Padang, Sumatra – Indonesia

Rumah Gadang.

Padang in the second largest city in Sumatra after Palembang in Indonesia, it is also one of the cleanest. Padang has been awarded with “Adipura” (cleanest and greenest city) award for 17 times and “Adipura Kencana” for 3 times until 2009. This city had been hit by an earthquake on 30 September 2009 with magnitude of 7.9 that resulting more than 1,100 fatalities with 313 of which occurred in Padang.

Padang has become a trade center since 16^th century. Pepper was the main item for the trade during 16^th and 17^th century. Among countries traded with Padang include India, Portugal, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands. Anyway by 1663 this city came under the authority of Dutch, then under British twice and many other changes taken place here.

Imam Bonjol Park.

Adityawrman Museum.

Besides all of the colorful histories of time, Padang also rich with their unique cultures that can be seen almost in instant represented in their architectures, dresses, dialect, dishes and in every aspect of their lives. In fact this trade of cultures spread into their nearest neighbor; Malaysia (where one state in Malaysia has ancestors who came from Padang long time ago).

There are many things to see and do for visitors in Padang in the form of local’s activities or the nature of its surrounding. Local’s activity such as “songket weaving” is called “Pandai Sikek” in local dialect or there also wood-carving workshop in the area of Bukit Tinggi. While for the nature’s lover the Anai Waterfall in the Anai Valley will surely awaken your nature’s spirits.

Most of the visitors to Padang will never miss their chance to visit to Batusangkar known as the land of Minangkabau. All along the route visitors also can see the beautiful landscape of surrounding areas. The main attraction here will be The Great Palace of Pagaruyung with its unique architecture with high curved roof together with Silinduang Bulan Palace. Pariangan Village is the oldest Minangkabau village located in the foot of Mount Marapi. You can also try one of local’s best ‘Kawa Daun’, a traditional coffee leaves drink.

Danau Maninjau.

Kelok 44 route. 

Minangkabau traditional wedding costume.

Taman Negara, National Park - Malaysia

River in Taman Negara.

Taman Negara means ‘national park’, and indeed this is not only the world‘s oldest rainforest, but also the oldest national park in Malaysia. Almost 4,500 sq. km (1550 sq. mi) are protected here, and the park spreads across the west Malaysian states of Pahang, Terengganu and Kelantan. The rainforest has a wealth of biodiversity, dominated by hardwood forest in the lower areas and cloud forest at the higher elevations. There are no roads, and the only way to see it is by trekking the forest trails or by boat on the rivers.

You need to get to Ulu Tembeling by road and continue your journey to Kuala Tahan by boat. There’s an old train station in Kuala Tembeling but the train never stop there anymore. The nearest train station that still functioning until today is at Jerantut railway station. There are also few busses available from the city of Kuala Lumpur.

The landscape of the jungle.

Some beautiful waterfall.

This rainforest is about 130 million years old, which means that while other parts of the planet were undergoing ice ages, this area’s climate is much as it was during the age of the dinosaurs. The flora and fauna are superb — Sumatran rhinoceros, tigers, Asian elephants, sun bears, leopards and tapirs roam, and monkeys and birds chatter and call from the trees. South-east Asia’s tallest tree, the ‘tualang’, grows here and there are hides on the jungle paths, from where you may be lucky enough to see some of the wildlife.

In the north-west of the park is the formidable Gunung Tahan. Standing at 2,187 m (7,175 ft.) it is the highest mountain in west Malaysia. The most amazing experience in this forest is the canopy walkway — the longest in the world at 430 m (1,475 ft.), leading from tree to tree as high as 50 m (165 ft.) above ground. The view of plants and wildlife living at this height is extraordinary.

Taman Negara boat ride.

One of the giant tree in Taman Negara.

Another example.

Ubud, Bali - Indonesia

Ubud landscape with their popular paddies.

Ubud is one of important town in centre of Bali Island in Ubud District surrounded with beautiful landscape of rice paddies and steep ravines. The town was originally important as a source of medicinal herbs and plants; Ubud gets its name from the Balinese word ubad (medicine). One of popular attraction in Bali, this area has transformed to accommodate different types of travellers need.

Because of its location, it also makes a good base for visiting other Balinese attractions, but there is plenty to see and do here. Ubud is surrounded by the traditional stunning landscape that Bali is known for including rice paddies, scenic villages, art and craft communities, ancient temples, palaces, rivers, unique character and friendly locals.

Local people at temple.

Local people activity.

Ubud has been a ‘royal town’ for well over a hundred years and its princes, who bear the title ‘Tjokorda‘ or ‘Agung’ still live in traditional palaces, called ‘Puris’, that dot the countryside.

In the south of the town is a small reserve called Monkey Forest, housing an abundance of long-tailed macaques that clamber over the temple. Bananas are on sale so that tourists can feed them. Just beyond the Monkey Forest is one of the many craft villages in the area which specialises in wood carvings. The Museum Puri Lukisan (Museum of Fine Arts) has a wide collection of traditional and modem Balinese arts and the wood carvings are particularly good.

