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But its just not the case. The picturesque scenery of Thailand's coastline makes for some of the most beautiful and breathtaking pictures man could ever produce. With meals being "as cheap as chips" [or perhaps in the Asian terminology, a bowl of rice], transportation around town is quite simple. The common bicycle will get you from A to B, as will an old taxi, but the most luxurious form of transportation would have to be by cart.

Sightseeing

With China currently going through one of histories biggest transformations, where currently they are in the process of knocking down whole and complete cities and building brand new ones in the place, makes Shanghai and other major Chinese capital cities a stunning place to be.

China really is, one of the worlds my beautiful places to visit, and when it comes to Asia, it is probably my 2nd preference for tourist destinations, aside for Thailand. The Great Wall Of China, is a MUST, and walking part of it truly does bring into spectrum the gigantic magnitude for such an ancient architecture.

The islands of Vanuatu, Bali, Thailand all make the Asian trip a worthwhile experience.

Interesting Information

China as one of the oldest continuous cultures in the world has heavily influenced the Southeast sector of the continent. China blessed with the geography of excellent interior river systems, used to have the largest maritime trading fleet ever known in the world and opened and controlled the ancient sea trading routes stretching from primitive cultures in East Africa to exotic cultures in the Mid East, around the magical and sophisticated cultures of India, Burma and Siam, and what is now known as Indonesia and Malaysia. China became so rich and powerful that they saw the rest of the world as savage and subordinate cultures that threatened more than benefited the Chinese people. Their rulers decided to insulate the nation from the rest of the world and for hundreds of years greatly reduced the size of the Chinese trans-oceanic fleet - China essentially became a continental power, until European nations and the United States reestablished a thriving trade during the 19th century.

Following the collapse of colonialism in the emerging 20th century and the defeat of the Japanese Empire, China reestablished her identity as a world superpower under the destructive and reconsolidation disciplines of Chinese Communism. China seems to have found that sweet spot between being a managed economy at home still influenced by Confucianist work ethics, Christian missionary zeal and Buddhist introspection under the all-seeing eye of a secular Communist Party led state and a thoroughly integrated international trading nation overseas.

With their rise as full members of the UN and the WTO, China Incorporated has truly become a superstar economy that drives the heartbeat of SE Asian continent. More importantly, the years of relative insularity and seeming obscurity during the 20th century have changed and China now is relatively assessable to foreign tourists - you can now experience fascinating artifacts of ancient and mysterious civilizations throughout the Chinese nation and one cannot fail to notice the friendliness, youthfulness and optimism of the Chinese people.

Tourists are welcome again in China and it is a golden period for world class tourists that want to see more for their money

Links

Setsubun in Japan

Photo by Flickr user Naomi Ibuki

The fun and bizarre Setsubun festival is getting ready to start up in Japan on February 3rd.

Celebrated on the day before Spring officially begins per the lunar calendar, Setsubun is all about throwing soybeans and shouting -- sometimes the beans are thrown out of the door, and sometimes at someone you love.

The bean projectiles are meant to frighten away unpleasant spirits who have a way of putting a damper on health and good fortune in the new year. People have been throwing beans for good luck in Japan since the 1300s, and the tradition in China dates back to the 8th century! In some parts of Japan, the head of the house is nominated to wear a demon mask while others throw beans at him.

Modern Setsubun is now a televised event where sumo wrestlers and national celebrities help to throw beans, sweets, and money into frenzied crowds. Eating one soybean for each year of your age is meant to ensure good health in the coming year, and a traditional sushi roll is consumed with family in silence while facing the coming year's auspicious direction.

The alternative to throwing soybeans to frighten spirits? You could hang fish heads and holly leaves above your doors to prevent them -- and probably neighbors -- from wanting to come inside.

Learn more about the Setsubun festival in Japan.

Setsubun in Japan originally appeared on About.com Asia Travel on Thursday, February 2nd, 2012 at 17:53:43.

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Photo by Flickr user Wyndham

From Thailand's insane, country-wide waterfight known as Songkran, to traveling through Vietnam during monsoon floods in 2010, I learned that you never know when or where you're going to end up drenched.

While getting wet in scorching temperatures isn't always unwelcome, unfortunately laptops and DSLR cameras don't enjoy it quite as much. Waterproof backpacks to the rescue!

Last year while trying to get photos of orangutans in North Sumatra's Gunung Leuser National Park, I met a smart German traveler who introduced me to Overboard waterproof backpacks. Their backpacks are basically a dry bag with a roll top, such as those used when scuba diving, but with proper straps and the look of a typical daybag.

I instantly fell in love, and now use an Overboard bag for any adventures where water, sand, or mud could threaten to turn expensive electronics into paperweights.

The best part? All of the waterproof backpacks rated Class 3 or higher actually float! Good news when some of the "boats" I take in Indonesia only qualify as boats in the strictest sense because they are floating at the time.

Overboard backpacks are made out of waterproof material, eliminating the need to scramble for your pack cover when the rain turns on without warning; how I could have really used these bags in the past -- particularly during Thailand's record flooding in Bangkok last year.

• If you find yourself in similar travel scenarios, I recommend having a look at my Overboard backpack review and decide if you need one of these bags in your travel kit.

Waterproof Backpacks originally appeared on About.com Asia Travel on Tuesday, January 31st, 2012 at 20:22:55.

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Photo by Greg Rodgers

How much money do you need to travel the world?

The answer depends entirely upon you. If you've only got two weeks for a trip, then by all means, pamper yourself! If you plan to be on the road for a month or longer, you can save money -- and keep yourself on the road longer -- by following a few simple budget travel tips.

Unlike vacation-style travel where people typically spend more than they would at home, backpackers and budget travelers know that exploring Asia should be much cheaper than it costs to stay at home!

The secret to long-term travel is not to cut out expenses to the point of not having fun. Why travel to the other side of the world only to sit in the Bedbug Inn, afraid to go outside for fear of spending too much money? Instead, saving a little bit of cash at every opportunity on every transaction really adds up throughout a long trip.

If you're willing to use public transportation, stay with welcoming hosts, and cut out a few luxuries such as pizza and air conditioning, you can spend surprisingly little on an extended trip to Asia.

How much money you need for travel depends a lot on your destination. If traveling in cheaper parts of China and Southeast Asia rather than Japan and Korea, your travel funds will survive much longer. For instance, a beach bungalow or guesthouse room can be had in Thailand for US $10 per night or less; a typical meal costs around $2 -- even cheaper for street food!

Have a look at these 10 budget travel tips for saving money on the road, I'm sure that one or two will certainly come in handy on your trip to Asia.

How Much Money for Travel? originally appeared on About.com Asia Travel on Monday, January 30th, 2012 at 07:58:53.

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