An archive of travel features and observations

Bangkok by foot – Temples, palaces and parks

4th April 20206th April 2020 The Mango Road 0 Comments slider, Stories min read

Bangkok by foot – Temples, Palaces and Parks as well as ornate bridges and shophouses. On foot is by far the best way to see this awesome city

Features Laos

Watching the river flow – Luang Prabang 25 years ago

21st March 202022nd March 2020 The Mango Road 0 Comments slider, Stories min read

It was a bit of a white knuckle descent but all that whirling land out of the port side window was an impressive sight.

Features Thailand

Historic towns of the Sukhothai Kingdom

29th February 20204th April 2020 The Mango Road 0 Comments Stories min read

Historic Towns of the Sukhothai Kingdom Two locations close to Sukhothai that form part of the same group of UNESCO

Features Hong Kong

Salt, fish and the battle of Tai O Bay

22nd February 20202nd March 2020 The Mango Road 0 Comments slider, Stories min read

Tagged with the rather grand epithet, the Venice of Hong Kong, Tai O, in the southwest of Lantau island, has become something of a tourist attraction in recent years.

Features Thailand

Sukhothai, the cradle of Thai civilisation

8th February 20201st March 2020 The Mango Road 2 Comments slider, Stories min read

The Sukhothai era is regarded as the cradle of Thai civilisation. It had originally been a trade centre and part of the Lavo Kingdom which was under Khmer rule

China Features

The Jiayang National Mining Park: Walking the Line

25th January 202013th February 2020 The Mango Road 0 Comments slider, Stories min read

Only one of the mines remains operational but the steam hauled railway which serves the small mining communities that grew up along its route is still running.

Features Indonesia

Kebun Raya, Bogor: Gardens in the city

18th January 202025th March 2020 The Mango Road 0 Comments slider, Stories min read

He who plants a garden, plants happiness, says the old proverb. When Casper Reinwardt established his botanical gardens at Buitenzorg in 1817 he did just that.

Features Thailand

Simian City: The Monkeys of Lopburi

30th December 201919th January 2020 The Mango Road 0 Comments slider, Stories min read

It’s early morning in Lopburi, and a monkey has grabbed a bottle of yummy looking yellow liquid and is scampering off along the cables attached to the side of a building.

Features Indonesia

The sweet smell of steam: A century old sugar mill in East Java

22nd December 20197th January 2020 The Mango Road 0 Comments slider, Stories min read

With a shrill whistle, a cloud of black smoke and much clanking of steel engine No4, Semeru, with it’s one truck load of passengers chuffed through the gates

The living Gallery: Art walking in Prnang

Features Malaysia

Art walking in Penang’s living gallery

2nd December 20197th January 2020 The Mango Road 0 Comments Stories min read

One of the joys of exploring Penang’s street art is that new works pop up with no announcement while old works fade or are painted over as buildings are renovated

← Previous

AirAsia is suspending most flight across its entire network.
AirAsia Malaysia: Temporary suspension of all international and domestic flights from 28 March to 21 April
AirAsia Philippines: Temporary suspension of all international and domestic flights from 20 March to 14 April during the community quarantine period in Luzon, as well as in other parts of the country.
AirAsia Thailand: Temporary suspension of all international flights from 22 March to 25 April; domestic operations continue at reduced frequency.
AirAsia Indonesia: Significantly reduced international flights frequency; domestic operations continue at reduced frequency.
AirAsia India: Temporary suspension of all flights from 25 March for 21 days adhering to the government suspension of all domestic flights.
AirAsia Japan: Temporary suspension of international flight from 20 March to 24 April. Domestic flights are operating at reduced frequency.
AirAsia X Malaysia: Temporary suspension of most flights from 28 March to 31 May
AirAsia X Thailand: emporary suspension of all flights from 16 March for a period of 3 months; DMK-ICN suspended until 19 April.

THAILAND
All national parks in the Kingdom will be closed from March 25 until further notice

JAPAN
The 2020 Tokyo Olympics has been postponed until summer 2021.

HONG KONG
Cathay Pacific and Cathay Dragon will reduce flights throughout April and May, Cathay Pacific will oprate three flights per week each to; London (Heathrow), Los Angeles, Vancouver, Tokyo (Narita), Taipei, New Delhi, Bangkok, Jakarta, Manila, Ho Chi Minh City, Singapore and Sydney.

Cathay Dragon will operate three flights per week to Beijing, Shanghai (Pudong), and Kuala Lumpur.

HONG KONG
Budget airline HK Express HK Express will suspend all flights from March 23 until April 30, 2020

THAILAND
Bangkok Airways has made ticket changes more flexible.

Tickets issued on or before March 17 for travel up to 30 April 2020 will be allowed to rebook new dates up to March 31, 2021 without fees.

Refunds for tickets issued on or before 17 March 2020 for up to 30 April 2020 will be eligible for a full refund when a supporting documents, such as government travel restriction, cancellation of incoming flights, doctor certificate etc. are submitted.

THAILAND
Thai Airways and Thai Smile are offering to waive the charges for rebooking on all flights from UK and Ireland booked between March 18 and April 30, 2020. Refunds will be offered in the form of a voucher which will be valid for one year from the original departure date. The voucher must be requested before April 30.

VIETNAM
Vietnam Airlines will suspend all international flights until April 30, 2020.

Flights to/from Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar will not operate from March 21. Flights to/from the UK and Japan will be suspended from March 23. Flights to Germany and Australia will be end from March 24. Services to China, Hong Kong, Macau, South Korea, France, Russia, Malaysia, and Taiwan are already suspended.

HONG KONG
All travellers arriving in Hong Kong will have to self isolate for 14 days. Arrivals will be required to wear a tracking bracelet to ensure compliance.

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Pretty well all gigs and events due to take place in Asia between now and the end of May have been cancelled. Those that aren’t officially cancelled yet probably will be before long unless Covid-19 suddenly packs its bags and leaves us all alone.

The following are just the events that I have no further information on yet.

◼︎ American singer/songwriter Halsey will play the Tokyo Garden Theatre on May 7 – tickets and Olympic Hall, Seoul on May 9 – tickets

PHILIPPINES
Iron Maiden are to headline the Pulp Summer Slam festival at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Manila on May 16. Also on the bill are Death Angel, Dragonforce, BabyMetal, and King 810. Tickets are available here

◼︎ American singer/songwriter Billie Elish has added five Asian dates to her world tour. Tickets are not on sale yet but if you know you’ll be in the area you can register.
25 August – Mercedes-Benz Arena, Shanghai. Tickets
28 August – Taipei Arena, Taiwan. Tickets
30 August – AsiaWorld Expo, Hong Kong. Tickets
02 September – Yokohama Arena, Japan. Tickets
05 September – Mall of Asia Arena, Manila. Tickets

HONG KONG & SINGAPORE
Tickets for the rescheduled 2020 Rugby Sevens in both Hong Kong and Singapore remain valid for the new dates. October 10 – 11 in Singapore and October 16-18 in Hong Kong. Any one unable to attend on those dates are entitled to a full refund.

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