CHINA

Tourism in China has greatly expanded over the last few decades since the beginning of reform and opening. The emergence of a newly rich middle class and an easing of restrictions on movement by the Chinese authorities are both fueling this travel boom. China has become one of the world's most-watched and hottest outbound tourist markets. The world is on the cusp of a sustained Chinese outbound tourism boom.

China is the world's fourth largest country for inbound tourism. The number of overseas tourists was 55 million in 2007. Foreign exchange income was 41.9 billion U.S. dollars, the world's fifth largest in 2007. The number of domestic tourist visits totaled 1.61 billion, with a total income of 777.1 billion yuan.

According to the WTO, in 2020, China will become the largest tourist country and the fourth largest for overseas travel. In terms of total outbound travel spending, China is currently ranked fifth and is expected to be the fastest growing in the world from 2006 to 2015, jumping into the number two slot for total travel spending by 2015.

The most popular tourist attraction in China holidays is the Great Wall of China. Also popular are the Forbidden City in Beijing, which was the center of Chinese Imperial power, and the Terracotta Army of the Qin Dynasty Emperor's mausoleum in Xi'an, a vast collection of full-size terracotta statues of Chinese Imperial soldiers and others.

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LEMBANG - WEST JAVA

Lembang is a cool mountainous town North of Bandung. It is popular with local tourists for its refreshing climate and the proximity to the Tangkuban Prahu volcano, Bandung 's main tourist attraction. Even though Lembang in itself is doesn't have that much to offer, it is worth a daytrip to savor some local specialties and gawk at the beautiful panoramas on the way.

There are four roads that lead to Lembang from Bandung . A steep and meandering road departs from Dago Bengkok (after the angkot terminal take the left fork), there's a new road that is even steeper that is on the left side just after the terminal, but make sure your vehicle can cope with the climbs.

Jalan Ciumbuleuit also connects to Lembang but the fastest way is through the road that goes to Sethiabudi, this road has more traffic but is more easily accessible than the others. Angkots (minivans) saying Lembang will take approximately 30 to 45 minutes to get there, but to really enjoy the views it is suggested to go either with private car or with motorcycle.

Lembang itself is a scruffy, busy place with a lot of traffic, street vendors and markets. Because the volcanic soil that makes up the rolling hills around this area is extremely fertile, horticultural and agricultural products are abundant. Corn, rambutan (hairy fruits), strawberries, orchids and bonsai trees can be found everywhere. On Sundays Lembang is usually packed with families conducting Indonesia 's single most favourite weekend activities: tasting snacks and local specialties.

Other favourites include sate kelinci (rabbit satay) and susu murni (fresh cowmilk). Furry rabbits can be found at street stalls everywhere, soon to be put on a stick and barbequed for your pleasure. Cow milk is sold at various places, the biggest being Kencana Lembang, where you can drink milk or yoghurt in old converted cow stables and also see the process of milking the cows.

If you have green hands Lembang is the place to be, plants and flowers are considered to be among the best and relatively cheap. Several botanical gardens sell plants ranging from tiny bonsai trees to 2 meter high palm trees.

Near Lembang there are some forests and waterfalls that can be visited. The hot springs of Maribaya resort have been tapped into a public pool and form an ultimate relaxing pastime, although it can be quite crowded on weekends.

Staying over in Lembang is apparently quite popular and the town is sprawling with hotels of every category. Among the most well known are Grand Hotel Lembang and Putri Gunung. There is enough to see and do in the surroundings, but unfortunately Lembang itself is far from charming. It makes for a nice daytrip though, and if you enjoy snacking and stunning views it's a place most conveniently located.

Source : Streetdirectory.com

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PUNCAK HIGHLAND - WEST JAVA

Puncak is the popular name for the area surrounding the peak of Mt.Gede-Pangrango, located in the Bogor-Cianjur-Sukabumi regencies, in the province of West Java, Indonesia. Puncak, literally translates to Peak, is a weekend getaway that has beautiful view of tea plantation. Located about 100 KM South of Jakarta, West Java, Indonesia, Puncak swarms with hotels and mountain resorts.

This area is a popular holiday area for the residents of Jakarta, the capital city, and its satellite cities. It has fresh air and mountain scenery.

Two to three hour drive from Jakarta. Take the Jagorawi toll road to Puncak. Usually heavy inbound traffic on long weekends. There is also traveling car from airport to Bandung , but ask the driver first is the car will pass Puncak or not. Because there is another road highway name Cipularang which shorter road to Bandung and this highway does not pass through Puncak.

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TANGKUBAN PERAHU - WEST JAVA

Tangkuban Perahu, or Tangkuban Parahu in local Sundanese dialect, is an active volcano 30 km north of the city of Bandung, the provincial capital of West Java, Indonesia. It is a popular tourist attraction where tourists can hike or ride to the edge of the crater to view the hot water springs upclose, and buy eggs cooked on its hot surface. This stratovolcano is on the island of Java and last erupted in 1983.

