Category: Travel

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From paragliding, kayaking to scuba diving: 5 top adrenaline-surging adventure sports and where to try them in India

The mundane humdrum of life is all about the steadfast flow of ceaseless familiarity and monotony. Buried beneath the cycle of the regular, daily routine, is the enthused urge to feel the thunder in the rib cage and break away from all the slow pace of life. While travel is a moment of unwinding for others, for some it’s time to live and get high on adrenaline. For those yearning to escape the confines of boredom and embrace the thrill of the unknown, try these adventure sports:

Paragliding


It’s an extreme aerial adventure sport where you soar through the sky and enjoy the sprawling vistas and skylines, where everything from above looks like a part of a miniature world. The adrenaline rush is addictive when you witness the beautiful views. Bir Billing, located in Himachal Pradesh is one of the best places to try paragliding in India. Here, the lush greenery of the forest at the foothills of the Himalayas offers otherworldly views, as the cerulean sky meets the verdant sea beneath and converges to enthrall you. Paragliding at Bir Billing will become one of your most cherished core memories for a long time.
Bungee Jumping

Bungee Jumping


Take the trust fall to the extreme level and go Bungee Jumping. With only a cord securing you, the freefall is refreshing and adrenaline-fueled. Be in sync with gravity and scream your worries and anxieties as you plunge. Located near Mohan Chatti Village in Rishikesh, you’ll find India’s highest bungee jumping spot at a thrilling 83 m.

xplore the underwater world and glide alongside marine creatures. Be prepared to be awed by the coral structures and all the wonders of underwater life. It truly feels surreal, almost like being on another planet. With scuba gear, you’ll be able to comfortably breathe and observe the marine life up close. Andaman and Nicobar Islands’ Havelock Island is perfect for adventure-seekers, offering a wide range of marine species and vibrant coral formations.

Sky Diving

Sky diving has a maddening thrill of freefall from 10,00 feet in the air, and falling straight towards Earth, a moment of true adrenaline. Your body feels light and your stomach tumbles as you pierce through the winds. There’s something extremely lion-hearted about this adventure sport. Aamby Valley in Maharashtra is one of the best locations for skydiving. The bird’s eye view of Lonavala is simply mesmerising.

Kayaking


A water-based adventure sport, Kayaking is fun and involves a small, narrow and enclosed boat with a double-bladder paddle. It’s a relatively relaxing sport as you decide the intensity by choosing the water current you want to ride on. Rishikesh Ganges is ideal for Kayaking, both for beginners and pros. Ganges has gentle streams as well as thundered currents. River Kayaking is an unmissable activity in Rishikesh.

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Explore the dizzying heights of Simatai Great Wall

Simatai Great Wall is a national AAAA level tourist attraction, a national key cultural relic protection unit, a patriotic education base, and a world cultural heritage.

The Simatai Great Wall, known for its “surprise, danger and wonder”, is located in Gubeikou Town in the northeast of Miyun County, Beijing, with a total length of 19 kilometers and a total of 35 enemy towers. It is the only section of the ancient Great Wall that retains the original appearance of the Ming Dynasty in China. It was created by Qi Jiguang when he supervised the construction of the wall. This section of the wall has been identified as the “original Great Wall” by UNESCO.

The Simatai Great Wall is divided into two sections with the Simatai Reservoir as the boundary, and the cross-valley cable bridge is like a long rainbow across the east and west. The western section of the mountain is relatively gentle, 20 enemy towers have been well preserved; The eastern section of the Great Wall is winding and imposing, and at the top of the mountain is densely covered with 15 enemy towers. “Fairy Tower” is beautifully built, white jade arch carved and Tilian flower relief, “Fairy Tower” is not more than 100 meters long, on both sides of the cliff cliff, but only one brick wide “bridge”, can cross this bridge is really a city hero. “Wangjing Tower” is the highest point in Beijing, 986 meters above sea level, boarded Wangjing Tower, visitors can see the “fog snow” in the east, the Great Wall in the west, the customs outside the fortress in the north, and the lights of the capital in the south.

