Top Ten Things To Do In Los Angeles PART 1

The city of Angels is an ever-sprawling metropolis where getting from A to B can be a real challenge. This list narrows down the sights, making manoeuvring much easier.

A visit to Los Angeles on California’s sunny coastal stretch is all about immersing oneself in a world of fame, money and opulence in the city famous as the home of Hollywood. Most first impressions of L.A. will be of a surprisingly unremarkable city of unremarkable suburban life. The magic of Hollywood and the extravagance of Beverly Hills are not apparent everywhere in the city; this list tries to narrow down the typical L.A. experience into ten items that will thrill thrill-seekers and entertain almost everyone.

Hollywood’s Walk of Fame

One of Los Angeles most famous sights, the Walk of Fame is in the tourist-centre of the city, on Hollywood Boulevard, near Grauman’s Chinese Theatre, the Kodak Theatre and Sunset Boulevard. While this ‘attraction’ may just be a few hundred red, black and gold stars on the pavement, it is kind of exciting to stand where so many famous celebrities have, on a site known worldwide.

Take a Walk Down Sunset Strip

The Sunset Strip, a section of Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood, may have lost some of its charm these days, but there’s so much of Hollywood’s history along this section of road that it’s not to be missed. It’s a great place for celebrity sightings, and nearby are such locations as the ‘House of Blues’ Club, The Viper Room, the Walk of Fame, the Kodak and Grauman’s Theatres to name a few of the notable landmarks. The Strip is a little run-down looking now, but that doesn’t prevent it from being a lively night spot full of restaurants, clubs and interesting shops.

The La Brea Tar Pits

While ‘Tar Pits’ may not have a romantic Hollywood ring about it, this sight is actually pretty unique and fascinating. When the Tar Pits were uncovered in Los Angeles, thousands of bones of long-extinct creatures such as mammoths and mastodons were discovered, opening up a long-forgotten part of the regions past. There are few locations like this in the world, where visitors get the chance to see the remains of long-extinct creatures in an amazing museum sitting alongside the famed Tar Pits.

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Top Ten Things To Do In Hong Kong: PART 4

6. Visit Tsim Sha Tsui

Shopping malls, designer stores, restaurants, bars and cafes vie for attention in this district of Hong Kong which is extremely popular with locals and tourists. If you are on a tight schedule, make sure you go to Tsim Sha Tsui, because as well as entertainment, there are also a number of cultural attractions located in this district.

The first of these is the Museum of Art which has a collection of more than 14,000 exhibits. Its focus is on preserving the artistic heritage of the Chinese people and the collection includes many works of art from ancient China. It also has an extensive calligraphy section.

The excellent Space Museum is just next door, as is the Cultural Center, where you can take in a dance performance or classical music concert.

7. Trip to Oceanpark and Waterworld

Located in the southwest of Hong Kong island, not far from the harbor is a massive theme park and entertainment center. Amusement rides, a butterfly park, an aviary and marine shows are some of the highlights of Oceanpark. Particularly interesting is the Middle Kingdom walk-through exhibition, which features recreated street scenes and palaces from long ago. It’s a fun way to learn about China’s past. Waterworld has slides, a wave pool, manmade rapids and other child-friendly activities.

8. Shop at Stanley Market

Everyone who visits Hong Kong goes to Stanley Market. This popular tourist destination is the place to go to haggle over everything from antiques to electronics. Some good buys here are embroidered household linens, cheap children’s clothes and all kinds of fun little trinkets and artifacts.

9. Ride up Victoria Peak

Named after the British monarch Queen Victoria, this hilly landmark is visited by every tourist to Hong Kong. A cable-pulled train (funicular) takes visitors from Hong Kong Park to the peak. You can travel up the peak by bus too, but the funicular is more exciting. The views of the city from the peak are breathtaking.

10. Go hiking

It may be hard to believe when you’re scrambling around downtown, but Hong Kong is a great place to go on a long nature walk! Over two-thirds of Hong Kong is forest or farmland and much of that is conservation land.

