The Diamond Industry

Amsterdam is truly called a city of jewels because here diamond industry has flourished and prospered for almost 400 years and now there are many diamond-cutting centers that have been established in the city. Diamond-cutters of Amsterdam boast of their craftsmanship and the excellence of high-quality work. If you love diamonds, then Amsterdam is the perfect place for you as here you will find diamond polishers who give free demonstrations of diamond-cutting and also offers sets for sale.

Amsterdam Red Light District

This part of city, which is commonly known as De Walletjes, is located on the eastern side of Dam Square. This place is famous in entire Europe for provokingly dressed prostitutes which are displayed under the neon lights. In this area, you will also find clubs and coffee shops selling marijuana.

Artis Zoo

Being one of the city’s most popular attractions, this zoo dates back to 1838. This zoo houses more than 6000 animals living in outdoor enclosures in order to provide them with an atmosphere that is quite similar to their natural living conditions. This zoo also has an aquarium having world’s largest collection of sea animals. Nocturnal house in this aquarium provides you an opportunity to have a look at activities of these animals during hours of darkness. Whenever you visit this zoo, don’t forget to see the zoological and geological museums that are located in this zoo.

Hortus Botanicus (Botanical Gardens)

This is botanical garden in Amsterdam dating from 1682. This garden boasts of displaying 6000 plants species that have been derived from all parts of the world. This garden also provides a chance to see a green and peaceful oasis which gives a pleasant feeling to the visitors. The best time to visit this botanical garden is spring season when thousands of tulips give this garden a majestic look.

Dam Square

Dam Square is an open space having many important buildings in its surroundings like Royal Palace, War Memorial and the Nieuwe Kerk. This square is the heart of Amsterdam city and more interestingly, Amsterdam originates its name from this square- Dam on the Amstel. This is a busy square of the city as different ceremonies take place here like royal family ceremonies, Remembrance Day celebrations and political demonstrations.

These were some of most attractive places in Amsterdam that are must-see and worth-visiting so this year if you are planning a tour, choose Amsterdam.

Television Tower

Being the tallest structure in this city, Fernsehturm television tower is a worth-seeing place as it is featured with an observation platform as well as a restaurant that revolves slowly. This tower is 1207 feet high and you have to use an elevator to take you up over 660 feet to see that restaurant and observation platform. This tower provides a chance to the tourists to view beautiful and attractive scenes of city. It has become so popular that restaurant is always filled with people. If you have a plan to visit this tower, I would recommend you to get your table reserved in this restaurant. Base of the tower is surrounded by neon signs and reflections caused by sunlight make a Christian Cross on tower.

Spandau Citadel

It is an ancient fortress that was built in 16^th century and now it has become the oldest building in Berlin. A visit to this building provides a chance to know more about its structural history and for your information I would like to tell that guided tours are available to this building on weekends. This beautiful ancient building is located near to River Havel and it is the most charismatic area this city could ever have.

Potsdamer Platz and the New Center

It was one of the busiest squares in Europe in 1990s. With passage of time people started neglecting it but due to recent renovations it has achieved its previous status back as now it is a vibrant area having shops, cafes, bars restaurants and other entertaining attractions. Due to restoration of this square, it has started becoming heart of this city. Here you can visit modern constructions like Sony Centre and Panorama-Point which is situated at the top of tall Kollhof building providing the best views of city. The lift available here is said to be the fastest in Europe.

Schloss Charlottenburg

This palace was originally built 300 years ago but in early 19^th century it was restored and some interesting features were added to it. Inside this palace, you will find a fine collection of romantic paintings whereas outside of this palace is surrounded by striking and sophisticated gardens which are truly eye-catching.

Oranienburger Strasse

Before 1989, it was a quiet and bleak street but now it has become a fashionable and busy place as it is full of cafes, bars and other food and drinks outlets. This place is now considered as a lively and vibrant area of Berlin.

These were some of the major and most popular attractions in Berlin which truly deserve to be seen again and again.

