Varanasi is a city in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh dating to the 11th century B.C. Regarded as the spiritual capital of India, the city draws Hindu pilgrims who bathe in the Ganges River’s sacred waters and perform funeral rites. Along the city's winding streets are some 2,000 temples, including Kashi Vishwanath, the “Golden Temple,” dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva.
Chitwan National Park is a preserved area in the Terai Lowlands of south-central Nepal, known for its biodiversity. Its dense forests and grassy plains are home to rare mammals like one-horned rhinos and Bengal tigers. The park shelters numerous bird species, including the giant hornbill. Dugout canoes traverse the northern Rapti River, home to crocodiles. Inside the park is Balmiki Ashram, a Hindu pilgrimage site.
The Philippines is a an archipelago covering 7,641 islands (2,000 inhabited) running across the Pacific rim of fire. the Philippines is famous for breathtaking sunrises and sunsets because it is close to the equator (right above it!) and the sunlight that hits these areas is more concentrated, hence tank-top temperatures and the daily light shows.
Paradise beaches, Thai food in floating markets and Lady Boys (Kathoey) are just a few things about this country which make it such a draw for tourism. Thai people have an attitude of always being kind.
It is supposed to take a minimum of 18 days to do the trek around the entire Annapurna massif, visiting the Tibet - like country on the northern slopes of the Himalaya and the dramatic Kali Gandaki Gorge. It is easiest and safest to cross Thorung La at 5,416m from east to west. We however had to to do the trek in 13 days and from west to east as we were meeting a friend who was doing the Jomsom part of the trek with us ... which meant that we had to make a 1,300m climb plus a 900m descent in one day.... and all with a 5 year old who sped ahead of us!
Puerto Galera is a town on the Philippine island of Mindoro. It’s known for its dive sites and beaches. The long curve of White Beach is backed by bars and resorts. Inland, a forest trail leads to secluded Talipanan Falls, and a hillside 9-hole golf course sits above the coast. Northeast, the waters off Sabang Beach teem with marine life and corals. Medio and Paniquian (Boquete) islands offer quieter beaches.
Hong Kong, officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China, is a city and special administrative region of China on the eastern Pearl River Delta in South China. Hong Kong was a British colony from 1841 to 1941 and again from 1945 to 1997 when sovereignty was handed over to China. An exciting cosmopolitan vibe...
Guilin is a city in southern China known for its dramatic landscape of limestone karst hills. At its center are 2 lakes, Shanhu (Cedar) and Ronghu (Banyan), remaining from a medieval-era moat that once surrounded the city. Boats travel through these and other lakes via connected rivers. On Shanhu Lake’s shore, twin pagodas, the Sun and Moon, light up the sky at night. ....Yangshuo, a county and resort town in southern China’s Guangxi region, is known for its dramatic karst mountain landscape and outdoor recreation. The town is set amid pinnacles like Bilian Feng (Green Lotus Peak), which has a hiking trail to the top. Tour boats offer cruises on the Li River past picturesque countryside from the town of Guilin to the north.
Kunming, the modern capital city and transportation hub of China’s southern Yunnan province, has a large student population and a temperate year-round climate. Bridges and pavilions cross the islands of Cui Hu (Green Lake), a park designed in the 17th century. Nearby is Yuantong Si. A temple founded by Buddhists in the 8th century, it features a statue hall and a pond with an ornate stone bridge. The Stone Forest or Shilin is a notable set of limestone formations about 500 km² located in Shilin Yi Autonomous County, Yunnan Province, People's Republic of China, near Shilin approximately 90 km from the provincial capital Kunming.
Chiang Mai is a city in mountainous northern Thailand. Founded in 1296, it was capital of the independent Lanna Kingdom until 1558. Its Old City area still retains vestiges of walls and moats from its history as a cultural and religious center. It’s also home to hundreds of elaborate Buddhist temples, including 14th-century Wat Phra Singh and 15th-century Wat Chedi Luang, adorned with carved serpents. The “physical” Golden Triangle is the area where the borders of Thailand, Laos, and Myanmar meet at the confluence of the Ruak and Mekong rivers. A marker stands at the spot from where you can view these three countries. The Golden Triangle region has historically been known for opium production and smuggling. In the 20th century, the mountainous area at the intersection of Myanmar, Thailand, and Laos was the world's largest opium-producing region. We travelled to little villages, Mae Sai border; trekked up mountains and drifted down the Mekong River to Chiang Saen on bamboo rafts which we accessed on elephant back. Remote and wonderful.
