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Adventure in Thailand

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 07:50:33 +0000

Adventure takes many forms : a new relationship or job, sushi for the first time, or even a walk through an L.A. slum at 2 am on a Saturday night – all qualify.

Webster’s dictionary defines adventure as “an exciting or remarkable experience.” It’s when we break out of our daily routine and dare to take on a new challenge, boldly going into territory that is unfamiliar to us.

But most people, when they think of adventure, think of travel. And though pretty much the whole world has been explored before by other people (with Marco Polo setting the benchmark several hundred years ago), what matters is that it is your discovery. Adventure travel is a highly personal thing and what it teaches you about the vast world that surrounds you and its relationship to you is what makes it both worthwhile and essential.

This is probably why adventure travel keeps growing in popularity. In a world gone wrong, cluttered with technology, self-interested politicians, bureaucracy, greed and numerous other complications, it is crucial to get back to the basics of life and to set personal challenges that bring out the noble savage in us.

So remove yourself to another place, with strange people and customs, follow your nose, trust your instincts, and find a part of yourself you’d almost forgotten.

Thailand is an ideal location to live out these dreams – or alternate realities. With more than 25,000 square kilometers of national park land, islands, mountains, and a welcoming people, new and enlivening experiences are waiting for you to live them out.

Though there are endless adventures available here, two of the more popular possibilities involve going as high and as low as you can.

Scuba Diving : The Amphibian Within

There’s no getting around it. It’s programmed into our DNA that we are creatures of the sea, with a deep-seated desire to return to it. Meander aimlessly on thoughtful walk some lazy Sunday and your feet, of their own accord, will inevitably take you to the water – a lake, a pond, an ocean or a very large puddle – whatever is closest. We look out and yearn to return to our roots. Thanks to Jacques Cousteau, it is now possible, for a short time anyway, to return to the sea completely – for as long as the air in the tank lasts.

Thailand, with its countless beaches, coral reefs and modern dive schools is a popular spot to learn to scuba dive. Thousands of proud new divers earn their PADI international dive certificates every year.

It can be a bit scary at first – our instincts also tell us that we can’t breathe under water – but once you master the basic technicalities, there’s no experience like it. You have freedoms undreamed of by land dwellers. You are weightless, and can go left, right, forward backwards, up and down – and you are surrounded by colourful fish and plants. It’s another world down there.

But like anything worthwhile, it does take a bit of work and discipline to make your first dive. Over the course of a week or so, you take a step by step open water course to ensure maximum safety. You’ll start out in a classroom, studying buoyancy and pressure – you even have homework and exams to do (What? Homework at the beach?!!) This is combined with practice, starting in shallow water, learning to use the equipment getting comfortable with the idea – and soon you’re heading off to the open water by boat, working your way up to dives as deep as 18 meters. In less than a week, you are granted your certificate and can dive anywhere in the world unaccompanied – the beginning of a beautiful new friendship with the other two-thirds of the planet.
Where to Go Under

With more than 3,000 km of coastline and countless islands, Thailand has enough dive sites to keep any enthusiast busy for a lifetime. Most divers head out from island and mainland areas on day trips, but it is also possible to explore more remote and less inhabited areas on liveaboard boats, heading out for several days at a time.

All of the places listed have several certified dive schools.

On the Gulf of Thailand side, or east coast of Thailand’s southern peninsula, the main diving area is in and around the Samui Archipelago, which includes the main islands of Koh Pa Ngan, the well-touristed Koh Samui, and Koh Tao, which is the country’s most popular diving island, featuring several coral reefs a short boat ride away.

On the Andaman Sea side, or west coast, are the islands of Phuket (the most popular holiday island in the country), Koh Phi Phi, the Krabi mainland, and the up-and-coming Koh Lanta.

Central Thailand’s south coast also has a few spots. Some divers base themselves in the wild nightlife town of Pattaya, but it’s a bit of a boat ride to the best dive sites. Heading east, almost to the Cambodian border is the Koh Chang National Marine Park, a group of more than 40 protected islands, surrounded by coral reefs.

Trekking : Because it’s there.

Thailand’s north is a gorgeous place where lushly vegetated mountains rise majestically from the earth – the tropical tail end of the Himalayan chain. For some mysterious reason mountains were made to be climbed. There seems to be an innate desire to struggle to peaks and look down on creation as if we were God almighty. When you are at a great height, taking in vast areas of creation in a single glance, the world, for a fleeting moment, belongs to you alone. In Thailand’s north, you can do just that, with the added bonus that along the way, you can rest overnight with Thailand’s hilltribe people. There are several different hilltribes, including the Akha, Meo, Lisu and Lahu – all with their own unique traditional lifestyle. These people migrated from Southern China into what until relatively recently was uninhabited territory less than two centuries ago, and set up shop as subsistence farmers.

Treks can run from two days to a week or more, as you hike through the jungle pathways on foot, by elephant (a daunting prospect at first), and by bamboo river raft, breathing fresh air, watching abundant wildlife and tiring your limbs, until you come upon the welcoming hilltribe village that you will call home for the night.

An evening with a Thai hilltribe is an unforgettable experience. After your hike, the food tastes fantastic, and along with the villagers you settle sit around the fire, singing songs and watching traditional dances – be prepared to do a number or two yourself from your home country.

After a few hours with these charming people, you may find yourself tempted to give up your career in accountancy, or whatever it is you do back home, shed yourself of all your possessions and live the simple life of honest hard work and a bowl of rice at the end of the day. Tempted, yes, but after a little reflection on the labours you have to put in for that rice bowl, you’ll probably opt to take home a few of the colourful handicrafts, and treasure your memories from the land of comfort from whence you came. Really, it’s better this way.

Trekking : Where to Start

Chiang Mai, in Thailand’s mountainous north was the original home of hilltribe trekking, but in recent years a few other places have gotten into the act. Chiang Mai itself is a relaxed city of about one million people, and the springboard to some great trekking locations, including Doi Inthanon National Park, which is the host to Thailand’s tallest peak at 2700 meters. The second city of trekking is the more somnambulant Chiang Rai, a bit further north. Both cities have very good airports and regular flights from Bangkok and elsewhere.

One young upstart in Thailand’s trekking world is Nan, northeast of Chiang Mai, and the coldest spot in Thailand (which is nonetheless pretty darn warm if it snows in your hometown). New luxury hotels have been popping up here recently, yet many of the hilltribes in this area are new to visitors – so it’s possible to enjoy the best of both worlds.

Also becoming popular is the charming little town of Pai, which has developed into a Bohemian arts center for disillusioned hippie folk from both Thailand and abroad. The town is in the valley, surrounded by evergreen and rugged mountains with several trekking trails and hidden waterfalls.

Thailand has beautiful place very much if you come to tour in thailand , assure that ,you do will not be defeated certainly.

Kauai Condos: Taking a History Lesson Before Your Visit Gives Perspective Few Have

Fri, 27 Aug 2010 07:44:23 +0000

If you’re opting to rent or buy one of the many beautiful Kauai condos, you likely already know that you are treating yourself to residence on one of the most beautiful and unique places on Earth. That said, you’d be surprised how many people visit this incredible Garden Isle paradise without truly understanding the historical context of how it came to be what it is today. Taking the time to understand that context will enrich your experience on Kauai, no matter how long you plan to stay!

The landscape diversity under the foundations of your Kauai condo

Like all the Hawaiian islands, Kaua’i was made by volcanoes pushing up, out of the sea. As the oldest island in the chain, its mountain tops don’t boast the height or size of its younger neighbors on the Big Island, but there is one claim to fame that sets Kauai apart from anywhere else: The eastern slopes of Kauai’s second highest mountain, Mount Wai’ale’ale, are one of the wettest spots on Earth – with over 460 inches of rain per yer!

