The sea is great place to spend time enjoying the region's tropical beauty and marine life. Samui is becoming a water sports Mecca, with a range of options for those who want to get wet. The warm seas that surround Koh Samui have long played an integral role in the island's allure, with few visitors able to resist the temptation of the waters that gently lap Samui's beaches. Right now, there have never been so many ways for people to take a dip around Samui. Here are just a few of the most popular options for water babes who need an H2O fix during their time in paradise.
One of the most popular water sports worldwide is scuba diving and the Gulf of Thailand, with a rich diversity of marine life and favourable year-round conditions, is now firmly set as one of the world's premier dive holiday destinations. Whilst the teeming seas are an important part of the area's popularity, another key selling point is the huge variety of dive sites to visit. Koh Samui has it's own 'house' reefs that are suitable for novices, whilst more challenging dives await experienced divers at nearby Sail Rock or in the National Marine Park. For the clearest waters and most choice though, local dive operators also offer day trips to the stunning island of Koh Tao, where more than a dozen quality dive sites await discovery. Whether you're a hardened diver seeking some exciting dive experiences, or a nervous novice, keen to take your first breaths in this amazing environment, there is a diving option for everyone off Samui.
If going under the waves doesn't appeal, there are other ways to immerse yourself in to the deep blue world, the most popular of which is snorkeling. Many reefs lie directly off Samui and most visitors can't resist the urge to don a mask and snorkel and have a look at what lies beneath. As with diving, your snorkeling possibilities are by no means restricted to the immediate area. One of the more popular tours incorporating snorkeling is an adventure trip to the Ang Thong National Marine Park. This also includes a few hours kayaking amongst the park's striking collection of fifty limestone rock islands and formations, as well as a chance to see the 'golden bowl', a hidden lake that is completely encircled with majestic cliffs and was the inspiration behind Alex Garland's best selling novel: The Beach.
If it's the marine life you'd like to focus on then take a day tour to Koh Tao, where the clear waters and splendid array of shallow and bountiful reefs make for some of the best snorkelling anywhere in the world. Day trips also usually include a visit to famous Koh Nangyuan, an exquisite trio of verdant jungle islands connected by stunning, white sandbar beaches. Few visitors to Nangyuan are left disappointed and the views below the waters certainly match the breathtaking beauty above.
Back above the water, for more of an adrenaline rush, Koh Samui is now also home to one of the most exciting water sports of modern times: kiteboarding. Kiteboarding Asia is a company that has been on the island for five years and now also boasts three centers in Phuket, Hua Hin and Chumpon. Often called the new windsurfing, the sport also incorporates aspects of both wakeboarding and surfing to provide a truly thrilling experience.
These are the main but by no means the only seafaring options off Koh Samui, There are plenty of other water sports available such as jet skiing, taking a ride on a banana boat, hiring Kayaks to explore the beaches and rocky coves or renting Hobie cats and other craft for a spot of self-skippering. Add in other popular activities such as leisurely sunset dinner cruises, fishing trips that allow you to catch and barbecue your own supper, or perhaps even chartering a junk for a luxurious jaunt around the Thai Gulf and you'll soon find that it's possible to spend every day of your holiday either on, in or under the beautiful waters around Samui.
Johny is currently living on Samui Thailand and is working on a number of travel websites. If you are looking for a great Samui hotel then do visiting http://www.mysamuiholiday.com. Read more about Koh Samui in his Samui Guide.
When my wife and I moved to Costa Rica nearly seven years ago, we moved with the intention of leaving a "rat race" in the States, retiring to a completely different atmosphere and being able to enjoy life maybe a little more than if we had stayed in the States ( hey, we aren't rich!)
We anticipated maybe buying a little piece of land, building a house and peacefully enjoying the rest of our lives without the pressures that life in the States coupled with owning our own small business...seemed to bring. Well, we did do all of that but what then transpired could have been the topic for a movie script.
