Destinations, Travel tips, Festivals and Public Holidays
Archive for July, 2009
Japan Public Holidays 2012 Calendar
Jul 30th
Japan Public Holidays 2012 Calendar
Japan have 15 official holidays in a year. However, due to their strong adherence to the tradition, there are many more traditional holidays and festive occasions celebrated throughout the country where businesses are closed. Some festivals have their roots in Chinese festivals but have undergone dramatic changes as they mixed with local customs. Some other Japanese festivals have deep roots in Nepal. More >
Hong Kong Public Holidays 2010 Calendar
Jul 29th
List of Hong Kong 2010 Public Holidays Calendar
While Hong Kong is an integral part of People Republic of China, they have different holiday dates from China public holidays. This is due to Hong Kong special status as a Special Administrative Region (SAR).
There are 17 public holidays / general holidays / bank holidays in Hong Kong. Public holidays in Hong Kong are set by Hong Kong’s General Holidays Ordinance. They allow workers get rest from work, usually in conjunction with special occasions. More >
F1 Singapore GP Night Race – 27 September 2009
Jul 24th
2009 FORMULA One Singtel Singapore Grand Prix
Get the ultimate Formula One racing experience at the 2009 Singapore GP. See top F1 drivers & Formula 1 racing teams in action at the Singapore GP.
Temperatures are set to rise when the Formula 1 Grand Prix returns to Singapore on 27 September 2009, with fast and furious action happening in the Marina Bay race circuit. Being the only Formula 1 night race and one of the two Formula One street-racing (the other being Monaco), locals and visitors alike have been in ticket buying frenzy.
If you haven’t got your ticket by now, grab it before too late. Race Promoter Singapore GP Pte Ltd has announced on 20 July 2009 that the sale of the remaining early bird tickets will be discontinued as of midnight, 31 July 2009. All tickets will then revert to regular prices from 1 August 2009.
Complementing the world’s only FORMULA ONE night race, the Singapore GP Season 2009, organized by Singapore Tourism Board, will take place from 18 September 2009 to 27 September 2009, presenting a slew of exhilarating race-themed events, intoxicating parties and irresistible retail and dining experiences, all with an Asian touch.
While you are in Singapore, pamper your taste buds also. Singapore?s cultural diversity is very much reflected in the variety of local food it has to offer ? Chinese, Malay, Indian, Peranakan and much, much more. The palatable pleasures they serve will definitely makes you enjoy your stay even more.
Be prepared for adrenaline-pumping and breath-taking events that will rev you up to the world-class FORMULA ONE action!
Links:
Singapore GP Season official website
F1 Singapore GP ticket
Formula 1 Singtel Singapore Grand Prix official website
Official Formula 1 website – Singapore race details
Australian Public Holidays 2012 Calendar
Jul 23rd
List of Australian 2012 public holidays.
Most of public holidays in Australia are declared on a state and territory basis, except for some holidays which are observed in all states and territories, and are therefore de facto national holidays.
Usually, public and private workers are entitled to take off a public holiday with regular pay, while businesses that are normally open on a public holiday may require employees to work on the day. Traditionally, in this case, the workers were paid at a penalty rate – usually 1? (known as “time and a half”) or 2 times (known as “double time”) the regular pay. In recent years this tradition has changed somewhat. Most of the entitlement to penalty rates of pay has been reduced or entirely eliminated in many work places. More >
Asian visitors to New Zealand drops amid influenza A(H1N1) fears
Jul 22nd
Asian visitors to New Zealand drops amid influenza A(H1N1) fears
The number of Asian tourists visiting New Zealand has plummeted due to swine flu fears, officials said Tuesday. The numbers of visitors from China, Japan and South Korea fell by half in June compared with the same month last year as the influenza A(H1N1) virus spread in New Zealand and elsewhere.
“Experience with past shocks, like SARs and September 11, meant we knew that arrivals from our Asian markets would likely be badly hit by the swine flu outbreak,” Tourism New Zealand chief executive George Hickton said.
