The Purple Passport

Seasoned advice for British Travellers

Asia

The 4 Best Destinations in Asia for a Family Vacation

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Looking for a place to take the kids over their next school holiday? Traveling with your children is a great way to educate them about different cultures and customs, broadening their horizons in the process. There’s no place better to do it than multicultural Asia, which offers plenty of wholesome amusements for the entire family to enjoy. Below are the best countries to take your kids to when school lets out for the year.

Vietnam

For a family vacation in Vietnam, stick to historical Hanoi or on Phu Quoc island. An easy and convenient way of setting it up would be to search online for Vietnam travel packages, which will also allow you to save money on flights and accommodations. If you go with booking with travel agents, many of them are even able to suggest family-friendly itineraries for the location of your preference, saving you the hassle of looking up which sites are worth the effort of seeing.

In Hanoi, the city itself is a living piece of history. A cyclo ride into the narrow streets of the Old Quarter is sure to be a novel experience for the little ones. Take them to the Thang Long Water Puppet Show for an audiovisual retelling of some of Hanoi’s classic folk tales, and then bring them to Hoan Kiem Lake to show them the shrine dedicated to the magical turtle featured in Vietnam’s centuries-old stories.

On the island of Phu Quoc, your kids can go up close and personal with rare wildlife at the Phu Quoc Safari or learn more about the environment by trekking through Phu Quoc National Park. You may also want to visit Vinpearl Land Phu Quoc, an amusement park and water park combo filled with thrilling rides, slides, and other attractions.

Singapore

Singapore is one of the best places for a holiday with kids if convenience is what you’re after. It’s a very walkable city, and going from one attraction to the other is made that much easier because of the city-state’s phenomenal public transport network.

Your little animal lovers will remember you taking them to the open-air Singapore Zoo, where they can view their favorite creatures in their close-to-natural habitats. Same goes for a visit to Jurong Bird Park and the S.E.A. Aquarium on Sentosa Island.

Speaking of Sentosa Island, your children may never want to leave this place! After all, it’s a hub of wholesome and family-friendly activities. Here, they can do go-karting at Skyline Luge, go swimming in the man-made Rainbow Reef over at Adventure Cove Waterpark, and go on all their favorite rides at Universal Studios Singapore.

Japan

Just like Singapore, Japan is a popular choice with families for its orderliness and for its many theme parks. There are two big ones: Tokyo Disneyland in Tokyo, and Universal Studios Japan in Osaka. You don’t even have to pick just one to go to. Travel between the major prefectures of Kanto (where Tokyo is in) and Kansai (where Osaka is in) is fast and easy, since they are both served by the Shinkansen or bullet train.

Japan is also a great place to introduce your kids to arguably one of the best cuisines in the world. They’ll always remember their first bite of onigiri or their first bowl of ramen. They’re also likely to be amused with the variety of foodstuff that one can buy from any one of the country’s ubiquitous vending machines!

After introducing your kids to some of Japan’s temples and pagodas, also make sure to visit some of country’s well-known kid-friendly  museum. For example, consider dropping by the cutting-edge MORI Building Digital Art Museum in Tokyo, which is guaranteed to be a full-on sensory experience your little ones will love. If you can score tickets, a visit to the Ghibli Museum in Mitaka is also both delightful and educational. It’s specifically geared towards younger audiences, so they’ll learn how animated films are made and produced in a manner that’s easy for them to absorb and understand.

Indonesia

Bali tops the list when it comes to kid-friendly provinces in Indonesia. Sure, the island is famous for being a haven for honeymooners, but it’s great for families with children, too!

Many resorts in Bali offer activities that are geared towards kids, and these include those that don’t involve swimming. Look for resorts with dedicated kids’ clubs that will keep the young ones engaged with arts and crafts, sports lessons, or cultural experiences. Of course, it’s also important to venture outside for more unforgettable experiences, like meeting the elephants at Elephant Safari Park Bali, whitewater rafting in the Ayung River, or ziplining from tree to tree at the Bali Treetop Adventure Park.

There’s no need to go halfway across the world for a memorable family vacation; the trick is in making it meaningful. Visit any of the destinations on our list, and we guarantee that you’ll have a family vacation your children will be talking about for years to come.

First Time in Asia: 5 Savvy Travel Tips for Your First Trip to Southeast Asia

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How many times have you returned from a vacation only to wish you’d done some things differently while you were there?

That’s okay if your adventures were just around the corner. It’s another thing altogether if you’re planning to join the ranks of the 323 million tourists who visited Asia in recent times.

If you’re heading off to spend time in Asia, take note of these tips so you don’t have any regrets after your trip.

