Photo Credit: mrhayata

I was feeling nostalgic and was watching The Karate Kid II on HBO earlier this evening when I thought, hey! Why not write about Okinawa? It seems like a pretty place.

The name “Okinawa” is the Japanese word that means “rope in the open sea”, which describes the islands perfectly as the islands that make up Okinawa looks like a long rope that stretches from mainland Japan to Taiwan.

Okinawans separate themselves from the mainland Japanese and call themselves uminchu or “sea people”. They also have their own language and customs.

And as with the movie, Okinawa’s most famous contribution to world culture is the art of karate. Can you say “wax on, wax off”?

The subtropical climate makes the area a popular winter getaway, but it has great beaches, even in midwinter. Temperatures rarely go below fifteen degrees C in Okinawa. You can enjoy scuba diving in the islands. Check out Reef Encounters in Chatan in Okinawa Island. They cater to both Japanese and English-speaking tourists.

Aside from the beaches, there is also the Shuri Castle in Naha on Okinawa Island. You can also visit the tiny village of Taketomi in the southern Yaeyama Islands.

Naha is also the place to go to enjoy the Okinawa nightlife. You can find several establishment near Kokusai Street where you can enjoy a drink or two. Try the Rehab or the Smugglers Irish Pub. Anywhere in the world, the Irish can offer a great pint.

Photo Credit: Felex
“Pearl of the Andaman, southern paradise, golden beaches, land of the duo of heroines and highly revered Laung Pho Chaem.” - Slogan of Phuket

Phuket, pronounced “poo-get”, is Thailand’s largest island. It’s connected to the south of Phang Nga Province by road bridges. Phuket is one of the most popular travel destination in Thailand where most beaches are. The delightful Andaman Sea water on the Indian Ocean is balmy and is a perfect beach.

There are a number of gorgeous beaches, although you can’t go topless as nudity is viewed as offensive to Thais. You have a choice of beaches, and there are a lot of options. Bang Tao is a gorgeous, quiet beach, untouched and private. The Laem Singh Beach is small but the views are stunning enough, you won’t care about how small it is. You can also go to Patong Beach, the largest resort and the center of nightlife in Phuket.

There are also a few islands you can visit, Ko Yao with four resorts, and Kho Hae, or Coral Island.

It’s absolutely gorgeous in Phuket. Don’t forget your sunscreen!

Photo Credit: flibblesan
Beijing means “northern capital”. Really. Nanjing is literally the “southern capital”. Pretty straight-forward if you ask me. The 3rd Ming emperor Zhu Di moved the capital it to Beijing again in 1403, ushering in the city’s golden era when many of the city’s famous landmarks including the Forbidden City and the Temple of Heaven were built. It was once again proclaimed the capital of the People’s Republic of China in 1949.

There are several interesting places to see in Beijing. First of which is the Forbidden City where you can get thrown back in time to experience the grandeur of Imperial China. It remains relatively untouched despite the changes in the city that surrounds it. You can find cafes and gift shops you might want to stop at while you’re at it.

Another area you might want to visit if the Tiananmen Square, the largest square in the world. It is surrounded by monuments reminiscent of the Soviet Union and government buildings where visitors can gawk and be amazed. There are four marble lions by the gate. You can also visit Mao’s mausoleum.

Interestingly named, the Temple of Heaven is a gorgeous sight, surrounded by a vast park where you can watch (or join) the locals practice tai chi and dancing. This is also the greenest place in the city, thank to the ancient trees that grow there. For peace and solitude, take a leisurely walk toward the West Gate.

There are more places in Beijing you may want to visit, most especially now, as it is the Official site of the Beijing Summer Olympic Games.

For more information, click here.

A city in Bihar, India, Muzaffarpur is known as the country’s ‘Lychee capital’ and is one of the oldest and most important centres of for commercial and education.

Probably the most important of all its historic sites would be the temples. One of them, the Baba Garibnath Temple, located in town, is the most famous temples dedicated to Shiva. Another temple, the magnificent Chaturbhuj Sthan Temple is famous for being a place of spirituality.

The Shri Ram Temple, however, is one of the place’s most famous religious places. The biggest temple, the Shri Ram and Mata Janaki” is located inside. This is where a large number of devotees come to worship.

