China
The Great Wall, China
As you first look upon the Great Wall, it is impossible not to be awestruck at this man-made structure. Construction started in the 7th century BC, with additions and rebuilding continuing until the 16th century AD. The Great Wall was built to keep out the warring invaders of the north, but additional sections were extended eastward for nearly 6,700 kilometres. The Badaling section is the most well preserved section of the Wall. You can climb to its top and walk for a mile in either direction: the Great Wall snakes ahead though the mountains as far as you can see.
The Forbidden City- Beijing China
In the heart of the capital lies the Forbidden City, built during the Ming dynasty in 1406. The Forbidden City is actually a city-within-a-city; with 9999 rooms spread over 250 acres. During the Ming and Qing dynasty, 24 emperors made their home in the Forbidden City and forbade commoners from entering. The Emperor’s Palace has been transformed into a museum that holds many treasures of the Imperial Family.
Visa Description & Requirements
Chinese tourist visas are for those travelling to China for sightseeing or to visit family members, friends, etc. The visa is usually valid for either 90 or 180 days from the date of issue, meaning the applicant must travel to China within that time or the visa will be considered expired. Holders of the Tourist Visa (L class) are usually allowed to stay in the country for a period of 30 days from date of entry.
The basic requirements for the visa are your original passport with at least 6 months validity and two blank visa pages, one legibly, completely and truly filled Visa Application Form, one recent passport photo affixed on the application form, and you also should submit additional documents for different categories of Chinese visas.
India
The Taj Mahal
Taj Mahal is located in the city of Agra, one of the most powerful cities of the medieval world. An immense mausoleum of white marble, built in Agra between 1631 and 1648 by order of the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his favourite wife, Arjumand Banu. The Taj Mahal is one of the universally admired masterpieces of the world’s heritage and the jewel of Muslim art in India. Taj Mahal was constructed over a period of twenty-two years, employing twenty thousand workers. It was completed at a cost of 32 Million Rupees.
The Himalayas
Here is the land, where India’s holiest rivers begin and pilgrimages end, the temples of the Lord soar in to the cosmic blue, and are surrounded by the dizzying beauty of partially frozen lakes, majestic waterfalls, meandering rivers, undulating meadows, incredible lush green mountain valleys and a large variety of exotic flora and fauna. The hill stations along the Himalayas are gateways to bewitching beauties and exotic experiences. This majestic land offers the highest mountain trails, roads and bridges for the adventurer; wildlife reserves which abound with the most exotic birds, animals, flowers and herbs, and age old temples, exquisite villages, traditional architecture still in its pristine beauty and the tribal lifestyles of its inhabitants.
Visa Requirements & Description
An Indian tourist visa is for those whose objective of visiting India is recreation, sightseeing, casual visit to meet friends and relatives, etc. A tourist visa is issued normally for three months to six months with single or multiple entries and is non-extendable and non-convertible. The duration of the visa is the sole discretion of the Issuing Authority. Please note the validity of the visa is effective from the date of issue.
Kindly ensure all the fields of the visa application form are completely filled before. Please note if you are going for tourism purposes and do not have Indian referees kindly attach a self-undertaking that you will book your accommodation/ hotels on arrival in India.
Japan
Hakone Springs
The island of Japan is the land of many volcanoes which are ideal for giving rise to a large number of hot springs. These springs are found in abundance in the countryside and some of them have been artificially built as an added feature at many local inns. These hot springs make for an ideal getaway from the hustle and bustle of city life in Japan.
Hakone is renowned not only for its large number of hot springs in the mountains but also a well known Hot Springs Resort area. A major tourist attraction in the country famous for the Fuji Hakone Izu National Park around Lake Ashi or Lake Ashino-Ko as it is often called, and a splendid view of the Mount Fuji, Hakone attracts a major chunk of tourist inflow in the country.
The most famous hot Springs of Hakone is located at Yumoto, at the entrance to Hakone area near Odawara. The place records a long history coupled with very high quality water and excellent baths and onsen inns. Fees are applicable for daytime visitors. Hot springs in Hakone area are also available at Miyanoshita and Kowakidani.
