Thursday, February 22, 2007
CURACAO
Famous for its fine liqueur made from the sweetened peel of bitter oranges and for its sunny climate and secluded beaches, Curaçao has a rich and diverse history, which explains the international flavor of its culture and the curious mixture of Old and New World charm. The people claim descent from over 50 different ethnic backgrounds, and the native language, Papiamentu, is a creole mixture of Dutch, Portuguese, Spanish, English, French, African, and some Arawak Indian.
Curaçao has over 35 beaches with a remarkable variety. Whether you are a sun-loving vacationer or a resident enjoying a day off, you can choose between intimate rocky coves surrounded by massive cliffs or long sandy beaches, either secluded by nature or bustling with activities. The one thing they all share is crystal clear turquoise water and picture-perfect weather. Almost all of the bathing beaches are scattered along the sheltered and calm southwestern coast, where the waters are calm and crystal clear.
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Monday, February 19, 2007
FIJI
If there's adventure in your soul, Fiji is the place to indulge it. The Fiji Islands in the South Pacific are an archipelago of over 330 islands packed with attractions that can be found no where else and offers a unique experiential opportunity for the visitor. Whether you seek Romance, Relaxation, Cultural Immersion, Cruising the Sea, or the Ultimate Eco-Tourism escapade, you'll find fulfillment here. A nature lover's delight, Fiji has an unspoiled, unique environment of extreme beauty and tranquility.
Friday, February 16, 2007
Seychelles
Among the 115 islands of the Seychelles you will find the luxuriant, tropical paradise that appears in countless advertisements and glossy travel brochures. But however seductive the images, they simply can't compete with the real-life dazzling beaches and crystal-clear waters.
There are more shades of blue and green in the Seychelles than it is possible to imagine. Forming a backdrop to the relaxed tropical image of the Seychelles are the rhythms, colours and flavours of Africa and gris gris, the local brand of black magic.The Seychelles' seasons are defined by the trade winds. These blow from the northwest from October to April, bringing warm, wet weather. From May to September the southeast trades usher in cooler, drier weather but the winds whip up the waves and you'll want to find protected beaches. The turnaround periods (March through April and October through November) are normally calm and windless. The annual temperature range fluctuates between 24°C (75°F) and 31°C (88°F) and the humidity sweats at around 80%.
The rain generally comes in sudden, heavy bursts. January is the wettest month, and mountainous Mahé and Silhouette get the most rainfall. July and August are the driest. Although the Seychelles lies outside the cyclone zone, cyclone activity elsewhere in the Indian Ocean can still bring unseasonably grey, windy weather between December and March.
There are more shades of blue and green in the Seychelles than it is possible to imagine. Forming a backdrop to the relaxed tropical image of the Seychelles are the rhythms, colours and flavours of Africa and gris gris, the local brand of black magic.The Seychelles' seasons are defined by the trade winds. These blow from the northwest from October to April, bringing warm, wet weather. From May to September the southeast trades usher in cooler, drier weather but the winds whip up the waves and you'll want to find protected beaches. The turnaround periods (March through April and October through November) are normally calm and windless. The annual temperature range fluctuates between 24°C (75°F) and 31°C (88°F) and the humidity sweats at around 80%.
The rain generally comes in sudden, heavy bursts. January is the wettest month, and mountainous Mahé and Silhouette get the most rainfall. July and August are the driest. Although the Seychelles lies outside the cyclone zone, cyclone activity elsewhere in the Indian Ocean can still bring unseasonably grey, windy weather between December and March.
Thursday, February 15, 2007
Bora Bora details
Today the island is mainly dependent on tourism. Over the last few years seven high-end resorts have been built on motus (small islands) surrounding the lagoon.
Thirty years ago, Hotel Bora Bora built the first over the water bungalows on stilts over the lagoon and today, overwater bungalows are a standard feature of most Bora Bora resorts. These private bungalows offer stunning views of the lagoon and mountain, easy access into the lagoon and are very luxurious, spacious, and priced accordingly.
