Travel and Holiday Guide

Yesterday, we have ‘visited’ Nanning in general. In today’s post we’ll go deeper about one of the “MUST-VISIT” area in Nanning, which is Qingxiu Mountain Range. You’ll soon find out why…

Counted as one of the Eight Wonderful Sceneris of ancient Nanning, and bordering the Yongjiang River in the southern suburbs of Nanning, Qingxiu mountain range is renowned for its beauty and the clear waters which run through it. That’s why it has its name as The green lung of Nanning.

Mt. Qingxiu is the primary source of fresh air for the downtown Nanning area due to the many lakes and the emerald green trees of the mountains. The undulating chains of mountains, verdant trees, liquid springs and historic sites together make Mt. Qingxiu a good place to meet the charm of antique taste and tranquility.

Some of ‘must-visit’ sights in Mt. Qingxiu including the ancient Longxiang Tower, Cycads Garden, Tianchi, Yaochi, Sanbao Hall and Thailand Garden etc. Longxiang Tower with its pagoda serve as the symbol of the mountain, with architectural style of Ming Dynasty. Every time the wind blows, you will hear the waves through the lush forests. The Mt. Qingxiu pine waves are famous in the region.

Tianchi and Yaochi is two big manmade lakes which sparkles in the sunlight and mirroring the green pines, blue sky and white clouds as a beautiful painting. Around Yaochi is an orchard of peach trees which bloom in the spring, offering yet another aspect of beauty to the region.

The largest garden of its kind in China is The Cycads Garden in Mt. Qingxiu. Thousands of cycads (also called iron trees) bloomed in May 2002. As this is rarely happen, it was considered a marvelous spectacle.

Thailand Garden is the fruit of the exchange and cooperation between Nanning and a city of Thailand, designing by a Thai architect. While strolling in the garden you may taste the exotic glamour with Thai accent here and there. You could ride the cable cars to appreciate the landscape of lakes and mountains from the top.

Supporting its stunning panoramic areas, Nanning is a modern city with well developed accommodation and shopping area. Nanning Wuxu Airport (NNG) and Naning Railway Station serve as hubs for other cities in China. Its beautiful subtropical scenery and exotic ethnic minority culture have been attracting millions of tourists for years.

Oo boysss…. I’m dreaming of living in heaven there…..

China, with its vast geographical area, offer great length of beautiful panoramic area. Some are well-known like Shanghai and Beijing (the very recent place of successful Olympic Games 2008), but most are hidden between somewhat not-yet-popular tourism areas.

Let’s take a look at Nanning, the capital city of Guangxi Province, which lies in the southern part of China.

This charming city is called “Green City” because of the evergreen trees and fragrant flowers that can be found all year round, thanks to the pleasant climate of it. It is rewarded AAA National level of scenic spot thanks to its many beautiful sites. Some famous attractions including : Grand De Tian Waterfall, Beautiful Mt. Qingxiu and Mt. Daming, quiet Yangmei Ancient Town, mysterious Huashan Mural, Yiling Cave, Guangxi Museum, Jiulong Waterfall Forest Park, Longhu Mountain Natural Reserve, and many parks and gardens scattered around. These view will enchant you to wanting to stay longer in the city. Not mentioning the delicious local foods that cannot be found anywhere else in China.

The Jiulong Waterfall Forest Park in Heng county is an old geological park with grand sandstones and peaks. Lush plants, old trees, strange flowers and exist crossing canes and running streams grow in the park. It is of south subtropical monsoon climate which has rich rainfall and plenty of sunshine. It is rainy and humid in the summer,but sunny and dry in winter.

jiulong waterfall

Some of the main scenic spots are the “Purple Dragons Date”, “Two Dragons Playing Ball”, “Dragons Welcoming Guests”, and the biggest sculpture complex in Guangxi, the Feitian Goddess Surrounded by Birds Sculpture complex which shows that human and nature exist in harmony. Moreover, the Li Yu Shan Holiday Resort with primitive and simple ethnic houses being elegantly built in the resort, is a good place for spending the holidays, summer preventing, sightseeing, traveling and having an adventure.

… find more about Nanning in tomorrow’s post

If you haven’t considered this before, try to look at it as a game for all family members. This is not something that to be decided by the parents alone, but moreover involving the whole family in preparing everything! So grab some tips to make your family trip one of the most unforgettable moments in your life… and in your kids’ memory too!

1. Contact your Local Travel Agent
See if they have special discount for kids, or special family packages that will save you a lot. Find out whether they are expert and reliable in dealing with kids necessities during the trip. For sure, travel with kids will be a lot more difference than guiding all adult groups. Find out some suitable choices for family trip to be presented in family discussion

2. Seek reference and/or recommendation from other satisfied travelers
This could be your most reliable guide in finding out the best place and best travel agent to meet your need.

