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Greek Island Nudist Beaches Laid Bare

January 19th, 2009 by Admin
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Romance on Crete
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Nudist Beaches in Greece?

The reputation of Greek Island nudist beaches gathered momentum when 60’s hippies let it all hang out on Crete’s south coast. Beach resorts such as Matala, Sougia and Prevali attracted the “free love” crowd that included Cat Stevens and Joni Mitchell.  Some, just wearing flowers in their hair and nothing else, continued the fashion of flower power and “finding themselves” as they returned each year to holiday on Crete and other Greek islands.

Today there are numerous nudist beaches on the Greek Island of Crete where naturists can still find the “textile free” nudist beaches they prefer.  Officially, nudist bathing is not permitted anywhere in Greece and the Greek Islands, but a blind eye is turned to discreet nudism.

It must be every teenage boys (and perhaps older man’s) fantasy to holiday in a place where the beaches contain nubile nude young women frolicking with beach balls and cavorting in the surf, completely naked. No white bits on show just perfectly tanned, pretty, stark-naked young women.

Unfortunately, the reality compared with the fantasy is a stark contrast. Droopy, wrinkly, tubby, hairy, ageing, north-European, middle-aged men, are the most likely beach dwellers on the nudist beaches of the Greek islands. The ageing hippie men seem to outnumber the women by three to one, and the women who are found on the nudist beaches tend to be equally ageing, droopy, overweight, hairy and wrinkly!

For the serious naturist, rather than the mere voyeur, the Crete nudist beach scene is not a problem as they are happy just to have the freedom to strip off. They love the safe, warm and crystal clear water, the soft golden sands, the secure and secluded environment, the beautiful scenery of the exotic palm forests, rocky coves and mountain backdrops. They love coming to Crete and find that they can enjoy naturism and the naturist beaches of Crete without restrictions.

But for all those teenage boy fantasists who dream of nudist beaches filled with gorgeous naked girls, then dream on!

Author: Graham Yates wrote this article. For an independent insider’s guide to Greek island life, visit http://www.completely-crete.com/ and http://www.simply-santorini.com/.

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Cape Verde Holidays

January 18th, 2009 by Admin
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Cape Verde Holidays for Island Vacation

If you are in surfing or windsurfing and looking for somewhere different for your next vacation why not consider taking a trip to the Cape Verde Islands. In fact, Cape Verde holidays have become extremely popular with all those involved in the above mentioned water sports because of the trade winds that blow in on to the Islands shores.

It is these trade winds, which provide perfect conditions for all forms of surfing and of all the Islands in this group Sal is one which has gained the best reputation of all within the surfing community. But as well as this island offering great surfing facilities it also has some of the most beautiful white sand beaches that anywhere in the world can offer today.

As for getting to the Cape Verde Islands there is an airport situated on Sal Island and which is located close to the Santa Maria. This is the main tourist part of the island and so after only arriving a short time ago you could soon be settling in to your accommodation and enjoying a great vacation.

But if you are someone who would like to see a little, more of what the Cape Verde Islands have to offer then all you need to do is make your way down to the port on Sal and catch a ferry. These run regular journeys to all its neighboring islands and within minutes you can be exploring and viewing some of the most spectacular and beautiful scenery that these volcanic islands have to offer. However as well as some of the most beautiful scenery in the world today there are other things that you will want to try. Certainly, the food is something that you are unlikely to taste anywhere else as it is made up of both African and Portuguese elements.

Remember for a long time although the islands are located off of the West Coast of Africa for many years they were a Portuguese colony. It is because of this as you wander around the islands you will see clear evidence showing how Portugal influenced the way in which the islands look. But as well as influences on the designs of their buildings the Portuguese also have a played a major role in the culture of the people of these islands. For example, the people of the Cape Verde Islands have their own form of music known as Morna, but when listened to you can hear the influences coming through of the Portuguese as it sounds very similar to their music known as Fado.

So if you are someone who is looking for a vacation that not only offers you a great climate, some superb activities as well as food, then the Cape Verde Islands may be your next choice. Certainly, as you will soon discover Cape Verde holidays are becoming more and more popular each year and especially those who enjoy surfing. So why not go online and see what great offers for a Cape Verde holiday you can find today.

Author Marcus Wilkins is a freelance travel writer and has written many articles which review holiday villas in many areas of the world. He has recently been on a few Cape Verde holidays and as written about his experiences above.

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Visit Sal Island, Cape Verde Islands

January 17th, 2009 by Admin
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Is Sal Worth a Visit in Cape Verde?

