Wednesday, February 20, 2013

10 Top Tourist Attractions in Singapore

Merlion Park.


1. Standing tall at 8.6 meters high and weighs as heavy as 70 tones, Merlion is well-known tourist attractions in Singapore. There are 1 Merlion in Sentosa Island, 1 at Mount Faber, 1 at the Singapore Tourism Board headquarters in Orchard Spring Lane and 2 other Merlions in Merlion Park.

Pulau Ubin


If you want to enjoy the natural vegetation, wild life and the laidback atmosphere of a village, then Pulau Ubin is your best choice. Located off the northeastern coast of Singapore main island, a small island called Pulau Ubin is the last village in Singapore which still full of legends, with an enthralling history and geography.

Singapore Zoo


You can experience the thriving wildlife in the modern Singapore Zoo which was known as the Singapore Zoollogical Gardens. The Zoo offered a kingdom of Singapore wild animals with over 3.200 mammals, reptiles and birds such as leopards, jaguars, white tigers, baboons, and polar bears etc which are kept in hidden dry or wet moats, instead of caging the animals.

Orchard Road


Shopaholic could satisfy their hungry of shopping in the Orchard Road district where it is dominated by the shopping centers, hotels and many other shopping arcades. Orchard Road district is one of the top tourist attractions in Singapore

Fort Siloso


Sentosa island offers many landmarks such as Fort Siloso fortress where we can find some guns from the World War 11 era, also one of the most famous tourist attraction in Singapore: the 2 integrated casino resorts, Resorts World Sentosa and Marina Bay Sands.

Singapore Night Safari


Singapore things to see at night is the Night Safari which is the first night wildlife park. The Night Safari is divided into 8 geographical zones which can be explored using some walking trails or with a tram. We can find about 920 animals where 30% of them are endangered species

Jurong Bird Park


Bird lovers must visit the Jurong Bird Park which is one of the best aviaries park in the world and hosted 9000 birds of different species. One of the highlight of the Jurong Bird Park is the Amazon jungle aviary where we can find the largest man-made waterfall.

Chinatown


Chinatown in Singapore is an amazing tourist attractions in Singapore. Chinatown offering more than just a restored shop houses selling any kind of products but also a lot of monuments and cultural heritage buildings such as the Thian Hock Keng Temple and the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple

Asian Civilisations Museum (ACM)


One of Singapore's most acclaimed national museums is the Asian Civilisations Museum (ACM) which is located in the Armenian Street. The museum provide a deep insight into the interesting pan-Asian arts and cultural heritage whose integration is the rich base for the multi ethnic society in Singapore.

Escape Theme Park


For adrenaline seekers then the Singapore's biggest outdoor theme park, Escape Theme Park is the best place to visit. This popular tourist attractions in Singapore provide a huge range of wet and dry rides for the family, from the small kids to the grown up.

Monday, February 11, 2013

Top Tourist Attractions in Poland

1) Wawel Castle

Wawel Castle

People have lived upon the site of Wawel Castle since the Paleolithic Age. The castle itself was first built in the 14th century, at the command of Polish monarch Casimir III the Great. The Gothic castle is home to the only preserved piece of the Polish Crown Jewels, the legendary sword Szczerbiec coronation sword. Decorated with symbols and floral patterns, the blade is notched to hold a small shield, giving the sword its nickname, the Jagged Sword.

2) Auschwitz-Birkenau

Auschwitz-Birkenau

A visit to Auschwitz-Birkenau is a powerful experience that words can scarcely describe. The immense size of the infamous Nazi concentration camp is the first thing to strike visitors as they approach the entrance to the memorial and museum in Oswiecim, Poland. Devoted to the memory of the murders in the camps during World War II, Auschwitz-Birkenau has been visited by more than 25 million people.

3) Masurian Lakeland

Masurian Lakeland

Located in an area that encompasses the lower Vistula River to the Lithuania border, the Masurian Lake District contains more than 2,000 lakes connected by an extensive system of canals and rivers. The Masurian Lakeland is the most popular tourist destination of Europe’s lake districts. Hotels, guest houses and camp sites are plentiful in the villages that surround the lakes, and visitors often travel by bicycle or boat to tour the scenic area.

