Boats amongst poles used for aqua cultivation

Location: Xiapu, Fujian, China (23° 46' 20" N, 117° 2' 47" E)

Date: 14 December 2008; 1.50pm

Camera: Canon 400D with Canon 70-200 f/4 L IS Lens

These days there are not too many exquisite places in China which are not swamped by tourists. More often than not, fabulous destinations are crowded with China tourists rather than foreigners. The main reason is of course, Chinese are getting wealthier and is more prepared to spend money traveling around their own country. On top of that, it is difficult for them to travel outside of China, without being part of a tour group or on official business. Another reason for such a phenomenon is the speed of news spreading via internet- and China has the world’s biggest internet population; hence news and reviews of any exciting new destinations will be known by many very quickly. An example is a small coastal town, Xiapu, in northern Fujian. Apart from some photography enthusiastic from Hong Kong and Taiwan, really only Chinese know of this sleepy town. The town’s main attraction to tourists is the scenery around the few coastal villages within a 20km radius. Such villages engaged in various aquaculture activities such as seaweed and oyster cultivation, fishing and so on. They are pretty and charming especially during the various harvest seasons with all sorts of activities on the coastlines. During the high season, droves of Chinese photography enthusiasts flock to this town, using it as a base- and there are only Chinese. Very, very few foreigners would even have heard of this place- so much so that there are only 1 or 2 hotels in town that are officially registered/allowed to offer accommodation to foreigners.

One of the prettiest lake in South Island, NZ

Location: Lake Tekapo, South Island, New Zealand (43° 53′ 0″ S, 170° 31′ 0″ E)
Date: 25 May 2009, 9.10am
Camera: Canon 300D with EF 70-200/f4 IS L

Lake Tekapo is one of the most pretty lake in the South Island of NZ. It is a popular spot for tourists on group/package tours. Every day one can see buses of tourists stopping off at the lakeside. However the tours normally only include a visit to the Church of the Good Shepherd on the shore of the lake; even though the lake has beautiful views across to the Southern Alps and beautiful forests along the shorelines. Furthermore there are great walks around the surrounding hills with views of the lake and its small islands from high. Most group/package tourists do not have the opportunity to enjoy such beauty. So if you are visiting Lake Tekapo, it is well-worth spending at least a night in the town.

The “leg rowers” of Lake Inle, Myanmar

Location: Lake Inle at Nyaung Shwe, Myanmar (20°39′N 96°56′E)
Date: 18 December 2000; 5.15pm
Canon EOS 500N (analogue) on slides and scanned

Water transportation is the major means for people living around Lake Inle to get around. While today there are motorised and speedboats, most people still get around by rowing their boats. Lake Inle’s local residents are well-known for their unique technique of leg rowing. Standing up on one leg in the narrow stern of the boat, they wraps the other leg around an oar and, with a circular movement, propels his boat forward. This "leg rowing" gives them a better view of the waterways and makes it easier to navigate around the floating islands and water hyacinth which make the margins of the lake into a maze of passageways. This is especially useful for fisherman on the lake as the lake is covered by reeds and floating plants which makes it difficult to see above them while sitting. Standing provides the rower with a view beyond the reeds. leg rowing is only practiced by men; women rows by sitting cross legged at the stern and use only their hands to row.

A landmark of Mumbai–Haji Ali Dargah

Location: The Haji Ali Dargah islet, Mumbai, India (18° 59′ 6″ N, 72° 48′ 36″ E)
Date: 11 April 2007; 4.40pm
Camera: Canon 400D with Sigma 17-70/f2.8-4.5

The Haji Ali Dargah is a landmark in the southern part of Mumbai. It is both a mosque and a tomb located on an islet off the coast on the Arabian Sea. The Haji Ali Dargah was constructed in 1431 in memory of a rich Muslim merchant, Sayyed Peer Haji Ali Shah Bukhari. Bukhari was from Bukhara, in the ancient Persian Empire and now in Uzbekistan, who gave up all his worldly possessions before making a pilgrimage to Mecca. He travelled around the world in the early to mid 15th century, and then settled in Mumbai.

Haji Ali Dargah is connected to the mainland by a narrow km long causeway that is submerged during tides; it is only accessible during low tides. This does not deter the 80,000 odd pilgrims, irrespective of faith and religion, who visits the tomb every week to get the blessings of the legendary saint. It is quite festive to visit the tomb on Thursdays and Fridays when it is packed with pilgrims and visitors. Occasionally there are also sufi musicians who perform sufi devotional music at the Dargah.

A popular hot spring town with some rustic charm to boast- Taiwan

Location: Old Jinshan, Taiwan (25° 14′ 10″ N, 121° 37′ 3″ E)
Date: 3 May 2010, 4.15pm
Camera: Canon 400D with Sigma 17-70/f2.8-4.5

There are a few activities that will excite any visitors to Taiwan. One of them is to enjoy the numerous excellent hot springs dotted around the coast of the country. Taiwan lies on the edge of the Ring of Fire around the Pacific and has some earthquake and volcanic activities resulting in many hot springs. Taiwanese also has a traditional to soak in hot springs, perhaps partly influences from their Japanese colonial past. Many of these hot springs are developed into resorts and at certain times of the year, are crowded by domestic tourists. Old Jinshan (meaning Old “Gold Hill” reference to its previous glory days as a gold mining town) is one of such popular hot spring resorts. It is less than 2 hours north of Taipei and draw lots of visitors from the city during the weekends to enjoy its hot springs, sourced from the hills, as well as its local market and reasonably rustic shoreline.