Sumaira Narayan - The Adventure Travel Site

Parasailing in Male

The Maldives – synonymous with beach weddings, crystal-clear seas, colourful marine life, eclectic culture, and adventure sports! To fully soak in an authentic Maldives experience, guests should invest in a quality Maldives island hotel that will offer everything one needs for a fun and relaxing vacation, from comfortable amenities to warm island hospitality as well as fun activities for a dash of thrills and spills. The Velassaru Maldives on the South Male atoll will pamper all of its guests with the perfect Maldives resort experience and offers its guests the chance to participate in the most popular sport on the islands, parasailing! This exciting over-the-water sport is an excellent and heady way to experience the islands from up above, laced with adrenaline-pumping thrills. You get strapped into a parachute that is harnessed to a high-powered speed boat so that you can fly high above the tranquil blue waves and be treated to a bird’s eye view of the Maldivian atolls. Feel the blood pulsing in your veins as the roar of the wind rushes past your ears and adds to the heady sound effects of this thrilling adventure sport. Soar above the sparkling blue Indian Ocean with the scenic vistas unfolding beneath you, taking your breath away, or is that just from the rush of flying above the islands at top speed? Find out and go parasailing when you vacation in the Maldives!

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.

Google+

Thorpe Park

London is Britain’s lively cosmopolitan hub of culture and wonder, offering premium shopping, a splendid royal legacy and vibrant multi-culturism. To fully absorb all the city sights, visitors should consider an exclusive neighbourhood such as Oxford and Regent Street, which offers quality London serviced apartments for discerning travellers. Nearby, visitors might want to consider a Mayfair Serviced apartment such as the Ascott Mayfair London with its stylish modern accommodation in the heart of the city, close to fine shopping, dining and entertainment. Visitors seeking a thrill for the entire family will want to head to Surrey to Thorpe Park, one of the UK’s most exciting theme parks boasting the best family-friendly entertainment on the isles, and it is the 2^nd most visited theme park in the country, and the 10^thmost visited in Europe. As you walk in, be transported under the sea to the famous lost continent of Atlantis, as the entrance dome takes you through this underwater fantasy land. Take in the quant sights of a New England fishing village at Amity Cove that was devastated by a storm in the 1960s. Relive the storm via exciting rides such as the No Way Out, Stealth, Tidal Wave and Storm Surge. Explore the Canadian Wilderness in the Canada Creek section, with a wild water river ride in a forested area called Loggers Leap, the tallest log flume in the UK. Kids will enjoy Neptune’s Kingdom, which is a small beach with a water area and fun rides such as the Flying Fish and Depth Charge. Ranger Country is another section geared especially for the younger crowd, and its signature feature is Mr. Monkey’s Banana Ride. For adrenaline junkies, Swarm Island is an exciting, post-apocalyptic section opened in 2012, with a popular rollercoaster The Swarm taking stage front and centre. Stealth is a rollercoaster that accelerates to 130kh/h in 1.8 seconds. Colossus is a multi-looping rollercoaster with a record ten inversions and spins. So whatever flavour of adventure visitors seek, they’re sure to find it and more at Thorpe Park!

Kawarau River Combos

Queenstown has an awesome reputation for being New Zealand’s most impassioned adventure capital. The town offers adrenaline seekers enough thrills and chills to satiate the most dedicated daredevils, and when you’re looking for a place to unwind, experience Queenstown hotel accommodation at its finest at the Copthorne Hotel & Resort Queenstown Lakefront. This prime Queenstown resort offers its guests the chance to relax and rejuvenate in the midst of scenic lake views and five star amenities before resuming the excitement anew the next day! The adventure website Queenstown Combos offers all adventure seekers the chance to experience the thrilling landscape of the New Zealand wilderness in innovative ways. Take on the almighty Kawarau River using a variety of spine-tingling means via jetboating, white water rafting and gondola riding. Or if you want excitement in the midst of the rugged, unspoiled landscape of Skipper Canyon, the Shotriver combo offers you some spills and thrills in a river famous for gold and adventure. Experiences include jetboating, rafting, gondola riding, as well as the exhilarating canyon swing for the next level of adrenaline chasers. And of course, what experience in adventure town is complete without a bout of bungee jumping? Jump off the 43-metre-high Kawarau Bridge and hurtle towards the rushing and roaring waters of the Kawarau River or take an extreme leap of faith at the Nevis jump, which is 134 metres off the ground. In addition, you can skydive or take the amazing Nevis Arc Swing at a height of an amazing 160 metres for a truly unforgettable all-round adventure guaranteed to leave your heart racing!

