The Mango Road

Putting the life back into lifestyle

  • More Travel Features
    • China
      • All along the Watchtowers
      • The Fire Carts of Xishi
      • Walking the Line
    • Cambodia
      • Silk islands of Koh Dach
    • Hong Kong
      • The New Territories
        • Hiking: Ghost Brides and Haunted Villages
        • On the Trail of Two Monasteries
        • Ping Shan Heritage Trail
        • Salt, fish and the Battle of Tai O Bay
        • Lunch in the officer’s mess
        • Veggies and Rebellion
      • Tai Ping Shan and Sheung Wan
      • On the Waterfront
      • The waterways of Tai Tam
      • The Tai Tam West catchwater
      • Violet Hill and The Twins
    • India
      • Darjeeling Himalayan Railway: The little blue train
      • War, subterfuge and a nice cup of tea
    • Indonesia
      • Botanical Gradens, Bogor
      • The sweet smell of steam
      • Sunrise over Gunung Bromo
    • Laos
      • Watching the river flow
    • Malaysia
      • The Jungle Line
      • Penang’s Living Art Gallery
      • Climbing Mt Kinabalu
      • North Borneo Railway
    • Nepal
      • High as a Kite
    • Thailand
      • Bangkok on foot
      • Historic towns of the Sukhothai Kingdom
      • Sukhothai, The Cradle of Thai Civilisation
      • Ayutthaya, the ancient capital of Siam
      • Simian City
      • Ko Kret: Potters Island
      • Wat Pariwat aka Wat David Beckham
  • A Postcard from …
    • Bagan
    • Cambodia
      • Angkor
    • Darjeeling
    • Hanoi
    • Hong Kong
      • An abandoned Hakka mansion
      • Devil beating in Causeway Bay
      • Nong Ping and Big Buddha
    • Kolkata
    • Krakatau
    • Singapore
    • Thong Pha Phum
  • Airports
    • Cambodia – Phnom Penh
    • Hong Kong – Chek Lap Kok
    • Malaysia – Kuala Lumpur, KLIA2
    • Thailand – Bangkok, Suvarnabhumi
    • Thailand – Bangkok, Don Mueang
    • Vietnam – Noi Bai, Hanoi
    • Vietnam – Da Nang
  • Food
    • Tai O Lookout – Hong Kong
    • Beer Republic – Bangkok
    • Glenary’s – Darjeeling
    • Shanak’s – Phnom Penh
    • Som Tam – Some Like it Hotter
    • Chops – Hanoi
    • 80/20 – Bangkok
    • Coliseum Cafe & Bar – Kuala Lumpur
    • Guppy’s – Bangkok
    • Kunga – Darjeeling
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• A Postcard From … •

New meets old A journey to Nantou Ancient City
• A Postcard From ... • China 

New meets old

5th February 202617th March 2026 The Mango Road 0 Comments Stories

A journey to Nantou Ancient City New meets oldA journey to Nantou Ancient City I burnished my old fart credentials

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Hong Kong beats its demons
• A Postcard From ... • Hong Kong 

Hong Kong beats its demons

5th March 202118th February 2025 The Mango Road 2 Comments Stories

Hong Kong beats its demons. With the help of the White Tiger ladies of Causeway Bay Jingzhe* is the Chinese

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Hiking the Big Buddha and wisdom path
• A Postcard From ... • Hong Kong 

Hiking at Big Buddha and the Wisdom Path

21st November 202016th September 2024 The Mango Road 2 Comments Stories

Hiking at Big Buddha and the Wisdom Path I’d been wanting to go up to Ngong Ping to refresh my

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A formula for crossing the road in Hanoi
• A Postcard From ... • Vietnam 

A formula for crossing the road in Hanoi

10th December 20196th November 2023 The Mango Road 0 Comments Stories

The hotel I stayed at in Hanoi offered this advice with regard to crossing the road: Be relaxed and confident. Look both ways. Walk slowly. Never step backwards

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The five-foot way: Straits Settlements style
• A Postcard From ... • Singapore 

