Monday, April 30, 2007
Belize!?
This peaceful country offers brilliant diving and fishing off immaculate Caribbean islands sheltered by the second longest coral reef in the world. Pristine rainforests cover much of its land hiding previously undiscovered Maya ruins, many dating back as far as the fourth century - some still unexcavated.
An exciting range of accommodation mean visitors can stay in charming jungle lodges, country cottages, rain-forest research stations or beach cabanas. All trips are tailormade to encompass the exciting range of activities and areas that Belize has to offer.
Belize City with its old colonial charm acts as a good base to see surrounding sights, which include Belize Zoo, Altun Ha (Maya ruins), Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary and the Community Baboon Sanctuary. Northwest of Belize is Orange Walk District the home of Chan Chich - a jungle lodge built in the middle of an ancient Maya plaza and 250,000 acres of rainforest. It's a favored resort for archaeology buffs, birdwatchers, naturalists and horseback riders. The lodge offers an adventurer's ambience with a jungle location and rustic architecture.
Nearby is the Rio Bravo Conservation Area. A stay in cabanas or dormitory style accommodation gives you a chance to experience life in the heart of the rainforest. Guided walks and demonstrations are available and all profits are ploughed back into conservation. The Cayo District attracts those who are interested in trekking, canoe rides, horseback trips to hidden waterfalls and quiet safaris in search of animals and flamboyant bird life. Accommodation is available in cottage resorts such as Pooks Hill, Chaa Creek and Blancaneaux Lodge. San Ignacio is a good base to see the nearby sights of Xunantunich Maya ruins, Mountain Pine Ridge, Macal River, Guanacaste Park and Tikal in Guatemala.
At Lighthouse Reef and Half Moon Caye you will find some of the best diving in Belize, the Blue Hole being the most famous. Half Moon Caye Natural Monument, now a national park, is home to many birds, most importantly the red-footed booby, as well as iguanas and loggerhead and hawksbill turtles. There is luxury accommodation on Lighthouse Reef, perfect for those who want isolation away from the crowds.
Dangriga is home to the wonderful Warribaggabagga Dancers and The Turtle Shell Band and attracts divers due to its proximity to the sea. Nearby is Cockscomb Basin Jaguar Reserve, which bustles with wildlife including margay, ocelot, puma, jaguarundi, tapir, deer, paca and hundreds of bird species. Placencia is relaxed and it's easy to do nothing but stretch out on sandy beaches. Activities however do include sport fishing, snorkeling, scuba diving, or photographing the rich wildlife in the region. Treks can be made to the Maya mountains, the Cockscomb Jaguar Reserve or the Monkey River to see the manatees.Toledo District attracts those who enjoy exploring in 4-wheel drive vehicles and visiting some of the lesser-known archaeological sites. Fallen Stones Lodge is an excellent place to stay off the beaten track.Ambergris Caye has the best variety of accommodation, restaurants and entertainment. It is considered the most developed and successful tourism area of Belize. In contrast St George's Caye is quiet and uncommercialised with accommodation in small cottages. It is a great spot for anyone who wants the quiet, simple pleasures of sky, sea and charming surroundings.
Sunday, April 29, 2007
Seychelles dream:)
North Island is most northerly of the inner granitic islands of the Seychelles
archipelago. It is located approximately 32 km northwest of the main island, Mahé and five km north of its nearest neighbour Silhouette.
The island is about 2.5 km long by 1 km wide - an area of around 210 hectares
The activities on offer on North Island are designed to give our guests the opportunity to enjoy the Island and its magic either under guidance from one of our hosts, or to give you the complete freedom to move around the Island at your own pace, either on foot, on our mountain bikes or by Island Buggie. These activities will have a minimal impact on the environment whilst providing the thrill and enjoyment of entertainment and exercise.
The island Piazza
The natural focal point of the Island, the Island Piazza, is the forum where elegant buildings cluster about a magnificent Indian Almond tree. Located on the beachfront, the dive and activity centre, housing both indoor and outdoor tuition areas, changing rooms and interesting displays is where many of the Island's land and marine activities are co-ordinated.Adjacent to the deck of the activity centre is the library. Built of coral blocks, it is undoubtedly one of the most exquisite examples of architecture on the Island and was already standing when construction of the lodge began.
Now, with its exterior walls renovated and its roof replaced, it houses a collection of books on topics of interest, various relics and artefacts. An ideal place for a quiet and relaxing read, the library also contains material explaining the background to the North Island project and details of environmental programmes currently underway.
