Jet Set: Bali
The 1960’s hippy Mecca known as Bali has changed a lot since then but still retains much of its charm. A genuine paradise for backpackers, surfers and recently Julia Roberts, filming on-site for her new film Eat, Pray Love, the sizeable Indonesian island has a flavor for everyone.
Bali is home to the greatest number of Indonesia’s Hindu minority and the islands exudes a symbiotic sense of spirituality and peace with the aromatic smells of burning incense from thousands of small offerings left just about everywhere.
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At the swank intersection of old and new: Hotel Nine
Hotel Nine is on a quiet street just off Sihanouk Boulevard, at the heart of downtown and the intersection of old Phnom Penh and new Phnom Penh. From your balcony, you can look down on both; as dusk falls, you’ll watch the smoke and bustle of the vibrant Kapco (literally translated, “cow kill”) market die down below you, while beyond the head of the street, young Cambodians gather in the plaza around the Vietnamese Friendship Memorial to dance in mass synchrony to Khmericized remixes of the global top 40.
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Jet Set: Yangon
Myanmar's capital is awakening to an influx of tourists and foreign investment, while getting ready for elections in November.
After boycotts and years of isolation the former Myanmar capital Yangon has seen tourist numbers explode in the past five years as flight connections have risen and travelers look for something new after overdosing on the likes of Bangkok, Phnom Penh and Hanoi.
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Jet Set: Vientiane
Getting lost in Vientiane is nearly impossible. A tiny capital by any standard, a basic walking tour will take you around the downtown area in 15 minutes.
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Jet Set: Jakarta
Every month, Jet Set swoops down on a city providing all the relevant details to make your next visit click.
There is no getting in, out, or around Jakarta quickly. Welcome to the Big Durian – you better get used to it. The Indonesian capital, the most populous city in Southeast Asia (and twelfth largest in the world) with nearly 8.5 million people, is basically in a constant state of gridlock.
"No traffic, no Djakarta sir."
Jet Set: Kuala Lumpur
Every month, Jet Set swoops down on a city providing all the relevant details to make your next visit click.
Kuala Lumpur, thy name is mud. Literally. Malaysia’s bustling capital derives its name from the Malay words meaning “muddy estuary” and “town”.
But if the country’s largest city ever had any dirt, it was wiped from its shoes long ago. Today, Kuala Lumpur, known simply as KL, is an economic nerve centre, home to enough of Southeast Asia’s industry leaders to earn the designation “global city” from economists and sociologists around the world. The title, given to only a handful of cities, including Tokyo, London and New York, identifies Kuala Lumpur as a major hub in the global economy.
Jet Set: Manila
This month we delve into the sights, sounds and cultural history of the ancient city of Manila.
The city of Manila is old. The Philippine capital—which is one of 16 cities that comprise Metropolitan Manila—has all the trappings of a modern city, including two light rail transit lines, malls and a slew of five-star hotels; but its age is indelibly marked in the centuries-old architecture that is as historically significant as it is ancient.