AGRA FORT

The great Mughal Emperor Akbar commissioned the construction of the Agra Fort in 1565 A.D., although additions were made till the time of his grandson Shah Jahan. The forbidding exteriors of this fort hight an inner pardise. The fort is crescent shaped, flattended on the east with a long, nearly straight wall facing the river. It has a total perimeter of 2.4 k.m., and is ringed by double castellated ramparts of red sandstone punctuated at regular intervals by bastions. A 9 mt. wide and 10 mt. deep moat surround the outer wall.

There are number of exquisite building like the Moti Masjid-a white marvel mosque akin to a perfect pearl, Diwan-e-Am, Diwan-e-Khaas, Jehangir's Palace, Khaas Mahal, Shish Mahal and Musamman or Samman Burj-where Shahjahan was held captive in 1666 A.D.

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Costa Blanca

Costa Blanca

The Costa Blanca, with its beautiful beaches, attracts millions of tourists every year. In northern coast of blanca begins with Denia and Javea two wonderful towns at the bottom of a mountain.

In southern coast blanca down to the Guardamar and Torrevieja. With these wonderful city like Elche, Palm capital of the world.

You can basically travel along the Costa Blanca as la carretera national go away all together the coast. Make sure that when you come along sometimes these beautiful small villages in search of holiday homes Costa Blanca, you have enough time to spend at

There are many attractions of the Costa Blanca, some of which are specifically for tourists, such as the Terra Mitica theme park in Benidorm or the bays of Altea and Calpe. Others are smaller towns and villages as Villajoyosa just south of Benidorm, famous for its historic center and its chocolate.

For me the greatest beauty of the Costa Blanca seavill comes from. Its beaches, along with its small villages to the Costa Blanca, the only attraction.

Further north along and Gandia Oliva between Moraira, Benissa, Teulada and Denia find the city of Javea, with the Cabo Nao, one of my favorite places on the Costa Blanca. One of the areas where lots of new Costa Blanca and Costa Blanca property is sold. You can also find some villas in Costa Blanca sale.

Costa Blanca tourist

For more on Costablanca make sure you have a good map and Costa Blanca tourist information. If you want to play a nice game of golf at one of the finest golf resort Costa Blanca, please find a list of golf clubs here. The best way to do this is the Airport (Tourist Information is before leaving the building date), or in the center of Alicante. So I always ask for information Costa Blanca.

Aruba

Aruba is an island located in the Lesser Antilles in the Caribbean Sea, 15 miles north of the coast of Venezuela.It is in the Realm of Kingdom of the Netherlands, which consists of a European part (The Netherlands) and a Caribbean-American part (Aruba and the Netherlands Antilles). There are two official languages: the Dutch language and Papiamento (local). Capital city is Oranjestad (English: "Orange City"), with a population of 26,355 (2000), it is also most important city of Aruba, it is located on the southern coast near the western end of the island. In the local language, Oranjestad is often referred to simply as "Playa". Only airport in Aruba is Queen Beatrix International Airport and it is located near Oranjestad, most of flights are flights to United States, but it also connects Aruba with Canada and South America, with daily flights to the international airports of Venezuela, Colombia, Peru, Brazil, Spain, England and most of Europe through the Schiphol Airport in the Netherlands.

With an area of approximately 70 sq. miles (184 sq. km) this small, flat, riverless island is famous for its beautiful white sand beaches. Because of its location south in the Caribbean there is very strong sun, but a light breeze keeps the temperature pleasant and almost constant at about 81°F (27°C). This climate has helped tourism as visitors to the island can reliably expect warm and sunny weather. From the tourist point of view, Aruba is divided into the southeast coast witch has the white sand beaches, turquoise seas, and warm waters, and northwest coasts witch is exposed to the Atlantic, it has a few white sand beaches, rough seas with strong currents and rocky coastline. With beautiful weather all year round and blue Caribbean waters the best thing to do in Aruba is to enjoy the sunshine on one of the many beaches:

Baby beach, is on south end of island, it’s called Baby Beach because it is very shallow and no more than five feet deep at any point, this beach is also one of the best for snorkeling on the Aruba. The water in the deeper areas, as well as around the rest of Aruba, is pretty cool and very refreshing even in August. Marine life includes Barracuda, squid, blowfish, parrot fish, angel fish, eels, snakes and a lot of other small fish, although most of these stick around the inlet. There is a small snack stand at the beach, and chairs and umbrellas for rent. This beach is a fun place to rent a Jeep Wrangler and head out to for the afternoon.

