June, 2013 | The Adventure Travel Site

Thrilling Adventures on Elephant Safaris in Bali

Set amidst stunning natural landscapes full of idyllic beaches and lush greenery, the island of Bali offers a seemingly endless possibility for outdoor adventure, one of which is an elephant safari. Those in search of a boutique hotel Bali has to offer which to use as a base for their travels can stay at L Hotel Seminyak. This Bali luxury hotel can be found in the Seminyak area and lets you enjoy the very best the island has to offer.

If you are looking to experience an elephant safari then make your way to Taro in Ubud where you will find the Elephant Safari Park. Set amidst a 2 hectare area, this popular attraction is home to many elephants that one can interact with, take rides on and observe their day to day routines which include taking baths at the lake. There is also a museum here which features South East Asia’s sole Mammoth Skeleton. The Bali Safari & Marine Park is another attraction where you can enjoy an elephant safari. As you hop aboard and experience the bumpy but gentle ride, you will also have a chance to see a variety of other wildlife such as rhinoceros’ and zebras.

Chandrishan Williams is a travel writer who writes under the pen name, Caleb Falcon. He specializes in writing content based on the many exciting world adventures that await intrepid travellers.

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Ben Lomond Hike

The Queenstown area is home to some of New Zealand’s most stunning natural landscapes. It offers numerous intriguing trails for hikers, where one can enjoy the spectacular scenery for miles on end. Quality Queenstown hotel accommodation is not hard to find in this “adventure-capital” of New Zealand. After taking in the breathtaking natural splendour, one can enjoy superb hospitality at the Copthorne Hotel & Apartments Queenstown Lakeview featuring stylish modern comforts in a scenic setting at this fine New Zealand Queenstown hotel. Experienced hikers will enjoy a day out trekking the Ben Lomond hiking trail, all the way to Ben Lomond Summit, which features fantastic views of the rugged Queenstown terrain. Breathe in the magnificent trails flanked by towering beech trees on the One Mile Creek walk, and marvel at the massive Douglas Fir sentinels that guard the path of the Skyline Access Road. At the 800-metre elevation point, hikers will spot the native alpine tussocks and Dracophyllum, which dominate this part of the country, and be treated to magnificent views of the mountains and the lake. The next section of the track up to Ben Lomond Saddle is a gentle slope, but it gets steep up the trail to Ben Lomond Summit, so only advanced hikers with appropriate hiking gear are advised to proceed further. Adventurers who actually make the demanding trek to the summit are subject to spectacular views, and on clear days, one can marvel at the majestic sights of Mounts Earnslaw/Pikirakatahi and Aspiring/Tititea framing the summit, which is 1748 metres high. Hikers will truly appreciate this magnificent hiking experience, a true scenic jewel in Queenstown’s glittering natural crown.

Rotorua Thrill Rides

The North New Zealand town of Rotorua is a bubbling hot bed of activity – both literally and figuratively. For visitors to soak in the unique features of this town, a quality Rotorua hotel is the way to go for an ideal base in the city. The Millennium Hotel Rotorua is an ideal hotel in Rotorua that features stunning views of the rugged countryside as well as stylish interiors and amenities that pamper guests with unparalleled hospitality. Rotorua has long been a spa and resort town since the 1800s, primarly due to the geothermal activity simmering beneath the landscape, and it is a famous tourist hot spot. For adrenaline junkies and thrill seekers, Rorotua offers one-of-a-find thrill rides using a range of vehicles and technology designed to get the heart racing and grins flashing. Embark on an exciting off-road adventure in a massive 4×4 through dense jungle terrain. With a professional guide at your back, experience steep descents and climbs, encounter messy mud pits and artful tactical bends as you test your limits as a driver! Then try to navigate the truck through a bridge of poles over a creek…how will you get over this? Or, for a bumpy ride that’s tonnes of fun for all ages over 14, go raceline karting that is a true test of ability and courage on New Zealand’s longest A-rated kartsport circuit. Experience the adrenaline rush as the cart goes up to speeds of 100km/h and you jostle for position with the other racers and feel the g-force kick in as you turn that tight corner. It’ll really test your concentration, skill and speed reflexes! Or, take a quad bike ride and experience New Zealand’s scenic landscape in a way you’ve never seen before! Lake Rorotua and the amazing bush trails look completely different when you’re racing past them on the back of a quad bike! Or if you want to experience thrills as a family, then take the Rotorua Duck Tour, which takes you across Rotorua’s sights onboard a WW2 amphibious “duck” through land and sea. Check out Lake Rotorua, Sulphur, The Museum, Blue Baths, Mokoia Island and various points of geothermal interest. The excursion goes on through the stunning lake region where you’ll get to experience the “Duck’s” amphibious qualities as it SPLASHES DOWN on Lake Tikitapu and Lake Okareka before going on to a quaint little mountainside township where you’ll be treated to spectacular views of Mt. Tawawera. So whatever thrill ride you prefer, Rotorua delivers a fantastic range of excitement!

