BEHIND THE WALLS

Words: Luke Clark

PARADISE BY DESIGN: TROPICAL RESIDENCES AND RESORTS by Bensley Design Studios. Bill Bensley. Periplus Editions, US$49.95 (Rp. 450,000)

Architecture fans love new homes – behind each nondescript wall lies a design-voyeur’s delight. Paradise by Design is architect Bill Bensley’s portfolio of 27 homes and hotels in China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand. Those seeking objective appraisals of home design will be disappointed, but I enjoyed Bensley’s first-person look at the design process. Copy and layout flow well, while artist sketches provide a sense of stepping onto the studio floor. One complaint is the variable image quality for some properties. But for anyone with land of their own or an eye for Asian style, this book is well worth a coffee break or two.

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Words: Harumi Supit

www.Dopplr.com

A Facebook for travel junkies, Dopplr is a social network where frequent business travelers touch base with one another, swap tips, and find out what’s going on. It’s also a quick and easy way to share news about your trips with friends and family. You can find out what’s going on in your destination city, as well as seeing if any of your friends are there as well. Don’t worry, your private information is only visible to people you invite.

www.My-Indonesia.info

The official site of the Indonesian Ministry of Culture and Tourism. Launched at the end of 2007, the site is still being updated, but it is worth checking out all the same. Aimed at travelers and tourists to Indonesia, the easy-to-navigate layout provides conveniently categorized, bite-sized chunks of information – and it’s colorful too.