Madagascar - The Land of The White Pygmies

One of the fourth largest islands in the world, Madagascar is surrounded by beautiful beaches and palm trees filled with natural reserves, grassy plateaus and dense forests. The Republic of Madagascar lies in the Indian Ocean separated from the African mainland by the 248 mile wide Mozambique Channel. The eco tourist friendly place is fun to enjoy amidst beautiful flowering plants natural history and a great place to explore and have an adventure of a lifetime.

Antananarivo

Antananarivo - Capital city of Madagascar

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The place retains most of its French flavor with French being the main language spoken here. Even the road and shop signs are in French.

Anjajavy Reserve

Anjajavy Reserve

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This is the best place to not only enjoy the natural habitat but also the natural history of the place. It is a nicely preserved habitat of dry deciduous forest with a lot of mouse lemurs, Coquerel’s sifaka, chameleons and the Madagascan fish eagle and of course the lovely beaches.

Ankarana Reserve

Ankarana Reserve

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Situated 65 km south of Diego Suarez, it has a plateau made of limestone in the shape of a fortress decorated with fields of pinnacles. You can find subterranean rivers, caves and passages underneath the plateau.

Mahajanga

Mahajanga - Town of Flowers

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Mahajanga, situated at the mouth of the Betsiboka River is a wonderful place to be in surrounded by shaded arcades, flowering bougainvillea shrubs and pre-colonial architecture. The place also has many churches and mosques.

Ambohimanga

Ambohimanga

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Ambohimanga is the birthplace of Malagasy state and is a significant Merina stronghold. The citadel’s main gate is a huge stone disc.

Markets of Madagascar

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The markets here are full of life with the various colors and scents. In fact, the daily Zoma Market is stated to be the second largest in the world. Other busy and interesting markets are the Bazary Be and the Toamasina Market which is the country’s main port.

Things to do

Visit the country’s national monument in Antananarivo which is the Queen’s Palace and the Royal Palace or Rova said to be occupied by the Merina Dynasty in the 19^th century.

Don’t miss out on Ampefy which is a volcanic region with beautiful waterfalls and a natural reserve, Perinet that has innumerable species of orchid and the indri or the tailless lemur.

For those interested in water sports, try water skiing or sailing at Lake Mantasoa, Andraikiba Lake and Ramona. You can also do some river rafting in the Highlands and on the East Coast.

Relax on the innumerable beaches like for instance the one in Antseranana which is a cosmopolitan seaport overlooking lakes, waterfalls and grottoes.

Do snorkeling and diving at the tourist friendly place like Nosy Be.

How to get there

Madagascar can be reached by air anytime. Air Madagascar offers many frequent air services to and fro. Moving around in Madagascar can be done by the many coastal transport services. Small boat safaris are also available. Other modes of travel are the bus, train, taxi and rickshaw. Car and bikes are also available on hire to make your ride more personal and convenient.

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Tasmania - The Land of the Tasmanian Devil

Ask any child about the Tasmanian Devil and he is bound to identify the cartoon character on television. But, Tasmania is much more than this national emblem and its natural heritage called the Tasmanian Tiger. Situated 200 km south of Australia, Tasmania or Tassie as it is affectionately known is all about exotic sceneries, beautiful beaches, caves and gorgeous surf and a fun place to have the greatest adventure of your life. Combining modern facilities like restaurants, shopping centers, nightclubs and historic sites, Tasmania is all that you wanted to experience during a vacation not to mention the famous Wines of Tasmania and the Tasmanian Apples.

Cradle Mountain National Park

Waterfall - Cradle Mountain National Park

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Cradle Mountain Park with the Dove Lake and the Lake St. Clair National Park with their alpine peaks and beautiful lakes make it one of the most popular tourist destinations in Tasmania. As you take a leisurely walk you can experience and enjoy the natural beauty. What makes it all appealing is that there are a lot of places like the beaches for instance that are not crowded giving you more opportunities to appreciate the soothing atmosphere.

Port Arthur

Port Arthur

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Port Arthur is a historic site bringing alive the ruins of a cruel criminal colony in Tasmania where prisoners were sent. The place stands today as a reminiscence of survival. Today, the place is surrounded by impressive architecture and beautiful gardens and a museum.

The Tasmanian Tiger

The Tasmanian Tiger

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The Tasmanian Tiger is a national emblem of Tasmania. It became extinct due to the European settlers way back. Another Tasmanian creature facing threat is the Tasmanian Devil. A Tasmanian Devil Conservation Park exists in Tasmania especially to make the people aware of its existence and the importance of preserving it.

