One of the most spectacular festivals in the Thai calendar is without a doubt the Loy Krathong Festival, Thailand’s very own “Festival of Lights”. Hundreds of glowing lanterns illuminate the sky, giving the entire nation a magical ambience. Enjoy the intriguing aspects of this beautiful Chinese festival, which goes all out in making this event memorable and truly special. During Loy Krathong, the locals perform a series of symbolic rituals, each quite interesting to watch and even more exciting to try out. The festival is believed to bless you with a fresh start as you wash away bad memories with the flames that sail away into the sea or up onto the magical night sky. The Loy Krathong falls every year on the full moon …

The UAE celebrates its National Day collectively for two days from the 2nd of December. It commemorates the 1971 ending of a treaty signed with the UK in 1892 and the decision of seven separate sheikdoms of Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Umm Al Quwain, Sharjah, Fujairah, Ajman and Ras Al Kaimah to unify forming the present country also in the same year. The National Day celebrated in all the emirates usually starts on the final day of November if there is a long weekend involved. The lead up to the big day is celebrated with a series of free public events such as hot air balloon rides, concerts by khaleeji performers, falconry competitions, regattas, carnivals, art shows and night markets. On the day itself residents across …

Christmas in Maldives is truly a joyous one. Maldives luxury resorts celebrate it best but for a more intimate and sublime celebration, choose a Maldives villa such as the Baros Maldives. The whole archipelago clothes itself in Christmas attire for this glorious festival in colourful strings of fairy lights, tinsel, various baubles and decorations. The streets are busy as natives go out to buy gifts for their loved ones to gift to one another on Christmas day. Embellished pine branches and Christmas fir trees decorate households during this time of the year which is usually filled with much joy and laughter. Another popular activity that goes on at this time is the purchasing of new cloths for going to midnight mass on Christmas day. Many families go out and …

The Dubai Air Show has been proven to be an amazing success as it was hosted even in 2011 and drew in a crowd of over 50,000 trade visitors. There were 960 exhibitors at the previous show and media personnel from across the world flew into Dubai to witness the event. The features of this year’s event are bound to attract a lot of people as there will be a Future’s Day showcasing colleges and academic institutions where you can pursue a career in aviation. Prominent aviation institutes will come in on the last day of the event and discuss career paths available and inspire young people to join the industry. Another spectacular feature of the 2013 show is the Green Project. A separate section …

Kuwait is one of the many upcoming nations in the Middle East that comes alive with activity at several times during the year. With an array of shows and exhibitions lined up for the eager tourist, it really comes as no surprise that visitors fall in love with this place. One event that comes out as a favourite for many is the Autumn Consumer Festival. It is an exhibition designed to showcase the latest trends in everything that a shopaholic loves and ensures that the fair is jam packed from the day it starts to the day it is wrapped up. The Middle Eastern reputation of being a ‘Shopaholic’s Paradise’ is reinstated at this vibrant festival in Kuwait. Here you can find a range of …

As December draws near, the spirit of Christmas seeps into people’s hearts with shopping malls decorated in Christmas colours: red and green, the sidewalks slippery with frozen snow and a general feeling of excitement in the air. Traditional Christmas celebrations will involve decorating a Christmas tree, leaving out cookies and milk for Santa, hanging of stockings on the chimneys and of course, cradling cups of hot chocolate in an attempt to insulate oneself from the cold. While this form of Christmas has its own intrinsic charm, opt for a different experience this December and make your way down to Bali, Indonesia to celebrate your own tropical Christmas. Although the main demography of Indonesia is composed of non-Christians, Indonesia celebrates Christmas as a holiday with pomp …