Tag Archives: China

13 Best Destinations To Enjoy A Unique Tea Experience

September 16, 2017 Staff Writer Leave a comment

There are only a few places around the Earth where the Tea plantations thrive. And most of the Tea plantations are in the East. If you want to taste something exquisite, these 13 unique tea destinations will live up to your expectations.

A Tea Plantation is not just about the green leaves sprouting, but the surrounding valleys (and the methods used to make it) play a significant role in luring travelers.

DARJEELING, INDIA

When the word tea is on the tip of my tongue, I can’t help but think of Darjeeling. The mighty views of Mount Kanchenjunga offer a stunning backdrop for the Tea Valleys in Darjeeling. Some of the popular tea plantations are Happy Tea Valley Estate, Glenburn Tea Estate, and Tirrihannah Tea Garden.

SRI LANKA

Ceylon Tea is one of the world’s finest tea that is grown in Sri Lanka. The humidity, cool temperatures, and rainfall of the country’s central highlands provide a climate that favors the production of high-quality tea.

These tea is popular in England and the Middle East. The tea industry was first introduced in 1867 by James Taylor, a British tea planter who arrived in Sri Lanka in 1852.

ASSAM, INDIA

North Eastern India abounds in valleys, and the weather here is conducive for nurturing tea plants. Assam is one of the seven sisters which has numerous Tea Plantations like the Rajmai Tea Garden (which has a beautiful pond), Socklatinga Tea Garden, and Baruah Tea Garden.

MUNNAR, INDIA

When we are talking about India, it is not just the North Eastern states that are rich in tea plantations. But the Southern States have enough hilly regions to support vibrant tea gardens.

Kolukkumalai Tea Estate is one of the best places not only to experience the Tea plants but also to see the sun rise behind the hills. There are small tea stalls on the way up the hill, do taste a cuppa tea here in the early morning.

KYOTO, JAPAN

In the little town of Wazuka, there are about 300 families who come together to take care of the Obubu Tea Farm near Kyoto. There are many ways to tweak up your tea experience here.

If you want you can take up tea internship, or you can visit during spring when the Geisha Dance Festival – Miyako Odori takes place.

MAINLAND CHINA

Green Tea in Mainland China

The Yunnan, Fujian, and Zhejiang tea tours are some of the best you get in China. You will find plenty of tea houses and shops to entertain your tea passion. Yunnan Tea Market and Jinan tea Wholesale market are places which follow Chinese tradition.

It means you can walk into any shop and take a free sip of tea. And if you like it, then buy some.

DA YU LING, TAIWAN

The tea plantations in Taiwan are closing up rapidly. And Da Yu Ling area is a must visit for every tea lover. You see the Taiwanese high mountain teas up close and also get an enchanting view of the mountains. But you ought to keep up your energy as hiking and trekking will drain your energy.

MALAYSIA

Malaysia has some world class and award-winning tea estates that you should visit if you are a true tea connoisseur. Tea was likely introduced to Malaysia by Chinese traders and it has been since enjoyed by Malaysians for hundreds of years.

The majority of Malaysian tea is produced in the Cameron Highlands region, sometimes referred to as Malaysia’s “Green Bowl”. It’s located about 3.5 hours from Kuala Lumpur by a car and is situated on the scenic Titiwangsa Mountain Range, which is also a popular destination for it’s scenic beauty.

HAWAII

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Hawaii offers you a tropical tea experience. There are some classy hotels here which have a brand name that revolves around tea. The Modern Honolulu and The Halekulani provide a power-packed three-course meal which heroes tea.

Be it tea sandwiches or scones, everything served has a taste of tea.

ENGLAND

Even though Europe is not great in the production of tea, The British have inculcated a 5’o clock tea habit. There is a myriad of hotels which bring you a Typical 5’o clock British Tea Experience.

One such place is Tea and Cake London by Zena Alkayat where there are 80 rooms to make your tea visit formal and perfect.

MOROCCO

Morocco never fails to surprise me, and in the Tea Department also it has got a secret weapon in its arsenal. Tea in Morocco is generally a man’s duty. The man of the house prepares the tea, and that custom runs in most of the families.

