Archive for the ‘Travel Destinations’ Category

My Egyptian Vacation And Sightseeings

The presence of fascinating attractions and rich history, make Egypt a unique holiday destination. In fact, Egypt boasts of one of the civilizations, that are talked about across the world, having been established by the banks of the glorious Nile River.

Today, Egypt has great diversity that includes modern attractions, ancient monuments, natural beauty, oriental culture as well as Egyptian hospitality that have continued to boost this country’s tourist industry. In fact, the number of people visiting Egypt every year keeps on growing.

One of the many concerns that a lot of individuals have is how would a vacation experience in Egypt be?

To answer that question I set out on a vacation to Egypt, expecting absolutely nothing short of adventure and correct to my expectations, I was not disappointed. Not just does Egypt has wonderful places to see attractions but in addition wealthy cultural differences.

While on vacation here, I got a taste of the great pyramids of Giza as well as their guarding Sphinx that are the only remaining wonders of the world. The stone buildings are indeed a remarkable sight, and you can only imagine the skill that the ancient Egyptians employed in getting the huge stones to the top.

The Sphinx serves to compliment the pyramids. While here, visitors also get to enjoy a rare ride on either a camel or horse.

The other must visit attraction in Egypt is the Nile river that offers one of the best cruise experiences ever. This is because it comes with the opportunity to explore various monuments that are located along the Nile River banks.

These include tombs as well as temples the most popular ones being the Temple of Queen Hatshepsut, Kamak and Luxor temples, Philae Temple, Edu and Kom Ombo temples and the Valley of Kings and Queens. Another great aspect of the Nile cruise is the folk shows, and entertainment that add flavor to the trip.

Other places that I visited in while in Egypt include the Egyptian Museum that houses Tutankhanmun, the funeral mask and the Abu Simbel Temple.

I also enjoyed a stroll along one of the famous Bazaars that is the Khan El Khalili that houses numerous shops that deal in different products like trinkets, jewelry, spices, copper and brass utensils, clothing as well as wooden items. Taking on a Felicca ride along the Nile is also worthwhile, as you get an experience that cannot be compared to any other.

Surprisingly, I also got to devote good quality time from the sea exactly where I relaxed and got time to unwind. As a matter of truth, the instances spent right here can only be when compared with a feeling of paradise.

This really is because the restaurants here have the best ambience using the appropriate interior finishing that make it rather inviting. Though I enjoyed visiting the several locations that Egypt boasts of, sitting by the attractive pine tables that were sold all round the world, to get a meal or a snack at the restaurant that had other pine furnishings for example the chairs was quite rewarding altogether.

In summary, Egypt is actually an excellent destination for a vacation as it has quite numerous attractions also activities that you could engage in.

It is a good location to take yourself away from the pressures of life and appreciate life’s valuable moments.

Vanuatu Holiday For Fun And Relaxation

The small South Pacific island country of Vanuatu provides travellers and vacationers a tropical paradise where there is always something to do. The island nation, which is composed of 83 separate islands, features a variety of activities and history to attract and entertain tourists from around the globe. Initially settled by Europeans in the 1800s these islands acquired their independence in 1980.

You will discover a wide variety of resorts and hotel accommodations on the islands that comprise the country of Vanuatu. Among the better known resorts is the Warwick le Lagon Resort and Spa. This vacation resort is situated on 75 acres near the capital city of Port Vila and only 8 kilometers from the international airport. As one of the leading holiday resorts on the islands the Warwick le Lagon has quite a lot of activities for individuals who visit each year. There are large rooms and spas, eating places, tennis and diving activities for their visitors.

The capital city of Port Vila is in addition home to quite a few hotels and resorts. The port city is home to a lot of eateries and resort properties which make Port Vila the happiest place on the planet. The inhabitants of this resort city are always delighted to create a fun and fascinating experience for every vacationer who comes to visit their city. Resorts like the Ocean Shores Beach House offer a relaxing place to return to following a hectic day of Port Vila sightseeing. The views of the Pacific are endless and the breathtaking sunsets above the water are the subject of many pictures each night.

