Bangkok is Big City Transit

Getting around in a city like Bangkok – with its reputation for record-setting traffic jams – is a daunting task for anyone unfamiliar with the system. Standing on the corner you’ll see taxis, tuk-tuks, buses, trains, motorcycles – even boats if you’re near a canal or the river. But if you know a bit about how it all fits together, getting around is actually pretty simple.

The first rule to keep in mind is that Bangkok’s public transportation system is designed to be used in a modular fashion – that is, one single mode of transport is rarely enough to get you where you want to go. Sure, taxis can go door-to-door, but they’re also at the mercy of traffic jams, construction, and VIP motorcades that frequently shut down roads. Real Bangkok pros mix it up a bit – a taxi to the train, the skytrain to station X, a motorcycle taxi to your destination.

First – the trains. As of 2013, Bangkok has two skytrain (BTS) lines, one subway (MRT) line, and one airport link (SARL), with more on the way. All are accessed with single use cards/tokens, or stored value cards that you can recharge when they run out. There are also single or multi-day passes for tourists.

• The BTS Sukhumvit line comes 6.5km south from Mo Chit station, then turns east, where it follows the main drag of Sukhumvit for another 15km, finishing at Bearing station. The BTS Silom line starts at the National Stadium station, goes east for 1km, then turns south, crossing the river and finishing up approximately 9km later at Talat Phlu station (two more stations – Wutthakat and Bang Wa – will open soon). These two lines – Sukhumvit and Silom – touch at only one point, Siam Square, and it’s here where you can transfer between lines.
• The MRT subway is a bit easier, as it’s only one line. Starting near Chatuchak Market at Bang Sue station, it carves a giant, backwards C for about 20km until it terminates at Hualumphong Station near Chinatown. You can transfer to the BTS at three points – Sala Daeng/Silom, Suhkumvit/Asok, and Chatuchak/Mo Chit.
• Similarly, the SARL Airport Link is a single line that runs from Phaya Thai (where it connects to the BTS) 20km east to Suvarnabhumi Airport. To be honest, unless you’re going to/from the airport, you probably won’t need to use this one.

Motorcycle taxis and tuk-tuks: These guys are the real workhorses of the Bangkok commute, as they’re able to weave in and out of traffic and take the smaller streets where taxis can’t go. Motorcycle taxis are identifiable by their bright orange vests and usually hang around busy street corners waiting for a fare. Tuk-tuk’s are a bit different – it’s best to flag these down, as the ones that hang out by malls or hotels usually – but not always – try to overcharge you. For both, settle on the price before you leave, and always ask for a helmet with a motorcycle taxi.

Buses: Buses are great if you know which number to catch and don’t mind waiting in traffic to save a bit of money. They’re cheap, but the attendant on board will rarely speak English, so you need to know the deal before you get on.

Khlong Boats: One of the biggest khlongs (canals) in Bangkok has one of the gnarliest transport lines – the Saen Saeb Khlong Boat. It’s cheap, it’s noisy, it’s stinky, and it’s a great way to cut right through the middle of town. Going from Phan Fa Lilat (about 1km away from Khao San Road) all the way through the middle of town to Wat Sriboonreung in Bangkok’s northeast suburbs (with a change of boats at the Pratunam Pier), it’s a great way to beat the traffic, but you have to be nimble and fast to get on or off when the boats slam up against the pier and the crowd of commuters makes its move.

River Boats: If you want to explore the river or travel to your destination by water, this is the way to go. Different from the tourist boats, these ‘water taxis’ stop at different piers along their route depending on which flag the boat is flying – orange, yellow, green or no flag. Each pier has a map that’s easy to figure out, and the price varies on distance, but is rarely over 20 baht.

The secret to getting around in Bangkok is familiarizing yourself with the rough areas each of these modes of transport cover, and then learning where they connect. Once you do this, getting around Bangkok becomes less of a challenge, and – dare we say it – may even approach being enjoyable!

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From Below and Above of Hong Kong

Hong Kong has long held a fascinating middle ground between east and west. Its British colonial past has heavily influenced everything from its political structure to the double-decker buses that zoom to and fro, while the city’s location in the heart of Asia has given it a spicy, distinctly Chinese personality lit by neon and laced with customs and culture from around the region.

