Tokyo has two large airports: Narita for international flights, and Haneda for (mostly) domestic flights.

Narita Airport
Tokyo’s main international gateway is Narita Airport (成田空港) (IATA: NRT) , located in the town of Narita nearly 70 kilometers northeast of Tokyo and covered in a separate article. A brief summary of options for getting there and away:

Easiest: Limousine bus direct to major hotels, ~120 minutes (subject to traffic), ¥3000
Fastest: Narita Express to Tokyo Station, Shibuya, Shinjuku, Yokohama, 55 minutes, ¥2940 (Japan Rail Pass valid)
Cheapest: Keisei Limited Express train to Nippori/Ueno, ~80 minutes, ¥1000
Most expensive: Taxi to the city, more than ¥30,000
Haneda Airport
Haneda Airport (羽田空港 IATA: HND) , officially known as Tokyo International Airport, in Ota is the busiest airport in all Asia despite being (almost) entirely limited to domestic traffic. Terminal 1 houses the JAL group including Skymark and Skynet, while Terminal 2 is home to ANA and affiliate Air Do. Shuttle services to Hong Kong, Seoul-Gimpo and Shanghai-Hongqiao use the small separate International Terminal, which is connected to the main domestic terminals by a free shuttle bus that runs every 5 minutes.

The easiest and most scenic way from Haneda to the city is the Tokyo Monorail [4] with a station in each terminal running to Hamamatsucho (16 min, ¥470), from where you can connect to almost anywhere in Tokyo on the JR Yamanote line. The other, slightly cheaper alternative is the private Keikyu (京急) line, which has a single station between the terminals and runs to Shinagawa (19 min, ¥400) and Yokohama (27 min, ¥470). Keikyu also runs trains to Haneda from the Toei Asakusa subway line, and even a few direct services to Narita. Note that there is no JR service to the airport, and the “Airport Terminal 2″ station that pops up in some route search engines is located in Narita, not Haneda!

Expect to pay anywhere from ¥4,000 to ¥10,000 for a taxi to central Tokyo.

 Chōfu Airfield
Chōfu Airfield (調布飛行場 Chōfu hikōjō) serves only some turboprop flights to the Izu Islands south of Tokyo. The nearest railway station is Nishi-Chōfu on the Keiō Line, a 15-minute walk away. Alternatively, you can take a bus from Chofu or Mitaka stations.

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Amsterdam is one of the coolest cities in Europe. Beautiful, hip, and laid back, with lots to do, lots to see, many pubs, food from all over the world and friendly people. A visit to this very beautiful city is sometimes like taking a walk in the 17th century, as the center of Amsterdam has a lot of charming architecture dating from this period. This is an excellent city to tour on foot or bicycle. However, while Amsterdam may boast a lot of 17th century architecture, that’s about all that’s old fashioned about the place.

In summer one of the best places to go for a relaxing afternoon is the Vondelpark. It is a great park, right in the center of things and very lively. With a bit of luck you can catch a (free) outdoor concert near the water. There are also a few trendy places in the park where you can sit and have a beer, such as the Blauwe Theehuis.

If you like to watch people strolling by, a perfect place is Leidseplein.  Leidseplein(=square) is bustling with activity and terraces in summertime. Another nice square is  Rembrandtplein - nice cafe’s and again terraces If you like spare ribs - visit De Klos just off the Leidsestraat. Beer is everywhere and it is all good.

Amsterdam was originally built on the shores of the saltwater Zuiderzee, but as a result of centuries of land-reclamation projects Zuiderzee was renamed Ijsselmeer after it was separated from the  sea by a dike and became a freshwater lake.  Thus the city now borders the freshwater of IJsselmeer.

The center of Amsterdam is shaped like a horseshoe, surrounded by four famous canals called the Singel, Herengracht, Keizersgracht and Prinsengracht. These are best to walk along if you want to see the city’s beautiful gabled houses.  To get from one place to another quickly, get on a tram.  Lines 1, 2, and 5 go from Centraal Station through the Dam, up the Leidsestraat to the Leidseplein, and this path is a good place to start when learning how to get from here to there.

