Thursday 25 October 2018

7 Old towns in Asia you must visit at least once in a lifetime

The old towns usually have unique beauties and stunning architectures, various culture and special cuisines. Here are the 7 Old towns that are famous in Asia.

7 Old towns in Asia you must visit at least once in a lifetime

1. Malacca, Malaysia

7 Old towns in Asia you must visit at least once in a lifetime

Malacca is the capital city of the Malaysian state of Malacca. Malacca (or Melaka in Malay) is a sleepy old city with a quaint colonial town center and is a great place to spend a few days on a trip to Malaysia. Malacca can easily be overlooked as a place to stop in Southeast Asia. Travelers will find some of the best food in Malaysia, unique cafes, timeworn architecture and well preserved historical sites in Malacca. Don’t miss it on your next trip to Malaysia.

2. Takayama, Japan

7 Old towns in Asia you must visit at least once in a lifetime

Takayama's old town has been beautifully preserved with many buildings and whole streets of houses dating from the Edo Period when the city thrived as a wealthy town of merchants. Several homes in the old town open their doors to the public. They provide a glimpse behind the facade into the former living quarters of the local merchants and exhibit traditional household goods and local arts and crafts.

3. Hoi An, Vietnam

7 Old towns in Asia you must visit at least once in a lifetime

Graceful, historic Hoi An is Vietnam’s most atmospheric and delightful town. Once a major port, it boasts the grand architecture and beguiling riverside setting that befits its heritage, and the 21st-century curses of traffic and pollution are almost entirely absent.

4. Vigan, Philippines

7 Old towns in Asia you must visit at least once in a lifetime

With many villas for thousands of years, Vigan is a truly a witness of what used to be a royal city. With a Spanish-inspired architecture, it makes the old town of Vigan more unique. There are more than 200 ancient works are preserved in Vigan. It is where the Ilocos region’s rich culture and history are crafted in ornate architecture, furniture, and detailed ornaments. For this reason, Vigan Heritage Village was considered a UNESCO Heritage Site to preserve the cultural past of the Ilocandia region.

5. Bukcheon, Korea

7 Old towns in Asia you must visit at least once in a lifetime

Surrounded by Gyeongbokgung Palace, Changdeokgung Palace, and Jongmyo Shrine, Bukchon Hanok Village is home to hundreds of traditional houses, called hanok, that date back to the Joseon Dynasty. The name Bukchon, which literally translates to "northern village," came about as the neighborhood lies north of two significant Seoul landmarks, Cheonggyecheon Stream and Jongno. Today, many of these hanoks operate as cultural centers, guesthouses, restaurants, and tea houses, providing visitors with an opportunity to experience, learn and immerse themselves in traditional Korean culture.

6. Tunxi, China

7 Old towns in Asia you must visit at least once in a lifetime

Tunxi Ancient Street is situated in the center of Tunxi District, the location of Huangshan City Government. Shops standing on both sides are generally of two or three floors, which feature the local Anhui style of stone base, brick construction, and tile roof. The layout of these buildings commonly takes on the appearance of shops in front while houses and workshops are to the rear. Once a professor from America was amazed by it and he said he had found an Oriental Ancient Rome. Nowadays Tunxi Ancient Street is also used as a natural studio for films and TV series.

7. Luang Prabang, Laos

7 Old towns in Asia you must visit at least once in a lifetime

Walk the streets with picturesque traditional houses, colonial-style villas, and Lao Buddhist temples at Old Quarter Luang Prabang, part of a bustling UNESCO-protected city area packed with history and culture. A night market, many shops, and restaurants set in pleasant two-story houses on clean, quiet streets give a totally different feel from the madness of other large Asian cities. Check out many temples with practicing monks praying or burning incense, or mingle with locals during their coffee breaks in the street. The nearby Mekong River surrounding this peninsula quarter, as well as abundant frangipani trees, add to the overall charm of the place. For travelers who use our online itinerary creator, Luang Prabang holidays become easier to arrange, with trips to the Old Quarter.

Source Internet

Monday 15 October 2018

10 best places for cycling in Vietnam

Vietnam is well-known for its diverse nature, ranging from vast rice paddies to long coastline of mesmerizing beaches and enormous mountains after mountains.

