Last Minute International Travel Tips

There’s nothing more interesting and more exciting than travel. Through travel, you are able to not only see the world but experience it: whether you are going to the hills of China and into the Himalayas, or exploring the Australian outback, there are so many ways that you can learn by simply being in the right place. You can add to the excitement of your international travel experience by doing it at the last minute. Of course, this can be difficult, but if you are prepared for some mind boggling excitement, then go ahead! Here are a few tips that will aid you in last minute international travel.

- Never discount the importance of a passport. Some people will take for granted the importance of their passport and will travel around without it, thinking that they can go into any country by virtue of their nationality or citizenship. However, you may get mugged, a lot of things can get stolen from you, and if you are working at the last minute, things can get quite sloppy. If you lose anything, you need to go to your consulate if it’s important, and you need to show that you are a citizen of your country through your passport.

- Before you ever travel anywhere, no matter how last minute your trip is, always check for the address of your consulate or embassy in the country that you are going to. Take note of this address and all contact numbers, and keep this information in a safe place. You will need this information just in case something goes wrong during your trip.

- When you are able to log on to the Internet, do two big things: look for information on your destination, such as the places where you want to go, how to get around, exchange rates from your currency to your destination’s currency, and other important things; and second, book a hotel. The first task will allow you to anticipate any events and know where to go beforehand so that you don’t walk around blindly in your destination. The second may actually get you several discounts so make sure that you get a good hotel deal!

- If all else fails for your quest for good discounts on accommodations, then you may have to simply wing it. When you arrive at your destination, hunt for a cheap but decent and clean pension house or hostel. Get some rest, and when you start moving around the next day, stop by at several hotels and ask for information on bookings and cheap rates. This way, you can still get around and get the hotel that you want!

-  Ask for recommendations from your friends. They may be able to offer you tips from their own international travel adventures. In fact, when your friends start talking about their adventures, you should start listening and asking questions! Don’t ever discount the value of good research, not to mention good friends.

- Always have a good reliable travel agent on hand who can handle last minute accommodations and arrangements. The problem with a lot of travel agencies is that they offer no discounts for last minute travel, but if you are able to find a good agent, then you should keep that agent.

- Keep on doing research. On your off times, surf the Internet for interesting places to visit, so that when the time comes for you to travel, you know just where to go.

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Posted in: China,Travel Tips

Traveling from Africa’s lowest to highest point

Traveling through Africa is always an adventure, but a British man, fresh from a stint in thePeace Corps, has found a way to add even more excitement to a journey through the wildest continent on Earth.

Last week, Kyle Henning set out on a journey that he has dubbed as Low2High: Africa. His adventure started at Lake Assal, located in central Djibouti, which has the distinction of being the lowest point in Africa at 508 feet below sea level. From there, he got on his bike and has started an 1864 mile long ride that will pass through six countries, eventually ending up in Tanzania at the base of Mt. Kilimanjaro. If all goes according to plan, Henning will then trek to the Kili’s summit, which is the highest point on the continent at 19,340 feet.

While this sounds like a fantastic way to visit East Africa and make one of the world’s great treks on Kilimanjaro, Henning isn’t doing it purely for the adventure. The young man is also hoping to raise funds for the New Day Children’s Center in Bahir Dar, Ethiopia. The center provides food, clothing, and education for children that would normally be left to fend for themselves on the city streets. Henning has set a modest goal of raising £2,500 (roughly $4000) and as of this writing he has already managed bring in about £888.

You can follow Kyle’s trekking and cycling adventure on his blog, where he is already sharing stories and photos from the road. While he’s been traveling for more than a week already, he still has a long way to go, and plenty to see and do. Judging from his early entries however, he seems to be having the time of his life meeting locals and seeing the landscapes. Can we ask for anything more out of our travel than that?

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Posted in: Africa Travel Guide,Ethiopia

Remembering the magic of domestic travel

Sometime during last week’s trip to Yellowstone National Park, it hit me. It was a simple realization but also one of those kicks in the ass that only a place as massive and magical as Yellowstone can give you. With rolling hills and snow-capped peaks lining the horizon and bison mingling with antelope on either side of the road, I remembered just how diverse, majestic and wonderful the United States really is. After spending the last six years focusing extensively on international travel, I realized that the stigma that we often attach to domestic travel is nothing more than snobbery. That stigma often keeps people from exploring the vast beauty that awaits in our own backyard. Many travelers take great pride in being able to announce the exact number of nations and territories that they have visited without a moment of thought. These passport stamp collectors and country counters often exude a special kind of pretentiousness that is meant to intimidate lesser-traveled individuals. These are the people who turn travel into a contest. These are the people who insist on engaging in the traveler versus tourist debates, mock of cruises and further other nonsense arguments that attach judgment to travel. These are the people who ignore domestic travel.

