The Pan Pacific Hotel, Singapore
• The Ritz-Carlton Millennia, Singapore
• Carlton Hotel
• Conrad Centennial Singapore
• Fairmont Singapore
• Grand Park City Hall
• Mandarin Oriental, Singapore
• Marina Mandarin
• Raffles Hotel
• Swissotel The Stamford, Singapore

Minimum budget for travellers in Singapore

Singapore is not exactly a place for cheap holidays. All the development that has taken place in Singapore also means that prices are akin to what you’d pay in other global cities like New York or London. We’d recommend a minimum of US$100 per day to cover accommodation, meals and a little sight seeing. Even then, we stress the word minimum, and when it comes to getting an enjoyable holiday in Singapore, more is always better. Visa, Mastercard, and American Express cards are also widely accepted if you choose to swipe your transactions.

Recommended Singapore food for travellers

Singaporeans take their food seriously and it is pretty much one of the greatest things about the place. Its diverse multi-cultural society means that one is often spoiled for choice when it comes to food. Some popular Singapore dishes that all travellers have to try include Satay, Chilli Crab, Nasi Lemak and Roti Prata.

Usesful phrases for travellers heading to Singapore

English is the main language in spoken so most travellers should not have a problem with communication in Singapore. The country also has a fairly sizable expatriate population so you shouldn’t have much of a problem getting help with directions if required. Some locals however, do tend to speak a version of colloquial English known as Singlish. It’s basically English mixed with hints of Hokkien, Malay, Tamil, Teochew and Cantonese.

Getting wasted in Singapore

Booze and cigarettes can be easily purchased at most convenience stores in Singapore but do note that with all things here, it is expensive to get wasted here! Popular nightlife locations include Clarke Quay, St James’ Powerstation and if you’re a guy, Orchard Towers (otherwise known as The Four Floors of Whores and popular with US Navy personnel docking in Singapore).

Drugs are extremely illegal here and they have a no-tolerance policy so do not even think of bringing any in with you. In fact, Singapore is infamous for punishing offenders with the mandatory death penalty.

The post Your 10-minute guide to a holiday in Singapore appeared first on travelholidayasia.com.

Transportation to and within Thailand is generally at an acceptable level. A number of regional and global air carriers fly to Bangkok, the capital of Thailand from major air hubs across the world. Domestic flights are also available to quickly take you the Northern and Southern provinces from Bangkok. Overland, public buses, taxies and private vans are widely available to take you almost anywhere within the country.

Undoubtedly, Thailand is famous (or infamous) for sex tourism. While you won’t see pervy pedos with kids in the streets, you will almost certainly come across a couple of old white geezers with their arms around the backs of women less than half their age. Don’t let that ruin your holiday though – in most cases, the women weren’t forced into it. Fact is, prostitutes can rake in more money in one night than what the average middle income Thai makes in a month.

Thailand is typically divided into the four distinct regions:

Central region

Bangkok is the capital of Thailand and is located within the central region. It is surrounded by provinces such as Kanchanaburi, Nakhon Pathom, Chonburi, Ayutthaya, Lopburi, etc.

It can be hard to describe Bangkok’s charm. It is hot, dirty, noisy and everyone has heard of its infamous traffic jams. It is not the most beautiful nor the most well-planned city, yet everyone loves it! A typical tourist day in Bangkok will look something like this – Shop in the day, visit some temples, and get wasted clubbing at night. Admittedly, things do get to more sane levels as you venture out of Bangkok into the other central provinces.

Southern regions

Remember the movie, “The Beach” starring Leonardo di Caprio? The southern regions of Thailand contain these scenic island beaches. Hot destinations include Phuket, Krabi, Koh Samui, Koh Chang, Koh Pangan….pretty much anything that starts with a Koh. Get wasted at full moon beach parties with young people and hippies. Stay in a bungalow right next to the beach with crystal clear waters.

