Asia - 亚洲

AsiaIt's too big and too expensive to be considered as a separate travel destination. Determining the boundaries of this continent is inherently difficult---from the mountains around the Black Sea in the west toSiberiaIn the snowy areas, Asia has more populations and cities than the rest of the world combined.

The highest point in Asia and the world is Mount Everest, which is located on the border of China and Nepal at an altitude of 8844.43 meters. The lowest point in Asia isDead sea, Located at the junction of Israel, Palestine and Jordan, at an altitude of -400 meters. The longest river in Asia is the Yangtze River, which is 6,300 kilometers long and traverses China from the Tibetan Plateau to Shanghai. The largest lake is the Caspian Sea, with an area of ​​386,400 square kilometers. It is surrounded by several countries in Central Asia. To the east of Asia is the Pacific Ocean,AustraliaTo the southeast of him, to the south is the Indian Ocean. The Red Sea is in its southwest,EuropeWith the Ural to the west of him, and the Arctic Ocean to the north of him.

Asia has a very wide range of travel, frommiddle EastDesert ruins and modern mega shopping malls toSouth AsiaHuge ancient ruins; fromSoutheast AsiaBeachfront bungalows and jungle trails toEast AsiaMega city and technology capital. For more information, you can refer to articles on regions, countries, cities and attractions, as well as the route introduction below.

Travel in Asia can be very diverse. He has very modern and basically democratic countries and regions, such asJapanAnd the Four Asian Little DragonsSingapore、Hongkong、TaiwanwithSouth Korea, These countries and regions are very prosperous, and the living standards of local residents are also very high. On the other hand,Afghanistan、LaoswithEast TimorBut it is a very poor country, where people are struggling to get a fruit every day. Of course, there are still many countries in the middle reaches, such as the risingChinawithIndiaThey are all ancient civilizations with a long history, and they are all very good tourist destinations.ThailandWith tempting food, fascinating culture and scenic beaches, it is a paradise for tourists.

area

city

• Beijing - The capital of the People’s Republic of China is one of the largest cities in the world. It is the political center of China and an international world-class metropolis. It has many cultural attractions such as Tiananmen Square, the Forbidden City, the Badaling Great Wall, Lama Temple, the Summer Palace, Fragrant Mountain, etc. Attractions.
• Hongkong - One of the Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China, a truly world-class metropolis, with uniquely mixed Chinese and British cultural heritage, including food, buildings and culture.
• Shanghai - One of the four municipalities directly under the Central Government of the People's Republic of China and the largest city in China. Today's Shanghai is an absolute world-class metropolis, with the extremely prosperous Pudong Lujiazui, the colorful Puxi Bund, as well as stunning night scenes and excellent food.
• Taipei - Taiwan’s political, economic, and cultural center has a well-developed infrastructure. Many commercial bases are located here, making Taiwan one of the most important cities in Asia.
• Singapore - Modern, wealthy city-states. It is also influenced by China, India, Malaysia and the United Kingdom, but most of this place is influenced by Chinese, and the Chinese account for 74.1%.
• Tokyo - One of the largest cities in the world. It is a huge, rich and charming metropolis. And can see the most advanced equipment and machinery in Japan.
• Seoul - A multi-faceted city, a prosperous city, and a more romantic city in recent years.
• Bangkok - Thailand’s prosperous area, cosmopolitan capital, and a large number of temples, but also full of nightlife and passion.
• Dubai - The most modern and most advanced emirate in the UAE, and it is developing at an incredible speed.
• Jerusalem - This old city is listed as a World Cultural Heritage by UNESCO. This city is a sacred place for Jews, Christians and Muslims.

Other destinations

These are some of the largest and most famous destinations besides major cities.

• Angkor Wat-Several magnificent remains of the capital of the Khmer Empire, where Angkor Wat is located.
• Dead sea—The lowest depression on earth.
• Great Wall-Located in China, it is the pride of the Chinese nation.
• Bali—Located in Indonesia, there are beautiful beaches and delicious food.
• Taj Mahal—It is a white marble mausoleum, one of the world cultural heritage.
• Mount Everest—The highest peak in the world.
• Terracotta Warriors—The underground mausoleum in Xi’an, China, was an underground celestial soldier 2000 years ago.
• Baikal — The largest and deepest freshwater lake in the world.
• Petra — A city excavated in sandstone, one of the 7 new wonders.
• Registan — Historically one of the main trading cities on the Silk RoadSamarkandThe heart of the country.

