The romance of long ocean and river voyages of history holds powerful sway over the dreams of many world travellers. But there’s no need to relegate the great voyage to the realm of books and dreams – many can still be done today in classic style.
The following ocean and river voyages rank among the most iconic and memorable travel experiences on or off water. So put on your best Poirot accent, and brush up on your Huck Finn river lingo, and climb aboard for the voyages of a lifetime.
1. The Nile River
Sailing boat or time machine? The world’s longest river feels like it’s the oldest, and to board a vessel on the Nile is to peel back millennia and slow down to river speed as ancient temples, oxcarts and palm trees – unaltered since Pharaohs ruled the roost – pass by.
Essential experiences:
• Docking at Luxor for Ancient Egypt’s finest: the colossal columns of Karnak, Luxor Temple (best seen lit up after dark) and the Valley of the Kings.
• Quaffing cocktails on the veranda of Aswan’s grand Old Cataract Hotel.
• Entering the tombs of Ramses II at Abu Simbel, relocated in the 1960s to avoid being covered by the waters of Lake Nasser.
• Seeing the ‘smoking water’ of 45m-high Tis Issat (Blue Nile Falls) in Ethiopia.
2. Mekong River
One of the world’s longest rivers, to follow it is to experience the great cultural and geographical diversity of a continent, to absorb its many refractions of Buddhism and to meet rural Asia at her most picturesque, almost always bathed in natural, mystical beauty.
Essential experiences:
• Wandering along the headwaters in the unforgettable Tibetan Plateau where cultures collide in the shadow of the Himalayas.
• Exploring China’s mystical and enchanting Yunnan Province, dotted with limestone peaks and carved with deep river gorges.
• Being seduced by the saffron-robed monks, shady streets, colonial buildings, handicrafts and patisseries of charming and delicious, Luang Prabang.
• Exploring the vast, colourful water world that is the Mekong Delta.
3. The Northwest Passage
Sail through the most legendary shipping route on Earth, following in the wake of a host of Victorian-era explorers seeking the ocean’s holy grail: safe boat passage across the frozen top of North America to the riches of Asia.
Essential experiences:
• Wandering through the Northwest Passage Park and Interpretive Centre at Gjoa Haven, in Nunavut.
• Stopping in at Beechey Island, a national historic site east of Cornwallis Island, where the Franklin expedition wintered before vanishing forever – traces of the men and their unsuccessful rescuers remain.
• Viewing the remains of Roald Amundsen’s schooner Maud in the harbour of Cambridge Bay, where Northwest Passage explorers often took shelter.
4. Norway’s fjords
Scoured and gouged by ancient glaciers, Norway’s fjords are a veritable wonderland. These deep, sea-drowned valleys, scissored by impossibly rugged terrain, were recently voted by National Geographic Traveler magazine as the world’s best travel destination.
Essential experiences:
• Staring gobsmacked at the imposing cliffs of Geirangerfjord.
• Taking the thrilling Flåmsbana railway trip between Hardangervidda and Flåm.
• Appreciating art nouveau architecture in charming Ålesund.
• Thrilling to the delights of Bergen, a beautiful, charming city, with a World Heritage-listed neighbourhood, Bryggen, and buzzing harbour, ringed by seven hills and seven fjords.
5. Down the Mississippi to New Orleans
The Mississippi: America’s most important river. It gave birth to the blues, Huckleberry Finn, Budweiser and much more. It witnessed the Civil War and the end of slavery. Follow it all the way down to New Orleans and bid it farewell as it leaves, seeping out into the Gulf of Mexico.
Essential experiences:
• Visiting the Mark Twain Boyhood Home & Museum in Hannibal to bone up on your Huck Finn knowledge, and finding the places he transposed into his famous novel.
• Exploring Memphis’ Slave Haven Underground Railroad Museum to learn about the transportation of slaves down the river to freedom.
• Making a pilgrimage to Elvis Presley’s Graceland in Memphis, and getting a dose of the blues in Clarksdale.
• Savouring river cuisine: slow-burning tamales and melt-off-the-bone ribs in Clarksdale; chilli tamales and steaks in Greenville; and the full gamut of Cajun and Creole cuisine in New Orleans.
