World Tourism Blog

The Kiwengwa caves in the Kiwengwa-Pongwe Forest Reserve are part of ancient history of the Zanzibar Island. The locals have visited the caves to worship their ancestors, bringing gifts to the holy stones in the caves. In the old days, the villagers kept leopards in the caves as a status symbol of the owner. Forest guard found these longest caves of Zanzibar in 2002, and there is now an initiative to make this natural wonder available for tourists to visit and enjoy. In 2005, the Department of Commercial Crops, Fruits and Forestry of Zanzibar, in cooperation with the Turku Geographical Society of Finland and the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), started the Kiwengwa Ecotourism Project to develop these unique caves as an ecotourism destination.

The Cave System and Rich Biodiversity

The cave system is divided into three parts. Only the North cave and South cave are accessible for tourists. These are 230 and 205 meters long respectively. The East cave is 50 meters long, is darker, has a lot of bats, and can only be entered by crawling. The stalactite caverns have formed from water dissolving calcium carbonate from coral stone. There are many insects and also five species of bats, of which two are considered to be rare in the caves. The naturally formed holes in the ceiling of the caves let sunlight in, creating an exciting atmosphere. Another curious feature is the roots that have forced their way through the ground and look like electric wires connecting the ceiling and the bottom of the caves.

The caves are surrounded by three natural trails; a short 0.2 km, a medium 0.4 km and a long 2 km trail. The Kiwengwa-Pongwe Forest Reserve is the only large remaining high coral rag forest area in the Northern Zanzibar. There are endemic species, for example Red colubus monkey, duikers (big antelopes) and mini antelopes, which you might see when walking the trails. There are also 47 bird species such as Fisher’s Turaco and a lot of butterflies in the forests.

Most of the trees and other plants along the trail have interesting traditional medicinal purposes, and you can ask your guide about the usage of these plants. There are some endemic and rare species of trees such as Uvarioendron kirkii and Pittosporum viridiflorum and tree climbers such as Vernonia Zanzibariensis and Monodora grandidieri. They are used commonly as local medicine, which is part of the reason why they have become rare.

Developing Ecotourism and Livelihoods of the Communities

The Forest Conservation by Livelihood Development Project (LIVE Project) aims to conserve the forest areas and biodiversity in Zanzibar by supporting alternative livelihoods for the local communities. LIVE Project supports 40 groups in 11 villages around the Kiwengwa-Pongwe Forest Reserve, including Kiwengwa. There are also ten Village Conservation Committees involved in the project, working to develop sustainable use of forest resources. By visiting the caves, visitors will also be able to support the project, as well as experiencing one of the most spectacular natural wonders of the island.

Kiwengwa-Pongwe Forest Reserve is located in the Northeastern region of Unguja Island, and you can get there by taking a dala-dala from Kiwengwa to Mchekeni. The distance from the Stone Town is approximately 35 kilometres. The last journey of the road (about 500 meters) is in a bad condition, but the LIVE Project is seeking funding for fixing the road.

This is a site not yet known to tourists. A reception center has been built, with a café and a souvenir shop, although the center does not have the capacity to provide services for visitors yet. For now there is no entrance fee, while later when the services are more developed, visitors will be required to pay US$5-10 to enter the site. LIVE Project welcomes visitors interested in being among the first to experience this unique attraction.

By Elina Nieminen

Zanzibar LIVE Project

Johannesburg lies in the heart of South Africa. Tourists have been flocking this fascinating country and it has a multidimensional quality that attracts tourists from all over the world. The older surroundings have been well maintained in conglomeration with the rising needs of modern living. People coexist with history in this city and one has to visit to know what it is. This is more evident in cities like Gauteng.

Nevertheless Johannesburg is a very modern city and since it is the financial capital it holds many attractions and shopping centers in it.

Things to do in Johannesburg

The Saturday flea market is really the most ideal shopping place and if you are looking for that special memento to carry back then this is the place you would find it at a steal deal.