There are lots of interesting small shops for browsing and there are also bigger shopping centers. Clusters of shops can be found in the pedestrian passages and even in the old post office, which is right behind the central Dam Square (on which you can find the Dam Palace).

And then, of course, there is the world famous (or infamous, depending on how you look at it) Red Light District, which consists of several canals and the side streets between them, south of Central Station and east of Damrak. They are known as ‘De Wallen’ (the walls) in Dutch, because the canals were once part of the city defenses (walls and moats). Despite the area’s reputation, prostitution itself is limited to certain streets, mainly side streets and alleys, and while there are many adult shops and peep show bars, the whole area has a heavy police presence, and many security cameras.

In addition, it is still a residential district, with many bars and restaurants as well as historic buildings and museums; this is, after all the oldest part of the city. An example of the old blending in with the new is the gothic Oude Kerk church on the Oudezijds Voorburgwal, the oldest in Amsterdam, which is now surrounded by window prostitution. The Red Light District is certainly worth a visit for the brave and adventurous.

More infomation about Amsterdam: http://wikitravel.org/en/Amsterdam

Best Time to Visit Tibet

Undoubtedly, Tibet is one of the harshest places for human existence. It is cool in summer, but excruciatingly cold in winter. In Lhasa, the relatively humane city in Tibet, although the temperature may exceed 29 degrees C (84 degrees F) in summer, it can also plummet to minus 16 degrees C (3 degrees F) in winter! Solar radiation is extremely strong in Tibet. The sunlight in Lhasa is so intense that the city is called Sunlight City. The thin Tibetan air can neither radiate nor absorb heat, resulting in temperature extremes during both day and night. However it is not impossible to visit the holy snow land. The period from April to October is the best time to visit Tibet, avoiding the coldest months from December to February.

In northern Tibet, the average temperature is subzero and winter lasts from October through May or June. July and August are the best time to visit the area, enjoying warm temperatures, intense sunshine, beautiful scenery, and festive events.

In eastern Tibet, May, June and September are the height of the tourism season. In winter, roads are all blocked by heavy snow. Landslides are frequent occurrences, making travel difficult.

Although southern Tibet is balmy during May through October, most rainfall also comes during this season between June and September. Heavy rains during the nights block roads and make travel difficult. However, during this season, the scenery is at its best and there are also great festive events held. Hence, it is the preferred time to visit Lhasa, Shigatse, and Nyingchi. From November through May, strong winds are common occurrences.

Lijiang Travel Guide

It is said there is a fairyland beneath the colorful clouds of southern China. A place blessed with fresh air, clear streams, breathtaking snow-capped mountains, and an undisturbed landscape inhabited by a friendly group of people. Life in this fairyland is so peaceful, a fairyland called Lijiang, located at the hub of Tibet, Yunnan and Sichuan provinces.

While the geographical position of Lijiang City is remote, it has the advantage of ensuring a pleasant year round climate and a wide variety of tourist resources in the 20,600 square kilometers area. The earliest recorded history of Lijiang can be traced back to the Warring States Period (476 BC-221 BC) but with the advent of the Tang Dynasty (618-907), the local economy reached a peak with the development of the Ancient Tea-Horse Road which made a great contribution to both commercial and cultural communication between Tibet, Sichuan and Yunnan provinces.

At present, Lijiang City is an attractive tourist destination in Yunnan Province that exercises jurisdiction over four counties and an Old Town District. Lijiang is the main region inhabited by Naxi Group, one of China’s 55 minority ethnic groups. In its long history, the local residents have established their splendid Dongba Culture which has absorbed aspects of the culture of Tibet and the Central Plains along the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River. The various souvenirs marked with these Dongba hieroglyphs are very popular with visitors from home and abroad.

Lijiang has the best preserved ancient town in China - the Old Town which has been listed in the World Cultural Heritages by UNESCO in 1997. The Old Town was once the center of Lijiang and continues to maintain the original flavor of the local lifestyle, the typical groups of buildings and the profound cultural heritage of the region. When wandering along Square Street or any other streets in the Old Town, you will be struck by the peaceful surroundings. From enjoying the sight of the setting sun from historic hotels to local farmsteads, there are many favorable things here for travelers. Naturally, there are a number of tour destinations to enhance your visit as well. Among them, the most famous is Mufu (Mu’s Palace) which should not be missed during your trip.

