Is there a place for young travelers in busy Shanghai? This article form the NY Times points you where to go with the little ones in tow. Among the recommended destinations and activities are:

MagLev – a 267mph German-engineered magnetic levitation train, this ride cuts the 30 km journey from the airport to the town in just 8 minutes. See the timetable and fare guide to help you plan your ride.

Yu Yuan (Yu Garden) area – get your kids immersed in Chinese culture while shopping. When the merchants demonstrate bubble-blowers and Chinese yo-yos, it’ll be a fascinating experience for the kids too.

Shanghai Municipal History Museum – dioramas, life-size wax models and videos makes history a lot less ho-hum!

Science and Technology Museum – a truly fascinating and educational destination for children, particularly the IWERKS 4D theater andChildren’s Technoland:

Children’s Technoland is a fantasy world of children designed for age 1 to 12, where children can sense the outside world, observe the natural phenomenon and participate in the technological practice by a series of technological recreations. With the theme of knowledge and recreation, science and game, this area is aiming to provide enlightening education of technology in a pleasant atmosphere, and let children learn through play.

For good outdoor play: Gongqing Forest Park, the Shanghai Huangpu River Cruise tours are good bets.

Read the full article for more, including dining and accommodation suggestions.

Like Grace and Maricar of Filipina Soul, I’m off to the Philippines. Like them, I’ll have my kid in tow: a four-year old, who has hopefully gotten used to the idea of long-haul flights (this will be his 4th time to fly this stretch, although we’ve used different airlines and routes in the past).

Unlike Grace and Maricar, however, I have less-than-merry reasons for traveling. I’ll be visiting my Dad, whose health has gotten worse since my last visit. Although I do expect to see Manila, Laguna, and possibly other neighboring provinces like the last time, my time will most likely be spent reconnecting with my Dad and the rest of the family. Hm, puts a whole new twist to the term “family travel”, doesn’t it?

As I’m sure anyone can understand, posting in this blog will be a bit irregular in the next few weeks. I apologize in advance, but I promise to bring more of Asia to you when I get back. After all, –and to end this post on a positive note– not long from now, I might even be blogging in situ (more on that later!).

Technorati Tags: Asia, asia holiday, asia travel, asia vacation, family travel, family visits, flying with children, Laguna, manila, philippines, travel with children, travel with kids

The year having just started, it’s the perfect time to get an annual pass for Hong Kong Disneyland. The prices depends on the type, and may range from HK$460-1,250 for kids, HK$650-1,800 for adults, and HK$370-1,000 for seniors. If you want, you can get them in 12-month interest free installments with a Standard Chartered VISA Card/ Co-branded VISA Card or MANHATTAN VISA Card/ Co-branded VISA Card.

However, if you get yourself and your family annual passes until Feb 15, 2007, you can avail of the following deals:

Buy 4 or more passes: Get one night’s stay in a Garden View Room at either of the two Disney themed hotels valued at up to HK$2,200.
Buy 2-3 passes: Get a 50% discount coupon for a buffet meal at one of the Resort’s popular restaurants

Also, Disneyland Hong Kong is offering new perks for annual pass holders:

New benefits this season include in-Park discounts on merchandise and special dining offers at Plaza Inn. Benefits also extend to Inspiration Lake where guests can enjoy a 50% discount on the hourly rental rates of pedal boats. The discounted hourly rental rate is HK$60 for a 2-seater pedal boat and HK$75 for a 4-seater.

Meanwhile, Annual Pass holders will continue to enjoy dining offers at designated eating outlets at the hotels, as well as discounted hotel room rates. Premium Annual Pass holders will also be eligible for a two-for-one Signature Treatment at Victorian Spa in Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel.

See more benefits exclusive to Hong Kong Disneyland Annual Pass holders here. Higly recommended for families who expect to visit the park several times in 2007!

Technorati Tags: annual Pass, Asia, asia destinations, asia holiday, asia travel, asia vacation, child friendly travel, children, Disneyland, Disneyland Annual Pass, family travel, Hong Kong, Hong Kong Disneyland, parenting, travelling with children, travelling with kids