Asia is islands, temples, a colorful kaleidoscope of exotic fruits, kindly decorated elephants, fussy and smart monkeys, the sea, the sun, palm trees ... In general, Asia is a whole philosophy, time flows smoothly, nothing passes without a trace, everything is reborn and flows over to each other into a friend. Do you want to visit the most beautiful places in Asia? Then here are 10 countries, visiting which you will no longer be able to live as before.

1. Thailand

This country has won the laurels of the most popular resort destination for our compatriots. It has it all: a lazy beach holiday interesting excursions, picturesque nature, rich nightlife with parties, cocktails and Thai piquancy (well, you know what we are about). There are so many resorts that you can go to a new one every year. Pattaya, the islands of Phuket and Samui are larger and Phi Phi, Ko-Mak are smaller, but in general, there is a whole scattering of islands, on each of which you can find whatever you want.

2. Vietnam

Holidays in Vietnam are inexpensive in terms of food, entertainment, etc. That is why European youth love him, because here you can also surf and just relax lazily. The main resorts: Nha Trang, which is popular with active tourists, Phan Thiet, which is quieter, for which it is loved by couples with children, and Phukok, for those who love a luxurious vacation. From entertainment: excursions to national parks, boat trips to the islands, all sorts of unusual activities for us (like a trip on ostriches), as well as more familiar ones - for example, the Winperl Amusement Park on the island of the same name.

3. Sri Lanka

As many antiquities as there are in the legendary Ceylon, you are unlikely to be able to find anywhere else. Here is the ancient Sigirya - a majestic mountain, decorated giant statue lion, and Dambulla with the largest collection of Buddha statues, and Kandy - the ancient residence of the rulers, and Anuradhapura with a long history and the sacred Bodhi tree. And this is not the whole list, but we have not yet said a word about the wonderful quiet beaches with red sunsets, against which the silhouettes of local fishermen darken, sitting on special poles right in the sea.

4. China

Relatively recently, we learned that in China, in addition to the Great Wall of china and Pikin is seaside resorts... Meanwhile, the island of Hainan (also called "Eastern Hawaii") is very popular, both among the Chinese themselves and among Russian tourists... Rest here can be called calm. For those who get bored on the beach, we recommend to go on a couple of excursions and look at life and traditions local residents- whether tribes and Miao or receive medical treatment in healing springs.

5. India

If you want to visit the sea, then Goa and Kerala are waiting for you. Go- for hanging out in the north and complete relaxation in the south. We can say that this is not even India, but "little Portugal", everything is quite modern, there is not much local flavor, but there is a special atmosphere brought here by hippies: freedom, parties on the beach and so on. Kerala will appeal to those who want to get acquainted with Ayurveda, there are many centers of Indian medicine and yoga schools. There is also the famous golden triangle "Delhi-Agra-Jaipur", the city of Varanasi, Mumbai and many other cities, which are interesting to travel alone, but not at all safe.

6. Indonesia

In order to understand how you can actually relax on vacation, go to Bali or Java, or Sumatra, in general, to one of beautiful islands Indonesia, where calm and tranquility reigns against the backdrop of the Indian Ocean. See temples, play with monkeys. And if you want parties, clubs and entertainment, then, for example, Balinese Kuta is more than enough for you: an entire street entertainment establishments and a few surf training schools make up for your desire for activity.

7. Malaysia

If you are a follower beach holiday, then here you can get enough of it: the islands of Penang, Langkawi and Sipadan are simply created in order to enjoy the sea and the sun. And if you want to take a walk in the metropolis, then be sure to visit Kuala Lumpur, where you can visit the Bird Park, the famous Petronas Twin Towers and look into a couple of nightclubs.

8. Singapore

People usually visit Singapore in transit, because for a transit visit to the country (you have as much as 96 hours) you do not need a visa. During this time, you can visit the minimum must see, which is enough to form an opinion about the country. Visit Clar Key Quay in the dark to drown in the lights, look into Botanical Garden and of course, don't forget to take a couple of photos at the legendary rooftop pool at Marina Bay Sands with stunning views.

