Lijiang River and Its Cruise

The Lijiang River is also called the Li River in China and originates from the Guangxi Province. It is the highest holiday spot in the entire china. The river starts from the mountains in the Xigan County and covers the Guilin, Yangzhou and makes its way to the next 83 km stretch of natural scenic beauty and thick bamboo forests with amazingly strange rocky formations.

It is a very common sight to see the fishing board every now and then. However, the usage of birds as bait for the fishing is going down. If you decide to go on a cruise in the Li River, the entire boat trip takes a total of seven hours and with the help of a good guide, you can learn a lot about the beauty of the river. The journey includes Pierced Hill, Clean Vase Hill and Embroidery Hill. At about 100 km stretch, one can see one of the best scenic beauties in China.

Leaning Tower of Pisa

The leaning tower of Pisa, also known as the Tower of Pisa, is a free standing bell tower next to the Church of the Italian city of Pisa. The Tower is located behind the church and is said to be the third oldest structure in Pisa. The tower was made to stand straight, however immediately after it was constructed, it started leaning towards the south east due to a weekly laid foundation and substrate that allows the foundation to change direction.

The total height of the tower is 186.27 feet from the ground towards the lower side and 186.02 feet on the higher side. Its width from the bottom is measured 13 plus feet and 8 plus feet from the top. The Towers total weight is 14,500 metric tons and has 296/294 steps.

Karnak Temple Near Luxor

Karnak Temple is located in a small ancient village in Egypt called al-Karnak. The village is located on the Nile River’s banks about 2.5 kilometers north from Luxor. The Karnak Temple is twice as big as the village area and has become the village’s most popular attraction. The area of the temple is an enormous open-air museum, as well as the biggest ancient religious site worldwide. The Karnak Temple is probably Egypt’s second most visited site of historical value, next to the Pyramids of Giza.

The temple has 4 main parts, and only one of them is accessible to the general public and tourists. It is also the main part of the temple, as well as the biggest by far. Based on this, one can redefine Karnak as the Precinct of Amon-Re, because this is the only part that visitors see. Aside from the other 3 parts, there are a few other sanctuaries and temples located on the outside of the enclosing walls, as well as many avenues of sphinxes with ram heads that connect the Precinct of Mut, the Luxor Temple, and the Precinct of Amon-Re.

Machu Picchu

Jerusalem Old City

Jerusalem is the capital of Israel and also the largest city in Israel. Jerusalem Old City is said to be the oldest and the holiest city in the world. It has a history that takes you back to the 4th millennium BC. The old city is full of sites that are holy and thus attracts pilgrims from all over the world. It is a belief that anyone who is a Christian, Jew or Muslim must once pay visit to this holy place. 

Jerusalem is in the center of the globe and is claimed by all religions. The old city is fill with plenty of temples and ruins that any visitor can visit. The old city of Jerusalem has a very strong combination of the Jewish and Arab culture.

Iguazu Falls

Iguazu Falls, also known as Iguassu or Iguaçu Falls. These waterfalls are situated on the border of Argentina and Brazil. It touches the Parana region in Brazil and the Misione region from Argentina. It is the fall that separates the river into upper and lower Iguassu. The first person who discovered the place was a Spanish guy called conquistador Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca in the year 1541. The fall was once again rediscovered by Boselie during the end of the 19th century.

The Iguassu Falls have a total of 275 falls and is 2.7 kilometers long where it finally combines with the Iguassu River. Some of the falls have a common height of 269 feet. However, the best of all is the Devil’s Throat, which is a u-shaped, 82 meters high, 150 meters wide and 700 meters long fall. The view of this fall is breathtaking. Out of all, more than two thirds of the falls lie in the Argentine Province.