Visitor numbers from Japan fell 67 percent to 2,300 last month from June last year, the lowest number of arrivals from there since June 1985, Statistics New Zealand said Tuesday. In the same month the number of visitors from China fell 49.4 percent to 2,556 and South Korean tourist numbers dropped 48.5 percent to 3,114. Overall, the number of Asian visitors fell 37.4 percent to 17,982 in June compared with a year earlier.
Hickton said it was hoped that some of the earlier threatened cancellations from Asia could be turned into postponements in coming months. “Fortunately, our offshore offices are picking up some more positive signals for later this year,” he said. “We are hoping China will start to improve from September, and the outlook for Japan is also looking slightly better for the first time in many months.”
The impact of the global economic crisis has also hurt tourism, which provides one in 10 New Zealand jobs and nearly 10 percent of gross domestic product. The main Asian markets were among the worst affected in the year to June, with the number of visitors from South Korea falling 31 percent from the previous year to 61,733, Japan by 23 percent to 88,474 and China 13.2 percent to 107,541.
Overall, the number of tourists in the year fell three percent to 2.41 million and numbers for the month of June were 135,200, down five percent from a year earlier. The falls in the numbers of Asian visitors has been partly offset by more Australians visiting their neighbouring country. In the year to June the number of Australian visitors rose four percent to 1.01 million.
Some funny , almost true facts about life in Singapore
Jul 22nd
This is so funny………………and most are so true……..
Funny truths about life in small small Singapore….
1. At night – Most people sleep with cooling air-conditioner while putting on thick blankets; At daytime – Most people will bathe with heater on
2. Day – Cannot Wake up; Nite – Cannot Sleep
3. Translation is needed between Singaporean Chinese and Mainland Chinese
4. Smell Of rubbish besides letterboxes; Letters inside Rubbish bin
5. Singapore Chinese use different languages other than Chinese to communicate.
6. Singaporeans never like to vote, but like to complain
7. There are quite a number of rich/poor in singapore – They have Car, Credit Card, CPF(self-funded retirement savings) but no Cash and is liable to lots of loans
9. There are quite a few high-tech barbaric singaporeans -they know how to use state-of-the art equipment, latest web widgets, 3g mobile phone and powerful computers but they dunno how to use a simple dustbin or a toilet
10. Half Singaporeans rushed to buy Hello kitty, but the other half are busy killing stray cats
11. Chewing Gum – You can chew, but not allowed to buy (Restricted to buying)
12. Cigarettes – Convenient to buy; not convenient to smoke
13. Private Cars – Getting cheaper to buy one, but getting harder and more expensive to maintain
14. Public Bus – Half the Crowd squeeze in front section of the Bus, Second section is for Carrying Ghost
15. Education – Teachers teaching Less but expects students to learn More
Singapore National Day 9 August 2009
Jul 22nd
Singapore National Day is observed yearly to celebrate Singapore’s Independence on 9 August 1965.
Singapore celebrated its first National Day in 1966, one year after Singapore’s independence from Malaysia.
This year, the 44th birthday of Singapore falls on Sunday, 9 August 2009, with this year theme is ?Come Together ? Reaching Out, Reaching Up?
As the National Day (Independence Day) holiday falls on a Sunday, the following Monday, 10 August 2009 will be a public holiday.
One of the most important aspect of this holiday is the National Day Parade.
The National Day Parade is a national ceremony in Singapore that, as its name implies, includes a parade on Singapore’s national day on August 9, in commemoration of Singapore’s independence.
The first National Day Parade started in the morning at 0900. People came as early as 0700 in order to get good vantage points. Singapore’s first President, Mr Yusof bin Ishak and Singapore’s first Prime Minister, Mr Lee Kuan Yew, were seated with members of the government at the grandstand on the steps of City Hall.
Over the years, the Parade has become the biggest national event in Singapore. What is perhaps most memorable at each celebration is the fireworks display marking the climax of the parade; the sky would be bursting with the wonderful colors of the visual vista, dazzling it as well as the hearts of fellow Singaporeans. On this very special occasion, most Singaporeans would be decked out in patriotic colours – namely, red and white.
The Singapore National Day Parade is usually held in the Singapore National Stadium or the Padang. For the first time in 2007, it was held in Marina Bay and future parades, including this year’s 9 August 2009 National Day Parade will be held there until the new sports hub is completed in around 2011.
