http://great-vacation-locations.com/ en-us Nucleus CMS v3.31 � Weblog http://backend.userland.com/rss http://great-vacation-locations.com//nucleus/nucleus2.gif http://great-vacation-locations.com/ http://great-vacation-locations.com/index.php?itemid=11 You’ll find caves to explore, roads to bike on, and best of all, a very, very cool river to tube. Renting a tube and getting a tuk-tuk ride to the cast-off point costs more than a one night stay in a guesthouse, but it is “the thing” to do in Vang Vieng. Other than your $5 for the package, bring a few dollars for beer, and the local liquor will be served to you by the friendly vendors along the river for free. You see, as you coast down the river, you will see wooden structures built for jumping off of rope swings. Vendors who have built these fun areas will pull you in with a long stick, sell you a beer, and let you swing as you wish. Bring your friends, or make some friends along the way. Just don’t start your time on the river past 4 pm, and keep an eye on the clock so that you’re not making your way back to town after dark.

Although no visit to Vang Vieng would be complete without eating pizza and watching “Friends” or “The Simpson’s” at all hours, there are other nice things to do as well. A great organic restaurant is supplied with food stuffs from a local organic farm, and a very decent Indian restaurant sits at the heart of town. If it’s not too hot, rent a bike from one of the sales people downtown. They’ll supply you with a map of the caves in the area. Make sure you take some money with you, as the locals in the outskirts of town have learned that they can make a quick buck off of ferrying foreigners across the river, or acting as a “guide.” Plus, you’ll need to buy some cold beverages as the Laotian sun can be extremely dehydrating. This is all well worth the effort, however, to see how the locals live out in the countryside and get a chance to interact with them a bit, and to enjoy the glorious views. ]]> General http://great-vacation-locations.com/index.php?itemid=11 Thu, 21 Feb 2008 15:11:00 -0500 http://great-vacation-locations.com/index.php?itemid=10
My bus got two flat tires on the way from Vang Vieng to Luang Prabang, but I could also walk down most city streets peacefully, without tuk-tuk drivers careening dangerously to scream “moto” at me, as is common in most Vietnamese cities. As you’ll read in popular guide books, as you move further south in Laos, the people just become more and more relaxed. One day in a small village outside of Pakxe, in Southern Laos, I ordered some simple food so that my friend and I could get back on the road to return our motorbike promptly and avoid and extra fee. However, Laotian people, and especially those in the South, don’t have money making as their highest priority, so when I realized after 10 minutes that none of the staff had moved to make my order, and were even reluctant to take my money for a bag of chips since I didn’t have exact change, I decided we should move on to the next stop. No one seemed to mind.

The beauty of the countryside in Northern Laos is spectacular. The bus rides from Vientiane, the capitol, up to Vang Vieng, from Vang Vieng to Luang Prabang, and from Luang Prabang to the Plain of Jars are all filled with majestic vistas.

]]> General http://great-vacation-locations.com/index.php?itemid=10 Thu, 14 Feb 2008 15:08:00 -0500 http://great-vacation-locations.com/index.php?itemid=9

Outside of Lijiang you can travel to the Tiger Leaping Gorge where you have the choice of hiking into the area, or busing in to the site-seeing vantage point. The hike is well-liked by adventurous guests, but most Chinese tourists prefer taking the bus, as the steps down to the viewing platforms and back offer enough exercise. Either way, this is a terrific area of rapids so forceful you can feel their power half a mile away.

Like I’d previously mentioned, many different ethnic groups span the face of Yunnan province. During your visit to the Tiger Leaping Gorge, you might also get the chance to visit a Tibetan home where a touristy performance of dancing is displayed, but Tibetan dancing is so inclusive that before you know it you’ll be jumping into the dance and forget all about the canned experience. Fifty-six ethnic minority groups can be found in China, with the Han ethnic group making up 92% of the population. However, the remaining 8% are of an approximate 1.3 billion people, so that makes 104 million minority people in China, approximately 1/3 of the U.S. population: a number that is surprising to most. Minorities in China range from the aforementioned Tibetan people, to the pictured Naxi dancers, to the Dai people who inhabit the Southern-most part of Yunnan called Xishuangbanna. The lush vegetation found in the “Banna” region outside of Jinhong is due to the warm, humid climate that is similar to that of the country just a stone’s throw away: Laos.]]> General http://great-vacation-locations.com/index.php?itemid=9 Thu, 7 Feb 2008 15:04:00 -0500 http://great-vacation-locations.com/index.php?itemid=7 Leaving Kunming, you can travel by train to the Stone Forrest. On the train, you’ll get the local experience of people passing the time by eating sunflower seeds and spitting the husks into a bag or onto the floor. Salespeople will pass by with little carts selling instant noodles, soft drinks, and sugarcane. Once you arrive to the Stone Forrest, you’ll find that hiking amongst the rock structures is a nice diversion from city living.

