Home / Archived For Juni 2013

Minggu, 30 Juni 2013

The Thousand Island Lake (Qiandao Lake) in Zhejiang, China

Located in Zhejiang, China, Qiandao Lake or the Thousand Island Lake is an artificial lake. It is about 150 kilometers from the city of Hangzhou. Qiandao Lake formed when the valley was flooded in 1959 to build the Xin'anjiang Reservoir. The lake covers an area of 573 square kilometers and has a storage capacity of 17.8 cubic kilometers. It is called the Thousand Island Lake because the lake is dotted with more than a thousand islands of different sizes.




Qiandao Lake is famous for its clear and drinkable water. The lake is also home to lush forests and exotic islands. The Thousand Islands Lake has become a popular tourist spot in the area in recent times. Some of the themed islands in the tourist spot include Bird Island, Snake Island, Monkey Island, Lock Island, and the Island to Remind You of Your Childhood. These theme islands have made the Qiandao Lake one of the most interesting lakes in China.




But what lies underneath the water of the lake is perhaps more interesting to know. There lies two of the magnificent ancient cities - Shi Cheng and He Cheng. These two cities went under water as the area was flooded in September 1959. Along with these two historical cities, another 27 small towns, more than a thousand villages and thousands of residential houses were drowned. 
Pada Komentar

Majuro, Marshall Islands - Travel guide

Marshall Islands boast of having Majuro as the capital city which is also the largest city as well. Most of the more developed areas of the city are situated on eastern parts of Marshall Island on the northern side of the airport. The city is divided in to several smaller towns including Darrit, Uliga and Delap which are linked to one another by land stretches. Majuro city can be accessed easily by using a boat at the Uliga dock. Visitors can as well fly in through Amata Kabua International Airport where Continental Airlines offers several flight connections from Honolulu. Flights can sometimes stop at the various atolls located along the way which gives the destination a scenic surrounding. If you reserve a hotel, you will get free transfers to/ from the airport but you can still opt for taxi which is also cheap. 


In Majuro, don’t be surprised to note that the city has just a single road. The locals are very kind and friendly and you can always expect free rides from the police and locals when going to the same direction. The entire island is relatively small and easily explored by foot especially when you are not in a hurry. However, you can’t go walking around Laura Beach and taxis to this beach are quite expensive but you can also wait for the bus services which are cheaper. 


The most common activity in Majuro is hiking which is also very safe. When you are walking around inhabited parts, be careful about packs of dogs which sometimes attack tourists. In fact, you don’t even need to prove them as they will just attack you and it is essential that you walk with some rocks and a rod to scare away the dogs. 


Car rentals are also available in Majuro which are also relatively cheap and you can use them to explore the island if you don’t prefer walking. Being an island, you can expect the usual attractions found in such a destination. The best place for exploration is Majuro atoll where you can also connect to surrounding islands from here. Laura Beach is the major tourist attraction in Majuro city but it is a little further away from town. 


Even the taxis will charge you more to go to the beach and it is better that you hire a rental car. Additionally, trips to Eneko Island are also quite exciting and adventurous and you can also spare some minutes to visit it. One of the most expensive things in Majuro is internet access. However, try to surf internet at National Telecommunication Building as it is a little affordable but not cheap either.


Most of the shopping at the island is done at Formosa Supermarket despite being small in size. You can get all the basic supplies and some groceries as well. Payless supermarket is bigger but located further from main atoll. There are several restaurants where you can address your gastronomic needs like Tidetable Restaurant where you can get internet access and quality but cheap food.

Pada Komentar

Sabtu, 29 Juni 2013

The Alhambra in Spain - One of Europe's Top Tourist Attractions

Located in Granada, Spain, the Alhambra is a historical palace and fortress complex built on a beautiful mountain. It is considered to be the most important as well as the best conserved Arabian palace of its epoch. The Alhambra is the last and the greatest Moorish palace in Europe. It is one of Europe's top attractions with thousands of visitors visiting the place everyday.


The Alhambra consists of four sights clustered together atop a hill - Charles V's Palace, Alcazaba (empty old fort with tower and views), Palacios Nazaries (exquisite Moorish palace), and Generalife (fancy gardens). The complex has two entrance doors - the Puerta de las Armas in the north and the Puerta de la Jjusticia in the south. The Alhambra is a regarded as a world heritage site by UNESCO.


The fortress was constructed in 889 and later it was converted into a royal palace in 1333 by Yusuf I, Sultan of Granada. The Islamic palaces of Alhambra were built for the last Muslim rulers in Spain and its court of the Nasrid dynasty. Some portions of the complex were used by Christian rulers after the reconquest in 1492. The Palace of Charles V was built in 1527 within the Nasrid fortifications and was used as a residence for Charles V, a Holy Roman Emperor.


