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Tourism

Stories about leisure travel in Hong Kong, China, Asia, and around the world.

Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, in Beijing on Monday. Photo: Xinhua

China-India relations

China and India to restart direct flights after more than five years

Resumption comes as India’s foreign minister makes first trip to Beijing since 2020, meets counterpart Wang Yi and Vice-President Han Zheng.

3 hours agovideocam

Bali urges tourists to assess fitness after spike in accidents and rescues

14 Jul 2025 - 7:08PMvideocam

Japan’s Osaka Expo misses visitor target at halfway mark

14 Jul 2025 - 5:43PM

The View | Why China’s domestic hotels have an edge over Western competitors

Chinese hoteliers are better placed to cope with economic headwinds thanks to wide networks, efficiency and strength in the midscale market.

14 Jul 2025 - 4:30PMvideocam

People scroll through their phones while sitting in front of a hotel in Beijing on July 13. Photo: AP

Decline in Chinese tourists sees Thailand target Southeast Asia, Middle East

Thailand cut its 2025 foreign arrival forecast from 40 million to 35 million due to safety concerns for Chinese tourists after incidents like actor Wang Xing’s kidnapping.

14 Jul 2025 - 4:16PM

‘Why are Chinese flags on our land?’: outcry in South Korea over Udo Island display

The flags, which were later removed, ignited debate over foreign influence and the appropriateness of such displays in South Korea.

14 Jul 2025 - 1:42PM

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Food and Drinks

What makes Hatay, in southern Turkey, Unesco City of Gastronomy worthy?

A Unesco City of Gastronomy, Hatay is famed for its rich culinary heritage blending Mediterranean, Middle Eastern and Anatolian flavours.

14 Jul 2025 - 7:00AM

Uzun Carsi, a traditional market district in Antakya, capital of Hatay, where many stalls sell spices and other ingredients used in regional recipes. Photo: Shutterstock

Food and Drinks

2025 International Cities of Gastronomy Fest Macao opens, themed around spices and herbs

The International Gastronomy Promenade features food from China, Brazil, Thailand, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and the Philippines.

14 Jul 2025 - 12:32PM

Hong Kong society

Hong Kong Covid facility at old airport takes off as youth hostel, culture hub

“Runway 1331” project expected to provide young people with opportunities for entrepreneurship, cultural exchange and talent development.

14 Jul 2025 - 11:14AM

Bangkok calling: Thailand’s digital nomad visa proves a runaway success

Since its launch last July, the Destination Thailand Visa has attracted more than 35,000 applicants.

13 Jul 2025 - 12:00PM

A woman relaxes on Khao Lak beach in Phuket. The digital nomad visa is proving to be a rare policy success for Thailand’s embattled government. Photo: Shutterstock

Crypto kingdom: Bhutan goes all-in on bitcoin tourism

With over 1,000 vendors now accepting crypto payments, Bhutan is wagering on rapid adoption luring tech-savvy travellers and fuelling growth.

12 Jul 2025 - 4:30PM

Bhutan is the world’s first nation to unveil a countrywide, government-backed system enabling visitors to pay for virtually every aspect of their stay using digital currencies. Photo: Marcus Westberg

Cambodia’s Khmer Rouge sites join Unesco’s World Heritage list

Three torture and execution sites, including the famous ‘Killing Fields’ Choeung Ek, have been added to the list of heritage sites.

12 Jul 2025 - 3:21PM

Wheelie beans: Danish chef serves gourmet dishes on cargo bike tours

Morten Kryger Wulff’s cargo bike, which he designed himself, has everything he needs to cook up a movable feast.

12 Jul 2025 - 2:49PM

Indonesia fights to clean up ‘world’s most polluted river’

Indonesia’s Citarum River is so heavily polluted with rubbish that you can barely see the water.

12 Jul 2025 - 12:27PMvideocam

Moving rubbish in Java’s Citarum River which is clogged with plastic. Photo: dpa

In Australia, a German backpacker is found after 12 days missing

Carolina Wilga, 26, was found ‘ravaged by mosquitoes’ on a bush track at the edge of a nature reserve.

