Top Ten Airports of World

The Incheon International Airport in Seoul, S Korea has been voted as the world's best airport in 2009 according to the latest passenger satisfaction rankings conducted by Skytrax.The World Airport Awards are based on the responses from 8.6 million airline passengers in 2008-09, covering more than 190 airports worldwide. The survey evaluates travellers' experiences across 39 different airport service and product factors.

1. Incheon International Airport
The Incheon International Airport has also been ranked as Asia's best airport. It is the world's No.1 in terms of security processing and terminal cleanliness.One of the busiest airports in the world, the Incheon Airport has plans to build an 'air city', with apartments, shops, recreational facilities and businesses. The 'air city' and the airport terminal will be connected by a new magnetic levitation train system. The air city project is likely to be completed in 2020.
Built with an investment of $5 billion, the airport became operational in March 2001.

2. Hong Kong International Airport
Hong Kong's reign as the world's best airport has come to an end. Ranked second, it is voted for being the world's easiest international transit and offers the best airport dining experience. In 2008, more than 48.6 million passengers used the airport.Opened in July 1998, 85 airlines operate flights to around 150 destinations worldwide. HKIA also operates one of the world's largest passenger terminal buildings. The airport designed to offer maximum convenience to passengers. Moving walkways and the automated people mover allow easy movement throughout the building.The airport has a people mover system to ferry people from the check-in area to the gates. The service is free for all passengers and crew. Besides this, airport offers great facilities for entertainment, dining and shopping.

3. Changi International Airport, Singapore
Changi International Airport has been ranked as the world's third best airport. It also has the world's best leisure amenities. With 80 airlines serving more than 180 cities in over 50 countries, Changi Airport has established itself as a major aviation hub in the Asia Pacific region.Changi Airport now has an annual handling capacity of more than 70 million passengers. The airport boasts of themed gardens ranging from tranquil indoor ponds to outdoor sunny gardens.
Besides, this it offers avenues for relaxation, entertainment shopping and automated people mover system. It started operations in July 1981.

4. Zurich International Airport
Voted as the best airport in Europe, Zurich Airport ranks 4th worldwide. The airport has an automated underground train to move passengers between the existing terminal complex and the new terminal.The airport has banks, a post office and wireless Internet hotspots at several locations throughout the terminal. The airport also has restaurants, coffee shops, and duty-free shopping. Zurich Airport has the second biggest shopping centre in Switzerland.It also has a medical and dental centre, pharmacies, prayer rooms and nurseries. Zurich Airport handled 22.1 million passengers in 2008.

5. Munich International Airport
Munich has maintained the 5th rank this year. It was named the 2nd best airport in Europe.Munich Airport is the second busiest airport in Germany in terms of passenger traffic (34.73 million in 2008) after Frankfurt International Airport. The airport started operations on 17 May 1992.Investment: $92 million

6. Kansai International Airport, Japan
Kansai International Airport was ranked at the 6th position last year as well. Kansai has the world's cleanest airport washrooms.Kansai is Japan's second most important international airport. Located on a man made island about 50 km south of Osaka, Kansai Airport was opened in 1994.Estimated investment: $13 billion

7. Kuala Lumpur International Airport
Kuala Lumpur International Airport has slipped from from 4th to 7th in 2009. It offers the world's best immigration service. KLIA now has more than 50 airlines, offering connectivity to more than 90 destinations worldwide. The airport celebrated its 11th anniversary on June 30It handled a total of 27.5 million passengers in 2008, an increase of 4.1 per cent from the year 2007. The airport was built at a cost of about $3.5 billion.

