[Asia Travel]Hilton Signs Place Two Hotels in Beirut; Waldorf Astoria to Open in Dubai

Hilton has partnered with the Al Habtoor Group to convert two hotels in Beirut to the Hilton Hotels & Resorts brand and to develop the very first Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts property in Dubai, UAE.

The agreement will see Hilton Worldwide enter Lebanon by converting the 195-room Habtoor Grand and the 183-room Metropolitan Palace to the Hilton Beirut Habtoor Grand and Hilton Beirut Metropolitan Palace.

 Both hotels are located in the heart of the dynamic city of Beirut and are expected to open in early 2012.

The companies also signed an agreement to develop the Waldorf Astoria Dubai Palm Jumeirah, the first luxury resort by the Waldorf Astoria Hotels & Resorts brand in Dubai.

Located on the iconic Palm Jumeirah, with views of the coastline and some of the Emirate’s most famous landmarks, the 324-room hotel will feature signature restaurants, a luxury health club and spa. The resort is due to open at the end of 2013.

“Beirut is one of the liveliest cities in the world and a leading gateway destination between the east and west. We have been looking forward to entering Lebanon and are very pleased that we are able to do so with this calibre of properties,” said Christopher J. Nassetta, president and chief executive officer, Hilton Worldwide. “Equally, Waldorf Astoria’s heritage and prestige is a perfect fit for Dubai and it is exactly the right time for this luxury brand to join the expanding number of properties we have planned in the UAE. Today’s announcement amply demonstrates our ongoing commitment to growing in the Middle East and consolidates our position as a leading hospitality provider in the region.”

Hilton Beirut Habtoor Grand will boast a number of quality business facilities including a business centre, four large meeting rooms and a conference room that has capacity for 2400 people. Guests can also enjoy an health club, two swimming pools, three restaurants and two bars. At 3500 sqm, the hotel’s spa facility is one of the largest in the region.

Hilton Beirut Metropolitan Palace will feature a business centre, five large meeting rooms and an 820-capacity function room as well as an health club, swimming pool and a choice of four restaurants and two bars.

Waldorf Astoria Dubai Palm Jumeirah will feature four signature restaurants, two bars, a private beach and a large luxury health club and spa. The property will also have a business centre, six meeting rooms and a 600-capacity ballroom.

Hilton Worldwide has signed 18 new hotels across the Middle East and Africa this year, taking their total number of hotels in the development pipeline in the region to 40.

Cambodia Gallery Travel Destinations

Japan

Beijing Tourist information. Welcome to Beijing, China!

Welcome to my virtual presentation of Beijing! With its many tourist sights and its long history, the capital of the People's Republic of China is one of the most attractive cities in the world. Even more so since Beijing hosted the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, the Summer Olympic Games of 2008.

Beijing is the second biggest city in China, and thanks to its excellent transport facilities, it is the main gateway to the country of 1.3 billion citizens.

Beijing is huge and has many attractions. Among them there are four that no tourist should miss: the Forbidden City, Tian an Men, The Summer Palace and the Great Wall. We will start our virtual video tour in the Forbidden City. Click on the picture for the first tourist video. 

Taipei 101: A One of A Kind Experience

If you happen to go to Taiwan, expect nothing less than electronics to be your most probable purchase as this is the destination for geeks and gadgets freaks. You will see a lot of great sites but one to get your attention will surely be the Taipei 101, a tall skyscraper that is sure to be a tourist spot you will want to check out.
The structure is made of 101 floors, owing to its name. You will get a glimpse of how this building can be able to withstand earthquakes as its base foundation is professionally built to withstand such events.

Snuba Diving, Thiland

Phuket is the most beautiful place for families to explore an amazing underwater world.It is the top most place for the tourist in Thailand.

Welcome to Ankor Wat, Cambodia

Welcome to historic Angkor Cambodia ... or at least my virtual tour of it!

Angkor consists of dozens of temples and other structures, spread over a wide area, built between the 9th and 13th centuries by the mighty Khmer empire which, at the time, dominated southeast Asia.

Angkor Wat, seen here, is perhaps the largest and most impressive of the temples, but it is far from the only site worth seeing!

