Advertisement
Advertisement
Lifestyle /

Travel & Leisure

Related Topics:
Responsible travel
Asia travel
Food and Drinks
Travel news and advice
Explore Hong Kong
A gold-inked manuscript from the Tibetan Dragon Canon, which is on show as part of the “Tibetan Dragon Canon: A Symphony of Imperial Power, Belief and Art in a Golden Age” exhibition at Taiwan’s National Palace Museum until November 8, 2026. The 357-year-old text has recently gone viral for apparently granting those who view it seven lifetimes of good karma. Photo: NPM
Art

The Buddhist text in Taiwan said to bring lifetimes of luck with one glimpse

The Tibetan Dragon Canon, a huge 17th century scripture on show at Taiwan’s National Palace Museum, has set social media ablaze.

Travel

Are these Odyssey islands prepared for tourist surge in wake of new film?

Travel

Why the first night in a hotel affects your sleep quality and how to improve it

Chinese culture

The world’s only hieroglyphic script still in use today is found in China

Over 1,000 years old, Dongba script is associated with the Naxi ethnic minority and is a common sight in Yunnan province’s Lijiang city.

Dongba script, the world’s only hieroglyphic script still in use today, was created by Naxi shamans for sacred rituals. Photo: Amandayan
Dongba script, the world’s only hieroglyphic script still in use today, was created by Naxi shamans for sacred rituals. Photo: Amandayan
Asia travel

Why Ben Fogle thinks he discovered the ‘real’ China in new TV series

In Ben Fogle’s Chinese Adventure, the TV presenter ‘transcends stereotypes’ as he travels from the Great Wall to Shenzhen and Hong Kong.

Art

3 million mosaic pieces later, why artist Sung Tieu wants Germany to ‘wake up’

The Vietnam-born, Berlin-based artist explains how her transformation of the 2026 German pavilion at Venice reflects immigrant experiences.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Travel

6 ‘glowcation’ destinations for your next beauty and wellness fix

A trip built around a wellness treatment, beauty ritual or targeted pharmacy haul, ‘glowcations’ are trending throughout the travel world.

The Friedrichsbad in Baden-Baden has been running its 17-stage bathing circuit since 1877. The sequence moves through steadily rising heat, a soap-and-brush scrub partway through, then a cold plunge that resets the whole cycle before it climbs again.
The Friedrichsbad in Baden-Baden has been running its 17-stage bathing circuit since 1877. The sequence moves through steadily rising heat, a soap-and-brush scrub partway through, then a cold plunge that resets the whole cycle before it climbs again.
Science

Why were there no teeny-tiny dinosaurs like we have with mammals and birds?

New research investigates why there were never any dinosaurs the size of, say, a mouse, and it seems like mammals could be to blame.

Chinese culture

How the Shenzhen Natural History Museum was designed to reflect its landscape

The architects behind the new museum talk about the Shenzhen landmark’s unique design that reflects its green and water-edged location.

Food and Drinks

These 7 lesser-known Korean snacks are trending among visitors

From pork rice soup to K-pop star Jennie’s favourite banana-flavoured snacks, these foods are trending across TikTok, Instagram and Reddit.

Banana Kick (right) has long been a favourite in Korea, but the puffed corn snack became the focus of attention overseas after Blackpink’s Jennie named it one of her favourites last year. Melon Kick (left) has also become a favourite for some overseas enthusiasts. Photo: Courtesy of Nongshim
SCMP Highlights

Hong Kong’s dining battle; TV host’s insomnia struggle: 7 Lifestyle highlights

From Singapore’s dragon dance to French cultural influence in Hong Kong, here are seven stories from SCMP’s recent reporting.

The Red Cuisine owner Joyce Yuen serves dishes at her restaurant in Quarry Bay, Hong Kong. Many restaurants in the city are struggling with falling customer numbers as more locals head to Shenzhen for cheaper meals. Photo: May Tse
The Red Cuisine owner Joyce Yuen serves dishes at her restaurant in Quarry Bay, Hong Kong. Many restaurants in the city are struggling with falling customer numbers as more locals head to Shenzhen for cheaper meals. Photo: May Tse
Asia travel

Why Singapore’s record-breaking giant fire dragon goes up in smoke every 3 years

Unlike other dragon dance traditions, one Singaporean temple’s fire dragon exists within a cycle of creation, sacrifice and renewal.

