InfoAnda - Afghanistan's stunning lakes thirst for tourism

Pakistanis angry over detentions in Times Sq. case
Monday, May 24, 2010
ISLAMABAD – Relatives of three men detained by Pakistan for alleged links to the suspect in the attempted Times Square bombing say the men are innocent.
They

Taiwan denies boycotting Australian film festival
Thursday, August 6, 2009

AFP - Thursday, August 6TAIPEI (AFP) - - Taiwan's Beijing-friendly government on Wednesday denied boycotting an Australian film festival amid a row over the e

Merkel's support dips, regional ally resigns International
Thursday, September 3, 2009

By Sarah Marsh and Noah Barkin

BERLIN (Reuters) - Chancellor Angela Merkel suffered a double blow on Thursday as a senior party ally in east German

Minister seeks closure of anti-Berlusconi websites
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
ROME (AFP) - – The Italian government moved Tuesday to close down Internet sites encouraging further violence against Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who

Asian markets mixed after Wall Street rally
Wednesday, March 18, 2009

By ELAINE KURTENBACH,AP Business Writer AP - Wednesday, March 18SHANGHAI - Asia's stock market rally seemed to be running out of steam Wednesday, despite an

US Congress passes 3.5-trillion-dollar budget plan | 3 April 2009
Top US, South Korea officials hold trade pact talks | 8 November 2010
Lebanon agrees Hezbollah right to use arms against Israel | 26 November 2009

Alibaba to pay $140 million special dividend | 11 December 2010

">Forum Views () ">Forum Replies ()