Don’t worry though. Living on Kaua’i doesn’t mean you’ll be drenched all the time. Kaua’i actually has seven different distinct micro climates ranging from dry desert to tropical rain forest – which means that you have a wide range of climates to pick from when choosing where to rent or buy your Kauai condo or vacation home.

Understanding your lineage as a Kauai homeowner

Culturally, Kauai is very diverse as well. The Marquesans are believed to be the island’s first inhabitants, arriving from Polynesia around 400 A.D. 600 years later, the Tahitians arrived and overpowered the locals who called the island home. Much of the plant life, as well as the chickens that are ancestors to the scourge you currently see in Kauai, were originally brought by the Polynesian peoples.

This island’s ruler, Kaumuali’i, managed to twice thwart invasion from King Kamehameha, even going so far as to negotiate with the Russians in an effort to maintain independence. He finally ceded Kaua’i on his deathbed to the Kingdom of Hawaii in 1824 in order to avoid further bloodshed.

The first well recorded European contact came in 1778 when Captain Cook landed in Waimea Bay. Starting in the mid-18th century, sugar plantations were Kauai’s most important industry, and opened the way for the waves of immigrants, whose ancestors make up Kauai’s multicultural population today.

Kauai originally had its own dialect, thought to be closer to its Polynesian origins than the other islands, and managed independence for so long in part because of its 1000-ft cliffs ringing the Na Pali Coast, a place that is accessible only by hiking, boat or helicopter even today!

Today, buying or renting Kauai condos means that you will take part in a line of paradise-seeking people dating back over a thousand years. Each era has left its mark, and if you understand what you’re looking at, there is nothing quite like hiking the Na Pali Coast or standing at an overlook on Waimea Canyon and envisioning history unfolding on this Eden-like island in the middle of the Pacific!

Kauai Condos: Learn The History, Feel The Present, Wonder About The Future

Sat, 21 Aug 2010 08:07:00 +0000

The landscape diversity under the foundations of your Kauai condo

Don’t worry though. Kaua’i is not all rain. Kaua’i actually has seven different distinct micro climates ranging from dry desert to tropical rain forest – Giving you a lot of options in terms of weather variations in the process of selecting the perfect Kauai vacation home or condo to lease or purchase.

Understanding your lineage as a Kauai homeowner

This island’s ruler, Kaumuali’i, managed to twice thwart invasion from King Kamehameha, even going so far as to negotiate with the Russians in an effort to maintain independence. In 1824, Kaua’i was formally surrendered upon his death to the Kingdom of Hawaii to shun further atrocities.

True Experts in the Kauai Real Estate Market, KOA Properties is there to help you every step of the way in the buying or selling of your spectacular Kauai home. Contact (808) 828-6644 today to get all of your questions answered.

Lake Tahoe

Sun, 15 Aug 2010 07:45:59 +0000

Geography

Rocky terrain is highlighted by a recent snow on US Highway 50 southwest of South Lake Tahoe.

Lake Tahoe is the second deepest lake in the U.S., with a maximum depth of 1,645 feet (501 m), trailing only Oregon’s Crater Lake at 1,949 ft (594 m). Tahoe is also the 16th deepest lake in the world, and the fifth deepest in average depth. It is about 22 mi (35 km) long and 12 mi (19 km) wide and has 72 mi (116 km) of shoreline and a surface area of 191 square miles (490 km2). Washoe Indians used the lake. Approximately 2/3 of the shoreline is in California. The south shore is dominated by the lake’s largest city, South Lake Tahoe, California, which adjoins the town of Stateline, Nevada, while Tahoe City, California is located on the lake’s northwest shore. Although highways run within sight of the lake shore for much of Tahoe’s perimeter, many important parts of the shoreline now lie within state parks or are protected by the United States Forest Service.

The lake situates in parts of two counties in California and three in Nevada. According the Census Bureau, it has a surface area of 496.210 km (191.588 sq mi) distributed among these five counties in the given percentages:

Placer County, California (40.961%)

El Dorado County, California (28.626%)

Douglas County, Nevada (13.207%)

Washoe County, Nevada (10.955%)

Carson City, Nevada (6.251%)

Natural history

Geology

Lake Tahoe from space

The Lake Tahoe Basin was formed by a geologic block (normal) faulting. A geologic block fault is a fracture in the Earth’s crust causing blocks of land to move up or down. Uplifted blocks created the Carson Range on the east and the Sierra Nevada on the west. Down-dropped blocks (a graben) created the Lake Tahoe Basin in between.

More technically, Lake Tahoe is the youngest of several extensional basins of the Walker Lane Deformation Belt that accommodates nearly 12 mm/yr of dextral shear between the Sierra Nevada Microplate and North America. The Lake Tahoe basin is formed by a series of large down-to-the-east normal faults, including the West Tahoeollar Point fault, Stateline/North Tahoe fault and the Incline Village fault. These right-stepping en-echelon faults are capable of large magnitude 7 earthquakes, with the most recent M7 paleoquake (~1500 AD) occurring on the Incline Village fault with nearly 9.7 ft (3.0 m) of vertical offset. The West Tahoe-Dollar Point Fault (WTDPF) appears to be the most active and potentially hazardous fault in the basin. A study in Fallen Leaf Lake, just south of Lake Tahoe, used seafloor mapping techniques to image evidence for paleoearthquakes on the WTDPF and revealed the last earthquake occurred between 4,100-4,500 years ago.

Some of the highest peaks of the Lake Tahoe Basin that formed during process of Lake Tahoe creation are Freel Peak at 10,891 feet (3,320 m), Monument Peak at 10,067 feet (3,068 m), Pyramid Peak at 9,983 feet (3,043 m) (in the Desolation Wilderness), and Mount Tallac at 9,735 feet (2,967 m).

Eruptions from the extinct volcano Mount Pluto formed a dam on the north side. Melting snow filled the southern and lowest part of the basin to form the ancestral Lake Tahoe. Rain and runoff added additional water.

Modern Lake Tahoe was shaped and landscaped by scouring glaciers during the Ice Ages, which began a million or more years ago. Lake Tahoe is fed from 63 tributaries with the Truckee River as the only outlet. The Truckee flows northeast through Reno, Nevada and into Pyramid Lake, Nevada which has no outlet.

Soils of the basin come primarily from andesitic volcanic rocks and granodiorite, with minor areas of metamorphic rock. Some of the valley bottoms and lower hill slopes are mantled with glacial moraines, or glacial outwash material derived from the parent rock. Cryopsamments, Cryumbrepts, rockland, rock outcrops and rubble and stony colluvium account for over 70% of the land area in the basin (see USA soil taxonomy). The basin soils (in the < 2 mm fraction) are generally 65-85% sand (0.052.0 mm).

Given the great depth of Lake Tahoe, and the locations of the normal faults within the deepest portions of the lake, modeling suggests that earthquakes on these faults can trigger tsunamis. Wave heights of these tsunamis are predicted to be on the order of 10 to 33 ft (3 to 10 m) in height, capable of traversing the lake in just a few minutes. A massive collapse of the western edge of the basin that formed McKinney Bay around 50,000 years ago is thought to have generated tsunami/seiche wave with height approaching 330 ft (100 m).

Climate

Fallen Leaf Lake and Lake Tahoe in background from Angora Ridge Rd. to the Angora Lakes Resort

Mean annual precipitation ranges from over 55 in (1,400 mm) in watersheds on the west side of the basin to about 26 inches (660 mm) near the lake on the east side of the basin. Most of the precipitation falls as snow between November and April, although rainstorms combined with rapid snow melt account for the largest floods. There is a pronounced annual runoff of snowmelt in late spring and early summer, the timing of which varies from year to year. In some years, summertime monsoon storms from the Great Basin bring intense rainfall, especially to high elevations on the east side of the basin.

