Tag Archives: holiday

Australia, Celebrity Chefs, Destinations, Food, Restaurant Reviews, Street Food Guide

The New Asian Cuisine Hub: Must-Visit Restaurants in Brisbane

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Brisbane has become the epicenter of modern and creative Asian cuisine. Incidentally, Brisbane’s Asian restaurants are also some of the best restaurants in Brisbane. For your road trips in Australia, these restaurants are a must-visit. 

FantAsia

FantAsia

FantAsia Brisbane offers Asian fast food. By using traditional cooking methods and local, seasonal produce, FantAsia delivers fresh and authentic Asian flavors without the price and wait of typical Asian cuisine restaurants. 

The main attraction at FantAsia is the Tokyo Beef entree, which complements the lemongrass and ginger tea. 

Sake 

Sake Restaurant and Bar focuses on contemporary Japanese cuisine with hints of California and European flavors. The restaurant offers private dining rooms as well as communal banquet dining area. 

Sake’s signature dishes include steamed prawn dumplings and ‘glacier 51’ tooth-fish lettuce cups.

Asian-Szechuan Bang Bang Cuisine

Inspired by the traditional cuisine of the Sichuan Province, Asian-Szechuan has brought Southwest China flavors to Brisbane. Cooking methods that date back 2,000 years add to the customary tang.

Black fungus and tofu skin salad with garlic and chili oil is offered as an entrée. The less adventurous can opt for a classic dish like Sichuan beef hot pot.

Golden Barbeque

Focusing on classic Chinese BBQ, Golden Barbeque offers large portions and authentic flavors. This hidden gem offers a mom and pop environment with economic prices. Check out their staple dish of BBQ duck.

Garden Restaurant

Taigum Gardens

Taigum Gardens has a vast array of Chinese cuisine options inspired by multiple Chinese delicacies. Large portions and high-quality meats can be expected from this quint restaurant, which is geared to adults. Must-try dishes include the crispy honey beef, the traditional roast duck, and the mango ice cream. 

Happy Boy 

Located on Mein St., this hidden gem focuses on Chinese cuisine with hints of French and Italian inspiration. Happy Boy offers a small, charming space in a converted warehouse. Recommendations include the dried fried green beans, salt and pepper prawns and pork belly sliders. 

Bird’s Nest Yakitori & Bar

Bird’s Nest brings traditional Japanese Yakitori to Brisbane. Using solely fresh, free-range meats and organic produce, Bird’s Nest offers multiple gluten-free and vegetarian options. They specialize in skewers with beef, chicken, veggies, tofu and/or pork belly. 

Paddington Curry House

Specializing in Indian and Nepalese cuisine, Paddington Curry House provides complementary rice with every curry order. Staples include paneer tikka, an Indian cheese marinated in tandoori spices then grilled to perfection, and traditional chicken malai tikka. Their goat curry is a staple for every curry fanatic.

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Citron Restaurant

For anyone who enjoys modern twists to their Asian cuisine will fall in love with Citron. Owned and operated by Robert Foley, previously of Piccolo Restaurant, and notable chef Mark Newman. Citron is the only restaurant in town where eaters can find green tea salt calamari with ginger chili dipping sauce.

Fat Noodle Restaurant

Fat Noodle was created by famed chef Luke Nguyen, and includes a mix of Vietnamese, Chinese, Thai and Malay dishes. Nguyen’s signature dish is Fat Pho Noodles, which consists of a 20-hour beef broth, bean sprouts, fresh Thai basil, fresh chili and rice noodles. 

Australia, Cultural and Historical Heritage, Travel Planning, Travel Tips

4 Places to Visit in Bathurst!

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Bathurst is a pleasant destination for those travellers that are looking for a new and satisfying place to visit in Australia. This quiet city is highlighted by interesting historical locations and incredible picturesque views.