Museum Africa unlike any other museum reveals the utmost African struggle in a critical way and also takes you through the troubled times of the nation. History buffs can spend one whole day in this museum to learn its vast findings.

People with kids should head to the Gold reef City theme park which has the state of the art rides and water theme parks.

What to expect when you visit Johannesburg

Most people come with the mind set that Africa is poverty stricken however you would be sadly mistaken when you visit some wealthy Northern Suburbs of the city. Places like Sandton, Bryanston, Fourways have some of the best restaurants, pubs, discotheques and bars. The slick environment can have you partying sooner than you think. However as a tourist the best way to explore the city is by taking a tour. There is everything here from fossil tours to theme parks and gold digging or shopping. In a nutshell you don’t have to go elsewhere for fun and entertainment when in Johannesburg.

By Besttouristdestinations

Johannesburg

The most popular attraction for visitors of Peru is of course Machu Picchu. This sacred site, completed by high (Sapa) Inca Pachacutec in the early 15th century, was invisible from view from the valley below; this is one of the reasons why the Spanish, during the conquest never discovered it, and also why it remained more or less in a state of hibernation until 1911, when the American archaeologist stumbled upon it.

Contrary to popular myth, Hiram Bingham was not the first person since the fall of the Inca civilization in 1533 to look upon and walk on the grounds of Machu Picchu. In his own autobiography, entitled “Lost City Of The Incas” he openly admits that native farmers were living in, and growing crops in the main plaza.

Sacred Inca Road of Pilgrimage

The route which takes tourists up from the train at Aguas Calientes, also called Machu Picchu Pueblo, is a hair-raising zigzag bus trip. This road was built after Bingham’s discovery of the site.

The road used by the Inca was, in fact, what is now called the Inca trail. It starts from one of two points: km 88 or km 82 from Cuzco on the Urubamba river, approximately 2,800 m altitude. Both of these trail segments meet above the Inca ruins of Patallacta (Llaqtapata); a site used for religious and ceremonial functions, crop production, and housing for soldiers from the nearby hilltop site of Willkaraqay, an ancient pre-Inca site first inhabited around 500 BC.

The actual beginning of this section of the Inca road, at and before the time of the Spanish conquest, was the Plaza de Armas in the center of Cusco. It has now become a major modern road, and leads through the small town of Chincheros, and then down into the Sacred Valley town of Urubamba.

An Ancient Royal Meeting Place

Machu Picchu was probably not, as some suggest, the winter playground or palace for Pachacutec and the Inca royal court. Archaeo-astronomical studies of the layout of the complex reveal that it may well be as old as 5000 years or more.

According to oral tradition, Machu Picchu was most probably the equivalent of the “Camp David” that modern day United States presidents use to meet, in private, with government officials, and foreign dignitaries. It is also suggested that Machu Picchu was a place for the high (Sapa) Inca, and his guests to relax and receive medical and recuperative treatments.

The location of Machu Picchu was therefore a military secret, and its deep precipices and mountains provide excellent natural defenses. The Inca Bridge, an Inca rope bridge, across the Urubamba River in the Pongo de Mainique, provided a secret entrance for the Inca army. Another Inca bridge to the west of Machu Picchu, the tree-trunk bridge, at a location where a gap occurs in the cliff that measures 6 metres (20 ft), could be bridged by two tree trunks. If the trees were removed, it would leave a 570 metres (1,870 ft) fall to the base of the cliffs, also discouraging invaders.

By Brien Foerster

Misty Machu Picchu

Welcome to one of the wonders of the world. It has been one of the top most attractions of Egypt for ages and the Pyramids of Giza rule the tourists mind even today. As a basic introduction you would like to know that there are three main pyramids that are the most important in Egyptian myth.

They are the Pyramid of Khufu, the Pyramid of Khafre, and the Pyramid of Menkaura. These tombs belong to three main kings of Egypt and in front of all these pyramids lay the Sphinx. They are so massive that you can see them from your flight if you are flying over or from miles away. However do to come into the misunderstanding that if you have seen one pyramid then you have seen them all. Several tourists mistake the tombs and miss out on a lot of stuff. Every tomb has a different story to tell and a unique one.