This is not to say that we should all eschew international travel. I am as guilty as anyone of ignoring domestic travel to explore the world. I do not regret those trips and learned a tremendous amount about the world and myself by leaving the friendly confines of the United States. However, I have come to realize that there’s a balance that can be struck between setting off to far away lands and introducing yourself to your own country. There’s as much to see from Anchorage to Miami as there is from Reykjavik to Ushuaia.

The sheer magnitude of the United States means that its landscapes run the gamut from mountains to prairies to pristine beaches. We have major cities and small towns, industrial centers and sprawling farms and created the concept of national parks. It’s those national parks that provided me with this epiphany. An epiphany that so many Americans had long before I did. As I spoke with strangers in Yellowstone and heard their stories of driving from California, the Dakotas and even Florida, I was embarrassed that I had neglected the wonders of domestic travel for so long.

While I may be late to the party, I found that I was welcomed with open arms. Unlike the country counters, the people who are driving around America exploring our national parks and enjoying the diversity of our massive nation seemed genuinely interested about exchanging stories rather than boasting. They offered tips, shared memories and displayed none of the arrogance of the people who ceaselessly find reason to mention how often they need to order more pages for their passports.

There’s room for domestic and international travel in all of our lives. We can mix excursions to Bali in with road trips through Texas. There’s a great big world out there, but we also have a massive backyard. You can safari in Wyoming. You can hike through a rainforest in the Pacific Northwest. We have deserts and Great Lakes. We have ethnic enclaves and regional cuisines.

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Posted in: Others,United States,Usa,Usa Travel Guide

Los Angeles Travel Guide

Los Angeles is the USA’s second largest city after New York. It has been called everything from La La Land to Tinseltown but is most commonly known simply as LA.

Sprawling along the Pacific coast of southern California, its coastline stretches 122km (76 miles) from Malibu to Long Beach. Inland, the city fills a vast, flat and once arid basin ringed by the Santa Monica and San Gabriel mountains.Arriving by plane gives a good first impression.

Out of this vast flat grid of streets and buildings rises a cluster of imposing skyscrapers. These mark Downtown, 26km (16 miles) inland from the coast. Northeast is Pasadena. To the west and northwest are Hollywood, Beverly Hills and Century City and the wide San Fernando Valley. To the south is Long Beach. Along the west coast are Santa Monica, Venice Beach and Marina del Rey.

Founded in 1781 by Mexican settlers, over the centuries, LA grew from a cow town to a Gold Rush boomtown to an oil town. In the 1920s, the fledgling film industry decamped from New York in search of sunshine and Hollywood was born. Today, all the major studios are here and the city is the world’s undisputed king of film-making.

Disneyland may be the city’s major attraction, but LA is also home to world-renowned cultural institutions from the Museum of Contemporary Art to the LA Philharmonic and the stunning Getty Museum.

LA is exuberant – there are few places in the world where the phrase ‘Express Yourself’ is taken so literally. Hippy health fanatics exist happily alongside some of the most glamorous and wealthy people in the world. Most visitors come to enjoy world-class shops and restaurants, lie on beaches bathed in almost constant sunshine and simply to people watch.

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Posted in: destination travel,United Sates,Usa,Usa Travel Guide

The Best Downtown Dining Options in Chicago

There are excellent restaurants to be found all over Chicago, in a range of prices and cuisines. Unfortunately, some of the restaurants in the downtown and Magnificent Mile area trade more their location than the fact that they serve really good, inventive food. While many of these are just fine for a casual meal (I’m looking at you, tourist mecca Cheesecake Factory), they don’t really showcase the best of Chicago. If you’re looking for a truly memorable dining experience close to the downtown, check out one of these options:

Fulton Market

West of the Loop, the Fulton Market area is home to food warehouses that bustle in the early hours and become shuttered and quiet in the evenings, when the trendy, foodie-focused restaurants in the area start to get busy.

Publican

The Publican is a feast for foodies, at least those who eat meat. It’s pork-centric. It’s pork-tastic. It’s really all about the pork…okay and oysters, and craft beer from around the world. If spicy pork rinds, a platter of oysters, sweetbreads and suckling pig sounds like an ideal dinner to you, this is the place to come.