Australian Mineral & Fossil Museum

 Fossil-museum1
For those individuals who love taking a historical look at the Bathurst area, the Australian Fossil and Mineral Museum is a fantastic place to check out. This hot spot is actually the home of the Somerville Collection, which is an internationally renowed collection of the work from Professor Warren Somerville. Within this museum, you will be treated to all kinds of rare fossils and minerals from around the globe. Of course, though, there are also a good amount of specimens showed here right from Australia. These really are the world’s finest assortment of minerals and fossils.
Bathurst Memorial Entertainment Centre
The Bathurst Memorial Entertainment Centre is a 650 seat Theatre City Hall that can hold up to 1100 people. Here, visitors are treated to all kinds of shows, plays and productions. There are also four conference rooms located here, which is ideal for seminars and other meetings. This Entertainment Center is a member of the APACA Publication. It’s open every day from 9 am to 5 pm.
National Motor Racing Museum
Anyone in Bathurst that loves motor racing needs to take a look at the National Racing Museum. This is a museum that truly celebrates and enlightens all visitors on the history, racers and overall achievements of Australian Motor Sports. This includes the history of items like the speedway, drag, solar, rallying, open wheeler. There is also information here on sports car and the opportunity to see touring cars. The two main displays found at the National Motor Racing Museum are the Mount Panorama and the Bathurst 1000. The history of Motorbike racing is heavily focused on here.
Turon Technology Museum
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Engines are a big draw here in Bathust, which is what you will get to see up-close in Turon Technology Museum. This museum homes a bunch of different exhibits on the development of the stream and internal engine and how it eventually transitioned into the internal combustion engine and then the stream engine. The Turon Technology Museum is not your average Australian museum. Visitors can attend guided tours here that take roughly two hours. However, there are many different attendees that will stay at the Turon Technology Museum for five hours or more. There is no rush to leave here, as visitors can also sit down and enjoy the beautiful nearby scenery with a lazy lunch.

 

Asia, Editor's Picks, Theme and Amusement Park

Singapore’s sensational Sentosa

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Words: Len Rutledge  Pictures: Phensri Rutledge

Sentosa is a very popular island just south of the main Singapore island. It is visited by some five million people a year. It was first developed about 40 years ago but was often a disappointment to visitors. Now it is coming into its own and I suggest that it is a ‘must-visit’ place to see for all Singapore visitors. There are now sufficient offerings of interest to adults and children to keep everyone amused for a day or two.

Sentosa Express

There are basically four ways to reach Sentosa Island, the cable car from Mount Faber or Harbourside, the Sentosa Express light rail from VivoCity, the footbridge from near VivoCity, or a taxi from anywhere within Singapore.

Sentosa Island (19)

The Sentosa Express light rail station is on the 3rd floor of the VivoCity shopping mall beside the large food court. You need to buy a ticket which currently costs S$4 round trip. The train operates every 5-8 minutes from 7 a.m. to 11:45 p.m. daily. Once on the island you can walk to many of the attractions but there are also three bus routes and one beach tram route to help you reach some of the more distant attractions.

Sentosa cable car

Sentosa Island (125)

The cable car is the most exciting way to reach Sentosa. It begins at The Jewel Box on Mount Faber which houses a retail shop, the cable car station and five different restaurants and bars. This was constructed with the cable car in 1974. There is also a cable car station in HarbourFront Tower 2 near VivoCity. The current cable car cost is $26 (Adult) and $15 (Child) and while this seems high there is no disputing the fabulous view you get on the ride across to the island.

Beaches

Beach Station is the end of the Sentosa Express light rail system and is a transfer hub for the bus and beach tram services. The beach stretches both east and west from here and you can walk in either direction.

Tanjong Beach and Palawan Beach are to the east. Tanjong Beach is popular for its tranquillity and solitude. The sand is clear, the water at times less so. The Tanjong Beach Club offers seafood from around the globe, tropical fruit cocktails, beach volleyball, a pool and entertainment at night.

sensational Sentosa

Family-friendly Palawan Beach has good sand and interesting shops and eateries. There are wading pools and water fountains for kids to cool off in, an aviary and the Animal & Bird Encounters show.  A suspension bridge links to the Southernmost Point of Continental Asia, a small islet with a viewing deck at the top of the towers which are located there.

Long Siloso Beach stretches to the west of Beach Station. This is claimed to be Singapore’s hippest beach, and on weekends it is alive with people day and night. There are bars, several shopping options, and bistros and restaurants.