9.South Korea

This country is gaining more and more popularity among tourists. Getting here, one gets the impression of a leap into the future: the modern architecture of Seoul, the availability of Wi-Fi almost everywhere and a lot of newfangled entertainment. But history buffs will also find many interesting things for themselves: the royal palaces of the Joseon dynasty, temples and fortresses. And here you can improve your health and undergo diagnostics on modern equipment at a relatively inexpensive price.

10. Philippines

A trip to the wonderland, of course, will cost a pretty penny, but it is worth spending money to plunge into ancient Eastern traditions. Visit the healers' ceremony, appreciate the heritage of the Spanish conquistadors, admire the urban beauty of Manila, buy a couple of real pearl necklaces and conquer the Mayon volcano - here is a short list of things you can add your own.

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The best resorts in Southeast Asia

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Region Southeast Asia is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. The reason for this is the winter seasonality, unique exotic nature, a combination of skyscrapers and urbanization with white beaches and azure sea, where you can escape in the middle of our winter bad weather. A big plus - a wide selection of tour prices from democratic cane bungalows to chic hotel complexes with a worldwide reputation on.

Ready to dive headlong into the exotic? Then go ahead!

PATTAYA THAILAND

FANTIET VIETNAM

HAINAN CHINA

BALI INDONESIA

GOA INDIA

LANGKAWI MALAYSIA

BORACAY PHILIPPINES

SIANOUQUIL CAMBODIA

CRABY THAILAND

NYCHANG VIETNAM

For a European person, Asia is a fabulous and mysterious side of the World. People come here for impressions, for new knowledge, for answers to unsolvable riddles. And also to warm sea or the ocean, for exotic entertainment and culinary delights.

Asia begins just behind the Bosphorus. Turkey is a well-known country for the mass tourist. Unfortunately, few people perceive the country Central Asia as a vacation option. From distant countries Thailand is best known, but Cambodia or Vietnam are rarely considered as the final destination of a flight to the sea.

One of the most important attractions of traveling to Asia is food and accommodation prices. They are incredibly attractive and able to inspire tourists on the most modest budgets. Despite the long and expensive flight. In return, traveling to Asia gives the tourist the opportunity to save on housing and food so much that the high cost of the flight will not look so hopeless.

How to make your visit to an Asian country informal, exclusive and inexpensive? Which countries give a chance to tourists with a small wallet? What can you see, where to visit? We have dedicated this article to the answers to these important questions.

Turkey: an all-inclusive country

Tourists love the resorts of Turkey for their low cost of living, inexpensive food and fun entertainment. The abundance of ancient ruins, the secular nature of the state (all Muslim sights are available for tourists), sandy beaches and the opportunity to relax on the all-inclusive basis are the main attractions for the mass tourist. One cannot but add the command of the hotel and restaurant staff in Russian, which makes resort life easier for our travelers.

Independent travel to the resorts of Turkey is associated with many troubles. But as a result, the tourist pays more than the average tour offered by tour operators - 200 euros / week. So much is the trip alone, meals - breakfast only, accommodation in a 3 * hotel, out of season.

An independent flight to Antalya and back will cost the same two hundred euros (the cheapest in the PEGASUS company). Accommodation in a modest hotel - from 13 euros / day (91 euros / week) for a double room with breakfast.

Lunch in a modest restaurant will not cost more than 6-7 euros per person. If you eat on your own (many hotels have kitchens), then the daily consumption of food will not exceed 5-6 euros. In this case, it is better to shop at bazaars, and buy only dairy products and semi-finished products in supermarkets.

Excursions to any place interesting for tourists can be bought at tourist kiosks (by no means from street vendors!). A one-day tour to Ephesus or Didim with lunch included will cost about fifty euros per person.

Uzbekistan: the star of the East

A well-known country from Soviet times, today it is perhaps the most developed and pleasant country for tourists in the Central Asian region. If the capital - Tashkent - is not very interesting for travelers, then Khiva, Bukhara and Samarkand are able to satisfy the taste of the most sophisticated traveler, not to mention the novice tourist. Ancient mosques, mausoleums, palaces of emirs, endless bazaars, delicious cuisine and a warm climate - what else does a traveler need?

If you eat in numerous national street restaurants or coffee houses, then lunch will cost you no more than 4-5 euros. The fees for visiting attractions and museums are so low that you can hardly spend more than 5 euros per week visiting two or three places daily.

