Entertainment sights in Asia
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Garosu-Gil
This tree-lined street is filling up with more and more cute fashion boutiques, art galleries, music bars and cafés. French food, wine and style is much in evidence, but mixed in with the usual Italian and Asian styles. The street’s trendy newcomers are now spilling over into the side streets. Recommended places to pop into include La Cuba Latin Music Pub, Pain de Papa (unique breads), King Kong Steak (a reasonably-priced, stylish diner), Lone Costume (fashionista styles with attitude), bloom & goûté (real French choux pastry in a flower-scented pavement café), and Grandmother (Arabian Nights fantasy bar). From Apgujeong subway station exit 5, walk straight for 10 minute…
reviewed
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B
Cosmo's World
There are numerous theme parks and water parks dotted around KL. The most convenient is Cosmo's World located inside the Berjaya Times Square shopping centre. Despite the mall location, there's a full-sized looping coaster plus a good selection of thrill rides for teenagers and gentler rides for families. (Avoid the DNA Mixer unless you want too see your nasi lemak a second time.) You'll find more thrill rides and wet and wild activities at Sunway Lagoon, Mines Wonderland and Genting Highlands.
reviewed
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C
Singapore Flyer
People in cities around the world are paying money to get into a gigantic Ferris wheel for glorious views. Why not? The Singapore Flyer is an expensive 30-minute ride with views towards the Colonial District, CBD, Marina Bay, the high-rise housing landscape to the east and out to the South China Sea. You’re better off going on a clear day than at night, if only to avoid the annoying flashing neon lights outside the cabin.
reviewed
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Oasis Sea World
The jagged peninsula of Laem Singh is a picturesque beach option and home to the region's most popular tourist destination, Oasis Sea World. Dolphins are the main attraction and the price of admission includes the opportunity to get in the water with the lovable creatures and assist the trainers with tricks and feeding. Visits can be arranged by most tour operators between Pattaya and Ko Chang.
reviewed
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D
Tokyo Metropolitan Children’s Hall
Boasts six kid-friendly storeys and a number of ingenious play areas – check out the human-body maze or get messy in the hands-on art studio where children can make pottery and origami. It’s 300m northeast of Shibuya Station, next to Mitake-kōen.
reviewed
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E
Lotte World
This huge complex includes an amusement park, an ice-skating rink, a cinema multiplex, department store, folk museum, shopping mall, hotel, restaurants and more. Kids and adults alike love Lotte World, and couples can arrange to meet at Lotte’s own Trevi Fountain. Visit at the weekend to see a free traditional show at nearby Seoul Norimadang at 3pm. Lotte World Adventure & Magic Island is a mainly indoor Korean version of Disneyland, complete with ‘flying’ balloons, 3D films, laser and music shows, screen rides, fantasy parades and thrill rides that go down very fast or round and round and up and down very fast. The scarier the ride, the longer the queue on busy days. T…
reviewed
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Gongqing Forest Park
The miserly lawn space in most of Shànghǎi’s synthetic parks can leave one cold, but this vast expanse of forested parkland on the western shore of the Huangpu River is a leafy, wooded and tranquil slice of countryside in town. This is about as wild as you get in Pǔxī, with acres of willows, luohan pines, magnolias, hibiscus and nary a skyscraper in sight. Aim to spend half if not a whole day picnicking and wandering around this huge area, or hop into one of the buggies (Y10) for express tours around the grounds. Children will whoop at the sight of the roller coaster (Y20), rock climbing wall (Y20), adventure ground and fun fair. There’s also a pricey football pitch…
reviewed
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F
Taman Mini Indonesia Indah
In the city’s southeast, near Kampung Rambutan, Taman Mini Indonesia Indah is a ‘whole country in one park’. This 100-hectare park has full-scale traditional houses for each of Indonesia’s provinces, with displays of regional handicrafts and clothing, and even a mini-scale Borobudur. Museums, theatres and an IMAX cinema are scattered throughout the grounds, which all command additional entrance fees. Free cultural performances are staged in selected regional houses (usually around 10am); Sunday is the big day for cultural events, but shows are also held during the week.
Taman Mini is about 18km from the city centre; allow about an hour to get there and at least th…
reviewed
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G
63 Building
One of the tallest and most stylish skyscrapers in Seoul, the 63 Building has recently been given a makeover. A 15-minute walk from the subway, it has three major attractions: Sea World, an aquarium that has penguin feeding at 3.30pm and seal, sea lion and diving shows hourly; IMAX, showing hourly movies on a gigantic screen with English-language commentary in an earphone; and Sky Art, which combines a 60th-floor observation deck with changing art exhibitions. A triple ticket makes for a big day out, especially if it includes the 63 Buffet Pavilion ).
reviewed
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Mangyongdae Children's Palace
This centre for extra-curricular activity - from martial arts to the playing of traditional instruments - makes for a great visit. Note the model of a 'North Korean' space shuttle at the entrance, a replica of the Soviet Buran. The palace visit will include displays of incredibly talented martial artists, gymnasts and musicians, all beaming at you as they perform. The tour usually culminates in the huge main auditorium with a stellar display of fantastically regimented youth.
