Huwebes, Oktubre 12, 2017

The Great Maui Adventure

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Sunrise at Haleakalā National Park

As you shiver in the inky darkness, bumping elbows with strangers and wishing for your warmer coat, it’s easy to grumble, ‘What was I thinking?’ But then a soft, orange glow pierces the darkness. The crowd leans forward, holding its breath. Cottony clouds appear, stretching to horizon’s end, encircling your lofty summit perch. Rich tones of amber and ocher blaze on the crater floor below. Elemental. Communal. Spiritual. To quote Mark Twain: ‘The sublimest spectacle I ever witnessed.’ And to quote the park service: 'Reserve before you go!' Yep, reservations now required.

Driving the Road to Hana
Buckle up. Of all the heart-stoppingly dramatic drives in Hawaii, this is the Big Kahuna. A roller-coaster of a ride, the twisting Hana Hwy winds down jungly valleys and back up towering cliffs, curling around 600 twists and turns along the way. Some 54 one-lane bridges cross nearly as many waterfalls – some of them eye-popping torrents and others so gentle they beg a dip. But the ride’s only half the thrill. Swim in a Zen-like pool, stroll a ginger-scented trail and stop once, maybe twice, for banana bread.

Snorkeling at 'Turtle Beach'
Packed with coves, reefs and lava rocks, the Maui coast is made for do-it-yourself snorkeling. Grab a map at the dive shop, rent gear, hit the beach and off you go. From stunning Maluʻaka Beach in Makena, simply swim in the direction of the tour boats. Before you get halfway you’ll likely spot a magnificent green sea turtle nibbling algae on the ocean floor, and another swimming gracefully through the surf. The underwater sights at ‘Turtle Beach’ are mesmerizing – and a great introduction to Maui snorkeling.

Whale-Watching
Breaching. Lunging. Slapping. And the ever-mysterious spy hopping. Humpback whales keep things lively off Maui’s western coast each winter, when thousands arrive to court, mate and calve. If you’re in Maui at the same time – typically December through April – treat yourself to a whale-watching cruise. Whales are also readily spotted from cliffside lookouts such as Papawai Point, from west-facing beaches and from oceanfront condos. Snorkelers and divers who stick their heads underwater at the right time can even hear them singing: love songs, we presume!

Waihee Ridge Trail
Hiking doesn’t get much better than the Waihee Ridge Trail, an inviting footpath that climbs the rugged green slopes of the West Maui Mountains. The trail is alternately covered and exposed, winding through a dense grove of guava trees before darting up a grassy ridgeline with bird’s-eye views of cloud-topped peaks and overgrown valleys. After 2.5 miles of gentle climbing, the lonely summit is a sweet reward.




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Miyerkules, Oktubre 11, 2017

Touristy Spots You Should Not Miss in Ecuador

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Cuenca

The fairy-tale colonial center of Cuenca is a Unesco World Heritage Site that’s been charming visitors since the 16th century. And while the cobblestone streets, polychrome building fronts and remarkably well-preserved cathedral will have you snapping a photo on nearly every corner, it’s the town’s laid-back feel, friendly locals and bohemian spirit that will truly fill your heart and soul. Top that off with great nightlife, plenty of museums and galleries, and some of Ecuador’s best eateries, and there’s no doubt why this is the bar-none top highlight of southern Ecuador.

Beaches of the North Coast

Don’t associate Ecuador with sun and sand? Well think again, because the northwest of the country is packed with fishing villages, resort towns, surfer hang-outs and totally pristine areas of golden sand, so head down or up the coast and take your pick. One of the best places for a sunny getaway is Canoa, where you'll find a long picturesque beach backed by cliffs and some excellent surf. When the sun goes down, Canoa's lively eating and drinking spots make a perfect cap to a day spent frolicking among the waves.

Quilotoa Loop

Adventure begins at 3000m along the popular Quilotoa Loop, a rough travelers’ route that takes you through indigenous villages and painters’ colonies to a deep-blue crater lake and into the heart of Ecuador’s central highlands. The best thing about the loop is that you can custom-build your adventure to fit your needs. Want to volunteer in a sustainable agriculture project? No problem. Or would you like to hike and bike from village to village on forgotten trails? Yep, it's got that, too.

