Saturday, April 07, 2007

Surfing in Costa Rica!

The surfing in Costa Rica is topnotch with a wide variety of breaks and swells to ride. And with year round consistent surf, this Central American country is considered by many as one of the top surfing destinations in the world. Here the waters are warm all year long and with over 700 miles of coastline and literally hundreds of breaks, surfing in Costa Rica is truly something special!

Home to quite a few international surfing tournaments and some of the friendliest people in the world, surfing in Costa Rica can be a memorable experience for many. Affordable prices and easy access to most breaks adds to the appeal of surfing in Costa Rica. If you don't know how to surf, don't worry there are plenty of great surf camps here that can show you the ropes and make you an expert in no time at all.

Best Surfing in Costa Rica The best place to go surfing in Costa Rica has to be Witches Rock or Ollie's Point located near Playa Naranjo inside the Parque Nacional Santa Rosa. A legendary place to come surfing; the waves here are rated as the finest in the country. Another goof destination for surfers is Playa Hermosa in Puntarenas province. Situated near the beach town of Jaco, another popular surf spot, Playa Hermosa has consistent waves and a strong break, making it an expert surfer zone.

To catch one of the longest left breaks on the Pacific side of Central America head to Pavones in the Golfo Dulce area. The Salsa Brava in Puerto Viejo de Talamanca is the biggest break in Costa Rica and is meant for expert surfers only. Sharp and fast, the waves here are very dangerous and should not be attempted unless you are a pro.

Popular Costa Rica Surf Spots Mal Pais and Santa Theresa are two very popular surf spots on the Nicoya Peninsula. Home to a number of surf camps as well, the waves here are excellent with plenty of affordable accommodations. The Malpais Surf Camp and Resort, Frank's Place and the Hotel Flor Blanca are a few of the well-known places to stay in this area.

In Guanacaste province and on the Nicoya Peninsula as well, both Playa Grande and Playa Negra offer some superb surfing. Playa Grande is a more quiet surf zone, while Playa Negra has some exciting waves. Made famous when the movie Endless Summer II was filmed here, the breaks at Playa Negra are fast and hollow.

Both Dominical and Matapalo are quiet surf zones and are ideal for the more serious surfer who wants nothing more than to just surf. Dominical lies along the Central Pacific coast of Costa Rica, while Matapalo sits on the Osa Peninsula close to the Corcovado National Park.

Author
To get further comprehensive information on Costa Rica Sufing, visit www.govisitcostarica.com/category/outdoorRecreation/surfing.asp and http://www.govisitcostarica.com/travelinfo/mapLg.asp?mapID=56 for Costa Rica surfing maps. Over the last few years, www.GoVisitCostaRica.com has been a leader in providing tourists with important travel data

Saturday, March 10, 2007

Land Tours in the Galapagos Islands

The Galapagos Islands are known world wide by their nature wealth and for the singular presence of unique animal species in the world.
The Galapagos Islands are located in the Pacific Ocean in front of the coasts of Ecuador.To reach this destination, you should arrive first to the continental Ecuador and then take a local flight to arrive to the islands. Direct international flights don't exist to the Galapagos Islands.
Once in the islands, there are several alternatives to get to know this natural paradise. The cruises will let you visit the parts far from the cities like Puerto Ayora and San Cristobal, since only the islands of Santa Cruz and San Cristóbal receive flights from the continental Ecuador.
All the cruises offer land tours in the islands. This activity you let you experience also main attractiveness of each island. Most of the land tours are focused in the knowledge of the spectacular fauna of the islands. Places where the birds establish their nests, feeding and mating places. Ecological paths demarcate all the destinations inside the islands.
In the big iIslands such as Isabela and Santa Cruz, it is possible to carry out journeys in horse or in bicycle. Visits to volcanoes of Isabela are obligatory activities to carry out. If you have luck, it is possible to appreciate the volcanic activity. In Santa Cruz, several kilometers of lava tunnels under the earth, out boilers, extinct craters full with the typical vegetation of the islands are some of the places you must visit when you travel to Galapagos.

The scientific station Charles Darwin offers 2 interpretation centers, investigation and sample of fauna of the islands inside Santa Cruz and Isabela. These places offer you a clear vision of the conservation project and environmental education that are carried out in the islands. Here, you will have the chance to observe some of the 13 species of turtles.

Other alternatives are to travel around the islands without necessity of taking a cruise. From the port, it is possible to take daily tour with small ships. They will take you to the near places around the port where several activities outdoors can be carried out. Surface diving, surf, kayak, bird watching and hidden beaches inside the islands are the main attractions. Tortuga Bay is the most famous beach of the archipelago. Covered with white sand, is the best place for surfing in the islands.

