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Chen Hongshou (1598-1652), courtesy name Zhanghou and pseudonym Laolian, was a Chinese painter from Zhuji who lived during the late Ming Dynasty era. Chen trained under the famed artist Lan Ying, and developed a plump and profound brushwork style that lent itself to illustrations and tapestry portraits.
The city of Bamiyan was part of the Buddhist Kushan Empire in the early centuries of the Christian era. After the Kushan Empire fell to the Sassanids, Bamiyan became part of the Kushansha, vassals to the Sassanids. The Hephthalites conquered Bamiyan in the 5th century.<br/><br/> After their Khanate was destroyed by the Sassanids and Turks in 565, Bamiyan became the capital of the small Kushano-Hephthalite kingdom until 870, when it was conquered by the Saffarids. The area was conquered by the Ghaznavids in the 11th century. In 1221 the city and its population were completely wiped out by Genghis Khan. The first European to see Bamiyan was William Moorcroft (explorer) about 1824.
The Leshan Giant Buddha (Lèshān Dàfó) was built during the Tang Dynasty (618–907 CE). It is carved out of a cliff face that lies at the confluence of the Minjiang, Dadu and Qingyi rivers in the southern part of Sichuan province in China, near the city of Leshan. The stone sculpture faces Mount Emei, with the rivers flowing below his feet. It is the largest carved stone Buddha in the world and at the time of its construction was the tallest statue in the world.
The Leshan Giant Buddha (Lèshān Dàfó) was built during the Tang Dynasty (618–907 CE). It is carved out of a cliff face that lies at the confluence of the Minjiang, Dadu and Qingyi rivers in the southern part of Sichuan province in China, near the city of Leshan. The stone sculpture faces Mount Emei, with the rivers flowing below his feet. It is the largest carved stone Buddha in the world and at the time of its construction was the tallest statue in the world.
The Leshan Giant Buddha (Lèshān Dàfó) was built during the Tang Dynasty (618–907 CE). It is carved out of a cliff face that lies at the confluence of the Minjiang, Dadu and Qingyi rivers in the southern part of Sichuan province in China, near the city of Leshan. The stone sculpture faces Mount Emei, with the rivers flowing below his feet. It is the largest carved stone Buddha in the world and at the time of its construction was the tallest statue in the world.
The city of Bamiyan was part of the Buddhist Kushan Empire in the early centuries of the Christian era. After the Kushan Empire fell to the Sassanids, Bamiyan became part of the Kushansha, vassals to the Sassanids. The Hephthalites conquered Bamiyan in the 5th century.<br/><br/> After their Khanate was destroyed by the Sassanids and Turks in 565, Bamiyan became the capital of the small Kushano-Hephthalite kingdom until 870, when it was conquered by the Saffarids. The area was conquered by the Ghaznavids in the 11th century. In 1221 the city and its population were completely wiped out by Genghis Khan. The first European to see Bamiyan was William Moorcroft (explorer) about 1824.
The Huashan Cliff Paintings are located along the Zuo River in Guangxi Province and are believed to be around 2000 years old. There are 60 paintings in all with a grand total of 1,770 human figures. The paintings were executed by the Luoyue people, ancestors of the local Zhuang minority.<br/><br/> The Zuojiang or Zuo River (Chinese: 左江; pinyin: ZuǒJiāng; literally 'Left River') is a river in Guangxi Province, southern China. It flows into the South China Sea.
The Huashan Cliff Paintings are located along the Zuo River in Guangxi Province and are believed to be around 2000 years old. There are 60 paintings in all with a grand total of 1,770 human figures. The paintings were executed by the Luoyue people, ancestors of the local Zhuang minority.<br/><br/> The Zuojiang or Zuo River (Chinese: 左江; pinyin: ZuǒJiāng; literally 'Left River') is a river in Guangxi Province, southern China. It flows into the South China Sea.
The Huashan Cliff Paintings are located along the Zuo River in Guangxi Province and are believed to be around 2000 years old. There are 60 paintings in all with a grand total of 1,770 human figures. The paintings were executed by the Luoyue people, ancestors of the local Zhuang minority.<br/><br/> The Zuojiang or Zuo River (Chinese: 左江; pinyin: ZuǒJiāng; literally 'Left River') is a river in Guangxi Province, southern China. It flows into the South China Sea.
