What's The Best Attractions In Beijing?

Beijing Brief

Beijing, the heart of China, is always the first choice of travelers who are willing to know a time-honored and developed city of China. It has been the political, economic and cultural center of China for over 800 years from the Yuan Dynasty. The numerous royal buildings with long history endow Beijing with incomparable charm, not only the 'Nation's Best' but also the 'World's Best'. On the other hand, as the host city of the 2008 Olympic Games, this oriental ancient city presented her best fashion fascination to the world.

Top Attractions:

• Summer Palace (Yiheyuan)

Summer Palace

Once a summer retreat for emperors, this 290-acre park is still a retreat for the crowd-weary tourist, who can relax here or stroll around ancient pavilions, mansions, temples, bridges and huge lake, stopping occasionally at a shop or tea-house.
Attraction type Parks; Castles; Historic Sites; Architectural Buildings; Gardens; Biking Trails; Monuments/ Statues
Distance 9.7 miles from city center

• The Great Wall

Stretching more than 5,000 kilometers in length, China’s greatest ancient fortification was built over a period of two thousand years. Construction of the first section began between the 7th and 6th century BC and the last work was completed between the 14th and 17th centuries.want to visit Mutianyu Great wall with me ?please searching my home page on Google bestbeijingtours
Attraction type Landmarks/ Points of Interest; Historic Sites
Distance 37.8 miles from city center

• Forbidden City (Imperial Palace)

Forbidden City

Consisting of more than 9,000 rooms and spread over 250 acres, this huge palace complex was built in the 15th century and later extensively renovated and restored during the Qing Dynasty in the 18th century.
Attraction type Historic Sites; Architectural Buildings; Castles; Landmarks/ Points of Interest; Museums
Distance 1.3 miles from city center

• Beihai Park (Beihai Gongyuan)

Kubla Khan in 1260 took up residence in this palace, which today is a 168-acre park filled with historic buildings, restaurants and a lake.
Attraction type Parks; Bodies of Water; Landmarks/ Points of Interest
Distance 1.8 miles from city center

• Beijing Capital Museum

Fantastic building filled with exhibitions and amazing displays. 5 floors of unique Chinese art not to be missed.
Attraction type History Museums
Distance 3.5 miles from city center

Jingshan Park

• Jingshan Park (Yingshan Gongyuan)

On Sundays particularly this park is full of community activities. You are welcome to join in if you wish. There are community singing groups (You need Mandarin for that, but sheets with the words...
Attraction type Parks; Lookouts; Landmarks/ Points of Interest
Distance 1.5 miles from city center

• Temple of Heaven (Tiantan Park) 

 Built in 1420 with a total area of 270 acres, this is the largest building for religious worship in China, which was originally used by the Ming and Qing emperors to pay homage to Heaven and to pray for a year of rich harvest.

Attraction type Religious Sites; Historic Sites; Parks
Distance 1.5 miles from city center

Madagascar Tourist Information

The almost endless coastlines and huge selection of beaches are the principal reason that Madagascar has become such a popular holiday destination, with top tourist resorts based on both the main island and many of its smaller islands. Some of the most appealing beaches can be discovered on the islands of Ile Sainte Marie, Nosy Be, Nosy Iranja, Nosy Komba and Tsarabanjina, while on 'mainland' Madagascar, the beaches of Le Paradisier and Manafiafy are worth looking out for, amongst many, many others. More information about Madagascar Beaches.