Moto
You know those chefs who make a meal not just a meal but an adventure, an event? That’s Chef Homaro Cantu of Moto. You don’t just eat your food here, you experience. Expect edible paper menus, unexpected surprises, and either 10 or 20 courses of unforgettable food.

Otom

Moto’s little sister, Otom showcases larger portions of familiar favorites with a twist. Appetizers, sides and entrees are served a la carte rather than as part of a tasting menu, and most entrees are under $30 so the experience is much more affordable. The menu changes seasonally and incorporates fresh ingredients from the market.

Loop

Many of the Loop’s eateries cater to busy workers on the go and therefore serve only lunch or don’t offer much in the way of ambiance. But there are some good hotel dining options

Rosebud

A favorite of the pre-theatre dinner crowd, Rosebud rarely wows, but it does deliver consistently good and affordable (entrees range form $9 to $16) Italian meals.

The Gage

With a prime location across from Grant Park and a lovely outdoor patio for people watching, the Gage is always hopping. The food is upscale bistro-pub – mussels, pate, oysters, poutine, salad and burgers share the menu with dishes like roasted saddle of elf, Amish chicken, and seared Big Eye tuna.

State and Lake

Located in the trendy Wit Hotel at the corner of State and Lake streets, State and Lake serves giant fresh salads, small plates like potato gnocchi with wild boar ragu or grilled maya prawns with a bacon-butter vinagrette, and entrees based on seasonally-available ingredients. The cocktail list is inventive and the wine list extensive.

River North (west of Michigan Avenue)
Just north of the Chicago River from the Loop, the tourist hustle and bustle dies down and you’ll fine some excellent restaurants that cater to both tourists and locals alike.

Quartino
Part of the Lettuce Entertain You family of restaurants, Quartino brings Italian to the masses (literally, the restaurant is huge, yet always full) with Italian-influenced small plates perfect for sharing. And while their slogan “where the wine is cheaper than water” isn’t technically true, the wine is pretty cheap.

Rockit
Owned by Chicago personality Billy Dec, Rockit is a see-and-be-seen type of place that also offers excellent food (and the chance for some celebrity spotting). Don’t miss the cripsy rock shimp in a firy lime sauce for an appetizer.

Cafe Iberico

It’s not exactly authentic tapas, but the food at Cafe Iberico will satisfy any cravings for some Spanish small plates. Dishes are meant for sharing and reasonably priced, so you can sample multiple dishes and a few pitchers of sangria and not bust your budget.

Topolobampo or Frontera

Celeb/Top Chef Masters chef Rick Bayless cranks out an ever-changing menu of Mexican specialties for rabid fans who line up before the restaurant even opens. Make reservations weeks in advance or prepare to wait at least an hour for dishes like pork taquitos, salsa-simmered lamb shoulder, and Swiss chard and mushroom tamales.
Michigan Avenue

Most of the dining options along Michigan Avenue fall into two categories: nationwide chains or quality, but unremarkable hotel dining rooms. On or just off the Magnificent Mile you’ll also find all the big tourist draws – like hot dogs and deep dish pizza.

Les Nomades
For a special occasion of upscale dining experience, Les Nomades delivers with classic French cuisine, candlelight, impeccable service, and a romantic atmosphere.

Tru

One of the first molecular gastronomy restaurants to get national attention, Tru offers multiple options depending on your budget and taste. Give yourself over to the whims of the chef with the multi-course tasting menu, order a la carte, or come just for a multi-course dessert tasting.

PJ Clarke’s

On the opposite end of the spectrum, PJ Clark’es sits one block north of the River and two blocks west of Michigan Avenue. Offering classic pub food like sliders, salads and sandwiches, it’s a low-cost and low-key option in the area.

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Posted in: United Sates,Usa,Usa Travel Guide

Plantation Style in Hawaii

Plantation Estate is situated between an inland waterway and the Pacific Ocean, this unique place is fully appointed with Plantation style finishes and furnishings from around the world. Step from a secure entry and motor court into beachfront luxury that whispers old Hawaii, yet offers all of the latest amenities and technologies of a modern masterpiece.

The center courtyard features a lagoon-style pool pavilion including tropical waterfalls and a lavish island spa. The ocean lanai and garden lanai showcase ornate landscaping and stunning views. Expansive living quarters command attention amid the artisan touch of etched windows, stained glass, natural stone tiling and African mahogany carvings.