Around Lijiang, there are a number of splendid natural beauty spots that will certainly astonish you. If you like to see superlative natural scenery, Jade Dragon Snow Mountain which provides a majestic backdrop to the Moon-Embracing Pavilion at Black Dragon Pond will fulfill your desire. For those seeking an exotic experience in Lijiang, a visit to the Mosuo People beside Lugu Lake is a must. They are called the last ‘Kingdom of Women’ on earth. If you would like to experience the local lifestyle, then come and participate in one or more of their various festivals that are held throughout the year.

Lijiang does not have a direct rail link and is reached by travelers by air or by coach. However, having got to Lijiang, visiting round and about is easy with the help of the city buses, taxis or for the more energetic by bicycle. However, please don’t forget to save some time to walk in Lijiang. Along your way, you must visit some of the souvenir shops and taste some local dishes and snacks. At night, the famous bar street in the Old Town is really worth a visit. No matter where you go, you will find a harmonious combination of tradition and fashion in Lijiang City.

Africa TRAVEL INSURANCE

If you need medical care whilst in Africa, it is best to be aware that medical providers may not accept payment through your insurance company. In these circumstances you will have to pay in full after your treatment and file a claim with your insurance company for reimbursement. Therefore you should have access to cash, either from a credit card or by wire transfer. If you need assistance contact the country’s local embassy or representative.

To be compensated you must be treated by licensed medical personnel and provide your insurance company with proper documentation and receipts.

It is advisable to always ensure you have a comprehensive travel insurance policy which covers you for repatriation to your home country.

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Northern Yucatán is arid, and the interior has no above-ground rivers. There are two large, natural sink holes, called cenotes, that could have provided plentiful water year round at Chichen, making it attractive for settlement. Of the two cenotes, the “Cenote Sagrado” or Sacred Cenote, is the more famous. According to post-Conquest sources (Maya and Spanish), pre-Columbian Maya sacrificed objects and human beings into the cenote as a form of worship to the Maya rain god Chaac. American Consul Edward Herbert Thompson dredged the Cenote Sagrado from 1904 to 1910, and recovered artifacts of gold, jade, pottery, and incense, as well as human remains.[5] A recent study of human remains taken from the Cenote Sagrado found that they had wounds consistent with human sacrifice.[6]

 
Kukulcan’s Jaguar Throne, interior temple of “El Castillo”
Ascendancy
Chichen Itza rose to regional prominence towards the end of the Early Classic period (or, roughly 600 AD). It was, however, towards the end of the Late Classic and into the early part of the Terminal Classic that the site became a major regional capitol, centralizing and dominating political, sociocultural, economic, and ideological life in the northern Maya lowlands. The ascension of Chichen Itza roughly correlates with the decline and fragmentation of the major centers of the southern Maya lowlands, such as Tikal.

Some ethnohistoric sources claim that in about 987 a Toltec king named Quetzalcoatl arrived here with an army from central Mexico, and (with local Maya allies) made Chichen Itza his capital, and a second Tula. The art and architecture from this period shows an interesting mix of Maya and Toltec styles. However, the recent re-dating of Chichen Itza’s decline (see below) indicates that Chichen Itza is largely a Late/Terminal Classic site, while Tula remains an Early Postclassic site (thus reversing the direction of possible influence).
Political organization
 
Columns in the Temple of a Thousand WarriorsUnlike previous Maya polities of the Early Classic, Chichen Itza was not governed by an individual ruler or a single dynastic lineage. Instead, according to Sharer and Traxler (2006:581), the city’s political organization was structured by a “multepal” system, which is characterized as rulership through council. The council was composed of members of elite ruling lineages.
Economy
Chichen Itza was a major economic power in the northern Maya lowlands during its apogee. Participating in the water-borne circum-peninsular trade route through its port site of Isla Cerritos, Chichen Itza was able to obtain locally unavailable resources from distant areas such as central Mexico (obsidian) and southern Central America (gold).
Decline of Chichen Itza
See also: Spanish conquest of Yucatán
The Maya chronicles record that in 1221 a revolt and civil war broke out, and archaeological evidence seemed to confirm that the wooden roofs of the great market and the Temple of the Warriors were burned at about this date. Chichen Itza went into decline as rulership over Yucatán shifted to Mayapan.