6. The River Ganges
Glacial teardrops gather into streams, cascading into navigable white water and eventually smoothing into a serene mocha river that cleanses sins, transports souls and irrigates productive farmland. It is the Mother Ganga, India’s most sacred river.
Essential experiences:
• Trekking from Gangotri Temple to Gaumukh, the terminus for the hulking Gangotri Glacier, the source of the Ganges.
• Meditating the ashrams of yoga-mecca Rishikesh, where the Fab Four got their Eastern fix in the 1960s.
• Snapping photos and absorbing the devotional spirit of India in the overlooked city of Haridwar.
• Exploring the tumbledown ghats on foot or by boat in Varanasi, as the pilgrims bathe in the holy river.
7. The Amazon River
The Amazon: Physically, it’s immense and mythically it’s the very same. A riverine Amazon journey never fails to evoke overlapping imagery: exotic, dense rain forest; indigenous tribes; abundant wildlife; enveloping mystery; sometimes even menace.
Essential experiences:
• Canoeing through a flooded forest.
• Dozing in a hammock on a slow boat to nowhere.
• Listening to the song of a thousand birds and the eerie cry of howler monkeys.
• Stopping at a riverside town and hiking through the lush rainforest.
8. The Yangtze by slow boat
A cruise down China’s Yangtze, the world’s third-longest river, is one of the most memorable water-borne journeys on earth. When the river threads through the Three Gorges, flowing between rock formations and stunning cliffs, it’s nothing less than magical.
Essential experiences:
• Watching the Three Gorges peek into view through a shroud of mist.
• Changing boats at Wushan for the Little Three Gorges.
• Enjoying the ancient town of Fèngjié overlooking Qutang Gorge, the entrance point to White King Town.
• Taking it easy as the boat slowly wends its way.
(Source: Lonely Planet)
Tags: Mekong River, River cruise, Mekong river cruise, Vietnam River cruise, Mekong cruise trips, cruising Mekong River, Vietnam cruise holidays, cruise holidays in Vietnam, holidays in Vietnam, Vietnam holidays
The world’s best secret islands
I promised to post some thing about newest beach discovered in Vietnam - Con Dao island. I actually mentioned it before in a post about newest property project of Six Senses to be launched. Seem that Con dao is more and more popular and it even mentioned in an article posted on LonelyPlanet.com.
Here’s a list from LonelyPlanet.com's brand new Best in Travel 2011 guide to reignite your love affair with desert islands, with picks from across the globe.
1. Torres Strait Islands, Australia
As far as you can go in Oz without falling off the map, the Torres Strait Islands are Australia as it might have been if Europeans had never arrived. Spilling north from the tip of Cape York, the 274 islands in the Torres Strait preserve a unique tribal culture that bridges the divide between Aboriginal Australia and Papua New Guinea. The Great Barrier Reef is right on the doorstop and there are airstrips and hotels on Thursday Island and Horn Island, but access to other islands is at the discretion of local tribal councils.
Permits to visit outlying islands must be obtained at least one month in advance from the Torres Strait Regional Authority.
2. Yaeyama Islands, Japan
The idyllic Yaeyama Islands are tucked away at the very southern tip of the Japanese archipelago. Looking more like the Caribbean, the islands of Iriomote, Taketomi and Ishigaki serve up generous portions of sun, sea, sand and sushi. Ishigaki has the best of the beaches, while Taketomi is famous for its traditional Ryukyuan houses and Iriomote is a jungle playground with an open-air onsen (hot springs).
Japan Transocean Air flies daily from Tokyo to Ishigaki, which is connected to the other islands by regular ferries.
3. Îles du Salut, French Guiana
Most people have heard of Devil’s Island, but few would be able to stick a pin on a map. The smallest of the three Îles du Salut, this infamous former penal colony is separated from the coast of French Guiana by 11km of treacherous, shark-infested waters. Steve McQueen tried to escape the islands repeatedly in Papillon, but most modern visitors are willing castaways, lured here by waving palms, chattering macaws and spooky ruins from the penal colony days.