Mint Tea is like water to the Moroccans. It is customary to drink 2-3 cups of Mint tea before having a meal.

AUSTRALIA

Unlike Europe, Australia has a long history related to Tea. And there are loads of farms for you to visit. You can take a tour of the factory in Nerada Tea plantation or join in the Devonshire Tea feast.

Another place on your list should be Tea Estate Madura which is the one and only Tea Estate in Australia.

VANCOUVER, CANADA

It is hard and nearly impossible to grow tea in the freezing temperatures of Canada. Still, there is a farm in Vancouver called just the “Tea Farm.”

Growing tea plants is in an experimental phase. But you can visit, and see history made before your eyes as it is the first such place in Canada.

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Off the Grid, Trip Ideas, Bucket List, Did You Know, Extreme Places

Mystery: Why Planes Don’t Fly Over Tibet?

March 24, 2017 Art Of Travel Leave a comment

Blessed are curious for they will find answers to the mysteries. Many questions pop into our head from time to time. Many unsolved mysteries spark interest in our minds. And I can’t rest till I find the answer to it.

Tibet is the land of a series of world’s highest mountains, and you would be surprised that no planes fly over Tibet. What is the reason behind dodging Tibet for flight routes?

Why Planes Don’t Fly Over Tibet

Aerial View of Tibetan Plateau

Before we delve into the reasons, let us look into a few interesting facts about Tibet.

Facts About Tiber

Tibet is an autonomous region of China. It is in the southwest part of China, and it shares borders with India on the West, Nepal on the Southwest, Burma, and Bhutan on the southeast.

Tibetan Plateau is the highest one in the world, and it is home to the Great Himalayas. Mountains like Everest (8850 m), Kangchenjunga (8586 m), Mount Kailash (6638 m), Makalu (8481 m), Cho Oyu (8201 m) stand high in the Tibetan land. The average height of this mountain ranges is 8000 m or 26000 ft.

Tibet has one international airport, one is Lhasa Gonggar Airport, the other airport Ngari Gunsa Airport is a dual-use military airport. The Lhasa Gonggar Airport is 62 km away from Lhasa the capital city of the Tibetan Autonomous Region.

And the average elevation of this area is 3650m. You need to wait patiently till your breathing pattern adjusts to the height slowly.

These facts help you understand why planes choose not to fly over Tibet.

The Elevation of Tibet

With a series of world’s highest mountains, the highest being Everest at 8850m (29035 ft)- It becomes a giant huddle for the planes. The highest cruising altitude that is allowed to commercial planes is 28- 35,000 ft (8000 m). And as you can see the elevation of Himalayan mountain ranges is around 30000 ft, the aircraft generally do not fly over the Himalayan ranges.

You must know that there are layers of the atmosphere. That is the next reason of why planes do not fly over Tibet.

Air Turbulence in the Layers

We all know that there are four layers of the atmosphere. And the closest one to the Earth is the Troposphere which continues from ground level to 7 miles above the ground level. The Himalayas are at the height of 5.5 Miles. They are at a point in the Atmosphere where one layer gives in to the other.

The Troposphere changes to Stratosphere. Most planes fly in the upper boundary of the troposphere. And flying in the lower layer of Stratosphere is only advised if you have enough supply of oxygen.

As the height of atmosphere increases, the air thins. It means that the volume of oxygen in the air decreases as we move above. And with an increase in height, there is also increase in air pressure. That results in air turbulence and disturbances.

If there would be no mountain ranges, then the pressure of winds at such a height would be easier to deal with. But the mountain ranges make it harder for the planes to deal with Turbulence at the lower layer of Stratosphere (where there is already less oxygen and water vapor).

Avoiding Risk of Drift Down Procedure

Most of the planes have a capacity to fly higher than 20,000 ft. But most of the airliners have only 20 Minutes of passenger oxygen. And according to Aviation rules, a flight must descend to 10,000 ft before running out of passenger oxygen.