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.
Google+

Whale and Dolphin Watching in Maldives

The turquoise-blue sea surrounding the Maldivian islands does not fail to amaze anyone who sets foot on the country. The clearness and the beautiful shades of blue of the water would capture the attention of anyone with no age limit for appreciation. There are many activities that one could do in this beautiful ocean while on vacation in these islands. Surfing, diving, snorkeling, and swimming are some of the most common ways of enjoyment.

Apart from diving and snorkeling, the best way to enjoy the vivid life under the water is to take a boat tour. The Maldivian waters are home to a huge number of whale and dolphin varieties. This area is considered as the 5th best dolphin and whale watching spot in the world. Whilst moving forward in your boat, cutting through the waves and the breeze touching your face, the most common thing that you would come across is the Spinner Dolphin. These creatures with amazing acrobatic skills would do awe-inspiring summersaults and twists and turns nonstop. Another unique experience that you would get is the rare opportunity to see wild dolphins frolicking in their own natural habitats.

The Tropical Bottlenose Whale, Dwarf Sperm Whale and Melon-headed Whale are some of the giant mammal species that you would come across during your excursion. The luckiest visitors would get the rare chance of witnessing the Killer Whale that lingers in the area. The experience that one would obtain here could not be compared to any other place in the world. The tropical climate that lasts for most of the time would create a perfect setting for this journey. Watch the giant whales pass by and the playful dolphins dive in beautiful patterns and the endless sea that spreads to the horizon. If one goes on a ride during the evening. they would be rewarded extra by the beautiful scene of the sunset and the change of the sky into vibrant pinks, purples and oranges.

Anantara Kihavah Maldives Villas is one of the Maldives Resorts that will provide you with a perfect vacation for a very reasonable price. The services, facilities and the amenities of this hotel are high in standard when comparing with other Maldives Spa Resorts.

Google+

Hiking on Jinshanling and Simatai Great Wall

China’s Great Wall offers the most scenic opportunities for capturing a unique slice of East Asian splendour to take home. Visitors to Beijing looking for quality serviced apartments Beijing offers will be delighted with the Ascott Raffles City Beijing. This fine example of serviced apartments in Beijing offers spacious, comfortable accommodation with stylish amenities that cater to both leisure travellers and business professionals. When you want a welcome break from the concrete jungle, take a hike on the Great Wall, from Jinshanling to Simatai, which is one of the most popular wall walks one can embark on. Be treated to gorgeous scenery and the walking workout of your life as you navigate steps that both wind up and down, so a workout is certainly guaranteed! Visitors can walk from Jinshangling to Simatai or vice versa, although Jingshanling-Simatai is the most popular way to go, since once in Simatai, you can decide if you want to tackle the Simatai ridge, depending on your fitness levels. The hike will take four-six hours one way, as well as some extra time if you want to spend exploring both areas once you get to them. No matter which direction you hike, make sure to stop at Xiwuyanlou, which is located just past Jinshanling, for a world-famous photo-op when you look east towards Simatai. Hikers should bring food and plenty water, in addition to appropriate shoes, and dress to handle the weather. Also bring a hat and wear sunscreen to protect yourself from the sun. Don’t forget your camera and some extra money for tickets and some other minor expenses. To avoid the crowds, try and go during the week and earlier during the day, if possible. It is truly a unique experience to hike the wall, and this is one of the most popular trails avid hikers can take, so get walking today!

Google+

Beijing World Park

Beijing World Park is a theme park set in 46.7 hectares, where many of the world’s iconic sites have been carefully replicated so that visitors get a chance to see the world virtually at a glance without having to spend too much money, and all in one day. To get around five continents, visitors can either take the ‘ocean’ option where they get to visit the landmark of their choice in a speed boat or use the monorail or a battery-powered car. Divided into seventeen themed sections, the park represents landmarks from fifty countries spanning the continents of Europe, the Americas, Africa, Oceania and Asia. The ‘continents’ are surrounded by four ‘oceans’ appropriate to the continent. The park displays a mix of natural and manmade wonders, old and new ranging from the Pyramids of Egypt to the Eiffel Tower in France to the Grand Canyon in the USA and the Taj Mahal in India. Replicas of the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the Kennedy Space Centre and Manhattan with the Empire State Building and the Twin Towers attract many visitors.

