OCT - NOV 2014 ISSUE 39
©Samantha Pereira
©Taiwan Tourism Bureau
08
The Crowning Land
11
Coffee Tea Special
©The World We Want Foundation
JOURNEY THROUGH LAOS
© Füssen Tourismus und Marketing / BTV
10
©Taiwan Tourism Bureau
13
Steeped in History
14
Healing Coffee
16
Coffee Triangle
17
Taiwanese Tips
SRI LANKA
Comeback Coffee
15
TIMOR LESTE
COLOMBIA
TAIWAN
RWANDA
20 12
22
©Gunther Deichmann
Baroque Bavaria BAVARIAN HERITAGE
Rooibos Revolution SOUTH AFRICA
26
Myanmar's Cultural Trail
REGULARS 05
Publisher's Note
22
Travel News
23
Travel Tips
24
Gear Guide
Publisher's Note
05
Dear Fellow Travellers, One of our best bits about travel is seeing, tasting, touching and completely experiencing new cultures. And this issue we feature some of our favourites in the Culture Issue. We kick off with UNESCO-listed Luang Prabang and its surrounds, exploring the myriad temples and natural offerings. We’ve also got 2 special features this issue, beginning with our first-ever Coffee + Tea Special! While we’re obviously celebrating two of ours (and probably your) favourite drinks, this feature’s not just about the beverages, but the unique LOHAS, eco-and community tourism initiatives that are happening in these coffee and tea destinations, making them even more interesting to visit than ever before. We touch briefly on Colombia, Timor Leste, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Rwanda and Taiwan.
Next, we visit the historic medieval gems of Füssen and Bamberg, both in Bavaria. Home to legendary Neuschwanstein, pictureperfect cobbled streets, and not to mention beer, they’re everything you’d expect (kitsch included) and more. Last but not least, Myanmar, the ‘it’ destination, is still relatively unspoiled by mass tourism. Even along its well-trodden trails, you can still find some hidden treasures at Mandalay, Began and Inle Lake. From lesser-known temples tucked in villages and mountains to rubbles of stupas scattered along the lakeside, Myanmar never fails to beguile travelers. Until then, Happy Trails! Sports+Travel Ltd
OUR TEAM PUBLISHER
Sports and Travel Limited
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Lynn Ooi
GRAPHIC DESIGNER FINANCE & ADMIN
ADVERTISING SALES ADVERTISING SALES AUSTRALIA
Sabine Senne
HONG KONG INDONESIA MALAYSIA PHILIPPINES THAILAND
CONTRIBUTORS
Jesse Ting
SPECIAL THANKS
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Whether it’s centuries-old temples and pagodas, or retro towns that seem stuck in a time warp, it’s no surprise that Myanmar is the current darling of the travel set. While securing a hotel at a decent rate proves dif that ‘off the beaten track' experiences can still be relatively re visiting places on the usual tourist circuit.
PHOTOS BY Gunther Deichmann
MANDALAY Mandalay is the former capital and the country's religious hub. While the city itself has plenty of popular pilgrimage Shwenandaw Monastery and Kyauk T further out from the city to experience its history and culture. Mantara Gyi Pagoda, Mingun Just an hour's boat ride away from Mandalay along the Irrawaddy River is the town of Mingun, home to the Mantara Gyi Pagoda (Mingun Pahtodawgyi). Looming like a giant monolith, the ruins of this gigantic
by King Bodawpaya and was intended to be the world’s biggest pagoda. Constructed using slave and prisoner labour, work on the building was abandoned with Bodawpaya's death, with only a third of it complete, at 50m high. While the stupa is incomplete, the
Mingun Pahtodawgyi
Silk and Cotton Weaving, Amarapura Bounded by the Irrawaddy River is Amarapura, the former capital of Myanmar. While little remains of the old city reasury building and watchtower, along with the tombs of King Bagyidaw and King Bodawpaya. The unwanted teak columns from the old palace were used to build the 1.2km-long U Bein Bridge (the longest teak bridge in the world). At 11km from Mandalay, Amarapura today is known for its traditional silk and cotton weaving. The weaving industry is one of the main professions of the Amarapura folks, and over 100 looms are used to create designs and patterns for special and ceremonial occasions.
largest working bell in the world.
Myanmar
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BAGAN Located along the banks of the Irrawaddy River, Bagan is most famous as the site of the world's largest and densest collection of Buddhist temples, pagodas and stupas. Seen from the sky as a haphazard collection of ochre buildings with pointed tiered roofs, most visitors only manage to see a handful of some 2,000 structures, and usually from a traditional bullock cart that grind on Bagan's dust-choked trails.
