Eastern Flavours 2

Multi-cultural cuisine, old and new architecture, natural and manmade attractions – Singapore is a real melting pot. Here, markets sit in the shadows of designer malls and sky-high hotels tower over temples. But this is the City in a Garden, so the green to grey ratio’s higher than usual. The island nation’s freckled with parks, rainforests and futuristic vertical gardens. Run your finger along the waterfront, and you’ll find Sentosa Island – a resort dedicated to theme parks, beaches and animal encounters.

• Take up a spot on the SkyPark deck at Marina Bay Sands. It’s a great place for snapping the city-state’s giant supertrees in all their glory.
• Feast on steaming bowls of curry or laksa at a hawker centre. The stalls cover Malaysian, Chinese and Indian flavours. If you’re having trouble picking, look for the one with the longest line.
• Get up close to wildlife at Singapore Zoo. This 64-acre site blurs the line between zoo and rainforest, with big, natural enclosures. You can combine it with visits to the River Safari and Jurong Bird Park, too.

Port Klang’s hidden from view as you coast along the Malacca Strait – you’ll weave between a quartet of green-tinted islands to make your way to the harbour. It’s the largest port in Malaysia, so it’s no surprise to see multi-coloured cranes lined up along the waterfront. There’s plenty of room for restaurants to get in on the act as well, and you’ll find seafood places perched just above the shallows. Port Klang’s also a good jumping off point for visiting Klang. This town’s cut from a different cloth to super-modern Kuala Lumpur, and instead serves up historic monuments, temples and lively shopping streets. Kuala Lumpur itself is just over an hour’s drive away, so it’s easy to pay the skyscraper-filled city a visit, too.

• Head to Port Klang’s Bagan Hailam neighbourhood, and you’ll find a big selection of restaurants propped up above the water. They dish up local favourites like salt-baked crab, deep-fried squid and steamed crayfish.
• Take a boat trip to Pulau Ketam for a seriously authentic experience. This island’s set just off the coast of Port Klang, and all of the locals live in ‘floating’ houses on stilts. It’s known for its fishing trade, and the name even translates as ‘Crab Island’.
• Treat yourself to a spot of retail therapy in Kuala Lumpur. Pavilion KL lines up luxury labels, and Berjaya Times Square has 10 floors packed with shops, restaurants and a cinema.

Penang is often said to be Malaysia’s most popular destination. And, with its melting pot of cultures and top-notch food scene, it’s easy to see why. You’ll disembark into UNESCO-accredited Georgetown. You can do your sightseeing on foot here, or hire a rickshaw to trundle around in. However you choose to explore, you’ll get a feel for the rich history of the town, which has left its mark in the form of picture-perfect Chinese and colonial architecture.

• Try traditional Malaysian food on Macalister road. This place has earned itself a reputation as a hotspot for foodies, as it’s lined with restaurants and street food stalls. Make sure you taste some char kway teow, a stir-fried dish with flat noodles.
• Take the funicular railway up to Penang Hill – the track’s the longest of its kind in Asia. Once you reach the top, step out onto one of the observation decks for panoramic views over Penang City.
• Browse the stalls at the Lorong Kulit Flea Market. Whatever you’re looking to buy, you’ll find it here – this place offers up an eclectic selection of goodies. Plus, the prices are bargain hunter-friendly.

The island of Phuket does plenty to earn its nickname of ‘the pearl of Thailand’. Like a pendant on a necklace, it’s strung to the southwest coast of the mainland by a kilometre-long bridge across the azure-blue Andaman Sea. Phuket is home to reams of postcard-pretty beaches, tree-cloaked mountains and opulent temples. And it’s within easy daytripping distance of the Phi Phi islands and Phang Nga Bay, both of which have starred in blockbuster movies. The former is where Leonardo DiCaprio hit The Beach was filmed, while the latter featured in James Bond movie The Man with the Golden Gun.

• Kick back on a white-sand beach. Over 40 kilometres of Phuket’s coastline is fringed by picture-perfect beaches peppered with loungers and locals selling coconut water fresh from the shell.
• Hike up to the Giant Buddha. This 45-metre-high statue sits at the top of the Nakkerd Hills and offers up sweeping views of two picturesque bays – Chalong and Kata.