But what makes biking adventure in this country possible and interesting is the dense network of roads that can get tourists anywhere they wish, be it remote or central.
10 best places for cycling in Vietnam

1. Sapa

Sapa belongs to the mountainous northern area of Vietnam. The place possesses heavenly beauty with hovering soft clouds among mountain ranges. Along the biking route, tourists will have the chance to see the change in nature going up to higher altitude, encounter many ethnic minority people and experience the treacherous paths. Owing to the special feature of mountainous area, the rice paddies here are made as terrace along the slope of the hills, which turn to a beautiful yellow in during harvesting.

2. Moc Chau

Moc Chau is a small peaceful town of Son La province in Northern Vietnam. The place produces some the best tea in Vietnam. The place is becoming a tourist attraction among the avid travellers owing to its immense green tea plantation, situating on ranges after ranges of hills. The place possesses heavenly atmosphere when, during spring, wild flowers are blossoming everywhere amid the hovering mist.

3. Ba Be Lake and National Park

Ba Be belongs to Bac Can province, which is situated in the North of Vietnam. The landscape here is marvelous with towering limestone mountain, deep valleys, dense forests, waterfalls, caves and lakes. In addition, the national park possesses a rich biodiversity with hundreds of unnamed plants species and other hundreds of wildlife species.There are scenes of stilt home of the ethnic minority Tay along with Dao and Mong people. The most famous tourist site is Ba Be Lake. With a size of 8km in length and 400m in width, the lake deserves its title “the emerald of Northern Vietnam”.

4. Mekong Delta

The road in Mekong Delta (South of Vietnam) is much more comfortable for cycling than the mountainous parts. But the scenery is just as idyllic with rice paddies expanding to the horizon.There is a particularly dense network of rivers, canals and streams where people have their house, their boats and even markets floating on. Cyclers can experience quaint riverside towns, a dazzling variety of greens and colorful floating fruits on the rivers.

5. Cat Tien National Park

Cat Tien National Park is located in the South of Vietnam, roughly 150 km north of Ho Chi Minh. It possesses rich biodiversity of lowland tropical rainforest. Therefore, the park is the ideal place for mountain-biking and wildlife-spotting. Hours of cycling among the dense forest and breathing in the fresh air will definitely energize your souls and, at the same time, work up your muscles.

6. Cham Island

Cham Island is an unspoiled island about 18km offshore from Hoi An. The island has amazingly rich biodiversity and is recognized by UNESCO as World biosphere reserve. There are many ways to do cycling on the islands: you can either cycle along the coast and around the island to experience both the seascape and the green forest on the sides, or you can get visit a few fishing village by going deeper into the island.

7. Hai Van Pass

If you are looking for more adventure, Hai Van Pass should be on your cycling list. You can start off from Hue and aim to reach Da nang by passing Hai Van. The roads are paved but built on very winding road along with heavy-load trucks. However, the view along the road is terrific and worth the effort. There are imposing green mountains on one side and sharp cliffs against the ocean on the other side.

8. Da Lat

Da Lat is a city situated on the Langbian Plateau of Central Highlands of Vietnam. Most cyclers will choose to ride to the base of Langbian Mountain, then o along the forest trails to reach Victory Lake and Valley of Love. Cycling trip comprises of alternate uphill and downhill rides, through different territories and nature. What is more, there is some chance of passing waterfalls along the way as well.

9. Hoi An

Hoi An should deserve your consideration if you seek for a relaxing cycling trip. Cycling through the rural areas and into the city is an easy biking tour but can still provide you ample chance for nature sightseeing and opportunities to experience Vietnamese rural landscapes and lifestyles. Rice paddies, water buffalo, bamboo houses and bamboo ranges are the iconic images of Vietnam and now appear in front of your eyes. Hoi An city, however, offers a different view: a city once was thriving and prosperous and now is pretty and poetic.

10. Cat Ba National Park

Cat Ba National Park is based on an island in northern Vietnam and east of Hai Phong. This park is one of the most important nature reserves in Vietnam with large collection of animals and plants, some of which are unique to Vietnam. What is special about Cat Ba National Park is the wide ranges of experience you can get cycling around the park. There are plenty hidden beaches, waterfalls, caves, mountain by limestone and stunning valleys.

Source: https://hiasia.xyz/10-best-places-for-cycling-in-vietnam-v2.php