Sentosa Island (56)

This is also where you can access the 450 metre Zip-line which travels 75 metres above ground level at speeds of up to 60 km/h, across the jungle, the beach, and the sea.

Merlion Plaza

Merlion Plaza has the Imbiah Sentosa Express station and the centre-point here is a 37-metre tall replica of the Merlion complete with viewing galleries and a souvenir shop. An admission fee applies. This forms a north-south axis through the island. The northern end leads to the Festive Terrace while in the south a winding walkway leads to the beach.

Sentosa Island (176)

Escalators connect to the Imbiah Lookout area where there are several food outlets including Starbucks, The Arches, and Tastes of Singapore.

Images of Singapore

I think Images of Singapore is one of the better attractions in this area. It is an historical museum with exhibits showing the history of Singapore using multi-media displays, multi-screen theatre presentations and wax models. There are numerous exhibitions covering Malay rule, the British period, the Japanese occupation, and early independence under Singapore’s first Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew.

Sentosa Island (120)

Madame Tussauds Singapore will open late 2014 and will include a boat ride known as ‘The Spirit of Singapore’, featuring iconic local landmarks. The ride will connect the new wax museum to the existing ‘Images of Singapore’ attraction in the same building.

Resorts World Singapore

Resorts World Sentosa has added a number of further attractions to the island. Marine Life Park is claimed to be the world’s largest oceanarium. It consists of several major attractions: S.E.A. Aquarium, the innovative Maritime Experiential Museum where you can experience Singapore’s past as a trading port, Dolphin Island, and Adventure Cove Waterpark.

Then there is the Trick Eye Museum which refers to an art technique that turns two-dimensional paintings into three-dimensional images through the use of optical illusions.

Sentosa Island (209)

There are two free shows that you should see. Lake of Dreams is a spectacular choreographed display of fire, water and light with a musical score. It is presented every night at 9.30 p.m. at Festive Walk. Crane Dance is produced each night at 9.00 p.m. at the Waterfront.

Universal Studios Singapore

This has become sensational Sentosa biggest attraction. There are seven zones around a lagoon all with roller coasters or other movie-themed attractions. You can purchase your day passes online and save time queuing when you arrive at the park. A one day pass costs S$74 for adults and S$54 for children.

Sentosa Island (229)

On weekends the park can get quite crowded so arriving early is a smart move. Normal operating hours are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. but they do vary throughout the year.

Other attractions

There is much more to Sentosa. Some of the other attractions are Underwater World and Dolphin Lagoon, Fort Siloso, Wavehouse Sentosa, The Tiger Sky Tower, The Butterfly Park and Insect Kingdom, Sentosa Nature Discovery and Nature Walk, Sentosa 4D Adventureland, Skyline Luge Sentosa, and iFly.

Sentosa Island (48)

Wings of Time features dancing water fountains, enhanced pyrotechnic effects, and a live cast. You view the performance from a large open-air viewing gallery. The 25-minute show runs twice nightly every evening at a cost of S$18.

Len Rutledge is the author of Experience Singapore, an ebook available from Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NBJD2XY

Travel Tips

How to find cheap all inclusive trips

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Going on a vacation is everyone’s cup of tea. Unfortunately, not so many people have the opportunity of enjoying a holiday trip as cost seems to be a great stumbling block. Cruises, getaways, resorts, flights and other aspects can be quite expensive and searching for cheap all inclusive trips is not an option but a very important consideration. An all inclusive holiday package includes hotel, flight, entertainment and some meals as well. However, the actual elements of such an all inclusive vacation package will depend on exactly where you intend to travel and the companies you are dealing with in booking the vacation. To find the least expensive deals on all inclusive getaways, here are a few tips that will be of great help to you.

Destinations

Destinations play a very significant role in determining the cost of all inclusive trips and it is essential that you choose wisely where you intend to go. While some vacationers have a definite idea of the destination they wish to visit, there are some who simply want to go far away from home where there are no work schedules, alarm clocks or stress. Some destinations are well known when it comes to offering cheap vacation packages and they are definitely worthy of consideration. As such, you will need to do your homework well in order to find destinations that suit your budget but which can still guarantee you the best and most memorable experience.

