One of the great wonders of ancient China, the Great Wall of China was constructed over a 1400-year period beginning in 220 BC to protect the Chinese Empire from the marauding warrior tribes of Mongolia. With a total length of more than 20,000 kilometers, the wall is the world’s largest military structure. There are several…
Shamian: An Island of Solitude in Guangzhou
Guangzhou is China’s third most populous city, a buzzing metropolis of traffic, skyscrapers and smog that is is China’s richest city and its industrial workhorse. $100,000 cars share the streets with Mao-era bicycles and at times the city can be overwhelming, even for veteran travelers. It’s no surprise then that visitors to Guangzhou often find…
Visiting the Forbidden City in Beijing
A giant complex of temples, palaces and gardens hidden away behind massive walls, the Forbidden City was once the center of world power. It was home to the Chinese emperor and the imperial court from the Ming Dynasty in the 15th century to the dissolution of the Chinese Empire in the 20th century. It derives…
Wuyishan: China’s Other Guilin
A river snakes through the mountains that dramatically tower over the surrounding countryside. If it sounds like the description of a scene from Guilin, think again, as it’s actually a description of the landscape of Fujian Province’s Wuyishan. Wuyishan is a small town situated inland, hundreds of miles removed from Fujian’s large coastal cities, near…
Visiting the Terracotta Army in Xi’an
In 1974, on a rural piece of farmland outside of Xi'an, a local farmer made a huge discovery: the Terracotta Army, which had been lost to the world for 2,000 years. Construction of the army began in 246BC by Emperor Qin Si Huang, the first emperor of a united China. The emperor, who is buried…
Tourism in the New Singapore
Singapore has shaken off its dull past and transformed itself into one of Asia’s premier cities and tourist destinations. So forget whatever authoritarian and boring image you have of Singapore’s past and instead discover the exciting tourist attractions of Singapore’s vibrant future. The centerpiece of Singapore’s reinvention has been the addition of the casino resorts…
Traveling in The Republic of Georgia
We recently published a travel article on the Caucasus nation of Armenia, touting its attributes as a hidden travel gem. Well, there’s another country in the Caucasus that meets the criteria for a hidden travel gem and that is the Republic of Georgia. Sandwiched between Armenia, Russia and the Black Sea, Georgia is slightly larger…
Nara: Historic and Holy
While Nara’s neighbor Kyoto receives most of the attention and most of the tourists, no one interested in Japanese history and culture should miss out on the chance to visit Nara. Nara, like Kyoto, was an ancient capital of Japan and as it’s only one hour from Kyoto via train, it’s easy to incorporate a…
The Wild Beauty of Kamchatka
Kamchatka is a name that doesn’t come up much in holiday planning, and with good reason as it’s incredibly remote! Kamchatka is a 900-mile long peninsula on the eastern tip of Russia that is much closer to Alaska than it is to Moscow. In fact, Kamchatka is a 12-hour flight from Moscow! But it’s this…
The Holy Town of Pushkar
Rajasthan is a desert state in India’s far west. It occupies the area between Pakistan and New Delhi/Agra, and it is one of India’s most visited regions. This is partially due to its convenient accessibility from New Delhi, but also because among its vast desert expanses Rajasthan has some truly remarkable sights. Gigantic fortresses stand…