Tulum of Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico

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Tulum is the site of a Pre-Columbian Maya walled city serving as a major port for Cobá.
Tulum’s greatest attraction is its location itself as it stands on a bluff facing the rising sun looking out on views of the Caribbean that are nothing less than spectacular scenery. Ruins are situated on 12-meter (39 ft) tall cliffs, along the east coast of the Yucatán Peninsula on the Caribbean Sea in the state of Quintana Roo, Mexico.
The Yucatan Peninsula on Mexico’s southeastern coast is famous for its fabulous beaches, Mayan archeological sites, and the Great Mayan Reef. Many visitors come for the sun and nightlife and spend their time in one of the luxurious hotels along the Cancun strip. There’s more to the Yucatan than Cancun and it’s easy to rent a car or hop on a local bus and see it all.

The Yucatan has 500 species of birds. It’s a great place for snorkeling and diving because the second largest coral reef system in the world runs by it.
Tulum is said as one of the last cities inhabited and built by the Mayans, it was at its height between the 13th and 15th centuries and managed to survive about 70 years after the Spanish began occupying Mexico. Now known as one of the best-preserved coastal Maya sites, Tulum is today a popular site for tourists.

Tulum has architecture design typical of Maya sites on the east coast of the Yucatan Peninsula. This architecture is then recognized by a step running around the base of the building which sits on a low substructure similar to Chichen Itza. Doorways of this type are usually narrow with columns used as support if the building is big enough.

As the walls flare out there are usually two sets of molding near the top. The most of the room contains one or two small windows with an altar at the back wall, roofed by either a beam-and-rubble ceiling or being vaulted. This type of architecture resembles what can be found in the nearby Chichen Itza, just on a much smaller scale.

The name Tulum is the name given the site following a visit by the explorers Stephens and Catherwood in 1841, just before the beginning of the Caste War in 1847, long after the city was abandon and fell to ruins.

They ordered trees cleared and Catherwood made illustrations of temples, later to be published in their famous book “Incidents of Travel in Yucatan”. Juan José Gálvez is actually credited with Tulum’s rediscovery in 1840.

Halong Bay

3:46 AM

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Halong Bay Located in the northeastern part of Vietnam and constitutes part of the western bank of Bac Bo Gulf, including the sea area of Ha Long City and Cam Pha Town and part of Van Don island district. It abuts Cat Ba Island in the southwest.

Halong literally means “descending dragon,” and there’s a local legend that says that when the Vietnamese were fighting foreign invaders long ago, the gods sent a family of fighting dragons to help them defend the land. As the dragons descended upon the area, they spit jewels and gems, and when these hit the water, they turned into little islands, which today dot the bay.
Halong Bay has twice been recognized as world natural heritage by UNESCO. The first time is for Halong bay's beauty landscapes. The second time is for Halong bay's geology formation. Magnificent Halong bay Vietnam is One of 7 must-visit places on the earth.

Ha Long Bay is a complex of offshore islands being one of the most typical examples of marine-invaded tower karsts. The Bay consists of more than 1.600 islands and islets hiding inside many spectacular caves and grottoes with stalactites and stalagmites. The bay’s sublime & magnificent beauty sets it apart from other sites and is drawing millions of cruisers every year.

Getting there
By air: Halong Bay is 1 hour flight by helicopter from Gia Lam Airport in Ha Noi.

By road: Halong Bay is 160km or 3.5 hours drive from Ha Noi. The road is fairly good, though traffic may be very busy. There are many local bus companies from commuting between Ha Noi - Halong City. The buses don't have seat number and the driver may stop many times to pick up more passengers on the way until it's totally stuffed. Also all commuter bus drivers have to hurry to pick up as many people as possible on the way; they drive very recklessly.

Halong Bay can also be visited by road from Hai Phong. It's only 70km between the 2 cities and the drive takes 1 hour.

