Tuesday, March 4, 2008

Huvafen Fushi - One of the Top Maldives Luxury Resort

Maldives resort is the place for beautiful beaches, perfect weather, amazing surf, exquisite cuisine, and one of the world's favorite places to visit on a much-needed vacation. Romantics and honeymooners may find that some of the smaller islands are more cosy, intimate & quiet while the larger ones may have more of a party feel to it and be more crowded.

Huvafen Fushi resort is perhaps the most popular resort located in North Male' Atoll of the Maldives. It takes a breathtaking 30 minute luxury speedboat ride from Male' International Airport. The resort is actually set within its own lagoon and is quite a spectacle. Like most five star resorts it’s not for those on a budget.

On arrival, you will be greeted by your friendly Maldivian butler for a quick tour across the azure Indian Ocean. Huvafen Fushi resort offers guests 43 ‘naturally modern’ bungalows and pavilions, each room type showcasing its own distinctive design. All equipped with air-conditioning, oversized beds, Frette linen and their very own private oasis with a freshwater pool.

Set within its very own lagoon, Huvafen Fushi is a naturalist’s wonderland where the stunning environment – above and below the waterline – is an attraction in itself. Managing company Per Aquum is dedicated to delivering an experience beyond each guest’s wildest dreams while remaining dedicated to the sustainable development of the resources of the Maldives.

The facilities and recreation options are highly impressive with 3 restaurants and a bar for residents as well as a yoga pavilion, outdoor salt water pool as well as a fibre-optic lit indoor pool. A gym is also available. Activities include canoeing, windsurfing, sunset sailing, diving and the fun tube.

Kick off your high heels aside and sink your feet to the fine powdery sand of Huvafen Fushi resort! Maldives resort vacation is something that you will never forget, ever...!

Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Waterfalls in Kerala

Kerala is famous for its picturesque waterfalls. The special beauty of waterfalls in Kerala is something one must experience in a life time. To spend a romantic day beside the gurgling, whispering and laughing waters of the waterfalls of the Kerala is a stunning experience.

Combined with greenery Kerala waterfalls infuse freshness into any tired soul. The cool, misty waters cascading down in the backdrop of hick green forest and rocky terrain are a scintillating experience to visitors.

During the season of monsoon the rivers and water bodies of Kerala are experiencing a new lease of life and it is the best time to venturing out in the woods and watch a waterfall in its full glory. The forests nearby the kerala waterfalls are also a great spot to watch birds and also other species of fauna and flora. A trail along the stream to explore the sights on either side is another option while watching some of the waterfalls.

Famous Waterfalls of Kerala

Athirappally & Vazhachal - The scenic beauty of Vazhachal (63 km from Thrissur) catches your attention the moment you enter the area dominated by the Sholayar ranges. Falling from a height of 80 feet, the Vazhachal waterfall presents an awe inspiring scene for tourists to view and enjoy. Athirappally fall is 5 km away from the Vazhachal waterfall merges with the water of the Chalakudy river after falling from atop. Both these waterfalls with their pure and clean water are completely mesmerizing for visitors.

Thomankuttu - Thomankuttu is well known for its beautiful waterfalls. Lying at a distance of 74 km from Cochin, the seven steps Thomankuttu waterfalls is splendid in its beauty and charm. Each step provides a cascade and a pool beneath. Numerous caves surround the waterfall which has emerged as a hotspot for tourists wishing to chill out.

Palaruvi - At a distance of 75 km from Kollam and at the Kerala - Tamil Nadu border lies the beautiful Palaruvi waterfall. Rushing down from a height of 300 feet and with numerous other smaller cascades surrounding it, the Palaruvi waterfall appears more like a fall of milk. The pool below where the water falling down collects is ideal for swimming

Power House Waterfall - While on your way to view the magnificent wildlife of the Periyar Sanctuary from Munnar, stop by to view the Powerhouse Waterfall. They are a visual treat for eyes. Falling from a great height of 2000 m, the fall takes its spectator by surprise due its beauty. Western Mountain ranges surrounding it add to its beauty.

Aruvikkuzhi Waterfall - Another ideal picnic spot for the tourists, the Aruvikkuzhi Waterfalls falls from a height of 100 feet. The highlights of this waterfall are numerous streams that make their way through the landscape occupied with rubber plantation.

Sunday, February 17, 2008

Wildlife in Kerala

Kerala is studded with natural gems as it boasts of a diverse topography rich with mountains, lakes, rivers, backwaters, and beaches. Apart from this Kerala also has an amazing variety of animals, birds and marine life. It is only natural for Kerala to be the home of a wide array of national parks and sanctuaries.

