Category: destinations

Along Ceylon Tea Trails

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Dilmah Tea’s Ceylon Tea Trails in Sri Lanka has become a member of Relais & Châteaux.

Recognized for its “unique character, gourmet cuisine and outstanding service”, The Tea Trails is the first Sri Lankan property to belong to the association.

Four hours from Colombo and 4,000 ft above sea level, the property features colonial plantation bungalows with turn-of-the-century period furniture.

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The four bungalows have their own manager, chef and butler and 24-hour service.

Guests can participate in popular activities including hiking, mountain biking, croquet, tennis, spa treatments and high tea.

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For mountain travelers, The Tea Trails Bungalows can be an ideal base for climbing the Adam’s Peak holy mountain and Kandy and Nuwara Eliya.

Guests dine on traditional Sri Lankan and tea inspired dishes such as Earl Grey tea-infused, cured Atlantic salmon.

Established in France in 1954, Relais & Châteaux is considered the hallmark authority on luxury and unique establishments around the world.

For more info, visit the Ceylon Tea Trails site.

Images courtesy of Ceylon Tea Trails

5 Colorado Moonlight Adventures

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Off-roading on Hurricane Pass in Southwest Colorado. Photo credit: Colorado Tourism Office/Matt Inden/Weaver Multimedia Group.

Many U.S. mountain travelers spend days hiking, skiing and adventuring in Colorado.

Moonlit, winter night skies can light a landscape for cross-country skiing to snowshoeing.

Here are 5 Colorado’s moonlight adventures from Colorado Tourism Office:

Cruising New Zealand

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Fancy cruising New Zealand?  Then check out cruises of the Marlborough region of New Zealand with luxury small ship cruise company Island Escape Cruises.

The 5-night cruise will visit some of the famous Marlborough vineyards on New Zealand’s South Island, known for its Sauvignon Blancs, red wines and gourmet restaurants.

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The ‘Island Passage’s’ chef will also present onboard gourmet meals with locally sourced products to complement the region’s wines.

Trip highlights will include:

  • Private charter plane from Wellington to Picton;
  • Onboard wine guide;
  • Cloudy Bay winery with a gourmet lunch;
  • Allan Scott wines;
  • Forrest Estate winery;
  • Wither Hills winery;
  • Hertzog winery;
  • Gourmet lunch at the Hertzog bistro;
  • Hunter wines winery;
  • Makana Chocolate Factory;
  • Walking the Queen Charlotte Track;
  • Kayaking or beach combing;
  • On board expedition leaders and
  • Free small boat excursions with guides.

Images courtesy of Island Escape Cruises

Kauai Named Best Hawaiian Island

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Kauai’s Napali Coastline.

Travel + Leisure has named Kauai Hawaii’s Best Island in its 2010 World’s Best Awards.

In the magazine’s listing of World’s Best Islands for 2010, Kauai ranked second overall, after the Galapagos Islands.

Known for its lush, tropical landscapes, Kauai offers 50+ miles of white sand beaches and natural wonders.

The island is home to the Waimea Canyon, also called “The Grand Canyon of the Pacific”, and the Napali Coast with 3,000-foot cliffs plunging into the ocean.

Says Sue Kanoho, executive director of the Kauai Visitors Bureau:

“People are touched by the serenity of Kauai’s tropical beauty and how the island allows them to escape the stress of their daily lives and be rejuvenated by nature…This is such a thrill for Kauai to again earn this recognition from Travel + Leisure’s readers.”

Popular activities on Kauai include hiking; mountain tubing; kayaking; snorkeling; horseback riding; ATV adventures; aerial zipline rides and helicopter and boat tours.

Some 60 major movies and TV shows have been filmed on Kauai such as South Pacific, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Jurassic Park, Tropic Thunder, and Avatar.

Image courtesy of GoHawaii.com.

Super, Natural British Columbia

Wandering the world’s mountains, Live Travel Mountains calls British Columbia, on Canada’s West Coast, one of our favorite places.

Stunning and adventure-filled, these beautiful videos are part of the Super, Natural British Columbia series by Tourism BC.

One of our favorite regions is BC’s Sunshine Coast, which has beaches, mountains and fjords along the province’s southwest coast.

Known for its artists and festivals, this summer/fall, the Sunshine Coast will offer events including:

  • Sunshine Coast Festival of the Written Arts,  August 12 – 15;
  • Blackberry Festival, August 14 – 20;
  • Gibsons Landing Fibre Arts Festival, August 19 – 21 and
  • 1st Annual Sunshine Coast Art Crawl, October 23 – 24.

Videos courtesy of Tourism BC

Austria’s Hidden Treasures

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Planning a summer mountain holiday in Austria?  Then take a look at the new Austria’s Hidden Treasures video collection with travel broadcaster Matt Carroll.

“Everyone’s heard of Austria in winter, but what happens to this mighty landscape in summer? More mountains, pastures and luscious lakes than you could possibly imagine, that’s what!,” says the Austrian National Tourist Office.

That’s the inspiration behind the office producing this beautiful video collection of insider tips and must-do activities.

Here are 3 videos from the collection:

For more videos, visit the site here.

Image and videos courtesy of the Austrian National Tourist Office.