Over the past several centuries, the area that is now generally known as “Hong Kong” – Hong Kong island, several small and large surrounding islands, and the chunk of land that extends down from mainland China called the New Territories – has been fought over, occupied, colonized and finally expatriated due to its strategic location and important role in the development of the region. Today, it’s one of the world’s great cities – a center of finance and shipping, a showcase for cutting edge tech, delicious food and soaring architecture, a travel hub, and a high-profile tourist destination.

Most international travelers arrive via the gleaming high-tech Chek Lap Kok Airport, which replaced the old Kai Tak airport that was, quite literally, in the middle of the city. The first thing any visitor must know is that transport-wise, Hong Kong is much like New York – defined by its extensive rail system and held together by good old fashioned walking.

Trying to cover the rail system – called the MTR – in its entirety is futile here. Suffice it to say that it’s in your best interest to learn how it works and where it goes. With 22 lines, over 215km of track and 152 stations in total, to call it extensive would be an understatement. First thing’s first – get yourself a rechargeable Octopus card, which gives you access to most of the lines, and a good deal of restaurants and shops as well, where you can ‘beep’ your card on a sensor and pay for your purchase. Indeed, it’s possible to explore the entire city underground, as most stations are subterranean mini-malls in their own right.

The famous Nathan Road is the ‘main drag’ of the city, a 3.5km north-south stretch lined with high-end boutiques that comes down from the New Territories right onto the Kowloon Peninsula, ending at the waterfront only 920m from Hong Kong island. This is one of several spots in the city that offer million-dollar views across the harbor, especially at night. Neon lights flash and shine, and glass & steel towers shoot up like bamboo shoots, illuminating the clouds above with a dull glow. This is also home to the Avenue of the Stars, a rather pale imitation of its cousin in Hollywood, California, but still a great place for a walk. Metallic stars for Jackie Chan, Tsui Hark, Chow Yun Fat and other famous icons line the walkway, and it’s capped with a statue of the city’s most famous export, Bruce Lee, poised and ready to strike.

If your kids (or simply your inner child) wants a bit of an adrenaline rush, you can head to Hong Kong Disneyland or Ocean Park for some rollercoasters, cable cars, rides, or games. Shoppers – and Hong Kong has a lot of them – can head almost anywhere and find something worth buying. Whether it’s a brand new Louis Vuitton bag, a nice new iMac, or a shiny red Ferrari, all of these brands and more have major official stores in Hong Kong. For those with a bit less disposable income, there are countless alleys, night/day markets, malls and vendors where you can find some real (and not so real) bargains. Most of these places can be found between the densely shopping mall-ed Central and Causeway Bay areas, but there also plenty of places to shop across the harbor in Tsim Sha Tsui (which locals simply call TST).

You want nightlife? Hong Kong’s got it. Head to the sprawling Soho area a short walk from the Central MTR station. The fact that it slopes steadily uphill for several kilometers doesn’t stop thousands of people from congregating at its endless restaurants, pubs, bars, discos and even the odd comedy club, helped along by the famous Central-Mid-levels escalators, the longest outdoor escalator system in the world that carries over 55,000 people every day.

And once you’re done exploring Hong Kong from underground and ground level, head to the Ritz Carlton hotel in the International Commerce Center for a view from the top. Ozone bar on the 118th floor will give you a wind-whipped view of the harbor and streets far below. The drinks aren’t cheap but they are expertly mixed – a great metaphor for a fascinating city made from so many different parts.

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City Incider - A Korean Pilgrimage

Asia is truly is a region that has it all, offering almost any type of adventure that a traveler can imagine. But in between stints doing the most popular activities and visiting the most popular locations, plenty of people are finding new and more meaningful ways to connect with Asian people, culture, and history.

Of course there are plenty of great things to be said about spending time in Bangkok or Tokyo or Phuket or Phnom Penh and the experiences there are no less real or authentic than any other that the average traveler will have. But what happens when you put a bit of effort into going off the beaten path, to digging a bit deeper into the culture of your temporary home?

