Posts Tagged ‘Tour’

A driving tour of Camano Island: laid-back vibe, no ferry ride

A driving tour of Camano Island: laid-back vibe, no ferry ride
Camano is one island that doesn’t require a ferry ride, and a visit is full of natural and manmade wonders. Outdoors writer Mike McQuaide leads readers on a driving tour of Camano Island.

Read more on Seattle Times

Hello From Sicily – A Driving Tour Through Lipari And A Magical Evening In Vulcano

Our beautiful dinner in the old town of Lipari last night was another opportunity to get to know Sicilian cuisine. A light-hearted evening was followed by a night of deep sleep and by 8 am this morning I stuck my head out of the boat: another gorgeous day! Everyone was still sleeping and I had about an hour and half to walk into town and catch another glimpse of picturesque Lipari. I mailed my postcards and picked up some fresh locally grown oranges for the gang on the boat.

Once back at the boat, my co-travellers Herbert, Claudia and I were ready for another excursion: a driving tour of Lipari. Herbert is a German TV travel journalist and is planning to bring a television crew to Sicily next year to film the Italian language learning experience aboard a sailboat provided by Laboratorio Linguistico. Naturally he has to scout out the various locations to check into sights of interest, lighting, and facilities – all the factors that will have a bearing on the shoot.

He had asked our captain Francesco to arrange for a local guide who would drive him around the island and generously invited Claudia and me to come along. Our driver Pasquale Liberatore (what a great name), a Lipari resident, arrived punctually at 9:30 am to pick us up at the Lipari pleasure craft harbour to take us on a tour through this beautiful island.

Pasquale packed us into his vehicle and off we went. His personal story, incidentally, is also quite interesting: Pasquale was born and grew up in Lipari and then in the lat 1950s his family emigrated to Melbourne, Australia, where there is a large community of southern Italian émigrés. Southern Italy went through real economic hardship after World War II, and many hundreds of thousands of people emigrated from the mainland and the islands. Pasquale spent a few decades in Australia but as the only person from his immediate family, he returned to Lipari to live here. He has now been back for about 15 years and loves living here although he occasionally misses his brothers and sisters and their families who are still living in Australia. Of course he speaks excellent English, and that is how he markets himself – Pasquale, the English-speaking cab driver and tour guide.

The first place he took us to was a village north of Lipari called Canneto which has a beautiful waterfront location, draped around a horseshoe-shaped bay. We decided to catch a little late breakfast first, and I really enjoyed my refreshing lemon granita, a typical Sicilian specialty – crushed ice that comes in a variety of flavours, a great idea for starting off the day. Herbert enjoyed a fresh croissant and an espresso.

On our way out of the bar, parked by the lungomare, the waterfront promenade, a local fisherman was selling fresh fish he caught this morning out of a little three-wheeled cargo vehicle. He shouted out the names of the fish with a peculiar cadence that was sure to attract the attention of passers-by. This is one thing I noticed about Sicily: street selling, particularly of fish, produce and other edible products, is still a popular way of marketing one’s merchandise.

We continued our drive towards the white pumice quarries that Lipari is famous for. This volcanic stone is used for the production of cement, as an abrasive and a cosmetic exfoliant. Pumice is a highly porous, extremely light-weight, usually white stone that is formed during volcanic eruptions. Just a few dozen meters away from the pumice quarries we stopped to see another type of volcanic stone: obsidian, or volcanic glass, which is a dark-brown, dense, virtually opaque and heavy substance.

Pasquale explained that the chemical make-up of obsidian and pumice is essentially the same, but that they are ejected a different temperatures during volcanic eruptions. Obsidian has been used for eons; because of its flint-like quality it can easily be shaped into blades and spear tips and other cutting instruments. Today obsidian is even used as for surgical scalpels which produce less trauma than steel scalpels. Another less high-tech use of obsidian is as a gemstone, and many stores in the Eolian Islands sell jewelry crafted from this volcanic glass.

We came around the northern tip of Lipari where a beautiful view opened up toward the island of Salina. Pasquale took us up a mountain road to the Santuario di Chiesa Vecchia di Quattropani, a beautiful country church located on a hill with a phenomenal view over several of the Eolian Islands. As we were standing by the railing of the terrace, a jet fighter flew by at what seemed like supersonic speed, literally a few meters above the water. By the time we realized where the booming sound was coming from it was already disappearing into the horizon.