There are trails and walks to suit all abilities. Aberdeen Country Park, for example, is a good place for a leisurely walk with children. It has an information centre detailing the flora and fauna that can be found in its grounds. Pat Sing Leng Park in the New Territories, has much more challenging walks that take you through a mountain range fringing the city. For information on these walks and many more, get in touch with the Hong Kong Tourism Board on arrival, or take a look at their website.

Top Ten Things To Do In Hong Kong: PART 3

Hong Kong is best known as a shopper’s paradise, with its many malls, stores and street markets offering bargains on everything from designer jeans to jade necklaces. However there is also much more to Hong Kong than just shopping.

This former British colony also has a wealth of cultural attractions. Here are the top 10 things to do in Hong Kong, including some great museums, walks and places to shop and dine.

1. Architecture tour

A tour of the major landmarks in Hong Kong is a good way to get acquainted with the city and learn about its history at the same time. The Architecture Institute of Hong Kong organizes tours of some of the notable buildings downtown. The tours are conducted by a local architect and take about three hours.

On the tours you will be introduced to the older, colonial buildings such as the Central Police Station and the French Mission, as well as some great modern architecture, including the Hong Kong and Shanghai building designed by Sir Norman Foster in 1985.

2. Visit temples

The Man Mo Temple is one of the most important in Hong Kong. Located near Hollywood Road, it was built in 1848 and is named after Man, the god of literature, and Mo, the god of martial arts. Inside, the air is thick with the smoke from coils of incense paper burned by worshipers. You can also see statues of the deities, Man holding a calligraphy brush and Mo holding a sword.

Wong Tai Sin Temple is the most well known Taoist temple in Hong Kong. Ornately decorated with red pillars and a golden roof, Wong Tai Sin is always crowded with worshipers. It is dedicated to a famed healer and Taoist disciple, whose portrait adorns the main altar. Today, people pray at the temple for help with their health and money, and come to have their fortunes read.

You can have your fortune read by one of the many clairvoyants located at the temple entrance. They read faces and palms and draw up Chinese astrological charts. Not all speak English, though. Also, you can find a Chinese herbal medicine seller in the temple grounds.

3. Trip to Lantau Island

The main reason people go to this island is to visit the largest Buddhist monastery in Hong Kong located high in the Lantau hills. Walk up 260 steps to the 100 ft tall seated statue of Buddha and take in the breathtaking view of the surrounding hillsides. You can even stay at the monastery and sample some of the delicious, yet simple vegetarian fare.

Lantau is actually a much larger island than Hong Kong. Much of it is covered in woodlands and in addition to visiting the temple, you can also go on some excellent walks here.

4. Aberdeen Harbour boat ride

You’ve probably seen Aberdeen Harbour many times in movies and on television the fishing junks, the people, and the ubiquitous seafood restaurants. For an experience to remember, try taking a boat ride in a wooden sampan across the harbour, or have a meal at one of the huge floating restaurants.

5. Try dim sum

Dim sum (little steamed stuffed dumplings) is a speciality in Hong Kong and you should try some during your stay. You can try dim sum anywhere, but Hong Kong City Hall Restaurant is a charm as the food is still served the traditional way on carts. Waitresses roll the carts around the hall and you just point to what you want. It’s as simple as that! The dim sum here is really good – but if you’re looking for something more upmarket, try dim sum at the celebrated Peninsula Hotel.

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Top 10 Attractions & Things to Do in Beijing: PART 2

Another spectacular palace is the Summer Palace located about 10 miles outside of Beijing. The Summer Palace is the largest and best-preserved royal garden in China. This palace boasts 17 Great Halls, gardens and sights that are sure to take up plenty of your time. It even has a two-tiered, 36 metre long boat made entirely of marble.