4) Slowinski Sand Dunes

Slowinski Sand Dunes

Situated in northern Poland, the Slowinski Sand Dunes are part of the Slowinski National Park located on the coast of the Baltic Sea. The park is named after the Slovincians who once lived there, and an open-air museum in the town of Kluki features artifacts of their culture. The dunes themselves are formed as waves and wind carry sand onshore and can reach as high as 30 meters. Their forms change with the season and are known as the “moving dunes.”

5) Malbork Castle

Malbork Castle

Malbork Castle was founded in 1274 by the Teutonic Knights who used it as their headquarters to help defeat Polish enemies and rule their own northern Baltic territories. The castle was expanded several time to host the growing number of Knights until their retreat to Königsburg in 1466. Today it is the most popular tourist attraction in the city of Malbork.

6) Wieliczka Salt Mine

Wieliczka Salt Mine

Located on the outskirts of Krakow, the Wieliczka Salt Mine is considered one of the oldest companies in the world. Salt has been mined from the site continuously since the 13th century. The site features an underground city, all carved out of the rock salt, including a chapel that is said to have the best acoustics of any structure in Europe. Dozens of ancient sculptures carved from salt are augmented by new sculptures from contemporary artists.

7) Bialowieza Forest

Bialowieza Forest

The Bialowieza Forest is a large remnant of the primeval forests that once covered much of Europe. The forest straddles the border between Poland and the Republic of Belarus, and there are border crossings for tourists on foot or on bicycles. The Bialowieza Forest is home to around 800 wisent, a protected species of European bison. While the wisent are kept within fenced areas, guided tours are available either on foot or in horse-drawn carriages.

8) Gdansk Old Town

Gdansk Old Town

Located on the Baltic coast, the city of Gdansk’s history includes a long occupation by 14th century Teutonic Knights whose fortresses contrasted strongly with the existing town that came to be known as Altstadt, or “Old Town.” In the 15th century, Casimir IV of Poland allowed the structures built by the Teutonic Knights to be demolished. Gdansk’s Old Town area includes many 17th century structures, including granaries, mills and churches.

9) Warsaw Old Market Place

Warsaw Old Market Place

Founded in the late 13th century, Warsaw and the city’s central marketplace were the heart of Polish culture for five centuries. The original Old Town Market Place was destroyed in World War II but was carefully reconstructed almost immediately after the war ended. The market square features a bronze sculpture of the Warsaw mermaid, the symbol of Poland’s capital.

10) Main Market Square

#1 of Tourist Attractions In Poland

Dating back to the 13th century, the Main Market Square in the Old Town in Kraków is the largest medieval town square in Europe and one of the main tourist attractions in Poland. The square is surrounded by historical townhouses, historic buildings, palaces and churches. The center of the square is dominated by the Cloth Hall, rebuilt in 1555 in the Renaissance style, topped by a beautiful attic.

Sunday, February 10, 2013

Amazing Desert Landscapes

1) Valle de la Luna

Valle de la Luna


Valle de la Luna is located in the Atacama Desert in Chile. This breathtaking desert landscape is the result of centuries of winds and floods on the sand and stone of the region. The large sand dunes and stone formations mimic the surface of the moon, giving the region its name, which translates to “Valley of the Moon”. The unique color of the landscape, caused by the way the salt formations reflect the sunlight, makes the Valle de la Luna a beautiful, changing spectrum of bright blue, green, yellow and red colors.

2) The Pinnacles Desert 

The Pinnacles Desert


The Pinnacles Desert is in the Nambung National Park in Western Australia. Its unusual finger-like limestone formations among vast sand dunes create a strange, mystical appearance. With the movement of the sun, these formations cast eerie shadows across the desert. Surrounding wildflowers enhance the desert’s beauty from August to October.