Sal Island is very close to the West African coast of Senegal and is the most developed of all the Cape Verde (or Cabo Verde) islands. It is about 30km long and the widest width is 12km. The island of Sal is the flattest island of the Cape Verde archipelago and takes it’s name from the now inactive salt mines.

Home to the first international airport in Cape Verde, the scenery when landing on the island of Sal does not create a love at first sight impression. The landscape is somewhat moon like, arid and grey. But do not be mistaken as Sal is an up and coming tourist destination by excellence. The amazing white sands and many colours of the sea form a delightful backdrop for the beach orientated activities which are the main reasons for visiting the island and it is this combined that creates a wonderful contrast.

Being the most developed island where tourism is concerned, Sal has one of the best beaches in the world. The town of Santa Maria boasts 8km of golden sands with warm sea temperatures all year round. As a result of this, a significant portion of visitors already come here for water sports, offering perfect conditions for surfing, sailing, fishing, snorkelling, windsurfing and kite surfing. . Scuba Diving is also becoming a big attraction in Cape Verde because of the oceans fabulous and varied sea life. In Santa Maria, there are ample instructors and equipment for all water sports. There is also mini golf, basketball and tennis courts, volleyball and football pitches as well as excellent swimming pools.

There are several new luxury hotels planned, together with many villas, apartments, shops, spas and restaurants, so for the next few years one might expect some disruption from building works. The big plus is, however, that all the new and projected buildings are low rise. Due to the development of the tourism industry, there are new venues and facilities opening up regularly.

Whilst visiting Sal, it is worth while taking a trip around the island. In particular you should see the salt lake at Pedra de Lume and the port of Palmeira is a wonderful little place, with lobster farms and salt purifying stations providing and insight into daily life on the island. To see the ‘real’ Sal, pay a visit to Espargos with its picturesque main square. It takes its name from its main crop, asparagus. Other places to visit include Buracona (‘large hole’), a natural tidal pool. There are excellent cruises available following the pretty Sal coastline, or catamaran day trips to other Cape Verde Islands.

In a nutshell, Cape Verde is very much, ‘on the up’ and is preparing to be discovered by international tourists and increasing numbers are flocking to the island of Sal to see what the fuss is about.

Author Rebbeca Anne, a Cape Verde enthusiast and property owner in Santa Maria, Sal – http://www.cape-verde-holiday.com

Please add your comments about your experience with Cape Verde and especially with the island at Cape Verde: Sal Island, just CLICK HERE

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Where is Dubai Located?

January 13th, 2009 by Admin
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The World
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Where is Duabi?

Dubai is one out of seven emirates in the country United Arab Emirates which is in the persian gulf. Dubai is located in the northeast coast of United Arab Emirates at 25.2697° N 55.3095° E in the globe. Dubai covers an area of 4,114 km² and is 16m above the mean sea level.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is a Middle Eastern federation of seven states situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Southwest Asia on the Arabian Gulf, bordering Oman and Saudi Arabia.

Dubai offers something for every visitor due to diversity of it’s attractions. Tourism is an important component of Dubai’s economy. The city has a clean and safe street and an excellent transporation system. List of Dubai’s attraction includes miles of immaculate beautiful beaches, the richly exotic Arabian heritage, inspiring majesty of the desert, lively international bars, restaurants and nightclubs – a visitor to Dubai is guaranteed an incredible experience.

The procedures for getting a visa to enter the UAE are relatively simple and hassle-free and if all documents are in order, then the visa is issued within 72 hours. In urgent cases, visas are also issued within a day.The Ministry of Interior’s Dubai Naturalization and Residency Department (DNRD) is the sole administrative authority responsible for issuing visas to foreigners who wish to visit the country

Dubai has a multicultural population of around 4 million with 25% of local Emratis and balance expatriates from more than 150 countries consisting of British, Indians, Iranians Philippines, Pakistanis etc. Arabic is the national language, but English is most often used for business purpose.

Author: Abdulla PP.

Find more about Dubai Vacation at Net4Dubai.com – The complete online guide to Dubai.

READ MORE ABOUT DUBAI AT

Dubai Islands – Bursting Bubbles of Business or just Backlash

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Article: Lets All Go to Iceland

January 12th, 2009 by Admin
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Lets All Go to Iceland

Visit Iceland and help them crawl out of their current economical disastrous state, the value of the Krona has plummeted recently and holiday goers are cashing in.

The average price of a beer has fallen from a chilling £7 to a more familiar £2.50 which we are used to at home. Iceland has 320,000 inhabitants living in its 130,000 squared kilometres with its capital Reykjavik hosting around 150,000 people.

