Wolfgang Jaegel asked:


Pattaya is a beautiful sea-side resort destination, situated along a breathtaking bay on the East Coast of the Gulf of Thailand, in eastern Thailand. Located about 140 km east of Bangkok, Pattaya was once a fishing village, which has been now transformed into one of the most sought after vacation spots in Southeast Asia, providing an incomparable variety of attractions and activities, ranging from sightseeing to recreational and fun. In short, Pattaya is truly a paradise that caters to every type of tourist.

Pattaya’s prime attraction is undoubtedly its fantastic beaches. Most significant among the beaches is North Pattaya Beach, which starts from the Dolphin roundabout. Another popular beach is Middle Pattaya Beach, acknowledged as the ‘beach of fun.’ The beach area is dotted with an array of shopping malls, boutiques, and bars and restaurants. Located next to the Middle Pattaya Beach is another great beach, namely, South Pattaya Beach, with a range of exciting night clubs and discotheques.

Other popular beaches in the area are Jomtien Beach, Wong Beach, and Koh Lan beaches, located about seven kilometers off the Pattaya shore. Each of the Pattaya’s beaches is clean and safe, and provides a great atmosphere to relax and unwind.

However, Pattaya’s attractions are not just confined to its beautiful serene beaches, but beyond that. Spread across 40 acres of lush green area is Million Years Stone Park and Crocodile Farm, a zoo with a variety of crocodiles. In addition, it has such attractions as 200-year-old bonsai trees and several gigantic stones. Also, an interesting attraction in the island is Pattaya Bottle Museum, exhibiting ships in bottles as well as other strange items. In addition, theme parks are aplenty in Pattaya, such as, the Pattaya Water Park Beach Resort.

Other fantastic attractions in Pattaya are Khao Pattaya, a small hill located south of the Pattaya Beach; Ko Khrok, an islet surrounded by amazing rock formations; Ko Sak, a small island that takes after a an upturned horse-shoe; Mini Siam, which boasts of magnificent replicas of incredible architectural works such as the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, Democracy Monument, and the Statue of Liberty; and Panarak Park with superb fishing facilities.

As it is home to an incredible variety of beaches, Pattaya offers superb options to enjoy a range of such activities as sand castle building, beach tennis, kayaking, parasailing, water skiing, and snorkeling. With three international standard bowling alleys, Pattaya offers great option to enjoy bowling. A visit to Pattaya would be incomplete without taking a tour to the Pattaya Elephant Village, featuring daily life of elephants as well as their masters, apart from providing opportunities to a range of activities such as elephant riding and hand feeding elephants.

For horse riding enthusiasts, a school operates here with more than 30 horses as well as an indoor stadium. Similarly, if you are a golf freak, then head to any of the four golf courses in the area with international standards.

For those who want to explore the sheer beauty of the island, then one of the best ways is to take a pony trek along the beautiful hills and forested areas of the region. If you are looking something unique during your stay at Pattaya, then suitable options are available to you in the form of paintball competitions. Likewise, if want to have something interesting, then head to any of the boxing camp or professional training camp in order to spectacle amazing Thai boxing.

Above all, Pattaya offers a range of activities for kids, including bungee jumping, go-karting, and fishing.

Nightlife - With a variety of nightclubs, karaoke, and bars and restaurants coupled with live music and dance performances, discos, cabarets, Pattaya’s nightlife is truly vibrant.

Gastronomy - From spicy, traditional Thai dishes to Chinese, Thai, Italian, Indian and French cuisine - the restaurants and eateries in Pattaya caters to every type of dining. Also, worth mentioning are the sea food specialties available in restaurants, located along the South Pattaya and Jomtien beaches.

Accommodation - The growing number of vacationers in the region has led to a significant increase in the number of Pattaya hotels. You can choose from a range of hotels, ranging from budget accommodation to luxury ones. Majority of the hotels and resorts are placed along the beautiful beaches of Pattaya.



Arts and Entertainment Singapore

Naveen Marasinghe asked:


This prominent shopping area in Singapore is today frequented by a large number of tourists who come for its shopping offerings. Its origins are a far cry from what can be found today, and involved a fair amount of shady dealings especially involving the passing sailors visiting the country.

With a wealth of stores as well as dining and entertainment options being housed here, Bugis Village has come to be known as a Shopper paradise. Everything from air conditioned malls to street hawkers can be found here. Its popularity is further symbolized by the fact that millions of shoppers visit the retail outlets that are housed on this prominent shopping street.

The area also features sheltered walkways that are useful for avoiding the outside temperatures. There are also a large number of cafes and food stalls located throughout the vicinity that are perfect for shoppers who wish to take a break.

The area houses an impressive 600 stalls that is sure to deliver whatever you are seeking. The atmosphere at this shopping destination is quite unlike any other due to the area’s extremely important nature. There are several important tourist destinations that are located in the nearby area that results in a lot of commotion being added to the already bustling market activity.