By boat: From Hai Phong you can take a speed boat for 1 hour to Cat Ba where you take a 5 hour boat cruise weaving through Halong Bay islands.

When to go
The best time to travel Halong is from October to April when the weather is pretty pleasant. In summer, it's hot, humid and rainy, while monsoons flourish. In winter, it's cold, dry, and sees little rainfall.

Halong Bay is also one of the new 7 Wonders of the World.

Bay of Fundy

7:03 PM

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The Bay of Fundy (French: Baie de Fundy) is located on the Atlantic Ocean coastline of North America, at the northeast end of the Gulf of Maine between the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. A small portion of the bay touches the northeast corner of the state of Maine.

The tides in Canada's Bay of Fundy are the most extreme in the world. Because of the unique shape of the bay, the difference in water level between high tide and low tide can be as much as 48 feet (14 meters). Observing tidal changes over time at any coastal location can show interesting patterns. These patterns can reveal the relationship between tides and the lunar cycle. Bay of Fundy is also popular for their rocks that are as high as four storey building.

Twice everyday the Bay of Fundy fills and empties of its 100 billion tonnes of water, creating the highest tides in the world. The height of the tide is 3.5 meters (11ft) along the southwest shore of Nova Scotia and steadily increases as the flood waters travel up the 280 km (174 miles) of shoreline to the head of the Bay where in the Minas Basin the height of the tide can reach 16 meters (53ft).


The force created by these mighty waters is equal to 8000 locomotives or 25 million horses at the Minas Channel. This energy works within the Bay’s waters to stir up nutrients from the ocean floor, the mud flats and salt water marshes providing an abundance of food for the birds, whales, fish and bottom dwellers that visit or call Fundy home.

Because by its amazing, it is not surprising if Bay of Fundy become the finalist of New 7 Wonders of Nature. Fish, lobster, mussel, scallops, smoked salmon are several foods that you can eat in the Bay of Fundy. Winter is one of the best times to explore the Bay of Fundy, you will be impressed by two-tone seascapes, random ice cakes, frothy of snow and swirling winds.

Jeju Island

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Cheju Island, alternately known as Chejudo or Jejudo, is an oval-shaped volcanic landmass covering 1,845 square kilometers (712 square miles) off the southern tip of the Korean Peninsula. Geologists estimate the island’s age at 2 million years, and archaeological finds suggest that people have lived on the island since prehistoric times. Today, Cheju is both a tourist attraction and home to a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage site.
 Originally Jeju was an independent country called Tamna. In 662AD Jeju became a province of Goryeo which was a part of present day South Korea. In 1121 Tamna was renamed Chejudo or Jeju Island. In 1910 Jeju and Korea were occupied by the Japanese. After the Second World War Jeju became a province of the Republic of Korea.
Jeju Island is Korea’s most famous local honeymoon destination and can be considered as Korea’s equivalent of Hawaii. It takes only one hour by flight from Seoul to Jeju Island. It is also frequently visited by foreign tourists particularly those from Japan and China. Besides that, Jeju is also frequently used as a filming site for Korean dramas such as All In and Dae Jang Geum. The hit movie Shiri was also filmed here.

Jejudo Island is sometimes referred to as “Samdado Island” which means “three many” because of its abundance of rocks, women, and wind. It also has a dormant volcano, Mt. Halla, which rises more than 6,397 feet (1,950 meters) above sea level. 360 satellite volcanoes are around the main volcano.

On this island, there are many women divers known as haenyeo. They age between 40 and 70 years old, and dive into the ocean to search for abalone, shellfish and seaweed to sell. The amazing thing is that they dive into the ocean without any oxygen tanks. Unbelievable but true!


Jeju island is filled with palm trees, mountains, volcanic tubes and amazing beaches. You can go scuba diving, hiking, sightseeing, museum-hopping, horseback riding, hot-air ballooning, water-sliding, or a million other adventures.

