 The wheels of a Boeing 777-200ER belonging to Singapore Airlines kiss the ground on runway 02L at Changi, after a 12 hour flight from Heathrow. We are next to line up and take-off!: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh  As the Boeing 777-200ER is vacating the runway after landing, we are all lined up and ready to go to Colombo (Sri Lankan Airlines): Photo Copyright Navjot Singh  Wham! One minute the sun is shining and it is hot and humid...and then suddenly warm Monsoon rain hits Singapore: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh  Clear skies again at Marina Bay Sands, Singapore: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh  Marina Bay: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh  An exotic bird at the Marina Gardens By the Bay: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh  Iced Bandung (Rose Milk): Photo Copyright Navjot Singh  Iced Bandung (Rose Milk): Photo Copyright Navjot Singh  YuanYang (Tea and Coffee blended together): Photo Copyright Navjot Singh Located right in the heart of Singapore, close to Clarke Quay, Hotel Clover of the Arts is a nice luxurious boutique hotel designed for the discerning traveller. Clean, neat and quiet, each of the hotel's tiny yet cosy rooms contain all the creature comforts that one may require (dove-feature ultra-comfortable duvet and pillows, hot rain-forest shower, complimentary breakfast and in-rom minibar, iron & board, safe box, free fast & reliable wi-fi and a very helpful and friendly staff). Highly recommended. Perfect for families, couples or business travellers.  Hotel Clover of the Arts: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh  Hotel Clover of the Arts: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh  Hotel Clover of the Arts: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh  Hotel Clover of the Arts: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh  Pasir Gudang and Johar (Malaysia): Photo Copyright Navjot SIngh  Singapore Changi Airport: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh  Singapore (and Sentosa Island in the background) as seen from around 4,000 ft....night shots from a plane moving at 250 knots and taken through a triple-glazed window is not easy...I'm sure someone else can do a better job then I- my hats off to them....in this photo you can clearly see Marina Bay Sands too...  Singapore: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh  City of Phan Rang - Tháp Chàm, and Dalat in the background (Vietnam), captured on the 27th April from Hong Kong to Singapore (from 41,000 feet)  Nha Trang, Vietnam: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh  Coastal city of Vungtau (bright lights of Ho Chi Minh city reflecting on the clouds can be seen on the top right-hand corner)...taken on way to Singapore on 27th April (41,000 feet) Flying from Hong Kong to Singapore with United Airlines, Boeing 777. After departure from 07L, the aircraft made a right-hand turn back towards Vietnam...passing around 3,000 feet and rapidly climbing, we passed Hong Kong Disneyland. I took a similar photo back in 2013 when I flew from Hong Kong to Abu Dhabi as shown here.   There IS a better place than the Ozone Bar and the Peak in Hong Kong to get great views...but depends if the weather is good! Hong Kong Island and Kowloon as seen on approach to Chep Lap Kok Airport: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh  Hong Kong Island and Kowloon as seen on approach to Chep Lap Kok Airport: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh  Cheung Chau Island: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh  Soko Islands, Hong Kong: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh  Hangzhou Xiaoshan Airport: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh  Hangzhou: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh  Hangzhou: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh  West Lake, Hangzhou: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh  Hangzhou: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh  The Japanese equivalent of 7/11...delicious meals like this can be bought for under US $2: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh  A lovely strawberry sandwich for only 6.9 RMB (GBP £0.70p): Photo Copyright Navjot Singh  On the go snack: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh Went to Jinan, the capital city of China's Shandong Province, for a 2 day visit. Not much of a touristy city but there are some nice natural springs that one can explore. The city is the birthplace of the well-known entrepreneur Ms. Wendi Deng. I wonder what Ms. Deng would make of Jinan today!    Baotu Spring- one of the best springs in the world: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh  Baotu Spring: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh  The Winter has just gone by: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh  People filling up bottles from Baotu Spring- one of the best springs in China: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh  Eggs, Soya Bean Milk, and Ham Burger: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh  Delicious bread stick (you-tiao) wrapped neatly with a fried egg omlette: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh  Cebu Pacific retired all of their DC-9 aircraft in 2006. Interesting to see one of them in the scrap yard at Manila International Airport: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh  Every afternoon the hot air rising over the hills behind Caticlan on the ‘mainland’ creates this huge thunderstorm cloud - or ‘Cb’ (CumuloNimbus) called Grace. It is there every day and never goes out in the water. When the cloud is at its peak just on sunset (as in the picture) - as the sun sinks over the curved planet its light rises up the cloud lights up the distinctive ‘anvil’.  Romantic Boracay: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh  Beach-goers watch the spectacular pink sky: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh Boracay in the Philippines is renowned for its stunning sunsets. Everyday between 5.50pm and 6.20pm, the sky is full of magic....so many colours appear and change quickly, too. You just end up saying "Wow!" all the time. Those 20 minutes from around 5.50pm can put a smile back on ones face if they've had a bad day...I've seen sunsets like this in England maybe for a few days a year.  Stunning sunset, Boracay: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh  Stunning light, Boracay: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh  Earth or Mars?!: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh  Magical sunset, Boracay: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh  Stunning sunset, Boracay: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh  Boracay: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh  Just out of this world: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh  Evening in Boracay: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh  Just about to hit evening time: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh  Spectacular: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh  Jaw-dropping stuff: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh  and another one..: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh  Another day gone: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh  Here you can see night, dusk, sun, Venus, and even a thunder cloud all in one! Photo Copyright Navjot Singh  Is that a cloud or a bird?!: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh  After the sunset cruises all the yachts head home, usually arriving home after dark.  