Guangzhou is the capital city of Guangdong, and the center of its political, economic, scientific, educational and cultural life. Sui (Ears of Rice) is short for Guangzhou and the City of Ram (Yang Cheng) is also an alias of Guangzhou. The kapok is the city flower and the kapok tree is the city tree of Guangzhou.Guangzhou is located in the middle south of Guangdong Province, north of the Pearl River Delta. It lies close to the South China Sea, Hong Kong, and Macau.

Zhujiang (The Pearl River), the third largest river of China, runs through Guangzhou and is navigable to the South China Sea. Situated in such an excellent geographical region, Guangzhou is called China’s South Gate.Covering an area of 7434.4 square kilometers (2870 square miles), Guangzhou is home to more than 11 million people, including a 3.7 million transitory population. With the opening of China to the outside world, a large number of people from other regions of China swarmed into Guangzhou, one of the first “open” cities in China. This has accelerated its economic development.Guangzhou is a famous historical city. In ancient days, Guangzhou was the capital city for three Chinese dynasties: the Nan Yue (South Yue), the Nan Han (South Han) and the Nanming (South Ming). Thus it was put in the list of the 24 most famous historical cultural cities and became a tourist destination. You can not understand most Chinese cities deeply until you know their history. This is true of Guangzhou. Many historic sights: the Western Han Nanyue King’s Tomb Museum, the Zhenhai Tower and the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall tell us the 2,000-year history of Guangzhou.Today, Guangzhou retains its ancient customs, but is also a large city full of vigor and current fashions. You can find something worth taking home in Shangxia Jiu Lu, Beijing Lu and Di Shi Fu Lu.Trying Yue Cai (Cantonese Cuisine), one of eight Chinese famous cuisines, is definitely a must in Guangzhou! Eat delicious food with ingredients you have never heard of.Hotel facilities and service in Guangzhou are fine. A word of warning: Do make a reservation beforehand if you decide to visit Guangzhou during the Canton Fair. For visitors, especially those plan to attend the Canton Fair, transportation in Guangzhou is more and more convenient. You can choose plane, train, ship or bus.Guangzhou is famous as a hometown for overseas Chinese. It boasts the largest population of overseas Chinese people. These overseas Chinese do a great deal of good for Guangzhou: opening international markets, bridging Guangzhou and the rest of the world, and establishing many schools, hospitals, nurseries, kindergartens and rest homes in Guangzhou.

Ancestral Temple of the Chen Family:

Ancestral Temple of the Chen Family is also called Chen Clan Academy which is a place both for offering up sacrifices to ancestors and for study. Now the Chen Clan Ancestral Temple in Guangzhou City, the Ancestors’ Temple in Foshan City, the former Residence of Sun Yat-sen in Zhongshan City and the Opium War Memorial Hall in Dongguan City are regarded as the four major cultural tourist sites in Guangdong Province. In the late of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911), a man named Chen got the third place in the highest imperial examination and had conferred upon him a distinguished office title which made the Family Chen well-known. Later someone suggested that all the Chen’s families raise money to build a temple to sacrifice to the ancestors and encourage their offspring likewise to study hard. Therefore, the temple was finished in 1894 with the money donated by Chen’s families in 72 counties of Guangdong Province as well as some overseas members of Family Chen. The temple is a compound complex consisting of nine halls, six courtyards and nineteen buildings connected by corridors, all separated by walls from the outside world. A pair of stone drums in front of the entrance door, measuring 2.55 meters (about 8.36 feet) in height and two colored drawing pictures of door-god of four meters (about 13 feet) height are said to be the best in Guangdong. The compound was constructed in the traditional Chinese symmetrical style and the main hall, the Juxian Hall is in the center of the temple. Juxian Hall was once a place for clansmen to assemble before the establishment of the temple and now it is used as an ancestral hall. In front of the hall is a stone gazebo surrounded by stone balustrades. In the hall there is an exquisitely carved folding screen which is an excellent example of woodcarving. The most impressive attractions in the temple are various superb carvings extolling nature. They are in the forms of wood, brick, pottery, stone, lime and things like that, of which wood carving especially fully demonstrates the great achievements of the art of carving in Guangdong Province. Stories of historical celebrities and scenes are also vividly represented in the temple.