Another 15 minutes further on the west side of the island we stopped at an abandoned kaolin quarry. Kaolin is a silica-based mineral that is used in the production of ceramics, as a food additive and even as an ingredient in toothpaste. Everything was blooming around here, and yellow and purple flowers lit up the crags overlooking the sea.

At the southern tip of Lipari we stopped on a parking lot beside a private village and had a phenomenal view of the nearby island of Vulcano. We could even see the columns of sulphur fumes emanating from the fissures near the crater of this still active volcano. A flat stretch of land called Vulcanello is located in front of the main island of Vulcano. This part of the island appeared only about 2000 years ago in a volcanic eruption. Volcanism is still reshaping the earth all around here.

We had seen almost every corner of this small island and Pasquale dropped us off near downtown Lipari. This guided tour provided by a local expert was a great way of getting to know the island of Lipari. Claudia and I headed straight for an outdoor restaurant on the piazza by Marina Corta and had a well-deserved lunch and another nice stroll through town before we started to head back to our sailboat.

Around 3 pm we said goodbye to Lipari and set sail for our next destination: Vulcano. On our way our skipper Francesco took us past some very interesting rock formations at the southern end of Lipari. One protruding rock column was reminiscent of a praying pope while several tall isolated rocks grew right out of the sea in front of Lipari. We circled around to the eastern side of Vulcano and dropped anchor in the bay in front of Porto di Levante, the only landing place on the island. Several ferry boats were making their entries to and exits from the bay, and several other sailboats were anchored at a distance from the island.

Now it was time for our Italian lesson: for two hours in the late afternoon Claudia, Agnieszka and I were studying concepts such as the Italian Condizionale as well as the Congiuntivo under the guidance of our expert teacher Franco. You would definitely be hard-pressed to find a more stimulating environment to study Italian than a sailboat anchored in a beautiful bay in Southern Italy.

The wonderful thing about this sailing trip has been so far that it has been a nearly perfect immersion in Italian, where we are hearing the language all day and both our teachers communicate only in Italian with us. This concept is as close to full immersion as one can imagine, and the learning process is very intense and fast.

For the evening we stayed on the boat and watched a beautiful sunset which bathed the entire scene in hues of pink and purple. After our on-board dinner we retreated outside where Agnieszka, a gifted singer, and Franco, a great guitar player, teamed up and entertained us with many different soulfully delivered classics.

Sitting on a sailboat at night, by candlelight, in the beautiful bay of Vulcano, listening to the touching melodies of two gifted artists, was a magical, almost spiritual experience. I knew tomorrow was going to be our last day on this sailing trip, but I didn’t want this moment to end…..

Maui Helicopter Tours ? Enjoy the West Maui Molokai Tour

Boasting nearly perfect year-round travel weather, thousands of acres of unspoiled natural beauty, the best beaches in the world, award-winning restaurants and cuisine, world-class golf courses, upscale shopping, luxury resorts, art galleries featuring local artists, amazing snorkel and scuba sites, and more family activities than any other Hawaiian island, it’s easy to see why Maui was named the Best Island in the World by Conde Nast Traveler 15 years in a row!

Hawaii is the most geographically remote, yet well-populated land in the world. North America, the nearest continent, lies some 2400 miles away. Maui is 727.3 square miles with 120 miles of coastline. More than 80% of the most stunning scenery and unspoiled beauty is inaccessible due to lack of roads and hiking trails leading into the interior sections. Taking a helicopter ride, like the West Maui Molokai Tour, is the most effective way to see Maui.

The Hana and Haleakala Tour is probably the most popular flight to do on the island of Maui because it covers the two main scenic points, but my personal favorite is the West Maui Molokai Tour.

The West Maui Mountains, or Mauna Kahalawai as it is traditionally known by Hawaiians, with its many peaks and ridges is the older of two volcanoes that form the island of Maui. The highest peak, Pu’u Kukui stands at 5,778 feet and is located in the upper regions of the mountain on the Western end. Imagine, a bird’s-eye view of this natural beauty via the West Maui Molokai Tour.

Pu’u Kukui is known as the second wettest spot on earth, second only to Mount Wai’ale’ale on Kaua’i. The abundance of water that flow from these mountains is the source of dozens of incredible waterfalls like the Wall of Tears that feed the streams and sparkling blue pools that run along the rainforest floor. The tallest waterfall on Maui, Honokohau Falls, is also located here A West Maui Molokai Tour expedition offers exquisite viewing of spectacular waterfalls!

This first segment of the West Maui Molokai Tour is only a prelude to even more fantastic views. With such eye-popping scenery it’s difficult to know where to begin to describe the wonders that you’ll find on the final leg of the West Maui Molokai Tour, on the remarkable “Friendly Isle” of Molokai.