One place that no one should miss on a visit to Yunnan is a visit to Lijiang. Both day and night buses depart Kunming at regular intervals for Lijiang, or you can take a train to Dali and then take a bus from there to Lijiang. Always remember that trains take longer in China than buses, but they tend to be more reliable and timely. If traveling by night, either one will have sleeper options. Upon arrival to Lijiang, make haste to the old town portion of the city, with all its charm. If you haven’t already made reservations you can walk up and down the cobblestone streets that are too small for vehicles to enter. Little guesthouses abound in this area, so you can choose your favorite. While Lijiang tends to be a bit on the expensive side since it is a major Chinese tourist destination, pull out your wallet and partake of the local delicacies. You’ll notice that even the Chinese tourists are pointing at dishes and asking, “What is that? Is it any good?” My advice is just to say “I’ll have what she’s having,” and take the chance at trying something new. Here you’ll see a Tibetan-style dish that combines to make a dough-like substance. It doesn’t taste like much, but it sure is fun to play with!

Yunnan inhabitants aren’t much into eating bugs or dog meat, so the most exotic thing that will probably pass your palate is a bit of browned blood sausage, which is much better than you would expect.]]> General http://great-vacation-locations.com/index.php?itemid=7 Wed, 30 Jan 2008 15:00:00 -0500 http://great-vacation-locations.com/index.php?itemid=6

Just south of Jiuzhaigou is the county of Songpan, a mountainous region that boasts a growing tourist economy. Horseback riding into the outlying areas might take you to Ice Mountain, where you can hike a bit to a clear lake not unlike those at Jiuzhaigou, and on the way back you might run into Tibetan children playing outside. Often in the Songpan area, you will see Tibetan prayer wheels, large metal scroll-like columns that spin to say a prayer. Watch the locals spin the wheel because you should go around the prayer wheels clock-wise and spin clock-wise as well. I’m not sure if it’s bad luck to spin them counter clock-wise, or if it’s just not the custom, but you will be quickly corrected if performing the prayers improperly. Traveling furthur south you can visit Mount Emei, or Emei Shan Scenic Area, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996. This area includes Leshan Giant Buddha, which is visible by walking on the mountain in which it is carved, and by boat to see the Buddha at a farther distance as to see it in its entirety. Carved into a hill-side that faces Mount Emei in 713 AD, the giant statue is a major tourist destination in Sichuan, but is in danger of destruction from pollution, and is already tainted with large black marks from said pollution.

To make it to the top of Mount Emei, you should be in fit condition. Especially to fight off the monkeys! Monkeys that have been fed over the years on the path up to the top have grown accustomed to humans with handouts, and absolutely insist that you hand over what plunders they can find. Expect the monkeys to pull bags out of your hands, especially if they smell food in them, and be careful with your camera because they might just take it to the top of the tallest tree and drop it off. Who said monkeys don’t have a sense of humor?

After fighting off the monkeys, you can choose whether to take the gondola to the top, or make a real hike of it. I chose the gondola, and did not feel at all guilty about it. Once at the top, you’ll find that the view is like being on top of the world, because the clouds are below you. If you have time, you can stay at the hotel at the top of the mountain, but be sure to bring your food with you because the one restaurant at the top is the only option. The benefit to staying at the top, however, is waking up early in the morning to see the sunrise above the clouds. On a clear day, this view is spectacular, but on a foggy day it can be disaapointing. The temple along the way make for a day’s worth of entertainment, but in any case bring a good book or a good friend to pass the time at the top of Mount Emei.]]> General http://great-vacation-locations.com/index.php?itemid=6 Thu, 24 Jan 2008 14:54:00 -0500 http://great-vacation-locations.com/index.php?itemid=5

Moving out of the restaurant (if you can move by this point) and into the land, you can find a vast beauty in the landscape of Sichuan. One place that Chinese and foreign tourists alike enjoy is called Jiǔzhàigōu, and was inscripted as a UNESCO world heritage site in 1992. The transparent blue and green pools come from glacial waters with a high concentration of calcium carbonate. The bottom of the pools are transparent at even very high water levels, and trees and stones within these pools can be seen with the naked eye with little or no distortion.
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Multiple instances of so-called “thievery” have been reported when bike renters have locked the bike with others and only one goes missing. Laos has a very warm climate, so if you decide to bike, take water and go early in the morning to avoid the mid-day sun. Of course, bring your bathing suit with you because the cool pools of water are a lot of fun to relax in, and the park is developed enough so that even changing stalls sit nearby. The hiking trail reaches almost to the top of the waterfall, and the falls create different pools at each level. Near the bottom the pool has a big tree sitting next to it, and the locals and tourists alike enjoy swinging on the rope swing and landing in the water. Farther up, one pool is very shallow, so that you can walk into the fall, and climb into a cave behind it.

