Travellers' ChecksPark Hyatt Sanya, Ritz-Carlton Bali open for business

The Park Hyatt Sanya Sunny Bay Resort (above) finally opened on Hainan Island this month, with what appear to be six rather austere looking accommodation blocks and a smattering of freestanding villas. The aerial view of the resort provided on its website, however, is only an artist's impression, and also shows Hyatt's similarly delayed Andaz resort next door (now scheduled to open at the end of this year). The new Park Hyatt is a fairly small property, with only 207 rooms and suites, and a couple of restaurants, but should prove to be one of Hainan's best. "To celebrate the opening of the hotel, the great deal will offer," says the website, in language not very becoming of an international luxury resort of this calibre. The property can be further explored at sanya.park.hyatt.com.

Albert Podell made a name for himself by driving around the world in the mid-1960s, and writing a popular book about his adventures titled Who Needs a Road? A half-century after he set out on that trip, his second book will be published next month. Around the World in 50 Years: My Adventure to Every Country on Earth is a collection of tales compiled during Podell's ambitious quest, which the wealthy New York-based lawyer fulfilled during a lifetime of travelling rather than on a single voyage. Now in his late 70s, Podell (also a former editor at Playboy magazine, whose domestic eccentricities were the subject of a New York Times article a few years ago) is, judging from his Facebook page at least, an amusing and amiable sort of fellow. His anecdotes have already won praise from Lonely Planet founder Tony Wheeler, who describes the book as being "like Crocodile Dundee produced by Monty Python and directed by Woody Allen". Unpleasant episodes include falling down a manhole into raw sewage in Africa and eating monkey brains in Hong Kong, while happier times see Podell diving with Galapagos penguins and finding ice cream in the Sahara. Around the World in 50 Years is available in hardback and Kindle editions for preorder at amazon.com where you can also find the latest reprint of Who Needs A Road?

Tiglion Travel's two-night package to Penang, Malaysia, offers accommodation at both the popular Eastern & Oriental Hotel and its lesser-known sister property in Batu Ferringhi, Lone Pine, from HK$4,590 and HK$4,290 per person (twin share), respectively. Both these options include one-day Heritage Hopabout bus tickets that will transport you between a dozen stops in and around George Town. If you prefer to stay hunkered down on the beach, north-coast options include Shangri-La's Golden Sands Resort (below), from HK$4,590, and the neighbouring Rasa Sayang Resort, from HK$5,490. These prices include daily breakfast and flights with Dragonair. You can choose your own flights, so try to get KA633 on the way there and KA634 on the way back, for the earliest arrivals and latest departures. These flights only operate on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. The daily KA692 from Penang should be avoided as it departs at 7.45am, requiring a pre-dawn wake-up call if you are staying in any of the places mentioned above. For details and reservations, go to www.tiglion.com or call 2511 7189.