Category Archives: Destinations

Asia, Cultural and Historical Heritage, Editor's Picks, Shopping Guide

The amazing Thai capital

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Bangkok has great attractions, lovely people, some of the world’s best shopping, and a whole cultural experience to enjoy. For me these far outweigh the problems of pollution, overcrowding, horrendous traffic and lack of green spaces seen in all megacities. Just look at a few aspects of the city.

Palaces and Wats (temples).

The Grand Palace must be one of the great architectural complexes in the world. From certain angles, this represents all that is best about Thailand and Thai culture. It is a sight guaranteed to impress the most blasé traveller. The whole complex just assaults the senses from all sides.

Grand Palace-4

Wat Po is the oldest and largest temple in Bangkok and is often called Thailand’s first university. The main attraction is the gigantic 46-metre long reclining Buddha, entirely covered in gold leaf but there is much more to see.

There are over 400 wats in Bangkok and Wat Arun (Temple of the Dawn) is one of my favourites. It sits beside the Chao Phraya River and is particularly spectacular in the early morning.

Wat Aroon-1

Don’t miss a visit to Vimanmek Palace which is billed as the world’s largest golden teak building. Also worth visiting is Suan Pakkad Palace, where five traditional Thai houses overlooking a lovely garden display a large collection of Thai arts and antiques.

Food.

Thai food has become one of the most popular cuisines in the world. If you enjoy it in your home country, you will love it in Bangkok. Contrary to popular opinion, Thai food is not always hot. In fact some of the dishes I most enjoy are those where the subtle flavours of the herbs and spices slowly fill the mouth for a special experience.

I love sitting on a rickety stool on a street footpath watching the passing throng just as much as I do sitting in a fine-dining restaurant. A meal on the footpath will cost less than $2 while in the restaurant it may be $30.

The food courts in the shopping malls are also fun. You can wander around and select from stalls selling all sorts of food. If there are several of you, a gourmet meal to share can be easily assembled.

C and C

For a different experience, visit Cabbages and Condoms in Sukhumvit Soi 14. This is run by Thailand’s Population and Community Development Association which believes in getting the safe sex message out to all customers. The food is good and the setting sublime despite its popularity with tourists.

Shopping.

Bangkok has Asia’s best shopping. The combination of markets, thousands of small retailers, huge department stores and gigantic malls offers variety seen in few cities around the world. Add wonderful Thai handicrafts, world famous Thai silk, smart fashion and great prices and it is hard to beat.

Outdoor market

I recommend you start at Chatuchak Weekend Market perhaps the largest weekend market in the world. On a typical weekend, more than 200,000 visitors come here to sift through the goods on offer. You will be amazed at the sheer variety of merchandise.

If you are looking for an up-market shopping experience, one of the huge central city megamalls is the answer. Those around Siam Square have long been favourites of locals and visitors but several new malls have opened recently which challenge this area.

The Cultural Experience.

Walk down the side streets and you will find a wonderful city. You will see life on the streets, spectacular little temples, street eateries, and Thais going about their normal business. It’s available to every visitor and it’s free.

Take a ferry along the river and see a different side of the city. For less than a dollar, you can go several kilometres, calling in on floating piers, weaving in and out of cross-river traffic and enjoying a cool breeze on the face.

IMG_0127

There are also plenty of deeper experiences. I recently discovered the Wat Mahadhatu Meditation School. You can learn meditation from the monks by turning up to the daily classes.

Thai massage is something that many non-Thais find fascinating. I usually manage at least one massage in Bangkok but enthusiasts can enrol in the Wat Po Massage School and learn all the finer points of this art form from the experts.

www.LenRutledge.com

All photographs by Phensri Rutledge.

Editor's Picks, Europe

Top 5 Croatian Islands You Should Visit

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Croatia is a country of a thousand islands; known for their beautiful landscapes, unspoiled nature, pebble beaches and olive groves, these gems of nature are visited every year by tens of thousands of tourists. But, since there are so many of them, which one to visit, you might ask yourself. To help you with that dilemma, we offer you a list of the five Croatian islands we consider the most interesting.