Read more with google mobile : Afghanistan's stunning lakes thirst for tourism

Navigation Primary Navigation Home Singapore Asia Pacific World Business Entertainment Sports Technology Top Stories Most Popular Secondary Navigation Australia China India Indonesia Japan Malaysia Philippines Thailand Vietnam Search Search: Afghanistan's stunning lakes thirst for tourism AFP - Tuesday, November 25 BAND-E-AMIR, Afghanistan (AFP) - - During Afghanistan's 1960s hippy trail heyday, Band-e-Amir's six mineral-rich lakes and pink cliffs were the country's holiday paradise, visited by tens of thousands of domestic and foreign tourists every summer. Swan-shaped pedal boats bob in the sapphire-blue lakes of Band-e-Amir as tradesmen peddle their wares on the shore. Then, as if from nowhere, two US Black Hawks roar low over the water. Welcome to tourism Afghan-style, in one of the war-torn country's few national parks, about 80 kilometres (42 miles) from the town of Bamiyan where the Taliban destroyed the world's tallest Buddha statues in 2001. "Before the war," sighed Shah Is'haq, a 68-year-old jewellery salesmen perched on the bank of the placid waters, "thousands of foreigners were coming here. The life, back then, was very good." "Those days are now gone," said Is'haq, mourning Afghanistan's woes from the 1979-89 Soviet occupation, to the ensuing civil war, the 1996-2001 Islamist Taliban regime and now the US-led fight against Taliban insurgents. The roads around the lakes were heavily mined by local militias and the Taliban in the 1990s, and only a dirt track is safe. The journey from Kabul takes a bone-shaking 12 hours, and passes through some areas where attacks have taken place. But the brightly coloured pedalos and trinket sellers at the lakes -- dubbed Afghanistan's Grand Canyon -- hint at growing efforts to bring back the golden tourist years despite the violence. In Bamiyan city, Italian tourist Alessandro Califano said he was aware of the security problems in Afghanistan but had not faced any difficulties himself. "I think it is a wonderful place," Califano, a museum curator in his native Rome, said at a hotel overlooking the niches in a huge sandstone cliff that once housed the two 1,500-year-old Buddha statues. "Even if the Buddhas have been blown into the air, it has a certain aura. The natural setting is simply fabulous," he said. "The only threat I faced here was finding a scorpion in the bath," Califano said, smiling. Otherwise it was "safe and pleasant". Despite the destruction of the statues in March 2001, officials and residents argue that Bamiyan province can still claw back lucrative tourism. The remains of the statues were declared a UN World Heritage Site in 2003, while the Afghan government has submitted the lakes for recognition on the same list. Bamiyan city opened a rudimentary tourist centre in late October, backed by the New Zealand government which has a small military contingent there, and is now planning a map of key sites and an institute to train hotel workers. "We are working on a project for Bamiyan tourism," said Habiba Sorabi, the provincial governor and the only woman to hold such a position in Afghanistan. With the population mainly comprising Shi'ite Muslim ethnic Hazaras who loathe the Taliban, Bamiyan is a relative oasis of peace in Afghanistan. This year for example, more than 1,000 "foreigners" visited the scenic valley and Band-e-Amir, the governor said over green tea in her hilltop office. But getting central government funds to pave the bumpy road through green valleys and barren mountains from Kabul is a priority for getting tourists to the area, Sorabi said. "So let's hope for the future," she said. In Kabul, officials share the same hopes but admit that reviving tourism could be tough, with Afghanistan's infrastructure still in ruins and security suffering from the worsening Taliban insurgency. Nearly 70,000 NATO and US-led troops are still in Afghanistan, and US president-elect Barack Obama has said that he plans to begin pulling US troops out of Iraq to switch the military focus to the Central Asian nation. Under its five-year national development blueprint, the Afghan government says it plans to promote tourism and encourage private investment in the industry. "We have the plans in front of us," Deputy Information, Culture and Tourism Minister Ghulam Nabi Farhai said in Kabul. "At this time the biggest challenge ahead is security." He added: "If we have security, if we have good roads and hotels, Afghanistan with its beautiful landscape, its pleasant climate and rich culture and history will become a perfect place for tourists." Muqeem Jamshedi, the owner of Afghan Logistics and Tours, one of the few tourism firms established in Kabul after the fall of the Taliban, says Bamiyan and the lakes should be on any tourist's wish-list. "Bamiyan and Band-e-Amir are the must-go places," said Jamshedi. More than 150 "foreign tourists" have visited the valley this year through his company, which provides transport, hotel and security services, he added. A former journalist, Jamshedi set up the company months after the fall of the Taliban in 2001, with high hopes that tourists would soon flood his country. But so far, he said, his dreams have yet to come true. "Tourists can't bring security, it's the security which brings the tourists. I hope for that security," he said. Email Story IM Story Printable View Blog This Recommend this article Average (0 votes) Sign in to recommend this article » Most Recommended Stories » Related Articles: Asia Pacific Japanese knifeman planned more attacks: officialsAFP - 18 minutes ago Indian film festival scraps documentary after protestsAFP - 23 minutes ago More lay—offs seen in Q1 2009, but contract work opportunities to riseChannel NewsAsia - 45 minutes ago India, Nepal officials discuss flood, cooperationAP - 51 minutes ago ASEAN & MERCOSUR officials meet to discuss how to enhance co—operationChannel NewsAsia - 1 hour 4 minutes ago Enlarge Photo Afghanistan's stunning lakes thirst for tourism Most Popular – Asia Pacific Viewed Massive 300-billion dollar rescue for Citigroup Obama plans second stimulus package of up to 700 bln dlrs: report Michael Jackson strikes 'amicable' deal with Arab sheikh Standard Chartered to raise $2.66 billion in rights issue Over 200 narwhal trapped in Canadian ice View Complete List » Search: Home Singapore Asia Pacific World Business Entertainment Sports Technology Top Stories Most Popular

