Advantages: Friendly staff, great beach, tasteful, stylish decor, peaceful, great location, great detail
Disadvantages: Very few... too few sun loungers and food maybe could have been better

...the east coast of Malaysia, Japamala is one of the select 'budget' luxury boutique resorts there and is part of the Samadhi Retreats chain. I say resort ... Read review

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lovely pics! by theredrobin

Pretty photo's :o) by VampirePrincessLizzy

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Advantages: Great atmosphere, friendly, good location, cheap
Disadvantages: Food wasn't very good

The Geographer Cafe is a bar/cafe/restaurant on the busy Jonker Street in Unesco Heritage status Malacca, Malaysia. It is situated right in the heart of this buzzy, bustling spot also known as China town in Malacca. It's a great place to go if you're a ba ... Read review

Advantages: Intersting cultural experience
Disadvantages: None really

Baci Ceremony, Vientiane We were invited to take part in our own Baci Ceremony while we were in Vientiane. Prior to our own ceremony I knew nothing about what happened or why they had the ceremonies. In Laos a Baci ceremony is carried out for both sad ... Read review

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Excellent review of a fascinating ceremony. John by Coloneljohn

Lovely by hiker

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Advantages: A fabulous experience
Disadvantages: You may get bitten as you should NOT wear repellent

At the end of our holiday to Laos and Borneo we spent four nights in total luxury at the Rasa Ria just outside Kota Kinabau. This is a fabulous hotel resort but a long way from the city and many activities. My husband was really not keen on doing anything ... Read review

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Thorough and interesting review. Exceptional. by GodfatherOfSoul

It does sound like a wonderful experience. by denella

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Magical Fireflies
by dkm1981

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Advantages: Excellent rooms, excellent service, amazing swimming pool
Disadvantages: Some areas a bit dated and tired looking

Mandarin Oriental is known the world over as an upmarket hotel chain offering high-end accommodation in most major cities. The one in Kuala Lumpur is a grand and imposing building although perhaps feels a little tired and dated once inside. We booked ther ... Read review

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A very good review, but I would like to have seen some room and en-suite photographs in a hotel review here. R. by RICHADA

I love your photos! by GodfatherOfSoul

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Bringing me moments of delight since 2005. Mandarin Oriental KL
by atlantis140

Mandarin Oriental is Luxurious
by ashford

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Advantages: Unique temple with incredible surrounding jungle. Very atmospheric. Very photogenic.
Disadvantages: Can have hoards of people and hard to have time alone there, this can affect any photos taken

Ta Prohm is a large temple in the Angkor site near Siem Riep. It is often referred to as the "Tomb Raider Temple" as a scene from the film was filmed here. The temple stands out from any other temple in the region because of the way in which the jungle ... Read review

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You could have said so much more!! by catsholiday

More details would be useful by mozzie76

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Daybreak Prohmenade
by hiker

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Advantages: Learning about local culture and food
Disadvantages: Hygiene a bit dodgy

Cooking Class at ‘Roots and Leaves’ Restaurant , Luang Prabang We had enjoyed a cooking school we did in Hoi An in Vietnam and so when this was offered as an option on our tour we decide we would give Laos cooking a try at this course. ‘Roots and Leav ... Read review

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Excellent review. John by Coloneljohn

I see no mention of being taught how to feed Gregg Wallace to crocodiles...they need to work on that. by greenierexyboy

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Advantages: Tea and coffee and mini bar in the room, nice dome in the entrance lobby
Disadvantages: Service dreadful, hotel shabby, dirty, tired, cockroaches... generally... yuck!

Our visit to the Unesco Heritage status Melaka happened to coincide with a public holiday for Malaysia and Singapore. It seems this town was a popular destination for those from Kuala Lumpur and Singapore to get away from the city. This meant accommodatio ... Read review

Advantages: Authentic Laos food
Disadvantages: Not the smartest toilets I have ever seen in a restaurant

Kualao Restaurant141 Samsenthai Road VientianeWe had a really different Laos meal at lunch time in this restaurant. The name means Laos Kitchen and it prides itself it producing quality and authentic ... Read review

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Excellent review. John by Coloneljohn

We eat pork scratchings, and I can't believe that crickets could ever be worse than that. by greenierexyboy

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Advantages: fabulous setting and a chance to watch elephants bathing
Disadvantages: The food and service was a bit lackadaisical

Tad Lo Lodge , Bolaven Plateau Laos ORGANISING OUR STAY When we organised our trip to Laos we had a number of places we definitely wanted to see and this was on our list as the lodge has three rescued elephants that you can ride and also see them bathin ... Read review

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Excellent review. John by Coloneljohn

Well, if they grow tea and coffee there... by greenierexyboy

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Advantages: Cheap, close to the airport, good for laughs, often friendly service
Disadvantages: Detonating appliances, bio hazard zone, and you may never fully recover

...my driver from the UniContinental Hotel was waiting for me with a neatly printed name sign; I noticed it immediately, because he had it upside down. With a wave and a smile o ... Read review

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Great review. by kama0529

Fascinating read! Welcome to Ciao! by Viborg

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Advantages: A peaceful and perfect setting
Disadvantages: You are cut off from technology like wifi

La Folie Hotel, 4000 Islands ( Si Phan Don) Laos WHY THIS HOTEL? This was our last hotel in Laos and was designed to be a bit of a chill after all the rushing around we had done in Laos up till then and to prepare us for the next part of our holiday in B ... Read review

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Excellent review. John by Coloneljohn

It looks lovely but I'd melt if I went outside, and I'd probably get eaten by spiders too...say what you like about high latitude holidays, at least the spiders are a manageable size. by greenierexyboy

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Advantages: It's the real thing - original and old
Disadvantages: There's not actually much to see inside

...Indian state of Kerala was St Francis' CSI Church. CSI stands for Church of South India – not Crime Scene Investigation, in case you were wonder ... Read review

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'I had that Vasco da Gama in the back of the church once...' by greenierexyboy

Great review and photographs :) E x by labellavita1992

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Advantages: Beautifully decorated and offers interesting insight into Christianity in India
Disadvantages: Not as old as you may be led to believe

Expect the Unexpected If your expectation of religious buildings in India is based around Hindu temples, mosques and endless statues of the Buddha, then Kochi (or Cochin as it used to be known) will come as a surprised. The state of Kerala is ... Read review

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lmao at you being called arsey! by CheekyCharlie08

Another great mix of info, local colour and personal anecdote. Arsey, you? by Chouchinciao

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Advantages: Somewhere very different and so cheap
Disadvantages: None for me - loved it

...the Spirit City Temple or Buddha Park and is like nothing I have ever seen before. It is about a forty minute drive out of Vientiane and 25km south the last part of the journey is along a bit of a d ... Read review

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Being a Zen practitioner, this is one place I would love to go. Great review and loved the pictures.. by derek-j-a

Excellent review. Sounds a lovely place to visit. John by Coloneljohn

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