Angela Fernando is an impassioned travel writer who composes pieces under the pen name Sumaira Narayan. She loves writing about new and exciting places around the world and hopes to visit them all someday.

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Rotorua Hunting and Shooting

Rotorua is home to a pristine landscape that opens up a wide range of adventures to the outdoor enthusiasts, from mountain biking and off-roading to hiking and big-game hunting. First though, visitors should set up shot at a prime hotel in Rotorua to provide the perfect backdrop for some serious hunting action. The Millennium Hotel Rotorua offers its visitors the unique experience of a first-class Rotorua hotel with its contemporary amenities and scenic location, which gives you the perfect opportunity to scout some game. For visitors wanting to get intimate with the beautiful landscape around them, Basic Instinct Hunting and Fishing will set you up with the right tools and guidance needed for a successful hunt that’ll see you land some quality venison for dinner. Basic Instinct operates out of the deepest respect for the land that is inspired by the hunting principles of the indigenous community, the Maori, who made the land their own and treated it with the honour and respect it deserves, when taking its gifts found in abundance. Basic Instinct provides seasoned hunters and would-be hunters excellent training in the arts of deer stalking and pig hunting in the Mamaku mountain range, and the packages also include bush training, to acclimatize hunters with the unique features of their surroundings. The Mamaku camp is located within half an hour of Rotorua’s city centre and it offers hunting and eco-tours, a landscape of 240 pristine acres to land the best game, an area for camping, BBQing and a kitchen, quality game such as stag, deer and rabbits, as well as a rifle range and clay shooting for you to refine your aim before you head out to take advantage of the freedom hunting available in the country. The company also conducts ecological and cultural tours within picturesque settings that offer up some spectacular photo-ops, and the site is easily accessible by both car and helicopter. So if you’re a hunting enthusiast, head over to Rotorua and book with Basic Instinct for a quality hunting experience!

Angela Fernando is an impassioned travel writer who composes pieces under the pen name Sumaira Narayan. She loves writing about new and exciting places around the world and intends to visit them all someday.

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Mountain Biking in Rotorua

The New Zealand town of Rotorua is set in the midst of a rugged landscape with pristine forests and majestic mountains, which makes it an ideal location for all kinds of fun outdoor sports, such as hiking, off-roading, and the perennial favourite: mountain biking. Adventure bikers would be well taken care of at a quality Rotorua hotel such as the superb Millennium Hotel Rotorua. Featuring stylish interiors and luxury amenities, this quality hotel in Rotorua is the perfect place to relax after an exciting day of peddling the mountain bike trails. Mere minutes away from the city proper is the rugged and lush Whakarewarewa Forest, which is home to a 70km network of riveting trails to be discovered, explored and conquered on your trusty steed, the mountain bike. The trails offer numerous possibilities of outdoor explorations to bikers of all levels: beginner, intermediate and advanced, spanning family groups and expert riders. Ride your way through beautiful species of native ferns flourishing beneath the impressive canopies of the tall Doug Fir, Redwood, Radiata, Eucalyptus and Larch trees that cover the landscape with their imposing presences. In the midst of the trail, you’re offered tantalising glimpses of the scenic lakes and the sombre figure of Mount Tarawera rising in the distance. Whether you’re a fan of cros-country biking or downhill biking, the amazing landscape will offer hours or days of fun in this mountain biking heaven. Because of its stellar natural offerings, Rotorua has hosted mountain biking competitions such as the Worlds Mountain Bike and Travel Championship in 2006 and the Single Speed Nationals in 2008. So grab your bike and gear and come ride the trails of Rotorua into a world of excitement and adventure!

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Skywalk in Auckland

Auckland is New Zealand’s vibrant hotspot with an exciting nightlife, riveting arts and culture scene and exhilarating adventures on offer for the few and the brave. To truly savour all these experiences, indulge in some quality Auckland hotel accommodation in the heart of the city, close to many fun attractions. One excellent Auckland hotel is the Copthorne Hotel Auckland Harbour City. Its central location and modern conveniences provide the perfect starting point from which one’s Auckland adventures can begin!

For the ultimate thrill that lasts longer than bungee jumping but shorter than sky diving for that perfect middle ground experience, try the Auckland SkyWalk, where adventure seekers get to tread a walkway that is 1.2 metres wide, 192 metres above the Auckland ground, with no handrails except the wind whipping around your face! Get strapped in to an exciting orange jumpsuit and secured to a harness while you make the one-hour-fifteen-minute trek around the panoramic Sky Tower and catch the gorgeous spectacle of the splendid Auckland skyline as well as the sparkling habour. Sky walkers can capture this experience to take home to friends, as a video and photo package is available for purchase after the experience. Capture all your crazy antics and even have a go at hanging over the edge of the tower! Adrenaline junkies can take this one step further with an exciting SkyJump after the SkyWalk! The SkyJump mixes bungee jumping and sky-diving, where adventurers free-fall for 11 seconds before gently floating to the ground. Whatever one’s brand of thrills, Sky Tower’s SkyWalk and SkyJump is sure to be an unforgettable adrenaline rush for everyone who wants to walk the Auckland skies!