Some twenty metres distant from the library are the lounge and dining areas, offering a high degree of comfort and also unforgettable views of the sea and mountains. From here, crossing a walkway over the lily pond will bring you to the wine cellar followed immediately by a private dining sala, with the bar that joins the dining area and the lounge standing not far away in the restful shade of a takamaka tree.Further up the mountain and hidden from the lounge and dining area is the main pool, a 45 metre long pool that looks over the pool deck to the horizon of the sea creating views of heart stopping beauty.
NORTH ISLAND SPA : North Island Spa is a place of extreme natural beauty and timelessness… it is an experience of luxury and surrender and is unencumbered, uninhibited, in touch, in tune, at ease and at peace.Over and above our standard North Island treatments, we specialise in designing personalised holistic treatments to rejuvenate the body, mind and soul. On arrival at North Island, once you have settled into your villa, our spa therapists will be available for an individual consultation aimed at personalising treatments to suit your needs. We design treatments that relieve stress, that are suited to after-exercise, that detoxify, cleanse and purify, that refresh and rejuvenate and those that provide finishing touches before leaving North Island.We have aligned ourselves with E'SPA, a holistic spa partner, whose commitment is to products and treatments that work effectively, organically and naturally.The North Island SPA experience is about getting back in touch with one's consciousness and senses.
Scuba diving: Seychelles forms part of the world's longest coral reef system and has some of the world's best scuba diving sites. Numerous dive sites have been identified around North Island and its nearest neighbour Silhouette Island. We offer a "guided" scuba experience and our dive masters are not only experts in scuba practices but also in the underwater universe.
Snorkelling: there are good snorkelling sites around North Island and Silhouette Island. Masks and fins are available at the dive centre if you wish to explore these sites, either on your own or in the company of a staff member (depending on your snorkelling skills).
Sea kayaking: those wishing to explore the Island from the water are able to do so using sea kayaks with all necessary tuition and guidance provided.
North Island Gym: is air-conditioned and is situated near the main swimming pool
Island bicycles: are available for guest use and are suitable for getting from one side of the Island to the other with ease
Fly-fishing: is an option for any guest. North Island has fishing rods, tackle and flies in stock for guest use. However, we recommend that serious fly-fishermen bring their own rods and tackle.
Trips to Silhouette Island: located some five kilometres to the south, Silhouette Island is a soaring granite island, whose peaks are constantly enveloped in clouds. The granite cliffs drop sharply into the sea. Silhouette Island has few beaches, though there are some wonderful tiny coves with remote beaches that are worth exploring. Silhouette Island's attractions include an excellent example of a Seychelles plantation house (built in 1850), now a museum, and the remains of its once thriving copra processing plant.
Ron Gerlach is the resident ecologist and runs a breeding programme for the highly endangered Seychelles giant tortoises and terrapin. His immaculate research centre is worth a visit and, depending on the time of the year, you may see turtle eggs (Hawksbill ad Green turtles) being incubated. For the energetic and fit, Silhouette Island has some challenging hiking trails.
Boating and island hopping: Boating around North Island or other trips could include visits to Mahé and the outer islands, including the spectacular bird islands, Arid and Cousin, and can be arranged at an extra cost.
Kauai travel
Kauai Travel
The Garden Island
Kauai travel evolves around exploring and the island is small enough that all the attractions can be visited staying in just one place. The three main areas - Poipu in the south, the Royal Coconut Coast in the east and Hanalei / Princeville in the north.
The highest concentration of large international resorts and hotels is at Poipu, along the sunny South Coast. Accommodation here sits side by side along the three miles of sandy coastline which in places is broken by large rocky outcrops. There are lots of vacation rentals at the west end of Poipu, beyond which is the spectacular blowholes, a major tourist pull. Poipu has several championship golf courses and the hills inland are good for walking and exploring. There are some excellent coastal trails along the cliffs to the east offering absolute solitude.
More affordable accommodation can be found along the East Coast in the seaside towns of Lihue, Wailua and Kapa'a. Lihue Town is set inland, but the popular beach area of Kalapaki has fine sand alongside a protected harbour with safe swimming year round, some surfing breaks at the harbour mouth, and several world championship courses along the wild coastline beyond the beach. To the north of Lihue lots of accommodation can be found between the small towns of Wailua and Kapa'a, an area referred to as the Royal Coconut Coast for it was the main residence of the ancient Hawaiians and in early European times, was a large coconut plantation. Here there are some fine archaeological sites alongside the river valley and waterfalls to explore by kayak. The beaches here are OK, but often not good for swimming due to rough seas and dangerous currents.