Fortaleza

Located in Northeastern area of Brazil, it is a popular tourists place because of its warm climate. Actually Fortaleza’s major attractions are its warm waters therefore its beaches are always crowded with tourists. Every beach in Fortaleza has its own individuality such as Iracema where people gather and do party for whole night. Another beach named Praia do Futuro is most popular for surfing therefore people who love surfing visit this beautiful beach.

Sao Paulo

It is one of the richest cities of Brazil that is located in South Eastern area. Most of the tourists come here to attend the Sao Paulo fashion week that makes Brazil a well-known country in terms of international fashion. Other different events are also held here that attract a large number of people from all over the world.

Salvador, Bahia

Major attractions of this beautiful city include magnificent architecture, lavish cuisine and beautiful and melodious music. This city also boasts of having one of the longest coastlines in Brazil. Beautiful beaches in this city are perfect for those tourists who want to explore life underwater or want to surf on huge waves of sea. Other than beaches, this place is also famous for its shopping malls that attract tourists who love shopping.

Rio de Janeiro

The most famous place of Brazil is Rio de Janeiro providing a lot of attractions to the visitors. It doesn’t only provide beautiful natural scenes but also lets the tourists enjoy music and other celebrations. Here you will also find two largest forests of world and at the same time you can drink and do parties in carnival celebrations which include parade, dance and music. Copacabana is a place located in the Southern zone of Rio de Janeiro which is famous for its marvelous beach. This beach becomes even more attractive during the celebrations of New Year’s Eve.

Santa Catarina

This place also boasts of its beautiful beaches. Most popular city of this state is Florianopolis that is famous for its more than 500 beaches. Moreover the state of Santa Catarina has varied climates attracting a large number of visitors towards it.

These were some of the most famous and popular places in Brazil providing tourists an utmost happiness and enjoyment.

Casa Loma

Casa Loma is an interesting place to visit for the tourists who like historical places having rich architectural designs. It was built in the early 1990’s by a wealthy businessman of Toronto named Sir Henry Pellatt. When you will visit this place, you will definitely love its atmosphere and splendor. You will enjoy a lot while walking on the winding paths through the stunning and spectacular gardens that surround this mansion. It is one of the most romantic historical mansions at Toronto which is capable of reviving your sense of wonder. There are splendid towers, beautifully decorated suites; secret passageways and 800 foot underground tunnel that links to the lavish stables and strikingly beautiful gardens.

Toronto Islands

Toronto Islands offer you a magnificent view of the city’s skyline. These islands are almost 150 years old having 262 homes, 650 people, gardens and parks. Other attractions in the islands include: picnic areas, swimming beaches, bicycle and boats rentals and much more.  It has been estimated that 1 million people visit these islands every year and many of them like to see Center Island because of its famous Centreville Amusement Park. In this park, you can enjoy more than 30 different rides providing fun to the kids and adults alike.

The CN Tower

Having a height of 1800 feet, it provides an opportunity to the visitors to have a bird’s eye view of Toronto. There is a glass elevator that takes you 1122 feet high to an observation deck. The specialty of this observation deck is that, here a portion of floor is transparent. There is also a revolving restaurant at the top of this tower and provides a chance to enjoy a lot. There are thousands of shops in this tower providing almost everything you can imagine. For the entertainment of kids, there are rides, an arcade and motion stimulators.

Royal Ontario Museum

This is a beautiful building whose exteriors are made of glass. Being the largest museum of Canada, It offers a lot of fun and enjoyment with its 40 galleries of art, natural science, archeology and six million items. This museum has a collection of African art, European history, Canadian history and more interestingly the dinosaurs. This museum has the biggest assortment of fossils in the world.

Kensington Market

This market has become a mixture of restaurants, shops, cafes and traditional clothing shops. If you want to know about the true and rich culture of Toronto, this market is the best place to visit. Here in this market, you can find a large collection of imported goods from Asia, Caribbean, Middle East and Europe. A number of artist studios are also open for the public. In this market, artists work with media including prints, metal work and sculptures.