8. Amsterdam International Airport
Also known as Schiphol Airport, Amsterdam International airport is ranked as the world's 8th best airport. The airport opened on 16 September 1916 as a small military airbase.Over the years it expanded its facilities. It now ranks as the world's 3rd largest in terms of international passenger traffic and world's 14th busiest by overall passenger volume.The airport has a large rooftop viewing area. Huge shopping areas are another attraction. The See Buy Fly shopping centre has been named the world's best airport shopping centre by 'The Business Traveller'.Investment: Euro 340 million


9. Centrair Nagoya Airport, Japan
Central Japan International Airport is Japan's third international airport after Tokyo's Narita Airport and Osaka's Kansai Airport.It is also known as Chubu Airport. Constructed on a man made island in the Bay of Ise, the airport was opened in February 2005.Investment: $7 billion


10. Auckland Airport, New Zealand
Auckland International Airport Limited (Auckland Airport) was established in 1988. Today, over 70 per cent of visitors enter or leave New Zealand via Auckland Airport, which handles over 13 million passengers a year.More than 30 international airlines fly to Auckland Airport. The airport hopes to see 24 million passengers a year by 2025.

What is Ailing Our Tourism?

We have taj, we have tiger, we are not once ancient and modern, we taught the world religion, maths and peace.

We are the world’s largest democracy and the second most populous country. Yet in tourism we rank only fifth in the world. Countries like Australia, New Zealand and Brazil are more preferred destination. Why? What is ailing our tourism? Why do we have peaks and valleys in tourist influx and income, one tourism season after the other?

Well, we don’t have to go far to seek them. Look at the stink our country is. We are perhaps the stechiest nation. More than stench, the tourists are put off by red-tapism, corruption and insecurity. If foreign tourists are to be raped or assaulted, fleeced or looted or even murdered, who would risk coming to India? Beggars, transport troubles, drugs, under-developed tourist facilities knock the life out of tourism paradise our country is, according to the tourist pundits. Who would like to travel to India to taste its crime and grime along with its curry and spices, who would like to return home with mementos of shame and disappointment?

If India is to regain its place in world tourism, we will have to make a reality check and immediately purge the industry of all its ills. It is true we need to foreign exchange, but we need international tourist smiles and satisfaction too to sustain ourselves as a world’s tourist destination. We haveto improve tourist infrastructure and facilities too. Monuments must be saved from denigration through graffiti, garbage and inscriptions. Our holy places need o be spruced up. And most importantly we must tap the vast potential of domestic tourism, too.

Travel Blog

Manipur The Switzerland of India

This beautiful Indian provincial State has to offer tourists unforgettable experience of fun and festivities.

Situated in the far north-eastern region of India, Manipur is a tiny hilly provincial State. In India the State is best loved for its vibrant, colourful culture and festivities. For its stable temperature and exotic natural scenery, Manipur is also referred to as “Switzerland of India”.

There is a market called “Ima Keithel” in Manipur where only women are the sellers and men are the buyers !! The market is one of its kind in the whole world. I don’t know such unique market exists anywhere in the world. It is said to be more than 100 years old. “Ima Keithel” literally means Mothers’ Market ~ Ima meaning in Manipuri “mother”. Here businesses are totally run, managed and controlled by the women. Due to this, atmosphere in the market is homely and very social. For something to buy, you yell out “Ima”(mother), “Ine” ( aunt) or “Iche” ( sister)!! From fish to handicrafts, shawls to vegetables, they sell all. All local products. Manipuri women are very hard-workers. From sunrise to sunset they work hard for their families. Most importantly, while doing their business, they always wear a smile and seem to enjoying their profession.

Rafting down the Kolad
Travel Blog

Visit Vilnius in Eastern Europe

Today, Vilnius is one of the most visited cities in Eastern Europe, pulling the attention not only because of its architectural identity, and cultural events, entertainment. Here are the various business, political and cultural meetings. Capital of Lithuania actively presents at international tourism exhibitions in collaboration with many European capitals. 2009, Vilnius, the first of the new EU countries, cities, has become the European Capital of Culture. This honor is shared with the Austrian city of Linz.

Vilnius is the most important city in Lithuania. Vilnius - the capital of the Republic of Lithuania, the administrative, cultural, political and business center. Here, the President, the Seimas, the Government, the Supreme Court, located in the diplomatic service, education, culture, education, medical institutions and banks.