Tsukiyama Gardens
This is one of the oldest and most popular kind of garden found in Japan. The Tsukiyama Gardens are also known as the Hill gardens. The reason behind this is because of the fact that these gardens will have an artificial hill built into the garden. The main elements of the Tsukiyama Gardens are stones, ponds, trees, flowers etc. These are the basic elements which are present in almost all the Tsukiyama Gardens. These are extremely beautiful gardens and are highly decorative as well. The gardens are generally replicas of famous landscapes present in Japan or China. The Tsukiyama Gardens are found in various shapes and sizes. The turtle and the crane are Japanese and Chinese mythological representations of long life and happiness. These typical gardens are found in Daigoji Sanboin Temple in Kyoto. The other places in Kyoto where, Tsukiyama Gardens are found are Tenryuji Temple and Saihoji Temple.
These gardens are an absolute beauty and are maintained properly as well. They are highly decorative. These gardens are a part and parcel of Japanese life and also reflect their rich tradition and cultural heritage.
Visa Description & Requirements
Tourist Visas to Japan require documents to support your identity, stable financial background and intent to return to your country. Applicants visiting Japan for the first time should produce the original Birth Certificate with a photocopy does not assume responsibility as regards obtaining a letter from the Travel agent confirming the itinerary. A valid Passport (a minimum validity of Six (6) Months) should also be included. If married, applicants should produce the original marriage certificate with a photocopy.
Bank Statements (Originals ), Employment Certificate, documents explaining the applicants activities in Japan if sightseeing; detailed itinerary of proposed travel plans and a hotel reservations
as well as documents relating to tours or tour packages, brochures etc. should be submitted with the application.
Korea
Changdeokgung Palace
Changdeokgung Palace is neither gaudy nor grandiose, the palace features simple, clean and formal lines which is representative of classic Korean architecture. The palace has been named a UNESCO World Heritage Site because the palace is “an exceptional example of Far Eastern palace architecture and design, blending harmoniously with the surrounding landscape.”
Deep within the palace walls, one can experience the famous Secret Garden (Huwon) which features beautiful landscaping and a sense of calm serenity. Once used as a walking area for the royals, the Secret Garden now reflects to the true beauty and appeal of the Changdeokgung Palace.
Muan White Lotus Festival
Muan, where the White Lotus Festival is held, is the largest locale of White Lotus in Asia. Most lotus flowers are pink, however, the lotus flowers in Muan are snow white, which is very rare. During this festival, endless arrays of white lotus flowers can be appreciated. Muan White Lotus Festival is an ecological festival in which nature and humans come together for the white lotus flowers, the pride of Muan, and the beautiful scenes of nature can be enjoyed.
The highlight of Muan White Lotus Festival is of course a boat ride where you can get a nice view of the lotus flowers that grow along the sides of the water. Viewing the lotuses on the water is totally magical just like a jungle adventure.
In addition to seeing and smelling white lotus flowers, there is another way to enjoy white lotuses, which is by tasting various foods made with white lotus, a specialty of the festival. Not only traditional dishes of Muan but also various special fragrant foods with white lotus including lotus ice cream, lotus shakes, lotus sandwiches, lotus noodles, and lotus-wrapped rice can be enjoyed.
Visa Description & Requirements
To apply for a tourist visa for South Korea your passport must be valid for at least 6 months. Also you must show proficient funds to visit South Korea. All visas, including long-term visas, are single visit visas.
Malaysia
Craft Complex, Kuala Lampur
The Kompleks Budaya Kraf, literally Cultural Craft Complex, is the celebrated place to catch amazing handicrafts, native to Malaysia. Located along Jalan Conlay in Kuala Lumpur, it is controlled by the Malaysian Handicraft Development Corporation-a constitutional body under Ministry of Culture, Art and Heritage. It presents some exclusive Malaysian handicrafts, such as, silk kaftan, bathrobes, silverware, mengkuang products, pewterware, glassware, pottery, silk batik paintings, and songket (brocade material).
This wooden complex is spread over lush landscaped gardens. KL Craft Complex is actually a one-stop craft centre which presents a distinctive range of craft-related activities and programmes. It’s a place where you can explore Malaysian culture of crafts and in fact, you can also take a swing making some items. This whole complex is divided into 4 main blocks, i.e. Craft Museum, Craft Village, Artists’ Colony, and Karyaneka Craft Boutique.