The charming town of Hanalei along the rainforested North Coast with its adjacent purpose built resort village of Princeville back into some of the islands most breathtaking wilderness and has lovely remote beaches along a winding coastal road and several excellent places for snorkelling. Hanalei has several small hotels and lots of vacation rentals and bed and breakfast guesthouses The extremely beautiful Na Pali coastline is accessible from here, with one of the best hiking trails in the State winding its way through rainforest alongside the steep cliffs. Sailing charters and helicopter sightseeing of the otherwise inaccessible Na Pali Coast is Kauai's most popular tourist attraction.
The South West Coast of Kauai is rugged and wild - ideal for reflection but the wind-swept beaches are not safe for swimming and accommodation is thus limited. A few small hotels and some vacation rentals can be found around historic Waimea Town. This is the access point to the unusual Waimea Canyon, with stunning vistas and lots of hiking trails.
Aloha!!!
Kauai — Garden Isle
Romantic Vacation Getaway
Famous for its natural beauty, lush tropical rain forests, (and above average rainfall), it's no surprise that Kauai, also known as the "Garden Isle," is one of the wettest spots on earth. It's also the most scenic — and one of the most popular — of the Hawaiian Islands.
Waimea Canyon
During your visit to Kauai, be sure to visit the picturesque Waimea Canyon — dubbed "The Grand Canyon of the Pacific" by Mark Twain.
COACHELLA festival 2007
Countdown -3 Days 21 Hrs 29 Minutes 43 Seconds
Bjork
Interpol
the Jesus and Mary Chain
Arctic Monkeys
Jarvis Cocker
Sonic Youth
Faithless
DJ Shadow
Peeping Tom
Brazilian Girls
Peaches
Felix Da Housecat
Rufus Wainwright
Stephen Marley featuring Jr. Gong
Nickel Creek
Digitalism
Tokyo Police Club
Comedians of Comedy
El-P
Julieta Venegas
Of Montreal
Gogol Bordello
Benny Benassi
Satellite Party
Circa Survive
Silversun Pickups
Gillian Welch
Tilly and the Wall
David Guetta
Amy Winehouse
Noisettes
Evil Nine
Flosstradamus featuring Kid Sister
Bus Driver
Brother Ali
Red Hot Chili Peppers
the Arcade Fire
Tiesto
the Decemberists
the Good, The Bad and The Queen
Travis
Kings of Leon
Gotan Project
the Rapture
LCD Soundsystem
Blonde Redhead
the New Pornographers
the Black Keys
Regina Spektor
!!!
Hot Chip
MSTRKRFT
Peter Bjorn & John
Ozomatli
Ghostface Killah
Fountains of Wayne
Jack's Mannequin
Sparklehorse
the Nightwatchman
Roky Erickson & the Explosives
Cornelius
CocoRosie
Andrew Bird
the Frames
the Fratellis
Justice
Pharoahe Monch
Fields
the Cribs
Girl Talk
the Chuck Dukowski Sextet
Mike Relm
Busy P
DJ Mehdi
Steve Aoki
DJ Heather
Yeva
Pop Levi
Rage Against The Machine
Manu Chao Radio Bemba Sound System
Air
Happy Mondays
Paul van Dyk
Willie Nelson
the Roots
Crowded House
Kaiser Chiefs
Damien Rice
Placebo
Explosions in the Sky
the Lemonheads
Konono No.1
Richie Hawtin
Soul Wax Nite Versions
Infected Mushroom
Lily Allen
Amos Lee
Jose Gonzalez
Spank Rock
Rodrigo Y Gabriela
Against Me!
VNV Nation
Ratatat
Junior Boys
the Feeling
the Kooks
CSS
Klaxons
Teddybears
Tapes 'n Tapes
Lupe Fiasco
Mando Diao
Grizzly Bear
Mika
the Coup
the Avett Bros.