The ambiance of the people, and their true acceptance of us, as well as the ease at which we seemed to "fit in" truly astounded us. Many people have problems with the slower pace, the manana attitude, and the bureaucratic nightmares which seem to permeate the culture.... as well as the many seemingly illogical ways of dealing with life. Somehow we didn't. Sure, it bothered me in particular that we had to wait for a day to open a bank account or get a phone line... or even get a simple document completed. But somehow we managed to adapt and adjust our way of thinking.
The beauty and diversity of the country is astounding. A short drive can take you to several different microclimates... from cloud forest to rain forest to agricultural farmland to mountains and volcanoes...all in the space of half a day! And the people in each area are literally as different as night and day...much like the people are different from California to Kentucky to Maine... except in a much much smaller area.
We began a company to help people deal with the intricacies of buying real estate and building in Costa Rica. And slowly it grew...and grew some more. And before we knew it we were developing land ( on a small scale) and building houses. We were written up in Newsweek and other publications. The simple life that we had sought wasn't so simple anymore.
But it was fun. And that is the difference... the beauty, the simplicity, the acceptance and the seeming inevitability of our business growth and the fact that it just "seemed to happen" makes everything all worthwhile.
Costa Rica has given us everything we could ever want out of life. And in spite of all the little things that sometimes do go wrong here...we now see the glass as being half full instead of half empty.
If you are tired of your life or your situation ... or maybe you just want or need a change...visit Costa Rica. You just might end up staying the rest of your life. To explore more of your options in this great country... check out http://www.cr-home.com
Randy Berg and his wife moved to Costa Rica after selling their business and everything they owned...they knew no Spanish and not one single person when they arrived. Read about some of the things they have come to love...and a few that they don"t. "You ain't in Kansas anymore. "
http://bazillaonline.com snowshoes Toshiba Satellite L505-GS5037
The Meaning of Eco-Tourism
The concept of 'Eco-tourism' came into its own in 2002, when the United Nations celebrated the "International Year of Eco-tourism". The International Eco-tourism Society defines eco-tourism as "responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the environment and improves the well-being of local people".
Eco-tourism puts focus on local cultures, wilderness adventures, volunteering, cultural and individual growth, and learning new and better ways to exist in our world. It is classically defined as travel to destinations where the flora, fauna, and cultural heritage are the primary attractions. Responsible eco-tourism includes programs that minimize the adverse effects of traditional tourism on the natural environment, and enhance the cultural uprightness of local people. In addition to evaluating environmental and cultural factors, there are initiatives by hospitality providers to promote recycling, energy efficiency, water re-use, and the creation of economic opportunities for local communities. All of these factors form an integral part of eco-tourism.
What are Eco-Tourism Holidays?
In a nutshell: a holiday that does not contribute to the damage of an environment and does not put existing species at risk! Over time people in different communities have become aware of the adverse effect of tourism, and have put structures in place to ensure their landscape stays protected. If you'd like to contribute to a community plus have a great holiday... Look for the eco-tourism signposts i.e. accommodation built with natural, locally found materials whose staff comprise of local people. The hotel or lodge should have environmentally sound energy and water-saving policies. Holidays should help preserve environments and encourage and maintain traditional cultures rather than contribute to their ruin.
There are some wonderful, informative eco-tourism holidays where you can have a special adventure plus contribute to the surrounding communities. Here are some examples...
Botswana: Okavango Delta
The Okavango Delta is one of the largest inland deltas on earth and one of Africa's most beautiful and unique wetlands, supporting an abundance of wild animals. For Africa as a whole, and in the Delta in particular, the single greatest attraction for safari-goers is the lion. As carnivores at the top of the food chain, lions are a key component in the Okavango ecosystem and need to be carefully managed.
In 1997 Christiaan and Hanlie Winterbach, two experienced wildlife biologists, set about constructing a scientifically sound, long-term ecological monitoring programme and lion research project in a Wildlife Management Area in the south-western part of the Delta, providing visitors with a unique opportunity to track & study lions in the wild! The Delta also offers an overabundance of other wildlife and birdlife.