Five-foot ways: Straits Settlements style

28th November 201926th August 2024 The Mango Road 0 Comments Stories

Five-foot way refers to the covered walkways that are common in many parts of Asia. The upper floor of a building extends outwards supported by pillars at the

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The South Park Street cemetery: A Garden of unfulfilled dreams
• A Postcard From ... • India 

The Garden of unfulfilled dreams

14th October 20191st March 2026 The Mango Road 0 Comments Stories

South Park Street Christian cemetery is an oasis of calm amidst the infernal cacophony of modern Kolkata. But it’s a spooky place, even in the middle of the day

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a model business woman
• A Postcard From ... • Cambodia 

A model business woman

21st September 20193rd April 2025 The Mango Road 0 Comments Stories

I’d arrived at Ta Prohm early to try and beat the crowds. It opens at 07.30, I had 15 minutes to wait. Of course this left me at the mercy of the souvenir vendors.

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Bagan Bike Trials
• A Postcard From ... • Myanmar 

Bagan bike trials

9th September 201931st October 2023 The Mango Road 4 Comments Stories

I like bicycles. Pedalling around Asia’s historic sites in an unhurried manner, stopping when I want and lingering for as long as I like is by far the best way to enjoy them.

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Anak Krakatua erupts sending
• A Postcard From ... • Indonesia 

Anak Krakatau: A giant slumbers

24th July 201927th October 2023 The Mango Road 0 Comments Stories

As the sun went down Anak Krakatau woke up. The activity increased surprisingly rapidly and by nightfall I was treated to a firework display like no other.

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Darjeeling: Mantra for the morning
• A Postcard From ... • India 

Darjeeling: Mantra for the morning

12th July 201931st October 2023 The Mango Road 0 Comments Stories

“Good morning,” they sang like a group of school children welcoming Sir into the classroom. Good morning I replied with more geniality than I ever thought I could muster at 5.00am on a rather chilly morning.

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A-Ma Temple, Macau. The temple was built in 1488 t A-Ma Temple, Macau. The temple was built in 1488 to honour the sea goddess, Mazu aka Tin Hau, the most revered deity along the South China coastal regions.
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#macau #macau🇲🇴 #macautravel #macauig #macau_ig#china #amatemple #tinhau #mazu #temple #architecture #architecturelovers #architectureporn #travel #travelphotography #travelgram
The centrepiece of the Yuen Yuen Institute in the The centrepiece of the Yuen Yuen Institute in the hills above Tsuen Wan is said to have been inspired by the Temple of Heaven in Beijing. The institute is the only place of worship in Hong Kong dedicated collectively to the territory’s three major religions, Taoism, Buddhism and Confucianism.
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#YuenYuenInstitute #temple #monastery #chinesetemple #shrine #religion #hongkonghistory #tsuenwan #hongkongphotography #hongkongphoto #hongkong #hkig #discoverhongkong #travel #travelhk #explorehk #visualhongkong #visithongkong #amazinghongkong #ilovehongkong #discoverhongkong #discoverhk #awesomehongkong #picsofhk #globetrotter #letsgosomewhere #traveltheworld #traveladdict #exploringhongkongsnewterritories
Ruishi Lou towers over the village of Jinjiangli a Ruishi Lou towers over the village of Jinjiangli about 12 kilometres southwest of Chikan town, Kaiping in southern China. The towers, collectively known as diaolou, were built mostly during the late 19th and early 20th century, though there are a few that date back as far as the 16th.
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The older diaolou were built specifically as watchtowers to guard against invading bandits and to give refuge during floods. The more recent ones still served that function but also served as family homes. These were built by returning emigrants who had made their fortunes in other parts of the world. The designs reflected the newly acquired cosmopolitan tastes of their owners combined with traditional Chinese elements.
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Ruishi was built in 1926 by Huang Bixiu, a villager who had left and made his fortune in Hong Kong as a merchant. It has nine floors each with it's own living space kitchen and bedrooms.
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The Jinjiangli village and it's diaolou along with several other clusters in the region were made UNESCO World Heritage sites in 2007
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#chikantowm #kaiping #diaolou #oldbuildings #building #architecture #architecturelovers #architectureporn #heritage #unesco #unescoworldheritagesite #history #watchtower #village #oldvillage #villagelife #bygoneera #ig_china #chinalife #china #ig_asia #seetheworld #doyoutravel #travelgram #mytinyatlas #beautifuldestinations #traveldeeper #globetrotter #letsgosomewhere #traveltheworld
Chapel of Our Lady of Penha The church built in 1 Chapel of Our Lady of Penha

