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By nature, you are an adventurer
By nature, you are an adventurer
By nature, you are an adventurer, full of amazement and
curiosity about a world bigger than life itself. Learning about
cultures in faraway lands fascinates you, and engaging in new
experiences gives you an incomparable rush. You are a born
explorer, and destined to travel the continent of Asia.
Exploration of Asia - the largest landmass on Earth - will
reveal a land of diverse cultures and philosophies; natural and
constructed landscapes; and monuments that tell stories of times
past and those to come.
Journey into Southeast Asia and discover the lands of Thailand,
Cambodia, Burma/Myanmar, Vietnam, Laos, Malaysia, the
Philippines, Indonesia, Bali, Singapore, East Timor, and Brunei.
While strolling along the River of Kings (Chao Phraya) in
Thailand's capital city of Bangkok, you can see the Temple of
the Emerald Buddha, the Temple of Dawn, and the Temple of the
Reclining Buddha - all of which contain monumental statues of
Buddhist deities. Travel south and explore the Thai "paradise
islands" of Phuket, Phi Phi Islands, Phang Nga Bay, Krabi, and
Ko Samui in the Andaman Sea and Gulf of Siam.
The Royal Palace Grounds in Cambodia's capital city of Phnom
Penh is a fantastic place to view a vast collection of Buddha
statues and royal artifacts. Nearby, the National Museum has an
immense collection of original Khmer sculpture.
In Burma/Myanmar, you can view the Sule Pagoda, a shrine built
in the 3rd century that today remains a center for Ayurvedic
astrology and Buddhist worship. In Vietnam, a walk through the
popular Binh Tay market in Saigon will lead you to fresh
produce, pottery, incense, and other goods. The city of Hanoi is
a center for Vietnamese culture and intellect, while the
countryside is home to rock formations, rural villages, and
tropical landscapes.
Go to the ancient Laotian royal capital of Luang Probing, where
you can witness cultural and religious festivals any time of the
year. In Malaysia, just outside Kuala Lumpur, watch worshipers
carry their patron deities into the Batu Caves during the annual
Thaipusan Festival.
In the Philippines, on the island of Luzon, the bustling capital
city of Manila is home to Fort Santiago and San Augustin Church.
An hour away in the town of Tagaytay, you can see the Taal
Volcano. If you want to learn about Indonesia's culture and
history, visit the country's National Museum, located in the
capital city of Jakarta.
In Bali, you can go to the Ubud, the country's cultural center,
and absorb authentic Balinese dances and music. In Singapore,
you can observe worshipers at the Sri Mariamman Temple, which
also features frescoes and statues of deities. Nearby, you can
stroll along Arab Street by the Sultan's Mosque and shop for
batik, rattan, jewelry, and Muslim figurines.
Travel to South Asia and explore the countries of India, Nepal,
Bhutan, Pakistan, Maldives, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh.
In India, visit the capital city of Delhi's Red Fort, an
isolated area of palaces, dancehalls, and meeting places.
Another must-see is the Raj Ghat, which is where Mahatma Gandhi
was cremated. In Nepal, you can stop at the royal palace of
Durbar Square and temples of Hanuman Dhoka, all of which date to
the 12th century.
While in Bhutan, a visit to the Bhumthang region will reveal
valleys amidst blue pine forests surrounded by mountains. There
are also many places in this region that are associated with
myths and legends, such as "The Castle of the White Swan."
In Pakistan, you can take a camel safari through the sand dunes
of the Tharparkar Desert. In Maldives, go deep-sea fishing for
marlin and tuna at the Soneva Fushi. While in Sri Lanka, a trip
to the north-central plains will lead you to the Citadel of
Sigiriya (Lion Rock), which rises 600 feet and features images
of Buddhist grottoes carved out of its red stone. Journey to
Bangladesh, and visit the Bangladesh National Museum in Dhaka,
which features ancient and contemporary art.
A tour of East Asia will take you through Japan, China, North
Korea, South Korea, Hong Kong, and Taiwan.
In Japan, you'll enjoy the cities of Kyoto, Tokyo, and
Hiroshima. Kyoto has an abundance of teahouses, temples, and
decades-old shops. In Tokyo, you can visit the Mingei Museum
(National Museum), old-world gardens, and plenty of nightclubs;
and Hiroshima is home to the Peace Memorial Park and its museum,
Hiroshima Castle.
If you travel to China, you must go to Beijing and visit the
Forbidden City, formerly the Imperial Family's private kingdom,
which features a maze of corridors, through-gardens, shrines,
and meditation halls. Most of the treasures that adorned the
places are now on exhibit in the Palace Museum.