Iceland has always been seen as an expensive destination due to its breath taking experiences and views such as the northern lights and geothermic pools. Iceland is one of the hardest hit countries by the global credit crunch which has resulted in their currency devaluing a lot.

Travellers around the globe who could not once afford such a luxurious destination are now in a position to do so. With their summer also lasting a little longer than ours you can see why more people are making the trip. Germany have taken advantage more than anyone around the globe as Iceland have seen an increase of 63% from their tourists with France by 43% and England increasing by only 20%.

Iceland has seen a 16% increase of tourists in total compared to last year. An expert has said that this is the silver lining to their cloud which has been caused due to the fall in its currency’s value, the more visitors the better. Iceland’s popularity for holidays next year is set to increase a lot as more people are trying to go abroad for cheaper due to the credit crunch.

Author: Barry Loughran.  Cheap holidays are available by using online comparison sites, try booking all inclusive holidays or package holidays to save additional money.

READ MORE on  Enjoy Iceland Tourism in bad Iceland Economy

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Christmas Island Article

December 11th, 2008 by Admin
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Christmas Island

Believe it or not Christmas Island, actually has nothing to do with the Holiday Season of Christmas. A small, non self-governing Territory of Australia, the Territory of Christmas Island is  located in the Indian Ocean, approximately 2360 km northwest of Perth Australia.  Only about 1500 residents live on Christmas Island.

Christmas Island is of immense interest to scientists and naturalists due to it’s unique natural topography and is it’s large number of species that have evolved in isolation. Not only isolation but also undisturbed by human activity. While some mining activity has gone on the island for the past many years. Over 60 percent of the island’s 135 square kilometres is now National Park. There is also several large areas of pristine and ancient rainforest.

No one is really sure who discovered Christmas Island. All we know is that it is first published on a map produced by Pieter Goos, in 1666. On the map the island was named Moni. The earliest recorded visit to the island is by William Dampier, in March of 1688. William Dampier found the island uninhabited.

William Dampier’s was traveling from New Holland trying to reach Cocos. Apparently his ship was pulled way off course to the east and after travelling for 28 days, he arrived at Christmas Island.

Author: Ryan Fyfe is the owner and operator of  Pixibot which is a great web directory and information center for information on all types of topics.  See more about Christmas Island here.

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Hot Winter Holidays in Lanzarote

November 25th, 2008 by Admin
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Panorama La Graciosa
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Whilst most other European sunspots have long since put away the sun loungers for another season there’s still one group of islands basking in temperatures of 20C plus.

Although in fairness they’re not really European at all – as the Spanish owned Canary Islands sit just 70 miles off the coast of West Africa on the same line of latitude as parts of Mexico and Florida.

Thanks to their relative proximity to the UK and reasonable four hour flight times the Canaries have become well established as a popular winter sun destination. And the eastern most link in the chain, Lanzarote, offers visitors much more than just sunshine and bucket and spade beach holidays alone. As this tiny volcanic island boasts incredible natural beauty, high quality accommodation and some of the most unique tourist attractions to be found anywhere in the world.

Unlike many other Spanish sunspots Lanzarote remains relatively unspoiled. Despite the fact that island has been operating as a hugely popular holiday destination for British and Irish tourists (attracting over one million visitors from both counties last year alone) for over thirty years.

The three main resorts are well contained, high rise buildings are banned and advertising hoardings are outlawed. Creating a pleasing overall aesthetic harmony that enhances the island’s considerable natural charms.

Much of the credit for this must go to an island born artist and architect called Cesar Manrqiue. Who fought tirelessly against the excesses of over development during the 1970´s – just as package tourism was really starting to take off in Spain.

Manrique was lucky enough to have friends in high places – such as Pepe Ramirez – who sat on the island’s governing council at that time and who was sympathetic to Manrique´s views. Together the pair sought to ensure that Lanzarote wasn’t buried beneath a sea of five star hotels. Whilst also working to create a unique set of tourist attractions that fused art with nature.

The greatest manifestation of this philosophy today can be found at the Jameos del Agua, in the north of the island. Where Manrique transformed a collapsed lava tube into a breathtaking underground grotto – beautifully planted and with a pool containing blind albino crabs as its centrepiece.

So impressed was visiting Hollywood actress Rita Heyworth that she declared the Jameos the 8th wonder of the world. And as news of Manrique´s creations spread so the number if VIP visitors increased – attracted by the novelty of this new destination and the architectural plaudits garnered by Manriques work.

Amongst these visitors was Omar Sharif – fresh from the making of Doctor Zhivago and with money to burn. Sharif commissioned Manrique to create what must still be the most unusual property in Lanzarote – which he had built into the side of a volcano, featuring elaborate secret gardens and pools.