3) McMurdo Dry Valleys

McMurdo Dry Valleys


With an annual precipitation of only 200 mm (8 inches) along the coast an even less inland, Antarctica is considered the largest desert on Earth. Antarctica’s most extreme desert region is the McMurdo Dry Valleys. Even though the Valleys are nestled in an ice-covered continent, they have have been ice-free for thousands of years. The harsh katabatic winds blow through the desert at speeds of up to 320 km (200 miles) per hour with a force capable of evaporating all moisture. Consequently, the McMurdo Dry Valleys are considered to be the earth’s closest equivalent to the surface of Mars.

4) Death Valley

Death Valley


Death Valley is an imposing, diverse landscape that stretches across parts of Nevada and California. It is known as the lowest, driest, and hottest location in North America. Death Valley has recorded temperatures as high as 130 degrees. From snow-capped mountains to colorful sand dunes, the unique desert landscapes of Death Valley are like no other place in the United States. Places of interests include the scenic area of Zabriskie Point and the mysterious moving stones of Racetrack Playa.

5) Sinai Desert

Sinai Desert


Located along Egypt’s border with Israel , the Sinai Desert is a major tourist destination due to its religious history, and it’s scenic beauty. The rugged mountain contrasting with golden sand and blue skies offer the visitor spectacular views of the desert. The Sinai Desert branches out to join the beaches of the Red Sea, where the amazing diving waters are known world-wide.

6) Erg Chebbi

Erg Chebbi


Located in the Sahara Desert, the Erg Chebbi dunes are one of the top attractions in Morocco. The awe-inspiring dunes are as high as 150 meters tall, and one certainly feels small in their shadows. Excursions to the dunes normally start from the village of Merzouga which is located on the edge of the erg. Camel trekking is the most popular option although it isn’t the most comfortable way of traveling.

7) Nazca Desert

Nazca Desert

The Nazca Desert occupies a strip along the northern Pacific coast on a high arid plateau. The famous Nazca Lines are located between the towns of Nazca and Palpa. Created between 200 BC and 700 AD the figures range from simple lines to stylized spiders, monkeys, fish, llamas, lizards and human figures. The lines were created on such a large scale that it wasn’t until the 1920′s, when Peruvian airlines started to fly from Lima to Arequipa, that the lines were recognized as figures. The dry, windless, stable climate of the Nazca Desert has helped keep the lines uncovered to the present day.

8) Wadi Rum

Wadi Rum

The Wadi Rum valley features amazing wildlife and remarkable rock formations. Located in the country of Jordan, the valley is a spectacular tourist destination. Guests can ride a camel or horse across the amazing desert and camp out under the clear, star-filled sky. Adventure-seekers can practice their rock-climbing skills on the vast rock formations including Jabal Rum, the second-highest peak in Jordan.

9) Salar de Uyuni

#1 of Amazing Desert Landscapes

Located in the Andes Mountains of Bolivia, Salar de Uyuni is the largest salt flat in the world. The expanse of salt creates an unending white landscape during the dry season, but the area is most breathtaking in the rainy season when it is covered in water. The reflection of the blue sky creates an even more surreal landscape although some people insist on seeing the salt.

Tuesday, February 05, 2013

Top Famous 10 Buddha Statues

Hussain Sagar Buddha Statue



The Buddha statue situated at the center of an artificial lake in the city of Hyderabad is one of India’s most famous Buddha statues. This figure stands at a full 17 meters (56 feet) tall and weighs 320 tons. The single largest monolithic statue in all of India, it was sculpted by a group of artisans from a single piece of stone. Tragically, during the statue’s installation in 1992 the figure tipped over and fell into the lake, causing the death of 8 workers. The government recovered the statue and restored it to its full height and stature.

Tian Tan Buddha Statue


Tian Tan Buddha sometimes locally referred to as the Big Buddha, is located on Lantau Island, in Hong Kong. Fashioned of bronze and completed in 1993, The statue is the main feature of the Po Lin Monastery, symbolizing harmony between man, nature, people and religion. The statue is named Tian Tan Buddha because its base is a replica of Tian Tan, the Temple of Heaven in Beijing. The statue sits on a lotus throne on top of a three tiered altar. At 34 meters (110 feet) tall, the Tian Tan Buddha is presented in a posture of serenity. His right hand is raised to remove affliction. His left hand rests on his knee, representing happiness.

