Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Your Private Beaches Vacation and Diving at Gili Trawangan

Gili Trawangan is the most popular of the three islands. And therefore if one needs a perfect holiday, where you will swim in crystal clear waters, pool cocktails, seaside BBQ and so much more, Gili Trawangan is perfectly the best. This place has bungalows to stay in especially for those who need peaceful quiet places to stay in. The island is also referred to as a party island with the main streets full of shops, accommodations as well as restaurants. You will also realize that prices at the island always double in the peak seasons; July-August, December-January.

Gili Trawangan has one of the best facilities around the Gilis and all you have to do is to grab yourself a ticket to the Gilis and choose to visit Gili Trawangan for the best of service and excitement. The island has a spectacular outlook, beautiful sunrises, breathtaking sunsets, coupled with warm hospitality from the community. It feels good at Gili Trawangan due to the best of nature's offers. You get almost everything you would ever want to have at this part of the world. There is no need to get worried when you reach the Gilis because you will immediately experience the different climate at the Island.
 
You can reach Gili Trawangan through a number of means and these include; air, road and boat. At mataram's Selaparang airport, you get daily local flight. From the airport, it is a 40 minutes drive in a taxi to Bangsal harbor and from the harbor to Gili Trawangan it will take you between 35 to 40 minutes when you use a public boat and this departs after 20 people have been registered so one has to strongly adhere to the rules of the place. It is also OK if you are in a hurry to buy yet remaining air ticket to get the boat moving. Within Trawangan, there are a number of transport means and these include; bicycles, Cimodos, and also walking on foot. Which ever is comfortable for you is what you decide to use.
 
There are also a number of sports at the island, these include; Diving which has over seven dive operators on the island who run a range of courses, such as the Discover Scuba Diving (DSD) course also known as the Open Water, as well as Instructor courses during the year. There organized Fun Dives by schools with local dive masters who have extensive knowledge about every site. You will also find dive centres almost every where for everyone, where big busy school like Blue Marlin or Manta Dive, and also smaller groups at laid back schools such as Vila Ombak Diving Academy and Trawangan Dive competing with one another.
 
Some of the schools have been customized to absorb only French speaking divers commonly called Big Bubble and also German speaking divers famously known as Dream Divers. Diving done here is very easy and varies from walls, slopes and plateaus hence, the maximum depths at many of the sites range from 24m-18m, so beginners will highly benefit it as well as more experienced divers. All the dive sites can be easily accessed by boat within 10 minutes. You will also find attractive marine life such as; turtles, leaf fish, octopus, black and white tip sharks, frog fish, ghost pipe fish, moray and ribbon eels, pygmy seahorse, eagle rays, cuttlefish, snakes and bumphead parrot fish. Gili Trawangan is really incredible and people should try to see that they never leave or visit Indonesia without visiting Trawangan. The island is the most enjoyable among the three Gilis with slightly larger expanse of land and also having most beautiful and fascinating views and other wonderful things that you will enjoy and want to stay.

The island has a daily market which arrives by boat at around 11am going through noon. A number of women unload their fresh fruit and vegetables, meat as well as other goods and set up shops next to the village head's office, just besides the harbour. It is a busy and colourful affair, with the usual fun, hustle and bustle common at all local produce markets.

The island has one secular playschool and one religious playschool, one primary school and one junior high school. Children who want to continue their education must by all means go to the mainland. The local population found at the island is almost Muslim with two mosques which call people to pray five times a day. Although Gili Trawangan is a 'tourist island', visitors are expected to behave with respect to the religion, and so such things as topless sunbathing are very much frowned upon. It is against these countless values and great sceneries that one ought to visit and see what we talk about when we say Gili Trawangan and maybe believe what they hear.

Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Mount Stewart House and Gardens Ireland Travel

The historic house has some of the most interesting gardens in Northern Ireland and an extensive exhibition of ancient relics and artwork.The influential Londonderrys were part of the golden circle of their day and, when Edith came to Mount Stewart in 1919, she set about transforming what she saw as a dark and sad ancestral home into a sumptuous setting for entertaining guests like Winston Churchill and Harold Macmillan.
Within the 80 acre 19th century garden with its lake and specimen trees, a series of intricately designed and brilliantly planted formal gardens were laid out around the house at a time when garden design had reached an exquisite peak. Offering beautiful contrasts of mood, the gardens move from the geometric parterres of sizzling reds, yellows and oranges on one side of the Italian garden and silvers and mauves on the other, to the cool greens and curvaceous design of the Spanish garden with its circular pool overlooked by a pantiled loggia and screened by arches of clipped leylandii.
There are touches of pure whimsy in the Dodo Terrace, where stone carvings represent the animal characters given by Edith to members of her Ark Club such as: Winston the Warlock and Harold the Humming Bird. The silver and white planting in the circular Mairi Garden,named for Edith’s youngest daughter echoes the rhyme “Silver bells and cockle shells”, in this case with campanulas, agapanthus, stachys and Perovskia ‘Blue Spire’. Gertrude Jekyll contributed the design for the earliest garden in the series, known as the Sunken Garden, and planted it with a wonderful combination of blue, purple, yellow and orange.
A ‘Red Hand of Ulster’ in the Shamrock Garden side by side with an Irish harp is surrounded by yew hedges clipped into the shape of all manner of creatures from deer to devils. Beyond this area the garden merges into informality, towards the Lily Wood where tender trees and shrubs prosper in the micro climate of the Ards Peninsula. There are unforgettable displays to be see, not only of lilies but of colonies of Himalayan poppies. The paths winding around the lake offer a dreamlike view of the hill topped by Tir Na n’Og, the Londonderry’s private burial ground, which is planted with exotic shrubs some of them fruit of plant hunting expeditions subscribed to by Lady Edith.

