Most people start their Bali experience in Kuta, the island’s main resort. Kuta’s streets are packed with shops, restaurants and tourists - you’ll either love it or you’ll hate it. Nearby Legian is slightly calmer and more upmarket, while the suburb of Oberoi is home to a swathe of popular eateries and bars. Kuta beach is frequented by surfers and can get busy in high season. If you decide to stay in Kuta there are plenty of guest houses, hotels and hostels. Jimbaran Beach a little way down the coast is renowned for its beachfront seafood restaurants where you can enjoy freshly caught snapper and squid as the sun sets.

Bali’s capital city Denpasar is unremarkable and not particularly lovely. The town of Ubud about an hour inland from Kuta is a better choice. Best known for its arts and crafts, Ubud is a great place to escape from the bustle of the more touristy coast. Visit the Neka Gallery or Agung Rai Gallery to experience Balinese art at its best, then take in a traditional dance show in the evening. The Ubud monkey forest is great fun. Buy a bunch of bananas to feed the macaques, but make sure you don’t look them in the eye - cute as they may look, they can turn nasty if confronted! From Ubud you can hire bikes to trek through the paddy fields outside the town.

Indonesia’s volcanic geography is most evident in the central north of Bali, where Mount Agung (the mother mountain) and Batur rise up from the jungle. If you don’t mind an early start and a brisk hike, get up before dawn to climb Batur. The view from the summit at sunrise is stunning - you can even see over to Mount Rinjani on the neighbouring island of Lombok. More adventurous walkers can trek around the crater of the volcano. The climb is relatively easy but its best to hire a local guide who will take you up for a small fee.

The western side of the island is home to the Bali Barat National Park which has over 200 species of birds and plants. The small resort of Lovina is a great base for exploring this part of Bali. Deer Island has great scuba diving and snorkeling.

Balinese food is best enjoyed in one of the many ‘warungs’ - small local restaurants which serve traditional fare like nasi goreng, a rice and meat dish. Try the national brew batavia arrack, a milky liqueur made from sugar cane - definitely an acquired taste.

There are no direct cheap air flights to Bali from the UK, but check out flightcomparison.co.uk for connecting flights to Singapore.

Flight Comparison list Cheap Air Flights to Bali from All Airports in the UK. These cheap flights have been found on the leading UK travel sites.

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Which theme park is the best for me & my family ? This question is very frequent amongst the people living in the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania & New Jersey. In this region you have the option to choose among three popular theme parks of the nation. Well there are more less popular parks, but these are the ones where 80% of the people in the Philly region visiting theme parks choose to visit. The preference in choosing amongst these parks vary on the interests but the main factor is not the proximity to these parks, but the quality of rides and the deals & discounts on tickets drive the ultimate decision.

Hershey Park

If you leave in western Philadelphia region and want to experience good theme park fun with some nice roller coasters without driving long distance, then Hershey Park is for you. In addition, last week on May 24 the Boardwalk was opened which adds to the attractions at this park. If you really like the roller coasters, then you should definitely try out the Great Bear. My personal pick is the Stormrunner, but Wild Cat and the Comet are very good coasters. For wooden coaster fans, the Lightning Racer is just made for folks like you. So overall Hershey Park is fun for all but especially for kids. In addition you get to visit the Hershey Chocolate Factory which is just a few minutes walk.

Dorney Park

Dorney Park is the lesser favorite among these three parks. There are not as many high thrill roller coasters that you could compare with Hershey or Six Flags Great Adventure. But if you like water park, then you get the theme park and water park for the price of one. At Six Flags Great Adventure you have to buy a combo ticket or separate purchase to visit both the parks. Steel Force is the top favored ride at the Dorney Park. Hydra, Talon, Thunder Hawk and Lazer are equally good after the Steel Force.

