Backwaters of Kerala

Backwaters is a special feature of God’s own country – Kerala and always remain one of top priorities in tourists’ itinerary. Kerala backwaters are located close to the sea, comprise of a network of canals, lakes, lagoons and deltas. The backwaters manily receive water from the sea waves that travel beyond the shoreline, in addition, monsoons also contribute in maintaining the water level. The boat cruise across the backwaters is the ideal way to explore the Kerala backwaters. The houseboats locally called ‘Kettuvalloms’ is used to explore the backwaters. While on boat cruise you can see the fishing communities, aquatic life and many waterbird species including rare birds. Besides, the lush vegetation lined with coconut and palm groves add more to your cruising experience. Some of the famous backwaters of Kerala include :

Alleppey Backwaters – A picturesque coastal township, Alleppey is criss-crossed by a network of canals and lagoons. Often referred to as the ‘Venice of East’, Alleppey has a special place in the maritime history of Kerala. A boat cruise on the Alleppey backwaters is once in a lifetime experience. One can also enjoy one night cruise on the backwaters, which is a wonderful experience. The boat cruise takes you through the clear waters of the Punnamada Lake. Apart from backwaters, Alleppey has other attractions as well namely the 400 year old Champakkulam church, Chavara Bhavan, Ambalappuzha temple and the Alleppey Beach.

Kottayam backwaters – One of the most exotic backwater destinations in Kerala, Kottayam is called as the ‘land of lakes, latex and letters.’Also famous for its toddy tappers, Kottayam is interspersed with a network of canals and lakes. A boat cruise from Alleppey through Kottayam backwaters will certainly spellbound you. You may go on one night houseboat trip that takes you across the Punnamada lake, the venue for the popular Nehru trophy snake boat race. While on cruise you can see amazing sights like paddy being grown many feet below sea level. In fact, you can even enjoy angling with the rods provided on your request. Toddy tappers place and Vembanad Lake are other attraction in Kottayam.

Kumarakom Backwaters – Situated 10 km from Kottayam, Kumarakom is a small village known for its tranquil backwaters. With mangrove forests and coconut grooves dotting the banks of the waterways, Kumarakom offers a paradise like look. Though Kumarakom appears like a cluster of islands, but in reality is just one island formed due to the backwaters. For an exhilarating experience take a boat cruise from Alleppey to Kumarakom. En-route you will wonderful sights like women fishing with their toes or in the night you can see fishermen with torches gliding over the dark waters. As you pass the Ashtamudi lake, you can see interesting species of water birds like the wild duck, waterfowl etc. Some of the interesting sights in and around Kumarakom are Punnamada lake, Champakkulam Church, 11th Century Buddha Image, Chavara Bhavan and Ancient Ambalappuzha temple.

Kochi Backwaters – Referred as the commercial capital of Kerala, Kochi or Cochin is also a famous backwater destination in the state. The backwater stretch in Kochi is a very beautiful as the palm trees line the banks and spread across the islands. You can go for a backwater cruise in Kochi that covers the famous islands such as Bolgatty, Vyppin, Gundu and Vallarpadam. The backwater cruise in Kochi is filled with rich experience of the places and other attractions. Mattancherry Palace, St.Francis Church, Marine Drive and Shiva Temple are other attractions of Kochi.

Kollam Backwaters – A coastline district, Kollam lies about 71 kms from capital city Trivandrum. Situated close to the famous Ashtamudi lake, Kollam is renowned for its Cashew industry and historical monuments. Besides, Kollam is also known for picturesque backwaters. With lush green vegetation and crystal clear water, Kollam backwaters make the gateway to the beautiful backwaters of Kerala. A boat cruise trip from Alleppey to Kollam provide a wonderful chance to observe the nature at its best. En-route you will see the shores lined with tropical trees providing shelter to many exotic bird species like cuckoos, egrets, ducks, etc. The water is also provides a natural habitat for water plants like water lilies and lotus.

Best Locations In The World To Spend Some Quality Time

There are so many places in the world where you can plan your next vacation. India is one such place which you will find very hot and exotic in any respect. India tours are undoubtedly full of fun, excitement and alluring at the same time. Traveling different regions of India are quite fascinating and enthralling. Though traveling to any province of India needs lot of planning and arrangement but the best part is that there are many travel agents or travel websites which makes your trip enjoyable and successful, so that you remain tension free and enjoy your trip to the max. These travel websites or agents offer fantastic India tours packages which may suit your budget as well.  

People from different parts of the world are actually fond of India as it has rich heritage, great hospitality, friendly citizen and mouth watering variety of food. You will experience incredible hospitality here. Great terrains, miraculous mountains and many more places in India attract large crowd of the world.  

For tourists from different parts of the world Vietnam is the most reasonable international travel destination. Many tourists visit this place throughout the year and spend their vacations with the help of different packages offered by many travel agencies. If you are looking for convenient traveling with your friends and relatives then there are many travel agents who can assist you in this regard. Vietnam travel packages includes products and services linked to traveling such as buses, accommodation, cars, airlines, coastal transport, sightseeing tours and many other things. Travel agents organize traveling for friends, family, some small and large groups and at times business travelers can gain by taking the help of these agents which are running travel agencies all around the world. Travel agents have experience and recommend places which are worth visiting.  