Bora Bora's main attraction is its calm and crystal-clear lagoon offering the full array of nautical activities, the most famous being the Shark and Ray Feeding Excursion. There are also land excursion, such as by 4x4 up the hills to see the old WWII cannons and get a bird's-eye-view of the multicolored lagoon.
Matira Beach and Lagoon, Bora Bora
Air Tahiti has five or six flights daily to the island from Tahiti (as well as from other islands), at a cost of about 14,000 XPF one-way. To conceptualise this price, it is equivalent to around £80 or $149.
Although French and Tahitian are the main languages spoken by the inhabitants, people in contact with tourists generally have some command of English. Most visitors to Bora Bora are American, Japanese, or European.
Public transport on the island is limited, consisting of a single bus that goes halfway around the island and back approximately every hour. Bicycles are the recommended method of transport for tourists. There are also small fun-cars for hire in the little town of Vaitape.
Bora Bora is famous for snorkeling and scuba diving in and around its lagoon. Many species of sharks and rays can be seen in the transparent water. There are a few dive operators on the island offering manta ray dives and shark-feeding dives.
Thirty years ago, Hotel Bora Bora built the first over the water bungalows on stilts over the lagoon and today, overwater bungalows are a standard feature of most Bora Bora resorts. These private bungalows offer stunning views of the lagoon and mountain, easy access into the lagoon and are very luxurious, spacious, and priced accordingly.
Bora Bora's main attraction is its calm and crystal-clear lagoon offering the full array of nautical activities, the most famous being the Shark and Ray Feeding Excursion. There are also land excursion, such as by 4x4 up the hills to see the old WWII cannons and get a bird's-eye-view of the multicolored lagoon.
Matira Beach and Lagoon, Bora Bora
Air Tahiti has five or six flights daily to the island from Tahiti (as well as from other islands), at a cost of about 14,000 XPF one-way. To conceptualise this price, it is equivalent to around £80 or $149.
Although French and Tahitian are the main languages spoken by the inhabitants, people in contact with tourists generally have some command of English. Most visitors to Bora Bora are American, Japanese, or European.
Public transport on the island is limited, consisting of a single bus that goes halfway around the island and back approximately every hour. Bicycles are the recommended method of transport for tourists. There are also small fun-cars for hire in the little town of Vaitape.
Bora Bora is famous for snorkeling and scuba diving in and around its lagoon. Many species of sharks and rays can be seen in the transparent water. There are a few dive operators on the island offering manta ray dives and shark-feeding dives.
Bora Bora is an island in the Leeward group of the Society Islands of French Polynesia, an overseas territory of France in the Pacific Ocean. The island, located about 260 km northwest of Papeete (French Polynesia's capital), is surrounded by a lagoon and a fringing reef. In the center of the island are the remnants of an extinct volcano, rising to two peaks, Mt. Pahia, and the highest point, Mount Otemanu, reaching 727 meters (2,385 ft.).
The island is administratively part of the commune (municipality) of Bora-Bora, itself in the administrative subdivision of the Leeward Islands.
As of 2002, the population was about 7,250 people. The major settlement, Vaitape is on the western side of the island, opposite the main channel into the lagoon.
The original name in the Tahitian language might be better rendered as Pora Pora, meaning "First Born".
The products of the island are mostly limited to what can be obtained from the sea and coconut trees, which were historically of economic importance for copra.
The island is administratively part of the commune (municipality) of Bora-Bora, itself in the administrative subdivision of the Leeward Islands.
As of 2002, the population was about 7,250 people. The major settlement, Vaitape is on the western side of the island, opposite the main channel into the lagoon.
The original name in the Tahitian language might be better rendered as Pora Pora, meaning "First Born".
The products of the island are mostly limited to what can be obtained from the sea and coconut trees, which were historically of economic importance for copra.
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