The Kali Mata Temple Of Sikandarpur is a great temple dedicated to the belief and worship on Ma. It is located on the south coast of “Gandak” river.

Ramna’s Tripur Sundari Temple on the other hand, attracts devotees because of its beauty.
Rajkhand is an old temple Bhairav Nath where a big cattle fair is held every year during the Shivaratri festival.

About 40 km from Muzaffarpur, the famous temple, Hathilwa-Mathh dedicated to Radha-Krishna, stands.

These temples are definitely worth a visit, making your trip to Muzaffarpur an enlightening experience.

Photo from hindubooks.org.

Photo Credit: buitenzorger

Senggigi, a town in Lombok, Indonesia, is the main tourist strip, stretched out in miles and miles of beachfront. It is divided into three parts, Mangsit Beach, central Senggigi and the southern part near Batu Bolong. There are quiet resorts along Mangsit has quiet resorts, but Senggigi and Batu Bolong has great night and social life.

Senggigi Beach, although one of the main reasons why travelers visit the area, is not entirely as spectacular. It is, however, a popular launch point for tourist activities in Lombok. You can visit weaving villages and waterfalls that scatter in the area.

Two kilometers south of Senggigi, is the Pura Batu Bolong, a scenic spot where a small Hindu Temple is located, overlooking the beach. The most interesting part is the empty chair that graces the location, which represents Brahma, the god of creation. Sunsets are great to catch at this place.

Most activities in Senggigi involve diving and snorkeling, and hiking. There are also several places where you can go visit and have a great time such as the Gili Islands for snorkeling or diving and Mount Rinjani, which is an active volcano.

But of course, the best thing about Senggigi is the nightlife. Visit the Beach Club, a great place to watch the sunser over Bali, and the Happy Cafe where live bands are great to watch.

The World Cosplay Summit on August 2, 2008 will be held in Nagoya, the capital of the Auchi prefecture, in the region of Honshu in Japan. Nagoya is the fourth largest city after Tokyo, Yokohama and Osaka in the country and will host one of the most popular events, not only in Asia but in the world as otakus all over the world will trek to this place to dress up as their favorite characters from manga and anime.

Photo Credit: Marksein

Now a metropolis, Nagoya was named after Nagono, an old manor built in the area in the 12th century. The people of the area began to refer to the whole city by the manor’s name because of its two hundred year prosperity. The pronunciation of the Chinese characters in “Nagono” eventually became “Nagoya”.

Fans of Japanese animation and manga from all over the world will come dressed up as their favorite characters and join parades around the streets of Nagoya. It definitely would be a surreal experience. The Summit culminates with the World Cosplay Championship where costumed teams from different countries would show off their costumes and perform on stage in tribute to their favorite characters.
Aside from the Summit, Nagoya also hosted the Nagoya Sumo Tournament, just recently, and the Kakuozan Summer Festival. The annual Osu Summer Festival which is held in the shopping sections of Osu Kannon Temple will be held on the second to the third of August. Another festival, the Nagoya Castle Summer Night Festival which will be held on the 17th is a traditional style of festival with Japanese lanterns and dancing to honor the ancestors. It will be held at the Nagoya Castle, a famous city landmark which houses a museum, and beautiful gardens.

So if you’re thinking of visiting Nagoya, now is just about the right time.

Photo Credit: kristianfrisk

Dharamsala is located in Himachal Pradesh, on a part of the Dhauladhar range, at the Pir Panjal region of the Outer Himalayas. It shows wonderful views of the Dhauladhar ranges above as well as the Kangra Valley below. The name, Dhauladhar means “white ridge”, and is truly spectacular with the snow-capped range rises out of the valley 17,000 feet into the sky.

You can go check the Tsuglagkhang Complex, at Temple Road, which is the largest Tibetan temple outside Tibet. You can marvel at the beautiful statues at the meditation hall, and the outstanding murals at the Kalachakra Temple. This is the monastery of the Dalai Lama, and can be found just in front of his home. The Namgyal Cafe at the basement offers great ambiance at the evenings.

The Tibet Museum and Tibetan Library are intimate and interesting places that depicts Tibetan history.
When you come here, you might want to come during February to March when the Dalai Lama himself hold public lectures. You have to register for the occasion, but it would be an enlightening experience.