It's truly a must-see if you're in Korea for work or travel. Come for a weekend or a week, it's easy and cheap to get there on a quick flight from Seoul on one of the many discount carriers. Or, you can take the ferry from Busan or Mokpo as well. Visitors to Korea often list Jeju Island as their favorite part of the trip.

Perhentian Island

8:23 PM

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 Perhentian Island or Pulau Perhentian - Lying just 18 kilometre from Jertih Terengganu and 60 from Kota Bharu Kelantan in Peninsular Malaysia. This beautiful island is famous among travelers for its soft sandy beaches and laid back lifestyle. Perhentian Island is accessible from the small fishing port of Kuala Besut, 25 minutes by speed boat or a leisurely 90 minute sea journey by colorful traditional boat.

Perhentian is warm and tropical with some of the best beaches in the region. The Island has over 20 fringing reefs, great for scuba diving and snorkelling.

There are two small islands that form the Perhentian Islands. The names are Perhentian Besar, the larger of the two and popular among couples and families with children, and Perhentian Kecil, the smaller island and very popular among budget travelers

The two jewels located 45 min away by boat from the Est seaside of North of Malaysia. As a consequence, it is in the China Sea we can swiw there. These two twin islands are a part of Terrenganu State, but we have to cross Kelantan State to reach them, which is located at the extreme North of Malaysia, and has a borderline with Thailand. This State, as his neighbour State, is a rigorist islamic State, where for instance the law forbid alcohols.

The islands have a number of activities on its beaches and forests, with the most popular being snorkeling and scuba diving. The more relaxing pursuits are sunbathing and swimming and, apart from these, the island also offers activities like canoeing, jungle trekking, fishing and island hopping.

Owing to the islands' protected status, the main tourist activities have minimal environmental impact. This makes Pulau Perhentian famous in the region for its stunning preserved natural world and diverse marine life.

The best time to visit
The monsoon season peaks between November and March every year. You can expect more rain and rough seas and most resorts are typically closed from end October through end-February. Peak season is between July and August and prices rise accordingly. During off-peak times, rates are negotiable. You may need to book well in advance during peak time and also for public holidays and weekends. Note that most budget resorts do not accept bookings and handle guests on a walk-in basis only.

Climate
Equatorial with fairly uniform temperatures year-round, ranging from 21ºC (70ºF) to 32ºC (90ºF). Humidity is high (85-95%). Annual rainfall varies from 2,000mm to 2,500mm and most rain can be expected between November and February.

Mauritius Island

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 Mauritius (Île aux Cerfs Island) is a small tropical island situated in the turquoise southwest Indian Ocean. Mauritius measures 67 km ( 42 miles) in length and 46 km ( 29 miles ) at its widest point. With an area of approximately 1860 square kilometers ( 730 sq miles ), the size of Mauritius equals about that of the English county of Surrey or South Africa's Cape Peninsula and False Bay.

Mauritius was discovered in 1505 by a Portuguese sailor but was then conquered by the Dutch, French and British. The country gained independence in 1968, has grown into a developing country and has one of Africa's highest per capita incomes.

Mauritius, a volcanic island of lagoons and palm-fringed beaches in the Indian Ocean, has a reputation for stability and racial harmony among its mixed population of Asians, Europeans and Africans. Although the volcanoes in Mauritius are no longer active, they have left their mark on the profile and landscape of this island featuring the mountain peaks in the west as well as several volcanic craters. Although Port Louis which is located in the northwest of Mauritius is the capital and the center of business activity, the people prefer to live in the coolness of the nearby towns and suburbs of the plateau, such as Quatre Bornes, Curepipe, Rose Hill/Beau Bassin and Vacoas/Phoenix.

Mauritius is the perfect holiday destination with no visa or vaccinations needed and with only 3 hours time difference there's no jet lag to worry about. Temperatures stay high all year round so you know your holiday to Mauritius will be sunny and warm whenever you go.