Travel among the islands of Vanuatu is normally by boat. Each of the islands has its own unique features and heritage. Given that this is a volcanic chain of islands a lot of craters and lava flows may be visited. Islands like Linua and Toga, which are a part of Torba Province, are populated by native dwellers and feature organized tours and excursions over the tropical regions and volcanic remains. You will find a significant reef that surrounds quite a bit of Toga and local diving and scuba expeditions will explore the coral formations and aquatic creatures of the reef.

Most of the islands of Vanuatu are smaller and sparsely populated. The primary tourist location is near the capital city and this is where many Vanuatu resorts can be located. Booking a stay in a Vanuatu resort can be accomplished on the web or with travel agents. With several big resorts in the vicinity of Port Vila there are plenty of alternatives for vacationers. The primary time for staying in a Vanuatu resort is during the six month summer period from May to October.

Are you planning a Vanuatu holiday? Be sure to visit HolidayHotelBooking here to find the best deal on hotels and airfares.

Planning A Luxury Vacation To Peru

It definitely goes without saying there are several attractive and breathtaking sites that form wonderful luxury vacations in Peru. Almost all sights give tourists spectacular experiences with the provision of private tour guides.

Their main job involves showing tourists their way around and taking them to the numerous beautiful places. With transportation services and lodgings that are up to the expected standards, all tourists are assured that they will have the time of their lives.

Machu Picchu, marked as a world heritage site and an archaeological wonder, very well tops the wish lists of most tourists visiting this country. There are several means of getting there. Trains and bus tours are the most used methods. Good trains always contain air conditioning systems, fine dining services and private suits.

Immediately as soon as the tourists arrive, they can enjoy overnight stays thanks to the many lodges put in place. Just close by are the famous Inca ruins.Visitors can visit them at daytime, precisely because there are fewer crowds at this time.

Another renowned destination that ought to be explored by all adrenaline filled individuals is the internationally acclaimed Amazon region. Touring this specific location requires immense physical strength that can help in accessing both the dense rain forest and river.

The cruise vessels have in built suites in addition to enough staff who can offer basic services to tourists. Scenes along the banks of the river are lush, creating a natural feeling among travelers. Tour guides assist travelers during treks in the thick forest or as they scale the tall canopies. Once the activities of the day are complete, cruise vessels are the only means of transportation back to the lodgings.

An amazing travel site for experienced hikers is no doubt the popular Inca trail. This basically refers to a road that facilitates trading and due to this, it has been under constant use for many centuries. Although quite challenging, many companies offering touring services have opted to customize the services they offer.

Among the interesting facts of this trail is the availability of bilingual guides who have all the knowledge on the history of the trail. There also are private chefs who specialize in the preparation of gourmet meals for those hikers who stop by to rest. Spending nights by the trail are activities that will never fade from the memories of individuals.

Lake Titicaca and spectacular artificial islands built using reeds are part of the numerous breathtaking sights. For the residents residing close to the spectacular lake, there is no other location that they can call home apart from this.

Many visits made here last for a day, giving visitors the chance to visit the wonderful lakeside city of Puno. Here, highly ranked hotels and wonderful cuisines are available. With the sporadic boosts experienced by the tourism sector in Peru, tourists are definitely confident that they are up for wonderful treats. What is more, luxury vacations in Peru are not unaffordable and are therefore not limited to a specific cliche.

Namibia – A Bountiful Harvest Awaits the Adventure Traveler

Namibia is a largely arid country of stark rough-hewn beauty. The most vivid images are those of a haunting technicolor landscape of swirling orange dunes, shimmering mirages and treacherous dust devils. The apparent desolation is deceptive and plant and animal life and even man has adapted to this environment. The country is designed almost specially with the active and adventure seeker in mind. Timeless deserts, thorn bush savanna, desolate wind ravaged coastlines, majestic canyons, and sun-baked saltpans are the bounty that awaits the traveler.

