Best Vacation Advisor

Archive for September, 2009

Heritage Tours Of Rajasthan

lt;! page size: 8.5in 11in; margin: 0.79in P marginbottom: 0.08in gt;

The most vibrant and colorful stateRajasthan with palacesonwheels.com has caught the fancy of tourists from all over the globe. Getting visitors from near and far this state has quite a fascinating tour to offer to its visitors. The rich and interesting culture and heritage tours of Rajasthan are famous among travelers

A perfect heritage destination this colorful state can be enjoyed when you get on one of the heritage tours of Rajasthan. The magnificent forts the splendid palaces majestic mountain ranges vast golden sands of desert watching the sun rise and set in the desertRajasthan provides one picturesque scenery.

The beautiful cities of Rajasthan the pink city Jaipur the city of the rising sunJodhpur the desert cityJaisalmer Bikaner the city with lake palacesUdaipur all offer an experience of a lifetime. As part of the heritage tours of Rajasthan you can visit all the interesting places of this state.

The lt;bgt;Rajasthan heritage tourslt;/bgt; include a visit to the famous hawa mahal the palaces of the royal Rajputs the forts tombs caves temples. The famous Pushkar temple is also a part of the Rajasthan tours. The palaces of Rajasthan have a story to tell the forts talk about the by gone era when they stood for royalty and strength. Today the same forts stand silently still for strength royalty and valour.

You can even shop for some souvenirs here to take back home with you. You can pick some colorful things from here to remind you of this colorful state. On the heritage toursRajasthan a visit to all the fascinating sites will definitely make you come back here again and again.
The lt;bgt;deserts of Jaisalmerlt;/bgt; are very well known around Rajasthan. You can go on a desert safari on a camel or elephant around the interesting sites. On the safari you can visit the villages of this colorful state and see the village life as to how they live in these colorful villages.

The lt;bgt;architectural splendors in Rajasthanlt;/bgt; are a sight to see. These splendors have a tale to tell of its bygone past. A story of courage sacrifice and valor. These architectural beauties are a masterpieceeach and every one of them.

About the writer:nbsp;nbsp;If you desire to make your stay comfortable journey smooth and travel extraordinary then embark on us and experience the pleasure! We give you detailed information about the heritage tours of Rajasthan its facilities and the voyage.
For more info visit http://www.touristplacesinindia.com/buddhisttours

Ha Long Bay – Far And Away

Determined to find her own private paradise Duc Hanh takes a cycling and kayaking tour to the far reaches of Halong bay

After disembarking the Indochina Sails Junk onto a smaller wooden boat we sail towards the shore of Ngoc Vung Island along with my fellow travellers and a bunch of mountain bikes. We are off for a cycling tip across this mysterious island which sits amongst the awe inspiring Halong archipelago. Ngoc Vung Mother Pearl island is 50km from Halong Citys Wharf.

Once all around the island you could plunge below and find a plethora of pearls hence the name Mother Pearl island. The island is 12 square kilometers in area with over 1000 inhabitants living mainly off fishing farming aquaculture and afforesting.

If you see the island from helicopter Ngoc Vung looks like a beautiful velvet handkerchief with white edging says the captain of Huong Hai junk. It seems to be floating on the waters surface. Once upon a time when night fell the island would have been illuminated by the incandescent pearls below he continues lost in his own happy reverie. Too bad I reflect that these finite ocean treasures have been plundered.

After we arrive at the islands small wharf we grab our bikes and prepare to cycle to the east side of the island where weve been promised we will find deserted beaches. We take a coastal road that skirts the islands hilly terrain. The road is spectacular. There is never a chance to get bored with stunning views of land and sea.

Off the shoreline fishermen are caulking their bamboo boat with tar or scrapping worms off the panels of their wooden boats. Along the road several women are mending fishing nets or drying peanuts. Up the hilly slopes children blithely tend to oxen or geese. On the verdant paddy fields farmers pull up weeds or busy themselves with fresh water ponds of fish and shrimp. Were told you can find big fish in these little ponds.