Monywa Buddhas


Monywa is a city in central Myanmar located on the banks of the Chindwin River. Just east of the city is the Po Khaung Taung, a range of hills where you can see the Monywa Buddha– the largest reclining Buddha statue in the world. This colossal figure measures 90 meters (300 feet) in length. The head alone is 60 feet high. The Monywa Buddha was constructed in 1991 and is hollow inside, allowing visitors to walk along from the head to the feet. Inside the figure are 9,000 one-foot-high metal images of the Buddha and his disciples, depicting various representations of important events in the Buddha’s life. Recently a gigantic standing Buddha statue was built on top of Po Kaung Hills. At 132 meter (433 feet) high it is one of the largest Buddha statues in the world.

Ayutthaya Buddha Head


Thailand’s city of Ayutthaya is the location of one of the world’s most unusual Buddhist statues. Among the ruins of Wat Mahathat (The Temple of the Great Relic) is the remains of a sandstone statue of the Buddha whose body has been lost to the ages but whose head rests appropriately in the climbing roots and vines of a tree. Around this famous figure are many other stature of the Ayutthaya period which have survived the ravages of time.

Gal Viharaya


Located in north central Sri Lanka, Polonnaruwa is the site of one of the most breathtaking of the world’s representations of the Buddha – the Gal Gal Viharaya. This massive rock temple was constructed by Parakramabahu the Great in the 12th century. The central attraction of the temple are 4 large Buddha statues carved into the face of a granite boulder. Among these giant stone figures are a reclining statue of the Buddha that measures 14 meters (46 feet) in length and a standing figure measuring 7 meters (23 feet) high.

Ushiku Daibutsu


The Ushiku Daibutsu is located in the city of Ushiku in Japan. Finished in 1995, the figure is one of the world’s tallest statues, standing a total of 120 meters (394 feet) high including the 10m (30 foot) base and 10m high lotus platform. Visitors to the Buddha statue can take an elevator to a platform where an observation deck is situated. The bronze-plated figure depicts Amitabha Buddha, and is also known as Ushiku Arcadia.

Temple of the Reclining Buddha


Located in Bangkok, Wat Pho is famous for the huge Reclining Buddha statue it houses. It is one of the largest temples in Bangkok and also one of the oldest, constructed nearly 200 years before Bangkok became Thailand’s capital. Wat Pho holds the distinction of having both Thailand’s largest reclining Buddha image and the largest number of Buddha images in Thailand. The gold-plated Reclining Buddha statue is 46 meters long and 15 meters high, and commemorates the passing of the Buddha into Nirvana. The statue’s eyes and feet are decorated with engraved mother of pearl, the soles of the feet displaying the 108 auspicious characteristics of the true Buddha.

Great Buddha of Kamakura


The Kotoku-in is a Buddhist temple of the Jodo shu sect located in the city of Kamakura in Japan. The temple is famous for its great Buddhist statue (or daibutsu). a colossal outdoor representation of Amida Buddha, one of Japan’s most celebrated Buddhist figures. Cast in bronze, the Great Buddha stands at over 13 meters (40 feet) high and weighs nearly 93 tons. The statue reportedly dates from 1252 and is generally believed to have been cast by the Buddhist monk Joko, who also collected donations to build it. Although it originally was housed in a small wooden temple, the Great Buddha now stands in the open air as the original temple was washed away in a tsunami in the 15th century.

