10/31/10

Melbourne ,Australia– An Adventurous Visit To The Capital City Of Victoria

Melbourne is a Victorian city explored by John Balman. It is also known as the cultural capital of Australia. It is located in the mid south of Victoria. It specializes in dining as Melbourne has one the best restaurants. It also the most visited cities in Australia.


Visitor’s attraction in Melbourne
Melbourne is known for parks and gardens and therefore called as the “garden city” .The main attraction are as follows:
1. Fun city sunshine
This is gaming platform where people from all age groups can participate.
There’s coffee shop for parents where they can relax. IT has a perfect gaming environment with two level arenas.
2. Melbourne Zoo
It is also known as the royal Melbourne zoological gardens and is the oldest
of all zoos. The main attraction in the zoo is the different species of elephant, exotic and beautiful butterflies.
3. Giant sky wheel
The giant sky wheel is a travelling carriage which can carry about six people. It is an about 10-12 minutes drive. We can have exciting experiences of the Melbourne city through this ride.

4. St. Paul’s cathedral
It is situated opposite to the Flinders Street and is the tallest church in Melbourne. Various events like marriage, funerals etc are carried out. It is made up of sandstone.

5. Queen Victoria market
It is also known as Queen Vic market. Initially it was a small market but now it has become the most visited markets. Tourists from all over the world come to visit this market.

Best time to visit Melbourne
The start of the autumn season is the best time as leaves change their color.
How to reach Melbourne
Melbourne is connected to all the major cities by finest rail network. Even
Taxis and cars can be hired for reaching Melbourne.
Finest Hotels in Melbourne

1. Vibe Savoy Hotel Melbourne
It is located opposite to the Spencer’s street and one of the finest resorts. It has spacious rooms with cuisines, restaurants, mini bars and is ideal for special events. It has about 162 guest rooms, conference room, and 6 suites. It also provides air conditioning rooms with 24 hrs internet facility all at reasonable price and style.

2. The Royal Hotel
It is located on St. Kilda Road. It has beautiful surroundings with color TV, fully furnished ac rooms, banquet halls and meeting facilities, also fully equipped mini bars, courtyard, currency exchange etc. It is cheap and best.
3. Somerset Gordon Heights
It is located near the little Bourke Street. People looking for a pleasant stay and family trip can choose this accommodation. It has all the necessary facilities like a theatre, restaurants, including four set bedroom which are fully equipped and well maintained.

10/23/10

Maldives – Best Complete Tourist Guide

Maldives – Best Complete Tourist GuideMaldives have the ring of a very exotic destination and rightly so. This archipelago consisting of 1,190 coral islands is home to some of world’s finest beaches and world class diving opportunities. Each island of Maldives is very flat, only sticking a little bit out of the Indian Ocean. The highest point of an entire archipelago is mere 2.3 metres (7 ft 7 in) above sea level. Because of that, Maldives are affected by global warming and rising sea level more than any other country in the world. From the sea, Maldives look like an oasis with palm trees growing out of the endless ocean.

Maldives Islands
Maldives – Best Complete Tourist Guide
Maldives islands are grouped into Atolls. There are 26 Atolls in Maldives, each consisting of a group of islands. Most Atolls are known to general public by their English name, but in native Dhivehi language they are named differently. There are 20 administrative Atoll groups in the Maldives, 10 of which are open to tourism. The list of the Atolls is below and includes its English name and Dhivehi name in the brackets:

Lhaviyani (Miladhunmadulu Uthuruburi), Raa (Maalhosmadulu Uthuruburi), Baa (Maalhosmadulu Dhekunuburi), Kaafu (North and South Male Atoll), Alifu (Ari), Vaavu (Felidhu), Meemu (Mulak), Faafu (Nilandhe Atholhu Uthuruburi), Dhaalu (Nilandhe Atholhu Dhekunuburi), Seenu (Addu), Gaafu Alifu, Gaafu Dhaalu, Gnaviyani, Haa Alifu, Haa Dhaalu, Laamu, Nyavinani, Seenu, Shaviyani, and Thaa

Getting to Maldives
Maldives – Best Complete Tourist Guide
The only way to Maldives is by plane. There are no boats that sail to Maldives and even once you have landed, you will be taken to your resort island by air taxi, rather than boat. Navigating among the reefs surrounding Maldives is risky and many boats and yachts saw their end trying to reach the islands. Furthermore, permits allowing foreign boats to sail to Maldives are so expensive you’re better off flying.