Vilnius is also the largest city in the country. It lives on septintadalis the population of Lithuania. The year 2006, the Vilnius live 553 553 people is 57.8% Lithuanian, 18.7% - Polish, 14% - Russian, 4% - Belarusian, 0.5% - the Jews. The remaining 5% are of other nationalities.

Urban area - about 400 square kilometers. 20.2% is built, and the remaining part of the plantations (43.9%) and water (2.1%). The historical center of Vilnius, Old Town, is one of the largest in Eastern Europe (360 ha). Because of its uniqueness in 1994 he was included in UNESCO’s most important objects of the world’s protected list. Old Town is located in a picturesque two rivers - Vilnius and Neris - the valley, the crossroads of trade, to Brastos, which kept the ancient castles of Vilnius.

City has always been hospitable, open and tolerant. He is creating a consolidation of three currents of religion: paganism, Eastern and Western Christianity. This is already the fourteenth century observed Lithuanian Grand Duke Gediminas. The last pagan ruler the state wrote letters to the parties that all Vilniuje worshiped one god, but each according to his custom, the city is already built, and the Catholic Church and the Orthodox churches. Later, here in the city and the house of prayer pasistate Muslims, Tatars, Karaites and Jews.

Multinational, daugiatikybis, multicultural city in the city has always attracted visitors for vacation packages and Zavejo architectural diversity. Castle ruins, a network of narrow streets, smailiabokstes red-brick church, the residential cellars … All this testifies that the Vilnius - Gothic city. But already in the XVI century Gothic overlap with the Renaissance, and the XVII - XVIII century emerging baroque buildings.

That you had and what you are - a businessman, came to Vilnius to sign the contract, a tourist on holiday, or a seasoned traveler looking for new experiences - enough for a few days stay in Vilnius, the pamiltumete this city. Vilniuje worth a longer stay, but if you stay only for one weekend, you will of bright impressions. The theater or opera fans, rapidly parties or street carnival lovers, besidomintieji architecture or mėgstantieji time to allow the wild - all in this city will find what their heart.

Upcomming Fair Festivals in March

Khajuraho Dance Festival

When: 25 Feb - 2 Mar 2009 (annual)
Where: Khajuraho
The annual Khajuraho Dance Festival fills the amazing temples of Khajuraho with India's finest classical dancers, who present styles including Kathak, Bharat Natyam, Odissi, Kuchipudi and Manipuri.The western group of temples acts as the exquisite backdrop for the Khajuraho Dance Festival's performers - usually the Chitragupta Temple dedicated to Surya (the Sun God) and the Vishwanatha Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva.

International Yoga Festival

When: 1 - 7 Mar 2009 (annual)
Where: Parmarth Niketan
Get your asanas sorted during Rishikesh's International Yoga Festival at the Parmath Niketan Ashram. The "yoga capital of the world" is an appropriate setting for a whirlwind tour of the major types of yoga and an awesome place to visit.This annual festival always attracts great yogic masters from all over the world, who arrive by the banks of the Ganges to demonstrate and explore the major traditions of yoga (hatha, raja, karma, bhakti, mantra, laya and jnana). The town boasts numerous yoga schools to view (of varying standards of ethics and expense), as well as plenty of places to visit when your chakras are fully aligned.Apart from the yoga schools, it is easy to be overwhelmed by the many ashrams in Rishikesh that offer courses on meditation, yoga and Hindu philosophy. The hatha yoga and pranayama meditation classes at Sri Ved Niketan Ashram are well known. The Shivananda Ashram, opposite the Shivananda Jhula, is also a favourite - but needs booking well in advance. Other well-known ashrams include the Yoga Niketan Ashram, the Omkarananda Ashram, the Vanmali Gita Yogashram and the Dayananda Vedanta Ashram. We don't recommend these above any others - they are just pointers for research.