Other News on Monday, 24 November 2008
Stricken German public bank KfW expects further losses
SKorea, China set up military hotlines
Get your hands on Fahrenheit. Save their faces.
Aska Yang sues manager for defamation and wants to annul the contract
CPI up 6.4% on higher housing costs and food prices
Investors see value in battered Asian property
Top UN delegation visiting Afghanistan
Dee Hsu and Kevin Tsai quit from hosting "A Million Star"
Joe Ma Tak-Chung's career goes downhill as he refuses to have meals with TVB management?
Malay royal questions ban on yoga for Muslims
Malaysia labor activist acquitted after long fight
China state media blast new Guns N' Roses album
UN urged to impose naval blockade against Somali pirates
Thai economy slows sharply in third quarter
Bank of Korea to supply up to 3.4 bln dlrs for bond fund
NKorea serious about restricting border traffic
Financial crisis steers APEC back to basics
China Life interested in AIG's Asia assets
Reports: Chinese appliance tycoon in share probe
Top UN delegation visiting Afghanistan
Asia-Pacific leaders sound upbeat note on crisis
Baghdad blasts kill 19 as parliament mulls US troops pact
UN Security Council team in Afghanistan
Red Army Faction member to be released: German court
Somali pirates want $15 million for Saudi ship: Islamist | International |
Powerful quake strikes Russia's far east
New Citigroup rescue as Obama names eco team
Standard Chartered to raise $2.66 billion in rights issue
Brown to borrow heavily to kickstart UK economy | International |
Israel lets limited aid into Hamas-run Gaza Strip | International |
Zimbabwe may soon collapse, say Annan, Carter | International |
Asia breathes easier after US rescues Citigroup
Shah Rukh Khan's Malaysian 'knighthood' on December 6: official
China, Taiwan ruling parties to talk next month | International |
Pakistani rupee firms on IMF help; stocks flat
Microchips for AIDS patients in eastern Indonesia
China president in Greece for $1 billion port deal
UK—based education provider Cognita awarded state land site
Hundreds wait at Verizon stores for BlackBerry Storm | Technology |
AVA clears another 3 categories of China milk products for sale
Hong Kong declines despite Citi bailout
Cellphone market gloom spreads to Samsung | Technology |
Singapore PM to earn almost 2 million dlrs -- after pay cut
SKorean court clears officials over Lone Star sale
Sri Lankan rebels say they killed 43 soldiers
China addresses stimulus doubts with proposal list
Citigroup's Phibro barred by Platts-sources
Singapore PM takes a pay cut to $1.99 million
China stocks down as rate cut rumors fizzle
Thailand ready for ASEAN summit despite new protests: officials
Kazakhstan to cut spending amid lower oil price
Canadian paedophile gets six more years: Thai court
Vietnam's trade deficit widens in first 11 months
Philippine economy seen growing 3.8-4.6 pct in third quarter
No Doubt regrouping for tour and album | Entertainment |
Winehouse husband loses appeal over jail sentence
Bollywood star to receive Malaysian honorary title
E2i to triple staff strength for implementation of SPUR
Man caught for breaking into 3 stalls at Block 85 Redhill Lane
North Korea rejects UN human rights resolution
Pakistan says militants pushed back from Peshawar
Up to 19% pay cut for top civil servants; lower year—end bonus
NKorea serious about restricting border traffic
Local eatery owner charged with making false declarations
Japanese Christians beatified in large ceremony
Microchips for AIDS patients in eastern Indonesia
APEC leaders say credit crisis can be overcome by mid—2010
Sheik's lawyer: Settlement with Jackson is secret
Protesters at Thai Parliament for 'final showdown'
Freed Indian sailors recall hijack terror
Top UN delegation visiting Afghanistan
Here she comes, Miss America, to feed NYC homeless
3 Singaporeans to be sentenced for contempt of court
Bar that launched 'The Boss' to close for repairs
China president in Greece for $1 billion port deal
Sri Lanka says 147 killed in north
Top Indian official arrives for talks in Nepal
Unions say smaller bonuses enough to help civil servants cope with year—end expenses
Japan: Suspect in official's death gives motive
Pakistan says militants pushed back from Peshawar
Encore in Las Vegas to have Sinatra restaurant
Rapper MC Breed dies at friend's home at age 37
Springsteen offering free downloads of new single
Major Bangladesh party accepts delay in elections