This long-held chronology, however, has been drastically revised in recent years. As archaeologists improve their knowledge of changes in regional ceramics, and more radiocarbon dates arise out of ongoing work at Chichen Itza, the end of this Maya capital is now being pushed back over 200 years. Archaeological data now indicates that Chichen Itza fell by around AD 1000.[7] This leaves an enigmatic gap between the fall of Chichen Itza and its successor, Mayapan. Ongoing research at the site of Mayapan may help resolve this chronological conundrum.

While the site itself was never completely abandoned, the population declined and no major new constructions were built following its political collapse. The Sacred Cenote, however, remained a place of pilgrimage.

In 1531 Spanish Conquistador Francisco de Montejo claimed Chichén Itzá and intended to make it the capital of Spanish Yucatán, but after a few months a native Maya revolt drove Montejo and his forces from the land.
The site
 
East side of El Castillo
 
Great Ballcourt (interior)
 
Templo de los Guerreros (Temple of the Warriors)
 
 
High Priest’s Temple.
 
“El Caracol” observatory temple.
 
“La Iglesia” in Las Monjas complex of buildings.
The site contains many fine stone buildings in various states of preservation; the buildings were formerly used as temples, palaces, stages, markets, baths, and ballcourts.
El Castillo
Main article: El Castillo, Chichen Itza
Dominating the center of Chichén is the Temple of Kukulkan (the Maya name for Quetzalcoatl), often referred to as “El Castillo” (the castle). This step pyramid has a ground plan of square terraces with stairways up each of the 4 sides to the temple on top. On the Spring and Autumn equinox, at the rising and setting of the sun, the corner of the structure casts a shadow in the shape of a plumed serpent - Kukulcan, or Quetzalcoatl - along the side of the North staircase. On these two days, the shadows from the corner tiers slither down the northern side of the pyramid with the sun’s movement.

Mesoamerican cultures periodically built larger pyramids atop older ones, and this is one such example. In the mid 1930s, the Mexican government sponsored an excavation into El Castillo. After several false starts, they discovered a staircase under the north side of the pyramid. By digging from the top, they found another temple buried below the current one. Inside the temple chamber was a Chac Mool statue and a throne in the shape of jaguar, painted red with spots made of inlaid jade.

The Mexican government excavated a tunnel from the base of the north staircase, up the earlier pyramid’s stairway to the hidden temple, and opened it to tourists. In 2006, INAH closed the throne room to the public.
Temple of the Warriors
The Temple of the Warriors complex consists of a large stepped pyramid fronted and flanked by rows of carved columns depicting warriors. This complex is analogous to Temple B at the Toltec capital of Tula, and indicates some form of cultural contact between the two regions. The one at Chichen Itza, however, was constructed on a larger scale. At the top of the stairway on the pyramid’s summit (and leading towards the entrance of the pyramid’s temple) is a Chac Mool.

Near the Warriors’ Temple is a large plaza surrounded by pillars called “The Great Market.”
The Great Ball Court
Archaeologists have identified seven courts[citation needed] for playing the Mesoamerican ballgame in Chichén, but the Great Ball Court about 150 meters to the north-west of the Castillo is by far the most impressive. It is the largest ball court in ancient Mesoamerica. It measures 166 by 68 meters (545 by 232 feet). The imposing walls are 12 meters high, and in the center, high up on each of the long walls, are rings carved with intertwining serpents.[8]

At the base of the high interior walls are slanted benches with sculpted panels of teams of ball players. In one panel, one of the players has been decapitated and from the wound emits seven streams of blood; six become wriggling serpents and the center becomes a winding plant.