August is normally the warmest month at the Lake Tahoe Airport (elevation 6,254 ft (1,906 m)) with an average maximum of 78.7 F (25.9 C) and an average minimum of 39.8 F (4.3 C). January is the coolest month with an average maximum of 41.0 F (5.0 C) and an average minimum of 15.1 F (-9.4 C). The all-time maximum of 99 F (37.2 C) was recorded on July 22, 1988. The all-time minimum of -29 F (-33.9 C) was recorded on December 9, 1972, and February 7, 1989. Temperatures exceed 90 F (32.2 C) on an average of 2.0 days annually. Minimum temperatures of 32 F (0 C) or lower occur on an average of 231.8 days annually, and minimum temperatures of 0 F (-17.8 C) or lower occur on an average of 7.6 days annually. Freezing temperatures have occurred every month of the year.

Ecology

Salmon (Oncorhyncus nerka) jumping beaver dam

Vegetation in the basin is dominated by a mixed conifer forest of Jeffrey pine (Pinus jeffreyi), lodgepole pine (P. contorta), white fir (Abies concolor), and red fir (A. magnifica). The basin also contains significant areas of wet meadows and riparian areas, dry meadows, brush fields (with Arctostaphylos and Ceanothus) and rock outcrop areas, especially at higher elevations. Ceanothus is capable of fixing nitrogen, but mountain alder (Alnus tenuifolia), which grows along many of the basin streams, springs and seeps, fixes far greater quantities, and contributes measurably to nitrate-N concentrations in some small streams.

Beaver (Castor canadensis) were re-introduced to the Tahoe Basin by the California Department of Fish and Game (CDFG) and the U. S. Forest Service between 1934 and 1949. Descended from no more than nine individuals, 1987 beaver populations on the upper and lower Truckee River had reached a density of 0.72 colonies (3.5 beavers) per kilometer. At the present time beaver have been seen in Tahoe Keys, Meeks Creek at Meeks Bay on the western shore, and King’s Beach on the north shore, so the descendants of the original nine beavers have apparently migrated around most of Lake Tahoe. It has been shown that trout and salmon move freely across beaver dams.

See also: Beaver in the Sierra Nevada

Human history

Native people

The area around Lake Tahoe was originally inhabited by the Washoe tribe of Native Americans. Lake Tahoe was the center and heart of Washoe Indian territory, including the upper valleys of the Walker, Carson, and Truckee Rivers. The English name for Lake Tahoe derives from the Washo dw, “lake”.

Exploration

Lt. John C. Frmont was the first person of European descent to see Lake Tahoe, during Fremont’s second exploratory expedition on February 14. 1844. John Calhoun Johnson, Sierra explorer and founder of “Johnson’s Cutoff” (now U.S. Route 50), was the first white man to see Meeks Bay and from a peak above the lake he named Fallen Leaf Lake after his Indian guide. His first job in the west was in the government service, carrying the mail on snowshoes from Placerville to Nevada City, during which time he named the lake “Lake Bigler” in honor of California third governor John Bigler. In 1853 William Eddy, the surveyor general of California, identified Tahoe as Lake Bigler. In 1862 the U.S. Department of the Interior first introduced the name Tahoe. Both names were used until well into the next century. The lake didn’t receive its official and final designation as Lake Tahoe until 1945.

California and Nevada reached the compromise to partition Tahoe between the two when Nevada became a state in 1864. With the state line east of the approximate centerline of the lake and then at 39 degrees north latitude, the state border runs southeasterly towards the Colorado River.

Mining era

Boat at Lake Tahoe

Upon discovery of gold in the South Fork of the American River in 1848, thousands of gold seekers going west passed near the basin on their way to the gold fields. European civilization first made its mark in the Lake Tahoe basin with the 1858 discovery of the Comstock Lode, a silver deposit just 15 miles (24 km) to the east in Virginia City, Nevada. From 1858 until about 1890, logging in the basin supplied large timbers to shore up the underground workings of the Comstock mines. The logging was so extensive that loggers cut down almost all of the native forest. In 1864, Tahoe City was founded as a resort community for Virginia City, the first recognition of the basin potential as a destination resort area.

Development

Public appreciation of the Tahoe basin grew, and during the 1912, 1913, and 1918 congressional sessions, congressmen tried unsuccessfully to designate the basin as a national park.

While Lake Tahoe is a natural lake, it is also used for water storage by the Truckee-Carson Irrigation District (TCID). The lake level is controlled by a dam built in 1913 at the lake’s only outlet, the Truckee River, at Tahoe City. The 18-foot (5.5 m) high dam can increase the lake’s capacity by 744,600 acreft (0.9185 km3).

During the first half of the 20th century, development around the lake consisted of a few vacation homes. The post-World War II population and building boom, followed by construction of gambling casinos in the Nevada part of the basin during the mid-1950s, and completion of the interstate highway links for the 1960 Winter Olympics held at Squaw Valley, resulted in a dramatic increase in development within the basin. From 1960 to 1980, the permanent residential population increased from about 10,000 to greater than 50,000, and the summer population grew from about 10,000 to about 90,000. Since the 1980s, development has slowed due to controls on land use.

Government and politics

Lake Tahoe lies within the borders of both California and Nevada, and as such is not governed by any single entity. In California, Lake Tahoe is divided between Placer County and El Dorado County. In Nevada, Lake Tahoe is divided among Washoe County, Douglas County and Carson City (an independent city).

The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) is a bi-state compact between California and Nevada, that is charged with environmental protection of the Lake Tahoe Basin through land-use regulation and planning.

Mansions

Lake Tahoe is also the location of several 19th and 20th century palatial homes of historical significance. The Thunderbird Lodge built by George Whittel Jr once included nearly 27 miles of the Nevada shoreline. Vikingsholm was the original settlement on Emerald Bay and included an island teahouse and a 38 room home. The Ehrman Mansion is a summer home built by a former Wells Fargo president in Sugar Pine Point and is now a state park.

Environmental issues

Water quality

Secret Beach on Lake Tahoe’s Nevada side

In spite of land-use planning and export of treated sewage effluent from the basin, the lake is becoming increasingly eutrophic (having an excessive richness of nutrients), with primary productivity increasing by more than 5% annually, and clarity decreasing at an average rate of 0.25 meters per year. Until the early 1980s, nutrient-limitation studies showed that primary productivity in the lake was nitrogen-limited. Now, after a half-century of accelerated nitrogen input (much of it from direct atmospheric deposition), the lake is phosphorus-limited.

Test results over the last eight years have shown a stabilization in lake clarity, announced the Lake Tahoe Research Group in March 2009. Fine sediment, much of it resulting from land disturbance in the basin, accounts for about half of the loss in clarity. Charles Goldman from UC Davis was directly responsible for prompting Tahoe officials to pump all sewage effluent from the basin when Tahoe was being greatly developed in the 1950s. Goldman made local officials understand that even treated sewage would greatly affect the water quality of Lake Tahoe.

Lake Tahoe is a tributary watershed drainage element within the Truckee River Basin, and its sole outlet is the Truckee River, which continues on to discharge to Pyramid Lake. Because of the sensitivity of Truckee River water quality (involving two protected species, the cui-ui sucker fish and the Lahontan cutthroat trout), this drainage basin has been studied extensively. The primary investigations were stimulated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, who funded the development of the DSSAM model to analyze water quality below Lake Tahoe.

Lake Tahoe never freezes. Since 1970, it has mixed to a depth of at least 1,300 ft (400 m) a total of 6 or 7 times. Dissolved oxygen is relatively high from top to bottom. Analysis of the temperature records in Lake Tahoe has shown that the lake warmed (between 1969 and 2002) at an average rate of 0.015 C per year. The warming is caused primarily by increasing air temperatures, and secondarily by increasing downward long-wave radiation. The warming trend is reducing the frequency of deep mixing in the lake, and may have important effects on water clarity and nutrient cycling.

