Be sure to also see our average daily travel costs for countries in Asia.
There is an unexpected side to Dubai - one that, like an expensive perfume, makes a subtle yet lasting impression. Long after you return home, you remember your trip to Dubai and it’s not the uber modernity or the unnervingly creative architecture that come first to mind. Instead, it’s the small moments and simple things.
The six thousand eight hundred fifty-two islands of the archipelago of Japan sits in East Asia. An extremely wealthy nation, Japan has one of the biggest economies in the world. Japan is a country filled with the old and the new. Rich in history, Japan showcases many temples, museums, gardens, haikus, geishas and kimonos. At the same time it is also a country that is proud of its high rise buildings, unique fashion, anime, high tech gadgets and fast automobiles.
Travel is about the experiences. You see the sights, you meet the people, you embrace the adventures. And you eat the food. Cuisine is a quintessential part of travel, and for some cities, it's one of the highlights. Below we've reviewed some cities known for their unique, and of course, delicious cuisines.
As we walked through the Temple of Heaven park in Beijing, we realized that we had to do what everyone eventually must do: use the toilet. After roaming through the stunningly beautiful temples and immaculate gardens, we realized that it had, well, been awhile since the last time. You know how it goes....
If you are planning a trip to Turkey, or anywhere near Turkey, Cappadocia should definitely be on your list of places to see. Located in the Nevsehir province, this popular tourist destination boasts beautiful geological formations and landscapes, providing the perfect getaway for an adventurous, curious traveler. In addition to breathtaking views, the region of Goreme (smaller town within Nevsehir), also hosts ancient churches, with frescoes dating back to the 9th century. If you have already planned a trip to Istanbul, this could provide you and your traveling companions with a great getaway outside the hustles and bustles of beautiful, but busy Istanbul. I have provided some tips on where to stay in Goreme and how to get there from any major Turkish city.
After a few weeks in China, we've learned a great deal about this amazing country. Here are a few tips for navigating this behemoth of a nation with so much to see and do.
We arrived in China almost two weeks ago. The country has made a good impression so far. This is actually our second trip to China, our first being five years ago to the south (from Hong Kong to the Yunnan). After five years, this behemoth of a country is advancing in leaps and bounds. Economic growth can be witnessed everywhere. At the same time, ancient culture and personal experiences await around every corner. After arriving in Beijing late in the evening, we found our hotel down one of Beijing’s many Hutong alleyways. These microcosms of Chinese culture, where locals live in close proximity to one another and share a tight-knit neighborhood, are slowly being torn apart and replaced with towering skyscrapers. Beijing as a whole is impressive. It’s huge and modern in some parts, but ancient and cultural in others. We visited Beihai park, where crowds perform Tai Chi in unison along the shore of an ancient lake with a modern skyline as a backdrop.
Now that we’re about one week into our trip to China and Mongolia, we’ve ventured beyond Beijing, our first destination. For this two month trip, we’ve packed as lightly as possible. Instead of each of us taking our normal packs (around 80 liters in size) and also carrying additional smaller packs, we’re only carrying one medium sized pack (about 35 liters) and smaller backpacks. Also, one of the smaller bags is a camera/laptop bag.
The Sinai Peninsula of Egypt is truly a fascinating place. During our time in the area, we spent a few days near Mt. Sinai and a few more relaxing on the coast of the Red Sea. First, our journey took us from Cairo on a fairly long bus ride to the town of Katreen, near the base of Mt. Sinai and St. Katherine's Monastery. We slept at a small Bedouin camp and met some other travelers who had hiked to the top of the mountain the night before, starting at 2:00 in the morning. Supposedly this was the best time to hike in order to avoid the heat and also see the sunset from the top of the mountain.
The superpower nation of China is big, not just in land mass, but in population as well. With about 1.4 billion people (that is 4 Chinese for every 1 American), and 12-24 hour train rides between each major city, the country is only recently trying to integrate on the world stage. Even with this recent push, certain traits have not been adapted to the world scale. One of these is the language barrier.