Six Flags Great Adventure

My all time pick irrespective of how long it takes to get there. The best theme park in the region by far for all the roller coaster fans. On May 15 (the week before last) they introduced the Dark Knight Roller Coaster which was an absolute treat to go on and enjoy. The lines the bit long but everything was well worth it. El Toro is one of the best wooden coaster in the nation. For all the coaster fans where fear is not the factor, Nitro, Medusa & Batman are some great fun rides. Now if you are really looking for some mega thrill then Kingda Ka is waiting for you. This coaster takes you to the top of the world at 128 mph to an altitude of 456 ft. Skull Mountain, Superman and Rolling Thunder are all good coasters. These are all great roller coasters that can keep you occupied for the whole day and will surely motivate to visit Six Flags Great Adventure again and again. Now during the summer the lines are very long especially on the weekends. I would certainly recommend the Flash Pass which will take you to the front of some of the line for popular roller coaster rides.

Is the ticket price a factor to choose between Six Flags, Hershey Park & Dorney Park ?

Discounts on Hershey Park tickets can be found at Giant Super Store and sometimes at CVS Pharmacy and Quiznos. There are not too many ticket deals for Hershey Park that you may find online. Dorney Park ticket price is around $38 which gives you admission to the theme park as well as water park. You may find some tickets discounts or coupons at Burger King or at a local Acme store. Some other grocery stores in Delaware & Pennsylvania carry Dorney Park Coupons. Six Flags Great Adventure has good deals online for 2008 tickets. Six Flags coupons are hard to find and online Six Flags ticket discounts are even better than the coupons or promotions you may find around. The regular price for one day Adult ticket is $59.99. Now you can buy a one day ticket for $29.99 which is half the regular one day admission price. (Reference http://www.mandrekar.com). For best value, you can buy Six Flags 3 Park Combo Season Pass for $129.99. This season pass gives you admission to the Six Flags Great Adventure theme park, Six Flags Hurricane Harbor and the popular Six Flags Wild Safari. For Six Flags coupon codes or Six Flags promo code, visit http://www.mandrekar.com or see the Six Flags website. Some times you can find Six Flags coupons at local Burger King but not all Burger Kings may carry them. I would say with the Six Flags promotion of $29.99 which is half off the regular Six Flags ticket price of $59.99 would be my favorite deal to grab with the Great Adventure being my favorite pick amongst the three parks in the region.

Ken Silverman is a well known theme parks author covering several theme parks. Ken often publishes articles on Six Flags, Walt Disney World and other theme parks in the nation. Sometimes he also compares ticket deals and promotions to help visitors make well informed choices. His recent article included Six Flags Discounts Disney World Tickets and Six Flags Coupons & Ticket Promotions In addition to writing Ken also like traveling, music and hiking.

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London will surely be on your agenda but just a few hours outside of London on the stunning south coast is the New Forest National Park , home to the lovable New Forest pony and a must visit location if you are in the South of England.

The Idea for national parks first started in the United States and one of the first national park was Yosemite of course.

Since that time many other countries have adopted this way of protecting and preserving the unspoilt habitats of the world for future generations and for the preservation of endangered species as well.

The New Forest has a few endangered species itself but nothing like the American bald eagle that is now increasing in numbers due thankfully. The New Forests most wildly known species are of course the deer and the lovable little roguish New Forest Pony.

For centuries the forest was the home of common people who were used to grazing their livestock in the forest and on the open heathland. The forest was also a source for food to feed their families, but all that came to an end when the forest was decreed as the Royal hunting grounds, and the New Forest was born.

Fortunately over time sanity prevailed and today you will find many animals wandering the forest grazing as the local “commoners” exercise their right to graze their live stock on the common ground.

The New Forest is also home top some of the oldest woodland in England with an oak tree said to be over 400 years old, Not as grand and the giant redwoods although there are a few of those here as well.

A holiday in the New Forest opens up a wide diversity of activities for those on vacation here from simply going on one of the forest walks to mountain biking (only not too many mountains here so very suitable for younger children) and if you are a horse rider then you will be in seventh heaven as there are no riding restriction across the open country side.

If you are having a family holiday the Park has a number of really olde worlde New Forest cottages you can rent and if you have a penchant for the quaint then you will just love the old thatched roofs and if your lucky gardens that literally take you out into the forest from your back door.

If you prefer the outdoor lifestyle then the forest has a number of designated campsites with and without facilities so you can camp the easy way or the hard way , the choice is up to you.