Great Mosque of Cordoba

The Mezquita of Cordoba (Mosque of Cordoba) is a Roman Catholic Cathedral located in Cordoba, Spain. Mezquita is a Spanish word and it means mosque. The Mezquita was built in the 10th century during the ruled of Abd- ar-Rahman III, who was one of the greatest rulers in the history of Islam. During this time, Cordoba was the largest and the most wealthy cities of Europe. In fact, the making of the mosque added more to its majestic beauty.

The place was initially built as a Church, however, when the Muslim ruler took over the place, they started using it as a mosque and extended it till it became the second largest mosque in the entire world. The Mezquita is said to be the most proficient monument of the Cordoba. Once the Spanish took back the site from the Muslims, they once again converted the place from a mosque to a church. Today, the Mezquita is used for the purpose of Church and the normal fee to visit the Mezquita is 6 Euros.

Great Barrier Reef

The Great Barrier Reef of Australia is an extensive complex of islets, shoals and, of course, coral reefs. It is located off of Australia’s northeastern coastline in the Pacific Ocean. The Reef expands over 1,250 miles to the northwest-southeast, at about 10 to 100 miles offshore, and is about 135,00 square miles in area. This wonder has been characterized as the biggest structure that living creatures have ever built.

There are actually 2,100 reefs and 800 fringing reefs around the Great Barrier Reef. All of the reefs, however, share a common origin. They have all been formed from the skeletal waste and skeletons of a living marine organism mass over the course of millions of years. The framework of the reef is formed from tiny creatures’ calcareous remains, which are known as hydro corals and coral polyps, and bryozoans and coralline algae are what holds it all together.

Grand Canyon in Arizona

The Grand Canyon is the largest known rift in the world. The Grand Canyon is a steep-sided gorge that were made by the Colorado River in north Arizona, USA. It is because of heavy mineral deposits that one can see the canyon as bright red, brown and orange in color.

This canyon is a part of the large Grand Canyon national park designated by Theodore Roosevelt. The park is almost 277 miles long and 4 to 18 miles wide. The canyons are the main point of attraction in the nation park.

Golden Pavilion Temple in Kyoto

The Golden Pavilion Temple, also called Kinkaku-ji in Japanese, was built in 1397 and it is located in Kyoto, Japan. It was initially made to serve as a villa for retirement for Shogun Ashikaga. It was quite later that his son converted the building into a Zen temple. The Golden Pavilion was burned twice and was reconstructed after five years. In the year 1950, a monk burned the entire temple into ashes and finally planned to take his own life by jumping behind the hill. The monk survived the attempt to die. However, his mother due to the shame that her son had brought, jumped from the train into the river. The monk was sent to jail for 7 years where he died due to illness.

The Golden Temple is a building with three stories. The upper two stories are covered with a pure gold sheet. The main purpose of the pavilion is to work as shariden, storing the remains of the Buddha’s ashes. One can see a typical Chinese style built on the top floor. The middle section looks like the Zen style and the last, the ground floor is made similar to the shinden-zukuri-style and does not have the gold sheet on it.

The entire temple is covered by a beautiful garden with a pond in the front called the Mirror Pond. A lot of stones in the pond give a representation of the Buddhist’s era. In the year 1987, some parts of the temple were recoated in thicker gold and some interiors of the temple were worked upon during the year 2003.

Florence and Its Cityscape

The city of Florence is the capital of the Italy. The city is situated on the top of a river called Arno and is known for its interesting past, art and architecture. For a period of 5 years i.e. from 1865 to 1870 it was also declared the capital of Italy.

The City of Florence is a part of the World Heritage Site which was registered in 1982.
Florence is one of the mot attractive tourist spot in the entire Italy due to is cityscape. The reason why Florence Cityscape is so special is because since the sixteenth century, it has fascinated big masters like Leonardo da Vinci and till the 21st century, mesmerizes every tourist that visits this place.