Eagle beach is near the La Cabana Resort and some timeshares. Shallow water right off the beach gives a whole different perspective to Caribbean beauty. You can relax under a palm tree, go snorkeling out and maybe see some colorful fish or take a cruise on one of the local boats. Eagle Beach is home to all this plus breathtaking hotels and resorts. So, you have white, soft and very clean sand, shade huts, palm trees, umbrellas, to get out of sun, calm water to go swim or snorkeling your is just to enjoy.

Palm beach is placed along the best resort hotels and timeshares on the island. If you are staying in one of them you'll have one of the most spectacular views of beautiful Palm Beach and the blue waters of the Caribbean. Next to Hadicurari beach, Palm beach is great for swimming, snorkeling, fishing, and sailing. You will spend over an hour walking from one end to another, while walking you'll be able to visit the high rise hotels or many bars at the beach, some have beautiful gardens and waterfalls. If you like you can visit several places along Palm Beach witch offers water sports, you can rent jet skis, go windsurfing, or rent scuba gear, they also offer instruction in each of these areas. If your hotel is not on Palm Beach, make sure you visit it.

There are more beautiful beaches on Aruba, like Hadicurari Beach, Malmok beach, Arashi beach and so on, but beaches are not only attractions on Aruba, if you are going there on vacation, you should also visit the rest of the island.

Arikok National Park, takes up approximately 20 percent of the island, it is an area of unique scenic beauty. Here are also located the Tunnel of Love and Guadirikiri Caves. Inside the park are some of the island's oldest Arawak(ancient tribe) paintings, and it draws many tourists attention. Designated as an important national area in the 1980s, Arikok National Park becomes popular for hiking, covering all kinds of terrain from hills to gold mines, and even plantation ruins.

Alto Vista Chapel is a small Catholic chapel that is located on the hills at the north shore and to the northeast of the town of Noord, original chapel was built in 1750 by Domingo Silvestre, he was an Indian from Santa Ana de Coro, Venezuela. Early in the 18th century a small group of Indians, who were Catholic began to gather at the spot where the original chapel was later built. In World War II when Aruba was attacked by German submarine , Catholics in Aruba decided to rebuild a chapel at the very site of the original chapel at Alto Visa, it was finished in 1952. Now every year in October there is a pilgrimage to Alto Vista.

California Lighthouse. If you are going to the northern shores of Aruba you should visit the light house California. It is near the Tierra del Sol golf. This lighthouse was named after a steamship called the Californian, which wrecked nearby on September 23, 1891. and to this day the ship is a popular dive site. Around the lighthouse are acres of stoned-filled flat land, and an area called California White Sand Dunes is very popular for tourists who go dune surfing. For those who don't know what is that, well it involves sliding down the dunes in any way that seems comfortable. A restaurant called La Trattoria el faro Blancois can be found near the lighthouse.

The Natural Pool or "conchi" called "Cura di Tortuga" is a secret, hidden, small pool of water hidden in natural rock formation and is perfect for a moment of total relaxation, and a getaway from crowded places. The Pool and it's surroundings are untutched so visitors can truly enjoy in total wild beauty. Diving from the rock cliffs into the protected pool of ocean water is the main reason why so many adventurers come here. It is great place for day trips.

Natural Bridge. There are 7 “Natural Bridges” in Aruba. The original (biggest and most famous one that people are referring to when they say Natural Bridge) collapsed on September 2, 2005 leaving a pile of rubble in the sea. This was one of Aruba's most popular attractions. The natural bridge was a formation of coral limestone cut out by years of pounding surf, and was one of the largest of these types of spans in the world. It standed some 23 feet (7 meters) above sea level and spans more than 100 feet (30 meters).