Don’t venture too far south though. The southern-most provinces of Thailand (Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat) are currently facing constant violence due to an ethnic separatist insurgency. Think of car bombs and crazy stuff like that. Do not go near.

Northern region

The most popular destinations in the Northern region are Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Pai, etc. You won’t find any beaches here. Think of mountains and nature stuff, so its perfect if you’re the trekking type. It cam get quite cold here due to the elevation so be prepared if you’re coming straight from the island beaches in the south. The northern region is also where the Karen tribes can be found. Women within these tribes wear rings around their necks as a sign of beauty.

North Eastern region (Isaan)
Isaan is where the poor people doing most of the low-end jobs in Bangkok come from. They speak a different dialect from the other regions of Thailand due to its proximity with Laos. It is also the poorest region in Thailand, and the lack of infrastructure is telling. As such, Isaan is not a popular tourist destination but still gets the types who are keen to see a different side of Thailand.

Minimum budget for travellers in Thailand

A realistic minimum budget would be around 1,000 Baht (US$30) per day. This should cover the basic necessities of accommodation, food, transportation and a little shopping. Of course, don’t expect to stay at the Shangri-la on this budget. Keyword here is MINIMUM. You can certainly get by on a lower budget, but then, you’d be a smelly hippie and not having any fun at all.

Recommended Thai food for travellers

Go crazy on food. Binge on Tom Yam, green curry, papaya salad, heck, feast on deep fried grasshoppers! Try EVERYTHING! What I like most about Thailand is the many street stalls by the roads that serve fantastic food for as little as 10 Baht!

Useful phrases for travellers heading to Thailand

(remember to end your sentences with a krap if you’re male and ka if you’re female)

hello : sawatdee
thank you : khop khun
how are you : sabai dee mai?
bye: la gon
drunk: mao
pain: jep
hungry: hew
sleepy: non
how much: tao rai
expensive: paeng
cheap: tuuk

Getting wasted in Thailand

Booze and cigarettes are easily available at most convenience stores in Thailand. Public consumption of alcohol is not known to be illegal. On some important days (such as buddhist holidays and election day) however, the sale of alcohol will be prohibited. Similarly, bars and clubs would be closed on these days.

Drugs are illegal and should be taken discreetly if you decide to go down that path. The full moon parties in the island beaches of southern Thailand are infamously known to be drug-fueled events but do be careful as police enforcement at these events have gotten stricter over the years.

Be wary of scams in Thailand

Tuk tuk, taxi, gem scams which you can google up for more information. As a lifelong tip, if something seems too good to be true, its probably a scam. Some public attractions charge foreigners more than what locals have to pay. This is an unavoidable scam. If you look somewhat asian, you can try pass off as a Thai to pay what the locals pay.

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Supertrees at Gardens by the Bay

Fans of the movie Avatar might feel that they’ve landed on Pandora upon arriving at Gardens by the Bay.

This is due to the prominent “Supertree” structures that have been created all around the site. Ranging in height from 25-50 metres tall, there are a total of 18 such “Supertree”  structures which are basically vertical gardens covered with various plants such as tropical ferns and flowering climbers. While these towering structures provide shade during the day, they really do come alive and transform the entire park into a magical place at night when they are lit with special lighting and projected media.

A 128 metre-long aerial walkway, named the OCBC Skyway, connects two of the 42-metre tall Supertrees, giving visitors an exciting and fresh view of the garden and the surrounding Marina Bay area.

Gardens by the Bay Cooled Conservatories

The other main attractions at Gardens by the Bay are the two Cooled Conservatories that are named Cloud Forest and Flower Dome. These conservatories have been designed to be an actual showcase of sustainable and energy-efficient building technologies. The Cloud Forest mimics the cool and moist climate found in mountainous regions between 1,000 to 3,500 metres above sea level. Visitors will be left awed by the man-made 35-metre tall waterfall  as they enter the conservatory and while walking down the Cloud Walk. The dark and mystical setting of this conservatory can make you feel as though you are living out a fairy tale and walking through a mystical land. The Flower Dome on the other hand, replicates the cool and dry climate of parts of Europe. Spanning 1.2 hectares, it is the larger of the two conservatories.

