Places For Tour

Phong Nha Ke Bang National Park in vietnam, Quang Binh

admin — Tue, 20 Aug 2013 14:27:14 +0000

Introduction :
The Phong Nha Ke Bang National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in the Bo Trach and Minh Hoa districts of Quang Binh province in Vietnam. The national park is home to a limestone zone of more than 2000 square kilometres and was created to protect one of the largest karst regions in the world with 300 craves and grottoes and the ecosystem of the limestone forest. The world’s largest cave was discovered in 2009 located in the national park with a depth of 150m and a length of almost 9 kilometres.

Aerial view of the national park

Entrance to the mouth of the world largest cave
Image attribution to Kajisagook @ Flickr

Scenery around the park
Image attribution to martinunsal @ Flickr

History :
The karst in the national park was evolved since some 400 million years ago and is the oldest karst area in the whole of Asia. Massive tectonic changes results in 5 stages of Earth crust development and movement in the area. Inscriptions discovered in the late 19th century of the Champa people which was a Hindu Kingdom craved on altars in the caves shows that it was inhabited long before the area became part of Vietnam.

Inside the paradise cave
Image attribution to mrandmrsbackpacker @ Flickr

Beautiful waters around the cave

Getting there :
The nearest airport to the attraction is the Dong Hoi Airport (VDH) which is mainly served by the Vietnamese airport and is approximately 50 km away from the Phon Nha Ke Bang National Park

Crescent Lake of Dunhuang in China, Gansu

admin — Fri, 26 Jul 2013 14:32:56 +0000

Introduction :
The Crescent Lake is located near the city of Dunhuang in the province of Gansu in China which offers a unique oasis in the desert with a pavilion built beside it. It is a popular place with tourists with its unique beauty that lies after tiers of lofty sand-hills known as the Echoing Sands Mountains and the combination is often regarded by many as a natural wonder of the Gobi Desert with a helicopter view that looks like a crescent falling down on the desert.

Full view of the crescent lake and the pavilion behind

Closer look at the lake

Reflection of the pavilion on the waters
Image attribution to black lava @ Flickr

History :
Reports has it that the Crescent Lake has been in existence for more than 2000 years, however it has been gradually disappearing due to sandstorm attacks in the Gobi Desert. In 2006, the local government in Gansu started a project to fill the lake and restore its depth to the original level.

Helicopter view of the fallen crescent on the Gobi Desert

Waters around the lake

Getting there :
The nearest airport to the attraction is the Dunhuang Airport(DNH) which serves the city of Dunhuang and the Crescent Lake is only around 4km south of the city.

Verdon Gorge in France, Alpes de Haute

admin — Thu, 11 Jul 2013 16:28:42 +0000

The Verdon Gorge is one of the world’s most beautiful gorges located in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence region of Southern France and is often described as France’s answer to the Grand Canyon. The Verdon gorge measures about 25 km long and up to 700 metres deep formed by the Verdon River. The turquoise-green colour waters of the canyon is its most distinguishing features where the most beautiful part lies between Castellane and Mounstiers Sainte Marie. The Verdon Gorge is considered by many to be the ost beautiful gorge in Europe and is popular with tourists who drive around its rims or rent kayaks and hike on the limestone walls around the gorge.

The beautiful waters of the Verdon Gorge is the main attraction
Image attribution to Dave Fisher @ Flickr

Aerial view of the gorge
Image attribution to ravpix @ Flickr

Bridge at the Verdon Gorge
Image attribution to anchorage @ Flickr

The Verdon Gorge gateway entrance
Image attribution to Joseph Plotz @ Wiki

History :
The Verdon Gorge was also known as a real natural musuem of primitive man where hundreds of artifacts over 400,000 years old were unearth in the Grotte de la Baume Bonne and a modern Museum of Prehistory was erected near the gorge in 2001. The Verdon Gorge was largely unknown to the outside world until 1906 when speleogist Edoouard Alfred Martel did a complete exploration of the gorges during a 3 day expedition which is known as the Martel trail and still used today between Point Sublime to La Maline

Entrance of the gorge as seen from the Bridge of Galetas
Image attribution to Benh @ Wiki

Rock folds near the gorge
Image attribution to Ballista @ Wiki

The Dam of Sainte Croix
Image attribution to Rikly @ Wiki

Getting there :
The nearest international airport to the Verdon Gorge is the Nice Côte d’Azur Airport which is around a 2 hours drive away from the attraction

Cappadocia in Turkey, Nevsehir

admin — Thu, 27 Jun 2013 14:56:22 +0000

Introduction :
Cappadocia is a historic region located in the Nevsehir province of Turkey. Cappadocia consists of a region of exceptional natural wonders characterized by its fairy chimneys and unique moon like landscape together with a rich and unique heritage of history and culture in the region. As such, it was listed in the list of World Heritage Sites of UNESCO in 1985. The region of Cappadocia was also notably used as a filming spot for the film Ghost Rider : spirit of Vengeance and the leading actor Nicolas Cage saying he was amazed by the wonders of Cappadocia.