Air Flights to South Africa

Home of the 2010 football World Cup, South Africa is already a great destination. Air flights to South Africa can take you to Cape Town or Johannesburg, and you’ll find yourself in a different world.

And the prices are affordable. For destinations like Johannesburg or Cape Town, you should be able to find cheap flights which you can book speedily and easily online.

When in the country of the “Springboks”, take a guided walk or a cable car up Table Mountain. There are 550 routes so it’s a place to enjoy on more than occasion, with more than 1,400 species of flowering plants – more than the whole of the British Isles – to be found on the mountainside.

Air flights to South Africa will give you a comfortable journey, with some fun too. Some airlines give a number of choices to keep you entertained, such as your own personal television screen on which you can watch a TV channel or one of the latest movies, or play a computer game. Alternatively, wired for sound, you can close your eyes, sit back and relax and listen to the radio.

South Africa is a great destination. Thousands of miles away and in the southern hemisphere, it is only 25 degrees east of London (as far east as Greece), so there is little time difference, and hardly any jet lag. However, flying time is over 12 hours, so be prepared for the long haul.

Try out the Addo Elephant National Park, rated as one of the best places in Africa to see Elephants at close quarters.

Or there is Mountain Zebra National Park, where you can see an unusual zebra: mountain-adapted, small, with a chocolate-orange muzzle, a strange wattle on its neck.

One of the Free State’s major natural highlights, the Golden Gate Highlands National Park is for travellers who enjoy the great outdoors. Just 2-3 hours by road from Johannesburg, it is an ideal self-drive getaway for anyone with a few days to spare.

Bali's Blossoming North

Bali, Indonesia is a destination known throughout the world for its sandy beaches, verdant landscape and ancient temples. As they disembark at Ngurah Rai International Airport near Kuta on their arrival in Bali, most tourists won’t ever leave the southern regions of the island for the duration of their stay. While it is true that much of the tourist infrastructure of the island is based in south Bali, there has been some concern that the pace of construction and expansion in the south is progressing far too rapidly to be sustainable. The recent announcement of plans for a new airport in North Bali is designed to alleviate this by encouraging the tourist trade away from the busy south to the more quiet north of the island.

Long regarded as Bali’s best kept secret, places like Lovina Beach, Singaraja and Tejakula in north Bali offer tourists who venture out of the busy south a great vacation experience. Not only is it less crowded and more peaceful than the south, north Bali is also generally cheaper with some truly excellent deals available to the canny traveller. The construction of the new airport in Kubu Tambahan, 23 kilometres from Lovina Beach is a sign of the government’s backing of north Bali as the island’s next hot tourist destination.

While the new airport is due for completion in 2011, visitors can enjoy the many delights on offer in north Bali today. A few hours drive by coach from Kuta or Denpasar, the north is easily accessible for anybody arriving in Bali. Resort towns like Lovina are an excellent low cost alternative to the over priced and over crowded hotels and resort communities in the south. Famous for dolphin watching and for its long stretches of black sand beach, Lovina is also home to some world class tourist accommodations and hotels such as the Lovina Beach Resort, the area’s only five-star luxury resort.

There has never been a better time to invest in premier beachfront vacation or rental units in Lovina Beach in north Bali, as property values are set to soar after the opening of the new airport in 2011.

Bharatpur National Park- The Pilgrimage for Bird Enthusiasts!

“I hope you love birds too. It is economical. It saves going to heaven”.

By: Emily Dickinson

Flaunting their bright colours and attractive figures, the beautiful birds inhabiting Bharatpur National Park attract tourists from across the globe. So get ready with your cap, sport shoes and a binocular and venture into the Baratpur National Park, a World Heritage Site. Also known as Keoladeo National Park, it is truly a paradise for bird lovers. Established in 1890 by the Maharaja of Bharatpur, the Park is located in the princely state of Bharatpur, Rajasthan. The Park derived its name from the Shiva temple located in its boundary.

Bharatpur National Park is the abode of more than 300 bird species and a variety of other wildlife species. Its temporary residents (migratory birds) flock from destinations like Europe, Siberia,China and Tibet. At the National Park you can treat your eyes with sights of interesting birds such as cormorant, darter, purple and grey heron, various species of egret, painted, open-billed, white necked and black necket stork, white ibis, spoonbill, night heron Siberian crane, the Siberian Greyleg Goose, the Chinese Bareheaded Goose and the list goes on.

Apart from the wonderful birds, the Park also houses wildlife such as pythons, Hyena, Sambhar, Chinkara, Blackbuck, Wild boar, Wildcat and Nilgai.

Other attractions inside the Park’s boundary:

Bharatpur Government Museum: This museum displays a variety of articles belonging to the erstwhile raja-maharajas of Bharatpur.

Lohagarh Fort: Built by Maharaja Suraj Mal, the fortified fort boasts of three beautiful palaces. Nobody could ever conquer this fort.

Bharatpur Palace: Reflecting perfect blend of the Rajput and Mughal styles of architecture, the palace is majestically decorated.