Simatai also provides tourists with invisible cableway, canyon cable bridge Tours, Yuanyang Lake rafting, swimming, fishing, accommodation, small meetings, shanzhai game and other services. The Simatai Great Wall International Gliding Festival will be held in June, the Cultural Festival will be held in August, and the city climbing competition will be held in September.

Simatai Great Wall integrates various characteristics of the Great Wall. Take the wall. There are single walls, double walls, trapezoidal stone walls; In terms of the pattern of the enemy tower, there are two, three, flat, round, corner, two eyes, three eyes, four eyes, six eyes, twenty-four eyes; And the top style, many are unique to the Simatai Great Wall……

The most wonderful part of the eastern section of the Great Wall of Simatai is also “risk”, the Great Wall is like a giant dragon on the cliff above the cliff, across the east and west, within a kilometer, covered with 14 enemy towers. Especially on the side of the steep mountain, a ladder rises, the slope of the ladder is 85 degrees, under the cliff, wide only feet, almost upright, and no handrails, about 100 meters long, wide only one brick, both sides are 900 meters of the abyss, where only four limbs can crawl through, it is frightening!

The Simatai Great Wall has two most distinctive buildings. One is the “fairy floor”, the legend is from an antelope into, because the lotus fairy lived here and named, it is slender, long years in the white clouds, just like the girl who does not want to go out, white jade arch carved and Tilian flower relief, for the Great Wall is the only. The second building is called “Wangjing Tower”, 986 meters above sea level, is the highest point of cultural relics in Beijing, standing in this building can catch the sky, distant mountains near the water, can have a panoramic view. Accommodation information

The county has more than 20 unique style tourist hotels can stay. If you live in a folk village, it is cheap, clean and interesting. Traffic information

In Xuanwumen or Dongforty, you can take bus No. 12 directly;

Dongzhimen by 918 road to Miyun County, and then transfer to large, minibus direct.

The round trip bus fare is about 60 yuan. catering

There are many restaurants on the Great Wall. Don’t forget to eat “侉 stewed fish”. This kind of fish cooking method can be exquisite, must use the fish of the river, the farmer here has a saying: “The original river water boiled river fish, beautiful not to mention.” Seasoning only put green Onions, garlic, salt, after the pot fish smell, fish soup as white as milk, with yellow corn flour cake and millet mung bean porridge, so that the capital people “eat and forget to return.” In the chestnut mat, chestnut red pork strips, chestnut white pork strips, don’t forget to taste, as well as the whole fish mat, wild vegetables should be eaten once, eat a fresh. Price Description Ticket: 30 yuan; Invisible cableway: 20-30 yuan; Cable bridge: 5 yuan address in Beikou Town, Bugu, northeast of Miyun County;

Time use reference

3 hours

traffic

Public Transport:

1, Beijing Tourism Distribution Center departure point: Tian ‘anmen departure center (daily), Xuanwumen departure station (weekends and national holidays). Departure time: 6:00-9:00(Tian ‘anmen Departure Center), 6:30-8:00(Xuanwumen Departure Station)

2. Take Route 980 from Dongzhimen to Miyun County, 6:00-19:00, 15 yuan, 60 kilometers, 2 hours. Transfer to a private van across the road from the station, 60 km, 1 hour or so. 100 yuan/car, 30-40 yuan/person, you can carpool, you can bargain.

3, to Miyun, take the car to Gubei exit to the fork, and then chartered to Simatai. Play after the chartered bus back to the fork road, take Chengde to Beijing car back to Beijing.

4, every year from April to October, there are also tour buses can go to the Simatai Great Wall, the departure point is in the square outside Xuanwumen Catholic Church.