The Huashan Cliff Paintings are located along the Zuo River in Guangxi Province and are believed to be around 2000 years old. There are 60 paintings in all with a grand total of 1,770 human figures. The paintings were executed by the Luoyue people, ancestors of the local Zhuang minority.<br/><br/> The Zuojiang or Zuo River (Chinese: 左江; pinyin: ZuǒJiāng; literally 'Left River') is a river in Guangxi Province, southern China. It flows into the South China Sea.
The Huashan Cliff Paintings are located along the Zuo River in Guangxi Province and are believed to be around 2000 years old. There are 60 paintings in all with a grand total of 1,770 human figures. The paintings were executed by the Luoyue people, ancestors of the local Zhuang minority.<br/><br/> The Zuojiang or Zuo River (Chinese: 左江; pinyin: ZuǒJiāng; literally 'Left River') is a river in Guangxi Province, southern China. It flows into the South China Sea.
The Huashan Cliff Paintings are located along the Zuo River in Guangxi Province and are believed to be around 2000 years old. There are 60 paintings in all with a grand total of 1,770 human figures. The paintings were executed by the Luoyue people, ancestors of the local Zhuang minority.<br/><br/> The Zuojiang or Zuo River (Chinese: 左江; pinyin: ZuǒJiāng; literally 'Left River') is a river in Guangxi Province, southern China. It flows into the South China Sea.
The Huashan Cliff Paintings are located along the Zuo River in Guangxi Province and are believed to be around 2000 years old. There are 60 paintings in all with a grand total of 1,770 human figures. The paintings were executed by the Luoyue people, ancestors of the local Zhuang minority.<br/><br/> The Zuojiang or Zuo River (Chinese: 左江; pinyin: ZuǒJiāng; literally 'Left River') is a river in Guangxi Province, southern China. It flows into the South China Sea.
The Huashan Cliff Paintings are located along the Zuo River in Guangxi Province and are believed to be around 2000 years old. There are 60 paintings in all with a grand total of 1,770 human figures. The paintings were executed by the Luoyue people, ancestors of the local Zhuang minority.<br/><br/> The Zuojiang or Zuo River (Chinese: 左江; pinyin: ZuǒJiāng; literally 'Left River') is a river in Guangxi Province, southern China. It flows into the South China Sea.
The Huashan Cliff Paintings are located along the Zuo River in Guangxi Province and are believed to be around 2000 years old. There are 60 paintings in all with a grand total of 1,770 human figures. The paintings were executed by the Luoyue people, ancestors of the local Zhuang minority.<br/><br/> The Zuojiang or Zuo River (Chinese: 左江; pinyin: ZuǒJiāng; literally 'Left River') is a river in Guangxi Province, southern China. It flows into the South China Sea.
The Huashan Cliff Paintings are located along the Zuo River in Guangxi Province and are believed to be around 2000 years old. There are 60 paintings in all with a grand total of 1,770 human figures. The paintings were executed by the Luoyue people, ancestors of the local Zhuang minority.<br/><br/> The Zuojiang or Zuo River (Chinese: 左江; pinyin: ZuǒJiāng; literally 'Left River') is a river in Guangxi Province, southern China. It flows into the South China Sea.
The Huashan Cliff Paintings are located along the Zuo River in Guangxi Province and are believed to be around 2000 years old. There are 60 paintings in all with a grand total of 1,770 human figures. The paintings were executed by the Luoyue people, ancestors of the local Zhuang minority.<br/><br/> The Zuojiang or Zuo River (Chinese: 左江; pinyin: ZuǒJiāng; literally 'Left River') is a river in Guangxi Province, southern China. It flows into the South China Sea.
The Huashan Cliff Paintings are located along the Zuo River in Guangxi Province and are believed to be around 2000 years old. There are 60 paintings in all with a grand total of 1,770 human figures. The paintings were executed by the Luoyue people, ancestors of the local Zhuang minority.<br/><br/> The Zuojiang or Zuo River (Chinese: 左江; pinyin: ZuǒJiāng; literally 'Left River') is a river in Guangxi Province, southern China. It flows into the South China Sea.
