Yogyakarta (some people call it Jogja, Jogjakarta, or Yogya) is a city with outstanding historical and cultural heritage. Yogyakarta was the centre of the Mataram Dynasty (1575-1640), and until now the kraton (the sultan's palace) exists in its real functions. Also, Yogyakarta has numerous thousand-year-old temples as inheritances of the great ancient kingdoms, such as Borobudur temple established in the ninth century by the dynasty of Syailendra.

More than the cultural heritages, Yogyakarta has beautiful natural panorama. The green rice fields cover the suburban areas with a background of the Merapi Mountain. The natural beaches can be easily found to the south of Yogyakarta.

Here the society lives in peace and has typical Javanese hospitality. Just try to go around the city by bike, pedicab, or horse cart; and you will find sincere smiles and warm greeting in every corner of the city.

An artistic atmosphere is deeply felt in Yogyakarta. Malioboro, as the center of Yogyakarta, is overwhelmed by handicraft from all around the city. Street musicians always ready entertain the visitors of the lesehan food stalls.

Those who have visited Yogyakarta reveal that this city makes them long for it. Just visit here, then you will understand what this means.

Transportations to Yogyakarta:

Train - You may reach Yogyakarta by train from Jakarta, Bandung, or Surabaya
Bus - Yogyakarta is reachable by bus from Sumatra Island, Bali Island, and most cities of Java Island.
Plane - Recently, international direct flights from Kuala Lumpur are established to Yogyakarta. In addition, domestic flights to Yogyakarta from Jakarta, Denpasar, Balikpapan, and many others, are available now.

By: Dini Retnowati

Xidi is a very beautiful village of Anhui Province, which is an optimum place to see the old typical folk houses of the southern Anhui Province. Besides, you may explore the source of the ancient culture of this area in this ancient village.

Xidi Village is 8km away from the east of Yi County, 54km from Tunxi City, and 40km away from Huangshan beauty spot. It has over 900 years old and is segmented by over 40 old winding and narrow lanes which are paved by bluestones. The laneways and the overall arrangement of the architecture make a very good harmony in this village. If you stroll in the village, you will find historic folk houses, ancestral temples, halls, academy of classical learning, archway, white walls and grey tiles, paned windows and projecting horse-head walls, flexural walls, stone benches, old well, and stone slab bridge etc. they still remain the style and features that the kinds of centuries ago.

From that moment when you step into this village you can feel that artistic feeling touches in every corner. On the marble doorframes, you will find flowers, birds and beasts are carved on; on the bricks, you will see the carved pavilions, kiosks, human figures and the actor's lines. Additionally, you can also enjoy the woodcarvings, murals, gardens, and the bonsai exhibition by some villagers. And if you are careful enough, you will find the indoor arrangement of the houses are not so different from those of the other ancient villages or ancient cities which you have visited. Here the arrangements of old furniture and the lay of calligraphy and paintings in the houses still keep the feature of the Ming and Qing Dynasty (1368-1911AD).

Whenever you visit this ancient village, it will show you a charming pastoral scene, because this village is embraced by mountains, clear streams crooning through it, some fish ponds strew around it, and vast paddy fields place in front of it. In 2,000, this very quiet and peaceful village was listed as World Cultural Heritage by UNESCO. Now, most architects, planners, sculptors, industrial artists, and painters are heading for Xidi as it provides them with abundant source of inspiration. And shoals of visitors from home or abroad have been enthralled by this village.

By: Mandy Lee
China Odyssey Tours specialize in providing Huangshan tour packages, discount Yangtze River cruises and best rate hotels.

There are many great destinations in paradise Philippines that would best epitomize it as truly a paradise in the Asian region. Boracay being the first, is one of the best summer destination in all of Asia. Bohol is a quiet and wonderful place in the south, home to the famous Bohol Tarsiers. And Baguio, the tourist destination of local and foreign tourist all year round.

Boracay

The most visited tourist spot in paradise Philippines, not just during summer but all year round. Boracay island is the favorite summer destination of Filipinos from all walks of life and the favorite getaway place of Europeans, Americans and Asian travellers. With its pristine white sand beaches, hospitable local residents, exciting night life, great tasting food and of course the clear waters of the beaches.

Bohol

Though not as visited as Boracay, the Island of Bohol is a haven in itself. The local folks, Boholanos are one of the most hospitable Filipinos paradise Philippines has to offer. Bohol is famous for its Chocolate Hills, the Loboc River and the Bohol tarsiers.

Baguio

Paradise Philippines’ summer capital is the only summer destination which does not have any beach at all. Situated far up northern part of paradise Philippines, Baguio is one of the best tourist spot in the Philippines because of its high elevation which emits a cool weather all year round. Baguio has several scenic spots which attract both local and foreign tourist all year round. Another reason why Baguio is a favorite tourist destination in paradise Philippines is because of the Banaue Rice Terraces which is located in the nearest town from Baguio.

By: Arnold Zafra

Tibetan People

The people of Tibet are strong, and adaptable due to the harsh environment in which they live, but they are also extremely warm and hospitable. They are always quick to invite a visitor to Tibet into their home and serve them homemade food, and the famous Tibetan butter tea.