A small nature preserve is also included in your admission into the park. The main animal on display is a tiger who has gone a bit loopy from being caged-in. However, I’ve never had the chance to be quite so close to a tiger, since in the U.S. we’re kept at a distance from the animals, perhaps more for the tiger’s sake than our own. Across from the tiger are some bears. Clearly, these animals are not the main attraction, but they are a quick diversion as you enjoy your hike.

As far as what to bring on this excursion, I would say bring a lunch along if you like, but food vendors are just outside of the park selling all kinds of foods at slightly inflated prices. I would leave the credit card and diamonds in the safe or room at the hotel and just bring a bit of cash for the driver, national park ticket entrance, and lunch, not that safety is such an issue, but so that you can leave your bag onshore and just relax, enjoying the views and languishing in the water.
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What do I love most about strolling the streets of the capitol, Ürümqi? #1. Fatty Lamb Kebobs with spices brushed on, #2. Pulled noodles made fresh with tomato-based spiced sauce, #3. Fried rice with raisins, #4. Homemade vanilla icecream, and last, but not least, #5. The friendly faces of the locals.

The people throughout the entire province of Xinjiang tend to be extremely friendly. While many theories have taken shape, I believe that the reason Xinjiang people are so welcoming of foreign faces and different cultures is because many the majority are strangers in the land as well. From early traverses of the Silk Road, to recent migrations from more populous areas to take advantage of government subsidies, the people traveling through Xinjiang have put their best foot forward to encourage market exchange, while retaining their own culture.

Travel outside of the capitol is rewarded with beautiful vistas, including clear lakes, and culturally-driven surprises like the opportunity to stay in a yurt with country-dwellers. All over Xinjiang, teachers teach Mandarin Chinese in classrooms, but in the home and on the street other languages flourish. Speaking some Mandarin will smooth your way throughout China, and natives appreciate your attempts, even though the tonal aspect of the language often impairs understanding. For example, remember that "to buy" is mai with a rising tone, and "to sell" is mai with a falling tone, so while you may think that you're articulating the word perfectly, what you vocalize may be as close as "fog" and "frog" in English. Be patient, and keep trying.
]]> General http://great-vacation-locations.com/index.php?itemid=3 Thu, 6 Dec 2007 10:34:36 -0500 http://great-vacation-locations.com/index.php?itemid=2 Choose from two sites: one that has been restored to what is believed to be like the glory-days of the wall, or two, one that has disintegrated naturally. The un-restored wall has fewer visitors, and is a less-touristy and more natural destination, but the site lies farther away from Beijing and requires more travel time. If you go to either site in the summer, choose to go in the morning as the Great Wall is uncovered and the walk can become incredibly warm.

2. The Forbidden City/Tiananmen Square
Read before you go, and take a guide with you. The Forbidden City is located in the heart of Beijing, so you won’t need to allow for travel time, but you will need plenty of time to explore, ask questions, and imagine a time of emperors, eunuchs, and concubines. As you exit the Forbidden City, you can turn around and see the famous portrait of Chairman Mao, who gazes onto Tiananmen Square. Tiananmen Square itself does not contain a museum or point of interest, but is an easy stop along the way.
3. The Terracotta Warriors of Xian
Xian is pronounced “Shee Ann,” and no one will know what you’re talking about if you say “Zai An.” These clay soldiers have drawn many tourists in recent years, once a farmer uncovered them and announced his discovery. People are drawn by the sheer number of clay warriors that were made to avoid burying real warriors, so that the emperor could have his army with him in the after-life. Each figure is life-size and unique.
4. The Yangtze River/Three Gorges/Three Gorges Dam Site Project
The Yangtze River runs from the melt-off of the Himalayas and empties into the sea at Shanghai. The river has carved a fantastic pathway through China, and is used for transportation by all those living along the river who have little or no access to roads. Since the main wall of the Three Gorges Dam Site Project (the largest hydroelectric project in the world) was completed in 2006, the water level has risen gradually. The people who made this fertile land their home and farm for orange trees, corn, and other crops have had to move either farther up the steep hills, or to other cities because their homes would now be underwater. To see the Qutang Gorge, Wu Gorge, Xiling Gorge, and pass through the 5-lock system, travel by boat is the best choice. A myriad of tourist boats of every caliber make this trip from Chongqing to Yichang and back again, and make a peaceful 3 or 4 day voyage out of the 400 mile trip.

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