At one end of the Great Ball Court is the North Temple, popularly called the Temple of the Bearded Man. This small masonry building has detailed bas relief carving on the inner walls, including a center figure that has carving under his chin that resembles facial hair.[9] At the south end is another, much bigger temple, but in ruins.

Built into the east wall are the Temples of the Jaguar. The Upper Temple of the Jaguar overlooks the ball court and has an entrance guarded by two, large columns carved in the familiar feathered serpent motif. Inside there is a large mural, much destroyed, which depicts a battle scene.

In the entrance to the Lower Temple of the Jaguar, which opens behind the ball court, is another jaguar throne, similar to the one in the inner temple of El Castillo, except that it is well worn and missing paint or other decoration. The outer columns and the walls inside the temple are covered with elaborate bas-relief carvings.

Behind this platform is a walled inscription which depicts a tzompantli (rack of impaled human skulls) in relief.
High Priest’s Temple
This step-pyramid temple is a smaller version of El Castillo; the name comes from an elite burial discovered by early excavator E. H. Thompson.
Las Monjas
One of the more notable structures at Chichen Itza is a complex of Terminal Classic buildings constructed in the Puuc architectural style. The Spanish nicknamed this complex Las Monjas (”The Nuns” or “The Nunnery”) but was actually a governmental palace. Just to the east is a small temple (nicknamed La Iglesia, “The Church”) decorated with elaborate masks of the rain god Chaac.

A number of other structures are near the “Monjas” complex. These include:

“The Red House”
“The House of the Deer”

El Caracol
To the north of Las Monjas is a round building on a large square platform nicknamed El Caracol or “the snail” for the stone spiral staircase inside. This structure was an observatory with its doors aligned to view the vernal equinox, the Moon’s greatest northern and southern declinations, and other astronomical events sacred to Kukulcan, the feathered-serpent god of the wind and learning. The Maya used the shadows inside the room cast from the angle of the sun hitting the doorway to tell when the solstices would occur. Placed around the edge of El Caracol are large rock cups that they filled with water and would watch the reflection of the stars in the water to help determine their complex, but extremely accurate calendar system.[citation needed]
Akab Dzib
Located to the east of the Caracol, Akab Dzib means, in Maya, “The House of Mysterious Writing.” An earlier name of the building, according to a translation of glyphs in the Casa Colorada, is Wa(k)wak Puh Ak Na, “the flat house with the excessive number of chambers,” and it was the home of the administrator of Chichén Itzá, kokom Yahawal Cho’ K’ak’.[10] INAH completed a restoration of the building in 2007. It is relatively short, only 6 meters high, and is 50 meters in length and 15 meters wide. The long, western-facing facade has seven doorways. The eastern facade has only four doorways, broken by a large staircase that leads to the roof. This apparently was the front of the structure, and looks out over what is today a steep, but dry, cenote. The southern end of the building has one entrance. The door opens into a small chamber and on the opposite wall is another doorway, above which on the lintel are intricately carved glyphs—the “mysterious” or “obscure” writing that gives the building its name today. Under the lintel in the door jamb is another carved panel of a seated figure surrounded by more glyphs. Inside one of the chambers, near the ceiling, is a painted hand print.
Old Chichen
“Old Chichen” is the nickname for a group of structures to the south of the central site. It includes the Initial Series Group, the Phallic Temple, the Platform of the Great Turtle, the Temple of the Owls, and the Temple of the Monkeys.
Other structures
Chichen Itza also has a variety of other structures densely packed in the ceremonial center of about 5 km² (2 mile²) and several outlying subsidiary sites.

from:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chichen_Itza

Lies on the south bank of the Yangtze River, Nanjing, the capital of Jiangsu Province, is one of the most delightful of Chinese cities. Known as the Capital City of Six or Ten Dynasties in China’s history, it has a brilliant cultural heritage.

