Latest fromAsia

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.

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.

China: Guangzhou's remedy that's 'good for men'
On a short stopover, Grant Bradley gets a taste of Guangzhou, the city where ancient China meets its modern counterpart.

Shanghai: Where romance is big business
Duncan Gillies vistis a city where one in 65 people is a millionaire - and romance is a growth industry.

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.

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.

Bangladesh: Idyllic beach far from Dhaka
Bernd Kubisch visits Cox's Bazar, a long, sandy beach in the south-east corner of Bangladesh that has been a prime surfing destination for keen surfers for two decades.

India: Delhi shopping a joy - and a mystery
The idiosyncrasies of India's market vendors keep Catherine Masters on her toes.