There are more point of interest if you are traveler in Aruba, like: Quadiriki Caves, Fort Zoutman And Willem III Tower, De Oude Molen / Windmill, Bushiribana Ruins,
Casibari Rock & Ayo Rock Formations, Aruba Aloe Factory, Aruba Ostrich Farm, and if you have time you should visit it all, and if not, well, then you must go there again.

Big Island, Hawaii

The Island of Hawaiʻi (called the Big Island) is located in the Pacific Ocean and is one of the eight main islands that comprise the U.S. state of Hawaiʻi. It is larger than all of the other Hawaiian Islands combined, main attractions are its volcanoes and Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, witch is home of the largest mountain in the world in volume (Mauna Loa) and the tallest mountain in the world as measured from its base on the sea floor to its peak (Mauna Kea).

There are two airports if you are flying to the Big Island, Kona International Airport and Hilo International Airport. There are some direct flights, mostly from California, but it is more common to arrive via Honolulu or Kahului. You should try to get a flight direct from the mainland to Kona to save time waiting at the Honolulu airport. Although several cruise ship lines operate in Hawaii, there is currently no dedicated inter-island boat service. Hawaii Superferry, a private company supported by the Hawaii state government, proposes to implement high-capacity catamaran ferry services. Renting a car is the best way to see the island. Getting around by local bus, or on foot work well if you’re staying in one area. Many budget travelers are unpleasantly surprised by the lack of public transport on the Big Island. Although there are limited bus services from Hilo to destinations like Volcano or the Kona side, they require reservations.

There are a lot of places to visit in Hawaii, and the main attractions are:

Hawai`i Volcanoes National Park 30 miles SW of Hilo on Hawaii 11, (808) 985-6000 (fax (808) 985-6004). Kilauea Visitor Center open every day 7:45 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Here in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park you can find both of the world’s largest volcano, Mauna Loa (13,677 feet high), and the world’s most active volcano, Kilauea (continuously erupting since 1983). Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park is established in 1916, displays the results of hundreds of thousands of years of volcanism, migration, and evolution—processes that thrust a bare land from the sea and clothed it with complex and unique ecosystems and a distinct human culture. The park includes 505 mi² (1348 km²) of land. Over half of the park is designated wilderness and provides unusual hiking and camping opportunities. In recognition of its outstanding natural values, Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park has been designated as an International Biosphere Reserve and a World Heritage Site.

Mauna Kea is a dormant volcano in the Hawaiian Islands, 28 miles W of Hilo on Hawaii 20, then N on the access road to the Onizuka Center for International Astronomy, (808) 961-2180. OCIA, named in memory of U.S. astronaut Ellison Onizuka, open daily 9AM - 10PM. Mauna Kea (13,796 feet), is the largest mountain in the world (measured from its base) is a volcano which has become an international center for astronomy. Several astronomical observatories are located here. The elevation is high, so there are few tourist support facilities so hiking and exploring are discouraged. Also keep an eye out for the nene, also known as the Hawaiian goose. The nene is the state bird and an endangered species.
Four wheel drive vehicles are strongly recommended above the OCIA. Several tour companies offer tours to the summit and observatories of Mauna Kea for a fee. Observatory facilities are normally closed to the public. Most rental car companies prohibit travel on Hawaii 20 (Saddle Road)

Akaka Falls State Park is a state park in Hawai‘i, located 11 miles north from Hilo (at the end of Highway 220) on the Big Island. It includes ‘Akaka Falls, a 442 ft. tall waterfall. ‘Akaka is the Hawaiian name for this feature. “‘Akaka” means "A rent, split, chink, separation; to crack, split, scale". The accessible portion of the park lies high on the right shoulder of the deep gorge into which the waterfall plunges, and the falls can be viewed from several points along a loop trail through the park. Also visible from this trail is Kahūnā Falls.

Local folklore describes a stone located here called Pōhaku a Pele that, when struck by a branch of lehua ‘āpane, will call the sky to darken and rain to fall (Pukui, Elbert, & Mookini, 1974). Lehua ‘āpane or ‘ōhi‘a ‘āpane is an ‘ōhi‘a tree (Metrosideros polymorpha) with dark red blossoms.

