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Hong Kong Disney Land

Disneyland brings the Wild West to Hong Kong

Runaway mining carts, erupting geysers and grizzly bears -- Disney introduces Hongkongers to 19th-century American terrors

By Daisy Liu 6 July, 2012

Pay to be terrified on a runaway mine car.

Ever wanted to experience the Wild West but just can't find a time-travel machine for a good price?

Hong Kong Disneyland could be your answer.

As part of its US$468 million expansion plan, the park will open the Grizzly Gulch themed area on July 14, 2012, featuring Wild West-themed attractions such as runaway mine cars, colorful erupting geysers and a wagon show.

Like the Big Thunder Railroad in Magic Kingdom in Florida, the new area's Big Grizzly Mountain Runaway Mine Cars are a key attraction. The ride is a terrain-style roller coaster that twists through the Grizzly Gulch area.

It sends up to 24 riders on a clattering run through the Big Grizzly Mountain, hits heights of up to 27 meters and even goes backwards.

But riders should try and keep their eyes open -- the landscape is worth appreciating, with colorful ponds and spouting geysers to see below.

Keep your eyes open for some spectacular colored geysers.

Use of visual illusion

Faced with competition from the coming Shanghai Disneyland, Hong Kong Disneyland has innovated -- it has brought visitors up close to the old American West, with engineers playing some clever visual tricks.

Grizzly Mountain is an example. Objects close to visitors have been built life-size, while scenes further away are scaled down to give the impression of perspective.

Be patient -- you'll soon see the rainbow.

Fountains of color

Geyser Gulch is a replica of the rocks in Yellowstone National Park and welcomes visitors with a sudden eruption of its lucky springs.

Rainbows suddenly appear as sunshine hits the water droplets.

The Lucky Nugget Saloon is a refueling stop.

Environmentally friendly

Grizzly Gulch has also gone big on eco-friendliness.

There's no air-conditioning, just electric fans. Visitors can also cool off with water pistols in Geyser Gulch.

Photo opportunities at The Old Jail.

There's a Lucky Nugget of gold at Assay Office.

Singers and dancers at the Grizzly Gulch Welcome Wagon Show.

Getting there

Hong Kong Disneyland can be reached via MTR, bus or taxi. It's located on Lantau Island. 

MTR: From any MTR station head for the interchange for the Disneyland Resort Line at Sunny Bay station.

Bus: Routes R11, R22, R33 and R42 operate daily to and from Hong Kong Disneyland.

Price

General admission costs of HK$399 (aged 12-64) and HK$285 (child) include entry to Grizzly Gulch.

Top 10 nature reserves of Hong Kong

The better side of Hong Kong: Top 10 nature reserves

Skyscrapers are cool, but it's the mountains, beaches and crazy monkeys that make Hong Kong truly sublime

By Sanday Chongo Kabange 24 July, 2012

Emerald hills, cotton-soft beaches, close encounters of the wild kind -- the description is practically Amazonian.

But it's Hong Kong we're talking about. That neon-lit metropolis of frantic lives lived distractedly. Not many unassuming tourists would ever have thought that three-quarters of its 1,104 square kilometers of land is actually rural and nearly pristine. 

Want to see some of this nature stuff? Here are our top 10 picks:

Getting there: 
See the Kowloon Motor Bus (KMB) website for bus routes
See the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) permits page for application for private vehicle access permits within country parks

1. Cold weather friend: Tai Mo Shan Country Park

Closest to the sky: Hong Kong's tallest peak at Tai Mo Shan.

Usually hot and humid, Hong Kong is the kind of place where people will make special trips to mountaintops to look at icicles during cold spells. 

Tai Mo Shan is the place to check out the frost on those rare winter days when the peak drops to below zero temperatures.

Hong Kong's highest mountain, Tai Mo Shan reaches 957 meters. The peak and its surrounding country park record the highest rainfall and the coldest temperatures in the territory.

Also on CNNGo: Best hiking in Hong Kong

It is also home to Hong Kong's highest waterfall, the 35-meter Long Falls.

Being the tallest peak in Hong Kong's New Territories, the views are splendid. On a clear day, much of Kowloon, Victoria Harbour and even Hong Kong Island can be seen.

The park is home to more than 100 species of birds and butterflies. But it's also got tons of snakes, including the bamboo snake, which you will spot alongside hiking trails if you're lucky. 

Getting there: There are many hiking trails in Tai Mo Shan Country Park. See the AFCD Tai Mo Shan page for more details. A good place to start is to take bus 51 from Tsuen Wan and get off at Tsuen Kam Country Park Management Centre.

2. Planet annoying ape: Kam Shan Country Park

Thieving monkeys and incredible vistas at Kam Shan.

Seems like every Asian destination has its own designated area for pesky monkeys and people love to visit for a laugh no matter how many angry monkey stories they hear.

Kam Shan Country Park is Hong Kong's own monkey haven. The macaques attempting to steal your bag of chips right out of your hand are fun to interact with most of the time.

Also on CNNGo: 45 Hong Kong sightseeing tips your guidebook won't include

Feeding the monkeys intentionally is illegal and even dangerous as they can become aggressive. These monkeys wouldn't be afraid of you if you held a machine gun.

