Travel in China, Hong Kong and Macau from island to island. New Tourism, Culture, Lifestyle and Boutique Travel. Independent Guide to Travel in China and surrounding territories.
One of my sincerest obsessions in Asian cuisine would undoubtedly be the Sichuan Mala Hot Pot, a sensational mouth-numbing experience that is like no other in the world. And because of this, we traced the unique and somewhat formidable eating experience back to its origins, to Chongqing China (actually we were travelling in the area and […]
Food Origins: The Sichuan Hot Pot Read More »
With its unique Portuguese heritage Macau does host its own cuisine called Macanese foods which, as expected is a bit of a fusion between Portuguese and Chinese food. While this post does cover some Macanese foods, it does go wider covering mostly the simple snack food of Macau which are easy to track down and
Street Snack Guide to Macau Read More »
The best things to do in Macau beyond the casinos, from Senado Square and St. Paul’s Ruins to Taipa Village, Chinese temples, Macanese food and Cotai.
Top 10 Things to Do in Macau: Beyond the Casinos Read More »
Elephant Mountain update — November 2026: Elephant Mountain (Xiangshan) remains one of the best places to photograph Taipei 101, especially at sunset and as the city lights come on. The usual approach is still to take the MRT Red Line to Xiangshan Station, Exit 2, then walk towards Zhongqiang Park and the Elephant Mountain trail.
Best Views of Taipei 101 from Elephant Mountain Read More »
A practical guide to typhoons in Taipei, from weather warnings and typhoon-day closures to our firsthand experience of Typhoon Soudelor in 2015.
What to Do in Taipei During a Typhoon: Safety & Our Story Read More »
This is a 2015 travel archive, reflecting the Hunan we actually experienced rather than a present-day route planner. Our original bus journeys, hotel prices and attraction access are historic details. Travel in China has changed since then, with faster rail connections and tools such as DiDi, Alipay, WeChat and phone translation making independent journeys simpler.
The Unworldy Landscapes of Hunan Read More »
Travel archive — originally published February 2015. This is how we travelled from Changsha to Zhangjiajie on our earlier Hunan adventures. Independent travel in China felt far more complicated to us then: figuring out stations, collecting paper tickets, navigating with little English and making do without the translation and transport apps that now make these
Changsha to Zhangjiajie: Our 2015 Train and Travel Story Read More »
Travel archive — originally published February 2015. This was our day exploring the extraordinary sandstone pillars of Zhangjiajie National Forest Park in Hunan, on a trip when independent travel in China involved plenty of guesswork, minivans, language barriers and bus-station confusion. We were navigating with photographs and gestures rather than the translation apps, mobile payments
The Avatar Mountains of Zhangjiajie: Our 2015 Travel Archive Read More »
Travel archive — our 2015 visit. This is our personal story of visiting Tianmen Mountain near Zhangjiajie during low season, not a current guide to prices, routes or opening times. We missed some of the best-known attractions because of unexpected closures, but the day was memorable all the same. China has changed considerably since that
Tianmen Mountain (Zhangjiajie, China) Read More »
Travel archive — originally published February 2015. This was our journey through Hunan at a time when independent travel in China felt a whole lot harder than it does on our more recent trips. We were juggling bus stations, luggage and directions with little English around us, and without the translation apps and all-in-one mobile
Phoenix Ancient City (Fenghuang, China) — 2015 Travel Archive Read More »