Aerial view and landscape of Goreme
Image attribution to wadgey @ Flickr

The renowed and unique fairy chimneys of Cappadocia
Image attribution to Turken @ Wiki

Pigeon Valley between Uchisar and Goreme
Image attribution to blieusong @ Flickr

The stone chimneys at Urgup
Image attribution to Nazzarenoagostinelli @ Wiki

History :
The first recorded history of Cappadocia dates back as early as the 6th century BC when the name was mentioned in the trilingual inscriptions of the early Achaemenid kings. During the late Bronze Age, Cappadocia was known as Hatti and was the homeland of the Hittite people. During the era of Alexandra the Great, he tried to rule the area through one of his commanders but somehow a Persian aristocrat became the king of the Cappadocians and extended the borders to as far as the Black Sea. The following rulers in the area was the Romans and eventually it became part of the Ottoman Empire for the centuries and now remains as part of Turkey as a popular tourist destination with a unique and beautiful landscape coupled by its rich historical and cultural heritages.

A house built on the landscape of Cappadocia
Image attribution to Mbz1 @ Wiki

A cave home craved out from one of the stone chimney
Image attribution to gogap @ Flickr

Unique chimneys near Goreme
Image attribution to katenev @ Flickr

Winter time in Goreme
Image attribution to Beetjedwars @ Wiki

Sunset in Cappadocia
Image attribution to Jason @ Flickr

Getting there :
The closest airport to the Cappadocia is the Kayseri Erkilet Airport (ASR) which is around a 1 hour bus trip to the destination. Alternatively, a direct bus trip to the Cappadocia from the international airport of Istanbul can be arranged but it would take up to 12 hours to reach the attraction.

Maui Island in USA, Hawaii

admin — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 12:40:50 +0000

Introduction :
Maui is the second largest island in the US state of Hawaii with a population of around 144, 000 and measures 727 square kilometres in area. Maui Island is known for its long stretches of beautiful beaches as well as the Haleakala Crater and the House of the Sun. Maui Island is also the breeding ground for the Humpback whale with a rich variety of underwater life and also boosts great hiking trails to some of the most wonderful sceneries around the island.

Aerial view of the island and its city
Image attribution to masteryofmaps @ Flickr

The Waimoku Falls
Image attribution to masteryofmaps @ Flickr

The Seven Sacred pools is located near the Kipahulu district
Image attribution to masteryofmaps @ Flickr

The Iao needle is one of the most recognisable landmarks in Maui
Image attribution to joshsimerman @ Flickr

One of the Tiki statues around the island
Image attribution to creamaster @ Flickr

History :
The Polynesians were believed to be the first people to settle on the island sometime before 450 AD in two waves from the Marguesas followed by the settlers from Tahiti around 700 AD. The oldest temple enclosures are located in Haleki’i and Pihana at 1200 AD and was according to legend built by the Menehune on a single night with stones on the Paukukalo Beach. The first European encounter on the island was made by the Spanish when a shipwrecked on the islands occured during the 16th century and the first European explorer to see the island was British explorer Captain James Cook in 1786 but he never set foot on it until 8 years later it was set foot on by French Admiral Jean Francois de Galaup.

The Haleakala Crater

Marine life at the Underwater world of ocean center
Image attribution to disneyite @ Flickr

Sun rise at the House of the Sun
Image attribution to daveynin @ Flickr

Tropical rain forest of the island
Image attribution to daveynin @ Flickr

The Keanae point is a cape in Maui
Image attribution to masteryofmaps @ Flickr

Getting there :
The nearest airport to Maui Island is the Kahului Airport (OGG) with most flights originating from the Honululu International Airport

Sagrada Familia Church in Spain, Barcelona

admin — Sun, 09 Jun 2013 03:16:32 +0000

Introduction :
Sagrada Familia is a large Roman Catholic church located in the city of Barcelona in Spain. It is an unfinished masterpiece designed by the famous Catalan architect Antoni Gaudi and construction began in 1882. Despite the church still being under construction, it was already appraised world wide as the most extraordinary personal interpretation of Gothic architecture as well as making it into the list of the 12 treasures of Spain. The Sagrada Familia was also designated as a World Heritage Site since 1984 while still in the midst of construction under the Works of Antoni Gaudi due to its outstanding and creative contribution to the development of architecture and building technology during his time.