 Angkor is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and for buildings a thousand year old, the structures are amazingly well-preserved. The nearest town, only a few minutes away, is Siem Reap. Not surprisingly, the town has plenty of hotels and restaurants, many of which seem to have opened only in the last few years. Perhaps the easiest way to get here is via air. The small but modern Siem Reap airport has direct flights from a number of cities, including, conveniently, Bangkok, a
major regional hub.

BRUNEI-MUARA DISTRICT

Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque

Omar Saifuddien Mosque

The Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque is dominates the city centre of Bandar Seri Begawan. It is one of the most magnificent mosques of South-East Asia, and a symbol of the strong Islamic faith of the people of Brunei.
The mosque was completed in 1958 and is named after the 28th Sultan, Omar Ali Saifuddien, who is still referred to as the architect of modern Brunei. The mosque's design reflects the use of the world's most elegant materials, including marble from Italy, granite from Shanghai, stained glass and chandeliers from England and carpets from Belgium and Saudi Arabia.
Located in a lagoon beside the mosque is a replica of a 16th Century mahligai barge, which was used to stage colourful religious ceremonies such as the Koran reading competitions during the 1960s and early 1970s. You will be required to remove your shoes prior to entering the mosque, and you should also be dressed conservatively.
The mosque is closed to non-muslims on Thursday. Access is restricted to late afternoon on Fridays

MAJESTIC KALIMANTAN

Kalimantan forms the largest part of the island of Borneo is divided into four main regions:

• South Kalimantan (Kalimantan Selatan)
  
• West Kalimantan (Kalimantan Barat)
  
• East Kalimantan (Kalimantan Timur) and
  
• Central Kalimantan (Kalimantan Tengah - often referred to as Kalteng) 
  Refer to our section on Indonesian Visas for passport and entry visa requirements.
  
  Floating Market - Banjarmasin
  
  The Barito River in Banjarmasin
  
  

Introducing Vietnam - Interesting Destinations Travel

Welcome to a world where the colours are more vivid, where the landscapes are bolder, the coastline more dramatic, where the history is more compelling, where the tastes are more divine, where life is lived in the fast lane. This world is Vietnam, the latest Asian dragon to awake from its slumber.

Nature has blessed Vietnam with a bountiful harvest of soaring mountains, a killer coastline and radiant rice fields, Vietnam is a cracker. Inland, peasant women in conical hats still tend to their fields, children ride buffalos along country paths and minority people scratch out a living from impossible gradients.
Vietnam is a nation of determined optimists who have weathered war after war, survived colonialism and communism, and are now getting to grips with the wheeler-dealer world of capitalism. Fiercely protective of their independence and sovereignty, the Vietnamese are graciously welcoming of foreigners who come as guests not conquerors.
Don’t believe the hype. Or the propagandist party billboards that are as common as statues of ‘Uncle Ho’. Believe your senses, as you discover one of the most enriching, enlivening and exotic countries on earth.

To escape the buzz of millions of motorbikes, head west to the watery landscape of green fields and sleepy villages in the Mekong Delta. There’s adventure galore to be had on Phu Quoc Island and stunning white-sand beaches to relax on. Back on the east coast at Mui Ne Beach, you’ll be faced with a similar dilemma: action or inertia?

Hoi An might weigh you down - but in a good way - you’re bound to add kilos of made-to-order clothing to your luggage. With an estimated 300 to 500 tailors working in this beautiful city, this is fashionista heaven.

To feel the intellectual, cultural and spiritual heartbeat of Vietnam, make a stop in the old imperial capital, Hué. Home to palaces and pagodas, tombs and temples, and host of the biennial arts festival, the Festival of Hué (www.huefestival.com), it’s the place to go for historical, cultural and culinary stimulation.

In Hanoi, the country’s captivating capital, rise early to watch the city exercise by Hoan Kiem Lake, then pay your respects in person to Uncle Ho at the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum (a truly surreal experience). See if you can locate ‘pickled fish street’ in the Old Quarter (it’s somewhere near ‘wooden bowls street’), and cool off with draught beer at ‘bia hoi junction’ (a truly rewarding experience).

Eventually you’ll be enticed out of the city by the stunning offerings of the country’s northern provinces. Nothing can prepare you for the beauty of Halong Bay and its 2000 limestone karsts, nor the experience of trekking around mountainous Sapa.

Vietnam has it all. Go expecting the unexpected, be ready for an adventure as much as a holiday, and Vietnam will deliver.