The Jāmiʿ al-tawārīkh, (Mongolian: Судрын чуулган, Sudar-yn Chuulgan; Arabic: جامع التواريخ ‎; Persian: جامع‌التواریخ ), ('Compendium of Chronicles') or Universal History is an Iranian work of literature and history written by Rashid-al-Din Hamadani at the start of the 14th century.
Set high on a cliff on the edge of the Dongrak Mountains overlooking Cambodia, Preah Vihear (known to the Thais as Khao Phra Viharn) is remarkable both for its outstanding Khmer architecture and for its stunning location.<br/><br/> Long claimed by both Thailand and Cambodia, the temple complex was finally awarded to the latter by the World Court in 1963, though the question of ownership still irks many Thais.<br/><br/> Preah Vihear took around 200 years to build, starting during the reign of Rajendravarman II in the mid-10th century and reaching completion in the early 12th century during the reign of Suryavarman II, the founder of Angkor Wat.<br/><br/> Constructed in the Baphuon and early Angkor styles, Preah Vihear was built originally as a Hindu temple dedicated to the god Shiva.
Loei (Thai: เลย) Province is located in Thailand's upper North-East. Neighboring provinces are (from east clockwise) Nong Khai, Udon Thani, Nongbua Lamphu, Khon Kaen, Phetchabun, Phitsanulok. In the north it borders Xaignabouli and Vientiane Provinces of Laos.<br/><br/> The province is covered with low mountains, while the capital Loei is located in a fertile basin. The Loei River, which flows through the province, is a tributary of the Mekong which, together with the smaller Hueang River, forms the northern boundary of the province with neighboring Laos.<br/><br/> Although temperatures in the hot season (April-May) can be more than 40 degrees Celsius, the province is the only one in Thailand where temperatures regularly drops below freezing at night in the cold season (December-January).<br/><br/> Loei is rich in national parks, including especially Phu Kradung, Phu Ruea, Phu Suan Sai (also known as Na Haeo) and Phu Luang Wildlife Sanctuary.<br/><br/> In 1853 King Mongkut (Rama IV) founded the city of Loei to administer the increasing population in what was then a remote area. In 1907 the province was created by King Chulalongkorn (Rama V). The province is also famous for the Phi Ta Khon festival held at Dansai during the 6th lunar month to make merit and honour the spirits of the ancestors - a colourful mix of Buddhism and spirit worship.<br/><br/> The symbol of the province is the stupa (chedi) at Phra That Si Song Rak in Dan Sai, which was built in 1560 by King Maha Chakrapat of Ayutthaya and King Chai Chetha of Lan Xang as a symbol of friendship between the Siamese and Lao kingdoms.
Loei (Thai: เลย) Province is located in Thailand's upper North-East. Neighboring provinces are (from east clockwise) Nong Khai, Udon Thani, Nongbua Lamphu, Khon Kaen, Phetchabun, Phitsanulok. In the north it borders Xaignabouli and Vientiane Provinces of Laos.<br/><br/> The province is covered with low mountains, while the capital Loei is located in a fertile basin. The Loei River, which flows through the province, is a tributary of the Mekong which, together with the smaller Hueang River, forms the northern boundary of the province with neighboring Laos.<br/><br/> Although temperatures in the hot season (April-May) can be more than 40 degrees Celsius, the province is the only one in Thailand where temperatures regularly drops below freezing at night in the cold season (December-January).<br/><br/> Loei is rich in national parks, including especially Phu Kradung, Phu Ruea, Phu Suan Sai (also known as Na Haeo) and Phu Luang Wildlife Sanctuary.<br/><br/> In 1853 King Mongkut (Rama IV) founded the city of Loei to administer the increasing population in what was then a remote area. In 1907 the province was created by King Chulalongkorn (Rama V). The province is also famous for the Phi Ta Khon festival held at Dansai during the 6th lunar month to make merit and honour the spirits of the ancestors - a colourful mix of Buddhism and spirit worship.<br/><br/> The symbol of the province is the stupa (chedi) at Phra That Si Song Rak in Dan Sai, which was built in 1560 by King Maha Chakrapat of Ayutthaya and King Chai Chetha of Lan Xang as a symbol of friendship between the Siamese and Lao kingdoms.