And here are the top 5 Croatian islands you should visit:

1. Vis

Once a Yugoslav military naval base, Vis is now a perfect oasis of peace and quiet for those seeking to escape the urban frenzy and crowds often present in larger Croatian tourist towns. Besides being a place of exquisite natural beauty and clean rocky beaches, Vis will enchant you with its warm locals (who’ll be happy to teach you catch and prepare fish), taverns (the island is known for its winemaking tradition and seafood delicacies) and fauna, as the island is covered with vineyards, palm, pine, olive and oleander trees. It’s also a perfect destination for couples who want to enjoy the intimacy of long romantic walks and hidden bays.

Viz
Viz

2. Pag

The island of Pag is the center of Croatian tourist nightlife as it is dotted with beach bars and nightclubs with 24-hour licenses, meaning that the party – literally – never ends. The beach parties at Papaya, Aquarius, Kalypso and other Pag clubs often host well-known international DJs and the island became the place-to-be for teenage and generally younger, party-eager visitors. But even if you don’t consider yourself a party animal, Pag will amaze you with its barren interior (often compared to the surface of the Moon!), famous sheep cheese and lamb delicacies as well as the traditional folklore songs and costumes.

Pag
Pag

3. Losinj

Located in Kvarner, the northern region of the Adriatic, Losinj belongs to an archipelago that consists of more than 30 islands and islets and is considered to be one of the most visually attractive archipelagos in the Mediterranean. It’s almost a classic-Caribbean type of scenery; the sky is sunny and cloudless, the sea is deep and green and the island is heavily forested, an attribute in which the people of Losinj take great pride. In fact, there are even tours such as the Aromatic Island Garden designed to show visitors the richness of the island’s flora and fauna. As all the settlements are small towns with a blend of Venetian and Greek influences, Losinj is an ideal place for a rejuvenating, heart-soothing holiday.

Losinj
Losinj

4. Hvar

The island of Hvar is located between Korcula, Brac, and Vis; it is unique because of its large fertile coastal plain, fresh water springs and many pine forests, vineyards, and olive groves. The island has been inhabited for thousands of years and has always been in the center of sailing routes of the Adriatic Sea, which turned it into an important focal point of naval trade in the past. The ancient Greeks founded a colony at the island, somewhere around 4th century BC. The site is today known as Stari Grad and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  Today, it’s a famous tourist island attracting a large number of people every summer, but historically it was a place of culture and arts, and, curiously, the place of one the first public theaters in Europe.

Hvar
Hvar

5. Korcula

Korcula lies near the Dalmatian coast in the south Adriatic and, with over sixteen thousand inhabitants, is the second most populous island in the Adriatic. The main settlements are the tourist towns of Korcula, Blato and Vela Luka, with several smaller villages. The island owes its tourist popularity to the warm and clean Adriatic and the mild Mediterranean climate and is mostly covered with pine forests. It’s the alleged birthplace of the famous adventurer Marco Polo and, according to legend, the first settlement on the island was founded by the Trojan hero, Atenor in the 12th century BC. Ferries connect the island with the cities on the Croatian coast, but there are direct ferries to Italian ports as well.

Korcula
Korcula
Destinations, North America

Around Dominican Republic

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The Dominican Republic is a world famous destination that attracts more and more tourists every year, thanks to its sandy beaches and mild climate. This beautiful country is not only popular among tourists, but also among those, who are looking for a place to settle down. This country loves foreigners so much that in shops, there can find signs in English, French, Italian and Spanish. Dominicans are known for being very friendly towards tourists.

The country itself is the perfect destination for all lovers of natural beauty. Hundreds of kilometers long beaches, lush forests with beautiful waterfalls and lakes, unusual plants and animals…the Dominican Republic has it all. If you are spending a week in the Dominican Republic, you are most certainly going to enjoy every moment spent there.

