Visit Asia : Island Hopping in Cebu Philippines

If you find yourself in Cebu, or any of the 7,107 islands for the matter, do not miss out on the simple joys of Island hopping.



The first step is to hire a "banka", a traditional boat made out of sturdy bamboo - it is a medium-sized pump boat that draws its design from that of the outrigger canoe. In modern times a motor engine is attached to it to provide speed. It is actually quite cheap, roughly 40-50 dollars for a tour that will take you from one small island to another - or fish sanctuaries if you prefer to snorkel. On good days, which is quite often, you can see dolphins swimming alongside your boat.



The boat can accommodate around 20-30 people and will stop at fish sanctuaries where there are a lot of colorful corals and lots of different fishes. The men in the picture are your friendly tour guides.



These are rock fishes, and lobsters, that can be bought in the island and cooked fresh. There are also a lot of other choices such as fishes, shells, clams, and sea urchins.



Most of the island around Mactan, where all the good resorts are, have cabins that can be rented out to tourists who want to stay overnight and experience a less-touristy accomodation. But be sure to ask for an extra blanket because the weather can get real chilly at night.



To get to the beach resorts, one should catch a flight to the Mactan International airport and from there take a cab to the resort of choice, most resorts have island-hopping tour packages. For four/five star stays, try Shangri-La Mactan, Plantation Bay or the Hilton Mactan Resort, other great notable resorts are Maribago Blue Water Resort, and Hadsun.

Visit Asia : Taiwan Land of Majestic Mountains

Taiwan truly lives up to its nickname "Formosa" or Beautiful. Nature and wildlife live in undisturbed harmony with the more than 20 million people that call Taiwan home. The mountains in this island state are almost perpetually green and are especially lush during the Spring. I've been to Taiwan several times since my mother is a Taiwanese, and one of the things that never fail to give me a natural high is taking a trek through the heavily wooded areas of Taiwan's mountains, losing myself in nature's unabashed beauty. On these excursions, I almost always take a dip in the many creeks and streams that flow through the mountain, the water is always refreshingly cool and one is certain to see abundant traces of marine creatures. For those who are more adventurous, packing up and staying overnight is definitely an exhilarating experience, just be sure to bring the right gears.

Hunting for wild pigs is also being done in some parts of Taiwan but this is not for the inexperienced as Taiwan's wild boar's have an uncanny sense of smell and can easily detect hunters miles away. There are over a hundred mountains that are over 3000+ meters high, these are great for the mountain climbers. In my travel around Asia I haven't seen many mountains that maintains an atmosphere of untampered solemnity, maybe it is because the people here are very careful in maintaining the natural balance of things. Up north, one can usually encounter snowfall on the country's higher peaks, on a good day, snowfall can be waist deep. For those who may not be ready for hardcore mountaineering, do not worry, a lot of camping tours are willing to take people up the mountains for a fee and my uncle happens to be one of them, and there usually comfy accommodations and great food thrown in the deal. Travel to Asia now and experience Taiwan first hand.

Travel to Asia : Suzhou China

The city of Suzhou is fast becoming a city of skyscrapers, according to some residents seven years ago Suzhou was just flat farming land. But today, one has only to scan the horizon to be greeted by a jagged, uneven array of urban symmetry.

Upscale condominiums and buildings are being built at a rate that seems to reflect the unbridled growth of China as a whole. What is different with Suzhou though is that everything seems to be perfectly orchestrated, not evident in some parts of China, the streets are wide and well-maintained, there is thought put into City planning and even Architectural greats such as I.M. Pei have designed buildings here.

Even though the landscape is changing really fast the city still retains its rich cultural past. Many emperors had palaces here. The large imperial gardens show the power of the emperors in ancient times.

It will be a delight to immerse oneself in both old and new here, a fusion of yesterday and tomorrow. Suzhou is a proud example of what we can get when we hold onto the past while moving towards the future.