Travel Idea: Treasures of Buddhism

Bangkok

Bangkok (Krung Thep Maha Nakhon) is a modern Asian city and home to more than 10 million people. It is shopper's paradise if you are interested in clothes, bags and souvenirs. If you go Bangkok, you should visit the Grand Palace (with Wat Phra Keo), the Wat Pho (with Reclining Buddha) and the Wat Arun - all conveniently in the center of the city.

Tours:
• Thailand
• Bangkok

Bodhgaya

Bodhgaya is the place where Siddhartha Gautama attained enlightenment while sitting under the Bodhi tree. Herewith he turned into Lord Buddha ("the awakened one" or ‘the enlightened one’), the teacher with 250 million followers.

Tours:
• India
• Bodhgaya

Dunhuang

Dunhuang is an old city at the very west end of the Chinese wall. It was part of an old East-West trading route. It still is very important for Buddhist because of old caves with religious inscriptions.

Tours:
• China
• Dunhuang

Kamakura

Kamakura was "the capital" of Japan from 1185 to 1333. Kamakura is a popular domestic tourist destination in Japan as a coastal city with a high number of seasonal festivals, as well as ancient Buddhist and Shinto shrines and temples. Kamakura is known among Buddhists for having been the cradle of Nichiren Buddhism during the 13th century.

Tours:
• Japan
• Kamakura

Kandy

Kandi is a nice and central city where you can relax and enjoy Sri Lanka. The main attractions are the lake, the Tooth Relic temple and the parks in the direct surrounding area.

Tours:
• Sri Lanka
• Kandy

Luang Prabang

Luang Prabang is a pleasant city at the Mekong river, with traditional Laos-style buildings ( Unesco-heritage). There are boat connections up-stream to Chiang Mai, Thailand.

Tours:
• Laos
• Luang Prabang

Lumbini

Lumbini is the Birthplace of the Lord Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama. He was born in 623 B.C. in the famous gardens of Lumbini, which soon became a place of pilgrimage.

Tours:
• Nepal
• Lumbini

Siem Reap

Siem Reap is a major tourist destination in South-East Asia and this for one thing: the Angkor Wat temple. It is impressive. The temple used to be in a bad shape, because of erosion and weather, but has been rebuild piece-by-piece by French archeologists. Do note that there are more temples worth visiting, for example Monkey Temple and Bayon temple. Nearby is also a large lake with a village on silts.

Tours:
• Cambodia
• Siem Reap

Yangon (Rangoon)

Yangon (aka. Rangoon) is the capital of Myanmar (aka. Burma). 5 Million people live here, but it still looks rural. Evenings may be dark due to power outages... But Myanmar is changing rapidly and these issues may be part of the past... The Shwedagon temple is certainly one of the most amazing buildings, in the world!

Tours:
• Myanmar
• Yangon

Yogyakarta

Yogyakarta is a very pleasant Indonesian city. Most tourists like the city with its nice buildings, markets and wide variety of souvenirs. Nearby are several volcanos as well as the famous (Buddhist) Borobodur temple (UNESCO heritage) and Prambanan temples.

Tours:
• Indonesia
• Yogyakarta