Month: July 2014

Bird Handling

Falcons have been used as a hunting weapon by the Bedouins in Abu Dhabi’s Liwa desert region for centuries. Taking falcons out into the desert on hunting expeditions lasting several days was how rulers kept in touch with tribes at one time. Although they are not used for practical purposes anymore, falconry is now a popular sport in the Liwa desert although using them to hunt wildlife is restricted. Sporting birds are taken out into the desert each day as they have to be flown and trained daily. The main species of falcon being used for sport are the saker and the peregrine. One of popular luxury hotels Abu Dhabi, Qasr al Sarab Desert Resort by Anantara offers a selection of desert based leisure activities that include falconry.

The bird’s eyes are covered with a hood during the acclimatization process to keep it calm. Out in the desert when the hoods are removed the birds soar up into the air reveling in the wide open spaces. A GPS transmitter attached to their tail feathers keep track of movements. The falcons are capable of flying at 200 miles an hour and are efficient hunters in open terrain. Training comprises of the bird’s handler whirling a feathered, baited lure until the falcon dives for it. When the bird catches the lure it receives a reward. Later the falcon is trained to dive on a live prey. This time the handler lures it away before it can get its talons into the prey, getting the bird used to not killing the prey immediately. When the sun goes down over the desert, it is time for the falcons to go back to their roost. At the end of the sporting season some falconers release the birds into the wild after embedding a micro chip for identification. The capturing and training of falcons need patience, skill and even bravery as they are dangerous raptors. They have to be trained for months before they can be used for sport.

 

Jayani Senanayake is a writer who dabbles in travel and all things exotic. Under the pseudonym of Caliope Sage, she writes of the allures that must simply be discovered.

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Jungle Tales

Phra Taew is a forested mountain range in the north of Phuket with a central peak rising 450 meters, the highest point on the island. Still in pristine condition, it is an excellent example of a rain forest in South East Asia. The forest is both a recreation area and a class room that can impart knowledge on the fragile eco system and how best to preserve it. The fauna here include a herd of barking deer, bands of monkeys and gibbons released into the wild from the nearby Gibbon Rehabilitation Centre, wild boar, small mammals such as the Malayan Black Giant Squirrel, amphibians, reptiles and many species of migratory and native birds. The flora comprises of tropical evergreen trees, bamboo, palms and ferns. Bang Pae waterfall is its most prominent water feature. The pools it forms are popular with hikers seeking to cool off. Hikes to Khao Phra Taew Wildlife Park can be planned from Anantara Phuket Villas, a popular Phuket beach resort.

The wildlife park has a 600 meter and a two km easy to follow hiking trails from Bang Pae waterfall to Ton Sai waterfall. Visitors keen on a wildlife experience can hire a guide at the information centre near the Bang Pae waterfall or set off on their own. Although the trail is not arduous some scrambling over fallen trees and rocks are involved. As the trail goes up the mountain visitor will observe a change in the flora. The Wild Animal Rescue Foundation of Thailand or WARF also offers several hiking options. These treks include the services of ecology lecturers and trackers and offer the best ways to see its fauna and understand its flora. The hikes are categorized as a Soft Jungle Experience which is a half day hike, Nocturnal Life a night trip, gibbon trekking day trips and overnight camping trips. Having the services of a tracker is the best way to see wildlife during daytime. Night trips offer opportunities to see a range of amphibians, reptiles and several small nocturnal creatures.

Thanuja Silva is a travel writer who writes under the pen name Auburn Silver. She has a passion for fashion and a deep interest in admiring new and exotic attractions around the world.

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Kicking up a Dust

Anyone who has been near a desert has always wanted to explore it. One way of doing this, albeit very briefly, is to take a SUV safari in the desert. This offers a bit of exploration combined with an incredible off road experience that everyone from seven to seventy seem to enjoy. Anantara Hotels Resorts & Spas, an operator of luxury hotel resorts in Asia and the Middle East, has several properties at desert locations.

Many travel companies at desert locations offer variations of the SUV desert safari. This involves driving a 4×4 vehicle over sand dunes at maniacal speeds so that the occupants have the most thrilling experience of their lives. This is also known as dune bashing. The episodes generally start with a convoy of 4x4s leaving the city behind early in the evening and hitting the dunes after reducing the pressure in the SUVs tires to increase its footprint, gaining more traction and to avoid sinking into the sand. The convoy is also a necessary precaution to avoid losing direction and getting lost. Ensuring the passengers are securely buckled in, the driver commences to kick up a dust navigating the steep troughs and crests of the dunes shaking up its passengers and giving the uninitiated quite a fright. The SUV driver who has been doing this many times is well up in his game. The SUV desert safari is also most people’s first introduction to the desert and the discovery that the desert landscape is very varied indeed.

The dune bashing lasts for about 20 minutes. The passengers are allowed a respite to watch the sunset over the dunes which is really a very pretty sight. The safari includes a visit to a camel farm, camel rides, henna tattoos and a traditional Arabic meal sitting on carpets and cushions on the sand around a campfire entertained by a belly dancer and relaxing with a shisha afterwards. The safari is also an opportunity to try sand boarding and if vehicles are available at site, dune bashing on ATVs as well.

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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Discover Desert Adventures with Engaging Activities in Sir Bani Yas Island

Travellers in search of well-positioned resorts Abu Dhabi ranks among its most conveniently located rests should look no further than the Anantara Sir Bani Yas Island Al Sahel Villa Resort, Abu Dhabi. Providing guests with a strategic base in the heart of the island this breathtaking resort is suitable for both business travellers and holidaymakers.

As the most popular island of the Desert Islands of Al Ghrabia Sir Bani Yas Island is a dream come true for desert vacationers. Although all eight islands are recreational hubs for the masses Sir Bani Yas Island offers visitors the most diversity in terms of the activities and attractions on offer.

When it comes to desert adventures there’s nothing quite like uncovering wild beasts in a vast natural landscape. Occupying more than half of the island’s landscape the Arabian Wildlife Park is a mammoth wildlife sanctuary that contains more than 10,000 animals within its confines. Roaming free majestic jungle dwellers the likes of Arabian Oryxes, leaping cheetahs, grazing gazelles and giraffes can be spotted on a four wheel drive safari adventure at Sir Bani Yas Island. Wildlife drives on 4x4s are available through variety of tour operators and resorts while other adventure activities include nature walks which explore the mangrove lagoons of the sanctuary while a Wadi walk takes thrill seekers to the rugged terrain atop the salt crested summits of the island’s mountains that occupy the heart of the island. Sand dunes, intriguing minerals, centuries-old fossils and rocky pathways are just some of the highlights of this tour.

Mountain biking is another sporting activity that is a staple among adventure enthusiasts exploring the island as the guided tours encompass wildlife encounters and spectacular scenery in a ride that will test one’s skills and nerve on rocky terrains crisscrossing the island. Kayakers can also paddle along the coastal areas of Sir Bani Yas while snorkellers can engage in an underwater adventure exploring the coral reefs and stunning marine creatures the likes of Arabic Fish and Hammour that inhabit the deep blue waters.

 

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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