The Sea Cliffs of Molokai, the tallest in the world, is the first thing to greet you as you journey across the Pailolo channel. The shear size and magnitude of these spectacular sea cliffs will leave you in awe. You can truly appreciate nature’s grandeur from a helicopter excursion, specifically the West Maui Molokai Tour.

From The National Historical Landmark Kalaupapa Settlement to the treasured vistas of Halawa Valley, the West Maui Molokai Tour may provide you a view of Kahiwa Falls (tallest in Hawaii), Papalaua Falls, Wailau Valley, Ancient Hawaiian Fish Ponds, the Molokai Reef (longest fringe reef in the US) and the archeologically rich Halawa Valley with Moalua Falls and Hipuapua Falls.

On the return home the West Maui Molokai Tour will visit Lahaina, once the home to many of Hawaii’s Royalty and the former Whaling Capitol of the World.

Your West Maui Molokai Tour concludes with a visit through Iao Valley State Park where an epic battle to unite the Hawaiian islands were fought between the armies of Kamehameha and Kalanikupule.

The West Maui Molokai Tour promises to be one of the most memorable experiences of your life.

Vietnam Royal Tour 17 Days From Saigon

DAY 1: HO CHI MINH CITY ( D)
Welcomed at Tan Son Nhat airport and transfered to Hotel. Short city tour to the Reunification Hall, China Town and Thien Hau Pagoda. Welcome dinner on boat to cruise along Sai Gon river to see Saigon by night. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh City.

DAY 2: MEKONG DELTA (B, L)
A.M. Leave for My Tho town of Tien Giang province (the first province in the Mekong Delta – about 75 km from Ho Chi Minh City). Visit Dong Tam snake-farm and Vinh Trang pagoda. Boat trip on Mekong river to visit the fruit gardens and peasants” houses on a islet. Lunch at a typical restaurant of Mekong Delta. P.M. Return to HoChiMinh City. Shopping. Night in hotel.

DAY 3: HO CHI MINH CITY – PHAN THIET (B, L)
Drive to Phan Thiet, a famous beach 200km to the North of Ho Chi Minh City. Check in at a lovely beach resort as Blue Ocean or Bamboo Village. Free bathing with sun and white sand at the resort. Night at the resort.

DAY 4: PHAN THIET (B, L)
Enjoy the beach at sunrise. After breakfast visit the famous moving sand-hill of Phan Thiet. Visit Poshanu Cham Tower, Duc Thanh School. Night at the resort.

DAY 5: PHAN THIET – NHA TRANG (B, L)
A.M. Visit Phan Thiet Market. Then transfer to Nha Trang city, 250 km North of Phan Thiet which is considered as the best beach of Vietnam. Check in hotel. Relax at the beach in front of the hotel. Seafood dinner. Overnight in Nha Trang.

DAY 6: NHA TRANG – ISLANDS (B,L)
Full day boat trip to visit Tri Nguyen Aquarium, Hon Tam Island. Sea-bathing in the blue water beach. You can also enjoy diving or snorkelling at the islands. Night in Nha Trang.

DAY 7: NHA TRANG (B, L)
A.M. Drive to Nha Phu Bay and get reach of the Monkey Island by a boat. Visit Monkey Island and admire playfull performances of the monkeys.
P.M. Visit Ponagar Cham tower, Hon Chong Promontory, Long Son Pagoda, Dam Market. Overnight in Nha Trang.

DAY 8: NHA TRANG -HOI AN (B, L) ( Flight )
Transfer to Nha Trang Airport for flight to Da Nang. Meet and transfer to Hoi An ancient town, 30 km South of Da Nang, one of the World”s Cutural Heritage. Visit Japanese Bridge, Chinese Pagoda… Overnight in Hoi An.

DAY 9: HOI AN – DA NANG – BANA RESORT(B, L)
Transfer to Danang for visiting Ngu Hanh (Marble) Mountains, Non Nuoc Beach, Cham Museum. Continue to Ba Na Mountain Resort by car and get on the resort by telepheric. Visit Ba Na and stay overnight to enjoy the pleasant weather.

DAY 10: BA NA – HUE (B, L)

Visit Ba Na. Then transfer to Hue, the old capital city of Vietnam, 120 km from Danang. You will have a chance to view the Hai Van Pass, the most beautiful mountain-pass of Vietnam. Check in hotel. Night in Hue.