Travel dates

When you will decide to travel is very important, especially if you are looking forward to finding cheap all inclusive trips. There are different ways in which you can use travel dates tactically to get cheap vacations. To start with, make sure that you plan your trip well in advance as this will go a long way in garnering you some discounts. If you can travel during off-season, then the better for you as you will be able to enjoy a much cheaper vacation. All popular vacation spots and resorts have times of the year when their business is booming as well as times when business is quite low. You will be able to find great deals during the lulls as most tourism operators will be willing to bend down on prices to ensure that their facilities remain relatively busy.

Before you finally decide to choose a cheap trip, it is essential that you have an idea of exactly what you are expecting. Cheap all inclusive trips make it possible for you to enjoy nice hotel rooms and have a nice time on a budget. You can’t, however, expect to stay in a luxurious hotel suite, enjoy catered dinners and limo services when traveling on a budget price. As usual, you will always get what you pay for. Online reviews can really help you a lot in making wise decisions and ensuring that you enjoy the most reasonable all inclusive trips possible. Hunting for online discounts is a great way to ensure that you pay much less for your vacation and still enjoy the experience.

 For even more useful tips and information or if you want to check out the latest offers online for all inclusive holidays follow this useful link: http://www.startour.dk/All-Inclusive-hoteller/.

Travel Tips

The pros and cons of the cancellation trips

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Going on a holiday is something most people dream of all the time. There is nothing more refreshing than a week in the sun. There are, of course, holidays for every taste and interest and for every budget. There are plenty of agencies out there that are always willing to help you make the right choice. Amongst the holidays that you plan for a long time there are also cancellation trips that you can avail of if you can prepare yourself to leave in the last minute. Many people think that these vacations are the way to go but are these holidays as good as they are thought to be?

cancellation trip

Pros

One of the biggest advantages of the cancellation trips is that they are extremely cheap. You just need to be flexible with your time and you can find a fantastic all inclusive holiday half price. Many people would tell you that thanks to these trips they have been to places that they may have never considered visiting otherwise.

The travel agencies like to have their hotels and planes full so every seat needs to be taken. With the cancellation trips, although those seats have already been taken they have been cancelled afterwards, so the travel agency will need to sell them again in order to fill their hotels and planes. The prices of those trips, as mentioned before, are extremely low because most agencies have to refund only a small amount of money to the original holiday maker. The money that they have refunded they will need to get back and that is why these holidays are so cheap.

The cancellation trips need to be sold as quickly as possible. That is why it is wise to register your email address with a travel agency so that you stay updated with the latest holidays on offer. You will normally get emails on daily basis that will show you several cancellations that you can choose from. Remember that the first to come is served first so if you have found the desired holiday, you will need to book it ASAP.

Cons

One of the negatives of these trips is that, because they are extremely cheap, you need to book them as soon as you see them. You will not have the time to check if you can get days off work or to check if your partner can also make it. You will have to book the holiday and then worry about the rest. Sometimes you will feel forced to book a holiday that you have no idea if you will be able to attend.

You have to be very flexible with time as some of those cancellation trips are last minute notice meaning that they can only give you a day’s notice. Some people say that if you want to avail of those trips, you will need to have your bags packed before you start searching. This is something that most people wouldn’t do so it can cause them hassle in organizing everything before the departure like pets, kids, etc.

Cancellation trips may sometimes cost you a little more than if you have booked them in advance. This is because as you are buying somebody else’s holiday you will be paying for the things they have wanted to do or see. For example, if they had 2 kids and wanted to go to the water park every day, but you don’t have kids and want to go diving, you will have paid for the water park but wouldn’t be using it and you will have to pay for the diving trips additionally. Also, you will be stuck with their choice of hotel and food in the case of all inclusive holidays.

Cancellation trips are great if you know all the pros and cons and search for them the right way. However, they really are not for everyone out there so always do your research before you make any final decisions and payments.

Author Bio:

This article is written by Paul Winchester. Paul is a freelance writer with more than 4 years experience and he msotly interested in writing about traveling. For even more useful tips and information about cancellation trips from Startour (or as the Danes say afbestillingsrejser fra Startour) check out this web page.