Asia travel

‘Not the typical Bali’: little-known beach to host 5-day annual design fair

With its relatively undiscovered feel, Pengembak Beach is the perfect location for this year’s edition of Jia Curated, one co-founder says.

US travel

‘Like someone is getting murdered’: Fast & Furious roller coaster scares locals

For residents near Universal Studios Hollywood theme park, there’s never a quiet moment as piercing screams cut through the neighbourhood.

Universal Studio Hollywood's Fast & Furious: Hollywood Drift roller coaster in California is annoying local residents because of the noise coming from its riders. Photo: TNS
Tourism

Could we see BTS, Blackpink, Exo and Stray Kids at the same Korean festival?

‘Fanomenon’, a South Korean mega-event planned for December 2027, will feature artists from all four of K-pop’s biggest entertainment labels.

Jennie of Blackpink performs with the K-pop girl group at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival on April 22, 2023 in Indio, California. Photo: Getty Images for Coachella
Jennie of Blackpink performs with the K-pop girl group at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival on April 22, 2023 in Indio, California. Photo: Getty Images for Coachella
Food and Drinks

Where does your coffee come from? Starbucks buyer on drink’s complex journey

Christian Hackenberg shares why coffee growing and buying is far from simple, and the challenges farmers face from Indonesia to China.

Asia travel

Inside the black-and-white panda-monium in Chengdu, China’s panda capital

Chengdu thrives on panda tourism, with the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding at its heart attracting millions of tourists a year.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
Asia travel

Why are tourists flocking to South Korea’s pharmacies and wellness services?

Beauty and wellness tourism is booming in South Korea, with packages mixing medical technology, beauty services and lifestyle experiences.

videocam
Customers browse health supplements and skin care products at Ready Young Pharmacy in Seongsu-dong, Seoul. Beauty and wellness tourism is currently one of South Korea’s fastest-growing tourism trends. Photo: The Korea Times
Customers browse health supplements and skin care products at Ready Young Pharmacy in Seongsu-dong, Seoul. Beauty and wellness tourism is currently one of South Korea’s fastest-growing tourism trends. Photo: The Korea Times
Tourism

A byte to eat: immersive dining goes hi-tech from Los Angeles to Hong Kong

From animated artworks to ‘floating chairs’, immersive dinners are turning to multimedia tech like never before. Are guests eating it up?

Wellness

How tai chi energises these Chinese retirees: ‘everyone’s health has improved’

Tai chi practitioners at Beijing’s Temple of Heaven talk about learning the ancient Chinese practice and how it benefits health and spirit.

China travel

‘Indispensable to me’: how RedNote has taken over China’s travel scene

Chinese lifestyle app RedNote is now the first place to which many younger travellers turn to seek inspiration, one expert says.

Two tourists from China’s Jilin province show their RedNote accounts on their mobile phones as they visit the Forbidden City in Beijing on July 11, 2026. The platform, also known as Xiaohongshu, has shaken up the tourism industry in China, where domestic travel is booming to record levels. Photo: AFP
Travel

‘No human has ever been’: how former Dyson CEO charted a new Antarctic route

Roland Krueger talks about his gruelling 275km journey skiing along the peaks of Queen Maud Land with his friend Lars Ebbesen.

Explore and adventurer Roland Krueger is pictured with his expedition sledge in Queen Maud Land, which stretches across East Antarctica.
Explore and adventurer Roland Krueger is pictured with his expedition sledge in Queen Maud Land, which stretches across East Antarctica.
Asia travel

At this stunning Vietnamese mountain resort, luxury meets local culture

Nestled among protected terraced rice paddies 200km from Hanoi, Garrya Mu Cang Chai blends bamboo, wellness and local Hmong tradition.

Food and Drinks

Best things to do in Wuhan, China’s breakfast capital - revealed in a new light

Hubei’s eclectic capital on the Yangtze River is famous for its hearty breakfast food and many lakes. Here’s how to spend a weekend there.

Tourism

Taking in Van Gogh’s landscapes, white horses, wine on a riverboat down the Rhone

An all-inclusive cruise down the Rhone passes vineyards, Roman ruins and medieval towns, while enjoying the best food and wine.

Passengers soak in the pool onboard the Lumiere riverboat while soaking up views of Andance, a pretty village along the Rhone River, in France. Photo: TNS
Help preserve 120 years of quality journalism.
SUPPORT NOW