The church built in 1622 by the crew of the Portuguese ship São Bartholomeu who, after escaping from Dutch pursuers, vowed to build a church to commemorate the Virgin Mary if they made it back to Macau.

#macau #macau_ig #macau🇲🇴 #macao #church #citynights #addicted_to_nights #nightphotography #nightimages #nightlights #nightphoto #dusk #cityscape #urbanlandscape #urbanromantix #buildings #buildingporn #architecture #architecturelovers #architectureporn #travel #travelphotography #travelgram
Rua de Felicidade, or Street of Happiness. Macau's Rua de Felicidade, or Street of Happiness. Macau's former red light district
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#macau #macao #macau_ig #macau🇲🇴 #macautravel #backstreets
Coracle racing in Hoi An, Vietnam. #tourism #trav Coracle racing in Hoi An, Vietnam.

#tourism #travel #vietnam
Grand Lisboa Hotel and Casino, Macau #macau #hote Grand Lisboa Hotel and Casino, Macau

#macau #hotel #casino #architecture #architecturelovers #architectureporn #travel #travelphotography #travelgram
Queen Victoria Memorial, Kolkata, India . . . #vic Queen Victoria Memorial, Kolkata, India
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#victoriamemorialkolkata #queenvictoriamemorial #queenvictoria #architecture #buildings #architecturelovers #architecturelovers #architectureporn #building #buildingporn #history #heritage #streetsofkolkata #thisiskolkata #ohkolkata #oldcalcutta #kolkataphotography #kolkatadiaries #oldcalcutta #india #travelphotography #travelblogger #travelbloggerlife #traveller #globetrotter #letsgosomewhere #traveltheworld #wanderlustsyndicate #traveladdict #travellifestyle
#thailand #thailandtravel #thaitemple #floatingmar #thailand #thailandtravel #thaitemple #floatingmarket #chinatownbangkok
Young boy ruffling some feathers in Kathmandu's Du Young boy ruffling some feathers in Kathmandu's Durbar Square, Nepal.
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#kathmandu #nepal #pigeons #childhood
Main altar of the Tin Hau Temple, Joss House Bay, Main altar of the Tin Hau Temple, Joss House Bay, Hong Kong.
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One of the oldest and largest temples dedicated to Tin Hau. It was built in 1266 by two brothers who were salt traders from Fujian province. One day their boat was caught in storms and as they were swept overboard they appealed to Tin Hau for help. To show their gratitude they built the temple on the spot where they came safely to land.
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#tinhau #天后古廟 #temple #天后 #廟 #historicbuilding #historictemples #chinesetemple #hongkonghistory #hongkongphotography #hongkongphoto #hongkong #hkig #discoverhongkong #travel #travelhk #explorehk #visualhongkong #visithongkong #amazinghongkong #ilovehongkong #discoverhongkong #discoverhk #awesomehongkong #picsofhk #exploringhongkongsnewterritories #letsgosomewhere #traveltheworld #traveladdict #themoderndayexplorer
The prows of pinisi rear up along the old harbour The prows of pinisi rear up along the old harbour front at Sunda Kelapa in north Jakarta, Indonesia. Pinisi are a type of two-masted schooner built by the Bugis of South Sulawesi. Most of them are motorised now but they are still used to transport cargo around the Indonesian archipelago. In previous times that included bringing timber from the forests of Sulawesi and Borneo to Jakarta and returning with everything from bags of cement to bottled water and anything else that is not readily available on the islands.
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The art of building Pinisi was recognised by UNESCO as a Masterpiece of Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity in December 7, 2017.
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#pinisi #ship #boat #traditionalboat #sundakelapa #schooner #oldboat #harbour #jakarta #icu_jakarta #indonesia #loves_united_indonesia #icu_indonesia travelphotography #travelblogger #travelbloggerlife #traveller #globetrotter #letsgosomewhere #traveltheworld #wanderlustsyndicate #traveladdict #travellife #total_asia #lensbible
Cherry pickers meet in secret behind the banana pa Cherry pickers meet in secret behind the banana palms in Hong Kong's New Territories.
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The machines are actually idle. There are a number of companies in the New Territories which rent or sell equipment to the construction industry. Their yards, filled with silent machinery, can sometime look quite surreal.
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#cherrypicker #cherrypickers #constructionequipment #industrialequipment #hongkong #newterritories #surrealism #surreal #strangeplaces #picsofhk #hongkongphotography #hongkongphoto #hongkong #hkig #discoverhongkong #travel #travelhk #explorehk #visualhongkong #visithongkong #amazinghongkong #ilovehongkong #discoverhongkong #discoverhk #awesomehongkong #exploringhongkongsnewterritories #letsgosomewhere #traveltheworld #traveladdict #themoderndayexplorer
A tourist browses colourful silk lampshades in Hoi A tourist browses colourful silk lampshades in Hoi An, Vietnam
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#lamp lampshade #tourist #tourism #nightmarket #silk #traditional #shopping#hoiantown #hoian #discovervietnam #ig_vietnam #vietnamtravel #vietnam🇻🇳 #vietnamtravelers #igvietnam #vietnamese #vietnam #loves_united_vietnam #asiatravel #unlimitedasia #ecotourism #seetheworld #traveldeeper #doyoutravel #traveltheworld #traveladdict #borntotravel #traveltheworld #travelenthusiast
Instagram post 17876337314773913 Instagram post 17876337314773913
An old tree catches the bright, early morning ligh An old tree catches the bright, early morning light in Shap Long. I've no idea what kind of tree but it is a rather attractive one. It also serves as a reminder, on my morning walks, that another steep hill is imminent.
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Shap Long is a small village on the Chi Ma Wan Peninsula in southern Lantau.
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#tree #treephotography #oldtre #shaplong #香港 #hikinghk #chimawan #chimawancountrytrail #lantau #lantauisland #hkig #hkiger #ilovehongkong #discoverhongkong #discoverhk #awesomehongkong #visualhongkong #hongkongphotography #offthebeatenpath #earthpix #landscape #earthofficial #awesome_earthpix #earthfocus #earthoutdoors #landscapelovers #landscapehunter #fantastic_earth #landscapephotography #exploringhongkongsnewterritories
It's hiking season in Hong Kong. But beware the ol It's hiking season in Hong Kong. But beware the old abandoned villages are hungry.