Dominican Republic beach

The main tourist destination in the Dominican Republic is of course Punta Cana, located on the Costa Bavaro. Because of its beautiful and long sandy beaches, it is the ideal place for enjoying the warm weather and drinking cocktails under tropical trees. In addition to that, in Punta Cana, there are also numerous restaurants, bars, night clubs, casinos and various evening shows that guarantee an unforgettable experience.

Punta Cana

205 km further, we can find the capital of the Dominican Republic, Santo Domingo. This city was completely rebuilt in 1930, due to the hurricane, which largely destroyed it, however, the Dominicans still managed to preserve. There many buildings from the Spanish colonial era.

Another must see destination is Catalina, one of the most beautiful islands in the whole Caribbean. The island has over 100 different species of birds, dolphins and various species of fish, which are a delight for everyone, who decides to go diving there.

After visiting Catalina, you should definitely visit Saona, an island that is located inside the National Park of the East. It is an almost uninhabited island, except for a few fishermen’s villages.

Fishermen

It is not difficult to travel from one place in the country to another. There are several private transportation companies that offer comfortable, modern buses. The price of a ride on a distance up to 225 km at Metro Buses and Caribe Tours is less than ten dollars. You can also use the OMSA buses, which drive from 7.00 a.m. to 9 p.m. along the main streets of Santo Domingo and Santiago. The price of a ride is between RD $ 5 and RD $ 10, depending on whether the buses have or do not have air conditioning.

Several car rental companies, such as National, Alamo, Avis, Budget, Thrifty, Hertz and Dollar also offer their services in the Dominican Republic. To visit the destinations and the tourist attractions on the north coast or on the Samaná half-island, it is best to rent a vehicle. This also applies when you want to visit all the beaches in Punta Cana and La Romana.

Other options for transportation are small buses, called “Guaguas” that drive through the main streets and avenues, where they stop at the request of passengers. The price for longer distances never exceeds RD $ 25.

Crawfish

But tourists do not only visit the Dominican Republic for relaxation or sightseeing. The Dominican Republic has also the reputation for being a gourmet destination. The food there is tasty and versatile and, therefore, many different types of restaurants can be found all over the country. There are  refined and luxurious restaurants with gourmet menus, and also restaurants with Creole cuisine, the local touch and a casual atmosphere. You can find Oriental, Mexican, Mediterranean and Italian restaurants, as well as many pizzerias and snack bars.

The Dominican Republic has so much to offer – white beaches, turquoise waters, palm trees, rivers and spectacular waterfalls, forests, amazing islands like Catalina and Saona etc. The natural beauty of this astonishing country seems endless. During your week there, this extraordinary island will give you an experience of a lifetime for sure.

Editor's Picks, Europe, Food, Infographic

28 countries, 28 dishes – Europe’s top food picks [Infographic]

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Europe is renown for its cultural and exquisite food providing those unique tastes that you can only find abroad – so what happens if you were given the opportunity to try only one diverse dish from each of the European countries?

The following infographic from countries-28-dishes Hotels4U poses that such scenario and helps decide for us which one dish we should be trying. Some of them will be well-known, such as paella from Spain, whilst others you may never knew existed. The handy guide even provides some helpful insights into the sort of calories and ingredients you would typically expect from each of the dishes too, which are super useful for anyone concerned about travelling with allergies or trying to watch their figure.

Which of the mentioned dishes have you already tried and which are you most looking forward to trying out?

28 countries, 28 dishes – Europe’s top food picks!

28-countries-28-dishes---V3

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Destinations, Editor's Picks, Europe

Splendor of Scandavian city: Stockholm

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From enticing Absolut Vodka to the rocking Swedish House Mafia, this country has given many amazing things to the whole world. Its beautiful cities are conferring magnificent sites, panoramic views and exceptionally great stories about its history and culture. Stockholm is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. There are few things about the city where you should definitely go and try things out.

