1000 Islands Hiking

Naturists and Naturalists – Vacations in Southern Crete

Crete, the largest of the Greek Islands, is sometimes described as a mass tourist resort. It is true that there are several north coast resorts on Crete that can be found in the brochures of practically every package tour company. But Crete is a very big island with many unspoilt holiday resorts for tourists who prefer a quieter vacation, enjoying beautiful scenery and glimpses of traditional Cretan culture.

Both of Crete’s international airports are situated on the north coast and two high mountain ranges running east-west, form a natural barrier to mass tourism reaching the south coast. In the southwest corner of the island, the highest mountains drop steeply to the coastal area, making any serious development of these remote communities impossible. Indeed, the mountains drop so steeply here that some of the villages can only be accessed by sea.

This area of Crete is known as the Sfakia region. It lays at the foot the White Mountain range. These mountains have more than a hundred peaks, with eighty reaching to over 6500 feet and the highest ones towering to nearly eight thousand feet. Europe’s longest gorge, the Samaria, can be found amongst them, along with several others that are less well known but are every bit as picturesque and dramatic to explore.

To get to the Sfakia region, most people fly to Chania airport and travel by road over a mountain pass to Chora Sfakion. However, my best travel tip is to check out the cost of flights to Nikos Kazantzakis Airport in Heraklion before deciding which airport to fly to. I have always found that it is possible to make substantial savings by flying there instead of to Chania and the road journey to Chora Sfakion is not really all that much further.

There are a couple of family run hotels, self catering apartments, studios and village rooms providing accommodations at competitive rates in and around Chora Sfakion but we have always stayed at the beautiful naturist hotel a mile to the east in Vritomartis. If you dare to bare this is one of the few places in Greece where nudity is officially allowed. The whole of the hotel grounds are clothes optional and the area around the pool is designated as naturist only. The nearest beach is only a five minute walk away and is also clothes optional. The area is so remote, that many guests don’t even bother dressing for the walk.

For naturalists the Sfakia region provides plenty of opportunities to spot unique Cretan flora and fauna which includes the Kri Kri, a species of wild goat, indigenous to and only found on Crete. Dolphins, whales and turtles can often be seen in the clear coastal waters whilst Bonelli’s Eagle and the Griffon Vulture may be seen circling in the blue skies above.

For walkers, the gorges and mountains provide challenges ranging from relaxing hikes to demanding treks. The most famous walk is of course the Samaria Gorge and although it is very much worth undertaking, you may be put off by the crowds of tourists that descend it nearly every day. They arrive by the coach-load from all over the island because the excursion is number one on every tour operators “must-sell” list. Its worth putting up with the crowds however because once you have hiked a few hundred metres from the start of the walk, you will find plenty of spaces between you and the other walkers for the remaining 16 kilometres. The scenery is magnificent all the way down to the shore of the Lybian sea at Agia Roumeli from where you get a boat back to Chora Sfakion.

The smaller gorges of Imbros and Aradena are much less likely to be afflicted by hoards of other tourists. Imbros is an easy half day hike and its finish is situated very near to Vritomartis, making it a good choice for naturists who want to put their shorts and hiking boots on just for a change. Aradena is more of a challenge but not much further away. A good head for heights is needed on one of the sections where a little scrambling is involved.

For history lovers, the region has much to reveal about the Battle for Crete during the second world war and it is definitely worth reading the book of this name by Nikos Kazantzakis as a prelude to your vacation. The mountain villages were famous for their fierce resistance fighters where you will find the occasional statue or monument erected in memory of a local hero.

So, if you are the sort of person who loves dramatic, picturesque scenery, secluded beaches with crystal clear waters, remote mountain villages where traditional culture still remains; this part of Crete is definitely for you. If you happen to be a naturist as well as a naturalist, my travel tip is to book your vacation at the Vritomartis hotel. If you prefer to hide some parts of your body from the hot Cretan sun, head for the accommodations in Chora Sfakion instead. If you want to stay somewhere that is even more remote, hop on a boat at Chora Sfakion to take you to the next coastal village which is called Loutro. Although there is no way of reaching Loutro by road, it does have some pretty holiday apartments, several secluded beaches that nestle in coves at the foot of cliffs and donkey tracks and paths that lead up into the mountains and along the coast.

