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Tag: China

The Best Destinations for Tea Lovers
Are you a proper tea aficionado? Can’t get through the day without your daily brew? Check out some of these best destinations for tea lovers and enjoy a terrific holiday along with your passion for tea!
Hangzhou, China
China is famous in general for its tea, with many great destinations right across the large country that are ideal for tea lovers. It is a tall order, therefore, selecting just one place – Hangzhou is well-known for producing one the best green teas in the entire country, hence why it made the cut.
West Lake Dragon Well Tea is a delicious tea, and one that tea lovers are sure to love. As well as being the home place of this tasty tea, Hangzhou also boasts a lively tea house scene – drinking tea is almost a way of life in this city. Every year the drink is celebrated with the Drinking Tea Day – as if you need more excuses!
Darjeeling, India
A famous hill station in West Bengal, Darjeeling produces nearly a quarter of tea in the entire country. It is possible to find tea from Darjeeling that is black, white, green, and oolong.
✈ See more! Exploring the Tea Plantations of Munnar, India ✈
The tea has a slightly flowery taste, making a really light and refreshing brew. Many of the tea estates have a long and distinguished heritage, with lots having been founded during the days of British colonialism. It is one of the best spots in India for touring tea plantations and tasting delicious locally grown teas. It is also very scenic with great views!
✈ See more! Travel Photo of the Day: Tea in Darjeeling ✈
Kandy, Sri Lanka
The island country of Sri Lanka is another nation that is known for its abundant production of great tea. There are several note-worthy places around the country, but Kandy is a major production area. Sri Lanka is one of the top tea producers on the planet. Many estates and plantations date back to the days of British rule. You can take a tour of the estates, which is like taking a step back in time, taste a variety of locally grown teas, and participate in charming and quaint traditional English-style high tea sessions.
Uji, Japan
Green tea is the speciality in Uji and the city is often referred to as the tea capital of the country. Even more novel is that as well as being able to drink tea, you will find numerous products that use tea for flavour – from candies and ice creams t noodles and rice dishes! There are many tea drinking traditions that can be observed and experienced. You can also find the oldest tea shop in Japan in the city.
Beipu, Taiwan
Taiwan is often overlooked when people think of tea, which is a pity because the country produces some very fine teas. A tea known as Oriental Beauty is grown in Beipu, with several different variants. It is also a top place to enjoy the Hakka culture.
Be inspired and make sure you plan a visit to some of these best destinations for tea lovers!
October 8, 2014
A Week in Weird and Wonderful Wuzhou!
Colonial streets of Wuzhou’s old quarter
Heard of Wuzhou? No neither had we.
During our stay in China, after we gave Guangzhou another chance we travelled to Wuzhou, some 7 hours north west of Guangzhou.
I’ll try and paint an accurate picture of Wuzhou. It’s a ‘small town’ by China standards with a population of about 3 million. It used to be a major transport hub during the British colonial rule due to it strategic location between Hong Kong and Guangzhou and its position on the Xi river.
Located in the Guangxi Province, most Chinese people haven’t heard of the place, so why would you?!
We visited Eloise’s brother as he teaches Engrish in main Wuzhou university, so we were staying right on the campus grounds in the thick of the weird action.
Here’s a few fun facts and some things to do Wuzhou!
Wuzhou has some amazing colonial architecture
Eloise admiring the architecture of the old quarter
The European settlers built a grand quarter in the ‘Old Town’ of Wuzhou. It’s pretty impressive and well worth an afternoon of your time. People still live there now in the buildings that survived bombings from the Japanese during war time.
Check out Wuzhou’s Main Square at night
Night-time equals communal exercises in the main square, with dancing, stretching and repetitive movements going down!
With the large majority of ladies turning out in a nice party-red colour, it’s an interesting and weird sight seeing everyone dance at the same time!
Explore the Night Markets
Want to see a few things you’re unlikely to see in Hong Kong? Check out some of Wuzhou’s nightmarkets! People look at your like you’re from out of space and you’ll get your picture taken several million times!
Future pet, or dinner?
People will literally stop in the middle of the road to look at you.
It’s not quite as bad as some of the staring in India, (see Annoying People You’ll Probably Meet When You Travel in Asia ) but it gets a bit irritating after a while when people point and laugh at you!
Really? Another picture?
Eat at Wuzhou’s famous Soya Milk restaurant
Snacks at the ‘Soya Milk’ restaurant
Apparently people come from far and wide to sample the delights of the Soya Milk restaurant. Going by the reaction of several hundred people in there when we walked in, they don’t get that many foreign visitors!
Unknown dessert!
Climb the Dragon Mother Temple mountain!
Me and Nathan at the top of the Dragon Mother Temple. Soaked in sweat.

