Asia

From neon megacities to temple towns and terraced rice country.

The five-storey pink sandstone facade of the Hawa Mahal in Jaipur fills the frame at golden hour, its hundreds of small latticed windows and domed canopies lit by low warm sunlight, with an empty street in soft shadow in the foreground and a clear pale blue sky above.
Asia

Jaipur: Planning a First Trip to the Pink City

Jaipur was painted pink for a royal visit in 1876 and has stayed that way by rule ever since. How to choose between its forts and observatories, use the composite ticket after the 2026 fee rise, and time a first visit.

The Meridian Desk · 10 min read

A white Shinkansen bullet train waiting at a covered platform at Tokyo Station, with the city's office towers rising behind the tracks
Asia

Japan by Train: Passes, IC Cards and the Luggage Rule

The nationwide rail pass is not automatically the cheapest way to cross Japan. How to choose between it and point-to-point tickets, what an IC card quietly covers, and the oversized-baggage rule that catches visitors at the Shinkansen gate.

The Meridian Desk · 11 min read