Anathallo
Kid Beyond
Fair to Midland
Saturday, April 28, 2007
International acts of Sziget Festival 2007
Main Stage
!!! (USA)
Babylon Circus (F)
Chemical Brothers (UK)
Faithless (UK)
Laurent Garnier (F)
Gentleman (D)
Gogol Bordello (USA)
The Good, The Bad And The Queen (UK)
The Hives (S)
Juliette and the Licks (USA)
Kaizers Orchestra (N)
The Killers (USA)
Madness (UK)
Mando Diao (S)
Mika (UK)
Nine Inch Nails (USA)
Pink (USA)
The Rakes (UK)
Sinéad O’Connor (IRL)
Sportfreunde Stiller (D)
Tool (USA)
World Music Main Stage
Salif Keita (Mali)
Värttinä (FIN)
Cesaria Evora (Zöld-foki Köztársaság)
Skatalites (JAM)
Tinariwen (LÃbia)
Mari Boine (N)
Eddie Palmieri (USA)
Leningrad (RU)
Fanfare Ciocarlia – Queens & Kings (RO)
Orchestre National de Barbés (ALG-M-F)
Rachid Taha (ALG)
Manu Dibango (Kamerun)
Sergent Garcia (F)
WAN2 Stage
Fun-Da-Mental (UK)
GusGus (Iceland)
Hooverphonic (B)
Hyper (UK)
IAMX (UK)
Nitzer Ebb (UK)
UNKLE (UK)
Hammerworld Stage
Killing Joke (UK)
Within Temptation (NL)
Napalm Death (UK)
Negative (FIN)
Pleymo (F)
Party Arena
DJ Hell (D)
Dave Clarke (UK)
Goldie (UK)
Satoshi Tomiie (JAP)
Plump DJ's (UK)
Timo Maas (D)
Silicone Soul (UK)
Ultra Music Festival 2007 Day 1 at Bicentennial Park
Date / Friday, 23 March 2007
Time / 4:00 p.m. - midnight.
Venue / Bicentennial Park/ 1075 Biscayne Blvd, Miami, FL USA 33132
Region / United States of America/ Florida
Cost / Two-day General Admisson pass $99.90
Line-up /
Tiesto (live), Miss Kittin, Deep Dish, Junkie XL, The Cure, Shiny Toy Guns and more TBA.
Ultra Music Festival 2007 Day 2 at Bicentennial Park
Date / Saturday, 24 March 2007
Time / 12:00 p.m. - midnight.
Venue / Bicentennial Park/ 1075 Biscayne Blvd, Miami, FL USA 33132
Region / United States of America/ Florida
Cost / Two-day General Admisson pass $99.90
Line-up /
Paul van Dyk, Richie Hawtin, Carl Cox, Erick Morillo, Danny Tenaglia, Ferry Corsten,Bad Boy Bill, Benny Benassi, DJ Dan, Rabbit In The Moon, Josh Wink, Richie Hawtin, Goldie, Fabio, Grooverider, DJ Icey, Baby Anne, Meat Katie, Timo Maas.
Friday, April 27, 2007
EXIT Festival007,12-15.07.2007
The EXIT festival came into being in the year 2000 as an act of rebellion against the regime of Slobodan Milosevic, that had for years been keeping Serbia out of touch with the outside world. That summer thousands of young people from Novi Sad had gathered in the campus park by the River Danube where concerts, parties and art performances took place. There were also discussions and debates where the young were able to express their opposition to the imposed nationalism, xenophobia, censorship and repression. The event lasted for 100 days and its grand finale was the ‘Get out to Vote’ party, which was held one day before the elections that saw the downfall of Milosevic.
Having been inspired by the enthusiasm brought on by the changes in the country, the team behind EXIT decided to continue the festival and create an event that had true regional importance. They chose the historic Petrovaradin Fortress as their venue, built high on the banks of the River Danube offering stunning views over the city of Novi Sad. The site was originally occupied by the Romans, and re-built by the Austro Hungarian Empire to defend against the Turks in the 17th Century.
Although very few people believed the idea would be a success, the first event held in July 2001 was visited by 200,000 people from all over Serbia and neighbouring ex Yugoslav countries.
The festival lasted for nine days, had five stages, a theatre and a cinema. As well as being able to see artists from Serbia, the EXIT audience also enjoyed performances by internationally recognised artists such as Finley Quaye, Kosheen, Roni Size, Banco de Gaia, Tony Allen, Max Romeo, Luke Slater, Salome de Bahia, and Tim Simeon. Performers from Croatia also played in front a large audience in Serbia, which was the first time since the war.
Those who came to EXIT spread the word that it was the best party in the Balkans and the following year the number of visitors doubled to 400,000. The festival camp sprang up on the other side of the river with more than a thousand tents and a grand Dance Arena for 25,000 people was constructed at the fortress where David Morales, Darren Emerson, Lottie, Erick Morillo, Marshal Jefferson, LTJ Bukem, Brenda Russell, Derrick Carter and Kevin Yost performed. Artists who took to the main stage were the Asian Dub Foundation, Rundamenthal, Transglobal Underground, Smoke City, Roni Size, KAOS Night and Horace Andy. An enormous banner was placed on the walls of the fortress facing the city of Novi Sad saying “SERBIA, ARE YOU READY FOR THE FUTURE?” The success of EXIT caused a chain reaction of festivals to spring up all over the country, but most of them did not manage to survive.
