Sunday, January 10, 2010

Halung Bay



Ha Long Bay, in the Gulf of Tonkin, includes some 1,600 islands and islets, forming a spectacular seascape of limestone pillars. Because of their precipitous nature, most of the islands are uninhabited and unaffected by a human presence. The site's outstanding scenic beauty is complemented by its great biological interest.
Most visitors to the Halong Bay enjoy guided boat tours past thrilling local scenes along chocolate-colored rivulets of the big river.

http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/672
http://images.google.com.sg/imgres?imgurl=http://www.friendsofworldheritage.org/assets/wallpapers/halongbay_vietnam_
http://www.whenwegetthere.com/tourist_attraction_destination/tourist_information/tourist_information/halong/10_237/3_330_16679_30802/tourist_information.jsp

by Marriz

Mount Everest

What: Mt Everest
Where: Himalaya range, Asia
Reasons for tourism: Nature tourism
Sources:http://www.explorersweb.com/sitemedia/TSthumbs/everest/20060310xwir.jpg
Alexa


http://www.achievement.org/achievers/hil0/large/hil0-051.jpg

Mount Everst is the highest mountain on Earth, and the highest point on the Earth's continental crust, as measured by the height above sea level of its summit, 8848 metres. The mountain, which is part of the Himalaya range in Asia, is located on the border between Sagarmatha Zone, Nepal, and Tibet, China.

Mount Everest attracts climbers of all levels, from well experienced mountaineers to novice climbers who want to take on the challenge on scaling Mount Everest.

Information on Mount Everest expeditions: http://www.mounteverest.net/
Facts on Mount Everest: http://www.mnteverest.net/history.html

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Everest



(Christie)

Demilitarised Zone North Korea

What: Demilitarized Zone
Where: North korea @ South korea border
Reasons for tourism: Education, Culture
Sources: michael90.wordpress.com
This is the Demilitarized Zone lying between North Korea and South Korea. It is 4 kilometers wide and is the most heavily armed border in the world. Many tourists go for organized tours which take them to places such as the observatory, North Korea's infiltration tunnels, military base and the Joint Security Area where negotiations between the two sides are held. The areas surrounding the Demilitarized Zone have also become a wildlife preserve. There is a tour designed to take tourists to both destinations of historical interest and outstanding beauty too.

Source of image: http://img.gonseekorea.com/img/tour00415_0.jpg
Source of information:http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_4_1.jsp


Done by: Ka Yi




(DMZ)


Infiltration tunnel

After the Korean War (June 25 1950 – July 27 1953), South Korea and North Korea established a border that cut the Korean peninsula roughly in half. Stretching for 2km on either side of this border is the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). As one of the last relics of the Cold War, the DMZ attracts a great deal of public interest, and is a popular destination for travelers visiting Korea. Despite the fact that this is the most heavily armed border in the world, it is extremely rare that any hostilities take place. These days the DMZ is a safe destination that thoroughly recommended to any traveler. The DMZ and its surroundings contain many interesting historical sights and pristine untouched natural surroundings.

http://www.vfwpost7591.org/images/tunnel3.jpg http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_4_1.jsp

by : Marriz

Kennedy Space Station

( http://photos.upi.com/slideshow/lbox/88c9fe9ba792057feeabbe2c67ae17c5/NASA-SPACE-SHUTTLE-DISCOVERY-STS-124.jpg)

The Kennedy Space Centre, located in the east of Orlando, Florida, is the U.S. government installation that manages and operates America's astronaut launch facilities. It is open to the public, and activities for various age groups allow the public to experience as near to real-life space experiences as possible.

The public can interact with spaceflight simulators that take them through a mock launch, and watch space and science related movies at the IMAX film theatre. An exhibit called Astronaut Encounter offers the public a chance to listen to a presentation by a real former astronaut and to ask questions of them. Visitors can also view rockets, space capsules and actual launches. Visitors who want a more extensive space experience can attend the camps and institutions organised by N.A.S.A at the Kennedy Space Center.

For more information, visit the Kennedy Space Centre website at http://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/home/index.html

Source: http://www.ehow.com/about_5114520_kennedy-space-center.html

(Christie)



http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/5/57/Kennedy_Space_Center_Headquarters.jpg







The John F. Kennedy Space Center (KSC) is the U.S. government installation that manages and operates America's astronaut launch facilities.



Located on Merritt Island, Florida, the center is north-northwest of Cape Canaveral on the Atlantic Ocean, midway between Miami andJacksonville. It is 34 miles (55 km) long and roughly 6 miles (10 km) wide, covering 219 square miles (570 km2). A total of 13,500 people worked at the center as of 2008.[1]



The Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex is home to a number of exhibits and displays. Tourists visit this place to view the exhibits and learn about space. The Apollo-Saturn V Center, located several miles to the north, is a large museum built around its centerpiece exhibit, a restored Saturn V launch vehicle, and features other space related exhibits, including an Apollo capsule. Two theaters allow the visitor to relive parts of the Apollo program.