White Cloud Mountain

From ancient times, White Cloud Mountain has been one of the most famous spots of natural beauty in Guangzhou, and it’s still known as the First Spectacular Scene of Guangzhou. Every time the sun shines after the rain, and through late spring, a wreath of airy clouds circles the mountains. This is how White Cloud Mountain has won its name, and its reputation as a marvelous spectacle of nature. The fierce differentiation of rocks, and the different ways in which erosion has affected them, has caused White Cloud Mountain a crisscross network of gullies. So its relative height is now about 100 meters (109 yards). The quiet and secluded environment of the valley has made White Cloud Mountain a haven of peace from the big city. People always describe the natural beauty of Guangzhou as being composed of white cloud and pearl sea, the white cloud referring to that of White Cloud Mountain, located about 17 kilometers (10 miles) north of Guangzhou. The total area of White Cloud Mountain is about 28 square kilometers (10 square miles), consisting of 30 peaks. Moxing Ridge (Star-Scraping Ridge), known as ‘the first peak under the southern sky’, is about 382 meters (417 yards) high. You can stand on the summit and look over the whole city and the beautiful Pearl River, the most famous river in Guangzhou. White Cloud Mountain is an ideal place for people to relax. It has six areas that are popular with visitors, Bright Pearl Building Park, the San tailing Summit Park, the Bird Spring Valley Park (Mingchun Valley), the Santailing Park, the Luhu Park and the Fei’eling Park. Yuntai Garden, a bright pearl in the crown of White Cloud Mountain, is located in Santailing Park. Yuntai Garden is an enormous garden filled with all kinds of blooms and trees, which make Guangzhou, City of Flowers, worthy of the name. The Sculpture Park is located in Fei’eling, and covers an area of 46 hectares (113 acres). It was built according to the fashion of the times, which was to use modern languages in sculpture. You will also find the biggest natural birdcage in China, perfect for enjoying all kinds of birds; Bird Spring Valley Park. Here you can stroll idly by the river and mountains, and mingle with the birds. Luhu Park is famous for Jinye Pond. The lake is so clear that the beautiful sights surrounding the lake are perfectly reflected in the water, like a brilliantly drawn picture. Due to the recent rapid development of Guangzhou City, White Cloud Mountain is mostly surrounded by urban developments. A major beauty spot in a modern city with a population of 8,000,000 is really a most unusual occurrence. White Cloud Mountain is fairly known as a return to nature from the big city.

Bright Filial Piety Temple:

Situated at the north end of Guangxiao Road, Bright Filial Piety Temple (Guangxiaosi) is among the grandest and most influential temples in China with a history dating back more than 1,700 years. In fact, it is said that ‘The Bright Filial Piety Temple existed before the birth of Guangzhou City’. In 1961, the Temple was designated by the State Council as a Key National Cultural Preservation Site. Initially built during the Western Han Dynasty (207 BC - 24 AD) as a private house, it was used as a lecture hall before being dedicated completely to the function of a Zen Buddhist Temple during the Southern Song Dynasty (1127 - 1279). The many noted monks and sutra-translators who have resided there have contributed greatly to the spread of Buddhist culture. The pride of the temple is Hui Neng, the famous sixth master of Zen Buddhism, who had his hair cut and was initiated into monkhood there. The architecture of the temple and cultural relics provide insight into the history of Chinese Buddhism, culture, and architecture as well as the local history of Guangdong Province. The main complex consists of Mahavira Hall, Sixth Ancestor Hall (Liuzudian), Samgharama Hall, Heavenly King Hall (Tianwangdian), the East and West Iron Towers, and the Mahakaruna Dharani Sutra Pillar. The Mahavira Hall was built in 401 during the Eastern Jin Dynasty (317 - 420) with additions made during succeeding dynasties. Today it is 35.36 meters (116 feet) long by 24.8 meters (81.36 feet) wide by 13.6 meters (44.62 meters) high. Situated on a high platform, the stately building, which is considered the most magnificent in South China, is guarded by the Bell Tower and the Drum Tower. Inside are three fine statues of Buddha. Travelers to other parts of South China will note that many other temples in the area have imitated the architectural style of Mahavira Hall. The Sixth Ancestor Hall, located behind Samgharama Hall, was established during the Northern Song Dynasty (960 - 1127) in honor of Master Hui Neng, a larger-than-life statue of whom is found inside. Behind this hall grows a bodhi tree, which symbolizes the Buddhist ideal of wisdom. In 676, the abbot of the temple buried Hui Neng’s cut hair under the tree. Today the seven-story (7.8 meters [25 feet]) octagonal Yifa Pagoda stands as a memorial to him. Each level houses eight shrines. The East and West Iron Towers are the oldest iron towers in China. The West Iron Tower, the older of the two, was erected in 963; the East Tower was built four years later in 967. The four upper floors of the West Tower failed to survive the collapse of the house. The East Tower, which remains intact, is seven stories tall. About 1,000 shrines, each housing a small, exquisite statue of Buddha, are carved into the exterior of the tower. It is said that at the time of its completion, the exterior of the tower was gilded. In addition to these structures, other beautiful buildings and relics can be seen on the Temple grounds. The Heavenly King Hall boasts the 380-year old Helin Stele, which was inscribed during the Ming Dynasty (1368 - 1644).The Spring of Washing Bowl was dug in 527 to provide clear spring water in which Bodhidhamma, the initiator of Chinese Zen Buddhism, could wash his bowl. And the unique mushroom-shaped dharani pillar, which was made of bluestone in 826, is engraved on all eight sides with the words of the Mahakaruna Dharani Sutra.

Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall :

Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall, situated on the southern slope of Yuexiu Hill, was constructed between 1929 and 1931, a monument to Dr Sun Yat-sen, the forerunner of Chinese democratic revolution, by the people of Guangzhou and overseas Chinese. The hall, a grand octagon building of typical Chinese architectural style, looks brand new because of reconstruction in 1998. The masterpiece of architecture history is created with a span of 71 meters (about 78 yards) without a pillar but significant outlooks and delicate interior designs. As an important place for conferences and performances, it can hold thousands of people with sound equipment. In the hall there is also a display gallery showing pictures and letters of Sun Yat-sen. The oldest ceiba in Guangzhou City grows in the hall, like a centuries-old man, witnessing great changes of this city; besides, you can also have a chance to see the two biggest white jade orchid trees of Guangzhou. A bronze statue of Sun Yat-sen was set up in 1956 in front of the memorial hall. Stepping on the monument by a steel spiral staircase, you are presented with a panoramic view of the memorial hall. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall will refresh you after visiting the bustling commercial metropolis and provide you with a moment to touch this great man in Chinese history.

Yuexiu Park :

Yuexiu Park is the largest park in downtown Guangzhou. Covering an area of 860,000 square meters (212.5 acres), the park is made up of three artificial lakes and seven hills of Yuexiu Mountain; hence the name Yuexiu Park. Yuexiu Park is a perfect combination of cultural relics and ecological tourism, reputed for its pretty water and hills as well as cultural relics. The main places of interest include the stone sculpture of the Five Rams, Zhenhai Tower, the site of the Ming Dynasty City Wall, and Square Cannon Site.
The Five-Ram Sculpture is one of the most famous structures in Guangzhou. It has become the emblem of Guangzhou City. Legend has it that more than 2,000 years ago, Guangzhou was a barren land with people who despite hard work were suffering from famine. One day five immortals in five-color garments came riding on five rams, playing their legendary music. The rams held sheaves of rice in their mouths. The immortals left the sheaves of rice for the Guangzhou people, gave blessings to the city and left. The rams turned into stone and the city of Guangzhou became a rich and populous place. Guangzhou got the name of the City of Rams and the City of Ears.
Zhenhai Tower, better known among the locals as the Five-Story Tower, is one of the landmarks of Guangzhou city. An interesting historical record has it that Zhu Liangzu, Yongjia Marquis of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), saw yellow and purple air rising over Yuexiu Mountain and was told by a sorcerer that it was the omen of a new emperor. To subdue this omen, Zhu Liangzu ordered this tower to be built in 1380. Over the past 600 years, the tower has been destroyed five times and set up five times. Now it is the Guangzhou Museum, housing relics and documents showing Guangzhou’s history over 2, 000 years. Known as the first tower in Lingnan (South of Nanling Mountain) Area, Zhenhai Tower now is 28 meters (91.9feet) high and 16 meters (52.5 feet) wide. The striking contrast of green glazed titles and red walls makes the tower elegant. While the historical traces create a serene environment, singing birds and exuberant plants add vigor and natural beauty to the park. Three artificial lakes — Dongxiu, Nanxiu, and Beixiu– cover an area of more than 50,000 square meters (538,213 square feet). Dongxiu Lake and Nanxiu Lake are tranquil and elegant, inviting painting and sketching artists. Beixiu Lake, surrounded by trees, is open for boating and fishing. What’s more, the lakes are connected with arch bridges and decorated with pavilions and corridors in the Lingnan Style. Flower exhibitions are held here from time to time. For nature lovers who can’t get to the faraway countryside or forests, Yuexiu Park is an optimum choice with modern conveniences. As a large comprehensive park, Yuexiu Park provides an amusement park, swimming pool, gymnasium, restaurants, stalls, museum and art museum besides plant and flower viewing area. All visitors find pleasure in Yuexiu Park.

In contrast to some other Chinese urban centres, and despite raging redevelopment, Chengdu has managed to preserve the atmosphere how one might imagine China to have once been sometime in the past. Chengdu was already the political, economic, and cultural centre of western Sichuan by 400 B.C. During the Five Dynasties Period (907-960), Meng Chang, a ruler of later Shu, had numerous hibiscus trees planted on the city wall, so the town eventually became known as the City of Hibiscus. Chengdu, also known as the hibiscus city or the brocade city, has been a famous cultural centre with age-old colorful traditions of both religious and civil significance for the past 2,500 years in Chinese history. With the coming of the spring, peach blossoms abound on the plain and rape-seed flowers tinge the landscape golden while the wafting cooking smoke curls up from the farm huts amidst bamboo groves. All this makes the city and its suburbs truly poetic. The annual happy occasions of the traditional lantern festival, flower show, the yearly opening of the sluices at the Dujiangyan, the dragon boat races at Xinjing, and the folk-lore sing song contests at Wang-cong Memorial Temple are also charming and captivating scenes. The old street scene at Huanglongxi township, the gorgeous mansions of the Liu family at Dayi county and a number of picturesque civilian villages are well preserved for people and future generations to appreciate. In Tiexiangsi, there is the College for Buddhist nuns in China, and the Guanyin Temple in Xinjing has preserved the most lively color sculpture and wall-painting of Ming Dynasty, Zhaojue Temple, Wenshu Monastery, Baoguang Temple and Daci Temple in the city are known as “the four famous Buddhist monasteries in western Sichuan”.