Wild About Montserrat

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Need a new travel destination?  Well, travelers are wild about Montserrat, according to a recent survey.

Some nine out of ten overnight visitors to Montserrat said they would definitely return to the island, during a visitor exit survey conducted this past year.

Created by the Montserrat Tourist Board, the survey was conducted from June 2009 to May 2010 at the John A. Osborne Airport and the Ferry Port in Little Bay, the island’s exit points.

Visitors were asked to give feedback and rate various tourism products on the island including places of interest, activities, accommodation and travel experience.

The results showed 89% of visitors surveyed said they would definitely return to Montserrat and 90.4% said they would recommend the island as a place to visit.  Those surveyed gave the warmth and friendliness of the people the highest score and volcano watching, hiking and festivals the highest ratings in the activities section.

For more info, go to VisitMontserrat.com.

Image courtesy of the Montserrat Tourist Board.

Stunning Spitsbergen

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Have you dreamed of adventure in Spitsbergen?  Wild at heart, every year, the Arctic destination attracts travelers in their La Sportiva boots and The North Face jackets.

Adventure travel company World Expeditions is now offering a special  on its 11-day Around Spitsbergen adventure.

Departing on August 17, 2010,  the company’s Spitsbergen trip special includes a 10 per cent discount.  Established in 1975, World Expeditions specializes in small group trekking and adventure holidays.

Says World Expeditions:

“This circumnavigation of Spitsbergen (meaning ‘pointed mountains’) makes landings in the areas where these expeditions roamed around, allowing you to see – in addition to the polar bears – reindeer, Arctic foxes, walruses, whales, seabirds and tundra birds.”

For more info, visit WorldExpeditions online.

Image courtesy of World Expeditions.

Top 5 Things To Do In The Dolomites

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Will you be traveling to Italy’s Dolomites for the first time?  This mountainous region, south of the Alps, is 90,000 acres of quaint villages, rolling green pastures and steep mountain trails.

Traveling to the Dolomites can be overwhelming for first time travelers because of its size, says travel company Dolomite Mountains. It recommends five Dolomite experiences that should not be missed.

Here are  the Top 5 Things To Do In The Dolomites:

1.Walk a via ferrata. “In English via ferrata means “iron road”, and it’s a unique way to traverse the mountainous paths of the Dolomites by climbing up through the use of a series of metal rungs, safety cables and bridges that form a vertical path to the summit.  You need not be an experienced mountain climber, but be forewarned, the views during your ascent will most certainly stop you in your tracks.”

2. Stay in a rifugio. “Rifugios are basically mountain huts located throughout the Dolomites.  They are typically simple and rustic, however these shared facilities can be quite comfortable and can accommodate anywhere from 20-50 hikers. There are often showers available and most also serve food.”

3. Drive the Great Dolomites Road. “Open year round, this scenic route crosses Falzarego, Pordoi and Karerpass (at the renowned Rosengarten) and connects Bozen with Bolzano.”

4. Experience Marmolada. “Known as the Queen of the Dolomites, Marmolada is the highest mountain in the Dolomites.  Visitors can take a cable car to the top, or hike underneath the Marmolada Glacier, located on the mountain’s north face.  The magnificent views are awe-inspiring and unmatched.”

5. Explore the WWI tunnels and galleries. “Lagazuoi Mountain boasts an intricate array of galleries and tunnels that were constructed by the Italians and Austrians during the First World War.  There is a museum you can visit, as well as the Rifugio Scotoni, which serves a delicious and highly recommended grill and vegetables dish for lunch.  While you’re there, you might also consider a stay at the Rifugio Lagazuoi, where you can experience the best 360° views in the Dolomites.”

For more travel ideas, check Dolomite Mountains.com.

Image courtesy of the Italian Tourist Board.

Discovering Utah’s Parks

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Canyonlands National Park.

Have you discovered the beautiful parks of Utah?

A great starting place is Moab,Utah, the gateway to Arches and Canyonlands National Parks, Dead Horse Point State Park, the Colorado River and the La Sal Mountains.  Within 200 miles, mountain travelers can also visit the Hovenweep & Natural Bridges National Monuments, Capitol Reef & Mesa Verde National Parks, Lake Powell and Monument Valley.

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Arches National Park.

Known for the national and state parks, Moab is a popular destination for:

  • hiking;
  • mountain biking;
  • road biking;
  • four-wheeling;
  • atving;
  • canyoneering;
  • canoeing;
  • kayaking;
  • white-water rafting;
  • horseback riding;
  • rappelling;
  • bouldering;
  • rock climbing;
  • golfing;
  • ballooning;
  • skydiving and
  • scenic flights.

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Moab Golf Course.

Says DiscoverMoab.com: |

“The amazing scenery and activities make Moab a one-stop adventure destination for all levels, beginner to advanced, young to old, physically challenged to the extremely physically fit. Whether you are seeking excitement, relaxation, or a combination of both, activities can be tailored to fit your group and can be enjoyed for a few hours, half a day, full day or several days. Due to Moab’s generally mild weather, most of these activities can be enjoyed year round.”

For more info on the National Parks and other activities, check out DiscoverMoab.com.

Images courtesy of DiscoverMoab.com.