Namibia’s top draw is the Etosha National Park, rated as one of Africa’s finest game sanctuaries. The birding experience in the country is truly superior. The range of activities you can indulge in the unsurpassable physical environment is truly impressive. Ballooning over the desert, skydiving over land and sea, paragliding, whitewater rafting and sand skiing along coastal dunes are good activities for starters. More fun games to pick from include abseiling – that most spectacular of rock sports, coastal and fresh water angling, desert camel riding, scuba diving, 4×4 desert runs, hiking and mountaineering.

Namibia has four distinct geographical regions. In the north is Etosha Pan, a great area for wildlife and heart of Etosha National Park. The slender Caprivi Strip is nested between Zambia and Botswana and is a wet area of woodland blessed with a few rivers. Along the coast is the Namib Desert, which at the age of 80 million years old, is said to be the world’s oldest desert. At the coast, the icy cold Atlantic meets the blazing African desert, resulting in dense fogs. The well-watered central plateau runs north to south, and carries rugged mountains, magnificent canyons, rocky outcrops and expansive plains.

Namibia, one and half times the size of France, is very sparsely inhabited and carries only 1.8 million souls. The people are as unique as the land they live on. The most intriguing are the San, otherwise known as Bushmen. These most hardy of people have a highly advanced knowledge of their environment. It is a marvelous thing how well they are adapted to their difficult habitat. Just pause and think that these are the only people in the world who live with no permanent access to water. In the Kalahari Desert, one of their domiciles, surface water is not to be found. Tubers, melons, and other water bearing plants as well as underground sip wells supply their water requirements.

In Namibia today, Bushmen number about 50,000. Historians estimate that they have lived, mostly as hunters and gatherers, for at least 25,000 years in these parts of the world. Bushmen speak in a peculiar click language and are very gifted in the arts of storytelling, mimicry, and dance. Namibia’s other people, who are indigenous to the continent, are mostly of Bantu origin. They are thought to have arrived from western Africa from about 2,400 years ago. The African groups include the Owambo, Kavango, Caprivians, Herero, Himba, Damara, Nama and Tswana.

The Africans aside, other groups comprise about 15% of the population and have played an important role in the emergence of the modern nation. White Namibians amount to about 120,00 and are mainly of German and Afrikaner heritage. Germans arrived in significant numbers after 1884 when Bismarck declared the country a German Protectorate. Afrikaners, white farmers of Dutch origin, moved north from their Cape settlements, especially after the Dutch Cape Colony was ceded to the British in 1806. This strongly independent people, whose ancestors had lived in the Cape from 1652 resented British control.

Two other distinct groups complete the spectrum of Namibia’s people – Basters and Coloureds. Coloured in Namibia and southern Africa refers to people of mixed racial heritage, black- white for example. They have a separate identity and culture. This makes sense considering that Namibia was run by South Africa after the First World War. Even in pre-Apartheid South Africa, racial classification was a fine art. The Afrikaans-speaking Basters, descended from Hottentot women and Dutch settlers of the Cape. Alienated from both white and black communities, they trekked northwards, finally founding their own town Rehoboth, in 1871. Baster is actually derived from “bastard”, but it is not derogatory, and the Basters are indeed proud of it.

Namibia’s barren and unwelcoming coastlines served as a natural deterrent to the ambitions of European explorers. That was until 1884 when the German merchant Adolf Luderitz established a permanent settlement between the Namib Desert and the Atlantic seaboard that afterwards took his name. Bismarck subsequently declared the territory covered by Namibia a German colony and named it Südwestafrika or South West Africa. As German settlers moved into the interior, conflict was inevitable with the inheritors of the land.

The German occupation was a particularly unhappy experience for the Herero. The Herero resented the German’s harsh and racist rule and the effect of the encroachment on their lands on their livelihood and way of life. On the first day of the year 1904, the Herero led by Chief Samuel Maharero, rose suddenly and unexpectedly in arms against their colonial overlords. The Nama joined the insurrection and the authorities did not regain control even after six months of trying. Over 100 German settlers and soldiers died in the uprising. Historians now consider events that followed to constitute the first genocide of the twentieth century.