Taking the tour of Djurgården Island
The Djurgården Island is one of the hottest tourist destinations. The island is situated in the middle of the city and is famous for its greenery all over the place. It will be a heavenly abode to those who have a special corner for nature in their heart.

Get a ride of amazing Viking ship
Grona Lund amusement park is the best way to have fun with family, especially to those who have little kids with them. The park will be depicting a perfect picture of Scandavian culture. Moreover in this park you can also find the ride of Viking ship which is very rare.

Travel into the lane of glorious history
The ones who enjoy history, this city will be their paradise. It is an abode to many museums like ABBA museum, Vasa museum. The latter was forged after a famous Ship Vasa which sailed from Stockholm in 1628 and sank. Later on after 300 years the ship was discovered and was restored back in the place where you all can see now.

Take a look at the changing of guard’s ceremony
Royal guards are the part of Swedish Armed Forces. The ceremony takes place in front of the residence of King of Sweden. Altogether 30,000 guards participate and perform it within the time period of 40 minutes.

Dazzling nightlife
The city is not only a paradise for nature and arts lover but also bliss for those who are party animals and love gambling. There is a casino in the city which entertains people with various games like blackjack, baccarat, jackpot slot games, roulette etc.

Not to forget the favourite Scandavian activity: ice skating!
This one is especially for those who are visiting this magical place during winters. Kungsträdgården Park offers one of the best and most amazing sites for ice skating to its people. The best part about ice skating is that it is absolutely free!

With the fascinating stories of the valiant Vikings, Stockholm has much more to proffer the world as well as its people. Enjoy your trip to this magnificent land.

Editor's Picks, Europe, Travel Tips

Essential Travel Tips For Enjoying Croatia On A Budget

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Gone are the days when vacations were a reserve of the well off. Nowadays, most people including young teenagers can afford to save for a vacation at least once a year. This is probably due to the fact that most people around the world have embraced tourism prompting the hospitality and travel industry to lower their costs a little. Though, this doesn’t mean that anything you do during your vacation is cheap. In fact, without proper planning, you could spend a fortune that you will never recover and you’ll regret using forever. Below are useful hacks that will let you enjoy your Croatian vacation on a budget.

enjoy croatia on budget

1. Arrange for private accommodation

Accommodation is usually the most challenging part of any vacation. Finding a perfect place to stay usually takes a very long time especially for first time visitors and those without social connections. As a matter of fact, if you are not careful enough, you could spend an unnecessarily huge amount on this. Apparently, Croatia has quite a number of very affordable accommodation plans with private accommodation topping the list. Renting a room or home from a family will be of great help to you in terms of saving on the money that you would have incurred in expensive hotels. Ironically, you will not be limited in terms of space and you can as well choose to make your own meals here.

2. Make your vacation a little longer

Rather than taking two different vacations to enjoy Croatia fully, turning them into one long vacation is a genius idea. Most owners of hotels and private accommodation in Croatia usually drop the price of accommodation the longer you stay. This is due to the fact that the cost of maintenance and repairs is usually reduced when you stay longer. Staying for at least 4 days is advisable for anyone who wants to enjoy each bit of this gifted land on a tight budget. This also applies to boat yacht agencies in that if you hire a boat or yacht for longer, your costs will be discounted.

croatia on budget

3. Travel off season

Just like any other business venture, the tourism and travel industry tend to depend so much on demand. When a lot of tourists are visiting this region, everything from air tickets, accommodation to food and drinks tend to become more expensive. Traveling off-peak is one of the best ways of enjoying your vacation even during the recession. In Croatia, the peak season for tourism is between July and August. Most of Croatia’s tourism attractions are natural and though it is greatest in spring and autumn, you will definitely enjoy your visit even during the winter.