Due to the enormous popularity and support from the people, in 2003 Singapore government set up the e-balloting ticketing system. Such ticketing system enables citizens to stand a chance at winning the tickets(free of charge) by registering their e-mail addresses or mobile numbers at the NDP website or phonelines.
While it is very unlikely for visitors to ever get hold of the Parade ticket, you can always join the local and tourist crowds at the Waterfront (near Esplanade) to enjoy the beautiful fireworks.
Some hotels (e.g. One Fullerton) also have rooms well positioned to view the fireworks display.
Holiday Destinations & Tourist Attractions in Singapore
Jul 20th
Where to go in Singapore? What are the popular destinations? What are the places of interest in Singapore?
We got asked these questions quite frequently.
Singapore is one of the most amazing places in the world to go on a vacation with incredible tourist attractions, great nightlife, awesome cuisines and wonderful spa retreats.
A lot of people like to go on a Singapore holiday in order to make the best of their vacations and have a great time with their friends and family. It is a shockingly modern city and a fantastic place to visit during the holidays. It has a great deal of almost everything to offer to its visitors. The major tourist attractions will leave you bewitched with its charm.
So to give you a bit of overview, here we compile a list of Popular Holiday Destinations & Tourist Attractions in Singapore
Sentosa Island
Sentosa island is the undisputed No 1 most popular holiday destination of Singapore. In brief, it is a whole island converted into an attraction park. It is big and will probably take you 1-2 whole days to explore everything. Sentosa Island is the answer of Singapore to Disneyland, and will be even more so with the opening of Universal Studio with the Integrated Resort (IR) next year.
Beach lovers can enjoy exciting games and sea sports along the 3.2-km long sandy beaches stretching across Siloso, Palawan and Tanjong.
Fort Siloso is the Singapore’s only preserved coastal fort stands as an important window to our colonial past and a poignant reminder of the war years.
What else to do ? Ride a movie (Cinemania) / Join the army (Fort Siloso) / Spot sharks without getting wet (Underwater World) / Admire butterflies / Erupt yourself (VolcanoLand) / Splash yourself (Fantasy Island) / Fall for dolphins (Dolphin Lagoon) / Climb the Merlion for a panoramic view / Walk on a dragon / Have a look at other countries (Asian Village) / Relax on spotless artificial beaches / Rollerblade on the alleys or rent a bike / Spot skeleton on a nature walk / Have a photo with a snake / Watch monkeys getting coconuts / Walk a suspended bridge / Admire a collection of shells / Cool off by one of the numerous fountains or manicured gardens (orchid, scented, spices,…) / Bike on water / Dream at the musical fountain / Stand on the southernmost point of the Asia continent / Ride the monorail around for free / Dance on the beach in swim suit at the two beach bars (regular foam parties as well) / Swim in the laguna
Orchard Road
From the world famous city, comes the world famous shopping destination – the Orchard Road Singapore. There are over 30 malls and shopping centers located in the stretch or road, closely connected to each other by pavements and underground pass. Here, you’ll find everything like the stylish Louis Vuitton, the exquisite Bergdorf Goodman, the elegant Tiffany & Co., the ever popular Prada, the immaculate Versace, Cartier, Fortunoff, Dior, Fendi, and Chanel. And the list goes on and on?
Ethnic quarters
As a multiracial country, Singapore host a number of unique destinations which celebrates the cultural diversity of the different races. Here are some places where you can experience the culture, customs and traditional festivals.
1. Geylang Serai
It was earlier known as the Geylang Kelapa; Geylang Serai was an abode to many of the Malay Kampongs. It is famous for the exquisite quality of lemongrass that grows here in abundance. There are traditionally made Malay-Kalimpong houses and a cultural museum as well.
2. China Town
China Town was historically the home to Chinese population who lived here. The place can be best explored on foot and can be marveled at the various interesting areas of Chinese worship. The main places of worship include the Thian Hock Keng temple, Sri Marimman temple and the Buddha Tooth Relic temple. The China Town market is very popular for its cheap bargains where you can buy a lot of stuff like the textile, medicinal herb and Chinese handicraft.