Wherever you decide to stay in this region of southern Crete you will almost certainly enjoy good weather. However, a fierce wind, blowing from the north and known as the Meltemi, funnels down through the mountain gorges and hits the southern shores with some force. It is usually at its strongest from mid July to late August, making Europe’s most southerly sun seem a little cooler than it would otherwise be. If you don’t like being wind blasted, avoid this time of the year.

Visiting Utah On Your Next Road Trip

While in Utah, look for mountains, deserts, colorful canyons, cool caves, natural bridges, arches and a big, bold, briny lake. Visitors to Utah are advised to keep their eyes and ears wide open so they won’t miss anything, since the “Beehive State” bedazzles guests with a real treasure trove of nature’s richness.

Antelope Island State Park is located near Syracuse between Salt Lake City and Ogden in northwestern Utah’s Great Basin country. Perched in the middle of the Great Salt Lake at 4,200 feet above seal level, Antelope is the largest of the big lake’s ten islands. The park is easy to reach via a seven-mile-long causeway that connects Antelope Island with Utah’s mainland. At one time a hunting ground for explorers like Kit Carson and John C. Freemont, a homesteading haven for adventurers, and a grazing range for domestic livestock, the 28,000-acre Antelope tract was designated a state park in 1981. Animals that currently live off the island’s bounty include elk, mule deer, pronghorn antelope and a thriving herd of American bison. There are also resident coyotes, porcupines, jackrabbits, badgers and bobcats, plus an impressive variety of land and shore-dwelling birds, from raptors and burrowing owls to grebes and California gulls. Besides opportunities for wildlife observation, Antelope Island sits amid 1,500 square miles of Great Salt Lake, the largest natural lake west of the Mississippi River. There are sandy white beaches, glorious sunsets and soothing stretches of saltwater that render swimmers unsinkable. Antelope’s hikers, cyclists and horseback riders enjoy an assortment of roads and trails that provide sweeping vistas of the luminous lake and the island’s rugged terrain.

In the southwestern region of Utah, near Springdale, Zion National Park marks the incomparable connection of the Colorado Plateau, Great Basin and Mojave Desert. The Hebrew word Zion translates as “place of refuge or sanctuary,” and this 229 square-mile preserve certainly fulfills its calling. Towering sandstone cliffs, splendid canyons, and the largest natural arch in the world contribute to the majesty of Zion’s countryside. Designated automobile routes lead tourists onto Checkerboard Mesa, along Kolob’s finger canyons, or into terraced high-country. The park’s excellent system of hiking and biking trails introduces visitors to waterfalls, gardens, springs, rivers, and some of the most awesome panoramas you’ll find. For those who’d like to park their vehicles and take a carefree ride through Zion’s adventures, an efficient park transportation system takes the trouble out of touring.

Bryce Canyon National Park is in south central Utah near the town of Bryce Canyon. This park hugs the eastern edge of the high-lying, desert-fringed Paunsaugunt Plateau. It’s a special place where thousands of multicolored mazes, pinnacles, fins and spires have been crafted from the effects of erosion on local sandstone, limestone and mudstone. These unique stony formations are dubbed “hoodoos,” and are clumped together in U-shaped patterns along the plateau, giving Bryce Canyon a fantastic landscape. Besides admiring the captivating hoodoos, visitors hike, ride horses or drive on a self-guided auto tour of park territory. Wanderers see ponderosa pine trees, fir-spruce woodlands, elevated meadows, surrounding deserts and distant views of three states. Bryce’s air is clean and exhilarating, and its clear, unlit night skies are perfect for stargazing.

The southeastern Utah town of Moab is the home base of Canyonlands National Park. This preserve occupies a high desert basin rimmed by sandstone cliffs, and it’s a larger-than-life, naturally occurring tribute to the artistic merits of the mighty Colorado River. Through the relentless movement of the Colorado over vast spans of time, Canyonlands’ tinted sandstone scene has been eroded and layered into tremendous gorges, mesas and buttes. A major source of the park’s geographic variety is the presence of the Colorado and Green Rivers, which swiftly run through Canyonlands, slicing the park into several unique sections. The Island in the Sky district is a good place to begin a Canyonlands tour. This area offers visitors a marked automobile route with lots of scenic overlooks and a nice choice of easy-does-it hiking trails. Sightings of desert-dwelling animals such as spade foot toads, kangaroo rats, coyotes and bobcats add to the appeal of any visit.

