The Wonders of Asia That You Must Visit

Asia, having gained 30 percent of the Earth’s total land area, constitutes many wonders that can awestruck each one of us. Travelers must make it a point to visit the vast amount of wonders that Asia has to provide for us. Having gained popularity around the world, the wonders of Asia have a huge importance in its history and other facts. This article provides you with a wide range of knowledge about The Wonders of Asia That You Must Visit.

Of all wonders of Asia, The Great Wall of China, Hagia Sophia, Taj Mahal, Petra, Mount Everest, The golden temple and Angkor Wat plays a major role each having its uniqueness for its formation and many other factors.

TAJ MAHAL

The Story Behind

Situated on the right bank of river Yamuna, in the Indian city Agra, the Taj Mahal covers an area of 17 hectares. The crown of the palace was built in memory of Mumtaz Mahal, the wife of the Mughal emperor – Shah Jahan.

The house that is tombed for his wife, has awe-inspiring architecture consisting of Islamic, Indian, Persian, Ottoman, and Turkish styles of art. The tomb of Shah Jahan too is buried in the crypt.

The Ivory white masterpiece symbolizing love and romance, built in full white marble, comprises a mosque, a guest house, fountains, pools, and a garden beginning at the main gateway and ending at the base of the tomb.

Calligraphy

An ample amount of time can be taken to enjoy this beautiful monument in which both the in and out of the tomb are decorated with calligraphy, screens, and inlay work would not go to waste. Calligraphy in Arabic is carved all over the Taj Mahal revealing the unique and excellent talent of the calligrapher.

Traveler Advice

Travelers must avoid food consumption inside the Taj Mahal. Cigarettes and lighters are debarred too. Since air pollution is a problematic situation in India, as a measure of protecting the Taj Mahal, it is said that vehicles cannot come any closer than 500 meters away from the masterpiece.

The Taj Mahal consists of four minarets, built in an octagonal base, making it unique and independent and moderately inclined towards the outside as then the tomb can be protected and guarded safely from natural disasters like Earthquakes. Windows are built in these minarets to bring light into it, through small screens. Each Minaret is divided into three parts by two balconies, consisting of rectangular doors.

Best Time to Visit

The Taj Mahal is closed on Fridays, allowing people only to attend prayers. It is said that it took almost 20 years to complete the work, and the value of the Taj Mahal is currently about 32 million Indian rupees, around 1 Billion USD

Around seven to eight million visitors visit the Taj Mahal each year, and one of the most special features of the Taj Mahal is that it keeps changing in color starting from dawn taking a smoky grey and dull pink, while in noon taking the hue of a gleaming, brilliant white, and at dusk changing into an orange bronze. Evenings can make the Taj appear in a glassy blue tone too.

March to June; Summer is the best time for a visit to the Taj Mahal, while the visits during Winter may wrap the Taj Mahal with fog. With every one of your loved ones, it is your never to miss out on an opportunity to visit this extremely mind-boggling, jaw-dropping white shrine.

THE GREAT WALL OF CHINA

Built by China’s emperors to protect their region, the great wall of China is said to be a series of fortifications, a merged defense system, consisting of ramparts, beacon towers, barrier walls, battle walls, watch towers, etc.

Located

Located mainly in Northern China, though some parts appear in the Southern, naming it the Southern great wall, The great wall of China stretches from the West to East in Northern China, having a total length of 21 196 km which is around 13 170 miles.

Fact

It is even mentioned that the entire wall is equal to the perimeter of the USA, and would take around 18 months to complete walking the entire wall. In 221 BC Emperor Qin Shi Huang instructed the construction of the wall, and a vast amount of around 400 000 people died during the construction; in which many of the workers were buried within the wall itself.

Hiking

One can enjoy the topmost hiking of the great wall of China, as the massive scale of the great wall is going to ride you on a jovial journey, while you enjoy taking pictures and whatnot! The adventure to the great wall can be decided by you, whether you need a stroll, a moderate walk, trekking, or camping overnight.

The Views

The stupendous, astonishing views of the great wall are one important reason why you should choose to have it on your bucket list. The distinctive views are worth traveling to experience this charming yet elegant construction. The broad scenic landscapes of the Jinshanling and Jiankou will take your breath away.

The view from the top of these sections can be emotionally spellbinding and enthralling during sunset. A view of natural, untamed forests while the sun like a glorious conflagration dips below the horizon splattering colors, is worth visiting for the view itself.

Cable Cars

The highest point of the climb either through hiking or even through cable cars opens up an opportunity to be rewarded with a view of extensive sweeping lavish forests and hills. Simatai between the 5th and 6th clock tower is lit up at night, allowing access for a short night walk. The Gubei Water Town resort set at the bottom of the mountains has a fascinating view waiting for you!

