Hanoi Holiday (Inn)

by Josh Lew on

Though the rapid rate of development has not hit Hanoi as hard as it has Ho Chi Minh City, the capital city of Vietnam still seems overwhelmed with new constructions. How this affects tourism numbers in the long term remains to be seen, but, for now, the number of visitors is rising (2 million international visitors projected by 2010).

Hanoi is known for its lakes and for being a city built by many different influences. Tourists are drawn by the unique blend of French, Chinese and Vietnamese architecture, art and cuisine. Hanoi is rushing to compound its tourism success. New roads, shopping centers and hotels are a big part of the effort. One wonders if the charm and urban quaintness that has attracted people in the past will be lost amidst the blitz of all things new.

An example of this modernization: a Holiday Inn, Hanoi’s first, will be completed in 2010. The glitzy 300 room hotel will sit at the middle of a large upscale shopping, commercial and entertainment complex in the central Dong Da District. InterContinental Hotels Group, which is responsible for bringing the well known hotel brand to Vietnam, is banking on its name to help it succeed. Holiday Inn is a familiar hotel and, in an up-and-coming destination like Hanoi, that might lead to many people choosing it as a default when it comes to accommodation.

The coming of Holiday Inn and its ilk might be a bad signal for all the family-run guest houses and locally owned inns that dot the city. I’m not going to say that all this development is ruining the Hanoi experience. I’m going to think it, but I won’t say it. You can’t really criticize a city for trying to modernize and bring more dollars into its economy. At the same time, those of you who want to experience the deep sense of history and the diverse cultural influences might want to start booking your flight soon, lest you find nothing but Holiday Inns and KFCs.

Dubai to Become World’s Top Spa Destination

by Josh Lew on

Besides being a destination for people who like designer boutiques, tall buildings and overpriced restaurants, Dubai is on its way to becoming the best place in the world to find the perfect spa experience. The spa industry is growing by nearly 20% per year. By 2010, it is projected that Dubai will surpass other destinations with a total of 15 million visitors at its spas.

Everyone (including former Mrs. Kid Rock Pamela Anderson) is trying to get in on the hotel boom that the emirate is currently experiencing. And what’s a luxury hotel without a spa? Themed spas are virtually required for any glitzy new inn.

Yes, Dubai is theme-happy. They have built housing developments that resemble palm trees and world maps. Spas are not immune from this fad. A few examples: The Ritz-Carlton’s Balinese spa, Shangri-La’s Chinese themed Spa, an the Indian spa at the Taj Palace.

Dubai has a leg up on, say, Scottsdale, in terms of luxury. But that is probably because it has to. The whole emirate is a luxurious version of an adult DisneyWorld, complete with Formula One racing and shopping malls.

Would people still be flocking to Dubai if it didn’t have all those over-the-top elements?

Mickey Sets a Course for Shanghai

by Josh Lew on

Mickey Mouse has been planning to bring Disneyland to Shanghai for some time now. Details have been sketchy and the project has been put on the shelf several times.

But people in one village are banking on the billionaire rodent to eventually get things off the ground.

According to Shanghaiist, business people and home owners in Jinjia have been building on to current structures and establishing new businesses. These would-be entrepreneurs are not hoping that Disneyland will be built nearby so that they can sell food and souvenirs to the theme park’s clientele. They are betting that Disney will want to buy them out so that the park can be built directly on top of the village. The new constructions and additions are an effort to make property seem more valuable in the eyes of Disney so that the buy-out prices will be higher.

However, the mouse has not yet chosen the exact location of the park. The residents of Jinjia are acting on pure speculation.

Disney is currently negotiating with Chinese officials in an effort to iron out the details, which allegedly include some sort of profit sharing scheme (Mickey sure knows how to get things done in China) There is the small matter of the 2008 Olympics, which are probably causing a bit of distraction amongst area bureaucrats.