Wake to spectacular Kailua Beach sunrises from the master suite and bath which features a soothing therapy tub. The most up-to-date technologies include: telephone, cable TV, and cabled and wireless high speed internet. Central air conditioning, a zoned alarm system and multiple zone security cameras provide a sophisticated level of comfort and peace of mind. Natural stone fencing and native vegetation maintain privacy while revealing a magnificent view of Oahus windward shore. An entertainers dream come true, this home offers indoor/outdoor living at its very finest.

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Posted in: Hawaii,United Sates,Usa,Usa Travel Guide

Idaho travel guide

LOCATION OF IDAHO: Idaho, located in the northwestern US, is perhaps the only state to be named as a result of a hoax! The state borders Washington, Oregon, Nevada, Utah, Montana, Wyoming and the Canadian province of British Columbia. The capital is Boise.

Idaho, a Rocky Mountain state, has a rugged landscape with some of the largest unspoiled natural areas in the country. Visit the state for towering, snow-capped mountain ranges, swirling white rapids, peaceful lakes and steep canyons.

The Idaho Black History Museum was established in 1995 and is one of the few black history museums in the nation.

Boise Art Museum: The Museum is the only accredited art museum in the state. The gallery represents local and regional artwork and played an important role in Boise’s growing community.

Warhawk Air Museum: The museum preserves World War II history and aviation history from the advent of flight through the space age.

Other interesting places to see are:

State Historical Society
Libraries Linking Idaho
State Library
Cultural Network
Museum of Natural History

NATIONAL PARKS:

California National Historic Trail traces the sacrifices, struggles, and triumphs of early American travelers. It can be seen in the vast lands between Casper Wyoming and the West Coast.

City of Rocks National Reserve: The area is well known for historical and geological values, scenery, and opportunities for recreation.

You can also visit:

Craters of the Moon National Monument
Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument
Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail
Minidoka Internment National Monument
Nez Perce National Historical Park
Oregon National Historic Trail
Yellowstone National Park

LAKES

COEUR D’ALENE: Drive to the end of the Lake Drive and take a brief walk to Higgins Point to view the eagles feasting on kokanee salmon. In the eastern side, the lookouts at Wolf Lodge Bay and Beauty Bay should also be on the must-see list. Bald Eagles migrate to Lake Coeur d’Alene November through February. Viewing is best right now through January. REDFISH LAKE: Its beauty is unadulterated. A journey here is a journey for the spirit, where tranquility and adventure walk hand in hand, where harmony and balance are restored.

OTHER LAKES INCLUDE

Priest Lake Payette Lake (McCall) Pend Oreille Lake Lowell Henery’s Lake Alturas Lake Petit Lake

The state also has on offer beautiful ski resorts:

Bogus Basin offers 1,800 feet of vertical drop, 51 groomed runs and 32 km of Nordic Trails. Brundage has miles of wide runs, fields of feather-light powder, and acres of pine and aspen glades. Best known for superb tree skiing and snowboarding. Kelly Canyon Ski Area is located in one of the most beautiful and historic river valleys of eastern Idaho. The region is known for swimming, hiking, fishing, hunting, boating, snowmobiling and skiing.

Other areas for skiing are:

Lookout Pass Ski Area Pebble Creek Ski Area Pomerelle Mountain Resort Schweitzer Silver Mountain Sun Valley

THINGS TO DO

Idaho Shakespeare Festival, Boise: The festival produces showcases works of William Shakespeare, and other classical playwrights in an amphitheater set along Boise River. Western and North Idaho Fairs, which happen in August, are also worth visiting.

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Posted in: destination travel,United Sates,Usa,Usa Travel Guide

Frederick R. Weisman Art Museum

Frank Gehry Weisman Art Museum is a four-story structure housing approximately 11,000 square feet of gallery space. A precursor to the architect more famous Disney Hall and Guggenheim Bilbao, the Weisman is made of brushed stainless steel and terra-cotta colored brick. The building, on the campus of University of Minnesota, is dramatically sited on a bluff overlooking the Mississippi River.

The most stunning views of the building are from the pedestrian and highway decks of the adjacent bridge. Some locals critical of the radical architectural style frequently point out that the building’s design could unexpectedly reflect the light of the sun into the eyes of motorists on the bridge. An urban legend told on campus claims that one such blinded motorist drove off of the bridge and fell into the Mississippi River below. Studies commissioned by MNDOT have found that the museum is not hazardous to motorists.