Despite this one of the main attractions is the night market that provides an excellent shopping opportunity. The night market offers the chance to pick up cheap CD’s cassettes and watches.

With so many shopping opportunities visitors to the city of Singapore should definitely not miss the opportunity to visit all the stores that are on offer here.

Parkroyal on Beach Road Singapore offers Singapore hotel accommodation that is not only located close to this destination but also offers a range of amenities and facilities that ensure for a comfortable stay in the city.



Singapore Tourist Attractions

Wolfgang Jaegel asked:


Tanjung Benoa, otherwise known as Benoa Peninsula, is one of the most prominent attractions in Indonesia, situated on the Bali’s south-eastern coast. Once a small typical fishing village, the destination has now been transformed into one of the most sought after beach resorts in Indonesia. Located to the north of Nusa Dua, Tanjung Benoa is a picturesque five kilometer long peninsula, boasting of a breathtaking landscape consisting of gorgeous white sandy beach, majestic mountains, and incredible coconut plantations.

Further, Tanjung Benoa is only minutes away from some of the most tourist spots in Bali. For instance, it is just 15 minutes drive away from Kuta and about 25 minutes drive from Sanur. Tanjung Benoa is connected by a narrow bustling road packed with a plethora of upscale hotels, private villas, first class restaurants, and elegant open air restaurants.

The prime draw of Tanjung Benoa is unquestionably its stupendous beach with clean safe waters. The beach is truly a mecca for enjoying a number of water sport activities, from parasailing, wind surfing, and jet skiing to snorkeling, banana boat sailing, and reef fishing. Additionally, the beach provides excellent facilities for diving enthusiasts, with a number of certified diving centers. Apart from these, a plethora of shops operate here in order to make you available all types of rental equipments for enjoying several water sport activities.

But, attractions as well as activities that can be enjoyed in Tanjung Benoa are not just beach and its area, but beyond that. Tanjung Benoa also contains a number of other interesting tourist spots. A visit to the destination would not to be complete without taking a tour to Batubulan, a serene as well as calm village which is well-known for its stone carvings.

You can find here a large number of statues displayed in the street starting from Batubulan village to Tegaltamu. Apart from these stone statues, Batubulan is also renowned for its magnificent shrines. Of which, the most popular is Pura Paseh, which is noted for its exquisite art and architecture. The temple is just few blocks away from the main road. Further, Batubulan provides options to shop items such as textiles, handicraft and carved items, and traditional clothing items. There are also some shops conducting traditional Balinese performances such as Barong and Rangda dances.

Nearby Batubulan village is yet another popular tourist spot, namely, Taman Burung, which is an incredible park. Situated to the north of Tegaltamu, Taman Burung is spread across about two hectares of land, and is home to more than 1000 birds of about 250 different species, which in turn are collected from different parts of the world. Birds of paradise, African Hornbill, Bali Starling, Blue and Gold Macaw, and flamingos are just few among the specialties found here.

Also, within in this bird park is a reptile park, with an amazing collection of reptiles that have been primarily collected from different regions of Africa and Indonesia. Among the residents here are piton snake, monitor lizard, komodo, mega snakes, and crocodiles. A fine restaurant and several gift shops can also be found within the park. In short, with these rare bird and reptile species, the park is really worth a visit.

Points of interest in Tanjung Benoa also include the Bali Golf and Country Club, which is in turn is Asia’s one of the most popular golf courses. Equally fabulous would be to take a tour to the quiet port, with village-like atmosphere. Likewise, spiritual travelers should not miss to take a tour to the Chinese Buddhist Temple found here. Further, while your stay at Tanjung Benoa, take a tour to Serangan, otherwise known as Turtle Island. The focal point of this spot is a temple dating back to 16th century.

Above all, Tanjung Benoa is much famed for its world class restaurants serving sumptuous sea food specialties.

When comes to accommodation, Tanjung Benoa allows guests to choose from an array of accommodation choices. As mentioned earlier, many of the hotels in the area are concentrated around the beach area. Many of the hotels and resorts in the area come with a range of options such as double rooms, single rooms, and villas, all of which are attached with amenities such as air conditioning, direct dial telephone, iron and ironing board, television, in-room safe, king-size bed, and round the clock room service. In addition, some of the most sophisticated hotels offer a variety of dining options such as daily theme buffet dinner, beach restaurants, and relaxing bars.



Entertainment Center

Pauline Felward asked:


Property markets in South East Asia are emerging at a faster pace than ever, with buyers from the countries themselves and other developed Asian markets accompanying the usual western investor looking to expand their overseas property portfolio. While places like Thailand have already sought investor interest, we look further down the road at some of the potential growing markets in South East Asia over the next few years.

Property in Malaysia: As part of the British Empire until 1947, Malaysia continues to exhibit large amounts of UK influences - English is widely spoken, and much of the legal system is based upon English Common Law. A vibrant capital city in Kuala Lumpur shows a cosmopolitan side to the culture, and economically it benefits from having a number of different industries that all contribute to the success and stability of the region. The average GDP growth has been quoted at over six per cent across the past three years.