Lieutenant General Lothar von Trotha was furnished with a contingent of 14,000 soldiers and tasked to put down the rebellion. The governor general of the territory was then Rudolph Goering -the father of Herman Goering, Hitler’s right hand man. Lothar von Trotha was a generation ahead of his time and his kind of thinking was to become government policy under the Third Reich. He argued that the Herero must be destroyed as a people and he did not wince at the murder of women or children. At the end of it all, 100,000 Nama and Herero were killed. The survivors were herded in concentration camps where unspeakable things happened. The Herero fared very badly and 80% of her people perished. The population of the Nama diminished by 35-50%.

Windhoek, the capital of 165,000 people is the only true city in the country. For those traveling to more remote regions, this is where you settle practical matters. The positive aspects of the German period can be seen in the charming style of older buildings in the city. Places of interest in the city include the State Museum, State Archives, and the Namibia Crafts Centre. The Dan Viljoen Game Park lies 24 Km west of Windhoek on the gentle hills of Khoma Hochland. In this resort you find ostriches, baboons, zebras and over 200 species of birds. The Waterburg Plateau Park, located 230 km from Windhoek is popular with weekenders. This extensive mountain wilderness is home to cheetah, leopard, kudu, giraffe, and white rhino.

Etosha National Park is what brings wildlife lovers to Namibia. The park is comparable in size and diversity of species with the best in Africa. The unusual terrain of Etosha holds savanna grassland, dense brush and woodland. But it is the Etosha Pan, a depression that sometimes holds water and covers 5,000 sq km, that is the heart of park. The perennial springs around the pan, attract many birds and land animals in the dry winter months. The effect of this background is magical and some of the best wildlife photographs have been taken here.

There are 144 mammal species in the park and elephants are particularly abundant. Some other interesting wildlife here includes giraffe, leopard, cheetah, jackal, blue wildebeest, gemsbok and black rhino. The birding is great at Etosha and over 300 bird species have been recorded. You will get best value by spending at least three days here. There are excellent accommodation facilities at the three rest camps of Namutoni, Halali and Okaukuejo. The best time to see animals is between May and September, when water draws them in huge numbers to the edge of the pan. Etosha is 400 km to the north of Windhoek by road.

The Fish River Canyon is unrivalled in Africa and only the Grand Canyon in the U.S in larger. The Canyon runs for 160 km and reaches a width of 27 km and depth of 550 m. But size alone does not explain the appeal of the canyon. You experience incredible views at various points along the rim. adventure lovers do not merely come for the views. Hiking through the canyon is the ultimate endurance adventure for hikers. There is an established 90 km hiking trail that will take you 4-5 days to cover.

The trail ends at Ai-Ais hot spring resort where you can unwind. You are allowed to hike between early May and end of September. The hike is quite strenuous and needless to say, you must be physically fit. The authorities disbelieve the capacity of most people to undertake the hike and will actually insist on seeing a medical certificate of fitness before allowing you to start off. Fish River Canyon is 580 km to the south of Windhoek.

The Skeleton Coast has been the graveyard of seafarers and whales and deserves that morbid name. The problem is the dense fogs. And woe to the ship wreck survivor who expects respite onshore! Ahead is the Namib Desert, one of the driest and most unwelcoming places. adventure travelers love trekking along the coastline as they enjoy the stark beauty of the area. To the south at Cape Cross, you find a seal colony carrying tens of thousands of seals. The Skeleton Coast Park covers 16,400 sq km and begins at 355 km northwest of Windhoek.

The Portuguese explorer Diego Cao reached this part of the world in the year 1486. He is probably one of the people whose experiences discouraged Europeans from venturing ashore until the arrival of the Germans 400 years later. Further south is the Namib-Naukluft National Park, a vast wilderness covering 50,000 sq km. The landscape is very diverse and covers mountain outcrops, majestic sand dunes, and deep cut gorges. For really spectacular dunes, the Sossusvlei area is unsurpassed. Here you have dunes rising to 300 m! The orange tint giants extend as far as the horizon and the area has an unreal, unforgettable atmosphere.