Conductor Richard Hickox dies of heart attack
Madonna tells AP work good distraction from split
Dr Balakrishnan to attend congress against sexual exploitation of kids
Sri Lanka government, rebels claim battle success
Madonna tells AP work good distraction from split
Time spent watching TV continues growing
Ng Eng Hen observes bilateral Agni Warrior exercise in India
Hollywood lawyer gets 3 years in wiretap case
Thai court convicts Canadian in child abuse case
US online actors move into post-election mode
Freed Indian sailors recall hijack terror
Winfrey asks court to dismiss defamation lawsuit
Screenwriter for Hitchcock's "Rear Window" dies
Indian TV employees resume work after strike
Boy George goes on trial for false imprisonment
Briton sells Beatles' White Album for 24,500 euros
Kevin Spacey lauded for reviving London's Old Vic
Kevin Spacey lauded for reviving London's Old Vic
China's Xinhua publishes criticism of Dalai Lama
Mamet's 'American Buffalo' closes on Broadway
McCartney plays fireman to snuff out 40th of Beatles' White album
Pakistan says militants pushed back from Peshawar
NYC murder trial opens for actor Brancato
My Chemical Romance singer to be a dad
North Korea to halt tours to historic city
China maintains hold on Tibet and tests Dalai Lama
Trace Adkins weathers ups and downs to deliver `X'
Axon shareholders accept HCL Technologies offer
Foreign press in Israel fight Gaza entry ban
Lutheran bishop for Malaysia killed in Guatemala
Fox's Hannity losing liberal half
Negotiations to put Beatles on iTunes stalled
Facebook welcomes court ruling against Canadian spammer
Austin tries to keep title of 'live music capital'
NKorea reports another public appearance by Kim
Bombs kill at least 20 in Iraq ahead of pact vote
Gazans using tattered notes because of cash crunch
Russian warships approach Venezuela under US gaze
Solid quarter for HP on strong laptop sales
US taps online youth groups to fight crime, terrorism
Endeavour astronauts start fourth, final spacewalk
Germany to free Baader-Meinhof fighter
UN: Afghan children being recruited as fighters
Facebook, Twitter in talks but no deal: report
European stocks soar on Citigroup rescue, govt stimulus plans
U.N. envoy urges Congo leader to talk to rebel chief | International |
Israel, settlers reach outpost compromise
Britain launches economic stimulus worth 20 billion pounds
Israel allows supplies into Gaza
Obama to unveil Treasury chief
Afghan president sees dim ray of hope for peace | International |
Michael Jackson strikes 'amicable' deal with Arab sheikh
NATO calls for more troops as Afghan insurgency heats up
IAEA chief, West clash over nuclear aid for Syria | International |
US home sales slip another 3.1%
Report: Iran dismantles Israel-linked spy network
Ban says Kosovo, Serbia agree to cooperate with EU | International |
Solid quarter for HP on strong laptop sales
Thai protesters vow to notch up intensity
Bush, Olmert have last meeting before ending terms
Apple sued over tech that helps iPhone surf Web | Technology |
Tokyo stocks up 5.3 percent in early trade
Korea Exchange halts programme buying
Syria rejects US claims it is aiding terrorists
Silver Lake eyes Asia tech investments | Technology |
S.Korean won up 3 pct as risk appetite revives
Seoul shares open higher; banks, techs rise
S.Korea's Lee proposes easing bank rules -report
IMF board backs $7.6 bln stand-by for Pakistan
Luhrmann offers Australia as an escape from fear | Entertainment |
NZ benchmark stock index opens 2.2 percent higher
New Zealand to cut growth forecasts
Twilight weekend box office nudged lower | Entertainment |
Protesters at Thai Parliament for 'final showdown'
Britney Spears' Circus act caught on Web | Entertainment |
Jordan, China sign nuclear protocol
McCartney laments snags in Beatles' iTunes talks | Entertainment |
Hollywood lawyer gets 3 years in wiretap case
Twilight sequel gets greenlight | Entertainment |
Boy George in court for false imprisonment trial | Entertainment |
Celebrity blogs let stars speak for themselves | Entertainment |
CW close to renewing Top Model | Entertainment |
Ex-Philly TV anchor gets house arrest for hacking
'Twilight' era dawns with $69.6 million opener
Matthew Risch is Broadway's new 'Pal Joey'
Bollywood takes dig at Bush in low-budget spoof
Review: `Four Christmases' is zero fun
CW revamps Sunday lineup with `Jericho,' movies
SingTel sued by Taiwan firm over trademark
'Dancing' fans edge closer to season finale