Elsewhere in the 78 acres of grounds are the Coronation Walk, rhododendron glades with of the aristocracy of the rhododendron family R. sinograndeand falconeriand many others, and the Jubilee Walk planted in 1935 for George V’s Jubilee. Not to be missed is the Temple of the Winds, designed by James ‘Athenian’ Stewart in 1780; based on the Tower of Andronicus Cyrrestes in Athens, it looks out over Strangford Lough.
The Mount Stewart House, Garden and Temple of the Winds is a popular destination to relax in a natural setting. Tour the huge mansion and eight-sided temple, stroll through a Mediterranean-style landscape and see art and relics of a bygone time. Spot seals on nearby Strangford Lough and other wildlife, such as badgers, in the woods of the estate.

This 18th-century estate was once home to the Vane-Tempest-Stewart family but is now a National Trust property.Stroll around the expansive garden, which is divided by hedges into “rooms.” See plants from the Mediterranean around the lawns, the Irish flora surrounding the house, and plants from all over the world in the wooded areas. Tir na nOg', the family burial grounds, are situated near the swan-filled lake.

Visit the Mount Stewart House to learn about the history of the socialite family. The house contains over 2,500 historic artifacts, famous artworks and family memorabilia in a fascinating permanent collection. Join a guided tour to find out more about the mansion’s history.Take your time to browse the vast collection of 18th-century art, with some world-famous pieces to be found, and see the unusual design of the octagonal Temple of the Winds.Visit the Lookout, a wildlife interpretation center with information about the animals that inhabit the grounds. See if you can spot badgers and red squirrels and use the telescopes to look out for birds and seals.

While the gardens are an excellent location for a picnic, the estate is also home to an award-winning restaurant, open daily.Mount Stewart House, Garden and Temple of the Winds are located on the Ards Peninsula, about 16 miles (26 kilometers) east of Belfast and can be reached by car and bus. Free parking is provided, but you pay an admission fee to enter the grounds. The gardens are closed on Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

Thursday, February 14, 2008

Ensure Your Travel In NYC With Kids Become Enjoyable

Every year thousands of tourists throng New York City and surrounding regions. While the city holds numerous attractions for them, it would be wrong to think the thrills are only for grow up people. On the contrary, this is a destination where the young toddlers can have plenty of fun. Your kids can be exposed to a multitude of culture and experiences during a vacation in the big city. From various types of cuisines to diverse theater and cultural events, they will have plenty of enticing things to explore. The museums, zoos, parks and iconic sightseeing spots make the city an enormous playground for kids.

Eating out with children in NYC tour
Of course you can find out many popular fast food chains in the city including likes of McDonalds and KFC but you can find them in your hometown too. So, it makes sense to take the kids to eating joints like Dim Sum. With a little effort you can find so many affordable restaurants in the city suited for families with toddlers.

Exploring the museums with toddlers
There are some amazing museums in NYC that kids and their parents like a lot. The American Museum of Natural History is one example. It is just too big to be explored in a day. The Milstein Hall of Ocean Life showcasing a gigantic blue whale model is a big draw for visitors. There are many more exhibition spots in this museum too. The Fossil Halls will make you and kids recall the Jurassic Park flicks for sure!
After this you can take the kids to the Lower East Side Tenement Museum. Your kids will become really excited if you say they will be taken to meet Justin Bieber or Lady Gaga. While you may not be able to meet those celebs, it is definitely possible to meet their replicas in the legendary Madame Tussaud Wax Museum. Toddlers will also like visiting the children's Museum of Manhattan too.

Exploring Nature and a dash of wildlife in New York


In the hectic urban cityscape of NYC, it is possible to find spots where you can spend some relaxing moments with the kids. With an area covering more than 800 acres, the Central Park can be your destination. The Central Park Zoo is what the kids will love to explore. After that, you can also take them to the Bronx Zoo. It is a huge place with more than 4,000 animals and birds. Exploring this zoo can take one day.
If marine wildlife excites your kids, it will be a prudent idea to catch subway to Coney Island. There you can explore the New York Aquarium. It has a huge range of marine wildlife species including sea lions, walrus and penguins.

Cultural Explorations and sightseeing for Kids in New York
 
To find family-oriented theater, dance or puppet shows you can visit New Victory Theater. Young actors perform at Tada Youth Theater. Taking them to Broadway shows is another option. The iconic statue of liberty enthralls the kids and adults alike.


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