Sri Lanka's capital and largest city, Colombo offers fine restaurants, a buzzing nightlife scene, and good museums, parks, and beautiful Buddhist temples that are all worth visiting. The beach resort of Mt. Lavinia is only a short taxi ride from the downtown area and offers a golden, sandy beach and sunset views to die for. As an exciting blur of colors and cultures, Colombo presents a neatly packaged microcosm of this island nation.

Sri Lanka's capital and largest city, Colombo offers fine restaurants, a buzzing nightlife scene, and good museums, parks, and beautiful Buddhist temples that are all worth visiting. The beach resort of Mt. Lavinia is only a short taxi ride from the downtown area and offers a golden, sandy beach and sunset views to die for. As an exciting blur of colors and cultures, Colombo presents a neatly packaged microcosm of this island nation.

New Mangalore Port, established in 1974, is the major port of Karnataka. It has the distinction of the ninth biggest port of India. Its construction got completed in 12 years using the latest technology to provide the best port facilities. Mangalore is named after the goddess Mangaladevi. Mangalore is a panorama of palm-fringed beaches, lush green fields and enchanting forests. It is sheltered by the soaring western ghats on the east and the mighty Arabian sea roaring along its western shores. With an important port, this coastal town is a major commercial centre that still retains its old world charm-old tile-roofed buildings amidst coconut groves, fishing boats silhouetted against the darkening skyline, fishermen hauling in rich catch of fish, sea food served in spicy coconut curries.

As the gateway to Goa, Mormugao is a storied city, surrounded by beaches, fascinating heritage sites, and ocean-wary fortifications. As a former capital of Portuguese India, the colonisers who landed here embarked on an extensive programme of fortification, springing up defences along the region's pretty beaches. Mormugao was also an important location for the spread of Christianity, with significant missionaries landing here including Saint Francis Xavier - whose final resting place can be found in Old Goa.

Mumbai (formerly called Bombay) is a densely populated city on India’s west coast. A financial center, it's India's largest city. On the Mumbai Harbour waterfront stands the iconic Gateway of India stone arch, built by the British Raj in 1924. Offshore, nearby Elephanta Island holds ancient cave temples dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva. The city's also famous as the heart of the Bollywood film industry.

Oman's capital city is hemmed in on one side by spectacular jagged-peaked mountains and on the other by royal blue sea. The architecture is a traditional, sophisticated arabesque blend of white-washed, low-rise buildings surrounded by manicured palms, intricately designed domes set atop the minarets of the mosques, sand-colored villas, a surprising blend of modern art installations, like a giant incense burner that towers over the Corniche, and ancient forts set in the rocky hills. Though tradition abounds, from distinct, local cuisine to the widely worn national dress, the dishdasha, Muscat is a completely modern city, featuring opulent luxury hotels, international restaurants, excellent cellular and data service, sprawling shopping malls, pristine beaches, lively nightlife, world-class performing arts, and a highly educated population, most of whom speak English, Arabic, and often Hindi. Muscat is the ideal base for exploring other areas of the country since many of the most desirable destinations are within a few hours' drive.

Oman's capital city is hemmed in on one side by spectacular jagged-peaked mountains and on the other by royal blue sea. The architecture is a traditional, sophisticated arabesque blend of white-washed, low-rise buildings surrounded by manicured palms, intricately designed domes set atop the minarets of the mosques, sand-colored villas, a surprising blend of modern art installations, like a giant incense burner that towers over the Corniche, and ancient forts set in the rocky hills. Though tradition abounds, from distinct, local cuisine to the widely worn national dress, the dishdasha, Muscat is a completely modern city, featuring opulent luxury hotels, international restaurants, excellent cellular and data service, sprawling shopping malls, pristine beaches, lively nightlife, world-class performing arts, and a highly educated population, most of whom speak English, Arabic, and often Hindi. Muscat is the ideal base for exploring other areas of the country since many of the most desirable destinations are within a few hours' drive.