One group of people recently did just this in South Korea, and it was a fascinating window into how travel can connect you to an unfamiliar culture. A group of five travelers – Tony MacGregor, Christopher McCarthy, David Watermeyer, Sangmin Sunim and Rhea Metituk – undertook a pilgrimage to follow in the footsteps of the famous 7th century Korean monk Wonhyo, a 500 km trek that took them from the eastern city of Gyeongju to the famous Wonhyo cave, approximately 100km from Seoul, via some of the most rugged and densely forested areas on the Korean peninsula.

Wonhyo himself is a revered figure in Korean culture. He lived from 617-686 and was known for his unconventional method of teaching and his habit of traveling far and wide. He called himself Muoae Geusa (unhindered practitioner) and could often be seen using a gourd as a drum, dancing and singing in the street and asking people to join in. One of the most famous Wonhyo stories recounts how he took shelter in a dark cave during a rainstorm. Waking up thirsty in the middle of the night, he grabbed a container and drank the cool refreshing liquid inside. Upon waking the next morning, he discovered the cave was actually a tomb, and the container was a human skull filled with musty water. It suddenly occurred to him the power the mind plays in ones’ perception of reality, and this – as the legend goes – was when he achieved enlightenment.

Trips like this offer travelers a rare glimpse not only into the physical character of a country, but also give a great deal of insight into why this culture is the way it is, allowing connections to people on an unusually natural level.

During their trip in Korea, the Wonhyo pilgrims were able to form quick bonds with locals they met along their travels, all of whom knew the stories of the revered holy man very well. Strangers provided them with food, monks invited them to sleep at temples, and donations were made for future hotel stays. Their travels took them to the UNESCO Heritage Site of Yangdong Village, forest temples, steaming hot springs, and numerous villages and hamlets in the Korean wilderness. Using the Wonhyo Pilgrimage as inspiration, why not make your next trip less about visiting and more about exploring?

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The Historical of Penang’s Eastern & Oriental

Of all the former colonial trading ports in Southeast Asia, none has retained its architectural heritage as much as Penang, Malaysia. The historical heart of Penang is Georgetown, an entire city listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site on the northeast corner of the island. It is here that you will find the Eastern & Oriental Hotel, one of the great colonial-style hotels in the region.

The E. & O. (as it is also known) was established in 1885 by the Sarkies Brothers, a family that played a large role in establishing a number of luxury hotels across Southeast Asia, including Singapore’s famed Raffles Hotel. The Sarkies were four brothers, and a cousin, of Armenian descent who hailed from Isfahan in Persia (now Iran.)

In 1885 the Sarkies established their first hotel, the Eastern Hotel on Light Street in Georgetown. The following year they acquired the Hotel de l’Europe on Farquhar Street, which was then renamed the Oriental Hotel. By 1889 the brothers had given up the Eastern Hotel but the name was carried on and added to the Oriental Hotel, thus becoming the Eastern & Oriental Hotel.

It didn't take long for the E. & O. to become the place to be seen, for both the local elite and visitors alike. In the 1920s the hotel was promoted as 'The Premier Hotel East of Suez'. Famous guests who have visited over the years include Rudyard Kipling, Hermann Hesse, Somerset Maugham, Sir Noël Coward, Mary Pickford, Charlie Chaplin, and Michael Jackson.

As with many of the luxurious colonial era hotels in the region, the fortunes of the E. & O. went into decline after World War II, to the point that it was eventually closed down in 1996. Fortunately for Penang the hotel survived the wrecking ball, although sadly the same can't be said for many of its peers. The hotel was eventually restored by its new owner, The E&O Group, and reopened to the general public in 2001. The restoration tastefully maintained the old world charm and grace of the original building – stately marble floors, richly decorative woodwork and  service with a fine attention to detail – while updating the hotel and all of its rooms to modern standards. The property looks out across the Strait of Malacca and has a swimming pool and large seafront lawn, which makes for a relaxing place to retreat to after a day of walking around the city.