There is a very strict police force in Uzbekistan, tourists here feel protected and protected. It should also be added that all the stories about the incredible hospitality of the Uzbeks are true! You will certainly have many friends.

The climate is hot here, especially in summer. Therefore, for a visit, it is better to choose spring or autumn, when the temperature does not break records and you can not only sunbathe well, but also enjoy admiring mosques, medieval quarters, abundant bazaars and green gardens.

Flight from Moscow to Samarkand and back - 400 euros (UTair is the cheapest). Accommodation - from 21 euros / day (for two people in guest house near the historic center), breakfast - 3 euros.

India: home of Buddha

One of the most exotic and rich in cultural monuments countries in the world. It is interesting here both in big cities and in small villages. People often come here just to live and observe the life of people who neglect earthly blessings. On the other hand, many tourists are shocked by a visit to this country, the worldview of Indians and Europeans is so different.

The sights of India are so numerous and varied that it is difficult to choose the ten or twenty most outstanding ones. Hindu temples, Buddhist monasteries, ancient palaces and fortresses, the sacred Ganges and national parks with rhinos and tigers are hard to list.

India will be interesting for lovers of antiquity, admirers of natural beauty, seekers of the meaning of life and those who prefer a serene time on the beach. To save on transport, it is best to rent a scooter during the visit, it costs 50 euros / week. The vast majority of attractions are free. But in museums and cultural centers, entry tickets can cost up to 10 euros.

You can eat at street stalls (if your stomach is healthy and you can handle the spices easily) - a huge portion of a vegetarian dish of rice and vegetables - less than 1 euro. If you prefer moderately spicy European cuisine, then lunch at a restaurant will cost from 7 euros per person.

Visa to India for tourists costs 60 US dollars. You can arrange it on the Internet.

Flight from Moscow to Mumbai and back outside the season (April-September) - 415 euros (Turkish Airlines).

Housing in India is very cheap, but if you want to live in a room without beetles, but with air conditioning, you will have to pay from 10 euros per day (double room in city hotels of 2-3 * level).

Vietnam: a small country with great opportunities

Vietnam is not often seen as a holiday destination by budget travelers. Completely in vain! Holidays in this picturesque and hospitable country are cheaper than in the vaunted Thailand.

Russians can spend two weeks in Vietnam annually without a visa. The country offers tourists not only perfectly clean beaches and a warm, transparent sea, but also many of the most unexpected cultural and historical monuments, a kind of cuisine, a good-natured and smiling local population. And also in Vietnam it is unusually low prices for meals and overnight in a hotel or guest house.

Flight from Moscow to Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh and back - from 424 euros (offer from Emirates).

Double room in a modest but clean and modern hotel - from 8 euros / day.

Halong Bay, Hoi An, Mui Ne, Nha Trang - the names of the most attractive resort places in Vietnam say little to the budget tourist. Behind them are unusually beautiful places, cozy restaurants, comfortable hotels, distinctive festivals, green parks and Buddhist pagodas.

Eating in street cafes and eateries, you can easily meet 6-8 euros per day. Lunch at an expensive restaurant - 12-15 euros. Fruit in the land of victorious socialism is so cheap that many tourists switch to a fruit diet and spend no more than three or four euros per day on food. Travel costs can be easily kept to a minimum by renting a bike at € 30 / week.

Visiting attractions in organized groups, accompanied by a guide - from 35 euros for a day trip, including meals. Country tour (5 days) - 180-220 euros.

There is practically no street crime in Vietnam. The security level here is very high and the police work very efficiently.

Entrance to a beach party or a nightclub - from 2 euros.

Similar prices, entertainment and attractions in Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos. But air tickets to these countries will cost no less than 500 euros. In Sri Lanka, Nepal, and in China, the budget tourist will also feel confident and carefree.

In each of listed countries lots of exotic entertainment, affordable accommodation and delicious food. The main thing is to visit these countries not during high tourist season, and book tickets and hotels no later than six months in advance.

