Not only is Wat Pho oldest and largest wat (temple) in Bangkok, it’s also the Thai center for teaching the healing art of massage. Containing the largest collection of Buddha images in Thailand, this extraordinarily beautiful site, resplendent with spires of intricate ceramic mosaics, occupies a centuries-old holy site, essentially rebuilt in 1781. Highlights include […]
Read the rest of this entry »Archive for the 'Historical Buildings & Temples' Category
Bangkok river transportation on the Chao Phraya
There are plenty of ways to go here, from basic dock-to-dock transport, to dinner cruises at dusk. Basic transportation Chao Phraya River Taxis: These fast boats ply the many piers along the big river. Consult your map for their locations. A quick guide to a few of the high points along the river is at […]
Read the rest of this entry »Macau’s historical colonial churches
Some of the nicest examples of Portuguese colonial architecture are to be found in her churches. Their interiors are varied, and the ornamentation budget has clearly been spent on the exterior. On a sunny afternoon, the color of the facades makes a beautiful contrast to the blue sky. You can visit them in any order, […]
Read the rest of this entry »Macau’s Top 4 Sights
We’ll assume you already know about the casinos. So what do you do if you’re not into gaming? 1) Go to a museum! The Macau Museum of Art is in a wonderful new building on the waterfront, and had two world-class exhibits when we were there. Go to our Macau museums page for […]
Read the rest of this entry »Welcome to Macau, city of tradition and leisure
Whether it’s spelled “Macao,” or “Macau,” millions of people visit here every year as their “Fun HQ,” the gaming headquarters of Asia. There’s a lot to do here too, even if you don’t gamble. We recommend seeing the classic Colonial Portuguese architecture, embodied in her colonial churches, and a couple of the museums are […]
Read the rest of this entry »Malang, gateway city to East Java, Indonesia
The pretty Dutch colonial city of Malang is a great place to spend a couple of days, with good restaurants, nice hotels, interesting things to see in the city, and a good city from which to book tours to nearby temples and the extraordinary volcanic region of Gunung Bromo. Malang Top 4 1) We found the […]
Read the rest of this entry »Candi Kidal & Candi Jago temples in Java, Indonesia
These two small but interesting templesare best visited on a day trip from the nearby city of Malang, roughly 20 km away. Candi Kidal has wonderful examples of Javanese sculpture. Construction was begun in approximately 1250 as the funerary temple of King Anusapati. The temple is located at GPS S08°02.181’ E112°42.500’ Candi Jago, while in a state of […]
Read the rest of this entry »Magnificent Panataran Temples in Java, Indonesia
The temples at Panataran are noted for their architecture as well as for their extraordinary sculptures, and are located in a beautiful setting. Considered by several scholars to be among the best examples of East Javanese architecture and sculpture, they were initially constructed in 1200 ACE, but took another 300 or so years to finish. […]
Read the rest of this entry »Sukarno Museum and Memorial sites in Blitar, Java, Indonesia
Born Kusno Sosrodihardjo, Sukarno (also spelled Soekarno) was the first president of Indonesia. He was born in the city of Blitar on June 6, 1901, was overthrown by one of his generals, Suharto, in 1967, and died June 21, 1970. Known affectionately as Bung Karno in his native city, his body was eventually transferred from […]
Read the rest of this entry »Top 3 in Jogjakarta, doorway to Central Java, Indonesia
Jogjakarta (also spelled Yogyakarta) is a beautiful city replete with colonial and traditional buildings, cultural events, and is a terrific central location from which to visit nearby temples such as Borobudur. Travel in Jogjakarta is easy by renting any of the colorful three-wheel becak pedicabs that are plentiful throughout the city. Jogjakarta Top 3 1) […]
Read the rest of this entry »
