Wonderful tour destinations
The world is full of wonderful traveling destinations, which are not included in Seven Wonders of the World but if some one is interested in nature and its beauty then he has so much around our own neighborhood that can well match the best tour destinations. I would like to present five such places for your consideration those may make you interested to travel there some day soon. The best part of the bargain is that these five places are not too far off from our own country and some of these included in world heritage sites of UNESCO. I shall try to bring some of these here for your kind consideration please.
Ha Long Bay
Situated in Vietnam, Ha Long Bay is a cluster of 3000 islands of different size and shapes situated in Vietnam where you can see steep rising hills of limestone in the area. This is supposed to be the best tourist destinations in the world.
There are two bigger islands, Tuan Chau and Cat Ba, where people live permanently in four different fishing villages and cater for tourists with cabins etc. Price per person based on two person sharing cabin- rent $100 to 200 with free Kayaking for limited period (Up to one hour) per day. Although kayaking is a boat ride in calm waters but if no proper precaution is taken may prove dangerous.
To reach to Ha Long Bay you can take a flight for Laos. For instance Delhi- Laos- Ha Long Bay fair is about Rs 25000/, People stay in Hanoi also from there a pick-up service is arranged for site seeing. The road journey in itself is an experience for tourists.
You can stay at hotels - Heritage, Ha Long Plaza, Saigon Ha Long, and Ha Long Bach Dang in the range of $35 to 60.
Places to visit- Fishing Villages where almost 2000 people live on floating boats with nothing but fishing as their entire way of living. Kayaking, the boat ride with certain precautions and you find some rare species of flowers in Ha Long Bay. Surprise Cave is another beautiful tourist attraction in Ha Long Bay, again a word of caution these caves need your utmost attention while visiting there and help of a guide. There you find another unique experience of cruising with limited people on board with small distances to cover but with great hospitality, and the description won't be complete without the mention of great Vietnam’s food and friendly people.
Angkor Wat, Cambodia
You shall be surprised to know that the biggest Hindu temple complex is nowhere in India but in Cambodia- at Angkor Wat to be precise and the temple does not have east facing like most Hindu temples have but faces west. Although there is no shortage of Hindu temples in south east Asia but the architectural example of temples in this area is some thing out of the world, which nowhere else to be seen. These temples are considered as the biggest temples any where in the world. There with the balloon-riding facility that takes you up to the height of 600 feet, you can watch the temples spread over an area of 400km at a time. There is a fantastic view available for photographers from that height to choose their angles.
Angkor Wat complex another UNESCO listed in world heritage tourist place- situated near Siem Reap, one of the most prosperous areas in Cambodia is famous tourist destination that attracts over one million travelers every year. This temple more than 3.5 kilometer long was built in 12th century in the name of lord Vishnu.
How to reach there- Siem Reap is connected from Delhi by air that costs around Rs 1500/, from Siem Ream travelers can take bus or local taxi to reach Angkor Wat. Most of the hotels are near the airport itself, which is situated with in walking distance to the city. This is advisable to engage a guide to have a better idea of this vastly spread temple complex.
What to eat- The people visit mostly from western world and also from China, Japan and Malaysia etc therefore they prepare the best and being previous French colony the people have good eating habits besides cooking well. As I mentioned earlier also that Siem Ream is about the only place with moneyed people therefore a visitor can get every facility available in big cities. However a typical Cambodian meal consists of soups, salads, fish and vegetable. You can get all kind of restaurants right from five stars to budget, same goes for hotels also. US dollar is acceptable in the town therefore no need of exchange. Most tourists as their favorite temples at Siem Reap visit Ta Prohm, Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom, however all the temples are wonderful there and one keeps thinking where to go and what to leave but that is too time consuming as the distances are great and so much to see. The view of the sunrise reflection on the lake is another great attraction for the tourists as sun in Far East countries is always amazing and wonderful.
Toba Lake Indonesia
Lake Toba Situated, in Medan in north Sumatra island of Indonesia is the deepest lake in the world with more than 1100 sq km area spread over 100km in length x 30km in width the maximum depth 500 meters at places, considered almost a mini sea for its huge size. You can imagine the size of the lake by the statement that this lake is bigger than entire Singapore by almost double in area.
Most tourists who come to visit Toba find it a peaceful place to have a wonderful time here doing nothing but spending their time in most laid-back way although it’s hard to resist the temptation of swimming and sailing once the tourists find so friendly conditions around suitable for such activities. The lake is almost situated at about 2,800 ft above the sea level therefore, has wonderful climatic conditions with cool and clean atmosphere. One of the most visited tourist places in the world Lake Toba is becoming more popular among the travelers.