#hongkong #hongkongphotography #hongkongphoto #hiking #hikingadventures #hike #abandonedplaces #abandoned #spooky #spookyseason #architecture
Tian Tan Buddha at the Po Lin Monastery, Ngong Pin Tian Tan Buddha at the Po Lin Monastery, Ngong Ping
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#tiantanbuddha #bigbuddha #天壇大佛 #天坛大佛 #lantau #polinmonastery #ngongping #昂坪 #hongkon
A small Rainbow Village, near Tosari in the steep A small Rainbow Village, near Tosari in the steep valleys of the Tengger Highlands, East Java. One of Java's best known attractions, Mt Bromo, is nearby but most people just come to see the sunrise over the crater and leave again before breakfast. But it is a great place to chill out in the cool mountain air for a few days.
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#kampungpelangi #rainbowvillage #colorfulvillage #tengger #nature #agriculture #terracedfields #offthebeatenpath #earthpix #landscape #earthofficial #awesome_earthpix #earthfocus #earthoutdoors #landscapelovers #landscapehunter #fantastic_earth #landscapephotography #loves_united_indonesia #icu_indonesia #travelblogger #sceneryporn #traveller #amazingworld #mountainscapes #traveltheworld #wanderlustsyndicate #traveladdict #besttravelpics #letsgosomewherenew
South Gate, Dapeng Ancient City, near Shenzhen, Ch South Gate, Dapeng Ancient City, near Shenzhen, China
#china #ancientcity #architecture
A hefty strand of spider silk stretched across the A hefty strand of spider silk stretched across the footpath slammed into my face as I set off on my walk this morning. A reminder that Summer is just around the corner and that soon the trees in my neck of the woods will be festooned with nephila pelipes or golden orb weavers. Their name comes from the yellow sheen on the webs of mature spiders.
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They are quite majestic beasts but for those unfamiliar, they are the stuff of nightmares. Fully grown the body is about the size of my thumb with a leg span a little wider than my outstretched hand. The webs are commonly about a metre across, though I have seen some that were easily 1.5 metres, and are spun from some of the strongest silk known. Though they do look very pretty when caught in the sunlight. Multiple spinnerets at the blunt end of the spider mean they are quite capable of making spider rope and they are also able adjust the composition of the silk according to their environment. 
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These huge spiders are always female. The males are a rusty brown color and little bigger than a fingernail. They hang about on the edges of the web waiting, presumably until she has a meal large enough to hold her attention so that he can dart in, do the business and retreat without becoming a light snack himself. I’ve read that a bite can be quite painful but the venom itself is not considered dangerous. I have no plans to put it to the test.
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#spider #spiders #spidersofinstagram #spidersoftheworld #spiderlove #instaspider #bigspider #orbspider #spiderweb #arachnid #arachnidsofinstagram #arachnidsoftheworld #goldenorbweaver #nephilapilipes #nephila #wildlife_perfection #wildlifephotos #wildlifelovers #naturelovers #nature #naturalworld #naturephotography #earthfocus #earthofficial #awesome_earthpix #creepycrawly #lifeonearth #wildasia #asia #hongkong