Apart from the monkeys, the rest of Kam Shan is verdant and inviting. There are four reservoirs within the park, making gorgeous scenes of blue glass lakes adjacent to fluffy green hills.

Smuggler's Ridge runs through Kam Shan Country Park. It is a section of the former British military defense system, the Gin Drinker's Line. Built in the 1930s, the remains of these significant defense bunkers are still very much intact.

Getting there: Take bus 72, 81, 86B, or a red minibus to Tai Po Road near Piper's Hill. 

3. Almost Thailand: Kiu Tsui Country Park

Second choice location for filming "The Beach." Almost.

The Kiu Tsui Country Park archipelago is Hong Kong's own tropical island vacation site.

The most popular points within the area are the beaches. Find a private ferry service along the Sai Kung promenade near the bus terminus and get to the sandy strips at Hap Mun Bay or at Kiu Tsui, also known as Sharp Island. 

On a good day, the beaches are full of glistening bodies and the vista is of an endless aquamarine sea dotted with blindingly-white yachts.

The park even has fun geological features. Low tide reveals a tombolo, connecting Sharp Island with a tiny islet called Kiu Tau. You can walk between the two at the right time of day.

The beaches have full facilities, including toilets, showers and barbecue pits. 

Also on CNNGo: Hong Kong's top public bus sightseeing tours

Getting there: Take a kaido to Kiu Tsui or Hap Mun Bay by the Sai Kung bus terminus.

4. Best sunrise: Lantau South Country Park

Personal challenge: get at 4 a.m. for an epic sunrise hike up Lantau Peak.

It's the second best place to see a sunrise. The first being in your Facebook friend feed. 

Head to Lantau peak in Lantau South Country Park for Hong Kong's best dawn experience.  

Hike to the summit in the dark and arrive just in time for dawn. It sounds a little tree-hugging radical, but it is worth it as one of Hong Kong's most unique experiences in nature.

Save some time by spending a night at the Ngong Ping Youth Hostel not too far away. The climb takes around two hours.

Also on CNNGo: Best cold treats in Hong Kong

Getting there: Take the ferry to Mui Wo at Central Pier 6. At Mui Wo Pier bus terminus, there are bus routes to all parts of Lantau. Or take the MTR to Tung Chung station where you can take Ngong Ping 360 cable car or bus to Ngong Ping. Lantau Peak sunrise trail entrance is near the Wisdom path. beta.discoverhongkong.com

5. Small, beautiful things: Tai Po Kau Special Area

Tai Po Kau, where nature comes before people.

Tai Po Kau Special Area is the best place to spot local species of flora and fauna. Unlike country parks, less recreational facilities are available at this nature reserve. There are no barbecue sites.

Nature is firmly the first priority here, with original forests preserved. It is a complete break from the concrete jungle.

The area is listed by the Hong Kong Bird Watching Society as one of the best places to see rare birds and insects. Trail walkers who pass through quietly can spot exotic birds, butterflies, other critters, indigenous flowers and fruits.  

Tai Po Kau is also a popular place to catch and observe fireflies in Hong Kong. 

Getting there: Take buses 72, 72A, 73A, 74A, or green mini-bus 28K at Tai Wo MTR station, get off at Chung Tsai Yuen Bus Stop and walk back 50 meters to reach the entrance to Tai Po Kau Nature Reserve. 

6. Sexy rocks: High Island

Unbelievable rock formations at High Island.

High Island is one of the best sites within the Hong Kong Geopark.

A collection of 12 special geological sites spread around Hong Kong, the geopark is a rock enthusiast's dream.

High Island alone has some of Hong Kong's most spectacular rock formations. The mounds of rocks form angular patterns, as though someone went at it with a giant chisel. At Po Pin Chau, there's a hill that was broken clear into two sections by natural forces.

Getting there: Take bus 94 at Sai Kung Market or 96R at Diamond Hill MTR station (service on weekends and public holidays only). Get off after Pak Tam Chung and walk along Tai Mong Tsai Road to the junction ahead. Turn into Man Yee Road of Sai Kung on the right and walk on for about nine kilometers to the High Island Reservoir East Dam, the starting point of High Island Geo Trail. www.geopark.gov.hk

7. Most inclusive: Aberdeen Country Park

Aberdeen Country Park caters particularly well to the physically disabled.

The Aberdeen Country Park on Hong Kong Island has the physically impaired in mind. 

The park has a wheelchair ramp and a picnic area for the disabled. Disabled visitors can use the wheelchair trail to enjoy the scenery nature has to offer. Braille maps and information boards are also in place for the blind.

It is one of Hong Kong's oldest country parks and is located close to urban residences. The hiking trails are mostly easy and are popular with kids on school field trips.

Getting there: Take green minibus 4A or 4C from Lockhart Road in Causeway Bay to Shek Pai Wan in Aberdeen. Or green minibus 4B that runs between Wanchai and Shek Pai Wan. At Shek Pai Wan, follow Aberdeen Reservoir Road up the hill for the portal of Aberdeen Country Park. Stage 3 of the Hong Kong Trail starts at Peel Rise next to Pui Tak Canossian College on the right side of Aberdeen Reservoir Road. 