It’s also perfectly positioned for easy access to the best that Georgetown has to offer – it’s an easy walk to the historic core where you can see its mix of shophouses, temples, churches, and other monuments that were built in the age of British rule. As the entire city is a World Heritage Site, all of the old buildings are protected from demolition or modification, meaning that Georgetown has a mix of buildings in varying states of repair.

But it's not just the architecture that makes Georgetown famous. You can't talk of Penang without mentioning food, for which Penang is well known throughout the world. Malaysian food is represented by the three main ethnic groups of the nation - Malay, Chinese, and Indian. In Penang you will find the best of all of these represented, and if you like seafood you shouldn’t miss the signature dish of Penang, asam laksa.

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Tips When Going Shopping in India

Many locations around the world bill themselves as a “shopper’s paradise” but in India, it’s definitely true. However – as with many things in India – you do have to know the ins and outs to really get the most out of it.

Over the last few years India has opened up its retail sector dramatically, and in most cities, malls abound. New ones are opening up every day – glitzy, air-conditioned, and full of shops selling exactly the same brands you can find in London, New York or Hong Kong. They’re likely of limited interest to the average tourist unless you want some air conditioning or to see a movie, since the best urban cinemas are often inside malls.

But for the visitor looking for a bit of Indian authenticity, there are far better, more traditional and much more interesting ways of finding that perfect holiday memento or handicraft.

Wherever you go in India, there will likely be an open-air market (often called a bazaar) nearby which will sell an astonishing variety of things, from food to knock-offs, from export rejects to second-hand dentures (I wish I was kidding). These are fun places to trawl, usually because you have no idea what you will find nor what you will end up buying (not the dentures, please). Export rejects are always great bargains, but they are rejects for a reason. Check that Armani T-shirt which costs next to nothing very carefully – there is a reason it’s for sale in a street market. If you can live with the flaw or the tiny hole, buy it and enjoy it.

If you’re a power-shopper, the first stop on your list should always be the local government-run emporium. They’re often pretty dull places with a distinctly slow-paced feel to them, but they have fixed prices and will give you a very good idea of how much things should cost and the range of prices available. If you’re in Delhi, the place to start your shopping research is the multi-storey government owned Central Cottages Industries shop on Janpath. It showcases the traditional products of just about every state in the country, and will give you a good basis from which to start shopping.

But once you’re out in the wild, there will be shops galore selling any amount of handicrafts. In these places bargaining is almost always acceptable, and this is where you need to be on your toes.

Haggling is an art-form in itself, but a rough rule of thumb is to offer half of what the vendor initially suggests, and take it from there. Before you start, decide what you’re prepared to pay for an item, and use that as your rough maximum.

When the seller lowers his price a wee bit, you can increase your offer a wee bit, too. Don’t tell the seller what your ideal price is, don't flash your money around, and be aware that he is a consummate professional.
At some point in the bargaining process, one of two things will happen. The vendor will refuse to budge, and then it is your call. Is his price what you are prepared to pay? If so, enjoy your purchase. If you think it’s too much, you can walk away. If you’re called back, then there is still clearly room to maneuver. If the vendor lets you go, you have probably reached his bottom price.

Never, ever be rude when you bargain - it serves no purpose whatsoever and smiling works much better. If you enter into the haggling ritual in the right frame of mind, you will end up with what you want at roughly what you wanted to pay, and will probably get a cup of chai or a cold drink thrown in for free. Haggling should not be considered a stand-off; it’s a friendly dance, a price-based pirouette around a bag of numbers, only one of which will be agreed upon. However, a word of caution:

Despite what they may say, 99% of the time, the rickshaw-wala/guide/taxi-wala will not have a brother-in-law who happens to own a handicraft shop. By all means go along with them to the shops they suggest, just as long as you realize that commissions are being paid to lure you inside where you will (they hope) buy something.

Do not be naïve, and never think you have to buy something to pacify your guide or taxi driver. You can if you want, but you don’t have to.

So, rules to live by when shopping in India?
Smile. Always.
Decide your own price. Always.
Follow your heart sometimes. Buy a statue or a shawl or a bracelet because you fell in love and simply must have it? Definitely.

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