Top 5 markets in Osaka, Japan

Osaka is a city filled with marketplaces – from shopping arcades to flea markets. They are open all year round, giving you a chance to explore some good finds from local shops, fresh food and a range of quirky souvenirs. If you’re in Osaka, be sure to visit some of these markets on your journey.

Shintennoji Temple Market

Antique flea market in an idyllic setting The Shintenno-ji Temple is officially the oldest Buddhist temple in Japan and was built by Prince Shōtoku in 593 A.D. The temple hosts an antique market on the 21st and 22nd of every month. Around 100 sale tents are erected, offering goods from handbags, pottery and handicrafts all for incredibly low prices. Among the craft stores are food stalls serving delicious, warm local street food with authentic tastes. Admission to both the market and temple is free, so be sure to check out this beautiful sight.

Kuromon Ichiba

Fresh local food market The Kuromon Ichibamarket, previously known as the Emmeiji market, is named after the black gate, which is situated north-east of the Emmeiji temple. The market is close to 600 meters long with 170 shops. The vast majority of shops specialize in the most fresh and best quality meat, vegetables, eggs and other ingredients used around the country. Most of the sales are made to businesses and professional chefs, but Kuromon Ichiba also caters to the public. Established for over 170 years, everyone has been drawn in by the taste, freshness and range of products.

Shinsaibashi-suji

Shinsaibashi-suji is one of Osaka’s most popular shopping districts and like many places in Osaka, gets its name from the many bridges that are built around it. The street is home to hundreds of shops and restaurants, including well-known foreign brands such as Zara, H&M, Bershka and Forever 21. The shopping arcade ends at Dōtonbori Bridge and the famous neon lights of the Glico running man and the giant crab. Even if you aren’t in the mood for shopping, the area has a lot to offer on insight into the local fashion and food.

Sennichimae Doguya-Suji

Famous shopping area Sennichimae Doguya-Suji is a well-known shopping arcade in Osaka. Within it is the Osaka Museum of Housing and Living, where you can dress in a kimono and experience a village in the Edo period. Many shops in the arcade sell famous Japanese snacks, from the huge variety of Kitkat flavors to the Glico brand. They sell souvenirs at a cheaper price than most tourist locations too. The arcade is also renowned for its sushi and you can get an assorted plate for just 500 yen, but there will be a queue.

Korea Town Osaka

Situated near Namba, Korea Town is the dwelling and working place for many Koreans. The town has been developed with local Korean shops selling food, daily goods and even Korean-style clothing. The restaurants are mainly of the Yakiniku style, which is a cuisine of grilled meat over charcoal. The town has only been around for about 15 years and welcomes visitors and newcomers to come along and try the incredibly tasty foods and Korean cuisine.

See more: Where to visit in Changwon, the city of art

Source: Internet

Top Pattaya’s beaches to discover in 2020

If you too want to experience the true essence of Pattaya, you need to lose yourself in its untouched nature and lovely beaches. And so, to help you with it, here are some of the best beaches in Pattaya. Have a look!

Jomtien Beach

Located just south of Pattaya's city center, Jomtien Beach has a lot going for it. It is quiet enough that you will not feel like you are at a party, but there still plenty of things happening. Bordered by glistening condo towers where expats and wealthy Thais alike make their coastal homes, Jomtien is a bit cosmopolitan compared to some of the other beaches, though there is plenty of Thai flavor here, literally, thanks to all the street food stalls on the main road.

Koh Larn

Koh Larn, or Coral Island, has much more in common with the famous southern Thailand beaches than with other beaches in Pattaya. It is a little slice of paradise nestled away from a city which can at times feel like anything but. Perfect for a romantic getaway, the coral from which its name derives can be enjoyed through snorkeling or taking a glass bottom boat, and the clean, transparent water surrounding the beach should make for good visibility.

Wong Amat Beach

Wong Amat, located next to northern Pattaya Beach, is one of the cleanest and the best beaches in Pattaya. It is mostly visited by families and you can see kids playing with sands and families engrossed in day picnic on the beach. With spectacular view of azure sea, the beach has many luxury sea-facing hotels and restaurants for travelers.

