Travelrific® Travel Journal
Picture postcards in prose.™ Check out the blogroll on the front page for official merchandise and other resources!Archive for asia
The World’s Highest Monastery
By Linda Tancs
Tibet’s Rongbuk monastery is the highest monastery in the world, located just miles from Mount Everest’s base camp. As you would expect, it’s the perfect locale to see eye to eye, as it were, with one of the highest mountains on earth. Along with its colorful flags and golden stupas you’ll find an observation deck there to take stunning photos. April, May, September and October are great months for a visit.
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It Flows in Takachiho
By Linda Tancs
In Takachiho, Japan, one might say you go with the flow. After all, it’s famous for Takachiho Gorge, formed from lava from Mount Aso that over time eroded to create towering cliffs of volcanic basalt columns complemented by plunging waterfalls. But it’s also considered the birthplace of nagashi-somen, a noodle rite involving catching ice-cold somen noodles with chopsticks as they float down a chute. Be grateful for the colander catching errant noodles at the end. A summertime tradition in most of the country, it’s practiced all the way to the end of November in Takachiho.
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China’s Water City
By Linda Tancs
Some might say China invented canal culture, boasting the longest man-made waterway in the world, the Grand Canal. Stretching over 1,100 miles from the city of Beijing to the city of Hangzhou, the UNESCO World Heritage Site was built over 1,300 years ago to supply agricultural products to major cities like Beijing. Liaocheng was a key commercial port along the route, one reason why it’s known as the “water city.” Not surprisingly, its prominent association with this famous canal is highlighted at its Canal Museum. The city is also dotted with lakes, the centerpiece being Dongchang Lake. The museum is located within its scenic district. Liaocheng is about four hours away by train from Beijing.
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Canal Adventures in Bangkok
By Linda Tancs
Chao Phraya River, Bangkok’s aquatic roadway, provides a leisurely and scenic alternative to touring Thailand’s capital city. A day-long teak boat tour provides an English-speaking guide along a visit to the temples, markets, an orchid nursery and even an artists’ colony dating back hundreds of years. A Thai lunch is included. Wear appropriate clothing for temple visits.
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A Cliffhanger in China
By Linda Tancs
Nestled in the cliffs of the Taihang Mountains, the Chinese village of Guo Liang Cun would be cut off from the rest of the world were it not for Guoliang Tunnel. One of the world’s steepest and most dangerous roads, it was chiseled into the side of the mountain by local villagers without aid of electric equipment or large machinery. Needless to say, it took years to complete back in the 70s. Enjoy the thrill ride in Henan Province, with more than 30 “windows” providing spectacular vistas.
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World’s End in Sri Lanka
By Linda Tancs
The Horton Plains are located on Sri Lanka’s highest plateau, providing the most extensive area of cloud forest still extant in the country. Designated a wildlife sanctuary in 1969, it became a national park in 1988. The biodiverse environment includes over 50 species of flora, more than 20 species of mammal and nearly 90 species of birds. Visitors ply the six-mile loop for enviable views, including features like the famous World’s End, a thrilling escarpment boasting a 3,700 foot sheer drop that offers fabulous views of the tea estates below. Best time for a visit is in the morning on a weekday. The whole country also basks in sunshine this time of year.
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The Bamboo Bridge
By Linda Tancs
Located three hours from Cambodia’s capital, Kampong Cham is arguably an overlooked city along the Mekong River. A bit understated with some French colonial architecture, one of its greatest charms is its bamboo bridge to Koh Pen. As you might suspect, it needs to be rebuilt after each rainy season, so its appearance is only seasonal. In the past, it did accommodate vehicles (bamboo does, after all, possess tremendous tensile strength), but that ceased when the new concrete and steel bridge was built downstream. Now it’s used by pedestrians and bicyclists. Let’s hope there’s enough foot traffic to keep the quaint bridge going.
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Eye Kandy
By Linda Tancs
Kandy is the second largest city in Sri Lanka, so famed for its sacred Buddhist sites that the entire metropolis is designated a Sacred City by UNESCO. The highlight is the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic, housing a tooth of Buddha. From that hub springs a feast for the eyes, like man-made Kandy Lake and its breathtaking views from the walking and jogging paths. Also nearby are the Royal Palace, home to the monarch of the Kingdom of Kandy until the early 1800s, Udawattakele Forest Reserve and the famous orchid collection at Royal Botanical Gardens.
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Vietnam’s Premier Nature Reserve
By Linda Tancs
Established in 1962, Cuc Phuong is the oldest national park in Vietnam and is its premier nature reserve. Located on two limestone mountain ranges about 75 miles southwest of Hanoi, its rich ecosystem includes a fossilized sea reptile hundreds of millions of years old. Here you’ll also find over 2,234 vascular and non-vascular plants, 122 species of reptiles and amphibians and 135 species of mammals, such as the critically endangered primate Delacour’s langur. Trekking is a popular activity, and popular trails will lead you to several ancient trees, caves and villages of the minority Muong people.
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The Roof of Indochina
By Linda Tancs
A trekkers’ paradise, Sapa is a small, Vietnamese mountain town close to the Chinese border abounding in iconic rice paddies. It’s where you’ll find the nation’s largest mountain peak, Fansipan. At over 10,000 feet, it’s commonly referred to as the “roof of Indochina.” It’s easier than ever to reach the “roof” thanks to the cable car, but intrepid trekkers might enjoy the multiday tours from Hanoi anyway.
