Monday, February 17, 2014
It’s a cliche but Malta’s little sister island really is one of the Med’s best-kept secrets. Its ancient citadels, sun-baked terraces and Byzantine churches are a gift for location scouts (see Gladiator, Troy, Game of Thrones), but for the rest of us, the red-sand beaches and impossibly blue waters are the real stars of the show. At the end of February the low-key islanders go nuts for Carnival (28 February to 4 March).
What to do If you see only one sight ? Make it the Ggantija Temples at Xaghra – the oldest freestanding structures in the world, dating back to 3600BC. Swim in the “Inland Sea”, a lagoon surrounded by cliffs and connected to the sea by a narrow limestone archway. Relax on the gorgeous sandy beaches at Ramla Bay and San Blas. Gozo’s crystal-clear waters offer some of the best dive spots in the Med – you can book dive and snorkelling trips in the harbour town of Marsalforn. Read More »
Saturday, October 26, 2013
Mexico, but not as we know it
SAN EVARISTA, Mexico — Rising at dawn to catch the sunrise, cruise passengers nursing coffee cups watched as the Safari Endeavour glided past the Baja Peninsula’s ragged coast.
As the rays played over the cliffs, each thumb-shaped cove and crescent beach came into view for a minute or two, then slid out of sight, disappearing astern.
Fifty metres off the starboard bow, a whale surfaced, blowing an airy spray and leaving a widening circle of ripples. On the port side, a squawking band of seagulls hovered over a rocky islet shared by a colony of croaking sea lions.
They – and the Endeavour – were the only signs of life, or so it seemed to this first-time visitor to the Sea of Cortes, a 1,000-kilometre long finger of ocean separating the Baja California Peninsula from the Mexican mainland. Read More »
Tuesday, September 24, 2013
From www.off-grid.net
Chikoko Tree Camp South Luangwa National Park, Zambia Remote Africa Safaris is a small, family–run operation in Zambia with four intimate little camps, renowned for its excellent guides and remote, pristine locations and leopard sightings. Chikoko Tree Camp and its sibling Crocodile Camp are in South Luangwa National Park, and reached by canoe and foot via the parent camp, Tafika, where the owners John and Carol Coppinger and Bryan Jackson live. Neither has electricity or generators; they use solar lighting, gas freezers and radio communications, and to get a phone signal you have to go to the top of a termite mound on the edge of the park. Chikoko Tree Camp has three twin timber–and–grass chalets with big beds, crisp linens, flushing lavatories and steaming bucket showers. Amazing food is produced in hole–in–the–ground ovens and there are ice–cold beers on demand. There are also shady hammocks and lots of other cushioned spots for siestas. The emphasis is on walking and mountain biking with a team of excellent guides. The details Open from May 25 to October 31. Prices from US$480 per person per night on a full–board basis (remoteafrica.com).
waaay off the grid
You had better be going for a good long time to justify all those air miles. And these destinations prove that going off-grid does not have to mean roughing it.
But Petit St Vincent St Vincent and the Grenadines, the Caribbean has a gloriously ‘unplugged’ feel. Petit St Vincent is a beautiful private island between St Vincent and Grenada. It was substantially spruced up by new owners in 2011, but regulars say little of its previous spirit has been lost. While the whole vibe is rustic, it’s as exclusive as nearby Mustique with a celebrity clientele to match, so it’s actually a highly slick operation. Read More »
Amongst this vast country’s cities, beaches and deserts, people find their niche and enjoy their time. In a country with a population in excess of one billion people, however, there will be a crowding problem. For those of us who appreciate silence and tranquility, the northern state of Uttarakhand offers salvation from the incessant hustle and bustle of the city streets. Read More »
Chances are that unless you belong to the very specific social circle of water sports enthusiasts, you will never have heard of the activity known as coasteering. Little did you know that you were missing out on some of the best fun to be had by the seaside. Coasteering means travelling along the coastline either on foot or in the water.
Having started out in north and west Wales, the activity has now spread to every corner of the kingdom, gaining popularity in notable surf destinations such as Cornwall and Dorset as well as the highlands and isles of Scotland.
While most aqua-thrill seekers might decide to book a surfing lesson, or rent a body board or kayak; those in the know will be keeping an eye out for the ever-increasing numbers of commercial coasteering tours. Read More »
By Jamie Stagg
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Posted in Swim, Treks, UK
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Tagged activity, canyoning, coast, coasteering, cornwall, devon, dorset, hard helmets, lifejackets, ocean swimming, pembrokeshire, rock pooling, seaside, summer, surf, wetsuits
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The 18th London Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival takes place this Sunday June 30th, 2013
Time: 10am – 5pm
Venue: London Regatta Centre E16 2QT
London Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival is the largest of its kind in Europe – a free festival open to all ages. Leading up to the event, visitors to www.lclc.co.uk, the official website of the London Chinatown
Lions Club, is offering the opportunity to win a fantastic prize of 2 x return Hong Kong air tickets courtesy of Cathay Pacific.
It will be laying on an unprecedented mix of cultural attractions and family entertainment to make this year’s London Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival a totally unmissable event.
By replicating the vibrant cultural richness of Hong Kong in London, it is going to be a spectacular event, promising a day full of fun, action, thrills and surprises with FOUR FESTIVALS IN ONE. These include the Hong Kong Cultural Festival, East West Music Festival and Hong Kong Food
Festival
…….you may never leave…….
Standing in the meditation area of The Yoga Farm you are overlooking the edge of the forest in the far south of Costa Rica, a full day’s journey from the capital San José. The bus from Golfito takes three hours to cover the last 60 kilometres, most of it unpaved. Narrow wooden bridges cross rivers, full, we’re told, of crocodiles. It arrives just after sunset. Campfires are the only light around, and the pounding sound is the Pacific surf breaking on the shore. This is literally the end of the road. It’s another 40 kilometres or so to Panama, but you would need a horse or a boat to get there. Read More »
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