Dec 29 2008
Kick start the new year- the new way
* Watch the sun rise over the new year at Angkor Wat, Siem Reap, Cambodia
Angkor Wat is magnificent; its sheer scale is enough to make your jaw drop. Based on early South Indian architecture, this colossal temple complex is an architectural representation of the mythical Mount Meru, home to the devas in Hindu methodology. So, what could be more mystical than catching the first sunrise of the 2009 at this awe-inspiring wonder? Watch as the sky softens from ink black to blue before warm hues of red from the rising sun cast an eternal glow on the five peaks of the temple, bringing to light a well-preserved ancient monument. It’s an experience to be savored.
* Conquer Mount Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia
What better way to kick start the new year than challenging yourself to scale a mountain? While Mount Kinabalu is the highest mountain in Malaysia, it’s not a difficult climb. Its immense granite peak affords a spectacular view of sunrise over the summit, where clouds roll in along the mountainous spine that stretches towards the horizon. A two-day climb, you can spend New Year’s Eve at Kinabalu park, which is a biologically diverse UNESCO World Heritage site, before ascending to the summit at dawn the next day.
