UNIT – 13
TRAVEL IN SOUTHEAST ASIA (II)
Read the passage.
Myanmar
Myanmar, known as “The Golden
Land”, is famous for its
glittering pagodas, vast tracts
of timber forests and
huge mineral resources,
as well as for the hospitality of its people. Nay
Pyi Taw is the capital city
of the Republic of the Union
of Myanmar. The commercial
city is Yangon. One can find many
famous historic pagodas such
as the Shewdagon, museums, parks and
many places of recreation.
The Ayeyarwady river is
the life-blood of the Myanmar people. Along its banks
stand many ancient capitals of Myanmar kings
– Tagaung,
Mandalay, Amarapura, Sagaing, Inwa, Baganand
Pyay, where many existing old monuments and
buildings reveal the greatness of their time of glory. Among others, Bagan
with its thousands of old pagodas is recognized by the world’s
travelers as one of the world’s wonders. This 1,200-year-old city, with over 2,000
ancient pagodas is proof of the rich cultural heritage
of Myanmar and is one of the archaeological treasure
houses in Asia.
Just 50 kilometers southeast
of Bagan
lies Mount
Popa, an extinct volcano. It is a unique place
for those who would like to enjoy half a
day or a day hiking and trekking in
the mountain.
If one has a taste
for mountains and hills, one can take a trip
to the Shan hills where the weather is
cooler, and the smiles of
the various ethnic groups in their colourful
traditional costumes create an atmosphere
of warmth and friendliness. Besides, it is here that one will see the
famous leg-rowers of Inlay Lake.
Other major tourist
attractions in Myanmar are long, white, sandy and unspoilt beaches such as Ngapali, Maungmakan, Chaungtha,
Kanthayar, and Ngwesaung, where one can study marine life,
and enjoy peace and tranquility,
as well as view nature at its best.
The Philippines
The Philippines offers a wealth of entertainment,
from classical
plays to cultural
shows and show bands. The people like to celebrate life and their festive
spirit is renowned.
Manila, the capital, is a particularly lively entertainment
centre and at night the city centre comes alive with discos and
the rhythms of Filipino band and pop groups.
For a taste of Filipino festivity,
one can check out the performances of the many cultural
dance troupes. The
most famous are the Bayanihan Dancers, whose performance can be enjoyed at the Manila Restaurant of
the Manila Hotel.
The Philippines is a predominantly Catholic nation and no country in ASEAN can rival its centuries-old churches,
with their antique religious objects. Fascinating churches
to be found around Metro
Manila are: the Malate Church with its images of Our
Lady of Remedies; the Las Pinas Church, with its 165-year-old organ made
entirely of bamboo; and San Sebastian Church built in 1981, the only Gothic steel
church in the country.
Singapore
Singapore comprises one main island
and several offshore islands. Sentosa, an island resort of
Singapore, offers a collection of the country’s finest
attractions. These include the 37-meter
tall Merlion, Images of Singapore, Fort
Siloso, the renowned Musical Fountain,
Underwater World, Fantasy Island, Volcanoland,
Butterfly Park/Insect Kingdom Museum, Sentosa Orchid Gardens
and Asian Village.
While fun seekers can
delight in its many theme attractions, nature lovers
can discover the charm of Sentosa’s Nature Walk or Dragon
Trail. History
enthusiasts can bask in historical
enclaves scattered throughout the
island while beach lovers can relax and enjoy sea sports along
the 3.2 kilometres stretch of Siloso, Central and Tanjong
Beaches.
The Merlion, a statue with a lion’s head
and the body of a fish, is a major tourist
attraction. Here, visitors get a breathtaking
view of Sentosa, the city skyline and the surrounding
islands from two viewing decks – on the 9th level
at its mouth and on the 12th,
its topmost level.
Visitors should not miss the
beautiful 20-hectare Jurong Bird Park which is the largest bird park in
all of Southeast Asia. Home to over 8,000
birds from 600 species, the Jurong
Bird Park holds the distinction of
having the world’s tallest man made waterfall.
Thailand
Thailand is situated on the gulf of Siam, bounded on the east by Laos and Cambodia, on the south by Malaysia and on the west by Myanmar.
Bangkok is the capital of Thailand and is regarded as a shopper’s
paradise. Some
of its restaurants stage cultural
shows where one can enjoy the twin
pleasures of Thai cuisine and classical
dance. The dancers
use their movements to interpret the stories
of the “RamaKine”, the Thai
version of the Ramayana. While in Bangkok, culture lovers can watch dance or drama at
such venues as Thailand’s
National Theater, the Thailand
Cultural Centre and the Monthienthong Theatre.
There are many opportunities
for sports too. The beach resorts at Pattaya and Phuket offer a wide range of
activities from scuba diving and
windsurfing
to golf. Thai
boxing has gained increasing worldwide popularity
in recent years. A Thai
boxing match is noisy
and exciting, accompanied by orchestral
music and is well worth
experiencing.
Vietnam
Vietnam is long and narrow,
and it widens in the North and South. Along the Vietnamese coastline from
North to South, there are many beautiful beaches. Vietnam boasts primitive forests with precious
flora and fauna,
and high mountains with a temperate climate which
are very attractive to tourists. A
great number of lakes, rivers, streams,
waterfalls and grottoes make up wonderful
beauty spots of the country.
Those who visit Vietnam with its “age-old culture”
should go to Hanoi fist. Although the citadel,
temples, and palaces constructed
by various royal dynasties
have been seriously destroyed, there are many cultural monuments
still existing in Hanoi. The city is also
the place where many museums, theaters, exhibition halls,
national libraries, and scientific
libraries are concentrated.
Other outstanding places of
historical-cultural significance are the old citadel,
the Presidential Palace, the Mausoleum of President Ho
Chi Min, the Ba
Din Square and the Memorial Monument of Combatants.
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