Wildlife sanctuaries in Kerala are home to varied forms of wildlife and offer animal lovers an opportunity to watch rare species in their natural habitats. The emerald green forests and its wonderful flora and fauna are the reason behind Kerala being a much sought after wildlife destination and a natural abode for many animal species.

Flanked by the Western Ghats on its east and the Malabar Coast on its west Kerala is flushed by beautiful backwaters. Kerala is truly a nature lovers’ paradise with lush tropical evergreen rain forests supporting a rich array of land, marine and avian wildlife.

Some unique wildlife species one can spot are rare elephants, Nilgiri Tahr, Leopards, Lion-Tailed Macaque, Deer, Monkeys, Civet Cats, and Squirrels including the Malabar Giant Squirrel. For bird lovers, Kerala has species such Woodpeckers, Malabar Hornbills, Kingfishers, Cormorants, Darters, Plovers, and Brahminy Kites along the backwaters of Kerala.

As you cruise along the Kerala backwaters you can come across many beautiful, resplendent butterflies and moths as well. The coastlines also have many rare species of Crabs, Mudskippers, Turtles and deeper in the water you can see fish and even Crocodiles.

A major national park in Kerala is the Periyar National Park that is located along the Periyar Lake and river. Periyar is natural habitat of to a wide variety of flora and fauna. Elephants, Tigers, Leopards, Gaur, Sambar, Malabar Flying Squirrel, Mongoose, and Wild Pigs, can be spotted. 260 species of birds including Nilgiri Wood Pegion, Blue-Winged Parakeet, Flycatchers, and Laughing Thrushes are also found.

Kumarakom Bird Sancturay is placed around the Vembanad Lake near the backwaters. Various migratory birds throng here from as far as Siberia and the Himalayas. The Siberian Stork, Teal, Egret, Heron and Darter can be regularly seen here.

Chinnar Wildlife sanctuary is located in Idukki district and is home to the rare Giant Grizzled Squirrel. The Silent Valley National Park is in Palakkad district of Kerala is a prized site for environmental research and conservation. It forms the core area of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve.

Silent Valley National Park situated in the Palakkad District of Kerala is considered India's last area of tropical ever green forest and is a precious biodiversity resource. You can enjoy observing rare animals, birds, butterflies, snakes, amphibians and lizards on silent valley tour. The silent valley is a veritable treasure house-a gene pool of tropical flora and fauna.

During your wildlife tours to the Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary in Kerala, South India you can feast your eyes on the greenery and exotic flora that create a habitat for the animals and birds who stay at this wildlife sanctuary in Kerala, South India.

The list of wild life sanctuaries in Kerala is vast : Parambikkulam, Periyar, Chinnar, Idukki, Peppara, Neyyar, Peechi-Vazhani, Shendurni, Wayanad, Thattekad and Aralam Wildlife Sanctuaries and Eravikulam National Park enriches Kerala.

Monday, January 14, 2008

A St. Barts Vacation Guide

St Barths confuses you before anything else, because of the different spellings of the same name. Have you ever wondered whether St Barths, was in fact the same as St Barts, or for that matter St Barthelemy. Well in that case be reassured that all are one and one are all.

St Barthelemy is part of the French West Indies just north of the lesser Antilles near St Martin/St Maarten and St Kitts and Nevis. St Barts is a tiny island being only eight square miles in size, but like many other small things such as precious stones it is highly prized and expensive which is why it has become a retreat for the rich and famous., rock stars, pop stars, and even royalty.

This shouldn’t prevent you from going because it is a stunning tiny island with lovely white sand beaches, turquoise sea, and pristine coral reefs, and yet is very much more akin to the South of France than the Caribbean.

The reason of course for this is the fact that St Barts and France have been closely connected for centuries and until this day it is still part of the French overseas region of Guadeloupe. Oddly enough St Barths was once one of Sweden’s few overseas outposts nearly three hundred years ago, but other than the name of its red roofed capital Gustavia few reminders remain.

The main thing to do on a St Barths Vacation is to relax on the beach, and despite the minute size of the island there are more than twenty spectacular beaches. These range from the bustling St Jean and Grand Cul de sac to the more private Grand Saline, Gouvernier and Flamands. If what you are looking for is totally secluded bliss then go to Anse Colombier which can only be reached by boat or a half hour hike. You will find topless sunbathing, after all this is France in the Caribbean, so if it embarrasses you, then avoid Shell and Marechal Beaches.

The strong French connections also means that visitors would do well to be able to converse in French, and the currency is not the US dollar but the Euro. Apart from the language the most obvious sign of the French influence is in the cuisine, and it is remarkable to discover it has more than 60 gourmet restaurants. Another surprise is that many of the population is white and most residents are French Citizens.

