Standing at a majestic 700 ft. tall, Ireland's Cliffs of Moher edge County Clare up to the Atlantic Ocean, creating the country's westernmost outpost. I first went there in 2003 when very little infrastructure surrounded the Cliffs of Moher and it was possible to creep belly-down across the limestone slats and peer over the edge. As one of Ireland's most well-known and heavily visited tourist attractions today, the Cliffs of Moher have been given a new lease on life with the building of a state-of-the-art visitor center that is cut into the side of one of the bluffs, and is totally environmentally friendly. The experience of standing on the bluffs overlooking the Cliffs of Moher is utterly astounding. The harsh Irish wind bats at your ...
Every January, the small village of Ladera in Bikaner, Rajasthan becomes the venue of the two-day and night Bikaner Camel Festival. People from all over the world come to India to attend the Bikaner Camel Festival where camel owners flock to show-off their camels. Camel and owner alike, dressed in their finest designer jewellery and accessories, kick-off the Bikaner Camel Festival with a regal march. This is a spectacular sight as the camels parade past spectators to the open sands with the Royal Junagarh Fort in the background. Colorful bridles, bejeweled necks, jingling anklets and long, lanky camel shadows on the dusky sand casts a magical atmosphere over the Bikaner Camel Festival. The Bikaner Camel Festival also holds numerous sports and cultural activities, but the ...
New Zealand is a country famous for its beaches, laid-back surf culture, and natural beauty. Often, this can all be found at one place, such is the case with the west coast beaches resting on the Tasman Sea 30 km outside Auckland: the country’s largest city. Whether it is to swim, surf, or simply to take in the majestic view, Piha Beach and its surrounding are some of the most magnificent in the country. Piha Beach has a beautiful black sand beach located on the west coast of New Zealand’s North Island. Its proximity to Auckland ensures that Piha Beach is always packed, especially in the summer season, attracting travellers and Aucklanders alike. Aside from the tourists, there is a small surf community in Piha ...
The Old Faithful geyser is the quintessential Yellowstone National Park experience. It sits at the head of the Upper Geyser Basin, which is home to the majority of the geysers in the Park. Yellowstone on the whole holds more than 60 percent of the geysers in the world, but none more famous than Old Faithful. The Old Faithful geyser, named during an expedition in 1870, shows off the power of nature every 65 to 90 minutes, depending on the length of the previous eruption. An eruption can shoot up to 8,400 gallons (32,000 litres) of water 185 feet (56 metres) high. The internal temperature of the water has been measured at 244°F (118°C), with steam at 350°F. Old Faithful erupts about twenty times a day, ...
There is a place in the South Pacific where beauty meets mystery, and tradition shakes hands with modern times in a way no other place on earth can match. Located on the Ambae Island in The Republic of Vanuatu, the lakes which crown Mount Manaro are sacred to the people in ways we can only try to understand. The splendor of going to Mount Manaro isn’t just limited to swimming in one of the highest crater lakes in the South Pacific, or observing a smoking mound of sulphur among breathtaking waters. It's taking the time to learn about and participate in such a rare culture. Mount Manaro is made up of two main crater lakes named Vui and Gesa. Vui Lake is active, has a ...
There's so much to see and do in Yellowstone National Park, which is bigger than the states of Delaware or Rhode Island, that it would be easy to spend a week there and still not see it all. If you don't have a week, then some of the best experiences can be found in the Upper Geyser Basin in the southwest corner of the Park. All of the geysers, pools and wildlife make it a truly unique place to visit. One of the more popular sites in Yellowstone is the Morning Glory Pool, which sits at the end of a boardwalk trail that easily meanders throughout the geyser basin. The trail to the Morning Glory Pool begins near the parking and lodging area for the ...
Vang Vieng is located in the Vientiane Province of Loas by the Nam Song River. The area was notably used as an American Army base for landing aircrafts during the Vietnam War, but has since developed into a well-catered backpacker district. Surrounded with a dramatic countryside of jagged limestone mountains, a cornucopia of caves and waterfalls, Vang Vieng was designed for hiking! A good hike through Vang Vieng offers hikers an array of sights and activities including vibrant valleys, rugged waterfalls, caving, kayaking and the opportunity to finesse your way across bamboo and rope bridges. The beautiful views of will draw you in and make you want to stay just to see what the sunset will be like the following day. The Vang Vieng hiking ...
No trip to Puerto Rico is complete without a visit to the majestic El Yunque National Forest. The only tropical rainforest in the United States Forest System, El Yunque is a 28,000-acre abundance of biodiversity ready for you to explore. Situated in the northeast corner of Puerto Rico, El Yunque’s rainforests are located in the Loquillo Mountains, about an hour drive from San Juan. Home to over 240 species of trees (23 of which are unique to El Yunque), 50 species of birds (including the rare and endangered Puerto Rican Parrot), and over 1200 species of insects, El Yunque rainforest was recognized as an official UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 1976. Owing to its stunning forests, wealth of fresh water and the variety of species it ...
Tucked away above a small resort town amid beautiful alpine scenery, the Banff Upper Hot Springs is a perfect place to relax and enjoy the incredible mountain views of Banff National Park. Discovered in 1884 by settlers, the streams that formed the Banff Upper Hot Springs were once considered to have sacred healing powers by Natives in the area. These naturally-heated mineral-rich waters come from deep within the appropriately named Sulphur Mountain, and are enjoyed by visitors from all over the world. Today, the ancient waters of the Banff Upper Hot Springs are fed into a large modern pool which overlooks the Rocky Mountains behind the historic bath house building. Buy your entry ticket for less than C$10, and head to the spacious change rooms ...
Disembarking in Luang Prabang, Laos after a two-day boat journey from Thailand, the last thing I wanted to do was see any more water. But within moments of entering this charming and beautiful French-inspired city sitting mysteriously in the middle of the Laotian jungle, we were approached by several tuk-tuk drivers repeating, "Kuang Si? You want to go to waterfall?" I'd seen my fair share of waterfalls already and was somewhat reluctant to leave this beautiful place to see yet another cascade of water. But as the night wore on, the hum of the words "Kuang Si" seemed to linger on the mouths of every tourist I met; and so, it seemed, I had to go. Bright and early we awoke and climbed into the ...