4. Find an all-inclusive hotel

Checking into a hotel where you pay only for your accommodation and nothing else could be too expensive for someone on a budget. It will also be hard to estimate your expected cost of stay. Finding a resort whose payment is inclusive of your meals, gym and other activities will help save so much money especially when visiting as a family. In case you plan to have your meals outside the hotel, you can make use of smaller restaurants and hotels that are cheaper yet their food is more original and delicious.

tourists in croatia

5. Consider a travel package organized by your hotel

Croatia is a vast land with tourist attractions from North to South and East to West. Some hotels offer travel packages especially for flights, cruises and traveling by road. These packages are usually cheaper than traveling all alone as fuel costs are greatly reduced. Though, for sailing through the Adriatic, you can choose to rent a boat, yacht or gulet from a sailing charter in Croatia for unlimited fun and privacy. Alternatively, you could use public transport as it is comfortable, cheaper, more flexible and faster.

enjoy croatia sailing yacht

For your vacation in Croatia to be perfect, you do not need to sleep in the presidential suite or eat a 12-star meal. You can still enjoy your tour on a budget by trying to be a little creative and different. Croatia is home to an infinite number of tourist attractions, some of which haven’t been unearthed yet. Wouldn’t you love to be the first to visit a wonder no one else has ever seen? Apparently, this will save you a considerable amount of money as you will not be required to pay for your entrance. Places such as Karlovac, Paklenica National Park, Cres Island, Pag Island, Kopacki Rit Nature Park, Dugi Otok, the Sibenik Archipelago and Vis Island will offer you most of what famous and most visited areas cannot, in fact, at a lower cost. In addition to this, these areas are more peaceful due to the lesser tourists visiting these areas. Renting a boat or yacht from a boat yacht rental agency so as to tour the Adriatic islands will definitely make the whole experience even sweeter. Try using the above travel tips to enjoy Croatia on a budget.

Asia, Destinations, Editor's Picks

Impressive New Delhi

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The noise from honking horns, market sellers and mosques and temples is relentless. The smells from flowers, incense, food and open sewers are overwhelming. The colour from saris, spices and sparkling jewellery is intense. Welcome to Delhi, India’s grand capital.

New Delhi is a city of enormous contrasts where poverty sits beside wealth, beauty intermingles with filth, and structure and chaos compete for supremacy. It will dazzle all your senses and cause you heart-ache at the same time.

It can be challenging and charming, overwhelming and stunningly beautiful. The eager friendliness of the people is endearing, and the food is unforgettable but there is likely to be unexpected glitches no matter how much you plan.

New Delhi has some wonderful sights with the following just a sample.

The Red Fort

This was the centre of Mughal India, functioning as both a military fort and palace, at a time when the emperors would ride out into the streets of Old Delhi on elephants in a magnificent display of pomp and power.

Red Fort (3)

Red Fort is protected by a massive 18m-high wall and inside there is some outstanding architecture, shaded pathways, and beautiful gardens. A visit here will last several hours if you want to see all areas.

The Jama Masjid

The largest mosque in India has a courtyard capable of holding 25,000 devotees. It was begun in 1644 and ended up being the final architectural extravagance of Shah Jahan, the Mughal emperor who built the Tāj Mahal and the Red Fort.

Mosque

This is a highly decorative mosque with three gates, four towers and two 40m-high minarets with distinctive strips of red sandstone and white marble. Three black and white marble domes surmount the prayer hall.

One of the main attractions is to climb one of its minarets to the highest level and get a great 360 degrees aerial view of the mosque and the city. The view is worth the climb.

Crafts Museum

The government-run Crafts Museum holds an amazing collection of rare and distinctive craft pieces covering painting, embroidery, textiles, and various crafts of clay, stone and wood.

Craft Museum (7)

The museum also houses a village complex spread over two hectares, with 15 structures representing village dwellings, courtyards and shrines from different states of India, with items of day-to-day life displayed.

The entire village complex is a remnant of a temporary exhibition on the theme of rural India, held in 1972. Several traditional craftsmen can be seen working here and they also sell the crafts they create. There is a shop and a very popular cafe.