Asia is the largest part of the world. More than half of the world's population lives here.
In order to better understand the peculiarities of tourism development in this largest part of the world, the following regions should be distinguished: South-West Asia (Near and Middle East), South Asia, South East Asia, Central and East Asia.
Asia is attracting an increasing number of tourists due to the following factors:
- a huge territory, extremely capacious for receiving tourists (Asia is the largest part of the world);
- washing the shores of Asia by three oceans and dozens of their seas and bays;
- the location of this part of the world in all climatic regions, significant diversity and wealth natural landscapes and recreational resources;
- the presence of a huge number of historical and cultural monuments, as well as natural attractions;
- finding the world's most important shrines and centers of pilgrimage in Asia;
- ethnic diversity of the continent;
- the location in Asia of the states with the highest population in the world: China, India;
- the rapid pace of economic development of a number of states: Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, China, etc.
Along with these favorable conditions, there are a number of negative factors that hinder the development of tourism in Asia. First of all, it should be noted:
- unfavorable natural conditions for tourism in the vast territories of a number of countries (deserts, highlands with difficult terrain, jungle, etc.);
- poor development of transport infrastructure in a number of countries;
- the dominance of ideological interests over economic interests in a number of countries, as a consequence of this, the economic backwardness of these countries, their unpreparedness to receive tourists, lack of service (DPRK, Mongolia, Cambodia, Vietnam, Iran, Iraq);
lack of internal political and economic stability in a number of Asian countries (Afghanistan, Lebanon, Iran, Iraq).
The main purpose of visiting Asia by tourists from other parts of the world is to get acquainted with the culture, historical and natural sights. Business travel and congress tourism are most typical for Japan, South Korea, Singapore, China. Israel is visited for the purpose of treatment and worship of religious values.
External tourism relations in Asia are carried out mainly
aviation. Most flights are operated by international planes.
airlines, a smaller part - by companies owned
countries of Asia.

Due to the wide range of climatic conditions, there is no specific season of arrivals in Asia, but it can be traced in individual regions.
The main tourist market for Asia is the countries of Europe (of which the former metropolises of Great Britain and France, as well as Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, the Scandinavian states, stand out), the USA and Canada. The largest tourist flows from Africa are from the Maghreb countries to Mecca and Medina, and from East Africa to India, Pakistan and Iran. There are relatively large flows of tourists from Australia and New Zealand, especially to Southeast and South Asia. Japan stands out from the Asian countries in the intra-Asian flows.
Flows from Asia to other parts of the world are comparatively small, and the Asian tourism market does not yet match its huge population. Today, the Japanese and residents of a number of countries in South-West Asia travel beyond this part of the world more than others.

Southwest Asia

This region covers a huge and extremely heterogeneous geographically, historically and socio-economically territory. This includes 16 states: Afghanistan, Bahrain, Israel, Jordan, Iraq, Iran, Yemen, Qatar, Cyprus, Kuwait, Lebanon, United United Arab Emirates, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Turkey. It should be noted that the conventional concept of "Near and Middle East" is somewhat broader than "South-West Asia", since it covers the territory of the states of South-West Asia, as well as Egypt and Sudan. Profitable geographical position some states and regions are combined with the remoteness and isolation of others; favorable climatic and landscape conditions for tourism and resort business, as well as a variety of recreational resources in some countries - with desert, arid (in most of the Arabian Peninsula) in others. There are also serious political differences: in a number of states in the region, monarchies (including absolute ones) with strong remnants of feudal and tribal relations have survived, but the republican form of government still prevails.

In general, Southwest Asia can be considered one of the most promising regions for the development of tourism. Wide access to many seas and bays of the Atlantic and Indian oceans, as well as to the Caspian Sea, the geographical position at the junction of the three parts of the world, various relief and climatic conditions, a large number of sunny days, unique natural attractions, numerous historical, cultural and religious monuments, the presence of a developed tourist infrastructure in a number of states (Cyprus, Turkey, Israel) - all these and many other factors contribute to the widespread attraction of guests from other parts of the world, as well as the development of tourist exchange within the region.

Southwest Asia includes the states of the Near and Middle East with an ancient history and a predominantly Muslim culture. The exception is Israel - a country of immigration and widespread Judaism with its shrines. Historically, the city of Jerusalem is currently located on the territory of Israel, where the shrines of three religions are located: Judaism, Christianity, Islam. This, on the one hand, attracts a large number of tourists, partly pilgrims, and on the other, it creates the basis for constant conflicts, which also affects the scale of tourism.