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Posted in: Others,United Sates,Usa,Usa Travel Guide

Texas travel guide

Texas is big and bold. Also known as the Lone Star State, Texas is famous for vast cattle ranches and oil booms, with its natural wonders inspiring travelers from all over the world. Hike scenic canyons and dense forests, explore mysterious caverns or relax on undisturbed beaches. Texas is a great year-round vacation destination with sunny days and moderate temperatures during long spring and fall seasons.

The Panhandle Plains in the north-western corner of Texas feature a rugged and flat landscape that changes to reveal dramatic canyons including the stunning Palo Duro Canyon.

 

The beautiful Big Bend Country is the most remote part of the state. One of America’s largest national park attractions, Big Bend National Park stretches from the Rio Grande River to the Chisos Mountains, encompassing massive canyons, rock formations and a vast desert.

The Texas Hill Country features rolling countryside and a strong European heritage with settlers from the UK, Germany and central Europe. Many of the state’s dude or guest ranches are located here. The State Capital, Austin, is known for its live music and relaxed atmosphere.

The South Texas Plains expand from San Antonio to the Rio Grande River, offering diverse scenery for birdwatchers, bargain hunters, and history enthusiasts touring The Alamo and other historical sites.

The Texas Gulf Coast is protected by barrier islands stretching from Galveston to South Padre Island. Visitors can wander along the Great Texas Coastal Birding Trail, which offers 308 individual birding sites. Houston, nicknamed Space City, is the fourth largest city in the US and is home to NASA Johnson Space Centre.

The Prairies and Lakes Region is dominated by the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex. Dallas is a sophisticated city with bustling restaurants and shops. Fort Worth has a strong western heritage displayed in the Fort Worth National Historic Stockyards.

The Piney Woods of East Texas offers a landscape filled with forests and streams, lush meadows and quaint historic towns. The region’s four national forests draw visitors for their beauty, peace and outdoor recreation.

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Posted in: destination travel,United Sates,Usa,Usa Travel Guide

Sucre City – The second capital of Bolivia

Sucre is the constitutional capital of Bolivia. The city of Sucre is also known as the City of Four Names, being those names La Plata, Charcas, Ciudad Blanca (White City), and Sucre. Founded as Chuquisaca in 1538, the city received its present name in 1840, in honor of the first Bolivian president, Antonio Jose de Sucre. In 1809 Sucre became one of the first cities in South America to revolt against Spanish rule. On December 13, 1991 UNESCO declared the Historic City of Sucre a “World Heritage Site” in recognition of its rich history and its wealth of colonial architecture. The city attracts thousands of tourists every year thanks to its well-conserved downtown with buildings from the 18th and 19th century. Its many well-preserved 16th-century religious buildings illustrate the blending of local architectural traditions with styles imported from Europe. Population is 247,300 in 2006.

Sucre is the gateway to numerous small villages that date from the colonial era. The most well-known of which is Tarabuco – home of the colourful “Pujllay” festival held each March. In these outlying villages, one is as likely to find a descendant of the Spanish conquest as members of an indigenous group that still dress in their unique native clothing they use not only to preserve their cultural identity but also to let others instantly know what town or region they are from.

Sucre shares capital city status with La Paz, the legislative and administrative capital. Sucre is also a university city, with many cultural attractions, museums, shops, restaurants. San Francisco Xavier university was founded in 1625, one of the oldest universities in the Americas, and specializes in law. Relatively small, Sucre is an easily walkable city and the older sections, with the white colonial buildings with their distinctive red-tiled roofs and distinctive balconies offer nooks and crannies to explore.
The sights of the town are: Casa de la livertad РHouse located on the main plaza, where the declaration of independence of Bolivia was signed on august 6th, 1825. Portraits of presidents, military decorations, and documents are displayed. Palacio de la Glorieta- Formerly an outstanding palace owned by the wealthy entrepreneur Don Francisco de Argando̱a, it now serves as a military school. Museo de la Recoleta Рestablished by the Franciscan Order in the early 16th century. This placed served as a convent, barracks, prison, and museum. Displays anonymous paintings from the 16th to 20th centuries.

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Posted in: America Travel Guide,Bolivia,destination travel

Zermatt- one of the most prestigions resorts of the earth

The mountain village of Zermatt is one of the great ski and climbing centres of the world. Nestled in a deep valley enclosed between steeply scarped mountains, it is dominated by the huge and gracefully curved pyramid of the Matterhorn. Despite Zermatt’s popularity, despite it’s growth – more than 13000 visitors’ beds – it is still only a village, open and friendly, where people mix happily in the main street, mercifully free of cars, and dance the night away in the many rendezvous at hand. There are bars, restaurants and night-spots to suit every taste and pocket.