Access to the Îles du Salut is by catamaran from Kourou and the only place to stay is the clubhouse-style Auberge des Iles.
4. Ulleungdo, South Korea
It’s easy to see the appeal of tiny Ulleungdo. Midway between South Korea and Japan, this rugged volcanic island is said to have no pollution, no thieves and no snakes – in other words, this is perfect hiking country. Ferries run daily from the mainland to the tiny port at Dodong-ri, where trails climb to the rocky summit of Seonginbong Peak (984m). If you want to really push the boat out, continue to the Dokdo islands – a tiny collection of outcrops that are hotly disputed between Japan and South Korea.
Perched beneath a towering cliff wall, Chusan Ilga Pension offers comfortable but satisfyingly rustic accommodation on the rugged north coast.
5. San Blás Archipelago, Panama
Panama probably isn’t the first place that comes to mind when you think of the Caribbean, but this Central American nation has coral cays to rival anything in the Caymans or the Virgin Islands. Run as an autonomous province by the Kuna people, the San Blás Archipelago is a crescent of 365 tiny islands basking in the warm waters of the southern Caribbean. Forget luxury resorts – the only hotels are homestays in village houses and dinner is whatever the fishermen bring home in their canoes each evening.
Air Panama has regular flights to several San Blás islands, including the capital, El Porvenir.
6. Penghu Islands, Taiwan
If Taiwan is the other China, then the Penghu islands are the other Taiwan. Administered from Taipei, the 90 islands of the Penghu archipelago are – within Taiwan at least – for their glorious scenery and ‘touching nostalgia’, which translates to unspoiled traditional Taiwanese culture. Away from the capital, Makung, this is a land of ox-carts, fish-traps, stone-walled fields, basalt cliffs and ancient temples dedicated to the sea goddess Matsu. If sun and sand are more your cup of shochu, the beaches and windsurfing are pretty impressive too.
From May to October, Penghu’s beaches are a nesting ground for endangered green turtles – locals leave turtle-shaped offerings at temples across Penghu as part of the Lantern Festival, 14 days after the New Year.
7. Bay Islands & Hog Islands, Honduras
Forget Pirates of the Caribbean – the sand-dusted islands that float off the coast of Honduras are the real deal. In their heyday, the islands of Roatán, Utila and Guanaja were home to 5000 cutthroats, brigands and buccaneers, including the infamous Henry Morgan (aka Blackbeard). These days, the Bay Islands are better known for their beaches, diving and laid-back tropical vibe. You can turn the volume down ever further at the nearby Cayos Cochinos (Hog Islands) – 13 languorous coral cays and one secluded resort in a sea of brilliant blue.
The driftwood Plantation Beach Resort is the Hog Islands’ only accommodation, but camping can be arranged on uninhabited islands.
8. Con Dao Islands, Vietnam
Another prison-turned-paradise, the Con Dao islands were home to the most notorious penal colony in Indochina, and continued its grim work until the end of the Vietnam War. Now preserved as Con Dao National Park, the 16 islands are a natural wonderland of dense jungles, jade-coloured waters and white-sand beaches, home to dugongs, dolphins, turtles and spectacular coral reefs. For now, tourist developments on the islands are limited to a single dive shop and a handful of resorts in Con Son township.
Timing is everything with Con Dao – the islands are lashed by squalls from the west from June to September and squalls from the east from September to January.
Vietnam Airlines operates flights from Hochiminh city to Con Dao island daily. Otherwise, you can take regular speedboats from Vung tau pier or Saigon port
9. Ssese Islands, Uganda
Why would a landlocked African nation appear on a list of desert islands? Thank Lake Victoria. The Ssese Islands tick all the right boxes for an island paradise – golden beaches, whispering palm trees, exotic flora and fauna – they just happen to be in the middle of Africa’s largest lake. Most of the 84 islands in the Ssese group are undeveloped, but a handful of resorts and beach camps grace the sands of Buggala, Bukasa and Banda. Aside from basking in the sun, the main activities are combing the jungle for exotic creatures and canoeing across the lake.
Boats run daily to Kalangala on Buggala island from Entebbe, Kasenyi and Bukakata on the mainland.