Shwesandaw Pagoda centre of his newly empowered kingdom, the pagoda contains a series of 5 terraces, topped with a cylindrical stupa which has a bejewelled umbrella (hti). The terraces once bore terracotta plaques depicting scenes from the jalakas, but these have been covered over by heavy-handed renovations. The pagoda supposedly enshrines hair from Gautama Buddha. Thamiwhet Umin Cave About half a mile southeast of Nyaung U are the 13th century twin cave-temples of subterranean terraces are used as residences of Buddhist monks as a tranquil place to conduct prayer and meditation. Thamiwhet is dug into the side of a hill, constructed with zig-zag corridors and many chambers, and features murals and stone inscriptions dating back to the 15th century.
Kaw Goon Cave
Inndein ruins
INLE LAKE Situated in the centre of the country, Inle Lake is home to a dense population of different tribes. The lake is a watery world of stilted villages and rdens, wher business with their peculiar technique of leg-rowing. You can canoe on the lake, and visit some of these interesting villages along the shore. Shweyanpyay
Inndein Ruined Pagodas One of the small villages of Inle Lake, Inndein is situated in the shallow part of the lake, and is only accessible by boat during the rainy season. The village is home to a curious collection of a cluster of hundreds of ancient stupas that are mostly overgrown with bushes. The Nyaung Oak group of pagodas (closest to the village) are in a crumbling state, but their ornate stucco carvings of mythical animals can still be seen in some parts. Climbing the covered stairway from here leads you to the pagodas of the restored and partly in ruins. The hill is a good vantage point for a panorama
of the village and surrounding farms. Shweyanpyay teak pagoda Just outside Nyaung Shwe is the fascinating wooden monastery of Shweyanpyay century. The entirely wooden red stilted construction is a hodgepodge of oval windows, rich mosaics, golden ornaments and decorative roof embellishments. Today, the monastery is in full operation and is a home for novice monks and their teachers. Next to it is a white stucco temple featuring a red painted interior with thousands of niches, each holding a small Buddha.
state) makes a good base to explore the area's mountain and cave systems. The town is connected to other towns by road, and the singularly distinctive Mt. Zwegabin provides a dramatic backdr
Mt. Zwegabin The most striking featur landscape is the limestone mountain of strenuous hiking destination (a hike takes about 2 hours) that takes you to a small monastery with a golden stupa at the summit, where overnight accommodation is available. From the top of the mountain, you can get a sweeping view of the surrounds. Kaw Goon Cave Located near Kaw Goon village in Pa-an township, the historical Kaw Goon Cave is an intricate cave with a profusion of arts related to the late Bagan period (13th century). Decorated with thousands of terracotta votive tablets that line the interior limestone walls, the cave is also home to many seated Buddha images (of varying sizes) are a source for devotees who come here to pray.
Kaw Goon Cave
Kyauk Kalat
Kyauk Kalat A short drive from town thr the Kyauk Kalat monastery, which is known for taking in animals, including rabbits which now hop around the temple grounds. Part of the monastery is a tall rock pinnacle that stands erect from a small reservoir with a golden pagoda capping it. Access to the monastery is via a long bridge that spans the reservoir.
Myanmar
HPA AN
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Events Calendar
HONG KONG
If you have an event that you feel should be included on this page, please email us on events@sportsandtravel.com.hk
11 Oct
Clean Half
19 Oct
Hong Kong Water Polo Championships www.hkasa.org.hk Swimming
19 Oct
SOGO HK Aquathlon Series Race 3 cum Aquawiz Open Water Swim Series Race 2
19-20 Oct
The 1st International Hong Kong Beach Water Polo Tournament
www.openwaterasia.com
Swimming
wwww.aquawiz2000.com Swimming
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20 Oct
“The Five” Open Water Challenge www.openwaterasia.com Swimming
25-26 Oct
45km Midnight Express
25-26 Oct
2014 Hong Kong ITU Triathlon Asian Cup / 2014 Asian U23 Triathlon Championships cum Asian Mixed Team Relay Triathlon Championships wwww.triathlon.com.hk Triathlon
1-2 Nov
Hong Kong Open Diving Championships www.hkasa.org.hk
Diving
14-16 Nov
The Oxfam Trailwalker 2014 www.oxfamtrailwalker.org.hk
100km Trail Race
16 Nov
The 5th Hong Kong Long Distance Dragon Boat Championships www.hkdba.com.hk Dragon Boat Race
21 Nov
Swimming
www.xterace.com
Banff Mountain Film Festival (Hong Kong)
45km Night Trail Run
www.facebook.com/BanffFilmFest.HK
Outdoors and Mountain film festival
23 Nov
The 4th Hong Kong In Door Dragon Boat Championships
30 Nov
New World International Triathlon 2014 www.aquawiz2000.com
www.hkdba.com.hk Triathlon
Dragon Boat Race
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