‘Akaka Falls is located on Kolekole Stream. A large stone in the stream about 70 ft upstream of the falls is called Pōhaku o Kāloa (Pukui, Elbert, & Mookini, 1974).

The Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden (17 acres) is a beautiful botanical garden and nature preserve located off Route 19 at 27-717 Old Mamalahoa Highway, Pāpa'ikou, Big Island. It is open daily; an admission fee is charged.

The garden is located in a scenic valley opening out to Onomea Bay, and features streams, waterfalls and a boardwalk near the ocean. It was created by Dan J. Lutkenhouse, who purchased the property in 1977 and began to develop it as a natural botanical garden. It opened to the public in 1984, and was donated by the Lutkenhouses to a nonprofit trust in 1995.

Today the garden contains over 2,000 plant species, representing more than 125 families and 750 genera, with good collections of palms (nearly 200 species), heliconias (more than 80 species), and bromeliads (more than 80 species). Some of the Garden's mango and coconut palm trees are over 100 years old.

The garden combines water and flora: A three-tiered waterfall (Onomea Falls) provides one of several water views which include Boulder Creek and the lava tubes on Onomea Bay. This is the only tropical botanical garden in the US on an ocean.

Kapoho Tide Pools on the southern Puna coast are not to be missed. This is some of the calmest snorkeling you will ever see, and the fish will come right up to you. The pools are spring-fed, and many of them are volcanically heated. There are no dive shops anywhere near here, so bring your gear if you are coming here. Go during the week if you can. Marine scientists frequent this spot, and are usually happy to share their knowledge to make your visit to the tide pools more fulfilling.

As we said Kona has some great diving opportunities during the day, but the real thing to see here is the Manta Rays. All the dive operators in town do a night dive to see the giant mantas, and this is the best and most reliable place in the world to see them. The manta rays of Kona can be up to 16 feet wide and weigh almost 2000 lbs! On any given night there are 1-20 rays feeding at the dive site, and by bringing lights in the water, plankton (their food) is attracted to feed them. Divers sit in sand on the bottom about 30 feet deep and watch these huge but harmless fishes swim inches from their faces. Though it’s at night, there is so much light in the water and it’s so shallow that this is an easy dive for novice divers, as well as a very rewarding dive for even the most seasoned divers. Snorkelers can also get a great up close view of the mantas at the same time. All you have to do is float on the water and hold a light, it’s very easy.

Black sand beaches formed by volcanic sand. There are two well-known and many less known black sand beaches. The former are Kehena Beach in the Puna district, and Punalu`u Beach in Ka`u district.

Puuhonua O Honaunau National Historic Park, S of Kailua-Kona on Hawaii 11, then W on Hawaii 160 at Honaunau Post Office. (808) 328-2326. Open MTWTh 6AM - 8PM, FSaSu 6AM-11PM. Visitor center open daily 8AM - 5:30PM. Puuhonua o Honaunau is a great place to visit if you’re interested in learning about Hawaiian history. Breakers of kapu (taboos) who could make it to this place and performed a series of rituals were granted sanctuary. Tours, traditional craft demos, and other activities can be seen here. Honu (turtles) can frequently be observed swimming in the royal fishpond. May be crowded with other tourists.

Waipi`o Valley, a large, verdant valley in the North of the islands. This valley was inhabited for a millennium, until a tsunami washed away all dwellings. Left for good by the native population, it then became the beautiful place of counterculture types.

Ho’okena Beach Park south of Honaunau should be wisited, getting in and out of the water is incredibly easy: just walk. The enter at the left side of the beach for the best snorkeling. Go during the week, if you can (save the weekends for the locals).

These are the most visited and most popular places on Big Island, so have fun and aloha!!!!

Cape Town targets cruise liners

Already famous for being one of the most beautiful tourist cities in the world, Cape Town has unveiled its ambition to become one of the best passenger cruise liner destinations in the world, in hope of securing a slice of the lucrative US$29-billion market.

The city seeks to benchmark itself against the likes of Miami, Vancouver, Sydney, Melbourne and even Auckland, which have all developed as favoured cruise liner destinations.