Standing out in the city of Barcelona
Image attribution to Federick @ Flickr

View of the church from the garden
Image attribution to melaniejo @ Flickr

Entrance of the church at the streets
Image attribution to cristinavalencia @ Flickr

The sophisticated details of the ceilings
Image attribution to Stevo1000 @ Wiki

History :
The Sagrada Familia was built from the inspiration of a church at Loreto in Italy by Catalan author who was the founder of the Spiritual Association of Devotees of St. Josheph after visting Vatican in 1872. The original designer was Francisco Paula del Villar but in 1883 Antoni Gaudi took over the design of the church and changed it dramatically. When Gaudi died in 1926, the church was still half completed and construction halted during World war II and the Spanish Civil War. The full construction of the Sagrada Familia is estimated to be completed between 2026 and 2028.

The symbolic details of the facade
Image attribution to Brianza2008 @ Wiki

Closer look on the detailed cravings at the facade
Image attribution to marit17461 @ Flickr

Stained glass windows in the church
Image attribution to vtveen @ Flickr

Majesty interior of the church
Image attribution to norimaki @ Flickr

Getting there :
The nearest international airport to the Sagradra Familia is the Barcelona–El Prat Airport (BCN) and it only takes around 45 mins to reach the attraction by car or train.

Retezat National Park in Romania, Hunedoara

admin — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 14:35:31 +0000

Introduction :
The Retezat National Park is located in the Hunedoara County of Romania in the Retezat Mountains near the city of Lupeni. Measuring over 380 square kilometres in area, the Retezat National Park is known for its glacier lakes that includes as many as 80 within the park with the biggest lake being the Bucara Lake and the deepest being the Zanoaga Lake. The park was often nominated as one of the seven natural wonders of Romania due to its expectional scenic beauty and was included in the international network of biosphere reserve of UNESCO in 1979. The park also shelters one of Europe’s last remaining primeval forest and largest single area of pristine forest in the continent.

Aerial view of the Retezat National Park and mountains

The Bucara Lake is the largest glacier lake among the 80 lakes in the park

Camping site near the Bucara Lake

History :
The Retezat National Park was first created in 1935 when the Romanian Government set aside an area of the Retezat Mountains to create the first ever national park in the country. In 1979, it was included into the international network of biosphere reserve in the Man and Bioshpere program of UNESCO before the national park was formally establish in 2000.

Beautiful flowers add further compliment to the scenic national park

The Lolaia Waterfalls located at the north of the park

One of the last remaining intact primeval forest in Europe

Getting there :
The nearest airport to the Retezak National Park is the Sibiu International Airport which is about 182 km away from the park which takes about 3 hours by car or bus to reach the destination.

Bagan in Myanmar, Mandalay region

admin — Sat, 01 Jun 2013 07:31:35 +0000

Introduction :
Bagan is an ancient city situated in the Mandalay Region of Myanmar and was historically home and capital to the Kingdom and Pagan during the 9th to 13 century. Bagan is renowed for its mass amount of temples, pagodas and cultural monuments built over a period of 6 centuries and was known by many as the Land of two thousand pagodas with the numbers currently standing at 2200. The area of the ancient city measures 104 square kilometres. Today it is one of the main attractions in Myanmar’s tourism industry and is believed to be visited by more than 300,000 international tourists annually. Despite its magnificence and importance, it did not make it into the list of World Heritage Sites in UNESCO due to some modern restoration works, however the ancient city of Bagan remains as impressive as any world wonders in the world.

The overall landscape of Bagan is its monuments
Image attribution to macloo @ Flickr

Closer look at the Bagan pagodas
Image attribution to sugarmeloncom @ Flickr

One faced temple built during the 12th century
Image attribution to JialiangGao @ Wiki

The Gubyaukgyi Temple is a Indian-style spire like 13th century Mahabodhi Pagoda
Image attribution to Gerd_Eichmann @ Wiki

The Sulamani Temple is built in 12th century by King Sithu II
Image attribution to bessieandkyle @ Flickr

The Shwesandaw Pagoda is a series of five terraces topped with a stupa
Image attribution to macloo @ Flickr

History :
According to Burmese history, Bagan was founded as a city as early as the 2nd century but was fortified during the 9th century. It was the capital city to the Pagan Empire from the 11th to 13th century where over 10,000 religious monuments were constructed in the Bagan plains over an area of 104 square kilometres. After the collapse of the Pagan Empire by repeated Mongal invasions in 1287, it became a place for pilgrimage and human settlement. Due to its location in an active earthquake zone, many of the religious architecture has been destroyed and underwent restoration works by the government during the 1990s.