With the wide expanse of mountain ranges in Tibet, at a height of 28,000-30,000 ft, it becomes difficult for pilots to bring down the planes to a height of 10,000 ft early enough. Even though any pilot pulls off this trick, he will land with an oxygen deprived blue colored passengers. The airliners do not want this kind of fuss, so maybe they avoid flying over Tibet.

Airport Hopping

Airplanes follow a geodesic curve while flying. Geodesic means the shortest distance between points in terms of constant velocity. If there is an airport where you have to reach, and your plane hops at one airport on the way, there is also an airport nearby with the same distance from your destination (in the case of emergency).

All plane routes are planned according to this geodesic curve. But Tibet lacks airports. As we mentioned earlier, there are only two airports in Tibet, which are at 1357 km from each other.

It is not a mystery that Planes do not fly over Tibet, But it is the scientific reasons which make it impossible to fly over Tibet.

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Winter Travel, Trip Ideas, Cultures & Customs, Festivals & Events, Top 10 List

10 Most Exciting New Year Traditions around the World

December 30, 2016 Art Of Travel 1 Comment

Unlike other holidays, New Years is celebrated almost everywhere in the world; regardless of the nation’s religious beliefs or even their calendar. However, New Year traditions and celebrations differ from country to country.

New Year Traditions

Here are some of the unique New Year traditions from around the world.

Austria

Austria has one of the most glamorous ways of celebrating New Year.

The operetta “Die Fledermaus” by Johan Straus is performed every New Year’s Day in Vienna. Plus, on New Year’s Eve, the capital of the former Austro-Hungarian Empire holds a traditional Imperial Ball.

A New Years dinner in Austria traditionally contains edible pigs and peppermint ice cream. A suckling pig on the table symbolizes good luck.

Denmark

In Denmark, people save old dishes for the entire year. On New Year’s Eve, they throw them at friends’ doors. This symbolizes friendship and brotherhood. People believe that the larger pile of dishes one has in front of the door, the more friends he has.

Some Danish also leap over chairs at midnight.

China

The Chinese have their own calendar, consequently, they celebrate the New Year in February. These celebrations are always bright and loud. Firecrackers and noisemakers chase evil spirits away.

Fabulous dragons and lions dance in the streets. Plus, people give each other tangerines for good luck.

However, odd numbers are considered unlucky, so these tangerines are given in pairs. Also, the third day of the New Year is the day when mice marry off their daughters, so people try to go to bed early in order not to disturb them.

Red in China traditionally symbolizes happiness and good fortune. On New Year’s Day, people wear red and give children red envelopes with lucky money. Some people even paint their front doors red, before the celebration.

Spain

In Spain, people believe that eating 12 grapes at every toll of the clock will bring them good luck and happiness for the upcoming 12 months.

Japan

In Japan, the New Year is called Oshogatsu and is celebrated amongst family. The whole week before New Year’s Eve people clean their houses, settle debts, try to resolve all disagreements and forgive all offenses. After that, they are ready to welcome the New Year. Also, before midnight, the Japanese ring 108 bells. These rings symbolize the elimination of 108 troubles. And the day after New Year’s Eve is the First Writing Day when people write their dreams, hopes, and plans for the new year.

There are three traditional symbols for the Japanese New Year. A pine branch, or kadomatsu, represents longevity. A stalk of bamboo symbolizes prosperity. Lastly, a plum blossom denotes nobility.

Sri Lanka

The New Year in Sri Lanka is called Aluth Avurudhu and it is celebrated in mid-April. Traditional rituals include a proper house cleaning, the lighting of the hearth, taking an herbal bath, preparing traditional dishes and strengthening family relations.

India

In India, people celebrate New Year in mid-April too. However, these traditions vary greatly amongst the different regions. For example, in Odisha, the festival is held on April 13^th or 14^th, and involves worshiping the deities and offering them fruit-based drinks, called “pana”. In Kerala, people also worship the deities during New Year and make offerings, which have the name of Vishukanni.

In Tamil Nadu, locals light lamps to eradicate the darkness and they use auspicious tools, which symbolize prosperity. Furthermore, the people of the Bengal region believe that the way you spend the first day of the year marks the way you will spend the rest of it.