One farmer we meet along the way says Last week my uncle caught a butterfish weighing over 10 kg. For those worried about cycling on country roads on remote islands Ngoc Vung boasts fairly smooth infrastructure all round. There is certainly little by way of traffic. Just the odd threewheeled vehicle or motorbike passes by. Life on the island is simple. If youre after tranquillity it is here in spades.

Everybody here knows each other very well says Mien who transports goods around the island in his threewheeled vehicle. Whenever someone is sick everyone on the island comes to wish them a speedy recovery. Whenever a family has bad luck everyone is ready to help them.

I have never locked the door to my house. Here we are one big family. The cycle from the wharf to the beach is rather short just 5km so even if youre not a keen cyclist you should find it easy enough. There is no need to rush no need to stress out. We stop frequently and bask in the islands natural beauty.

When we finally arrive at the white sandy beach it glistens under the sunshine. There is not a soul bathing on the beach. For tourists looking for a remote hidden getaway spot this fits the bill. That of course means you have zero by the way of services no bars or restaurants no showers or toilets. But thats why were here: To escape the crowds and bask in our own little private paradise. We park our bicycles under the pinetrees where a small tent has been set up for us to change into our swimsuits.

Then one by one we run for the clear blue waters and dive in. After swimming sunbathing and walking along the beach with heavy hearts we cycle back towards the boat. But the fun isnt over. After sailing away from Ngoc Vung we clamber into kayaks and paddle towards Cong Do a floating fishing village in Bai Tu Long bay 25km southeast of Halong city. There are over 50 floating houses and boats nestled in amongst a series of green rocky stacks and islets.

Covered from the wind that sweeps across the sea all around the floating village the water is extremely calm. We paddle through as the villagers go about their daily business. Fishermen mend nets women cook up meals or wash clothes while kids jump and splash outside in their watery gardens.

One of the houses is an arresting shade of pink. We cant help but head towards it. The owners a recently married couple tell us that they spent VND200 million building the house. They have a baby on the way and previously had lived on a small fishing boat. This pink house on the high seas was where they were settling down to raise a family.

Getting there You can travel to Ngoc Vung island by boat from Halong wharf but remember there are no hotels restaurants so make sure you arrange a roundtrip! The locals here are very friendly and there may be a possibility of a homestay accommodation with a homecooked seafood dinner. An easier way to go about it is to book a tour.

You can join a threeday and twonight tour with Indochina Sails that includes visiting Ngoc Vung as well as caves fishing villages swimming and kayaking in spots all across the World Heritage Site Halong Bay. Shorter trips to the island are also possible. Indochina Sails 844 984 2362

About the writer:  For more info about Ha Long bay please visit Active Travel Vietnam Indochina sails Cruises

Greece Zante An Island With Verdant Landscape And Flowered Fields

Zakinthos Zante

The Venetians who ruled Zante for some 300 years called it “the flower of the Levant” that is the eastern Mediterranean and Zakynthos remains something of a paradise known for its verdant landscape and flowered fields. Greeks themselves have long appreciated Zakynthos’s charms and use it as a vacation retreat. Its easy accessibility air connections to Athens and Cephalonia ships to the mainland and other Ionian Islands plus its fine climate its good roads and public transport system its many hotels and restaurants all combine to make Zakynthos a most attractive goal for those seeking a Greek island holiday.

Only some 40 km long and 18 km wide Zante has experienced its share of history. It is almost certainly the island of Zakynthos mentioned in Homer as belonging to the kingdom of Odysseus although some have argued that it was in fact his native Ithaka. The island may well have been colonized by Achaean Greeks but by 455 BC it was conquered by Athens. Its location on the sea route to the western Mediterranean made it a desirable target for all subsequent Mediterranean powers too Romans Saracens Normans Franks Turks. But it was the Venetians who conquered it in 1485 and held it till 1797 putting their imprint on the island that still remains in the architecture and subtle other ways. Italian words are still used by Greeks many GreekItalian families exist some still Roman Catholic; meanwhile Zante’s native son Ugo Foscolo 17781827 is regarded by Italy as one of their poets. After a brief spell under the French Zakinthos became part of the British protectorate until it joined Greece in 1864.