Humayan’s Tomb

Further to the south is the tomb of the Mughal Emperor Humayun built in 1569-70. The tomb is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and has undergone extensive restoration in recent years and was spotlessly clean on my last visit. It is a delightful spot. The pathway from the western entrance passes several smaller structures including Isa Khan’s tomb that even pre-dates the main tomb itself.

Humayun's tomb-2

The tomb was commissioned by Humayun’s first wife Bega Begum and was designed by a Persian architect. It was the first structure to use red sandstone on such a large scale. The tomb’s architecture and the attached garden are the best examples in Delhi of the early Mughal style of tomb and it set a precedent for subsequent monumental Mughal buildings.

Qutb Minar

Still further south, the Qutb complex, is even older and it contains many ancient monuments and buildings. It is the said to be the second most visited place in India. This is located in Lalkot, later called Qila Rai Pithora, the first of the seven cities of Delhi, established by a Tomar Rajput ruler.

The original complex contained many ancient Hindu and Jain temples but most were destroyed for material during the construction of the Qubbat-ul-Islam Mosque. This was the first mosque built in Delhi after the Islamic conquest of India and it is now known as the Quwwat-ul-Islam mosque. The mosque consists of a courtyard, cloisters, and a prayer hall.

New Delhi (25)

The best-known structure in the complex is the Qutb Minar, built over many years from 1202. The tapered Qutb Minar is 72.5 metres high and has five distinct storeys. There are 379 steps to the top but there is no access to the public. It is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Lotus temple

The Bahá’í Lotus temple was completed in 1986. It is set among lush green landscaped gardens and has won numerous architectural awards. Its unusual lotus shape has made it a major attraction. It was named “The most visited religious building in the world” by Guinness World Records in 2001 and is said to receive more visitors than the Taj Mahal.

Lotus Temple

The temple has 27 free-standing marble clad “petals” arranged in clusters of three to form nine sides. The nine doors of the Lotus Temple open onto a central hall that is capable of holding up to 2,500 people. Light and water are used in place of the thousands of statues and carvings to be found in other temples. At sunset it is a dramatic sight as the white marble is stunning.

You can preview Len’s latest book Experience India’s Gold Triangle

Africa, Destinations, Editor's Picks

The 10 Most Exciting Safari Camps in Africa

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Traveling to an African Safari Camp is one of the most exciting adventures you’ll ever have. Africa is a continent of beautiful, sandy beaches, spectacular mountains, and coral reefs teeming with marine life. A Safari Camp offers the opportunity to see the African plains, lush, green jungles, and some of the most magnificent wildlife in the world. Here are the top Safari Camps to visit:

Safari to Africa
Chitabe Lediba Camp

1. Chitabe Lediba Camp

Chitabe Lediba Camp is on an island in the Okavango Delta, Botswana. The camp at a lagoon that’s now a waterhole is known for the diverse habitats and spectacular wildlife sightings. The camp is perfect for small groups, with panoramic views from the lounge and pool.

Safari to Africa
Camp Kwando

2. Kwando Camp

Kwando Camp on the Namibian Caprivi Strip offers guest accommodations, day safaris to the Mamili and Mudumu National Parks, cruises, and game drives.

Safari to Africa
Sasakwa and the Singita Grumeti Reserves

3. Sasakwa and the Singita Grumeti Reserves

Located in the Serengeti National Park in Northern Tanzania, the game reserves is famous for the massive protected area where wildlife in the Great Migration roams free and protected.

elephant
Alex Walker’s Serian

4. Alex Walker’s Serian

This camp in the Serengeti National Park in Northern Tanzania is known for being one of the mobile camps that follows the Great Migration. Between December and March, guests can follow the herds, see how the tribes live, and explore the Rift Valley. A great feature is that guests never know what wildlife they’ll see each day.

Safari to Africa
Tafika Camp

5. Tafika

Tafika and Remote Africa’s bush camps are in the Luangwa Valley in Central Zambia. The camps are famous for the massive numbers of wildlife and their walking safaris. The guides lead groups into Chikoko, Mwaleshi, and the North and South Luangwa at Crocodile Camp.