Ecosystem changes

Since the 1960s, the Lake’s food web and zooplankton populations have undergone major changes. In 196365, opossum shrimp (Mysis relicta) were introduced to enhance the food supply for the introduced Kokanee salmon (Onchorhynchus nerka). The shrimp began feeding on the lake’s cladocerans (Daphnia and Bosmina), and their populations virtually disappeared by 1971. The shrimp provide a food resource for salmon and trout, but also compete with juvenile fish for zooplankton. Since the 1970s, the cladoceran populations have somewhat recovered, but not to former levels.

In June 2007, the Angora Fire burned approximately 3,100 acres (1,300 ha) throughout the South Lake Tahoe area. While the impact of ash on the lake’s ecosystem is predicted to be minimal, the impact of potential future erosion is not yet known.

Environmental protection

Until recently, construction on the banks of the Lake had been largely under the control of wealthy real estate developers. Construction activities have resulted in a clouding of the lake’s blue waters. Currently, the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency is regulating construction along the shoreline. (and has won two Federal Supreme Court battles over recent decisions). These regulations are unpopular with many residents, especially those in the Tahoe Lakefront Homeowners Association.[citation needed]

Emerald Bay, Lake Tahoe

The League to Save Lake Tahoe (Keep Tahoe Blue) has been the public interest watchdog in the Lake Tahoe Basin for 50 years. Founded when a proposal to build a four-lane highway around the lakeith a bridge over the entrance to Emerald Bayas proposed in 1957, the League has thwarted poorly designed development projects and environmentally unsound planning. Currently evaluating the “Pathways 2007″ comprehensive plan being developed by TRPA, the League embraces responsible and diversified use of the Lake’s resources while protecting and restoring its natural attributes.

Since 1980, the Lake Tahoe Interagency Monitoring Program (LTIMP) has been measuring stream discharge and concentrations of nutrients and sediment in up to 10 tributary streams in the Lake Tahoe Basin, California-Nevada. The objectives of the LTIMP are to acquire and disseminate the water quality information necessary to support science-based environmental planning and decision making in the basin. The LTIMP is a cooperative program with support from 12 federal and state agencies with interests in the Tahoe Basin. This data set, together with more recently acquired data on urban runoff water quality, is being used by the Lahontan Regional Water Quality Control Board to develop a program (mandated by the Clean Water Act) to limit the flux of nutrients and fine sediment to the Lake.

Tourist activities

Much of the area surrounding Lake Tahoe is devoted to the tourism industry and there are many restaurants, ski slopes and casinos catering to visitors.

Winter sports

Ski slopes overlooking Lake Tahoe

Lake Tahoe Gondola Ride

During ski season, thousands of people from all over Nevada and California, including Las Vegas, Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco, flock to the slopes for downhill skiing. Lake Tahoe, in addition to its panoramic beauty, is well known for its blizzards.

Some of the major ski areas in Tahoe include:

Heavenly Mountain Resort: the largest ski area in California and Nevada, located near Stateline

Squaw Valley: the second largest ski area, known for its hosting of the 1960 Winter Olympics, located near Tahoe City

Alpine Meadows: a medium sized ski area on the north shore only a few miles from Squaw Valley

Diamond Peak: a small ski area located in Incline Village, Nevada

Northstar at Tahoe: a popular north shore ski area

Kirkwood Mountain Resort: a south shore ski area which gets more snow than any other ski area in Tahoe

Sierra-at-Tahoe: a medium sized south shore ski area

Boreal Mountain Resort: a small ski area on Donner Pass

Sugar Bowl Ski Resort: a medium sized ski area in Donner Pass

Donner Ski Ranch: a very small ski area on Donner Pass

Homewood Ski Resort: a medium sized ski area on the west shore

Mount Rose Ski Resort: a medium sized ski area north-east of the Lake, on Slide Mountain

The majority of the ski resorts in the Lake Tahoe region are on the northern end of the lake, near Truckee, California and Reno, Nevada. Kirkwood, Sierra-at-Tahoe and Heavenly are located on the southern side of the lake, approximately 80 miles (129 km) from Reno. It is common for visitors to ski amongst these 3 resorts when staying in Southern Lake Tahoe and not venture to the northern lake resorts (Squaw Valley, Northstar at Tahoe, Sugar Bowl, etc.).

Scattered throughout Tahoe are public and private sled parks. Some, such as Granlibakken are equipped with rope tows to help sledders get up the hill.

Many ski areas around Tahoe also have snow tubing, such as Squaw Valley. Snow tubing is popular among people who are interested in alternative sports. Throughout Tahoe, cross country skiing, snowmobile riding, and snowshoeing are also popular, thus there are many trails for them.

Water sports

During late Spring to early Fall, the lake is popular for water sports and beach activities. The two cities most identified with the Lake Tahoe tourist area are South Lake Tahoe, California and the smaller Stateline; smaller centers on the northern shoreline include Tahoe City and Kings Beach.

Boating is a primary activity in Tahoe in the summer. There are lake front restaurants all over the lake, most equipped with docks and buoys (See the restaurants section). There are all sorts of boating events, such as sailboat racing, firework shows over the lake, guided cruises, and more. As an interstate waterway, Lake Tahoe is subject to the United States Coast Guard. Lake Tahoe is home to Coast Guard Station Lake Tahoe.

SCUBA diving is popular at Lake Tahoe, with some dive sites offering dramatic drop-offs or wall dives. Diving at Lake Tahoe is considered advanced due to the increased risk of decompression sickness (DCS) while diving at such a high altitude.

Hiking and bicycling

view from the Tahoe Rim Trail

There are hundreds of hiking and mountain biking trails all around the lake. They range in length, difficulty, and popularity. One of the most famous of Tahoe’s trails is the Tahoe Rim Trail, a 165 mile (270 km) trail that circumnavigates the lake. Directly to the west of the lake is the Granite Chief Wilderness, which provides great hiking and wilderness camping. Also, to the southwest is the very popular Desolation Wilderness. One of the most popular trailheads is the Eagle Lake Trailhead. There are also several paved off-road bicycle paths.

Gambling

Casinos in Stateline, Nevada

Gambling is legal on the Nevada side of Lake Tahoe. Casinos, each with a variety of slot machines and table games, are located on the South Shore in Stateline, and on the North Shore in Crystal Bay and Incline Village.

North Shore – Crystal Bay:

Cal Neva Lodge & Casino

Crystal Bay Club

Jim Kelley’s Tahoe Nugget

Tahoe Biltmore Lodge & Casino

North Shore – Incline Village:

Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe Resort, Spa & Casino

South Shore – Stateline:

Bill’s Casino Lake Tahoe

Harrah’s Lake Tahoe

Harvey’s Lake Tahoe Casino and Resort – owned by Harrah’s

Horizon Casino Resort

Lakeside Inn

MontBleu Resort Casino & Spa

Transport

Cave Rock Tunnel on US 50

U.S. Route 50 in South Lake Tahoe

The nearest passenger train service is the Amtrak station in Truckee.

Airports serving Lake Tahoe

Reno-Tahoe International Airport/KRNO (Reno, Nevada)

Sacramento International Airport/KSMF (Sacramento, California)

Lake Tahoe Airport/KTVL (South Lake Tahoe, California)

Truckee-Tahoe Airport/KTRK (Truckee, California)

Minden-Tahoe Airport/KMEV (Minden, Nevada)

Highways

Visitors can reach Lake Tahoe under ideal conditions within 2 hours from the Sacramento area, 1 hour from Reno or 30 minutes from Carson City. In winter months, chains or snow tires are often necessary to reach Tahoe from any direction. Traffic can be heavy on weekends due to tourists if not also from weather.