Loei (Thai: เลย) Province is located in Thailand's upper North-East. Neighboring provinces are (from east clockwise) Nong Khai, Udon Thani, Nongbua Lamphu, Khon Kaen, Phetchabun, Phitsanulok. In the north it borders Xaignabouli and Vientiane Provinces of Laos.<br/><br/> The province is covered with low mountains, while the capital Loei is located in a fertile basin. The Loei River, which flows through the province, is a tributary of the Mekong which, together with the smaller Hueang River, forms the northern boundary of the province with neighboring Laos.<br/><br/> Although temperatures in the hot season (April-May) can be more than 40 degrees Celsius, the province is the only one in Thailand where temperatures regularly drops below freezing at night in the cold season (December-January).<br/><br/> Loei is rich in national parks, including especially Phu Kradung, Phu Ruea, Phu Suan Sai (also known as Na Haeo) and Phu Luang Wildlife Sanctuary.<br/><br/> In 1853 King Mongkut (Rama IV) founded the city of Loei to administer the increasing population in what was then a remote area. In 1907 the province was created by King Chulalongkorn (Rama V). The province is also famous for the Phi Ta Khon festival held at Dansai during the 6th lunar month to make merit and honour the spirits of the ancestors - a colourful mix of Buddhism and spirit worship.<br/><br/> The symbol of the province is the stupa (chedi) at Phra That Si Song Rak in Dan Sai, which was built in 1560 by King Maha Chakrapat of Ayutthaya and King Chai Chetha of Lan Xang as a symbol of friendship between the Siamese and Lao kingdoms.
Loei (Thai: เลย) Province is located in Thailand's upper North-East. Neighboring provinces are (from east clockwise) Nong Khai, Udon Thani, Nongbua Lamphu, Khon Kaen, Phetchabun, Phitsanulok. In the north it borders Xaignabouli and Vientiane Provinces of Laos.<br/><br/> The province is covered with low mountains, while the capital Loei is located in a fertile basin. The Loei River, which flows through the province, is a tributary of the Mekong which, together with the smaller Hueang River, forms the northern boundary of the province with neighboring Laos.<br/><br/> Although temperatures in the hot season (April-May) can be more than 40 degrees Celsius, the province is the only one in Thailand where temperatures regularly drops below freezing at night in the cold season (December-January).<br/><br/> Loei is rich in national parks, including especially Phu Kradung, Phu Ruea, Phu Suan Sai (also known as Na Haeo) and Phu Luang Wildlife Sanctuary.<br/><br/> In 1853 King Mongkut (Rama IV) founded the city of Loei to administer the increasing population in what was then a remote area. In 1907 the province was created by King Chulalongkorn (Rama V). The province is also famous for the Phi Ta Khon festival held at Dansai during the 6th lunar month to make merit and honour the spirits of the ancestors - a colourful mix of Buddhism and spirit worship.<br/><br/> The symbol of the province is the stupa (chedi) at Phra That Si Song Rak in Dan Sai, which was built in 1560 by King Maha Chakrapat of Ayutthaya and King Chai Chetha of Lan Xang as a symbol of friendship between the Siamese and Lao kingdoms.
The Leshan Giant Buddha (Lèshān Dàfó) was built during the Tang Dynasty (618–907 CE). It is carved out of a cliff face that lies at the confluence of the Minjiang, Dadu and Qingyi rivers in the southern part of Sichuan province in China, near the city of Leshan. The stone sculpture faces Mount Emei, with the rivers flowing below his feet. It is the largest carved stone Buddha in the world and at the time of its construction was the tallest statue in the world.