(Source: LonelyPlanet.com)
Tags: Con Dao island, Con dao beach, Resorts in Condao, Con dao beach holiday, beach holidays in Vietnam, holidays to Vietnam, Vietnam holidays
Here’s a list from LonelyPlanet.com's brand new Best in Travel 2011 guide to reignite your love affair with desert islands, with picks from across the globe.
1. Torres Strait Islands, Australia
Image by Killer White Fluff
As far as you can go in Oz without falling off the map, the Torres Strait Islands are Australia as it might have been if Europeans had never arrived. Spilling north from the tip of Cape York, the 274 islands in the Torres Strait preserve a unique tribal culture that bridges the divide between Aboriginal Australia and Papua New Guinea. The Great Barrier Reef is right on the doorstop and there are airstrips and hotels on Thursday Island and Horn Island, but access to other islands is at the discretion of local tribal councils.
Permits to visit outlying islands must be obtained at least one month in advance from the Torres Strait Regional Authority.
2. Yaeyama Islands, Japan
Image by ajari
The idyllic Yaeyama Islands are tucked away at the very southern tip of the Japanese archipelago. Looking more like the Caribbean, the islands of Iriomote, Taketomi and Ishigaki serve up generous portions of sun, sea, sand and sushi. Ishigaki has the best of the beaches, while Taketomi is famous for its traditional Ryukyuan houses and Iriomote is a jungle playground with an open-air onsen (hot springs).
Japan Transocean Air flies daily from Tokyo to Ishigaki, which is connected to the other islands by regular ferries.
3. Îles du Salut, French Guiana
Image by Antoine Hubert
Most people have heard of Devil’s Island, but few would be able to stick a pin on a map. The smallest of the three Îles du Salut, this infamous former penal colony is separated from the coast of French Guiana by 11km of treacherous, shark-infested waters. Steve McQueen tried to escape the islands repeatedly in Papillon, but most modern visitors are willing castaways, lured here by waving palms, chattering macaws and spooky ruins from the penal colony days.
Access to the Îles du Salut is by catamaran from Kourou and the only place to stay is the clubhouse-style Auberge des Iles.
4. Ulleungdo, South Korea
Image by hkinuthia
It’s easy to see the appeal of tiny Ulleungdo. Midway between South Korea and Japan, this rugged volcanic island is said to have no pollution, no thieves and no snakes – in other words, this is perfect hiking country. Ferries run daily from the mainland to the tiny port at Dodong-ri, where trails climb to the rocky summit of Seonginbong Peak (984m). If you want to really push the boat out, continue to the Dokdo islands – a tiny collection of outcrops that are hotly disputed between Japan and South Korea.
Perched beneath a towering cliff wall, Chusan Ilga Pension offers comfortable but satisfyingly rustic accommodation on the rugged north coast.
5. San Blás Archipelago, Panama
Image by Fathzer
Panama probably isn’t the first place that comes to mind when you think of the Caribbean, but this Central American nation has coral cays to rival anything in the Caymans or the Virgin Islands. Run as an autonomous province by the Kuna people, the San Blás Archipelago is a crescent of 365 tiny islands basking in the warm waters of the southern Caribbean. Forget luxury resorts – the only hotels are homestays in village houses and dinner is whatever the fishermen bring home in their canoes each evening.
Air Panama has regular flights to several San Blás islands, including the capital, El Porvenir.
6. Penghu Islands, Taiwan
Image by hsuyo
If Taiwan is the other China, then the Penghu islands are the other Taiwan. Administered from Taipei, the 90 islands of the Penghu archipelago are – within Taiwan at least – for their glorious scenery and ‘touching nostalgia’, which translates to unspoiled traditional Taiwanese culture. Away from the capital, Makung, this is a land of ox-carts, fish-traps, stone-walled fields, basalt cliffs and ancient temples dedicated to the sea goddess Matsu. If sun and sand are more your cup of shochu, the beaches and windsurfing are pretty impressive too.
From May to October, Penghu’s beaches are a nesting ground for endangered green turtles – locals leave turtle-shaped offerings at temples across Penghu as part of the Lantern Festival, 14 days after the New Year.
