Rath Yatra
BY VANESSA BETTS Traditionally the only occasion on which non-Hindus and Hindus of low caste can set eyes on one of India’s most beloved deities, Lord Jagannath’s ‘car festival’ brings Puri’s…
Bengali Crafts
BY VANESSA BETTS Silk has been woven in India for more than 3500 years and continues today with the weaving of natural-coloured wild silk called tassar. Bengal silk has had a revival…
Shopping in India
BY DAVID STOTT India excels in producing fine crafts at affordable prices through the tradition of passing down of ancestral skills. You can get handicrafts of different states from the government…
What to do in India
BY DAVID STOTT India has a wealth of opportunities for adventure sports. Such thrills can be combined with more conventional sightseeing. Apart from the activities listed here, you can also try…
Best Treks in India
BY DAVID STOTT Valley of Flowers (Uttarakhand) As the rains start, this high-altitude valley bursts into colour with a stunning array of flowers. It’s best to visit in August, starting this…
The Nam Nern Night Safari
BY DAVID W LLOYD The Nam Nern Night Safari was set up by the Wildlife Conservation Society together with the local authorities in 2012 and has since won awards for its…
The Art of Ikat
BY DAVID W LLOYD In the handicraft shops in Vientiane, it is possible to buy distinctively patterned cotton and silk ikat. A technique of patterning cloth characteristic of Southeast Asia, ikat…
Shopping in Laos
BY DAVID W LLOYD Popular souvenirs from Laos include handicrafts and textiles, which are sold pretty much everywhere. The market is usually a good starting point as are some of the…
Best of Laos
BY DAVID W LLOYD 1 Vientiane Possibly the world’s most laid-back capital city. Spend a couple of quiet days here enjoying the fantastic food from both Laos and around the world,…
Rafflesia: The World’s Largest Flower
BY PAUL DIXON The rafflesia (Rafflesia arnoldi), named after Stamford Raffles, the founder of modern Singapore, is the largest flower in the world. The Swedish naturalist Eric Mjoberg wrote in 1930…
Mount Everest
BY ROBERT FERGUSON For 13 years after it was found to be the highest mountain in the world, Peak XV had no European name. In 1865, the then Surveyor General of…
The Living Goddess
BY ROBERT FERGUSON Not many cities in the world have their own living goddess you can actually go and see. Pop along to the Kumari Bahal in Kathmandu’s Durbar Square and…