1. Palawan A boat sailing towards the entrance of the Underground River If there is one thing that anyone of limited vacation time should explore first in the country, it should be Palawan. Palawan is the Philippine’s last frontier, and as such, abundantly blessed by all imaginable attractions that a traveler could possibly wish for. If you ever wonder

1. Bistro Dining, Paris Image by Ted Drake The latest buzzword in the capital is néo-bistro (new bistro), a small, casual address serving outstanding cuisine under the tutelage of a talented (and often ‘name’) chef. Take Christian Constant’s Les Cocottes, a stone’s throw from the Eiffel Tower, or Jadis, hidden on a little-known street in middle-of-nowhere. Tables are jammed as tight as ever,

1 The Treasury (El Khazneh) at Petra The Treasury is the most celebrated monument at ancient Petra – a magnificent site that was voted as being one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. Carved in the 1st century B.C. for an important Nabataean king, the enormous façade draws its artistic influences from ancient Alexandria and is

photo: Swaminathan 1. Bangkok As the political, economic, cultural, culinary, and spiritual capital of Thailand, Bangkok features both old-world charm and modern convenience. Invariably, every Thailand holiday includes a visit to the kingdom’s capital city, Bangkok, or Krung Thep, “the city of angels” as it’s known to the locals. Many first-time visitors to the city are overwhelmed by