learn

Asia has a relatively long history and culture. Among the five birthplaces of human civilization, the Mesopotamian civilization, the Indus Valley civilization and the Yellow River civilization are all located in Asia, and the Mesopotamian civilization, the Indus Valley civilization, the Nile Valley civilization, the Aegean civilization and the Yellow River are all located in Asia. There are economic and cultural exchanges between civilizations. The economic and cultural level of Asia used to be an absolute leader in the world for a long time. The four great inventions of China and the discovery of Arabic numerals including "0" by the ancient Indians and many other scientific inventions and creations have all contributed to the development of world civilization. Made a great contribution.

geography

Asia is very vast. The north is deep into the Arctic Circle, the south extends to the south of the equator, the east, north, south, and three sides are respectively bordered by the Pacific Ocean, Arctic Ocean and Indian Ocean. North America faces each other. The total area of ​​Asia is approximately 43.81 million 589 square kilometers, making it the largest continent in the world. The highest point in Asia (and also in the world) isMount Everest。

On the whole, Asian terrain has three major characteristics: First, the terrain is dominated by plateaus and mountains, with a high average elevation. Mountains, plateaus and hills account for about 3/4 of the total area, and 1/3 of them are above 1,000 meters above sea level. The continent has an average elevation of about 950 meters, which is the highest continent in the world except Antarctica. The second is the large ups and downs on the ground, and the high and low disparity. Asia not only has the highest plateaus, mountains and peaks in the world, but also the world-famous plains and depressions. The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is known as the "Roof of the World", with an average elevation of 4,500 meters; the world's highest Mount Everest, with an elevation of 8,844.43 meters; the West Siberian Plain is 1,500 kilometers wide from east to west and 2,300 kilometers long from north to south. Most of the ground is above 100 meters above sea level. ; The Dead Sea, the lowest depression in the world, is 400 meters below the surface of the Mediterranean Sea. Asia not only has extreme ups and downs on land, but the arc-shaped islands on the eastern edge of the continent and the ocean floor of the Pacific also show extreme ups and downs. Mountains on the islands are accompanied by extremely deep trenches. The height difference between the highest peak in Asia and the deepest trench in the adjacent sea is about 20 kilometers. The third is that the terrain is high in the middle and low on the periphery. The whole continent is as large as the Pamirs as the center, and a series of tall mountains radiate in all directions to the edge of the continent. There are vast plains on the outside of mountains and plateaus, and most of them are distributed around the mainland. They mainly include the Northeast Plain, the North China Plain, the Middle and Lower Yangtze River Plain, the Indus Plain, the Ganges Plain, the Mesopotamian Plain, and the West The Siberian Plain and so on. Many plains have fertile soil, developed agriculture and dense population.

The orogeny that occurred in the Tertiary Period has a profound impact on the Asian topography. Among them, the collision between the Eurasian plate and the Pacific plate will push the crust on the contact zone into the East Asian island arc off the east side of Eurasia, making it the most seismic and volcanic area in the world. The Eurasian plate was pushed by the Indian plate, forming a whole group of new fold mountains and the high-rise Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The main mountains run east-west, with towering mountains and rugged terrain, and they are connected in clusters, becoming obstacles to the movement of Asia from north to south. The mountains are mixed with plateaus and basins, and these places are also the birthplaces of big rivers. Siberia in northern Asia is an ancient crystalline block, rich in metal mines, and the terrain is relatively flat. The topography of West Asia is dominated by plateaus, with Mesopotamia covered by the Tigris and Euphrates in the middle.

religion

Asia is the birthplace of the 10 major religions in the world: Baha'ism, Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Jainism, Shintoism and Taoism. Among them, Islam, Christianity, and Buddhism are particularly prosperous, collectively known as the world's three major religions, and Islam has the strongest overall strength. In China, the development of religion shows a combination of Buddhism and Taoism. Taoism is a religion unique to China. Buddhism originated in India and then spread to China. Over time, Buddhism spread from China to Japan and South Korea.

arrival

airplane

The airports in Asia with the most intercontinental flights includePeach orchard（TPE），Hongkong（HKG），Dubai（DXB），Beijing（PEK），Singapore（SIN），Kuala Lumpur（KUL），Bangkok(BKK),Seoul（ICN），Tokyo（NRT, HND) andJakarta(CGK). When traveling to any part of Asia, you will have the opportunity to pass through these airports. For passengers with long transit times, some of these airports have great facilities to reduce the fatigue of the journey. also,Shanghai（PVG），Guangzhou（CAN），New Delhi(DEL),Mumbai(BOM) andChennai(MAA) is the main hub for travel to China and the Indian subcontinent. Middle EasternDoha(DOH) andAbu Dhabi(AUH) The connection is also pretty good.

train

If you are going to Asia by train, you will most likely take Russia or Turkey, but there may be other routes. If you want to have a very interesting experience, you might as well trySiberian Railway。

By boat

Cruise destinations in Asian ports, and various companies such asRoyal Caribbean CruiseswithPrincess CruisesRun from cruise shipAustralia,andHolland America CruisesAcross the Pacific, fromNorth America。 Freighter travelIs another option.