Hemingshan at Diyi county is the sacred seat of origin for Taoism, and Qingyang Palace is the best preserved memorial temple for Laotzu, the founder and master of the Taoist faith. Sichuan opera with the Chengdu brand as representative, is one of the principal genres of regional drama. It is particularly famous for its sense of humor and its unique skills in”Changing one’s countenance”. Built on flat ground, Chengdu can easily be explored on foot or by bicycle. It has almost a southern aspect, with colorful old streets lined by scores of small restaurants and walkways that remain crowded until late with traders, buyers, and people out for a stroll.

Wuhou Memorial Temple

Wuhou Temple (Temple of Marquis Wu) in the southern suburbs of Chengdu is dedicated to the memory of both Liu Bei (161-223), Emperor of the Kingdom of Shu in the Three Kingdoms period (220-280), and Zhuge Liang (181-234), Prime Minister of the Kingdom. The board hung above the gate reads “Han Zhaolie Temple” (Zhaolie was a title given to Liu Bei posthumously). But the temple is commonly called Wuhou Memorial Temple (Zhuge Liang was conferred on the title of Wu Xianghou after his death). The memorial temple, dignified and simple in style, houses 47 statues of Liu Bei, Zhuge Liang and other civil officials and senior generals of the Kingdom. The temple is furnished with many inscribed stone tablets, the most famous being the Tablet of Triple Success of the Tang Dynasty (618 -907) with its text by Prime Minister Pei Du, calligraphy by Liu Gongchuo and carvings by Lu Jian. The couplets written on scrolls and hung on the pillars in the temple are well-known for numerous aphorism.

Giant Panda Breeding Research Base

The Giant Panda Breeding Research Base is located on the mountain of Futoushan in the northern suburbs of the city, 18km away from the town center. The Giant Panda Museum is a unique museum set up for Giant Panda’s in the world, it collects and shows fruits of human knowledge, review and research on the Giant Panda. The Museum shows almost 300 rare, fine pictures and scientific , full & accurate charts about Giant Panda, exhibits literatures and monograph on Giant Panda’s at all times and in different places of the world. It shows practical specimens of Giant Panda’s from fossils to every part of dissection, dejection and main types of food bamboo etc. The Museum also built many large zoology scope-boxes with an area of 300m2, such as remote antiquity as Giant Panda zoology environment, Giant Panda danger situation, and Giant Panda zoology environment in Qinling, Liangshan, Xiangling, Minshan, and Qionglai Mountain. The Museum systematically and completely introduces Giant Panda’s evolvement history, ancient and nowadays distribution, general situation, condition and research of human to Giant Panda’s. This lets people roundly know Giant Panda’s, understand efforts made by our government to protect and save the animal which is loved by people all of the world and consciously arose the feeling to love and protect Giant Panda’s and their natural habitat.
We recommend that the best time to visit is in the morning, between 8:30 and 10am, during feeding time. Outside these hours it’s likely the bears will be indulging in their favorite pastime, sleeping!

Fu’s Thatched Cottage

The Thatched Cottage of Dufu, located by the side of the Huanhua Stream in Chengdu’s western suburb. It was the residence of Dufu, the great poet of the Tang Dynasty when he took refuge in Chengdu.
Du Fu (712-70 AD),one of China’s most famous poets, left home at the tender age of 20, becoming a court official at the former capital in Chang’an (near Xi’an). Du Fu’s civil service duties did not last long however, and he was captured by rebels and forced to flee the city for Chengdu after only a few years. It was in Chengdu, at this small and simple house, that Du Fu was inspired to write more than 200 poems which are regarded today as masterpieces of realist poetry.
Dufu’s Thatched Cottage covers an area of 16 hectares. The Gate, the Screen Wall, the Lobby, the Hall of Verse History, and the Gong Bu Temple are lined one by one along the middle axis, flanked by corridors and other auxiliary buildings. The bronze statue of Dufu in the Hall of Verse History is broad-minded. The clay sculpture of Dufu was enshrined in the Gong Bu Temple is very lifelike. Among and between them are trees and bamboo groves, winding brooks and linking small bridges.
All these give the place an atmosphere of solemnity, meanwhile a sense of beauty and grace. Around the hones are bamboo fences and inside the fences are vegetable and herb plots, easily remind people of the scenes described in Dufu’s poems. While taking a quiet walk in such a historical and cultural environment, visitors are apt to be brought back to the ancient times.

