Hakuba Travel Information,Attractions in Hakuba

A small ski resort village in the mountains of Central Japan, Hakuba is a year-round travel destination with venues of the 1998 Nagano Winter Olympics, hot spring spas, and a variety of activities available from downhill skiing and snowboarding to trekking, mountain biking, fishing and rafting, as well as impressive mountain scenery and a variety of small museums and temples.

Mountain landscape of the Japanese Alps in Hakuba

Japanese mountain resort located in the snowy mountains of central Japan north from Nagano, the small Hakuba village is nestled in a valley between high mountain ranges known as the Japanese North Alps. Once part of the old trade route from the coast to inland Japan, Hakuba is today home to seven skiing centers, and the village has become a popular tourism destination.

Attractions & activities in Hakuba: winter sports, spas, trekking, biking & sightseeing

Hakuba offers beautiful mountain scenery, diverse sports opportunities, relaxing spas and historical attractions. The village is a world-class winter sports destination with seven skiing centers that hosted downhill skiing events in the 1998 Nagano Winter Olympics. Downhill skiing in Hakuba is excellent with powder snow and a variety of slopes, and snowboarding is equally good. Snowshoe and snowmobile tours as well as equipment rental are also available, and the several natural hot springs called onsen are home to many great traditional spas in Hakuba.

Hiking in Hakuba mountains

Outside winter months there is still a great range of activities available in Hakuba, from hiking and mountain biking to canyoning, rafting, fishing, windsurfing, and many adventure sports. Even summertime skiing is possible in the area. Trekking in Hakuba is great during the summer months, and the area has many trails good for mountain biking. The lakes and streams near Hakuba offer nice swimming, boating, windsurfing, kayaking, rafting, and wakeboarding. Fishing for river salmon and char is also popular.

Backcountry skiing in Hakuba, Japan

Historical attractions in Hakuba include the historical Chikuni-kaido salt road that once connected Central Japan to the coast, as well as ancient Buddhist temples, small museums, and a variety of scenic spots. There is also a botanical garden, a golf course, a water park and several outdoor parks in Hakuba to enjoy.

Hakuba travel tips and practical information

Hakuba has a mountain climate where the weather is cooler than in the coastal areas of Central Japan.

Winters in Hakuba are cool and snowy, while summers are warm and humid. The temperatures in Hakuba still remain cooler than in the big cities on the Pacific Coast of Japan, adding to the attractiveness of the area in the summer. As in most parts of Japan, late summer and early autumn are the rainiest times of year in Hakuba, while a lot of snowfall is received during the winter.

Snowy mountains in Hakuba, Japan

Traveling to Hakuba is easy from the coastal cities such as Tokyo and Osaka by train and bus. Travel to the area is often done via Nagano that has good railway connections to elsewhere on Honshu Island of Japan. There are regular buses to Hakuba from Nagano. Local trains also bring visitors to Hakuba.

Getting around in the Hakuba area is possible by foot, car or bicycle. Bike rental is available in many lodgings in Hakuba, and you can also rent a car in Nagano for regional transport.

Hakuba Travel Information,Attractions in Hakuba

Services & safety. There are many resort hotels in Hakuba, as well as a range of other accommodation choices from hostels and camping to ski lodges and boutique hotels.Restaurants in Hakuba offer both Japanese and international dishes, and there are also several nightlife options available. Hakuba is a safe destination with no crime problems where the main security concerns are things like avalanches or getting lost in the mountains. English is spoken here mainly by people who work in the tourism industry of Hakuba.Hakuba Travel Information,Attractions in Hakuba

Songkran Festival in Bangkok

Songkran Festival in Bangkok
Date: 9 – 17 April, 2011 
Venue: Nagaraphirom Park, and the Royal Temple around the Rattanakosin Royal Square, Bangkok 

Songkran Festival in Bangkok

Experience the demonstration of the Songkran Festival in 4 regions, pouring some scented water to the Buddha Image, enjoy various tasty dishes and cultural performance at Nagaraphirom Park  during 10-15 April, 2011 at 10.00-20.00 hrs. (the Opening Ceremony will be held on 9 April, 2011.) 
Visit the Royal Temple such as Wat Phra Kaeo, Wat Pho, Wat Arun (The Temple of Dawn), 
Wat Ratchaorasaram, Wat Ratchaphradit, Wat Ratchabophit, Wat Bowornniwet, Wat Suthat, Wat Phraram Kao, Wat Chanasongkhram, Wat Saket (The Golden Mount), Wat Rakhang, and Wat Kanlayanamit. Moreover, partake in the Songkran Festival in Rattanakosin Royal Square and its neighboring (Bang Lamphu, Khaosan Rd., Phra Athit Rd., Santhichaiprakan and Wisut Krasat) (During 9-17 April, 2011, at 10.00-18.00 hrs. Please visit an information booth of each temple for getting a “passport” to collect the stamp of each temple for receiving a souvenir at Wat Pho.)

Songkran Festival in Bangkok

For more information
Events Planninig Division, Tourism Authority of Thailand Tel. : +66 2250 5500 ext. 3478
www.songkran.net
www.9wat.net

Pattaya Walking Street, Thailand

Pattaya Walking Street must be the most busiest area in the entire beach side city and for those of you who have not been here, this is entertainment central! During my trip to Pattaya for the Medical Tourism Blog Contest, my entire daily schedule was pretty much packed so by the time I was done, it would be around 9-10pm. ‘What else can I do around here?’ I asked Patty, my guide and she suggested that I pay a visit to the famous walking street. Without hesitation, I was there in a flash and to my delight, it was a photographers heaven, provided you like to shoot live moving subjects and risk getting shouted at or chased away.

Pattaya Walking Street

As I walked along the street, my eyes could not focus at any one point as there were too many distractions with all sorts of people, neon signs, local Thai people calling me, drag queens or lady boys giving me the eye, young Thai girls inviting me into their establishments… the list goes on. Go Go Bars are on top of the list here with all sorts of catchy and cheesy names which are found at every nook and cranny along this walking street. There are lanes than branch off the main streets and here you would find more detailed and specialized bars and clubs. An influx of Russian tourist in Pattaya has also created a demand therefore you see a number of establishments and clubs that cater to their own kind and even having signs in Russian. Trust me, it’s a real challenge trying to pronounce those Russian words. Apart from that, the Middle Eastern demand is up and coming as I noticed a number of Shisha orHookah joints filled with Middle Eastern men and women.

If you are visiting Pattaya, be sure to check out the Walking Street here as it is located along the Pattaya Beach Road and connects to this place. The atmosphere here is very lively and a great place to people-watch or simply explore your fancies. On a side note to the male traveler, be careful of the approaching women as one may never know if it is a lady boy or woman. If you are walking alone, chances are that you will be approached by girls or women asking you if you would like to hang out of have a drink. Overall it is a very safe place with the local police seen around this area. Photographing the people here should be dine discreetly and not in their faces or you may be harassed, though when I was here, it was relatively easy as every other tourist seemed to be having a camera phone or camera shooting away.