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Special Feature<br />
Explore Eastern Europe via<br />
Bucharest, Transylvania, Budapest,<br />
Bratislava and Vienna<br />
Kick off your journey by embarking from Bucharest, travelling<br />
northward through the Carpithian mountains to the infamous<br />
Romanian region, Transylvania and make a mandatory stop<br />
at Bran Castle which is claimed to be the old stomping grounds<br />
of Count Dracula himself.<br />
Take the Transfagarasan mountain road, one of the most<br />
incredibly beautiful routes in the world, towards the age-old<br />
cities and countless castles of Sibu, Brasov and Sighisoara. Then<br />
set course to the unexplored architectural gems of Timisoara.<br />
Carry on towards the tranquil baths and hip ruin pubs of<br />
bustling Budapest, Hungary and be prepared to stay at least<br />
a few days. Depart for Bratislava – Slovakia's capital and full<br />
of surprises – from where it’s only an hour further to the<br />
coffeehouses and eclectic architectures of Vienna, Austria.<br />
Best for: Anyone looking for a break from the conventional<br />
tourism of western Europe.<br />
Need to know: Exercise caution when driving through<br />
tunnels. Though the weather outside may be fine, tunnels<br />
are often slippery.<br />
Jiuzhaigou Valley, Sichuan, China<br />
Jiuzhaigou is home to local Tibetan villages and over 100<br />
lakes. The scenery along the route from Chengdu to the Valley<br />
is the very least, spellbinding. Both Chengdu and Jiuzhaigou<br />
are located in Sichuan Province, one in the middle and another<br />
in the north. Chengdu, the capital city of Sichuan, is the most<br />
important gateway hub to transfer to Jiuzhaigou for both<br />
flight and driving.<br />
This route is about 440km and mostly chosen by travellers.<br />
Nearly half the road is expressway. Another half is well-paved<br />
roads. Generally it takes between 8 and 9 hours taking this<br />
way to drive from Chengdu to Jiuzhaigou. Travellers will have<br />
enough free time to visit Wenchuan Earthquake Ruin, Taoping<br />
Qiang Village and Songpan Ancient City. Like many travellers<br />
prefer, you can accommodate at Songpan or Chuanzhusi<br />
instead of directly getting to Jiuzhaigou Valley so that you<br />
can first visit Huanglong, then transfer to Jiuzhaigou Valley<br />
within only two hours. Notable lakes include the Mirror Lake<br />
which allows you to see beautiful reflections of the surrounding<br />
nature when the water is calm and the Five Flower Lake which<br />
has ancient fallen tree trunks that proves to be a magnificent<br />
sight at the bottom of the lake.<br />
Best for: Its many lakes! In autumn, Jiuzhaigou is splendid.<br />
The colourful plants reflect on the sparkling and translucent<br />
lakes under the bright blue sky.<br />
Need to know: Unless you are skilled driver, it is<br />
recommended that you hire someone who is familiar with<br />
the local conditions, since some sections of the road are<br />
hazardous and especially dangerous at night.<br />
Eastern Europe<br />
Sichuan, China<br />
100
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