Situated in the very heart of Beijing is one of China’s largest and best preserved complex of ancient buildings – The Forbidden City. It is appropriately named so, because for 500 long years it was off limits to commoners. The Forbidden city (considered an otherworldly palace) was a reclusive home to two dynasties of imperial rule until the Republic demoted the last Emperor of China from the Qing Dynasty, Pui Yi, in 1912.
Under Emperor YongLe’s reign, the construction of the Forbidden City began in 1406. The construction took about 14 years to complete and it is estimated that roughly 1 million workers and 100,000 artisans were involved in its construction.
The Forbidden city was constructed in accordance with ancient rules of spatial design. There were rules which specified that the main buildings should be aligned along a straight axis from the South to the North, flanked by symmetrical arrangement of minor structures on parallel axes. Most of the buildings inside the Forbidden City face south because the North was generally associated with evil because most invasions of China had originated from over there.

—-

If you want to know more about the culture of China, I think visiting this place is a great way to start.

Tips+ interesting facts:

- Wear comfortable walking shoes (no high heels!) because the palace is 960m long aand 750m wide. It has 9999 rooms in total. You will be very exhausted at the end of the trip.
- The well guarded palace is surrounded by a moat. Any Intruders or uninvited guests will be instantly executed. Don’t worry, nowadays 40RMB will suffice for entry.
- Walk through the wide open courtyards along its central axis.
-The side offers some museum exhibits. You’ll get to see some very cool ancient artefacts from the Ming and Qing Dynasty.

- Average time for this activity is 1.5h
- The Forbidden City opens from 8:30am – 5:00pm. Last admission is at 4:00pm.
- Look out for some fancy little ceramic guardians perched on the rooftops of the buildings. They’re easy to spot, but you could easily miss them. (related to chinese mythology, if you’re interested in that)
-There are audio tours available in english and chinese.
-Restaurants, toilets and a police station can be found within the palace grounds.
-Wheelchairs and strollers are free to use but you may need to pay a deposit.
- The Clock Exhibition Hall is one of the highlights of the Forbidden City – make sure to check it out! The exhibition contains a fascinating array of elaborate timepieces which were given as gifts to the Qing emperors from overseas.

Roof top “Guardians”

The place which brings you back your childhood.

The Teddy Bear Museum is amazing ; it showcases an impressive variety of teddy bears. The gallery is grouped into 3 main sections – the History Hall, the Art Hall and the Project Exhibition Hall. In the History Hall, you can witness the 100-year history of teddy bears including famous scenes, popular teddy bears in different eras, and even antique teddy bears. If you’re an artist , then the Mona Lisa teddy bear and the teddy bears reenacting ”the last supper” scene will especially catch your attention. The Art Hall showcases the latest artworks of several world-famous designers. A section not to be missed is the world’s smallest teddy bear at the size of 4.5mm. (You might need to get a magnifying glass for this one). In the project exhibition hall, there will be teddy bears grouped to suit the theme of each exhibition.

After walking through this museum and having fun, you can settle down at the museum cafe or bar, while appreciating the beautiful landscape of the Jeju Island or the gigantic teddy bear sculptures.

Information:

This is the official page for the museum.

Spread over an area of 100 sq. km, The Kilim Nature Park features a beautiful mix of well-protected green mangrove forests, isolated white beaches and blue lagoons. Along the trail, passing through calm winding river, you will be exposed to the wonders of the park’s marine ecosystem, flora and fauna and its natural habitats. This place is heaven for those who enjoy adventure, but at the same time want to admire nature at its best.

At the Kilim Nature Park, you will be able to see all types of fascinating geological wonders, ranging from the the overhanging “Bogak Tree”, Tree crabs, Iguanas, and Macaques. In addition, Kilim River is also a great place for some bird-watching during the migratory seasons in September and March.

The best way to explore this amazing park is to take a local tour. You would be picked up from your hotel and taken to the Sungai Kilim mangrove reserve, where you would rent a boat a long with a tour guide.

Attractions:

Along with the amazing view, visitors will be able to visit the Gua Kelawar or Bat Cave. In order to get there, you’ll have to disembark from the boat and walk a short distance to the cave entrance. Gua Kelawar consists of two caves, a smaller western cave with a low roof extending northeast by southwest, and a larger one further in. The second cave has a 10m high roof, and contains both fruit and insectivorous bats. Don’t worry, the bats won’t attack you, because they’re probably all sleeping. A wooden platform runs right through the cave, which allows the visitor an easy and safe access. The tour guides will usually have a flashlight of some sort with them, which will reveal the cave’s breathtaking stalactites and stalagmites.

