Top Five Attractions To See On An Australian Vacation

It can be a challenge to come up with a list of the top five attractions in a country that's as big and diverse as Australia. If you have visited the "Land Down Under" before, you may have your own suggestions. Although, if you have not yet visited Australia, the following places will give you a good start, they include man-made and natural wonders, dramatic scenery, beautiful beaches and Aborigine culture.

Great Barrier Reef

Off the eastern coast of Australia lies one of the world's greatest natural wonders. The reef's statistics are impressive, it is around 1200 miles long, and is home to around 1,500 varieties of fish and around 400 species of coral. You may also be lucky enough to see manatees, sharks, and turtles as well as humpback whales that give birth during the winter months.

There are several ways to see the reef. Many companies offer cruises - lasting from several hours to a full day, and you can also sleep on the reef aboard a 1890's sailing boat. Virtually every cruise boat also offers the chance to see the reef by diving, an opportunity not to be missed, even if you are new to diving. Also, many visitors to the reef cannot resist mailing postcards from Australia's only floating post office, anchored about 45 miles offshore from Port Douglas.

Sydney Opera House

One of the most recognizable and striking buildings in the world, Sydney's famous opera house was designed by the Danish architect Jorn Utzon. Even if you do not like opera, the building is worth visiting, it is actually a major center for the performing arts where you can see not only opera, but classical music, dance and rock concerts. And there are free performances outside the building on Sunday afternoons.

Sydney Opera House does resemble the billowing sails of a ship, quite appropriate, as the building lies alongside one of the world's most beautiful harbors. Not far from the Opera House is the area of Sydney known as Circular Quay, a bustling area of shops, bars and restaurants. And from Circular Quay, you can easily catch a bus or ferry to almost any other part of the city, the Sydney Harbor Bridge, Royal Botanic Gardens and the historic Rocks district, the oldest part of the city.

The Gold Coast

The Gold Coast is Australia's playground. Beautiful white sandy beaches line the coast for 40 miles, backed by high-rise apartments, luxury hotels, shops, casinos and restaurants. The area also boasts several theme parks such as Sea World and Movie World, as well as around 40 golf courses.

The closest big city to the Gold Coast area is Brisbane, capital of Queensland. It's a friendly laid back kind of a place, offering a wide range of shopping and restaurants. But if you really want to escape from the crowds on the Gold Coast beaches, explore some of the small islands in nearby Moreton Bay.

The Outback (Ayers Rock and Alice Springs)

Many visitors to Australia come just to see the famous Outback - one of the last truly unspoiled areas in the world. It's difficult to comprehend the size of the Outback, it covers an estimated 2.5 million square miles. The Outback is not all desert, the northern part boasts high mountains, deep gorges and spectacular waterfalls. Driving across the Outback is an unforgettable experience, although you should always carry essentials such as extra water and fuel, spare tires, and perhaps a satellite phone

The unofficial capital of the Outback is the town of Alice Springs, made famous by the book and movie A Town like Alice. Alice Springs makes a good base to explore the area as well as to shop for Aborigine souvenirs. Within easy reach of Alice is the huge monolith once known as Ayers Rock, now known by its Aborigine name of Uluru. The rock is impressive at any time of day, but if you have the chance, try to be there at sunset.

Darwin and Kakadu National Park

Darwin is about as far north as you can go in Australia, in fact the city is closer to parts of Asia than to many parts of Australia, and has quite an oriental feel to it.

Within easy reach of Darwin are several areas of natural beauty, including Australia's largest national park, Kakadu. The park covers around 6,000 square miles, and offers varied landscapes ranging from wetlands to dramatic sandstone escarpments. Over 200 species of birds and around 75 species of reptile can be seen here.

Kakadu is still under Aborigine control and is one of the few places where their traditional way of life is still practiced. You can see their art on display at the park's cultural center and at various rock-art sites, and if you are lucky, you may glimpse the Aborigines themselves.