However, the Alhambra remained uninhabited for several hundred years. It was rediscovered during the 19th century and was restored to its current form. Today, the Alhambra is one of the most beautiful buildings in Spain, featuring some particularly intricate internal art work. It is one of Spain's major tourist attractions, exhibiting the country's most significant and well known Arab-Islamic architecture, together with 16th-century and later Christian building and garden interventions.
Pada Komentar

Juba, South Sudan - Travel guide

Juba is the capital city of the youngest African country, South Sudan. Located along River White Nile, Juba is one of the fastest growing cities in Africa and majorly gets its wealth from the rich oil reserves in the city. Travelling to by plane is easier as there are commercial airlines flying directly from Nairobi and neighboring cities of Cairo and Addis Ababa. However, for some unknown reasons, travelling to Juba using these commercial airlines is usually extremely expensive even from near cities like Nairobi. While there are visa requirements for anyone entering Juba, this is only theoretical as rules regarding this are quite unclear and the authorities twist them to suit themselves.


Even though Juba is presently not a big city as such, the city has been sprawling rapidly of late and has put in place big plans of growth and expansion. However, a day is enough to walk almost the entire city. The city has three distinct areas including the Nile camps, Government ministries and Juba. Traffic in Juba is hectic and chaotic and you can go around the city in motorbike taxis which are abundant and cheap. The best way to explore Juba would be through car hiring and you can even get 4x4 drives since the roads can be muddy at times. 


The town doesn’t have much taking place and can be rather boring for an adventurous tourist. However, you can always entertain yourself in the various night spots around including restaurants and bars. Most of them are run by westerners, Ugandans and Kenyans who have come to take advantage of the young economy in the country.



Most weekends are mostly a buzz of activities and you can be assured not to miss an activity taking place in Juba. Boat trips in Nile River are very common and a great activity to enjoy during the afternoon. You can as well go jogging and fishing as well. Shopping in Juba might not be the best activity to engage in. considering that goods are trucked from neighboring countries such as Uganda, they are extremely expensive. The major shopping area in the town is Customs Market where you can buy over priced consumer goods ranging from building materials to fresh fruits and others. 


JIT supermarket is actually air conditioned and located close to Hotel Juba Raha and you can buy almost everything in this supermarket. Items in Juba are priced in US dollars but Sudanese pounds are largely accepted and there are also currency exchange bureaus like Kenya Commercial Bank in the town. Food in Juba is just average and a few restaurants are increasingly coming up such as Da Vinci’s Restaurant, Spice n’ Herbs, Notos Lounge Bar; Grill and Logali House among few others. For drinking, you can always find cold beer easily in Juba especially at Fresh Freddies bar that stocks a wide range of alcoholic drinks. Lastly, tourists are always targets of muggings and armed robbery and you should be cautious especially when travelling at night.

Pada Komentar

Jumat, 28 Juni 2013

Bryce Canyon National Park - One of Utah's Most Incredible Natural Attractions

Located in southwestern Utah in the United States of America, Bryce Canyon National Park is an amazing landscape. The major feature of the park is the beautiful Bryce Canyon. It is a collection of giant natural amphitheater created by erosion over the years. The canyon is regarded as one of Utah's most incredible natural attractions. Bryce Canyon National Park is also known for its brightly colored spires and hoodoos.


Bryce Canyon National Park is distinctive because of the amazing geological structures called hoodoos. Some of these hoodoos are up to 200 feet high and were formed by wind, water, and ice erosion of the river and lake bed sedimentary. The red, orange, and white colors of the rocks provide spectacular views for park visitors.


Bryce Canyon National Park covers an area of about 145 square kilometers and lies at an elevation between 8,000 to 9,000 feet above sea level. It is much higher than the elevations of nearby Zion National Park and the Grand Canyon. Due to this higher elevation, Bryce Canyon National Park has a substantially different ecology and climate from the other two National Parks in Utah.


Bryce Canyon National Park is one of the most attractive national parks in the United States of America. However, the park receives relatively few visitors compared to Zion National Park and the Grand Canyon. This is largely due to the fact that the park is situated in a remote location.



 
Pada Komentar

Kamis, 27 Juni 2013

Uxmal - One of the Most Attractive Archaeological Sites in Mexico

Located about halfway between Campeche and Merida in the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico, Uxmal is a site of pre-Colombian city ruins of the Maya civilization. It is similar to Machu Picchu in Peru and Chichen Itza in Mexico. Visited by thousands of tourists annually, Uxmal is among the most visited archaeological sites in Mexico. It is a world heritage site and is considered to be one of the most attractive archaeological sites in the world.