In the countries of this zone, tourists are attracted by the warm sea (especially the Mediterranean, washing the shores of Turkey, Cyprus, Lebanon, Syria, Israel), and the subtropical climate. Fans of educational tourism are attracted by ancient cities or their ruins, numerous cities with their historical and cultural heritage - Istanbul (Turkey), Amman (Jordan), the ancient cities of Lebanon Baalbek, Sayda, as well as the organized tourist center Beirut, Nicosia (Cyprus), Iranian cities Tehran, Isfahan, Shiraz, Hamadan, etc.

Individual countries of the Arab East, as well as Turkey, attract many "shuttle traders" - participants in shopping tours. Afghanistan has interesting tourist opportunities, but the events of recent decades make it impossible to use them. The following tourist macro-regions are present in South-West Asia: Cyprus and Turkey, Palestine, Arab states (the Middle East), the Middle East.

Cyprus is a state located on the island of the same name in the northeastern Mediterranean.

Cyprus first gained independence in 1960, but in 1974 Turkish troops landed on the island. After that, the northern territory of the country was ceded to Turkey. There are no diplomatic relations between the Greek and Turkish parts. The Turkish part is closed for entry from the Greek side.

The territory of the Greek part of the island (Republic of Cyprus) is 5.9 thousand square meters. km, the Turkish part (Northern Cyprus) - 3.35 thousand sq. km. The coast of the island in the northern part is indented and rocky, the south of the island is flat, with long sandy beaches... In the center and in the south-west of the island is the vast old volcanic Troodos massif (the highest point is Mount Olympos, 1951 m). The vast and fertile Mesaoria valley stretches between the mountains.

In ancient times, Cyprus was the center of Mediterranean trade, which led to the mixing of cultural monuments of all European civilizations on its land. The capital of the country is Nicosia with the Center for Applied Arts located there, the Archbishop's Square with the Palace of the Archbishop, the Gate of Ammochostos and the Statue of Liberty, the archaeological museum, the Venetian walls (XVI century) with the Gate of Famagusta and the ring of the Municipal Park outside, the Church of Chrysaliniotissa, built by the mosque of Oumeria, 1450 , the churches of Tripiotis and Faneromeni, cathedral e. John, built in 1662.

Limassol It is best known for its beaches, medieval museum, old castles and winemaking. Monuments Larnaca are the Larnaca Fortress (1625); Jami Kebir Mosque; church of ev. Lazarus; Laiki Getonya (one of the old quarters); the Angeloktistos church; Hala Sultan Tekke Mosque (1816), one of the main Muslim shrines (since Umm Haram, the aunt of the Prophet Muhammad is buried here); aqueduct (used for its intended purpose until 1939); catholic cathedral of ev. Sofia (XIII century); Archaeological Museum; royal chapel of ev. Katerina.

Within the resort Pathos interesting are the Port Fortress, the Pathos Mosaics, entered in the register of the world cultural heritage UNESCO, Panaya Limeniotissa, Odeon theater, catacombs of ev. Solomon, the Royal Tombs, the Church of Chrysopolitessa and the Column of s. Paul, "House of Theseus", "Villa

Dionysus ”, the beach of Aphrodite, the Bay of Curene, the ancient Roman city of Curium with its Greco-Roman theater, the Kolossi castle. The monuments of ancient culture in Salamis are the tomb of St. Catherine, the Costello castle in Famagusta, the Gothic cathedral of St. Nicholas.

Sea resorts Cyprus are Limassol, Protaras, Lara Beach with a breeding station sea ​​turtles, Latchi, Cape Greco, Polis, numerous beach resorts southwest coast. Mountain chain Troodos, where the summer residence of the President of Cyprus is located, provides opportunities for mountain tourism.

Turkey is a state in the southeast of Europe and Western Asia, with a total area of ​​780.6 thousand square meters. km and a population of 80 million people. Capital - Ankara. In the northwest it borders on Bulgaria and Greece, in the northeast - with Georgia and Armenia, in the east - with Iran, in the south - with Iraq and Syria. In the north it is washed by the Black and Marmara seas, in the south - by the Mediterranean Sea, in the west - Aegean Sea... The European part of Turkey (Eastern Thrace, or Roumelia) is a hilly plateau about 1000 m above sea level. Asian part(Asia Minor, or Anatolia) is limited by the mountain ranges of the Pontic Mountains in the north and the Taurus system in the south, between which the Anatolian Highlands (average elevation up to 1000 m) are located, with river valleys and cones of extinct volcanoes in the east.