Chinatown

In North America, Toronto has the second largest Chinatown. Here you will find jewelry, household items, clothing and different other items. Also there are a large number of restaurants which not only provide Chinese food but also Asian and Vietnamese food.

These were some of the most popular attractions in Toronto which can be truly called must see places of Toronto.

Gardens

Most of the gardens in Japan are located in the calm and peaceful surroundings of monasteries and some are located in the ruins of the castles of feudal lords. They display a very rich look of Japanese art and culture. There are a lot of attractions to see in Japanese gardens but the most worth-seeing are the ponds which are vital parts of every garden. They don’t only show Japanese’s peoples good taste but also add marvel and beauty to these gardens.

The gardens in Japan have different types including Tsukiyama Gardens (hill gardens), Karesansui Gardens (dry gardens) and Chaniwa Gardens (tea gardens).

Temples

Most of the population of Japan consists of Buddhists therefore temples in Japan are the houses of worship for these people. These temples should not be missed to see during the visit to Japan as they are beautifully made and present a beautiful blend with lush and green vicinity. The architecture of these temples is also out of this world and must see.

Castles

The castles in Japan were initially built for military purposes but afterwards they transformed into commercial centers as the time passed and eventually they became popular tourists’ attractions. They are truly a master-piece as they were built after careful planning and by the untiring efforts of thousands of labors.Shrines

There are almost one million shrines in Japan. Most of them serve as a worship home for the followers of Shintoism. These shrines are located in the isolated areas of this country, near to forests, to provide a peaceful and calm feeling to the visitors. When these shrines were first built, they were quite simple but with the passage of time they began to look like Buddhist temples due to the influence of Chinese architecture. On the basis of the architecture style of these shrines, they are divided into four types: Nagare, Shinmei, Taisha and Hachiman.These were some must visit attractions of Japan that deserve at least one visit in the life time of a tourist.

Jama Masjid

Jama Masjid is one of the largest mosques in India that is most visited tourists’ destination because of its marvelous architecture.  It was built by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan and is located across the Red Fort in Delhi. It is a testimony of Mughal Emperors’ commitment towards their religion and traditions as thousands of Muslims pray in this mosque daily.

India Gate

This structure is 42 meters high and made of red sand stone and granite. It has the names of the soldiers adorned on it who participated and died in World War I. It is located in the heart of Indian capital New Delhi and has become a national monument of India.

Lotus Temple

The Lotus Temple is called so because of its flower like shape. It was built in 1986. It is a Bahai House of Worship and due to its unique architectural design, it has won various awards. It was built in 1986 and has become one of the most well-known attractions in Delhi. It is located in the South of Delhi having acres of gardens in its surroundings.

Red Fort

Red Fort is also commonly known as Lal Qila. This fort is in the shape of an asymmetrical octagon and is located along the river Yamuna.  A 2.4km wall made of red stone surrounds this fort. This fort was also constructed by Shah Jahan after he shifted his capital from Agra to Delhi. This fort displays a high level of art work which is a synthesis of European, Persian and Indian art. The fort has two main entrances; the Delhi Gate and Lahori Gate. The Lahori Gate faces the famous Chandni Chowk of Delhi which is crowded and assorted market.

Taj Mahal

Taj Mahal is built on the Southern bank of Yamuna River. It is actually a mausoleum that is located in Agra. It was also constructed by Shah Jahan in the remembrance of his wife Mumtaz Mahal. It is considered as one of the most beautiful buildings in the world and it is a sign of everlasting love. This building has an arch-shaped doorway having a large dome. This dome is made of marble and it is the most prominent feature of this building which is often called onion dome or guava dome. The top of it is decorated with lotus design. This lotus motif is also repeated on chattris and guldastas also. The chattris are actually kiosks which are placed at the corner of the building and guldstas are tall spires that extend from edges of walls.