Banker released on bail in Taiwan: prosecutors
Singapore's STI up 3 pct, banks lead gains
NKorea: Kim Jong Il visits machine, soap factories
Thai protesters besiege PM's temporary office: police
Review: Penn mesmerizes in Van Sant's `Milk'
Roadside bomb wounds 4 Philippine marines
Hopes fade for missing crew of Taiwan fishing boat
Tibet movement takes a stop-gap remedy for dissent
Wing glitch forces Northwest jumbo back to Manila
Global Weather-Celsius
World Bank: China growth to slow, cuts forecast
Mysterious portrait is of Lucrezia Borgia: Australian gallery
RPT-GLOBAL MARKETS-Asia shares gain on Citi rescue; risks remain
PM Lee assures S’poreans they’re not alone in coping with downturn
Temasek pay cuts: Will its associates follow suit?
Singapore Airlines says not cutting salaries for now
Thai protests enter second day with PM office siege
SKorea activists say to continue anti-Pyongyang leaflets
Thai government refuses to disclose its location
Afghanistan's stunning lakes thirst for tourism
South Korea readies for pullout from factories in North | International |
Three killed in St Petersburg blast: reports
Opposition gains ground in Venezuela elections | International |
Britain fights recession with huge stimulus package
Polish WWII leader to be exhumed in murder probe
Somali pirates hijack Yemeni ship: maritime group | International |
Greenlanders go to the polls in referendum on self-rule
Bin Laden's ex-driver to be sent to Yemen: report | International |
Kuwait cabinet walks out of parliament in crisis | International |
Bush, Olmert bid farewell but say Mideast talks will continue
Zimbabwe rivals in new talks to end deadlock | International |
US-based Muslim charity convicted of funding terrorism
Japanese knifeman planned more attacks: officials
Influence wanes for followers of Iraq's Sadr | International |
Obama vows swift action as he unveils economic team
Crisis pushes young Chinese graduates towards the public sector
Indian film festival scraps documentary after protests
Bin Laden's former driver to leave Guantanamo for Yemen: report
IMF loan approval underpins Pakistani rupee recovery
More lay—offs seen in Q1 2009, but contract work opportunities to rise
Shall we not say crisis, Kazakhs wonder | International |
Taiwan sells 20-yr bonds at 2.15 pct yield -c.bank
China's worst subway accident death toll rises to 17 | International |
India, Nepal officials discuss flood, cooperation
S.Korea won up 0.7 pct; gives up most early gains
ASEAN & MERCOSUR officials meet to discuss how to enhance co—operation
Indonesia slashes growth forecast
Seoul shares pare gain, turn negative; autos fall
Police: 10 arrested in Afghan school girl attack
Korea Hot Stocks- Hana Financial up after overseas borrowing
Warming China-Taiwan ties prompt hot air balloon trip: state media
Myanmar suffers steep drop in foreign tourists
Philippine stock index jumps 6 percent
NZ billboard thief gets his own ad campaign
S.Korea T-bond futures fall on won's retreat
CORRECTED
Hollywood studios turn hopeful eye toward holiday | Entertainment |
CBS declares ratings victory for November | Entertainment |
Mars creators praise U.S. version of series | Entertainment |
Schrader takes Extreme action in India | Entertainment |
Britain dominates International Emmys | Entertainment |
Super Bowl indecency case still in play | Entertainment |
Britain wins 7 International Emmys
Tamil Tiger chief to issue rallying call as fiefdom crumbles
China Falun Gong follower receives 3-year sentence
Asian Wall Street Journal fined S$25,000 for contempt of court
IMF approves Pakistan loan package
Greece at new risk of being pushed off euro
Bodies of missing Tenn. mom, Jo Ann Bain, and daughter found
Female Breasts Are Bigger Than Ever
AMD Trinity Accelerated Processing Units Now in Volume Production
The Avengers (2012 film), made the second biggest opening- and single-day gross of all-time
AMD to Start Production of piledriver
Ivy Bridge Quad-Core, Four-Thread Desktop CPUs
Islamists Protest Lady Gaga's Concert in Indonesia
Japan Successfully Broadcasts an 8K Signal Over the Air
ECB boosts loans to 1 trillion Euro to stop credit crunch
Egypt : Mohammed Morsi won with 52 percent
What do you call 100,000 Frenchmen with their hands up
AMD Launches AMD Embedded R-Series APU Platform
Fed Should not Ignore Emerging Market Crisis
Fed casts shadow over India, emerging markets
Why are Chinese tourists so rude? A few insights

USD EUR - 1 year graph		BlogMeter 1.01