Travel around

As the Asian region is very large, and there are mountains and seas between various regions, airplanes should be the best way of transportation to and from different scenic spots in this region. Ticket prices are on average lower than in Europe or the United States, andAsia Low-Cost AirlineThey are also rapidly expanding their flight network (especially in Southeast Asia).

Language

Asian languages ​​are very diverse and consist of different languages. Being able to speak the local language is naturally excellent, but some languages ​​can also be used in multiple countries. existmiddle East, Many people can understandArabic, But if you understandRussian, Then inCentral AsiawithCaucasusThis will be very helpful.HindiwithUrduexistSouth AsiawithMalay/IndonesianexistSoutheast AsiaIt will be very useful. Most parts of China speakMandarin, Dialects are also spoken in some areas, but most of them can understand Mandarin, especially the middle-aged and younger generations. Hong Kong’s language habits are more complicated. English, Mandarin, and Cantonese (also known as Cantonese) can all be used, but simplified Chinese is generally not recommended for writing. Both Taiwan and mainland China use modern standard Chinese, but when writing, mainlanders mainly use simplified Chinese, while Taiwanese mainly use traditional Chinese (the local custom calls themselves Traditional Chinese). In more developed cities, most people also speak English.

go sightseeing

Travel route

• Yunnan-Burma Highway
• Travel routes on the road from Istanbul to New Delhi
• pilgrimage
• Travel route on the road from Ho Chi Minh City to Shanghai
• Karakoram Highway
• Moscow to Urumqi
• Follow in the footsteps of Marco Polo
• Silk road
• Siberian Railway
• Russia to Japan (via Sakhalin Island)

Activity

• CruisingHalong BayIn the turquoise water, shuttles between the spectacular limestone karst landforms, small islands and islandsCruise ship 。
• Sleep onIndiaKeralaRemote areaHouseboatsuperior.
• In CambodiaMotorcycle。
• Study at the cheapest diving school in the worldScuba diving。
• the climbMount Everest---AcrossChinawithNepalThe highest mountain in the world on the border.
• In central JavaMagelangappreciateThousand Buddhas PagodaBeautiful sunset.

diet

Asia has the best cuisine in the world. The most representative ones are Chinese food, Southeast Asian food and Japanese food. Most East Asian countries use chopsticks to eat, and Western restaurants are the same as in the West. There are many ways to cook East Asian food, such as representative Chinese stir-fried dishes, Chinese steam cooking (steamed fish, steamed buns, steamed buns), Southeast Asian barbecue, Japanese cuisine, and Korean-style food. Wheat and rice are the staple food in most parts of East Asia, while rice is the staple food in South Asia. There are many types of Asian foods and fruits, such as apples, watermelons, lychees from China, bananas and mangoes from the Philippines, mangosteens, and durians. Chili peppers are often used in Eastern and South Asian cooking.

China's food culture is very rich. There is a local proverb called "Food is the heaven for the people." China has a vast territory, and its diet has its own advantages. Sichuan, Chongqing and other places mainly taste hemp, Hunan, Hubei, and Anhui are mainly spicy, Jiangsu Province, Suzhou, Wuxi and Changzhou (Suzhou, Wuxi, Changzhou) are more famous for their sweets (Shanghai is also mainly sweet), and Guangdong, etc. The taste of the land is light. Rice is mainly grown in southern China, so rice is the main food; in the north, wheat is mainly grown, so noodles and other foods are more popular. However, as cultural exchanges have become more extensive, tastes and food types in various regions have begun to diversify. For example, there are many more people in southern China who like to eat noodles, and spicy flavor has gradually become the mainstream.

Nightlife

There are bars, dance halls, karaoke halls and other entertainment venues in big cities or capitals. As early as the reign of the Chinese feudal dynasty, urban commerce had already risen, and day and night commerce and entertainment activities led to the development of culture and economy. In most areas of China, square dancing has also become a fitness and leisure activity for people (mostly women over middle-aged) at night, but it has been criticized. There are many bars in cities at the prefecture level and above, but less common in county-level administrative regions, where people are keen on food stalls and open-air barbecues for entertainment.

stay

Generally, there are star-rated hotels in Asian countries, and there are also express hotels for tourists and other temporary residences. For example, there are many cheap chain accommodation hotels in China, which are cheap and rely on the Internet to book cheaper rooms. In addition, there are also family hotels, tent hotels and other new types of accommodation to choose from. If they have rich experience and great courage, some people will choose to camp in the wild or spend the night in public places.

Safety

The security situation in Asia varies from place to place, but overall it is relatively safe. Almost all the tourist attractions here are far away from the war, but there are indeed some areas where conflicts continue or are outside the law.