Climate
Tropical, modified by southeast trade winds; warm, dry winter (May to November); hot, wet, humid summer (November to May); Natural hazards : Tropical cyclones (November to April);but most cyclones usually occur from the end of December until March. Mauritius has only two seasons, winter and summer. There is not much temperature differences between the two seasons of the year.

Cancun

12:49 AM

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 Cancun is Mexico’s most important tourist destination and one of the world’s most well known resorts, located in the state of Quintana Roo in theYucatan Peninsula. In Cancún there are about 140 hotels with 24,000 rooms and 380 restaurants and over four million visitors arrive each year. Cancun Mexico enjoys 240 days of sunshine a year, more than almost any other Caribbean location. The beaches in Cancun Mexico are almost 100 percent limestone; the porous quality of the limestone makes for cool sand even under the intense tropical sun.

Cancun Mexico itself is a great resort city with a vibrating night life. But Cancun Mexico also has many exciting shopping areas and everything else one would need to enjoy a relaxing holidays or vacations.

The surroundings of Cancun Mexico are mainly untouched nature, including jungles, many impressing archeological sites with Maya Pyramids, and all kinds of interesting animals and plants.

And of course there is the Mexican Caribbean Sea. The water at the beaches of the Caribbeans Sea is among the best and clearest anywhere. So its great for scuba diving and snorkeling. Especially a bit south of Cancun, there is the Great Maya Reef system, along the Riviera Maya.

Puerto Vallarta

7:54 PM

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A city of west-central Mexico on the Pacific Ocean west of Guadalajara. It is a popular coastal resort. The 2010 census reported Puerto Vallarta's population as 255,725 making it the sixth-largest city in the state of Jalisco. The City of Puerto Vallarta is the government seat of the Municipality of Puerto Vallarta which comprises the city as well as population centers outside of the city extending from Boca de Tomatlán to the Nayarit border (the Ameca River).

Many longtime lovers of the tropics know Puerto Vallarta as much more than a beautiful beach: It’s simply one of the loveliest spots in Mexico. Puerto Vallarta lies at the inner recess of the Bay of Banderas and the lanes of old town run right up to the vine-hung foothills of the Sierra Cuale.

How to get to Puerto Vallarta
Gustavo Diaz Ordaz International Airport (PVR) is located just north of the city. The airport is served by local airlines and by numerous US airlines as well.

Weather
Puerto Vallarta is blessed with tropical climate. The temperature and humidity are almost constant all year round and there are two seasons: wet and dry. The average daily maximum temperature is 86 F, while the average minimum temperature is 70 F. Humidity averages 75% almost every day.
The rainy season lasts from mid-June to mid-October and most of the rain falls between July and September. Hurricanes seldom strike Puerto Vallarta although there have been such occurrences.

Cabo San Lucas

8:25 PM

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Cabo San Lucas is an anchor port for all cruises sailing on Mexico's Riviera and Sea of Cortez itineraries, and as such it's experiencing quite a tourist boom. This party town, population 70,000 and growing (mostly with Americans), serves up The Rocks and rock 'n' roll.

Luxury Retreats prides itself on the fact that Cabo San Lucas rentals are becoming more and more popular amongst its clientele as a leading vacation destination. Being a part of the municipality of Los Cabos, the city of Cabo San Lucas is rich in customs, traditions and values a laid-back way of life, much like that of the Caribbean. The friendly people, vibrant culture and beautiful white sandy beaches are only a few of the aspects that keep guests requesting Cabo San Lucas rentals. Besides the hundreds of different water sports, and the incredible 7,000 foot mountains to climb, this well known destination has also been acknowledged for the many first-rate activities such as world-class fishing and championship golf.

This top vacation destination has some of the best sportfishing in the world, and it is the quest for marlin that put Cabo San Lucas on the map. After World War II and the advent of private planes, Bing Crosby and John Wayne arrived to fish. In the 1970s, a highway was built to connect California to Baja, and the travel industry began in earnest.