Due to the lower and cooler temperatures within these conservatories, families with young children are advised to bring along a sweater as a precaution.

Gardens by the Bay opening hours

Bay South Outdoor Gardens:
Opens 5:00 AM – 2:00 AM daily

Cooled Conservatories:
Opens 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM daily

OCBC Skyway:
Opens 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM daily

Admission fees to Gardens by the Bay

The standard admission fees to the 2 cooled conservatories is S$28/adult and $15/child (three-12 years old). Admission fees to the OCBC Skyway is S$5/adult and $3/child.

Local Singapore residents (Singapore citizens, permanent residents and those living in Singapore, including holders of employment passes, work permits or dependent passes) get to enjoy subsidised admission fees to Gardens by the Bay.

The admission fees for local residents are:

One Cooled Conservatory:
S$12 per adult
S$8 per senior citizen/child (3 – 12 years old)

Two Cooled Conservatories:
S$20 per adult
S$15 per senior citizen
S$12 per child

OCBC Skyway:
S$5 per adult/senior citizen
S$3 per child

Annual passes to Gardens by the Bay

In addition, annual passes can also be purchased at the park’s ticketing counters. These annual passes will grant those who foresee themselves as regular visitors to the park with unlimited visits to any of the cooled conservatories and the OCBC skywalk for a period of one year. Given the cost of the regular tickets, those who intend to visit the park and all its attractions more than 3 times a year will get a better deal from purchasing these annual passes.

The cost of these annual passes are as follows:

Family Annual Pass (2 adults + 3 children): S$180

Individual Adult Pass: S$68

Individual Senior Citizen Pass: $60

How to get to Gardens by the Bay

Gardens by the Bay is linked to the Marina Bay Sands resort via the Garden Bay Bridge. The nearest MRT station for visitors going by public transport is Bayfront station.  Those who drive should take the East Coast Parkway (ECP) Expressway exit 17 / 17A to Marina South.

For those who drive, the parking rates at Gardens by the Bay are as follows:

For Cars:
From 5:00 AM – 6:00 PM
$0.025 per minute for the 1st five hours,
and $0.05 per minute thereafter

From 6:00 PM – 2:00 AM
$0.02 per minute for the 1st five hours,
and $0.04 per minute thereafter

For Motorcycles:
$1.20 per entry

Hotels near Gardens by the Bay

Tourists looking to stay near this attraction are spoiled for choice when it comes to accommodation. The following hotels are our recommended options if you would like to stay near Gardens by the Bay:

• Marina Bay Sands
• The Fullerton Hotel
• The Pan Pacific Hotel, Singapore
• The Ritz-Carlton Millennia, Singapore
• Carlton Hotel
• Conrad Centennial Singapore
• Fairmont Singapore
• Grand Park City Hall
• Mandarin Oriental, Singapore
• Marina Mandarin
• Raffles Hotel
• Swissotel The Stamford, Singapore

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Koh Nang Yuan, Thailand

Koh Nan Yuan is located approximately 20 minutes away from Koh Tao by boat. Koh Nang Yuan is basically made up of three islands that are connected via a silvery strip on sandy beach. I was blown away at how clear the waters were as my boat approached the pier.

Koh Phi Phi, Thailand

The Phi Phi Islands can be accessed via boat from Phuket. It is a popular destination for tourists looking to dive and snorkel in its clear waters.

Boracay, Philippines

Boracay is one of the most popular beach destinations for travellers heading to the Philippines. Its white, sandy beaches and clear waters make for photogenic postcard photos.

Maldives

Maldives is the go-to place for couples looking to spend a romantic getaway together. Crystal clear blue waters and private swimming pools are the right combinations to put the sizzle into your relationship.