Edwin Lord Weeks (1849 – 1903), American artist and Orientalist, was born at Boston, Massachusetts, in 1849. He was a pupil of Léon Bonnat and of Jean-Léon Gérôme, at Paris. He made many voyages to the East, and was distinguished as a painter of oriental scenes.<br/><br> Weeks' parents were affluent spice and tea merchants from Newton, a suburb of Boston and as such they were able to accept, probably encourage, and certainly finance their son's youthful interest in painting and travelling.<br/><br> As a young man Edwin Lord Weeks visited the Florida Keys to draw and also travelled to Surinam in South America. His earliest known paintings date from 1867 when Edwin Lord Weeks was eighteen years old. In 1895 he wrote and illustrated a book of travels, From the Black Sea through Persia and India.
The Russo-Japanese War (8 February 1904 – 5 September 1905) was the first great war of the 20th century which grew out of the rival imperial ambitions of the Russian Empire and Japanese Empire over Manchuria and Korea.<br/><br/> The major theatres of operations were Southern Manchuria, specifically the area around the Liaodong Peninsula and Mukden, the seas around Korea, Japan, and the Yellow Sea. The resulting campaigns, in which the Japanese military attained victory over the Russian forces arrayed against them, were unexpected by world observers. As time transpired, these victories would transform the balance of power in East Asia, resulting in a reassessment of Japan's recent entry onto the world stage.<br/><br/> The embarrassing string of defeats inflamed the Russian people's dissatisfaction with their inefficient and corrupt Tsarist government, and proved a major cause of the Russian Revolution of 1905.
Hat Tham Phra Nang, the ‘Beach of the Revered Lady’, is a beautiful white sand beach at the southern end of the small peninsula dividing Rai Le East Beach from Rai Leh West Beach. The beach is considered by many to be the most beautiful in the Krabi Region, and also one of the loveliest in southern Thailand. Made up of gorgeous crisp, white sand and sheltered by tall limestone cliffs, the picture-perfect setting is enhanced by sharp, strangely-shaped karst outcrops.<br/><br/> Krabi Province is made up of more than 5,000 sq km of jungle-covered hills and sharp, jagged karst outcrops, as well as more than 100km of luxuriant, pristine coastline and around 200 islands in the neighbouring Andaman Sea.<br/><br/> About 40 per cent of the provincial population is Muslim, the remainder being predominantly Buddhist. This is a clear indication that Krabi sits astride the invisible dividing line between Buddhist Thailand and the four southern provinces—Satun, Narathiwat, Yala and Pattani—which are predominantly Muslim. Far from causing any sort of problem, this adds immensely to the cultural width and diversity of the province, blending mosques with temples, Malay cooking traditions with Thai cuisine, and giving the province a pleasantly relaxed multi-cultural feel.
Hat Tham Phra Nang, the ‘Beach of the Revered Lady’, is a beautiful white sand beach at the southern end of the small peninsula dividing Rai Le East Beach from Rai Leh West Beach. The beach is considered by many to be the most beautiful in the Krabi Region, and also one of the loveliest in southern Thailand. Made up of gorgeous crisp, white sand and sheltered by tall limestone cliffs, the picture-perfect setting is enhanced by sharp, strangely-shaped karst outcrops.<br/><br/> Krabi Province is made up of more than 5,000 sq km of jungle-covered hills and sharp, jagged karst outcrops, as well as more than 100km of luxuriant, pristine coastline and around 200 islands in the neighbouring Andaman Sea.<br/><br/> About 40 per cent of the provincial population is Muslim, the remainder being predominantly Buddhist. This is a clear indication that Krabi sits astride the invisible dividing line between Buddhist Thailand and the four southern provinces—Satun, Narathiwat, Yala and Pattani—which are predominantly Muslim. Far from causing any sort of problem, this adds immensely to the cultural width and diversity of the province, blending mosques with temples, Malay cooking traditions with Thai cuisine, and giving the province a pleasantly relaxed multi-cultural feel.