If you are a tourist on holiday in Madagascar and looking for some memorable sightseeing, then Antananarivo is an excellent place to start your adventure. Consider walking tours of the capital, taking in attractions such as the famed Queen's Palace, which also goes by the names - the Manjakamiadana, the Palais de la Reine and the Rova. This royal complex dates back to the 17th century, with considerable fire damage in the mid-nineties resulting in a huge, albeit slow, restoration project.
Also in Antananarivo is the Prime Minister's Palace (Palais d'Andafiavaratra), the President's Palace (Président Palais), the Mahamasina Municipal Stadium (Stade Municipal de Mahamasina), the family friendly Tsimbazaza Zoo and Botanical Garden, and some very enchanting markets, such as the Marché Artisanale de La Digue and the Marché Communal de Petit Vitesse. Elsewhere in Madagascar, the vineyards of Fianarantsoa, the Ivoloina Zoological Park at Toamasina, the Ranomafana Hot Springs, the Royal Palace of Tsinjoarivo and the Sahambavy Tea Estate in Ampaidranovato all deserve mentioning.
Many wonderful national parks are spread around the country, allowing you to experience indigenous Madagascar wildlife in its natural habitat. As you might expect, most people simply want to see the lemurs, of which there are numerous different species. The Kirindy Mitea National Park at Menabe is the place to come for lemur spotting, as are the national parks of Andohahela, Andringitra, Isalo and Ranomafana, as well as the Berenty Nature Reserve and the Tsingy de Bemaraha Strict Nature Reserve. The Amber Mountain National Park contains important groups of Sanford's brown and crowned lemurs, and is highly regarded for its crater lakes and cascading waterfalls. More information about Madagascar Tourist Attractions and Madagascar National Parks.
Madagascar is a particularly important country when it comes to history and preserving the past, with a host of classified monuments and many impressive World Heritage sites. Some of the most familiar and touted include the Royal Hill of Ambohimanga, which resides close to central Antananarivo and is now regarded as an important archeological site, with its royal tombs and holy shrines. Close by, the vast Anosy Lake (Lac Anosy) forms the capital's scenic centrepiece and functions as an important recreational space.
Roughly two hours to the west is the even larger Lake Itasy (Lac Itasy), while considerably closer and to the east, man-made Mantasoa Lake (Lac Mantasoa) has become a leading weekend haunt for those living in Antananarivo. Located just off the north-western tip of Madagascar's main island and only a short boat trip from Ambanja, Nosy Be comes highly recommended, as do excursions to Ile Sainte Marie (Nosy Boraha) off the north-easterly coast, where a fascinating pirate heritage and seasonal whale watching (June to September) serve as major draws for tourists. More information about Madagascar Landmarks and Monuments.
If you are coming to Madagascar with a view to taking in some of the country's premier museums, then Antananarivo should certainly be your first port of call. Here you can explore the Musee Andafiavaratra, where pink architecture is accompanied by information and well-captioned exhibits relating to the Merina royalty - including the valuable Merina crown jewels. Further cultural highlights in Antananarivo include the Musee de l'Art et de l'Archeologie (Museum of Art and Archaeology) and the Musee d'Ethnologie et de Paléontologie (Museum of Ethnology and Paleontology), the latter of which is the place to come if you are interested in learning about the island's now extinct elephant bird. Toliara, the University of Toamasina and Sarodravay Marodoka on Nosy Be are all also known for their reliable Madagascan museums. More information about Madagascar Museums.
If you are prepared to travel, then a holiday in Madagascar will be all the more rewarding, with many day trips to towns, beaches and attractions being quite possible with only minimal planning and organisation. Literally dozens of airports (large and small) are dotted around the archipelago, meaning that trips to chosen destinations are often no more than a short flight away. However, the more adventurous may like to continue their travels on mainland Africa, with the surprisingly plentiful attractions of Mozambique lying directly to the west. To the north-west is the country of Tanzania, where the Serengeti National Park and the beaches of Zanzibar stand out in particular. Head to the south-west and you will soon reach South Africa - home of bustling cities Cape Town and Johannesburg. More information about Madagascar Attractions Nearby.

Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park Information

Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park

The Gemsbok National Park (Botswana) and the Kalahari Gemsbok Park (South Africa) have been formed into one unit creating the first of a series of 8 Frontier Parks to be established in Southern Africa - the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park.

The absence of man-made barriers (except to the west and south of the Park) has provided a conservation area large enough to maintain examples of two ecological processes that were once widespread in the savannahs and grasslands of Africa. The large scale migratory movements of wild ungulates; and predation by large mammalian carnivores.

It is a vast area of unspoilt countryside with low vegetation-covered dunes, grasslands, scrub bush and woodlands. Its pans are bordered by high peripheral dunes. The pans fill up with water during the rainy season and contain nutrient-rich soils, and salts.

In the southern part of near Bokspits, are large, red dunes which are a spectacle to watch and a challenge to climb. Because of its tough terrain, many parts remain virgin waiting to be experienced.

Despite this dryness and low rainfall, the Kalahari supports a diverse and abundant mammal fauna. The best time to visit the park is towards the end of the rainy season, roughly March to May, however, game can he seen at any time of the year. The area supports numerous Kalahari ungulates which include wildebeest, eland, hartebeest, gemsbok and springbok, and a healthy population of large predators - lions, leopards, cheetah and hyena.