One of the most popular areas of the New Forest has to be the picturesque Village of Beaulieu which is actually part of a massive 7000 acre estate (by UK standards) estate belonging to the Montagu family who’s ancesters have owned the land and property since the early 1500 after the dissolution of the monastries by King Henry VIII.

Part of the estate is used for the National Motor Museum which must rank as one of the best museums of automotive history in the world with exhibits that span motoring history not only by age but also by achievement as a number of land speed record breakers are exhibited here.

There is also the Abbey to visit which whilst not to much to see these days still gives you an idea of the grandeur and power of the church in early british history.

Beaulieu Palace house contrary to what was considered traditional in the day was not built on the Abbey grounds but evolved from what was originally the Abbey gatehouse.

A holiday in this part of England isn’t only restricted to the forest though as just a short drive away you have some of the best beaches in England all with blue flag designations for their cleanliness. Bournemouth is even going to have its own artificial reef built here after many years in planning and it will be the first of its kind in the northern hemisphere.

Poole in the neighbouring county of Dorset has many claims to fame, from the many celebrities that live in what is the most expensive part of England to the stunning natural beauty of one of the worlds largest natural harbours. That’s what you must pay to rub shoulders with the Rich and Famous I guess.

I don’t think anyone in their right mind could argue that The South Coast is a truly magical family holiday destination.

The New Forest National Park is one of the newest National Parks in the world but its beauty has been admired for centuries. To find out more about The New Forest or New Forest Accommodation visit the newforestguides.com website.

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Take Greece for example. Even during the age of antiquities, this nation has always been defined by its geographic characteristics. Being made up of many islands, Greece has been divided into city-states and towns way back then which functioned individually and independently of their fellow Greek city-states. In fact, there were even a number of recorded fights and clashes between these past Greek cities and towns.

And each city-states seemed to have beliefs, traditions and laws that are unique to themselves. Yet however separate in location these Greek islands may be, the point is that there still remains that intangible but ever present thing that brings them all together and gives them that same air about them that is distinctly Greek.

I have been to Athens, Patras and Crete in the past. And my experience and observations in these modern Greek cities proved to me that somehow, that disjointed and varied character of Greece itself seems to have survived even the 21st century. These three Greek cities do not resemble each other in my memory but rather occupy unique and distinct areas in my remembrance even until now. And just recently, I was able to visit the island of Rhodes in Greece and I found out that this Greek island also offers both that encompassing Greek character as well as a personality and appeal all its own.

I was reading about Rhodes a few weeks before I went to visit my grandparents there and I got the impression it was a rather sleepy place. I read there was only one city in the entire island, and that was the City of Rhodes which was also the island capital. The rest were towns and villages. A picture of dusty olive groves, sleepy Mediterranean afternoons, quiet streets, old people and boring weeks ahead immediately formed in my mind and I was reluctant to go but for the company of my grandparents. I went ahead on my trip to Rhodes though, and believed I was talking a route not traveled by many often.

The first sight I had of the island impressed me though. The wide, ever-present harbor which was used several centuries ago by traders and naval ships caught my attention and I have to admit that it was a most magnificent, impressive sight. After that moment of arrival, all the images I formed in my mind about Rhodes were disproved one after the other.

The towns and villages, although not thriving metropolises, were energetic, flourishing and full of life. The several acropolises, ancient ruins and sites were also brimming with by-gone glory and grandeur that even time and decay cannot crumble away. The Temple of Athena left me breathless, and so did the dozens of other historic sights and archaic landmarks this seemingly insignificant island brought to my attention.

The people were good, kind and traditional, but they were not blind to the technological and scientific developments of the last century. They were weary of these though, and there were a lot of towns and villages that did not allow the use of vehicles except for delivery vans and motorcycles. But because of this guard against technological advancements that many world cities easily embraced, Rhodes as able to preserve that delicate balance of nature and human development. The island itself seemed alive, not like New York or Singapore which seems like a forest of skyscrapers and nothing else.

I left Rhodes after two months and was determined to come back one day or another.