The most obvious example isAfghanistanwithIraq. Afghanistan is currently under foreign occupation, and both countries are currently in a state of constant exchange of fire with armed forces such as the Taliban and Al Qaeda. Don’t go to these countries at the moment. For travelers, avoid these countries as much as possible (if you must go, then please refer toTheater securityMatters, and consult your country’s government department before departure). due toYemenTerrorist attacks, kidnappings, and tribal violence are frequent, and the law is loose on the whole, so they should also be classified as countries that cannot be visited. Since January 2011, due toSyriaCivil war (including non-differentiated attacks on cities and civilians), so it cannot go.

Basically, you can go to other countries in Asia, but you should try to avoid going to parts of some countries.middle EastThe political situation has always been tense, but most parts of the Middle East can go without major risks. Gaza StripIt is essentially a war zone between the Palestinian faction and the Israeli army, and there have also been incidents of kidnapping of foreigners.IsraelTo deal with missile attacks and suicide attacks by Islamic militants (such as Hamas and Hezbollah). LebanonwithWest Bank(Palestinian National Authority) The political situation is generally unstable and there are internal struggles. Due to active rebel activities,CaucasusSome areas (especiallyNorth Caucasus（Chechnya）、AbkhaziawithSouth Ossetia) Is considered a hazardous area.BahrainI have also experienced political riots, so if you want to go, be sure to check before you leave.

IranwithPakistanexistBalochistanBoth have skirmishes with militants of the Balochistan Republican Army. Even more dangerous is thatPakistanofKhyber PakhtunkhwawithFederally Administered Tribal DistrictsThey are all in a state of war and cannot go. Due to political struggles and armed conflicts, since 1989Kashmir(Pakistan and India both claim to be their own territories) There have been thousands of casualties. in 2009,IndiaNaxalite militants appeared again, especially inChhattisgarhAnd other parts of eastern India. Northern indiaThere are also dozens of armed organizations.

Southeast AsiaIt is a major tourist area and most of the areas here are absolutely safe. There is a special countryEast Timor, He also continues to face sporadic internal racial and religious issues, and related violent incidents occur from time to time. Of course, even in some countries where the tourism industry is very developed, many areas should be avoided as much as possible.the PhilippinessouthernAutonomous Region in Muslim MindanaoThere are still several Muslims and communist rebels at war with the Philippine army. In 2009, the Committee to Protect Journalists (Committee to Protect Journalists) Declared that this area is the most dangerous for journalists. 18 journalists were killed in a massacre in Medan that claimed about 60 lives. The rest of the Philippines, especiallyLuzonwithVisayanAs with other areas in Mindanao (including Davao and Cagayan de Oro), it is safe.ThailandIt is the country that attracts the most tourists in Southeast Asia. It is very safe, but special attention should be paid toFour southern provinces, Where the Thai army is still fighting against Islamic armed groups.

IndonesiaIs a very diverse country,PapuaArmed groups are fighting for independence.Maluku IslandsIt is relatively safe now, but there were armed riots between 1999 and 2003.IndonesiaThe whole country is also harassed by Islamic extremists.BaliIt is the most popular tourist destination in Indonesia, but in 2002 and 2005KutaHas been attacked by Islamic terrorists twice. You can travel to Bali, but it is recommended to avoid crowded areas and nightclubs as much as possible.

East AsiaIt may be the safest place in Asia, but there are also some political issues in this area. Try to avoidSouth KoreawithNorth KoreaThe border areas of the country, because these two countries are still at war today. ChinaIt’s a vast and very diverse country. It’s commendable that such a large country has a very good security situation, but once something happens, it’s a remoteTibet(And some counties and cities in surrounding provinces) andXinjiangForeign tourists are often restricted from entering, and at the same time, please refrain from discussing politically sensitive topics.

Medical treatment

Many areas in Asia, especially Southeast Asia and South Asia, are humid tropics. Traveling in these areas will bring certain health risks. For details, seeTropical diseasesAnd other country entries.

Parts of Asia, such asMongoliawithSiberia, With extremely cold winters. For details, please refer toCold weatherAnd country or region entries.

In some areas, such asTibet, Travelers will need to take countermeasuresMountain sicknessPreventive measures.

Communication

There are many communication operators in Asian countries, such as China Mobile, China Unicom and China Telecom in Mainland China, Chunghwa Telecom, FarEasTone Telecom, Asia Pacific Telecom and other enterprises in Taiwan. There are many base stations and stores, and the signal coverage is also very wide. Except for the communication problems in areas where there are no base stations in the mountains, the rest are provided with wireless and wired networks. In addition, there are satellite ground receiving equipment that provides satellite TV live broadcast, which can be used in any area where it can be set up.