Further factors to attract overseas property investors include the fact that capital gains tax has recently been abolished, the ready availability of 70 per cent mortgages for foreigners, automatic residency for property owners, and 99 year renewable leases are the norm. There are some restrictions on what types and how many properties foreigners are allowed to buy in Malaysia, which prevent people buying up large portions of real estate. Generally-speaking, there is a limit of two properties for private foreign buyers, while permission for a third can be sought from the appropriate government department.

Buyers in Malaysia should always employ an independent legal representative to handle their transaction, and ensure full surveys are carried out before buying property in Malaysia. The property buying process usually involves a three per cent deposit upon the agreement of a sale, with a further seven per cent following within 14 days. Sales are normally then completed within three months of the signing of initial contracts, while legal fees are usually between one and three per cent of the purchase price.

Property in Philippines: A growth area for tourism, particularly from within Asia, the Philippines are expected to be one of the major beneficiaries of the growth in external travel by Chinese citizens in years to come. Capital growth is said to be 12-15 per cent on tourist-based properties in the Philippines, with similar figures being discussed for rental yields, though there is little data available to back this up. Golf is seen as one of the biggest growth areas for tourist residences.

Property in Mongolia: One of the fastest-growing economies in the region, parts of the country are being targeted by mining and oil companies as the next region for exploitation. These businesses are creating the rental demand, which is in some cases being quoted at around 13 per cent, while GDP growth in the country is said to be above seven per cent and rising rapidly.

Capital appreciation is possibly the most exciting part of buying property in Mongolia, and is said to be in the region of 30 per cent per year for high-end apartments. Due to the fact that the property market here is in its infancy, interest rates are very high, so Mongolia should only really be considered as a cash purchase.

Property in Singapore: Recognised in the past as one of Asia’s tiger economies, Singapore suffered from outbreaks of the SARS virus in recent years, which dented the economy quite seriously, with tourism coming almost to a standstill, and retail sales plummeting by around 80 per cent.

There have been signs of recovery in Singapore’s property market, and with historic attractions and the glamour of the Raffles Hotel, the country is in a good position to come back strongly.

Official government statistics suggest strong growth at present, with a rise of over six per cent in resale process in the third quarter of 2007.

Property in Cambodia: With a polemic recent history, Cambodia has recently emerged from some 40 years of international isolation, and is beginning to come to the attention of overseas property investors. There is no doubt that there are risks in investing in Cambodian property, but for those who are prepared to get involved at the ground level, there is huge potential for profit and development, so long as the investment matches with your attitude to risk.

Inflation is low and GDP growth high in Cambodia, creating ideal conditions for economic development. Coupled with a FDI growth of up to 450 per cent in some recent years, this is bound to interest many property investors.

Land and property ownership in Cambodia is high, due to the land distribution that took place under the communist regime in the past. However, investment in property is rare, and with the large number of Khmer returning to Phnom Penh following the political reforms that have taken place are fuelling a huge increase in demand for rental property in the capital.



Arts and Entertainment Singapore

Dr. Umakanta Dash asked:


Introduction: The early history of tourism says people traveled from one place to another mainly because of food , shelter or just for curiosity. But in due course large scale mobility of people were caused by the natural elements of human pressure, entertainment or forced man to move to other location. Due to the absence of roads and other transport facilities, travel and tourism was a hard way to think of. This led to the emergence of  land routes , river or sea navigation.

 Now with dismantling of national boundaries, the tourism scenario is also changing. There is a steady growth in the number of tourist arrivals and more satisfactorily the average spending of foreign tourist has gone up.

Tourism Product:   In the earth today any thing can be promoted as the tourism product anywhere.. It is not location specific as the agriculture and manufacturing sector do. India in particular has a 5000-year –old heritage and thousands of monuments and archeological sites for the tourists to enjoy. The country abounds in attractive and well preserves historical sites and ancient monuments of architectural grandeur. India offers enormous diversity in topography, natural resources and climate. There are land- rocked mountainous regions, lush valleys and plains, arid desert regions, white sandy beaches and islands. Central India has numerous wildlife sanctuaries with countless varieties of flora and fauna. The country has unparallel cultural diversity, languages, religions, customs and traditions.

  The major adventure tourism activities are trekking, and skiing in the Himalayas, river running in the Gangas, water sports in Goa, trout fishing in the Himachal Pradesh and many more. We have some of the best beaches of the world, many of which are still unexplored in Andaman and Lakshadweep islands.

Tourism Contribution: The impact of tourism in our country is multi dimensional. It is reflected on the economic, social, cultural, political and environmental issues and aspects of the country. In a more generic sense it develops understanding among the people, create jobs both directly and indirectly, augments foreign exchange reserves and helps in the overall economic wellbeing of the people.

