ABOUT ASIA

Bangkok (Laem Chabang), Thailand

This huge metropolis is home to more than eight million people. It's a magical place where graceful dancers perform in shimmering silk gowns, temples with gold-leaf spires harbor graceful Buddhas, and riverboats cruise a bewildering maze of canals. The only nation in Southeast Asia to escape colonial rule, Bangkok is the nation's commercial, cultural, and spiritual heart.

Hong Kong, China

Skyscrapers form a glistening forest of steel and glass, junks and sampans ply the busy harbor waters, and the green, dragon-crested hills of Kowloon beckon. This is Hong Kong.

Now a semi-autonomous region of China, Hong Kong has lost none of its excitement or exoticism. Explore the narrow streets crammed with vendors. In the duty-free capital of the world, the endless array of shops offer the visitor everything from hand-tailored suits and antique Chinese porcelain to the latest electronics.

The former British colony has plenty of things to do and see. Take in the entire spectacle with a panoramic view from Victoria Peak. Enjoy lunch on one of the city's floating restaurants. Walk the crowded streets to feel the rapid pulse of the city. Shop the old-world markets and modern-day malls and don't forget to ride the famed Star Ferry.

Guam, Mariana Islands

Filled with brilliantly colored flowers, birds and beaches, this vibrant island and unincorporated territory of the United States is also a historic location with six "War in the Pacific" parks to commemorate the past.

As the commercial hub of Micronesia, Guam's big resort hotels and shopping malls stand in sharp contrast to its isolated sandy beaches, small villages and lush mountainous rain forests. So, whatever your passion, you can find something to interest you on this island.

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Forbidden City

This 250-acre complex of palaces, pavilions and courtyards was the home of China's emperor, the fabled "Son of Heaven," from 1421 to 1911. Even the most seasoned travelers will experience a sense of awe as they enter through the magnificent Meridian Gate.

Tiananmen Square

The dramatic scene of political struggle and unrest, Tiananmen Square is the largest public square in the world, and because of its immense size, it will accommodate up to one million people.
Print our guide to Beijing (Xingang) and maximize your visit.

Ho Chi Minh City (Phu My), Vietnam

Over a quarter of a century has passed since the Vietnam War ended in 1975 with the fall of Saigon. Today, the name of this bustling metropolis on the Mekong River is Ho Chi Minh City. Yet, the essence of the city, a major trading center since the 18th century, remains unchanged. The air is filled with the cries of street hawkers and honking horns. Swarms of motorbikes buzz down the crowded streets balancing every sort of cargo imaginable—from clinging families to coops of live chickens. And everywhere, friendly faces and warm greetings meet you.
The port of Phu My (pronounced Foo Me) is the gateway to Ho Chi Minh City and the seaside resort of Vung Tau. Explore the National History Museum and Reunification Hall. Browse the shops on Dong Khoi Street and immerse yourself in myriad colors, aromas and sights that make up this energetic and enterprising city.

Reunification Hall

This former Presidential Palace is now a museum and exhibition center.

Sea Goddess Temple

This colorful and unusual temple, adorned in incense coils, houses a treasure of wood carvings and ceramic figurines.

Cu Chi Tunnels

This subterranean complex of 124 tunnels was built in the Cu Chi district for use during the Vietnam War.

Hiroshima, Japan

Now a modern city of broad avenues, the Peace Memorial Museum opens a window on the somber reality of Hiroshima's tragic past. Today Hiroshima is a monument not only to the destructive forces harnessed by men, but also to the indomitable will of the human spirit to overcome tragedy.

On August 6, 1945, human history was irrevocably altered when the American B-29 bomber Enola Gay dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima. Its detonation left half the city in ruins and aflame. At the heart of the city lies the Peace Memorial Park and the Atomic Bomb Dome that commemorates this day. The gutted walls of the city's old Industry Promotion Hall and the skeletal remains that support its copper dome—vaporized in the blast—are instantly recognizable symbols of Hiroshima.

Hiroshima is also the jumping-off point for the picturesque island of Miyajima, known for its Itsukushima Shrine.

Hiroshima Castle

Originally built in the late 16th century and destroyed in the atomic blast, a perfect reproduction of the original was recreated.

Peace Memorial Park

At the epicenter of the atomic bomb explosion, the Peace Memorial Park commemorates the earth-shattering event. It is dedicated to the promotion of world peace.

Miyajima

This romantic little island lies about eight miles off the mainland in the Seto Inland Sea. Apart from its beautiful, steep wooded hills, the island is famous for its Itsukushima Shrine and massive red wooden torii (gate).

 

Rabaul, New Guinea