In North
Korea, a great destination is Mount Kumgang, which is
celebrated in mythic legend and folk songs. Head to Seoul in
South Korea and visit the National Museum of Korea, which
displays thousands of relics from ancient times.
On a trip to Hong Kong, you can scurry through the bustling
metropolis of the New Territories, or you can travel out to
peaceful fishing villages or Tai Mo Shan (Big Misty Mountain),
which stands 3,144 feet tall (the highest point in Hong Kong).
In Taiwan, visit historic cities such as Kaohsiung, where a
mountain road lies amidst the interior of marble mountains lined
with pagodas and pavilions. Or, you can experience life in
aboriginal villages such as Wulai.
In Central and Southwest Asia, you'll find Uzbekistan,
Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan,
and Mongolia. In Southwest Asia, you can visit Turkey, Iran,
Jordan, Israel, Lebanon, Syria, Cyprus, Saudi Arabia, United
Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman, Yemen, Kuwait, Armenia,
Georgia, and Azerbaijan.
In Uzbekistan, take a trip to the Museum of Fine Arts for a
glimpse of artifacts from pre-Russian Turkistan, including
bronze Buddhas and Zoroastrian relics. You can also travel
through the country's walnut tree forest and grassy meadows.
While in Kyrgyzstan, you can bathe in thermal springs in the
capital city of Bishkek.
In the country of Turkmenistan, visit the city of Merv and view
7th century ruins at Kyz-Kala. You can also travel to Mongolia
in the summer to observe the Naadam Festival, a time when
Mongolians travel across the country on horseback to celebrate
their ancient heritage.
While in Turkey, visit the Topkapi Palace and view the
embroidered robes of sultans, jeweled weaponry, an immense
collection of porcelain, and an elaborately decorated harem. In
Iran, go to the world-famous Iman Square; and in Jordan, view
Byzantine mosaics while traveling through Madaba. If you journey
to Israel, go to Jerusalem's Haram Al-Sharif, which is
purportedly the Temple Mount that is sacred in Christianity,
Islam, and Judaism.
Explore the Jeitta Grotto caves in Beirut, Lebanon. In Syria,
travel to Crac De Chevaliers, which is said to be the largest
and best-preserved Crusader castle in the Middle East. You can
also trek through the hill-town villages of the island of
Cyprus; or journey to Saudi Arabia and see Jidda's 853-foot
King's Fountain that illuminates at night. In the United Arab
Emirates, you can take a trip to the Dubai Museum and view
exhibitions that depict mosques, traditional Arab homes, and the
fishing and pearl diving trades.
In Bahrain, travel to the village of A'ali (nine miles away from
the capital city of Manama) and tour thousands of burial mounds.
In Qatar, travel to the rocky hills of Al Jassasiya and view
stone carvings dating back to prehistoric eras. In Oman, visit
the city of Jabrin and tour a 17th century fortified palace.
While in Yemen, marvel at ancient Islamic architecture as well
as the mountainous and desert landscapes of the walled city of
Sanaa. Travel to Kuwait and see the remains of the ancient Old
City Wall Gates, which guarded against invasion from desert
tribes for decades until the 1950s.
In Armenia, travel to the capital city of Yerevan and see the
Hellenistic temples of Garni and the Geghard monastery. In the
Republic of Georgia, visit the monumental statue of King
Vakhtang Gorgasali in the city of Tbilisi. While in Azerbaijan,
you can see the ancient Walled City of Baku on the western shore
of the Caspian Sea.
If you go to North Asia and Russia, be sure to tour Moscow's Red
Square (Krasnaya ploshchad), the former site of military parades
and public executions. You could also head to St. Petersburg and
visit the Peterhof Palace and Garden (Petrodvorets), which was
built for Peter the Great and currently houses marble statues,
sculptures, and other artifacts belonging to the late ruler.
While in Siberia, go to Krasnoyarsk and walk along the
magnificent Enisey River.
Such a tour of Asia is in no way all-encompassing. Inside each
individual country lies an opportunity for a world of
experiences. Even a brief passage through the land can satisfy
your appetite for new discoveries and enlightenment. However,
before you venture off to Asia, be sure to find out if there are
any current safety guidelines or travel warnings. After that,
you can begin your journey. For more information about Asia you
can visit http://www.explore-asia.info
About the author:
Ashley Barnard is an avid ice climber and mountaineer, traveling
around the world looking for the next adventure, here in this
article he writes about his travels while exploring Asia. To
find out more about Asia you can go to his site at
http://www.explore-asia.info
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