This, I believe, is a light-vented or Chinese bulb This, I believe, is a light-vented or Chinese bulbul (Pycnonotus sinensis). Most of the year they prefer to stay up in the forest feeding on bugs and berries. But since those delicacies are scarce at this time of year they are not above slumming it down on my balcony in return for a handout of leftover rice.

This one was on the lamp post opposite, waiting for me to go inside so it could have its breakfast and squabble with the red-whiskered bulbuls and sparrows.
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#bulbul #lightventedbulbul #chinesebulbul #pycnonotussinensis #birds_brilliance #newterritories #hongkong #wildbird #bird #birdsofinstagram #birdphotography #birdstagram #birdwatching #birding #bestbirdshots #birdphotography #birds #birdlife #featheredfriends #birdsofhongkong #birdsofchina #birdsofasia #nature #wildlife #wildlifephotography #wildlifeonearth #wildlifecaptures #wildlifelovers #naturephotography #natureshots
The chrysanthemums, among many others, are in bloo The chrysanthemums, among many others, are in bloom at the Wun Chuen Sin Koon Taoist Temple in Hong Kong’s New Territories.
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#wunchuensinkoon #temple #monastery #chinesetemple #shrine #religion #hongkonghistory #pingche #hongkongphotography #hongkongphoto #hongkong #hkig #discoverhongkong #travel #travelhk #explorehk #visualhongkong #visithongkong #amazinghongkong #ilovehongkong #discoverhongkong #discoverhk #awesomehongkong #picsofhk #globetrotter #letsgosomewhere #traveltheworld #traveladdict #themoderndayexplorer
Notice the scale of the clouds against the trees. Notice the scale of the clouds against the trees. 
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Sunset at the Laban Rata rest house, 3,272 metres (10,375ft) above sea level on Mount Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia.
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#mountkinabalu #gunungkinabalu #kinabalu #labanrata #sabah #malaysia #borneo #amazingborneo #sunset #clouds #landscape #landscapelovers #landscapephotography #earthpix #awesome_earthpix #earthofficial #earthfocus #earthoutdoors #fantastic_earth #earthscience #nature_brilliance #artofnature #natureinspiration #cloudscape #mountainlandscape #seetheworld #traveltheworld #asiatravel #exploretheworld #travelenthusiast
Found this fellow the other day, he’d sheltered ou Found this fellow the other day, he’d sheltered out the storm in an old plant pot. I relocated him to the lemon tree and he’s been hanging out there ever since.
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#prayingmantis #giantasianprayingmantis #hierodulamembranacea #prayingmantisofinstagram #mantis #bugs #insectsofinstagram #mantidsofinstagram #bug #mantids #insectphotography #insect #insect_perfection #wildlifephotography #naturephotography #creepycrawly #abugslife #nature #insectworld #bugsofinstagram #insectstagram #insectlicious #beautiful_insects #insectguru #fulgoromorpha #earthcapture #inmygardentoday #colorfulbug #insects_of_our_world #insectlovers
Locomotive 779, Himalayan Bird, chuffs out of Darj Locomotive 779, Himalayan Bird, chuffs out of Darjeeling station with a train load of joyriders towards Ghum. The Darjeeling Himalayan Railway opened in 1881 to bring tea down from the hills and essential supplies for plantation workers up. It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999.

