5 Days in Beijing
As the capital of modern day China and many of its past dynasties, Beijing has a long and rich history dating back over 3,000 years. Constantly reinventing itself over the centuries, this great city is as compelling as it is complex.
Amazing Salar de Uyuni
Salar de Uyuni in the Bolivian Andes, the world’s largest salt flat, is an other-worldly experience that has to be seen to be believed.
8 Days in Morocco
Morocco, also known as the Western Kingdom, is a fascinating country with a blend of Arab, indigenous Berber, Sub-Saharan African, and European culture.
2 Days to Phang Nga
Phang Nga Bay (Thai: อ่าวพังงา) is in the Strait of Malacca between the island of Phuket and the mainland of the Malay peninsula of southern Thailand. Since 1981, an extensive section of the bay has been protected as the Ao Phang Nga National Park. Most of the park consists of an area of the Andaman Sea studded with numerous limestone tower karst islands. The best known of these islands is Khao Phing Kan.
3 Days in Sydney
Sydney, Australia’s largest city, is known for its beautiful harbors, relaxed lifestyle, ideal climate, and friendly locals. The city is a multi-ethnic hub of business, culture and creativity. The Opera House, Sydney Tower and the Harbour Bridge have become the city's famous landmarks to international visitors.
3 Days in Sapporo, Hokkaido
Sapporo (札幌市) is the largest city on the Hokkaido island, located north east of Japan. Before its establishment by the Meiji government in the late 1800s, the area was home to a number of indigenous Ainu settlements. Today Sapporo is known outside Japan for having hosted the 1972 Winter Olympics and home to the famous Sapporo Brewery.
4 Days in Tanzania Safari Wilderness
Tanzania is a country in Eastern Africa. Its unspoiled national parks rival any in the world. On Tanzania's Serengeti plain, white-bearded wildebeest and other mammals participate in a large-scale annual migration. This itinerary includes Tarangire National Park, Serengeti National Park, Ngorongoro Conservation Area.
2 Days in Da Lat
Known to the early residents as "Little Paris", Da Lat (also spelled as Dalat) is a blend of hillside rural Vietnam and European alpine town. It is the capital of Lam Dong Province, the local weather stands in contrast to the country's tropical climate. Mist covering the valleys almost year-round leads to its name "City of Eternal Spring".
1 Day in Kandy
Kandy is located at the centre of Sri Lanka 125 km away from Colombo and is generally recognised as the island nation's cultural capital. It was the last capital of the ancient kings' era of Sri Lanka. It is on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
A Long Weekend in Toronto
Toronto, also known as T.O. or Queen City, is the largest city in Canada and widely recognized as one of the most cosmopolitan and multicultural cities in the world.
Hakodate (函館市) is a port city and southern gateway to Hokkaido. It has a population of approximately 300,000. It was Japan's first city whose port was opened to foreign trade in 1854, as a result of Convention of Kanagawa, and used to be the most important port in northern Japan.
Hakodate-shi
Asaichi is a morning market housed a couple of bayfront buildings with rows of vendors selling a variety of fresh seafood, vegetables and fruits. The main attraction is the huge selection of Hokkaidō's famous crabs. The market opens at 5 am every morning. Next to the market are a number of restaurants, most of which specialize in seafood-topped donburi (rice bowl). The area is served by JR lines at Hakodate Station.
Motomachi, at the foot of Mount Hakodate, is a historic district. In 1854, as Japan's era of isolation was coming to an end, the harbor of Hakodate was one of the first to open up to foreign trade. Traders and merchants from Russia, China and Western countries flocked into Hakodate and the Motomachi soon became a desirable area to live for foreign residents. As a result, Many foreign looking buildings remain in the area today, such as the Russian Orthodox Church, the Old British Consulate, the Chinese Memorial Hall, and the old Hakodate Public Hall.
The Kanemori (red brick warehouses) is a legacy from past trading days when Hakodate Port first opened to international trade towards the end of the Edo Period (1600-1867). Today, the warehouses have been redeveloped into a trendy shopping, dining and entertainment complex. It also features a restaurant, a beer hall, a chapel for weddings and sightseeing cruises of the bay.
This Catholic church was founded in 1877 and the current structure was rebuilt in Gothic style in 1924. The magnificent altar was gifted to Japan by Pope Benedicta XV, and it is the one and only in Japan.
Consecrated as a chapel in 1859, the Hakodateharisutosusei Church is a Russian Orthodox church. St. Nicholas of Japan brought Orthodox Christianity to Japan in the 19th century. As one of few points of Japanese contact with the outside world, Hakodate was host to several overseas consulates. The Russian consulate included a chapel from where Nicholas of Japan is credited with introducing Eastern Orthodox Christianity to Japan in 1861 (now the Japanese Orthodox Church). The exterior of the church was designed in the Russian Byzantine style and the church lights up at night, providing an elegant and dramatic view.
Hakodate-shi
Built in 1927, Trappistine Monastery is a Catholic convent. It was established as the first convent in Japan by Bishop A. Berlioz. The building features a mix of Gothic and Romanesque styles, evident in the red brick exterior and the semicircular-arched windows. It contains a garden and a museum exhibiting photographs.
Goryokaku is a pentagon-shaped fort and was the main fortress of the short-lived Republic of Ezo. Goryokaku was designed in 1855 and its shape allowed for greater numbers of gun emplacements on its walls than a traditional Japanese fortress. Goryokaku is famous as the site of the last battle of the Boshin War. After the fort had lost its military importance, it was eventually turned into a public park in the 1910s. Today, it is a Special Historical Site and is home to the Hakodate city museum. The grounds are a popular spot for cherry-blossom viewing in spring.
Steps away from the Goryokaku Fort, Goryokaku Tower stands at 107 metres. From the observatory, visitors get a panoramic view of downtown Hakodate, the Tsugaru Strait, and Mt. Yokotsu. There are also exhitibs showcasing the history of Goryokaku and a souvenir shop.
The Mashumaru was one of the Seikan railway ferries that operated between Hokkaido and Honshu until 1988. It played an important role in the building of railway and the Second World War. Now the retired ship has been turned into a floating memorial and museum at the port. It also include an exhibit on vintage cars.
Cape Tachimachi is a scenic sopt located at the base of Mt. Hakodate. The cape was once used as a lookout point for ships approaching Hakodate during the Edo Period. It is famous for its splendid views of the Omorihama coastline and rugged cliffs. On a clear day, the Honshu island, the Tsugaru Peninsula and Straight can be seen.
