Inspiring imagination and learning, the larger-than-life inflatable characters will be set out in a playful and creative environment.

“Art-Zoo Inflatable Park was born out of my childhood memories of visiting and drawing the animals at Singapore Zoo and the animal-inspired playgrounds,” says creator Jackson Tan.

“It encourages visitors to explore nature through accessible and interactive art. This year, we have characters within their natural habitats, where some species are at risk of becoming extinct – or exist only in our imagination.

“I hope Art-Zoo will inspire visitors to not just have fun and stretch their imagination, but also do their part for conservation.”

Art-Zoo from March 9 to April 1 will be open weekdays from 5pm to 10pm and weekends from 3pm.

Tickets can be bought at ArtZooWorld.com or at the gate. Children under 24 months get in for free with a paying visitor. Early bird tickets cost S$15.80 until February 19, after which admission is $18.

Sneak peeks can be enjoyed until February 25 at six CapitaLand Malls – Bedok Mall, Bugis+, JCube, Plaza Singapura, Raffles City and Westgate. They have the Yellow Woods, Pink Lagoon, Orange Rocks, Green River, Red Reefs and Checkmates inflatable clusters.

Find out more at http://www.Capitaland.com.

According to the latest statistics, Thai travelers aged 21 to 45 made up about 70 per cent of all overnight vacation visitors from Thailand to Hong Kong last year.

To attract more tourists, and especially Thai millennials, the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) announces new adventures, charming districts, exciting activities and tempting interests.

“We have so many new reasons for Thai visitors, whether first-timers or repeat visitors, to come to Hong Kong in 2018. We have noticed Thai millennials’ love for authentic experiences — whether it’s eating, shopping or travelling around.  We would like to invite them to discover Hong Kong’s charms just like a local, by going to the lesser-known districts to find the authentic ambiance, quaint shops, and cultural gems that have been overlooked by others,” says Simon Wong, HKTB regional director, Southeast Asia.

The HKTB has repackaged some of the rich elements of Central and Sheung Wan and launched Old Town Central, which reflects the evolution of Hong Kong from a British colony to a metropolitan city.  It is packed with heritage sites, landmarks, historic architecture, religious buildings, designer boutiques, variety shops, plus a wide variety of dining and entertainment outlets.

Another district waiting to be discovered is Sham Shui Po, a working class neighborhood with an authentic Hong Kong vibe. The Apliu Street Flea Market, with its jumble of computers and accessories, and the Cheung Sha Wan Road, featuring wholesale fabrics and fashion designers’ treasures, are sure to get avid shoppers hooked.

Foodies will be excited to learn that many traditional dishes popular with local people are now being discovered by more adventurous palates. Celebrated as the culinary capital of Asia, Hong Kong offers everything from street food and family-style eating places to 130 Michelin-recommended restaurants spread all over the city. For as little as Bt80, visitors can feast on a Michelin-starred dish.

In almost every street of Hong Kong are traditional local cafes called Cha-Chaan Teng, offering food and drinks at very affordable prices.  A quick meal or a refreshment at an old-style cha-chaan teng is an absolute must, as it represents the local dining culture of Hong Kong.

For active millennials and families who would like to discover where the locals go for incredible scenery and fresh air, the MacLehose Trail, named one of the best 20 dream hiking trails in the world by National Geographic, is a sure winner.

“Thais are wonderful tourists because they are independent, fun-loving and open to new experiences. They enjoy exploring the ins and outs of the city, with the same excitement and curiosity as Hong Kongers,” said Wong.

Today, HKTB is looking forward to welcoming visitors to its booth located at the Plenary Hall, during the coming Thai International Travel Fair (TITF) at the Queen Sirikit Convention Center, where it will generously offer irresistible promotions and packages, valuable tips for memorable moments and fun games for the family, in collaboration with its Hong Kong partners – Ocean Park, Dukling and Jumbo.

For more information, visit www.DiscoverHongKong.com.

Guests can enjoy a glass of champagne, full buffet breakfast or continental breakfast in their room, free access to the Cinq Mondes spa, the fitness centre and tennis courts. Guests also get a voucher of CHF80 (Bt2,700) per person to be redeemed in Cafe Beau-Rivage, Miyako Lausanne sushi bar and l’Accademia fine Italian cuisine restaurant in the adjacent hotel Angleterre & Residence.

The room rates start from 1,455 CHF per room for single occupancy and 1,650 CHF per room for double occupancy per room.

Situated on the banks of Lake Geneva since 1861, the hotel is just a stone’s throw away from the centre of Lausanne offering its guests Switzerland’s finest hotel and the world’s most attractive palace resort.

The hotel has a four-hectare large garden and splendid terrace form an oasis of calm, ideal for recharging one’s batteries. The view onto Lake Geneva and the Alps exudes a unique serenity, as if outside of time.