Legend has it that Sharif lost the house in a high stakes game of bridge not long after taking possession. But today his old home – now called LagOmar – is still open to the public – as it now plays host to one of the most upmarket restaurants in Lanzarote.

Thanks to the work of Manrique, Lanzarote was declared a UNESCO protected biosphere in 1993 – and large swathes of the island are now officially designated national parks. Such as the incredible Timanafaya Volcano Park – which was the epicentre of the eruptions that engulfed the island back in the 1730´s for over six years. And which today are the most popular tourist attraction on the island.

See also about other Spanish speaking islands for vacation HERE.

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Lanzarote
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Cape Verde Islands: Sal Island

November 15th, 2008 by Admin
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Sal Island Cape Verde – A Brief Guide

The Cape Verde Islands is a name that has been conjured up recently and has been connected with property investment due to the recent activity by property developers on the islands.

Sal (Portuguese for salt) was first discovered in 1460 is part of the northern group of islands called Barlavento. It was initially named Plana or Llana meaning “flat”, which is due to the island being mostly flat. Sal is also the closest Island to West Africa and lies at the east of the Cape Verde archipelago.

The island is not huge, it is around 30km long and 12km wide and has a total area of just 216km. Even still, it has become the gateway for the rest of the archipelago due to its airport that was built in 1939.

Up until the middle of this century, Sal’s main export was Salt. The locals of Boa Vista originally used the island for grazing their animals until they came across the Salt there and decided to export it.

Activities and Sports

As a tourist destination although new and fairly untested, Sal has many things going for it including gorgeous sunshine of which there are 350 days per year. The beaches of Sal and other parts of Cape Verde rival any beaches in world and coupled with the fact that the seas are warm, it is also a great place for water sports enthusiasts.

There are a ton of events and carnivals that take place on Sal every year and are well worth seeing. These include the festival of S. Jose in Palmeira on the 19th March and the municipal celebrations which commemorate the Sal’s communities. The celebrations take place at the Santa Maria Festival of Music and are held on the beach. If you are visiting Sal in March, be sure to check out this festival as it is a wonderful occasion.

Being an island and having such wonderful weather all year round, its no wonder that Sal is a haven for water sports enthusiasts. Santa Maria is the main port of call for the sporty types, and has everything there including a number of instructors who can teach you how windsurf or dive.

If you are looking for something a little more sedate why not try a nice walk or hire a jeep and see the whole of the island?

Sal Property Investment

Sal is also becoming very popular with property investors looking to get a foot on the ladder of the next up and coming property hotspot. With more and more interest from developers and investors alike, Sal and the Cape Verde Islands are sure to become a great place to invest in the next few years.

With 350 days of sunshine each year, it’s a perfect place to invest, especially if you plan on renting the property out as a holiday home. With so much beautiful weather all year round, you are not limited unlike other holiday destinations.

Sal and the Cape Verde Islands in general have been regarded as one of the poorest countries in the world in recent years and this all looks set to change in the next few years due to the property boom that is now starting to increase.

So although Salt may have been Sal’s greatest export over the years, its tourism and property investors that could become their greatest import and could kick start the islands economic growth.

Robert Griggs writes for Homes Abroad Cape Verde who specialize in new developments and resale property for sale on Sal Island and other islands in Cape Verde.

Please add your comments about your experience with Cape Verde and especially with the island at Cape Verde: Sal Island, just CLICK HERE

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What to Do on Your Holidays in Christmas Island – Article

November 12th, 2008 by Admin
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What to Do on Your Holidays in Christmas Island

Christmas Island is a great place to visit when taking a holiday vacation. It is known as the Island of the Crab or Kiribati because there a lot of crabs patiently crawling on the seashore. Christmas Island is barely known as a holiday destination, but this is likely to change after the TV series Survivor shot a whole season here. With its sandy white beaches and its turquoise waters, Christmas Island is a jewel in the Pacific.

Video about the yearly mass migration of the red crabs to the sea where they will breed and spawn.

You should visit Christmas Island National Park first before touring around the island. From here you will get to know the island’s rich culture and natural resources. You will also get to enjoy and admire a variety of the island’s flora and fauna. You will also see a variety of endangered species that are treated well in the national park. The park is simply nature at its best. It is a miniature representation of the whole of Christmas Island.

Christmas Island is also a popular place for water activities such as snorkeling, scuba diving and fishing. Beneath these activities, however, lies the beauty of sea creature found in Christmas Island. There are evil-looking moray eels gaping from corral crevices, parrot fish and somewhere beyond the reef lurk an alarmingly healthy population of hammerheads and tiger sharks. There are many reefs here that are homes to a myriad of sea creatures. You will get to see dolphins and a variety of tropical fishes which are really colourful.