Beautiful sunset on the landscape of Bagan
Image attribution to Martin Sojka @ Flickr

Ancient palace site believed to be of the Pagan Empire

Frescos in one of the temples

The Ananda Temple is one of the surviving four major temples in Bagan

Buddhist statue nside the Manuha Temple

Getting there :
The nearest international airport to Bagan is the Mandalay International Airport which is around 65 km away from the ancient city of Bagan and serves flights from the capital city of Yangon as well as China and Singapore. The nearest airport to Bagan would be the Nyaung U Airport (NYU) which is only 6 km away from the attraction.

West Lake in China, Zhejiang

admin — Sun, 26 May 2013 07:22:11 +0000

Introduction :
The West Lake is also known in by the Chinese as Xi Hu is located in the historical region of Hangzhou which is the capital city of Zhejiang province in China. The West Lake was considered by the Chinese for thousands of years as a water wonderland and is the most well known lake in the whole of China. It is also the source of inspiration in the design of Chinese gardens as well as playing an influential part in the design of Japanese and Korea gardens. The West Lake is so popular and well known among the Chinese that it has appeared various times on the notes of Chinese currency. Famous poets and painters often include the West Lake in their poems and art works and the natural scenic beauty was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2011. The total area of the West Lake is 6.5 square kilometres with an average depth of 2.27 metres.

One of the signature scenery views of the West Lake
Image attribution to serapio @ Flickr

The Five Pavilion Bridge
Image attribution to thewamphyri @ Flickr

The Bao Chu Pagoda was built centuries ago
Image attribution to jaaronfarr @ Flickr

Beautiful reflections from the surroundings on the water
Image attribution to pondspider @ Flickr

History :
The earliest name of the West Lake was known as the Wulin Water is part of the Qiantang River. The first true emperor of Chinese, Qin Shi Huang also visited the lake and moored the boat personally to a stone known as the Qin Shi Huang mooring stone today. During the Sui Dynasty’s engineering reforms, the West Lake was connected to the major rivers of China and tourism has since flourished as early as 610 AD. The cultural landscape of the lake took shape during the Five Dynasties period where the Wuyue Kingdom founded various Buddhist and Taoist temples and pagodas around the lake and during the Southern Song Dynasty, Hangzhou was made the capital of the kingdom making the west Lake the most popular attraction in the city. Famous Italian explorer Marco Polo once complimented that the Hangzhou city with the West Lake was the most splendid heavenly city in the world.

Lotus around the West Lake
Image attribution to pedronet @ Flickr

Traditional rounded gateway around the West Lake
Image attribution to Greudin @ Wiki

Sunset at the West Lake
Image attribution to blese @ Flickr

Beautiful lights on the lake at night time
Image attribution to kycheng @ Flickr

Getting there :
The nearest international airport to the attraction is the Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport which is around 27 km east of Hangzhou City and a 1 hour ride away from the West Lake.

Tikal in Guatemala, El Peten

admin — Mon, 20 May 2013 14:57:25 +0000

Introduction :
Tikal is located in the El Peten department of Guatemala and is one of the largest and most important archaelogical sites of the Maya civilization. Tikal is the capital and home to a conquering state that was one of the most powerful kingdoms during the ancient Maya times. Today, the Maya ruins of Tikal form part of the Tikal National Park and was declared as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979. Tikal is famous for their archaeological monuments and Maya pyramids and a breath taking view of the ancient acropolis

Panorama of the Great Plaza and the North Acropolis
Image attribution to Uspn @ Wiki

Ancient tree around the area
Image attribution to hector garcia @ Flickr

Closer look at the great plaza
Image attribution to hector garcia @ Flickr

Looking downards from the great plaza
Image attribution to hector garcia @ Flickr

History :
Traces of human history in Tikal dates back to 1000 BC where early agriculture sites were discovered and Mamom ceramics dating back to 700 Bc were also found there. Maya architectural monuments were built during 400 BC. The 14th king of Tikal, Chak Tok Ich’aak built a palace around the region during 300 AD which later became the core of the Acropolis until the fall of the Maya civilization during the 9th century causing the city to be abandoned. Tikal was first documented in European history by Spanish conquistador Hernan Cortes in 1525 but expeditions to the ruins only began in the 1850s guided by the locals who never forgot about Tikal.

Large stone mask at one of the temples
Image attribution to Uspn @ Wiki

The North Acropolis from above
Image attribution to Peter_Andersen @ Wiki

The famous Jaguar temple on its own
Image attribution to jungle_boy @ Flickr

Getting there :
The nearest airport to Tikal is the Mundo Maya International Airport (FRS) which is 45 km away from Tikal and is located in the city of Flores and in the suburb of Santa Elena.