Sun Temple

It is another temple that displays the beauty of Indian architecture. It was built in 13^th century and designed in the shape of massive chariot, carrying the Sun god; named Suriya. There are 24 wheels of chariot that represent the distribution of time. This temple is worth-seeing as it has been made beautifully.

Ajanta

Ajanta caves were discovered in 19^th century. Located in the state of Maharashtra, these caves have the paintings and sculptures that are a masterpiece of Buddhist religious art. These caves have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since the year 1983.

Golden Temple

This temple is also known as Darbar Sahib or Hari Mandir Sahib. It is actually a Sikh Gurdwara that is located in Amritsar, Punjab. The dome of this temple is covered with a gold leaf and the interiors of temple are decorated with precious stones in a floral design.

These were some historical landmarks in India which deserve to be seen more than once in your life time.

Rai Le Beach

This beach is located in the province of Krabi and has been divided into East Rai Le and West Rai Le. The Eastern side of this beach is featured with mud flats. The more popular of the two beaches is the West Rai Le beach because at this beach, there are some areas where you can enjoy the adventure of rock climbing.

Koh Lanta

This beach of Thailand is not as developed as compared to the other beaches of Thailand. At this beach, there is a lot more to do including parasailing.

Phuket: Pearl of the Andaman

It is the most popular beach destination of Thailand having some nice and worth-seeing beaches. The most popular beach on the island is Patong Beach. Other beaches include Kata Noi, Kata Yai and a lot more. The attractions on this island include thrilling nightlife and a golf course which proves to be the best place for golf lovers.

Koh Samui

The most amazing thing about the popularity of this island is that almost 500,000 visitors come every year to visit this beautiful place. The reasons are its white sand beaches and vibrant and colorful nightlife activities. Being the third largest island in Thailand, it is one of the most popular and frequently visited tourists’ destinations in the country.

Koh Samet

If you are travelling in bus, then it will take two and a half hours to travel from Bangkok to Koh Samet. After that, you will have to take another ride named ferry ride that will last for 30 to 45 minutes. Here you will find some of the most beautiful white sand beaches of Asia.

Koh Pha Ngan

This island also boasts of some very nice and attractive beaches but its main attraction is the Full Moon Party that attracts about seven to ten thousand partakers every month.  This happens to be a great party as it continues from dusk to dawn. There are a lot of things to enjoy in this party like music, dancing, fire-eating, juggling, drinking and swimming.

These were some of the most popular beaches of Thailand that are capable of attracting one’s attention towards them.

]]> http://mojotravel.wordpress.com/2011/12/15/worth-seeing-beaches-in-thailand/feed/ 0 mehwish9 _Krabi_Rai_Lay_West_Beach koh-lanta phuket samui koh samet koh_phangan http://mojotravel.wordpress.com/2011/12/14/why-visit-mauritius/ http://mojotravel.wordpress.com/2011/12/14/why-visit-mauritius/#comments Wed, 14 Dec 2011 11:14:12 +0000 mehwish9 http://mojotravel.wordpress.com/?p=185 ]]> Mauritius is among one of the islands of the world that is known for its spectacular beauty. It is situated on the South Western side of Indian Ocean. It is among one of the favorite places of tourists because of its pleasant tropical climate. Its modern lifestyle, exotic and beautiful beaches and developed economy have always managed to attract a large number of local and international tourists. The tourists’ attractions in this island also become popular because of contemporary infrastructure and transportation facilities. All these things demand a visit to this island. There are some other attractions that can stimulate you to visit this place and answering the question that why should you visit Mauritius. Here I am going to describe some attractions that will provide you a solid reason to visit Mauritius.

Historical Attractions

Along with the contemporary buildings and infrastructure, there is a historical side of Mauritius. The historical sites include Balaclava ruins and Dutch ruins at Vieux Grand Port represent medieval history of this magnificent island. Another historical place in Mauritius is ruins of European settlements and some other testimonials of that period. It feels quite different as well as pleasant to visit the historical places of Mauritius.

