| Apr 12, 2012
Respected local historian Jason Wordie gives walking tours of Hong Kong, writes a weekly column for the South China Morning Post's magazine and has penned books on the quirky, particular histories of individual streets on Hong Kong Island and in Kowloon. His latest project: delivering lectures aboard a Yangtze river cruise this summer. The six-day tour (June 17-22) meanders through the Three Gorges region, stopping, among other places, at the famous dam and a river village called Fengdu before ending in Chongqing. The trip's emphasis is on the area's involvement in the Pacific theater during World War II, and Wordie's lectures will highlight the role of the Allied Forces in China in the eventual defeat of Japan as well as other resistance activities. Rates range from $16,295 to $17,402 for the whole trip depending on your choice of cabin.
For more information and to book the cruise, contact Ash Bhatnagar at Concorde Travel at 2524-5121 or ash@concorde-travel.com.
For more about Wordie's other tours, visit www.jasonswalks.com.
Our colleagues over in Singapore have put together a brief guide for visitors to the Lion City. Flipping through it, a stunning photo of Ku De Ta Singapore, the rooftop bar and restaurant at the Skypark atop the Marina Bay Sands (pictured above), caught my eye. There's the Club Lounge for cocktails and a separate space for sit-down meals including boozy brunches and dinners—but above all the view over the glittering city looks amazing. I'm adding it to my to-do list the next time I'm there, along with two other bars with a view: Level33, which bills itself as the world's highest urban craft brewery; and 1-Altitude Gallery and Bar, an alfresco watering hole on top of One Raffles Place that also boasts a stellar view of the city-state.
Find out more about Singapore's bars with a view at www.kudeta.com.sg, www.level33.com.sg and www.1-altitude.com.
In Hong Kong, eating locally grown produce and other foodstuffs is still all the rage. Now Asia's island destinations are getting into the act. Alila Ubud's executive chef Eelke Plasmeijer has designed five- and seven-course tasting menus at the hotel's Plantation Restaurant that are totally made up of Balinese ingredients—from oysters, beef and sea urchins to dark chocolate, asparagus and other organic vegetables—all cooked using French techniques. A luxurious riverside resort located in the hills of Ubud, Alila itself exudes a traditional Balinese vibe, with thatched roofs and tranquil courtyards. Whether or not you think the local food movement dominating the global dining scene is overhyped, it seems wise to set aside the soapbox to give some of this Indonesian-French fusion a try. The menus are RP525,000 (RP1,050,000 with wine pairing) for five courses, or RP625,000 (RP1,250,000 with wine pairing) for seven courses.
For reservations at Alila Ubud's Plantation restaurant, call (+62) 361-975-963 or email ubud@alilahotels.com.
Email me at halberts@asia-city.com.hk or follow me on Twitter @HanaRAlberts.