Christiaan and Hanlie Winterbach have set up and co-ordinated the lion surveys since their inception in 1995 under the guise of Tau Consultants (already members of the World Conservation Union), in co-operation with the Botswana Department of Wildlife and National Parks. Having worked and studied in Zimbabwe, Zambia and South Africa, Christiaan, a zoologist is able to offer first-hand information on the behavioral patterns of lions while Hanlie, a botanist, introduces travellers to a world of evolving flora that survives in this incredible Delta. A large percentage of the money paid for this experience goes directly to the camp, enabling them to continue their vital work.
South Africa: Tsitsikamma Forest Nature Reserve
Lush indigenous vegetation and forests framed by majestic mountain ranges on the one side and the Indian Ocean with its pristine white beaches on the other make the Garden Route, situated on the East Coast of Southern Africa, one of the most beautiful parts of South Africa.
This is an ideal eco-tourism holiday with accommodation available in the Tsitsikamma private nature reserve, set on the edge of the Tsitsikamma indigenous forest. The hotel has breathtaking views of the surrounding valleys and Tsitsikamma Mountains. The 14ha property is zoned a private nature reserve by Cape Nature Conservation.
In addition, a newly constructed path to Monkeyland Primate Sanctuary gives guests the opportunity to view numerous indigenous species such as Stinkwood and Yellowwood trees, a variety of Fynbos and wildlife such as Bush Pig, Bush Buck, Lynx, Otters, Baboons, Monkeys and prolific bird life including the Knysna Loerie, whilst enjoying the hour long walk starting at the lodge.
Activities in the area include: nature walks, bungy jumping, boating, a forest journey, horse riding, golf, canoeing, sandy beaches, boat-based whale and dolphin watching trips or even an aerial view (flights are available...)
iDrivesa takes you on a tour of the top tourist attractions and places of interest in SA and Namibia. Whether you are interested in an eco-tourism getaway to the top game and nature reserves or a luxurious holiday along South Africa's magnificent coastlines, iDriveSA will provide you with the information you need to turn your holiday dreams into reality.
Mt. Washington Valley Trails & Mt Washington - NH
The highest mountain in the northeast state of New Hampshire, at 6288 feet, Mt. Washington (or Agiocochook as it was then called) was first climbed in 1642 by Darby Field and two native guides but it wasn't until 1853 that the first summit house was built. A year later, Tip Top House was built, which survies to this day. For the less hardy, the Carriage Road and a 3 mile cog railway were built; feats of engineering which would be deemed difficult even in these modern times! The cog railroad runs to the summit from the west and the road road from the east.
South of the peak is the AMC's Lakes of the Clouds hut. At the base of the east side is the AMC's Pinkham Notch Visitors Center.
The summit is covered with several buildings, including the Sherman Adams Visitor's Center, TV and radio antennas, the Yankee Building and the Mt Washington Observatory.The highest surface wind ever recorded on earth was at the observatory on the summit of Mt. Washington; 231 MPH on April 12, 1934. It is known for having the worst weather in the world, especially bad in the winter. There are many monuments to hikers who've died on the mountain, including one to Lizzie Bourne, who died while trying to walk up to the top, dressed in typical Victorian clothing. During the summer months, there is a cafeteria, museum, payphone, gift shop, and even a post office in operation. In winter, there is no access to any of the buildings. The Observatory is staffed year-round by weather observers.
There have been several hotels on the summit. The original Tip-Top House was a simple stone building with a wooden extension. Later, a fancy wooden hotel was built, directly connected to the Railroad. It burned down and a new simpler hotel was built in the early 1900's. In recent years the wooden extension of the Tip-Top House was removed. You can tour the inside of Tip Top House during the summer months.
On the east side of the mountain are three major ravines;
The Great Gulf, said to be the greatest of the glacial errosion cirques in the Presidential Range, with awe inspiring cliffs!
Tuckerman - which is famous for its late spring skiing.
Huntington - a rock and ice climber's playground.
On the west side, the Ammoonosuc Ravine dominates. Just south of
Lakes of the Clouds, is Mt Monroe, and just north is Mt Clay, with a bit further on, Mt Jefferson.