History

Yuecheng, the first recorded military defense constructed in early 472 B.C., opened the long history of Nanjing. In the following years, the city reached its height of splendor at various times. In 229, Sun Quan, one of the three heroes in China’s Three Kingdoms Period (220 - 280), to strengthen his influence in the middle valley of the Yangtze River, moved the capital of his kingdom to Jianye - present Nanjing. From that time on, the city served as the capital for several dynasties in China’s history. In 1356, in a peasant rebellion, Zhu Yuanzhang, later the Emperor Taizu of the Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644), conquered the city and renamed it Yingtian Fu. In 1368, Zhu established the Ming Dynasty - the last feudal dynasty ruled by the native Han people - and gave Yingtian Fu the new name of Nanjing. Ten years later, the emperor made Nanjing the capital of the country. The mausoleum of Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang is perching on the southern slope of the Mount Zijinshan in the northeastern part of the city.

Following officials’ advice of “building walls and producing grain to consolidate the rule”, the emperor ordered the construction of city walls. Today’s majestic walls in Nanjing, the longest of its kind in the world, are the result of that phase of construction. Zhonghua Gate, simply meaning ‘Chinese Gate’, is a noted attraction for tourists in the present city center.

In spite of its glorious times, the city also witnessed the hardest moment of this nation. In 1839, the Opium War burst out after Lin Zexu, an assiduous official, burnt twenty thousand boxes of opium in Humen. On a battleship in Nanjing’s Xiaguan, the corrupt Qing government, under threat by Britain troops, signed the notorious Nanjing Treaty, the first of the ‘Unequal Treaties’ which ceded Hong Kong away from China for more than hundred years. Following this treaty, invasions and colonial rule of the western countries intensified and China sank into a harder and darker time.

Peasant groups of Taiping rebelled against the Qing government in 1853 and established the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom in Jinling, Nanjing’s name at that time, and formed an army. Unfortunately, the peasant regime was short-lived and in 1864, troops of Qing government won the city back. Nowadays, in Xuyuan Garden , one can still see part of the palace of Heavenly King of Taiping Heavenly Kingdom.

It was the Revolution of 1911, the Chinese bourgeois democratic revolution led by Dr.Sun Yat-Sen that overthrew the Qing Dynasty. On the first day of 1912, Dr. Sun Yet-sen gave his simple but sublime address on the inauguration held of the new Republic of China. Today, a memorial hall in the Mausoleum of Dr. Sun Yat-Sen, houses a statue of Dr. Sun sculpted out of white marble.

There are two further negative memories of the city. On April 18th, 1927, Chiang Kaishek launched the counter-revolutionary 4.12 Coup and established his power in Nanjing. Also, in 1937, the inhuman Nanjing Massacre happened. In six weeks, more than 300,000 Chinese people were killed including women and children.

No atrocity can go unpunished. After eight years of resistance, in 1945 the brave Chinese people eventually drove the barbarous Japanese invaders out of China’s homeland and the war criminals got what they deserved. However Chinese people will never forget the history. Pictures of the atrocities of Japanese soldiers taken by Japanese army photographers are exhibited in the Memorial Hall to the Victims in the Nanjing Massacre.

Finally, on April 23rd, 1949, Nanjing was liberated by the People’s Liberation Army and Kuomintang’s power in China was ended.

Cultural City

In addition to historical sights, memorials, museums and cultural sights also attract thousands of travelers. The famous Confucius Temple (Fuzimiao) is not only a memorial place for the Great Sage in China but has a surrounding area bustling with shops, restaurants and a snack street housed in traditional Chinese architectural buildings. In the city center, Nanjing Museum is a must for travelers with a collection of more than 420 thousand pieces, including about 2,000 that are rare and valued. The observatory on Zijinshan Mountain to the east of the city center was the first modern observatory built in China.

Qin Huai River , in the southwest of the city, extends one hundred kilometers. The river used to be the most flourishing part of Nanjing in the old days. In many Chinese novels, it is renowned as a place which nurtured beauties and romance. Today, it is a place for people to recall the old splendor of this historical city. Like all sights in Nanjing, it tells the story of past, present and future of the city.