There are considerable restrictions now imposed on hotel building, so no hotels can now be built with over 12 rooms and so the biggest hotel which is the Guanahani with 76 rooms won’t ever be seen again. There are no big chain hotels on St Barths, and many people go for the very upmarket villas.

Probably the worst thing about a St Barts Vacation is flying into a tiny runway with very little clearance on the way in, so the descent is short and pretty scary in small aircraft only, but the good side is that the pilots are specially certified, or maybe completely certified for such a landing!!

Having landed on St Barths for your vacation, you won’t feel like leaving ever again, and you won’t care how it is spelled St Barts, St Barths, or St Barthelemy!!

Wednesday, January 2, 2008

A Barbados Holiday In A Top Barbados Hotel

A Barbados Holiday in a Boutique Hotel that few people have heard of might be the best accommodation in Barbados for you and your partner, especially if you are looking for intimate accommodation off the beaten track

Little Arches is rated by some people as the best hotel in Barbados, and there is some justification in this claim.

It is a small, quiet, and charming boutique hotel less than two minutes walk from the beach and 10 minutes from Oistins. This is a place in Barbados which is away from the main tourist areas, and with an uncrowded beach literally across the street which is completely free of tour buses.

Little Arches is a place where the staff are famous throughout the Barbados Hotel industry for the friendly way they conduct themselves and the way they will go the extra mile for their guests. From the moment your taxi draws up after a ten minute taxi ride from the airport, and the staff literally run out to collect your bags, things actually get better if that is possible. The pampering by the staff extends to lemon scented towels to hot sticky guests on loungers by the pool. It goes even further than that because when you go to the beach, which like all beaches in Barbados is public, a member of the hotel staff will carry sunbeds down there for you. This quality of service you may not get on the Barbados holiday you are thinking of booking somewhere else. Indeed this place is a real home from home.

The restaurant CafĂ© Luna above the hotel has really excellent food, especially mango shrimp salad, but excellent as it is, do go exploring because you will miss some great restaurants and some great food. The best fish you will eat anywhere is at the Oistins Fish Fry on a Friday on a Friday. It’s an event not to be missed, something that people travel to from all over Barbados, but for guests at Little Arches it is only a stroll down the beach. By the way the best fish is to be found where the queue is longest.

As befits top accommodation in Barbados you will enjoy the most stunning views of the Caribbean from the hotel, and the rooms, and the Palm Island Room as an example has a full kitchen, and a hot tub for two on the outside deck where there is also a table, umbrella and chairs, with a King sized bed, and room for a couch and a dining table. You will be completely ruined by the flat screen TV, CD Player, high quality linens and furniture, and last but not least high quality shampoos and soaps.

The hotel has ten rooms, each unique, and the grounds are beautifully maintained It is a classic boutique hotel, and could give you the perfect Barbados holiday, because it is small, intimate, and totally relaxing, and a quality you might not expect from its situation.away from the tourist areas. Another feature is the no children policy, which adds to the peaceful tranquil atmosphere.

The perfect Barbados Holiday could be spent at Little Arches definitely a top hotel in Barbados.

Saturday, December 29, 2007

A Jamaica Travel Guide

Jamaica has always been a special place since Errol Flynn, Noel Coward, Ian Fleming made it famous over 70 years ago. It has always been the first place people will name when asked about an island in the Caribbean.

In truth Jamaica has it all, which means a Jamaica Vacation or a Jamaica Honeymoon will be something extra special.

Just what makes Jamaica extra special is the real question, and this Jamaica Travel Guide will try to supply some of the answers. There are beaches to die for, mountains, and the most incredible red sunsets anywhere in the world, but that by itself is probably not enough to make you want to take a Jamaica vacation or honeymoon.

There is no doubt it is quite unlike other Caribbean islands close by in that it really does cater for a broad range of tastes. After all where else caters for everything from the idle beach bum to the wealthy, the honeymooner who wants isolation to the partygoer who is looking for an all action resort.

Jamaica, regarded by many as the most beautiful Caribbean Island is the ideal place for a tropical vacation. When you look at the many differing types of people who go on holidays to the Caribbean, they all have different ideas of a perfect tropical vacation. When you look at Jamaica and see lushly covered mountains, waterfalls cascading down onto beautiful white sand beaches, exotic flowers, and activities to suit all. Jamaica is a well developed tourist island, so if you want to play tennis or golf you can, scuba diving isn’t a problem, and if you are a night owl then there is everything from piano bars to limbo shows.

The only area that isn’t well developed is shopping, so husbands and men generally can be relieved to know that Jamaica is not a shoppers paradise – Yet!!