Recreation While on Your Shopping Trip to Hong Kong

Hong Kong is one of the world’s most famous tourist cities, but it is also a good place to go for recreation in East and Southeast Asia. It is has had a worldwide reputation as one of the world’s best places to shop. This makes sense since there are no sales taxes and almost no taxes at all, and it is one of China’s busiest ports, right next to the ShenZhen Special Economic Zone and the many factories in GuangDong Province. Products from around the world may be bought there at competitive prices. Business people from all over the world come to conduct business with people in Hong Kong and mainland Chinese.

It is known as the “gateway to China,” and the Chinese made products that are sold are cheaper than comparable goods that you would find in your local malls back in your home countries. With all this hustle and bustle and money exchanging hands, is there another way to have fun other than by strolling in the malls and bargaining with shop owners? There are plenty of recreational opportunities in Hong Kong.There are plenty of fun places to go, interesting things to see, and fun things to do in Hong Kong and much of this fun is free or inexpensive. Hong Kong has some of the best natural recreation areas in the region, good museums, zoos and parks that are free or inexpensive, amusement parks, an inexpensive transportation system including a cheap ferry system, lots of English language churches, and there is the fun and adventure of seeing and mixing with people from all over the world. So though Hong Kong is known as a good place to shop, to me the recreational activities is what makes Hong Kong enjoyable.

Looking at the market situation from an economic standpoint, from the many luxurious malls and stores, from all the thousands of small shops and boutiques, and from all the people hawking merchandise at tourists on the streets, there is plenty of competition to keep prices down. Labor costs in Hong Kong are still much lower than in the most of the world’s developed economies. It sits on one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes, and products from all over the world are sold by merchants who have come to live there from all over the world. People from around the world go there to shop, have holidays, and enjoy the clean environment, scenery, resorts, hotels and restaurants. But if you are tired of business and shopping, people in the region looking for a place to get away from people, enjoy natural activities like hiking and swimming in a clean ocean, enjoy real Western food and enjoy some English language films or English friendly cultural activities, Hong Kong is sort of unique. This is what I found about Hong Kong. It is also interesting to watch all the world cultures merge, and see the people from all over the world.
Natural Recreation

The Chinese SAR (Special Administrative Region) of Hong Kong is covered with hills and mountains. It is wonderful to take a train or bus from the border and see green tree covered hills that seem empty. These mountains and hills are fairly steep, and until recently people have left much of the region of Hong Kong undeveloped. Especially, the region of the New Territories is still largely undeveloped. About 40% of Hong Kong is protected in 23 parks, including three marine parks and one marine reserve. Hiking trails, waterfalls, clean swimming spots and places to fish, lakes, rivers and some of Asia’s best beaches are within walking distance from the modern rapid transit train stations, and are often empty or have few visitors each day. As one person reported, “We hardly met a soul on our hikes.” Some of Asia’s best beaches and natural ocean areas are empty, but easily accessible. The 10 tallest mountain peaks all have hiking trails. Books and trail guides are easy to find in book stores and information kiosks. So for those who want to stroll or to go swimming or hiking, these still empty places in Hong Kong may be among the best places to go in East Asia.

As an example of a quick natural excursion from a ritzy mall, when I am on Hong Kong Island I like to take a 20 or 30 minute walk through the new IFC Mall that is one of Hong Kong’s most deluxe and arrive at a narrow road that climbs through a wooded park up Victoria Peak, rise above the high rises, and once reaching the top, see the great views on both the city side and the seaward side of the peak. If you really want to shop, there are two more malls to shop in on the top of Victoria Peak! Along the way, near this road is one of the coolest zoos I have ever seen, partly because it is free. I accidently walked in, trying to find my way up the hill one day, and found myself facing strange animals in cages. I thought I was in a small park, such as Chinese like to build to sit in, but found myself in one of the coolest zoos I’ve ever seen because it was clean, quiet and contained mainly primates, some of which I have never seen.

