Travels Jessica Knowlden Travels Jessica Knowlden

Wild & Curious Deer of Nara Park

Located in the Kansai region just south of Kyoto and east of Osaka, Nara is a true hidden gem. It's home to many early emperor palaces, large Shinto shrines and over 1,200 wild and hungry deer that roam freely.

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Travels Jessica Knowlden Travels Jessica Knowlden

Yala National Park

The quiet town of Tissamaharama is known for Buddhist monasteries, beautiful beaches and wildlife reserves like Yala National Park, where visitors can join a wildlife safari. It's steeped in history and was once the capital of the Sinhalese Kingdom of Ruhuna as early as the 3rd century BC.

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Travels Jessica Knowlden Travels Jessica Knowlden

Hot Air Balloons & Fairy Chimneys of Cappadocia

Central Turkey's dry region of Cappadocia is known for its magical fairy chimneys, hot air balloons and mysterious caves. To unwind, enjoy hookah, browse for local artifacts or smash a fiery clay pot overflowing withf testi kebab for dinner.

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Travels Jessica Knowlden Travels Jessica Knowlden

Fushimi Inari Taishaโ€™s 10 Thousand Torii Gates

Over 10,000 torii gates line the path to Fushimi Inari Taisha, the head shrine of the deity Inari ลŒkami and spirit of foxes, fertility, rice, tea, sake, agriculture, industry, general prosperity and worldly success. Placing offerings helps protect visitors from evil forces.

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Travels Jessica Knowlden Travels Jessica Knowlden

Nuwara Eliyaโ€™s City of Light

Once a retreat for the British elite and colonial planters of the countryโ€™s tea industry, Nuwara Eliya lies in the misty hills of central Sri Lanka with the nickname, โ€œCity of Light.โ€ The town has a temperate, chilly climate and is littered with colonial style bungalows and tea plantations.

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Travels Jessica Knowlden Travels Jessica Knowlden

Charming Temples, Gardens & Geisha of Kyoto

Coined the "City of a Thousand Temples," Kyoto oozes old world charm, steeped in centuries of spiritual tradition. It's also the perfect jumping off point for areas like Fushimi Inari Taisha, Arashiyama Bamboo Forest and Nara Park.

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Travels Jessica Knowlden Travels Jessica Knowlden

East Meets West: One City, Two Continents

Formerly Constantinople, Istanbul straddles both Europe and Asia across the Bosphorus Strait and is the largest city and main seaport in Turkey. Delight in all things spices, traditional meze, Turkish baths and towering mosques.

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Travels Jessica Knowlden Travels Jessica Knowlden

Elephant Safari at Minneriya National Park

A small town in Sri Lanka, Minneriya is famous for two things โ€” the great Minneriya Lake and Minneriya National Park. Declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1938, the park is an incredible location for safari lovers and known for its abundance of roaming elephants.

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Travels Jessica Knowlden Travels Jessica Knowlden

Ancient City of Polonnaruwa

Traveling from Sigiriya, the ancient city of Polonnaruwa can be reached in no time. Polonnaruwa was the second capital of Sri Lanka and first established as a military post by the Sinhalese kingdom. Today, it's a remarkable UNESCO World Heritage Site consisting of sacred temples, stupas and other religious monuments.

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Travels Jessica Knowlden Travels Jessica Knowlden

Tokyo: Largest Metropolitan in the World

Tokyo is the largest metropolitan in the world and a wildly alive city. The mecca for all things anime and gaming, gourmet food and shopping, modern theater and opera, traditional kabuki and noh theater, modern skyscrapers and traditional Japanese wooden buildings, Tokyo has it all.

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Travels Jessica Knowlden Travels Jessica Knowlden

All You Need to Know Before Visiting Japan

Though I'd already lived in Asia, some of Japan's rules were simply lost on me. And as predicted, it was a tough country to explore on my own. Tricky transportation, swarming tourists and wild weather were a challenge to navigate.

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Travels Jessica Knowlden Travels Jessica Knowlden

Elephant Watching in Pinnawala

Pinnawala is a village near Sri Lanka's capital city of Colombo. The small village is special because of its elephant orphanage, nursery and captive breeding ground for wild Asian elephants. Pop over for a night and grab a room overlooking the elephant's watering hole.

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