About Author:

Craig Elliott is a freelance writer who writes about topics pertaining to vacations and the travel industry such as Australia Travel | Flights to Australia

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Phuket Thailand - The Pearl of Andaman

Phuket, known as the pearl of Andaman Sea, is the biggest island of Thailand. It is a province located in the southern part of the country and has many fascinating attractions that lure people around the world to visit. Because of beautiful beaches and sea, wonderful nightlife and nice weather, Phuket becomes one of the top places in Thailand that travelers choose to go, and of course, when they once visit there, they cannot wait to be there again and again.

It is not hard to get to Phuket. If you choose to go there by car, there are almost 900 kilometers from Bangkok to Phuket to drive and may take 8-9 hours totally. However, most people choose to fly there which takes no more than 1 hour and a half from Bangkok and the air fare is not expensive. Thai Airways and other low-cost airlines can serve you with several flights a day from many destinations.

The Phuket airport is a bit far from the popular beaches and well-known hotels. After you reach the island by plane, you can find a lot of services which can take you to your hotel cheap and easily. These services include taxi cars, airport limousines, and service vans waiting you outside the airport. Hotels and other accommodations are not hard to find and mostly their prices are really cheap. You can find luxurious hotels along the popular beaches or some easy home-stays near the communities or department stores. As I mentioned, Phuket is one of the top tourist attractions in Thailand. Even though there are a very large number of hotels and lodgings in Phuket, I recommend you to book a hotel earlier if you go there in the festival time or public holiday period and you will not regret doing that definitely.

Some well-known beaches that you cannot miss are Patong beach, Karon beach and Kata beach. You cannot imagine how beautiful they are. Also, there are a lot of activities along the beaches, you may sunbathe or swim in the sea. If you like exciting activities, you can play parachute or rent a surfboard. You may book a boat tour to the near islands such as Khai islands, Phi Phi islands and Racha islands, and go diving. Tons of beautiful coral reefs and fish are waiting for you.

One of other activities that you can't definitely miss is watching sunset at Laem Prom Thep. This spot is named for the most beautiful sunset place in Thailand and you will believe it. If you like old buildings and nice architectures, you can also travel to the Phuket city which is located inside the island, a lot of good and tasty food is there. It is another good way for traveling in Phuket if you don't like crowded tourists.

Nightlife in Thailand is very famous especially in Phuket. You can find clubs, bars and restaurants everywhere. These are just parts of what Phuket is and you need to experience them by yourselves. You may not want to go back to your country.

If you'd like to read about Phuket, please visit my web blog.

Visit author's web blog at http://phuketweather.blogspot.com

About the Author
Siripong T

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com

Please feel free the check-out the followings:-
1. The Travel Secrets Guide
2. Cheap Phuket Hotels
3. Interesting things to do in Phuket

Top Ten Vacation Spots By Shriya Karthikeyan

Listed below are top ten popular vacation destinations around the world. The destinations are chosen on the basis of self visits or personal interest discovered through reading.

Allepey in Kerela

Amongst the most visited cruises, Alleppey is famous for boat races, fishing and beautiful lakes. It runs through the middle of Punnamada Lake and moves on to Chavara Bhavan for one to explore the hidden beauty of ancient wooden houses and the 400 year old Champakulam church. If lazing around on the beaches, relaxing in houseboats, sailing in continual stretches of silent waterways, and at the same time exploring long lost temples is your idea of holidaying, then Kerela is the destination for your next holiday.


Aruba in Caribbeans

Aruba is a great vacation spots in the Caribbean for cruise passengers. Right from beautiful beaches for a perfect tan of your skin, there are a variety of sports that one can participate in.
Often connoted as the Happy island of Caribbean, there are many places that one can visit in Aruba. One of them being Oranjestad, which is the capital city, is tremendously scenic with its Dutch royal architecture showcased in muted colors.

Being an island, it is well known for its water sport. This is a top spot for windsurfing or snorkeling. In fact, Aruba is the host to the Hi-Winds Amateur World Challenge windsurfing tournament that takes place every year in the month of June.