8. Real tweets: Hong Kong Wetland Park

Hong Kong Wetland Park, where birds and crocodile live side by side.

This is Hong Kong's prized centerpiece of a nature reserve.

The Hong Kong Wetland Park in the New Territories has a stunning variety of animals in Hong Kong. As such, it has become a hub of conservation, ecotourism and education.

It is also home to Pui Pui the crocodile, Hong Kong's endearing reptilian mascot.

You can make a day out of visiting the Wetland Park and its facilities for visitors. The stream walk, mangrove boardwalk and the bird hideouts placed right next to the fish pond gets you up close and personal with wildlife. 

Getting there: At West Rail Tin Shui Wai Station, change to Light Rail Transit 705 or 706 to Tin Sau Station or Wetland Park Station to get to Hong Kong Wetland Park. See www.wetlandpark.com for more details.

9. An eyeful of Victoria Harbour: Pokfulam Country Park

The Pokfulam reservoir, Hong Kong's oldest.

Victoria Harbour looks extra amazing from the Peak Trail in Pokfulam Country Park. 

The Trail leads you to tourist hot spot Victoria Peak, known simply as "The Peak," so you can tick that off the list when you get to the end.

Popular as a dog-walking area for moneyed residents of the Peak and of Hong Kong's Mid-Levels, you can break out your glamour hiking outfits for this field trip.

The Pokfulam Reservoir is also Hong Kong's oldest and is a sight in its own right.

Getting there: Pokfulam Country Park is served by many public transport routes. To get to the Peak Trail, take bus 15 or 515, or green minibus 1 to the Peak. See www.afcd.gov.hk for more detail.

10. Best for the imagination: Lion Rock Country Park

Stone lions are not just outside HSBC.

Lion Rock is a huge rock formation perched at the top of a hill. Squint hard, exercise some imagination and you may see the rock's resemblance to a lion.

It has become a symbol of Hong Kong and is an inspiration for pop culture.

The hiking trail to the peak is relatively easy but can be quite steep and challenging near the "head" of the Lion Rock. Unobstructed views of Hong Kong take the edge off the pain of the hike.

Amah Rock on the hilltop near the entrance of Lion Rock Tunnel is another famous giant rock formation. It looks a bit like a woman with a baby on her back.

The story is that a woman stood carrying her baby, waiting for her husband to return home. She and the baby waited so long, they turned to stone. 

6 amazing Aussie caves

Awesome underground: 6 amazing Aussie caves

Some of the world's best subterranean wonders are here in Australia, right beneath our feet

By Bruce Holmes 28 June, 2012

Face to face with the extinct marsupial lion in the Victoria Fossil Cave, Naracoorte.

From show caves for tour groups to a taste of white-knuckle, hard-hat adventure, we plunge underground to visit half a dozen of Australia’s most amazing cave locations.

To orient yourself as we cave-hop around the country, click here to open an interactive map of the sites featured in a new window.

Yarrangobilly Caves

A guide explains how the formations were created by the dripping of carbonated water.“What happens when lemonade gets poured into a glass?”

“It makes bubbles,” the child replies eagerly.

“Yes. Because the gas comes out,” the guide explains.

Our short geology lesson about solutional caves explains how rainwater mixes with carbon dioxide, seeps down from above and dissolves the rocks because of gas in the carbonated water.

Dripping from the roof of the cave, it forms stalactites, while droplets landing on the floor grow into stalagmites.

Yarrangobilly Caves are off the Snowy Mountains Highway south of Tumut in New South Wales. Created from 440-million-year-old limestone, they were discovered in 1834 by a stockman.

Only six of the 300 caves are open to the public and, of those, two host regular tours.

Jersey Cave is filled with massed stalactites known as the organ pipes because of their church-like appearance, while Cleopatra’s Needle, a thin stalagmite, reaches almost to the ceiling.

Other features include “shawls,” where dripping water from the sloping roof has made what look like women’s garments.

The guide indicates a piece of wood attached to the ceiling by stalactite-forming activity and explains how in 1892, when Governor Jersey inspected the cave, gutters were made so water wouldn’t drip onto the hats of ladies in his entourage.

Yarrangobilly Caves, New South Wales; +61 (0) 2 6454 9597; www.environment.nsw.gov.au

Jenolan Caves

Jenolan visitors take in the Broken Column in Lucas Cave.For thousands of years Jenolan Caves were known as Binoomea, meaning "dark places," by Aboriginal people. European discoveries began only in 1838.

Sadly, visitors in the 1860s saw nothing wrong in breaking off souvenir pieces of formations that had been created over thousands of years.

In 1872 this became illegal thanks to local politician John Lucas, after whom one of the caves was named.

Today there’s greater awareness. As Jenolan Caves’ former general manager, Andrew Fletcher, explained when reopening the Temple of Baal cave in 2006 (it first opened to the public in 1907).

“The combination of LED track lighting and HID spotlighting ... produces only one-third of the heat of the old system,” he said. “Which is great news for the cave’s fragile environment.”