Things to do in the Pyramids of Giza

First thing you would like to do is get yourself an English speaking guide who has a good knowledge of the history of the place.

Since the most important pyramids are located in the vicinity getting around here to these pyramids is not a big problem. You have many options like taking a buggy, horse or a camel ride. If you like to walk then that could be the best way to explore the pyramids.

Going inside the pyramids is an amazing experience and by no length of imagination are these pyramids simple on the interiors as they seem from the outside.

A sound and light show is organized around the Sphinx in the nights and it is also a good way to learn about the history of Giza and Egypt.

Saqqara is the popular step Pyramid and is one of the first pyramids to be built.

What to expect

The pyramids of Egypt are fascinating structures that have been built thousands of years ago and they stand to tell the history of Egypt even today. When you go there be prepared for a roller coaster ride into history.

By BestTouristDestinations

Pyramids of Giza

Thousands of couples honeymoon here each year, but why not make it a complete event and let Cancun host your ultimate destination wedding? The beaches couldn’t be more romantic, and the all-inclusive resorts offer every service you could ever possibly need.

Cancun is the ultimate vacation and resort destination whether your idea of a good time is surfing, kayaking, fishing and swimming or just laying in the tropical sun. On the lagoon side, there is an abundance of water sports equipment for rental for one day or an entire vacation. On the Caribbean side, enjoy great swimming, surfing and sunbathing.

For divers and snorkelers, Cancun is a paradise. The crystal-blue Caribbean waters hold an abundance of underwater wildlife, and most of the resorts have trainers who can show you which end of the fin to flap and how to handle the equipment.

And should you want to catch the magnificent fish you see on your dives, there are sportfishing options from rowboats to huge charter expeditions that will have you “on the fish” in no time.

Want to taste the Caribbean nightlife? Downtown Cancun is your hot spot, with numerous world-famous bars and nightclubs that drive the night to the beat of everything from salsa and cumbia to club mixes and world sounds. Whether you want a neon and strobe-lit dance club or a quiet cigar bar or romantic hideaway, Cancun’s nightlife options have you covered.

If you would prefer an intimate beachside villa, or perhaps a private home or more traditional Cancun hotel be your base, the options for lodging in Cancun are limitless. If your marriage is a happy memory and now you’re looking for a family vacation or resort destination, Cancun has you covered. One look at the beaches, water parks and abundance of other amusements and the kids will never want to leave, whatever their age.

By Allaboutcancun

Cancun, Mexico

Cape Town Has Much to Offer, Even If You Are Not a Soccer Fan

CAPE TOWN - Overshadowed by Table Mountain and teeming with soccer fans here to watch the World Cup, Cape Town is a vibrant city at the tip of Africa where the Indian and Atlantic oceans meet.

Reuters correspondents with local knowledge help visitors to get the most out of a 48-hour visit to a city in the feverish grip of Africa’s first World Cup.

FRIDAY

6 p.m. - Kick off your stay with sundowners or hot chocolate at Wakame Asian sushi restaurant in Beach Road , Mouille Point, enjoying an uninterrupted vista of the ocean as the waves break meters away. Even in winter, the sun pokes out its brilliant head periodically and this is an ideal spot to relax as the fading light becomes one with the ocean darkness. Call them on +27 21 433 2377. If raw fish isn’t quite your fancy, then try the sophisticated Aubergine restaurant where diners enjoy their meals as a fireplace provides warmth and ambience during the cold winter nights. Situated in the former 19th century home of the Cape’s first chief justice, the restaurant offers innovative twists to culinary classics, with wild boar and geranium scented sauce among the favorites. The restaurant is found at 39 Barnet Street, Gardens or could be contacted on +27 21 465 4909.