Iconic objects such as the Statue of Liberty and the Little Mermaid in Denmark are among the host of attractions that are still in existence, some of them in ruins and others found only in ancient documents. The most scenic area of the park is where some world famous types of gardens have been replicated such as an Italian terraced garden, the gardens of Japan’s Katsura Imperial Villa and traditional Chinese gardens. Except for the size, the landmarks replicated here are really close copies of the original. In the case of buildings the material they are made of and even ornamentation is faithfully reproduced.

A separate area offers souvenir shopping, dining and entertainment options including an IMAX theater, an American ‘cowboy’ roller coaster, and a children’s entertainment world among others. Daily entertainment is also offered in the form of parades with floats and performances of traditional dances from various parts of the world. In spring and summer, the park hosts festivals from countries represented in the park such as Songkran the Thai New Year, the tea ceremony from Japan and spring festivals of various countries.

Located in one of the most vibrant areas, Ascott Raffles City Beijing provides well-positioned Serviced Apartments in Beijing with easy access to shopping streets and supermarkets for easy self-catering, business and entertainment areas, and city attractions. This Serviced Apartment in Beijing comprising of expansive one to three-bedroom, well-appointed units, is not only equipped with excellent amenities, but a range of high-end business and leisure facilities that makes a stay here convenient for business and leisure visitors.

World Chocolate Wonderland

The word chocolate always brings a sweet memory to mind to anyone who hears it; this may be a special moment or the delicious taste of chocolate or something similar. So for all the chocolate lovers throughout the world, Shanghai brings you a truly new experience by presenting you the World Chocolate Wonderland. A much better world than what people have seen at the imaginary Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory.

This is the first theme park of this sort in China. This can be easily visited while on a sightseeing tour to the Bird’s Nest, where the Olympic Games were held. Everything in this special park is made of chocolate, where great craftsmanship has been needed along with great patience. The creators have added more ingredients to make the carving process easier. As a result, mind-blowing creations like a replica of the Great Wall of China, which is 12 meters long, has been erected. Apart from this, a replica of the famous Terracotta Army, which comprises five hundred life-sized figures can be witnessed by the visitors while exploring the attraction. Car lovers wouldn’t be disappointed either; there is a massive BMW that has taken two tons of chocolates to create. Enjoy a life-sized car that is made out of a totally delicious cocoa compared with all the metal and mechanical ones that we see day-to-day.
Shopaholics! There would be many interesting creations such as shoes, handbags and many more ornamental creations from chocolate. These would look so real that it would take time for anyone to figure out that these are not real products. The temperature of the entire park is controlled to protect all these beautiful creations from melting. It is said that this park is 20,000 metres long and has taken 176,000 lbs chocolates for creation. This would definitely be compelte paradise for a kid and it might be the same even for an adult. Also, while walking through the aisle, the guests would get the option to get to know all historical data about chocolate and its impact on different cultures of the world.
After exploring every inch of this wonderful location, return to your preferred Shanghai Serviced Residence. The Somerset Xu Hui Shanghai is one of the most convenient Shanghai Executive Apartments that one can come across in the city. The modern facilities and the spacious and comfortable rooms would be a perfect location to unwind and relax after an exhausting day.

Google+

Fish Head in Maldives

Fish Head, Mushi Mas Mingili Thila or Shark Point is a pinnacle dive site in the North Ari Atoll that is among the best places in the world to see sharks. The “thila” or pinnacle is flat topped and rises sharply from about 35 meters down from the ocean floor stopping about 10 meters short of the surface. It features a stunning underwater landscape of caves and overhangs, among which is excellent coral growth supporting a huge variety of marine life. As it is only 80 metres wide, divers can swim around it in one dive if the current is not too strong. The reef’s popularity increased after it was declared a protected marine sanctuary in 1995. With the subsequent increase in marine life, it is now among the top ten dive sites in the world.

The main attraction here is sharks, particularly grey and white tip reef sharks that gather in large numbers. Sixteen are known to be resident in the area. Other pelagic species frequenting the thila include hump head wrasse, eagle rays, giant trevally, barracudas and a Napoleon wrasse measuring 1.5 meters in length. Schools of bat fish and hordes of fusiliers are found at shallower depths. The thila rises steeply and around 25 to 30 metres, its walls feature caves, overhangs and ledges covered in a profusion of sea fans, anemone and black coral. Divers usually float around at 15 metres to obtain the best possible views of the underwater landscape and marine life. As sharks can be spotted here in the up-current part of the reef unlike at other shark dive sites, divers can observe them from many secure locations without getting in their way. This is one of the best spots to observe shark behavior such as exposing their teeth to cleaner wrasse, resulting in some of the best photos of marine life in the Maldives being shot here.