All these activities can be hired directly in the Galapagos Islands without previous reservation.

Useful Galapagos Islands Cruise & Diving tours Resources

Tuesday, February 27, 2007

For The Love Of Golf In Costablanca Spain

If golf is a passion of yours, perhaps Golf property Costa Blanca style is exactly what you need to scratch that itch. Maybe the wife would rather relax in the sun or by the pool however, well there are numerous places in Costablanca, Spain where you can both have what you desire from your vacations. This area of Spain puts you within minutes of several picturesque courses, and the closeness lets you enjoy some time on the course as well as by the pool or beach.

There are some top four-star golf courses along the Costa Blanca. With each you will find lavish accommodations, perfectly kept greens and often, superior golf instruction.

A taste of some of the best properties within 50 km of the Alicante and Murcia airports include:

Campoamor Golf, Alicante Golf, Don Cayo Golf, Alenda Golf, and El Plantio Golf,. These courses are not only considered first class, but also offer bargain greens fees for guests staying at the close by resorts, such as the Campoamor Golf Hotel.

If a golf vacation isn't enough, you can buy a golf property that will give you the option of popping in and finishing a round anytime the urge to travel to Costablanca hits you. You can buy a penthouse and high-end apartment property that is merely steps from the golf courses. On the off-season, not that there's much of one in Costa Blanca, you'll find the perfect opportunity to rent out your property for a little investment income. You can also buy yourself a time-share and choose the dates you want to vacation.

There are new projects from some of Spain's top developers close to the Puerto Banus, Atalaya, San Pedro, and Alcantara golf courses. These new developments and others like them have what is known as a golf share. The site of the development along the golf course and near others in the area takes into account residency and offers membership shares in the courses themselves.

A good golf vacation obviously includes many hours of golf. But, there are other activities both on and off the course that are fun for the visitor looking for both serious golf and some serious relaxation.

After a lengthy, yet enjoyable day on the course, you can anticipate spa treatments of the plushest kind. Massages, manicures, facials, etc. are conveniently housed on the grounds and appointments run into the evening hours.

There's a nightlife aspect to a golf property Costa Blanca vacation too. Bars and restaurants and can start the day off perfectly, followed by a quiet stroll along the waterfront or dancing. Shops will usually stay open late in the evenings during high tourist times to capitalize on your vacation experience.

Wednesday, February 21, 2007

How to Find Cheap International Airfares

How to Find the Best International Fares

Traveling internationally has never been easier, nut you've probably found that international airfares are not cheap. You may have also spent some time going through the search engines for discount international airfares only to become totally overwhelmed. So to start you off on your search here are some of the hottest deals on the web to help you quickly and easily find the best deal.

Travelling to Europe

You may be surprised to hear that there are search engines that deal specifically with people who offer discount international airfares. They are worth looking into as everyone uses different sources for their deals so that they have different discounts on international airfares. There are three search engines that deal with companies offering flights to Europe:

- Goo Flight (http://www.gooflight.com/). This search engine covers 35 countries which serve over 230 cities including the most popular destinations to England, Ireland, France, Italy and Spain. They currently have offerings from 16 airlines. - Sky Scanner (http://www.skyscanner.net/). This search engine operates on a slightly different premise. You first enter specific dates, trips or locations and it will undertake a complete search of it's databaseto match your criteria. Most of the other sites just list the availabilities . - Apple Fares (http://www.applefares.com/). This search engine was recently bought out by CheapFlights.com. Their main focus is on cheap airfares across Europe so if you plan on travelling around Europe once you arrive there, this is an excellent site to help you find cheap airfares as you travel around Europe.

Travelling Intercontinental or Within the USA

The following sites are great resources for intercontinental airfares or for travel within the US:

- Fare Chase (http://farechase.yahoo.com/). This site is simple, easy to navigate and use. It's so good that Yahoo just bought them out! - Qixo (http://www.qixo.com/). This site clains to be the biggest cheap airfare search engine of them all. It may well be true as it has a staggering amount of airfares and options available. - Opodo (http://www.opodo.co.uk/). Although it's a UK site it allows you to search its database with a combination of factors, such as airlines, different fares,traveling partners and ages.

Need a List of Cheap International Airfares?

