Salvador Brazil Tourism
November 1, 2011 | 
Author Brazil’s very first capital city but now serves as the repository of the country’s new modern city and old colonial city within the city – which is in Salvador. Its dual role has made it more intriguing for tourists making them more interested in exploring the city especially on foot. The city even gained the recognition in world heritage sites due to its unwavering combination of diverse cultures – from Americans and Europeans to Africans. In Salvador, you can laze along the longest coastline in Brazil, its green tropical hills and broad beaches along the bay have been its significant aspect on its tourism.
The entrance door to the northeast of Brazil, Salvador is surely regularly frequented by tourists and visitors alike. Its cultural and racial mix dominates in each cultural manifestations and it indeed lives up the essence of a city in a vast country that encompasses everything from deserts to rainforests. A blog ”Soulbird” states that in the colorful, tropical, seemingly whimsical land of Bahia, Brazil, life is beautiful, and strange, and punctuated by ancient traditions. Bahia is a fervent land — an “African Rome,” built by slaves descended from Angola and Guinea. In Bahia, there are late night banquets in old churches.
You will not experience the real thing without spending the time in the old city of Salvador that shows off the colorful buildings, cobblestoned pathways and a city plastered with its own history. According to World66, Salvador da Bahia de Todos os Santos, as it was formally called by the Portuguese, is the old colonial capital of Brazil. Built on the peninsula that separates the bahia (bay) from the Atlantic Ocean, its colonial legacy and strong African influences give the city a distinct atmosphere. Salvador without mentioning Carnaval: in Salvador, a festival to behold. Being the music centre of Brazil, the Salvador Carnaval is said to be even better than Rio’s famous Carnaval. Watch out for your money and posessions if you join the throng, though!
Experience the Carnival in Salvador, since its renowned as the hub of Brazilian music and Salvador’s central district of numerous clubs, shows that they excel on that kinds of genre, comparing them as even the best than the world famous Rio Carnival. According toTravellers Point, Salvador is a city on the northeastern coast of Brazil, in the state of Bahiaand has about 3 million inhabitants. It is well known for its street parties and of course Carnival, one of the best in the country together with that of Rio de Janeiro. It’s a happy mix of different cultures and people and also the Afro-Brazilian capital of the country with an estimated 80% of the city being of African origin. There is much more to offer though with dozens of Portugese colonial historical buildings dating back to the 17th to 19th centuries. It’s one of the oldest cities in Brazil and even of the New World.
So, when taking a trip to Brazil, never miss a chance on visiting the most interesting place where you can deal with some major colonial architectural and very popular with its carnival, only in Salvador. Million people traverses the city, dancing and celebrating along with the other different culture, those are just few of the reasons why Salvador has made its fame as the happiest and friendliest city in Brazil. According toWikipedia, Salvador (Portuguese pronunciation: [sawvaˈdoʁ], Savior; historic name: Cidade de São Salvador da Bahia de Todos os Santos, in English: “City of the Holy Savior of the Bay of all Saints”) is the largest city on the northeast coast of Brazil and the capital of the Northeastern Brazilian state of Bahia. Salvador is also known as Brazil’s capital of happiness due to its easygoing population and countless popular outdoor parties, including its street carnival. The first colonial capital of Brazil, the city is one of the oldest in the country and in the New World. For a long time, it was simply known asBahia, and appears under that name (or as Salvador da Bahia, Salvador of Bahia so as to differentiate it from other Brazilian cities of the same name) on many maps and books from before the mid-20th century. Salvador is the third most populous Brazilian city, after São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, and it is the ninth most populous city in Latin America.
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Beijing Tourism
Getting There
Flights to Beijing land at Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK), which is located about 20 km from downtown Beijing. From there, your best bet is take a cab to your hotel, which usually costs between 70-120 RMB. There’s also an additional toll of 10 RMB for the airport expressway. It’s recommended that you ask your travel agent to write the name of your hotel down on a piece of paper that you can show to the driver, because he probably won’t speak English and you probably can’t speak Chinese. Make sure the driver turns on the meter! Otherwise, you could be stuck paying whatever the driver feels like charging you.
Getting Around
Buses
Bejing’s bus system is called a “hidden treasure,” unfortunately for those who don’t speak Chinese, it will remain hidden. It’s cheap, convenient, and provides transportation to many places, but the drivers speak no English, signs are often unintelligible due to vandalism, and you’ll have trouble understanding maps and routes if you don’t speak Chinese. If you decide to go for it, they run from 5:30am to 11pm daily, and charges start at 1 yuan. Buses can range from luxurious coach buses to dilapidated pieces of junk with broken seats.