The Alps of Italy

Italy is often referred to as the number one honeymoon spot for couples. Italy casts its spell with many romantic places and one of the not-much explored area is 'The Italian Alps'. Connecting Central Europe and the Mediterranean, they are a blend of many cultures and can be traced back to the Stone age. Lake Maggiore, sheltered by an Alpine ring, Dolomites, often referred to as the vacation of sanity and Aosta Valley, surrounded by Europe's four highest mountains are some of the few destinations and a must visit amongst the gorgeous Alps of Italy.


Orlando

Florida becomes a top tourist vacation spot because of the city of Orlando. It is the county seat of Orange County, Florida. The city is best known for the many tourist attractions in the area, in particular the nearby located Walt Disney World Resort, which resides in Lake Buena Vista, that is 32 km south of Orlando. Other must-visit attractions include SeaWorld and Universal Orlando Resort.


Oahu in Hawaii

Hawaii visitors often prefer Oahu as their first stop destination. Oahu is a lively and vivacious island with all the luxuries and comforts of a modern life. One can trek in a lush green mountainside, dine under the stars at the five-star restaurants, sunbathe all day at this vibrant beach. A tourist can also Indulge in the nightlife, explore the rich culture and heritage of this island.


Southern California

Southern California is the best vacation getaway for a million reasons. From Universal Studios Hollywood for a movie buff to East Los Angeles, everyone can find something to visit in California. Worthwhile attractions are Legoland California, which comprise of rides, live shows, and miniature lands prepared from Lego blocks; San Fransisco Bay area which is home to Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz island.


Luna Lodge of Costa Rica

This tops the vacation list of the tourists on the lookout for forest spots. It is home to rare and beautiful bird species encounter native and very interesting wildlife. This vacation spot is excellent for people looking for secluded area for a therapeutic massage, bird watching and enjoying the beauty of nature.


Wisconsin Dells

Wisconsin Dells is a perfect family vacation spot. One can bring their children to huge number of waterpark resorts. Many resorts offer enclosed water parks for its guests to enjoy the beauty and the excitement of such a stay. There are many beautiful courses for golfers to test their skills, antique shops and museums for such lovers, exotic spas and hotels for a romantic getaway.


Museums of Paris

Paris is known for its rich culture and heritage and has a lot to be explored by the tourists in the area of museums. Rodin museum, known for the amazing marble and bronze work done by Auguste Rodin, Mailol Museum, full of collections of mordern art bound together by Dina Viemy, and 'The advertising museum', that presents thematic, artists and brands. Louvre Museum is the biggest museum in the world and brings together art from around the universe.


Door County, Wisconsin

Door County, Wisconsin is a weekend vacation spot for tourists from Chicago and other nearby places. The reasons are many. One can plan a romantic honeymoon, golfers can try their skills on the lush green and beautiful golf courses, and one can also chose Door County as a place for a family reunion. Horse riding, sailing the islands to discover lighthouses and even rent a bike and go for the bike riding that the rush hours in the city often does not allow you to do.

About the author:
Author Bio
The author is a world wide traveler. He shares his experience about the Best vacation spots, Bahamas Vacation Spots, Summer Vacation spots,top 10 vacation spots, winter vacation spots , Family vacation spots with us.

Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com

Vacation Spots in Bahamas

The Commonwealth of The Bahamas is situated in the Atlantic Ocean. The excellent position on the globe increases the chances of its flourishment as a vacation spot. The Bahamas is located on the north of Cuba and Caribbean, northwest of Britain overseas area, and the east of United States of America. Now the object of this article is to mention some of the names of the vacation spots of Bahamas so the people may be helped somewhat.

First we have to mention some names, which represents the most beautiful landscapes and sightseeing inBahamas. Since the Commonwealth of The Bahamas is the collective name of some 700 odd islands so that one has to visit some special islands to enjoy the beauty of nature. From those islands we have to mention some islands like Bimini, Aboco, Cat Island, San Salvadore, Crooked Islands etc. Also the biggest attraction is the island Nassau which also servers as the capital city of The Bahamas.

