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View Requirements >- Get a Mozambique Visa to See Elephants in the Maputo Special Reserve
- Travel Visa Requirements for the “Banana Pancake Trail”
- Madagascar Visa Requirements for Tourists
- Get a Vietnamese Visa to Visit the My Son Sanctuary
- Chinese Visa Requirements to Chill in Dali
Archive for December, 2010
Get a Mozambique Visa to See Elephants in the Maputo Special Reserve
December 22nd, 2010
Famous for its elephants, Mozambique's Maputo Special Reserve also provides shelter for herds of zebra and antelope, plus crocodiles, hippos, and many different types of exotic birds. N0w, the World Bank is investing in a new, community-owned project to build an eco-resort in the park. That means that if the lodge is successful, the community as a whole will benefit. It should provide local people with a new source of income as well as providing them with an incentive to take care of the park and its wildlife.
It will also make the park much more attractive to tourists; as this article on Getaway.co.za notes, currently "accommodation is also a bit wild and rugged. With bathroom facilities being relatively non-existent, camping is not for the faint-hearted. Most camping sites provide y
Travel Visa Requirements for the “Banana Pancake Trail”
December 19th, 2010
If you've considered a trip to Asia, particularly a long-term backpacking trip, you've probably heard the term "banana pancake trail" thrown about. You might have thought to yourself, "Hey, I like pancakes. I like bananas. Where do I sign up?"
It's not really that simple-the banana pancake trail doesn't really have a beginning, end or set route. It's not a backpacking trail per se, though you'll certainly meet lots of backpackers on it. The term "banana pancake trail" is simply used to designate areas of Asia that get a lot of young Western tourists, usually backpackers. The name comes from the banana pancakes that are often served at guesthouses serving this clientele.
That said, there are definitely cities and towns that are indisputably part of the banana pancake trail. Whether yo
Madagascar Visa Requirements for Tourists
December 18th, 2010
Tucked away off the coast of Africa, Madagascar doesn't make it on many American tourists' life lists -- at least not yet. That may change as the country more fully develops its eco-tourism industry, assuming logging companies and assorted other extractive industries don't "harvest" all of Madagascar's pristine rainforests first.
Right now, while it's somewhat difficult to get around the country, there's enough of a tourist infrastructure to make it doable as long as you're willing to deal with occasional inconveniences like delayed flights and rough roads, and more than enough gorgeous wilderness and exotic wildlife to make it worth your while.
In a recent article, New York Times' travel writer Jeffery Gettleman explained the charms of Madagascar:
"Cut off from the mainland 160 mi
Get a Vietnamese Visa to Visit the My Son Sanctuary
December 18th, 2010
This week's featured UNESCO World Heritage is the ruined stronghold of an ancient Vietnamese kingdom. The My Son Sanctuary is the former religious center of the Champa kingdom. Pirates and traders, the Cham people ruled much of the Vietnamese coastline from the 7th century AD to the 15th century, dealing in spices, ivory and aloe. They were frequently at war with their neighbors, the Khmer people of Cambodia and the Viet of Vietnam.
The Champa kingdom was Hindu, and for centuries, Champa rulers built temples in the sheltered valley of My Son. Centuries worth of weather and heavy bombing of the area during the Vietnam War has taken its toll on the ancient temples, but the ruins are still quite impressive. Stick to the designated paths if you visit; land mines and unexploded ordnance rema
Chinese Visa Requirements to Chill in Dali
December 16th, 2010
A favorite haunt of backpackers, hippies and other bohemian types, Dali is like China's answer to Goa, the "hippie mecca" of India. Centuries ago, this small city was the capital of the kingdom of the Bai, one of China's many ethnic minorities. They still live here today, and if you visit the shores of Lake Erhai on one side of the town, you can watch Bai fishermen catch fish the traditional way, with specially trained water birds called cormorants. However, these days the Bai are joined by a blend of young Chinese students, artists, musicians and hippified Westerners, all in Dali to chill out and enjoy the city's laid-back, artsy vibe.
On the Western side of the city, the Cangshan mountains provide a stunning backdrop and endless opportunities for exploration. According to the Guardia