Perfect vacation at Ubud, Bali.

Another temple at Ubud, Bali.

Ubud is bursting with colour and light, perhaps it is this profusion of plants, flowers, palms and rice paddies that inspire the creative minds of the population. The town and area has a number of art museums, such as the Blanco Renaissance Museum, the Puri Lukisan Museum, Neka Art Museum, and the Agung Rai Museum of Art. Close-by is the Museum Rudana in Peliatan,

Luang Prabang, Laos

Wat Xieng Thong one of the popular attraction.

Luang Prabang, or Louangphrabang (Lao: ຫຼວງພຣະບາງ, literally: "Royal Buddha Image (in the Dispelling Fear mudra)," is the capital city of Luang Prabang Province in north central Laos. The city is located at the confluence of the Nam Khan and Mekong Rivers about 300 km north of Vientiane. The population of the city is about 50,000. Surely to be one of the most beautiful cities in the world, and in 1995 it was added to UNESCO's World Heritage list, recognised as the best preserved city in south-east Asia.

Set on a peninsula where the Mekong and the Khan rivers meet, and surrounded by misty green mountains, Luang Prabang was a kingdom from the fourteenth century until the Lao monarchy was dissolved in 1975. It is the only city in Laos where the ethnic Lao population outnumbers Vietnamese and Chinese.

View of Luang Prabang area.

The surrounding area of Luang Prabang.

The old city is rightly famous for its historic temples and monasteries (there are more than 30 of them) and for its splendid Royal Palace, which now serves as a fascinating museum. There are lovely old French-Indochinese colonial houses, and two-storey shop houses featuring both French and Lao architectural influences. Two parallel streets run the length of the peninsula and one runs all the way around it on the river’s edge. These are criss-crossed by many fascinating little lanes and back streets.

Walking in Luang Prabang is a joy — several of the streets are shaded with palms and flowering trees, sweeping, gilded temple roofs can be glimpsed every few yards, colourful prayer flags flutter in the breeze and temple gongs echo around the town. You can watch the sunset from the top of Phou Si Hill or enjoy a cool drink by the river’s edge. Explore the markets or visit one of the monasteries, such as Wat Xiang Thong, and soak up the serene and spiritual atmosphere that still pervades the town despite its influx of visitors.

Many temples with beautiful decoration like this.

The Great Barrier Reef, Australia

Great Barrier Reef - from the air.

The Great Barrier Reef on Australia‘s north-eastern continental shelf is a site of exceptional natural beauty stretching for 2,000 km (1,250 mi) and covering an area of about 350,000 sq. km (135,100 sq. mi), making it larger than the whole of Italy. It is not only the largest UNESCO World Heritage Site on earth but also contains the world‘s most extensive coral reef system.

Composed of over 2,900 individual reefs and 900 island in the whole area located in the Coral Sea, off the coast of Queensland, Australia. It can be seen from outer space and is the world’s largest single structure made by living organism.

Beautiful fishes swimming.

Colorful scene under the water.

The reef runs mainly north to south, passing through a number of different climates, accounting for the thousands of different species of marine life that inhabit it. It is made up of 3,400 individual reefs, including nearly 800 fringing reefs, coral islands, continental islands covered in forest, sandbars, and mangrove systems linked by huge turquoise lagoons.

The whole reef is under threat from global warming, with increasing damage to the coral itself, but it is of vital importance to the world’s ecosystem, containing as it does a third of the planet‘s soft coral species, the largest existing green turtle breeding site, 30 different species of mammal, including breeding humpback whales and a large dugong population, as well as sponges, molluscs, 1,500 types of reef fish and 200 species of birds. It also contains fascinating original archaeological sites and is probably the most spectacular marine Wilderness on earth.

Great Barrier Reef stretching over long area.

Beautiful corals.

Kakadu National Park, Australia

Kakadu National Park from the air.

Kakadu National Park is an area of 20,000 sq. km (7,720 sq. mi) lying about 150 km (90 mi) east of Darwin, and is the largest national park in Australia. It includes the whole of the South Alligator River, which is actually home to a large crocodile population, and various other habitats including heathland, eucalyptus woods and rainforest.

Two different species of crocodile live here — Johnston crocodiles, which live in fresh water and mainly eat fish, and estuarine crocodiles, which are a very different thing. These creatures are the largest reptiles in the world, and can live in both fresh and salt water. They can grow up to 6 m (20 ft.) in length, can be extremely dangerous and occasionally kill careless tourists.

Kakadu map.

The park is home to a huge range of flora and fauna — more than 10,000 species of insects, 25 per cent of Australia’s freshwater fish, kangaroos, wallabies, dingoes, water buffalo and many more. There are also about 5,000 sites of Aboriginal art, from many different eras. The town of Jabiru, on the eastern side, is near the Ranger Uranium Mine, and has a small airport from where it is possible to arrange scenic flights across the park in helicopters or light aircraft. The area is far too large to see in one day, but there are camping sites and resorts where you can base yourself for longer stays, and the Park Headquarters and Visitors Centre is full of useful information.

Aboriginal painting in Kakadu.

Wetland area.