VI CHien





London


http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2f/Trafalgar_square_night_panorama.jpg

London is one of the world's leading tourism destinations, and the city is home to an array of famous tourist attractions. London attracts more than 15 million international visitors per year, making it the world's most visited city.


London is home to many tourist attractions that are known worldwide. Some of the most popular include the many museums located in the city. Many of London's museums offer free entry. The British Museum holds seven million exhibits that not only have to do with London, but Ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome, etc. Popular exhibits include the Elgin Marbles, theRosetta Stone, 'Ginger', the world's oldest mummy, Lindow Man, etc. The British Museum is open seven days a week and is free.

There are also historic or cultural attractions, the most popular of which include Buckingham Palace. This is royal palace is still in use today. Here, visitors can witness the "Changing of the Guard" when a member of the royal family is in residence. During the summer months, some rooms are open to the public for tours. Other sights include The Tower of London, a royal fortress that holds the Crown Jewels of England. Nearby is the famous Tower Bridge.

The Tourist Board for London is called Visit London. The Britain and London Visitor Centre is located on Lower Regent Street, near Piccadilly Circus.


Vi Chien
source : en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London (internet website)
http://www.timeout.com/london/ (entertainment website)

Angkor Wat

Angkor Wat is in a temple complex in Cambodia, located in the Siem Reap district, about 308km to the north of the capital city of Phnom Penh. It was built in the early 12th century as king Suryavaraman II's state temple and capital city. It is the epitome of the high classical syle of Khmer architecture. Tourists visit to see for themselves the magnificence of Angkor Wat and admire the carvings. In 2004 and 2005, government figures suggest that, respectively, 561,000 and 677,000 foreign visitors arrived in Siem Reap province, approximately 50% of all foreign tourists in Cambodia for both years. The influx of tourist has caused little damage apart from graffiti.

Source of image: http://home.wxs.nl/~bellaart/images/cambodia/siemreap/sr00.jpg
Source of information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angkor_Wat, http://www.khmerfuture.com/index.php?name=News&file=article&sid=2218&theme=Printer

Done by: Ka Yi


Aerial view of Angkor Wat

Angkor Wat, located in Cambodia and built during the early years of the 12th century by Suryavaram II, honors the Hindu god Vishnu and is a symbolic representation of Hindu cosmology. Consisting of an enormous temple symbolizing the mythic Mt. Meru, its five inter-nested rectangular walls and moats represent chains of mountains and the cosmic ocean. The short dimensions of the vast compound are precisely aligned along a north-south axis, while the east-west axis has been deliberately diverted 0.75 degrees south of east and north of west, seemingly in order to give observers a three day anticipation of the spring equinox. Since it's rediscovery in the 1800s, (with the exception of the civil war period) this historic temple has received a steady stream of visitors, curious about the ancient temple.

http://www.sacredsites.com/asia/cambodia/angkor_wat.html
www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic-art/90520/...

by : Marriz

Grand Canyon

What:Canyon
Where: Grand Canyon,
Reasons for tourisms: Natural attraction

Grand canyon's unique features:
1)Geographical record beautifully preserved and exposed

2)Variety of rocks, clarity which they are exposed, complex geologic story they tell

3)-The older geologic story is that revealed in the thick sequence of rocks exposed on the canyon's wall. These rocks provide an amazing albeit incomplete story of the Paleozoric era (550-250 million years ago) and scattered remains of the Precambian rocks as old as 2 million years.

4)These rocks tell a far older story than the canyon itself (which only formed 5-6 million years ago), a relative youngster in geological terms.
Sources: http://www.itsnature.com/ http://www.grandcanyontrecks.org/
1) promoting nature and photographic material of natural attractions
2) Promoting tourism to the Grand Canyon via the agency

Alexa

http://www.travelet.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/grand-canyon3.jpg
The Grand Canyon is a steep sided Gorge carved by the Colorado River in Arizona, USA within the Grand Canyon National Park. The Grand Canyon is 446km long, and ranges in width from 6.9km to 29km, with a depth of over 1.83km.

The South Rim is the most popular destination within the park, and arguably offers the most picturesque views of the canyon, as well as the most visitor amenities for great Grand Canyon sightseeing. There are historic sites along the canyon rim, hiking opportunities throughout the park, rafting trips, pristine nature to be experienced, Junior Ranger programmes, wildlife spotting and campfire programs.