Uxmal is home to many astounding ruins that are still available. Covering an area of about 150 acres, it is home to magnificent examples of puuc architecture and construction. The Pyramid of the Magician is widely regarded as the most beautiful ruin of the site. It is a pyramidal building with rounded sides. The Pyramid of the Magician is 115 feet tall and is unusually steep, unlike other similar Maya buildings. Uxmal occupies a grassy savannah which is beautifully surrounded by forest.


Uxmal is believed to be the capital of a regional state that developed between 850 and 950 AD. However, the area is thought to have been inhabited as far back as 800 BC. Uxmal had an estimated population of about 25,000 at its peak. Today, it is considered to be among the most important archaeological sites of Maya culture, along with Chichen Itza in Mexico.

Pada Komentar

Brussels, Belgium - Travel Guide

Brussels is a huge city in Belgium and serves as the economic, financial, cultural and administrative hub of the country. The city is quite famous as most European Institutions are headquartered here and makes the city amazingly cultural rich. With the city being home to an approximate population of 1 million, it is one of the most visited destinations in the European Union. Since 19th Century, the city has served as the capital of Belgium which led to the destruction of most of the old towns which led to the establishment of brand new, modern palaces, army barracks, office buildings and education institutions. There are nineteen municipalities in Brussels which house beautiful and charming attractions that are a must see. 



There is a Brussels which acts as a free tourism guidebook and highlights key attractions in the area and any other vital information regarding travel to the city. You will find names of the various restaurants, attractions and shops within and around the city and this will definitely make your travel much more convenient and easy. A significant proportion of attractions in Brussels comprise of the landmarks which are many and distributed all over the city. Ranging from the Grand Place Grote Markt and Manneken Pis to atomium and the Bourse, Brussels offers unlimited attractions for foreigners to see and enjoy. There is a Statue of Europe at the heart of the city and the Unity of Peace sculpture is a symbol for everlasting peace in the entire region of the European Union. 



Another attractive portion in Brussels comprises of museums and galleries with exhibits of both traditional and modern art. Some of the most notable museums are such as the BEL vue museum, the Natural Sciences Museum, Horta Museum, Autoworld and many others. While the European Union doesn’t have a capital officially, Brussels is largely seen to be its capital as it is a haven of activities and institutions concerning EU. Some of these institutions like the European Parliament, European Commission and European Council have become key attractions in the city as well. 



The Cantilon Brewery offers a good platform to gain first hand information about in this part of the world. There are specific tours organized for travelling the brewery and getting to learn about the natural process of yeast fermentation which is not common. For real beer lovers, this will be a great opportunity to take home a couple of bottles and be marveled by the awesome taste of the beer. Brussels is also a city where numerous tours are organized ranging from architectural tours and city tours to bike tours and many others. Cinemas are located all over the city and mostly show French films even though you will also find films from other parts of the world. If you are a cinema fanatic, you should search for Actors Studio, Cinema Nova, Arenberg and Vendome among others. Lastly, The Bozar is a building that you must see and possibly enter as it is the cultural heart of Brussels comprising numerous exhibitions, cinemas, concert halls and movie theatres.

Pada Komentar

Rabu, 26 Juni 2013

Oymyakon in Northeast Russia - The Coldest Permanently Inhabited Place on Earth

Located in Oymyakonsky District of the Russian Republic of Sakha, Oymyakon is regarded as the coldest permanently inhabited place on Earth. The coldest ever temperature recorded in Oymyakon is -71.2C. This is the lowest ever recorded temperature for any permanently inhabited place on Earth. It is a village of about 500 people located along the Indigirka River. Oymyakon is known as the 'Pole of Cold' with an average January temperature of -50C.



Oymyakon is located around 750 meters above sea level and the length of a day varies from 3 hours in December to 21 hours in the summer. The village of Oymyakon was a stopover for reindeer herders who used to water their flocks from the nearby spring during the 1920s and 1930s. But the place was made a permanent settlement by the Soviet government in its effort to settle nomadic populations. Since then Oymyakon is the coldest permanent settlement on Earth. Ironically, Oymyakon actually means 'non-freezing water' due to a nearby hot spring.



Life in Oymyakon is not easy, as you can expect in such a location. Most homes in Oymyakon still burn coal and wood for heat as they don't have much modern conveniences. Among the most horrible daily problems that come with living in the village include pen ink freezing, glasses freezing to people's faces and batteries losing power. People have to leave their cars running all day for fear of not being able to restart them. There is no mobile coverage in Oymyakon and even if there was any, it would have been unusable as most electronics stop working in freezing temperatures. There is only one shop in the village to provide its bare necessities.