Tham Phra Nang or the ‘Cave of the Revered Lady’ is located near the southern tip of the narrow peninsula that divides the beaches of Rai Leh East and Rai Leh West.<br/><br/> Dedicated to the memory of an eponymous Indian princess said to have been drowned offshore centuries ago, a fertility cult has developed around the cave and a small shrine within. The cave itself is packed with red-tipped phalluses placed here by local fishermen in the hope both of good catches; similarly local women offer incense, flowers, prayers and phalluses if they are seeking to become pregnant.<br/><br/> Krabi Province is made up of more than 5,000 sq km of jungle-covered hills and sharp, jagged karst outcrops, as well as more than 100km of luxuriant, pristine coastline and around 200 islands in the neighbouring Andaman Sea.<br/><br/> About 40 per cent of the provincial population is Muslim, the remainder being predominantly Buddhist. This is a clear indication that Krabi sits astride the invisible dividing line between Buddhist Thailand and the four southern provinces—Satun, Narathiwat, Yala and Pattani—which are predominantly Muslim. Far from causing any sort of problem, this adds immensely to the cultural width and diversity of the province, blending mosques with temples, Malay cooking traditions with Thai cuisine, and giving the province a pleasantly relaxed multi-cultural feel.
Ko Tarutao Marine National Park consists of 51 islands in two main groups scattered across the Andaman Sea in southernmost Thailand. Just seven of the islands are of any size, including Ko Tarutao in the east, and Ko Adang-Ko Rawi to the west. Just 5 miles (8km) to the south lies the marine frontier with Malaysia’s celebrated Langkawi Archipelago.<br/><br/> Tarutao is world-famous for its pristine diving sites, rich marine life and outstanding natural beauty. Covering a broad area of 575 sq miles (1490 sq km), Tarutao became Thailand’s second national marine park in 1974. Because of the location of the islands so far out to sea, the park is only safely accessible during the northeast monsoon between November and April.
Ko Tarutao Marine National Park consists of 51 islands in two main groups scattered across the Andaman Sea in southernmost Thailand. Just seven of the islands are of any size, including Ko Tarutao in the east, and Ko Adang-Ko Rawi to the west. Just 5 miles (8km) to the south lies the marine frontier with Malaysia’s celebrated Langkawi Archipelago.<br/><br/> Tarutao is world-famous for its pristine diving sites, rich marine life and outstanding natural beauty. Covering a broad area of 575 sq miles (1490 sq km), Tarutao became Thailand’s second national marine park in 1974. Because of the location of the islands so far out to sea, the park is only safely accessible during the northeast monsoon between November and April.
Ko Tarutao Marine National Park consists of 51 islands in two main groups scattered across the Andaman Sea in southernmost Thailand. Just seven of the islands are of any size, including Ko Tarutao in the east, and Ko Adang-Ko Rawi to the west. Just 5 miles (8km) to the south lies the marine frontier with Malaysia’s celebrated Langkawi Archipelago.<br/><br/> Tarutao is world-famous for its pristine diving sites, rich marine life and outstanding natural beauty. Covering a broad area of 575 sq miles (1490 sq km), Tarutao became Thailand’s second national marine park in 1974. Because of the location of the islands so far out to sea, the park is only safely accessible during the northeast monsoon between November and April.
Ko Tarutao Marine National Park consists of 51 islands in two main groups scattered across the Andaman Sea in southernmost Thailand. Just seven of the islands are of any size, including Ko Tarutao in the east, and Ko Adang-Ko Rawi to the west. Just 5 miles (8km) to the south lies the marine frontier with Malaysia’s celebrated Langkawi Archipelago.<br/><br/> Tarutao is world-famous for its pristine diving sites, rich marine life and outstanding natural beauty. Covering a broad area of 575 sq miles (1490 sq km), Tarutao became Thailand’s second national marine park in 1974. Because of the location of the islands so far out to sea, the park is only safely accessible during the northeast monsoon between November and April.
Ko Tarutao Marine National Park consists of 51 islands in two main groups scattered across the Andaman Sea in southernmost Thailand. Just seven of the islands are of any size, including Ko Tarutao in the east, and Ko Adang-Ko Rawi to the west. Just 5 miles (8km) to the south lies the marine frontier with Malaysia’s celebrated Langkawi Archipelago.<br/><br/> Tarutao is world-famous for its pristine diving sites, rich marine life and outstanding natural beauty. Covering a broad area of 575 sq miles (1490 sq km), Tarutao became Thailand’s second national marine park in 1974. Because of the location of the islands so far out to sea, the park is only safely accessible during the northeast monsoon between November and April.