In the very centre of Beijing is Tiananmen Square. Ironically, despite the violent events that have taken place there in recent times, Tiananmen means Heavenly Peace Gate. Nevertheless, Tiananmen Square is the biggest square in the world and can hold over one million people. Thousands of people visit the square every day. Within Tiananmen Square there are a host of awesome historic sights to see.

West of the centre of the square is the Great Hall of the People. This building, erected in 1959, is the site of the China National People’s Congress meetings and provides an impressive site for other political and diplomatic activities. Twelve marble posts are in front of the Hall, which has three parts–the Central Hall, the Great Auditorium and a Banqueting Hall. The Great Auditorium behind the Central Hall seats 10,000.

Pay a visit to the Hutong Culture and Courtyard Culture. Hutong literally means a small street or a lane between two courtyards. There are thousands of hutongs in Beijing City. The most interesting to tour is in the Shichahai area, which is rivaled to be the best scenic spot. From there you can see Bell and Drum Towers, Prince Gong’s Mansion and many other hutongs. The Courtyard culture is also a very calming atmosphere where you are sure to see many others who have chosen to visit this great land.

31 miles northwest from Beijing City lie the Ming Tombs. The tombs are the mausoleums of 13 emperors of the Ming Dynasty. The mausoleums have been perfectly preserved, as have many of the old and long gone emperors and their treasures. It was originally built as the Changling, the tomb of Emperor Zhudi and his empresses. This is the most magnificent of the tombs. The succeeding twelve emperors had their tombs built around Changling.

Stargazers will be quite taken in by one of the oldest observatories in the world. Referred to as the Ancient Observatory, this one already has over a 500-year history. It, like so many of Beijing’s historic landmarks, was built in the Ming Dynasty. As a matter of fact, the name was changed not too long ago from the original name, Watching Star Platform.

It would take a lifetime to really begin to grasp all that Beijing has to offer. However, the suggestions given make for a great start

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Top 10 Attractions & Things to Do in Beijing: PART 1

Beijing is definitely one of the most visited cities in the world. Every year, millions of visitors flock to Beijing just to see the capital of China, a great blend of old and new.

Beijing is the city that never sleeps; you can always find something for you no matter what hour of the day it is and whatever your interests are. There are actually hundreds of tourist scenic spots and historic sites in Beijing. Some are walkable, while others are a little further away from the city centre.

It takes time to enjoy everything that Beijing City has to offer. But if you only have a few days to spare, you can economize by seeing the top ten attractions in Beijing City or doing the top 10 things. In that way, you can say that you have experienced Beijing City, even if your stay there lasts only for a few days or just the weekend.

First visit the Chinese Ethnic Cultural Museum in Beijing. China is home to over 55 minority ethnic groups. The museum serves as a large cultural base where visitors may enjoy viewing the traditional architecture, local customs, arts and crafts, and songs and dances, and sample the cuisines of the various ethnic minority peoples of China. Various activities aimed at displaying the traditions and cultures of China’s ethnic groups are carried out here.

Another great attraction is the Beijing World Park. Located in the south-western suburb of Beijing, the park is a gigantic garden displaying miniatures of well-known scenic spots throughout the world; it has 17 scenic areas mimicking Asia, Africa, Europe, America, Oceania areas, and includes more than 100 miniature world-famous buildings from nearly 50 countries. You can even get to it on the city’s public transportation system.

One of the most frequented tourist spots in the world is The Great Wall of China. Construction started on the Great Wall in the seventh century B.C. After the state of Qin unified China in 221 B.C., the wall held off the invaders from the Xiongnu tribes in the north and the wall was extended to more than 10,000 li or 5,000 km. The wall is visible from space!

Lying at the centre of Beijing is the Forbidden City or Gu Gong as it is called in Chinese. It was the imperial palace during the Ming and Qing dynasties. The Forbidden City is nearly 600 years old and was originally planned and constructed from 1407 to 1420, and is now known as the Palace Museum. It is the world’s largest palace complex with 9,999 buildings that are surrounded by a six metre deep moat and a ten metre high wall.

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