Rome Sanzio is a contributor to several travel sites including Baja.com, Germany.com and of course, Rhodes.com. Rhodes.com is the best place to visit if you are in need of information about Rhodes hotels, restaurants, recreational facilities, tourist spots and more.
http://www.rhodes.com

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A trip to the bookstore netted us one solitary guide from the folks at Lonely Planet and we eagerly sought out a description of the little town that once housed a thriving division of the United Fruit Company’s effort to corner the world’s banana production. At the end of the chapter on Chiriqui Province, there was a passing reference to the bus stop in Puerto Armuelles-the end of the line for public transportation and the jumping off point to make the trek to “Mona Feliz”, an eccentric eco-lodge at the tip of the Burica Peninsula. Years later, friends would bring the new Frommer’s guide to Panama and, searching once again, we found not even a mention of this, one of our favorite spots in the country.

Panama has miles of some of the most rugged and beautiful coastline in the hemisphere. And, by and large, you still risk your axels and your kidneys trying to reach them. The breathtaking vistas at Boca Chica, for instance, are a challenging hour-and-a-half ride from the InterAmerican Highway and you had better have plenty of gas and provisions with you as there’s no petrol station or grocery store at the end of that ride.

Arriving in Puerto Armuelles via an immaculate paved road, you pass several gas stations, a couple of grocery stores, and the town is dotted with typical restaurants, clothing and sundries stores, banks, pharmacies, internet cafes, bakeries, and pretty much whatever you might need to sustain life. Okay, basic is the watchword, but we couldn’t help but wonder why this complete town was so completely ignored by even locals.

The old banana pier sits in disrepair jutting out from the “Malecon”-a sort of seaside walkway that fronts the Pacific side of the town. There you can join the locals and jig for dinner in the clear depths. There are several places where you can sip a cold cerveza and one really outstanding restaurant, “Don Carlos” that has served the town in good times and bad with superb fresh fish dishes and the best (and possibly the only) pizza in town. If you are lucky, the owner (a local doctor), will stop by your table and regale you with stories, opinions and tales of old Panama. His father started the place back in the banana heyday and the legendary Pier 3 sauce still on the menu is not to be missed. That pier is gone, but the fond culinary tribute remains a testimony to better days.

The banana company housed its employees in a tiered system. Much of that housing remains and much of it is being lovingly restored today. You can see the middle management area known as San Jose, where little clapboard houses line a few streets, all dressed up in tropical colors. You can explore the rattle-trap worker housing right on some of the best beach real estate in Panama. And then you can step back in time and look at Las Palmas, a neighborhood of some 45 homes laid out on rolling green lawns. This was the enclave of the privledged, the bastion of the upper management sent down to the torpid jungle to mine the yellow gold known as “musa sapientum” or ‘fruit of the wise men’.

There are a few places outside of the big city that speak as loudly of the history of this tiny nation than the villas that dot the gentle hills of Las Palmas. In their glory days, these expansive stilt-elevated homes with their teak-slatted windows and soaring ceilings were meant to cushion spoiled foreigners from the rigors of native life. The neighborhood was endowed with a swimming pool, tennis court and a nine-hole golf course to sooth away the boredom and restlessness that must have come with being stationed at what was then the end of the earth. There was (and still is) and airstrip, oddly positioned in the middle of one of the fairways, where small planes could whisk you away to the city. Beyond, you can see the ghost go-downs where packing and production took place.

It is almost impossible not to envision ladies in wide-brimmed straw hats and their gentlemen in white linen suits strolling about the winding lanes exchanging greetings at sunset as the parrots cry overhead as they make their daily trek home. Aside from the occasional boat parked in a driveway, or the ubiquitous SUV, there’s little about Las Palmas that has changed over the decades since it was built. Horses still wander freely through the unfenced perimeters of generous lots, birds still populate the huge old-growth trees, and the Pacific still lends its cool breezes to the porches that open into the equatorial dusk as it descends on the undiscovered and unspoiled charm of Puerto Armuelles.

http://www.buyingrealestateinpanama.com for information, pictures and listings of properties in Panama

http://www.puertoarmuellesrentals.com for a new site describing furnished and unfurnished rental apartments in Puerto Armuelles, Panama

Lisa Leuthesser is a freelance writer and communications manager for BuyingRealEstateInPanama.com, a licensed real estate company specializing in the interior provinces of the Republic of Panama.