Earnings from foreign tourist arrivals had grown strongly in the nineties and contributed to over Rs21,828 crores a year in the recent past.  According to the World Tourism and Travel Council (WTTC) the industry provides direct employment to 262 million people who constitute 10.5% of the global workforce. These numbers are expected to grow to 383 million by the year 2007. Tourism also accounts for 8% of the world exports making it the largest internationally traded products or services.

Tourism in Global View:  Tourism is the largest industry in the world next to the oil industry. In terms of earnings it has left automobiles and information technology industry behind. Tourism is the largest employer.

Table-1

Growth of International Tourists from 1948 to 2004

Sl No

Year

No. of Tourists

(in million)

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

1948

1964

1990

1996

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

14.0

144.0

458.5

591.9

687.3

684.1

702.6

694.0

760.0

Source: 1. WTO Statistics- Published in Tourism and Travel Management, p. 64.

             2. India : Tourism and heritage Challenge, Communiqué: a Journal of Confederation of Indian Institutes, November 2001,p.3

The table shows that the 760 million international tourist arrivals during 2004 is the biggest increase since 1984 which shows the best growth in the past 20 years. There is an increase of 69 million of tourists during 2004 compared to 2003 with an increase of 10% growth. This is mainly attributed to the countries like China and USSR those who recognized the importance of  tourism in their national economy. A study shows the leading advanced countries particularly the fourteen countries namely, USA, Germany, the UK, France, Canada, Austria, Belgium, Yugoslavia, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Italy, Switzerland, Scandinavia and Spain accounted for 78 percent of the world visitor arrivals.

Market Position of Tourism in India: For centuries India has been the centre of attraction for different people for different reasons. Ancient invaders viewed it as a gold mine with unlimited wealth to plunder. Where as others attracted to it because of its mystic spiritualism, sheer beauty of its natural manifestations and amazing variety of flora and fauna. These inherent advantages could have made India as an ideal destination. But various constraints have hampered the growth of tourism in India at the expected levels.

Table-2

Foreign Tourist Arrivals in India

S.No

Year

Arrivals

Changes

1

1991

1677508

——

2

1992

1867651

10.1%

3

1993

1764830

-05.8%

4

1994

1886433

6.4%

5

1995

2123683

11.1%

6

1996

2287860

7.1%

7

1997

2374094

3.6%

8

1998

2358629

-6.5%

9

1999

2481928

4.9%

10

2000

2641157

6.4%

11

2001

2536978

-4.0%

12

2002

2384384

-6.0%

13

2003

2726214

14.3%

14

2004

3367980

23.5%

 Source: 1. Ministry of Tourism Annual report 1994-95

              2. Dept . of Tourism Annual report up to 1999.

              3. Economic Time  6.1.2002 Page 13

              4. Business Line, New Delhi-09.01.2005

The travel and tourism business in India constitutes a pathetic 0.40 percent of the trillion-dollar world tourism industry and it remains stagnant over the past two decades. The above table shows since the beginning of the nineties the growth rate in the foreign tourist arrivals in India has recorded a highly fluctuated and erratic trend. The trend is mainly attributed to the terrorists attacks in USA  and its subsequent apprehension on the security of the tourists. But surprisingly in 2004 , the foreign tourist arrivals crossed 3 million with an increase of 23.5% in India.

In contrast our neighboring countries are able to attract more foreign tourists. The Asian countries have increased their foreign tourist arrivals drastically in the last three years; Singapore 7 million, Thailand 11 million, Malaysia 14 million and above all China 36 million foreign tourists.

  

Contribution of Tourism to the Foreign Exchange Earnings:  Tourism industry in India is thriving due to increase of foreign tourists arrivals during 2003-2004. This has significantly added to the foreign exchange reserves of the state.

Table-3

Foreign exchange earnings through tourism  from 1998 to 2004 by India.

Sl No

Year

Amount (in US $)

Change over the previous year.

1

1998

2948

—-

2

1999

3009

2.1

3

2000

3168

5.3

4

2001

3042

4.0

5

2002

2923

3.9

6

2003

3533

20.8%

7

2004

4810

36.0%

 Source:  1) Incredible India Figure-2003

               2) Business Line New Delhi- 09.01.2005

 During 2003  and 2004 the foreign exchange earnings from tourism was recorded US$ 3533, ( Rs 16,429 crore) and US $ 4810 (Rs 21828 crores) respectively. It was 20.8% and 36.0% increase over the previous respective periods. The tourism department anticipates a further hike in foreign tourists arrivals in the successive years.

Reasons for the growth of tourism:  There are several reasons responsible for the growth of tourism in India. Among them the first one is our dramatic achievement in IT industry to make it as one of the major global IT hub. The second reason is attributed to the government effort. The nation wide publicity campaign “ The Incredible India”  strategy during 2002 to 2004 proved successful of attracting more tourists. The advertising campaigns on the prominent TV channels and in magazines is a further step towards it. The initiative of public-private-participation for the development of tourist infrastructure is another reason. The intense competition in the airline industry between private and government airline companies in the form of cutting air tariffs and expanding their network increase the flow of tourist to India. In addition to the above the task force set up by the government to promote India as a prominent health tourist destination also attracted approximately 1,50,000 patients during 2004.