Subway
As an English speaker, the subway is a better bet for getting around. There are four lines: Line 1 runs from Pingguoyuan in west Beijing to Sihui East in east Beijing, serving 21 stops. Line 2 is a loop that runs under the interior 2nd Ring Rd. Line 13 runs from Dongzhimen to Xizhimen via Huilongguan, and the Batlong line/Line 1 Extension runs from Sihui to Tuqiao in eastern suburban Beijing. You’ll be able to idenfity stations by a large blue “B” wrapped around a smaller “D”. You’ll be able to figure out where to go by the maps and English signs. Fare is 3 yuan. You’ll need 4 yuan to transfer to the Batong line, while travel within the Batong line is only 2 RMB. Maps are widely available on the Internet.
Taxis
There are three classes of Taxis in Beijing. The first and nastiest class charge 1.20 yuan per km, but are gradually being phased out and replaced with second-class Hyundai Sonata taxis, which are 1.60 yuan per km. There are also more luxurious 2.00 yuan per km taxis, still affordable on an average Western budget.
Keep in mind that your driver probably will not speak English. Some phrases that are handy to know are “Qing da baio” (Run the meter, please), to make sure you are not overcharged, and you can get a receipt for complaining or reimbursement purposes by saying “Fa Piao.”
What to See
Forbidden City – The best spot to learn about the Imperial Chinese court during the height of its power. You’ll want to get there when the gates open at 8:30am to escape the crowds, and there’s actually a Starbucks in there, too.
Tiananmen Square – the largest square in the world, and home to Mao’s mausoleum. There’s also a flag raising and lowering ceremony at dawn and dusk respectively.
Summer Palace – gardens and palace ruins of the Qing emperors.
Temple of Heaven – surrounded by a public park where you can observe the locals practicing tai chi in the mornings.
Zoo – reportedly one of the worst in the world, but the aquarium is something to write home about.
Great Wall – located about 1.5 hours out of the city, complete with ski lifts to take you up so you can walk on it. It’s possible to rent a taxi to take you there. However, it gets rather windy, so you may want to bring a jacket.
Where to Shop
Xi Zhi Men – the clothing market where the Chinese themselves shop. It’s located next to the Zoo.
Silk Street – Reopened in March 2005 as a five-story air conditioned building, still infamously selling the counterfeit goods that popularized the original Silk Street. You probably won’t be able to tell the difference between the intricately designed fakes and the real thing.
The Malls at Oriental Plaza – East of Tiananmen Square, next to Wangfujing Street is an expensive shopping area where you can buy diamonds, CDs, food, and cheap DVDs.
Wangfujing – Higher-end shops.
Golden Resources Shopping Mall – Located by West Fourth Ring Road in Haidian District. At 680,000 square meters, it’s the largest mall in Asia, offering countless shopping opportunities.
SanLiTun YaShou Clothing Market – 58 Gong Ti Bei Lu. It’s basically a cheaper version of Silk Street.
Where to Eat
Quanjude Roast Duck – offers the local speciality, Beijing roast duck, at expensive prices for tourists. It’s located right at the Hepingmen subway stop. For the real thing, walk south from the subway until you see some restaurants on the left side of the street.
You’ll also want to try the lamb meat steaks, available from vendors on the street at all hours of the day.
If you’re not feeling adventurous, Beijing is home to many McDonald’s and KFC restaurants. There’s also a number of Pizza Huts, the newest of which is in Chaowai. You can also get English food at the John Bull Pub near the Jianguomen subway station.
Drinking
Beer – the most popular beer in China is Qingdao, which costs 10 yuan, and Yanjing, which costs 2 yuan and has 11% alcoholic content.
Don’t forget to try some tea! Chinese tea is considered to be the best in the world.
Where to drink:
Sanlitun – nightlife capital of Beijing. There’s a main street lined with bars, a side street with cheaper bars, and large nightclubs nearby.
Hou Hai – Home to trendy restaurants and bars in central Beijing. Great for Beijing people-watching.
Where to Stay
Cheap – try Qiao Yuan Fandian near Beijing South train station. There’s a 200 yuan deposit, but you’ll enjoy an air conditioned room with four beds for just 31 yuan per night. There’s also a youth hostel directly across from Beijing Zahn train station.
Mid-range – The Xinxing Hotel is a short walk from the Gongzhufen subway stop on Line 1. Rooms are 180-320 yuan per night, staff will clean your room twice a day, and there’s free Internet access if you ask for it.