Trip to Africa
Catered Camp – Selous Game Reserve

6. Beho Beho, Selous Game Reserve

Beho Beho in Southern Tanzania features luxurious accommodations in the oldest game reserve in Africa. Guides take guests on walking tours into the most remote locations in Africa.

Safari to Africa
Elephant at Old Mondoro

7. Old Mondoro

Old Mondoro camp in the Lower Zambezi National Park is in Southern Zambia. The camp is on the Zambezi River and is one of the smallest in Africa. Some of the finest canoeing and boating in Africa is found on the river. Day and night game drives and walking tours are available.

Mombo Camp - Moremi Game Reserve
Mombo Camp – Moremi Game Reserve

8. Mombo Camp

Located on the Moremi Game Reserve in Northern Botswana, the Mombo Camp has an excellent reputation. Although the activities are rather limited since walking tours and driving at night aren’t omitted, it’s one of the best camps for viewing massive numbers of African wildlife.

Safari to Africa
Kunene Camp in Northern Namibia

9. The Schoeman’s Skeleton Coast Safaris

Kunene Camp in Northern Namibia, offers, private, guided tours by the owners, in the most remote area of Africa. The camp doesn’t have the amenities found at some of the other camps, but the location on the top of a cliff is breathtaking. The camp is situated above the Kunene River and offers spectacular views.

Elephant Camp Savuti
Elephant Camp Savuti

10. Savuti Camp

Savuti Camp Located in Linyanti Reserve in Northern Botswana, is one of the finest of the smaller camps. The private preserve offers guests access to some of the most remote wilderness in Africa. the camp is on the Linyanti River and offers wonderful wildlife viewing.

Destinations, Editor's Picks, Indonesia

The Beauty of Bintan Island, Riau Archipelago

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Bintan is the biggest island in Riau Archipelago. It is located in the mouth of Malaka strain and one of the most beautiful islands in Indonesia that becomes the most favorite tourist destination object. The tropical climate in Bintan Island makes the perfection of the island. It also has many beaches that become the tourist destination objects located in the strategic places and exotic climate. Beside the beautiful natural view of Bintan Island, it is also well known of the culture of Melayu.

The culture, tradition and the beautiful scenery become the tourist’s attraction in this Riau Archipelago. All of them give the best experience when visiting the Bintan Island.

Bintan Island
Bintan Island

Tourist Destination Objects in Bintan Island

Bintan Island offers many interesting tourists destinations, which you can choose, such as Bintan Resort. It is the main destination for many tourists, who come from all over the world, as it offers beautiful scenery of the natural beaches with white sand. When you visit Bintan resort, you can do many things there, such as having the following things.

Culinary tour

When you visit Bintan Island, particularly Bintan resort, you can try so many traditional foods available there. The most popular traditional food here is seafood. You will find so many seafood restaurants in Riau Archipelago, where you can enjoy fresh seafood in the restaurants, which face the sea while you enjoy the sunset there. It must be the best experience ever that you will not miss.

Bintan Food Parlour
Bintan Food Parlour

There are so many foods, which become the most favorite options for people from Bintan Island. They include crab, fish and the special one is “Gong – gong” or pearl snail (Strombus Canarium) that can only be found in Bintan Archipelago. When you visit the Island, you can enjoy this meal while enjoying the beautiful scenery.

Activities

Bintan resort offers many five stars hotel with the best services and amenities, including the world class golf course that is designed by well-known international architect. You can enjoy playing golf with your friends or families there. It also offers many beaches and spas, where you can relax and escape from the routine. When you love to learn the culture, you can also visit some cultural heritage sites there.

Enjoying beauty of the sea is another activity to do. You can go diving or snorkeling; they give you the view of wonder under the sea. There are still so many activities, which you can do there, such as fishing, parasailing, and banana boating, windsurfing, etc.