Turkey attracts recreational tourists: seaside areas(along the Mediterranean, Aegean, Marmara, Black Seas) are known for their favorable conditions (warm sea, subtropical climate), which contributed to the emergence famous resorts Antalya, Alanya, Kemer, Belek, Side, Izmir, Marmaris, etc. (Figure 9.1). There are resorts in the interior of Turkey, famous for their mineral springs. For example, springs near the city of Bursa were used by the Byzantines. Lovers winter holiday attracted by modern ski resorts Palandoken, Uludag, etc.

But, of course, Turkey is also famous for its historical and cultural values. Many of them are concentrated on the shore

Symbols Excursion centers ^ Ski resorts A Sea resorts

The boundaries of the tourist

recreational areas

Tourist and recreational

• 1 Region of the Sea of ​​Marmara
• 2 Aegean region
• District 3 Mediterranean Sea
• 4 Central Anatolia
• 5 Black Sea Region
• 6 Eastern Anatolia
• 7 Southeast Anatolia

Rice. 9.1. Tourist and recreational centers in Turkey

Chapter 9. International tourism in Asia

the Bosphorus in Istanbul(in the past - the capital of Byzantium, Constantinople, in ancient Russian documents - Constantinople). The transformation of an Orthodox Byzantine city into a Muslim city changed its appearance: Orthodox churches turned into mosques. There are many of them, therefore, there are also many minarets. The most famous temple is the outstanding work of Byzantine architecture, Hagia Sophia. There are also museums in Istanbul, including archaeological (with the sarcophagus of Alexander the Great), antiquity, conquerors, Muslim art, etc., the church of St. Irina, choral monastery church, church Holy Mother of God, mosques - Ahmed (Blue Mosque), Mikrimakhi, Selim the Conqueror, Bayazid, Suleiman, Eyyup, underground palaces-reservoirs, the remains of a Byzantine fortress. In the XX century. Istanbul is largely Europeanized.

Other centers of educational tourism in Turkey: the capital Ankara(where ancient buildings and the mausoleum of the founder of modern Turkey Ataturk (Kemal Pasha) are located; Homer's homeland Izmir, which is famous for antiquities and annual fairs; Bursa, Adana, Erzurum with their antiquities and numerous mosques. Aspendos is a city created by colonists after the Trojan War , in which there are many beautiful buildings, including the theater-palace of the architect Zeno (II century) and the Roman arched aqueduct; Mira - ancient capital Lycia, "the land of light rays", famous for its necropolis, carved into the rocks, as well as the church of St. Nicholas, a place of pilgrimage for Christians. There are many nature reserves in the country - Olympos-Beydaglari, Munzur-Vadisi, Koprulu Canyon, etc.

Most of Turkey is plateaus and not high mountains, which in the east of the country move to the highlands. There is the Ararat massif, sacred to Armenians (but located after the First World War on the territory of Turkey), where, according to the biblical legend, Noah completed his journey, the large and picturesque Lake Van. So in the east of Turkey there are many elements of natural attraction ™. However, so far this undoubtedly potentially resort area has been little developed.

Palestine. This macro-region includes the state of Israel, inhabited mainly by Jews (indigenous people and immigrants), and Arab territories that have been fighting for the creation of an Arab Palestinian state for many decades.

The territory of Palestine has seen many historical events in its lifetime. Suffice it to say that the very first city in the world was discovered in the Jordan Valley - Jericho ("the city of dates"), which is seven thousand years old.

Jerusalem, the city of three historical denominations (Jewish, Christian and Muslim) attracts the largest number of tourists. Among the historical and cultural monuments, it is enough to name the Jewish Wailing Wall, Christian shrines - the chapel of the Holy Sepulcher, Golgotha, where Christ was crucified, the rock where he prayed (and many more places associated with evangelical subjects). According to Islam, the Muslim prophet Muhammad later ascended to heaven from the rock where Christ prayed (the mosque of Omar was built here). It is no coincidence that during the division of Palestine after World War II, the UN decided on a special status for Jerusalem, which is historically divided into the Old and New City.