Elephant Festival

When: 10 Mar 2009 (annual)
Where: Jaipur
Elephants. India Tourism Office
Held each year in Jaipur, the Elephant Festival is a celebration of these large animals, royal mounts from time immemorial and a symbol of strength and wealth.Groomed to perfection, glittering in gold, you'll stumble across numerous elegant elephants during this very noisy day. The annual bash also proves that they can move surprisingly gracefully in procession, run races and even play polo. A lot of tourists are attracted, but it's also a great occasion for all elephant lovers.

Holi

When: 11 Mar 2009 (annual)
Where: India
Holi Festival. Destination India
During Holi, Holika Dahan, or the festival of colour, Hindu India celebrates good harvests and the Earth's fertility. It is a joyful festival when all is forgiven and everyone lets themselves go.
Huge bonfires are made on the eve of the festival (one explanation being that they drive out Dhunda, a female demon, from participating villages), while the actual day is marked by loud processions, singing, dancing, traditional songs - and a whole lot more.The celebrations pay tribute to Hindu god Krishna, and are associated with his love for Radha. The young Krishna would moan to his mother about why Radha was so fair and he was so dark. His mother advised him to apply colour on Radha's face and see how her complexion would change. The celebrations still explore this idea.If you're a visitor to the Holi celebrations, it's probably a good idea to take some old clothes with you - no-one is exempt from the festivities. You'll find people running on the streets and smearing each other with brightly coloured powders (gulal) and coloured water - an interesting development on the theme of smearing gulal on friends' foreheads.While the aim of Holi is apparently to develop an increased appreciation of beauty and cultivate good taste, people get away with almost anything on this day - including squirting coloured water on passers-by...


Holla Mohalla

When: 12 Mar 2009 (annual)
Where: Punjab
Cost: Free
Opening Hours: All day
The ancient Sikh festival of Holla Mohalla is celebrated in the month of Phalguna, the day after Holi, and is a time for Sikhs to reaffirm their commitment to the brotherhood of man and their dedication to the Khalsa Pantha.Back in 1757, when the tenth Guru Govind Singh was around, it was felt that Holi - the festival of colour and happiness - had lost its original meaning amidst growing decadence and mayhem. Not one to tolerate such behaviour, the reformist Guru decided to re-establish the essence of Holi while restoring the Khalsa traditions. The result was the Holla Mohalla.Many colourful processions mark this festival, and they are particularly spectacular in Anandpur, Sahib and Muktsar. Sikhs dress up in traditional martial costumes (especially the Nihangs or the "Order of the Blue-Clad Farmer-Warriors") and celebrate the day with competitions in archery, fencing, horse riding and shooting. In some areas, battles are re-enacted and cannons fired as a salutary reminder of the traditional warring trait of the Sikh religion. Although clearly a spectacular performance, watching is a risky affair... these men battle hard, even in jest!

Dangs Darbar

When: Mar 2009 (annual)
Where: Ahwa
Originally revolving around tax payment, the Dangs Darbar in Ahwa dates back to the age of the Raj and features five days of lively celebration by local tribespeople, with not a fiscal fee in sight.
The Dangi tribals, or adivasis, live high up in the Saputara hills in a beautiful area known as the Dangs. Every year, just before Holi, they flock in thousands to the local capital of Ahwa for a joyful fair filled with dancing and singing.The tradition of the "darbar" dates back to the time of the British, when the political agent used to pay an annual subsidy to the local rulers, the Rajas and Naiks, for the right to their lands in a placatory gesture to these fierce native tribes. To this day the District Collector still officiates here.In modern times the festival has become one long celebration of local folk culture, with spellbinding dances symbolic of birds or animals as well as a garba programme and lots of songs and dramas. Merchants come from all over the state to sell their wares and people take a lot of trouble over their appearance, wearing traditional and colourful dress, the women laden down with heavy silver jewellery.


Gangaur

When: 29 - 30 Mar 2009 (annual)
Where: Jaipur
Rajasthan folk dance
Gangaur is one of the most important festivals in Rajasthan, held each spring in honour of Gauri, the goddess of purity and patron of unmarried girls. Expect colourful processions and noisy celebrations - especially from the women.Although celebrated throughout Rajasthan with great enthusiasm, the celebrations in Jaipur and Udaipur, Bikaner, Jodhpur, Nathdwara and Jaisalmer are especially festive. Colourful decorated images of Gauri are taken out in processions with huge fanfare. Traditionally, the youth grabbed this opportunity of meeting each other freely, and some would select partners and marry by eloping!

