Hong Kong evokes images of bright lights, fabulous shopping, amazing dining and all the glitz and glamour of one of the world’s most popular destinations for visitors from all over the world. And it’s a reputation that’s perfectly well deserved – because it’s all that and so much more!
Merging an effortless connection between modern and traditional, Japan’s serene and beautiful countenance reveals a country that’s exciting, exotic and progressive – all while delivering an authentic experience to its many international visitors. Alongside the dazzling modernity and technology of its large cities, an ancient culture is on display abundantly and often in unexpected places.
With everything a little unusual right now, especially when it comes to planning your holidays, it can be easy to feel disheartened. However, just because we can’t travel just now there is no reason to stop daydreaming about all the future trips on the horizon!
Standing in the South China Sea to the east of the Pearl River estuary, Hong Kong has long been a major centre of world commerce. It is made up of Hong Kong Island, the Kowloon Peninsula and the New Territories together with more than 200 other islands of which Lantau and Lamma are of most interest to visitors. In 1997 when Great Britain’s 99-year lease of Hong Kong expired the territory was returned to China, now being officially designated as a ‘Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China’.
The mighty Mekong River flows from its source in Tibet to the Mekong Delta in south-west Vietnam where it empties into the South China Sea. On its way it travels through China, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos and Cambodia providing water for millions of people along its route. The Mekong Delta region produces more than a quarter of Vietnam’s agricultural output and over half of its rice crop. The region is made up of a vast network of distributaries where life is almost exclusively focused on the water. Visitors to the region can enjoy a glimpse of this local life on boat trips to floating markets and fish farms which are undoubtedly amongst the top tourist experiences in Vietnam.
Made up of an incredible 17,000+ islands and taking the crown as the largest archipelago in the world, Indonesia has long been a holiday favourite – not only with dedicated beach lovers and sun worshippers, but also with die hard surfing and diving fans, off the beaten track adventurers and those looking to immerse in its rich and authentic culture.
Nha Trang is one of Vietnam’s most popular beach destinations thanks to its long, sandy beach, fine accommodation and lively nightlife. It also provides a great base from which to explore natural attractions such as the Ba Ho Waterfalls together with historic places of interest like the Ponagar Towers which date back to the ancient Champa Kingdom.
Singapore is a city-state located on an archipelago off the coast of Indonesia and Malaysia in South East Asia. It gained independence from Great Britain in 1965 and developed into a global commercial powerhouse with a focus on financial services, manufacturing, and oil-refining. Tourism to Singapore takes place all year round attracting more than 18 million annual visitors who mainly arrive via Singapore’s state-of-the-art international airport in the east of the island.
Finally we travel again! At Shuttle Direct we have implemented a meticulous safety and hygiene protocol against Covid-19. All to make your trip as safe as possible. Guarantees for the prevention of COVID-19 Our drivers and hauliers follow the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO), as well as the local regulations of the Ministry of Public Health of each country. At Shuttle Direct we want to guarantee that your journey will be carried out in the safest way possible.
For keen travellers and holidaymakers things are a little difficult at the moment. With us all staying safe at home daydreaming about our next holiday it can be easy to get downhearted. Thankfully though, there is one aspect of your favourite getaway that you can easily incorporate into your lockdown routine. If you’re like me and food is one of your favourite reasons to visit another country, then creating an authentic recipe from a world-class destination is a great way to bring a little foreign culture to your home. It’s a fantastic way to make use of spare time and whet your appetite for when you finally do get back on the move.
This is a hard time for anyone who is a keen traveller, and although it won’t be like this forever there is a good chance we might have to satisfy our holiday cravings through daydreaming for some time to come. It’s not all bad news though. If you’re anything like me you’ve found yourself with a little extra free time and I’ve found a great way to spend it.
By its very geography the Dominican Republic evokes images of a tropical paradise, with white sand, swaying palm trees and turquoise waters that go on forever – and that is exactly what it is. It’s a place that appears to be perpetually on holiday, from the stunning coastline and its postcard-perfect beaches, to the small villages, dramatic mountain ranges, fertile valleys and lush sugar plantations of the interior.
France is a country with several personalities rolled into one lovely package. One minute it’s all Parisian art and history, then it’s a magical winter wonderland in the Alps, then a bucolic, laidback countryside with rolling hills of vineyards and, finally, glitzy, glamorous and sun-kissed beaches of the French Riviera. It’s one of those places that really does have it all and it continues to delight its huge numbers of visitors every year.