As the boat ventures out towards the open sea, there will be various types of widlife indigenous to the area such as the white belly sea eagles, brahminy kites, kingfishers, monitor lizards, small clawed otters and on very rare occasions, even dolphins!

The Eagle feeding area is about 3.2km away from Kilim River Jetty. At this point, the boatman will take out a package of raw chicken, consisting of intestine, meat and skins. Eagles have impressive eyesights. They will be able to spot an object from about 2-3km. Roughly 50-60 eagles will then appear the tour guide tosses the scraps of chicken meat for them to take.

At the end of the tour, you will arrive at the Fish Farm. This place will provide an insight into Langkawi’s rich aquatic life. The Farm adopts a very hands-on approach; you will be able to feed a variety of fish. Lunch/Dinner is also available here.

Sources:

http://go2travelmalaysia.com/tour_malaysia/lkw_egl_fdg.htm

At present, the company owns 55 beer factories and malt factories in over 18 cities and provinces in China.

The Qindao Beer Museum is situated at No. 56 Dengzhou Road and has become the pride of local people.

The Museum is a two-storey red building, and is one of the few typical Gothic constructions within the city. In the museum, there are old photographs which showcase the samples of Qingdao beer from different eras. There are also four huge copper brewing vessels that were manufactured in Germany and were in use until their decommissioning in 1995.

Historical artifacts donated by the descendants of both German and Japanese staff can also be seen in this museum.

The first floor of this multi-functional space can accommodate up to 100 visitors, providing both wine-tasting and shopping opportunities. Visitors an also sample the various freshly brewed beers and buy a great variety of souvenirs.

WHERE: Harbin, Heilongjiang, China

The City of Harbin (The capital of Heilongjiang province of China) makes the most of its freezing winters with the incredible Harbin Ice Lantern Festival. The city is located in N.E China near Siberia, which is why during winter, the average temperature can drop between -16.8 to -38.1 Celsius degree.

Every year from January to February, Huge blocks of ice are carved in sculptures and buildings to create a glittering Ice and Snow World. As night falls, these gigantic sculptures are illuminated up in a spectrum of colors.

Ice lanterns were a winter-time tradition in N.E China during the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911). The local peasants and fishermen would often create ice lanterns to help them see during the winter months. To make them, water were poured into a bucket, and when it froze, they chiseled a hole to create a hollow vessel. That way, candles can be placed and lit inside them without blowing out. Over the years, the ice lanterns began to develop into more elaborate constructions.

—

Information to the three main attractions associated with the festival.

Sun Island Park (Snow Sculpture Art Exposition)
- Admission Fee: 240RMB

Ice and Snow World
-Admission Fee: 150RMB

Zhaolin Park (Ice Lantern Garden Party)
-Admission Fee: 200 RMB

1. Old Changi Hospital – Singapore

Considered the most haunted spot in Asia, this was once a military hospital. The morgue is particularly a hot spot for ghost sightings (most of time the apparitions are headless). Recently, plans have been drawn out to convert the area into a spa resort…I probably wouldn’t go, even if someone paid me.

2. Lipe Island – Thailand

Lipe Island is inhabited by the Chao-Le, an ethnic group, nicknamed the “Gypsies of the Sea”. They believe that their island is full of rowdy spirits and tourists who visit this island claim that they can feel the presence of invisible forces during their stay. Residents are apparently able to appease these spirits with offerings of cupcakes and cold strawberry softdrinks.

3. Tao Dan Public Park – Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

This park is said to be haunted by the ghost of a young man who is looking for his lover. Years ago, a couple was attacked in the area. The man was killed.

4. Victoria Institution, KL, Malaysia (A School)

- This place used to be a torture chamber for captured soldiers and civilians by the Japanese during WWII. Apparitions are occasionally sighted during both day and night. Violent possessions among the students have been recorded.

5. Manila Film Center – Pasay City, Phillipines.

Back in the 80s, this building was rushed into construction in order to meet the deadline for a film festival. An accident occured which claimed the lives of several construction workers. The contractors had concrete poured over their remains in order to stick to the schedule. Today, strange voices are heard throughout the film center. Attempts to appease the spirits have yet succeeded.

6. Yu Shan Fan Dian – Chengde, China

The ghost of a woman wearing an empress outfit from the ancient times (speculated to be the Dowager Empress Cixi) was reportedly sighted by guests tending to her former gardens.