Ko Tarutao Marine National Park consists of 51 islands in two main groups scattered across the Andaman Sea in southernmost Thailand. Just seven of the islands are of any size, including Ko Tarutao in the east, and Ko Adang-Ko Rawi to the west. Just 5 miles (8km) to the south lies the marine frontier with Malaysia’s celebrated Langkawi Archipelago.<br/><br/> Tarutao is world-famous for its pristine diving sites, rich marine life and outstanding natural beauty. Covering a broad area of 575 sq miles (1490 sq km), Tarutao became Thailand’s second national marine park in 1974. Because of the location of the islands so far out to sea, the park is only safely accessible during the northeast monsoon between November and April.
Ko Tarutao Marine National Park consists of 51 islands in two main groups scattered across the Andaman Sea in southernmost Thailand. Just seven of the islands are of any size, including Ko Tarutao in the east, and Ko Adang-Ko Rawi to the west. Just 5 miles (8km) to the south lies the marine frontier with Malaysia’s celebrated Langkawi Archipelago.<br/><br/> Tarutao is world-famous for its pristine diving sites, rich marine life and outstanding natural beauty. Covering a broad area of 575 sq miles (1490 sq km), Tarutao became Thailand’s second national marine park in 1974. Because of the location of the islands so far out to sea, the park is only safely accessible during the northeast monsoon between November and April.
Ko Tarutao Marine National Park consists of 51 islands in two main groups scattered across the Andaman Sea in southernmost Thailand. Just seven of the islands are of any size, including Ko Tarutao in the east, and Ko Adang-Ko Rawi to the west. Just 5 miles (8km) to the south lies the marine frontier with Malaysia’s celebrated Langkawi Archipelago.<br/><br/> Tarutao is world-famous for its pristine diving sites, rich marine life and outstanding natural beauty. Covering a broad area of 575 sq miles (1490 sq km), Tarutao became Thailand’s second national marine park in 1974. Because of the location of the islands so far out to sea, the park is only safely accessible during the northeast monsoon between November and April.
Ko Tarutao Marine National Park consists of 51 islands in two main groups scattered across the Andaman Sea in southernmost Thailand. Just seven of the islands are of any size, including Ko Tarutao in the east, and Ko Adang-Ko Rawi to the west. Just 5 miles (8km) to the south lies the marine frontier with Malaysia’s celebrated Langkawi Archipelago.<br/><br/> Tarutao is world-famous for its pristine diving sites, rich marine life and outstanding natural beauty. Covering a broad area of 575 sq miles (1490 sq km), Tarutao became Thailand’s second national marine park in 1974. Because of the location of the islands so far out to sea, the park is only safely accessible during the northeast monsoon between November and April.
First inaugurated in 1981, Ao Phang Nga National Park covers an area of about 400 sq km and is comprised mainly of karst rocks and islands, towering cliffs and the clear waters of the Sea of Phuket. Although home to a wide variety of marine and coastal creatures, including the two-meter long water monitor, most people visit the park to marvel at and sail through and around the many looming karst towers.
First inaugurated in 1981, Ao Phang Nga National Park covers an area of about 400 sq km and is comprised mainly of karst rocks and islands, towering cliffs and the clear waters of the Sea of Phuket. Although home to a wide variety of marine and coastal creatures, including the two-meter long water monitor, most people visit the park to marvel at and sail through and around the many looming karst towers.
The city of Bamiyan was part of the Buddhist Kushan Empire in the early centuries of the Christian era. After the Kushan Empire fell to the Sassanids, Bamiyan became part of the Kushansha, vassals to the Sassanids. The Hephthalites conquered Bamiyan in the 5th century.<br/><br/> After their Khanate was destroyed by the Sassanids and Turks in 565, Bamiyan became the capital of the small Kushano-Hephthalite kingdom until 870, when it was conquered by the Saffarids. The area was conquered by the Ghaznavids in the 11th century. In 1221 the city and its population were completely wiped out by Genghis Khan. The first European to see Bamiyan was William Moorcroft (explorer) about 1824.