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Posts Tagged ‘indian ocean’

Traveling Through South Africa

September 3rd, 2009 No comments

A vibrant and diverse land, South Africa is home to dreamy beaches, exciting wild grasslands, awe-inspiring deserts, and even some rather impressive vineyards. The tragedy of Europe’s invasion and exploitation of the land has evolved since the fall of apartheid into a rich melting pot of both European and African culture. On a simple drive you may find yourself torn between the contrasting sights of white and black architecture and culture, from Paris to Delhi and back again. For those who are unaware, Indians are a significant portion of the communities of South Africa that have a great impact.

Best time to visit South Africa: Normally, anybody can visit South Africa year round, as the climate is pleasant and warm. The climate is exactly the opposite of the climate in North America or Europe. South Africa enjoys winter during the month of July.

In South Africa, June to September is the best time for safaris and wildlife observation. Because of dry season or dryness, animals come out near to the watering places. It is the best time to watch and observe them. Krger national park and in the protected game areas of KwaZulu Natal, are the noted parks of South Africa. Temp is around 25deg C. during day. As compare to the day, nights are cool. South African summer is warm on the east coast. Its Indian Ocean plays very important role in maintaining pleasant role for whole year. Some times summer is very bad and tough. Temperature goes up and very difficult to live. This could make bearable by extreme dryness. The autumn has usually pleasant temperatures. Some time its rains in autumn. Occasionally Cape Town goes thru unpleasant southeast winds. This usually abates from March to April.

Autumn normally has good temperatures with a little rain, and during this season the unpleasant winds in Cape Town begin to come to an end. In spring there are cooler temperatures with a medium amount of rain. This season is a treat for flower lovers. During August and September, visitors to Namaqualand in North Cape and the western areas of West Cape can enjoy the highly praised and anticipated “Miracle of Flowers.”

Following care is a must while traveling in Johannesburg and in the capital Pretoria: 1) Preferable travel in group. 2) Don’t carry much cash while site seeing. Keep cash in your room only. 3) Get full information in detail about tour / program and follow strictly. 4) Never drive with unlocked windows and doors. 5) It is advisable to go for rent a car. 6) If feels danger of attack, drive off immediately.

While special inoculations aren’t necessary, if you’re visiting during the rainier season, you should acquire a malaria shot. Don’t underestimate the mosquitoes; pack long-sleeved shirts and mosquito nets. The hospitals are quite competent and the pharmacies have a wide variety of medicines, but you must pay for these things locally, so you’ll want to get health insurance before you travel.

Customs Allowances: Each person may bring a liter of liquor, two liters of wine, 2 packs of cigarettes and 250 grams of tobacco as well as 50ml of perfume. The unit of currency is the South African Rand. As exchange rates vary, you will need to check the rate when you are booking hotels or making travel arrangements. The major, international credit cards are accepted in all states. With your own credit card and pin number you can get cash at many cash machines problem-free. The FIFA Football World Cup takes place in South Africa in 2010.

Graham McKenzie is the webmaster for a leading South African Flight Comparison portal, to book a flight, simply visit our website at: http://www.saflights.co.za

Aldabra Atoll

August 24th, 2009 No comments
by Arthur Anderson

Aldabra Atoll is part of the Aldabra Group, one of the archipelagos of the Outer Islands of the Seychelles. The second largest atoll in the world after Kiritimati, Aldabra is the coraline tip of a volcanic seamount, coming up from depths of 4,000 to 4,500m (13,120 to 14,760 ft). At 34 km (21 mi) long, 14.5 km (9 mi) wide and just 8 in (26 ft) above sea level, the atoll consists of four coral limestone islands forming a circle around a lagoon of 224 sq km (86 sq mi).

The lagoon is tidal loses two-thirds of its waters at low tide. Aldabra was given World Heritage status in 1982 to protect its delicate ecological environment.

Because the atoll is so remote, many of its species of flora and fauna are found only here. The islets and rocky outcrops in the lagoon provide nesting areas for thousands of birds.

