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Guam, an unincorporated territory of the U.S. in the western Pacific Ocean, is home to about 160,000 residents and has a rich culture created by its native inhabitants and modern society that includes people of many different ethnicities and backgrounds. Learn 7 interesting facts about this jewel in the Pacific below. 1. On the same day in 1941 that the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor in Hawaii, they also managed to invade and capture Guam. Though the Japanese reign over the small Micronesian island was relatively short (1941-1944), the Japanese forces subjected the local people to extremely poor treatment and forced…

Long before the “green” movement, recycling, environmentalism, and ecotourism became popular, the ancient Polynesian cultures of the Hawaiian Islands had developed and practiced the concept of Malama ‘Aina, which basically encompasses a deep love and respect for the land and surrounding environment. As such, native Hawaiians practicing Malama ‘Aina placed great importance on the conservation of land and natural resources for future generations through various methods of sustainability. Today, the tradition of Malama ‘Aina continues throughout the Hawaiian islands, particularly on Maui, where ecotourism has blossomed into a multi-billion dollar industry. Below we’ll take a closer look at some specifics…

Millions of weary passengers are finally discovering convenience today with online airline ticket booking. With hundreds of carriers streamlining their computerized systems, it takes just minutes to purchase a ticket from anywhere with access to the internet. Buying tickets online may also come with several benefits, including cheaper fares, a variety of routes and carriers to choose from and greater customization. But, like most services offered through the internet, extreme caution is often urged by well meaning travelers, and you may therefore find yourself debating the option of simply hiring a travel agent to take care of things for you.…

1. Surise from Gunung Bromo INDONESIA One of the finest places in the world from which to watch a sunrise is also one of the most accessible and climbable active volcanoes anywhere.  Gunung Bromo simmers in East Java, its landscape other-worldly in its beauty.  Visitors begin their climb up 253 stone steps carved audaciously on the slope in the middle of the night to arrive, panting but esctatic, to a magnificent play of colours on the top  Down spreads over the Laotian Pasir ‘sea of and’, the dramatic vistas of the Tengger massif and Bromo’s hissing crater, all of which…

We all want to experience the best of any destination; to see the must-see sites and get to know in person everything we’ve heard about it in the past. Every place has a certain things to do, places to stay and ways to travel that will really allow you to get up close to it, and in the British Virgin Islands the thing to do is travel by boat. The region is a sailing paradise of crystalline waters. It has even been dubbed the cruising capital of the world. Friendly islands with short passages between them, comfortable winds and currents…

Lost and alone in a giant Asian city, wandering inside a dimly lit parking lot, is not how most would choose to spend a Thursday night.  But I am here by choice, lured by the kind of invitation I find irresistible: “Kain Tayo!”  – helpfully subtitled in English, “Come Eat with Us!” It’s the battle cry of Pinoy Eats World, a collective of in-the-know locals united by their love of Philippine food culture.  The group hosts food tours at home and overseas from Hong Kong to Turkey; themed evening that pair cuisine with art (their official, irreverent name:”{f}art” dinners); and…

Until recently locals on the Malaysian Island of Langkawi believed that their home was cursed.  According to legent, in the early 19th century a beautiful woman named Mahsuri was wrongfully accused of adultery.  During her execution, blood ran white from her wounds, revealing her innocence, and in her dying breath Mahsuri declared that bad fortune would befall Langkawi for seven generations. If Langkawi’s history of failed crops and Siamese invasions are signs that there may have been something to this legend, the island –  and its wider archipelago with the same name – is certainly not without its blessing.  Located…

Boasting of splendid climate all year round, Saputara is beautiful during the monsoons and will enthral you with its myriad offerings. A must visit for someone looking for a unique experience, this quaint hill station is sure to delight you with its breathtaking sites. Nestled in the Dang district on the southern tip of Gujarat, at an altitude of 875 metres amidst the Sahyadri Mountains, lies the picturesque, lush, green hill town of Saputara. Saputara means Abode of Serpents, which is where the town town derives its name from owing to the several images of snakes that are present on…

For GOURMANDS, it is easy to stay infinitely satiated in Ho Chi Minh City from morning till night.  Whether it’s early morning bowl of freshly barbecued pork served over noodles and heaps of herbs cooked up by a street vendor or a decadent, multi-course French meal rendered by a renowned chef and served in the most refined of surroundings, gastronomic pleasures in the city abound.  And now, a host of new eateries, whose offerings span the globe from Naples to Argentina, are drawing on the city’s entrepreneurial, cosmopolitan roots more than ever.  Like so much in the city these days,…

HOTEL MUSE Housed in a cupola topped building.  Hotel Muse has become one of the city’s luxe-boutique retreats.  Thai design firm PIA references a blend of fin de siecle France and Thailand’s Rama V era, styling the darkened lobby with wrought-iron lattice walls and arching ceilings.  The 174 rooms and suites-named after the Buddhist cosmic levels of Jatu, Dowadueng, Yama, Dusid, Nimman and Paranim-have stuccoed ceilings and faux vintage suitcase drawers.  Basement-level eatery Medici features solid Italian fare in a space that feels like a renovated wine cellar.  T+L TIP The Jatu Deluxe and Dowadeung Corner Deluxe rooms have our…