Glorious Beaches

Beaches in Mauritius are one of the most glorious beaches of the world. It is a great experience to see the beaches having white sands and blue sparkling waters. These beaches have all the facilities and a large number of tourists’ attractions and activities. Here you can enjoy the experience of water skiing, sailing, swimming; surfing, boating and more interestingly you can do fishing. These beaches also serve as a picnic place where you can enjoy your holidays with your friends and family. Beaches are also very popular among the visitors as they provide an ideal location to take sunbath. Another attraction is to see the marine life from these beaches. Some most popular and famous beaches are:

• Belle Mare
• Grand Bay
• Blue Bay
• Flic and Flac
• Le Morne
• Tamarin

Wildlife Destinations

Mauritius is also very popular for its wildlife destinations. These destinations provide you the opportunity to see the wildlife found in this region as well as some very rare species of some animals.  Moreover, you can also have a chance to see the marine life by going underwater in submersibles. The most famous and popular wildlife parks in Mauritius are:

• Black River Gorges National Park
• lle aux Aigrettes
• La Vanille Crocodiles Park
• Domaine du Chasseur

Religious Buildings

The religious buildings include the biggest Hindu temple of this island named Triolet Shivala which has been dedicated to Gods Shiva Vishnu, Krishna, Brahma and Ganesha. Other pilgrimage sites are Pere Laval shrine and Lake Bassin.

These are some of the attractions that attract a large number of tourists to this beautiful and stunning island. One can enjoy being there with one’s family and friends.

]]> http://mojotravel.wordpress.com/2011/12/14/why-visit-mauritius/feed/ 0 mehwish9 balaclava- beaches of mauritius black-river-gorges temple http://mojotravel.wordpress.com/2011/12/07/major-tourists-attractions-in-bangkok/ http://mojotravel.wordpress.com/2011/12/07/major-tourists-attractions-in-bangkok/#comments Wed, 07 Dec 2011 06:18:03 +0000 mehwish9 http://mojotravel.wordpress.com/?p=229 ]]> Bangkok is a major city of Thailand and is very popular among the tourists because of its extravagant palaces and pagodas. It has proved itself as a tourist friendly and lively city because of its travel destinations and must see attractions. There are a lot of places to see in Bangkok but here I am going to describe some of its major tourist’s attractions.

Dusit Zoo

This zoo is located in the heart of Bangkok and attracts thousands of visitors every year. It was previously a botanical garden for King Rama (five) but now it has become one of the most popular family attractions. The zoo contains a large collection of different animals including 300 mammals. Its specialty is 1000 exotic birds. The animals which you will find here include monkeys, elephants, rhinos, crocodiles and some rare animals. It is one of the most visited places of Bangkok and becomes crowded by the people on weekends.

Grand Palace

Grand Palace is one of the most gorgeous buildings of Bangkok. It is located on the eastern bank of Chao Phraya River. The palace is built in such a way that it combines both traditional Thai architecture and European designs. It was once the official home for the kings of Siam but now it is the major tourists’ destination in Thailand. This palace is still in the use of King where ritual occasions are held. The most beautiful attractions within the palace include Royal Funeral Hall and Royal Coronation Hall. Another main attraction is the 45 centimeters Emerald Buddha. It is considered as the most religious object in whole Thailand. It is very beautifully engraved from one piece of Jade.

Lumpini Park

It is the largest and most popular park in Bangkok having entrance gates on all sides. In this park, lawns, wooded areas and beautiful walking paths surround an artificial lake. The best time to visit the park is early in the morning. At this time, you will see a lot of people doing exercise in the park. At the lake, you can also take rowing boats and puddle boats on rent and have a wonderful experience. Along the gates of the park, many vendors have arranged their tables to distribute fresh snake blood and bile which are considered good for health. In this park, some facilities are also provided for the people who come here for picnic. These facilities include snack bar, tables and chairs and rest rooms. There are also some tables where Chinese tea is served by ladies.