In April 2005 the Directorate of Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation raised an alert, forbidding visitors from going up the volcano. "Sensors on the slopes of the two mountains - Anak Krakatoa on the southern tip of Sumatra Island and Tangkuban Perahu in Java - picked up an increase in volcanic activity and a build up of gases, said government volcanologist Syamsul Rizal."

Local legend of the mountain
The name translates roughly to "upturning of (a) boat" or "upturned boat" in Sundanese, referring to the local legend of its creation. The story tells of "Dayang Sumbi", a beauty who lived in West Java. She cast away her son "Sangkuriang" for disobedience, and in her sadness was granted the power of eternal youth by the gods.

After many years in exile, Sangkuriang decided to return to his home, long after the two had forgotten and failed to recognize each other. Sangkuriang fell in love with Dayang Sumbi and planned to marry her, only for Dayang Sumbi to recognize his birthmark just as he was about to go hunting.

In order to prevent the marriage from taking place, Dayang Sumbi asked Sangkuriang to build a dam on the river Citarum and to build a large boat to cross the river, both before the sunrise. Sangkuriang meditated and summoned mythical ogre-like creatures -buta hejo or green giant(s)- to do his bidding. Dayang Sumbi saw that the tasks were almost completed and called on her workers to spread red silk cloths east of the city, to give the impression of impending sunrise. Sangkuriang was fooled, and upon believing that he had failed, kicked the dam and the unfinished boat, resulting in severe flooding and the creation of Tangkuban perahu from the hull of the boat.

Source : Wikipedia

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BANDUNG - WEST JAVA

Bandung (pronounced [bʌnduŋ]) Indonesian: Kota Bandung) is the capital of West Java province in Indonesia, and the country's third largest city, and 2nd largest metropolitan area, with 7.4 million in 2007. Located 768 m (2,520 ft) above sea level, Bandung has relatively year-around cooler temperature than most other Indonesian cities. The city lies on a river basin and surrounded by volcanic mountains. This topography provides the city with a good natural defense system, which was the primary reason of Dutch East Indies government's plan to move the colony capital from Batavia to Bandung.

The Dutch colonials first opened tea plantations around the mountains in the eighteenth century, followed by a road construction connecting the plantation area to the capital (180 km or 112 miles to the northwest). The European inhabitants of the city demanded the establishment of a municipality (gemeente), which was granted in 1906 and Bandung gradually developed itself into a resort city for the plantation owners. Luxurious hotels, restaurants, cafes and European boutiques were opened of which the city was dubbed as Parijs van Java (Dutch: "The Paris of Java").

After Indonesian independence on 1945 onwards, the city experienced a rapid development and urbanization that has transformed Bandung from idyllic town into a dense 16500 people/km² metropolitan area, a living space for over 2 million people. Natural resources have been exploited excessively, particularly in the conversions of protected upland area into highland villa and real estates. Although the city has encountered many problems (ranging from waste disposal, floods to chaotic traffic system, etc.), Bandung however still has its charm to attract people flocking into the city, either as weekend travellers or living in.

Tourism industry
Bandung has served for popular weekend-break destination for people living in Jakarta for many reasons. The cooler climate of highland plantation area, the varieties of food, the cheaper fashion shops located in factory outlets and distros, golf courses, and the friendliness of local people have become the main attraction of the city.

In the 1990s, local designers opened denim clothing stores along Cihampelas Street which gave Bandung another nickname, the "Tourist Shopping City" (Kota Wisata Belanja). It was a success as the-then residential street had been fully transformed into a "jeans street". The city attracts people from other big cities to buy local fashion wears, as they are cheaper than branded items.
The Martabak

The city gained more shoppers to come when textile factories in the outskirt of Bandung opened a fashion store that sells their products directly from the factory. The products are tagged as sisa export (rejected or over-produced export quality items) and these shops are called factory outlets. The trend was followed by another factory outlets.

From Wikipedia

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PULAU LANGKAWI (LANGKAWI ISLAND) - KEDAH

Langkawi,(Jawi:لانكاوي ) officially known as Langkawi, the Jewel of Kedah (Malay: Langkawi Permata Kedah) is an archipelago of 99 islands in the Andaman Sea, some 30 km off the mainland coast of northwestern Malaysia. The islands are a part of the state of Kedah, which is adjacent to the Thai border. On July 15, 2008, Sultan Abdul Halim of Kedah had consented to the change of name to Langkawi Permata Kedah in conjunction with his Golden Jubilee Celebration.

By far the largest of the islands is the eponymous Pulau Langkawi with a population of some 64,792, the only other inhabited island being nearby Pulau Tuba. Langkawi is also an administrative district with the town of Kuah as the capital and largest town. Langkawi is a duty-free island.

Etymology
Langkawi means reddish brown eagle in colloquial Malay. The Malay word for eagle is helang - shortened is "lang". Kawi means the colour reddish brown.

Geography
Langkawi, a cluster of 99 islands separated from mainland Malaysia by the Straits of Malacca, is a district of the state of Kedah in Northern Malaysia and lies approximately 51 km west of Kedah. The total land mass of the islands is 47,848 hectares, while the main island of Langkawi itself has a total of 32,000 hectares. The main island spans about 25 km from north to south and slightly more for east and west. The coastal areas consist of flat, alluvial plains punctuated with limestone ridges. Two-thirds of the island is dominated by forest-covered mountains, hills and natural vegetation.