High-end – Grand Hyatt Beijing is a five-star hotel; it’s simply a Hyatt in Beijing. Rooms are $150 a night. The Beijing Hotel is owned by the state but cheaper; Swissotel Beijing is dirt cheap for an “expensive” hotel; and Great Wall Sheraton even has a rotating restaurant.
Travel Tips
Beijing is a very safe city, but beware of scammers. A popular tactic is for “art students” to trick tourists into buying “art”, or worse. Strange but true. When traveling to the Great Wall, make sure your driver actually drops you at the wall and not earlier, and only pay him after he has done this. Don’t take tours advertised in Tiananmen Square.
Counterfeit money is rampant in China. If someone tries to give you a 100 yuan note in change by either lowering the price in your favor or another scam, reject it. Rejecting bills isn’t considered rude. 50 and 100 yuan notes are the most commonly counterfeited. Inspect your money carefully.
Traffic – It’s best to cross streets only when street signs permit. It isn’t uncommon for wilder drivers to run red lights or drive generally recklessly.
Understand that sunken toilets are common in Beijing, which may pose a problem to some women. If you’re not familiar with squat toilets, it’s best to go in your hotel, and if you decide to go for it be extra careful to avoid accidents.
The Internet in China is heavily censored. BBC News and The New York Times news websites are generally unavailable, but Reuters is usually unblocked.
Tropical Destinations for Families
Along with being wonderful vacation spots for the family, these are also some of the more affordable options to pick from, so that you can have a great holiday, without having to burn a hole in your pocket.
Miami, Florida
It doesn’t get better than having the perfect tropical vacation without having to even leave the country, does it? That’s exactly what makes South Beach one of those perfect tropical destinations for families. With an array of activities to indulge in, a vacation could not be more ideal than heading to one of the best places that Miami has to offer. There are loads of attractions that you can visit, thus allowing you to enjoy your time with your family. Some of the most popular attractions are,Miami Metro Zoo, Miami Seaquarium, Parrot Jungle and Gardens, Everglades National Park, Miami Children’s Museum, to name a few. With a large number of attractions like such, it also makes Miami one of the best tropical destinations for kids.
Big Island, Hawaii
The island of Hawaii covers more than half of the state of Hawaii, and it is purely for the sake of avoiding confusion that the island is referred to as the Big Island. This island makes for an interesting pick if you are looking to spend part of your time on the multitude of beaches, and at other times are into the idea of doing something a little more substantial. The ultimate location for volcanoes, the Big Island houses some of the popular active volcanoes, that are all located in the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. Other attractions to visit would be Coffee Farms, Green Sand Beach, Black Sand Beaches, and the Kula Kai Caverns. If all that’s mentioned isn’t really your thing, just go ahead with some lazy time at one of the many resorts on the island.
Dominican Republic, Caribbean Islands
The Caribbean is ultimately blissful when it comes to tropical destinations. As usual, if there are beaches, the option of sitting back, relaxing, and doing nothing is always the popular one. But for the more adventurous ones, there is a lot to do as well. Kayaking, surfing, canyoning, jet skiing, scuba-diving, or very simply even swimming, you can take your pick with the activity that suits you best. Then again, not everybody enjoys such adventure. This place has ample good shopping too. Whether it is about shopping for yourself, or buying souvenirs to take back home, you can shop your heart out for all that you are looking for.
Phuket, Thailand
Moving on from some of the more commonly known places that we all know for a tropical vacation, the idea of visiting Phuket isn’t such a bad idea either. Apart from being a really great destination for families, on the whole, kids in particular would love it too. If you have kids that are over 12 years of age, you could all go family diving, or white-water rafting. If you have younger children, or scuba-diving isn’t really for you, how about spending some time with nature, while going for elephant rides, or maybe even visiting the Phuket Aquarium, or Butterfly farm. Slightly older kids would also enjoy some mini golf at the Dino Park. Like every other vacation, this too would be incomplete without some shopping, but there’s nothing to worry about, because shopping in Thailand is really reasonable, and needless to say, it is any lady’s dream come true.
Cancún, Mexico
Located in southern Mexico, a good deal away from Mexico city, is the Mexican tropical paradise of Cancún. This place is absolutely perfect when on vacation with the family, because the best part about vacationing here is the fact that it is extremely inexpensive. What could be better than a brilliant stay and service at the best prices ever? The place has a climate that is almost perfect, and the fabulous beaches only make it better. When you’re done lazing around on the beaches, you could also go ahead and check out the Mayan ruins of the Chichen Itza, and Tulum. All said and done, a holiday in Mexico, will be completely worth your while.