China Town

Visiting China Town is an experience which should never be missed. It is a beautiful place providing a chance to taste Chinese food, visiting markets and watching fine examples of beautiful architecture. There are a lot of gold markets in China Town. Besides visiting gold markets, you can also find ornaments, textiles, antiques, musical instruments and historical Chinese medicine shops.

Siam Ocean World

This is the largest aquarium in South Asia and is spread over an area of 10000 square meters. It displays hundreds of species of different water animals having a water volume of 5 million liters. It is located in the basement of Siam Paragon shopping mall and covers two floors.

These were some of the major tourists’ attractions in Bangkok. Whenever you get a chance to go to Bangkok, must visit these places.

Wild Life Safaris

Wild life safaris are very popular among the tourists who go to Sri Lanka. The most famous wild life park is Yala National Park that is popularly known for its leopard spotting. There are some other animals which you will find in almost any park. These animals include:

• Buffaloes
• Eagles
• Peacocks
• Deer
• Wild Boars
• Crocodiles
• Elephants

The leopards and bears are those animals which are hard to find in these parks. It is an amazing and enjoyable experience to visit these safari parks. Here for the safety of the visitors, a wild life guard is provided with every safari so it is completely safe to visit these safari parks and get a detailed look of your favorite animals which you only see in movies and documentaries. These life guards also guide the visitors to the places where there is an abundance of wild life.

Botanical Gardens and Waterfalls

Sri Lanka is a country that is blessed with both hot and cold weather. You can find hot and sunny weather near beaches and you can enjoy a cool weather near mountains as well. There are beautiful gardens and waterfalls in these mountains that attract a large number of tourists from all over the world.  There are some of the most popular waterfalls of Asia that are present in Sri Lanka that provide beautiful scenes especially during the rainy weather. Special tours are arranged to these waterfalls and the tourists who go there become mesmerized by their beauty. The most beautiful and famous falls in Sri Lanka include:

• Bopath falls
• Bakers fall
• Devon falls
• St. Claire’s falls
• Dunhinda falls
• Diyaluma falls

A famous tourist attraction in the mountains also includes Worlds End in Horton plains which is a high mountain crest from where you can see the coastline. The other famous attractions are the botanical gardens having a large variety of trees and flowers. These gardens are not only visited by tourists but also by the scientists.

Historical Places

In Sri Lanka, there are ruins of some ancient cities that have become tourists destinations and people love to watch them. The most visited and ancient city of Sri Lanka is Sigiriya rock fortress and it is well-known and popular for its gardens and irrigation system that is still a source of amazement for the experts in the field. Other popular cities include:

• Anuradhapura
• Kandy
• Polonnaruwa

Most of these cities are world heritage sites because some temples in these cities are preserved till now and they are capable of making the visitors spell-bound.

Elephant Back Safaris

Most of the tourists of European countries and US love to have a ride on the back of elephants. Perhaps the reason for this may be that elephants are not found in those countries. Whatever the reason may be, elephant’s rides are very popular among all the tourists. And the best place to see the elephants is Pinnawela elephant orphanage. This place provides you a chance to see this giant animal closely. Here you can also have an experience to feed the elephant babies which is a unique and wonderful experience. If you are not interested in riding on elephant and just want to watch them the best places for this purpose are Udawalawe and Wasgamuwa. Here you can watch the elephants in their natural conditions.” Ath athura sevana” is another place where you can get closer to the elephants to watch them.

Sunbathing

Sri Lanka is blessed by nature with an amazing and spectacular coastline. The most famous and beautiful beach is Nilaveli that provides a chances of enjoying the experience of surfing. Moreover sunbathing and sea bathing are some activities that are most liked by the tourists of European countries as these countries don’t have warm weather and beautiful beaches. But here in Sri Lanka, there are a large number of beaches near the capital city Colombo. Most of the tourists really enjoy a stay at beach resorts to have a memorable experience.

These were top five attractions of Sri Lanka. Plan a trip to Sri Lanka and enjoy yourself.