It has possibly the largest population of red-tailed tropic birds and the second largest colony of frigate birds in the world. Many other birds are found here also, including the Aldabra flightless rail, the only flightless bird found on any Indian Ocean island.

The Aldabran giant tortoises are, however, the atoll’s most renowned residents, being the last of the giant tortoises which were once spread across the entire region. Commercial exploitation is believed to have rendered all other giant tortoises in the area extinct by the mid-19th century, and very nearly exterminated the Aldabran population. Two species of marine turtle also nest on beaches on Aldabra: the green turtle and hawksbill turtle.

Unlike the nearby Seychelles, the atoll is inhospitable to humans as the limestone has been eroded into sharp spikes and water-filled pits. However, the mangroves support fish nurseries, and the lagoon is home to a wealth of marine life, from black-tipped reef sharks to eagle rays and parrot fish.

For almost a century, scientists have been studying the flora and fauna of the atoll, which is uninhabited other than by those working at the scientific research station.

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The Stunning Maldives

May 1st, 2009 No comments

The Maldives, an archipelago of over one thousand islands grouped in to twenty six coral atolls have over two hundred islands that are inhabited with people, and another eighty that are just tourist resorts. The Maldives lies in the Indian Ocean south-southwest of India and is considered a part of Southern Asia.

Maldives is a famous destination for people to visit for their honeymoon. The large section of visitors here are couples. Apart from enjoying your honeymoon, the major activity you can indulge in on the island is scuba diving. The atolls are all coral reefs that are hundreds of miles from any main land mass which implies that the water is very clear, and you can see ample underwater sharks and manta rays to even some wrecks.

The finest scuba diving can be experienced away from the central island of Male. The further you get from the inner atolls, the clearer the waters; hence it is advised that you reserve your resort in line with that. If you fancy saving money, think about choosing a live board as a replacement for of booking a costly resort which will charge you a great deal.

The water currents around the Maldives vary. The water currents are generally little inside the atolls, but the areas, which face the open ocean can actually have strong currents, which is why it is suggested to go for diving with professionals. The water temperature is quite warm, with divers only needing a 3mm shorty or Lycra diveskin, and decompression chambers can also be found on Bandos in Kaafu or Kuramathi on Alifu.

When in Maldives, you can even enjoy shopping. The local currency is the Maldivian rufiyaa nevertheless you can also make use of dollars in the resorts. You can procure handicraft items while out on the bigger islands. Even though, there are not several local things that you may crave to take home, the currency is striking, hence consider taking some back as a memento.

The local cuisine comprises of fish, mostly tuna. It is extremely South Indian and Sri Lankan in nature. The foodstuff is hot and spicy, and very many coconuts are used in making it. They typically have some vegetables. Generally meals have rice, fish broth and side dishes of onions, chilli, and lime. There are also various types of curries, and numerous types of bread.

Since the people of Maldives are Muslim, locals can’t drink alcohol. Foreigners, however, are allowed to drink, and you can find alcohol at your resort or liveboard. The Maldives is very expensive and is not at all cheap like other Asian and South Asian spots. So make sure you look around before booking into a resort as the prices for them vary.

The Maldives is a striking destination to enjoy your forthcoming holiday with their abundant islands and attractive dive spots. Just remember to visit during good weather conditions; if not the rain will make it impractical to have any excitement at all during your beach holiday.

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Enjoying Holidays in The Seychelles

April 15th, 2009 No comments

The Seychelles are a collection of one hundred and fifteen islands that are located close to each other. These are situated in the Indian Ocean, off the coast of East Africa and northeast of Madagascar, and are all within one hundred and seventy five square miles of each other. The beautiful scenery, blue waters, and vibrant culture that they have make them a perfect place for an island holiday.

The Seychelles were the cause of dispute between France and Great Britain during colonial times with Britain ending up getting control after the Napoleonic Wars. The islands, however, were given independence in 1976, although the first free elections were held in 1993.