By car: Beijing-Cheng Expressway to the 24th (Simatai) exit, turn right after the toll station, along the road to Wuling Mountain to the direction of Bagezhuang, Bagezhuang has a concrete road, along this road until the end, straight into the Great Wall. This path through the mountain “forest” word, a straight to Wangjing Tower.

Admission ticket

Simatai Great Wall ticket 40 yuan/person (reservation required for single tour), Simatai Great Wall guide ticket 100 yuan/person, Great Wall ropeway (one-way) 80 yuan/person, Great Wall ropeway (round-trip) 120 yuan/person. Special preferential policies please refer to the on-site announcement of the tour area.

Opening hours

Open area: Floor 1-10, East section of Simatai Reservoir

Please book at least one day in advance to take the free shuttle bus to the foot of the Great Wall in batches according to the specified time. Enter the Great Wall scenic area to visit, make an appointment to ensure that the tour places. Tour batch: 3 batches per day (10:00, 12:00, 14:00)

Winter time (November – March next year) : 8:00-17:30. The Great Wall clearance time is 18:00; Summer Time (April-October) : 8:00-18:00, the Great Wall clearance time is 20:00

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China Travel:Spectacular Qiantang River tidal bore wows visitors

The Qiantang River tidal bore in Zhejiang Province has always amazed visitors with its awe-inspiring scenes. Known for the world’s largest tidal bore, the Qiantang River offers a variety of tidal types that can be observed from different vantage points. As the tides surge with a thunderous roar, they create a magnificent natural spectacle that draws countless visitors every year.

The best time to witness the Qiantang River tides is during the eighth month of the traditional Chinese calendar, with the most dramatic display typically occurring on the eighteenth day of the month, which falls on September 20 this year.

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Chinese cloud giant releases homegrown operating system for Chinese server CPUs — TencentOS Server V3 supports Huawei Kunpeng, Sugon Hygon, and Phytium FeiTeng chips

As shipments of high-performance processors based on x86 and Arm architectures to China face increasing challenges, the country is gradually shifting towards locally designed data center platforms. Consequently, Chinese companies are also required to adopt locally developed operating systems. Tencent Cloud has recently introduced TencentOS Server V3, which is compatible with Huawei’s Kunpeng, Sugon’s Hygon, and Phytium’s FeiTeng CPUs, according to DigiTimes.

TencentOS Server V3 is primarily designed for large-scale server clusters utilizing China’s three main server CPU lines: Arm-based Huawei’s Kunpeng, x86-based Sugon’s Hygon, and Arm-based Phytium’s FeiTeng CPUs. The operating system enhances CPU efficiency, reduces power consumption, and optimizes memory usage. To further refine its operating system and data centers for domestic processors, Tencent has collaborated with Huawei and Sugon to develop high-performance platforms tailored for domestic databases.
Additionally, TencentOS Server V3 is capable of operating GPU clusters, which will significantly support Tencent’s AI initiatives. The latest version of this operating system fully supports Nvidia GPU virtualization, enhancing the utilization of processors for tasks that are simple yet resource-intensive, such as optical character recognition (OCR). According to DigiTimes, this advancement has cut Nvidia cluster card procurement costs by nearly 60%.

DigiTimes also notes that TencentOS Server, with nearly 10 million machines in use, is among the most widely deployed Linux operating systems in China. However, it is not the sole server-oriented Linux distribution developed in the country. For instance, Huawei has developed its own operating system, OpenEuler, which last year held a 36.8% share of the Chinese server OS market. This positioned it ahead of CentOS/Red Hat (20.7%), Windows (19.3%), and Ubuntu/Debian (10.1%).
In response to U.S. sanctions, Huawei initiated the development of EulerOS, releasing its first open-source version in December 2019 and a commercial version in September 2021. According to the report, servers powered by openEuler are expected to capture significant market share across various sectors by 2023: over 50% in finance, more than 70% in public services, and over 40% in the energy and power industries.

