Archive

Posts Tagged ‘beach holiday destinations’

Seychelles Islands – A Top Destination for Luxury Beach Vacation

March 5th, 2009 No comments

The Seychelles Islands are among the leading Africa travel destinations. Situated in the Indian Ocean, the islands consist of 115 coralline and granitic islands. Visitors looking for luxury beach holidays in a serene environment or a perfect honeymoon vacation in Africa find the Seychelles archipelago the ideal destination.

The Islands are placed between 480 and 1600km off the East African coast, about 4 degrees south of the equator. The beaches of Seychelles are some of the most scenic and uncrowded in the world. The most renowned of these include the famous Anse Source d’Argent in La Digue Island, which is surrounded by beautiful granite rocks. Anse Cocos and Anse La Reunion beaches also in La Digue are equally famous, with Anse Cocos being accessible only by foot. Others are Anse a La Mouche in southwest Mahe, Anse Patates in the northern tip of La Digue, Anse Forbans, and Anse Union.

The cultural center of Seychelles is formed by the La Digue, Mahe, and Praslin islands. The many more remaining islands form what is commonly known as the outer islands, which extend in a gleaming arc towards the East Africa coast. The only islands with accommodation facilities among the outer islands are Alphonse and Desroches. Most travelers on Seychelles holiday tours have over the years visited either Praslin, Mahe, or La Digue.

Mahe, measuring 28 km long and 8 km wide, is the principal island of Seychelles and the home to the Mahe International Airport. Praslin is the second popular island in Seychelles, renowned for the legendary Coco-de-mer nut that grow on ancient giant palms in the wondrous Vallee de Mai Forest. Praslin is located 44 km to the north east of Mahe and it features exquisite beaches such as Anse Boudin, Anse Georgette, Anse Lazio, Anse La Farine, Anse Possession, Anse Matelot, Grand Anse, Anse Volbert, Anse Kerlan. On the other hand, time seems to stand still on La Digue where on-carts hold sway on the paths to the dream beach of Anse La Source d’Argent.

The main point of entry for international travel into Seychelles is the Mahe International Airport, the hub of Seychelles Republic’s national airline ” Air Seychelles. The airline conducts weekly scheduled flights between four European capitals and Seychelles, and also connects Seychelles with three other Indian Ocean cities. Air Seychelles also operates internal inter-island flights in Seychelles. Several Seychelles hotels can also arrange special flights upon visitor’s request, though a helicopter flight service is available between Mahe, Silhouette, Fregate, and North Islands.

Seychelles attractions go beyond its world renowned beaches. The legendary Vallee de Mai, the Ile Coco Marine National Park, Aride Island, Curieuse Island, and Aldabra are just some of the attractions visitors can enjoy in the Seychelles Islands. Two of these are UNESCO World Heritage sites i.e. the Vallee de Mai (considered by some people to have been the Garden of Eden), and the Aldabra (the largest raised atoll in the world). Aride Island is a breeding site for seabirds and hosts ten species of endemic birds including Brush Warblers, Magpie Robins, and Fodies. As such, Aride is regarded as one of the most important nature reserves in the world.

Seychelles Islands have a tropical climate. Between the months of October and March, during the North West trade winds, the weather is warm and humid and the sea generally calm. Visitors to the Islands can move around relatively easily with the aid of the self explanatory map of Seychelles.

About the Author:

Seychelles Islands ” An Ideal Beach Holiday Destination in Africa

February 19th, 2009 No comments

The Seychelles Islands are among the leading Africa travel destinations. Situated in the Indian Ocean, the islands consist of 115 coralline and granitic islands. Visitors looking for luxury beach holidays in a serene environment or a perfect honeymoon vacation in Africa find the Seychelles archipelago the ideal destination.

The Islands are placed between 480 and 1600km off the East African coast, about 4 degrees south of the equator. The beaches of Seychelles are some of the most scenic and uncrowded in the world. The most renowned of these include the famous Anse Source d’Argent in La Digue Island, which is surrounded by beautiful granite rocks. Anse Cocos and Anse La Reunion beaches also in La Digue are equally famous, with Anse Cocos being accessible only by foot. Others are Anse a La Mouche in southwest Mahe, Anse Patates in the northern tip of La Digue, Anse Forbans, and Anse Union.

La Digue, Praslin, and Mahe Islands form the cultural heart of Seychelles. The many other remaining islands extend in a gleaming arc towards the East African coast, and are often referred to as the outer islands. Among these outer Islands, only Alphonse and Desroches have accommodation facilities for tourists. Over the years, travelers undertaking holiday tours in Seychelles mostly visit either Mahe, La Digue, or Praslin Islands.

