Destination Archives - Page 23 of 44

April 16, 2014 by Jeremy

Manchester: London’s cooler cousin

Everyone is familiar with the English capital London, it is Europe’s most visited city and attracts around 27 million tourists every year. Now there is nothing wrong with London but it is not the only city in the UK worth visiting.

Each city in Britain has its own culture and societal norms that drastically differ from one another. Manchester is the cool guy with a whiskey and a cigarette in comparison to London’s stiff aristocrat with champagne and a cigar, meaning it is the coolest city in the UK.

Sport plays a huge part in British culture and, at the minute, Manchester is the country’s hotbed of talent. Football wise they have two great clubs; Manchester United and Manchester City, United are one of the most valuable sports club in the planet and their 70,000 seater stadium is a coliseum. As for City, they are the favourites to win the league this year and like United are one of the best clubs in European football.

The city is also the home to Lancashire County Cricket club and teams from both rugby union and rugby league. Manchester is the sporting hub of England and a place that witnesses so much success it leaves bookmakers such as Betfair severely out of pocket.

MadChester was a music scene in Britain that developed in the late 1980s and early 1990s and left a mark in the music industry that is still present today. The Smiths, New Order, Joy Division, The Stone Roses, The Happy Mondays, The Mock Turtles and Oasis are just a drop in the Manchester musical pool.

MadChester transformed Manchester into the musical venue in the country, something that is still true today even if we are no longer blessed with the Hacienda nightclub. This rich history puts Manchester in a category similar to Motown and Detroit, and Country and Nashville.

Liverpool may have had the Beatles but Manchester have had nearly anyone else. If you are a music lover then you need to visit Manchester, it really is incomparable and it is simply phenomenal that a city with a population of half a million could give so much.

Matchstick men artist L.S. Lowry was a native of the city and his artwork is situated at the aptly named Lowry museum in the middle of town. The city also consists of a network of canals, a commonplace in most British cities, which has given rise to waterside bars and restaurants making it an idyllic place to chill out.

If you want to go shopping then the Trafford Centre will be right up your street. This palatial shopping complex, once the largest in Britain, has numerous shops and the largest food court in Europe.

Manchester has just as much culture and, to a certain degree, history, making is well worth a visit if you are planning on visiting Britain.

April 9, 2014 by jfalbelda

7 Underrated Destinations in South Africa

As with all tourist destinations the world over, the more organised the attractions of the country are, the better they are able to attract the greatest number of visitors through more effective marketing. In South Africa, this means cities like Cape Town draw far more overseas visitors than the city of Durban, and the Wetlands of St. Lucia draw many more visitors than the stunning hamlets along the Wild Coast of the Eastern Cape, both being equally remote.

This is not to say that Durban or the Wild Coast does not offer great value for money – they do, and much of it – but more often than not, lower budget constraints for marketing result in fewer search hits when holidaymakers plan their next trip.

April 8, 2014 by Jeremy

Top Tourist Attractions In Slovenia

The tourist attractions in Slovenia reflect the uniqueness of this nation in Eastern Europe. Slovenia has some things in common with Luxembourg. Like the latter, Slovenia shares borders with different civilizations in Europe.

Luxembourg has three various neighbors, while Slovenia has four. To the north lies the Teutonic nation of Austria. South of the country is the Slavic country Croatia. Eastward is Hungary, home to the ancient Eurasian steppe nomads. Lastly beyond the western border lies Italy, the country of the famous Romans.

In a certain way, Slovenia is fortunate to have these four cultures become an influential part of its civilization. Needless to say, it is not surprising to find this country to be a bit multi-ethnic.

1. Piran Seaport

Piran is an old seaport located at coastal cape along the Adriatic Sea. An interesting aspect about this harbor town is that the architecture of the buildings is predominantly medieval Venetian. It shows how strong the Italian influence is in this part of the country. People, both native and foreign, visit this place for their excellent seafood. Going for a swim at the beach is also a viable idea, especially with the kind of atmosphere akin to Mediterranean coast of Venice.

2. Postojna Cave

The Postojna Cave is one of the top tourist attractions in Slovenia for eco tourist with a keen fascination for geology and biology. This cave covers a regulated distance of 5 kilometers accessible view electric train trolley. At one end of the stalactite and stalagmite tunnel is the sight of a unique human fish species better known in the scientific community as proteus anguinus.

3. Sunny Alps

The Sunny Alps is one of the most exciting places in Slovenia to have a vacation. This venue is part of the Julian Alps and is famous for its resorts and vacation farms. It is in this place where one can find the 85-hectare vast Triglav National Park, one of the biggest parks in Europe. People can enjoy a wide array of water outdoor activities such as rafting, kayaking and hydro speed cruise along the lakes Bohinj and Bohinjka Bistrica.

4. Kranjska Gora

The Kranjska Gora is another part of the Julian Alps that is famous among eco tourists. However, unlike Sunny Alps, the fun activities in Kranjska Gora are defined by pushing the envelope of the human body’s normal capacity. The available outdoor recreations include horsemanship, paragliding, mountaineering and other winter sports. But people with a more relaxed and pacified sense of amusement can go for fishing instead.

5. Ljubljana

Ljubljana is the capital city one of the top tourist attractions in Slovenia for those tourists looking for the best that civilization has to offer. Travelers with academic fascination will certainly dig the National Museum and the City Museum. Patrons of the arts and architecture can also visit the magnificent two towers of Ljubljana Cathedral as well as the Modern Art Gallery. All of Ljubljana contains five millennia’s worth of national history.