Head out early and hit the Dragon Mother mountain. See the petite Chinese ladies scramble over rocks and slopes with 6 inch heels on, and see elderly men and woman power past you on the way up the hill as you mop your brow in the insane humidity!
The view is pretty amazing at the top, just bring a towel.
You’re likely to be tricked into becoming a judge/VIP at several public events
VIP judges at a random event!
My advice, don’t agree to go along to any concerts, auditions, or performances unless you’re prepared to be pumped full of Chinese strength Red Bull, then pushed on stage to deliver a congratulatory speech to the winner in front of a hysterical crowd!
We were asked to be special guests at a children’s concert! They even paid us!
No one speaks English!
A very questionable menu!

The only English we saw during our entire time in Wuzhou was this menu at a restaurant near the University! We’re lying. We saw some English in the new Wal-Mart shopping centre. About the skinned frogs on sale…
Your Chinese will improve dramatically!
We’ve been to very few places on our travels that speak zero English, which is good for forcing you to Learn Mandarin! It isn’t actually that hard once you get the tones right… honest!
So if you want a real off the beaten track adventure to a Chinese city that probably won’t feature in the China Lonely Planet for a while, check out Wuzhou!
It’s a days bus journey from Shenzhen, Guangzhou and Hong Kong – Just make sure you get your destination written down before you hop on the bus or you’ll end up somewhere even stranger!
September 28, 2013
Free (or really cheap) Things to do in Hong Kong
Hong Kong isn’t exactly known as a budget destination. As the financial powerhouse of China, the densely populated tiny group of islands known collectively as Hong Kong is populated by no nonsense business men, ladies who lunch and everything in-between.
Luckily Hong Kong is packed with cheap or free things to do for the budget conscious! Around every corner there’s something jaw droppingly epic – Another gigantic mall, quirky shops, strange alleyways, colonial history, fantastic architecture and plenty of cityscape travel photography opportunities.
Explore those streets!
It’s still one of our favourite places to visit. Hong Kong is an incredibly vibrant city, easy to explore and offers something new every time you step outside to explore what’s on offer. And as an ex-British colony, English is widely spoken. Another plus!
So let’s get started!
Grab an Octopus card
Milo the sausage dog sniffing our Octopus Card!

This is Hong Kong’s prepay travel card you can use everywhere around the city. Load it up with HK dollars and use the buses, trams, the MTR (underground) and even use it to make purchases in shops and vending machines around the city.
Cost: $50 deposit including $20 credit.
Embrace Walking
Wan Chai food markets

Hong Kong is surprisingly small. You don’t need to get the MTR or buses everywhere, use your legs and really see the city. Explore the tiny streets and crazy markets, wander around with a sore neck from looking up at the amazing building for too long!
Cost: Free!
Ride the Hong Kong Tramways
The view from the tram!

The Hong Kong Tramways are the oldest mode of public transport in Hong Kong and runs pretty much the entire length east to west of Hong Kong Island.
✈ See more: Watch our Hong Kong Tram Way Time-lapse video ✈
It’s slower than other forms of transport around the city, but it’s infinitely cooler, and the view is pretty good!
Cost: $2.50 per journey
Climb the Bank of China Building
Views from the Bank of China building

The Bank of China building is one of the most iconic buildings on Hong Kong Island and has an observation deck on the 30th floor. While it isn’t the tallest building, the view is spectacular and you get a good view of Kowloon across the Victoria Harbour. Just remember to take your passport for security clearance.
Cost: Free!
Ride the Star Ferry
The Star Ferry and the view of Hong Kong island