As one of the major opera schools in China, the Sichuan Opera has a long history. It originated at the end of the Ming Dynasty and the beginning of the Qing Dynasty. At that time there were several different forms of popular theatre in the Sichuan area which gradually developed and blended with the local culture to finally merge into the present Sichuan Opera.
Sichuan Opera is well-known in China, and is characterized by solo singing, skillful acting, rich percussion and incredibly funny comedies. Special characters use stunts such as quick face changes without makeup, jumping through burning hoops and hiding of swords. The magical face changes are particularly famous.
Face changing is the essence and highlight of Sichuan Opera. It is a kind of stunt which involves the on-stage change of mask or facial makeup, via masks or facial painting, without the audience noticing. It is amazing that, with a magical sweep of a hand, the actors can change their masks successively in an incredibly short time. Face changes first appeared 300 years ago. Initially the opera masters changed their face during a performance by blowing into a bowl of red, black or gold powder, which immediately stuck to their oiled skiny. By the 1920s, actors began to use layers of masks made of oiled paper. During the performance, actors would peel off one after another in a very short time. Now, the masters use painted silk masks, which can be worn in layers. No matter how closely you watch, you don’t see the mask being changed.

TRAVEL GUIDE	USA TRAVEL	EUROPE CAPITAL
ASIA CAPITAL	CHINA	JAPAN
THAILAND	AUSTRALIA & OTHER	TOP TRAVEL

Giza pyramid complex
The commentary might not impress you, but the dazzling light show and awe-inspiring backdrop of the Sphinx and Pyramids surely will. Three times a night in three different languages, the Sphinx plays the role of storyteller, narrating the history of ancient Egypt. Shows are held in English, French, Spanish, Italian, Japanese, Russian and Arabic. Call ahead to check the time of the performance you want to attend; private viewing times can be arranged. Admission: 44EGP for foreign translation shows. The desert’s cold in the evenings, so make sure to carry along something to keep you warm.

Great Wall Video Guide

Great Wall
Unspoilt and far from the maddening crowds, this wild section of China’s greatest architectural feat curves in delightfully dilapidated fashion across a range of hills and valleys. A small restaurant serves Grilled Rainbow Trout fresh from the lake, and you can dine under the shadow of the Wall. Warning- this path is steep and in dire need of repair. Take good walking shoes, and do not climb if you doubt your ability or fitness. From Huai Rou city negotiate with a mini-van driver to take you to the Wall.

Taj Mahal Video Guide

Taj Mahal
An upstairs-downstairs restaurant, Taj Mahal is just a few blocks south of Halifax’s main street, Spring Garden Rd. The Taj Mahal’s relaxed, unhurried approach to dining is perfect for those who like to linger over their meals, which range from aromatic to tangy to fiery. Known for the best Tandoori dishes in the city, the Taj cooks them in clay ovens fired with hardwood charcoal to high heat, which simultaneously roasts, smokes and grills meat. Walk-in clientele are welcome, as are reservations, and dress is casual.

The Machupicchu Video Guide

The Machupicchu
The Machupicchu archaeological complex is located in the department of Cusco, in the Urubamba province and district of Machupicchu. It is perched on the eastern slopes of the Vilcanota mountain range, a chain of mountains curtailed by the Apurimac and Urubamba Rivers. At latitude 13º7′ South and longitude 72035′ West of the Greenwich Meridian, Machupicchu is located at a height of 2,350 meters above sea level

Bali Video Guide

Bali
Bali is so picturesque that you could be fooled into thinking it was a painted backdrop: rice paddies trip down hillsides like giant steps, volcanoes soar through the clouds, the forests are lush and tropical, and the beaches are lapped by the warm waters of the Indian Ocean.Recent tragic events have scared away many of those who simply saw Bali as a place for cheap beer. While the Bintang is still tasty and plentiful, Bali’s temples, ceremonies, beaches, mountains and passion for life are undiminished and more easily enjoyed than ever.

Angkor Wat Video Guide

Angkor Wat
There are two great complexes of ancient temples in Southeast Asia, one at Bagan in Burma, the other at Angkor in Cambodia. The temples of Angkor, built by the Khmer civilization between 802 and 1220 AD, represent one of humankind’s most astonishing and enduring architectural achievements. From Angkor the Khmer kings ruled over a vast domain that reached from Vietnam to China to the Bay of Bengal. The structures one sees at Angkor today, more than 100 stone temples in all, are the surviving remains of a grand religious, social and administrative metropolis whose other buildings - palaces, public buildings, and houses - were built of wood and are long since decayed and gone.

Forbidden City Video Guide

Forbidden City
In the early 1400s, the third Ming Emperor, YongLe, moved the capital of China to Beijing. In 1406, he began construction of a new ‘Forbidden City’ that would include the imperial palace complex.The Forbidden City, located at the exact center of the ancient city of Beijing, was the home and center of power for 24 emperors during the mid to latter Ming and Qing dynasties.