While the Craft Museum showcases a wide range of Malaysian handicrafts and artifacts, craft demonstrations and practical interactive sessions are provided at the Crafts Village. So, here you can actually try your hand at making batiks, pewter, ceramic or woodcarving. It’s sheer fun. Moreover, another place to head for is the Artists’ Colony which gives the space to Malaysian artists to express their creativity through artworks.
Now it’s turn to do some shopping and get some really exciting craft products that could be used for personal embellishment, interiors décor, souvenirs, textiles or corporate gifts. To get all this and much more, just make a move towards the Karyaneka Craft Boutique. For tourists and visitors, the Cultural Craft Complex organizes several events and weekly cultural shows at Laman Wau. To concise terms, the Kuala Lumpur Craft Complex is a must-visit place to apprehend the culture of Malaysia from close.
Petronas Twin Towers
The Petronas Twin Towers are acclaimed to be the tallest twin buildings of the world. Located at KLCC complex in Kuala Lumpur, Twin Towers undoubtedly are the pride of Malaysia. These buildings were constructed during 1992-1998 though were officially opened in 1999. Tour packages, include a visit to an observation deck on a top floor of Tower 2 and a meal at the Malaysian Petroleum Club (MPC) within Tower 2 of the buildings. The towers encompass a skybridge, which was built by Kukdong Engineering & Construction. This skybridge lies between the two towers on 41st and 42nd floors, making itself the world’s highest 2-story bridge. The bridge is 170 m above the ground, 58 m long and weighs 750 tons. The same floor is also called Podium because the visitors, wishing to go to the higher levels, have to change elevators here. It is open to all visitors, though entry is limited to 1700 people per day.
Up till 2004, Petronas Towers were the world’s tallest buildings measured from the main entrance to the structural top, the initial height reference used by the US-based Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat from 1969.
Visa Decription & Requirements
In order to apply for a Malaysian tourist visa your passport must be valid for at least 6 months past the date of your departure from Malaysia. As well, a copy of your flight ticket or flight itinerary from your travel agency pertaining to your trip to Malaysia and a copy of your hotel reservation/place to stay should be submitted. A letter of verification of employment from your current employer is required and copy of your bank statements for the past 3 months. Other documents verifying your identity, financial and academic background may be required.
Middle East
Umayyad Mosque
The site of the Umayyad Mosque has always been holy. A shrine to the semitic sky god Hadad existed as far back as the 9th century BC; this was converted to a grand Roman temple to Jupiter. Remnants of the latter’s monumental gateways can still be seen, most notably in the great columns of the western temple gate before you enter the shade of the Souq al-Hamidiyya. Following the conversion of Constantine a major Christian basilica was founded here to house the head of John the Baptist. In the seventh century AD the building was shared by both Christians and Muslims, until the caliph, Khaled ibn-Walid, decided to mark Damascus becoming capital of the Islamic world by constructing Islam’s first great mosque here. The Christians were forced to sell the site to the city’s Umayyad rulers, who tore down the Roman and Byzantine structures and built the ornate new mosque here – according to contemporary chroniclers it took seven years-worth of taxes from the whole of Syria to fund its erection.
This mosque is one of the four most important mosques in Islam – behind those of Mecca and Medina, but vying for next in order of precedence with Jerusalem’s Dome of the Rock. Quite simply it was the first of the great mosques.
The Umayyad Mosque is the pre-eminent sight in Damascus, and a visit cannot be recommended too highly. It really is special. It is a fine example of Islamic architecture, is has quite delightful mosaics, and it shows you religious belief at its rawest and most anguished, as though the last fourteen centuries had never happened.
The Lost City of Petra, Jordan
There are few things more atmospheric than the phrase ‘lost city’. There are lost cities, remnants of civilisations that have vanished from the pages of history, scattered across the globe from the Yucatan to the Himalayas, from Angkor Wat to Machu Picchu. But one of the easiest to visit as a European is Petra in Jordan. This is the prime tourist attraction in the desert nation and facilities are well set up to handle and encourage tourism. It was inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985 and in 2007 it was voted one of the ‘New 7 Wonders of the World’.