Visitors also like to stay in Samosir situated in the middle of the lake the home of the local people, Batak Toba, Christian by religious faith and with old values considered very friendly in Parapat- Berastagi area where the lake is situated. The tourists who stay at this island experience a better understanding of the local culture and enjoy full hospitality. There are hotels and restaurants at the island to cater to the need of tourists also local museums to provide local cultural information. You shall still find the place with peaceful, old traditional values and comparatively easy going, friendly people. You can rent motor bikes for local sight seeing. Mostly restaurants prepare Chinese, chicken preparations and fruits along with local delicacies. Flights are easily available from Delhi to Medan at Rs 20,000/ plus.
Mount Popa - Myanmar
Mount Popa situated in Pegu range of central Myanmar most famous for the Popa Buddhist monastery Taungkalat situated at almost halfway at about 2400ft. Popa mount is almost at 5000ft from the sea level. Most people fit enough to walk through the stairs all the way to monastery. Popa is about 50-60 km away in south east of Bagan area in Kyaukpadaung town. Although, hotels and restaurants near the mount Popa have enough space to accommodate visiting tourists from allover the Buddhist countries and from Europe to visit monastery that takes 777 steps to reach but most people prefer to stay at Bagan to make it a to and fro trip.
People have different opinions about the place as some people find the place terribly hot and too crowded with too many monkeys and other animals etc. Most people make it a point to watch the scenic beauty from the top of the mountain watching Bagan from there. However, during the season, the place is too crowded and it can take long time before you could enter into the place.
Bali
Bali a famous visitor’s choice place in Asia, which has on offer variety of things for travelers seeking a luxurious holiday or a simple budget holiday or maybe spending according to situation but the fact is that one can spend as much or as less according to his choice. Bali has all kind of facilities available for fun tours, which is considered most beautiful island among the different islands in Indonesia.
For visitors wiling to have fun under the sun in five star luxuries or have complete privacy, one can choose to stay at Nusa Dua and Seminyak or, people who like to spend time exploring nightlife may stay in Kuta or Legian supposed to be the best places for such activities. As usual, the most visited time is around mid December through mid January covering Christmas and New Year gala period with lot of fun. In case you are planning, a trip during this period is prepared for a hectic season with advance bookings rooms, travel plans and journey well in advance. They say the activities never end in Bali and people do never sleep here they enjoy 24x7
Famous places
Bali is full of temples as this has Hindu majority unlike rest of the Indonesia. There are many temples located in the island. Among the most famous temples, we can include Pure Tenaha Lot that offers a beautiful sunset view and the Ululate temple where you find a whole lot of monkeys roaming around although they do not harm tourists but maybe snatch whatever you have in hands. However, the overall view and fun is breathtaking in whole of Bali, a lovely place to visit. One can find many other activities like visitors going to watch cultural programs and famous dances such as the Keck and Barong dances. In addition, of course if a traveler considers nightlife for his way of entertainment, Bali has nightlife especially in the Kuta town itself that can give a good competition to any European destination famous for such activities. With good number of pubs and clubs including- Hard Rock Café which offers live performances of exotic and even the asana of famous Kama Sutra.
There is so much to do
Water Sports - Oh, with sugary sand the Kurta beach is so much fun. The surfing, diving swimming is most famous of activities in Bali especially at Kuta beach where they have many institutes set for surfing, swimming and diving institutes, kind of crash courses. The institutes have their own small ships and boats to take visitors in to the sea and train them. There are number of shops where tourists can find appropriate swimming and diving gear on rent as well. Sunset at the Beach is some thing out of the world as the tourists enjoy the beautiful sunset as they walk along the beach or simply keep waiting for that particular moment.
Joy and fun
Most of the tourists come to Bali for water sports however; there are more adventures, which are out of the water. For instance, visitors find climbing another interesting activity at Mount Batur which in fact is a volcano in Kintamani and an active one. Tourists also find many places where they enjoy there boozing around the way while coming down or going up the mountain. That trip is a complete joy for fun loving people especially that enjoy adventure. To add to fun they find different experiments in taste of liquor from nice to weird. The entire place is surrounded with cycling lanes and flowers to bring visitors to an entirely different experience of a joy trip walking through greenery, parks, fields and flowers. Bali offers wonderful opportunity for shopping lovers. Tourists find a varied choice to buy carvings in wood, paintings, Silver and precious stones and swimming gear for their swimming and surfing experiences.
