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Lakshadweep Islands - No Worries "Atoll"

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The coral islands of Lakshadweep lie off the west coast of India and in the Arabian sea (approximately 400 kms west of Kochi - Kerala). In all there are about 30 islands of which 10 are inhabited. I had visited Lakshadweep about 17 years before writing this review and by ship (islands of Kavaratti, Minicoy and Kalpeni) so it was interesting to go back 17 years later to see the development and progress. And it was amazing to see how much it was! My journey by flight this time took me to Agatti and then onward by boat to Bangaram where I spent 3 nights each. The airstrip of Agatti lies on the south side of the Agatti island making for a spectacular landing. Just before landing one also sees the island of Kalpitti a small uninhabited islet just south of Agatti. Upon landing we made our way through Agatti to the western jetty to catch our boat transfer to Bangaram. Made famous in 2024 when PM Modi visited , the IHCL (Taj / Tata ) group runs the Coral pearl resort and annexed to it the earl...
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Hong Kong - the Fast and Furious Dragon city !

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  Hong Kong - the Fast and Furious Dragon city ! The review of Hong Kong is my 22nd review, and if there is one place I would never want to visit again other than if its absolutely compelling then its Hong Kong SAR. But then, thats just my bias speaking, because fast and furious cities like HK aren’t my best bet for a holiday. The whole of Hong Kong is like Mumbai’s victoria terminus at 5 pm rush hour or Goa’s beaches on New Year eve. Teeming with people, chaos, and everyone’s in a rush to get to wherever they need. Given that space is limited on the island everything is going upward into the sky. Hence its not uncommon to have buildings with 50 floors and more which makes for the famed HK skyline. However, the city needs to be given its due that it supports a population of 7 million people in an area that's smaller than Bengaluru urban or the tiny state of Goa. Shops and apartments crammed into tiny spaces, 5 lifelines on public transport and an incredible network of roadways cris...
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Macau - A slice of Portugal in the Orient !

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  Macau - A slice of Portugal in the Orient !  Macau is situated on a tiny Island just off mainland china. It has a rich and interesting history due to its 400 years of portuguese colonialization which is visible even today post its attaining independence and becoming a separate state. Its poticially interesting as well because this very tiny and highly densely populated area just like Hong Kong, follows a one country 2 system approach I.e. it has its own law (Macanese law) but also adopts mandarin as the official language and is considered a Specially administered area of China which means that some chinese administration also applies . It also has its own currency called the Macanese Pataca although Hong Kong Dollars are also widely accepted due to its 1:1 ratio.  Macau is a strip divided vertically into 3 islands, Old Macau, Taipa and Coloane. Each one has its own charm and seems to come from a different era. Coloane is where I stayed mainly to get away from the hustle...
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A day in Penang (Malaysia) - a tapestry of Cultures

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  I spent 6 hours in Penang on a transit. Penang is a port town located in the Malacca Strait (also called Georgetown). It;s located on a small island , half of which is taken by dense forest and hills called the Penang Nature reserve. The port side though is where the main town is , and is a very interesting confluence of cultures from around other parts of Asia such as Indian, Chinese, Malay but even Arab / Armenian.  Visit little India , Armenian Street and Market Street for a flavor of different cultures with shops, eateries , business establishments and edifices architectures embracing all these cultures. The streets are quite parallel and adjascent to each other so its very walkable but you can opt for the local Tuk Tuk (Cycle Rickshaw) for an authentic local experience. (and if you’d like to go to the sites directly). Another very popular aspect of the back streets in these areas is the street art and murals which are very famous. Use a local map or guide to locate thes...
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Jakarta - The Chaotic yet fascinating capital city of Indonesia

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About Jakarta Jakarta is the economic, cultural, and political centre of Indonesia. Although Jakarta extends over only 661.23 km 2  (255.30 sq mi) and thus has the smallest area of any  Indonesian province , its  metropolitan area  covers 7,076.31 km 2  (2,732.18 sq mi), which includes the satellite cities of  Bogor ,  Depok ,  Tangerang ,  South Tangerang , and  Bekasi , and has an estimated population of 32.6 million as of 2022 , making it the  largest urban area in Indonesia  and the  second-largest in the world  (after  Tokyo ). Jakarta ranks  first among the Indonesian provinces  in the  human development index . Jakarta's business and employment opportunities, along with its ability to offer a potentially higher  standard of living  compared to other parts of the country, have attracted migrants from across the Indonesian  archipelago , making...
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Kazakhstan - A canvass of Culture and Landscapes

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The central asian country of Kazakhstan has always been a dream destinations. As a country that has had a history of empires and being along the silk route it is no surprise that its a land filled with abundant culture , history and monuments from the past. It has its own unique Kazakh culture infused with its soviet past and this again varies between various parts of the country due to the varying topography and ethnic groups. Kazakhstan is also a natures paradise with landscapes ranging from the towering Alatau Mountains to the east (often being referred to as Switzerland of Asia), to the Caspian sea coast to the west to the highland deserts and plains of the Altyn Emel plateau in the north and center. My trip to Kazakhstan spanned about a week and covered the southern and eastern parts of the country which was around the cities of Alamty (the commercial capital) in the south, the lake town of Kolsai and Saty located at the foot of the Alatau mountain range and the charyn canyon nati...
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