Male International Airport (IATA code is MLE) is on Hulhule Island which is the island located right next to the capital city of Male (as you can see on the map above).

Maldives Resorts
Maldives – Best Complete Tourist Guide
There are 93 resorts in Maldives. Hotels only exist in the capital Male. Larger islands have fewer resorts, but majority of resorts take up their own island so beach occupation is limited to resort guests. If you seek tranquility, the farther a resort is from Male, the less populated it will be, however regardless of which part of Maldives you find yourself in, beaches will not be overcrowded. You are in fact likely to find a beach where you are all alone, separated from everyone and everything else. It’s great for unwinding and having a little time for yourself. It’s also perfect for honeymooners.

Overwater bungalows are a popular means of lodging for resort tourists and while it has its charm and should be tried by anyone visiting Maldives, it gets difficult to handle during a longer stay. If you happen to have a stormy night while staying in a bungalow, the noise from waves crashing into the stilts will make it difficult to sleep. Bungalows are also often cramped closely next to each other which makes for challenging times especially if you’re a couple on honeymoon trying to have your moment.

Maldives Weather
Maldives – Best Complete Tourist Guide
The weather in Maldives is tropical year round. Maldives are located around the equator in the Indian Ocean, providing it with climate with little temperature fluctuations. Regardless of when you visit Maldives, the temperature will likely remain within 24°C to 33°C range. Humidity is high, however ocean breezes move across the islands all the time making it more bearable as sweat gets washed away with breeze.

The highest recorded temperature in Maldives occurred in April and reached 37°C (99°F). The coldest recorded temperature occurred in January and reached 17°C (63°F).

Maldives – The Best Time to Visit

Rainy monsoon season in Maldives lasts from April to October. During that time it rains a lot, it’s windy and storms are frequent. The best time to visit Maldives would be in March, when average temperatures reach enjoyable 29°C (85°F) yet participation is low. February is the month with least precipitation, but while temperature remains tropical, it gets cold at times so on occasion you’d have to wear long sleeve shirts and may find the ocean water cold from the beginning.
Scuba Diving in Maldives
Maldives – Best Complete Tourist Guide
Endless coral reefs surrounding Maldive atolls are hundreds of kilometres away from highly populated, industrialized areas which makes for clear water and abundant sea life – perfect conditions for scuba diving. While scuba diving in Maldives is significantly costlier than in coastal areas of mainland Asia, the gear rented is in excellent condition and well maintained. Safety standards are strictly adhered to and guides are knowledgeable and friendly. You’d miss out a lot if you didn’t go under water on your vacation in Maldives.

Honeymoon in Maldives
Maldives – Best Complete Tourist Guide
I’ve mentioned it a few times before already – Maldives is a perfect destination for honeymooners. With their tranquil, desolate resorts that often take up one small island, peaceful and enjoyable honeymoon is pretty much guaranteed. This is where I’m going to go on my honeymoon, if I ever find a lady crazy enough to marry me.


10/6/10

Best Beach Vacations for Family at Atlantis Paradise Island

Atlantis Beach Tower 3 Nights from $815

Bahamas offers its visitors a piece of land from heaven: Atlantis Paradise Island. It is located on Paradise Island and offers many attractions to its visitors. You may be lost in the activities they offer. Where you are going to stay is not so hard to decide as it has many options for all budgets. What most families prefer is the Coral Towers, which is central for the city and close to the famous Predator Lagoon.
In which age you are is not so important. Atlantis Paradise Island Resort has a thing for everybody. If you are interested especially in water sports, do not worry because they are in abundance. In Neptune’s Water Toy’s Hut, you can deal with many water sports like water biking, kayaking, snorkelling, pedal boating.
Children will like Atlantis more than everybody. It has two programs; one of which is Aqua Tots program that is designed for 3 aged children. The other one is Discovery Channel Camp arranged for the kids of 4- 12 years old. Discovery Channel Camp lasts long an hour and include lunch and break. Other activities that will attract the attention of children are water slides and marine exhibits. In these activities, you can enjoy with your children. In water slides, children are required to be more than 48 inches tall.
All in all, if you want to keep yourself busy with the activities, you can take a right decision by arranging a vacation with your family to Atlantis.

10/3/10

NIKOI ISLAND:The Best Beach Accommodation

NIKOI ISLAND:The Best  Beach AccommodationWhat perfect timing for revealing a new island paradise just off Singapore that will remind you of the Maldives, but is so much easier to get to. The best way to describe Nikoi Island is Five Star meets Robinson Crusoe. This is an eco-friendly resort with the last of 15 beachfront cottages on the small tropical island just completed in late 2009.