The small area around Zermatt features 36 mountains over 4000m, a statistic as enticing to summer hikers as to winter skiers. The first hotel opened in 1838. All through the nineteenth century, word of the place spread, and the local community quickly saw the potential: grand hotels went up and public funds were diverted into construction of the Gornergrat rack railway at the turn of the century. The skiing boom of the 1960s saw the hamlet double in size, but today it’s still acceptably small and low-key, rooted to the valley floor in a natural bowl open to the south. Zemrat is a resort located in Swiss Alps. It is most luxury point for tourists, skiing-sports and rock climbers. The humans that love extreme pleasures, harmonized with the appropriate setting, are always good they had come here. It is full despite this as well in the entire year. The close hotels of 4 levels make you feel extra. The apartments are beautiful and expansive, are appointed so can satisfy as well the most erratic tourist.An unforgettable play of colours and the unique panorama from the Rothorn Paradise combine to make this sunrise excursion an unforgettable experience. The eternal ice glows pink and the Matterhorn slowly comes to life with the first rays of sunlight. After the spectacular sunrise, visitors recharge their batteries with a hearty buffet breakfast at the Rothorn Restaurant.

The world’s highest glacier palace, approximately 15 metres under the surface of the glacier, and the various glacial splits and gaps, can all be explored in amazement. Discrete lighting and spherical sounds accompany this small wonder of the glacial world. Information about the creation of the palace, glaciology and wine, and the fascinating sculpture skilfully honed from the ice all add up to a very special experience.

Great temptation is the downhill in 10 kilometer, the road Ventina, for skiing or snowboard of which. But this that attracts much tourists is Matterhorn. Matterhorn- This is the most known reef in Alps , his stature is 4 478m. It is located on the limit between Switzerland and Italy, it is cleared of 14 July 1865, from group of crags men ahead for the first time for Eduard Wimper. The group has been from 7 humans, but 4 of them find the death at the declining. In their laureateship, at the point a large metallic cross is raised today. To Matterhorn there are everlasting snows and ices. A lot is known with its pyramidal form that is commented well by Zermatt as well. Matterhorn is real challenge. The particularly steep north 1100m, avalanches sag in her endlessly. But Jan-Mark Boavan has successfully overcome reef with ski (1980). Two Bulgarian crags mens in 1974 as well have cleared it. Each year the Swiss army staged international race.

Zermatt it will go in your consciousness always as a character of the rocky mountainous beauty. Zermatt is an experience in itself: this one little village which has managed, much to its credit, to cling on to its old brown chalets and atmospheric twisting alleys  welcomes everybody, regardless of financial status, and the station square is where all worlds collide.

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Posted in: destination travel,Europe Travel Guide,Switzerland

The Unique Solomon Islands

The Solomon Islands is a double chain of islands located 1860 kilometres to the north east of Australia. Shaped by earthquakes and volcanic activity thousands of years ago, the 922 individual islands, of which 350 are uninhabited, are divided into nine provinces.

The six main islands of Choiseul, Santa Isabel, Guadalcanal, Malatia, Makira and New Georgia make up most of the 28,000 square kilometre land mass. Hundreds of smaller islands and atolls are scattered throughout the group.

The Solomon Islands are a uniquely, beautiful environment, wild and untamed. The landscape is mountainous with 80% of the islands covered in dense rainforest.

Located along the Pacific Ring of Fire, there are several active volcanoes and numerous uplifted atolls and coral islands.

The nation is largely untouched by tourism. Most of the population live in small villages and follow traditional cultures and lifestyles with hunting, fishing, carvings, handcrafts and subsistence farming being their main activities. The Solomon Islanders are a friendly, warm and generous people who make visitors to their Islands feel most welcome.

During World War II the Solomons became the key turning point in the desperate struggle by the allied forces to repel the Japanese advancement in the South Pacific. Most of the heavy fighting was concentrated in the Guadalcanal area with one of the fiercest encounters in naval history taking place on 13th November 1942. The “Battle of Guadalcanal” extracted heavy losses on both sides. Hundreds of ships and aircraft litter the ocean floor, providing divers with a wide range of wrecks to explore. The machines and relics of destruction now form spectacular, artificial reefs that attract masses of fish and an incredible variety of coral life.

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Posted in: Australia,Australia Travel Guide,destination travel

Dive in! 10 best underwater experiences.

Would you like to be under the sea? Even if diving with sharks isn’t your thing, there are underwater cocktails bars. Go ahead, dive in!

