Paris and Berlin will soon be connected by a new high-speed train service.
25.09.2024 - 14:47 / matadornetwork.com
The “Golden Triangle” of Southeast Asia was named such due to the region’s thriving opium trade from the ’50s until the early 21st century. The mountainous region, where the borders of Thailand, Laos, and Myanmar meet, subsequently became fashionable with backpackers hopping between the countries before going south to Cambodia and Vietnam.
I’ve done this route a handful of times in my late teens and early twenties. Back then, I could have been the poster child for Lonely Planet’s South East Asia on a Shoestring guidebook. I had a $5-a-day budget, slept on overnight buses to avoid accommodation costs, ate street food, and appreciated the odd hot shower. Visiting the region as a backpacker had a profound impact on my life. Still, I wish I had the means to have a more elevated experience — especially in Laos, a country that’s seen a boom in the luxury market over the past couple of decades.
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Hilltop tents at Rosewood Luang Pradbang. Photo: Rosewood Hotels
Cities such as Luang Prabang have attracted five-star hoteliers who have established some of the best luxury hotels in the country, seamlessly blending world-class service, fine dining, and opulent accommodations with the stunning natural backdrop of the region’s mountainous landscapes and lush rice paddies.
Laos follows Theravada Buddhism, the strictest form of Buddhism. Monks adhere to a set of rules called the Vinaya, which emphasizes simplicity and detachment from worldly possessions. Photo: M2020/Shutterstock
Laos, landlocked by Myanmar and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, and Cambodia and Thailand to the south, might not have the Southeast Asian white beaches so many travelers flock to, but spirituality, culture, fertile plains along the Mekong River, and the people make up for it. Occupied by the French until 1953, the streets of Luang Prabang and the capital, Vientiane, are lined with colonial architecture, and you’ll note a distinctive French influence on the food scene here, too.
Luang Prabang is one of the best examples of a blend of traditional Lao culture and modern luxury. Located in northern Laos, on the meeting point of the Mekong and Nam Khan rivers, the town was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1995 and is home to some of the most sophisticated Buddhist temples in Southeast Asia.
Today, there are a handful of five-star hotels and resorts, from colonial-style mansions with upscale fine dining experiences to private retreats with infinity pools and stunning views of the surrounding mountains and
Paris and Berlin will soon be connected by a new high-speed train service.
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If you’re looking for a cruise but don’t like the sound of a mega-ship, river cruises offer more intimate, handcrafted experiences, taking guests to parts of the world inaccessible to larger vessels. There’s a bunch of luxury river cruise companies providing five-star service, dining, and accommodation. One of the better in Europe is Scenic Luxury Cruises and Tours. With nearly 40 years of experience, Scenic’s routes range from an architectural journey through the Douro Valley in Portugal to the French vineyards and romantic towns in Budapest. They offer a range of routes, but one of the most popular is the 15-day Romantic Rhine and Moselle itinerary. It explores two of Europe’s most enchanting river valleys, lesser-known historical sites, and includes a classical concert in a UNESCO-listed church in Trier, Germany.
When my friend Jessie invited me to travel with her to Kyrgyzstan, I wasn't sure I'd be able to find it on a map.
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Ankara, the Turkish capital, has been wilting under days of intense heat. Our taxi driver lets us out at the station with a gift of a cool apple. The forecourt is a mess of commuters competing for taxis and minivans. Through its automatic doors, though, is a gleaming air-conditioned cathedral to Turkey’s high-speed rail. The relief is short-lived—a uniformed attendant at the information window soon informs us our train, the Doğu Ekspresi (translation: Eastern Express) actually departs from the old station next door.
Leading full-service luxury villa company Rental Escapes has added as many as 65 hand-selected villas to its impressive collection of unique stays around the world.
A full slate of labor strikes are planned throughout Europe this month, which could impact both plane and train travel.Both flights and trains could be delayed as a result of the various labor actions in the coming weeks. Here’s a breakdown of the locations where strikes are expected to take place and when.
In this episode of the Skift India Travel Podcast, Asia Editor Peden Doma Bhutia and India Reporter Bulbul Dhawan dive into the top travel stories from India this month. They explore Leela Hotels’ move toward an IPO, South Africa’s new visa reforms, and Oyo’s acquisition of Motel 6. The discussion also covers key trends in Indian aviation and how Indian millennials are driving a surge in travel spending.