The island's oldest geological formation, Gunung Matchincang, was the first part of South-East Asia to rise from the seabed in the Cambrian period more than half a billion years ago. The oldest part of the formation is observable at Teluk Datai to the north-west of the island, where the exposed outcrop consists of mainly sandstone (quartzite) in the upper parts and shale and mudstone in the lower parts of the sequence.

Climate and Weather
A sunny, hot and humid, tropical climate with an average annual temperature of about 32 degrees Celsius. The rainy season is during August/September, although there are occasional showers throughout the year.

Demographics
Kedahan Malay made up the majority in Langkawi, followed by Chinese, Indians, and Thai. Other Malays include Pattani Malays. [citation needed]Islam is practised primarily by the Malays. Other major religions are Hinduism (mainly among Indians), Buddhism (mainly among Chinese and Thai) and Christianity.

Population
Only four of the 99 islands are inhabited - Pulau Langkawi (the main island), Pulau Tuba, Pulau Rebak and Pulau Dayang Bunting. The population is approximately 65000 of which 90% are Malays. The other ethnic groups consist mainly of Chinese, Indians and Thais.

Tourism
On June 1, 2007, Langkawi Island has been given a World Geopark status by UNESCO.[4] Three of its main conservation area in Langkawi Geopark;Machincang Cambrian Geoforest Park, Kilim Karst Geoforest Park and Dayang Bunting Marble Geoforest park.(Island of the Pregnant Maiden Lake). These three parks are the most popular tourism area within Langkawi Geopark.
Kilim Geoforest Park

Some of the most popular beaches are Pantai Cenang, Pantai Tengah, Burau Bay, Pantai Kok, and Datai Bay. Pantai Cenang is a picturesque beach with seemingly unending stretches of fine white sand. The beach is contoured by tall coconuts and casuarinas. Pantai Tengah is separated from Cenang by a small cape. Burau Bay, fringed by rocky outcrops, is the favorite place of migratory birds in Langkawi. Pantai Kok is a peaceful beach with the backdrop of limestone hills. Datai Bay has combination of forests and sea. The milky beach is backed by lush forest.

The Langkawi Cable Car takes visitors up to the peak of Gunung Mat Chinchang, where the Langkawi Sky Bridge is located.

Tourists can enter into the island via ferry from Kuala Perlis or by flight from Kuala Lumpur. AirAsia, provides budget connections to the island.


Source : Wikiepedia

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KEK LOK SI - PENANG

The Kek Lok Si Temple (Penang Hokkien for "Temple of Supreme Bliss" or "Temple of Sukhavati"; Simplified Chinese: 极乐寺; Traditional Chinese: 極樂寺) is a Buddhist temple situated in Air Itam in Penang and is one of the best known temples on the island. It is the largest Buddhist temple in Southeast Asia.

Mahayana Buddhism and traditional Chinese rituals blend into a harmonious whole, both in the temple architecture and artwork as well as in the daily activities of worshippers.

Visiting the Temple
Most visitors approach the temple as they ascend a stairway, roofs of which provide shelter to a multitude of shops selling souvenirs and other - mostly secular - commodities. They pass by a so-called Liberation Pond, following the buddhist tradition of merit-making, turtles may be released into freedom, albeit a limited one.

The temple itself consists of several large halls for assembly and prayer, here, statues of Buddha, various Bodhisattvas as well as Chinese gods are being venerated. Intricate woodwork, often brightly painted and a plethora of lanterns add to the visual impression.

There is an inclined lift to carry pilgrims and visitors further uphill. On the elevated platform, you can find a pond filled with Koi and the towering statue of Kuan Yin, Goddess of Mercy, which can also be regarded as Avalokitheshvara, Bodhisattva of Universal Compassion.

Source : Wikipedia

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PENANG - THE PEARL OF ORIENT

Penang, often referred to as the Pearl of the Orient, is one of the most picturesque and romantic cities in all of Asia. This tropical island lies in the Indian Ocean, just off the north-west coast of Peninsular Malaysia.

Penang received its name from the Pinang, or Betel Nut tree, once commonly found on the island. Established as the first British trading post in the Far East in 1776, Penang today is a bustling metropolis reflecting a uniquely exotic blend of East and West.

The state of Penang consists of the island of Penang and a strip of land on the mainland known as Seberang Prai.

The Penang Bridge, one of the longest in Asia at 13.5 km, links the two land masses. Penang is also connected by a ferry service to the mainland.

On Penang Island sits the capital, Georgetown, a city steeped in history and tradition yet sparkling with progress and modern development. Certain sections of Penang present a quaint picture from the past where narrow side streets, trishaws, temples and traders plying their goods, seem to belong to a forgotten era. Penang is a shopper's paradise for goods old and new, at bargain prices.

The island also boasts some of the best food in the region, ranging from fabulous Chinese, Malay and Nyonya cuisines to foodstall favourites like nasi kandar, char kway teow and penang laksa, all of which are cooked in a uniquely 'Penang' way.

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