Bang Saray Beach

Located the farthest south among all the beaches on this list, Bang Saray also feels the most isolated. This is perfect if you are looking for some R&R and do not want to be stimulated, intellectually or otherwise. However, you can make the journey all this way worth it by visiting the nearby Ramayana Water Park, or stopping at Pattaya Dolphin World en route.

Naklua Beach

Naklua means ‘salt field’ in local language. Surrounded by fishing habitat, Naklua Beach is located in the northern part of Pattaya. It is popular for fishing boat rentals, surfing, and swimming, a few things that make it one of the best beaches of Pattaya. Chilling out under the sun in sun loungers at the outdoor shacks is a popular thing to do here. The beach shore is gradually becoming a little crowded with some five-star hotel chains establishing their resorts and hotels on the beach.

Pattaya Beach

There is no better place to start than the most popular and most lively beach in the city – Pattaya beach. At four kilometers long, this crescent-shaped beach has plenty of space for visitors and it needs it too, with plenty of people descending upon it to take advantage of the blazing sun and warm weather.

There is more than sunbathing on offer though. Parasailing, jet skiing and the classic banana boat are all available for you to enjoy, as well as beachside shacks that can prepare your favourite Thai dish should you get peckish. It is also home to some great parties at night, if that is your cup of tea.

Dongtan Beach

Located north of Jomtien Beach, Dongtan is the quietest beach in Pattaya city. It is about 1.5 km long strip of golden sand backed by palm trees. This scenic beach is perfect for swimming, sailing, and fishing. Dongtan is also famous for watersports like jet skiing and banana boating and has several Thai body massage parlors on the shore. There is a special gay section on the beach itself. The otherwise serene beach gets busy in the afternoon during weekends.

See more: A guide to Pattaya's nightlife

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A short trip to Batam, Indonesia

Batam has been famous for short escapades from neighboring countries such as Singapore and Malaysia. This island is one of the busiest ports in Indonesia as the entrance gate of tourism in Indonesia.

Batam has been popular for many things like shopping centers, spa, and massages. Aside from the urban entertainment. Below are the best things to do in Batam especially for you!

Visit Maha Vihara Duta Maitreya Temple

This temple is one of the more serene ways to enjoy Batam and is the place to come if you want to find some inner peace. Devotees here usually burn incense for good luck and you can enjoy the colorful and elegant Buddha statues here as well as the carvings of twelve zodiac signs which lie opposite the temple.

One of the best things about the temple is that there is also a cafe here and you buy a range of delicious vegetarian food including buns and snacks in the shape of cute animals.

Play at Sea Forest Adventure

Sea Forest Adventure is a unique theme park. Here you can play all kinds of floats and water slides. You will have a chance to experience nature, survival science and adventure with four main sections for you to discover.

You can bounce, slide, climb and roam around the available playground, for kids and adults alike. Life vests will be provided by the sea forest adventure throughout your stay there.

Try Watersports

Watersports are one of the obvious highlights of Batam. One of the places to visit in Batam for water sports is the Cabana Club. The park offers canoeing, jet skiing and snorkelling. Name it and they probably have it! Another recommended places to visit are Batam Wake Park and Waterpark Ocarina.

Shop at Nagoya Hill Shopping Mall

Enjoy your day by shopping in the largest mall in Batam, Nagoya Hill. This vast area of shopping has complete retail goods, and importantly their price is reasonable. The name itself is taken after the region in Batam, Nagoya (which is also known as Lubuk Baja) and its location in hilly areas.

Watch Beautiful Sunset at Barelang Bridge

Although not comparable to San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge, Barelang Bridge is Batam’s very own iconic pride. It has a unique architectural design that makes it an ideal spot for some artistic landscape photos and selfies. The spectacular scenery from and around the bridge alone is worth the trip here.

Visiting this bridge has always been and will continue to be one of the top things to do in Batam. Within two hours’ drive from here, you can visit old Vietnamese refugee camps.

Visit the Stilt Houses of Batam

In old Batam many of the houses were built above water on stilts. You can still find some of these stilt houses in the older parts of the city and the villages that surround it. One of the most well-known villages for this type of architecture is the fishing village called Tanjung Uma.

See more: Beautiful places in Indonesia you should not miss

Source Internet