Earlier visitors included 16th- and early 17th-century pirates like Sir Francis Drake and Thomas Cavendish, who hid from Spanish galleons in the many coves and bays along the southern coast of the Baja Peninsula. Spanish missionaries came to try to convert the natives to Christianity, but they and Spanish soldiers also brought diseases that wiped out the native population.

One of the downsides for most travelers whose ships sail here: All must anchor and tender passengers in to the port itself. That means -- especially for those folks sailing on 2,000-plus behemoths -- you'll need to factor in extra time getting to and from your ship. Even odder in this quite multi-faceted place is the fact that some ships only stop for half-day visits, which means that actual on-land time can be extremely limited.

Pearl Farm Beach Resort, Davao

9:13 PM

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The Pearl Farm is located on Samal Island just a short boat ride from Davao City. The 11-hectare resort was once a real pearl farm that cultivated oysters imported from the Sulu Sea, and produces some of the best pearls in the country. Now the white sand beach resort is a top tourist attraction in Davao del Norte with cottages inspired by Isamal native design.

The Pearl Farm Beach Resort is situated on the isolated Samal Island, a 45 minute boat ride from Davao City. This private resort is surrounded by coconut palms and a white sandy beach. It offers quite and relaxation plus a choice of watersports for the more active. Rooms are in a traditional natural style blending in with the idyllic surroundings.

Today, the resort has 73 fully air conditioned luxurious guestrooms, suites, cottages, and villas that sit around the contour of the island. Perched above the sea, the rooms and villas afford a breathtaking panoramic view of the deep blue waters of Davao Gulf. Each room is furnished with cable television, telephone, coffee/tea maker, mini bar, and room safe. The private toilet and bath are provided with hair-dryers.The villas were exquisitely designed from Maranao and Samal ethnic influences in both materials and forms. The facilities include outdoor swimming pools, tennis courts, badminton courts, basketball courts, souvenir gift shops, a luxurious health spa, a cocktail bar with the view of the sea and nearby islands, a restaurant that serves delicious Filipino and international cuisines of fresh seafood specialties, and fully equipped function rooms and boardrooms, and many others.

Sports enthusiasts, and first-timers alike can enjoy the challenges of wind surfing, water polo, jet-skiing, water-skiing, banana boat rides, scuba diving, sea-kayaking, Hobie Cat surfing, and even underwater photography.

Atlantis Paradise Island

9:51 AM

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Atlantis Paradise Island, a resort and waterpark, is located on Paradise Island. The island contains the Royal Towers which is joined by the Bridge where the Bridge Suite is located. This suit is considered as the most expensive hotel suite in the world. A one night stay here costs a jaw-dropping $25,000.

Officially opened in 1998, the resort was created by South African hotel magnate Sol Kerzner and Kerzner International Limited. Paradise Island first opened its Coral and Beach Towers as the Trump Plaza, then changed its name to Atlantis when the Royal Towers were built. The Coral and Beach Towers were later refurbished to match the theme of the Royal Towers. On 28 March 2007 a 600-suite luxury hotel named The Cove Atlantis opened on Paradise Island. Another tower, the 497-room Reef Atlantis, opened 19 December 2007

Bora-Bora Island

9:11 AM

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 Bora Bora is known for having the most beautiful lagoon in the world. Located 140 miles northwest of Papeete (160 miles northwest of Tahiti) and about 2,600 miles south of Hawaii, in South Pacific. The islands which was known as ” The Pearl of the Pacific” is a perfect place if you are looking for a mellow vacation destination, amid pristine natural surroundings and also an ultimate romantic getaway for the couples.

The original name of the island in the Tahitian language might be better rendered as Pora Pora, meaning "First Born"; an early transcription found in 18th- and 19th-century accounts, is Bolabolla or Bollabolla.

