Many reports say that the original Garden of Eden was located somewhere in Ceylon, now known as Sri Lanka- and it isn't news to a lot of people! With its mild climate, lush plantations, beautiful beaches, picturesque slopes, amazing forests and beautiful, friendly people, it's no wonder many consider walking holidays in Sri Lanka to be a walk in paradise!
A Different World
The influence of three colonial rulers- the Portuguese, Dutch and the British- interacting with the indigenous people as well as Arab, Malay and Chinese merchants in its history, merged to create a unique culture that is still an integral part of Sri Lankan society. It is one that can easily be seen and felt on walking holidays in Sri Lanka.
The traditional skills and way of life of Sri Lanka have been very well preserved and can be observed in its customs, cuisine, architecture, art, music and crafts - even in the everyday life of Sri Lankans one encounters on walking holidays, whether trekking through the picturesque hill country, the tea plantations and more.
Pristine Beaches
Located in the blue waters of the Indian Ocean and the Bay of Bengal, golden sands and no crowds await in Sri Lanka! With 1,300 kilometres of idyllic sandy beaches, a mild, balmy and summery climate all year round [due to two different weather systems], beach lovers on walking holidays are always assured there will always be a wonderful day at the beach any time of the year. Sri Lanka's beaches are pristine and well-preserved, with even the most developed areas able to evoke the feeling of being alone in paradise.
Whether you prefer calm waters for swimming, crystal-blue seas to dive to see brightly coloured tropical fish among the corals, or steady waves to surf, there are many choices of beach in Sri Lanka to suit your budget and taste for action.
Gardens, Paddies, and Plantations
Picturesque paddy fields and lush tea plantations in the scenic hill country make for great views on hiking paths, especially for those who wish for a mild moderate level of activity on their walking holidays. In a fragrant and idyllic setting, you can watch villagers go about their daily activities - it's a unique peek at timeless Sri Lanka. By the way, tea isn't the only kind of plantation to look forward to -cinnamon plantations also make for a unique sensory experience.
Forests, Forests, and Forests
True nature-lovers shouldn't miss the beauty of Sri Lanka hidden from the average tourist: its forests. Whether walking through the rainforests, the Eucalyptus forests, pine forests or the so-called "natural forest", you can look forward to amazing views all around.
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Wednesday, 29 August 2012
Visiting Hue on Vietnam Holidays
For anyone looking for Vietnam holidays with a historical element, the Imperial City of Hue in central Vietnam is a great place to start. Abreast the Perfume River, this was formerly the capital of Nguyen, the last Vietnamese dynasty, who transferred power to the State of Vietnam in 1945 after ruling for 143 years. The remnants of the city's imperial past survive today: at its heart is the Citadel, a walled and moated fortress and built to protect the forbidden Purple City, the former residence of the royal family. The site is home to a intricate layout of tombs and temples surrounded by beautiful pagodas and lakes. Along the river is Hue's most prominent religious site, the seven-storey Thien Mu Pagoda, the tallest in Vietnam. The countryside around Hue is dotted with the mausoleums of former emperors, whose bodies were laid to rest in elaborate and extravagant tombs. This culturally and spiritually vibrant city adds a fascinating dimension to Vietnam holidays.
Planning your itinerary
Vietnam holidays offer a range of cultural and historical experiences. For a clear glimpse into the country's past, a visit to Hue opens up a world largely untouched by wars and the French occupation, and much of it now has UNESCO World Heritage status. Take a cycle tour and explore the canals, or stop for a coffee at one of the open air cafes. Visit the Ho Quyen - Tiger Arena - an ancient Asian version of the Roman Coliseum, where tigers and elephants were made to fight for the amusement of emperors. Tourist figures to the region have almost doubled in the last few years, bringing an increase in luxury tourism, including hotels, spas and restaurants, particularly along the coast. After a day of seeing the sights of Hue, head east for the white sandy beaches of the coast, where palm-studded beach bars and exotic spas offer respite for the energetic traveller.
Booking Vietnam holidays to Hue
When booking Vietnam holidays, Hue makes an excellent stop in a touring itinerary, and can be included in tours of the entire country or as part of a tour of both north and south Vietnam. It's also within easy travelling distance of the fabulous stunning beach resorts of Hoi An, where the crystal blue waters and white sandy beaches offer a further contrast to the lush, green idyllic tropical forests of the south and the dramatic mountains of the north.