If you want to take this walk to the zoo or up Victoria Peak, the IFC Mall can be reached from Tsim Sha Tsui area of Kowloon aboard the Star Ferry. After a 12 minute walk on the covered walkway from the ferry terminal, you’ll be in the IFC Mall. But you may have to ask directions. One thing I’ve found strange about both China and Hong Kong is how there are few signs giving directions. The mall is large and spread out over several huge buildings. From the side of the IFC that faces the mountain, you can follow more covered walkways, escalators and stairs that lead up to the road that ascends up the hill. It is difficult to find the road because there are no clear signs, but people may give directions. Next to this park is the free small zoo called the Zoological and Botanical Gardens. It is worth seeing. I describe it more below.

The hike though the park to the top of Victoria Peak takes about 35 or 40 minutes. It passes through woods, and there are places to sit along the way if you are tired. It is fairly quiet in the park, and usually only a few people, mainly foreigners, may be found walking along the road. At the top there is a mall called the Peak Tower. There are coffee shops including a Starbucks for refreshments, and there are many restaurants with views from the top of the peak. There actually are two peaks at the top of Victoria Peak with good views. The other peak is about a 15 minute walk away. From the first peak next to the malls, you can see the ocean and the shoreline from the ocean side of the island. From the second peak, there is a good view of the bay and city below. At night, the city lights are a spectacle (see my picture, taken during the day). The mall area is served by a tram, and there are buses and taxis available if you want a ride.

The city from Victoria Peak

Museums

It was really cool and fun visiting 3 museums and seeing an “Imax” movie called “The Alps” at the Space Museum this summer with some friends – all in one day. We went on the day the museums are free, so the Science Museum was crowded with kids. The museums in Hong Kong are inexpensive and interesting. Ticket prices range from 10 to 25 HKD which is only about 1.2 to about 3 US dollars. On Wednesdays, entry is free. If you are in Kowloon or Tsim Sha Tsui, the best museums are within walking distance. For busy shoppers, within easy travel distance of the busy shopping districts of Central on Hong Kong Island and of Tsim Sha Tsui are four of Hong Kong’s best museums and the Hong Kong Cultural Center.

The Museum of Art houses about 15,000 exhibits. Its focus is to preserve Chinese artistic heritage. The collection includes an impressive display of antiques, and it includes many works of art from ancient China. It also has an extensive calligraphy section.

The Hong Kong Space Museum is next door to the Museum of Art. It is a distinctive white dome shaped building. There are two collections and a large and sophisticated “Omnimax” or “Imax” style movie theater. The theater projects movies on the very large screen which is actually the roof of the building, and the audio is broadcast simultaneously via headphones in English, Cantonese, Mandarin and Japanese. The Hall of Space Science collection is on the first floor, and the Hall of Astronomy is on the second floor. The space science collection features mainly Chinese astronomical instruments and charts, early Chinese rockets that were used as weapons, and rockets that were invented in the West during the last two centuries. It also includes a mockup of the American Space Shuttle cockpit that is very interesting because it is realistic and huge. The Hall of Astronomy collection instructs visitors on the solar system, stars and universe. There is also a small collection of meteorites. Some of the exhibits in the museum are interactive. It is a place to go if you like science or want to learn about the history of astronomy or space flight, or if you simply want to see an exciting super screen movie.

Like I said, I visited this Space Museum this summer. The recreations of Chinese rocket weapons were interesting. And I was amazed at the size of the Space Shuttle cockpit. It is like a jetliner, but it doesn’t look very big on TV. The dome-screened “Imax” movie threatre was really a wonderful place to be. It was clean and quiet, and I was tired. But to view the movies, people have to lie down on the chairs that are more like beds. It was really cool. I was impressed by the scenery of the Alps, and the great music. The movie touched me. It was about a climber whose father had died climbing this same peak when he was a kid. It was really moving. He accomplished his life-long dream and burden to get to the top of it.

