There aren't many places left in Phuket where travelers can find peaceful retreats. But if you know where to look, the island could be yours.   I n Surin, that raw idyllic stretch, about 7 km of imperceptibly inhabited coastline across the Andaman Sea, which lies on the west coast of Phuket,...

Singapore is a melting pot of culture, a happy marriage of East and West, roaring with unfathomable energy and a new sense of identity.   From the balmy Friday afternoon rush hour, the occasional tropical breeze whiffs in gently. A welcome relief as I walked, dripping in sweat, along the bustling...

From a rocky gorge to Spain’s oldest bullfighting ring, Ronda is not just a place to see monumental architecture but also dreams and dramas.   Through the large glass paneled windows blurred by the cold mist of the Andalusian winter, the clip-clop of well-shod hooves from the carriage horses striking the...

High above the French Alps and an arm's reach from the Swiss border, Lake Annecy draws all crowds and artists alike in pursuit of a restorative escape.   Either he picked up the wrong colors or has probably run out of paint; Paul Cézanne, the most rebellious of the 19th-century French...

There are many ways to discover Italy's powerhouse. In Milan, you take a spade and dig; the odds of uncovering ancient relics are high. You could also take a good pair of shoes, and the odds of discovering the city are as good as the way you strut.   "I would...

High up in the French Alps and away from the crowd, ordinary afternoon walks become sublime experiences with soul-rousing natural beauty playing the ideal backdrop.   Ona steep, narrow country road at 1,150 meters above sea level, my travel partner accelerated the engine, aiming at the waggish sound of alpine bells....

There is nowhere in the world quite like Istanbul - spread across two continents, a city exuding with culture and contrast and always on the move.   Everyday mostly at six, old wooden carts pass and move along the narrow cobblestoned alleyways hauling merchandise of freshly picked cucumbers, tomatoes, nuts and...

In Madeira, Quintas are becoming the new cultural touchstones and enduring icons that define Portuguese hospitality.   It was the best of times. I am traveling to Madeira. It was the worst of times. The plane that would take me to Portugal's ethereal island in the Atlantic, was nowhere in sight. It...

If old dogs can learn new tricks, what are the chances of an aging Asian auntie learning to speak a foreign language?   By the time I reached the part where a woman starts to lie about her age, I decided to return to school.  I have moved to Spain with one...

From the Pyrenees to the jagged coastal coves of Costa Brava, Spain's Catalonia stirs inspiration and saccharine summer dreams.   IT was hard to say when summer arrived in the Alt Empordà, the upper part of Catalonia, tucked away in the northeast corner of Spain. The fresh-milled scent of olives that clung...