Problems: In spite of its growth rate during 2004, Indian tourism market constitutes around 0.4% of its world market share. India is unable to attract the expected number of foreign tourists despite extensive marketing efforts. The term India has not been sending the correct signals to travel enthusiasts across the glove. The image of India is portrayed to the world community is that of mysticism, political instability, grinding poverty, illiteracy, terrorism, unemployment, communal discord, lack of social services and corruptions.  This image plays a very crucial role for de-motivating tourist to visit India and to visit the neighboring Asian countries.

Table-4

Government Expenditure on Tourism and Travel in 2001

Sl No

Name of the Country

Amount incurred in percent

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

India

Thailand

United Kingdom

Germany

China

USA

Sri Lanka

France

Malaysia

Honk Kong

Singapore

Spain

0.9

2.8

2.6

3.3

3.8

3.9

4.0

4.7

5.1

7.4

9.1

9.5

 Source: Economic Times, October 28,2001, p.7

The table shows the investment in travel and tourism, in terms of Indian government expenditure is 0.9 percent of the total budget allocation in 2001 and in subsequent years it is very low compared to other countries. Though India has much to offer in terms of tourist attractions, there are major constraints on the growth of tourism particularly in terms of lack of sufficient airports facilities, international and domestic air- seat capacity, surface transport facilities, accommodation, restaurants shopping and recreational facilities, trained labor force and other support services. The beggars, touts, and unhygienic waste in important tourist places are the other stumbling blocks for the free movement of the foreign tourists.

Table -5

Country wise Comparison of Rooms Available in Hotels in the Year 2002

Country

Rooms available in hotels

China

8,97,206

Thailand

3,20,565

Malaysia

1,30,757

India

85,481

Singapore

35,989

Source: World Tourism Organization

The country wise comparison shows that India has a sheer insufficiency of hotel rooms for the tourists.

Measures to be taken: After analyzing the above drawbacks we can say that India has the ability to capitalize  on its rich product composition to attract a higher proportion of the international tourists at least to 1% of the world market share. For this the above measures are suggested.



Significant improvement in transport network: Efforts have to be undertaken to improve the efficiency of Indian airline services along with the domestic air transport system. The airports , railway stations, bus stops and the roads have to be up graded to the global standard. Air connectivity has to be improved through public-private –partnerships.

Liberalize the Visa restrictions:  Another major inhibitor of growth of tourism is the difficulty of obtaining visas for India. Government must liberalize visa restrictions to ensure a larger flow of tourists to the country which do not pose any political or security problems. Visas should be issued easily on entry at the airport in respect of visitors from such countries.

Engage local communities to develop their cultural heritage: It is seen in India that the ancient tourist’s destinations are in the way to destructions. This is mainly because of non- involvement of the local communities. The economic benefits of tourism must be shared by the local people who are mainly the preserver of it. Therefore a kind of consciousness should be developed among the masses to preserve the flora and fauna, the ancient monuments, scriptures and other archeological beauties.

Need for a strong marketing approach: Increased competition from the neighboring countries and a poor perception of the Indian tourism product need a strong marketing approach. The Incredible India campaign should be strengthened  mainly targeting to the competitors of the overseas countries. The promotional expenditure of Singapore, Thailand, and Malaysia far exceeds the promotional expenditure of India. India needs a vigorous effort to improve its image as an attractive tourist destination of global standard.

Develop tailor-made packages:  Many of out tour packages do not respond to the tourists requirements. This is mainly because of erroneous development of the tour packages. Instead of a mass production and mass consumption approach , the tour operators must have flexible packages to provide life time value to the visitors looking into their profile.



Conclusion: India is no doubt a fascinating destination with an outstanding mix of ancient monuments, delightful jungles, virgin beaches, scenic beauties, colorful folk and classical dances and above all hospitable people. What it requires a more vibrant approach of welcoming tourists and sends them back as friends with enormous happy and living memories. The thorough implementation of the concept “ Atithi devo Bhovo” in each level of tourism will definitely achieve our target of global tourism market of India.

 

References:



Anand, M.M., Tourism and Hotel Industry in India, Prentice Hall of India, New Delhi.

Batra, G.S. Management of Tourism Corporation (A Case Study of Punjab), National Seminar on Tourism, Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra, 1994.

Tourist arrival in India- FHRAI- Newsletter, July-August 2005

Incredible India Figure- 2003

Business Line, New Delhi-09.01.2005

Economic Times, October 28, 2001, p.7





Entertainment Center

Editor-123 asked:




The tourism industry is increasing day by day and lots of offers are provided by different tours and travels agencies for all hot tourist attractions in the country and abroad. You can get cheap and comfortable outdoor packages to almost all tourist locations in the world. The packages are offered by the agencies at different times round the year. The discounts on outdoor packages are the highest when it is off season.