"The time could be ripe to re-establish Cape Town as one of the great passenger liner destinations of the world by promoting itself and the southern African region as a base for destination cruises," said the city councillor in charge of economic development and tourism, Simon Grindrod.

He said he was disappointed, however, that Cape Town and southern Africa had largely failed to benefit from the fact that cruise liner operators were seeking new destinations.

Areas such as the east coast of Australia and New Zealand have become popular cruise liner destination bases experiencing 28% annual growth between 2002 and 2004.

The advantage of cruise liners, Grindrod said, was that they could berth at ports with limited landside facilities as they were basically equipped like floating resorts. In addition, approximately 50% of passengers expected to return to places that they have visited while on a cruise.

"Given this position, areas which have previously been fairly inaccessible to this type of tourists as well as the traditional nodes could also benefit," he said.

Grindrod said that at present, Cape Town and Durban featured on the schedule of "round-the-world" cruises and vessels that are on appropriate repositioning cruises, but that this was a limited market.

Multi-purpose terminals
Cape Town has been perceived to have the perfect opportunity to develop a multi-use cruise liner terminal, though Grindrod said cruise liner terminals were not profitable investments on their own, but "given this position trend worldwide, would construct a multi-purpose use facility" that can be used as a cruise liner terminal as well as for other use.

Durban is also planning to build a cruise liner terminal as part of the re-development of the Point.

"If destination-based cruise liner business is to expand in this region, then terminals at the potential home-ports of Cape Town and Durban are probably essential," he said.

"It is stated that in the KwaZulu-Natal commissioned work that more than 85% of cruise passengers believe that cruising is an important vehicle for sampling destinations to which they may return."

Cape Town's executive director for economics, social development and tourism Mansoor Mohamed said a major challenge was that a few major players dominated the industry.

"We need to contact the cruise liner operations to market the region to these countries to assess what is required to induce them so that Southern Africa can be included on their list of cruise destinations," he said.

"Our marketing bodies also need to be prominent at the relevant trade shows around the world to promote the region as a cruise liner destination."

The cruise liner industry is the fastest growing global tourism sector and the average growth rate of the sector has been 8% per annum since 1980. Over 12-million people went cruising in 2006 and the number is expected to grow to 16-million by 2009.

The industry is estimated to be worth about US$29-billion and it sustains approximately 559 000 jobs.

Source:http://www.southafrica.info/plan_trip/holiday/cities/ctcruise-191007.htm

Visiting the state in the summer or early fall is one of life's great pleasures

If you don't like picturesque New England towns overlooking sparkling harbors with little piers and sailboat masts, you probably should not visit the coast of Maine.

And if you don't like fresh lobster, crab, scallops or mussels, by all means don't go to the coast of Maine. It would be a big waste of time.

I know what you're thinking: Summer is over and I don't even have to consider another summer vacation for at least six months. And, of course, I'm not suggesting that you visit in winter. As Mark Twain is alleged to have said: Maine is cold, but it's damp.

Nonetheless, to visit Maine in the summer or early fall is one of life'spleasures that you owe yourself. And the sooner you start planning, the
sooner you'll be sitting in your own postcard, washing down lobster and crab with a cold Sam Adams.

The key to any good trip is information. So, get your hands on the most up-to-date travel books to see which part of Maine's considerable coastline you want to explore.

If you arrive in Camden, in the Midcoast region, you'll be struck by the authenticity of this old New England port. Sure, Camden is set up for visitors with various inns and a slew of quaint bed-and-breakfasts, but like most of the small towns along this coast, it hasn't surrendered its identity to tourism.

New Englanders love their towns, and their strong

traditions keep them from falling prey to bigger-is-better development.
Still, you can stroll down to the harbor and hook a ride on an old-fashioned two-masted windjammer. You'll catch the breeze for a long reach past forested islands on Penobscot Bay before coming about and hauling back to the mainland.

Once your stomach has settled, you can drop anchor dockside for a cold refresher and select your own lobster from a tank full of the crawly creatures. Set your watch for 10 minutes and voilÀ. Call it heaven. Call it Camden. What's the difference?