Temple of the Emerald Buddha


Another of Bangkok’s Buddhist temples is Wat Phra Kaew, the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, located within the grounds of the Grand Palace. The main building is the central ubosoth, which houses The Emerald Buddha, one of the oldest and most famous Buddha statues in the world. A jade statue adorned in gold clothing, the Emerald Buddha was, according to legend, created in India in 43 BC in the city of Pataliputra, where it remained for 300 years. In the 4th century AD it was taken away to Sri Lanka by Buddhist monks to save it from destruction by war. Eventually the statue made its way to Thailand and was moved to Wat Phra Kaew in 1779. The statue has three different sets of gold clothing, which are changed by the King of Thailand in a ceremony at the changing of the seasons.

Leshan Giant Buddha


The Giant Buddha of Leshan is a gigantic Buddha statue carved out of a cliff face in Sichuan, western China. The great sculpture is a figure of Maitreya — a Bodhisattva traditionally represented in sitting posture. Begun in the year 713 during the Tang Dynasty, the statue was not completed until the year 803, and was the effort of thousands of sculptors and workers. As the biggest carved stone Buddha in the world, the Leshan Giant Buddha is featured in poetry, song and story. The sculpture stands about 71 meters (233 feet) high and has three meter (11 feet) long fingers on each of its enormous resting hands. Today it is a popular tourist attraction in China.

Sunday, February 03, 2013

Top 7 Largest Statues in the World

1) Rod1) Rodina Mat (102 meters)

Rodina Mat

 Located in Kiev, the Rodina Mat statue is modeled after a symbol made during World War II to mobilize the Soviet people. The titanium statue was finished in 1981 and stands 62 meter (203 ft) tall on top of a museum building with the overall structure measuring 102 m (335 ft) and weighing 560 tons.

2 (Emperors Yan and Huang (105 meters)

Emperors Yan and Huang


The sculpture of Emperors Yan and Huang were carved into a mountain over a period of 20 years and was completed in 2007. The sculpture is 106 meter (345 ft) tall and depict two of the earliest Chinese emperors, Yan Di and Huang Di. China’s “Mount Rushmore” is located inside the Yellow River Scenic Area near Zhengzhou.

3) Guan Yin Statue (108 meters)

Guan Yin Statue

The 108 meter (354 ft) tall statue of the bodhisattva Guan Yin is situated on the south coast of China’s Hainan island. The statue has three aspects with one side facing inland and the other two facing the South China Sea. The statue took 6 years to build and was finished in 2005.

4) Cristo-Rei (110 meters)

Cristo-Rei

Inspired by the famous Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro, the Cristo-Rei shrine was inaugurated in 1959 after a 10 year building period. The statue is about the same size as its famous model in Rio, 28 meter (92 ft) high, but it stands on a 82 (209 ft) meter tall structure in the form of a gate so the total height of the monument is 110 meters (361 ft). At the base of the statue is an observation deck providing panoramic views of the city of Lisbon.

5) Ushiku Daibutsu (120 meters)

Ushiku Daibutsu

The Ushiku Daibutsu is located in the city of Ushiku in Japan. Finished in 1995, the figure is the 3rd largest statue in the world, standing a total of 120 meters (394 feet) high including the 10m (30 ft) base and a 10m (30 ft) high lotus platform. Visitors to the Buddha statue can take an elevator to a platform where an observation deck is situated. The bronze-plated figure depicts Amitabha Buddha, and is also known as Ushiku Arcadia.

6) Laykyun Setkyar (130 meters)

Monywa Buddhas

The Laykyun Setkyar is the second tallest statue in the world at 130 meters including a 13.5 meter throne. It was built on top of Po Kaung Hills near the city of Monywa in central Myanmar. At its foot lies the largest reclining Buddha statue in the world. The Laykyun Setkyar was completed in 2008, the reclining Buddha in 1991.

7) Spring Temple Buddha (153 meters)
#1 of Largest Statues In The World

The Spring Temple Buddha is the largest statue in the world. The total height of the monument is 153 meter (502 ft) including a 20 meter (66 ft) lotus throne and a 25 meter (82 ft) building. Construction of the Spring Temple Buddha was planned soon after the Bamiyan Buddhas were blown up by the Taliban in Afghanistan. The statue was finished in 2008 and depicts Vairocana Buddha.