It’s a true centre of dining excellence featuring Anne-Sophie Pic Au Beau-Rivage Palace, which opened in 2009 following an extensive refurbishment. Pic is the only female French chef to gain three stars, and her joining the Beau-Rivage Palace is the first time that the celebrated chef has left her niche at the Drome in Valence.

In Miyako, guests can savour the finest sushi and sashimi freshly prepared by the Japanese chefs and L’accademia Italian restaurant at the Hotel Angleterre & Residence (the sister hotel) invites guests to sample other delicacies.

During the summer months, Le Montreux, the steamboat where cuisine is served directly from the ovens of the Beau-Rivage Palace, is a delectable way to treat an evening. From the careful selection of exquisite cocktails and noble cigars at the Bar to the Lobby Lounge’s popular terrace, your every appetite will be catered for. The Beau-Rivage Palace’s legendary wine cellar houses some of the world’s most remarkable wine, numbering in the region of 600 crus and 75,000 bottles.

Find more details at http://www.Brp.ch.

GastroBeats, which debuted in i Light Marina Bay 2017, will find its new home at the Promontory and present a neon/glow playground for all food and music lovers to enjoy, with the crowd-favourite Star Flyer ride in the backdrop. Visitors can look forward to new activities such as LED-lit hula hoop stations, and glow-in-the-dark renditions of familiar games such as hopscotch, chess, tic-tac, jenga, floor pong, twister and paintball.

“As a carnival for the people, we continue to curate interesting programmes with our partners to provide a meaningful destination for families and friends to spend quality time together. We look forward to welcoming more to come by the Carnival grounds and enjoy the accessible entertainment at Marina Bay,” said Barnabas Chia, lead of the Organising Team behind the Prudential Marina Bay Carnival.

On three consecutive Sundays from March 18, it will partner social enterprise Terra SG to put a spotlight on sustainability with the Sustainability Sundays at Terra Village programme. Gathering a community of crafters, designers and cyclists to encourage public consciousness in caring for environment, visitors can both shop for earth-friendly products and participate in eco-craft workshops.

In addition, visitors can participate in a series of complimentary weekly mass workouts as part of the Fitness by the Bay programme, held in collaboration with Pure Fitness and Pure Yoga. Singaporean music groups including alternative rock band Cadence, indie-pop band M1ldlife, hip hop collective Mediocre Haircut Crew will also take the stage from Friday to Sunday to add to the electrifying atmosphere.

On March 31, it will host the Illumi Fest Run where participants will be splashed with glow-in-the-dark water as they experience various activity zones that include a giant Illumi slide, Splash Box and end the night as a glowing light installation.

Admission is free for all, and credits for rides and games can be purchased on-site and online via http://marinabaycarnival.sg. Both Gastrobeats and Prudential Marina Bay Carnival are Festival Hubs of i Light Marina Bay 2018.

In China, food and festival always go hand in hand. And the Spring Festival definitely brings out the best of every cuisine around China. This time, let’s focus on 10 of the simplest but most essential parts of the Spring Festival food list.

If you want to collect all the best luck for 2018, make sure you eat them all!

1. Dumpling ( jiaozi). [Photo/VCG]

For people from northern China, the dumpling is a must-have on the dinner table on Chinese New Year’s Eve. The shape of the dumpling resembles the gold ingot from ancient China. So eating dumplings means a wish for treasure and good fortune.

2.  Tangyuan and yuanxiao. [Photo/VCG]

Tangyuan, glutinous rice balls stuffed with a sweet or salty filling, is not exclusive to the Lantern Festival. It is a food for the winter solstice or any occasion of a family reunion. Nowadays, tangyuan often come in rainbow-like colors and are filled with many flavors, such as fruit preserves.

Yuanxiao from northern China is actually made quite differently. Instead of wrapping the filling inside the dough, you need to roll the diced filling in the flour until they turn into white pellets.

3. Rice cake ( niangao). [Photo/VCG]

Made of glutinous rice flour, rice cake has been in Chinese cuisine since the Spring and Autumn Period (770-476 BC). Gold and white rice cakes become the symbols of gold and silver. And the Chinese character for cake is gao whose homophonic means growth, improvement or greater accomplishment.

4. Noodles. [Photo/VCG]

A bowl of long noodles, usually uncut, represents the string of life or longevity. It also reminds people of the strings holding copper coins together in ancient China, which symbolize treasure and wealth.

5. Wonton (gold ingot soup). [Photo/VCG]

A wonton is made with a small amount of filling, which can be ground pork and shrimp, wrapped in a square wrapper. Making wontons calls for a pair of skilled hands. If you want to have a streak of luck in the new year, eat a bowl of wontons on the second day of the upcoming year according to the Chinese lunar calendar!