There are whale sharks to see in the depths of the island shore in their natural habitat. When you are done with the marine life, then you may experience bird watching. The island is home to a wide species of birds, any bird lover will surely appreciate Christmas Island. There are lots of colourful birds here, ranging from very small to larger birds like the eagle.

Another thing that makes Christmas Island a popular place to stay is the Red Crab festival, which is an event a lot of visitors await for. Christmas Island would not be the same without the yearly mass migration of the red crabs to the sea where they will breed and spawn. The best month to experience this is after the beginning of the wet season. This is truly a sight to behold as this island is invaded by these tiny red creatures. People will witness how the white sandy beach on the island becomes swarming with red crawling sea creatures.

The Flying Fish Cove is another attraction on the Island. You can reach this cove via yacht. Once there, there are a lot of things to keep you busy and a number of places to explore. Here, you might be lucky enough to see a giant manta ray. For starters, there are recreational activities such as swimming, snorkeling, scuba diving, canoing, and other water sports. If you are not into these activities, you can just romanticize the place by strolling along the cove by foot.

Author: Andrew Gibson is MD of Direct Holiday Bookings. It is one of the fastest growing online travel websites for booking holiday homes. To see an example of why Direct Holiday Bookings is growing so rapidly have a look at Holiday Villas.

Direct Holiday Bookings also has a great selection of Holiday Cottages and self catering holiday apartments that can be rented as holiday homes all over the world.

See more articles about Christmas Island CLICK HERE.

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Nature Trails in Grand Cayman Island – Article

October 27th, 2008 by Admin
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Grand Cayman Island Nature Trails, the Quieter Side of Island Life

I’ll start with the harder of the two trails, the Mastic Trail, named for a particular kind of tree used for making ships’ masts. It’s off Frank Sound Road just south of the QE II Botanic Park but on the opposite side of the road. It’s probably 30 minutes drive from George Town and West End.

This is a true hiking trail so be sure you’re wearing proper walking shoes if you plan to go far. It isn’t necessary to hike the whole trail; you can get a good feel for how the island looked before humans re-modeled it in only a mile or so of walking. Unfortunately, it isn’t a circular route so you have to re-trace your steps if you just want to sample it.

If you’re doing the whole trail, hiking from Frank Sound Road in the south to Further Road in the north, you’ll see a swampy mangrove forest, a rocky area full of crevices from which trees and plants sprout like mushrooms, a dry tropical forested area that still has remnants of pioneer William Watler’s fruit orchards, and finally a sub-tropical meadow – the Savannah.

William Watler was the settler who built the original road over a hundred years ago to get his produce to market and, although it has now been replaced by Frank Sound Road, his achievement is still pretty impressive. It’s wilder country than you’d expect from such a small island and the underlying ironshore is as hard as… well, iron. Leveling it must have taken years.

The Mastic Trail wends its way through land owned by the National Trust and they provide guides to assist you in identifying what you’re seeing. Unless you’re an expert in semi-tropical flora and fauna, it’s probably worth going with a guide. Otherwise the only thing you’re likely to observe with certainty is that there are a lot of trees.

The Woodland Trail, on the other hand, is inside the Grand Cayman National Trust’s Botanical Park and that makes it less scary for setting out on your own. It also has the advantage of markers on the trees and pools (to tell you about what you’re seeing), rest stops along the way, and a level, groomed path so you’re ‘walking’ not hiking. Ponds along the way are inhabited by turtles but, despite the name of one of the ponds, Crocodile Hole, no crocodiles. The crocodiles, or Caymans, were wiped out centuries ago.

Halfway along the trail is the blue iguana breeding centre, where you can see iguanas of all size and ages from toddlers to teenagers. The adults are out in the Park, which may or may not be a comforting thought. They are scary-looking creatures but the good news is they are harmless. However, as with all wildlife, it isn’t a good idea to feed them.

In the Park was the only place we saw the Cayman Green Parrot, the national bird of the Cayman Islands. Unfortunately, like many living national symbols around the world, it’s been pushed to the margins of life in its own home.

Two other areas you should consider for walking are, the Nature Reserve at Malportas pond in Northside, near the northern end of the Mastic Trail, and Barkers National Park, at the tip of West End. Both have walking paths and both are pretty quiet most of the time, few visitors wander far from their resorts’ amenities.

Author Paul C.  James;  from http://www.grand-cayman-wanderer.com

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