1. Diving with great whites, Gansbaai, South Africa

Everyone knows how the Jaws theme music goes. Diving with great white sharks is up there with base-jumping in the adrenaline top 10, and Gansbaai in the Southern Cape is the ideal place to swim with the big fish. Fortunately, there’s an aluminium cage – or for the brave, a clear plastic tube – between you and the ocean’s greatest killing machines. Numerous companies offer dives in Gansbaai’s ‘Shark Alley’, but look for operators who invest their profits back into shark conservation. The Shark Lady, aka Kim Maclean, pioneered shark diving at Gansbaai; peak shark season runs from May to October.

2. Getting married underwater in Trang, Thailand

If you fancy making a splash on your wedding day, consider an underwater wedding at Trang in southern Thailand. Every Valentine’s Day, dozens of couples don scuba tanks and descend to an altar 12m beneath the Andaman Sea for a full Thai wedding ceremony. Wedding dresses are de rigueur and even the marriage certificate is signed underwater; the ceremony ends with the happy couple releasing one million baby shrimps and a giant clam onto the reef to gain Buddhist merit. Of course, it’s tricky saying ‘I do’ with a regulator in your mouth…

The Trang Underwater Wedding Ceremony runs from 12 to 14 February every year, and brides and grooms must be certified open-water divers.

3. Sleeping with the fishes in Fiji

Travellers with plenty of cowrie shells to spare can swap a night under the stars for a night with the starfish at the sparkling new Poseidon Undersea Resort in the Fiji islands. Suites are housed in futuristic pods on the sea bed, covered by acrylic domes and linked to the surface by a high-speed elevator. There’s even a private submarine that guests can pilot around the lagoon. It’s all very James Bond, and the prices would make a supervillain wince.

There’s a long waiting list for rooms at Poseidon Undersea Resort. If you have to ask the cost, you probably can’t afford it.

4. The ultimate fish supper in the Maldives

Taking the heights of luxury to the depths of the ocean, the Conrad Rangali Maldives resort offers every imaginable indulgence, including an eatery at the bottom of the briny. Covered by a curving glass canopy, the Ithaa restaurant floats beneath a curtain of swirling tropical fish, 5m below the surface of the Indian Ocean. Stingrays, groupers and sharks are regular visitors – think of it as an aquarium where the fish get to watch you eat. If you can see past the obvious contradiction, the menu runs to spiced scallops, tuna sashimi and lobster fricassee.

Visit the Conrad Rangali Maldives from December to March for peak underwater visibility.

5. Swimming to your room in the Florida Keys

The only hotel in the world where you have to scuba dive to reception, Jules’Undersea Lodge is housed inside a converted marine laboratory off the coast of Key Largo. Just six people fit inside this futuristic space, which opens directly onto the sea bed through a pressure-balanced wet room. The compact quarters might deter the claustrophobic, but the sea-lab setting is very James Cameron’s The Abyss. Rates include meals – delivered from the surface in waterproof containers – as well as unlimited tanks for dives in the lagoon.

Advance bookings are essential for the two bedrooms at Jules’ Undersea Lodge, and guests must be certified divers or take a special introductory dive course.

6. Snorkelling with whale sharks, Ningaloo Reef, Australia

Swimming with sharks feels a lot less scary when the sharks in question don’t eat meat. Whale sharks grow to more than 12m in length – as long as a doubledecker bus – but these gentle giants live off a diet of microscopic plankton. Whale sharks spook easily and the ideal way to get close is with a mask, snorkel and fins, so the best place to swim with the world’s biggest fish is Ningaloo Marine Park on the west coast of Australia. Numerous operators run shark-snorkelling tours from the town of Exmouth in Western Australia.

Whale sharks visit Ningaloo Reef between April and July – at other times, you’ll have to make do with manta rays, turtles, dolphins and humpback whales.
7. Submarine cocktails in Eilat, Israel

According to Jules Verne, Captain Nemo frowned on alcohol and anything else associated with the surface of the earth, but the Red Sea Star would still be his kind of bar. Nestling on the seabed off the coast of Eilat, this wacky watering hole offers the rare opportunity to sip a sea breeze cocktail at the bottom of the sea. Okay, so the decor – wobbly windows, starfish lanterns, jellfish chairs – is as tacky as an octopus’s tentacles, but you can’t fault the views over a coral garden teeming with fish.