In Hindu mythology, Gauri is generally the unmarried goddess Parvati, before she married Lord Shiva. She underwent extreme penances and purifications in order to attain the glory of marrying the ascetic and emotionally invulnerable god.

Mewar Spring Festival

When: 29 - 31 Mar 2009 (annual)
Where: Udaipur
Sunset at Udaipur, India
The Mewar Spring Festival coincides with the Gangaur festival and is celebrated all over Rajasthan. In Udaipur, the women dress in their finest clothes and process to Gangaur Ghat at Lake Pichola carrying images of the Goddess Gauri (Parvathi).Celebrations include singing, dancing and devotional music. Mewar Spring Festival culminates with an impressive fireworks display and a procession of boats on the lake.

wildlife tours in india with travel chacha

Call of the wild
I first saw Bandhavgarh and its tigers one unforgettable March morning. As we rode through the orest of sal trees, the stillness was suddenly broken by the alarm calls of langur and chital. The mahout halted the elephant, listened intently, turned us towards the calls, and then goaded the elephant into a quick pace.Approaching the edge of the grassland and the nearby group of hills, we saw a movement in the grass. A beautiful tigress, drenched in morning dew, strode purposefully into the clearing, stopping to stare at our elephant.I was told that she was called Sita by the forest department staff and the small band of dedicated naturalists that worked in the few camps that were then located at Tala, close to the main entrance of the park। Her two cubs had been following close behind, and on reaching Sita, they greeted her by rubbing their faces against her face, producing the distinctive sounds that only tiger cubs can make।It was this captivating meeting with Sita—and the wealth of wildlife in this park—that convinced me that this location would be ideal for a film on her and her life in the forests of Bandhavgarh.

Bear country
There are three bear species in the Indian region, the Brown Bear, the Himalayan Black Bear and the Sloth Bear. All three are formidable animals, which are frequently in conflict with man and are, therefore, often shot. The range of the Brown Bear is only just within the region, at high altitudes throughout the Himalayas. If food is scarce, it plays havoc with domestic flocks, although its usual diet is fruit, roots and rodents. The Black Bear is still fairly numerous in the Himalayas, occasionally as high as the tree-line but more often at lower अल्तितुदेस Occasionally, a vagrant wanders as far south as Sylhet. Its footprints in the snow, with five clearly defined toes, are rather like those of a man, though the long claw-marks are easily distinguished. When the melting snow obliterates the claw-marks, the probable origin of the mythical Yeti remains for all to see.

Wings of loveBird watching always presents an intellectual challenge because there are so many different species to identify. Moreover, some birds, due to their furtive nature, pose great difficulties for the bird watcher. Very often, one needs to put together bits and pieces of incomplete clues to come up with the proper identification. Problems of bird watching abound—sometimes most of the torso is hidden behind foliage or the moment you spot it, the tiny creature is all set for flight or the sun simply refuses to shine brightly enough.

Tirth Yatra A Sacred Journey of Holy Places

Tirth Yatra , these two words, this means more than the realization of the life to the million Indians, is perhaps woven in its inners same, also weaving, the spiritual heart of people to the manifest grounds of his country;the grounds, that indicate its own heart... for Tirth is a crowned destination।