Must be Mars!: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh  Stunning...speechless: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh  Stunning: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh  Magical: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh  Boracay Sunset- taken with an iPhone6: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh  White Beach, Boracay: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh  White Beach, Boracay: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh   Perfect selfie!  Shangri-La Boracay: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh  Bulabog Beach, Boracay: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh  Facing the Sulu Sea, Boracay: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh  Navjot Singh is fully camouflaged with the colours of the sea!: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh  Puka Beach, Boracay: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh  Boats off White Beach, Boracay: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh  Puka Beach, Boracay: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh  Boracay's version of Baywatch!: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh  Puka Beach, Boracay: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh  Navjot Singh  Puka Beach, Boracay: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh  Doesn't get more dramatic than this...one minute you are swimming and the second...noises of DUK, DUK, DUK....a Huey Rescue Helicopter goes overhead..thankfully it was only a drill...  White Beach, Boracay: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh  Shangri-La, Boracay: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh  White Beach, Boracay: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh There are over 360 resorts dotted along the 3 main beach stations (Stations 1, 2 and 3) on the tiny dog-bone shaped island of Boracay in the Philippines. From my experience, two of the BEST places to stay at for families with kids, couples on a honeymoon or those who want to while away their holiday quietly and in stunning surroundings are the Shangri-La Hotel Resort at Beach Station 1 or Sundown Studios Boracay at Angol Beach Front. I stayed for 5 nights at the latter, which was designed and is managed by German national and long-term Boracay resident Jurgen Schatzle, a former engineer who spent his life building tunnels around China and India. His vision and immaculate attention to detail has produced a remarkable building with only 4 sophisticated and spacious luxurious suites - 40 solar panels providing its power when the island's electricity fails. This resort was highly recommended to me by my friend, James Nixon, who is an Airbus A380 Captain for a major international 5-star airline. Each of the 4 neat and clean rooms come complete with air-conditioning, an electric fan, high-speed Wi-Fi internet, plenty of power points, Western style toilet, spacious shower, Espresso coffee machine, luxurious bath amenities from Amber Spa, daily room-cleaning service and most importantly, are located in a QUIET location so you don't hear any noise at night (the surroundings at Angol Point are quite anyways- perfect for families). You won't hear any of the noise from the manic bars at Beach Station 2. There is also a private bar, restaurant and a dive centre. The staff are very professional and provide a truly 5-star customer service taking you more personally. Jurgen runs the business from his bar. His business partner, Peter, is an Austrian who runs the bar. He enjoyed a very successful lifelong career as an F&B manager on cruise ships before locating here. Sundown Studios Resort is slightly expensive, but you get what you pay for- peace, quietness, and luxury, the creature comforts of good food and drinks and privacy. From my experience, I found the people here very nice. Whether you are with your family and kids, or if you are on a honeymoon, or even if you are a writer who wants to relax in tranquil surroundings and enjoy ultimate luxury, then this is THE place to stay at. Unless you are into the manic noise and crowds, then I would personally avoid staying at any of the resorts at Beach Station 2 and even Station 1 (except the Shangri-La, which has its own quite private resort- you cannot even get in to the hotel if you are not staying there). Station 1 and Station 3 has some good-quality restaurants. Station 2 has some nice restaurants too, but it is all rather noisy cheap, tacky and perhaps even unclean in places. Sundown Studios Boracay is the ultimate getaway resort.  Sundown Studios Boracay: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh  The Reef at Sundown Studios Boracay: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh  The Reef at Sundown Studios Boracay: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh  The Reef at Sundown Studios Boracay: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh  The Reef at Sundown Studios Boracay: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh  View from inside The Reef at Sundown Studios Boracay: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh  View from the bar at Sundown Studios Boracay: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh  The Reef at Sundown Studios Boracay: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh  The Reef at Sundown Studios Boracay: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh  Breakfast menu at Sundown Studios Boracay: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh  Breakfast at The Reef at Sundown Studios Boracay: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh  View from the bar at Sundown Studios Boracay: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh  View from the bar at Sundown Studios Boracay: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh  View from the bar at Sundown Studios Boracay: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh  Sunset as seen from the Reef at Sundown Studios Boracay: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh  Dusk as seen from Sundown Studios Boracay: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh Boracay Island is a tiny dog-bone shaped island located under an hour's flight from Manila with a Dash-8 aircraft (yep, they still use aircraft with propellers in some parts of the world!). The island houses a wonderful white sand beach facing west to the Sulu Sea. The eastern side - Bulabog Beach - faces the Sibuyan Sea. Voted by Conde Nast and many other travel magazines as having one of the best sunsets in the world, Boracay is a gem (though, not exactly hidden now!). The island is a perfect getaway for families, couples on a honeymoon or those who want to escape the hustle & bustle of the city life. Getting to the island can be a bit of a hassle (Manila Airport is an experience!) but once you're there, it is a world away from it all. It is not exactly a backpackers destination, simply because it is expensive and caters for more of a middle-class crowd, and thankfully it doesn't attract any sleazy/seedy/desperado types of people that you may get in places such as Thailand or other parts of the Philippines. Boracay is definitely worth a visit. Put it on your bucket list. The BEST places to stay at, from my experience, are either the Shangri-La Boracay resort or Sundown Studios Boracay. Check them out.   