DAY 11: HUE (B, L)
A.M. Boat ride along Perfume River to visit Thien Mu pagoda, Minh Mang King”s Mausoleum and Hon Chen Temple.
P.M. Visit Tu Duc and Khai Dinh”s Mausoleums, Tu Hieu pagoda. Night in Hue.

DAY 12: HUE – HANOI (B, L)          by Flight
A.M. Visit Hue Imperial Citadel, Dong Ba Market.
P.M. Transfer to Phu Bai Airport for flight to Hanoi . Meet at Noi Bai airport and transfer to hotel. Evening enjoy Water-puppet show – a Vietnamese famous traditional art. Overnight at hotel.

DAY 13: HANOI (B, L,D)
Full day city tour to Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, Ho Chi Minh House-on-stilts, Ho Chi Minh Museum and One-Pillar Pagoda, Hanoi Old Quarter, Temple of Literature (the first University of Vietnam), Restored Sword Lake, Tran Quoc Pagoda. Diner at restaurant. Overnight in Hanoi.

DAY 14: HANOI – HAI PHONG – CAT BA (B, L)
A.M. Transfer to Hai Phong seaside city (110 km). Board on a hydrofoil to travel to Cat Ba Island.
P.M. Visit Cat Ba National Park, Trung Trang Cave, Cat Co Beach. Canoe ride around Cat Ba. Overnight in Cat Ba.

DAY 15: CAT BA – HA LONG – HANOI (B, L)
A.M. Boat cruise to Halong Bay to admire thousands of charming islands and natural caves with various shape of stalagmites such as Thien Cung, Dau Go. Lunch on board with seafood.
P.M. Return to Hanoi . Overnight at hotel in Hanoi.

DAY 16: HANOI  FREE DAY (B)
Breakfast at your hotel. All day free to shopping around Hanoi. Overnight in Hanoi.

DAY 17: HANOI – DEPARTURE (B)
Transfer to airport for departure.

More information at : http://www.hanoipeacetour.com/english/?page=tours&menu=detail&id=292

Tour Cost includes:

- Full transportation by private car or bus as tour program indicated.
- Full meals as indicated in the itinerary. Lunch and dinner at local restaurant – Vietnamese food
- 2 Domestic flights : Nhatrang – Danang., Hue -Hanoi

- English /French – speaking guide
- Entrance fees.

- Private Boat trip in Perfume River, Nhatrang, Tiengiang river in Mytho.

- Hight speedboat ticket : Haiphong – CatBa -Haiphong

- Twin-share accommodation with daily breakfast; ( AC room)

Tour Cost excludes:

International airport tax in Hanoi at USD 14.00 nett per person

International airfare to/from Vietnam

Personal insurance.

Expenditure of a personal nature, tips, such as drinks, souvenirs, laundry, emergency transfers & etc.

Visa to Vietnam

More information at : http://www.hanoipeacetour.com/english/?page=tours&menu=detail&id=292

Hanoi Halong Catba Maichau Tamcoc Hue Myson Hoian saigon Mekong Tour

Day 1 : Arrive Hanoi ( D )
Arrive Hanoi airport. Meet the tour guide at the airport and transfered to the hotel. First visit of the city with guide. Take a cyclo tour around Sword Lake and the Old quarter. Dinner and Overnight in Hanoi.

Day 2: Hanoi city tour (B, L , D)
Breakfast at hotel. Full day city tour : the old quarter, Ngoc Son temple or « Jade Moutain » which was built on Jade island in the 19th century. It was dedicated to Van Xuong, considered as the brightest star in Vietnamese litterary. Visit Ly quoc Su pagoda, vestige of the dynastic temple of Ly. Have a look at the cathedral located at side. Visit Temple of the literature, the oldest school, established in 1070. One of the five courses is the most perfect example of Vietnamese architecture, with her wood sculptures. Visit famous pagoda with the single pillar “Chua Mot Cot”, built at the 11th century, by king Ly Thai To. Walk in the streets of the 36 corporations, the street of silk, the street of hemp, etc. In the evening, enjoy water puppet show. Dinner and Overnight at hotel in Hanoi.

Day 3: Hanoi -Halong bay – Catba island ( B, L , D )
Departure towards Halong bay, Cruising on the bay, enjoy the landscape of 3000 islands in the sugar loaf shape, scattered on 1550 km2 which constitute this archipelago bathing in the surprising green emerald water. Multiple caves, like Thien Cung grottos, the cave of the wonders, Surprise grotto. Many fine sand splits and beaches in a enchanting decoration. Visit a part of the islands and caves (approximately 6h of boat). Lunch on board with seafood. Overnight at hotel in Cat Ba island.