Choosing when to travel to Jamaica is an important part of a Jamaica Travel Guide, and Jamaica really has an idyllic climate so it is a year round tropical vacation destination. The average temperature is 77degrees Fahrenheit in the winter and 82 degrees in the summer. The coastal plains in the north get the benefit of the trade winds that blow from the Atlantic , and then there tends to be a breeze morning and evening caused by cooling and heating of the land.

It rains in May, and from August to October, but to be fair it doesn’t rain every day, and the showers only last a couple of hours maximum.

To make use of any Jamaica Travel Guide you need to know what type of tropical vacation you are planning. Do you intend to travel on your own, or as a couple, or in a group. Jamaica has a huge variety of places to stay , enough things to do to satisfy even the most diverse of tastes. It really doesn’t matter if you are a bunch of college students, honeymooners, or a family there is something for you. Getting married in Jamaica is very affordable, especially if you avoid the peak season from Late December to Late April when accommodation costs are at their maximum.

The type of accommodation you are looking for will be available, unless you must travel at peak season when early booking is essential, but then Jamaica isn’t any different to any other Caribbean Island. Here you will find everything from Casual bed and breakfasts to inns with old world charm. There are super all inclusive resorts to luxury villas, in fact Jamaica has it all and more.

Then there is the small issue of what do you want to see and do. You can easily spend a week sipping pina coladas on a beach or by a pool, lying in a hammock under a palm tree with a good book. On the other hand you could go scuba diving, or river rafting, horse riding, or play golf on world class courses. Jamaica has something for all in the way of attractions and activities to keep you as busy or as idle as you want to be.

This Jamaica Travel Guide can only touch on this tropical vacation destination, but it is obvious that Jamaica is one unique and incredible Caribbean Island.

For more information about Caribbean Vacation Spots go to http://www.caribbean-vacationspots.com/pages/Site-Map.html

Monday, December 17, 2007

Information About Guadeloupe

A Reservation in an Hotel on Guadeloupe is something that many people do, but if you just fancy the look of the hotel but know nothing about Guadeloupe Island, it might be a good idea to do some investigating .

Guadeloupe isn’t France but a French Overseas Department, and in many ways is more France than its homeland itself. It is to France what Hawaii is to the United States. Until 2003 St Barthelemy, otherwise known at St Barts and St Martin were part of Guadeloupe but are now independently affiliated to France.

To look at Guadeloupe on a map and it looks butterfly wings connected by a bridge, and is in fact two islands, and the more north east wing is Grande-Terre, where Pointe-a-Pitre the main centre for commerce and the main seaport is to be found.

It is known for its white sand beaches, rolling hills, cane fields and this is almost certainly where your Guadeloupe Hotel Reservation will be made if you decide to come here. The best white sand beaches on Grande-Terre includes Ste. Anne, St Francois and Le Moule

The south west wing is called Basse-Terre, which is the larger of the two islands, where you will find waterfalls, a botanical garden, and a volcano which overlooks the waterfalls which in turn spray cool mists to soak the too adventurous visitor.

There is no doubt that Basse Terre has the main tourist attraction in La Soufriere Volcano almost five thousand feet above sea level. It is surrounded by the National Park a renowned rain forest, and in turn by beautiful deep blue seas. This is where you come for the diving which is so good it has been described as world class. There are darker sand beaches here, amongst the best of which are Grande Anse, and Deshaies.

The two butterfly shaped joined islands of Guadeloupe do have a number of things in common which includes delicious cuisine and genuine West Indian hospitality from really friendly people.

So you want to make a Reservation for an Hotel in Guadeloupe, and you want suggestions. This is always very difficult because reviews are so subjective, but the number one hotel in Basse Terre is probably Caraib’Bay Hotel. The top hotel in the St Francois beach area is the Amaudo Hotel. Close to the white sand beach of Ste. Anne your best bet may well be the Hotel Le Diwali. Of the hotels in Terre de Haut you couldn’t do better than L’Auberge les Petits Saints aux Anacardies.

If you want to stay in Gosier then choose Le Mahogany Hotel , and the top hotel in Pointe-a-Pitre is Le Jardin Malanga, or go to Marie-Galante and choose the Cap Reva.

Whilst the list isn’t endless, there are 94 hotels on Guadeloupe that you could make a reservation at, and so you are very much spoilt for choice.

Guadeloupe has much for its visitors to do from beachcombing, sea diving, jungle exploring, or just lying relaxing on a white sand beach. Why not make a Reservation in a Guadeloupe Hotel, and find out for yourself.

By the way the food owes much to its French origins, as does the wines, so you can expect fresh food, which is fabulous, with a leaning towards seafood, all of course with a strong Caribbean influence.

For more information about Caribbean Vacation Spots go to http://www.caribbean-vacationspots.com/pages/Site-Map.html