The shift towards domestic server operating systems underscores China’s commitment to technological self-sufficiency and enhanced cybersecurity. Alongside Huawei’s progress, Tencent’s parallel efforts in server OS development highlight a robust trend towards technological autonomy within China. This strategic move aims to address security and supply chain concerns while ensuring greater control over critical digital infrastructure.

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Traveling in China: Which city offers the most convenient 144-hour visa-free entry?

Aside from these popular entry cities, there are also other cities that attract foreign tourists, such as Chongqing, Xiamen, Shenyang, and Nanjing. When selecting these entry points, tourists often consider factors such as the availability of flights and proximity to neighboring cities. For instance, Qingdao is the second most popular city for South Korean tourists, Harbin is the second most popular city for Russian tourists, Dalian is the third most popular city for Japanese tourists, and Xiamen is the third most popular city for Australian tourists.
Based on local customs data, the number of foreign nationals entering through Shanghai port in the first half of this year was 2.035 million, which is approximately 2.8 times higher than the same period last year. Xiamen Gaoqi Port saw nearly 200,000 foreigners entering, three times the number compared to last year, and there was a significant increase in visa-free foreigners, reaching nearly 70,000. The number of visa-free foreign tourists entering Hangzhou port exceeded 45,300, a remarkable year-on-year increase of over 74.5 times. The adjustment of the visa-free policy has led to a continuous rise in the number of foreigners entering the country. These foreign tourists have been exploring various parts of China during their 144-hour stay. Data reveals that the Great Wall, the Forbidden City, and the Terracotta Warriors are the top three must-visit spots for foreign travelers. Additionally, Shanghai Yu Garden, Chengdu Giant Panda Base, Hangzhou West Lake, and Hunan Zhangjiajie National Forest Park are also popular destinations.
Additionally, there are several characteristic towns that have also attracted a significant number of foreign tourists. Locations such as Gansu Dunhuang, Yunnan Lijiang, and Shangri-La have become popular destinations for foreigners seeking unique experiences.

It is worth noting that high-speed rail has become a favored option for foreign tourists looking to explore different cities in China. According to statistics, tourists from the United States, South Korea, Russia, Vietnam, and Malaysia are particularly active in booking high-speed rail tickets. Popular routes include the Jiangjiang-Zhejiang-Shanghai, Sichuan-Chongqing, and Guangzhou-Shenzhen two-hour high-speed rail lines.

Moreover, with the upcoming Paris Olympic Games, Yiwu has become a sought-after stop for foreign tourists within the high-speed railway network of Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shanghai. Many visitors have taken advantage of their time here to purchase a significant amount of sports goods.

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China Travel: ‘China is not what we expected,’ say foreign travelers

“City or not city, ah?” “Very city, ah!” An American vlogger in China has shot to fame on social media with his invention of this meme blending Chinese and English.

The vlogger, known as “Hug Hug Bear” or Bao Bao Xiong in Chinese, often asks his family, “City or not city, ah?” The term “city” here can be understood as urbanization and modernity.

In fact, more and more foreign travelers are coming to China and experiencing firsthand the “city” that is vastly different from their previous perceptions. While some still view China through a biased lens or even slander it, the truth cannot remain hidden. As two foreign vloggers simultaneously wrote in their video titles, “China is not what we expected,” a theme that resonated with many.

Helping more people understand and experience China requires an open and inclusive environment and supportive policies.

As of November 17, 2023, foreign nationals from 54 countries were eligible for the 72/144-hour visa-free transit policy. Changsha, Harbin, and Guilin have also implemented the 72-hour visa-free transit policy, while Beijing, Tianjin, Shijiazhuang, Qinhuangdao, Shanghai, Nanjing, Hangzhou, Ningbo, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Jieyang, Shenyang, Dalian, Qingdao, Chongqing, Chengdu, Xi’an, Xiamen, Wuhan, and Kunming have all implemented the 144-hour visa-free transit policy.

