The East Coast Islands

Koh Samui and Koh Phangan are islands on the east side of Thailand which are popular with both vacationers and backpackers. The islands are known for their palm tree lined white sandy beaches, clear turquoise waters and laid back attitudes. On Koh Phangan you’ll find also plenty of bohemian style bars and cafes and of course the world-famous full moon parties. Nearby, the islands of Koh Tao and Koh Nang Yuan are much less touristy due to their more isolated locations and are perfect for those looking for peace and world-class snorkelling and diving.

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Posted in: Asia,Thailand,The East Coast Islands - Thailand

Bagan Temples - Myanmar

Bagan Temples - Myanmar
Bagan, the home of rich artistic temples and cultural heritage, is situated on the banks of river Irrawaddy. The city of Bagan has very close ties with the history of Myanmar. For many centuries, the city has been the control center of the Myanmar. The city has as many as twelve thousand Buddhist temples, stupas, pagodas and monuments. Moreover the city is located on the dry plains with green vegetation, which is ideal for the construction of such historic monuments.
The Bagan has promoted as the cultural capital of the country because of its tremendous and spectacular tradition. The Bagan is well connected with the capital city of Yangon through air, rail and road transports. The hot air balloon ride over the Bagan gives a spectacular view of the traditional Buddhist monuments and is completely safe. Ananda, the prominent Buddhist temple is such a nice place to visit. Ananda has four Buddha statues in each direction indicating the Buddhist philosophy. The monuments look very beautiful and pretty during sunset and sunrise. Some of the majestic monuments found in Bagan are Mahabodhi Temple, Dhammayazika Temple and Nanpaya Temple. The Myazedi inscription, another important historic place, is often referred as the Rosetta Stone of Burma and is carved in four ancient languages.

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Posted in: Asia,Bagan Temples - Myanmar,Myanmar

Orchard Road - Singapore

Orchard Road Singapore

The entertainment and retail hub of Singapore is the Orchard Road. The most famous shopping enclave the Orchard Road is one of the major tourist attractions of Singapore. The surrounding area of the Orchard Road is often commonly known as Orchard, one of the reasons being the MRT station serving the vicinity is known as Orchard. The Orchard Road was once an area of fruit orchards, nutmeg and pepper. Since the 19th century the plantations, gardens and the orchards started to make way for settlement, houses, hawker centers and wet markets. C.K.

Orchard Road SingaporeTang one of the local vendors was the pioneer shop owner in the Orchard Road who opened a department store in the year 1958. By the end of 1960s high end sophisticated buildings like the Plaza Singapura, Tang Plaza and the Mandarin Hotel paved their way for much more retail and entertainment. The famous shopping belt of Singapore, the Orchard Road is now lined with tall steel and glass buildings where once there used to be mud roads. There stand several pedestrian malls, very up market high class restaurants, cafes, coffee chains, nightclubs and pubs, and the road is flanked by numerous five star hotels.

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Posted in: Asia,National Orchid Garden - Singapore,Orchard Road - Singapore

Ho Chi Minh City - Viet Nam

Ho Chi Minh City (Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh; About this sound listen), formerly named Saigon (Sài Gòn; About this sound listen) is the largest city in Vietnam. It was once known as Prey Nokor, an important Khmer sea port prior to annexation by the Vietnamese in the 17th century.

Under the name Saigon, it was the capital of the French colony of Cochin-china and later of the independent republic of South Vietnam from 1955–75. South Vietnam, as an anti-communist republic, fought against the communist North Vietnamese and Viet Cong during the Vietnam War, with aid from the United States of America and countries including Australia, New Zealand and South Korea. Saigon fell when it was captured by the communists on 30 April 1975, bringing an end to the War with its enemy's victory. Vietnam was then turned into a communist state with the South overtaken. On 2 July 1976, Saigon merged with the surrounding Gia Định Province and was officially renamed Ho Chi Minh City after Hồ Chí Minh (although the name Sài Gòn is still commonly used.)

The city center is situated on the banks of the Saigon River, 60 kilometers (37 mi) from the South China Sea and 1,760 kilometers (1,090 mi) south of Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam.

The metropolitan area, which consists of the Ho Chi Minh City metropolitan area, Thủ Dầu Một, Dĩ An, Biên Hòa and surrounding towns, is populated by more than 9,000,000 people, making it the most populous metropolitan area in Vietnam and the countries of the former French Indochina. The Greater Ho Chi Minh City Metropolitan Area, a metropolitan area covering most parts of Đông Nam Bộ plus Tiền Giang and Long An provinces under planning will have an area of 30,000 square kilometers with a population of 20 million inhabitants by 2020. According to the Mercer Human Resource Consulting, Economist Intelligence Unit and ECA International, Ho Chi Minh City is ranked 132 on the list of world's most expensive cities for expatriate employees.

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Posted in: Asia,Ho Chi Minh City - Viet Nam,Viet Nam