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Planning your itinerary
Vietnam holidays offer a range of cultural and historical experiences. For a clear glimpse into the country's past, a visit to Hue opens up a world largely untouched by wars and the French occupation, and much of it now has UNESCO World Heritage status. Take a cycle tour and explore the canals, or stop for a coffee at one of the open air cafes. Visit the Ho Quyen - Tiger Arena - an ancient Asian version of the Roman Coliseum, where tigers and elephants were made to fight for the amusement of emperors. Tourist figures to the region have almost doubled in the last few years, bringing an increase in luxury tourism, including hotels, spas and restaurants, particularly along the coast. After a day of seeing the sights of Hue, head east for the white sandy beaches of the coast, where palm-studded beach bars and exotic spas offer respite for the energetic traveller.
Booking Vietnam holidays to Hue
When booking Vietnam holidays, Hue makes an excellent stop in a touring itinerary, and can be included in tours of the entire country or as part of a tour of both north and south Vietnam. It's also within easy travelling distance of the fabulous stunning beach resorts of Hoi An, where the crystal blue waters and white sandy beaches offer a further contrast to the lush, green idyllic tropical forests of the south and the dramatic mountains of the north.
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Wet, Wet and Wetter
Finally the wet season arrived in Bangkok this week. It has been an unusual twelve months weather wise. The serious floods that affected huge swathes of the country at the end of last year were the worst in Thailand for a hundred years. As I write this it's late afternoon and the rain is absolutely hammering down. There is nothing unusual about that, but what is different this year is that instead of the rain lasting for about an hour then drying up, this season it just goes on and on. Some evenings it has started at 3 or 4 pm and has still been raining at midnight. Very un-Thai like.
When it rains in Asia it really does rain. Not for us the drizzly, grizzly, grey murky stuff of my home town Manchester, oh no! We get the full on Thor's hammer stuff. Thunder shaking the buildings and lightning lighting up the whole city. It is magnificent, Mother Nature at her awesome best. The roads flood in minutes to about a foot deep but amazingly after the rains eases it dries up in no time at all. I am constantly amazed at the drains of Bangkok having the ability to move huge amounts of water in minutes.
A few years ago I lived on Sukhumvit Soi 33 in the heart of the City. In their wisdom the powers that be decided that the footpaths needed repairing. All well and good you may think, but that they chose to do this in the middle of the wet season caused havoc. Huge loads of sand and cement were dropped on the streets in the morning and in the afternoon when God brought the water, guess what happened? The cement leeched out of the bags and joined the sand and water, the resultant mix was washed into the drains where it promptly set, like concrete in fact! For a whole month every time the big rain came the Soi was flooded to a depth of about three feet. Now to most people this would be considered a major problem, but to Thai's it was merely a small inconvenience. The girls threw off their sandals and waded through the water to the seven eleven. Nothing as trivial as a flood will keep a Thai girl from her food.
None of these incidents even make it on to the local news bulletins never mind the International News. One gets the impression that if this happened in the heart of London, it would preoccupy the world's news agencies for days on end. It is not the Thai way to make a drama out of a crisis, they just accept it and get on with life as normal. Within a few weeks, the work crews managed to get the paving work done and all returned to normal. Of course the standard of workmanship was shocking and the footpaths were quickly back to the state they were in before the work commenced.
So the weather is definitely changing. Now I don't know whether or not this is global warming beginning to announced its arrival or just a blip. But there is no question about it, this year my trainers have needed drying out more than any other year. The scientists say it is happening and the skeptics stand like King Canute and ignore the floods. Last year as the floods gripped the whole of the country, hundreds died and millions lost their homes. I just hope it is not a sign of things to come.
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When it rains in Asia it really does rain. Not for us the drizzly, grizzly, grey murky stuff of my home town Manchester, oh no! We get the full on Thor's hammer stuff. Thunder shaking the buildings and lightning lighting up the whole city. It is magnificent, Mother Nature at her awesome best. The roads flood in minutes to about a foot deep but amazingly after the rains eases it dries up in no time at all. I am constantly amazed at the drains of Bangkok having the ability to move huge amounts of water in minutes.
A few years ago I lived on Sukhumvit Soi 33 in the heart of the City. In their wisdom the powers that be decided that the footpaths needed repairing. All well and good you may think, but that they chose to do this in the middle of the wet season caused havoc. Huge loads of sand and cement were dropped on the streets in the morning and in the afternoon when God brought the water, guess what happened? The cement leeched out of the bags and joined the sand and water, the resultant mix was washed into the drains where it promptly set, like concrete in fact! For a whole month every time the big rain came the Soi was flooded to a depth of about three feet. Now to most people this would be considered a major problem, but to Thai's it was merely a small inconvenience. The girls threw off their sandals and waded through the water to the seven eleven. Nothing as trivial as a flood will keep a Thai girl from her food.
