Liz Ledden
Liz Ledden is a writer and blogger based in Sydney, Australia, who previously lived in Phnom Penh and Saigon for nearly five years. She has contributed writing and photography to publications including AsiaLIFE Cambodia, AsiaLIFE HCMC, Tiger Tales magazine, CLEO Australia, AnyArena.com and About.com Southeast Asia Travel, and helped update two editions of the Cambodia & Laos LUXE City Guides. She also writes for travel website Pocket Cultures and blogs about food and travel at www.devoured.com.au. Follow @_devoured on Twitter for updates.
Malaysia: Visiting tea plantations in the Cameron Highlands
By Liz Ledden THE Cameron Highlands is to Malaysia what Darjeeling is to India, or Nuwira Eliya is to Sri Lanka – a hilly, lush, green region in the country’s interior that grows premium quality tea, with cooler weather offering welcome relief from the otherwise steamy climate. With the towns of Tanah Rata and Brinchang…>
Independence Hotel: A resort holiday with a touch of nostalgia in Sihanoukville
INDEPENDENCE Hotel is one of Sihanoukville’s most character-filled places to stay. It is set on Cambodia’s beautiful southern coastline on its own beach just a short drive outside Sihanoukville town. The hotel was constructed in the 1960s, abandoned in the civil war years and now restored to its former glory, with a new wing incorporated.…>
Dream Bangkok: Luxurious and contemporary boutique hotel in Bangkok
AN avant garde, design focused hotel with a surrealist vibe, Dream Bangkok offers a luxurious stay in a 5-star, boutique environment. What makes it special? Dream Bangkok by hotelier Vikram Chatwal is a cool, contemporary 5-star boutique hotel housed across two buildings. It offers a trendy yet peaceful place to stay with ultra stylish décor…>
5 great places to eat in Hoi An
THE historic Vietnamese coastal town of Hoi An has long been regarded a food-lovers’ hotspot. A wealth of fresh, local ingredients fuse with centuries of foreign influence, from traders to colonialists to modern-day expats, to form a truly dynamic eating scene. Hoi An’s UNESCO World Heritage-listed Old Town is awash with excellent eateries from the…>
Hotel 1929: A stylish Singapore stay
HOTEL 1929 is a stylish, boutique hotel located in Singapore’s Chinatown district. It is named after the year the five adjoining shophouses forming the hotel were constructed. The restored art deco exterior evokes a grand past, while the interior is full of modern and retro furniture and décor, with some pieces from the hotelier’s private…>
Kid-friendly cafes in Phnom Penh
I SHOULD start off by pointing out that you’d be hard pressed finding a café in Phnom Penh that wasn’t kid friendly! Cambodian culture embraces children with gusto, and most establishments in the country’s capital are more than happy for you to eat and imbibe with little ones in tow. Some of the city’s…>
Coffee, dinner and drinks on a Melbourne weekend
MELBOURNE offers a little touch of cosmopolitan Europe in Australia – think a cool, cultured urban centre, winding laneways packed with cafes, hidden arcades and interesting neighbourhoods. Melbourne attracts weekend getaway crowds for its sporting and cultural events, but these drawcards aside, there are excellent eats, small bars and cafes to explore. Here is a…>
Daytripping: 4 more great Sydney excursions
THERE are many options for daytrips from Sydney, from beautiful beaches to historic towns and even a world-class wine region. Here are some options for getting out of the city for a day (and for more ideas, see Part 1). The Hunter Valley One of Australia’s premier wine growing regions, the Hunter Valley, can be…>
Daytripping: 4 great Sydney excursions
SYDNEY isn’t just a great city, the surrounding coastline and countryside are packed with great beaches, charming towns, beautiful scenery and more outdoor activities than you could possibly find time for. Here are four of our favourite Sydney excursions. Grand Pacific Drive This scenic daytrip option south of Sydney consists of a drive through the…>
Marrickville: Sydney’s new cafe frontier
THE inner west Sydney suburb of Marrickville, seven kilometres from the city centre, has long been a bastion of cheap and cheerful Vietnamese restaurants. While these are still in abundance in the lively, multi-cultural suburb, its gentrification in recent years has seen Marrickville evolve from its industrial, migrant-populated roots to a melting pot that now…>
Sydney’s 5 coolest small bars
THE introduction of $500 liquor licences in Sydney in 2008 has dramatically changed the face of its nightlife – most would say for the better. While pubs, beer gardens, nightclubs and large soulless bars with stainless steel fitouts once dominated the drinking scene, there are now chic cocktail bars, small wine bars and other assorted…>
Making the most of a family trip to Chiang Mai
CHARMING, arty Chiang Mai in Thailand’s north is a great alternative to a beach break when holidaying in Thailand with kids. In and around the city walls there are glittering temples, bustling markets, great cafes and interesting streets to explore. On the outskirts (and beyond) there are lots of nature based attractions to keep kids…>