Easter Island in the Southeastern Pacific Ocean

Easter Island is located 2,180 miles (3510 km) west of Santiago, Chile. This Island is full of charm, quality, and nature and has a fascinating history associated to it. In the book of world, it is popularly known for its magical beauty and monumental structure. Generations after generations have lived and left their distinctive mark on this Island. In the earlier centuries, it saw some horrid sea battles. The holidays in Chile are remembered for a long time. The best way to spent vacation is to rent apartments. Chile is the land of wine, wine yards, poets and romance. It is one of the most isolated countries in the world, but it offers different landscapes and hundreds of places to visit.

The best place to visit in Easter Island is to visit some its popular resorts, beaches, the cost and see the beautiful spread ocean. The ocean in the Easter Island coast is spread over 4,000 kilometers. For ocean lovers, there is an abundance of water. The weather in some parts of the city is either dry or wet because of its Mediterranean Climate. It also has some old Chile architecture that is considered the tourists attraction spot.

Dubrovnik Old City

Dubrovnik is called “The Pearl of the Adriatic” and is situated in the south end of Croatia on the Adriatic Sea. It is one of the most famous and well known places for tourists to visit due to its historic Old Town. Dubrovnik Old City became part of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 1979.

Dubrovnik has always been big in trade due to its location near the sea, which contributed to most of its wealth. During the middle ages, the city of Dubrovnik became a competitor and a rival for Venice. The city had good numbers of skilled labor and money and as a result of which, saw enormous growth during the 15th and the 16th century. The city was also a home for notable poem, painters, politicians, play writers and scholars.

Delphi, an Archaeological Site in Greece

Delphi, a modern town in Greece is a famous archaeological site in the valley of Phocis. Delphi is located in the center of Greece, on the terraces that border the slope of Mount Parnassus. It also includes the Sanctuary of Apollo, a place where the ancient Oracle once lived. It was the place of the Delphic Oracle in Greek mythology when the main god of worship was Apollo. It is a site that is a must view for those who have always been influenced by the charm of the Oracle.

The history shows that Delphi was populated during the Neolithic era. During 100 B.C., it became an important center for religious and political activities. It is interesting to know that the exact function of the Oracle cannot be found in any of the prehistoric documents; it is only the importance of Delphi that is documented well.

Colosseum In Rome

The Colosseum is one of the greatest architecture ever built in the history of Rome. The Colosseum was originally known as the Flavian Amphitheatre and is the largest amphitheater to have ever been built in the Roman Empire. It is a circular structure that occupies a site east of the Roman Forum. This Amphitheater was built to organize gladiator contests, dramas and games like hunting animals, constructing mock sea battle and the public could also view it in the open, and cheer their favorites.

Built in the center of Rome itself, its construction began sometime between 70 and 72 AD and was completed in 80 AD when Titus was the ruling emperor. It has a seating capacity of 50,000 spectators. The Colosseum over the years has been broken by natural disasters like earthquake; even then, it is one of the hot spot of tourist visits in Rome. Very near to the Colosseum is the training school for the gladiators and it is worth the look. As compared to the oval shape of the Colosseum, it is triangular in shape. Other areas of attraction are places where the armor was built, then where the wounded gladiators were cured and not to forget the burial ground where the dead gladiators rested in peace.

Christ The Redeemer

Christ the Redeemer is a statue of Jesus Christ in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The statue is 120 ft tall and has a weight of 635 tones. It is now a part of the new Seven Wonders of the World. It is located in the Corcovado Mountain which is at a peak of 700 meters i.e. 2,300 feet in the Tujuca forest National Park overlooking the city. The statue is made of concrete and soapstone. As a symbol of Christianity, it has become an important icon of Brazil, with Jesus Christ appearing to open his arms wide to embrace the entire city below.

It was in 1850’s when for the first time it was suggested to make the statue of Christ on the top of Carcovado by a catholic priest called Pedro Maria Boss. The request of the finance was sent to Princess Isabel to build this huge religious mountain. Initially, the idea was not thought to be a very good one. It was only in 1921, when a need and a proposal of a large landmark were thought about and finally the statue was made by the catholic Circle of Rio.