None of these incidents even make it on to the local news bulletins never mind the International News. One gets the impression that if this happened in the heart of London, it would preoccupy the world's news agencies for days on end. It is not the Thai way to make a drama out of a crisis, they just accept it and get on with life as normal. Within a few weeks, the work crews managed to get the paving work done and all returned to normal. Of course the standard of workmanship was shocking and the footpaths were quickly back to the state they were in before the work commenced.
So the weather is definitely changing. Now I don't know whether or not this is global warming beginning to announced its arrival or just a blip. But there is no question about it, this year my trainers have needed drying out more than any other year. The scientists say it is happening and the skeptics stand like King Canute and ignore the floods. Last year as the floods gripped the whole of the country, hundreds died and millions lost their homes. I just hope it is not a sign of things to come.
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Tuesday, 28 August 2012
Vacation Rentals Can Add Some Excitement to Your Trip
Planning your next vacation doesn't have to challenging or very difficult. When it comes to choosing a destination, you should also consider vacation rentals. One of the first things that comes into mind when planning for trips is which hotels offer the best deals. What you should keep in mind is that there are many great deals available for alternative living arrangements. Vacation rentals can add more excitement and value to any trip. The best part is you can actually be closer to the tourist scenes since many of these living alternatives are situated right in the heart of many destinations.
Imagine being able to spend more of your time relaxing while enjoying many of the areas luxuries and amenities. Since your living arrangements are made to make you feel as if you are at home or apart of the local scene, you get more value, luxury and space for the amount of money you are spending. Many vacation rentals provide their guests with individual rooms for you and your family or guests.
Unlike many hotels who charge a per room fee for each additional occupant you have. If you are bringing the kids, they can stay in their own room and you don't even have to share a bathroom with them. You can cook your own meals since there is a kitchen so you can enjoy home cooked meals and save money since you won't have to order out every night. The best part about vacation rentals is even though everyone will be staying in different parts of the establishment, since it is like home-like; you are only being charged one rate.
Since you will be much closer to the attractions of the area, it will be much easier for you to see and participate more while you are on your trip. Get more out of your trip and learn more about how you can further enhance your visit. You can participate in more of the local activities and get more in touch with the local culture.
Since there are so many different properties available, you may want to start shopping around earlier. The earlier you start looking for the right accommodations, the better deals and discount you will be able to find to help reduce the cost of your trip. You can even spend more time planning your itinerary of things to do, so you can spend more time relaxing and enjoying yourself.
This is a great way for you and your family to bond and spend more time together. It is also a great way to have some of the best family trips without breaking the bank. With hotel prices on the rise and all of the trouble that comes with trying to find the right accommodations for your stay, you have a much easier time finding and booking your stay. Take a look at the different vacation rentals that are available and contact them to learn more about their low rates and flexible accommodations.
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Imagine being able to spend more of your time relaxing while enjoying many of the areas luxuries and amenities. Since your living arrangements are made to make you feel as if you are at home or apart of the local scene, you get more value, luxury and space for the amount of money you are spending. Many vacation rentals provide their guests with individual rooms for you and your family or guests.
Unlike many hotels who charge a per room fee for each additional occupant you have. If you are bringing the kids, they can stay in their own room and you don't even have to share a bathroom with them. You can cook your own meals since there is a kitchen so you can enjoy home cooked meals and save money since you won't have to order out every night. The best part about vacation rentals is even though everyone will be staying in different parts of the establishment, since it is like home-like; you are only being charged one rate.
Since you will be much closer to the attractions of the area, it will be much easier for you to see and participate more while you are on your trip. Get more out of your trip and learn more about how you can further enhance your visit. You can participate in more of the local activities and get more in touch with the local culture.
Since there are so many different properties available, you may want to start shopping around earlier. The earlier you start looking for the right accommodations, the better deals and discount you will be able to find to help reduce the cost of your trip. You can even spend more time planning your itinerary of things to do, so you can spend more time relaxing and enjoying yourself.
This is a great way for you and your family to bond and spend more time together. It is also a great way to have some of the best family trips without breaking the bank. With hotel prices on the rise and all of the trouble that comes with trying to find the right accommodations for your stay, you have a much easier time finding and booking your stay. Take a look at the different vacation rentals that are available and contact them to learn more about their low rates and flexible accommodations.
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