The Science Museum is about a 25 minute walk away. It is another place to go to learn about science. It is especially a fun place for kids and for adults who like to play because most of the exhibits are interactive. There is a hall of mirrors and a sports fitness test area for example. The hall of mirrors is fun to walk through. The fitness test area was the most fun part of the museum for me. But I suggest go when there aren’t so many kids. The lines were quite long on the “free day” when I visited.

The Hong Kong Museum of History is next to the Science Museum. It has interesting “real-life” displays of Hong Kong at various times, including the British Colonial era and the Japanese invasion. There is an interesting walk-through geology and natural history exhibit. The Museum has collected about 2,800 rock and mineral specimens from the around the territory, and there are over 750 specimens of shells from local beaches. The Museum has also acquired over 1,600 animal specimens, including mammals, birds and butterflies. I liked the historical displays about Hong Kong’s recent history, but I thought that the first part of the museum with the displays of Neolithic people on a beach and the recreations of prehistoric animals and etc. was kind of hokey.

The Hong Kong Cultural Center is a large building next to the Space Museum. When I walked inside, I was struck by the huge unused space. There is a concert hall that seats about 2000 people, a theatre that seats about 1700, and a small studio theatre than can seat almost 500 people. World famous orchestras and musicians perform there. At the entrance, is a model of the whole center.

Recommended Hong Kong Travel, Hong Kong tours, Hong Kong hotels.

Bali Volcanoes Helicopter Tour

Bali island in Indonesia is renowned for its natural beauty and as a fabulous tourist attraction. However, the island is also known for its terrorist attacks in recent years. Since then, the people of Bali have recovered and the island is now a hotspot for tourists from all over the world once again, especially for its beach resorts and volcano helicopter tours.

The island’s ecology and geography are greatly influenced by the towering mountain range of volcanoes that dominate the island. These majestic volcanoes created Bali’s stunning mountainous landscape and they occasionally regenerate its soils and help produce heavy rains that provide this resort island with precious fresh water.

The Balinese considered the island’s many volcanoes, lakes and spring as sacred and treat them with respect and awe. If you are a tourist traveling to Bali for your holiday vacation, you will be awestruck with the sheer majesty of the volcanoes. These natural landscapes are major tourist attractions and many tourist go sightseeing the volcanoes on helicopter tours so that they can view the volcanoes in all its splendor and take awesome pictures. The island is still continually being formed by volcanic activities.

Bali is located over a major fault zone where the Indo-Australian plate collides with the Sunda plate. In 1963, a violent eruption on Mount Agung killed thousands of people and utterly destroyed many rice fields and irrigation network.

The dramatic lava flows on the north eastern faces of Mt Agung is the newest landforms, showing what the island may look like in ancient pre-historic time. It is a fascinating sightseeing experience, almost like a scene out of Jurassic Park.

Perhaps, the most popular volcano for tourists to visit and go sightseeing is Mount Batur. This grand old dame of a volcano sits in a giant caldera that contains a lake that is a few miles long and over a mile wide. Mount Batur is actually a very active volcano and can erupt moment as it erupted with great frequency but the eruptions are less violent these days except in a giant eruption in 1917 which claimed thousands of lives and destroyed hundreds of temples and villages.

Hiking up Mount Batur in the wee small hours of the the morning has become something of a “must do” thing for many tourists in Bali. You will need to bring along a sweater as it can get a little chilly at the volcano summit.

There is also a little coffee shop at the rim selling drinks for thirsty hikers and many children and women in flip flops balancing buckets of soft drinks on their heads scampering around trying to earn your tourist dollar. As the sun rises, you will get a picturesque view of Lombok and other surrounding islands.

One very interesting hike on Mt Batur is the climb down the inside of the crater from Penelokan to Kedisan. There are boats at Toya Bungkah Lake to take you across the lake to a village called Trunyan. This village is notorious for its mortuary traditions because instead of cremating or burying their deceased, the Trunyan villagers leave dead human bodies to decompose naturally in a designated cemetery.

Although Bali is known for rice cultivation, its volcanic soil is actually not well suited for such activities. The soil is finely textured and well drained, so water soaks through the soil rapidly and thus precious water is wasted. The solution therefore lies in repeated and vigorous ploughing which make the soil less permeable.