Synchronized music and sound effects have been added, creating an evocative display of that cave’s formations like the beautiful nine-meter-long Angel’s Wing shawl, one of the largest cave shawls in the world.

The Lucas, Orient, River and Ribbon Caves have all been similarly revamped, creating a stunning show cave experience for Jenolan’s 250,000 annual visitors.

But if old-fashioned torchlight seems more desirable, there’s always the Legends, Mysteries and Ghosts tour to send a chill up the spine.

Jenolan Caves, New South Wales; +61 (0) 2 6359 3911; jenolancaves.org.au

Capricorn Caves

Squeezing through Fat Man's Misery on the Wild Caving Adventure at Capricorn Caves.Situated north of Rockhampton in Queensland, Capricorn Caves have been a tourist attraction since their discovery by Norwegian John Olsen in 1882.

This system of aboveground caves inside a limestone ridge can be experienced in different ways.

There’s a tour of the Cathedral Cave, with an optional ending through the narrow Zig Zag Passage, where visitors emerge into daylight on a swinging bridge in the rain forest.

For an educational perspective, the Geotour examines significant marine fossils encrusted on the walls and thethreatened fern tectaria devexa, for which the caves are one of only two known habitats in Australia.

Then there are The Underground Opera Company’s sellout shows, which bring culture to the bush, with arias and duets resonating through the caves.

But for something to get the adrenalin pumping, Wild Caving Adventures see participants squeezing their way through the wonderfully named Fat Man’s Misery, a 30-centimeter-diameter hole, or crawling like commandos before finally emerging on top of the ridge.

Kelly Hill Caves

An intricately beautiful helictite at Kelly Hill Caves, Kangaroo Island.Kangaroo Island, just off the South Australian coast, sports wildlife, lighthouses, seascapes, food and wine. It is also home to Kelly Hill Caves.

This is one of the few dry limestone caves in Australia, created differently from normal solution caves, with direct rainfall being responsible for speleothem formation -- the technical term for stalactites and so on.

“Did you ever think you’d be standing inside a sand dune?” is how our show cave guide introduces the idea that the limestone was made from sand 1.5 million years ago.

There are all the usual formations, including good examples of shawls, but I’m most impressed by the small, intricately beautiful helictites with stony hooks on the end.

For visitors with more time, there’s an Adventure Caving Tour; participants don helmets and headlamps to crawl through an underground maze of smaller caverns along part of the original 1920s tourist section of the caves.

Kelly Hill Caves, Kangaroo Island; +61 (0) 8 8553 4464; www.environment.sa.gov.au

Naracoorte

There's also plenty to see above ground at many cave sites.Just a glance at Naracoorte’s World Heritage listing is enough to grasp that the South-Australian cave system is one of unusual quality.

“The Pleistocene fossil vertebrate deposits of Victoria Fossil Cave at Naracoorte,” it says, “are considered to be ... Australia's largest and best preserved and one of the richest deposits in the world.”

Visitors taking the Victoria Fossil Cave tour pass through decorated halls before reaching the Fossil Chamber.

Here, a guide explains the accumulation of bones in the caves, excavation techniques and research.

There’s a chance to see complete skeletons of megafauna species like the marsupial lion and sthenurine kangaroo.

The Wonambi Fossil Centre contains fossil displays and a walk-through diorama with life-sized models of extinct animals that broaden our understanding of what life was like here 200,000 years ago.

Back then, there were 20 kangaroo species instead of the mere four that exist today.

Adventure caving tours allow participants to squeeze and crawl their way through caves with odd names like Stick-Tomato, Blackberry and Starburst, but Naracoorte also provides an adventure of a different kind.

At the Bat Observation Centre, visitors can watch the activities of a colony of Southern Bent-wing Bats in their maternity chambers via infrared technology.

In summer months, there’s a chance to watch the bats' spectacular exit flight en masse from Blanche Cave at dusk -- not to be missed.

Naracoorte, South Australia; +61 (0) 8 8762 2340; www.environment.sa.gov.au

More on CNNGo: Hwanseon cave: Hiking with bats and Buddhas

Margaret River

The feature known as the Suspended Table is reflected in Lake Cave, Margaret River.In 1899, Western Australia’s Margaret River area wasn’t like the landscape of wineries and chocolate factories we see today. Not by a stretch.

It was rough country and, while looking for wild horses, Edward Dawson discovered a hole leading into a massive cave.

Our guide explains the physical features of Ngilgi Cave and also how opera diva Dame Nellie Melba’s grand piano was lowered into it so she could perform in the Amphitheatre.

Got four spare hours? The Ultimate Ngilgi Adventure Tour leads the physically fit to the deepest, darkest depths of the cave.

Further south, 350 steps take us down into Lake Cave, where crystalline formations are illuminated from below.

A huge calcite column known as the Suspended Table is reflected in the beautiful underground lake, making this seem like wonderland at 62 meters down.

Nearby Jewel Cave has 700 meters of stairs and walkways through several caverns.

First entered in 1918, its whereabouts were temporarily lost with the unknown explorer who told tales of its majesty, before being rediscovered in 1957.

A large chamber of stalactites, stalagmites, helictites and shawls has features with crazy names like turkey, broccoli and frozen waterfall.