It has achieved an almost mythic status; not surprising in a region where history, religion and legend intertwine so closely. The valley in which it sits (and also the nearby town) is called Wadi Musa – literally ‘the valley of Moses’. It is here that Moses supposedly struck the bar rock with his staff and caused water to flow out. His brother Aaron is said to have died here, and his tomb has become a shrine atop Jebel Haroun. And Pharoah, persuing the fleeing Israelites, is said to have stashed his gold atop the monument now known as a result as the Treasury.
The archaeological site is huge – 264 km2 with over 800 registered historical monuments. There is a lot of walking to do – 2km just to get through the Siq to the Treasury. The big experience here is the route through the Siq to the Treasury. The second most famous location is an hour’s climb beyond the end of town, the Monastery, and is well worth the effort, particularly in the afternoon. The other big thing to do here would be climbing the steps by the Theatre to reach the High Place of Sacrifice. The Royal Tombs opposite the Theatre are also worth a look.
Seeing different areas at different times of day reveal new vistas and emotions. The Treasury is always awe-inspiring, but you can get a very different experience of it by signing up to one of the thrice-weekly petra By Night excursions. Here you get to see it lit only by the stars and flickering candles, sound-tracked by the haunting wail of a shepherd’s flute. The Monastery is best to view in the afternoon. And certainly try to get up early one morning. The gates open at 6am, and when visited at that time you will find the place empty of tourists, stretching out expansively like your own private playground.
Singapore
Singapore Night Safari
The Singapore Night Safari offers tourists a once in a life time experience – viewing animals up close, in their natural habitat at night. The Singapore Night Safari exhibited almost 1000 animals in 8 geographical areas. It is an entire open air zoo set in a tropical forest. The place can be explored by foot trails or by tram. Other than the lighting effect, the animals are put apart by natural barriers rather than cage allowing one to feel truly immersed in the nocturnal animal kingdom.
The night starts off with a hot, flashy and entertaining tribal dance, featuring fire eating display and blowpipe performance once you step foot into the safari. You can head straight to the night show ‘creature of the night ’. You will be thrilled and shocked by the whole performance. Depending on where you are seated, a python can appear just right under your nose! Animals on display include pumas, owls, and snakes…But one word of advised, arrive early if you want seats for the show.
There are several food and beverage outlets in the Singapore Night Safari. This includes the Ben and Jerry Scoop (ice-cream shop), the Bongo Burgers and Ulu Ulu safari restaurant.
Once your eyes get used to the darkness, you are able to see many animals walking around. The trail can be quite a bit of a walk for some but Walking allows you to see certain section of the park which tram will not pass. This includes the leopard trails and the fishing cat trails. The tram ride was another very fascinating experience, the wild animals are free to roam and you can get really close to the animals just right beside you. The tram travels through a section of the Singapore Night Safari that is not accessible by foot. Some animals get so close you could almost even touch them. With the stars and artificial light illuminating, and with the crickets, owls, toads, frogs and even the roar of the lions, the Singapore Night Safari belongs to the animals. It’s a magical experience not to be missed.
Sentosa Island
The island offers a great numbers of attractions to tourists. You could easily spend days in this island full of fun filled activities. Activities in the Sentosa Island are meant to please and stimulate your five senses (Sight, Touch, Smell, Tastes and Hear). The many beaches in Sentosa – Palawan Beach, Siloso Beach, Tanjong Beach, all feature crystal clear waters and sandy white beaches.
Drop by the Dolphin Lagoon where you can feed, touch and watch the dolphin in action. In the world famous Sentosa Underwater World, you will feel lost in the aquatic marine habitat. You can almost touch the huge turtles and sting rays in the shallow pools. Journey through the 83m long underwater travelator it is simply mind-blowing…out of this world. Also, The Animal and Bird Encounter, Butterfly Park and Insect Kingdom will no doubt impress and amaze patrons of all ages.
Visa Description & Requirements
In order to apply for a Singapore Visit Visa your passport must be valid for at least 6 months past the date of your departure from Singapore. Visit visas are usually issued for a period of one month but can be extended for a period of up to 3 months. You must submit a confirmed return ticket and a covering letter stating the purpose of your visit and proof of employment. Bank statements and a letter (if applicable) from relatives inviting you to the country may be necessary as well.