Karon View Point

The incredible island of Phuket is home to riveting culture, exciting nightlife, sumptuous dining and panoramic views. To experience all aspects of this vibrant Thai island, a fine selection of Patong resorts awaits the opportunity to thoroughly spoil their guests. The Millennium Resort Patong Phuket is one such offering of a quality Phuket resort that boasts stylish interiors and impressive amenities to allow guests to simply bask in some warm island hospitality. Phuket serves up picturesque views that will delight cameras and one of the island’s most famous spots is the Karon View Point, formerly known as Kata Viewpoint. This breathtaking locale opens up spectacular views of Kata Yai, Kata Noi and the Karon beaches. It is located between the Kata Noi and Nai Harn beaches and sees many scenery buffs visit the spot, as well as many tour outfits that list Karon Viewpoint as an itinerary staple. Karon Viewpoint is known locally as Khao Saam Haad, translated as “Three Beaches Hill”, and although it looks out directly onto the Andaman Sea, most visitors strategically point their cameras at the gorgeous views of the turquoise beaches majestically unfolding out onto the horizon. See if you can spot Mom Tri’s Villa Royale in the foreground, as well as the distant Hilton Arcadia in the background on Karon Beach. Karon Viewpoint’s highlight is its northern view, which features a sparkling sapphire sea, pristine white sands, the exotic island of Koh Pu, and the emerald hillsides of Phuket.

Glass Bottom Boat Ride

The Maldives has long been synonymous with sparkling white beaches and glistening blue seas home to a vibrant collection of flora and fauna. Come nose-to-nose with these fascinating creatures via a ride on a Glass Bottom Boat, which many of the Maldives resorts are happy to organize for your viewing pleasure. The Kurumba Maldives is one of many fine luxury hotels Maldives features for its discerning visitors, and offers a range of exciting activities for those ready to explore the Maldivian deep – with or without swim gear! While the country offers you the opportunity to experience the vibrant world underneath the waves in the form of a scuba dive or snorkelling, if you don’t feel up to donning a swimsuit, there is another option. The Glass Bottom Boat ride is an excellent way to delve into the decadent turquoise deep without the hassle of getting even a pinky wet. These unique vessels will give you the chance to relax and witness the colourful fish swimming and then shooting into hiding in the vibrant coral reef. And if you are truly lucky, you might even spot an elusive shark, a shy moral eel or even an impressive manta ray. So bring your cameras and be prepared to dedicate a few gigabytes of memory capturing the amazing sights of the Maldivian seas to take home!

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Maldives Adventure Sports

While your idea of the Maldives may be of an idyllic coastal getaway full of lazy days on the beach, this enchanting destination also offers plenty of thrills and fun spills for adventure sports enthusiasts as well. Those looking for a Maldives hotel which offers its guests easy access to many of these activities can consider Naladhu Maldives. Located on the island of Naladhu, it is one of the leading Maldives island resorts and provides plenty of fun filled recreation for the entire family.

One of the most exciting adventure sports visitors can try out here is diving. Giving you the chance to explore the mysterious deep blue depths that lie beneath the waves, diving excursions let you discover the colourful coral and fascinating array of marine species that inhabit these waters. Those in search of eve more adrenaline pumping thrills can try such sports as waterskiing, surfing and windsurfing which take you on a wild ride upon the waves and in the case of parasailing, a chance to soar in the sky!

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.
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Mekong River Trips

Vietnam’s Golden Triangle region of Chiang Rai connects the country with Myanmar, Laos and Thailand, and it used to enjoy infamy as the world’s locus of opium production. However, the region has been mostly cleared up now and travellers have rebranded it as an intriguing tourist destination with a world of exotic sights to experience. Ample regional lodging is available via a fine selection of Chiang Rai hotels of which an excellent choice is the Anantara Golden Triangle Thailand. Its seamless blend of traditional Vietnamese culture and modern luxury make this property an ideal hotel Chiang Rai offers to all its visitors. Sail along the magical, mystifying Mekong River on a sumptuous cruise boat to experience Cambodian and Vietnamese river culture first hand, while luxuriating on a superbly outfitted vessel. An RV Mekong Prestige Cruise offers you an ideal cruise that starts from Cambodia’s bustling capital city of Phnom Phenh and heads towards Tan Chau, where you’ll cross the border into Vietnam with stops at the unique cities of Sa Dec and Cai Be before culminating in My Tho, Saigon. Witness the various attractions of the beautiful Mekong River Delta such as the Cambodia Flaoting Palace and the intriguing Cai Be floating market, where you can pick up some interesting knick-knacks for the folks back home. You’ll also get the chance to see an authentic floating fish market that will treat you to an on-water cooking demonstration. In addition, enjoy the quaint sights of Sa Dec and the beautiful gothic French cathedral in Sai Be on your way. The crew aboard the vessel will enrich your knowledge of Vietnam and Cambodia and will also serve you some fantastic fusion cuisine inspired by Asian and Western culinary traditions for a truly unforgettable experience on the Mekong River.

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