Because of the sparse vegetation and concentration of animals in the dry riverbeds of the Auob and Nossob Rivers, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park offers premium mammal viewing destinations anywhere. It is especially renowned for predator watching and for the seasonal movement of large herbivores such as blue wildebeest, springbok, eland and red hartebeest. Ground Squirrel andSuricate (Meerkat) are two more of the park’s more prominent species. Both these ground dwelling species live in large family groups for added protection and can easily be seen throughout the park. Honey Badger (Ratel), Pangolin (Scaly Anteater) and Bat-eared Fox are some of the park specials to search for. But it is the predators that are the park’s biggest attraction. Excellent chances of seeing cheetah, leopard, brown and spotted hyena and the definitive black-maned lionexist.

A Vacation In The Desert

A vacation in the desert has the potential of turning into one surreal experience that is bound to leave a lasting impression on the traveler. Vast stretches of open barren land, mounds of sand and occasional splashes of green in the form of some vegetation are what the desert is all about. But even this dry land has some magical portions hidden in it which splashes on travelers and leave them completely mesmerized. The silence during the nights is completely overpowering and baring the occasional twitter so some odd insect there is nothing what so ever that one can hear for miles. The sky at night is at its clearest and the experience of sleeping under this clear sky with a blanket of stars on top is surely one spectacular and soothing experience.

The Kalahari Desert is located in Botswana and extends deep into the areas of South Africa and Namibia providing it a total expanse of around 900,000 square kilometers,covering much of Botswana and parts of Namibia and South Africa, as semi-desert, with huge tracts of excellent grazing after good rains. The Kalahari Desert is the southern part of Africa, and the geography is a portion of desert and a plateau. The Kalahari supports some animals and plants because most of it is not a true desert. There are small amounts of rainfall and the summer temperature is very high. It usually receives 3–7.5 inches (76–190 mm) of rain per year. The surrounding Kalahari Basin covers over 2,500,000 square kilometres extending farther into Botswana, Namibia and South Africa, and encroaching into parts of Angola, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The only permanent river, the Okavango, flows into a delta in the northwest, forming marshes that are rich in wildlife. Ancient dry riverbeds—called omuramba—traverse the Central Northern reaches of the Kalahari and provide standing pools of water during the rainy season. Previously havens for wild animals from elephant to giraffe, and for predators such as lion and cheetah, the riverbeds are now mostly grazing spots, though leopard or cheetah can still be found.

This desert has allowed vegetation like wild grass and short scrubs to grow on it and also serves as an abode to the Tswana herdsmen and the Bushmen known as the San. the Kalahari desert is known as Kgalagadi in the local dialect and it is primarily the south west region of this desert with its small reddish sand dunes and small ridges that reflects and portrays a desert in true sense. The desert provides its boundaries to several wildlife parks and sanctuaries and in turn provides a safe haven to several varieties and species of wild animals and birds. These include the likes of cheetahs, leopards, giraffes and the famous black maned lions. Apart from these animals there are also present about 250 varieties of birds which have made the desert as their home.

There are several activities which can be indulged in when touring the Kalahari Desert. One of the most popular excursions here in the Kalahari involves spending a day with the members of the local San Bushmen. The language spoken by these Bushmen I heavily accented and it is very pleasing and interesting to hear them speak. They share in depth knowledge about the Kalahari Desert area and have learnt to live harmoniously with the local flora and fauna. The amount of information that one can get on the desert from them cannot be compared with any other information source as whatever input they provide it comes with their experience of living there in the midst of the desert.

The Kalahari Desert is not expected to provide any permanent camps or camping sites for the tourists and therefore the guests are expected to bring with them all the supplies when they plan to set up camp in the desert. But there is still an oasis of hope in the Kalahari for those wishing for some respite and luxury. This aid comes in the form of the Central Kalahari Game reserve which is very well equipped to provide you all the conditions required for an adventurous and at the same time a luxurious mobile safari option. Providing the luxuries of a spacious tent along with a bathroom, fine cutlery, a chef, good tasty food and wines it surely makes the desert look not so formidable and treacherous. But all said and done in order to experience the real desert one should camp there on their own without expecting to be waited upon and in return get the true unbridled experience of living in the wild amongst nature and under the watchful eyes of the stars and the moons. Truly heavenly!

