Romantic Venice

By StanleySobari

IT’s impossible not to feel swept off your feet in Venice with its architectural glories reflected in the Grand Canal, world-class opera bringing out goosebumps and candlelit tables located loaded with seafood making every meal a celebration

Culture in Riga

By StanleySobari

THIS Latvian metropolis is home to the continent’s most extensive collection of Art Nouveau architecture which, together with its top-class museums and galleries, has brought European Capital of Culture status in 2014

Copenhagen

By StanleySobari

PACKED with museums, galleries and monuments, the compact Danish capital is perfect for short breaks. Despite the city’s pricey reputation, the savvy travelers can get the best of history and culture on the cheap

Highland Castles

By StanleySobari

#Eilean Donant is named after a Celtic saint martyred in 617

Scotland’s history has left a legacy of military strongholds scattered across the highlands, from looming stone fortresses to majestic castles towering over historic towns, each with a story to tell

Classic Paris

By StanleySobari

GET to the heart of the allure of Paris with a tour of five of its star sights, from the heights of the Eiffel Tower to the depth of the catacombs, and a day trip to the splendor of Versailles

Views from Another Paradise

By StanleySobari

# Wondrous views from the top at Chela-La Pass, one of Bhutan’s highest points

TUCKED between valleys and soaring mountains, it’s not difficult to find high points in admiring Bhutan’s natural splendor. A must-visit attraction in Bhutan and plastered across postcards countrywide, the Tiger’s Nest perches precariously 10,000 feet above sea level in Paro, where legend has it that around th eighth century, the reverend Guru Rimpoche flew across the mountains on the back of a tigress, and made the Taktsang Lhakhang home.

However, the best views go to Chele-La Pass, one of the highest points in Bhutan at 3.988 metres. The 90-minute ride up requires a driver’s experience and extreme skill across sharp pins and narrow paths, the air getting progressively thinner but the views achingly gorgeous. Spot the scenic Haa valley along the way, letting your guides regale you with Bhutan’s colourful past, as you gape at your driver from afar, who’ll make a jaw-dropping three-point-turn along the cliff’s edge to take the bus back to Paro town.