Seminyak, Bali, Indonesia

Seminyak is located in the south of Bali and is not as touristy as other parts of Bali such as Kuta. Its beaches are great for long walks and offer fantastic views of the sunset.

The post Best beach holidays in Asia appeared first on travelholidayasia.com.

Affirming the airline’s commitment to growth within the market, Thai Air Asia CEO Tassapon Bijleveld noted that the move to Don Mueang is in line with the firm’s goal to expand its current fleet to 48. Tassaporn also reassured investors and travellers that careful due diligence has allowed the airline to determine that the move from the busy Suvarnabhumi Airport will result in a better experience for travellers while allowing the airline to manage its operating costs more efficiently. The relocation is expected to bring Thai AirAsia direct savings of Bt1 million (US$31,400) in daily fuel costs alone, as the current congestion at the busy Suvarnabhumi Airport means that airlines are usually required to circle the airport for at least 10 minutes prior to landing.

Thai AirAsia currently serves eight million passengers across the domestic and international segments and forecasts a growth in the number of passengers to nine million by 2013.

All of Thai AirAsia’s flight schedules and FD codes are expected to be retained when services start at the old Don Mueang airport on 1 October 2012. Travellers who are affected by the relocation of operations to Don Mueang airport may revise their flight schedules by opting for another date on the same route within a 7-day window before or after their original travel date at no additional cost. An option to convert the paid flight into a credit shell that can be redeem within 90 days is also available for those who decide to cancel their flight to Bangkok as a result of this move. Please be advised that these options are only available to affected passengers who have purchased their tickets before 26 June 2012 and whose travel dates are from October 1 onwards.

Travellers requiring further information may contact the AirAsia Call Center at +66 02 515 999.

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Under the new approved plan, Don Mueang airport will see domestic flights as well as low cost carriers operating international routes landing there when it opens unofficially in August and officially in October 2012. Repairs to the existing infrastructure and improvement to the runway surface, most of which were damaged during the great Bangkok flood of 2011 will be covered as part of the approved budget.

Domestic carriers Nok Air and Solar Air are the only airlines currently operating out of Don Mueang. Airlines that are expected to operate out of Bangkok’s old airport when it reopens later this year includes popular low cost carrier Thai Air Asia, Orient Thai Airlines, Business Air and Sunny Airways. Immigration congestion at Suvarnabhumi Airport which currently serves 46 million travellers per annum is expected to ease by 7.8 million travellers per annum as a result of this move. In turn, this will improve the check in and immigration clearance period at the airport which also recently issued an advisory for travellers to arrive at the airport 3 hours prior to departure, an hour earlier than the usual norm of 2 hours.

As of press time, it is still unclear if ancillary airport transfer services between the two airports will be provided. It is expected that travellers looking to transfer to connecting international flights from their domestic routes may be inconvenienced as a direct result of this decision.

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And why not?

Tailored clothes fit well, gives you a good professional image and boosts your self esteem. Like the saying goes, “A successful man is a well-dressed man”. Best of all, in Bangkok, they can be put together in as fast as 24 hours and are relatively cheap when compared to prices outside of Thailand.

In fact, tailored clothes has become one of the main reasons why I like to visit Bangkok for a quick getaway holiday.  I can get a well-fitting shirt that is tailored to my exact body shape and size with all the nice little customised extras (such as a 2-inch high collar, black buttons and french cuffs) cheaper than what it would cost me to get a normal shirt over-the-rack at the department stores in my country which puts me at risk of running into someone wearing the exact same shirt in the streets or at the office. How embarrassing would that be!

Typically, a 3-day 2-night holiday should suffice for you to visit the tailors, get fittings done and have the items delivered to your hotel before you fly off. Always ask if interim fittings can be done to ensure that the measurements taken are right, allowing the tailor to adjust accordingly if required.