For a few eerie moments the guide turns out the lights and we understand what darkness really is.

Ice skating at the beach?

Hell freezes over as Sydney's winter festival turns the iconic sand into an ice-skating rink

By Ian Lloyd Neubauer 9 July, 2012

Slippy, slidey surf-side fun on a very different-looking Bondi Beach.

When it comes to beach sports, ice-skating is one of the last things that comes to mind.

But that’s exactly what you can expect to see at Sydney’s world-famous Bondi Beach from now until July 15 as part of the annual winter festival.

Now in its fourth year, entry to the festival is free and, aside from the skating, there’s a seasonally appropriate range of food and drink options to choose from.

For starters, there’s the Alpine Hut -- an après-ski-themed bar with an open fireplace and sofas -- which serves European winter cuisine, schnapps and mulled wine. There’s also live music on the weekends.

At the slightly-less-fancy Chai Tent, festivalgoers can drink free chai latte while sitting in front of a picture of a fireplace, or they can gorge themselves on German sausages, doughnuts and pizza at the fast-food stalls outside.

But the real attraction is the ice rink.

At 40 meters in length, it’s less than half the size of a standard Olympic ice rink but pretty darned impressive given the logistical challenge of putting it on an Aussie beach.

Labor of love

Just to prove it's real -- the rink really is on the Bondi sand.

The organizers had to truck in 80,000 liters of water and spend three days leveling the sand and laying grids and pipes to physically produce the ice using a chemical called glycol.

Wind, sun and rain -- elements in no short supply on Bondi Beach in wintertime -- all affect the ice, creating a layer of water on the surface that refreezes the moment the sun disappears.

But the extra-slippery conditions are proving no deterrent.

Tens of thousands of Sydneysiders and tourists are expected every day to don bright-yellow rental skates for a 45-minute slide on the crowded, yet highly entertaining, slab of ice.

“It hailed yesterday and people still went out there,” a Chai Tent staffer told us.

“It’s a pretty amazing thing to be ice-skating on Bondi Beach.”

The winter festival also features a lineup of ice-themed entertainment, including ice-hockey demonstrations (a sport alien to Australians), Disney on Ice (perhaps alien to sentient adults?), relays and skating challenges.

Getting there: The best way to reach Bondi Beach is by bus -- service 333 starts at Circular Quay and bypasses the city and Bondi Junction train station before hitting the beach. The ice rink is situated in front of the Bondi Skate Park.

Metered parking is available, but parking inspectors are ruthless, parking spaces elusive and fines over-the-top.

Tickets: Ice-skating costs $29 (US$30) for adults and $23 for children, including skate hire, with discounts available for off-peak sessions on weekdays from noon to 4 p.m. Tickets can be purchased on-site, but to avoid disappointment on weekends, it’s best to book online.

Best of Delhi

Insider Guide: Best of Delhi

Stodgy? Dull? That's the Delhi you used to know. These days, India's capital hopes to overtake Mumbai as the country's center of cool

By Isha Singh Sawhney 26 March, 2012

Tourists visit the 16th century Mughal-built Humayun's Tomb, a World Heritage Site.

The best of Delhi is where the new Indian cool is being born.

Once dismissed as a town of bureaucrats as inspiring as a damp sock, India's capital city is slowly but surely shedding its frumpy image.

Delhi has the basic hallmarks of a buzzing world city: posh new hotels, glam restaurants and a huge and growing population (16.7 million, by one estimate).

To entertain the new throngs, amped-up venues are cropping up in Delhi like green grass after a monsoon. 

And if Mumbai has Bollywood, Delhi has high culture. Performing arts, book launches and tons of art galleries make the best of Delhi an Indian culture homebase.

Meanwhile, the stunning architecture of the Mughal Raj and other older relics are stalwart anchors to the giddiness of development, making Delhi as attractive to business travelers as it is to camera-clicking tourists.

Hotels

Luxury

The Leela Palace: sexy with substance.The Leela Palace

It's the flashiest kid on the scene.

Recently opened, The Leela Palace does a modern take on Indian majesty, with gilt doors, velour and brocade, flowers everywhere and the quintessential fawning staff.

Given its location in the heart of the Diplomatic Enclave, well-heeled locals frequent this best of Delhi hotel for the restaurants Le Cirque and Megu, guaranteeing a social buzz in the air. 

The Leela Palace prides itself on its hotel-within-a-hotel. Guests staying in Royal Club rooms, as well as the Royal Club Parlor, enjoy a whole other level of hospitality. Limousine service to and from the airport, exclusive check-in and check-out, 24-hour butler service as well as complimentary welcome drink and meals are taken for granted.

The Leela Palace, Chanakyapuri, Diplomatic Enclave, New Delhi; +91 (0)11 3933 1234; from US$500 per night; www.theleela.com

Aman New Delhi: modernized northern Indian beauty.Aman New Delhi

Delhi's other hospitality giant is Aman New Delhi, an almost minimalist take on contemporary Indian luxury.

The 67 rooms are done in stone floors and wood-panelled walls with muted patterns. Everything is pared down to a sleek contemporary design of typical North Indian aesthetics, softened by jaali screens and handmade rugs. 