South of Jerusalem is located Bethlehem, over which, according to legend, a star was lit when Jesus Christ was born. A grandiose temple was built here.

Tel Aviv- the capital of Israel (although the country's leadership considers Jerusalem as the capital, which is not recognized by most countries in the world) with its Museum of Mediterranean Art "Haaretz", an art gallery. Among the streets of Tel Aviv there are streets Korolenko, Zola, etc. Jaffa, in contrast to the young Tel Aviv, dating back several centuries of its existence. In this city you can walk along the streets of Pushkin, Pestalozzi, Michelangelo, Gorky, Ozheshko, Dante.

In the area of ​​cities Haifa and Natanya on the Mediterranean coast, as well as in the Eilat region in the Arabian Gulf of the Red Sea, there are seaside resorts. There are resorts on the coast of the Dead Sea located below ocean level, the very high salinity of the waters of which allows swimmers to freely float on the water. A corresponding infrastructure has been created for tourists in Israel.

The Arab countries of Southwest Asia include virtually the entire area, with the exception of Palestine, Israel and the Middle East. In essence, we are talking about the Middle East or most of Western Asia (from Lebanon in the northwest to Yemen in the southeast). All these are Muslim Arab states.

With the exception of some outskirts - Mediterranean Lebanon and partly Syria in the northwest and "happy Arabia" (southern Yemen) on the edge of the Arabian Peninsula - all countries in the region are arid desert and semi-desert territories. Therefore, civilization developed only where it was possible to create irrigation systems at the expense of rivers (as in Mesopotamia) or groundwater - in oases. From the middle of the XX century. oil is extracted in many countries of the region, which leads to the formation of oases on an "industrial basis" due to the supply of water from deep horizons or desalination of seawater. In the course of these processes, a modern civilization is formed with all its pluses and minuses. In particular, the centers of this new civilization attract a large number of shuttle tourists from the CIS countries to the countries of the region. In some states of the region, modern sea resorts appear on the shores of the seas. There are also mountain resorts in the cities of Lebanon. All this serves the development of recreational tourism.

Almost in all countries of the macroregion there are many historical and cultural attractions - monuments of distant millennia and centuries. So, on the territory Lebanon one of the earliest human settlements is located - Baalbek, where the ruins of religious buildings dedicated to Jupiter, statues, sculptural images Venus, Bacchus, rows of columns and sculptures, stairs. One of the oldest settlements in Lebanon is the city of Sayda. The very same capital of the country - Beirut - along with the old quarters is distinguished by quite modern buildings, corresponding to the role of Beirut as a center of finance and culture.

V Syria The ancient cities of Palmyra and Aleppo with their monuments of Hellenistic art are of great interest to tourists. The capital of the country Damascus attracts with objects of Muslim culture, among which one of the most famous shrines of Islam - the Omayyad Mosque.

Muslim architecture is typical for most areas of the capital Iraq- Baghdad. The Nazimiya Mosque, or the Golden Mosque, is very famous, decorated with four minarets with gilded domes (which is a rarity in such structures). The city has many modern buildings and monuments stylized in the spirit of Muslim traditions. Away from the capital, located on the banks of the Tigris River, are the ruins of ancient cities, including Babylon. There are in Iraq (in the north and north-east of the country) and summer alpine resorts. Despite the undoubted tourist attraction of Lebanon, Syria and Iraq, the flow of tourists to these countries is limited due to political instability.

Others are much less interesting for educational tourism. Arab countries of the Middle East: Jordan, Yemen, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain. In these countries, whose economies are based on oil production (Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates), modern cities are attracting attention.

Saudi Arabia occupies a special place among the countries of the Middle East. It is on its territory that the main places of pilgrimage for Muslims are located - sacred cities Mecca (with a black stone Kaaba) and Medina, cities associated with the activities of the Prophet Muhammad and the birth of Islam. Hundreds of thousands, and in some years even millions of Muslims from all over the world come here as pilgrims. The pilgrimage (hajj) brings huge profits to the country, and the pilgrims "attach" themselves to eternal life in paradise. The city of Jeddah is located on the country's Red Sea coast, through which thousands of pilgrims go. There are also several historical monuments, among which, according to legend, the grave of the first woman Eve.