3. Little India
Little India is a district endowed with Indian culture’s ethnic elements. The most attractive features of here are Sri Veeramakaliamman temple and Sakya Muni Buddha Gaya Temple. The latter is known more for its massive Buddha statue. Exquisite Indian silk, brassware, gold jewelry and trinkets can be bought from the exotic market. Little India’s cuisine and henna are also very popular.
4. Arab Street/ Kampong Glam
The colorful district of Kampong Glam got its name from a local tree, Gelam. It has a Malay Heritage Centre and Sultan Mosque. Also known as the Masjid Sultan, the mosque excels in architectural splendor. The textiles, fabrics and the baskets made of cane, straw and rattan of the market, trinkets, and perfumes are very famous here.
Nightlife
As for a taste of Singapore nightlife, some popular night spots highly recommended are Chijmes Singapore , Singapore Boat Quay, Mohammed Sultan Road, Singapore Robertson Quay and Holland Village Singapore. Arguably, some of the most popular party destinations currently are Zouk, St James Power Station (coal-fired power station turned into large entertainment complex), and MoS (Ministry of Sound)
Food
As a metropolitan where most of the population dines out, Singapore naturally has huge array of gastronomical offers. From posh five-star restaurants to economical food hawker centers, you can find and enjoy international as well as local food almost everywhere in Singapore.
Other destinations
You will never go wrong with the well-known Singapore tourist attractions such as the Singapore Zoo, Singapore Night Safari (Night Zoo), Jurong Bird Park and the Singapore Flyer etc.
Looking for best deals on anything and everything in Singapore? Check out The Great Singapore Sale !
Vietnam 2010 Public Holidays Calendar
Jul 17th
In Vietnam, workers get the day off work during the public holidays. There are a total of 9 days of Vietnamese public holidays a year, making it the lowest in the region.
Here is the list of public holidays in Vietnam for year 2010
Tet Duong Lich
New Year’s Day
Friday, 1 January 2010
Tet Nguyen Dan
Lunar New Year / Vietnamese New Year, Tet Nguy?n ??n, more commonly known by its shortened name Tet, is the largest, most important and popular holiday and festival in Vietnam. It is the Vietnamese New Year based on the Lunar calendar, a lunisolar calendar. The name Tet Nguy?n ??n (in Sino-Vietnamese) can be loosely translated as Feast of the First Morning. Tet is celebrated on the same day as Chinese New Year. It takes place from the first day of the first month of the Lunar calendar (around late January or early February) until at least the third day. However the corresponding public holiday started a day earlier, from last day of the last lunar month. Visitors may experience difficulties during this period as shops, restaurants and public services close and prices tend to go up in the few shops that remain open.
Saturday, 13 February 2010
Sunday, 14 February 2010
Monday, 15 February 2010
Tuesday, 16 February 2010
Gio to Hung Vuong Day
Hung Kings Commemoriations – Traditional holiday adopted by the government on 28 March 2007 commemorating the mythical H?ng Kings. H?ng Vuong (H?ng Kings in Vietnamese) was the first king of Van Lang or Lac Viet (as Vietnam was known at the time). His dynasty existed in Vietnamese prehistory, but much of the lore from this time is now lost to the ages.
Friday, 23 April 2010
Ng?y thong nhat
Victory Day, Reunification Day, or Liberation Day is a public holiday in Vietnam that marks the occasion Viet Cong and North Vietnamese troops captured Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh City) on April 30, 1975. This signalled the end of the Vietnam War.
In the overseas Vietnamese exile community, the day is remembered as the “Fall of Saigon”, but this term is considered treasonous in present day Vietnam and can lead to harassment or imprisonment.
Friday, 30 April 2010
Ng?y Quoc te Lao dong
International Labour Day
Saturday, 1 May 2010
Quoc kh?nh
National Day – Vietnam declares its independence, forming the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (North Vietnam)
Thursday, 2 September 2010
As in most other nations, if a holiday falls during the weekend, it is observed on the following Monday.
Cambodia 2012 Public Holidays Calendar
Jul 17th
List of Public Holidays in Cambodia for year 2012.
Public holidays in Cambodia, including Cambodian holidays in 2012 includes many traditional festivals and Buddhist holidays, which are based on lunar calendars, thus the Cambodian holiday dates change from year to year. More >