1. Make the Most of Your Time in Asia

This doesn’t mean try to cram as much of the place into your travels as possible. Sure, it’s a wonderful idea to take in all the famous sights and activities on offer, but try to keep it simple.

You’ll get far more out of the experience if you focus on a few destinations and explore them thoroughly. Rushing from place to place is hardly enjoyable or relaxing.

2. Pack Light

Seriously, Southeast Asia is pretty advanced. You’ll find great hotels and shops in all the main centers.

You don’t need to bring all the comforts of home along with you. If you need something, you’ll probably be able to buy it.

Plan to do doing laundry every chance you get. That way, you can get away with packing fewer clothes.

3. Prepare Thoroughly

Before you leave, make sure that you’ve gotten all the necessary vaccines for Southeast Asia. While you can get your inoculations in Bangkok on arrival, you don’t want to waste precious time searching for a clinic when you get there.

Anti-malarial medication will spare you the agonies of this tropical disease. However, there’s nothing like a good insect repellant to save you from buzzing annoyances throughout your stay.

If you do need a visa for Southeast Asian travel, you can get one on arrival. The trick is to come prepared.

Make sure you have US dollars and passport photos handy at the time. You can also save time by printing out the necessary online forms and filling them in beforehand.

4. Travel Differently

Don’t confine yourself to using standard public transport like planes, trains, and buses. Hire a bike, hop on board a tuk-tuk, or take the ferry.

When you try something new, the journey can be as exciting as the destination.

That said, hiring a scooter can be fraught with risk. The crowded urban roads are daunting and everyone drives on the left. Mastering these two aspects at once may prove a little much, even for experienced scooter drivers.

5. Change Money on Arrival

Hotels and airports aren’t the best choices if you’re after a good exchange rate. Rather, opt for a local bank when exchanging your currency.

Be sure to keep plenty of cash on hand as you travel. You’ll need it for tips, fares, and attractions. If you want to use a credit card for some purchases, make sure you have one that doesn’t charge a fee for foreign transactions.

Keep Exploring

One of the best ways to prepare for a trip abroad is to research destinations before you leave. Travel bloggers and tourist sites are filled with helpful information for incident-free journeys.

Whether it’s some time in Asia or you’re after or other lifestyle tips, you can rely on us for the latest information. Keep browsing our website for more.

Discover the best of Goa in the rains

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Come monsoons and I am off to Goa again. It has always been one of “the destinations” I prefer to enjoy during the rains. The beauty of the beaches coupled with rains and lush greenery makes the place even more amazing. Though the best time to visit this tourist hot spot is sometime between October to March, I do not prefer it due to the tourist infestation. The ideal meaning of vacation to me is enjoying the beauty of a destination when it neither feels lonely nor overtly crowded. And a weekend in Goa is the answer.

I discovered that the monsoons are an ideal time for me to unwind and rejuvenate on the Goan beaches. I wanted this trip to be well-planned and executed as I was eagerly anticipating it and thus, I went about researching the places to visit and stay to enjoy this unwinding interlude. It was then I realized that I could bask in the glory of everything in Goa with three popular monsoon hot spots of the city, the Baga beach, Calangute, and Candolim.

Travel to Goa

As an inevitable tourist destination that nestles amidst the beautiful seas and hills, I have witnessed Goa enthralling a limited number of tourists during the monsoons. It was not just the amazing discounts I found online but also the promise of solace and tranquillity in the otherwise crowded city bustling with tourists during the ideal visiting seasons.

I prefer traveling to Goa by air as it saves a lot of time. The airport is 29 km off Panaji and I opted to get a car on rent with Savaari car rentals for a convenient and optimal experience.

Goa, an overview 

Goa is one of the coolest and serene destinations to visit during the monsoons. Green Ghats like the Chorla Ghat, Amboli Ghat are no less pristine and refreshing, washed up in the Goan torrents. Take a drive to the exotic valleys and marvelous waterfalls to be equally mesmerized.

I booked a taxi for my travel to the stunning Dudhsagar Falls, Tambdi Surla, Chorla, and the Netravali Waterfalls and was glad that I visited there during the monsoons. The cascading water with the increased flow of water, thanks to the rain, was an overwhelming sight. I took the adventurous trek to the falls and spotted some beautiful butterflies, exotic birds, and animals. The next morning, we headed to the Aguada and Chapora forts where the rains added on to the charms of these timeless classics. The car driver was aware of the roads and this made our life simpler.