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These days regular services are diesel hauled with the steam locos being used only for tourist trips.
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#train #steamtrain #toytrain #railway #nostalgia #railwayphotography #railways_worldwide #railways_of_our_world #railsupremacy #steamtrains #indianrailways #darjeelinghimalayanrailway #oldtrains #unesco #unescoworldheritage #heritage #travel #wanderlust #darjeeling #incredibleindia #travelrealindia #travelblogger #travelbloggerlife #globetrotter #letsgosomewhere #traveltheworld #traveladdict #travellife #lensbible #travelenthusiast
Lantau Peak looking dramatic. At 934 metres (3,064 Lantau Peak looking dramatic. At 934 metres (3,064 ft) above sea level the mountain is the highest point on Lantau island and the second highest in Hong Kong.
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#lantaupeak #鳳凰山 #lantau #lantauisland #southlantau #landscape #earthofficial #awesome_earthpix #earthfocus #earthoutdoors #landscapelovers #landscapehunter #fantastic_earth #landscapephotography #naturelover #ilovehongkong #discoverhongkong #discoverhk #awesomehongkong #hongkongphotography #countrypark #wonderful_places #peacefulplace #bythisriver #estuary #seetheworld #doyoutravel #traveldeeper #globetrotter #letsgosomewhere
The Ruin of St Paul's, Macau #macau #architecture The Ruin of St Paul's, Macau
#macau #architecture #architecturelovers #architectureporn #travel #travelphotography #nightphoto
Diwali in Kolkata . . . #diwali #festivaloflights Diwali in Kolkata
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#diwali #festivaloflights #diwalidecorations #diwalicelebration #festival #streetsofcalcutta #streetsofkolkata #thisiskolkata #ohkolkata #oldcalcutta #india #kolkataphotography #kolkatadiaries #oldcalcutta #india #great_captures_people #ig_captures_people #travelportrait #splendid_people #portrait #portrait_mood #globetrotter #letsgosomewhere #traveltheworld
Petronas Towers and the Kuala Lumpur skyline. . . Petronas Towers and the Kuala Lumpur skyline.
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#petronas #petronastowers #petronastwintowers #architecture #tallbuildings #skyscraper #kualalumpur #kualalumpurcity #kualalumpurmalaysia #kualalumpurtower #explorekualalumpur#kuala_lumpur #malaysia #architecturephotography #architecturelovers #skyline #urbanlandscape #cityscape #cityview #citiesoftheworld #asiancities #asiatravel #traveldeeper #thediscoverer #borntotravel #traveltheworld #seetheworld #doyoutravel #traveltheworld #traveladdict
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