The primary routes to Lake Tahoe are on Interstate 80 via Truckee, U.S. Highway 50, and Nevada Highway 431 via Reno. Most of the highways accessing and encircling Lake Tahoe are paved two-lane mountain roads. US 50 is a four-lane highway passing south of the lake and along part of the eastern shore.

California Highway 89 follows the western shore of the lake through the picturesque wilderness and connects camping, fishing and hiking locations such as those at Emerald Bay State Park, DL Bliss State Park and Camp Richardson. Farther along are communities such as Meeks Bay and Tahoe City. Finally, the highway turns away from the lake and heads northwest toward Truckee.

California Highway 28 completes the circuit from Tahoe City around the northern shore to communities such as Kings Beach, Crystal Bay, and into Incline Village, Nevada where the road becomes Nevada Highway 28. Highway 28 returns along the eastern shore to US Highway 50 near Spooner Lake.

In the media

The Ponderosa Ranch of the TV series Bonanza was formerly located on the Nevada side of Lake Tahoe. The opening sequence of the TV series was filmed at the McFaul Creek Meadow, with Mount Tallac in the background. In September 2004 the Ponderosa Ranch closed its doors, after being sold to developer David Duffield for an undisclosed price.

In the motion picture The Godfather Part II, the Corleone family lived in a compound on the shores of the Nevada side of Lake Tahoe. In a famous scene from the final minutes of the film, Fredo Corleone is taken out onto the lake for a fishing trip, only to be executed for treachery, on the orders of his brother Michael (Al Pacino), who watches from the shore. The house and grounds portrayed in the film are actually located on the California side of Lake Tahoe: Fleur du Lac, the summer estate of Henry J. Kaiser. The only structures used in the movie that still remain are the complex of old native stone boathouses with their wrought iron gates. Although Fleur du Lac is private property and no one is allowed ashore there, the boathouses and multi-million dollar condominiums are easily viewed from the lake.

Most of the film Smoking Aces was filmed In South Lake Tahoe and Stateline. Many of the hotels and casinos are visible in the film with their older names. The climactic scenes of the 1987 Charles Bronson film Assassination were filmed around and on Lake Tahoe. Tahoe features prominently in the plot of the noir classic Out of the Past. Both The Bodyguard and City Of Angels filmed their climactic scenes at and around Lake Tahoe and the surrounding Fallen Leaf Lake (California). Meg Ryan’s bike-riding scene prominently features Lake Tahoe in the background.

The British TV program Top Gear filmed at Lake Tahoe in Episode 2 of Series 12 in 2008.

Peaks and mountains

Pyramid Peak

Mount Tallac 9,735 ft (2,967 m)

Mount Pluto 8,610 ft (2,624 m)

Rubicon Peak 9,183 ft (2,799 m)

Genoa Peak 9,150 ft (2,789 m)

Freel Peak 10,881 ft (3,317 m)

Mount Rose 10,778 ft (3,285 m)

Ellis Peak 8,740 ft (2,664 m)

Scott Peak 8,289 ft (2,526 m)

Ward Peak 8,637 ft (2,633 m)

Dick’s Peak 9,974 ft (3,040 m)

Maggies Peak 8,699 ft (2,651 m)

Jakes Peak 9,187 ft (2,800 m)

Monument Peak 10,067 ft (3,068 m)

Duane Bliss Peak 8,729 ft (2,661 m)

Jobs Peak 10,633 ft (3,241 m)

Jobs Sister 10,823 ft (3,299 m)

Stevens Peak 10,061 ft (3,067 m)

Red Lake Peak 10,061 ft (3,067 m)

Relay Peak 10,324 ft (3,147 m)

Mount Houghton 10,483 ft (3,195 m)

Pyramid Peak 9,983 ft (3,043 m)

Snow Valley Peak 9,214 ft (2,808 m)

See also

South Lake Tahoe

Emerald Bay State Park

Rubicon Trail

Mono Lake

Clear Lake

Pyramid Lake

Washoe Lake

Fallen Leaf Lake, California

Lake Tahoe-Nevada State Park

Notes

^ a b c d e f g ^ a b “Amazing Lake Tahoe”. Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority. http://www.bluelaketahoe.com/page.php?p=amaz&l=1. Retrieved 2008-10-26.

^ “Water Quality”. The League To Save Lake Tahoe. http://keeptahoeblue.org/facts/water.php. Retrieved 2008-10-26.

^ a b “Lake Tahoe Resorts Winter sports”. porterstahoe.com. http://www.porterstahoe.com/lake-tahoe-resorts.asp. Retrieved 2008-10-26.

^ Munson, Jeff (2008-10-21). “In rocky economy, ski-resort jobs are seen as more than free passes”. Nevada Appeal. http://www.nevadaappeal.com/article/20081021/NEWS/810209953/1070. Retrieved 2008-10-29.

^ a b The World’s Deepest Lakes – US Department of the Interior: National Park Service|accessdate=2008-10-31

^ “Deepest Lake in the World Deepest Lake in the United States”. Geology.com. http://geology.com/records/deepest-lake.shtml. Retrieved 2008-10-31.

^ Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority (2005-06-10). “Lake Tahoe Trivia”. Press release. http://www.bluelaketahoe.com/media/release.php?p=p_display&l=2&t=1&id=128. Retrieved 2008-10-26.

^ Lake Tahoe census tract blocks, 2000 Census, United States Census Bureau

^ Oldow, J.S.; C.L.V. Aiken, J.L. Hare, J.F. Ferguson and R.F. Hardyman (January 2001). “Active displacement transfer and differential block motion within the central Walker Lane, western Great Basin”. Geology 29 (1): 1922. doi:10.1130/0091-7613(2001)029<0019:ADTADB>2.0.CO;2.

^ Unruh, Jeffrey; James Humphrey and Andrew Barron (April 2003). “Transtensional model for the Sierra Nevada frontal fault system, eastern California”. Geology 31 (4): 327330. doi:10.1130/0091-7613(2003)031<0327:TMFTSN>2.0.CO;2.

^ Kent, G.M.; J.M. Babcock, N.W. Driscoll, A.J. Harding, J.A. Dingler, G.G. Seitz, J.V. Gardner, L.A. Mayer, C.R. Goldman, A.C. Heyvaert, R.C. Richards, R. Karlin, C.W. Morgan, P.T. Gayes and L.A. Owen (May 2005). “60 k.y. record of extension across the western boundary of the Basin and Range province: Estimate of slip rates from offset shoreline terraces and a catastrophic slide beneath Lake Tahoe”. Geology 33 (5): 365368. doi:10.1130/G21230.1.

^ Seitz, G.G.; Kent, G., Dingler, J., Karlin, R., Babcock, J., Driscoll, N., and Turner, R. (2005). “First paleoseismic results from the Lake Tahoe Basin: Evidence for three M7 range earthquakes on the Incline Village fault”. Annual Meeting. Seismological Society of America.

^ Brothers, D.S.; G.M. Kent, N.W. Driscoll, S.B. Smith, J.A. Dingler, R. Karlin, A.J. Harding, G.G. Seitz, J.M. Babcock, (April 2009). “New Constraints on Deformation, Slip Rate, and Timing of the Most Recent Earthquake on the West Tahoe-Dollar Point Fault, Lake Tahoe Basin, California”. Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America 99 (2a).

^ “Frequently Asked Questions about Lake Tahoe and the Basin”. Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit. Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture. http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/ltbmu/faqs/. Retrieved 2007-06-20.

^ Ichinose, G.A.; Anderson, J.G.; Satake, K.; Schweickert, R.A.; Lahren, M.M. (April 2000). “The potential hazard from tsunami and seiche waves generated by large earthquakes within Lake Tahoe, California-Nevada”. Geophysical Research Letters 27 (8): 12031206. doi:10.1029/1999GL011119.

^ Gardner, J.V. (July 2000). “The Lake Tahoe debris avalanche”. 15th Annual Geological Conference. Geological Society of Australia.