Top of the cheap things to do in Hong Kong pile is to ride on the iconic Star Ferry! Running from Hong Kong Island to Kowloon, the ferry is the perfect vantage point to enjoy the epic skylines on both sides of the water. It gets a bit choppy so bring your sea legs!
Around 5pm is perfect for riding the ferry back to Hong Kong Island as the sun is setting and reflecting off the windows of the surrounding sky scrapers – Plus you’ll beat the commuter rush!
Cost: $2.50 Mon-Fri
Explore the Museums on Wednesdays
The Hong Kong Museum of Art
ALL of the museums in Hong Kong are totally free on Wednesdays, and are some of the best Eloise and I have ever been to. Ever. The Hong Kong History Museum is incredible, with more colonial history and fact than you can throw an opium pipe at. Allow a whole afternoon!
Cost: Free!
Ride the bus to Stanley
Catch the bus from Central to Stanley, a port town south of Hong Kong Island. You can either take the tunnel or go the long way around past the Happy Valley Race Course (more amazing city views)!
Stanley Port
On the bus you’ll see how the other half live as you pass Repulse Bay, home to some of the most expensive real-estate on the planet. Stanley has a market on Sunday and is great for clothes and souvenirs, as well as having some nice sea front bars and shops.
Cost: $6-10 on Oyster Card
Visit the Beach!
South Bay beach!
A beach in Hong Kong? The south island has one or two reasonable beaches, while they’re not up to Thailand spec, if you can put up with coach loads of mainland Chinese tourists, it’s a nice way to spend the afternoon. Check out Repulse Bay or South Bay beaches if you want a dose of city beach action.
Cost: Free!
Check out the ‘Symphony of Lights’ Light Show
The iconic Hong Kong Skyline
Every night at 8pm the buildings on both Hong Kong Island and Kowloon light up for a typically Chinese laser and light show. While it’s a bit crap, fortunately it’s free!
✈ Travel Photo of the Day: The Hong Kong Island Skyline ✈
The view itself is much more awe inspiring than the laser show. Grab an ice cold Tsingtao from the 7-11 at the Star Ferry dock, get there 30 minutes early and sit and wonder what the fuss is all about!
Cost: Free!
Stroll through Statue Square and Victoria Park on Sunday
Indonesian marriage celebrations in Victoria Park
For a contrast to the business vibe and usual hustle and bustle, head to where Hong Kong’s massive domestic worker population gathers in huge numbers every Sunday in various parts of the city.
Hong Kong’s largest minority, the Filipino’s, flock to the Statue Park area in Central. While the Indonesian collective head to Victoria Park. Ladies sing, pray, listen to music, watch videos and generally enjoy their one and only day off to the max.
Cost: Free!
What free or cheap things have you discovered in Hong Kong?
August 21, 2013
Travel Photo Round-up: Shanghai!
A few of my favourite shots from our visit to the mega city of Shanghai a couple of months back during our travels around China!

View from the Pearl Tower of the twin Shanghai International Finance Centre (IFC) buildings.

Epic plates of meat? Oh no. Soya meat, totally vegan, totally weird. Stomach? Kidney? It’s all on the menu.

This dude has no chance. Surely the award for the worst load ever?

A nice man vs nature contrast! A good effort to reduce the carbon dioxide in the city.

The lads heading home after work on the nearby building site.

These. Buildings. Are. Big. The Shanghai World Financial Centre (The highest building in China, with the highest observation deck in the world) on the right, the Jin Mao Tower at the bottom and the under construction Shanghai Tower on the top left, which will pip the one on the right!

“WHA?!”

A sculpture from one of the galleries in the ‘Red Town’ art district.

Hiding under a garbage collector, we think this little kitten had lost his mum, and ran out to see us when we called him out!

The Pearl Tower! 12th largest building in the world. Brash, ridiculous, busy. But it looks like a rocket!

Cool twisty metal sculptures near the IFC mall on the Pudong side of Shanghai.

The famous and iconic Peace Hotel on the Bund! Now sponsored by Swatch.

Scared of heights? We’re not. Not much.

Taken from out the window of our hostel.
Not really, it’s a scale model of a section of old Shanghai from the Pearl Tower museum.

Road rules? Nah. Motorbikes and scooters simply don’t adhere to any rules in Shanghai, so watch out!

Yes, I know. Yet another ridiculous Chinese lion dog picture.

Heading up the 400 or so metres in the Pearl Tower lift!

This had to be done.

Some cool graffiti in the M50 district. No surface was safe from the spray can!

Another funny language faux pas shop sign!

The security guard off to the left didn’t quite know what to make of this pose. Blow the whistle at us, or laugh?

Holding up the walking traffic on the Pearl Tower view point, much to the amusement of the Chinese of tour groups!

Photographer in the making!

A quick espresso booster and some complimentry, erm air dried sugar bread?

Another epic colonial building on the Bund. Fit any more China flags up there?

The Shanghai Pirate Boat rides! I just made that up, this is what the actual normal boats look like.

A hearty lunch of beef noodle soup! Hand-made noodles rolled and stretched right in front of you.

The Peninsula hotel Rolls Royce fleet. They’ll drive you to Pizza Hut if you ask nicely.

Hoping and praying for some of that chicken above to magically drop on the floor!
What’s your favourite image?!
August 9, 2013