The beaches at the islands are virtually unharmed by man. They are not at all crowded like most beaches in Europe, and are elegant with spick and span white sands. You can spend all day lazing around on them without caring for what is happening around in the world and without being upset at all. A spot worth visiting is the Vallee de Mai which is a world legacy site, and also the place where the world’s biggest seed is found namely the coco de mer.

The initial thing that you must perform while in the Seychelles is to opt for underwater diving. Scuba diving is one of the most admired activities on the island, and the clear waters and gorgeous corals make it a wonderful spot for this. There are four marine parks in this island nation with other one hundred and fifty varieties of humid fish. Dolphin sightings are also very general around these islands.

The world’s largest coral islet stretches over twenty two miles from east to west and has a colossal tidal pond within it. This is also the position where the enormous land tortoise, the tiger shark, and manta rays can be most often viewed.

Night time delight is not the optimum characteristic about the Seychelles, so don’t foresee much. Most hotels offer activities, the mass of which are cabarets but besides this there are only a couple of clubs in Victoria and not much else.

However, if you are interested in golfing, then you are at the right place as the Lemuria Resort has a great professional golf course. Other activities to take part in here include tennis, squash, badminton, and horseback riding. You can even rent some bikes and take a ride around the islands. You should also consider exploring the islands on a yacht; you can rent these from the islands itself. Windsurfing is also quite popular during the months of May and October.

The neighborhood delicacies to test consist of curry or clean seafood. Both can be found at about every restaurant. Creole cooking is very frequent with coconuts being used in the cooking. The main product obtainable is fish which is cooked in various different ways. The fish you ought to try is the Red Snapper.

Seychelles proffers many options to people from beach related actions to shopping and sports. Make sure you relish your holiday on this tropical dreamland.

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Holidays in Mauritius – What to Eat and Drink

February 19th, 2009 No comments

Mauritius is an island in the Indian Ocean, to the east of Madagascar. While this island is beautiful and filled with resorts attracting tourists to the islands pristine beaches, sun and sand is not all this island has to offer.

Mauritius will surprise you with its exquisite mouth watering cuisine and this is something that you certainly must try if you visit the island. Due to its many settlers, the island’s cuisine has been influenced by the French, Chinese, Indians, and Africans. Therefore, its food will spoil your taste buds, and you will discover a selection in the flavors available to you.

Mainly meals are served with rice, flat bread, (chapatti) or roti (paratha). These are eaten with the numerous kinds of curries you can find in restaurant. The food is full of spices that include cardamom, cloves, and herbs like basil and curry leaf. So, prepare your system to go through a little shock in the start.

There are a lot of lentil dishes available including lentil soup (dal), and you should try the vast variety as you will not find this vast variety of dishes based on lentils in any other country, unless you’re in South Asia. You will also find Indian delicacies like Dholl puri on street corners which is a common snack to eat during the day.

Biryani is another delicious dish that could not be missed. This is rice with meat and potatoes, but involves the use of a massive amount of spices which are layered with the meat, potatoes, and rice on top of each other in a huge pan and then cooked on a low heat. The resulting flavors are so good, and work so well together that you will be ordering this Mughal dish in your local Indian/Pakistani restaurants every time you visit these restaurants.

Like Dholl Puri, you can find other snacks on the roads as well. The infamous Gateaux Piments, samosas, and octopus curry are all commonly found, and well worth trying out.

The local drink is Cane Rum. It is cheap, and very nice with a Coca Cola and ice. Rum is a great drink to have on the island, and look out for a coconut water drink with lemon and rum on ice as well. Rum that you buy should be at least five years old to be worth the money. The local beer Phoenix, is not only very cheap (less than a pound), but also very famous around the world. So, you should definitely try it in its local habitat, but make sure it is served to you cold. Black Eagle beer is another brand you should watch out for.

So, when in Mauritius make sure you not only see just the beaches and landscapes, but also take some time out to enjoy the local cuisine and drinks. The perfect method to see any country is by learning more about its culture, and the best way to do that is through its food.