Riding the TelefériQo

Proving there’s more than one way to summit the Andean peaks, the TelefériQo whisks you up by aerial tram to breathtaking heights (4100m) over Quito. In a city of sublime views, Cruz Loma offers the finest of all – assuming you go on a clear day. Here, Quito spreads out across the Andean valley, with majestic peaks (including Cotopaxi) visible in the distance. At the top, you can extend the adventure by hiking (or taking a horseride) to the 4680m summit of Rucu Pichincha.




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Sights in Columbia That Even Kids Will Surely Enjoy

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Wildlife Lodges on the Amazon

The sheer size of the Amazon is nearly incomprehensible to the average person – Colombia's portion alone is bigger than Germany – so it goes without saying there are many places to bed down on a once-in-a-lifetime trip. But those in the Parque Nacional Natural (PNN) Amacayacu and along the Yavarí Rio are the best places to see the greatest variety of wildlife and ecosystems. Here you can swim with dolphins, fish for piranha and see alligators, monkeys and frogs up close.

Outdoor Adventures in San Gil

San Gil isn't much to look at, but what it lacks in natural beauty, it more than makes up for in high-octane amusements. Peddle, paddle, rappel, spelunk, bungee or paraglide – whatever your preference – San Gil is Colombia's go-to outdoor adventure playground, most famous for heart-stopping Classes IV and V rapids on the Río Suárez, but boasting a résumé far beyond white-water rafting. Get wet, get airborne, get your courage boots on – San Gil will test your limits.

Exploring Medellín

Get a bird's-eye view of life in the real Medellín as you soar in the city's award-winning metrocable system above working-class neighborhoods clinging precariously to steep mountainsides. The maze of haphazard red-brick abodes below is the beating heart of a city where difficult terrain is no obstacle to growth. After dark, check out the other end of the spectrum by visiting the chic restaurants, bars and clubs of El Poblado, the center of Medellín's legendary nightlife, popular with the city's well-heeled, fashionable crowd.

The Páramos of Lago de Tota

Fewer than a handful of countries boast alpine tundra ecosystems formed by glaciers known as páramo – and Colombia hogs the majority. The area around the sky-high cerulean Lago de Tota lays claim to one of the most rewarding hikes in Colombia: the Páramo de Ocetá leads you on a 19km jaunt through foreign landscapes of peat bogs, wet grasslands peppered with signature frailejón (yellow-flowering shrubs), colorful flowers, two waterfalls, spectacular lagoons and a natural city made of stone. Some might say it's the most beautiful moor on earth.



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Sabado, Oktubre 7, 2017

Top Sites You Should Not Miss When You Visit Portugal

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Fado
Born in a working-class Lisbon neighbourhood, the melancholic music of fado has been around for centuries. Despite its years, fado remains a living art, heard in tiny family-run restaurants, like A Baîuca, and elegant music halls alike. A lone, powerful voice coupled with the 12-string Portuguese guitarra are all the tools needed to bring some listeners to tears, as songs recall broken hearts, unfulfilled dreams and the lost days of youth. In fado, raw emotion often conveys more than mere lyrics can; even non-Portuguese speakers find themselves moved by great fadistas.

Ilha de Tavira
Ilha de Tavira has the lot for sunseekers, beach bums, nature lovers (and naturists): kilometre after kilometre of golden beach (think sand, sand, sand, as far as the eye can see), a designated nudist area, transport via miniature train, busy restaurants and a campground. To top it off, it’s part of the protected Parque Natural da Ria Formosa. Outside the high season, the island feels wonderfully remote and empty, but be warned: during high season (July and August) the hordes descend.

Parque Natural da Ria Formosa
This special spot feels like it’s in the middle of the wilderness, yet it’s right off the Algarvian coast. Enclosing a vast area of sapais (marshes), salinas (salt pans), creeks and dune islands, the protected lagoon system stretches for an incredible 60km and encompasses 18,000 hectares. And it’s all accessible from various towns – have a boat drop you at a deserted beach, or amble along the nature trail among the precious wetland bird life.

Megaliths Around Évora
Spiritual, magical, historical, incredible – the many ancient megaliths around Évora will make your hair stand on end. As a traveller, you will more often than not have these sites to yourself – and what better way to ponder the mysteries of places so ancient they cannot fully be explained? How did such massive rocks get hauled into place? Were they fertility symbols or proprietorial land boundaries? They beg questions, yet – refreshingly in a world of reasoning – provide few answers. Somehow, their appeal lies in not knowing.



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