Modern Metropolis

Like most major cities in China, Nanjing is developing rapidly. Great changes have taken place in the city. Modern highways and railways connect the city with most major cities throughout the country and it is becoming a sparkling metropolis akin to Shanghai and Beijing with skyscrapers, luxury hotels, fashion shopping malls, supermarkets and highly-developed economic zones throughout the city. Transport in the city is very convenient with the new metro service in addition to taxis, public buses, tourist special lines and other means of transport. Modern amenities in luxury hotels make your trip a comfortable one. Dazzling shopping malls and department stores can be found in the commercial areas of the city with stocked plenty of international brand names. Nanjing is also home to several colleges and universities and a large foreign population. The city is become an international metropolis with new faces every day.

Pompeii is a ruined and partially buried Roman city near modern Naples in the Italian region of Campania, in the territory of the comune of Pompei.

It, along with Herculaneum (its sister city), was destroyed, and completely buried, during a catastrophic eruption of the volcano Mount Vesuvius spanning two days on 24 August 79 AD.

The volcano collapsed higher roof-lines and buried Pompeii under many meters of ash and pumice, and it was lost for nearly 1700 years before its accidental rediscovery in 1748. Since then, its excavation has provided an extraordinarily detailed insight into the life of a city at the height of the Roman Empire. Today, it is one of the most popular tourist attractions of Italy and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Pompeii has become a popular tourist destination for centuries (it was on the Grand Tour); with approximately 2.5 million visitors a year, it is the most popular tourist attraction in Italy.[citation needed] It is now part of a larger Vesuvius National Park and was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1997. To combat problems associated with tourism, the governing body for Pompeii, the Soprintendenza Archaeological di Pompei have begun issuing new tickets that allow for tourists to also visit cities such as Herculaneum and Stabiae as well as the Villa Poppaea, to encourage visitors to see these sites and reduce pressure on Pompeii.

Pompeii is also a driving force behind the economy of the nearby town of Pompei. Many residents are employed in the tourism and hospitality business, serving as taxi or bus drivers, waiters or hotel operators. The ruins can be reached by simply walking from the modern town to the various entrances, there are adequate car parks and the entrances are also accessible to tourists through the train line to the modern town, or else a private train line, the Circumvesuviana, that runs directly to the ancient site.

 
A paved streetExcavations in the site have generally ceased due to the moratorium imposed by the superintendent of the site, Professor Pietro Giovanni Guzzo. Additionally, the site is generally less accessible to tourists, with less than a third of all buildings open in the 1960s being available for public viewing today. Nevertheless, the sections of the ancient city open to the public are extensive, and tourists can spend many days exploring the whole site.

Taiwan lies like a spindle in the southeast of Asia. It is a rare tropical mountain-island in the world, two thirds of which is covered with high mountain ranges. The most famous of the mountains, Ali Mountain, is the symbol of charming Taiwan.

Located in the subtropical ocean, Taiwan offers tourists comfortable weather and has no winter all the year round. With the pleasant climate, Taiwan can sustain vast biology resources. It is worth to visit Taiwan for its natural sights, such as the high and steep mountains and the dense atmosphere of seashore holidays. The island has another Portuguese name, Formosa, which means ‘beautiful island’. In addition, Taiwan has many wonderful man-made tourist recourses, such as the famed Matsu Temple and Taipei National Palace Museum.

Overlooked from Fujian Province, Taiwan is neighbored by Japan in the north and Philippines in the south. Unsurprisingly, the island has become a hub for travel between places in Asia and is one of the tourist destinations with the most convenient transportation in the world.

Concurrently home to different groups mainly from the southern Fujian Province, Hakka and the local people, Taiwan also features various colorful human cultures. You will detect the harmonious and prosperous atmosphere in Taiwan’s religions, architectures, languages and dining. Tourists should take special care not to miss the dainty dishes here - in fact, Taiwan is dubbed the ‘Kingdom of Delicacies’ by gourmets.

During the past decades, Taiwan’s economy emerged as a miracle. As of today, it is the primary source of foreign capital for South-East Asian countries, thus allowing them to provide complete and high-quality tourist services and facilities.

If you have an opportunity to visit the southeast of Asia, make sure to include Formosa in your travel plan. The beautiful island will offer you an appealing trip that you will find it hard to tear yourself away from.