Month: September 2011

Galle: A heaven for the adventure tourist


The southern coastal belt is home to some of the most popular tourist destinations in Sri Lanka. The bright blue skies, the warm golden sandy beaches and the cool blue waters of the Indian Ocean make the southern coast a perfectly picturesque and ideal vacation spot for beach lovers of all ages.
120 Km from Colombo is Galle, the capital of the southern province. It is a city with a buzz and colourful history. A UNESCO declared World Heritage site, the magnificent Dutch fort is the most popular attraction of the town and the Dutch atmosphere is still very much alive around the fort.
Galle is surrounded by many other tourist destinations. Bentota and Hikkaduwa are two popular destinations before the city of Galle whilst Koggala and the world famous beaches of Unawatuna are just outside of Galle. Mirissa is another fantastic beach within half an hour of Galle that is ideal for the beach lover. A common factor in all of the above other than the sun, sand and the beach are the collection of water sports making these, ideal spots for the adventure tourist.
Snorkelling, jet skiing, surfing, scuba diving, sports fishing, bay sailing, sea kayaking and coastal cruises are among the many activities that are available. Unawatuna and its surrounding beaches are dotted with some exotic snorkeling reefs offering an ultimate experience.
Although famous for the beach, turning off from the city of Galle will allow you to experience Sri Lanka’s low country hills and take you to authentic Sri Lankan villages bordered by rivers that will give you a truly cultural and peaceful experience. Jetwing Kurulubedda is one of Sri Lanka Hotels that is true to this experience. The hotel gives a traveller a firsthand experience of Sri Lanka’s village life by allowing for a bath at a well and serving a meal of red rice and garden grown vegetables. Luxury is not forgotten at this Boutique hotel in Galle. A pleasant old butler, a spa offering refreshing massages with aromatic Ayurveda oils and a well stocked wine cellar all add to the ambiance. Jetwing Kurulubedda is no doubt a one of a kind experience that weaves together the fun and frolic of the beach together with a peaceful village experience.

Snorkeling

The experienced traveler will know that as diverse and varied as the many draws of Indonesia may be, not many of them are found in its capital of Jakarta. The featureless plain where the city smog rises over the high rise buildings doesn’t exactly scream of a summer pleasure palace. However, the experienced traveler can also tell you that the best travel discoveries are made by looking beneath the surface to find hidden gems. In the case of Jakarta, we may take that analogy literally, as it is gaining quite a reputation for what lies beneath the surface of the shallow seas which rings its islands – snorkeling adventures galore!

Several of the islands are noted for their varied treasures of hard and soft coral reef and varieties of vibrant marine life. Resorts Kul Kul Kotok Island, Sepa Island, Matahari Island and Pantara Island are special favourites among the snorkeling enthusiasts of Jakarta, boasting veritable undersea parks of vibrant coral with exotic fish and sea turtles. The Pulau Seribu or Thousand Island, Gosana Pandan Island and Semak Daun Utara Island are all among the prime favourites which offer the most magnificent underwater experiences that can be viewed without the hindrance of scuba gear. The Pramuka Island also is yet another island which is set apart from the others due to the opportunities of island cruising it offers (a perfect complement to an afternoon of diving) and the presence of “fish doctors” in its waters. These rare and quaint fish are inquisitive creatures that appear to be dressed in a white coat and prod randomly at passing fish.

Panggang Island, widely accepted as being the island whose shallows house the densest formations of colourful soft coral, merits a special mention in the recreational snorkeling. This island is famous for the rainbow fish which abound in its waters as well as the angelfish, shoals of damselfish, sea urchins and the very rare and exotic sea-lily which blooms here in a myriad of hues. Even if you’ve never been introduced to snorkeling before, picture these bright slivers of life and gentle sea turtles weaving about a garden of living coral submerged in the azure sun-warmed waters of these tropical shallows and see if you don’t race to buy an underwater camera!

Although these aforementioned hidden recreational gems prove Jakarta to be a very viable option for leisure travel, it has to be accepted that the busy Indonesian hub of trade mostly attracts visitors of business, sometimes on extended trips of commercial nature. It is customary for these visitors to find their way to the Golden Triangle, which is the elite area of the business and shopping district housing the serviced accommodation Jakarta offers. However, private Serviced Apartments Jakarta are also fast gaining vogue among the business and leisure travel community as preferable alternatives to extended hotel stays. Somerset Grand Citra is one such complex intended for business executives and their families, providing a convenient base from which to combine work trips and leisure excursions.

Broken Rock Dive Site

In the Maldives we never fail to remember this word “Diving”. When it comes to diving there are many sites around this small island. Broken Rock is one such place located on the South Ari atoll, Dhigurah Channel. It is one of the premier dive spots in the area and will prove a memorable trip for any visitor. Broken Rock is covered in colorful and soft coral, but only one diver can enter the canyon at a time ensuring that is beauty is reserved only to those well deserving of it.
On your Maldives Cruise, make sure you visit the captivating locale of Black Rock and enjoy the thrills of the Liveaboard Maldives is famous for. Maldives cruises are the fun way to enjoy the atolls and islands of the pristine Maldives.

Enjoy the outdoors at the Boulder County Fairgrounds

Camping has been a proud American tradition for as long as motorized transport has been available. It allows one to appreciate minimalist living, with only a tent to protect one from the elements and canned food to satisfy one’s appetite. In a nation that has grabbed the headlines for its love of excess; camping has always remained a refreshing aspect of an all American upbringing that children have cherished. This proud tradition remains popular because it has been handed down from generation to generation within families; most families have their own favourite camping spot filled with happy memories of yester year.


In addition to living only on the essentials, camping also allows one to appreciate the beauty and purity of nature. There’s nothing more soothing than a trek through a pinewood forest after a busy week of trudging on streets lined with concrete buildings. At the Boulder county fairgrounds all of this can be experienced all year around.


The county fairgrounds have facilities for RV’s, this allows travelers to experience a true American road trip and make an unforgettable stop over at Boulder. The city of Boulder offers a host of attractions to campers such as a wide variety of outdoor sports in the expansive countryside that surrounds it. Some of the more popular activities are trekking, mountain climbing and mountain biking. For those for are little bit more adventurous some of the best rock climbing sites can be found in the nearby El-Dorado Canyon.


Nonetheless, camping remains a group activity. Despite the activities one may engage in during the day, it all winds down to a beer by the campfire with some interesting company. Many visitors are known frequent the Boulder county fairgrounds through out the there year, thus there is never any shortage of interesting characters here.


Located close to the main city centre, the recreational areas in Boulder such as the county fairgrounds are in close proximity to Boulder hotels. Though camping may not the be first thing on the minds of the travellers, many visitors staying in Denver area hotels such as the nearby Millennium Harvest House Boulder may find this to be an interesting recreational activity. This hotel also offers an array of attractive Boulder hotel deals.