Things to Do

Tasmania is a great place for people interested in adventure sports. You can have fun kayaking, river rafting, jump falls, climbing, hang gliding, jet boating, sailing, golf and fishing.

Don’t miss out on visiting wineries like the Cascade Brewery which is Australia’s oldest operating brewery against the background of the Mount Wellington and untouched forest area.

Take a river cruise through the beautiful Gordon river from Strahan and enjoy the rainforest with the river flowing below.

Take a walk around Sullivan’s Cove and the Salamanca Markets. Many fishing boats, tall-masted wooden vessels and millionaire yachts come there. There are shops selling craft materials apart from coffee shops and eateries so you can have fun shopping and dining too.

Visit Hobart, the capital of Tasmania located down below Mount Wellington and Mount Nelson. Here, you get to experience the urban side of Tasmania with restaurants, shopping malls, clubs and other facilities available.

How to reach there

You can reach Tasmania by flight and with numerous flights available to and fro Tasmania making the place a well sought after economical destination. Getting around Tasmania is easy with buses run by Metro Tasmania being the largest passenger transport company in Tasmania. Cars (both public and private) are also available on hire.

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Orlando - Entertainment 24X7

If you are in search of wholesome entertainment for your vacation then this time, make it to Orlando. It is one of the most popular travel destinations in the world. Located in central Florida, it is famous the world over for attractions like Disney World, Universal Studio and Sea World. Named Orlando after a brave soldier Orlando Reeves who fought during the war against the Seminole Indian in 1836, Orlando is one great place to have fun. In fact, there are so many places to see, enjoy and have fun that you might run out of time!
Orlando’s main attractions are its theme parks.
The Walt Disney World Resort is one such tourist attraction.
Walt Disney World Resort

Walt Disney World Resort

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The Walt Disney World has four theme parks with 24 onsite resorts, golf courses, water courses and interactive video game park not to leave out the shopping area. The high tech rides, the wonderful shows with the cute characters provide great entertainment to last a lifetime!
Universal Studios, Orlando

Universal Studios, Orlando

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Universal Studios in Orlando has three onsite hotels and two amusement parks offering interactive adventure rides based on movies like Shrek, Revenge of the Mummy, Jaws, Men in Black, Alien Attack, Terminator, Jurassic Park and many more interesting movies. The whole process is great fun leaving you no time to pause and wonder. Universal Express Passes are available that offer faster access to select rides.
Sea World Adventure Park

Sea World Adventure Park, Orlando

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The Park is filled with a host of things like an amusement park, aquarium, beer garden, sea lions, whales, dolphins and the ever so cute otters. The Kraken roller coaster ride is another added attraction. It is also well known for the Sea World Animal Rescue Team that rescues endangered animals and takes care of them till they are fine.
Things to Do
Take an airboat trip through the headwaters of the Florida everglades or take a helicopter or even a hot air balloon ride giving you an entirely new experience.
Dine in the various theme restaurants with food served to you from all over the globe.
Take a walk in the Lake Eola Park if the roller coasters tire you out. The Park is filled with fountains, swans and a playground. The whole family is bound to enjoy it.
Go hiking in the Ocala National Forest if you need a change from all the parks.
The Disney town of Celebration is another place that is worth visiting if you have time on your hands. The place has an interactive fountain, beautiful houses and a playground for children to play.
How to get there
You can reach Orlando at the Orlando International Airport (MCO) being ranked one of the second largest airports in the world. Within Orlando, transportation is best done by FL Tours that take you to the all the places you want to go without any hitch. Trains, buses and cruises are also available as alternative methods of travel.

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The Swiss Connection in Switzerland

The Land of the Alps, Switzerland is one of the most famous tourist destinations in the entire world. It is bordered by countries like Germany, France, Austria and Italy and offers some of the most panoramic views giving you ample opportunities to ski, fish, hunt and do some boating. No wonder, people rush to Switzerland for a grand holiday, with many movies shooting some of their best shots here. It is also one of the richest countries in the world with numerous people having Swiss accounts. There is plenty that you can see in Switzerland so you need to plan your visit beforehand. Here are some of the places you just cannot not miss.
Chillon Castle

Chillon Castle

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It is one of the most famous castles in Switzerland located on the shore of Lake Geneva. It has around 100 buildings and all date way back to the 11^th century related to the Savoy nobility.
Piz Gloria atop Schilthorn Mountain

Piz Gloria

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2970 m above sea level
The Piz Gloria is a revolving restaurant atop the Schilthorn Mountain in the Swiss Alps. Apart from its unique location and structure, it is well known for having been used as the shooting site for one of James Bond’s movies, ‘On Her Majesty’s Service.’ The restaurant gives you a 360 degree view of the entire place even as you dine. It is definitely, one of the most spectacular sights in Switzerland.