Bulabog Beach - faces the Sibuyan Sea: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh  Puka Beach, Boracay: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh  A boat moored in the waters off White Beach, Boracay: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh  White Beach with algae, Boracay: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh  White Beach, Boracay: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh  White Beach, Boracay: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh  Crocodile Island: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh  The propeller of a Dash 8 belonging to Philippine Airlines: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh Only a two hour flight from Hong Kong, the capital city of the Philippines, Manila, lies in the tropics...we were welcomed by hot and humid weather.  Manila, the capital city of the Philippines, houses a population of around 1.7 million people: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh  Shanty towns scattered around the area surrounding the main international airport: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh OK, the good thing about the Hong Kong Regal Airport Hotel is that it is located right next to the airport terminal, within a 2-minute walking distance. Apart from that, I can think of quite a few other good airport hotels around the world that are good or perhaps ever better (Hilton Heathrow, Marriott Heathrow among others). Though, in my experience, it is perhaps just a bit better than the Shanghai Pudong Dazhong Airport Hotel. Most importantly, I'm not complaining because it does do the job in any case of providing a peaceful sleep in a quiet room.     Kowloon, as seen from Central: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh  Central: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh  The new Hong Kong Observation Wheel: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh  ICC and Hong Kong station: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh  IFC 2: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh  HKG Observation Wheel and Central: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh  Expected to be completed in 2016, the Ping An Finance Centre is going to be China's tallest building, as well as the world's second tallest building: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh  The 115-floor high building sticks out in the Shenzhen skyline: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh  Along with the Diwang building, nearest to the frame, the Ping An Building can be seen in the background, located in Shenzhen's Coco Park area: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh When I first arrived in China in 2003, Guangzhou's Garden Hotel was one of the very few 5-star hotels in the city (the others being the White Swan Hotel and the China Hotel by Marriott). It still projects an air of nostalgia and has become a choice for hosting airline crews from Emirates, Qatar Airways, Saudia - Saudi Arabian Airlines, DHL, FedEx among others. The nearby areas of Xiaobei Lu (also known as Little Middle-East because of the large number of Arabs living there), and Sanyuanli (known as "Chocolate City" by the locals because of the large African community that lives there) have turned Guangzhou into a thriving international city in recent years.    A furniture store in Panyu, Guangzhou: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh  A typical street in Panyu, Guangzhou: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh Located south of Guangzhou's Liwan district, Shamian Island is a gazetted historical area that serves as a tranquil reminder of the colonial European period, with quiet pedestrian avenues flanked by trees and lined by historical buildings in various states of upkeep.  Shamian land, Guangzhou: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh  Shamian land, Guangzhou: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh  Shamian land, Guangzhou: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh  Shamian land, Guangzhou: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh  Shamian land, Guangzhou: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh  Shamian land, Guangzhou: Photo Copyright Navjot Singh |
Get in Touch:LIFE MATTERSHere I share my thoughts
and experiences during my travels, and how some things have affected my life as an expat and world traveller. Travelling is about capturing that moment in life. Every word, view and opinion on this page is that of Navjot Singh - except where indicated. The most recent is at the top. Scroll down to read the archive. Or search using CTRL+F (COMMAND + F) and enter a keyword to search the page. Just some of the stories you never heard before. The NAVJOT-SINGH.COM web blog is separate to this web site....Click blog, which may not be visible in some countries due to local firewall restrictions, so in those cases this weblog may be read. The weblog also includes some of my press trip reports- most of which are not published on the official blog because of copyright issues. The weblog also contains articles that may be associated directly with a PR trip for a country, airline or a hotel. These are PR reviews done in relations with various companies. If you are an investor or a trend watcher then you may find this website useful as investing has a lot to do with personal observations and finding the ideal trend or next big thing. The average human on the street frequently knows far more about the state of the economy than politicians, university professors, subject matter experts, and financial analysts who seldom travel, or if they do so, only from one hotel to another hotel! The pulse and vibrancy of an economy is nowhere more visible than on a country's streets. 
All photos and words are © Navjot Singh unless stated. Photos taken by others or by agencies are appropriately copyrighted under the respective name. No photo or word/s may be taken without the prior written permission by the author (i.e. Navjot Singh). All Rights Reserved. 
Navjot being interviewed by Cecila Lu at GDTV.
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