Before you jump into your swimming costume, the Red Sea Star is attached to dry land by a 70m pontoon.
8. Wreck diving in Truk Lagoon, Micronesia

The world of wreck diving owes a lot to WWII – whole fleets of warships were sent down to Davy Jones at Coron in the Philippines and in Scapa Flow in Scotland. But nothing compares to wreck diving in the tiny state of Chuuk in Micronesia. The sandy seabed of this coral atoll forms an eerie graveyard for more than 300 Japanese battleships, freighters, submarines and aircraft, sunk in a single devastating American assault in February 1944. However, dive carefully – the wrecks still carry their original cargoes of tanks, ammunition, torpedoes, depth charges and mines.

Continental Micronesia flies from Guam to the tiny airstrip on Weno island four times a week.
9. Freshwater frolics in Lake Malawi

Landlocked Malawi might seem an unlikely destination for a dive trip, but Lake Malawi has hidden depths (ahem). One of the world’s top spots for freshwater diving, this African Great Lake is home to at least 1500 species of tropical fish, but significantly, no crocodiles (for some reason, they stick to the rivers feeding the lake). On the southern lakeshore, Monkey Bay is a prime spot to learn to dive: for one thing, the ‘pool’ training takes place in the warm, current-free waters of the lake.

In the chilled-out traveller centre of Cape Maclear, Gecko Lounge scores highly for its lakeside terrace and boisterous party vibe.
10.  Disappear into a blue hole in Mexico

The polar opposite of open-water diving, sinkhole diving offers the eerie experience of dropping into the dark unknown. Hidden away in the jungles of Yucatán, Tamaulipas and Quintana Roo, Mexico’s cenotes – from the Mayan word for ‘sacred well’ – plunge to dizzying depths. Divers have descended to 282m in the still, silent waters of Zacatón in Tamaulipas without ever reaching the bottom. Leave your fear of confined spaces at the surface – the average blue hole is a tangle of stalactites, stalagmites and winding limestone passages.

Tulum in Quintana Roo is the undisputed capital of cenote diving, but you’ll need special certification for cave diving.

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Posted in: Africa Travel Guide,destination travel,south africa

Majestic Grande Hotel

Located in the heart of Bangkok, the Majestic Grande Bangkok combines contemporary decor and state-of-the-art technology with hospitality which is uniquely Thai. The Majestic Grande offers 251 well-equipped guestrooms and warm, friendly service. The business center at the Majestic Grande Bangkok provides all the business amenities one could possibly need. Business travelers will enjoy the features offered at the Rooftop Executive Lounge and on the Executive Floor. With a choice of restaurants, this hotel offers the most delicious Thai, Asian and international cuisine. In addition, guests can also take advantage of ample opportunities for leisure and recreational activities including exercise in the pool and gym and traditional Thai massage for unwinding after a hard day. For your reservation at the Majestic Grande Bangkok, please select the dates of your stay and complete our secure online booking form.

Address: 12 Sukhumvit Soi 2, Sukhumvit, Bangkok, Thailand
Location:   Sukhumvit
Number of rooms: 251

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Posted in: Asia Travel Guide,Hotels,Thailand

Wild beauty on the mountain lakes in Afghanistan

The blue lake seemed untouched wilderness, the mountains are being planned as the first national park of Afghanistan, a country which was devastated by war.

Afghanistan signed the decision to establish national parks, called Band-e-Amir on the Earth Day 22 / 4, which includes six lakes located between the mountains with the formation of natural dams.

The park is located in the central highlands of Afghanistan is relatively peaceful, once a tourist attraction before the period of harsh Taliban regime in power (1996-2001).

Mountain lakes located at an altitude of 2900 meters and the Band-e-Amir who has a total area of 600 square kilometers.

Water lakes in the mountains in the park Band-e-Amir is a special blue. 

Area of the lake is situated one of the most peaceful Afghanistan, the country remains full of uncertainties due to raging Taliban remnants.

People living in the park area is cultivated field, at the foot of the mountain snow white.

Park Band-e-Amir is located in the province of Bamiyan, which witnessed the Taliban destroyed two giant Buddha statues carved into a cliff in 2001. 

The rest of the ruins of this work can be a highlight attraction for visitors to national parks of Afghanistan first.

 Where once the giant Buddha statues carved into cliffs so only a large empty cavity mirror into the water.

Yet this is still the place to find many tourists.

Traditional houses of people living in national parks Band-e-Amir. Persuade some 20,000 people living here to support the project is not a simple, inter alia asking them not fishing with explosives form as before.

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Posted in: Afghanistan,Asia Travel Guide,photos