Day 4: Catba island – Haiphong – Hanoi (B, L )

Drive to visit Cat Ba National Park. Bathing at Cat Co Beach. Lunch. PM: Get hydrofoil to HaiPhong City. Drive back to Hanoi. Free and Overnight in Hanoi.

Day 5 : Hanoi – Hoabinh – Maichau (B, L , D)
8:00 AM ick up at your hotel in Hanoi. Drive to Hoa binh( about 2 hours). Short stop for break and coffee. Drive on to Man Duc for lunch. Leave Man Duc to Muong village where you can do a short walk for 2 hours. then drive on to Mai chau with few stops on the way for taking pictures.
Go around the valley before having dinner at a stilt house of Thai minority village. Enjoy the traditional music performance ( Performed by local artists ) Overnight in the Thai village. Clean and comfortable matress, blanket and pillow are provided.

Day 6 : Maichau – NinhBinh (B, L , D)
Breakfast. Discover the Thai people. They are the most minority of Vietnam, a visit which will make you enter in a true patriarchal society. Lunch then continue to Ninh Binh by a very beautiful road of countryside. Check in hotel. Dinner and night in Ninh Binh.

Day 7: Ninh Binh – Tamcoc – HoaLu – Hanoi (B, L )
Hoa Lu is called “Ha Long bay in land”, it is a landscape similar to that of Halong bay (without the sea but in the rice fields). You will embark in small boats at Van Lâm, led by young women, to sail on Ngo Dong river which curves among the rice fields and the mountains of limestone and threads under three mountains, to arrive till Tam Coc caves (three caves). Superb landscapes and the meeting of the life on river of the fisherman and Vietnamese farmers. In the afternoon, return to Hanoi. Free and  Overnight in Hanoi.

Day 8: Hanoi – Hue (B, L )  Flight
Breakfast and transfer to the airport for flying to Hue. Pick up and transfer to the hotel. AM: Boat trip on Perfume River to visit handicraft village: making conical hat and bronze casting. Visit Thien Mu Pagoda considered as Royal Pagoda of the Nguyen Dynasty and Imperal Citadel. Lunch.
PM: Visit Mausoleums of Tu Duc and Khai Dinh King. Visit a typical garden-house in Hue (Hue has another name as “city of garden”). Visit Dong Ba market. Night at hotel in Hue.

Day 9: Hue – Myson – Hoian (B, L )
Depart for Lang Co, a small village of fishermen. Taking photograph from HaiVan Pass ( The pass of Sea and Cloud). Visit Cham Museum in Danang. Lunch.

Drive to MY SON. Very spectacular, the site Cham of My Son Afternoon visit Marble Mountain. Arrive Hoian. Free at leisure. Overnight in Hoian.

Day 10: Hoian (B, L )
Breakfast. Start the visit of this charming small town, first commercial center in Vietnam since the 15th century, with more than 800 classified buildings : Japanese Covered Bridge, TanKy Old house, Assembly Hall Chinese. PhucKien Pagoda, Hoian Museum and Market. After lunch, continue the visit. In the evening, walk on the river Thu Bon in sunset. Back to hotel. Overnight in Hoian town.

Day 11 : Hoian – Danang – Saigon (B, L , D)             Flight
Breakfast. Transfer to airport for the morning flight to Saigon.

Arrival in Saigon.Transfer to the hotel. Lunch at the restaurant. Afternoon is free for personal discovery. Diner on boat cruise. Overnight in Sai Gon.

Day 12 : SaiGon city tour (B, L )
Breakfast. Beginning of the city tour: post office, cathedral, Reunification palace, centre town, then continuation towards Cholon by trishaw, visit Thien Hau temple, Binh Tay market. Lunch. Afternoon is free for personal discovery. Overnight at hotel.

Day 13 : Saigon – Caibe Floating market – Saigon (B, L )
Breakfast and drive to Mekong delta. Morning is reserved to a boat trip at Caï Be, on the innumerable channels connected to each other. You will discover a watery life. Thousands of people live there, on water, in water, for and thanks to water. Lunch on an island. Afternoon, back to Saigon. Overnight in Sai Gon.

Day 14 : Saigon depurture (B )
Breakfast at hotel. Free time for shopping. Transfert to the airport 2h before the departure flight to your home.

More information at : http://www.hanoipeacetour.com/english/?page=tours&menu=detail&id=431

Reed Floren motorhome interior tour

Reed Floren shows you the inside of his motorhome

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.