Hiking trails Mt. Washington Valley
There are many options for hiking to the summit of Mt Washington. The most popular routes start at Pinkham Notch, on the east side of the mountain. Climbing from the east means that you are sheltered from the usual strong winds out of north and west for the majority of the hike. The main route is up the Tuckerman Ravine trail (4.1 miles) which goes straight from Pinkham to the summit.
On the south side of the ravine is the Boott Spur trail (5.4 miles) and the north side has the Lion Head trail (4.5 miles). Both are slightly longer than Tuckerman Ravine but also easier on the knees. The Huntington Ravine trail (5.1 miles) branches off the Tuckerman Ravine trail and climbs the bare slabs of Huntington Ravine. This is probably the most difficult trail
in the White Mountains, and should not be attempt in bad weather or used for descent. From there, people usually take the Alpine Garden trail to Tuckerman Junction and continue to the top from there.
From the west side of the mountain, starting near the Marshfield Station of the Cog Railroad, there are two routes:
The Ammonoosuc Ravine trail (3.9 miles) starts at a parking area just below the Cog parking lot and climbs up the Lakes of the Clouds hut. Hikers continue up on the Crawford Path to the summit.
The Jewel trail (4.6 miles) leaves from the far side of the Cog Railroad parking lot (park at the Ammonoosuc Ravine trailhead) and climbs up to the ridge where it joins the Gulfside trail.
Trailheads.
Pinkham Notch Visitors Center - Take Rt 16 north from North Conway, located about 10 miles north of Jackson. Parking in the main lot does not require a WMNF parking pass, parking in the overflow lots does. There are bathrooms, coin operated showers, food, some gear, and pay phones. Lodging is available with reservations.
Ammonoosuc Ravine - From Rt 302 in Bretton Woods, take the Base
Road 6 miles to the trailhead parking area on the right, just before the Cog Railroad. A WMNF Parking Pass is required.
Before even starting off on your hike, I recommend you take at a look at the Mt. Washington Observatory Daily Weather report
for an up-to-date report from the top. For some simple tips on how to prepare for your trip, please visit our safety tips page below. Althought there are references to UK routes, the basic info still applies!
Have fun, test your stamina but be safe!
One of Mike's passions in Life is long-distance hiking, a spin-off from which is a growing interest in organic food supplements, sports nutrition, human physiology & psychology. We are what we eat!
http://www.trekking-hiking-outdoors.co.uk/Trekking-Trails-USA.html
Safety Tips http://www.trekking-hiking-outdoors.co.uk/article-6-Map-food-torch-compass-whistle-mobi.html
Food for Potential Energy http://www.trekking-hiking-outdoors.co.uk/article-3-food-for-potential-energy.html
For a cultural, crazy, cosy week away, look no further than the marvellous Morocco. Where snake charmers wander looking for tips, religion rules the roost and extreme temperatures take there toll. This marvellous place offers something unique which you won't find in most other tourist resorts. Visit Agadir where you'll find some stunning, five star properties, a beautiful promenade with beaches which stretch as far as the eye can see and an up and coming harbour with modern, trendy shops being erected to create a contemporary, cool harbour.
The hotels here offer All Inclusive packages which will entice you to remain in the grounds all day long, but you must go for a wander as there's so much of Morocco not to miss out on.
Overlooked by the Atlas Mountains like a barrier against all to protect this spectacular city, they glow in the night's sky with astounding religious, Arabic writing etched into its cliff face. Standing aloof overlooking the coastline is the fabulous, infamous Kasbah. The Kasbah is home to many street performers, snake charmers and farmers with their sheep offering tourists to have there picture taken...for a price! The Kasbah is situated on top of the mountain and tour operators offer trips up there, alternatively, agree a price with a taxi driver and he will take you up and show you around, again, for a price!
Local cuisine is an absolute delight, with couscous being the specialty on any menu followed by kefta (kebabs) and tagines (spicy stew). There are many restaurants outside of the hotel which offer the same Moroccan food and the odd English bar offering English food, which still tastes like Moroccan cuisine.