To the northeast of the country, the well-watered Kavango and Caprivi Strip region offers an unspoilt wilderness suitable for rugged game viewing and camping. The area also promises a feast for bird lovers. Game reserves in the area include: Kaudom, Caprivi, Mahango, Mudumu and Mamili. Poachers did great damage to wildlife during the years of the civil war in neighbouring Angola. Animal numbers are however building up rapidly. Some of the wildlife in the region includes leopard, elephant, buffalo, cheetah, lion and various antelope species. The Caprivi Reserve falls in an area of swamps and flood plains. Here you have an opportunity to partake fishing, hiking, game viewing safaris and river trips in traditional mokoro boats.

In Namibia you can enjoy up to 300 days of sunshine. The coast is temperate and thermometers run between 5C-25C. Inland, daytime temperatures range from 20C-34C, but can rise to 40C in the north and south of the country. Winter nights can be quite cold and frost occurs over large parts of the country. The rains inland fall in summer (November-April) and are heaviest in the Caprivi region. Rains do not much affect travel, but beware of flash floods in the vicinity of riverbeds. The best time to travel is over the dry months of March to October, when it is easier to see animals at waterholes. It is best to avoid the Namib Desert and Etosha between December and March when it can get unbearably hot. Before you travel to this country, make sure you review our Namibia safari and tour offers.

You can get by wearing light cottons and linens in summer. Over winter nights and mornings, you need heavier cottons, warmer wraps and sweaters. Comfortable walking shoes are essential, as the ground gets very hot. Some useful stuff to pack includes: camera, binoculars, sunglasses, sun hats, sunscreen and mosquito repellant. Be ready for dusty conditions and carry your clothing, equipment and supplies in dust proof bags. Do not be tempted to buy items made of ivory. You may not be allowed to carry them through customs at home. And it also good that you do not encourage the trade in ivory products that keeps poachers busy.

Bali Accommodation Choices

Caribbean Islands: Best Family Travel Location

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Family Travel : The Caribbean Islands

Next time you plan a family vacation think about the Caribbean islands as a choice of destination.

The Caribbean islands with sandy beaches backed by coconut palms is a great vacation destination; great spectacular beaches are commonplace throughout the islands, from Aruba to Virgin Islands.

Caribbean Island Family Travel

Finding desert-island solitude, however, is trickier. Most of the best stretches of coastline on the popular islands have been developed to some degree with hotels, bars and motorised watersports. But there are places still where you can find yourself alone. You just have to know where to look. Here are three of our favourite alternative beaches.

Praslin Island, St Lucia

This tiny white-sand beach on Praslin Island on the east coast of St Lucia is perfect for a swim or perhaps a little wade before a picnic lunch. Your only company is likely to be the occasional bird and a few zandoli te (the blue whiptail lizard found only on Praslin Island and Maria Island). The only access is by boat. The Frigate Islands Nature Reserve is nearby and just north the Eastern Nature Trail , where you can go on a guided trail along the craggy coast.

Rosalie Bay, Dominica

Dominica isn’t known for its beaches; most visitors come here to hike into the island’s dense jungle and visit towering waterfalls and emerald pools. Yet there are some lovely beaches so long as you’re prepared to go off the beaten track.

One of the most secluded bays on the Caribbean Islands is Rosalie Bay on the southeast coast: a wide, sweeping beach, backed by lush foliage, where the sand is black rather than golden – a consequence of the island’s age-old volcanic activity.

It faces the Atlantic so the waves are rougher than on the Caribbean coast, but the shore has a long shallow section that’s ideal for a quick dip.

Treasure Beach, Jamaica

Away from the packed resorts of Montego Bay, Ocho Rios and Negril, tucked away in the southwest of Jamaica, Treasure Beach is a friendly Bohemian place where you get a feel for the way of life of the local fishermen and farmers.

It is in fact four loosely connected bays, which are strung out along 10kim of find sandy beaches, private coves and rocky shorelines. Though the area is not exactly unknown, there are lots of quiet spots where you can enjoy lounging on the beach.

Nearby is Ital Rest, two airy cottages within lush gardens that are home to over sixteen kinds of fruit trees. It’s just a couple of minutes walk from here to a secluded cove (close to the traditional fishing village of Great bay and beyond to several eateries at Treasure Beach.

These locations are great sites for family travel vacations and would be ideal places to have a great fun time.

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