Sun City, A Hobbit Dwelling Place

He purchased over 3000 hectares of wild forest, a terrain rich in hills and water. And that's how this spectacular "Sun City" was built. When I look at the pictures, it reminds me of Hobbit Village from Tolkien's "Lord of The Rings". The area is full of lush green nature, serenity seems built into the landscape.

If you want to live at Sun City (which is as away from the concept of "Sin City" as possible), there are special rules to go by, including a routine different from a common life.

First, three-storey houses are made of environmentally friendly materials constructed in a manner, which takes the terrain into account. The specific design of the houses makes the windows of each house not visible to other houses.
Secondly, near each of the 300 houses there is a small lake and forest, all of it included in cost of land (from 0,4 to 1,3 ha each).

Thirdly, all houses are equipped with central sewer (there is a special equipment laid under the roots of pine and fir trees!), High-speed Internet, electricity, and each house has a geothermal heat pump with borehole 90-100m deep, which converts the energy of the earth into the heat. The amound of heat produced is enough to provide enough energy to heat the house (and water) all year round. The need for using additional traditional firewood heating may only occur during some severe winter days. Of course, a fireplace is also available in every home.

Additionally, garbage collection and other urban amenities are also available.
Fourth, in this unique forest city, there are some more special rules - for example, it is forbidden to build a fence and have a guard dog (even if it's a chain dog). Dogs are allowed only in the houses. The reason for this rule is because of roe deer and other wild animals roaming freely in this "city", and barking dogs simply would chase them away.

For the Russian and Belarusian consumers, owner of Sun City offers special conditions - the sale of land with the house and unique postal address, the plot can be issued as a "production area" This entitles those customers to having a year-round "Schengen area" (very handy for those businessmen, who have their companies outside the EU).

Just an example for land and house pricing: plot Tilbites with a three-story house which includes all the necessary amenities, and also has a lake and forest area of 0.44 ha costs as much as 94000 Euros. The design of each house is unique, there are no identical buildings in there.

Did You Ever Go To Coca Castle?

The Castle of Coca, also known as “Castillo de Coca” in Spanish, is situated in the province of Segovia in Spain. Building this luxurious castle took more than ten years and its construction began in the late fifteenth century by Alonso de Fonseca, the archbishop of Seville.

The name “Coca” was given to the castle because of its proximity to the small town of Coca which used to be “Cauca” in the Roman era. This castle is one of the most important in Spain not only because of its age, but also because of its unique architectonical style and its strategic position.

This castle is special and different to many other medieval castles because of the direct Moorish influence in its interior decorations. Unfortunately, the Mudejar style in the interior has been lost as centuries have passed, more notoriously when during the XIX century most classical columns were removed from the courtyard.

Because of the flat landscape in which the castle was built, it was possible for a moat to exist. This moat was the first line of defense against and attack and even though it was dry, it could potentially slow down an invading army. For the castle itself, bricks were mostly used. Some of the castle’s walls were up to 2.5 meters thick – strong enough to easily withstand a siege.

At a first glance, the Caste of Coca does not seem as a mighty military fortress. Nevertheless, this is a very strong concentric castle for the main square is protected by three walls each with many towers especially designed to give an advantage to the defending archers.

When gunpowder was incorporated into medieval warfare, the Castle of Coca suffered some minor modifications to support fire weapons. Fortunately, these were rarely used and the Castle of Coca was mostly used as a way to show Segovia its own power and to potentially stop any invaders.

Today the castle may be visited only with a tour guide and it is just an hour away from Segovia. The castle is now a school owned by the Alva family in which foresters are trained in the inner bailey. Unfortunately, most parts of the castle are off-limits for all tourists – including many tunnels and the moat.

Kruger National Park

Formed in 1898 by Paul Kruger, this world famous Kruger National Park is now also part of the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park, a park that links Kruger National Park with the Gonarezhou National Park in Zimbabwe, and with the Limpopo National Park in Mozambique.

The Kruger National Park is huge, about 350km from North to South and covers an area of two million hectares and is home to an astonishing array of wildlife, including 147 species of mammals, 500 types of bird and 33 types of amphibian. The flora is equally diverse with 300 difference types of trees. All the big game can be found here including lion, leopard, cheetah, elephant, hippo, giraffe, rhino and buffalo. The Southern section of the Kruger National Park is the most popular as it has the richest diversity of habitats and animal life.