\Performers 07: DANCE ARENA
DANNY TENAGLIA
ROGER SANCHEZ
JOHN DIGWEED
RICHIE HAWTIN
ERIC PRYDZ
TRENTEMOLLER LIVE
BLACK STROBE LIVE
COLLABS 3000 LIVE
NIC FANCIULLI
PAUL WOOLFORD
MAGDA
SEBASTIEN LEGER
JUSTIN MARTIN
Performers 07: MAIN STAGE
BEASTIE BOYS
BASEMENT JAXX
CANSEI DE SER SEXY
LAURYN HILL
LTJ BUKEM & MC CONRAD
ROBERT PLANT
WU-TANG CLAN
Amansara,Cambodia
GETTING THERE
Cambodia lies at the heart of Indochina and is bordered by Thailand in the west, Laos in the north, Vietnam in the east and the Gulf of Thailand in the south. It is a country that, despite its relatively small size and large, dominant neighbours, has managed to retain its unique Khmer identity. Its cultural traditions predate those of Thailand and, unlike Vietnam, which expresses a marked Chinese influence, Cambodia’s cultural roots draw heavily from the Indian sub-continent.
The name Amansara derives from the twinning of the word aman (Sanskrit for peace) and apsara (the heavenly nymphs of ancient Hindu texts who emerged from the primordial churning of the oceans with the power to change their form at will and to bestow luck on those they favoured). The resort is located in Siem Reap, the cultural capital of Cambodia.
The airport at Siem Reap receives international flights and there are numerous 45-minute flights a week from Bangkok which are operated by Bangkok Airways. From Singapore, JET STAR ASIA now flies to Siem Reap each Tuesday, Friday and Sunday. SilkAir also has regular services from Singapore. The flight takes approximately two hours and 10 minutes. The return flight takes a little longer as it may be routed via Phnom Penh, the capital. International air services are also scheduled from Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Danang in Vietnam, Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia and Hong Kong. Domestic air travel is mostly to and from Phnom Penh. However, there are flights frequently scheduled to smaller Cambodian towns.
Amansara is a 15-minute drive from Siem Reap airport and complimentary transfers are offered to guests on arrival and departure.
Phuket Island,Thailand
GETTING THERE
Phuket Island is off the west coast of the Kra Isthmus, 890km south of Bangkok. First mentioned by Ptolemy in the 2nd Century, the island was a regular port of call for Arab and Chinese ships. Portuguese and Chinese settlements began to appear in the 18th Century. Phuket is 50km long and 21km at its widest point. Connected to Thailand’s Phang Nga province by bridge, the island is surrounded by the azure Andaman Sea. Phuket is served by numerous domestic and regional flights and Bangkok, less than two hours flying time away, has connections to major international destinations. Complimentary private limousine transfers to and from Phuket airport are offered to guests and the 17km drive to Amanpuri takes 25 minutes.
CLIMATE
The dry season in Phuket extends from November to April. The rainy season is between May and October. While there can be frequent showers during the rainy season, these tend to be of short duration and are often followed by sunshine. Temperatures year-round range from 21°C to 35°C (70°F to 90°F). Water temperatures are always a pleasant 25°C to 28°C.
LANGUAGE
Thai is the official language but most people associated with travel on the island understand English.
ARE YOU DREAMING OF BORA BORA ???
Bora Bora island is possibly the single most famous island in all the world. The legends, mysteries, and romance associated with the words "Bora Bora" bring an almost mystical presence to the island.
It's true Bora Bora is indeed a wonderful place to vacation... but this magical presence is not so unattainable.
Part of the allure has to be its almost unbelievable beauty. Two towering peaks of sheer black rock dominate the center of the island and make an impressive backdrop to an assortment of blue waters that will dazzle the eyes. Bora Bora's lagoon is its most treasured feature, and allows the traveler many opportunities to experience it in a variety of ways. Windsurf, jetski, scuba dive, swim, bask in its warmth... the list goes on.
Bora bora is truly an experience worth having. A wonderfully relaxing place to be as well as a great island for you to experience, your Bora Bora vacation will never be forgotten.
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