7:30 p.m. - It’s soccer World Cup time and the inner-city undergoes a regular metamorphosis as streets are blocked or opened to assist thousands of fans attending matches at Green Point Stadium. The stadium, within walking distance of the city’s central business district, is adjacent to the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront, a mega-mall that offers something for everyone. Having whet your appetite earlier, why not grab a succulent Ostrich (the world’s largest flightless bird) fillet with red wine sauce at Belthazar Restaurant (Shop 153, +27 21 421 3753) or for those with a wilder palate, a game kebab typically featuring meat cuts from Kudu, Springbok, Gemsbok and Impala buck. Also situated at the V&A is Nelson Mandela Gateway (+27 21 413 4217), where you can buy tickets (200 rand p/p return) to visit Robben Island Museum and see the cell which held South Africa’s first black state leader for 26 years. There are usually four tours a day during winter ending 3 p.m. daily, (including Sundays and holidays). To cater for increased demand during the World Cup tournament, there are an extra two boat trips at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. The island is a World Heritage site and a former leper colony. All trips are weather dependent.

By Wendell Roelf

The new 70,000 seat capacity Green Point Stadium (bottom L) for the FIFA Soccer World Cup in Cape Town, on April 25, 2010. Overshadowed by Table Mountain and teeming with soccer fans here to watch the World Cup, Cape Town is a vibrant city at the tip of Africa where the Indian and Atlantic oceans meet.

Mexico Drug War Doesn’t Stop Americans From Moving South of the Border.

Bill Engle is outside, sweating in work clothes while he oversees renovations to his colonial house in Mérida, Mexico. It sits on a street dubbed “Gringo Gulch,” a pretty row of baby blue, violet, and mustard facades where expatriates outnumber Mexicans.

“It is not the climate,” says Mr. Engle, explaining why he moved to the Yucatán Peninsula. “It is the people. It is the most welcoming place.”

Americans scared off by violence in Mexico? Not here.

In towns far from the US border such as Mérida, Mexico’s drug wars seem like another world. In fact, according to a recent survey by the International Community Foundation, violence reduced the frequency or duration of trips to Mexico for only 7 percent of American retirees who live or travel frequently to Mexico.

No one knows how many foreign retirees, entrepreneurs, and families relocated to Mérida in recent years, but judging from real estate deals, new members to the English-language library, and observations by locals, it is not a few – nor is it ebbing.

‘As Safe as Seattle’
“I feel more part of a community here and safer or as safe here as I did in Seattle,” says Martha Lindley, a retired chaplain and lawyer who moved here three years ago.

Of 5.25 million Americans living abroad, 1 million are estimated to live south of the border. Some communities, such as San Miguel de Allende (a Heritage Site in central Mexico), seem virtual US suburbs. Mérida is becoming a magnet as transplants rush to buy old mansions and haciendas from the 19th century boom in henequen (a fiber used to make rope).

“I do not feel any violence here,” says Dan Karnes, a retired lawyer from New Orleans who moved here last year. He purchased an 18th-century colonial mansion, last used as a warehouse, and on a recent day was overseeing workers digging a pool foundation and laying an oval courtyard. When done, Mr. Karnes will boast an 18,300-square-foot home.

By SARA MILLER LLANA

Tourists enjoy the beach at the resort city of Cancun, Mexico in this photo taken on June 12, 2009. In towns far from the US border such as Mérida, Mexico's drug wars seem like another world. In fact, according to a recent survey by the International Community Foundation, violence reduced the frequency or duration of trips to Mexico for only 7 percent of American retirees who live or travel frequently to Mexico.

India is a rich land in terms of both natural beauty as well as cultural heritage, and this is what eco tourists actually look for in their trip. Hence, all those interested in eco tourism have tremendous scope in India. You can visit the ancient cities, hill stations, remote villages, desert areas, wildlife parks to witness the diversity of India as an eco tourists destination. The beauty these places exude and the significance they hold in our lives have made them tremendously charming.

An eco tourism trip in India will not only bring you face to face with the exemplary creations of nature and man but will also cultivate in you an awareness about the importance of all these elements in our lives. It will also arouse in you an understanding of the importance of keeping our environment clean and beautiful.