I feasted on the Goanese, Konkan, and continental cuisine at some of the permanent restaurants and shacks. The next stop was suggested by our car driver – the Savoi spice plantation. The scenic drive through the tropical forests and the verdant valleys were simply perfect. I savored the aroma of spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, pepper, cloves, cardamom, and vanilla. To top it all, Goan Saraswat meal was served for lunch and I couldn’t have asked for more.

I had saved the best for the last; the beaches. We visited the butterfly beach, Colva beach and the Palolem beach in South Goa. The little drops from the sky made these places worthwhile to visit.

It is recommended to book rooms in advance during the off-season and avail the discounts on some of the luxury hotels in the city for a comfortable stay. I had made my reservations and sought accommodation at a beach resort in Baga, North Goa. Since the Baga beach is one of the most happening beaches in Goa, I had a good taste of the nightlife as well.

Reaching Goa by cabs

A drive to Goa is quite an adventure. The versatile terrains, ghats with infinite twists and turns are a challenge. As a frequent traveler to Goa, I suggest you book a reliable and affordable taxi in Goa for a road trip during the weekend. The drivers are well versed with the roads and know the best places where you could stop to click amazing pictures. I particularly find cabs to be convenient when I am out on vacation. I believe that I can cover most of the places with the help of a local taxi driver who will make sure to cover all the places that I cannot afford to miss on my weekend getaway.

Distance and time taken

The Goa International Airport is in Dabolim. The nearest tourist destination I could visit first was the Candolim which was approximately 37 km. We were able to cover this distance in about an hour while driving on the NH 366 and NH 66. The distance from the airport to Baga beach depends on the route taken where the distance via NH 66 is approximately 47 km, and the distance via NH 366 is 52 km. It takes 40 km to reach the Calangute beach from the Dabolim Airport. There are innumerable beach resorts and luxury resorts in Goa for a comfy stay. You may book your place of stay accordingly.

If you are an adventure seeker like me, then Goa is the place to be during the monsoons. It is the perfect break with a whole bunch of offbeat things to do. I was pleased that my trip to one of the popular tourist destinations in India during the offseason indeed turned out to be one of the best to date.

Must see Historical places in Bangalore

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Bengaluru, or more popularly referred as Bangalore, is known as the garden city, and techies love to call it by the Silicon Valley of India. Full of lavishly laid gardens all over the city, you’ll find clean and smooth roads, corporate offices of all major tech MNCs and high-rises. And what you’d expect least in this city is historical places, as Bengaluru is not very commonly mentioned for historical monuments, correct? However, you’ll be surprised to know that there are lots of places where you’ll witness some of the most important events from the pages of history which helped to shape India what it is today. There are lots of resorts near Bangalore like Discovery Village with all modern amenities where you can stay for a couple of days to visit these places. Let’s have a brief journey over those places and monuments to know our root and culture deeper.

  1. Fort of Tipu Sultan: Imagine walking back in the history when the great emperor Tipu Sultan administered the Mysore, in his own summer palace. This fort and palace are located at the heart of the Bengaluru; you’d have no problem finding the place even if you’re a first timer in the city. Hyder Ali, the father of Tipu Sultan, started building this fort and later was completed by his son. The construction of the palace reflects the architectural prowess of the Indo-Islamic style. Every pillar, every balcony, every wall and every part of the fort and palace neatly describes the royalty once dominated a significant portion of India back then. If you’re a keen student of history, there’s no better place to learn more about Tipu Sultan and his reign than the museum of the palace, where you’ll see lots of things with immense historical importance. The place opens at 8.30 am and remains open till 5.30 pm, including holidays. Entry fee for a single person is 15 rupees only.
  2. Bangalore Fort: The great Kempe Gowda, known as the founder of Bengaluru, built this fort using mud. Later the father of Tipu Sultan, Hyder Ali fortified the fort with stones and made it like how it looks today. Once it had nine gates, but most of the structure got destroyed over the beating of time. The famous Delhi gate is still there and preserved well for the tourists to see. You can go there anytime between 8.30am to 5.30 pm every day for an entry fee of 5 rupees only.
  3. Bangalore Palace: This place would make its spot among the top contenders of any list of top historical attractions in Bengaluru, and for good reasons. In a city like Bengaluru which is the fourth most populated and one of the busiest cities of India, it adds as a surprise element to come across such a gorgeous historical place spread around 454 acres of area. This place is breathtakingly beautiful, thanks to the Tudor Revival architecture which sets it apart from other historical monuments in the city. This palace was built in the impression of the famous Windsor palace of England, one of the homes of Royal British family, and it reflects that same British architectural finesse of that time. King Chamaraja Wadiyar built this palace in 1887 and it still standing there as the epitome of British historical architecture in India. The place opens for the public every day at 10 am and closes at 5.30 pm.
  4. Government Museum: Museums are the places where historical and archaeological elements are being preserved for the keen souls, but the government museum of Bengaluru itself is a building of prominent historical importance. It is among the oldest museums of India and was founded in 1865 by the surgeon Balfour (who also established the Madras Museum). The architecture of the building followed the neo-classical style in the exterior, and the interior comprises eighteen galleries total with rarest artifacts, paintings, coins and scriptures from the centuries of Indian history. The museum remains closed every Monday; you can go there to have a glimpse of history at any other days of the week within 10 am to 5m.