^ “TAHOE, CALIFORNIA – Climate Summary”. Desert Research Institute. http://www.wrcc.dri.edu/cgi-bin/cliMAIN.pl?ca8758. Retrieved 2008-10-31. (1903-2007 climate data)

^ “Climate Data – North Lahontan Hydrologic Region”. State of California, Department of Water Resources. http://www.water.ca.gov/floodmgmt/hafoo/csc/climate_data/nlahontan.cfm. Retrieved 2008-10-31. (30-year climate data)

^ “Trees Indigenous to Lake Tahoe”. [[ Northstar-at-Tahoe Resort]]. Booth Creek Ski Holdings, Inc.. http://www.northstarattahoe.com/info/ski/media/tahoe_environment.asp. Retrieved 2008-10-31.

^ Beier P, Barrett RH (1989). “Beaver Distribution in the Truckee River Basin, California”. California Fish and Game. http://oak.ucc.nau.edu/pb1/vitae/Beier-Barrett.1987.CDFG_Beaver.pdf. Retrieved Jan. 17, 2010.

^ “The Beavers of the Truckee River”. Tahoe Arts and Mountain Culture. July 20, 2009. http://www.tahoeculture.com/2009/07/20/the-beavers-of-the-truckee-river-going-to-town/. Retrieved Jan. 19, 2010.

^ Michael M. Pollock, Morgan Heim, Danielle Werner (2003). “Hydrologic and Geomorphic Effects of Beaver Dams and Their Influence on Fishes”. American Fisheries Society Symposium 37. http://www.albergstein.com/cao/Best Available Science/Fish/Beaver dam effects paper final.pdf. Retrieved Jan. 17, 2010.

^ Bright, William (2004). Native American Place Names of the United States. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, pg. 34

^ “Lake Tahoe Facts and Figures”. Tahoe Regional Planning Association. http://www.trpa.org/default.aspx?tabindex=5&tabid=95. Retrieved 2008-10-26.

^ “Truckee River Chronology”. Nevada Department of Conservation & Natural Resources. http://water.nv.gov/WaterPlanning/truckee/truckee1.cfm#N_13_. Retrieved 2008-10-26.

^ Brean, Henry (2009-04-27). “Four Corners mistake recalls long border feud between Nevada, California”. Las Vegas Review-Journal. http://www.lvrj.com/news/43760307.html. Retrieved 2009-04-27.

^ a b c ^ “Water Delivery Projects and Facilities”. Lahontan Basin Area Office. U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. http://www.usbr.gov/mp/lbao/water_projects.html. Retrieved 2009-11-24.

^ “Tahoe Regional Planning Agency”. http://www.trpa.org.

^ “Charles Goldman: Environmental Studies Recipient 1992-1993″. UCDavis. http://academicsenate.ucdavis.edu/award/bios/goldman.html. Retrieved 2007-11-09.

^ Gimenez Dixon (1996). Chasmistes cujus. 2006. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. www.iucnredlist.org. Retrieved on 10 May 2006. Listed as Critically Endangered (CR B1+2b v2.3)

^ “Lake Tahoe Q&A”. Heavenly Mountain Resort. http://www.skiheavenly.com/lake_tahoe/things_to_do/points_interest/q_a/. Retrieved 2008-10-26.

^ Goldman, C.R.; M.D. Morgan, S.T. Threlkeld, N. Angeli (1979). “A Population Dynamics Analysis of the Cladoceran Disappearance from Lake Tahoe, California-Nevada”. Limnology and Oceanography 24 (2): 289297.

^ Carl T. Hall (June 26, 2007). “Raging Tahoe Fire’s Roots: 150 Years of Mismanagement”. San Francisco Chronicle: p. A-1.

^ “Construction Monitoring”. Tahoe Regional Planning Agency. http://www.trpa.org/default.aspx?tabindex=1&tabid=40.

^ “History of The League to Save Lake Tahoe”. keeptahoeblue.org. http://www.keeptahoeblue.org/about/history.php. Retrieved 2008-09-25.

^ Hartman, Joanna. “Tahoe Coast Guard changes command”. tahoe.com (Sierra Sun). http://www.tahoe.com/article/SS/20070805/NEWS/70805008/0/COMMUNITY06. Retrieved 2008-10-26.

^ Egi, S. M.; Brubakk, Alf O. (1995). “Diving at altitude: a review of decompression strategies”. Undersea and Hyperbaric Medicine 22 (3): 281300. ISSN 1066-2936. OCLC 26915585. PMID 7580768. http://archive.rubicon-foundation.org/2194. Retrieved 2009-03-11.

^ “Altitude Diving”. http://www.tdconline.com/training/specialty/altitude.html. Retrieved 2008-10-26.

^ “Bonanza”. TVLand. Viacom International Inc.. http://www.tvland.com/shows/bonanza/. Retrieved 2008-10-31.

^ See http://www.tvacres.com/farms_ranches_ponderosa.htm, http://gocalifornia.about.com/cs/laketahoe/a/ponderosa.htm

References

Becker, Andrew. “The naming of Tahoe’s mountains”. tahoe.com. http://www.tahoe.com/article/20060201/COMMUNITY07/11113035. Retrieved 2008-11-01.

Byron, Earl R.; Charles R. Goldman (1 January 1989). “Land-Use and Water Quality in Tributary Streams of Lake Tahoe, California-Nevada”. Journal of Environmental Quality 18 (1): 8488. http://jeq.scijournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/18/1/84. Retrieved 2008-11-01.

Chang, C. C. Y.; J. S. Kuwabara, and S. P. Pasilis (1992). “Phosphate and iron limitation of phytoplankton biomass in Lake Tahoe”. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Science 49: 12061215.

Coats, R. N., and C. R. Goldman. 2001. Patterns of nitrogen transport in streams of the Lake Tahoe basin, California-Nevada. Water Resour. Res. 37: 405-415.

Coats, R. N., J. Perez-Losada, G. Schladow, R. Richards and C. R. Goldman. 2006. The Warming of Lake Tahoe. Climatic Change (In Press).

Crippen, J. R., and B. R. Pavelka. 1970. The Lake Tahoe basin, California-Nevada U.S. Geological Survey Water-Supply Paper 1972.

Gardner, James V.; Larry A. Mayer and John Hughes-Clarke (2003-01-16). “THE BATHYMETRY OF LAKE TAHOE, CALIFORNIA-NEVADA”. Open-File Report 98-509. U.S. Geological Survey. http://tahoe.usgs.gov/openfile.html. Retrieved 2008-11-01.

Goldman, C. R., A. Jassby, and T. Powell. 1989. Interannual fluctuations in primary production: meteorological forcing at two subalpine lakes. Limnol. Oceanogr. 34: 310-323.

Goldman, C. R., A. D. Jassby, and S. H. Hackley. 1993. Decadal, interannual, and seasonal variability in enrichment bioassays at Lake Tahoe, California-Nevada, USA. Can.J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 50: 1489-1496.

Hatch, L. K., J. E. Reuter, and C. R. Goldman, 2001. Stream phosphorus transport in the Lake Tahoe Basin, 1989-1996. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 69: 63-83.

Jassby, A. D., C. R. Goldman, and T. M. Powell. 1992. Trend, seasonality, cycle, and irregular fluctuations in primary productivity at Lake Tahoe, California-Nevada, USA. Hydrobiol. 246: 195-203.

Jassby, A. D., J. E. Reuter, R. P. Axler, C. R. Goldman, and S. H. Hackley, 1994. Atmospheric deposition of nitrogen and phosphorus in the annual nutrient load of Lake Tahoe (California-Nevada). Water Resour. Res. 30: 2207-2216.

Jassby, A. D., C. R. Goldman and J. E. Reuter. 1995. Long-term change in Lake Tahoe (California-Nevada, U.S.A.) and its relation to atmospheric deposition of algal nutrients. Arch. Hydrobiol. 135: 1-21.