And all this is not without fun as the eco tourism destinations in India have numerous ways to make your trip entertaining and memorable. All these places have a very different terrain and style of living as such a visit to these places is definitely going to be one of the most enjoyable trip in your life. Nothing else can be a better option for those who love nature and environment as dearly as their own entertainment.

By Indialine

Elephant Safaris in Kaziranga National Park, Assam.

Adventure travel in the Amazon rainforest attracts tourists looking to explore exotic lands and primitive cultures. Stretching from the Andes Mountains in Peru to the shores of the Atlantic Ocean in Brazil, the Amazon rainforest comprises roughly half of the world’s biodiversity. With so much natural beauty and myriad indigenous cultures, it’s no wonder the Amazon has emerged as a premier ecotourism destination.

Tribal Visits

Witness the ways of life practiced by Amazonian tribes as a highlight of a trip to the region. Numerous indigenous communities exist throughout the dense jungles and snaking rivers of the Amazon. According to Fodor’s Travel Guide, the largest groups include the Korubo and Yanomami clans of Brazil as well as the Matsés of Peru. Some tribes have adapted slightly to better accommodate tourists, but the primitive means of survival and ancient customs remain intact for the most part. Adventure travelers can see how locals have managed to live in harmony with the rainforest over the centuries, free from the development and distractions of the outside world. However, it is not advisable to visit tribes on your own. Fodor’s recommends using a trusted tour company, such as Amazon Adventures of Brazil, if you plan on going to any of the remote indigenous villages in the region. A professional guide will facilitate transportation and cross-cultural communication while taking appropriate safety precautions.

Wildlife

Wildlife abounds in the Amazon rainforest. Tourists will find national parks and nature reserves in many of the countries spread across the Amazon Basin. Professional guides take visitors to popular spots where large concentrations of exotic animals live in their natural habitats. From monkeys and frogs to jaguars and parrots, the Amazon boasts an immense array of wildlife for tourists to discover. Jaú National Park in Brazil and Manú National Park in Peru are two of the best-known places for ecotourism and wildlife observation. Fodor’s suggests wearing boots and pants if you plan on trekking to see wildlife in a park or nature reserve. This will help protect you from bites, stings and rashes.

Canopy Tours

Canopy tours are one way to see the jungle from a new perspective. Travelers move across rough terrain via treetops connected by rope bridges and zip lines. This elevated approach to trekking allows you to spot animals from above and quickly traverse dense patches of the jungle. Canopy tours are also an eco-friendly way of traveling. Much of the environmental impact that would be caused by cutting paths or roads through the forest is eliminated thanks to the raised networks of bridges and zip lines in canopy tour zones. This is an exhilarating way to see the Amazon for adventurous individuals that don’t mind heights. The Canopy Walkway, operated by Explorama, is a prominent option located in the CONAPAC Biological Reserve near Iquitos, Peru. Brazil also has many ecolodges that offer canopy tours, including the well-known Ariaú Jungle Towers resort facility.

Boat Trips

Boats provide the primary means of transportation in the Amazon. The massive Amazon River and hundreds of tributaries connect the various cities and villages in the region. A lack of roads and airports due to the dense jungle makes it necessary for most travelers and residents to get around by boat. Tour companies offering short cruises and long-distance river transportation can be found in most cities. You can take quick trips on smaller vessels or go between villages on larger ships. The G.A.P (Great Adventure People) tour company offers comfortable cruise services out of the Amazonian village of Nauta in Peru. According to Fodor’s, some oceangoing cruise ships also ferry passengers to the Brazilian cities of Manaus and Belém with most trips taking place between October and May. Fodor’s recommends companies such as Princess Cruises and Royal Olympic Cruises for tourists who want to travel with oceangoing ships along the Brazilian portion of the Amazon River.

by David Thyberg

rainforest motorboat image by Sophia Hendrick.