7. Tuen Mun Road – Hong Kong (This kind of freaks me out, because I live in Tuen Mun.)

This road is known for a high death toll that is attributed to ghosts who wander about the area. Apparently they pop out of nowhere, causing numerous accidents.

8. Mount Everest

The ghost of climber Andrew Irvine, who died in his attempt to reach the top back in 1924 appears in the tents of other climbers, giving them confidence in their ascent.

9. Bhangarh Fort – Rajasthan, India

This fort is claimed to be the most haunted place in India. Legend has it that tantrik placed a curse on the area with death without rebirth. Regardless of whether this is true or not, authorities have banned everyone from staying inside this fort after sunset.

…

Do you have what it takes to explore these haunted place? If you’re a thrill-seeking tourist, try and test your bravado with these spectral sites. Just make sure nothing follows you home from your trip.

More horrible places can be found here: http://blog.ningin.com/2009/10/30/ningin-halloween-special-travel-guide-to-scary-asia/

Located in the national forest park of Beidaihe seashore, the zoo covers an area of more than 500mu. It is a national 4-A scenic area, and about 5000 animals of 100 species reside in it. Unlike other zoos, the animals are not confined into a small cage for viewers to see, instead they are set free to roam around the hills, foerest and green land. The park is divided into 20 exhibition zones such as walking sightseeing zone, lion zone, tiger zone, white tiger zone, bear zone, jaguar zone, lion zone, Africa zone, monkey zone, kangaroo zone and peacock zone and so on.

Most of the people drive in order to get around the zoo.
On one of the sites, I found this hilarious quote – “In the past people saw animals in cages, but now animals see people in cars.” It is quite fitting to this experience. Of course, you are dealing with wild animals here, so it’s best that you don’t actually get out of the car.
I really love this zoo, I’ve been to it twice – the animals seem to be quite content too.
If animals and zoo aren’t your thing, don’t worry because QHD has plenty of other attractions – you can visit the large scaled sand sculpture exhibition, take sailing lessons, go to the underwater world or just relax at the beach and have a fantastic seafood dinner.

*NOTE: Qinghuangdao is approximately a 3h drive from Beijing. (The train is another available option)

Here are some of the photos I took during my stay there.

When you travel abroad, the odds are you will have a safe and incident-free trip. Travelers can, however, become victims of crime and violence, or experience unexpected difficulties…

 

Here are some tips to help you avoid serious difficulties during your time abroad.

BEFORE YOU GO

• “Safety begins when you pack” – to avoid becoming a target, do not dress in a way that could mark you as an affluent tourist.  
• Travel LIGHT, this way you can move quickly and will be more likely to have a free hand. Also, you will be less tired and less likely to set your luggage aside leaving it unattended.
• Carry the absolute minimum number of valuables. Make sure to conceal them. (Honestly, the only valuable items you need are your passport, identity card and money.) The best place to put them are inside the safe in your hotel room.
• If you are bringing a lot of cash outside, don’t store them in a backpack or your pocket where thieves can easily have access to. Instead, use a shoulder bag with the strap across your chest.
• Pack any medications you may need, and some simple first aid items like bandages. Make sure to pack an extra pair of glasses if you own a pair. To avoid any problems when passing through customs, keep medicines in their original, labeled containers.
• Pack an extra set of passport photos along with a photocopy of your passport’s information page.
• Put your name, address and telephone numbers inside and outside of each piece of luggage. Use covered luggage tags to avoid casual observation of your identity.
• LOCK your luggage.

What to Leave Behind

• Don’t bring anything you would hate to lose. Leave them at home.
• Your usual cards in your wallet (library card, social security card…). I suggest to bring a different wallet altogether.
• A copy of your itinerary with family or friends at home in case they need to contact you in an emergency.

What not to leave behind

• Your pets  unattended at home. (Just kidding about this section….but no, seriously, give it to a family member or a friend to take care of it if you own one.) 