When it comes to buying gifts for friends and family, don't miss out on the all day market at The Grand Souk. With over 20 entrances into this gigantic market, it can be very easy to get lost. Hire a guide outside and he will ensure you get around the best way possible and will take you to the best stalls to suit your needs. Selling everything from fresh fruit and live produce, fake Gucci watches to leather goods. You can grab an absolute bargain here, but not without a good old haggle. The stall owners will act like they don't bargain, but trust me, keep at it and you'll walk away with what you want at the price you want.
Nightlife here is fairly tame, with very few bars and clubs outside of large hotels. The majority of five star hotels here usually offer several bars, a piano bar and a mediocre nightclub offering music from the nineties. Most hotels provide a trip to the Sofitel Agadir Royalbay Resort, or if you're lucky enough to be staying their, visit the popular nightclub, offering the best entertainment and music along with occasional live entertainment and plush dining facilities.
Agadir is a must-see for all who enjoy seeing a different culture, local ways and fantastic beaches. You'll probably come home with more in your case than you went with, along with a fantastic tan and a new found love for Morocco. Cheap package holidays to Morocco are fairly easy to find, look through all major tour operators to compare prices, wait until the last minute then bag your bargain before anyone else does.
To read more great holiday blogs and some funny top 10's visit Indian Ocean holidays blog.
What American among us has not heard at least snippets of President Abraham Lincoln's famous Gettysburg address?
"Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal."
And these are words our country was built upon, words that Gettysburg still holds true in its historic soul. Gettysburg Pennsylvania, while known specifically for Abraham Lincoln's address, and the Battle of Gettysburg, is also home to the Lutheran Theological Seminary, founded in 1826, and Pennsylvania College (now Gettysburg College), which began teaching students in 1832.
Most of us have heard of the Battle of Gettysburg, one of the most significant battles in American history, but few know the details, pain and anguish that echoed across our land when in July 1-3, 1863, between 46,000 and 51,000 Americans were killed in battle.
With that many people who died tragically, it seems only fitting that those who believe in ghosts, or even those who are ghost hunters might fixate on the souls who still do battle on the fields of Gettysburg. Whether or not you believe is your choice, but according to Mark Nesbitt, a local historian, and now noted ghost hunter, "There are strange and paranormal forces that continue to haunt the battlefields of Gettysburg".
Gettysburg has retained that quaint yesteryear feeling in the small shops and old style homes that blanket the area, attracting visitors year round, especially in the summer and fall. "I felt like I'd stepped into a history book", said one smiling tourist at a local shop.
Abraham Lincoln was not the only president who held Gettysburg close, the town being a favorite of President Eisenhower, who was stationed at nearby Camp Colt. President Eisenhower would later call Gettysburg home, buying a beautiful and peaceful country estate/farm adjacent to Gettysburg Battlefield. The home is now maintained by the National Park Service and available for tours.
If you gaze back into history to the beginning of the Civil War, Gettysburg was a typical Pennsylvania community with a mix of English, German, Irish, and African-Americans, people who had no way of knowing their small town and nearby meadows would become gridlocked in battle and thus their town burned into American history.
After that tragic three-day battle, the people of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania pitched in to provide medical assistance, bury the dead, and begin to preserve this tragic setting for future generations to ponder and hopefully never repeat.
"History is far more than the excitement of battle, the flags and guns and desperate assaults. In a place like Gettysburg, the visitor-the native for that matter-may easily become absorbed in the three days of conflict, forgetting that history was also made here in quiet lives, on farm and village street, through a century before the battle, through a century after it." Dwight D. Eisenhower
Every American should visit Gettysburg Pennsylvania at some point, if only to touch a point in our history we never wish to re-visit. While the Civil War is far in the past, it can never be erased from American history and while much of Gettysburg, as President Eisenhower stated, is made of those living quiet lives, once cannot visit without remembering those pivotal days in 1863.
Gettysburg Pennsylvania [http://gettysburghotelguide.com/] is a town of history and lore. While known for the Battle of Gettysburg and of course the Gettysburg address, there is much more to the town and area. For an in-depth look at the land, history and people, stop by and visit us at [http://gettysburghotelguide.com/]
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