Germany

In Germany, lead is believed to predict the future.

On the New Year, people pour molten lead into the cold water and observe what shape it takes. The shape of a heart predicts marriage in the near future. A round shape signifies good luck. An anchor shapes mean that you may need help soon. Whereas, a cross symbolizes someone’s sad demise.

Puerto Rico

In Puerto Rico, people clean their houses properly before New Year. They also throw buckets of water out of their windows. They believe that this ritual will clean the odds of the last year and get the spirits out of their homes.

Philippines

In the Philippines, people believe that all round things are lucky, attracting fortune and money. So, during the New Year, they consume grapes, wear polka dotted dresses and keep coins in their pockets. The Filipinos also throw coins during the New Years celebration to increase wealth and prosperity.

That’s the end of our top 10 list. So which New Year traditions attracted or intrigued you the most? Comment below.

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International Travel, Travel FAQ, Travel Visa, Did You Know

US Green Card Holder: Countries You Can Visit Without Needing A Visa

May 2, 2016 Art Of Travel 17 Comments

Updated: Feb 2020

U.S. Green Card Holders (aka Permanent Residents of the United States of America) can travel to 23 sovereign countries and several dependencies without needing a Travel Visa. This is true regardless of your country of citizenship.

As long as you are a US Green Card holder, there are many countries and dependencies that you can visit just like an American citizen with an American passport.

Green Card Visa Free Travel

Photo: A sample green card from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services

The Reality is that your permanent residency status in the USA doesn’t influence your need for Visas, while your actual citizenship does. So your passport issuing country is more critical to your international traveling abilities.

If you stay in the US as a Permanent Resident, popularly known as the Green Card holder, your ability to travel to other countries without a Visa depends on which country issued your passport.

For the majority of countries (not listed below), you will need to check individually whether they require a Visa from the citizens of your passport-issuing country.

Visa Free Countries for Green Card Holder

Here is a list of countries that will let you in without a Travel Visa, regardless of your citizenship, provided that you are US Permanent Resident (i.e. Green Card Holder).