The grand finale is usually a loyalty song to Kim Jong Il.
reviewed
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Kukkiwon
The Kukkiwon dojang (hall) hosts a regular schedule of taekwondo displays, training courses and tournaments. Visit on Wednesday from 10am to noon to see a training session by the world’s best taekwondo demonstration team. Expect to see graceful movements, spectacular pine-board breaking and acrobatic high kicking that defies gravity. The museum (admission free; open 9-11.30am & 1-5pm Mon-Fri) has photos, cups, medals and uniforms relating to the sport. English is spoken if you telephone.
reviewed
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J
Sentosa Island
Five hundred metres off the south coast of Singapore is Sentosa Island, the city’s unfailingly popular resort getaway. The Brits turned the island into a military fortress in the late 1800s. In 1967 it was returned to the Singaporean government, who developed it into a holiday resort. These days, a concerted effort to transform the island from tacky second-rate to tacky world-class is under way. The entire northern front is home to a Universal Studios Theme Park and a casino.
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K
Duman
Close by the Monument to the Dead of the Totalitarian Regime is Duman, Astana's noisy modern leisure centre, with a collection of unappealing cafés and bars, Rodeo, Gladiator and Sumo rides, a 3D cinema and - what makes it worth visiting - a state-of-the-art Oceanarium with 2500 marine creatures from around the globe and a 70m shark tunnel.
The UFO-shaped building opposite Duman is Astana's Circus.
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Jangchung Gymnasium
Ssireum is Korean-style wrestling, more like Mongolian wrestling than Japanese sumo. Wrestlers start off kneeling, then grab their opponent’s piece of cloth – satba (tied around the waist and thighs) – and try to throw each other to the ground. Major ssireum competitions are held at Jangchung Gymnasium during the Lunar New Year and Chuseok holidays.
reviewed
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Mesa Chotiphan
Puppet craftsperson Mesa Chotiphan, has a workshop in the northern part of the city; visitors are welcome. Call if you would like to be picked up from anywhere in Nakhon Si Thammarat. To get there, go north from the city centre on Th Ratchadamnoen, and about 500m north of the sports field, take the soi opposite the Chinese cemetery (before reaching the golf course and military base).
reviewed
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Giant Ferris Wheel
Before hitting the main attractions, you might want to get some perspective on it all by taking a whirl on the Giant Ferris Wheel . Said to be the largest Ferris wheel in the world, the 112m-high wheel offers unbeatable views of Osaka, Osaka Bay and Kōbe. Give it a whirl at night to enjoy the vast carpet of lights formed by the Osaka/Kōbe conurbation.
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Laforet Museum Harajuku
This museum, on the 6th floor of the teenybopper fashionista Mecca that is Laforet department store, is gallery or performance space depending on the event. Small film festivals, art installations and launch parties are held here regularly - after browsing the art-as-streetwear on the floors below, check out art-as-art upstairs.
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Spiral Building
Its asymmetrical, geometric shape may not look very sinuous on the outside, but the Spiral Building's name will make more sense upon entry. The 1st-floor gallery features changing exhibits, shows, dining and live music. Check out the shop on the 2nd floor for art books, jewellery, washi and stylishly designed loot.
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Mangyongdae Funfair
To relax after the relentless propaganda, the Mangyongdae Funfair is a pleasant oasis built around the base of Song Hill, where you can relax with some day-trippers from the capital. You can throw a ball at American Imperialists at the coconut shy and take a ride on a North Korean rollercoaster.
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Kodomo-no-Shiro
Has playrooms, puppet theatres, a swimming pool and a music lobby where kids can make all the noise they like. The Children's Castle Hotel next door was built especially for those with young children and can be a convenient refuge for travelling families. It's located off Aoyama-dōri.
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Shilpgram
Shilpgram is a crafts village that hosts the Shilpgram festival each December – check with the Tourist Reception Centre for details. The rest of the year sees demonstrations by traditional performers and artisans from Rajasthan, Gujarat, Goa and Maharashtra.
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Suchart Subsin
The acknowledged Thai master of shadow puppet craft is Suchart Subsin. He has recieved several awards for his mastery and preservation of the craft and has performed for the king. Puppets are only purchasable at his studio - he refuses to sell them through distributors.
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Yokohama Daisekai
In Chinatown, the eight-storey Yokohama Daisekai models itself on Shanghai's gilded age of the 1920s and '30s, with silks, carvings and crafts, performances of jazz and Chinese opera, and three floors of restaurants. To beat the crowds, visit on weekdays.
reviewed
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Q
Tokyo-to Jido Kaikan
Boasts six kid-friendly storeys and a number of ingenious play areas - check out the human body maze or get messy in the hands-on art studio, where children can make pottery and origami. It's 300m northeast of Shibuya Station, next to Mitake-kōen.
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Pattaya Park
Pattaya Park has three different ways to exit the 55-storey tower in its water park. Once the kids (and Mum and Dad) have recovered, get them all excited again on the roller coaster and dodgems in the venue’s Funnyland Amusement Park.
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