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The Eastern Highlands:

The eastern border of Zimbabwe has a long range of beautiful rugged mountains running from north to south, covering a distance of about three hundred kilometers. These are known as the Eastern highlands and acts as a natural border with Mozambique.

The Eastern Highlands are different from the gentle rolling landscape near Nyanga or the fierce granite spikes of Chimanimani. The landscape of this place is breathtaking which gives one the feeling that he/she is in Scotland and not Africa. Here you can see many herds of antelopes. You can enjoy spending your time here by golfing, fishing and also riding on horsebacks. You can also make a visit to the Vumba Botanical Gardens.

Lowveld:

Lowveld is situated in the southeastern corner of Zimbabwe and hosts several prominent wildlife reserves of Africa, like the Gonarezhou National Park, the Lonestar Reserve and the Save Valley Conservancy.

The Lonestar Reserve is a game reserve spread acres 98,000 acres of land and is privately owned. It is a home to rhinos in large numbers and other animals like elephant, lion, leopard and buffalo.

The Gonarezhou national park is home to large herds of elephants. It borders Mozambique and has spectacular sceneries. This park is full of wildlife, yet even today it remains largely unexplored. Here you can have an encounter with the lions, leopards, rhinos and buffaloes.

In the parks of Lowveld you can see many animals which are endangered.

The Chizarira National Park:

This national park of Zimbabwe is known by very few people. It is situated in the beautiful wilderness of the Zambezi Valley escarpment. It has a wide range of habitats; therefore, it is a home to a wide range of animals and plants. Elephant, buffalo, lion, leopard, kudu, bushbuck and sable are abundantly present in this park. Not only animals, but this park is also a home to a number of birds like the crowned eagles, black eagles and Pel’s fishing owl.

In this park you can have an experience of a walking safari along with a licensed guide.

Hwange national park:

The Hwange National Park is Zimbabwe’s largest national park. It covers an area of 4,600 square miles and forms the northeast border of the Kalahari Desert of Botswana. It is famous for its thick wildlife which includes huge herds of elephants and buffaloes. Also it is a home to more than 100 different species of animals like the lion, leopard, giraffe, hippo, crocodile, cheetah, zebra, jackal, wildebeest, antelope and many species of birds.

Lake Kariba & Matusadona National Park:

The Kariba Lake is a home of animals, birds and fishes seeking activity on its shores and waters. The Matusadona National Park lies on the shore of this lake. The park hosts large herds of elephant, buffalo and hippo. This is a unique place in Africa which you shouldn’t miss to visit while on your African safari vacation.

Besides all these listed places you should also make an African safari trip to the Matobo National Park and the famous Victoria Falls to make your safari to South Africa filled with pleasant memories.

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DAY 1 : Nairobi/L.Naivasha.L.Nakuru

The whole safari starts off by leaving Nairobi in the morning head to Naivasha with lunch on arrival then visit the Hell’s Gate Park, one of the few parks where you can walk or cycle to see the wild animals. There is a Geothermal power station and very beautiful scenery, dinner and overnight at the campsite or budget hotel.

DAY 2 :L.Naivasha/L.Nakuru

After breakfast, drive to Nakuru for game viewing and a sight of millions of flamingos among other birds, about 350 species recorded.This is also home to the black and the white rhinoceros. Take your dinner and night in a budget hotel.

DAY 3 : L. Nakuru/Cherengani Hill

Leave Nakuru for a drive north to Cherengani Hills via Marigat, visit the pre-historic sites in Marigat and then continue to cherangani hill for dinner and overnight at Cherengani.

DAY 4 : Cherengani Hill/Saiwa Swamp

Leave cherangani in the morning after breakfast to Saiwa Swamps via Kitale, overnight Saiwa Swamps campsite or budget hotel with all meals served here. (Here you have a chance of seeing the water antelope- Sitatunga).

DAY 5: Saiwa Swamp/Kakamega forest

After breakfast leave Saiwa Swamp to Kakamega forest via Webuye with lunch en-route, overnight in Kakamega town.

DAY 6 :Kakamenga Forest/Kisumu/Kisii.

