Travel Tales from Asia

If you wish to enjoy a holiday away from the crowds, you should escape to Desroches Island, which is a secluded luxury island that is ideal for de-stressing and escaping the pressures of daily life. Many couples and families head to this beautiful island that has a ring-shaped coral reef around it. If you step out onto the verandah, you can behold a variety of birds, plenty of sea life and tropical lush foliage.

Desroches Island Resort has nearly 26 luxury villas and 20 junior sites that guarantee privacy even when the resort is occupied with people. You reach the beach within a few minutes and you can avail of the bicycles provided by the resort to explore the beautiful island. Each room contains king size beds or two single beds with large bathrooms. The rooms are also fitted with outdoor showers, beautiful verandas and tasteful private lounges that overlook the sea, or garden. You can get butler service or use the culinary kitchen and dining room that are provided in the villas. An infinity pool is also provided.

For those who prefer the upscale dining experience, two restaurants are available, which offer three meals every day. You can order local beers, spirits, house wine and soft drinks or you can get a picnic basket full of snacks, if you so desire. Whether you sit in the restaurant, beach restaurant or enjoy the al fresco on the private veranda, you can order fresh and local cuisine that serves dishes that are produced on the island.

Activities by way of leisure pursuits include matches played on the floodlit tennis court, guided snorkeling tours to view angelfish, as well as sea turtles from up close, or just exploring the shorefront. Take a bicycle and picnic basket and enjoy relaxing on the beaches, or in the jungles, where you can enjoy the beauty of nature.

You can enlist for diving courses at PADI, or NAUI in Desroches, so that you can avail of any of the 14 classified diving sites. The other sports activities offered are sea kayaking and wind-surfing. Sports enthusiasts, who prefer fly-fishing and big game fishing can make arrangements for boats, as well as get their supplies of tackle from the Island Resort.

The island ensures that they closely monitor the population of fish and maintain organic farming. They take care to preserve the native species, which are rare or endangered by making sure that there is no impact with human activities. They try to involve the guests in awareness programs of conservation so that the sea life, wild birds and fauna of this unique island is preserved.

If you are only interested in relaxing in Four Seasons Seychelles then you can book yourself a massage the Coconut Spa or relax by the poolside with a book and a refreshing drink. The Desroches Island Resort has been planned with conservation in mind of the natural features of the island to ensure proper sustenance.

Many countries celebrate special holidays and Thailand is one of them, though they celebrate not only public holidays, but a few private ones as well. Public holidays are generally on New Year’s Day which is January 1st. People enjoy their holidays and visitors to Thailand experience new types of celebrations. The start of the Gregorian and solar year is celebrated on this day. The Buddhist day is on February 3rd and the 6th of April marks the Chakri Memorial Day.

The Songkran Festival is a three day holiday which starts on April 13th till the 15th. This is one of their big holidays where everyone takes time off to celebrate. The festivals in May are the Vesak, The Royal Ploughing Ceremony and the Coronation Day. Vassa and Asalha Puja are in July while in August the HM the Queen’s birthday is celebrated with great pomp and splendor. Tribute is paid to King Chulalongkom, who passed away in October 1910 and is still remembered on Chulalongkom Day, with love and affection by the people of Thailand.

In December, some of the major holidays are Constitution Day, New Year’s Eve and HM, the King’s birthday. Though these holidays last only for a day, they are celebrated with great importance by the people of Thailand. Everyone who lives in Thailand celebrates on these days. It would be worthwhile for you to plan your vacation during any of these holidays to learn more about their traditions and observe how other people in the world celebrate. You may have a wonderful time experiencing new type of celebrations and even want to join in the festivities.

The Government observes a few national days though many people may not be able to enjoy these days as holidays. Apart from these days, there are several more days marked on the calendar that are not mentioned in this article. Many have stopped observing these holidays though they are still traditionally followed by some. Some of these are the National Agriculture Day, Duanwu Festival, Chinese New Year and Valentine Day. All the places may not be closed on certain holidays though some people may want to celebrate on those days.

It may be interesting if you take time to try and pronounce these local names for each one of the holidays before you visit Thailand. Perhaps you could take the trouble to memorize a few of the names in their language. The locals are very impressed when you speak in their language or mention one of their Thailand holidays by the native name. Festivals about with plenty of food, music and dancing and the activities vary from one place to another. It is an enjoyable experience to witness something different, when travelling to other destinations on vacation.

You will get some everlasting memories, while making a trip to China. It is a perfect place for enjoying romantic getaways, relaxation, adventure and thrill. You can also enjoy comfortable accommodation, tasty dining, excellent shopping and delightful nightlife here. It is worth to shop around online to find the best deals to travel to China.
Guilin is a fabulous place to visit in China. The strangely shaped hills and green foliage ranging from bamboo to conifers make it a great attraction for tourists. Elephant trunk hill, Reed Flute Cave, Li River and Seven Star Park featuring a stone museum are the must see places in this city. You can reach the city by flight, bus or train.

Xian is situated in the central northwest China. Terracotta warriors are the most significant attractions of this place. They are the important archeological excavations of the 20th century. More than 7,000 ceramic soldiers, horses, chariots and weapons have been found out and most of them have been refurbished to their former magnificence.

Xian city wall is another important attraction. The wall has 18 gates that are open for all tourists. Big Wild Goose Pagoda is located 4 kilometers away from the downtown. It is a holy place for Buddhists. Its simple, yet in spring construction attract thousands of tourists every year. The surrounding scenery is very charming with water fountains and gardens.

Huashan Mountain is located 120 kilometers away from Xian. It is one of the five holy mountains in China. The narrow paths, high mountain ranges and steep cliffs offer a thrilling experience. It houses several Taoist temples. It is regarded as the sacred land of Taoism.

Shanghai is a famous international metropolis. It is becoming the most important economic, cultural, international and technical center of East China. It attracts more and more tourists every year. Shanghai Museum is an important place to visit. It is located in People’s Square. It is divided into eleven galleries and three exhibition halls. The galleries cover almost all the important kinds of Chinese art like Ancient ceramics, bronze, paintings, sculpture, Qing furniture and coins. You can find more than 400 pieces of wonderful bronze wares in this museum.

Jade Buddha temple houses two precious jade Buddhist statues. They are renowned for their rare cultural relics and porcelain artworks. The statues were carved with white jade that gives the beauty of sacredness to Lord Buddha.