If you’re in Bengaluru or somewhere near it, it will be one of your best weekend road trips; If you come to visit some of these finest references of Indian history.

A Local’s Guide to Gangtok

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Gangtok is the capital of the mountainous state of Sikkim that shares its borders with Nepal and Bhutan. This dreamy and laid back town is the perfect travel destination for adventure lovers, trekkers and nature lovers who can catch the spectacular view of the Khangchendzonga. Its unique culture is well-represented by its serene Buddhist monasteries, colourful local festivals and a homogeneous blend of various religion, tradition and custom of ethnic groups of people living here. Gangtok March to May and October to December are the busiest tourist seasons of Gangtok.

After landing in the Bagdogra airport, tourists have the option of hiring Siliguri to Gangtok Cabs to travel a distance of 114 km over 4 hours to reach Gangtok. Taxi service in Siliguri is available to take travellers through a scenic journey through the winding hills in a hassle-free manner.

Gangtok has some interesting tourist places that should be a part of your travel itinerary.

Monasteries

Sikkim is an important Buddhist pilgrimage site. Hence one can find ancient monasteries which are Tibetan centres of learning and worship for lamas.

The Rumtek Monastery or the Dharma Chakra Centre is the largest monastery where one can find the golden stupa bearing the relic of the 16th leader.

The protecting deities of Khangchendzonga and Yabdean reside in the famous Enchey monastery that has been aesthetically built with elaborate carvings and architectural style to resemble a Chinese Pagoda.

The other monasteries like the Lingdum, Do Drul Chorten, Ranka and Gonjang Monastery are set in beautiful locations where you can rest, meditate and rotate the prayer wheels.

Nature

Gangtok has some exotic locations for sightseeing. Hidden away from the urban sprawl, The Bakthang Waterfall is a gorgeous natural spring that is a delightful place for photography.

Take a trip to the several viewpoints with your binoculars to catch the sunrise or sunset with the backdrop of the mighty Himalayas. Tashi View Point and Hindu Temples of Hanuman Tok and Ganesh Tok are strategic points from where you can watch the panoramic views of the surrounding hills.

The Banjhakri Falls and Energy Park is a recreational centre. The park’s display document Shamanic traditions of the people of Sikkim. Your kids will love playing around the artificial lake with dragon, gazebos, footbridges and museum hall.

The Flower Exhibition centre is another notable attraction where tourists flock to see rare orchids and flowers. The Himalayan Zoological Park is a wildlife lover’s paradise where a wide variety of animals and fauna species are nurtured in natural conditions.

Heritage

The Namgyal Institute of Tibetology is a museum and a research centre that is worth a visit to see rare photographers of old Sikkim.

Leisure Activities

Take a ropeway ride to get a bird’s eye view of the Gangtok city.

Casino Deltin Denzong is a gaming centre where tourists can spend their evenings playing poker, money wheel, roulette and other exciting games.

Visit the Nathula Pass of East Sikkim to see the China border that is an offshoot of the ancient Silk Road. The Changu Lake and Baba Temple lie on its way. You need to have a government pass to travel to the international border.

Adventure enthusiasts can indulge in outdoor activities like camping, whitewater rafting and rock climbing that are arranged by tour operators.

Food and Shopping

Gangtok has some delightful shopping hubs like the Mahatma Gandhi Marg, Lal Bazaar and Kanchenjunga Shopping complex where you can pick souvenirs like Tibetan carpets, Sikkim tea, wooden dragon sets, Alpine cheese, black cardamom and handwoven jackets. Thangka paintings, semi-precious stone and silver jewellery items, handcrafted ‘Choksee’ are some of the indigenous products that can be purchased from Gangtok.

Exclusive treats of Sikkim are readily available at the roadside stalls and posh malls of Gangtok. Tibetan style momos with veg and chicken fillings and Thukpas are commonly available and must be tried if your visit the Denzong Inn, Cafe Tibet and Potala restaurant.