Bagan Temples Video Guide

Bagan Temples
Bagan is situated on the eastern banks of the Ayeryarwady River, south of Mandalay (190 km) in Burma (Myanmar) King Anawrahta made it his capital in the beginning of the 11th century. King Anawrahta built a city, which even today is one of the wonders of Asia. He collected famous artists and craftsmen and even brought 30 elephants loaded with Buddhist scriptures to Bagan to build this unique city. Over the next two centuries Bagan flourished and many more pagodas and buildings were built. Kublai Khan heard of the magnificent Bagan and came to sack it leaving it desolate, never to be rebuilt. The 1975 earthquake inflicted further damage. Even so Bagan like the proverbial phoenix has risen from the ashes and most of the important buildings have been restored.

Karnak Temple Video Guide

Karnak Temple
In ancient Egypt, the power of the god Amun of Thebes gradually increased during the early New Kingdom, and after the short persecution led by Akhenaten, it rose to its apex. In the reign of Ramesses III, more than two thirds of the property owned by the temples belonged to Amun, evidenced by the stupendous buildings at Karnak. Although badly ruined, no site in Egypt is more impressive than Karnak. It is the largest temple complex ever built by man, and represents the combined achievement of many generations of ancient builders.

Teotihuacan Video Guide

Teotihuacan
The ancient city of Teotihuacan is the most visited of Mexico’s archaeological sites and a must-see if you’re in Mexico City. The site is impressive for its scale, both in the size of the Pyramid of the Sun (the third largest pyramid in the world) and the majesty of the Calle de los Muertos (Street of the Dead) - originally 4km long and flanked by temples, palaces and platforms. Look for amazingly well preserved murals in the Palace of the Jaguars or the Palace of the Quetzal-butterfly and bold sculptures in the Temple of Quetzalcoatl.

Grand Canyon Video Guide

Grand Canyon Neighborhood Guide
The great gorge is accessible from two sides, north and south. Most of the more than five million visitors per year choose to go to the South Rim, which has many more tourist facilities than the north side and, accordingly, tends to get overcrowded during the summer season and even some winter weekends. The North Rim is a quieter and more remote place and preferred by people who wish for a more serene, less crowded experience.
The access road to the North Rim is frequently closed during winter due to snow. Both rims can get very cold in the winter, and nights are cool even during summer months. Hiking inside the canyon below the rim, however, is quite another story, as summer temperatures near the Colorado River at the bottom may reach 120 degrees Fahrenheit. Hikers, in particular, will face extreme changes in climate and should be prepared for these.

Galapagos Islands Video Guide

Galapagos Islands
Lying around the azure inlets of Academy Bay’s rocky shore, PUERTO AYORA, on the southern coast of Santa Cruz, was home to fewer than a couple of hundred people until the early 1970s. Now, laden with souvenir shops, travel agents, restaurants and hotels, the town supports a population of around 11,000 people who enjoy a standard of living that’s higher than any other province in the republic, giving the port a distinct aura of well-appreciated privilege. There’s a relaxed atmosphere to the place, with tourists meandering down the waterfront in the daytime, browsing through the shops stuffed with blue-footed booby T-shirts and carvings of giant tortoises, while fishermen work across the street in little Pelican Bay, building boats and sorting through their catches, watched by hungry pelicans. In the evenings locals play five-a-side soccer and volleyball outside the Capitan?a and as it gets darker, the restaurant lights cast a modest glow over the bay and the bars fill with locals, tourists and research scientists, a genial mix that ensures Puerto Ayora has the best nightlife of all Gal?pagos towns.

Iguazu Falls Video Guide

Iguazu Falls Hostel
Our hostel is designed for world travelers who want to get to know and to risk the amazing Iguazu Falls and toe experience the energy of the Iguazu National Park.
The hostel has a large garden with a hammock to relax in, a barbecue grill and a ping pong table. It also has a TV room and reading room.
It has shared rooms and private rooms and breakfast and internet is included for just a few extra pesos. Shared rooms have 6 or 8 beds with private lockers under the beds. Private rooms have a double bed and a twin with our without air conditioning.
We offer a 24 hour laundry service and a fully equipped kitchen. The hostel has 7 bathrooms, all of which have 24 hour hot water. Our front desk is also open 24 hours.
There are also many things to enjoy this magical land of the falls like rafting, canoeing, bird watching, etc. We can give you information about everything to do in the area because this is a great place and presents a wonderful chance to meet new people.

Amazon Video Guide

Amazon Rainforest
The Amazon rainforest is the biggest forest in the world and is also the last big space covered with tropical plants and animals. The Amazon forest territory is a tropical rainforest that is located in the north side of the South American continent and is shared by 9 countries: Brazil, Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru, Colombia, Venezuela, Suriname, French Guiana and Guiana. Travel through the forest can be difficult, and a guide or a river tour are the best options to see the natural wonders of the rain forest.
The largest part of is located in Brazil (60%) and covers almost half of that country. The space covered with the forest is 5.5 million square kilometers (3.4 million square miles ). When the Old World explorers reached the Americas they were all looking for gold, silver and gems. The Portuguese explorers that colonized Brazil believed that somewhere in that huge forest they would find the “Eldorado”, an entire city made of gold that has an almost intangible value. This hoax came along with the myth that the Eldorado was guarded by the women warrior race of the Amazons.