3. Plan well in advance, involving all of the family members
Even the 3 or 4 years old can join in choosing the place they want to go! Let them look at the pictures in the brochures you got from your local travel agent, surf the web to get more information.

4. Learn more about your destination
After deciding where to go and what kind of trip would be (whether it is leisure trip, hiking, kayaking, canoeing, etc), seek more advance information about your destination. Make this as an opportunity to learn while enjoying the trip. Find books about the history, what is the uniqueness of the places, the different cultures that they will meet, the range of birds and plants and butterflies that can be found in the area, everything that could add excitement as well as brain for the whole family.

5. Prepare the stamina
The last thing you want to be in, is to find out that you have to cancel the trip because any of your kids or other family member get sick and cannot join the travel. So start living the healthy life right now! Eat better food, exercise more (family exercise would be fun too!), sleep better. Make sure you prepare everyone’s stamina for this trip.

6. Prepare the Documents needed
If you plan to have family trip overseas, you have to prepare the official documents months ahead. Contact the destinate nations’ embassy to find out more.
Set aside one special bag for this travel, stuffed with important documents and copies of your identity cards, passport, kids’ documents, tickets, etc.

7. Prepare your Luggage
Check with your chosen travel agent and/or local hotel where you would stay, what the condition of the area would be. This would determine what kind of gear and clothing that you must bring along. If you go to beach area, don’t forget the sun-block lotion, swimsuits, and other swimming apparels. If you plan to stay in rather humid and warm area, your short pants and mosquito lotions would be necessary. Sweater, gloves and socks would be essential for winter and cold destination.

8. Other “MUST-HAVE” Things to prepare :
- Medication : if any family members is depended on some medication, don’t forget to put it aside in special bag, and bring extra would be great
- First Aid Kit : usual first aid kit, common medicine for common light health problem (such as dizziness, cold, cough)
- Travel insurance : check with your travel agent to get all of your family member insured during your trip

9. In case of …
- Delay : always be prepared with snacks and drinks, toys, games, and books, to anticipate delay time, or fill the blank spot time
- Emergency : be prepared with local emergency numbers : police, healthcare practitioners, ambulance, fire engine, your travel agent representatives in respective country, your bank’s agent, etc

Anyone would like to share and add to those tips?

If you are planning a trip to Java, Indonesia, you might want to consider Mount Bromo as one of your destination.

Located in Tengger, East Java, Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park is a vast mountain, an eruption of massive proportions blew off its top leaving a huge caldera in which two peaks are located. One is the active volcano of Bromo and the other is the non-active of Mount Batok.

The uniqueness of the area’s characteristic is the breathtaking experiences of the reminiscent of a moonscape. Here you can observe sunrises and sunset and gazing into the volcano’s crater, which have unique sand-ocean for about 5.250 hectares, and lies on ± 2.100 meters sea level.

Mount Bromo, sunrise

While you’re walking across a huge frozen lake, combination of cold air and the strange echoing of horse’s hoofs creates a fantastic sensation. Temperatures at the top of Mt. Bromo range about 5 to 18 degrees Celsius.

Every year, on the 14th day of full moon Kesodo (Tenggerese Calendar), Inhabitants of Tengger Mountain (The Tenggerese) held The offering ceremony of Kasodo. They gather at the rim of Mt. Bromo’s active crater to present annual offerings of rice, fruits, vegetables, flowers, livestock, and other local products to the God of the mountain. Tourist can take part on this ceremony as well.

You could start your journey to Mt. Bromo from Surabaya, Malang, Jember, and its surrounding area. There is a small town of Ngadisari, about 6 km north-east of Bromo, where tourist can stay overnight in hotel facilities and get up around midnight for the trek to Bromo. It is the base camp of expedition. From Ngadisari, the ascent to the crater takes about two hours on foot. On horse-back (ponies can be hired) the excursion takes about an hour and a half. Excursions normally start around midnight. This way, you could catch the stunning view of sunrise at Mt. Bromo.

You might want to start your journey at 12 midnight, and reach the bottom of the mountain at about 2 or 3 am. After rest for a while, get ready for climbing the step ladder leading to the rim of Bromo’s crater, and, finally, the incomparable view of the rising in the east.

Preparation is everything. Some “must-have” necessities for this journey including : a torch or emergency lamp, warm clothing and sweater (the freezing temperature reach 0-5 degrees celcius / 33-41 degrees Fahrenheit), and some hot drink/alcoholic drink to warm your body.

Challenging, right? Anyone wants to try? Or anybody that has been there before?