Bora Bora is a volcanic island, about 6 miles long by 2.5 miles wide, with an area of about 14.7 square miles.. It’s surrounded by coral reefs, with a large lagoon and a spacious harbor on the west side. The island’s highest points are Mount Otemanu (2,385 feet) and Mount Pahia (2,159 feet), which drop sharply to the lagoon.

Climate
Bora Bora has a tropical climate, as the island is about the same distance from the equator as Hawaii is. There are two seasons, summer (November through March) and winter (April through November), although the temperatures differ minimally: Summer is more humid, with the island getting most of its rainfall then, but the average summer temperature (85 degrees) is only a little higher than the winter average of 82 degrees.

Transportation

Bora Bora doesn’t have an international airport; travelers must go through the main French Polynesian airport at Papeete, on the island of Tahiti. Air Tahiti provides regular scheduled flights between Bora Bora and Papeete, as well as to several other French Polynesian islands. Chartered aircraft are also available. Bora Bora has a harbor capable of handling cruise ships, which regularly visit. In addition to those, there are several regularly scheduled ferries connecting Bora Bora with the other islands in the region and docking facilities for private yachts.

Glass Beach of California

12:07 PM

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Glass Beach is a unique beach, not because nature made it that way, but because time and the pounding surf have corrected one of man’s mistakes.

In the early 20th century, Fort Bragg residents threw their household garbage over the cliffs above what is now Glass Beach. It is hard to imagine this happening today, but back then people dumped all kinds of refuse straight into the ocean, including old cars, and their household garbage, which of course included lots of glass.

The Glass Beach in Fort Bragg CA is also called Mermaids Tears, Lucky Glass, Ocean Glass and Sea Gems. Today, it is filled with rounded bits of sea glass. They glisten in the sun like little marbles. Fort Bragg CA has become a popular tourist destination in California because of this beautiful and unique Glass Beach. Once you go there, you will be tempted to grab some of these little glittering jewels as kids would collect seashells. However, the Glass Beach is part of MacKerricher State Park, and the state prohibits collecting these sea glass. To make up for it, this unique beach in Fort Bragg CA makes an excellent place for photographs. It’s a pretty incredible sight with the sea glass several inches thick in some areas on the beach.

Best time to visit Glass Beach in Fort Bragg CA is during mornings when the tide is low. That’s when more of the sea glass is exposed for your viewing pleasure. During evenings the tide is high, which makes it quite difficult to spot the sea glass. In either time, be sure to wear shoes. After all, this is an old dump site so the odd piece of debris (metal or old spark plugs) can pop up. There are also tide pools to explore, which is another reason for going during low tide periods.

The Great Blue Hole of Belize

8:58 AM

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 The Great Blue Hole is located off the coast of Belize; it is found in the middle of the Lighthouse Reef ecosystem. It lies near the center of Lighthouse Reef, a small atoll 70 kilometres (43 mi) from the mainland and Belize City.

 It was formed during several episodes of Quaternary glaciation when sea levels were much lower - the analysis of stalactites found in Great Blue Hole shows that formation has taken place 153,000, 66,000, 60,000, and 15,000 years ago. As the ocean began to rise again, the caves were flooded. The Great Blue Hole is a part of the larger Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System, a World Heritage Site of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

It is a underwater sinkhole that measures 984 feet (300 m) across. The sink hole plunges 394 feet (120 m) deep and provides divers with a crystal clear haven for exploring this underwater wonder. this ocean-floor sinkhole is believed to be the world’s largest blue hole. 

Divers descend into the Blue Hole's tranquil abyss to see geological wonders and fascinating marine life. Giant stalactites, dripstone sheets, and columns are located in the Gallery at the southern rim of the Great Blue Hole. These structures formed in a dry cavern above sea level during glacial periods.

The Blue Hole and surrounding reef are commonly home to the Caribbean Reef Shark, the Blacktip Shark, nurse sharks, giant groupers, and abundant other aquatic life. Although not routinely seen, the sinkhole and surrounding reef have also been home to the bull shark and the hammerhead shark.