April 5, 2014 by Jeremy

Bali: exotic, adventurous and relaxing

Bali is one of the best all-round destinations in the world. It’s got a definite flavour of the exotic, there are a host of adventurous sports to have a go at and plenty of opportunities for uninterrupted relaxation if that’s more your thing.

Added to all of this are stunning natural landscapes, from its picture-perfect beaches to its verdant rainforests. You really couldn’t ask for much more from a holiday destination. We’re going to take you through a few of the attractions in Bali – if you’d like to see a more comprehensive itinerary, click here.

Climbing Mount Agung

Mount Agung is an active volcano and also the highest point on the island, towering some 3,142 m above sea level. Climbing it is a real must for adventurous travellers, as you’ll not only have the incredible views of the rest of Bali from the top, but also the amazing sight of the volcanic crater.

The best time to climb is early in the morning, allowing you to reach the summit in time for a spectacular sunrise. As you come down Mount Agung’s forested slopes, keep an eye out for macaque monkeys and birds of prey.

Exploring Tirta Gangga Water Palace

The Tirta Gangga Water Palace is one of the most beautiful places to get a flavour of Bali’s exotic culture and has been restored to its former glory. There is a selection of fountains and pools, all arranged in a stunning tropical garden, with ornate statues dotted among the plants and water features.

It’s possible to bathe in some of the pools for a small extra charge, giving you the chance to unwind in this exotic setting.

Discovering Balinese culture in Ubud

Ubud is Bali’s capital and a hotbed for culture and art. This is the best place to see some of Bali’s famous craftsmen at work, with these skilled people producing incredible stone carvings, intricate woodwork and interesting pieces of art.

There are plenty of art galleries in Ubud, including the Agung Rai Museum of Art, where you can see a host of pieces by well-known Balinese artists, and the Neka Art Museum, which is home to a vast collection of artworks spread across six pavilions.

Chilling out on the beach

Bali is home to some stunning beaches, as you’d probably expect given that it’s an island in the Indo-Pacific. There are plenty of wonderful resorts where you can enjoy uninterrupted relaxation in the sun if you need some rest after an adventurous week or two.

Of course, there’s plenty to do around Bali’s coast if you’re not ready to stop being active. Surfing is a very popular pastime here and the waves at some of the island’s hotspots are among the best in the world.

Snorkelling is another great thing to have a go at, as the marine life around Bali – and Indonesia as a whole – is some of the most varied and interesting in the world. The extensive coral reefs are teeming with life, giving you yet another glimpse of Bali’s beautiful natural world.

This is just a snapshot of what’s on offer in Bali and, as you can probably tell, there’s a lot to see and do on this island. As there’s so much to discover here, going on an organised tour is worthwhile, as this will mean you don’t have to worry about travelling from place to place.

March 19, 2014 by Jeremy

Top Tourist Attractions In Port Douglas

The top tourist attractions in Port Douglas are what made this town in Far North Queensland Australia appear quite brightly at the radar for eager travellers all over the world. This place is located forty miles north of Cairns and its very limited 4,772 citizen population is indicative of how diminutive this area is in civilization standards.

However, its population more than doubles each time vacationers spend their holiday in this coastal town. This town got its name from a 19th Century premier of Queensland named John Douglas.

This town relies on two prosperous industries – mining and logging. Curiously, Port Douglas shares a close proximity to two of Queensland’s UNESCO World Heritage Site such as The Great Barrier Reef and the Daintree Rainforest. Before launching a voyage to these locations, there are several attractions worth lingering first.

1. Rainforest Habitat Wildlife Sanctuary

The Rainforest Habitat Wildlife Sanctuary is one of the most exciting among the top tourist attractions in Port Douglas. This venue is something that can truly give eco-tourists a wonderful exploration experience and these adventures can come in three iconic themes.

The boardwalks cut through the canopy called the Rainforest and continues further into the less constricting Wetlands, and finally ending up in a dry and more open-spaced location called the Grassland.

2. The Australian Muster Experience

Have you experienced living the life of an Australian rancher? This question directed at travellers can have a slightly affirmative answer once they get into the Australian Muster Experience. People who haven’t the slightest idea about Australia’s correlation with cowboy life can experience the worthy rivals of the Wild West.

Here people can enjoy an open-air barbecue buffet in the middle of a cattle ranch with outback music and a complete set of thematic elements such as stockmen, horses and cattle dogs that herd the rancher’s stampeding property. Dusty, remote and picturesque; just the way patrons of Australian outback imagines it.

3. Port Douglas Yacht Club

Being a coastal town, it seemed inappropriate for this place not to have a decent leisure boat cruises. Truly, for people seeking a casual marine activity they ought to try visiting the Port Douglas Yacht Club.

A very interesting aspect about this tourist attraction is that joining this club does not need a registration fee. It is free and all it takes is to appear in the list for the boating crew to fit in the appropriate gear.

4. Sea Temple Resort & Spa Port Douglas

People can truly have a nice excursion in Queensland’s remote tourist attraction. However, all that walking and proactive pursuit can cause an unpleasant discomfort from exhaustion.

Some people couldn’t settle for simple dozing and for these types of individuals who prefer lavish physical pampering, it is best to pay a visit to the Sea Temple Resort & Spa Port Douglas. More than a recreational waterpark, this place is home to a massage parlour. This place is also a good location to play golf.