Though located on the edge of New Delhi, Aman is great for first-time visitors who want to spend time in the adjacent Nizamuddin complex or play a few rounds at the nearby New Delhi Golf Course. 

This best of Delhi hotel is a resort-like, self-contained destination, complete with a steller spa, tennis and squash courts and gym.

Aman New Delhi, 
Lodhi Road, New Delhi; +91 (0)11 4363 3333; from US$650 per night;www.amanresorts.com

The Oberoi, Gurgaon: business made beautiful.The Oberoi, Gurgaon

The Oberoi makes business trips feel like vacations.

Located in Delhi's satellite town and business center, Gurgaon, this branch of The Oberoi has the most spacious rooms of any best of Delhi business hotel. The smallest start at 58 square meters.

The hotel also has a larger-than-Olympic-size heated swimming pool, 24-hour spa and what it claims is India's only cigar lounge. 

The Oberoi has a great location for conventions, with conference and banquet facilities that can accomodate up to 1,000 people.

The Oberoi, 443 Udyog Vihar, Phase V, Gurgaon, Haryana; +91 (0)124 245 1234; from US$600 per night; www.oberoihotels.com

Mid-range

The Imperial Hotel lives up to its name.Imperial Hotel

New Delhi’s Imperial Hotel is an art deco treasure.

Grand white columns and rococo interiors are reminders of India’s colonial era. Rooms are decked out in luxury, including Fragonard and Bvlgari toiletries.

The ultimate in the best of New Delhi hospitality is the all-white Royal Imperial Suite, among one of Asia’s largest luxury suites (approximately US$4,000 per night).

The Imperial, Janpath, New Delhi; +91 (0)11 2334 1234, 4150 1234; from US$300 per night; theimperialindia.com

Budget

Boho chic lives at Colaba House.Colaba House

Colaba House, an expat operation in tree-lined Safdarjung Enclave run by Frenchman Pio Coffrant, is everything you’d wish a South Delhi bungalow to be.

The boho boutique lodging is warm and comfortable, done over in generous doses of white interspersed with bolts of India-inspired colors.

Rooms are bright, spacious and airy. The Greenhouse is a lovely lounge/dining area, which the owners encourage guests to treat as their own home.

Colaba House, B2/139 Safdarjung Enclave
, New Dehi; +91 (0)11 4067 1773, 4615 0101, +91 (0) 97118 38476; from US$100 per night; www.colabahouse.com

Dining

New York transplant Le Cirque has found a home in Delhi.Le Cirque

One of Delhi's hottest new restaurants is the outpost of the New York institution Le Cirque.

Famous for its mix of French and Italian cuisine, Le Cirque is also known for great people watching.

In Delhi, it's no different. Le Cirque draws the city's fashionable and elite to munch on paupiette of black cod, foie gras, lobster risotto and creme brulee.

The wine list features more than 100 choices.

One thing about this best of Delhi restaurant: it's not too haughty to adjust dishes to suit diners' dietary restrictions.

With the top floor of The Leela Palace as its home, Le Cirque also has one of Delhi's best addresses. 

Children under the age of 12 are not permitted. Le Cirque serves dinner only, 7 p.m.-midnight. 10/F, The Leela Palace, Chanakyapuri, Diplomatic Enclave, New Delhi, +91 (11) 3933 1390; expensive

Practice your pout at the Olive.Olive Bar & Kitchen

Housed in a converted Mughal mansion, the Olive Bar & Kitchen is a favorite of the capital's fashion industry.

Decked out in a boho elegance worthy of the pages of Vogue Living, the Olive is a place to be seen, but not so much for chowing down.

The Italian-French-Mediterranean menu caters to vegetarians, with creative dishes such as asparagus and fennel risotto. A wood-fired oven churns out thin-crust pizzas. But the food is underwhelming. 

Near the Qutub Minar, it has a beautiful setting for a long brunch getting into the thick of Delhi's scenesters.

Olive Bar & Kitchen, One Style Mile, Mehrauli, New Delhi, +91 11 2957 4444; expensive to moderate; www.olivebarandkitchen.com

The place where Bill Clinton wished he had two stomachs.Bukhara

Eat where Bill Clinton and Vladmir Putin sat down, at Bukhara, the pride of Delhi dining.

Established in 1977, Bukhara's menu hasn't changed in years and it has maintained its reputation.

The food originates from the Northwest Frontier, so this is the place to come for meats cooked in a tandoor oven, kebabs and Bukhara's famous dal.

Vegetarians are certainly catered to, but it's the omnivores who win here. The raan, a slow-cooked shoulder of lamb, is a specialty with a cult following.

Bukhara, ITC Maurya, Sardar Patel Marg, Diplomatic Enclave, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi, +91 11 2611 2233; expensive to moderate; www.itchotels.in

The menu is pan-Asian, but the view is pure Delhi.Circa 1193

One of Delhi's most atmospheric restaurants, Circa 1193 has stunning views of the majestic Qutab Minar. The rooftop offers the best seats in the house.

