Ancient Hoi An’s traditional Vietnamese food

Ancient Hoi An’s traditional Vietnamese food

UNESCO world heritage listed Hoi An’s restaurants and street side eateries offer a tasty snapshot of traditional Vietnamese food. The town’s ancient feel and languid pace of life seem almost tailor-made for long meals and culinary exploration. For the food-loving traveller, Hoi An should be high on your Southeast Asian to do list.

These are the very best traditional Vietnamese foods in Hoi An.

Com Ga Hoi An

This fluffy, oh-so-chickeny dish is a staple of daily life in Hoi An. Com Ga – or Chicken Rice, as English speakers know it – consists of succulent shredded chicken over a bed of fluffy white rice cooked in chicken stock, often with a hint of turmeric for colour.  The chef sprinkles shredded papaya, spring onions and peppermint on top and adds a side of chilli sauce before serving.

Those looking for a taste of Com Ga Hoi An won’t need to go far – from street side food stalls to upscale Hoi An restaurants, each has their take on the perfect Com Ga combination.
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India’s monsoon the new frontier for travellers seeking the unique

India’s monsoon the new frontier for travellers seeking the unique

It may seem counterintuitive to consider taking a vacation where it’s pouring rain, yet for an increasing number of travellers, this is exactly why they don the dungarees and make their way to the annual monsoon in India.

Instead of sun-drenched beaches and steamy nights (though there’s still plenty of both), travellers are flocking to see rivers of rushing water, spectacular waterfalls, and colourful festivals. Add to that stunning water-scoured views and the irrepressibly friendly nature of Indian folk, and you’ve got a recipe for a very different holiday.

While there are a wealth of different experiences to discover, we’ve selected the very best.

The monsoon in India: Dudhsagar Falls – Goa

Dudhsagar

Come July, the Dudhsagar Falls – located on the Mandovi River on the border of Goa and the neighbouring state of Karnataka – reaches a crescendo as thousands of tonnes of water flow over the falls in a cacophonic cascade.
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Eat your way around Greece

Eat your way around Greece

Food in Greece follows time-worn traditions handed down over generations amid one of the most continually inhabited places on earth. The country’s rich history, close sense of family, and longtime love affair with the sea make for an approach to cuisine that is flavorful, minimally processed, and distinctly its own.

For the food-loving traveller, it’s worth planning a route through Greece that will serve up the very best – and the most iconic – Greek dining experiences.

Food in Greece – Athens and surrounds

Whether it’s down in the Plaka – old Athens- or in the capital’s newest quarters, you’re never far away from some of the very best food in Greece. While the capital inevitably attracts cuisine from across the rest of the country, the city serves up some tasty treats of its own.

Avoid the tourist traps, where bolshy touts try to harang you through sheer force of will to look at their menu, and head to a quiet local taverna for a plate of Keftedes – deep-fried meatballs made from varying ingredients including fish, cheese, lamb and tomatoes.
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Boating adventures abound in the Scilly Isles

Boating adventures abound in the Scilly Isles

Situated as they are off the south western tip of the Cornish coast in the U.K. and benefiting from the warm waters of the Gulf Stream, the Isles of Scilly are a summer playground for boating enthusiasts or merely those that love the sea. Scilly Isles boating has a long, illustrious – and sometimes dangerous – history that makes for the perfect boating adventure.

The five islands that make up the Scillys – St. Mary’s, Tresco, St. Martin’s, Bryher, and St. Agnes – are all relatively close to each other making island hopping an accessible and immensely enjoyable experience. Spend the morning jumping onto unspoilt white sand beaches straight from your boat, or taking a dip in the temperate turquoise water.

The history of Scilly Isles boating

The Scillys culture and history are intimately linked to the sea, as any proud Scillonian will tell you.
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The Karma Guide to… traditional Balinese massage

The Karma Guide to… traditional Balinese massage

One of the biggest attractions when holidaying on the island of Bali is to experience one of the ‘Island of the Gods’ natural spa treatments. The most popular of these is the traditional Balinese massage.

So, what makes traditional Balinese massage so unique and where does it originate from?

The heart of tradition

The Balinese people have long valued the health benefits of massage; for centuries the Balinese have regularly massaged their newborn babies for health and well-being. Each village has a village healer who is skilled in massage. While in the past massage was usually only given when someone was very unwell today the traditional Balinese massage is popular amongst the millions of international guests Bali welcomes each year.

The origins of Balinese massage

From 600-800 AD Hinduism and Buddhism were introduced into Indonesia via traders along the spice route archipelago, so the thinking goes that they brought their massage rituals with them.
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