China (People's Republic of China - PRC) - Far east asia

China's hosting of the 2008 Olympics showed off to the world a nation on the rise, where ancient riches are complemented by modern marvels of architecture and engineering. The energy of the place is palpable as the world's largest population emerges from the shadows of recent history and rushes headlong into a future as a (perhaps the) major global player - and a must-see travel destination.



Chinese history
China's multi-millennial history has been a tumultuous one. One of the world's earliest civilisations, it was ruled for thousands of years by imperial dynasties until the overthrowing of the Qing dynasty in 1911. The civil war in 1945 defined the China of today, ending with the defeated Nationalists fleeing to Taiwan, while Mao's victorious Communists founded the People's Republic of China. The Cultural Revolution in the 1960s effectively closed the country. However, China has made up for lost time since the 1990s: it now boasts the world's fastest growing major economy and its main cities are emerging as cosmopolitan global centres.



Culture and cuisine
China is a land of natural and cultural superlatives too, encompassing 37 UNESCO World Heritage sites, including the Great Wall and Forbidden City in Beijing, Xi'an's Terracotta Army, traditional Suzhou gardens and the misty peaks of Huangshan. Chinese food ranks among the world's great cuisines, while its distinctive art forms, including acrobatics, martial arts and Chinese opera, add more flavour to the mix.

Changing China
From Beijing's medley of ancient and futuristic monuments to cosmopolitan Shanghai's skyscrapers and art-deco heritage; and from the heights of the spectacular Tibet (Xizang) Autonomous Region to the karst peaks and rivers of Guizhou, China's experiences are many and varied. Investment spurred on by hosting world events like the Beijing Olympics in 2008, the 2010 Shanghai World Expo and 2010 Asian Games in Guangzhou means urban and tourist infrastructure is constantly evolving. And while flexibility and patience are still required to travel around China, in return, the Middle Kingdom rewards visitors with memories to treasure for a lifetime.

Korea - Far East Asia

TV scenes of thousands of red-wearing fans going crazy over their national team during the 2002 FIFA World Cup is an image which has helped convince a global audience that South Korea is in fact, a fun place to go, a place with dazzling cities, friendly people and beautiful, mystical countryside.


Until relatively recently, Korea was an insular place, existing under dynastic rule for centuries. However, the 35-year Japanese occupation from 1910, the split of the peninsula after WWII and the subsequent Korean War shattered all that. Difficult times have however made the Koreans a resilient lot, succeeding economically whilst still holding onto their unique traditions and fascinating culture.

Korea is littered with fortresses, temples and palaces, many of them UNESCO World Heritage sites. In addition, the peninsula it shares with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea's official name) is one of the most mountainous regions in the world, and Korea also has a significant beach-dotted coastline.


The capital Seoul winds around the Han River, punctuated by futuristic skyscrapers in one of the most densely populated areas in the world. The city is an increasingly useful Asia-Pacific stopover point, or a hub for a three-centre Korea-China-Japan cultural trip.

Macau - Far East Asia

Macau's historic centre was added to the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site list in 2005, underlining its strategic and cultural importance over centuries. The mixture of colonial Portuguese architecture sits beautifully alongside its East-Asian flair.

Attractions
Parts of Macau offer serenely traditional countryside, ancestral Chinese villages and pine-forested hills. Much of 'old' Macau is preserved on its islands, Taipa and Coloane, including fishing boat building yards, colonial mansions, Chinese temples and floating fisherfolk communities. Yet Macau is now famed for enticing visitors with its glitzy new Vegas-style casino resorts, both on the Macau peninsula and on the still under-construction Cotai Strip, a sliver of reclaimed land joining the islands of Taipa and Coloane.

Background
Macau was founded in 1557 during the great era of Portuguese overseas exploration. It became the major port between the Far East and Europe and, in 1670, was confirmed as a Portuguese possession by the Chinese. Macau went into decline as a regional trading centre from the early 19th century, when the British occupied Hong Kong.

In 1999, Macau, like Hong Kong, became a 'Special Administrative Region' within China, operating under a ‘one country, two systems' policy, maintaining its own political, social and economic systems, and its own currency, the Pataca.