29 April 2011

Travelling in Devon



Devon is one of the largest counties in West England and well known for its resorts. Tourists often visit different towns of Devon during the summer to enjoy the pristine waters or to simply enjoy the natural surrounding. It is a very popular county because most (if not all) beaches in Devon feature seas perfect for any type of sports. Bideford Bay is a very popular destination for surfers and the beaches of Woolacombe, Croyde and Staunton also share the same popularity among adventure seekers.

Travelling to Devon
The easiest way to reach Devon is through train and air. There are numerous train stations in different towns in Devon so tourists can easily reach their destination with very little effort. By air, tourists can come in through Exeter International if they are coming from other countries or through Plymouth City Airport for local travel or smaller aircrafts.
Renting a car or traveling by bus is also a good option. However, the popularity of Devon can dramatically increase traffic congestion. Renting a car could even cause additional problems during peak season because of the expensive parking fees and limit in parking spaces.

Visiting Different Towns and Nearby Counties in Devon
Most of the resort towns in Devon are highly accessible because it will only require a single bus ride to reach the destinations. While staying in the resort town, renting a bike is a good option because of the numerous bicycle lanes. Walking is also a good option especially when enjoying the beach.

18 April 2011

Enjoying a Trip to Mauritius

Mauritius is a small nation composed of several islands in the southwest Indian Ocean. It’s an increasingly popular tourist destination because of its beautiful waters, attractive economic setting and peaceful environment. The island’s located in the southeast of the African content and its nearest neighbor is the country of Madagascar in the west.
Going to Mauritius
As an island, there are only two options for tourists to reach the island: by air or by sea. By Air, tourists arrive in Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport through various major airlines especially Air Mauritius. By sea, ferry boats from Madagascar often provide transportation for tourists visiting different islands in the area.
Places of Interest in Mauritius
Grand Bay – every tourist visiting Mauritius should visit this picturesque beach on the main island. It’s the choice for tourists seeking a good place to stay with nightly activities that last until the early morning.
Pereybere – another popular beach in the mainland but its popularity is more down to its numerous restaurants and pubs.
Blue Bay – the southeast area of the island is the best part of the country when it comes to beaches. Its amazing white sand continues to draw tourists and its glass bottom boat tour is the perfect activity to appreciate the local fish.
Tips to Enjoy the Island
Aside from enjoying the beaches of Mauritius, other activities such as jungle safari and tours of historic and religious places will provide tourists with a better picture of the country’s past. When it comes to water conditions, the east and west coast of the island offer different experience in the water. The west is a lot hotter and the eastern portion is generally windier.

07 April 2011

Visiting the Remains of the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus in Turkey

The Mausoleum of Halicarnassus is a very popular tourist destination in Turkey because it’s considered as one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Built from 353BC to 350BC, the structure was built through the commission of Artemisia II. The mausoleum was built for her late husband, Mausolus but the structure was never used as Artemisia II died two years after her husband’s death. Although the structure was not yet finished after Ciara’s death, the sculptures decided to finish the structure.

Finding the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus
Halicarnassus is the ancient name of the city of Bodrum. It’s a highly accessible city because of the local airport, ferry boats from the nearby cities (Cos and Rhodes) and bus trips from other major cities in Turkey. Bus rides from far cities usually stop in other cities and a bus change is required. Talk to the driver or bus operator if you prefer a direct trip.

Appreciating the Mausoleum
The best way to appreciate the mausoleum is to actually visit the site. Although it’s already in ruins, there are still free standing sculptures still standing to this day. Tour guides are available for tourists who want to learn more about the mausoleum which is very educational, especially on understanding the sculptures added in the mausoleum. According to stories, there are four sculptors who worked in the different areas of structure: Timotheus, Bryaxis, Scopas and Leochares. They all contributed on each side of the structure which is an amazing feat in itself. Because of its significance to architectural design, the word mausoleum was derived from the word “Mausolus”.

The Pamukkale in Turkey



Turkey is known for good weather and a hot climate however many people that visit Turkey frequently may not know about is natural phenominon the Pamukkale or Cotton Castle in English.
Despite the look of the Pamukkale they are actually hot springs and not snow covered mountains and are located in Denizli Province in south-western Turkey.

The hot springs are covered in minerals left by the water which gives them their white look. The Cotton Castles are on top of a large mountain in the ancient city of Hierapolis. The area was a popular tourist destination for those living in the country until the mid 1900's when the area was deemed a world heritage site and all of the hotels constructed near it had to be demolished.

You can still explore the area and bathe in the hot springs but due to the new laws wearing shoes in the pools in now prohibited to prevent the area being damaged.

There are 17 pools in total which have temperatures ranging from 35oc to 100oc the heat is created by underground volcanic activity which heats the flowing water and pressure that shoots it out of the ground.
A couple of warnings to those that are thinking of going to the area – The pools contain some tadpoles for those that don’t like swimming with the fish and it isn’t advised to go in the caves beneath the springs as they contain high amounts of carbon dioxide which could make you feel drowse.