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View Requirements >- 2011 Destinations: Get an Egyptian Visa to Go Diving at Port Ghalib
- Indian Visa Requirements for the Birdwatching Adventure of a Lifetime
- Get a Chinese Visa to Visit the Tombs of Emperors
- 2011 Destinations: Get an Algerian Visa to Visit Tlemcen
- Get an Ethiopian Visa to Get Up-Close-and-Personal with a Volcano
Author Archive
2011 Destinations: Get an Egyptian Visa to Go Diving at Port Ghalib
January 19th, 2011
Diving in the Red Sea at Sharm el-Sheikh is SO last year, especially since that beach has turned into a real-life version of "Jaws." If you'd rather dive someplace with fewer people, and where you can dive without hearing that creepy theme song in your head, go across the Red Sea and check out Port Ghalib instead.
According to the New York Times, "Those looking to skip the crowds should turn to Port Ghalib, across the Red Sea from Sharm, on the eastern Egyptian coast. Ghalib’s beaches offer soft, snow-hued sand and translucent water that divers love."
Naturally, since the New York Times has outed this quiet sea port, you should probably go now, before Port Ghalib becomes as much of a tourist destination as Sharm el-Sheikh.
The first step, of course, is making sure that you have
Indian Visa Requirements for the Birdwatching Adventure of a Lifetime
January 18th, 2011
India may not be the first destination you think of when you think of birdwatching, but on a recent trip, New York Times writer Somini Sengupta discovered that it's actually a birder's paradise. She writes:
"From the cold lakes of the Himalayas to the sand dunes of western Rajasthan to the tropical rain forests in the south, India hosts a dizzying variety of birds, like a dizzying variety of everything else. Residents and visitors, common and rare, more than 1,200 species have been recorded in India, which puts it somewhere between the United States (just under 900 recorded species) and Colombia (more than 1,800 species)."
In India, it's possible to see a variety of different species of birds even in the cities. Go out into the countryside or to a large lake or river, and things get ev
Get a Chinese Visa to Visit the Tombs of Emperors
January 16th, 2011
This week's featured UNESCO World Heritage Site is the final resting place for some of China's most powerful emperors in the Ming and Qing Dynasties. These dynasties, which together lasted from 1368 to 1912, were China's last two imperial dynasties. After the Qing Dynasty fell in 1912, it was succeeded by the Republic of China.
The tombs themselves, which are laid out according to ancient Chinese principles of fengshui, are impressive and richly decorated with carvings and statues. They are designed to look like imperial palaces, providing suitable housing for the spirits of emperors, empresses, and other members of the royal family.
UNESCO says that "The Ming and Qing imperial tombs are outstanding testimony to a cultural and architectural tradition that for over 500 years dominated
2011 Destinations: Get an Algerian Visa to Visit Tlemcen
January 15th, 2011
Algeria's Tlemcen is an ancient city, founded in the 4th century CE by the Romans. It eventually became a center of trade and religious scholarship. This year, Tlemcen is the center of a major renovation effort as the city readies itself for a year-long festival celebrating its induction as one of Isesco's "Capitals of Islamic Culture for 2011."
Although Tlemcen is always an interesting city to visit, the New York Times explains why this year is a great year to go:
"Algeria’s spiritual heart is preparing for a yearlong gala that will include some 300 exhibitions, concerts, screenings, theater performances, lectures and readings. The ruins of medieval ramparts and towers are being refurbished. Time-worn mosques and hammams are being dusted off. Cultural centers and museums are being
Get an Ethiopian Visa to Get Up-Close-and-Personal with a Volcano
January 15th, 2011
Last week, I highlighted Ethiopia for its amazing adventure travel potential. This week, I found an awesome (if expensive) vacation package that proves the point: Volcano Discovery's Ethiopian volcano tours. Their "Desert, Salt and Volcanoes" tour takes you into the Danakil Desert, a place that National Geographic once referred to as "the Cruelest Place on Earth."
In the desert, you'll visit salt mines, including an active volcano buried under a thick layer of salt. You'll also climb to the top of the active Erta Ale volcano and spend three days and nights observing the volcano and the fiery lakes of lava in its crater.
This 14-day expedition costs a mighty 3,760 Euro, but you'll be rewarded with the trip of a lifetime and the ability to forever boast that you stood in front of a vol