Listing Alphabetically

Albania: Visa free travel up to 90 days with a valid passport and US Green Card.
Antigua and Barbuda: Visa free travel up to 30 days with a valid passport (6 months validity) and US Green Card.
Bahamas: Passport and green card are necessary when traveling to the Bahamas.
Barbados: Visa free travel (30-90 days depending on your passport issuing country). Cruise ship passengers (from any country) arriving and departing do not need a visa. More information here.
Belize: Passport must be valid for at least six months past the end date of stay. With prior approval from Belizean immigration, green card holders receive a Visa upon arrival. The fee is $50 USD.
Bermuda: A green card is enough when traveling to Bermuda via cruise. Passport and green card are both necessary if flying into Bermuda.
Bosnia and Herzegovina: Visa free travel up to 90 days with a valid passport (6 months validity) and US Green Card.
British Virgin Islands: Passport, proof of accommodations on the island, and proof of return journey, and your US Green Card is required for the entry. You do not need any travel visa.
Canada: Under the “good neighbor policy,” regardless of your country of citizenship, green card holders are allowed to enter Canada without a Visa. When traveling by land or sea directly from the U.S., you will only need to provide proof of your U.S. lawful permanent resident status (such as your Green Card). However, if flying or transiting thorough Canada, you will need to present both a) Green Card, and b) Valid Passport
Cayman Islands: Green card holders can stay in the Cayman Islands for up to 30 days without having a Tourist Visa.
Costa Rica: Passport & Green Card must be valid for at least six months from the date of entry into the country. (Exception: If you have a refugee status you will need to apply for a restricted visa, a process which may take some time. Read more here.)
Dominica: Visa free travel up to 6 months with a valid passport (6 months validity) and US Green Card.
Dominican Republic: Passport, green card, and tourist card required. (Note: Anyone who can legally travel or reside in the U.S. does not need a Visa to travel to the Dominican Republic for tourist purposes.)
Guatemala: Carry your passport (with 6 months of validity) and Green Card. Up to 90 days of visa free stay.
Haiti: You need your Green Card and Passport with at least 6 months of validity. All foreign passport holders traveling to Haiti must pay a tourist fee set at $10.00 at the airport. (Exception: Unfortunately, this Visa waiver does not apply to Green Card holders who are citizens of Syria, Libya, Iran, Vietnam, Yemen, Chechnya.)
Honduras: Carry your passport (with 6 months of validity) and Green Card. Up to 90 days of visa free stay.
Jamaica: Passport, green card, and round-trip tickets to the U.S. or onward tickets to another destination required. (Exception: Unfortunately, this waiver does not apply to Green Card holders who are citizens of Taiwan.)
Kosovo: Visa free travel up to 15 days with a valid passport (6 months validity) and US Green Card.
Mexico: Under the “good neighbor policy,” regardless of your country of citizenship, green card holders are allowed to enter Mexico without a Visa. You must carry a valid passport and your U.S. Permanent Resident/Green Card at all times.
Montenegro: Visa free travel up to 30 days with a valid passport (6 months validity) and US Green Card.
Nicaragua: Carry your passport (with 6 months of validity) and Green Card.
Panama: Carry your passport (with 6 months of validity) and Green Card. Up to 90 days of visa free stay.
Serbia: Visa free travel up to 90 days with a valid passport (6 months validity) and US Green Card.
South Korea: Visa free travel for 30 days for US Permanent Resident. You can transit through and stay in South Korea for 30 days, but South Korea must NOT be your final destination.
Taiwan: Visa free travel up to 30 days with a valid passport (6 months validity) and US Green Card.
Turks and Caicos Islands: Visa free travel up to 30 days with a valid passport (6 months validity) and US Green Card.
U.S. Virgin Islands: (Not a sovereign country but a US territory). Anyone traveling between the U.S. and its territories (including US Virgin Islands) is not required to show a passport or green card for entry. This is because they are essentially on home soil. The same applies to Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands.

Visa Free Caribbean Netherlands

Aruba: Passport must be valid for at least six months from the date of entry, and a green card is necessary. No need for a Visa to enter.
Curacao: Passport must be valid for at least six months from the date of entry, and a green card is necessary. No need for a Visa to enter.
Bonaire: Passport must be valid for at least six months from the date of entry, and a green card is necessary. No need for a Visa to enter.

Besides the ABC Islands of the Caribbean Netherlands, you can also travel to the following Caribbean islands (also part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands).

St. Maarten: Passport must be valid for at least six months from the date of entry, and a green card is necessary. No need for a Visa to enter.
St. Eustatius: Passport must be valid for at least six months from the date of entry, and a green card is necessary. No need for a Visa to enter.
Saba: Passport must be valid for at least six months from the date of entry, and a green card is necessary. No need for a Visa to enter.

Travel With Care

Photo: Do your research and travel with care / The Art of Travel Partners

Many of you have messaged me or commented asking how you can keep track of future changes in Visa status? Well, here is the easy answer.

Usually, things don’t change for years or decades. When they do change, they are often excellent or awful.

In other words, either your passport issuing country has made new agreements with another country or a country has severed its ties or changed its Visa rules and/or relationships with your passport issuing country.

Note: Always double-check the destination country’s immigration website before booking any flights or trips. As many of our readers have rightly said, things can change, and you don’t want to be caught off-guard.

Note: Green Card holders who stay out of the US for more than 1-year risk having their green card canceled by USCIS (The United States Citizenship and Immigration Services). When you are traveling abroad, remember, your time out of the country must not exceed one year.

Common Question

Question: Can I travel to [xyz destination] with a Green Card only?

Answer: If you are wondering if you can travel to Canada or Mexico with a Green Card only, unfortunately, the answer is you will still need your passport if you are traveling by air. If you are driving through, legally you only need your Green Card but it’s a good practice to carry your passport as well.

PS: Please comment below if I am missing any other countries or territories. This list of Visa-free travel is for U.S. Green Card holders regardless of their country of citizenship.