Taktshang Monastery – Bhutan

Asia continues to be a popular destination for traveling Americans, Europeans and other regions around the world.

To make your trip more enjoyable and enriching, it’s important to know what to see. Asia has numerous sacred sites and it’s an unforgettable experience to visit any of them.

From the holy city of Varanasi in India, to the world’s largest Buddhist monument in predominantly Muslim Indonesia, to the Emerald Buddha in Thailand, Asia Transpacific Journeys has assembled a divine list of the top ten temples, shrines and places of worship in Asia.

Founded in 1987, Asia Transpacific Journeys specializes exclusively in custom journeys and small group trips to the Asia/Pacific region. Asia Transpacific Journeys such expertise in the region.

The company has developed a list of top ten sacred sites in Asia.

1. TAKTSHANG MONASTERY (Bhutan) – Bhutan’s most iconic temple and sacred spot, this monastery clings dramatically to a cliff 3,000 feet above the valley floor. Travelers can join locals in hanging Buddhist prayer flags after checking with monks to make sure the date is auspicious.

2. VARANASI (India) – It is said that a ritual cleansing in the holy waters of the Ganges at Varanasi absolves the believer of all sins, enabling a higher birth in the next life. Millions of Hindus make their way here annually.

3. SHWEDAGON PAGODA (Myanmar/Burma) – Sheathed in gold plates and topped by a 76-carat diamond, the great golden dome that rises 322 feet above its base in Yangon is Burma’s most sacred site, visited by Buddhist worshippers and monks daily.

4. DAMBULLA (Sri Lanka) – The most impressive of Sri Lanka’s cave temples, Dambulla is a UNESCO World Heritage site consisting of five caves with over 6,000 square feet of painted walls and ceilings, creating the largest continuous series of paintings in the world.

5. BOROBUDUR (Indonesia) – An absolute must if visiting Indonesia, the reclaimed ninth century ruins are the largest Buddhist monument on earth, and one of the original seven ancient wonders of the world.

6. PASHIPATINATH (Nepal) – The largest temple devoted to the Hindu god Shiva in the world draws devotees from all over the Indian subcontinent. Visitors are likely to witness a fascinating cremation ceremony on the holy Bagmati River.

7. PAK OU (Laos) – A natural cave with more than 3,000 Buddha statues left behind by worshiping kings, merchants and farmers over the centuries, this mystical pilgrimage site is accessible by boat only.

8. DHARAMSALA (India) – The capital of the Tibetan government in exile, Dharamsala is the residence of the Dalai Lama and frequented by pilgrims and visitors from around the world who wish to study Tibetan Buddhism.

9. WAT PHRA KAEW (Thailand) – Located in Bangkok’s Grand Palace and also known as the “Temple of the Emerald Buddha,” this spectacular pilgrimage site is the place where all Thai monarchs have worshiped since it was retaken from the Burmese in the late 18th century.

10. SARNATH (India) – This sacred site near Varanasi, where Buddha is said to have preached his first sermon after achieving enlightenment, draws pilgrims from around the world.

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What’s the next big travel trend? Looks like it may be cruising the Asian seas. As Asian economies continue to grow, tourism is also on the rise. People who have tired of cruise ship vacations to Caribbean and Mexico, now have their sites on the such destinations as the southern Thailand’s idyllic oceans, emerald limestone peaks studding Vietnam’s Halong Bay, and famed port cities like Hong Kong, Singapore, Shanghai and Hanoi,

“We find (Asia) interesting and we’ve done the Caribbean … I think Asian cruises are extremely hot, there were actually quite a few we looked at that were already sold out,” says American traveler Donna Dana. She adds, ”I think Asian cruises are extremely hot, there were actually quite a few we looked at that were already sold out.”

The World Cruise Shipping Industry estimates that the number of cruise passengers in Asia will leap about 40 percent from 1.07 million in 2005, to 1.5 million in 2010. This growth is fueled in part, by Asia’s growing affluence and improved air flight options to regional port cities. Full article