There are different types of outdoor packages – honeymoon outdoor packages, family outdoor packages, official outdoor packages, friend’s packages, festive tour packages and to name a few. The travel and tour agencies take the help of yellow pages, media and other sources like Internet to announce their packages to some hot destinations around the world like Malaysia, Thailand, Australia, Singapore, Switzerland, California, Florida, Austria, Ireland and others. The whole world is so colorful and there is so much to look for and learn. The outdoor packages give you the right opportunity to explore these places that too in cheap packages.

You can browse the internet to find a tour and travel agency which offers such cheap and comfortable outdoor packages. The web can be of great help to compare the prices and facilities they provide in packages with other. Inquire the agencies through emails about the destinations you and your family want to visit. If they have packages for that particular place, what is the package rate, what facilities they provide; what about accommodation; proper safety and other things which are important to ask before you travel to a particular place.

Once you are satisfied with their replies research more to find out their history of outdoor packages and their expertise in the field to make your tour a comfortable one. There are some tourism services which offer you excellent tourist services and discounts even during the peak season of the tourist places. Grab such opportunities to feel the real atmosphere of your destination full of people from different corners of the world.



Visit Singapore!

Wolfgang Jaegel asked:


Situated to the south of Bangkok, Phuket is the largest island in Thailand. It is also well known as ‘Pearl of Andaman’ or the ‘Pearl of the South’. Phuket is one of the best places around the world to have a fabulous vacation.

Thousands of tourists come here to enjoy their vacation in full swing. Have a fabulous time in Phuket, the place which is famous for its limestone beaches, sandy white beaches, and tropical forests. Phuket is bordered by Phang-nga Province in the northern side and the rest sides are bounded by the Andaman Sea.

Phuket is famous for diving; therefore the place is best for diving enthusiasts. Sarasin Bridge and Thep Krasattri Bridge connect Phang-nga Province to this island. Phuket has a total area of approximately 543 square kilometers and is situated near to west coast of the southern part of Thailand in the Andaman Sea and the Indian Ocean.

The best time to visit this place is from the month of November to February. During this period you can have a fabulous climate here. During this time, the temperature of Phuket will be between 23 to 33 degree celsius and you can enjoy obvious blue sky and the touch of the fresh sea gentle wind and the view of the crystal blue water.

Phuket is also well-liked among tourists for being gifted with Sino-Portuguese architecture and the typical hospitality they follow. A wide range of accommodation facilities ranging from modern resorts to sprawling bungalows are available through out Phuket.

Phuket is considered as the busiest, beautiful, and the most famous vacation destination in the South. Phuket has immense number of snow white beaches, limestone cliffs, tranquil broad bays, and tropical in-land forests. It is a place for every sort of fun and is famous for a wide range of marine activities.

The beauty of Phuket attracts thousands of visitors round the year. Prompthep Cape, with panoramic eye spots, is the most famous beauty spot in Phuket. People usually come here to watch sunset. Wildlife is also a major attraction in Phuket. If you are interested in wild life then you will get the opportunity to watch wildlife in the great Phuket Zoo.

You can also enjoy pleasure activities such as crocodile shows, monkey shows and elephant shows in the Phuket Zoo. The zoo has a total area of 10 hectares and has over 100 kinds of reptiles, 600 species of birds and amphibians, and 45 types of mammals. You can see Buddhist temples throughout Phuket. Situated to the south of Phuket, Wat Chalong is one of the biggest Buddhist temples and one of the major attractions in Phuket.

The temple is extremely privileged for the statues of two of its early abbots who had fabled healing ills. Wat Phra Thong Temple, situated in the middle of Phuket Island, houses a huge statue of Buddha in half buried state. This temple is also well known in the name “Golden Buddha Temple.”

Phuket Seashell Museum, situated on Viset Road, near Rawai Beach, is a favorite place for tourists round the year. The museum has a collection of over 2,000 rarities such as the only left-handed Noble Volute ever discovered, 380 million-year-old fossils, giant clams and one of the rarest golden pearls of the world. Koh Sirey Island, also known as Koh Si Re, is also a famous tourist attraction which is situated on the eastern side of Phuket town.

The island is accessed by a small bridge and has abalone farms, a few fine beaches, a temple on a hill and a sea gypsy village. You can drive around this hilly island in half an hour. The island has many inshore sights which are unbelievably beautiful.

Phuket Butterfly Garden & Aquarium is a best place for nature lovers. It has a wide collection of specimens of tropic butterflies flying around freely in a massive dome. Watercourses and ponds in the aquarium have a great collection of exotic insects and fish.

The most beautiful beach in Phuket is Patong Beach. It is home to wide range of activities and nightlife. It is also a perfect place for party and play. Phuket is famous for its bustling nightlife including hundreds of eating places.



Visit Singapore!