Spa and Massage
People visiting Bali find it very exciting after or some of them even start their day before they go for sight-seeing or maybe after feeling tired spending swimming and basking under the sun. The tourist finds it a wonderful way of relaxing his body by going for an expert massage or a lifetime experience of body relaxation. There is nothing like a spa treatment and to make full use of time while having spa experience. The spa centers, with theme and wonderful atmosphere inside the spa centers provide tourists with transport facility to and fro their hotels, included in the package.
Bali also known as the tourist's paradise despite being a small sized place has so much to see for people from different lifestyle and taste. As usual due to the high number of tourists from allover the world, food available here for every taste to suite. But one thing is for sure that local food is certainly different from other parts of foods available in Indonesia for the sole reason that Bali is not a Muslim majority area as other parts of Indonesia, as Bali is majority populated by Hindus therefore pork and duck are popular and pig certainly not a taboo here.
Visitors find local fruits as per the time they visit here, the most common fruits of the area consist of durian, rambutan and mango. Incidentally, the island is famous among the newly married as honeymoon destination; those mostly stay at hotels located on the beach with number of restaurants around serving mostly seafood
Bali is well connected by air from all major air cities of our country through different airlines providing travel in different categories including package deals for group travel, luxury travel and honeymooner with different budget. .
Other famous places recommended visiting nearby - Bangkok, Singapore and Hong Kong.
Bangkok is a great place for food, shopping and culture, Thailand
Hong Kong is another place very famous for shopping, nightlife and fun traveling.
Beaches in Philippines
I definitely would like to visit Philippines repeatedly for the simple love of tourists places especially beaches, beach resorts and for sure, my love for friendly people who live there in different parts of that wonderful cluster of Islands. They invite me time and again and for sure, I would find time to visit there some time soon. Let me tell you about some of the wonderful beaches of Philippines though not in detail because that is not possible in one article. Even the description provided here is nothing if we compare it with real pleasure one gets while visiting and having a first hand experience. Have a look and enjoy the beaches-
1- Siragao Island- One of the most beautiful beaches situated any where in the world is in Siragao situated in Suargao. People come here for the love of surfing from allover the world. Siargao is best described as surfing capital of Philippines.
2- Ilocos Norte - Pagudpud Island is not as hot a place as other popular beach resorts in Philippines but is peaceful with beautiful Saud beach having sugary sand to walk on and a lighthouse to sit with your loved one, oh nothing more lovely than that. Going out for having lunch and dinner in peaceful eating joints is an experience must for newly weds.
3- Pearl Farm, Samal Island situated at Davao City is another wonderful beach resort matching with the best in the world, with best beach and seafood available all around. The Pearl farm resort took its name from the white lipped oysters once grew here.
4- Boracay Island is one place that can compete with the best in pacific reasons for its scenic beauty and beaches with fine sugary sand. The best season to visit this island is from November through March because of its weather conditions. This is too humid and known for long rainy season in rest of the year. One of the longest beaches in the world, Boracay has its match only in few selected areas of the world.
5- Alona beach in Bohol city Panglao Island- is one of the most beautiful in Philippines for its scenic beauty also is comparatively greener and safer due to its location. Most of the beaches in Bohol located at Panglao is Alona not that much long but one of the best with its facility for different water sports. Food as usual is wonderful and plenty in variety.
6- Dakak beach at Dipolog is famous for it's so beautifully surrounded by green hills and clear blue water to bring in traffic of tourists from every part of the world. The beach, with white sugar like sand and provides every facility including diving and surfing for the visitors.
7- Sabang beach at Puerto Galera is another beach with modern facilities for scuba diving, coral reefs and other water sports. Puerto Galera is known as the best natural of harbors any where in the world. The best part for the visitor is paying guest facility that provides them with homely atmosphere at comparatively cheaper rates. However, tourists have the option of best hotels and restaurants in the area to stay and dine according to their own choice.
8- El Nido at Palwan- one of the best among the beaches in the world El Nido is best known for its facilities for different water sports like boating, surfing, snorkeling, diving or you name it. The beach is not as crowded as most beaches with such facilities and these are an added attraction that brings in many tourists from different pats of the world for a quality experience. Tourists go for different other activities like fishing etc as the place is full of variety of such facilities although a little costlier than other beaches in Philippines.
9- Camiguin is a small Island at cagayan city with natural sources of water springs, waterfalls and lovely beaches. The place considered a tourist's paradise is advised as one of the most suitable for vacation purpose.
10- Mactan Island at Cebu- Last but not the least on my list is Mactan Island of Cebu city that offers facilities of sailing, diving, Para sailing and of course jet skiing. The tourists flock the place with its ideal water temperature and lovely sands. Scuba diving is also another major attraction of Mactan.