Food

Food, just like Tibetan culture and people has a very distinct character. Tibetan food is not only sustenance, but also helps Tibetan people survive the harsh climates. Their food keeps them warm, gives them energy, helps them with the high altitude, and gives them nutrients essential to the harsh climate. Due to the high altitude of Tibet, water boils at 90 degrees making cooking with water impossible, so Tibetan food has become very specialized. The Tibetan diet consists mostly of meat, milks and other high protein foods.

Tsampa: is a staple found at every Tibetan meal. It is a dough made with roasted barley flour and yak butter. There are two basic ways to prepare and eat Tsampa. One is to make dough with Tibetan buttered tea. The other is to make porridge with beef or mutton, and vegetables. The Tsampa dough served with buttered tea is salty, while the porridge is often served with sugar.

Buttered tea: is another staple of Tibetan cuisine. Tibetans drink butter tea because it warms them up. The buttered tea is quite salty. Some people think it tastes more like soup broth than tea.

Beef and Mutton: Tibetans live on beef, mutton and milk products. Beef and mutton contain high heat energy which is helpful in fighting the cold. Many Tibetans often eat raw meats. Tibetan noodles: are usually served in a simple vegetable or meat broth. Momos: are the favorite foods of most visitors to Tibet. They are dumplings made with either meat or vegetables.

Tibetan Dances

Nearly Every Tibetan can sing and dance. Dancing is an integral part of every Tibetan's life. Tibetan people sing and dance for nearly every event: weddings, funerals, gatherings, and just for fun. There are many different styles of dance. Each area of Tibet has its own distinct style.

The Guoxie (village) dance is a group dance popular in rural Tibet. This dance is usually performed on open ground from sunrise to sunset. It consists of men and women dancing together in a circle.

Guozhuang (singing and dancing) dance is popular in eastern Tibet. It consists of two parts, singing, and dancing. It is an agile and vigorous dance. Men and women stand in two separate circles and sing in rotation while swaying and stamping their feet. The tempo in the beginning is slow and as the song progresses the tempo speeds up. They performers conclude their singing by shouting "Ya!"

Xie dance is accompanied by a stringed instrument. At festivals and outings men and women dance the Xie face to face in two lines. They are usually directed by one person at the head of their formation who plays a stringed instrument. The participants sing to each other to express their feelings. This dance is graceful and natural characterized by slow steps.

Qamo (sorcerer's) dance is a religious dance. It came to Tibet along with the introduction of Buddhism. It is used to subdue evil spirits in monasteries. Originally the Qamo dance was a mime dance where participants wore ceremonial masks. A traditional livestock sacrificing ceremony was held. Since the killing of livestock goes against Buddhist doctrine, livestock are no longer killed. Drawings are now substituted. At the end of the dance the performers take an effigy of Duoma (the leading demon), made of butter and tsampa into the wilderness to burn it, which will drive away evil and bring good fortune in the coming year.

Clothing

Tibetan clothing has a strong connection with the people, and climate of "roof of the world". The Tibetan's clothing reflects the history, beliefs, and character of the local people.

Each area of Tibet has its own distinct style of clothing. The clothes are influenced the by the religion, and environment. Tibetan clothing consists of a robe and shirt. The Tibetan robe worn by men is broad and is normally fastened under the right arm, while the women's are slightly narrower with or without sleeves. The robes often fastened with two cloth belts. The shirts are also fastened on the right. Men typically wear white shirts with high collars, while women wear various colors with turndown collars.

In northern Tibet, were the weather is bitterly cold, herdsmen wear a fur lined robe years round. Their robe also doubles as their quilt at night. Since the day and night temperatures vary greatly, during the day they usually do not put their arms in their sleeves, but rather tie the sleeves around their waste wearing their robe as a kind of skirt. Their fur lined robes are very bulky and have no pockets, but being fastened at the waist it gives the wearer plenty of room inside for to carry daily necessities, or even their children inside.

In pastoral areas the clothing worn by herdsmen are distinctive for their decorations. Their clothing is usually hemmed in black cloth at the front and lower edges and cuffs. Women wear aprons decorated with colorful cloth stripes.

In the south of Tibet where the weather is warm and damp, the clothing is made from hand woven woolen cloth. Both men and women button their clothing on the right. Men's clothing are hemmed in colorful cloth, or with silk, while women normally wearing sleeveless robes.

In Lhasa, where the weather is warmer and damper many men wear double layered robes, and women dress in close-fitting robes and long sleeved shirts, with brightly decorated aprons.

The apron is one of Tibetan women's favorite clothing articles. According to custom the aprons are only worn by married women. It is a privilege that young girls look forward too.

By: Mandy Lee
China Odyssey Tours specialize in providing package China tours, discount Yangtze River cruises and best rate hotels.