Saudi Arabia covers an area of ​​1.6 - 2.4 million square meters. km (according to various sources). The population of the country is over 18 million people, the capital Riyadh.

United Arab Emirates (UAE)- a country with an area of ​​83.6 thousand square meters. km and a population of more than 2 million people - this is a bright sun 360 days a year and a warm clear sea, landscapes of the desert with oases and zones of red sands, wadis (dry river estuaries) and dunes, peaks of the Al Hajars massif, numerous key lakes of volcanic origin and color palette of stones.

The coral reefs of Kor Fakan are famous for flora and fauna underwater world, and the coast of the Persian Gulf is famous for its golden sands and exceptional transparency of water. Hotels on the seashore offer tourists swimming pools and comfortable hotel beaches, equipped with everything you need.

The capital of the UAE is Abu Dhabi. In the city of Dubai there are ancient Arab buildings of the Bastakiya district, the Dubai Historical Museum (Al Fahidi Fort), the Jumeirah Mosque, Sheikh Said Palace, the Historical Village Museum, the Dubai Zoo - the best in the Middle East, Wonderland - one of the largest water parks in Asia. Once a year, Dubai hosts the world's largest shopping festival, attracting over 2 million visitors. The Dubai Arab Tower Hotel (Burj Al Arab) is the world's tallest hotel (321 m high). Hatta - mountain resort territorially belonging to the emirate Dubai, located in the center of the Hajar mountain range and is beautiful place surrounded by palm trees, transparent lakes and small farms.

In the city of Ajman there is a museum, which is located in a fort built at the end of the 18th century, and until the end of the 1970s. which is the residence of the emir. Its exposition includes a collection of archaeological finds, ancient manuscripts, weapons, reconstructed traditional Arab rooms and a market.

Emirate Ras el-Khaimah represented by ancient cities (Yulfar is a flourishing pearl trade center in the past, Digdag is the largest Old city Ras al-Khaimah), Khatt hot springs, the emirate museum (a huge military fort) with traditional household items, jewelry, archaeological finds, the oldest of which dates back to the 1st millennium BC.

In the emirate Umm al-Quwain("Source of strength") are located: Falaj Al Muala - a huge date garden, surrounded by high dunes; water park "Dreamland" with an artificial volcano 18 m high with simulated fire, lighting effects, numerous water attractions; Fujairah city with sandy beaches and mountain headlands is one of the best places for snorkeling.

Merejah, the "museum treasury of the UAE", is the oldest district in the emirate Sharjah where are located: one of the largest in the Middle East, the King Faisal Mosque, which can accommodate up to 3000 worshipers; numerous museums and exhibitions, beaches of Khalid lagoon. New, but already popular entertainment in the UAE - skiing on the sand, rallying by car in the desert.

The countries of the Middle East are Iran and Afghanistan.

Iran- a country of diverse nature and ancient history. Nature lovers will find in Iran the seas and rivers, plains (low and elevated) and high Elbrus mountains with the main peak Demavend (in the north of the country), various forests, dry steppes, semi-deserts and deserts, healing mineral springs and curative mud. In Iran, there are many monuments of Muslim culture (civil and religious buildings) - in the capital Tehran, the cities of Isfahan, Tabriz, Mashhad, Qazvin, etc. At present, due to the difficult international situation of Iran (largely due to its isolation), the flow of tourists to the country very limited.

Afghanistan - multinational Mountain country, where military operations have been going on for many years. Therefore, and also due to the very low level of development of the tourist infrastructure, the harsh, but impressive nature of Afghanistan, and its historical and cultural sites located in the capital Kabul, the cities of Herat, Kandahar, etc. remain unclaimed. One of the most famous tourism objects throughout Asia - Biamin. In this depression, located in the central part of the country at an altitude of more than 2 thousand meters, there are rocks dug by hundreds of caves, and in the rocks there are two carved 50-meter statues of Buddha. The Shahar-i-Gulgula fortress is located on the hill. The possibilities of the winter resort of Jalalabad, hunting and observing local ritual holidays are not in demand either.