7. Bay Islands & Hog Islands, Honduras
Image by Theodore Scott
Forget Pirates of the Caribbean – the sand-dusted islands that float off the coast of Honduras are the real deal. In their heyday, the islands of Roatán, Utila and Guanaja were home to 5000 cutthroats, brigands and buccaneers, including the infamous Henry Morgan (aka Blackbeard). These days, the Bay Islands are better known for their beaches, diving and laid-back tropical vibe. You can turn the volume down ever further at the nearby Cayos Cochinos (Hog Islands) – 13 languorous coral cays and one secluded resort in a sea of brilliant blue.
The driftwood Plantation Beach Resort is the Hog Islands’ only accommodation, but camping can be arranged on uninhabited islands.
8. Con Dao Islands, Vietnam
Another prison-turned-paradise, the Con Dao islands were home to the most notorious penal colony in Indochina, and continued its grim work until the end of the Vietnam War. Now preserved as Con Dao National Park, the 16 islands are a natural wonderland of dense jungles, jade-coloured waters and white-sand beaches, home to dugongs, dolphins, turtles and spectacular coral reefs. For now, tourist developments on the islands are limited to a single dive shop and a handful of resorts in Con Son township.
Timing is everything with Con Dao – the islands are lashed by squalls from the west from June to September and squalls from the east from September to January.
Vietnam Airlines operates flights from Hochiminh city to Con Dao island daily. Otherwise, you can take regular speedboats from Vung tau pier or Saigon port
9. Ssese Islands, Uganda
Image by sanjoyg
Why would a landlocked African nation appear on a list of desert islands? Thank Lake Victoria. The Ssese Islands tick all the right boxes for an island paradise – golden beaches, whispering palm trees, exotic flora and fauna – they just happen to be in the middle of Africa’s largest lake. Most of the 84 islands in the Ssese group are undeveloped, but a handful of resorts and beach camps grace the sands of Buggala, Bukasa and Banda. Aside from basking in the sun, the main activities are combing the jungle for exotic creatures and canoeing across the lake.
Boats run daily to Kalangala on Buggala island from Entebbe, Kasenyi and Bukakata on the mainland.
(Source: LonelyPlanet.com)
Tags: Con Dao island, Con dao beach, Resorts in Condao, Con dao beach holiday, beach holidays in Vietnam, holidays to Vietnam, Vietnam holidays
My Khe (Danang) Beach
Continue my posts of my company - HOLIDAY INDOCHINA - retreat holiday to Danang and Hoi an. Today I update some photos of Danang destination with Ba Na hills where the World recorded Guinness Cable system just launched and the famous beach - My Khe
The Bana cable station - in Danang. The beginning of the World record Guinness Cable system
We got a exciting and relaxing trip to Central of Vietnam which enhanced our company friendships, gave each an experience to give our customers live information and helped to love more our careers
See you in next time with newest beach destination discovered in Vietnam - Con Dao Island
Want a trip like us? Easy and simple than ever, contact me here!!!
Or refer some Vietnam holidays excursions similar at our website: http://www.holidayindochina.com/Danang-beach
Tags: Danang beach holiday, Hoi an Ancient town, World heritages, beach holiday Vietnam, holidays to Vietnam Central, holidays in Vietnam central, Vietnam holidays
Forest view from a cabin while riding to the peak
A picture on a Cellar from French Colonial times - When visiting here, you can taste some kind of wines and cocktails
My company under the shadow of giant Buddha status which is located at the highest point of Vietnam
A view to My Kha famous beach (Danang)
Playing kites at My Khe beach instead of jumping into clear ocean water
We got a exciting and relaxing trip to Central of Vietnam which enhanced our company friendships, gave each an experience to give our customers live information and helped to love more our careers
See you in next time with newest beach destination discovered in Vietnam - Con Dao Island
Want a trip like us? Easy and simple than ever, contact me here!!!
Or refer some Vietnam holidays excursions similar at our website: http://www.holidayindochina.com/Danang-beach
Tags: Danang beach holiday, Hoi an Ancient town, World heritages, beach holiday Vietnam, holidays to Vietnam Central, holidays in Vietnam central, Vietnam holidays
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