To ensure foreign travelers have a smooth experience, they can now download payment tools like Alipay and WeChat, bind their international bank cards, and enjoy an all-in-one service for dining, entertainment, and shopping in China. More than 30 e-wallets are available for use within China, making mobile payments incredibly easy.

Reservation services for attractions have also become more tourist-friendly. For instance, the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding has opened an online ticket purchase channel for passport holders, and the Shanghai Museum has an English reservation channel for foreign visitors. In April this year, the Emperor Qin Shi Huang’s Mausoleum Site Museum launched an international integration service platform to help foreign tourists make online ticket reservations, covering 39 countries and regions in 24 languages and 29 currencies.

In terms of accommodation, many hotels have upgraded their registration systems, offering English maps, bilingual signs, and Western-style breakfasts. These thoughtful services remove many barriers and make a foreign tourist’s experience in China more seamless.

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Taklimakan Desert self-help tour strategy: challenge the natural limit of the wonderful adventure

On the vast land of Xinjiang, there is a golden gem inlaid — Taklimakan Desert. The largest desert in China, the 10th largest desert in the world, attracts many tourists with its unique attraction. This article will give you a detailed self-guided tour of the Taklimakan Desert, allowing you to travel unimpeded in the golden Sea. First of all, it is important to know the topography and climate of the desert. The topography of the Taklimakan Desert is very complex. Due to the effect of wind sand, the shifting sand area here is the largest in the world.
Here perennial wind and sand, wind and sand raging, sparsely populated, one after another pyramid-shaped dunes, in this vast land, stands one after another pyramid. Therefore, before setting out, we must first figure out the route and be familiar with the terrain, so as not to get lost.
In addition, since the weather in desert areas is relatively dry and the temperature is relatively high during the day and night, tourists should prepare sunscreen products, such as sunscreen, sunglasses, plenty of water and warm clothes. When you bring these things, you must bring sandproof shoes, a kettle, a tent and a sleeping bag. A sand-proof boot will keep your feet from scratches, and a bottle of mineral water will keep you drinking in the desert. With a tent, sleeping bag, etc., you can spend the night in this desert.
In addition, adequate nutrition is also important, especially in places where food resources are scarce. We recommend that you pack energy supplements that are easy to store, such as nuts and energy bars.

In travel planning, it is very important to choose the right entrance and exit and make a reasonable path. Taklimakan Desert has many entrances and exits, you can from Korla, Weili, Lantai three directions to enter. Please choose the best channel for you according to your actual situation and your schedule. When planning your trip, try to stay close to the edge of the desert, so that you can avoid going deep into the desert and encountering danger.
In addition, to ensure your physical and mental health, leave enough space to rest and recharge. Be sure to find an experienced guide when crossing the desert. They have a good understanding of the geographical environment and climate characteristics of desert areas, and can give you professional guidance to ensure your safe journey. You can find a guide on the Internet or on the website of a travel agent, and contact them in advance for the arrangement of Tours and fees.
In the Taklimakan Desert, you can not only enjoy spectacular views of the dunes, but also participate in a variety of desert sports. For example, you can try a desert walk, riding a dirt bike or a beach bike across the desert, and experience the feeling of excitement and freedom.
If you want to hike, you can also explore the desert and experience the wonderful charm of nature. In addition, you must go to camp in the desert, under the quiet stars, experience the charm of nature. When walking in the desert, you should also pay attention to safety. Due to the complex desert terrain and lack of water and food, visitors need to be vigilant to avoid getting lost or having accidents. In this process, local customs should be respected, and debris should not be discarded at will or plants should not be destroyed.
Last but not least, plan the location of hotels and gas stations in advance. When traveling in the desert, you have to replenish your energy and rest at all times, so proper shelter and supplies are very important. You can choose to stay at a desert post or camp, and make sure you have plenty of water and food. In the setting of gas stations, you can know the location of gas stations, supermarkets and other gas stations in advance, so that you can get supplies and energy in time. In general, the self-guided tour in the Taklimakan Desert is both challenging and interesting. As long as you are fully prepared, you can roam freely in this sea of gold, which will leave you with indelible memories.