Jassby, A. D., C. R. Goldman, J. E. Reuter, and R. C. Richards. 1999. Origins and scale dependence of temporal variability in the transparency of Lake Tahoe, California-Nevada. Limnol. Oceanog. 44: 282-294.

Jassby, A., J. Reuter, and C. R. Goldman. 2003. Determining long-term water -quality change in the presence of climate variability: Lake Tahoe (U.S.A.). Can. J. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 60: 1452-1461.

Leonard, R. L., L. A. Kaplan, J. F. Elder, R. N. Coats, and C. R. Goldman, 1979. Nutrient Transport in Surface Runoff from a Subalpine Watershed, Lake Tahoe Basin, California. Ecological Monographs 49: 281-310.

Nagy, M., 2003. Lake Tahoe Basin Framework Study Groundwater Evaluation Lake Tahoe Basin, California and Nevada. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Sacramento, CA.

Naslas, G. D., W. W. Miller, R. R. Blank and G. F. Gifford, 1994. Sediment, nitrate, and ammonium in surface runoff from two Tahoe basin soil types. Water Resour. Bull. 30: 409-417.

Richards, R. C., C. R. Goldman, E. Byron, and C. Levitan, 1991. The mysids and lake trout of Lake Tahoe: A 25-year history of changes in the fertility, plankton, and fishery of an alpine lake. Am. Fish. Soc. Symp. 9: 30-38.

Schuster, S., and M. E. Grismer, 2004. Evaluation of water quality projects in the Lake Tahoe Basin. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment 90: 225-242.

Scott, E. B. 1957. The Saga of Lake Tahoe. Early Lore and History of the Lake Tahoe Basin.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Lake Tahoe

Lake Tahoe Hotel Reservations – a simple site about Lake Tahoe Hotels

Lake Tahoe Data Clearinghouse – USGS/Western Geographic Science Center

Tahoe Environmental Research Center – UC Davis research & outreach

The Lake of the Sky by George Wharton James

VisitRenoTahoe.com – Lake Tahoe pages

Lake Tahoe REMOTE Meteorological Data Sites

Lake Tahoe Watershed- California Rivers Assessment database

Lake Tahoe Photos and Reviews- Lake Reviews and Photos

Lake Tahoe at the Open Directory Project

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Hula Dance Originated in Molokai

Mon, 09 Aug 2010 07:43:47 +0000

One of the smaller Hawaiian Islands is Molokai. It is thirty eight miles long and ten miles at its widest point, you better believe that travelling around Molokai is relatively simple and getting lost is not usually an option. The Airport is located in the south region of the Island.

This island still seems to be very much caught up in the past, and to this day its local inhabitants resist the development that has swept over and changed the other Hawaiian Islands.

So if you are thinking Molokai might be able to offer you a vibrant nightlife or high rise condos laced with spas, retreats then you might want to reconsider your travel plans.

Molokai, Hawaii offers you the opportunity to get away from the daily pressures of life, and escape into simplicity and beauty. The island has one hotel, a couple of condo rentals, and one up market lodge all of which compliment this escape.

The Hotel design allows the islands beauty to casually seep in. The condo rentals have been kept basic yet functional and the Lodge is sited on an up and running fifty four thousand acre ranch.

The islands available activities go one step further in making sure you stay out under the tropical sky. One of the most notable experiences is the Mule Ride, which not only allows riders to see the inner sanctums of the island, but also takes them back in time to when Molokai was once home to one of the worlds most recognized leper colonies and introduces them to the man that treated many of the sufferers, Father Damien

Mule rides to horse rides and roundups Molokai is also home to a very strong paniolo culture. The paniolo is the Hawaiian equivalent to what many people would call a cowboy. To this very day you can see true workings in the ranch, herding cattle and walking the islands many trails.

Hiking the area around Maunaloa is home to a number of trails including, the Mountain Trail, the Temples Hike and the Ancient Trail.

Hawaii beaches are playgrounds to a whole host of water sportsmen and Molokai is no exception. Visitors to the island can enjoy a multitude of activities from open water kayaking and snorkelling to scuba diving and surfing.

The hula dance originated in Molokai and is where some of Hawaiis best dancers come from. An annual festival is held in May.

Travel Hong Kong: 12 Must See Places

Tue, 03 Aug 2010 07:56:56 +0000

Hong Kong features a diverse mixture of characters as a result of long British occupation and a great Chinese influence. As a state of China, Hong Kong provides a good introduction to who ever wants to know more about China without entering the mainland plus a venue for more attractions with western culture and Asian spirit.

1. Hong Kong Museum of Art – Located at 10 Salisbury Rd Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon, the Hong Kong Museum of Art is open to anyone who wants to take a glimpse of Hong Kong’s culture and history through its large collection of over 14,000 items ranging from calligraphy, paintings, Hong Kong treasure, art objects, antiques, and lithographs. The museum is open from 10:00am-6:00pm daily except Thursday (public holidays not included).

2. Hong Kong Disneyland – The newly open and the first ever Disneyland in Asia offers total fun and excitement for the whole family. The park is divided into four major attractions: Tomorrowland, Adventureland, Fantasyland, and Main Street, USA.

3. Victoria Peak – Soaring 1810 feet above sea level, the Victoria Peak is premier destination for tourists who want to take a birds eye view of downtown Hong Kong, Kowloon, and Victoria Harbour. Go another step higher and take a 10-minute hike to the actual Victoria Peak.

4. Lantau Island – Travel Hong Kong and take a cruise around the waters of Lantau Island and watch pink dolphins that only live in this waters.

5. Ocean Park – Travel Hong Kong and visit Ocean Park. This is one Hong Kong attractions where you and your kids will have a great fun. The park is one big oceanarium containing Lowlands Gardens where pandas live, goldfish pagoda and butterfly house are located, Marine Land where atoll reef and shark aquariums are found, and Headlands amusement park where you can go and take a ride with cable cars and roller coasters.

6. Water World – Travel Hong Kong with kids would never be so much fun without taking a plunge on Water World. Enjoy wave pools, play area, and water slides.

7. Middle Kingdom – A miniature China that houses Chinese shrines, street scenes, temples, and palaces only at Middle Kingdom.

8. The Central district – If you travel to Hong Kong because you love to shop, you better go to the central Hong Kong district where big shopping malls and several Western designer and signature boutiques are located.

9. Lamma Island – If you want to see a different Hong Kong, try Lamma Island. It hosts several outdoor activities such as swimming and hiking. And if you love to taste fresh Hong Kong seafood in great dining ambiance, Lamma Island is still the preferred place to go.

10. Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery (Sha Tin) – Located at New Territories, the Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery features Buddha in different poses and colors.

11. Hong Kong Space Museum – See what’s in store for you in the future at Hong Kong Space Museum. The complex offers hundreds of displays ranging from telecommunications, robotics, energy, computers, and physics with hands on experience that will keep you interested.

12. Wet Market – In Hong Kong, everything is fresh. And when they say fresh, they mean it. If you happen to travel Hong Kong to visit a friend or someone you know, come along when they go to wet market where the freshest among freshest seafood are for sale.

Top Things To experiance in Honduras

Wed, 28 Jul 2010 08:09:23 +0000

The endless possibilities of things to do and explore in Honduras are exciting so I am going to list some of the top adventures that I hope you will consider doing. You can visit the ancient Mayan Runs Or go hiking in tropical rain forest, or jump into the world’s second largest natural coral reef. There are so many options and places to see that if you decide to move here or just vacation it will have more than enough adventure for a life time

Visit the Mayan ruins at Copan

Some of the best preserved ruins are in a small city in western Honduras, near the border of Guatemala. The ruins represent one of the greatest pre-Columbian cities in Latin America that is still in pristine condition. Some of the best preserved story of early history is told in the wonderful buildings, sculptures and hieroglyphics in Copan. You can get personalized tours arranged from most of the major cities like Santa Rose.