China wall

The Great Wall of China, a memorable landmark, is the most popular tourist attraction in China. The Wall has fascinated the minds of many in the world and it is part of the Seven Wonders of the World. The Great Wall is the ultimate tourist destination for sightseeing. People from all over the world visit China to see this exotic architecture because it is one of the most appealing attractions of China. It has its share of fans including those who spread speculations about it being seen from the moon. 

Looking down at the Great Wall from the sky is truly amazing, the Wall resembles a Chinese dragon circling the mountains. There is a common term use by The Chinese call “Wan Li Chang Cheng” which defines as “Wall of 10,000 Li”  (10,000 Li = 5,000 km). There were three main Chinese dynasties that contributed to the construction of the Great Wall: first, the Qin from 221-207 B.C., then the Han from 206 B.C – 220 A.D and the Ming from 1368-1644 A.D. Their common purpose was to stop the “barbaric” Huns in the North from invading the Chinese borders. Millions of people labored on the Great Wall and many died while working.

Chichen Itza

Chichen was founded by the Maya civilization in 400 AD and it is located in the north central, north of Yucatan Peninsula now called Mexico. Chichen has a history that is 1500 years old and is located 75 miles from Merida. It is said to have been the main regional point for different ceremonies. During the earlier days & time, it was governed by priests. Chichen means “At the mouth of the well of Itza”. 

The word Chi stands for ‘mouth’, Chen for ‘well’ and Itza for ‘the Itza tribe’. The main belief is that people were thrown from the top as a sacrifice to make their god happy and the ones who could survive were the ones who were believed to be seers.

Borobudur Temple in Magelang

Borobudur in Indonesia is said to be the greatest Buddhist stupa located in Magelang of Central Java, Indonesia. It was built before 800 A.D. It is known for its decoration, class, exceptional state of conservation. It is one of the world’s most complex building.

The Borobudur stupa is a very big, proportioned, which is two hundred meters in size on a small carved hill. The sculpture represents a solar model of the universe. One can walk through five kilometers of open corridors. Then it leads to a small downhill through six square terrace and there circular ones. The symbol describes the state of nirvana. The stupa is ornamented with 2676 panels and Buddha statues that are 504 in number. This place is not only a shrine but also homage of the Buddha. The visitors start their journey from the base of the temple and move to the third level that is on the top were there are 72 statues of the Buddha and the main monument.

Bora Bora

Bora Bora is an island within the Leeward Islands of the French Polynesia in the Pacific Ocean and is located about 140 miles northwest from Papeete. The island is completely surrounded by a barrier reef and a lagoon, which makes it a vacationing paradise for holiday travelers and tourists. At the island’s center, one can find remnants from a volcano that is now extinct and rises with 2 peaks, Mount Otemanu and Mount Pahia, where the highest point is 2,385 feet high. The original name of Bora Bora was given from the Tahitian language, which is better translated as Pora Pora.

Bora Bora was first sighted in 1722, but then sighted again in 1769 and settled in 1777. Today, tourism is a big part of the island, where many resorts have been constructed on the small island that surrounds the lagoon of the Bora Bora. The first bungalows over the water were built about 30 years ago on stilts by the Hotel Bora Bora. Now the overwater bungalows have become a standard feature for most of the resorts on the island.

Banaue Rice Terraces in Ifugao

The Banaue Rice Terraces of the Philippines have been said to be like the 8th wonder of the world. They were carved from the hillside by the tribes people of Ifugao about 2,000-3,000 years ago. The tribes people did this with their bare hands and crude implements, without using machinery to level the steps where they plant their rice, which is what makes this wonder so attractive, aside from the fact that the rice terraces are still used today.