Official website: http://www.nps.gov/grca/index.htm

Sources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grand_Canyon
http://www.travelmuse.com/articles/grand-canyon/top-grand-canyon-attractions




(Christie)


Hong Kong


Hong Kong[7] (Chinese: 香港) is a special administrative region of the People's Republic of China. Situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea,[8] it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour.

Hong kong is famous for it's variety of shops and tourists often visit this city for shopping purposes. Tourists also visit Hong Kong to experience the sceneries of the skyscrapers. Recently, Hong Kong Disneyland had been built. It is the first theme park in Hong Kong. Hong Kong Disneyland, the fifth Magic Kingdom-style park, is located on a reclaimed land in Penny's Bay, Lantau Island. Tourists are attracted by the Disneyland that is modified to fit the Chinese culture.

Hong Kong is a recognised global centre of trade, and calls itself an 'entertainment hub'.[108] Its martial arts film genre gained a high level of popularity in the late 1960s and 1970s. Several Hollywood performers and martial artists have originated from Hong Kong cinema, notably Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan,Chow Yun-Fat, and Yuen Woo-ping.

The Hong Kong government supports cultural institutions such as the Hong Kong Heritage Museum, the Hong Kong Museum of Art, the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, and the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra. Also, the government's Leisure and Cultural Services Department subsidises and sponsors international performers brought to Hong Kong. Many international cultural activities are organised by the government, consulates, and privately.


Vi Chien

SOurce : en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hong_Kong information website

Hot springs in Taiwan

What: A hotspring
Where: Lushan hotsprings, Taiwan
Reasons for tourism: Natural attraction, Medical tourism

Medical tourism: The Lushan Hotsprings's warm water heated and charged by the Earth's own energy are believed to revitalise, soothe and reinvigorate the body. This has led it to become a popular destination for those who suffer from body aches or those who need a chance to relax.

Sources: Taiwan's tourism board, tourguide.sinotour
1)Promote tourism to taiwan
2)Promote tours to taiwan hotsprings via the agency
Alexa

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f2/Yangmingshan_Taiwan_hot_springs.jpg




Taiwan's hot springs and spa resorts is very popular. Taiwan has one of the highest concentrations and greatest variety of thermal springs in the world varying from hot springs to cold springs, mud springs, and seabed hot springs. The types of hot springs available are Sodium carbonate springs, Sulfur springs, Ferrous springs, Sodium hydrogen carbonate springs, Mud springs -- spring water contains alkaline and iodine, is salty and has a light sulfuric smell and Salt or hydrogen sulfide springs.



The hot springs in Taiwan are Chiao Hsi, Beitou, Jhiben, Yangmingshan, Guanziling, Sichongxi, Wulai and Green island.



The hotsprings offers the perfect solution for anyone wanting to relax and recharge their mind and body naturally. Tourists visit Taiwan's hotsprings to relax their mind.



Vi Chien
Source: Brochures from Taiwan

Suntec City


picture from wikipedia.

Suntec city mall is a shopping centre opened in 1995 in Singapore, located within the Marina Centre subzone of the Downtown Core Planning Area. together with initial phases of the Suntec City development, it was the largest shopping centre in Singapore with 888,000 square feet (82,500 m2) of retail space until the opening of VivoCity in 2006. It also offers a club house called the Suntec City Guild House located on the fifth storey.

This is one of the famous sites of tourism in Singapore. Many tourists visit that place when as they are attracted to the famous fountain of wealth constructed in Suntec City
The Fountain of Wealth appears like a golden ring in the palm of the hand. As the fountain is made of bronze, it is believed that the balance of metal and water paves the way for success. Further, the specially selected Chinese name, 新达, means "new achievement"
Tourist can also do a lot of shopping in this shopping mall as it provides a variety of shops.

The Suntec City had featured three times in The Amazing Race reality television show. It also has it's own website.
Vi Chien
Source : en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suntec_City_Mall (internet info website)

Tuoi Sieng Genocide Museum

The Tuoi Sieng Genocide Museum is located in Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia. Formerly the Chao Ponhea Yat High School, it was converted into a prison and interrogation centre in August 1975 four months after the Khmer Rouge won the civil war. Uncovered by the invading Vietnamese army in 1979, the prison was reopened by the government in 1980 as a historical museum memorializing the actions of the Khmer Rouge regime. Several rooms of the museum are lined, from floor to ceiling, with black and white photographs of some of the estimated 20,000 prisoners who passed through the prison.Other rooms contain only a rusting iron bedframe. Other rooms preserve leg-irons and instruments of torture. The skulls of some victims are also on display in shelves in the museum. Tourists visit to learn more about the Khmer Rouge regime.