Because of its location Zakynthos has also been visited by numerous celebrities including the great ancient traveller Herodotus. Kolokotronis one of the leaders of the Greeks’ struggle for independence from the Turks sought refuge here in 1805. And in addition to Foscolo two famous poets of Greece were born here Dionysios Solomos and Andreas Kalvos.

The largest city main port and point of entry for most who come to the island is Zakynthos Town on the east coast. It rings the bay and is backed by a hill with a Venetian castle on its top. Zakynthos Town suffered considerably in the last great earthquake 1953 but it has now been totally restored. It boasts several fine old churches: Ayios Nikolaos Ayios Dionysios with relics of the island’s patron saint and frescoes by Cozzari a local pupil of Tiepolo and the Panayia Faneromeni. The town also has two museums. The one for Byzantine art has several important ikons of the Ionian School which seems to have originated when Cretans fled from the Turkish conquest at the end of the 17th century and ended up on Zakynthos and Corfu where their work proceeded to combine the Byzantine traditions with a more Italianate style.

The other museum the Solomos Museum or Museum of the Celebrities of Zakynthos houses the mausoleums of Solomos who wrote the words to the Greek national anthem and Andreas Kalvos. Foscolo’s house is marked by a monument in its garden. Also of interest in Zakynthos Town is a chapel called Kyria ton Angelon “Lady of the Angels” attached to the fine mansion of the Roma family.

The place that will appeal to all though is the Venetian citadel on the peak above the town. There had always been some sort of fortress here since ancient times but as usual it was the Venetians who erected the most ambitious one; the remains may no longer be all that impressive but the view is spectacular: below lies the town the Peloponnesus lies just to the east while to the west are the foothills of Mt. Skopos the highest peak on Zakynthos.

Not everyone will want to ascend that peak only some 485 meters but it is a rewarding excursion. You head south from Zakinthos Town and at about 4 km take the path up to the summit. Again it is the view not the summit itself that is the attraction. On the way to the top you pass the Monastery of Panayia Skopiotissa with icons dating from the 16th century. Back down on the coast road you could proceed on to a beach at Argasi with nearby ruins of the ancient site of Palaiokastro and a medieval tower. Continuing still farther south would bring you to PortoRoma a small harbour surrounded by pine trees. Some 6 km off to the south of Zakynthos Town is a popular beach resort Lagana Beach on the bay of that name. It is the most “developed” resort on the island and can be crowded in high season and it may not appeal to everyone as a goal on a Greek island. In recent years Lagana Beach has been much in the news because of the attempts by conservationists to put a stop to the tourist development here: the loggerhead turtles of the Mediterranean have long used this beach as a breeding ground indeed it is the largest in the Mediterranean and all of Europe for this species and since these turtles need to come up at night to undisturbed sand to lay their eggs their very existence is threatened by the increasing encroachments on the beach.

Those who want to give the turtle some chance to survive may want to avoid Lagana Beach. Instead take an excursion to the famous Blue Grotto at Kianou on the northern tip of the island. It is best approached by taking a boat from Zakynthos Town. Other attractions on the northern end of the island include the town of Katastari and the nearby beach of Alikes; the Monastery of Ayios Ioannis Prodromos; the Skinari Lighthouse and the Monastery of Ayios Georgios at the very northern tip of Zakynthos. Moving southward along the west coast would bring you through Anafonitria with the Monastery where St. Dionysios patron saint of the island is said to have lived. The road then raises high above the coast and passes through Makharadi well known for the church bells of its Ayia Mavra. Proceeding down back to the coast at the southwest tip you come to Keri a port with a beach; nearby are the natural tarpitch springs pissa tau Keriau that Herodotus and Pliny mentioned as being used for caulking boats and still so used.

Yet another excursion is to the Strophades Isles some 50 km south of Zakynthos and thus a fairly hardy voyage in a small boat. It might reward birdwatchers though for it has a native species of gull as well as many other birds. The larger of the two isles still has a fortressmonastery from the Byzantine era with a few monks in residence.

About the writer:  Pushpitha Wijesinghe is an experienced independent freelance writer. He specializes in providing a wide variety of content and articles related to the travel hospitality industry.