Visit the Bay Islands

If you would like to experience some of Honduras great areas one area that I highly recommend that you check out is Honduras’ Bay Islands. They offer many different types of attractions that are available in one location. Some of the things they offer is diving, snorkeling, sea kayaking, or relaxing on a beach. Many of the best hotels and resorts in Honduras are located in the Bay Islands. Although it is more of a touristy area you will never have lack of anything to experience in this area.

Go Diving on a Coral Reef

The Bay Islands are one of the most significant areas in Honduras. They are surrounded by the second largest coral reef in the world. The area reef is called the Mesa American Barrier Reef. The reefs are surrounded by some wonderful diving schools offering snorkeling and diving instructions so that you can also experience one of nature’s own creations from a fish’s perspective. They are many types of intricate coral, under water cliffs and caves, as well as some of the brightly colored tropical fish seen nowhere else in the world. For those of you that like the prospect of buried treasure or history some of the shipwrecks off this reef date back thousands of years.

Exotic Honduras Animals

Honduras also offers you the opportunity to see some truly remarkable wildlife. Some of Latin Americas most exotic creatures not found anywhere else in the world reside in Honduras’s tropical temperate zones. You can dive with hundreds of species of fish or hike into some of the sub tropical zones and see some of the most colorful and exotic avian creatures that Honduras has to offer. A lot of these creatures are in danger of becoming extinct so this may be a once in a life time opportunity. But as always please be careful to mind that you are in there home not yours when you do go.

Visit the rainforests of the Mosquito Coast

The rain forest in Honduras is one of the largest parts ones that are left north of the Amazon and are one of the main attractions that have become very popular among visitors to Honduras. The rain forest is a protected national treasure by the Honduran government and the Rio Platano Biosphere Reserve along with other nation parks and associations. The park on Mosquito Coast has some of the ecological and biodiversity that has made Honduras famous and the lush green scenery and is a place where a hike or boat ride is highly recommended. Along with some of the more conservative attractions you can apply to go on eco tours which you can learn and see firsthand some of the devastation of global warming. So go and take a look.

Go to a Honduran festival & La Ceiba Carnaval

Most if not all the towns in Honduras have a celebration for many of the patron saints that the Catholic Church has recognized. The largest festival by far would be for La Ceiba carnaval in mid June and the Feria Juniana at San Pedro Sula in late May, have become huge national events, attracting visitors from around Latin America and across the country. The parties at these festivals last for weeks which make them very popular to a lot of different people. You can see the local parades, experience the local food and see the unique gifts they sell and at the end of the day start to see the night life come alive the Honduran way.

Go on an Adventure Tour

There are many different tours available for you to participate in all around the coutry or you can make a big tour plan and see all the sites that Honduras has to offer. Honduras offers world class diving and snorkeling in the bay islands, to site seeing history in the west, or the festivals to the central part of the country. There are tours for every type of budget and personality, if you do not find one you like make your own there are many companies in Honduras that will mold a package just to fit your taste.

Relax on a Beach

Of course you are on vacation and you just may not want to see or hear anything at all. But your idea of having a great time is to find one of the many secluded beaches and pull out the hammock you bought down and relax and sleep away a week’s worth of stress . Made even better that you know no one even knows where you are and you can keep all the gizmos and gadgets back home. Then take a dip in the ocean and go back to sleep again on the hammock. So one of the many reasons people go to Honduras is for the beaches what a better way than not to spend your vacation. Hundreds of miles of coastline on two oceans, so spending a day on the beaches is one of the great things to do in Honduras.

Places you must visit in Hongkong

Thu, 22 Jul 2010 08:03:51 +0000

4. Lantau Island – Travel Hong Kong and take a cruise around the waters of Lantau Island and watch pink dolphins that only live in this waters.

6. Water World – Travel Hong Kong with kids would never be so much fun without taking a plunge on Water World. Enjoy wave pools, play area, and water slides.

7. Middle Kingdom – A miniature China that houses Chinese shrines, street scenes, temples, and palaces only at Middle Kingdom.

10. Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery (Sha Tin) – Located at New Territories, the Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery features Buddha in different poses and colors.

You must visit to Hong Kong

Fri, 16 Jul 2010 07:46:13 +0000

4. Lantau Island – Travel Hong Kong and take a cruise around the waters of Lantau Island and watch pink dolphins that only live in this waters.

6. Water World – Travel Hong Kong with kids would never be so much fun without taking a plunge on Water World. Enjoy wave pools, play area, and water slides.

7. Middle Kingdom – A miniature China that houses Chinese shrines, street scenes, temples, and palaces only at Middle Kingdom.

10. Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery (Sha Tin) – Located at New Territories, the Ten Thousand Buddhas Monastery features Buddha in different poses and colors.

Visit Hawaii And Marvel At The Soaring Cliff’s And The Kalalau Trail

Sat, 10 Jul 2010 07:44:18 +0000

The Island of Kauai, the oldest Hawaiian island at what scientists calculate to be over five million years old, is graced with remarkable, natural beauty, none more so apparent than along the stunning Napali Coast on the island’s north shore. It is no shock that Kauai is termed The Garden Island. This unforgiving and exotic coastline overlooks panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean and is a amazing place to experience nature in all its glory.

Huge velvet green cliffs, towering high into the sky, cascading waterfalls plunge into deep, narrow valleys to be met by the cool blue of the ocean. Such is the splendor of the Napali Coast that it has been used as the setting for many Hollywood films such as Jurassic Park 1, 11 and 111, Raiders of the Lost Ark and King Kong. You can retrace the steps of the famous, along the 11-mile long Kalalau Trail but with the surroundings changing throughout the seasons, don’t expect to identify any sets. The Kalalau Trail has many naturally incredible views to keep you coming back to experience the seasonal transformations.

Knowledgeable and resilient hikers can take the Kalalau Trail along the Napali Coast which winds across five valleys and ends on the isolated Kalalau Beach but it is worth noting that many hiking clubs rate the Kalalau Trail as one of the most tricky hikes. It also involves an overnight hike but if you can take the pace, you will be well rewarded with magnificent views over the coast and in to the rain forest. The temperature and humidity are things that hikers must be equipped for on the Kalalau Trail.

The trail rises to its highest point of five thousand feet between Ke`e and Hanakapi`ai. From there you can look down upon the azure blue ocean. You come closer to water a little further down the Kalalau Trail when you have to take good care crossing the Hanakapia`ai Stream. A rope is provided at the spot for your ease and security. From here you can take an alternate route along the Hanakapia`ai Falls Trail if you wish to experience the 100 feet high waterfalls, it is well worth the diversion. Other attractions include the view into Pali from the Waiahuakua Valley but these, and the climbs along the Kalalau Trail, are not for the faint of heart.

Other ways to experience the splendor of this coast are by a boat tour or on a kayaking trip. You can kayak in and out of Kalalau beach, which is the official end of the Kalalau trail. Alternatively, visitors can take a breathtaking helicopter tour along the Napali Coast and to the Wailua Falls and through the magnificent 3,500 foot deep Waimea Canyon, named by Mark Twain as the “Grand Canyon of the Pacific”.

Kauai itself offers more miles of beach than any of the other Hawaiian Islands – 90 miles in total. The area of Po-ipu has a number of top beaches and is also home to the monk seals which are in danger of extinction. A pleasurable afternoon spent is to drift up the Wailua River on a boat trip which takes you to the fern covered Fern Grotto and to soaring waterfalls. The Kilauea Point National Wildlife Refuge is a must for wildlife enthusiasts – here you can see migratory birds, seabirds and Humpback Whales, monk seals and spinner dolphins can also be seen from Kilauea Point.