NGORONGORO CRATER Video Guide

NGORONGORO CRATER
Ngorongoro Crater Lodge is perched on the edge of the world-famous Ngorongoro Crater at the eastern edge of the Serengeti in northern Tanzania. It lies within the Ngorongoro Conservation Area, which covers more than 8 000 square kilometres (3 100 square miles) of pristine African wilderness. Inspired in design by the Maasai mud-and-stick manyatta (homestead), Ngorongoro Crater Lodge is without doubt one of the most architecturally spectacular safari lodges in Africa.

Great Barrier Reef Video Guide

Great Barrier Reef
A coral reef is formed when millions of tiny animals called polyps build a hard limestone skeleton as they live and die, each new layer building on previous layers to form coral rock in a variety of formations. These structures provide a haven for a variety of other sea creatures, producing a community of incredible diversity and colour and filled with remarkable relationships.Coral reefs grow in shallow water in the warmest parts of the world. Coral generally cannot survive below 20 degrees Celsius explaining why we find the worlds largest coral reef in the warm shallow seas off the northern coast of Australia. Named “The Great Barrier Reef” this underwater wonderland stretches for more than 2000 kilometres and can even be seen from space.

Victoria Falls Video Guide

Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
The Waterfalls, which are viewed from the opposing cliffs of Zimbabwe and Zambia, when in full flood between January and June each year have a mile-high plume of spray that soaks you and nourishes the ancient rainforest; a permanent thunder fills the air and birds flit through rainbows while your companions mouth inaudible statements of awe and wonder.Having earned its name as Africa’s Adrenalin Capital Victoria Falls is a an action-packed adventure resort with sunset cruises, game drives, scenic flights and fine dining rubbing shoulders with white-water rafting, gorge swinging and elephant-back trails.

Bora Bora Video Guide

Bora Bora
In most of French Polynesia, (and certainly Bora bora), the phrase “circle island tour” is rather popular although sometimes loosely used and quite vague. Ultimately, you have but 2 basic choices when it comes to making one of these circle island tours: will it be by road or by lagoon? Whichever choice you make, exploring the island full circle is certainly recommended, (at least once), to experience the true flavor of Bora Bora…
Although some tour operators may lead you to believe that their particular tour is the best or most interesting, the truth of the matter is that they all vary to some degree… No one way is right or wrong. The most important decisions you’ll be needing to make are simply whether you’ll be seeing the sights on your own (you’ll need a car, scooter, bicycle, or boat) and HOW and WHAT you want to explore: roadside sights or inside the lagoon…

Cappadocia Video Guide

Cappadocia
The Cappadocia region of Turkey lies in the Central Anatolian Plateau and is spectacular both in its natural beauty and man-made structures. A trip here will need detailed planning, as most of the sights are unique and missing them will make your trip incomplete. Though the weather here is cooler than in coastal Mediterranean and the Aegean, it is best to come here between April and mid June or September to October, so as to avoid the intense heat and the summer crowds.

Serengeti Migration Video Guide

Serengeti Migration
The Serengeti migration is a unique phenomenon but when visiting Serengeti you need to ensure you are in the right place at the right time. The migration route varies visiting different parts of the Serengeti ecosystem depending on the rains

COZUMEL ISLAND, MEXICO

Located close to the bustling spring break destination of Cancun (though you wouldn’t think it), Cozumel Island has become famous for the 40-seater plane that sits on its ocean floor. Destroyed in 1977 as part of a disaster movie that nobody ever saw, in and around the Corsair plane has become a hugely popular dive site. In the early ‘90s, divers also discovered the world’s fifth largest underwater cave here — meaning there’s plenty to explore in the murky depths that surround this top diving locale.TURKS AND CAICOS, BRITISH WEST INDIES

Comprised of two groups of tropical islands, the Turks and Caicos have been voted among the top 10 places to dive in the world by Scuba Diving magazine, and quite rightly so. Famous for their swashbuckling pirate heritage (think Captain Jack Sparrow), this diving locale is now better known as a hangout for the rich and famous (think Johnny Depp), but it is the diving opportunities that really keep water babies happy with a stunning vertical wall dive off Grand Turk and schools of whales in Salt Cay.