Source of image: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/19/Tuolsleng1.JPG
Source of information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tuol_Sleng_Genocide_Museum

Done by: Ka Yi





Torture chamber inside the museum

Tuol Sleng Museum, known as the Museum of Genocidal Crimes was used by the Khmer Rouge as a detention and torture center in the late 1970s. Today the building houses exhibits, paintings and photographs of many of the victims. Visitors can see the crude cells built in the classrooms and the torture devices used to extract confessions in Stalinesque purges of the regime. Open daily from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. to 5 p.m.

http://www.cambodia-travel.com/phnompenh/tuol-sleng.htm
www.tropicalisland.de/cambodia.html

by: Marriz

Taj Mahal






















The Taj Mahal was built by a Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal. This 32 million rupee palace was built entirely by white marble. It is decorated with precious jems- jasper and agate.

What is this place?
Taj Mahal

Where is this place?
Agra, India

Why do tourists visit this place?

Its history.
People are captivated/touched by its history, where the emperor loved his wife so much he wanted to built a palace for her. Thus, the Taj Mahal is considered an icon of love. One of the many types of tourists who visit it are lover/couples.

Its beauty.
The white marble, jems, scripture and such make it an an architectural beauty.It is also said that the scene at dawn and sunset is astounding.


Citations:

http://blog.lib.umn.edu/

http://boncherry.com/

http://objsam.wordpress.com/



Sanaa

Bangkok Hospital

Bangkok, the capital of Thailand, is one of Asia's leading medical tourism destinations, with an international reputation for its excellent medical facilities, Western-trained doctors and number of procedures available. Bangkok is particularly well known for cosmetic surgery and is one of the most popular places in the world for sex reassignment surgery. Tourists are often attracted to Bangkok hospitals because the hospitals there offer excellent facilities and procedures to medical tourists for a fraction of the price of those in Western countries.

Source of image:http://www.meditourinternational.com/images/hosp_bhmc.jpg
Source of information: http://www.discovermedicaltourism.com/thailand/bangkok/

Done by: Ka Yi

Great Barrier Reef



The Great Barrier Reef, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is located in Australia, off the east coast of the Queensland mainland. The Great Barrier Reef is a site of remarkable variety and beauty on the north-east coast of Australia. It contains the world’s largest collection of coral reefs, with 400 types of coral, 1,500 species of fish and 4,000 types of mollusc. It also holds great scientific interest as the habitat of species such as the dugong (‘sea cow’) and the large green turtle, which are threatened with extinction.

Visitors at the Great Barrier Reef can take part in a variety of activities, such as cruises, hinterland and outback tours, hot air ballooning tours, helicopter tours, ranforest tours, reef scuba diving as well as white water rafting.

Main website: http://www.gbrmpa.gov.au/

Sources: http://www.great-barrier-reef.com/great-barrier-reef-tours.html
http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/154

(Christie)



The Great Barrier Reef is located in the Coral Sea, off the coast of Queensland in northeast Australia. It is one of the seven wonders of the natural world and is the only living thing on earth that can be seen from space. Its natural beauty attracts tourists from all over the world. Activities for tourists include day tours, overnight and extended tours, snorkelling, scuba diving and fishing charters, long range roving tours, aircraft or helicopter tours, bare boats, glass-bottomed boat viewing, semi-submersibles and educational trips, cruise ships, beach hire and water sports, passenger ferries, whale watching and swimming with dolphins.The marine tourism industry is an important contributor to the local and Australian economy, generating over $4.228 billion per annum in 2003.

Source of information:http://www.greatbarrierreef.org/about.php
Source of image: http://blogs.fayobserver.com/faytoz/files/2009/01/great-barrier-reef.jpg

Done by Ka Yi










The Alps

http://gamehub24.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/guide_alps_wanderer_3.jpg



The Alps are a mountain system located in south-central Europe, to the immediate north of the Mediterranean Sea. They extend for almost 700 miles in a crescent shape from Austria and Slovenia in the east; through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany; to France in the west. The highest mountain in the Alps is Mont Blanc, at 4808 metres.

There are a variety of things that visitors can take part in, such as kayaing, canoeing, mountain biking, hiking, snow-trekking, rock-climbing, cross-country skiing, horse-riding and more. There are also ski resorts located in the alps, where people can ski, snowboard and do many snow-related acitivties.

Sources: http://www.undiscoveredalps.com/new_display_page.php?page_slug=Activities
http://www.worldatlas.com/aatlas/infopage/alps.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alps


(Christie)


What is this place: Mountain
Where is this place: Alps, Switzerland
Reason for tourism: Natural attraction
Sources of information: http://www.alpinehikers.com/
Alexa