There are alternatives to the pure search engine style cheap airline sites. There are also websites that list the best and cheapest airfares currently available. Take a look at some of the best:

- LowCostAirlines.org (http://etntelephone.com/lcostair.htm). This site carries a lot of information including lists of the budget and discount airlines, cheap airfare deals, a search engine and also a forum for you to search and discuss where to get the cheapest airfare. You can find out where the discount airlines are based so that you can get the best deals for travelling to a particular destination. - Attitude Travel (http://www.attitudetravel.com/lowcostairlines.html). This is an extensive site that includes details of the cheap international airlines that fly to and from Europe.

Why not try Being an Air Courier

One of the most effective ways to get cheap, or often free, airfares is to travel as an air courier. My sister used this method to fly for free to attend my wedding. While it's not suitable for everyone as you give up some of your luggage space to courier the goods, you don't really have to do anything with the goods themselves. It may not be ideal but for really deep discounts it's well worth considering. To find out more try these sites:

- The Air Courier Association (http://www.aircourier.org/) - The International Association of Air Couriers (http://www.courier.org/) - Air Hitch (http://www.air-hitch.org/) - http://www.budgettravel.about.com/cs/aircouriers/

Wherever you're going have a safe and enjoyable trip!

About the Author

Steve Dolan loves to travel. Finding the best airfare has become second nature. Click Cheap AirFare|Airline Tickets to start your cheap airfare searches. Then find exotic locations at Exotic Vacations.

Monday, November 06, 2006

An Island A Day

Stand by the shores of Casco Bay on the coast of Maine and you may expect to find ocean as far as the eye can see. Instead seemingly endless islands dot the seascape. Sometimes called the calendar islands, there is rumored to be an island in the bay for every day of the year.

Stretching from Cape Elizabeth to Cape Small these islands with their rocky shores and rustic way of life define the stereotypical New England coastline. Mostly uninhabited, they provide a serene escape from everyday life. Their natural beauty and their sheer numbers create a place one could visit every day and still never have completely explored. With an island for every day of the year there is more than enough shelter from the wind to allow everything from large fishing vessels to solo kayaks to roam the bay. While sandy beaches are few and far between here, the rock strewn shores and miles of nature trails can supply a continual source of enjoyment.

If you know where to look the Casco Bay islands will also provide a glimpse of Maine maritime history. Being located on the eastern most part of the country, these islands served their time during World War II as bases and look outs for German U-Boats. Great towers and forts still remain on Jewel Island, and while mostly converted to homes now, the military buildings on Great Diamond Island are hard to miss. During the war anti-submarine nets and mines were deployed at many harbor entrances and the islands took on a front line role. Even before WWII Casco Bay held military purposes. In 1858 Fort Georges was constructed and armed for the Civil War, Spanish American War, and was used to store submarine mines during WWI.

Many opportunities await those looking to enjoy the islands for their less historical characteristics. Chebeague is the largest of the Casco Bay islands, and one of the few with a year round population. Ferry service takes visitors from Portland or nearby Cousin's Island to the perfect setting for an adventuresome hike or leisurely bike ride. You can finish the day off with a delicious dinner or nights rest at the breath taking Chebeague Inn. Great Diamond Island also offers an exceptional dining experience at the Diamond's Edge restaurant in Diamond's Cove. Peaks and Long islands both present dining opportunities to their guests and their proximity to Portland makes them popular tourist attractions.

If you are looking for a little less populated destination then you have literally hundreds of choices. You can relax on the beaches of Sand Island, watch the seals bask on the rocks of French Island, or setup a picturesque camping site on one of the Gosling islands. Many of these smaller islands will require you to provide your own transportation, but kayak, canoe, sail, and motor boat rentals all provide easy access.

Whether you are looking for fine dining, a historical stroll, or a relaxing day on the beach Casco Bay offers something for every visitor and an island for every day of the year.

About the author:

Nate Soule is a travel enthusiast and helps maintain the travel website AcrossDistance.com

Saturday, September 02, 2006

Terengganu

The state of Terengganu, on the east coast of Peninsula Malaysia, is famous for its long stretch of white, sandy and unpolluted beaches that northern district of Besut to the southern district of Kemaman. Facing the South China Sea, the beaches are breathtaking and its offshore islands enchanting. A haven for those seeking a good time in the sun, sand and sea.

Thursday, June 15, 2006

Sipadan Water Village Resort

Sipadan Water Village is a resort beautifully constructed with Bajau architectural design. Part of the Mabul Island is also home to groups of Bajau fishermen who have built their traditional palm thatched houses.

The entire resort is built over water on stilts. In its design, Sipadan Water Village has achieved near utopia in its over-the-water layout, splendid water cottage accommodations with flowered sidewalks, wonderfully prepared Asian and Continental cuisine, and impeccable and personable service

tag:sipadan,diving,sipadan island,island