6. Traditional Chinese rice pudding ( zongzi). [Photo/VCG]

Attention please, Chinese rice pudding is not just for the Dragon Boat Festival! In South China’s Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, rice puddings with a variety of stuffings are made for the Spring Festival. Local people sometimes boil zongzi for over 10 hours. The heavy ones may weigh over 5 kilograms.

7. White Rabbit creamy candy and roasted melon seeds. [Photo/VCG]

Soft but chewy, White Rabbit candy is many people’s favorite treat from childhood. Every household during the Spring Festival will prepare a tray of candies with roasted seeds and nuts for the guests. Small talk and snacks do make a perfect match after all.

8. Tusu liquor. [Photo/VCG]

Tusu liquor is a sort of traditional Chinese medical liquor created by the famous physician Hua Tuo in the Eastern Han Dynasty (25-220) and introduced to the public by another great physician, Sun Simiao of the Tang Dynasty (618-907). It is believed to be able to prevent diseases and prolong the life-span, so the best time to drink Tusu liquor is at the beginning of a year.

9. Soybean sprouts. [Photo/VCG]

It is said the simple but delicious soybean sprout dish once impressed Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), when he toured the regions south of the Yangtze River. Grown from soybeans, it symbolizes growth and promotion. In Shanghai and East China’s Jiangsu province, soybean sprout dishes always hold an important place at the family reunion banquet.

10. Whole fish, whole chicken. [Photo/VCG]

On Lunar New Year’s Eve, all family members get together to have a big meal. The way of cooking fish and chicken may vary across China, but the symbolic meaning of these two dishes is always brimful happiness and good fortune.

Antarctica, Argentina, Brazil, Tahiti, Norway, Tanzania, Iceland, Mexico, New Zealand and Finland have been listed as the 10 most expensive destinations for the coming vacation, according to the report released this week.

In those spots, most travelers are families and couples, Ctrip said, with the average spend for a family now topping 100,000 yuan ($15,898). Antarctica, the most expensive destination, will cost more than 160,000 yuan per person.

Yet, the number of Chinese tourists who registered for trips to Antarctica on Ctrip has doubled from last year, as many emerging middle-income consumers are willing to experience something different, having already traveled to various other countries, the report said. In addition, because it is the opposite season in the Southern Hemisphere, it is summer in Antarctica during the February break and the temperatures are higher than usual.

Dai Bin, director of the China Tourism Academy, said Chinese tourists are seeking more diverse experiences overseas. “More Chinese tourists are pursuing personalized, tailored and quality traveling experiences, resulting in more bookings to exotic destinations, reflecting their rising purchasing power and evolving tastes,” he said.

On average, Chinese tourists are expected to spend 9,500 yuan per person during their travels abroad during the upcoming Spring Festival break. That number is flat on last Spring Festival, but is 60 per cent higher than in slack seasons, the report found.

However, it will cost about 2 to 10 per cent less to travel to the United States, Italy, Vietnam and the Philippines compared with last year, partly due to the appreciation of the yuan.

Peng Liang, director of Ctrip’s vacation department, said for those travelers who want to save more money, they can look for trips that depart China five days ahead of the Lunar New Year, which falls on Feb 16, or leave three days after.

Since opening in 1910, the hotel has been synonymous with luxury, comfort and service excellence. Over the years, it has hosted royalty, politicians, corporate leaders and celebrities and is an integral part of society in Spain’s capital.

Situated within the “Golden Triangle of Art”, an area defined by the most important museums in the city – the Prado, the Thyssen-Bornemisza and the Reina Sofia Museum of Modern Art – the extensive work will significantly upgrade the hotel’s facilities and services, while maintaining its unique character, encapsulated in the Belle Epoque style of the original building.

Spanish architect Rafael de La-Hoz, has been instrumental in providing the context for the historical restoration, while French designers’ Gilles & Boissier have been appointed to oversee the interiors with the aim of enhancing the property’s appeal to local and international guests alike while celebrating Cesar Ritz’s pioneering spirit.

The design of the public spaces will focus on the careful restoration of the hotel’s many fine interior architectural features, and will incorporate a number of valuable artistic pieces from the property’s collection including crystal chandeliers, antique paintings and sculptures.

The reinstatement of a glass roof in the heart of the hotel will bring light to the lounge in the way it did when the property first opened. The main restaurant will move to its original location, with direct access to the terrace.

The terrace garden itself is one of the best-loved outdoor dining spaces in the city and will remain an elegant environment for al fresco dining. A new bar, designed to become a destination of choice for local customers and in-house guests alike, will also be created.

It costs SG$40-plus (Bt1,150) and is available right through April.

“Singapore not only offers a variety of food including Michelin-star restaurants, local dishes and much more, but it is also one of the best destinations for foodies to deepen their passion in food,” says Shakrit. “My passion for food began as a child. I started cooking while studying abroad. I love trying new dishes, looking for inspiration to create my own recipes.

