China is more than just a country; it is a world unto itself. It has only been recently that China has opened her doors to world commerce and tourism. China achieved the honorable distinction of being host to the 2008 Summer Olympics that will attract visitors from around the globe.

The games won’t be the only attraction in the city of Beijing. It is a thriving metropolis that is steeped in history and culture. The youth of Beijing have finally been permitted to access the outside world and are enjoying the new privileges that the new millennium has brought into being.

One can see investors from many lands, copies of designer T-shirts, mobile phone toting hipsters and expats that are ready to mix it up with the bureaucracy.

If you are planning to visit Beijing this summer, be sure you include some noteworthy sites on your itinerary. Tienanmen Square is a must see as it is steeped in history. Museums you won’t want to miss include the Beijing Ancient Architecture Museum and the Beijing Natural History Museum.

If you are interested in the creatures that share our world take a trip to the Beijing Aquarium or visit the Beijing Zoo. The Beijing Botanical Gardens will be lush with plant life and at Beihai Park you can stretch out your legs.

If art is your passion be sure to visit 798 Art District and if your interests are of a higher plane then visit the Ancient Observatory or the Beijing  Planetarium for a look at the stars.

Dining and shopping options will tempt you to spend until you can’t spend anymore. There is so much to see and do while you are in Beijing for the games you may just forget that The 2008 Summer Olympics is the reason you came here in the first place.

North Korea is a land of contradictions. Because of its communist state, tourism is not something that is encouraged. Still you can get into North Korea, but it is not a place for a family vacation. A visit to North Korea will require that you are part of an accepted group.

Myohyangsan

Taking the bus from Pyongyang will bring you to this mountain, waterfall and museum. Because of its communist persuasion, this attraction has the distinction of being untouched by mass tourism as so many treasures of the Orient can attest to. In the summer, this site is the place to be with its abundance of fragrant flowers. Most visit the site because of the two shrines that are considered to be vast areas where you can observe all the presents that have been gifted to the president with an eternal distinction, Kim II Sung.

Paekdusan

This site is home to one of the most stunning vistas that can be found in all of North Korea. It boasts a volcanic mountaintop that features at its center a crater lake that comes with key importance to the Korean people because of its mythical properties. The volcano is now extinct, but its presence is still revered by its denizens.

Panmunjeom

American imperialism is on display at this war memorial to the Korean population. It was here that the end of a long and bloody battle was called to an end and the North Korean people are more than happy to show what interference can do to a country. Coming to Panmunjeom gives the visitor a unique perspective of a war that has always been questioned for its end results.

So if you are an adventurous traveler, then visiting North Korea will not daunt you and you can come away from your experience a little wiser and a lot more thankful.