The architecture and feeling of freedom is superb. Picture this...you arrive by speedboat onto a beautiful white sandy beach, where check-in is at the thatched beach bar. Next to the bar with panoramic blue ocean views are the two dining rooms with white sand floors, distinctly "no news, no shoes" for the beachcomber in you who also wants five star comfort.

NIKOI ISLAND:The Best  Beach AccommodationIt will take you half an hour to wander around this beautiful island, and only five minutes to walk through a rainforest to the two swimming pools with elevated views and another thatched bar near your beachfront accommodation.

And what accommodation it is! The Australian owners recruited an American named Peter to partner them after he developed and then left another nearby Indonesian island. Peter's development of Nikoi is remarkable, enhancing Nikoi's natural palm-fringed beauty with eco-friendly design. Australian owner Andrew is a frequent visitor and his marketing expertise complements Nikoi's appeal.

NIKOI ISLAND:The Best  Beach AccommodationYour accommodation near the white coral beach is a perfect, natural experience; open-air two storey thatched cottages that are superb in design, from the gorgeous Queen size beds hanging from chains to the designer driftwood timber. Everything inside is beautiful local timber, past which you gaze blissfully over your stretch of white sandy beach only metres in front of you.

Below your elevated balcony is the white sand ground floor where you can rock from your hanging sofa or relax on your thatched daybed as you contemplate ordering a beachfront massage. You understand instantly why Nikoi's motto is "Relaxed by nature."

These elegant cottages are so open plan that there are no windows, doors or locks. Even if you're a little nervous at first, you quickly get back to nature and become one with the island spirit of honesty and freedom. There are room safes if required, but the wonderful feeling of waking up in daylight, cocooned only by mosquito netting on this island paradise, is a real revelation.

That may sound unprotected, but that's the whole point. Here, you're getting back to nature to enjoy the purest of holidays, and the gentle Indonesian staff become like family members. When you sleep surrounded by nature, cooling breezes and a fan above you make artificial air conditioning obviously unnecessary. Even the elevated al fresco bathroom is all natural, from the solar-powered waterfall shower to the timber toilet roll holder hanging from the ceiling, next to the "loo with a view" of the ocean outside.

NIKOI ISLAND:The Best  Beach AccommodationAnd the weather on Nikoi is usually perfect. It's only 1 degree from the Equator and boasts a "blue sky zone" that allows you to watch storm clouds in the distance over Singapore as you bask in sunshine.

Occasionally, the putt-putting of early-morning fishing boats from the village on Bintan Island across the water may wake you, but this also is a pleasurable experience if you lift your head slightly to see the silhouette on the ocean, often by the light of the moon.

And if you're lucky, you'll catch sight of a turtle coming ashore in front of your cottage to scoop out a nest and lay her young. This really is the complete natural experience.

Cozumel: The Best Activities & Destinations on Mexico’s Little Caribbean Paradise

Mexico’s Famous Caribbean Island Uncovered

In This Article You Will Discover:

* The Top Six Destinations/Activities on Cozumel
* How to Take Advantage of a Your Trip to Cozumel
* Tours, Activities & More on Cozumel

I stroll off the idling ferry, now parked at San Miguel’s main terminal, on to the dock leading towards Cozumel’s busy main town and into the island’s hub of activity. Hawkers are everywhere, promising the lowest rates on scooter rentals, surf lessons, scuba diving tours and T-shirts. No problems for me, though; there are so many tourists to pick from, none waste their time on the disinterested.

It all catches my attention, though, even if my skyward gaze doesn’t betray it. I have escaped the confines of my all-inclusive mainland Mexico resort, and ferried to Cozumel, Mexico’s famous Caribbean vacation island. Now what?

San Miguel

Whether you flew in direct or ferried from nearby Playa del Carmen, on Mexico’s Riviera Maya, San Miguel is where you will find yourself first. This is a good thing — because under the chaotic traffic, aggressive street vendors and throngs of tourists lies information, tour operators and accommodation choices to help you make the most of your time on the island, whether it’s a day or a month. First tip: if you plan on renting a scooter or motorcycle, keep in mind prices in town will be lower than you find at the airport or marina. (In fact, this applies to pretty much everything.) Furthermore, adventurous souls who are visiting the island sans reservation can no doubt find accommodation to suit any taste or budget simply by roaming the streets of San Miguel. Shopping (head to the Forum Plaza or Punta Langosta), dining, cold cerveza and people-watching galore awaits.