Leave Kakamega after breakfast via Kit-Mikayi, a legendary stone of the area, proceed on to Kisii village with lunch en-route to see soapstones, take your dinner overnight in Kisii

DAY 7: Kisii/Maasai Mara

After breakfast leave Kisii for Maasai Mara via Kilgoris on arrival proceed for an afternoon game drive to see the many animals that inhabit this unique game-park,take your dinner and overnight at the Campsite.

DAY 8 : Maasai Mara

After breakfast, spend a full day enjoying the best that nature can provide in this game reserve taking your picnic lunch at the hippo pools. Return to the campsite for dinner and night

DAY 9 : Maasai Mara/Nairobi

An early morning game drive followed by late breakfast and a departure to Nairobi stopping sporadically for the breathtaking panoramic views of the rift valley and adjacent landforms. The tour ends in Nairobi late in the afternoon.

This is one of the tailor-made safaris and requires not less than three people to operate. Always feel at home to inquire about the price and what is included in the price.

Nickson Ogilo,
African Home Adventure ltd
Nairobi International Youth Hostel
Tel:+254 20 2726011
Hotlines:+254 722 760 661/+254 725881 811
E-mail:info@africahomeadventure.com
Web:http://www.africahomeadventure.com
Fax:+254 20 2726011

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The State of Michigan consists of more coastline than any state in the Continental US. The fishing in Michigan cannot be matched to anywhere else in the Mid-West and Michigan also has a fishing charter and resort industry which is truly second to none.

Fishing in Lake Michigan, Lake Superior, Lake Huron and the many inland lakes and rivers that Michigan fishing has to offer along with the vast number of different varieties of fish species that are held in these waters, can be enough for anglers and locals to call this freshwater fishing heaven.

There are enough variety to please even the most difficult to please angler when fishing in Michigan. Visiting anglers that are not aware of the areas or lakes can hire one of Michigan’s great fishing guides.

Aside from fishing from the banks of the lakes of Michigan, there is also the opportunity to hire a charter boat for the lakes, with the chance of catching almost every available species of fish. Not only will you catch more fish this way, but the captain of the boat will most likely teach you a few special fishing techniques.

So, if a fantastic fishing vacation is what you are looking for, then Michigan is certainly the place to be. Once you have experienced the beauty of the majestic water wonderland (where the fishing is second to none,) you will be able to say that you have been to a fishing paradise.

To learn more about other great Michigan vacation ideas and insider travel tips, visit Michigan Vacation Destination at http://www.michigan-vacation-destination.com

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The campground has a total of ninety-one campsites, fifty are tent sites and forty-one have water and electric for RVs. All of the sites at this campground are beautiful. They are well designed and most have a secluded feeling to them. Some sites are right along the water so you can easily get to the shore for fishing or bird watching. There are several hiking trails around the park for you to enjoy. The Shoreline Trail gives you the feeling of walking through an enchanted forest. Along the trails there are markers telling you what the different types of plants and trees are and a little bit of their history in the area. You do need to watch out for Poison Oak though because it is everywhere. The RV sites are paved, mostly level, and for the most part they have good shade.

All the sites are large enough to allow you to feel comfortable and like you are not walking out of your RV in to the side of your neighbors. There is plenty of room for the kids to play as well as displays of items from early life along Putah Creek. Across the street is a day use park filled with ducks and geese, picnic tables, and a fun playset for the kids. There are paddle boats and row boats that can be rented for a reasonable price or you can bring your own. There are no motorized boats allowed on the river however because it is home to endangered River Otters and a large number of birds.

The area is nationally known for fly fishing as well. Some of the fish you can expect to catch are, Rainbow trout, Black Bass, Brown Trout, Catfish, and Crappie. In the office at the campground you can pick up a checklist of birds of the Lake Solano Regional Park. There are over a hundred different types of birds that can be found at in the area making this an excellent place for bird watching. If you go however, leave your sterios and generators behind. The park does not allow loud music or any amplified sound, and will ask you to leave the park if you are too loud. No one under the age of eighteen is allowed to camp without an adult as well. They do accept reservations in person and by phone. All in all this is a great place to go for anyone young or old!

Christy Tuller is an expert on several topics and enjoys camping. For Photos and ideas check out my blog Camping In The Western States at http://mrstscampwest.blogspot.com

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