Admire design-minded ice cream shops in Asia

An ice cream renaissance is taking place around the world. Not only did the industry embrace the growing trend towards fresh, natural, and locally sourced ingredients, but more and more gelaterias decided to take dessert to a whole new level with their innovative techniques, creatively healthy options, and magazine-worthy interiors.

From Italy to Japan, have a look at some of the most beautifully designed ice cream shops across the world. Step into any one of these sweet, stylish places, and you will be swept away into a magical realm of design deliciousness.

Sweet Salvation, Dubai

Escape the desert heat at Sweet Salvation, an Instagram-worthy ice cream shop in the City Walk district of Dubai. The Toronto-based brand’s first store outside Canada has been envisioned by architecture firm Navigate Design, and the result is a funky mix of marble, black and white graphics, and bright accents in their signature pastel blue shade. Expect pimped out soft serve concoctions topped with lotus or red velvet cookie crumbs, as well as a selection of indulgent shakes, frappés, and cold-brew coffee.

Ampersand, Bangkok

Ampersand’s sleek, travel-themed design is a perfect reflection of the menu, which brims with high-quality ingredients and adventurous flavors from around the globe. Space brings to mind a futuristic airport, and its clean palette of white and navy blue with gold accents is delicately enlivened by voyage related items like world maps and souvenir magnets.

The Bangkok gelato boutique specializes in Italian style ice cream, but the frozen desserts on offer are singing with globally inspired aromas. Try Lavender for a touch of Provence, Earl Gray for a sophisticated British flavor, Yuzu for a taste of Japan; or the melt-in-your-mouth Tiramisu – which is literally Italy in a cone.

Ah-chu Ice Cream & Churros, Gimpo

Toy-like furniture and accent walls in candy-striped pink decorate this ice cream café in Gimpo, South Korea. Designed by Wanderlust, the playful locale – called Ah-chu – attracts children and adults alike with its adorable decor, colorful icy treats, and delectable churros, which seem to theatrically emerge from a dough machine before making their way to the oven.

 À tes souhaits, Tokyo

Soft lighting, natural materials, and gently curved surfaces create a sense of comfort and movement in this chocolate and ice cream shop in Tokyo’s sought-after suburb of Kichijoji. à tes souhaits, designed by Japanese studio Nendo, features beautiful geometric tiles and curved striped soil walls in subdued chocolate tones, echoing the layers of an ice cream cake in all its melted glory.

See more: The taste of Asia in 7 local dishes

Source Travel away

4 kinds of affordable Airbnbs in Hong Kong for the budget travelers

For one of the world’s most expensive cities, Hong Kong offers up some pretty affordable Airbnbs. So you can find reasonable, chic apartments that, while small, offer good amenities and prime locations. And you do not have to break the bank. Here are some of the best Airbnbs in Hong Kong for your money.

The one-bedroom apartment with a pretty balcony

While it does not look like much from the pictures, this apartment is highly rated due to other selling points: its convenient location and the nicely-decorated balcony. The apartment is located in a busy area but it is nice and quiet since it is tucked right at the end of the building. Places that are easily accessible from the apartment are Mong Kok MTR Station, Ladies Market, Sneakers (Fa Yuen) Street and Argyle Centre. While the apartment may just be a place to retreat to for the night, light cooking is also possible here.

Location: Mong Kok
Max. no. of guests: 2
No. of bedrooms: 1

The bright and spacious flat with three bedrooms

This tastefully furnished three-bedroom flat is spacious by Hong Kong standards. Two of the bedrooms have king-sized beds, the other one has a double bed, and the common room has a sofa bed. Altogether, eight people can share this home during their trip. As with the other apartments in the Mong Kok area, shopping and dining options are mere steps away. Among others, you will find streetside stalls selling fried seafood, fruits and veggies. Do bear in mind that this apartment is on the fourth floor of a building with no lift, so those with heavy luggage might struggle a bit.

Location: Mong Kok
Max. no. of guests: 8
No. of bedrooms: 1

The two-bedroom apartment with an urban view

Near Times Square, Hysan Place and Sogo is this two-bedroom apartment along Hennessy Road. It can accommodate up to six persons if you don’t mind the crowd; otherwise, four guests will fit nicely. The typical freebies like towels and toiletries are included, and you might also appreciate the hair dryer, iron and washing machine with detergent. The apartment is a great base to reach the southern beaches in Shek O and Stanley.  It is also within walking distance to the Wan Chai Pier which has ferries to Kowloon. On top of that, with plenty of buses in front of the apartment, you can even get to Mong Kok in less than 15 minutes.

Location: Causeway Bay
Max. no. of guests: 6
No. of bedrooms: 2

The studio just in front of the MTR Station

This cute little studio apartment along the famous Nathan Road has touches of greenery to add life to the modern space. While it is a studio, the space is compartmentalised into a bedroom, living room, kitchen, and bathroom. It also comes with air-conditioning, a fridge, a washing machine, and fast WiFi. This is one of the units of the Mirador Mansion and it is located on the tenth floor. Staying here will put you just minutes away from the Avenue of Stars, the Science Museum, malls like Miramar, Miramall and The One, as well as Knutsford Terrace where pubs and bars are aplenty. Getting to other parts of Hong Kong is convenient too as there is an entrance to Tsim Sha Tsui MTR Station just outside the building.

Location: Tsim Sha Tsui
Max. no. of guests: 2
No. of bedrooms: Studio

Read more: Top tourist attractions in Hong Kong

Source Tripzilla

Saigon sense market: the interesting market in Saigon

As time progresses, the markets have become a tourist attraction for foreign visitors, but they can be hard to find, especially in district 1 when there are not many markets beside the Ben Thanh market. However, the Sense Market at the September 23th Park became a phenomenon for its fantastic and diverse street foods, especially in Saigon street foods that can only be found in small street markets.

The location

The Sense Market, unlike other supermarkets and shopping malls, is unique for its distinctive location. Never before has a small-scale food court been located inside a park and under a stage at the heart of the city, making it very convenient for passers-by and tourists to fill their stomach and while visiting district 1. This is because the market is 10-minute away on foot from the Ben Thanh market and surrounded by different services and stores. There are two zones in the September 9th Park with the market being situated in Zone B, facing Pham Ngu Lao street and Le Lai street.

Such a structure of organizing the food stores also shows how brilliant the designers are. This is illustrated by the closeness among the food stores that helps to connect different guests, as there are big seats for having meals on one side or right on the walking way. Such seats enable the diners to enjoy every cuisine presented in the Food Town, not being confined to one food shop exclusively like in other shopping malls. This is mainly due to the Food Town’s permission to have different dishes and foods in one table.

Read more: The interesting weekend markets for the young in Saigon

Inside the Sense Market

What distinguishes Sense Market from other malls in the city is the combination of a modern supermarket and a traditional food court that resembles street markets. Taka Plaza, a shopping mall, is the first area to be in the visitors’ sight when entering the market. This 2000-square-metre mall contains more than 400 big and small fashion stalls, giving the visitors a range of product choices at reasonable and affordable prices.

The foods

The Sense Market is well-known for its diversity in the food cultures and street foods with more than 50 food stalls in Asiana Food Town. The name might give you some clues about the type of foods here: Asian foods. From China, India, Japan to Thailand, Singapore, and Vietnam, the arguably most famous dishes around Asia gather in one place.

The prices vary too, ranging from 45000 VND to 150000 VND depending on the foods purchased.

Source Local Insider