Three kilometers outside of Dharamsala is the Bhagsu Waterfall. It’s beautiful to see although you might have second thoughts about coming nearer as the trail may be a little too slippery. You can, however, visit the Triund to see a view of the first peaks of the Himalayas. Wear good shoes, and bring a coat. It could (and usually does) get cold.

Photo Credit: jiashiang
The Taroko Gorge is a 19km-long canyon in the Taroko Gorge National Park, near the east coast of Taiwan. Its name Taroko means “magnificent and splendid” according to the language of the Truku tribe who resides in the area.

The national park was established in 1986 and has become a symbol of Taiwan’s realization that its astounding economic success was inversely proportional to the deterioration of its natural resources.
The national park in itself is amazing. Walking there would allow you to travel rugged cliffs that drop to the coast, and subtropical forest canyons and coniferous forests. In the course of the hike you will also be able to hit some of Taiwan’s tallest peaks.

The park has nearly 150 species of birds and over 30 species of mammals including bears. For the butterfly lovers, there are more than 250 species of butterflies in the park.

While there, drive to the Changchun Shine or the Eternal Spring Shrine which was built to commemorate the workers who died during the construction of the Central Cross-Island Highway. It has rivers adjacent to the shrine and they named it after “Chanchun Falls”.

Behind the Changchun Shrine, you can take the stairs that lead to more sites including the Taroko Tower and the Bell Tower. A charming hanging bridge called “Heaven trail” leads to the Changuang Temple.

You can also visit the Tunnel of Nine Turns (Jiuchudong) which is pretty exciting and enchanting.

Ah, the wonders of nature.

Photo Credit: TheWazir
Maybe Pakistan is not the first place a person would want to visit, but Peshawar is a town near the Khyber Pass and could offer tourists a nice little vacation.

Probably the most historic is the Bala Hisar (”high) Fort. Named so because it stands on a high mount. And being where it is, it offers a panoramic view of the city as well as the Peshawar Valley.

Best to see is the Old City Center where most of the “spots” are located. There’s the Qissa Khwani Bazaar and the Clock Tower Square, the Mohaabit Khan Mosque, the Peshawar Museum and numerous stores that sell traditional Pakistani food.

They also have Kawa, the local version of green tea which is usually served sweet. Another drink famous in the area is the sweet, non-carbonated Sharbat-e-Sandal. Served ice cold and delicious, it has a yellowish-green colour and black seeds.

There’s also the beautiful and imposing Mahabat Khan Mosque.

You’ll also enjoy shopping in this area. Sharpen your bargaining skills and head on over to a bazaar. Be wary of the shopkeepers though as they’re most likely rip you off if you’re a foreigner. Don’t be afraid to bargain. It’s a good place to find gorgeous fabrics and handicrafts from Pakistan and Afghanistan. You can also have a safer experience at the shopping center, Dean’s Trade. It’s less crowded and you can still bargain.

Photo Credit: rahuldlucca
Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, was once thought to be the Shangri-La, “a mystical, harmonious valley, gently guided from a lamasery, enclosed in the western end of the Kunlun Mountains”. In reality, it is a gorgeous and up-and-coming vacation spot.

One thing about the place is that it doesn’t generally have street names except for the main thoroughfare, and directions are relative to the nearest town square or market. If you don’t like walking, there are rickshaws that you can hire, or there are always taxis.

One place to see in Kathmandu is the Swayambhunath, an ancient Buddhist complex which is one of the most sacred site in Nepal. A 20-30 minute walk from Thamel, Swayambhunath is also called the Monkey Temple. There actually are holy monkeys living in the temple in the north-west. Legend has it that Majusri, the bodhisattva of wisdom and learning, allowed his hair to grow long and developed head lice which then turned into monkeys.

Another sacred site for Tibetan Buddhism is the Boudha Stupa in Boudhanath. Another must-see in the area.

The King’s Palace is where giant fruit bats hang from the trees. There are also extremely tall bamboo trees surrounding the modern palace.

Also, you must never miss going to the Kathmandu Durbar Square, an ancient square that is the heart of Kathmandu. This area is filled with palaces and temples, including the Kasthamandap (”Wooden house”) from where the city got its name.