The menu is pan-Asian, with an emphasis on Thai and Japanese. We love the slow-cooked pork belly, buta no kakuini and cocktails with names like Geisha and Samurai.

The service can be spotty, but nothing beats the ambience at Circa 1193. 

It's a great place to begin an evening with a drink and appetizer.

Circa 1193, 1580/1, Kalkadas Marg, Next to Qutub Minar, Mehrauli, New Delhi, +91 (11) 2664 4329; expensive to moderate 

Street food is Delhi's strong suit.Chandni Chowk street food

Built under the aegis of the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan, the old city streets of Chandni Chowk are a hub for the city’s best street food.

You can start with a piquant dahi bhalla (spiced yogurt snack) from Natraj Dahi Bhalle Walle, before exploring the rambunctious lanes leading to Pandit Baburam Devidayal or Kanhaiya Lal Durga Prasad’s in what’s known as Paranthe Wale Gulli.

Paranthe Wale Gulli’s fried, crisp parantha breads comestuffed with the usual potato or paneer and the unusual banana or rabdi, a creamy Indian dessert. 

Nearby in Chawri Bazaar, Hira Lal Chaat Corner and Jugal Kishore Ramji Lal have perfected variations of fruit chaat. Ashok Chaat and Shree Balaji Chaat Bhandar are go-to options for gol guppas and crispy papri chaat.

The 200-year-old Ghantewala is Chandni Chowk’s oldest sweet shop. Seasonal fruit-filled sandwich and cheeku fruit shakes are good at Anil Kumar Jain.

 

Nightlife

You can feel transported at Smoke House Room.Smoke House Room

The psychedelic new Smoke House Room, aka Shroom, is a restaurant and club done all in white with curved forms and perforated screens meant to mimic the inside of a bunch of mushrooms.

With strategic colored lighting, the ambience of the Smoke House Room is supposed to remind one of being on actual magic mushrooms.

The stunner here is the incredible view. A tinted-glass wall seperates clubbers from a panoramic view of the Qutub Minar. 

The Smoke House Room also enlists the country's best DJs to work the decks. 

Smoke House Room, The Crescent, Qutub Minar; +91 (0)11 2952 3737; www.impresario.in

The blueFROG has made the jump from Mumbai to Delhi.blueFROG

India's best live music venue, blueFROG opened its second branch in Delhi in late 2011.

The club brings the best mix of local and international artists to the dance floor.

As it became in Mumbai, blueFROG is now Delhi's nightlife benchmark.

It's located in an old serai (traveler’s inn) called The Kila, situated 100 meters from the Qutub Minar.

blueFROG, The Kila, Seven Style Mile, opposite the Qutub Minar, Mehrauli; +91 (0)11 3080 0300; www.bluefrog.co.in

Kitty Su has a frisky vibe.Club circuit: Shiro, Lap, Hype

Though Kitty Su has hit all the right notes since opening in August with its pseudo-erotic Kama Sutra vibe, Champagne lounges and suspiciously large bathrooms, Shiro gets our vote for the most mad night out.

With a Japanese name meaning "castle," the nightclub/restaurant draws regulars with an inventive drinks menu and pan-Asian bites.

Lap, also at the Samrat Hotel, and Hype, at the neighboring Shangri-La, cater to a younger crowd who prefer louder club beats. These two clubs are almost always filled to the brim -- the vibe borders on sordid after 3 a.m.

Kitty Su, Barakhamba Avenue, Connaught Place, New Delhi; +91 (0)11 4444 7777

Shiro, Samrat Hotel, Kautilya Marg, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi; +91 (0)11 2611 0606

Lap, Samrat Hotel, Kautilya Marg, Chanakya Puri, New Delhi, +91 (0)11 2410 3762

Hype, Shangri-La’s Eros Hotel, 19 Ashoka Road, Connaught Place, New Delhi; +91 (0) 99100 07320

Shopping / Attractions

We dare you to bargain and not buy.Bazaar browsing

Your most comfortable clothes and hardest bargaining face are necessities when taking on the best of Delhi shopping.

Delhi’s best discoveries and bargains are hidden in the smallest streets and alleyways, such as the chaotic, camera-friendly byways of Old Delhi’s Chawri Bazaar.

Along with jostles and sharp elbows, you’ll find everything from collectible LPs to vintage cameras, antique silver jewelry and colorful spice and sweets markets.

Vintage junkies go to Krishna Opticians in the murky, hippie café-lined lanes of Pahargunj for rescued old-school spectacles; or Hauz Khas Village for rare classic Hollywood and Bollywood film posters. 

Sarojini Nagar is an export surplus market favored by everyone from chi-chi socialites to average housewives looking for everyday kaftans and kurtas. 

A good buy are juttis, Indian embellished slippers. You'll find cheap juttis at touristy Janpath, but in Pahargunj, Vishal Footwear stocks exquisite handmade juttis, many of which are made-to-order by Delhiites.

Vishal Footwear, 5083, Main Bazaar, opposite Khanna cinema, Pahargunj, New Delhi; +91 (0)11 2358 1960, 98993 35010 

Krishna Opticals, Rajnish Sharma, 1568, NR Khanna Cinema, Main Bazaar, Paharganj, New Delhi; +91 (0)11 6514 1995, +91 (0) 92132 99332

The un-missable Lodi Gardens.Monument circuit

Ask any local about the most beautiful features of their city and you'll be pointed in the direction of Delhi’s many Mughal-era monuments.