Chalet in Switzerland

Chalet

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No stay or visit in Switzerland is complete if you haven’t stayed in a chalet which is a traditional wooden house. It makes you feel very cozy and comfortable.
Geneva Jet D’eau

Geneva Jet D’eau

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Considered as a symbol of the land, the fountain is located in the heart of one of the main cities in Switzerland and projects water as high as 140 meters.
What not to miss out on in Switzerland
Mountain sports are one of the most popular pastimes in Switzerland. So, don’t miss out ice climbing, ski touring, glacier walking and snowboarding.
Do take a ride in one of the world’s highest aerial cable cars up the Little Matterhorn at Zermatt.
Enjoy some of the country’s street parades or theatre performances.
Go lake cruising or ferrying on lakes like Lake Zurich, Lake Geneva, or Lake Constance.
Travel by the Glacier Express, one of Europe’s greatest rail journeys.
Traveling in Switzerland
Traveling in Switzerland is one of the smoothest and comfortable things that you will ever experience here. The public transport is clean, clear and punctual. You can get discount options on tickets for buses, trains or bike rentals. Driving by car is also one of the best ways to explore the country.
Currency

All ATMs accept foreign cards so getting cash is no problem. Although Switzerland is not part of the European Union, almost all public places like restaurants, supermarkets and the like accept Euro. Of course, the currency basically used here is the Swiss franc.
Best Known Products

If you are here in Switzerland how can you not have a look or purchase some of the world’s best known Swiss watches (Rolex, Omega), the famous Swiss chocolates (Nestle is a Swiss company by the way), the delicious Swiss cheese and of course the impressive Swiss knives!

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Eastern Cape – The Land of The Great Karoo

Filled with sunshine the whole year around, the Eastern Cape is one great place to go for a vacation. If it is the seaside you are searching for or beautiful greenery and unspoiled areas of natural beauty then, the Eastern Cape is the place for you. A great hit amongst people wanting to get away from hurried, strenuous city life, the Eastern Cape serves as a respite with its innumerable mountains, game reserves, beaches and beautiful landscape. It is the second largest of South Africa’s nine provinces with world famous leaders like Nelson Mandela born here.

Port Elizabeth

Friendly City, Port Elizabeth

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The capital city of Eastern Cape is called so because it offers fun and attraction for families interested in a nice vacation filled with wildlife, nature trails and plenty of water sports. Port Elizabeth is the largest city on the coast between Cape Town and Durban.

Karoo Heartland

‘Dry heart’ of South Africa

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The large open spaces, the mountains, the towns and villages embedded with history and tradition and the beautiful sunsets personify all that is Eastern Cape in South Africa. The beauty of the rocky mountains and the succulents apart from the varies animals make a visit to Karoo Heartland a great experience.

Things to do

Don’t miss out on East London, the only river port city here filled with wide unending stretches of white beaches. The place boasts of its African lineage very harmoniously revealing its English and German connections too. People are very friendly here adding to your holiday pleasure.

Do visit Sunshine Coast that is filled with beaches, water sports, sheltered coves and the nature reserves. Its main charm is that it is yet to get commercialized unlike other tourist destinations.

Visit the Addo Elephant Park which also contains the Sundays River Valley a, crook formed within the Elephant Park.

Visit the Nelson Mandela Museum in Qunu which gives you an insight into the life of the man who freed mankind from the shackles of discrimination. See the Bhunga Building in Umtata, Mvezo, the birthplace of Mandela and Qunu, a village where the Youth and Heritage Center stands today.

Don’t miss Tsitsikamma which is a splendid piece of land surrounded by ancient trees and homes of wild animals. Gorges carve their way out through the mountains and trickle into clean streams, pools and even waterfalls. The Storms River is one such river. Canopy tours are available here.

Play with real lion cubs in the Seaview Lion Park in Port Elizabeth. Other animals like the giraffe, zebra, duiker monkeys and other species walk freely in this natural reserve.

Tstisikamma - place of abundant water

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How to get there

The airports are at Port Elizabeth and East London. When you get into Eastern Cape, moving around in a car is the best option especially between cities and towns. Minibuses are also available for longer distances. The train service is best suited for areas like the Wild Coast for the beautiful scenery otherwise; road travel is the best here.

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