Best Time to Visit

Autumn is the best season to go camping in the great wall of China, for all outdoor lovers, gaping down from a great height, you may even experience how the olden watch keepers felt at night, the tranquillity and the sounds in the night.

A picnic at the great wall is also a great option on drier days. Travelers
can even take a toboggan, another fun way to climb down from the masterpiece. Another interesting opportunity is the helicopter rides available for you. You can have a glimpse of the majority of the great wall from multiple angles in this helicopter ride. The helicopter operates only under good conditions, considering the weather, starting from 10 to 60 minutes.

Huangyaguan holds its official marathon each year during the time of May. This attracts runners from all around the world to participate. They will even have to clamber down the wall at times while running. Alluring sceneries of the Chinese village views, apricots as white as snow, and pear blossoms that create a fascinating view can be observed too. Children from the villages even come to high-five the participants during this challenging route.

MOUNT EVEREST

Fact

Sitting in the Mahalangur Himal sub-range of the Himalayas, Mount Everest is the highest mountain on planet Earth, having the tallest peak above sea level.
The mountain is over 60 million years of age and an interesting fact is that it grows approximately 44 millimeters each year, moving it further upwards.

Mount Everest was given two names namely Chomolungma a Tibetan name bringing out the meaning the Mother of the Earth and Sagarmatha by the Nepalis meaning the God of the sky.

Having a height of 8 848.86 m, the China to Nepal border runs across the mountain’s summit.

Traveler Advice

Another interesting fact is that the Sherpas are the ones who can climb the mountain without oxygen, as they are inherent to living in mountainous areas that have thin air. They are also the best guides on the mountain for travelers.
During the hike to the mountain, alpinists must make sure they get to the summit by 2 p.m. otherwise, they will have to return, to avoid facing the death zone as the weather conditions may be cold and unpredictable.

Everest also takes the place of the seventh deadliest mountain on Earth. Anyone who faces death at the mountain, their bodies are left the way it is on the mountain, as it is challenging to bring them down due to the lack of oxygen.

Mount Everest must be climbed by the mountaineers as even helicopters can’t fly to the peak of the mountain.

Snow leopard, Himalayan Tahr, and Himalayan Yak are animals that can be observed in the mountain below an altitude of 6000 meters. At an altitude of 6700 meters Jumping spiders can be observed hiding on the slopes of the mountain. It takes around two months to climb mount Everest and for many travelers around the world reaching the top of Everest is a dream destination.

THE GOLDEN TEMPLE

The Golden Temple, Sri Harmandir Sahib considered to be the spiritual center of the Sikh religion, is situated in the city of Amritsar, Punjab, India. The construction of the temple is a combination of both Hindu and Muslim styles, standing in the middle of a tank.

Fact

The temple is decorated with pure gold after converting the 22 karat gold into 24 karat gold, to plate the copper Patras in gold. The holy book of the Sikhs, the Guru Granth Sahib is believed to be their last guru and the book is stored in the temple. It is even a part of occasions too.

The Harmandir Sahib is named after God Hari, the temple of God which was built for all religions. The four entrances that are used to enter the Gurdwara symbolize the emblematic openness of the Sikhs, symbolizing equality and that all people are welcome to the holy place. The temple also consists of a kitchen that can serve food alone to 300 000 people in a day making it the world’s largest free kitchen.

The temple building is surrounded by a lake with holy water, named Amrit Sarovar which lead Amritsar to even gain its name itself. People even bathe in this holy water. It is believed that ailments and disorders are cured using this holy water. The Guru Granth Sahib is treated as a living person out of respect and honor.

Best Time to Visit

For anyone who wishes to travel to this wonder of Asia, it is best to travel either during the day or the night, to witness the special rituals performed at dawn and dusk, taking the holy book out at dawn and closing it at dusk when it goes to bed.

Several festivals such as Diwali, Holi, Lohri, and Baisakhi are celebrated with much enthusiasm in Amritsar and the temple organizes celebrations too. Every visitor can even take a tour of the kitchen too making it a once-in-a-lifetime experience. The Sikh weapons will be put on exhibit when it is around 8 p.m. and a night visit may let you explore it too.

The temple is open 24 hours a day, and a visit to Amritsar is best during October, November, February, and March. As the summer can be too hot, and winter too cold, December and January would be fine months too if you’re comfortable with feeling a little chilling. The monsoon rain appears in July so it’s up to you to decide your time to travel, to explore this marvelous beauty in which Hazrat Mian Mir Ji set the foundation while the construction was being supervised by Guru Arjun Dev, which has today turned into one of the most famous, eye-popping wonders of Asia