Essential guide to traveling in Sydney with kids
SYDNEY’S stunning harbour and beachside setting with its plethora of outdoor and cultural activities make it an excellent city for keeping kids entertained. There are fantastic parks and playgrounds, and some options conveniently combining activities for kids with a caffeine fix for parents, so traveling in Sydney with kids can be a lot of fun…>
Essential guide to traveling with kids in Bangkok
FAMILIES with young children needn’t bypass Bangkok enroute to a Thai beach resort – Bangkok with kids can be a fun and rewarding experience. Even a tuk-tuk ride can be a holiday highlight for young ones, and the constant noise and excitement of life lived on the streets provides so much stimulation for curious young…>
5 of the best budget eats in Sydney
SYDNEY is not usually synonymous with ‘cheap’, yet budget eats abound if you know where to look. Australia’s proximity to Asia means Thai, Vietnamese, Malaysian and Chinese cuisine is authentic, affordable and abundant, but that’s just for starters. Here are some ideas for eating out in Sydney on the cheap: Tacos at Guzmen y Gomez…>
5 must-try Cambodian dishes
CAMBODIAN (or Khmer) cuisine is lesser known than that of neighbouring countries Thailand and Vietnam and their omnipresent dishes. It has similarities to both, but offers its own unique slant with the use of prahok, a fermented fish paste, and an abundance of fish from the Tonle Sap, Cambodia’s enormous inland lake and main source…>
6 must-try Vietnamese dishes
VIETNAM is like a culinary wonderland for the food-loving traveller, with its abundance of fresh, tasty and healthy cuisine at bargain prices. From humble streetside stalls to bustling markets and restaurants in the more salubrious surrounds of Saigon’s Dong Khoi Street or Hanoi’s gorgeous Old Quarter there is an abundance of delicious eats to be…>
Sydney’s best ethnic eats: A suburban adventure
SYDNEY’S culturally diverse population produces no shortage of delicious cuisine from all over the world. A trip to the suburbs, particularly those in the city’s inner west, south west and west uncovers an amazing array of eats from Asia, Europe, the Middle East, South America and more. It’s literally the world on a plate. Here…>
6 great places to shop in Phnom Penh
IF you haven’t visited Cambodia then shopping may not be one of the first things that spring to mind about this fascinating southeast Asian destination. However, Cambodian silk is stunning, high quality and often quite affordable, as is the silver jewellery. There’s a burgeoning fashion scene with both locals and expats producing innovative designs, a…>
Malaysia: Visiting tea plantations in the Cameron Highlands
By Liz Ledden THE Cameron Highlands is to Malaysia what Darjeeling is to India, or Nuwira Eliya is to Sri Lanka – a hilly, lush, green region in the country’s interior that grows premium quality tea, with cooler weather offering welcome relief from the otherwise steamy climate. With the towns of Tanah Rata and Brinchang…>
Independence Hotel: A resort holiday with a touch of nostalgia in Sihanoukville
INDEPENDENCE Hotel is one of Sihanoukville’s most character-filled places to stay. It is set on Cambodia’s beautiful southern coastline on its own beach just a short drive outside Sihanoukville town. The hotel was constructed in the 1960s, abandoned in the civil war years and now restored to its former glory, with a new wing incorporated.…>
Dream Bangkok: Luxurious and contemporary boutique hotel in Bangkok
AN avant garde, design focused hotel with a surrealist vibe, Dream Bangkok offers a luxurious stay in a 5-star, boutique environment. What makes it special? Dream Bangkok by hotelier Vikram Chatwal is a cool, contemporary 5-star boutique hotel housed across two buildings. It offers a trendy yet peaceful place to stay with ultra stylish décor…>
Hotel 1929: A stylish Singapore stay
HOTEL 1929 is a stylish, boutique hotel located in Singapore’s Chinatown district. It is named after the year the five adjoining shophouses forming the hotel were constructed. The restored art deco exterior evokes a grand past, while the interior is full of modern and retro furniture and décor, with some pieces from the hotelier’s private…>
Kid-friendly cafes in Phnom Penh
I SHOULD start off by pointing out that you’d be hard pressed finding a café in Phnom Penh that wasn’t kid friendly! Cambodian culture embraces children with gusto, and most establishments in the country’s capital are more than happy for you to eat and imbibe with little ones in tow. Some of the city’s…>
Coffee, dinner and drinks on a Melbourne weekend
MELBOURNE offers a little touch of cosmopolitan Europe in Australia – think a cool, cultured urban centre, winding laneways packed with cafes, hidden arcades and interesting neighbourhoods. Melbourne attracts weekend getaway crowds for its sporting and cultural events, but these drawcards aside, there are excellent eats, small bars and cafes to explore. Here is a…>