Things to Arrange Before You Go

• Your Itinerary – plan to stay in larger hotels that have more elaborate security. Safety experts recommend booking a room from the second to seventh floors above ground level. This way, it will be high enough for easy entry from uninvited guests outside, but at the same time, low enough for fire equipment to reach. 
• Legal Documents – Have your affairs in order at home.
• Register your Travel.
• Credit – make a note of the credit limit on each card that you bring, and avoid charging over that limit while traveling.
• Insurance

Precautions to Take While Traveling

• Safety on the Street – Be cautious or avoid areas where you may be easily victimized. These include crowded places. 
• Don’t try to use shortcuts, narrow alleys or poorly lit streets.
• Try not to travel alone at night.
• Avoid public demonstrations and other civil disturbances.
• Keep a low profile and avoid loud conversations or arguments.
• Do not discuss travel plans or personal matters with strangers.
• Avoid scam artists or people who approach you and try to sell you something at bargain prices.
• Beware of pickpockets – Sometimes they work in teams.
• If you are lost, try to ask directions from individuals in authority.
• Learning a few phrases in the local language can’t hurt. Have them handy in written form so that you can signal your need for police or medical help.
• Make a note of emergency telephone numbers you may need: police, fire, hotel.
• Don’t fight back when you are confronted. Give up your valuables.

Safety in your Hotel

• Keep your hotel door locked at all times. Meet visitors in the lobby. 
  
• If you are out late, let someone know when you expect to return.
• If you are alone, do not get into an elevator if there is a suspicious looking person inside.
• Read the fire safety instructions in your hotel room.

Other general tips

• Familiarize yourself with legal expectations in the countries you will visit. 
• Take taxis clearly identified with official markings. Beware of unmarked cabs.
• Do not accept food or drinks from strangers. Criminals have been known to drug and offer them to people.

I hope you found this useful – because I certainly did. If you want to read this in detail, visit this site.

Langkawi is an archipelago made up of 99 islands on Malaysia’s west coast. Surrounded by turquoise sea, the interior of the main island is a mixture of picturesque paddy fields and jungle-clad hills. If you’re intent on carting off duty-free alcohol, cigarettes and chocolate, then this is the place to be. Still, Nature-lovers will find the island just as agreeable as the shoreline is fringed by powder-fine sand and swaying coconut trees.

The island is especially recognised for its excellent diving opportunities and this tropical gem hides a treasure trove of other exciting holiday opportunities. From the expansive Underwater World Langkawi along Pantai Cenang to the soaring Cable Car in Pantai Kok, Langkawi is an electrifying locale that keeps visitors coming back for more.

1. Ride the Cable Car inPantai Kok  and enjoy the lush surrounding mountainside greenery. You can purchase tickets at the Oriental Village, a charming pseudo-French old-style Chinese town.

2. Visit one of the largest and most popular mosque in Langkawi, the Al-Hana Mosque. Erected in 1959, it incorporates Islamic motifs from Uzbekistan into its Malay-style architecture and follows conventional mosque design.

3. Visit The Eagle Square or Dataran Lang ,  one of Langkawi’s best known manmade attractions. There is a 12m tall monument of a sea eagle preparing for flight standing beside the Kuah Jetty, greeting arriving visitors to Langkawi. This attraction is surrounded by landscaped ponds, terraces and bridges. Best not to visit in the afternoon in order to avoid the heat!

4. Take a glimpse and gain insight into some of Malaysia’s political accomplishments in the Galleria Perdana. This museum houses a variety of gifts offered to former Prime Minister Tun Dr. Mahatir. It is worth to note that there is an outdoor greenhouse which features a collection of plants from various regions around the world.

5. Love nature? Go to the Lagenda Langkawi Dalam Taman, a 50-hectare folklore themed park which is basically a beautiful landscaped garden. This is a popular spot for joggers.

6. Love animals? Visit the Langkawi Bird Paradise and Wildlife Park. It is home to a tropical garden brimming with over 150 species of exotic birds, including toucans, hornbills and flamingos. A must-go attraction, in my honest opinion!

7. Learn about the Malay princess who has been unjustly accused of adultery and was sentenced to death at Mahsuri’s Tomb, located in Padang Matsirat. The attraction is also home to a theater where musical performances take place now and then.

8. (This activity here is one of my personal favourites) Visit the Sungai Kilim Nature Park. If you are interested in an eco-tour, this one is absolutely fantastic. More can be read here.

9. Voted in 1996-1997 to be the best manmade tourist attraction in Malaysia is the Underwater World. This attraction is a complex that has 100 specifically designed tanks and over 500 species of animals and sea creatures and is divided into 3 sections – the Tropical Rainforest, Temperate and Sub-Antartic section.

10. At the end of the trip, you’re probably really exhausted, so if you want to do something relaxing, try out the Sunset Dinner Cruise. Simply, kick back, relax, enjoy the beautiful scenery. (Open bar and BBQ dinner)

Source: Langkawi information.

This seems like a hilarious idea, but I don’t think I can pull this off …

1. my parents would probably never let me out of my room for the rest of my life… &

2. I would probably fall off the cliff.