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8 Places to visit in Summer in China: Enjoy the cool summer from June to August when the appearance level is at its peak

As summer gets hotter and hotter, many people are looking for a place to spend their holidays. Here are a few places you can go to feel cool and peaceful on a hot summer day.

  1. Yili, Xinjiang: A mythological image of nature

In Yili, the summer wind seems to carry the cool white snow, gently blowing the grassland full of wild flowers. It was a place where time seemed to stop flowing, except for cattle grazing quietly and firs in the pine forest. The snow-capped peaks and verdant valleys of Chata reflect each other, while the meadows of the beautiful Lati Peak are an oasis.

  1. Puzhehei, Yunnan: a water park with blossoming lotus flowers

From June to September every year, it is the season when the lotus blossoms. Taking a boat with willow leaves to shuttle between the lotus blossoms and appreciate the freshness and beauty of the flowers in the water is the most relaxing and enjoyable thing in summer.

  1. Fanjing Mountain, Guizhou Province: a mysterious place full of green

Fanjing Mountain is a magical forest, home to more than 7,000 species of wild life, a paradise for explorers and nature lovers. In summer, there are often various natural wonders such as cloud waterfalls, Zen fog, colorful clouds and Buddha lights, which make people feel like they are in heaven.

  1. Short but glorious summer in Hulunbuir, Inner Mongolia

Hulunbuir summer is like a beautiful poem. From mid-June to mid-August, the prairie is permeated with the breath of life. After a six-day drive from Hailar, you can experience the meandering of the Mozhgele River, the tranquility of the Erghuna wetland and the magnificence of the Hulun Lake along the way, as if they were a piece of moving wallpaper.

5) Qinghai: Mirror flower sea, blue sea and blue sky

In Qinghai summer, the magnificence of the Sun and Moon Mountains, the blue of Qinghai Lake, the golden rape flowers, and the pure Chaka Lake form a beautiful picture. In Jinyin Beach, you can freely roam in the green grass of Jinyin Beach, enjoy the vastness and freedom of nature.

6) Western Sichuan: a health resort with snow-capped mountains and a sea of flowers

Summer in western Sichuan is a blue sky, a sea of flowers, a snow-capped mountain, a stream, a forest, a meadow, which is an excellent campsite. Here, you can find a peaceful, bucolic view of Kagan Dam and the snow-covered beauty of Balang Chengdu and Yuzi Creek.

  1. Summer Beach Romance: Wanning, Hainan Province

In Wanning, summer romance and freedom are everywhere. On the highway around the sea, there is the beautiful Sun River Bridge, Shanqin Bay with black reefs, Shimei Bay with clear water, and Coconut Road under the lighthouse on the Shenzhou Peninsula, all of which are not to be missed in summer.

  1. Northwest Style of Jiangnan Water Town — Longnan, Gansu Province

Longnan, which is a water town in the south of the Yangtze River in the northwest, has a suitable climate and rich food culture. The blue of the Tianchi Lake in Wenxian County, the waterfall in Guanqigou and the stalactite in Vientiane Cave are all the best places to visit in summer.

Every journey is a journey of self-discovery, let us once again explore nature, to find ourselves. Yili, Xinjiang, let us learn how to live in harmony with nature; Yunnan general black, with the lotus as a companion, people feel the brilliant life; Mount Fanjing, there is a sense of mystery, there is a quiet; Hulunbuir Prairie is “free” in the true sense.

This experience is like a cool spring water, moistening the heart of the long drought, reminding people of in the scorching sun, there can be a cool place. They teach us that no matter how the external world changes, there is a spiritual comfort and peace if we look at it with our hearts.

So if you’re feeling tired or lost, take a break from what you’re doing, get out there and find out in our summer tour below. Perhaps, in that moment, you will find the beauty of life and rekindle the love of life.

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