Now let us see some specialties in The Bahamas can thoroughly be enjoyed. There is a garden full of excellent statues called Versailles Gardens, which is located in the Paradise Island of The Bahamas. Among all the statues of the garden, the most famous one is the Cloisters made of the French Stones of about 14th Century. One of the largest Rum refinery factories called Bacardi Distillery is situated in the New Province Island of The Bahamas! A 102-foot staircase, linking the Princess Margaret Hospital and the Fort Fincastle called Queen's staircase is one of the main attractions in Bahamas. Ardastra Gardens and Conservation center of Nassau is a famous place, where some rare animals and plants! The buildings like Government House and Balcony House of Nassau have real beautiful architectures and also praised by the tourists from the ages!

Now, one must feel him unlucky if he couldn't be able to visit 'The Changing Of The Guards' held in Nassau. This Change of Guards is basically a beautiful ceremony use to be held in every Saturday. The Police band of Nassau performs in this beautiful ceremony. And if the people are planning to visit Bahamas during the X-MAS, the Junkanoo Festival Expo will be the must-visiting place for them. Junkanoo is a colorful festival with lots of music.

The history comes in front of eyes when one sees the old forts like Fort Charlotte, Fort Fincastle or the Fort Mantagu in his eyes. There is also a garden in Nassau, which only dedicated to the wide range of palm trees. The garden is known as The Retreat!

One of the wonders of Bahamas is the Crystal Cay! This Crystal Cay is one of the largest zoo cum aquariums of the world. Interestingly, t occupies a whole island of Bahamas.

Along with the above-mentioned names one must visit the following vacation spots of Bahamas. Some them are Christ Church Cathedral, Parliament Square, Royal Victoria Gardens, Roselawn Museum, The Pompey Museum of Slavery and Emancipation, The Bahamas Historical Society Museum, Pirates of Nassau etc.

Now, Bahamas is too beautiful vacation place to write about in some words. Though it was a little attempt to inform you about the specialties of The Bahamas. But the real-life visiting of The Bahamas will always be more beautiful and more interesting than this article!


About the author:
Author Bio
Shriya Karthikeyan
The author is a world wide traveler. He shares his experience about the Best vacation spots, top 10 vacation spots, winter-vacation-spots, cheap-vacation-spots, Family vacation spot, summer vacation spots with us.

Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com

THE BEST CARIBBEAN VACATION ON THE CAYMAN ISLANDS BY MARK JESTERING

Located in the western Caribbean you will find the Cayman Islands, which are comprised of three main islands – Little Cayman, Cayman Brac, and Grand Cayman. All three of the islands are lush, green, and exotic. If you want a vacation place where you can relax, soak up the warm sun, frolic on the sandy beaches, dine on authentic island cuisine, sightsee, enjoy water sports, and more, then the western Caribbean is the place to go.

During the day, you should consider some time at the Green Sea Turtle Farm. There, you will see small enclosures of sea turtles, some small enough to hold and others with a head the size of a ball. Inside the store, you can purchase all types of beautiful gifts, some handcrafted, and some that represent the trip to the sea turtle farm. In addition, the Queen Elizabeth II Botanic Park and Gardens is well worth the visit. There, you will experience some of the most breathtaking flowers and vegetation in all the Caribbean.

A short drive away is the town of Hell. Although small, the trip is worth making. Once there, you will see an amazing limestone field that looks much like you would expect Hell to look. In this little town is a quaint shop where you can purchase all types of tee shirts with cute sayings such as “I’ve been to Hell and back”. Even taking a simple drive along the coastline is a wonderful way to experience the freedom and beauty of the islands.

The western Caribbean also offers a wonderful and exciting nightlife. For instance, on Grand Cayman, you will have a choice of wonderful cultural events, comedy clubs, jazz shows, local theater, festivals, and more. Many of the nice hotels located on the island feature extraordinary shows so check the current schedule to see what genre is playing.

