Latest fromAsia

Independence key to IT fix-it firm
Industry veterans rely on selling their expertise, not hardware or software.

Indonesia: Sate hunger with streets' finest
Diana Plater ditches the hotel buffet for authentic, cheap and sumptuous street cuisine.

Conquering Macau Tower's level 61
There are two types of visitors to Macau Tower's level 61, as Andrew Both discovers - those who want to enjoy the panoramic view and those who want an adrenaline rush.

Cambodia: Authentic cooking in Siem Reap
Carroll du Chateau attends a cooking school in Siem Reap with delicious results.

Out of control suckers
A big "explosion" over a year in bedbug infestations is being blamed on the hard-to-kill pests hitching rides to Auckland on increasing numbers of world travellers.

Laos: Beauty spot rivals NZ
Pure water, bears and elephants make the waterfalls of Laos well worth the trek, writes Yvonne van Dongen.

China: Cash and carry it home
The prime reason to visit Shenzhen is to shop, writes Sharon Stephenson, who maximised every moment of commerce.

Discovering Japan by train
Greg Rules uses his seven-day rail pass to travel from Tokyo to Kyoto, Osaka, Hiroshima and to the Hakone mountains and lakes district before returning to Tokyo.

Meet the dragon babies
A support organisation for migrant parents in Auckland is experiencing a baby boom because of a surge in the number of dragon babies born to Chinese parents.

Mall-time in Malaysia
Jane Phare tours the markets and malls of Kuala Lumpur to snap up bargains, drool over designer labels and hunt for a scooter.

Shanghai: Travel tips for Planet China
Shanghai proves mind-blowing for first-time visitors, writes Shandelle Battersby.

Macau: A safe bet for tourists
Walking through the historic centre of Macau, a world heritage site, it's easy to forget you're in Asia. As a former Portuguese colony, remnants such as St Augustine's church could serve as a backdrop for a movie set in Lisbon if you didn't know better.

China: Yangshuo's misty mountain hop
Shandelle Battersby romps in an underground mud pool in China's south.

Sentence 'no walk in the park'
Kara Hurring - ex-partner of the 'Runaway millionaire' - says home detention is no "walk in the park'' and she is counting down the days until the sentence ends.

Chilling in the Philippines
Stress minimisation is the order of the day – for snakes as well as travellers, as Rachel Ashton finds.

Ritz Carlton Guangzhou, China: Presidential suite
Michelle Lv of the Ritz-Carlton in Guangzhou, the main city in southern China, showing off the hotel's presidential suite. The 420sq m room costs $10,000 a night.

Law catches up with Bali bombers
Justice has caught up with all of the Bali bombers, a significant comfort for those still grieving for their victims 10 years later.

More Zen, less hustle-bustle
Club Med's huge Asian eco-resort is expanding as the French business turns towards the east, writes Anne Gibson.

Escaping Syria's civil war
Former NZ diplomat Warren Searell called Damascus home until the Arab spring made life far too dangerous. This is his story.

Japan: Easy times in historic Kyoto
Getting lost is part of discovering an unfamiliar city. And, as Chris Pritchard discovers, negotiating the streets of Kyoto throws up some unique challenges.

Editorial: Jobs with a future needed
This month's toll of job losses is striking - but it's a reflection of a slowing of the Chinese economy. It's time to look for jobs that have a future.

Peter Calder: Film row faint in NZ Muslims' ears
Parking congestion at Auckland mosque more pressing issue than conflagration over clumsy anti-Islamic production.