As an all-year diving destination, Fish Head is most suitable for intermediate divers. A surface balloon attached to an ascent/descent line is recommended to mark the dive spot due to the presence of a large number of water craft and also because of unpredictable currents. The best way to dive here is from a liveaboard boat as otherwise it involves a rather long journey by boat to get here. Experience the best of the Maldives with a little help from Naladhu Maldives. Stay in a selection of spacious, beautifully appointed villas and houses that have to be some of the best accommodation among Maldives Island Resorts to enjoy the natural beauty around. Enjoy relaxing days with your every wish taken care of, whether it is rejuvenating spa treatments, dinners under the stars, water sports or excursions to the nearby islands. Take advantage of the special offers to enjoy this very special Maldives Hotel that considers pleasing their guests of paramount importance.

Jakarta Nightlife

In the bustling and lively capital of one of Southeast Asia’s most provocative cultural locales, Jakarta serves up an intriguing array of nightlife for the curious tourist and the party-hardy crowds. But first you’ll want to land a suitable Jakarta hotel as a base before you venture out to scour the local nightlife. Try a hotel in Jakarta such as the unique Millennium Hotel Sirih Jakarta which offers stylish interiors and a central location, which puts you in the midst of some great nightlife options! Jakarta is to bars what Seattle is to Starbucks; you’ll find one on every corner. Out of the range of options available, there are a few intriguing locales that guarantees a fun night out. For good food and a great atmosphere, check out the Social House that’ll give you a great view on Plaza Indonesia’s junction. The place fills up with celebrities and models during the weekends, so you’ll be rubbing shoulders with the country’s elite set! Blowfish Bar & Nightclub is one of the most popular nightclubs among the higher echelons of the city, featuring great music and a stylish Italian restaurant, Puro, in case you fancy a bite. The Hard Rock Café is next door to the Plaza Indonesia at the X Centre and it’s a great place to catch some stellar live music over a few drinks. Check out the Kempang district’s 365, which prides itself on having the best booze in the neighbourhood. With courteous staff, fabulous music and a chic young crowd, you’re sure to have a good time. Kempang also offers a stylish bar nearby at the Monaco, featuring superb local bands live on Tuesday, Friday and Saturday, following by a DJ blasting up some thumping beats. And when you’re tired out from the partying, pay a visit to the Dim Sum Fesitval, a neat little enclave of restaurants open 24/7 and is a great and laid-back place to relax after a late night or even during the day.

Google+

Water sports in Doha

Doha, the Qatari capital is a sizzling oasis in the middle of the Arabian Desert that provides ample opportunities to cool down and have some fun in the sun at the same time. Visitors to this intriguing city would do well to invest in one of excellent serviced apartments near city centre Doha Mall as this would situate guests close to fine dining and entertainment in the heart of the city. The Ascott Doha is one such example of fine Doha serviced apartments that provide luxury service in the midst of stylish interiors for a one-of-a-kind hospitality experience in the desert. To cool down in the arid desert heat, there are several fun options for the whole family. The Diplomatic club offers visitors the change to try out water skiing, wake boarding and banana boat rides for the kids, who love the latter especially. The Diplomatic Club also offers visitors the opportunity to try their hand at fishing, as well as offering leisure boat rides with a variety of distance options and times. Ro nautical Middle East will treat anglers to upscale fishing, as their boats are outfitted with rods, GPS and an onboard refrigerator in case you get a little nippy out at sea. Or, venture out to the high seas for a spot of sailing with the Doha Sailing Club, which will provide lessons, training and races, for the folks who prefer to look but not leap into the waters themselves. Adrenaline seekers should check out Ronautica Middle East’s options for kiteboarding for some extra spillage and thrillage on the Arabian seas! Or, just take a dip in the pool, but if you don’t quite know how to negotiate the waters, the Cabana Club offers swim lessons for both groups and one-on-one settings. So no matter what your water flavour, Doha dishes out an exciting array of experiences for you to get down and wet in the desert!