Of course, the Caribbean is extremely well known for having some of the most spectacular dive sites in the world. Therefore, if you love to scuba dive or snorkel, this would be your diving paradise. Other water sports enjoyed in the Cayman Islands include ocean kayaks, swimming, windsurfing, banana boat rides, paddle cats, sailing, parasailing, water skiing, and the list goes on.

However, one of the most popular sports in the Caribbean is the exploration of the underwater world. Below the surface, you will be blown away by the colorful fish, coral reef, drop-offs, and even submarine tours that will take you below 800 to 1,000 feet. Regardless of the time you spend or the things you do while in the western Caribbean, you can be sure you will take home a beautiful memory of one of the most gorgeous places on the planet. In addition to beautiful islands, the people are warm and hospitable.

Article Source: http://www.articlesnatch.com

About the Author:
Jenny Ursworth runs the website Ryl Caribbean a site totally dedicated to researching Caribbean related topics and contains details of the latest popular Caribbean Travel packages. For more details please visit http://www.rylcaribbean.com

CHEAP VACATION SPOTS BY DAMEY WISKERSEN

In this world of heavy costs, if one wants to spend his holidays overseas in some cheap amount of money, he has to select an area of the world to visit rather than visiting top ten vacation spots, which are located so distant from each other. Now let us discuss some of the top and relatively cheap vacation-zones of the world.

The US vacation zone first. It will be cheap for someone, who wants to visit USA if he includes states like Hawaii, Las Vegas, Florida, California, Texas, Georgia, Virginia, New York, North Carolina, Colorado, and Los Angeles. In this stretch of the US vacation Spots one may be able to enjoy the beauty of excellent landscapes of mountains, rivers, desert and forest as well. And also he will be able to enjoy the man-made beauties of some excellent monuments and buildings like Tower Stratosphere, Hollywood, Disney Land, and Bear Mountain Bridge etc.

The Second cheap vacation spot comes to the mind is the European Union Territory. This Territory must include Great Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Greece, Sweden, Switzerland, Denmark and Netherlands as the vacation spots. London and Paris are two cities where the vacation can be thoroughly enjoyed. River Tames, Big Ben, Eiffel Tower are the special spices to these two cities. Greece and Italy are two countries with lots and lots of historical monuments. Cities of Venice, Rome, and Athens are really worthy places to visit, located in those two countries! If one wants to spend a beautiful vacation span with snows the Switzerland is the best place for him. Three cities Lucerne, Zurich, and Berne have nice holiday spots and resorts!

The SAAF is another nice place to visit if one wants to spend his vacation is cheap rates. The SAAF area includes countries like India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Maldives, Nepal and Bhutan. Pakistan will be your choice if you want to spend your holidays in dry condition and Bangladesh if mild climate is wanted. Again Nepal and Bhutan are the places of mountains. Some excellent snow-capped mountains peaks are worth watching in these two countries! Again Maldives and Sri Lanka are must-visited countries if one wants to enjoy the beautiful landscapes of sea beaches. And last but not least, in India you will be able to find every thing mentioned above. India consists of some excellent historical regions to all kind of natural landscapes and excellent man-made monuments too. Cities like Delhi, Kochi, Mumbai, Hyderabad (of India and Pakistan both), Anuradhapura, Dhaka, Katmandu, Thimpu, and Male are really nice places to visit!

The other option of cheap vacation spot is the Australian zone, which includes Australia and New Zealand. Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, Sydney, Auckland are the cities to watch. Landscapes of Sea Beaches and the forests of these two countries are all time famous.

The Southeast Asia is also a good option for the cheap vacation places. This area is famous for sea beach landscapes. The Southeast Asia includes the countries like Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, and Philippines etc.

There are some other good options in form Japan and Hong Kong too. Now start planning where to visit in this vacation, obviously considering your pocket! Happy vacation!

Article Source: http://www.articlesnatch.com

About the Author:

Author Bio
The author is a world wide traveler. He shares his experience about the Best vacation spots, top 10 vacation spots, winter-vacation-spots, cheap-vacation-spots, Family vacation spot, summer vacation spots with us