Museums abound in British Columbia’s capital city of Victoria

There’s a museum with something for everyone in Victoria, B.C., from evocative exhibits of native history to tea and croquet on the lawn of a 19th-century home-turned-museum.Here’s a sampling:Royal BC MuseumThis don’t-miss museum, the city’s biggest, has a world-class First Nations gallery (with ceremonial masks, totem poles and more artifacts of British Columbia’s native groups); natural-history galleries with lush sea and forest dioramas; and a child-pleasing reconstruction of a 19th-century t

May 25, 2012

Ecuador’s remote ecolodges put the lush, tropical woodland right outside

EL ORIENTE, Ecuador ― This is one rain forest the world has saved.After donors around the globe pledged $116 million by the December 2011 deadline to prevent oil drilling in the biologically fragile Yasuni National Park, the Ecuadorian government agreed to leave it alone for now.There will be no roads, drilling or pipelines this year.Instead, tourists can continue to witness the damp glory of the region’s tangled forests and the riotous color of even the smallest frog and butterfly.“Everyone on

May 25, 2012

Thai pool villa resorts the newest honeymoon trend

Villa Zolitude Resort and Spa famous for ‘privacy and seclusion’City newlyweds these days seem to view their honeymoon as a cross between an escape from work and a romantic getaway. So pool villa resorts in Phuket have become one of the latest trends for Asian honeymooners.The number of villas with bedrooms, a living room and a private pool has been increasing, with a surge in honeymooners from around the world. The main slogan for the pool villas is “privacy and seclusion.” “Honeymoon reservat

May 20, 2012

Designer pensions: A touch of class in the country

Premium pensions designed by renowne architects offer special weekendsCity life for Kim Young-kwan, a 60-year-old former executive at a construction company, was exhausting, boring and empty. He felt that he was like a hamster in a wheel all day long ― working on weekdays and shopping at department stores on weekends. Eight years ago, he decided to leave the city and pursue a new life, starting with building the house he had dreamt of.Kim requested Min Qu-am, one of the country’s leading archite

May 18, 2012

Suncheon holds environmental festival

Suncheon, a scenic city in South Jeolla Province, will host an environmental festival next week. The Suncheon EcoGeo Festival will feature a variety of events ― music, arts and family activities ― along with some nature-themed events intended to raise environmental awareness. Suncheon is globally recognized for its ecological value with its wetland Suncheon Bay, home to migratory birds and species like mudskippers and mud crabs. The weekend festival, which runs from May 25-27, also aims to attra

May 18, 2012

Hong Kong’s skyline is breathtaking from just about any angle and time of day

HONG KONG ― India has the Taj Mahal. In France, of course, it’s the Eiffel Tower. Russia has Red Square and South Africa has Cape Town’s Table Mountain. Each a treasure, and each reason enough for a pilgrimage.In Hong Kong, the sight to see is not a single monument or even a majestic natural vista. It is the city’s glittering homage to the modern skyscraper ― a breathtaking skyline with verdant Victoria Peak as the picture-postcard backdrop.Still, when I arrived in Hong Kong for a long weekend l

May 18, 2012

Yeosu offers more than just Expo

Travel destinations near  Expo venue await local and foreign visitorsMake the most out of your precious time while staying at Yeosu, South Jeolla Province, for Expo 2012 Yeosu Korea: alluring travel destinations await for your visit, not so far from the Expo venues. Most of the must-visit spots are lined up along the southern coast that connects Boseong, Suncheon and Sacheon cities as well as Yeosu. The expo’s Organizing Committee gathered 83 recommended one-day tour routes along the coast. Here

May 11, 2012

After the Olympics, explore England’s North Country

HEXHAM, England ― A bone-chilling rain swept over the moors on the October day we hiked to the top of the ruins of Hadrian’s Wall, a few miles south of the Scottish border.Gusts of wind, scouring the tumble-down ruins of the Second Century Roman barracks built on the summit drove most sensible people indoors. But the dark clouds and lowering sky, pelting the armory, shrine and sleeping quarters with rain, set the mood as nothing else could have done. Shivering in my summer-weight parka ― a last-

May 11, 2012

Yotel: A quiet oasis in one of world’s busiest airports

LONDON ― Between the Olympics and a certain queen’s Diamond Jubilee, expect plenty of airport delays here this summer. That could mean napping with the masses in the vast open seating areas of Heathrow.But here’s a tip. Tucked away in Terminal 4 is a futuristic little place called the Yotel, where for as little as 32 pounds, or $51, for a single, you can grab a few hours of blissful shut-eye and a hot shower in something that looks like a deluxe cabin on a federation starship.My wife and I flew

May 11, 2012

All at sea

Experience the thrill of yacht racing in HwaseongThe mercury is rising and it feels like summer is already here. Those looking for a place to cool off might consider doing so out at sea. While Korea, with its islands and coastline, is ideally situated for yachting as a leisure activity, the culture is only now slowly taking root across the country.If you want to experience the sheer thrill of yacht racing, consider visiting Jeongok Marina in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, this month.One can fully

May 4, 2012