“SEE these olive trees?” said Celso Pereira as his pickup truck slalomed down a road flanked by thousands of them, their pale, pointy leaves glistening faintly, their limbs wretched and magnificent with age. “They make the most wonderful olive oil.”

 “And those orange trees?” he added, pointing to a small grove. They brimmed with bright, ripening fruit. “The oranges are amazing.”

The tiny restaurant ahead? “Phenomenal,” he said. The dark soil in the vineyard to the left? Incomparable. It wasn’t thickly accented English he spoke so much as the language of local pride — exultant and, truth be told, hyperbolic. I had tasted the olive oil: lovely, not life-changing. And the oranges: perfectly fine.

But there was one soaring superlative with which I couldn’t quibble. “This drive,” he said as the truck dropped like a roller coaster into the valley below. “It is the most beautiful, no?”

Yes. Oh yes. And that heady conviction had only a little to do with the wines that Mr. Pereira, a vintner in this enchanted region of northern Portugal, had just had me sample. All around us mountains undulated into the distance. The slopes in the foreground were a precipitous, mesmerizing patchwork of greens, reds, browns and grays, the earth alternately craggy and lush, terraced and cleanly diagonal, as if some grand hand had fashioned it into a tutorial on all that nature and agriculture can do.

And at the base of those slopes: a ribbon of water, playing peek-a-boo as it twisted into and out of view. This was the Douro River, the cause and compass of my trip.

I had been drawn to Portugal by word of how splendid the area around the Douro is. It is from the banks of the Douro that the sublime city of Oporto rises. It is along the Douro that a disproportionate share of Portugal’s most respected wine producers fuss over their grapes.

And it was my hope that by tracing the river from Oporto toward Spain, I might construct my favorite kind of vacation, one that mingles — within a few days and a few hours of driving — some time in an old, architecturally distinguished city with even more time in gorgeous countryside, all punctuated by big, slow, boozy meals. That’s my Italy, my France, my Spain. I wanted to make it my Portugal, too.

In fact Portugal has advantages over its more celebrated neighbors. It is appreciably less expensive, especially now, given its economic woes, which sometimes earn it mention in the same paragraph, or even sentence, as Greece. Those troubles make its outreach to tourists more ardent than ever, an effort manifest in new hotels and a fancier class of restaurants throughout the area around the Douro, where a growing tourism infrastructure has been spurred by closer international attention to Douro wines and winemakers.

What’s more, you can experience Portugal without excessive buildup and, well, bullying. Tell your friends that you’re bound for Italy and out pour the recommendations, myriad and insistent: you must, you must, you must. Tell them you’re going to Portugal and they are as likely as not stumped. You can discover this country on your own, fashion it for yourself. And in Portugal you encounter a pride of place, like Mr. Pereira’s, that doesn’t bleed into the kind of arrogance it can in a country over which the whole world fawns. Portugal’s self-regard is defensive, pleading, sweet.

I FIRST connected with the Douro in Oporto. If you’ve never been to this city and haven’t read up on it you know it mainly as the tipsy mother lode of its namesake product, port, exported to any and every country with an appreciation of fortified wine. You’re reminded of this by the gigantic signs in Vila Nova de Gaia, on the opposite side of the Douro from Oporto, that advertise some of the most prolific local producers.

But you can be indifferent to port and still thrill to Oporto, with its high bridges, its tall hills and the succinct labyrinth of narrow, cobbled streets in its scruffy old heart, snug against the river.

It’s a city of bold, sudden architectural contrasts, in which two or three blocks collapse two or three centuries. On my first afternoon there, near the summit of the city, I traced the edges of Praça da Liberdade, marveling over the way its Beaux-Arts flourishes recall Paris at its prettiest. Thirty minutes later and less than a half mile down the sharply graded descent toward the river, I was staring at the rococo facade of the Igreja da Misericórdia, which dates to the 16th century. It put me in mind of Rome.

By FRANK BRUNI

The guest house at Quinta do Vallado, overlooking one of the property’s many vineyards.