The Park attracts more than 750,000 visitors annually and caters for day-trippers and well as overnight guests and campers. The Kruger Park has 21 rest camps, as well as 7 private lodge concessions, and 11 designated private safari lodges. The concessions are parcels of land operated by private companies in partnership with communities, who outsource the operation of private lodges. Accommodation, apart from camping, must be pre-booked through the National Parks Board.

The park offers numerous organised wilderness trails as well as ranger guided day and night safaris in open vehicles. All the main camps have petrol stations and shops. Skukuza is the biggest rest camp and has a large information centre, a bank, post office as well as a photo developing service and vehicle workshop.

Because if it's sheer size and diversity, it is almost easier to list the African wildlife that is not in the Kruger National Park, than what you can see! With about 145 mammal species from the mighty Elephant, hippopotamus, rhino and buffalo, to the tiny Four-toed Elephant-shrew and pretty much everything else in between.

Most people who go on safari aim to see Africa's Big 5 animals, and with an estimated 2 thousand Lions, 12 thousand Elephants, 5 thousand Rhinos (black and white) and approximately 1 thousand Leopards, the Kruger Park is definitely a good place to start.

What To See In Monreale Cathedral

Famed for its glorious golden mosaics, Monreale Cathedral is perhaps the finest Norman building in Sicily. It was built in the 12th century as part of a grand royal complex a few miles outside of Palermo.
Monreale Cathedral was built from 1174 to 1185. It was commissioned by William II (1154-89), the Norman ruler of Sicily, who wished to demonstrate the magnificence of his kingdom and outdo the splendid Palatine Chapel built by his grandfather, Roger II. The project employed both Sicilian and Byzantine craftsmen, resulting in a magnificent fusion of eastern and western influences.
Exterior
The exterior of Monreale's Duomo is pleasant enough, but gives no indication of the golden splendor within. The west facade has two towers, only one of which was finished. The Neoclassical portico was added in the 18th century. Far more interesting is the exterior of the apse, richly decorated with interlaced arch and circle designs made of marble and tufa. It is well worth walking around back for a clear view from Via Archivescovado.
Bronze Doors
Monreale boasts two sets of Romanesque bronze doors, of which there are only a handful remaining in Europe. The doors of the main entrance were sculpted and signed in 1185 by Bonanno da Pisa (a.k.a. Bonanno Pisano); they depict 42 reliefs of biblical scenes set within decorative frames. The north doors, completed in 1179 by Barisano da Trani, depict 42 portraits of saints and evangelists. The portico over the north door dates from the 16th century.
The Mosaics
The undisputed highlight of Monreale Cathedral is its richly mosaiced interior. Dating from the 12th and 13th centuries, the golden mosaics completely cover the walls of the nave, aisles, transept and apse - amounting to 68,220 square feet in total. The mosaic cycle is second only to the Hagia Sofia in size, and much better preserved. Some of the mosaics were created by craftsmen brought from Venice.
The eye is drawn immediately to the apse, where a magnificent portrait of Christ Pantocrator ("Ruler of All") gestures in blessing and gazes serenely off to one side. The Greek inscription reads, "Jesus Christ, the Pantocrator." Populating the rest of the apse are standing saints and apostles. Old Testament stories are depicted in the nave, while scenes from the life of Christ adorn the aisles and transept.
Other Interior Attractions
Contrasting with the rest of the medieval interior, the Cappella del Crocifisso in the north apse has been fully Baroqued. The Cappella di San Benedetto, decorated in the 16th century, contains the porphyry sarcophagus of William I (d. 1166) and marble tomb of William II (d. 1190). The beautifully painted woodenvault, with Latin inscriptions, was added in 1816-37.
The cathedral's treasury contains an impressive collection of sacred art, including vestments, silverware, and goldsmithery from the Middle Ages and the Renaissance.
Cloister and Terraces
The lovely cloister adjoining the south side was built at the same time as the cathedral. Consisting of 228 double columns supporting Arab-style arches, it is richly decorated with Romanesque figurative carvings on the columns and capitals. Mosaicwork appears on some of the columns as well. The craftsmen who worked in the cloister came from all over southern Italy.
Overlooking the south side of the cloister (opposite the cathedral) is a wall of the original monastery. A mini-cloister at the southwest corner contains a beautiful fountain with lion-head spouts.
It is possible to ascend to the roof terraces over the cloisters, which is well worth the climb (and small fee) for the views. The highest terrace provides a beautiful panoramic view to the sea and the bay of Conca d'Oro.