While most people could care less if there is another Disneyland in the world, one village, a handful of Chinese government officials, and one shrewd mouse are waiting for ground to be broken with bated breath.

No Wrong Turns: Skip Cabo and Head to Todos Santos for a Unique Baja Experience

by Kelsey Mulyk on

About an hour north of the cruise ships, the huge gleaming hotels and the Cabo San Lucas party crowd lies the small town of Todos Santos. If you are looking for a place to relax and unwind, minus the deafening party beats found in Cabo, this little town is it. It offers everything from amazing surf breaks and great restaurants to a lively social scene made up of Mexicans, ex-pats, old school hippies and those who just came and never left. Todos Santos offers a much different “Baja” experience than Cabo.

Tom and I ended up stumbling onto Todos Santos accidentally. Fueled by the need to start the work project we brought with us, we released a flurry of emails to many vacation rentals places in the Baja area. We knew that we didn’t want to live in Cabo San Lucas but realized the benefits of being near a larger city. Considering most of the replies came from Todos Santos we figured it would be a great place to start looking.

Todos Santos was founded in 1723 and, in the late 19th century, it was a wealthy sugar town – you can still see remnants of the old mills in the area. Recently, the town has been dubbed a “Pueblo Magico” (Magic Town) by the Mexican Tourism Secretariat. This decree is given to certain towns “that are of particular historic or religious value.” With this new title the town receives support from the government to help to promote the cultural uniqueness of the town as well as to show those who visit that Mexico is more than just sand and sun.

About twenty years ago a few dedicated surfers ended up stopping here in search of waves. They discovered many great surf breaks and, in their own way, they brought tourists to Todos Santos. After the surf crowd put this village on the map, artists started to flock in from all over…looking for a quiet place to focus, work and create. I heard through the town’s grapevine that one of the founding artists here just turned 86.

Today this small town (the population is around 4400 – most of the locals are related) attracts a mix of those looking to escape the more regimented Western world, Cabo San Lucas day-trippers, tour groups, backpackers, yoga gurus, organic farmers, art lovers and those looking to invest in property.

In the last three months, Todos Santos has acquired a new, large road putting its paved road total to three. Due to all the traffic between Todos Santos and Cabo San Lucas this new road was built to provide an alternate route for the semi-trucks. With this new road they won’t need to drive straight through town anymore. As a visitor to the area it is not hard to see that the face of this Mexican town is changing quickly, much to the distress of many locals, so if you want to experience a more relaxed version of the Baja you might want to take a trip down here sooner rather than later before its fully gentrified.

Todos Santos does not have an airport which means you’ll have to negotiate a land route into town. Cabo San Lucas and La Paz both have regular buses arriving here all the time and tickets cost around $15 one way. Alternatively you can rent a car in either town and drive in yourself. Be warned that the highway from Cabo to Todos Santos is very dangerous and be wary of police officers looking to stop you for any minor traffic infraction in hopes of scaring you into paying a hefty bribe. Follow the rules of the road and stick to the speed limit….you’ll be fine.

Coming up next post I’ll let you know where to stay and where to enjoy amazing food in this vibrant pueblo.

“No Wrong Turns” chronicles Kelsey and her husband’s road trip — in real time — from Canada to the southern tip of South America in their trusty red VW Golf named Marlin.

How many condos does Panama City need?

by Iva Skoch on

One of the things that surprised me the most about my trip to Panama is the amount of development going up in Panama City, Panama. There are literally dozens of highrises going up right now, in addition to the dozens that are already there. Panama is a fairly small city, about 600-800 thousand residents, based on different estimates. Yet, judging by the skyline, you would think that this is a multi-million resident metropolis.

I have talked to a few people about this and they thought the development had to do with a) rise in tourism, b) banking, and c) planned expansion of the Panama Canal. Still, I don’t understand why the need for thousands of condo units. Even Donald Trump has been developing here. Well, gambling and prostitution are legal here. Is this going to be the Vegas of Latin America?