City tour

Enjoying the city with the car that you can rent is the best idea to see the beautiful scenery of Bintan Island. City tour can also make you feel happy. You can rent the car or bus with a tour guide that can explain you about the tourist destinations that you and your group are going to visit.

Those are things, which you can do and see to spend your holiday in Bintan Island, Riau Archipelago. You can go there with a ferry ship or plane. When you visit there with the plane, you can go down in the Hang Nadim airport, Batam and then you continue your journey to Bintan Island with ferry.

Destinations, Editor's Picks, Indonesia

Bali Tourism from China to Rise in 2015

Bali Tourism
Pura Dalem Agung Padantegal

Hoping to increase tourism to Bali in the coming year, Ctrip, a Chinese online tourism company, named Bali the best tourist destination. At an award ceremony on January 13th, the online company also doled out two more awards to Bali. They also received the Best Island Tourist Destination Award and the Best Overseas Tourism City Award.

Many Chinese officers and business people attend the event each year. This year the awards ceremony was held in Lijiang city in Yunnan province, China.

Bali Tourism
Bali Dancers

Ctrip is an online marketing company, where tourists can book their vacations. The website offers cheap flights, hotels, train tickets, vacation packages and corporate travel. The site maintains over half of China’s tourism market online. They account for over 60,000,000 members and have over 30,000,000 user reviews. They are one of the biggest networks in China with over 70,000 hotels in China and 1,600 flight routes in the country. Internationally, they serve over 9,000 flight routes and 400,000 hotels in almost 200 countries.

“We hope these awards increase the number of tourists, particularly those from China, visiting Indonesia this year and in the years to come,” Indonesian Tourism Minister Arief Yahya said.

To focus on drawing more tourism from China, Arief Yaha stated that Bali will use online tools, like Facebook, Twitter and Youtube to attract more tourism to the island. The country will also begin to utilize platforms such as blogs to educate tourists on the benefits of travelling to Bali, like Bali’s amazing beaches and rich culture. The country will also use these platforms to broadcast travel deals and travel information to Chinese tourists.

Bali Tourism
Karma Jimbaran Lounge

“As much as 70 percent of Chinese tourists get their information on Indonesia through the Internet. It is a challenge for the ministry to boost promotion strategies through digital media,” Yahya said after the awards ceremony.

Currently, almost 884,000 tourists from China visited Indonesia in 2014, between January and December. Chinese travelers spent on average around four to five days in Bali, and spent approximately $100 USD to $110 UDS per day for each day they spent there.

Soon, direct flights will be offered to Bali from China and Indonesia, making the island more accessible to the countries and more attractive for tourists. Both the ministry and the China National Tourism Administration will be attempting to get more tourists to both Indonesia and China by 2015. Their goal is to increase tourism to 2 million people by this time, more than doubling the number of Chinese tourists who visit Bali in a year. Bali is sure to become one Indonesia’s top tourism destination.

The Chinese tourism market has grown substantially in the past few years as living standards and personal incomes have risen in the country. Both outbound and inbound tourism has seen a significant rise in the past year. Chinese tourists have begun heading to overseas travel destination such as Australia, France, the United States and the Maldives. They have also been exploring Asian countries, like Singapore, South Korea, Malaysia and Thailand. Travel throughout China has also increased substantially by Chinese residents, and local tourism has grown by 10% each year.

Chinese tourists accounted for 109 million people in 2014, an increase of 11%. Chinese residents can now visit 151 countries overseas and that number is expected to increase within the next year.

Popular Chinese travel destination include cities like Beijing, Xian Guilin, Hong Kong, Lijiang and Shanghai. China will see 43 million more tourists flocking to their cities within the next 20 years, and by 2030, officials expect to see 1.8 billion tourists breaching their borders. With so many tourists coming in and out of the country, it’s no wonder both Bali and China have increased efforts to see more travel between their two countries, making both a prime tourism destination.