Yatra means the voyage, so much collectively, will yatra of Tirth is the holy voyage, a voyage that we seemingly commit ourselves enriching us religious।And there are various categories of the latter, even always authenticated, others relatively obscure, certain almost open of world, others always the privelege of people of the countries, some devoted to the eternal biggies like Siva, Visnu, Durga, Kali;others with the saints of owner, like devtas of kula in the located, and holy places famous, as Reflected bai, Sant jnaneshwar, baba of sai of Shirdee, paramhans of Ramakrishna, and so on, which in the cosmic chronology, were themselves of the yatris (companions) just one moment ago..... If it east go until our clean my Vaishno Devi, or to a long voyage month in Kailash Mansarovar, so simply immersing themselves in Quawallis at Ajmer Shareef, or even just being present at sea fine of humanity at Kumbh Mela, going in the cave deeply inside the mountain and communicant with the devi of Kamakhya, or a circumambulation of the hills of Arunachala and Govardhan, prosternant themselves before the guru Granth Sahib with the gold temple, or being pilot arati of evening at Siddhivinayak, of the outline darshan and passenger of Srinath Jee and Tirupati Balaji, the astonishing forms of Tandava These voyages of the faith are can be cathartic and transforming...And the feelers travel of the miles and the days, to obtain an outline of the hut or the tree or even the tomb of their saints and prophets... The 'tibbisof Gorakhnath, or the tree of Buddha at Gaya…detecting honestly, their footboards of orientators.

Certain Yatras are organized, others primarily a solitary business। A prescribed part, others a personal tryst with the divinity... for it is with precision because each one cannot embark on the voyage of 'inner ', that this facilitation;a search for heart by the intermediary of the 'outer ', an interior expansion via the external extent, is offered.

Are Yatras really as the pélerins progress, really a walk by wood external, with the chance on one, which directs towards the interior cave... une.and can risk on certain yogis and sadhus, perhaps the residents of their part the secret of place, or right your ' coincidental ' wayfarers, or which knows? compassion comes under many forms, and the yogis have the power to transform not only the eager ones, but also the disbeliever! and we have examples like Angulimala, a wild dacoit which cut its finger of victims to make a collar of the fingers, helping it by frightening the next victim; or even Ratnagar, the dreaded plunderer, who was guided with the interior truth, and continued to become Valmiki…And thus, while these benefactors start to give divine wisdom, you realize, this is one will yatra in a yatra..And it is not simply the destination, but the voyage itself which is the goal. We take leave the everyday life, make plans, invite and gather others to go length, rent buses and the trainers, go sometimes even through the oceans, climb us hills, travels arduously, Sing will jaikaras them, even dance of festival, and in a paramount way we become innocent of spirit in the memory of God, offering the place automatically so that it appears! And, sometimes, all in only resting, we begin even arrangement a simple analogy:That the voyage of the life, itself, is the goal of God, by expressing the world….And that will yatras them of Tirth constitute the special places to polish this obligation between the man and the places of God. Special, where we take the 'off time ' and undertake consciously or subconscious two voyages simultaneously, the external one, as well as the interior communion with him. If we are lucky, we can even obtain with that all the feeling dominating which since God is here certainly felt , this overpowering feeling transports to us that it, in reality, is everywhere.
In conclusion, we reach the caves। We enter the sanctorum of sanctuary, enter the uterus even of creation; be pilot of God, practically see it coming obvious in your presence as it is honestly equipped to the top of like Nath, in Shiva Khori, accepting will vastras them attached by the pujaris one in a methodical ritual and astounding, also accepting the panchgavya, the bilva, and naturally the bhole of Jai of hachisch.! ! What a Darsana! And then? we must turn over to the house, where we belong for now. We do not remain there. Since there, the spectrum was seen in its entireity, the experiment of God by creating the world, custom, and the life itself, is included/understood. Thus, we are happy of then knowing the source but returned with where we belong to the standard of living where we have in…the world right as Arjuna turning over to his charge, having the darsana sri Krishna in the roop of Viraat, and hearing Bhagavad Gita, the celestial song.

And while we return, we take an invaluable handle of prasada, because the others with the acts of home॥it like the jaag manufacture of the curdled milk by the preceding section of the acts of curd..it like bulava, the call, for them to take on board us on their own personal holy water of catch of journey।We behind, to put far preciously in our clean small rooms at the house for our Thakurjis..so which we now can and then to take small a amrita each, to point out our tryst with God to us.
Amarnath Yatra