This is considered to be one of the greatest engineering feats of mankind, because if each one were connected end to end, then they would reach halfway across the globe or be 10 times as long as the Great Wall of China. It was not until only 13 years ago (1995) that the Banaue Rice Terraces were declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

Bali

Bali is an island in Indonesia that is located at the extreme west of Lesser Sunda Islands that are present between Java and Lombok. Where Java is on the west and Lombok is towards the east of Indonesia. Indonesia has over seventeen thousand islands with a population of more than 200 million. Indonesia also has almost 400 volcanoes, out of which 70 are active and the rest are dormant. English is only used for commercial purposes. Most of the people here are Muslims and a minority of the population is Christian, Hindus and Buddhist.

Bali is the most commercial place in the entire Indonesia as it attracts a lot of tourists because it is known for its beautiful rice terraces, temples, arts, dance, painting, leather and music. The first sets of people to inhabit Bali were Austronesia’s in 200 B.C. These had initially migrated from Taiwan. The Bali culture had lots of influence of India i.e. the Hindus and Chinese culture. Bali is said to be a place that is full of fun, enjoyment and is famous for its mysterious past. Tourists from all over the world travel to this part of the city to see it culture, natural beauty, art and paintings.

Bagan Temples & Pagodas

Bagan is a plain that covers an area of about 16 squares miles alongside the Ayeyarwaddy’s east bank. The temples and Pagodas of Bagan that are now decaying were constructed mainly between the 11th and 13th centuries A.D., which was during the time that Bagan was the Myanmar dynasty seat. Local chronicles have carried tradition that says that 55 kings ruled over the Bagan kingdom over twelve centuries.

The Bagan temples are known as “gu” and were inspiration from the Buddhist rock caves. These were big multi-story buildings that the people could enter and were places where people went to worship, with the interior having richly frescoed corridors and sacred images and shrines that would be worshiped. The temples are often massively built oblong or square structures with terraces on the outside to represent Mount Meru, which was a symbolic home for the gods. The Bagan temples would also be surrounded by a wall made to be thick so that it would separate the sacred realm from the world outside.

Angkor Wat Temple

Built from 802 to 1220 AD by the Khmer civilization, the temples at Angkor represent one of the most enduring and astonishing architectural achievements of humankind. The more than 100 stone structures that we see today are the surviving remnants of a grand administrative, religious, and social metropolis. The other buildings (public buildings, palaces, homes, etc.) were actually built from wood and do not exist anymore.

Conventional theories assume that the land where Angkor is located was chosen as the settlement spot due to its strategic position for military purposes, as well as its agricultural potential. However, other scholars think that the location and the arrangement of Angkor was based on planet-spanning sacred land from archaic periods.

The Amazon Rainforest

The Amazon Rainforest, which is also known as the Amazon Jungle, is located in South America and covers the Amazon River basin. The Amazon River is considered to be the largest river as far as discharge is concerned. Most of the forest is in Brazil (60%), Peru (13%) and some other countries like Venezuela, Colombia, French Guiana, Ecuador, Bolivia, Guyana, and Suriname. Amazon Rainforest is the largest and biggest rainforest in the world and makes about half of the planet’s rainforest space. According to historians, the Amazon Jungle was created millions of years ago when the Amazon River changed its flowing direction from the West to East direction.

Amazon Rainforest or Amazonia is also considered a mysterious and powerful place containing a huge variety of animal species which comprise of mammals, fish, birds, reptiles and amphibians. Many medical and pharmaceutical agencies are running projects in the jungle for gaining plant knowledge and doing drug research. 

Abu Simble

Abu Simble are two huge rock temples in south Egypt about 290 km south west of Aswan. This is an archeological site and now registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. They are also called the Nubian Monuments. The history of these temples takes us back to the 13th century when they were carved out of a mountain side. The entire monument was relocated in 1960 on an artificial hill.

The reason the monuments were shifted because they were gradually drowning in the Lake Nasser. This lake was a huge artificial reservoir that was made by the river Nile and Aswan Dam. The Abu Simbel attracts a lot of tourists every year as it is the top most visited spot in Egypt.