BELIZE

This tiny nation with a coastline along the Gulf of Mexico boasts the second-longest barrier reef in the world. There’s even a diving spot called Shark Ray Alley, meaning the more daring among you will come face-to-face with some big-toothed sharks and stingrays, while the shallow reefs of the Hol Chan Marine Reserve provide a more serene dive for beginners or snorkelers. Then there’s the Great Blue Hole at Lighthouse Reef Atoll, stretching nearly 1,000 feet across and almost 400-feet deep. Described by sea expert Jacques Cousteau as one of the top 10 scuba diving locales in the world, the Hole is best enjoyed as a full-day excursion. We recommend staying somewhere like the exclusive resort of St. George’s Caye, 20 minutes from the mainland, where your diving experience will be accompanied by five-star luxury.

THE MALDIVES

The Madives offer spectacular diving in the Indian Ocean, with warm, shallow lagoons that are perfect for beginners and deeper channels with faster currents for the more experienced. If you’re looking for wrecks, the Maldives Victory will provide your fix. It hit the island of Hulhulé in 1981 and, along with building materials and provisions, met its watery grave. If coral is more your thing, Banana Reef has all the colored coral and marine life you could ask for, complete with fish that swim up close. Finally, if you’re the kind of diver who isn’t happy until you’ve stared into the beady black eyes of a killer shark, then Shark Point may be the dive site for you: Expect gray reef and whitetip reef sharks to keep you company.

COCOS ISLAND

If you’ve ever seen Jurassic Park, in which this tiny island, 250 miles southwest of Costa Rica, is featured, then you’ll know why diving is divine here. Lush green scenery, choppy Pacific waves and a wet, windy climate make Cocos Island something of an ecological gemstone. Even Jacques Cousteau described the island as “the most beautiful” in the world. Not only is reaching this diving locale something of an adventure (36 hours in a tiny boat from Puntarenas, Costa Rica), but big fish and hammerhead sharks are pretty much guaranteed as you dip beneath the water’s surface. Thankfully, not all dinosaurs can swim.

SHARM EL-SHEIKH, EGYPTIAN RED SEA

While you may think Egypt is all about windswept deserts and sand, it is in fact home to some of the best diving in the Red Sea. The water isn’t for beginners, with strong winds, dangerous currents and difficult-to-navigate reefs, but the rewards are plenty, with wrecks such as the SS Thistlegorm consistently voted among the top 10 dive sites in the world. A British vessel that sunk in 1941, the 429-foot wreck is a stunning site that immediately transports divers back to an era of war, destruction and loss. An emotionally intense dive, you’ll be able to weave through much of the ship’s rusted cargo, including train carriages, motorbikes and trucks, with the ship’s bow just about 50 feet below the Red Sea’s surface.

BIKINI ATOLL, MARSHALL ISLANDS

Located halfway between Australia and Honolulu, the Marshall Islands are arguably the best place in the world to explore shipwrecks. As a former nuclear-testing sight in the 1950s, Bikini Atoll (which is made up of 36 islands) is the final resting place of several warships, including the over-sized USS Saratoga and the Japanese battleship Nagato. Because of its sheer remoteness, this top diving locale is less explored, meaning you’ll have first dibs on any treasure you may find or species you uncover. Fortunately, in 1996 the islands’ inhabitants opened up their atoll to the outside world for the first time, enabling diving, fishing and general tourism to flourish. It’s not cheap, with a week-long diving vacation setting you back around $5,000; but with adventure this epic, how can you put a price on it?

LITTLE CAYMAN, BRITISH WEST INDIES

While the Cayman Islands may be best known as a haven for tax dodgers, what most people don’t know is that Little Cayman, which is just 10-miles long, is home to some old-school Caribbean diving. Must-see sites include the awe-inspiring Bloody Bay Wall and Jackson’s Bight, which feature a sheer coral cliff that drops over a mile deep into the underwater abyss. While you won’t necessarily see loads of marine life, you will take in plenty of unspoiled scenery and spectacular coral formations. As you’d expect from Little Cayman, there is plenty of luxury accommodation at this top dive locale, such as the famous Southern Cross Club.

SULAWESI ISLAND

Anywhere with more species than Australia’s Great Barrier Reef has to make this list, which is why the 186,000-acre Bunaken National Marine Park on the northeastern tip of Sulawesi Island is fast becoming one of the world’s most popular dive sites. Protected by the park’s stakeholders, the dive site is entirely green, meaning that coral depreciation, poaching and environmentally damaging dive operators are practically unheard of here. That makes for high levels of marine biodiversity and an ecosystem of hard coral that is unparalleled. Now that paradise has been found, it’s up to us not to destroy it.

GREAT BARRIER REEF, AUSTRALIA

As the most famous dive locale in the world, you’d expect there to be little left of nature’s beauty to explore at Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. However, despite its popularity, there are still over 400 coral species and 1,500 varieties of sea life milling about beneath the surface. Located off the coast of Queensland to the northeast of the country, the reef is so enormous that is can be seen from outer space. As a fiercely protected World Heritage Site it’ll take plenty of planning and preparation to dive here, but legalities and paperwork are far outweighed by the sheer euphoria of jumping into the shimmering depths of the Coral Sea.