The Penang Butterfly Park is just minutes away from the Kuala Lumpur Bird Park; the park is constructed like a miniature rainforest in the middle of the city of Kuala Lumpur and houses about 120 different species of butterfly and about 15,000 plants of different varieties. Adding to the tropical rainforest atmosphere of the park is the mini pond with a limestone path down the centre.

The pond is surrounded by a gazebo that lets visitors have a clear view of the area surrounding the pond and observe the various species of butterflies who flutter by. The park is ideal for families with young children but lacks the excitement to keep adults entertainment for very long. The park was founded in 1986 to educate the public and to establish a research centre with the aim of developing new breeding methods.

Upon entering the park you would be greeted by a lush and tropical garden that is that is lined with several pathways. Cages and enclosures can be seen in the area and a few fountains and a fish pond add to the serenity of the area. A large number of butterflies can be seen fluttering about amongst the trees and the colorful flowers.

The calm and the serenity of the Butterfly Park is seemingly the perfect getaway to sooth tension, save the Dragonfly enclosure that has thousands of alien looking insects making disturbing whizzing sounds and flying about randomly in their 1,200 square foot enclosure (as you can guess I am not favorably disposed towards dragonflies). The Butterfly Park though named as such also has a number of other creepy crawlies such as scorpions, spiders and snakes.

The visitor's centre has some educative pamphlets which will definitely intrigue nature buffs and there is a traditional art centre. However the souvenir shop is a must see the Butterfly Farm fashions beautiful crystal paperweights using dead insects. There are also t shirts, books and some fascinating antiques and curios of which only a few are for sale. Another interesting fact is that Malaysia's largest oil painting is on display at the Farm it is a depiction of a lush jungle by James Lau and has earned a place on the Guinness Book of records!

By: Naveen Marasinghe
A cheap hotel in Kuala Lumpur that is in close proximity to many of the sights and sounds of Malaysia such as the Butterfly Park is Citrus Hotel Kuala Lumpur.

Naveen Marasinghe is an Online Marketing Executive at eMarketingEye which is a search engine marketing company that offers integrated Internet marketing solutions and specializes in serving the online travel and hospitality industry.

India is one of the most reputed medical tourism destinations in the world. It is known in general for heart surgery, hip resurfacing and other areas of advanced medical science. The government hospital and private health service groups are committed to the target of making India a world leader in the industry. The industry's main focus is low cost health services. Many estimates says treatment costs in India start at around a tenth of the price of comparable treatment in America or Britain.

As an example, "Howard Staab, a self-employed, uninsured, middle aged carpenter who belong to North Carolina," needed surgery for acute mitral valve prolapse, which would have charged him a fifth of a million dollars in his home state. Staab was treated in New Delhi, the capital of India, for less than seven thousand dollars by an Indian doctor. Consider the rising popularity of "preventive health screening". At one private health care center in London a thorough men's health check-up that includes blood tests, electro-cardiogram tests, chest x-rays, and abdominal ultrasound costs ?345 ($574, ?500). A comparable check-up at a clinic operated by Delhi-based healthcare company Max Healthcare costs $84.

The Escorts Heart Institute and Research Center in Delhi, India performs nearly 15,000 heart operations every year, and the post-surgery mortality rate is only 0.8 percent, which is less than half of most major hospitals in the United States.Amount of the value of medical tourism to India go as high as $2 billion a year by 2012. In the year 2003, Indian finance minister Jaswant Singh called for India to become the global health destination. The highest stumbling block preventing the fast growth of India as a healthcare destination is its poor infrastructure and less of quality hotels. However, the Indian government is taking steps to overcome these issues.

By January this year, 3.3 million travelers had already visited India, spending close to $ 5 billion. The domestic medical tourism is also witnessing fast growth. Around 368 million Indians are venturing out of their homes, based on increasing incomes, least aviation costs, and more leisure time. The World Travel and medical tourism Council has forecast that medical tourism will grow at a fast rate of 8.8% per year for the next twelve years, the highest in the world. The medical tourism industry is projected to attract a capital investment of around $21 billion by the year 2014, up from about $10.2 billion estimated in the year 2004.

Medical Tourism in India is the best alternative available to patients across the globe. Lacks of people come every year to get treated and then entertain their holidays in India. People from different types of life cut across the entire span of the world come to India to have their treatments done with peace of mind. India serves world class medical services with hospitals and specialized multi specialty health care centers giving their expertise in the areas of Cosmetic Surgery, Heart Surgeries, Coronary Bypass, Heart Check up, Valve replacements, Knee Replacements, Eye surgeries, Indian traditional treatments like Ayurvedic Therapies and much more, practically covering every aspect of medicine. Dental care centers has attracted in India, with tourists coupling stays in cities like Udaipur with general treatments and complex procedures.

Our nation India is best known for heart surgery, hip resurfacing and other areas of latest medicine. The government and private health service centers are committed to the target of making India a leader in the medical tourism industry. The industry's main focus is least cost treatment. It is said treatment fees in India start at around one tenth of the price of comparable treatment in the nation like USA and UK.

By: Radha Kishan
Radha Kishan is currently advertising for Medical Tourism Medical Tourism website and another website which tells the experience of medical tourism to India here