A Budget Travel Blog
Kali Puja, the second most important holiday in West Bengal, coincides with the nation-wide Diwali festival. Kali, the most fearsome and ferocious form of shakti, the feminine energy, is worshipped … Continue reading Kali Puja – Bengali Diwali
Durga Puja is the biggest festival in West Bengal, celebrated over ten days in Sept/Oct, simultaneously with the pan-Indian Navaratri festival. Durga is a Hindu goddess representing shakti (feminine power). … Continue reading Durga Puja – grand celebrations of the ten- armed goddess in Kolkata
The most interesting part of Kolkata spreads north of the Esplanade. There aren’t many particular ‘sights’ to visit, you just have to take it all in, strolling through the narrow … Continue reading The crumbling beauty: Kolkata’s palaces and temples
The vestiges of the days when Kolkata was the rich and prosperous capital of the British India can be seen all around the city. Kolkata always was and to lesser … Continue reading Kolkata unveiled: colonial and multi-cultural heritage trail
Kolkata, one of the Indian mega-cities, might feel a bit overwhelming if not repellent at first sight. It also has a misfortune to be associated mainly with poverty due to … Continue reading Kolkata – the City of Joy?
West Bengal is an Indian state on the border with Bangladesh stretching from the Himalayas and the lush jungles at its footsteps in the north, through the red-soil plains in … Continue reading Intro to India: West Bengal
Singapore is very pedestrian-friendly. The huge downtown area divided in districts historically connected to various ethnic groups is beautifully renovated and largely traffic free. Furthermore, there are plenty of very … Continue reading Many faces of Singapore
Singapore is likely to impress you, one way or the other. Whether due to its meticulous cleaniness and order, the original modern architecture, the number and beauty of the green … Continue reading Singapore for a backpacker (part one)
Malacca is a delight for the history lovers. Characteristc, brick-coloured Dutch colonial buildings, ruins of churches and fortresses, magnificent merchants’ residences, temples of all denominations, wooden Malay architecture… It takes … Continue reading Malacca (part two): stepping into the past
Malacca (also spelled Melaka) is an immaculately preserved, charming old city representing the stunning diversity of the Dutch, Chinese, Malaysian and Indian cultural influences. The compact old town, the UNESCO … Continue reading Malacca – the Malaysian melting pot
Kuala Selangor is a secondary destination in a close vicinity of Kuala Lumpur, visited mostly by Malaysian tourists. Its main attraction is a nearby firefly resort, offering night boat rides … Continue reading Fireflies and birdwatching in Kuala Selangor
Kuala Lumpur is one of those cities where you will see scyscrapers looming above and beyond all the historical buildings. If you enjoy the contrast between tradition and modernity, you’re … Continue reading Kuala Lumpur on a budget in two days (part two)