Surfing

The Mexican Caribbean is not well known as a surfing destination, unlike the famous beaches on the Pacific side. However, Cozumel is a fantastic place for beginner and intermediate surfers to catch some waves. Surf tours can be found in San Miguel, and run about $100 (US) for a day’s tour, including transportation around the island, equipment, lessons and sometimes lunch. Perhaps the best thing about surfing on Cozumel, though, is the fact that it’s off-radar. Beaches on the windward side of the island, where the waves crash, are all but empty, as the tourist hoards tend to stick to their resorts and pools on the other side of Cozumel.

Snorkeling/Scuba Diving

This is what Cozumel is really known for: its world-class underwater realm. Whether you choose to simply bob about with a snorkel stuffed in your mouth or venture offshore for some coral reef scuba diving tours, Cozumel will satisfy. For the former, it couldn’t be easier. The west-facing side of Cozumel is literally one big coral reef, and there are several spots where self-guided snorkelers can simply wade into the sea and have a look around. Just remember: south shore (near San Miguel) currents are much safer than north shore currents. If you’re not a strong swimmer, stay south. While the snorkel spots are numerous, put-ins include Playa Caletita (look for the lighthouse), south of San Miguel on the main road, and the Snorkel Center just to the south of that. (More avid explorers will want to organize a tour, and these run about $40 US or so). For scuba diving, you’ll want to hire a tour.

Two-Wheeled Touring

Cozumel is tiny — intrepid super-marathoners have been known to jog around the island, but let’s be honest, you’re here on vacation, not to sweat through your clothes in the 35-degree Celsius-plus Caribbean sun. While many choose to either stay in their resort, or hire a taxi to get around, a self-guided, two-wheeled tour of Cozumel could be the highlight of your trip. There are essentially three choices: bicycles, scooters and Harley Davidson Sportsters. A bicycle tour of the island will be tough work, as the road around Cozumel is about 30 km, and it’s hot and humid, but you can explore smaller routes without as much commitment. Scooters are by far the most popular choice, as rentals are cheap and abundant (always negotiate a better rate than the operator’s first offer), they are easy to ride and move about just fine for the small island. Tips: check out the condition of the scooter before you ride; if it seems in disrepair, go elsewhere. Also, make sure the rental price includes fuel, or at least negotiate the fuel surcharge — these scooters will only use a couple of dollars worth of petrol in a day, so pay accordingly. Renting a Harley Davidson seems like the “coolest” option, but truth be told, the roads on Cozumel are so short that a 50 cc scooter is more than adequate, and the price of a Harley rental is considerably pricier. Finally, no matter what type of two-wheeled transport you choose, make sure you take the outer road (“scooter road”) around the island. It’s for two-wheeled vehicles only, making it safer for scooterists, and is also far more scenic.

Freedom In Paradise

This will be a stop on your two-wheeled tour (or hire a taxi) and it’s not to be missed… Freedom In Paradise reggae bar! Found on the southern windward side of the island, in the middle of nowhere on a desolate, crumbling asphalt road, Freedom In Paradise is a true taste of the Mexican Caribbean. It is a friendly, breezy, open air bar that serves grub and booze for cheap (stick to the bottled beer) while patrons enjoy endless vistas of the Gulf of Mexico. Bob Marley posters adorn the walls and his music pumps out through the stereo; hammocks swing in the breeze; a couple of free-roaming pigs may stop by; and you can even pick up some unique gifts at Rasta’s, a gift shop and eatery across the road (which is equally chilled-out and funky). It’s as far away from your luxury resort as you may ever get on Cozumel, and worthy of half-a-day in itself.

Deep Sea-Fishing

Much like Ernest Hemingway, Zane Grey and the other old-school outdoorsman writers of yore, in Cozumel you can take to the blue water in the Gulf of Mexico to pursue the mighty billfish. Marlin larger than yourself, toothy barracuda and more await – if you choose your guide wisely. Fishing operators abound, and the visitor might be tempted to go with the first one he meets or the cheapest he finds. Be wary and take your time – you could have the best fishing experience of your life if you ensure your guide uses sharp hooks and gear in good repair. Ask around and find a guide who comes recommended from multiple sources. Then warm up your reeling arm, because an 800-pound blue marlin awaits you.