“I met Chef Haikal during a holiday in Singapore and discovered that he has the same passion to create fusion food. This is my first food collaboration project with the Singaporean chef, and I’m very excited about it.”

Shakrit will prepare the first courses – steamed Hokkaido snow crab with tomato black-pepper jelly, topped with Thai red-curry ice cream and a crab biscuit – followed by Patagonian toothfish with laksa, daikon and scallops.

Chef Johari will be in charge of the third course of Suckling Pork Belly. The crisp, sliced Australian pork is served with Mee Siam sweet-and-sour tangy broth.

The meal will end with his dessert, Bubur Terigu, which is made with buckwheat porridge, coconut, durian popcorn and gula melaka sauce made from palm sugar.

“At Alma, we always serve European cuisine with an Asian twist,” Johari says. “That’s why this is a great opportunity for me to work with Shakrit in creating a special menu with a Thai twist. As both of us like to combine flavours and techniques from different places to create our own unique dishes, I believe foodies who love to try new things will absolutely love this collaborative menu.”

Make reservations at http://Alma.sg.

With spacious family rooms, healthy meals for children, a great kids’ club, on-demand baby essentials and more, parents will be able to relax and soak up the resort’s idyllic tropical surroundings, safe in the knowledge that their children are being well taken care of.

“We understand that travelling with children can sometimes be a stressful experience – especially if your hotel is not catering to your family’s needs,” says general manager Horst Walther-Jones.

“Our Movenpick Family programme identifies what matters most to a family – plenty of space, effortless dining and quality childcare – plus all those little added extras that really make a difference to parents.

“With our extensive family facilities, including lagoon-style pools, waterslides and a beach, the resort is perfect for families. Our aim is to make travelling with children both easy and pleasurable, allowing families to create wonderful new memories together.”

Upon arrival, young travellers will be welcomed in their own private check-in area, making them feel like VIPs, and all children under 12 will receive a gift.

The most important part of the family travel experience is the Family Room – a 56-square-metre loft-style space where parents and children can unwind over two floors with a king bed and sofa bed.

The rooms are adorned with animal-shaped towels and equipped with kids’ amenities such as cookies and milk, and all children will receive complimentary access to the Meera Kids Club.

The club is a fun-filled hub of activity for youngsters, featuring a game station, mini-theatre, trampoline with ball pit, and a sleeping room for tired little ones. It also offers a daily programme of activities for children aged from four to 12 years, including opportunities for parents and children to have fun together.

Also available are Family Yoga, Balinese Cooking and the Meera Family Bali Package, a half-day activity programme featuring kite-making, face-painting and more, allow families to spend quality time with each other and renew their bonds. Alternatively the Kids’ Pool and water slide, plus the Toddler Pool with its soft foam base, are ideal for children to make a splash.

Learn more at http://www.Movenpick.com/jimbaran-bali.

“As one of the most global brands in Marriott International’s portfolio, Sheraton has had many firsts in the industry,” says Mike Fulkerson of Marriott International.

“We are pleased to debut the brand in Danang, and furthermore, a resort with the Sheraton Grand designation. We believe the opening will underscore the two brands’ commitment to providing exceptional service to our guests and a great culture for our associates – setting an elevated benchmark for hospitality in Danang.”

All 158 luxurious guestrooms and suites feature Sheraton’s signature “Sleep Experience” and views of either the sparkling ocean or the longest infinity pool in Danang.

Guestrooms and suites in one-, two- and three-bedroom configurations are tailored to every guest’s needs and are adorned with classic decor and touches of modernity.

Rooms are specially angled towards the coastline. Interiors are sophisticatedly designed, with an occasional splash of colour, allowing the rich environment and vibrancy to take centre stage.

“Non Nuoc Beach is quickly becoming the trendy upper-scale resort destination of Vietnam, with many luxury developments underway,” says Frank Bochmann, the resort’s general manager.

“With the innovative programming and signature Sheraton service culture, we are confident the Sheraton Grand Danang Resort will become one of the icons in Danang.”

Seven distinctive restaurants and bars serve a wide array of international cuisine, ranging from authentic Vietnamese dishes to other Asian favourites. The Tea Lounge offers barista-made coffee and 25 world-class and local teas amid superb views of the infinity pool blending into the East Sea.

For meeting planners, the Conference Centre occupies more than 35,500 square feet of transformative area spread over 14 separate indoor function spaces, including the elegant 13,600sqft Sheraton Grand Ballroom.

The Shine Spa has a fusion of modern hydrotherapy and ancient Asian-inspired treatments. It provides seven treatment rooms with a private sensational world of mood music, scents and calming interiors inspired by classic elements of the Regency period adapted to modern lifestyles, complimented by warm and genuine service.

Find out more at SheratonGrandDanang.com.