Nancy Eben asked:


Singapore, a dynamic city, is rich in color and contrast with a blend of art, architecture, cuisines and culture. The people of Singapore are descendants of immigrants from China, Malay, Srilanka and India. Though all these have acquired the identity of Singaporeans, but they follow the customs, festival and practices of modern and traditional mix.

Singapore is the epitome of fusion of the East and the West, from serene gardens to sleek skyscrapers and from exotic ethnic enclave to efficient business centre. It is counted as one of the best holiday destinations with friendly and welcoming people and state of art infrastructures. Passport and visa are must for the foreigners visiting Singapore, whether it is for tourists’ purpose or for some business purpose.

Some of the popular places of interest in Singapore are mentioned below

Jurong Bird Park

It is the largest bird park of South east Asia, providing habitat to more than 8000 birds of 600 species form different parts of the world. It is the world’s largest collection of South American Toucans and Southeast Asian Hornbills and the world’s second largest penguin exhibit. It also organizes daily shows of birds of prey, Jurong Bird Park All Star Bird Show, Breakfast with birds and Penguin feeding time.

Night Safari

It is one of the well known attractions of Singapore, where you can come across one eyed rhinoceros or hear the howls of a pack of striped hyenas. It is a habitat for 1200 animals with more than 100 exotic species. It is a wild adventure for the tourist to explore.

National Museum of Singapore

It is one of the architectural gems with each of its two levels representing Greek Classical architecture and reconstruction of historical scenes and events displaying development of Singapore from sleepy fishing villages to the present day metropolis. Another exhibition shows the world of Chinese family with elaborate Peranankan finery and furnishing. One of the other famous attractions in it is Children’s discovery gallery, which manifest Singapore’s cultural heritage and performing arts. Beside it, Singapore offer number of museums to entertain tourists.

Singapore Zoological Gardens

Singapore zoo is haven for both visitors and animals. There are more than 2000 creatures in landscaped enclosures, thus replacing cages. Some of the special attractions included in it are interaction of kids with animals, thus enjoying excellent playgrounds, penguin gallery; air conditioned polar bear, miniature railway and six island primate garden.

Beside it, there are many attractions in Singapore, which attract lot of tourists towards itself. Book you hotel in advance and enjoy the trip to the fullest extent.



Entertainment Center

Wolfgang Jaegel asked:


China, a nation in East Asia, is home to world’s oldest continuous civilizations. With Beijing as its capital, China holds a total geographical area of 9,596,960 sq. km. Its climate is tropical in south to sub-arctic in north.

Tianjin, Shanghai, Shenyang, Wuhan, Guangzhou, Chongqing, Harbin and Chengdu are some of the major places of attraction. Han Chinese is the largest ethnic group in China who comprise around 91% of the total population. Zhuang, Manchu, Hui, Miao, Uygur, Yi, Mongolian, Tibetan, Buyi and Korean are some of the other ethnic groups which dominates the area.

The Republic of China was formed on 1st January 1912 which leads to the end of Quing Dynasty. Sun Yat-sen, belongs to National Party, was declared as the president of the new republic.

China is almost same size as the United States of America and the eastern part of china is surrounded by the East China Sea, Korea Bay, Yellow Sea, and South China Sea. China shares its border with India, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, Laos and Vietnam to the South; Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan to the West; Mongolia and Russia to the North and North Korea to the East.

China is home to several world famous tourist attractions including Great Wall of China, Tibet, Silk Road, Hainan island and tropical paradise. It also holds dozens of UNESCO World Heritage sites. Most of the places in China have famous Buddhist arts. Yungang Grottoes, around 1500 year old, in Sichuan province has more than 51,000 Buddhist carvings.

You can see art and manuscripts dating back to the 4th century in the Mogao Caves situated near Dunhuang in Gansu province. Dazu Rock near Chongqing and Longmen Grottoes near Luoyang hold carvings which date from 5th to 13th century.

China has several sacred mountains which attract tourists in large number. Mount Tai, Mount Hua, Mount Heng, Mount Heng and Mount Song are the five great mountains associated with Taoism: The country also holds four sacred mountains associated with Buddhism and three main sacred mountains of Tibetan Buddhism including Mount Emei, Mount Jiuhua, Mount Putuo, Mount Wutai, Mount Kailash, Kawa Karpo and Amnye Machen.

Beijing, literally means Northern Capital, is the capital city of China - the most populous county in the world. Untill the fomation of the Republic of China in 1911, Beijing was the seat of Ming and Quing dynasties. It holds several places of historical importance ans government institutions. Famous for its uniformity and standard construction, Beijing has only one hill in the city limits. Beijing has concentric rectangular ring roads which run around the metropolis.

There are many tourist places which attracts lot of people around the world. The Forbidden City, the Summer Palace, Temple of Heaven, Tiananmen Square, Hutongs, Beijing Zoo, Beijing Botanical Gardens, Beihai Park, Yonghegong, Fragrant Hills, Hutongs and Military Museum of the Chinese People’s Revolution are some of the major places of attaction in Beijing.