So if you are visiting Bali for your holiday vacations, do not miss out a sightseeing trip to view Bali’s majestic volcanoes, better yet, take a helicopter tour of this spectacular tourist attraction.

A Bird’s Eye View of the Grand Canyon

Waimea Canyon was once dubbed by Mark Twain to be the “Grand Canyon of the South Pacific.” Located on the island of Kauai the canyon has easily a spectacular landmark of incomparable grandeur. Measuring 10 miles long and 1 mile wide with a depth of more than 3,500 feet, the canyon is the largest in the Pacific. A rare and spectacular sight, the canyon was created thousands of years ago by rivers flowing from the summit of Mount Waialeale. Throughout the years there have been numerous volcanic eruptions, leaving lava to flow over the canyon walls, carving out ridges that remain today. The canyon is located within the bounds of Koke’e State Park, taking in more than 4,300 acres and including 45 miles of hiking trails.

Visitors to the island can enjoy the incredible view from numerous lookouts posted along the canyon as well as hike various trails meandering over 45 miles around and through the canyon. Once on the floor of the canyon, travelers will enjoy calming breezes, with temperatures that are often 10-15 degrees cooler than anywhere else on the island. For those interested in capturing some of the most spectacular views in the world, there are terrific photo opportunities almost everywhere you look. Be sure to visit in the morning; however, if at all possible. Early morning views provide better visibility and therefore far better photographs. Beginning at around the noon hours clouds begin to move into the area, practically shrouding lookouts.

Although the canyon is accessible via State Road 550, by far the best way to see the wonders of Waimea Canyon is a dramatic helicopter ride. Only from the vantage point of the Kauai helicopter tours can one gain an appreciation of the true magnitude of the canyon. Flying high above the rim of the canyon, along a mantle of gossamer clouds, you will delight in the veritable rainbow of chasm struts presented in a prism of reds, purples, greens and blues. Gazing at the various rock layers, each one representing a separate volcanic incidence from the past of the island, visitors gain an appreciation for the history of the canyon, dating back millions of years. The views offered through Kauai helicopter tours will provide memories you will never forget.

Descending onto the floor of the canyon, there is a variety of sights, wonders and activities. The Kokee Natural History Museum, located at an amazing 4,000 feet, offers displays of the many lush vegetation found on the mountain as well as numerous animals. Directly behind the museum, visitors can access a nature trail that will allow them view the 35 marked plants for themselves.

Birdwatchers will surely delight in the variety of birds available for sighting in Waimea Canyon. Just a few of the birds you’re likely to see include the yellow-green anianiau, the Nene-state bird, white-tailed tropic bird, red apapane and other jungle fowl. Keep an eye out and you’re likely to also see a few mountain goats during your visit to the canyon.

Lookouts are located just about everywhere you turn, providing plenty of opportunities for fantastic photographs. Some provide absolutely incredible sights, well worthy of any professional postcard. These include the Waimea Canyon Overlook located at mile 10, so be sure to keep an eye out for it.

After hiking the trails and investigating the numerous lush plants and colorful birdlife, you will surely have worked up an appetite. Be sure to stop by the Kokee Lodge, located conveniently next door to the Kokee Natural History Museum, for a hearty meal. The Lodge serves both breakfast and lunch while also providing a warm hearth, a welcome respite on cooler days.

When planning your Kauai helicopter tours, be sure to wear layered clothing in order to keep warm, because temperatures can be rather cool. In addition, it’s also a good idea to wear comfortable footwear, especially if you plan to hike the trails once descending onto the canyon floor. Rain gear is also a necessary must, as the island is frequented with rain showers. In order to take full advantage of the fabulous views, be sure to bring along a pair of binoculars and don’t forget your camera. For those adventurous souls who want to splash in the river, be sure to bring along an extra set of clothing.

A visit to Kauai would not be complete without viewing the spectacular natural wonder of Waimea Canyon. With 5 million years in the making, this is one sight you won’t soon forget. Combine your visit with Kauai helicopter tours and you’ll bring home memories that will stay with you the rest of your life.