Mahe, the principal Island in Seychelles, measures about 8km wide and 28km long. The Island hosts the Mahe International Airport. The second most popular island is Praslin, which is famous for among other things the Coco-de-mer nut produced from giant ancient palms in the Vallee de Mai Forest. Located 44km northeast of Mahe, Praslin island is also home to several exquisite beaches including Anse Lazio, Anse Georgette, Anse Boudin, Anse La Farine, Anse Matelot, Anse Volbert, Grand Anse, Anse Possession, and Anse Kerlan. La Digue Island, Seychelles’ third popular Island, has the Anse Source d’Argent, a dream beach destination.

The main point of entry for international travel into Seychelles is the Mahe International Airport, the hub of Seychelles Republic’s national airline ” Air Seychelles. The airline conducts weekly scheduled flights between four European capitals and Seychelles, and also connects Seychelles with three other Indian Ocean cities. Air Seychelles also operates internal inter-island flights in Seychelles. Several Seychelles hotels can also arrange special flights upon visitor’s request, though a helicopter flight service is available between Mahe, Silhouette, Fregate, and North Islands.

There are more attractions to see in Seychelles than just its beautiful beaches. Some fascinating sites for Seychelles visitors include Ile Coco Marine National Park, the famous Vallee de Mai, the legendary Aldabra, Aride Island, and Curieuse Island. Two of these have in fact been designated as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. These are the Aldabra (world’s largest raised atoll), and the Vallee de Mai (regarded as the original Garden of Eden by a number of people). Aride Island is among the most important nature reserves in the world, being the breeding ground and home to ten species of endemic seabirds including Fodies, Magpie Robins, and Brush Warblers.

Seychelles enjoys tropical climate all year around. During the North West Trade Winds between the months of October and March, the sea is generally calm and the weather is warm and humid. The map of Seychelles island is self explanatory and visitors can get around the archipelago with much ease.

About the Author:

Zanzibar Island: Explore An Amazing Beach Holiday Destination

December 23rd, 2008 No comments
by Andrew Muigai

Among the top holiday destinations in the world, few can rival the beauty of Zanzibar Islands. Lying in the Indian ocean 36 km off Tanzania’s coast, Zanzibar consists of the Unguja and Pemba islands. Of these two, Unguja island is the more developed and is what most people know as Zanzibar.

Zanzibar (meaning Land of the Blacks in Arabic)is particularly famed for its alluring white beaches majority of which are placed along the east coast, near the northern tip of the island, where fishing villages dot the landscape.

There are more than 30 pristine beaches in Zanzibar. Most of Zanzibar beaches are quiet and unspoilt that the only noise breaking the silence is likely to be the ocean. At the northern end of the island is Nungwi, arguably the best beach in Zanzibar and the island’s dhow building capital. Nungwi is accessed by a road lined by banana palms, mangroves and coconut trees and it is a good spot to see traditional craftsmen at work.

The other beaches worth visiting in Zanzibar include Mangapwani beach on the west coast, and Matemwe, Pwani Mchangani, Bwejuu, Jambianito, Uroa, and Kiwengwa beaches on the east coast. These have wide stretches of beautiful uncrowded sands, some of the highlights of a Zanzibar beach holiday.

Zanzibar has a number of smaller offshore islands with several attractions in addition to the pristine beaches. The most popular of these small islands is Prison island, which is situated just a short distance from Zanzibar’s capital town of Stone Town. The island’s giant tortoises are its major attraction. However, the clear waters surrounding Prison island provide ideal conditions for snorkeling, which attracts many visitors there annually.

Zanzibar’s population comprises of Africans, Persians, Asians, and Arabs. The majority of them are Muslim (95%), with the remaining being Christians, Hindus, and followers of other religions. The official and national language of Zanzibar is Swahili. English is also spoken in many places, and most residents have some knowledge of the Arabic language. Fishing and agriculture are the other main economic activities of Zanzibar, in addition to tourism.

Zanzibar island is not so big; you can actually explore the entire island in one day. Moving around in the Island is also made easy by Zanzibar’s self explanatory map, such that it is possible to move around without the assistance of tour guides. The best months to go for a Zanzibar holiday tour are from July through March when temperatures average at 25 degrees Celsius. With very little rainfall during that period, the air is usually dry and breezy. April and May in Zanzibar experience heavy rainfall, thus not a good time for a tour of the island.

Zanzibar can be reached by air, as well as the sea. Gulf Air, Ethiopian Airlines, Air Mauritius and KLM (in conjunction with Kenya Airways) are presently offering international scheduled flights to Zanzibar. Transport can also be arranged from Dar es salaam which is only a short trip by sea or by air from Zanzibar. Dar es Salaam has regular scheduled flights, small charters and fast boats to Zanzibar.

About the Author: