Tag: luxury resorts

Summer Destinations for this season

Meenakshi Shankar

Summer’s drawing to an end throwing caution to the wind …heading off to exotic  getaways, sojourns to surprise your beloved or simply treating your senses to an virgin island or a rain forest; heading out to discover a man made wonder – it’s a whole new world of Wandering.

If you still haven’t been able to get away, here are some destinations that don’t take too much planning (because the visa is on arrival).

1.  Fiji beckons both the thrill seeker and romantic traveler.

The reefs and cobalt blue waters  of the island created a surreal backdrop for Tom Hanks’ Cast Away and Brooke Shields’ The Blue Lagoon.

Must do:

1) The World-class windsurfing
2) Lazing around long languid beaches
3) Idyllic kayaking in a pocket-sized paradise

2. Cambodia’s Angkor Wat  attracts many Wanderers to the  Buddhist land of smile.

Must do:

1) Revel in the mystical glory of Angkor Wat
2) Relax in the sleepy seaside town of Kampot
3) Trek to the nearby Bokor National Park
4) Take an elephant ride in the jungles of Mondulkiri Province
5) Ogle the Mekong dolphins at Kratie

3. Laos: Head out to the country if you are seeking for a refreshingly simple and relaxed sort of languid riverfront life.

The country beckons the Wanderer who is seeking for a bit of nature and adventure.

Must do:

1) Head out to the sleepy river archipelago with rare dolphins & mighty Mekong rapids.

2) For the thrill seekers: Kayaking, rafting, rock-climbing and biking are available.

4. Seychelles: To romance and to rejuvenate.

The picture-book beaches lined by palms and marked by wonderful granite outcropping is a place to reconnect with your loved one.

Must do:

1) Snorkeling

2) Watching the tropical reef, with its eerie purples and oranges, yellows and iridescent blues, the fat clams with serrated teeth, the not-so-little reef sharks huddling under the rocks, and the wonder of the sea turtles, or the rays, surging through the water like Concorde jets.

5. Nepal beckons the Wanderer who is seeking for ‘blissful escapism’

Must do:

1) Trek through mountains and the jungles.

2) Go river rafting – the country is a river runner’s paradise .

6. Mauritius: Secluded coves, white sand, glorious sunsets, champagne by the seaside…

Must do:

1)Experience the absolute height of resort luxuries – from underwater restaurants to over water villas.

7.  Maldives: Romantic getaway never seemed better.

 

Must do:

1) Dive, surf, and sail among the coral islands.

2) Indulge in exceptional spa treatments from indigenous sand scrubs to three-hour tantric couples treatment.

8. Sri Lanka: If exotic is on your agenda – the lush emerald landscapes and turquoise Indian Ocean promises to hold you bewitched in its magnificent beauty.

Must do:

1) The ruined palaces of the kings of Kandy Experience life in the verdant tea plantations

2) Step back in time and explore the exquisite Buddhist temples.

9 . Indonesia: The volcanic lakes of the Sumatra is a must on your agenda.

Must do:

1) The sublime snorkeling and pristine coral gardens in history’s fabled Spice Islands. Jet setting off to Bali where the pulse-pounding surf, enchanting temple ceremonies, mesmerizing dance performances and ribbons of beaches beckon you.

10. Hong Kong: To experience the never say sleep city!

Must do:

1) Sample the shredded jellyfish

2) Join in the dawn tai chi.

3) Watch the sun rise from a remote mountain peak

4) Hike surf-beaten beaches and explore deserted islands.

11.  Macau: The Las Vegas of the East

Must Do

1) Gamble the night away.

2) Discover the forms which form a colorful palette of pastels shades soothing and calming, away from the buzz of everyday living.

3) Explore the cobbled back streets, baroque churches, stone fortresses, Art Deco buildings and restful parks and gardens

12. Thailand: The ‘destination’ for venturesome paradise seekers.

Must do:

1) Get and sport a tan on the virginal beaches.

2) Head out for some fabulous massage—the legitimate kind.

3) Tour the local market.

4) Go diving with mighty whale sharks in the coral fringed islands.

Kenya Safari with a twist

By Farah Bode

WILDEBEEST MIGRATION

No wild life documentary or anything you have seen on National geographic can truly capture a firsthand migration experience which I was fortunate to see and ‘hear’. The wildebeest are called gnus and they make a sound just like their name. I can imitate something very close to it.

 

It was the last day in the Masai Mara. We had seen a vast herd just before our lunch and were hoping to see them do the river crossing. Post lunch to our good luck the herd had reached the river.  We were on one side and they were waiting on the other..restless must say.  Some of them had made it half way to the river but no one was taking the lead to cross it. We could see hundreds of them walking in single file, coming in from nowhere on the horizon, all heading for the river.

We inched closer. The disturbance caused by our vehicle sent them back and to our dismay, the ones that had come half way to the river suddenly started going back. Our guide, Ben, then relocated us further away. There were some zebra at the start of the herd. Ben told us that the zebras are a bad sign and the crossing won’t happen.

The Zebras are smart you see  and will not just go headlong into a crocodile infested river.The herd started following the zebras and moved down the river bank. We were quite disappointed but then our guide told us to watch for more signs. The herd that was coming in from the horizon was ready to cross. They were all grunting the ‘gnu-hmmm’ anthem and there was  a lot of shuffling as the herd was  restless ..

Suddenly they started crossing and it awesome an sight to see them plunging, swimming or lunging across the river and safely reaching the other bank. Suddenly we saw a thrashing movement..a zebra was caught by a crocodile. All I could actually  see with my binoculars was a huge crocodile with its mouth agape and the zebra thrashing and being sucked down into the water. An NGC moment! About a 1000 animals crossed while we witnessed what may have been the only zebra death that day at the crossing.

We couldn’t stop talking about the experience and all the locals we met thought that we were truly lucky to see the spectacle of an actual crossing, which despite the frequent ‘Animal Planet’ sightings on TV are quite rare in reality. Many of the locals have come and waited for hours at  the river bank and witnessed no crossing.

Giraffe at 6 oclock

Beg, borrow, steal but you must have your  own set of binoculars. I was lucky to have borrowed my own set and could point out giraffe at 6 o’clock and elephant at 9 ‘o’. Hence I was designated the official giraffe spotter for my vehicle. We were really lucky and saw giraffes, countless zebras, cheetahs (twice), the elusive leopard once and a pride of lions – twice. The beginner’s luck, they would have me believe!

Traffic jam in the jungle

The drivers are all contactable on the radio and can hear each other so if one car has seen a leopard then all the other vehicles will come to the same place and if you see my pictures you will get an idea on the traffic jam that happened over our leopard spotting. The feline then lumbered down the tree and the whole convoy of gawking tourists started following him and slowly but surely he just melted into the tall grass and was nowhere to be seen. Then he emerged on the other side and crossed right by the other groups vehicle and they got a real close up view of him.

Mofassa and me

We had just started our evening game drive when we were alerted to a sighting of lions. The male lion was sunning himself when we first spotted him. Our 4WD vehicle moved quite close to him. We  named him Mofassa, after Simba’s dad from the Lion King animated movie. We observed him and his family for long. The cubs playing around. The mothers keeping a close watch. Another NGC evening!

Croc meat is very chewy!

On our last night we were all set for the famous Carnivore restaurant which has a huge spit with all possible meats on it and the exotic list featured crocodile and ostrich meat. Ostrich meat was nice and tasty, but the croc was a tough cookie I was unable to digest. Every table has a  small flag, so when you are full and can’t gobble, munch, chew or gnaw anymore, you need to lay the flag down in a gesture of surrender! Just for your knowledge, Zebra meat and other exotic meat is banned since the last 3 years.

Shopping

Well, we all got ripped off and paid much more for everything except at the Masai market where we spent too little time. You will see souvenir shops during your ‘comfort’ stops. One really needs to bargain here. Start at 25% of the cost quoted. You will see at least one fancy souvenir shop at your hotel. Avoid, unless you are desperate and will not go to any mall in Nairobi which will have the same stuff at more reasonable prices. Last, but not the least, there is a Masai market on different days of the week at different malls . It’s the local Masais selling their wares laid out on mats in one area like a terrace in a mall. They sell directly to you for the best prices. We caught it on a Tuesday  at the Westland mall. For my rhino mug I paid 1300 at a mall shop. It was 2200 in the hotel shop, but I paid only 570 at the masai market for another one. So much for the learning curve.

Travel tip:

The order of an itinerary should  be start with Mt Kenya National park followed by Lake Nakuru and its flamingoes, then Lake Naivasha and finally Masai Mara. The Mara experience can’t be bettered!

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