Also known as the Palace Museum, Forbidden City is really the spot to value the strength and splendor of the Imperial Chinese court during the height of its power in the Ming and Qing dynasties. Built by Mao, Tiananmen Square is the largest square in the world. The square is surrounded by Soviet-style monuments and government buildings. It still remains as an amazing place and a place to stay behind and see visitors from all over the world.

Temple of Heaven, situated to the south-east of Qianmen and the Tiananmen Square, is a marvelous sight for tourists. The temple was the place where the king prayed every year for superior harvests and good weather. Summer Palace houses widespread gardens and the ruins of palaces constructed by the Qing emperors in the ancient era. Beijing Zoo has an aquarium which is one of the biggest in the world, and extremely remarkable.

Beihai Park consists of big island and white pagoda which was built in the 17th century. Also known as Lama Temple or Palace of Peace, Yonghegong was built by Chinese emperors in the ancient time. Many Tibetan and Mongolian monks lived and taught here over the years. The temple houses an 18m statue of Maitreya Buddha carved from a single piece of sandalwood. Situated to the east of Tiananmen Square, Legation Quarter was famous for Boxer Rebellion. Now it is occupied by government offices and army offices.



Visit Singapore!

Wolfgang Jaegel asked:


Surfers Paradise is a fantastic beach town as well as an expansive commercial center, situated in the heart of the Gold Coast, on the eastern coast of Queensland, in Australia. Located about 80 kilometers south of Brisbane, Surfers Paradise is more popularly known as Surfers.

The destination provides superb options to cater to all types of visitors touring the place, with its picturesque beach, fabulous shopping as well as dining options, exuberant nightlife, a range of fun attractions, and high rise apartment towers. Hence, it is not a wonder why Surfers Paradise has been acknowledged as ‘the playground of the Golf Coast.’

Surfers Paradise boasts of an excellent beachfront, packed with an array of restaurants, cafes, and upscale accommodations. Stretching along the Gold Coast, Surfers Paradise is well patrolled by the Gold Coast City Council lifeguards, and is one of the safest as well as cleanest beaches in the Gold Coast area.

You can indulge in a spectrum of activities here, from surfing, parasailing and jet skiing to fishing and whale watching cruises. A number of flags of different colors can be found in certain areas of the beach, which in turn allows you for an enjoyable as well as safe swimming and surfing.

For instance, flag with a combination of red and yellow colors indicates the safest swimming area. But, yellow flag cautions dangerous conditions. If you see red flag, don’t ever take an attempt for swimming or fishing in this area. In the case of red and white chequered flag, it denotes that there is shark in this area. In addition, if you see a blue flag, it denotes board riding area perfect for surfers.

Other than water sport activities, there are also superb options available for playing beach volleyball, bungee jumping, and golf, with a variety of professional as well as stylish golf courses. If you do not want to indulge in any of these activities, then just take a stroll along the beach and experience the incredibility of the area.

Likewise, if you are here for a fun-filled vacation, then you can head to any of a variety of theme parks found in and around Surfers Paradise, such as, Warner Bros Movie World, Sea World, Dreamworld, and Wet N Wild Waterpark. When comes to sightseeing, Surfers Paradise features a plethora of attractions in the form of museums, art galleries, and fun and amusement centers.

A trip to Surfers Paradise would not be complete without taking a tour to Cavill Mall. Situated at the heart of the bustling area of Surfers, Cavill Mall is a pedestrained area that runs between the Gold Coast Highway and the Esplanade on the beachfront. This area is packed with a range of outdoor cafes, fast food centers, and restaurants and bars. Additionally, Cavill Mall is much famed for its themed museums, street entertainers, amusement arcades, shopping malls, and surf clothing outlets.

Equally fabulous is dining options available in Surfers Paradise, with a plethora of street side eateries, open air cafes, fast food establishments, and superb restaurants such as the Hard Rock Cafe. From Australian, French, and Italian to Indian, Thai, and Japanese, a sumptuous variety of cuisines can be savored here. Above all, Surfers Paradise is much famed for its exciting nightlife, boasting of a myriad of adult bars, themed venues, and adult bars, of which many of them are concentrated around such hot spots of the city as Cavill Avenue and Orchid Avenue.

With these scores of attractions and superb options to enjoy a plethora of activities, it is not a wonder why a large number of tourists from every nook and corner of the world visit here. Hence, it has a continuum of accommodations options for every type of travelers. One of the most popular choices among tourists is upscale hotels with rooms replete with most sophisticated facilities and amenities such as air conditioning, tea/coffee making facilities, and superb bath areas.

There are also some high end hotels that provide accommodation in the form of apartment style. This choice usually contains one or two bedrooms, apart from fully equipped kitchens, ensuite bathrooms, beautiful dining areas, and balconies offering panoramic views of beach and the Gold Coast. Further, these choices, in most cases, would be complete with facilities such as outdoor heated pools, gymnasium, spa, poolside BBQ, sauna and steam room, and entertainment areas.



Entertainment Center