Bangkok Tailor Prices

The price of tailored clothing in Bangkok is typically inclusive of the fabric and labour to sew the articles together. The average prices for tailored shirts in Bangkok according to the fabrics commonly offered are as follows:

• Normal polyester cotton – This fabric is typically made locally in Thailand and is great for those on a budget. While it is not as smooth as some of the more pricey fabric options, they are easier to maintain and won’t wrinkle as easily as the more expensive fabrics. These typically range from 900 Baht to 1,300 Baht (USD25 – USD40)
• Egyptian cotton – This fabric is approximately 15% stronger than other normal cotton and this also means lighter fabric for the same strength. I personally have quite a number of shirts made from this fabric. While I like the smooth and high-quality finish of the fabric, its biggest negative point is that it wrinkles easily. God forbid if you don’t have an undershirt on and start to sweat. Shirts made of Egyptian cotton typically cost between 1,300 Baht to 1,800 Baht (USD40 – USD60)
• Italian cotton – Italian fabrics are widely known with high regard as being of the best quality and can be made for a minimum of 2,500 Baht (USD80)

That said, the quality of these fabrics may look the same to those of you new to the world of well-fitting, tailored clothes. As such, my advise is that you start off with normal polyester cotton first as it is the cheapest and easiest to maintain.

Best Bangkok Tailors

I have personally tried each of these tailors listed below and would whole-heartedly recommend them to anyone looking to get tailor made clothing done in Bangkok while on holiday.

Pinky Tailor

Mahatun Plaza Arcade
888/40 Ploenchit Road
Bangkok 10330
Tel: +66 2 2536328 / +66 2 2529680 / +66 2 2535055
Opening hours: Mondays to Saturdays, 10:00 – 19:30
Sundays : By appointment only

My first ever tailoring experience in Bangkok started with Pinky Tailor and I still find myself coming back to them. To date, I must have at least 15 pairs of shirts, pants and blazers done with them.

Pinky Tailor provides great, personalised customer service – the tailor running the shop even remembered both my wife and me by our second visit! From experience, they try their best to get your tailored clothes ready before you fly off from Thailand. I’ve even had some of my shirts ready by the next day and delivered to my hotel just before I was due to check out. International shipping is also available if your tailor made clothes can’t be ready on time. You will be provided with a pink customer card that contains your unique customer reference number and allows them to access their records of your past orders and measurements in the future.

Pinky Tailor also does dresses for ladies and is located in the heart of town, just beside the Ploenchit BTS station.

Crown Tailor

Shop No. 13, Sukhumvit Soi 8,
Bangkok 10110, Thailand
Tel: +66 89 1205735 / + 66 81 8154833 / + 66 (0)2 253-5541 / +66 (0) 2 6530185

Crown Tailor is a favourite choice amongst some of my friends. My experiences with them have always pleasant and to be frank, it is hard for me to tell them apart from Pinky Tailor. If I had to pick between the two, I’d head down to both and choose the one which has my preferred fabric selection.

Prices for shirts at Crown Tailor start at 1,000 baht, and pants will set you back a minimum of 2,000 baht. A full suit (jacket + pants) costs upwards of 5,500 baht. Crown Tailor does frequent country visits as well where they would fly to locations such as Singapore, the United States, Australia and Europe so that they can continue serving and making great tailored clothes for their customers who have returned home. Great foresight and service indeed!

Crown Tailor caters to both male and female customers and is located in the middle of central Bangkok near Nana BTS station at Sukhumvit Soi 8.

Boss Avenue

119 Soi Sukhumvit 7
Khwang Khlongtoey
Nuea Khet Watthana
Bangkok 10110
Tel: +66 2 2526042

Boss Avenue is my choice for tailored smart casual clothes. From experience, they are able to recommend the extra sizzle that sets your items apart from those that are available off-the-rack at retail stores and are also the cheapest option on this list. Boss Avenue is located near Nana BTS station.

Tom’s Fashion

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