11 Jul 2025 - 8:50PM

Police officers gather in Beacon, Western Australia on Friday as they prepare to search for missing German backpacker Carolina Wilga. Photo: via AP

2 Americans rescued from Japan’s Mount Fuji prompt more calls for tougher rules

The recurrence of such incidents on the peak has renewed calls in Japan for stiffer penalties and for errant hikers to pay for their rescue.

11 Jul 2025 - 10:00AM

Japan hotel offers mini beds for toys, appealing to travellers with plush fellows

Travelling toys trend spreads to China as psychologists say taking an inanimate friend on your trip offers ‘unconditional companionship’.

11 Jul 2025 - 9:00AM

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Hong Kong politics

My Take | Building railways as ‘one country, one system’ may save Hong Kong a lot of money

Adopting mainland standards to build the mass transit links for the Northern Metropolis can reduce construction costs by up to 30%.

10 Jul 2025 - 8:43PM

An aerial view of Kwu Tung MTR Station. The station is expected to be topped out by the end of this year and is scheduled for completion in 2027. Photo: Eugene Lee

China sees surge in sales of duty-free goods amid inbound tourism boom

China has expanded a scheme allowing foreign tourists to claim tax refunds on a range of purchases, as it strives to attract more visitors.

10 Jul 2025 - 4:53PMvideocam

Thailand to require cannabis shops to convert into clinics staffed by doctors

Officials say only around 2,000 of the country’s 18,000 marijuana dispensaries are expected to stay open after the new rules go into effect.

10 Jul 2025 - 7:43PM

Malaysia couple journey to tour site after watching AI-video, unaware it’s unreal

Credulous elderly pair convinced by non-existent TV journalist that scenic cable car attraction is real, refuse to believe the truth on arrival at ‘resort’.

10 Jul 2025 - 2:00PM

An elderly Malaysian couple drove for hours to find a tour site after watching an artificial intelligence-generated video, unaware that the whole thing was fictional. Photo: SCMP composite/Facebook@Nurul Afzarina Mokhtar

Crash Landing on You fans flock to Swiss village, officials deny cashing in

Officials in Iseltwald say a pay-for-entry turnstile erected at a dock featured in the hit Netflix show brings in less than a public toilet.

10 Jul 2025 - 4:15AM

Korean visitors take pictures on the pier at Lake Brienz in Iseltwald, Switzerland, on May 21, 2023. The lakeside dock has seen an influx of tourists since featuring in the hit South Korean Netflix series Crash Landing On You. Photo: AP

Singapore politicians lead sold-out durian tours to Malaysia as peak season hits

With itineraries featuring all-you-can-eat fruit buffets, the trips are a popular way for members of parliament to thank constituents.

9 Jul 2025 - 4:21PM

Travel Destinations

Going to Paris? Escape the city for a night at these fantastic retreats

From countryside inns serving amazing food to wine excursions and Instagram hotspots, add a stay at one of these to your next Paris trip.

9 Jul 2025 - 4:15PM

Bali named world’s second most crowded island – residents aren’t cheering

With more than 60,000 daily visitors arriving on the island, residents have complained about overcrowding and a housing shortage.

9 Jul 2025 - 4:09PMvideocam

Visitors to Bali watching a Kecak dance performance. Photo: Anadolu via Getty Images

Travellers no longer have to remove shoes for US airport security checks

The ritual began nearly 20 years ago after ‘shoe bomber’ Richard Reid’s failed attempt to take down a flight from Paris to Miami.

9 Jul 2025 - 12:52PM

A traveller places his shoes in a bin before passing through the TSA security check at Los Angeles International Airport. File photo: TNS

How incredible King Tutankhamen collection is being restored for new museum

From gilded coffins to golden amulets, many of the Grand Egyptian Museum’s items have not undergone restoration since their 1922 discovery.

8 Jul 2025 - 7:15PM

Travel Destinations

Take a bike trip along France’s west coast to discover its beauty and history

Enjoy great views and explore Nazi remnants from World War II on a ride along La Vélodyssée, the French section of the Atlantic Coast Road.

8 Jul 2025 - 4:20PM

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