As you fly over Kazakhstan’s seemingly endless, empty steppe, a glimmering city suddenly comes into view. A mirage of glass and steel with a stained-glass pyramid, golden skyscrapers and the world’s largest

Raja means ‘king’ and this grand title is easily justified: those in the know describe this sprinkling of exotic Indonesian islands as one of the most divine archipelagos in Asia. Packed with white-sand beaches, lush jungle and unusual mushroom-shaped islets,

Take a scenic train to Sri Lanka's idyllic Hill Country for a wonderfully temperate escape from the nation's humid coasts. Kandy is an ideal introduction to the region: its lakeside location, sacred Buddhist sites and botanical gardens make it a delight to explore.

Since the 17th century, Takayama hasn't changed much. Every morning, the deshi (disciples) of ‘temple town’ sweep, rake stones and open shoji (sliding doors), letting sunlight in; artisans and grocers greet shoppers at the asa-ichi (morning markets),

Once a crime-riddled red-light district, Keong Saik Road has reinvented itself to become the poster-child for hip ‘New Singapore’. Behind the beautiful colonial and art-deco buildings you’ll discover the best of Singapore’s famed dining scene,

The awarding of Unesco World Heritage status to Melaka's historic core in 2008 put it firmly on Southeast Asia's tourist map. Since then, scores of heritage buildings have benefitted from makeovers, blossoming into boutique hotels,

Two cities south of Tokyo are well worth making time for on any visit to Japan. Yokohama, the country's second largest metropolis, is just a 20-minute train journey from the capital and packs considerable appeal with its bayside location, eclectic architecture,

Travellers have been making a beeline for Kerala’s southern beaches for years but Northern Kerala has long been the underrated half of the state, concealing its backwater charms and emerging slowly like a butterfly from a chrysalis.2017 marks India’s 70th year of independence