Outside the usual monument circuit of Lal Qila (Red Fort) and Purana Qila (Old Fort) -- which stage impressive son et lumière shows every evening -- you can also pack a lunch for the lawns around Humayun’s Tomb, the grassy hill behind Hauz Khas Village, or the Lodi Gardenmausoleums.

From the tallest brick minaret in the world, the 72.5-meter Qutub Minar, the nearby Olive Bar & Kitchen is great for lunch.

Recommended: HoHo bus ride. Taking off from the Coffee Home on Baba Kharak Singh Marg, the newly introduced HoHo bus stops at 18 tourist destinations on a 65-kilometer loop of Old and New Delhi, taking in the Red Fort, National Gallery of Modern Art, Humayun's Tomb, Purana Qila, Lotus Temple, Qutab Minar, Hauz Khas Village, Dilli Haat and the National Museum.

It's touristy, but a highly efficient way to see the sights.

Red Fort: tickets Rs10 for Indian nationals and Rs150 for foreign nationals. Light and sound shows presented every evening. Summer: Hindi 7-8 p.m., English 8-9 p.m.; Winter: Hindi 6-7 p.m., English 7-8 p.m.; Tickets available at DTTDC Office, N-36, Connaught Place, New Delhi; +91 (0)11 3315322

HoHo tickets can be purchased on the bus. For a complete route map click here. HoHo helpline: +91 (0)11 4094 0000 

India is reshaped into art at Delhi's best galleries.Art circuit

Guidebooks will point you to the National Gallery of Modern Art, National Museum and maybe even theNational Handicrafts & Handlooms Museum.

These days, however, private galleries and collectors exhibit the most exciting contemporary Indian art.

In the Delhi satellite town of Gurgaon, The Devi Art Foundation is run by mother and son Lekha and Anupam Poddar, who have earned a reputation for showcasing India's upcoming artists.

Nadar, of the new Kiran Nadar Museum of Art, made headlines for the whopping Rs7 crore she paid for artist Bharti Kher’s dotted sculpture, "The Skin Speaks a Language Not its Own."

Her museum houses other grand depictions of India’s social fabric, including Subodh Gupta’s “Family on Scooter” and A. Ramachandran’s “Genesis of Kurukshetra.”

The Alkazi Foundation for the Arts owns one of the largest collections of archival photographs in South Asia. 

National Gallery of Modern Art, Jaipur House, India Gate, New Delhi; +91 (0)11 2338 4640, 2338 2835; open 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; closed Monday and national holidays.

National Handicrafts & Handlooms Museum, Pragati Maidan, Bhairon Road, New Delhi; +91 (0)11 2337 1887/2337 1641; www.nationalhandicraftsmuseum.nic.in; open 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; closed Monday and national holidays.

The Alkazi Foundation for The Arts, M 141, Greater Kailash II, New Delhi; +91 (0)11 5143 7426;www.acparchives.com

Devi Art Foundation, Sector-44 Sirpur House, Plot-39, Gurgaon, Haryana; +91 (0)11 4166 7373;www.deviartfoundation.org; open 11 a.m.-7 p.m.; closed Monday and national holidays.

Kiran Nadar Museum of Art, 145, DLF South Court Mall, Saket, New Delhi; www.knma.in; open 10 a.m.-6:30 p.m.; closed Monday and national holidays.

 

Urban transport cheat sheet

Because navigation in sprawling Delhi isn't as straightforward as it can be in other Asian capitals, we've added a section dedicated to the logistics of getting around.

Delhi is built in concentric circles, and losing your way is an inevitable part of the India experience. Tea helps, at the end of such days.

Thank Shiva there's the Delhi Metro.Delhi Metro

There's no better way to navigate Delhi’s heavily trafficked roads than by making use of the city's spanking new Metro line.

Crisscrossing the city and diving deep into neighborhoods, the Delhi Metro is a gleaming symbol of the city’s ascent to the rank of global metropolis.

Its latest addition, the Delhi Airport Express shuttle, brings you to Connaught Place in 18 minutes flat, otherwise a harrowing one-hour-plus road journey.

While the Metro lines swiftly connect north and south, east and west, good intra-line connectivity is sorely lacking, meaning commuters still have to rely on radio cabs and autorickshaws to move within some sections of the city.

Radio cabs and rickshaws

Radio cabs, such as Meru Cabs and Easy Cabs, are safe and reliable and congregate at most major crossings and markets.

Insist on the meter for autorickshaws. It's not a given that drivers will turn them on when you get in.

Or log onto www.taxiautofare.com to figure out your approximate fare before your journey.

Hoho bus. Touristy? Yes. Worth the tour? Absolutely.Bus if you must

Delhi is also proud of its new line of buses, which were rolled out for the 2010 Commonwealth Games.

The air-conditioned Red Line is a great way to get around once you have the hang of its routes. Pay Rs50 for an all-day pass to anywhere in the city.