There are a host of other great spots along Maine's Midcoast. The most notable is quaint Boothbay Harbor. It's reportedly quite busy in July and August. But after Labor Day and before the onset of New England's colorful autumn "leaf peeping" season, you can have the place pretty much to yourself.

Stroll, or ride a bike, along the rocky coast as the warm fog rolls in and out playing watercolor magic with harbor boats and gingerbread houses. It's New England at its intoxicating best.

No tour of the Maine coast would be complete without an excursion Down East, where peninsulas and islands creep out into the cold North Atlantic. The most popular of these places is Bar Harbor near Acadia National Park on Desert Isle.

Once a gem, Bar Harbor is now, unfortunately, a tourist trap where bus after bus drops tour groups who choke the sidewalks and trinket shops. It's one of the few places along the coast that have given way to "Disneylandification" and where the food is overly expensive and decidedly mediocre. Enough said.

The more adventurous traveler will find Down East enchantment at little places like Castine, Blue Hill and Stonington. Between Memorial Day and Labor Day, reservations at the few inns there are an absolute must.

After Labor Day, you could take a chance and, if you're lucky, get the last room in tiny Stonington on Deer Isle. If you like tranquility, this is the place for you. The historic hamlet is so quiet and beautiful that you may feel as if you're walking through a dreamscape.
Breathe deep, this is relaxation.

For a little excitement, you can wander out on the pier and watch the lobster fleet come in from 2 to 3 p.m., when you'll witness lobstermen weighing in their catch of the day.

Later on, repair to the Fisherman's Friend restaurant - one of only three eateries in Stonington - and chow down on that catch as the big orange sun falls into the harbor.

If you don't like lobster, try the scallops and mussels. And if you're one of those rare birds who can't stand shellfish, you're not completely out of luck. The haddock and cod will have your endorphins doing backflips.

A little self-discipline may be required here - if you're not careful, you could eat yourself into critical condition.

On the other hand, if you don't like fresh seafood at all, you're probably better off avoiding Maine altogether. That will leave more for us lobster and crab and mussel and scallop lovers. Did I mention Sam Adams?
Source:http://origin.sltrib.com/ci_7162520

McDuffie listed among top places to retire

McDuffie County was named one of the top 10 places in the state to retire in the Fall/Winter 2007 issue of the Retire in Georgia magazine.

"It's a big deal," said Elizabeth Vance, the McDuffie County tourism director, who turned in a nomination. "I think it's a great thing anytime you're named the best of anything. ... It only validates that McDuffie is a great place to live."

According to a press release sent out by the magazine, the editorial staff chooses 10 sites annually using criteria such as climate, travel and tourism assets, cost of living, healthcare infrastructure, housing, population, dynamics, community commitment, local park systems and lifelong learning opportunities.

Not ranked in any order, the top 10 places listed in the article are Albany-Dougherty; the City of Atlanta; Big Canoe in Pickens and Dawson Counties; Gainesville-Hall County; Douglas-Coffee County; Georgia's Lake Country in Morgan, Greene, Putnam and Baldwin Counties; Lowndes, Brooks and Lanier Counties; McDuffie and Columbia Counties; St. Mary's in Camden County and Thomasville-Thomas County.

Mrs. Vance said she did not work with Columbia County in filing McDuffie's nomination. She said migration data compiled by the magazine staff combined the two counties.

"It's not a negative thing to be with Columbia County," Mrs. Vance said. "What they don't have, we do. And what we don't have, they do. So we play off of each other. ... They have more city-like amenities, and we have a more laid back atmosphere."

Retire in Georgia is published two times a year in March and September. A partner of the Georgia Tourism Foundation, the magazine is promoted as the most comprehensive source for amenity-seeking active adults considering visiting and relocating to Georgia. The magazine is distributed throughout the state in visitor information centers, as well as chambers of commerce, county commissions, economic development and business organizations.

Complimentary issues are mailed to subscribers in Georgia and to households in states with an established pattern of relocations to Georgia, which is something Forward McDuffie Director Mike Carrington plans to take advantage of.

"It's one more thing I can use to promote our county," he said. "It's definitely something I can talk about when making presentations."
Source:http://mirror.augusta.com/