City in a garden

A world away from your kitchen garden, this urban oasis blows the mind with its futuristic Supertrees, vertical gardens and two glass biomes - dubbed “Cloud Forest” and “Flower Dome” designed to replicate the cool-moist climate of the tropical mountain regions, the Mediterranean and semi-arid sub-tropical regions. The light and sound show amidst the giant Supertrees is a must-see. Visit www.GardensByTheBay.com.sg.

 

Tax refunds for visitors to Vietnam

In Vietnam, foreign visitors and overseas Vietnamese will enjoy Value Added Tax (VAT) refunds on purchases made in Vietnam from now until June 30, 2014, when exiting the country through Noi Bai or Tan Son Nhat international airports. To qualify for a VAT refund, a tax refund declaration form must be issued within 30 days from the departure date and have a valid invoice for goods costing at least 2 million dong (US$96). Visitors may claim back 85 per cent of the VAT charged on goods purchased in the country.

 

From China with love

Twenty-three days to go until the third London Olympics. In China all major airlines are grabbing their own share of the expected influx to London for Olympic sensation, adding new routes to the English capital in the run up to the event. A recent survey of more than 365,000 taxi passengers in China’s five biggest cities, by the Chinese taxi media company Touchmedia, revealed that 12 per cent of the respondents said they plan to fly to London for the Games. But travel experts are warning that demand for tickets is huge, and prices are already increasing rapidly as the opening ceremony approaches. The London Olympics starts on July 27 and runs until August 12.

 

The darkest sky

Northern Australia is the only place to go if you want to see a complete solar eclipse in 2012. The eclipse can be experienced between 6.38 and 6.40 on November 14 in the area around Darwin and up to the northern part of the state of Queensland, says to Queensland Tourism. The best place to view the eclipse will be in Cairns and the swimming resorts of Palm Cove and Port Douglas where large festivals are planned. For chasing the eclipse in Down Under, check it out at www.Eclipse2012.org.au.

 

Kathmandu goes upmarket

Forget the bed bugs of Kathmandu. A night in Nepal’s capital no longer means staying in some dodgy guesthouse in Thamel. The number of star and tourist-standard hotels in Nepal’s capital, says The Kathmandu Post, has increased by around 46 per cent over the last five years. There are currently eight five-star, two four-star, 15 three-star, 29 two-star, 26 one-star and 423 tourist-standard hotels in Kathmandu.