There is a short summer season during which people can grow things, but for the most part people don't eat fruit or vegetables. The locals work as reindeer-breeders, hunters and ice-fisherman. People in Oymyakon eat reindeer meat and horse meat. However, the locals don't suffer from malnutrition. Doctors say the reason might be that their animals' milk contains a lot of micronutrients.



Burying dead bodies is another noteworthy problem in Oymyakon. It takes up to three days to bury dead bodies as the earth is required to be thawed sufficiently in order to dig it. Bonfire is lit for a couple of hours and hot coals are then pushed to the side to dig a hole of couple of inches. The process is repeated for several times until the hole is deep enough to bury the coffin.



Oymyakon is not much a place to travel, but that doesn’t stop travel companies from offering tours to the village in the middle of winter. Travel companies offer tourists the opportunity to visit the village and sample life in the freezing conditions. Tourists make the journey simply to experience what it’s like to be in a place that cold.

Photos via: Daily Mail, Yakutia Travel
Pada Komentar

American Samoa - Travel guide

Lying on the Pacific Ocean, the American Samoa consists of several islands that make this America’s unincorporated territory. The people living in American Samoa are regarded as nationals of US but not citizens of America. Nevertheless, they are allowed free travel between mainland US and American Samoa. What this means that the nationals of American Samoa do not require visas and green cards to live and work in America. However, American Samoa has some rather distinguishing cultural norms from those of America especially those touching on displaying religion in public and property ownership. 



While the major city in American Samoa in Pago Pago, the constitutional seat of the government is Fagatogo with the office of the governor being in Utulei village. The main island in American Samoa is Tutuila. Another region here is Ofu which boasts to possibly have the loveliest beaches in Sothern Pacific thanks to its dramatically sparkling sandy and white beaches which contain many crabs, just for your information. Other regions in American Samoa that you might consider visiting include the Swains Island, Rose Island, Olosega and Tau and Pago Pago which the national capital city. 


The first stop over for most visitors to American Samoa is the Fagatele Bay National Marine Sanctuary which houses a broad range of tropical fishes such as the damsel fish, parrot fish and the butterfly fish alongside numerous sea creatures including crabs, octopus, sharks and lobster. The American Samoa National Park is also worthy a visit even though it doesn’t have much to offer as such. 


Natives in American Samoa talk the Samoan language but most people are English speakers as well and most of them are in fact bilingual. A key attraction to be found here is the flower pot or Fatu ma Futi which stands tall in the mini island and houses many fruit bats and exoticbirds. The Toaga Beach is definitely a must visit but remember to carry along your snorkel in order to explore the areas pristine coral reefs that beautifully fringe on the shores. You can access the beach from the Tisa’s Barefoot Bar and Grill but don’t expect to find showers here. There are many locally operated kiosks and shops where you can buy a wide range of things especially the traditional wooden weapons and some handmade clothes. 


There are many eating places in American Samoa especially in Tutuila that is home to many fine restaurants and fast food joins. Most of these restaurants provide a wide range or cuisines ranging from American and Japanese cuisines to Chinese, Polynesian and Italian cuisines. All the islands in American Samoa provide hotel style sleeping facilities apart from Olosega. During your visit to American Samoa, it is advisable that you are very careful as there are many stray dogs here that could attack you. Also, during your visit, it is advisable that you carry along your medications as you might not find supplies here. Crime rate in American Samoa are low but when swimming at the beaches, you should stay safe from rip tides that can easily sweep you away.

Pada Komentar

Selasa, 25 Juni 2013

Reed Flute Cave - A Spectacular Cave in Gulin, China

Located about five kilometer northwest of Gulin in Guangxi, China, the Reed Flute Cave is a natural limestone cave with multicolored lighting. It is one of the most popular landmarks and tourist attractions in China. The Reed Flute Cave is the largest and the most impressive natural cave in Guilin, China. It has been one of Guilin’s most interesting attractions for over 1200 years.





The cave got its name from the type of reed growing outside, which can be made into melodious flutes. Inside the Reed Flute Cave is a spectacular world of various stalactites, stalagmites, stone pillars and rock formations in weired and wonderful shapes. The cave is over 180 million years old and the formations were created by carbonate deposition over the years.





The cave is 240 meters long and the amazing spectacle illuminated by colored lighting is found in many variations along the cave. The Reed Flute Cave is popularly known as “The Palace of Natural Arts.” The cave is like a magic fairyland and is considered one of the main attractions in the Gulin region and an important inheritance for the Chinese people.

Photos Via: Tourism on the Edge
Pada Komentar
Langganan: Postingan (Atom)