Archive for the ‘Top 100 Wonders’ Category

Camargue France – Visiting The Rhône Delta

Wednesday, October 7th, 2009

The Camargue France
Camargue is a river delta located near the town of Arles in France.
The northern part of Camargue is mainly agricultural land for rice, cereals and grapevines. All the natural resources are located from centre region to the southern part of the delta.

Camargue location

Situated at the coastline from Provence to Languedoc-Roussillon, between the two branches of River Rhône and Mediterranean Sea, the triangular Camargue is inscribed as one of the top 100 wonders of the world. It is the largest river delta in Western Europe covering an area of over 1,466 km2. At least one third of the delta is filled with water or marshes which offers exceptional biological diversity. You can find plenty of dunes, pastures and brine lagoons in this area.

The most famous and largest inland salt water lagoon (or étang) is the Étang de Vaccarès which provides a great habitat for wild birds. This area has been preserved as regional park because of its natural beauty and historic interest. The Parc Naturel Régional de Camargue was officially established in 1970 which covers 820 km² of nature reserve. There is also a roadside museum in the park explaining the ecosystem, background and history of this region.

Flora & Fauna of Rhône Delta
Famous for its flora and fauna, the Camargue is home to over 400 species of birds, unique horses, bulls, sheep, beavers, wild boars, tree frogs, water snakes, insects and mosquitos. The brine ponds at the delta offer excellent habitats for pink flamingos.

The special breed of Camargue bulls is small in size compare to the average, and they are raised for food and for “running of the bulls” event. Youngsters will chase and pick up cockades attached to the horns of the running bulls to show their bravery. This activity was started since the sixteen century.

Similar to the bulls, the grey or white Camargue horses are also tiny compare to their relatives.  The riders of Camargue horses usually wear black hats and carry tridents, and they play an important role to safeguard Camargue traditions.

Tourism in Camargue France
The delta is visited by more than a million tourists every year. Most visitors are interested in seeing the unique natural beauty, and the flora and fauna of Camargue. This includes the pink flamingos, horses, bulls and birds. Ideal time for bird watching is from April to June during the mating session. You’ll be able to observe the most number of birds and flamingos.
During the summer, Camargue produces over 15,000 tons of salt a day including some table salt. Visitors will have a chance to witness the amazing salt making process.
For people who love outdoor activities, wildlife and history, they will enjoy their stay at Camargue by walking, cycling and riding on the Camargue horses. Those who want a little bit of adventure, there are three large discovery trails for hikers.

  • The salt path
  • The rice path (together with a visit to Musée du Riz-rice museum and Capelière reserve)
  • The lake & flamingo path (the Sea Dike & Fangassier lagoon)

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Waddenzee – Unique Intertidal Zone with Natural Beauty

Monday, October 5th, 2009

Waddenzee (Wadden Sea), located at the southeastern part of North Sea, is an intertidal zone in grand scale. Extending from Dutch Den Helder to Danish Esbjerg, the Waddenzee has over 500 km long shoreline with a width of more than 10 km. Due to the seafloor is shallow and level without much slope, the large foreshores are flooded during high tide, and dry up and form dunes during low tide.

This natural wonder covers the Wadden Sea National Parks of Germany, the Wadden Sea Conservation Area of Netherlands and the range of Frisian Islands. The Dutch-German section of the Waddenzee is inscribed on the list of UNESCO’s World Heritage Site on 26 June 2009.

With the huge, flat intertidal ecosystem, the Waddenzee forms various unique and bio-diversified habitats such as estuaries, tidal river channels, mud flats, sandbars, sea-grasslands, mussel beds, salt marshes and beaches. It is one of the most undisturbed, natural ecological units in the world, and it’s a home to multitude plants and animal species including the endangered harbor seals and harbor porpoises. The intertidal zone is also a wintering site, migration stopover and breeding ground for hundred of thousands of ducks, geese, seabirds, gulls and terns as well as nursery for North Sea fishes.

Many nature lovers come to this part of the world every year to see the spectacular natural beauty.

Endangered Species at Waddenzee

The number of harbor seals (also known as common seals) in Waddenzee has been seriously declining in the recent years. Like any other areas in North Sea, the habitats of marine mammals are constantly threatened by environmental destruction, water pollution and illegal hunting.

Some counties are using North Sea as garbage dump. Base on a research conducted with fulmars in this area, 95% of the birds contained polymer materials in their stomachs. An agreement of Conservation of Seals was signed among the Wadden Sea countries — Germany, Denmark and Netherlands to ban hunting of endangered species.

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Enigmatic Stonehenge – Facts, Hotels, Location, Tourist Guides

Monday, September 28th, 2009

If you’re interested in exploring Europe’s most famous monument, take a trip down to the Salisbury Plain in Southern England for the ancient enigmatic Stonehenge.  The megalithic was built over several phases starting from around 3,100 B.C. The earthworks consist of a circular bank with large upright stones at the center.

stonehenge_1The Stonehenge and its surroundings were included in the World Heritage Sites of UNESCO. Since the monument was erected in prehistory time, there has been very little documentation regarding the standing stones and its circular embankment. Understanding the various stages of activities at Stonehenge is not simple. Research into the monument is ongoing, and from time to time, there will be new discoveries and theories being published.


Stonehenge – Facts, Information

Here are some facts about the Stonehenge:

  • The megalithic was built in 4 phrases at different time including the Pre-Stonehenge erection at 9th-8th millennium BC.
  • A minimum of 30,000,000 hours were spent in building it.
  • The rocks are estimated to be 40 tons.
  • Some archaeologists suggest that it is a site with religious significance. Others think that it is an astronomical calculator or a site for human sacrifice.
  • There are many prehistoric burial mounds in the surroundings. The most popular one is West Kennet Long Barrow; the tallest man-made ancient mound in Europe is the Silbury Hill.
  • Visitors are not allowed to walk within the circle except with special arrangement.
  • The tallest upright stone is 22 ft high with another 8 ft buried below ground.

Tour Stonehenge

You can arrange a day trip to Stonehenge. Here are the options you can access the ancient monument:

  • Join a day tour from London.
  • Catch a train from London to Salisbury which is the nearest town to the Stonehenge. Take a 25 minute Stonehenge Tour Bus from Salisbury bus station.
  • If you drive, aim for the junction of A303 and A344/A360, Amesbury SP4 7DE at 2 miles West of Amesbury

Facilities available at Stonehenge

You will find rest rooms, parking lots and a stall selling snacks and drinks.

Entrance fee to the Stonehenge is required (if you plan to visit several other monuments, check out the British Heritage Pass). Audio guided tours in 9 languages are included with the entrance fee.

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Friaren woos Seven Sisters Falls at Geiranger Fjord

Wednesday, September 16th, 2009

Friaren is a lone waterfall at Geiranger fjord, but he will never feel lonesome. Sitting across him are the Seven Sisters Falls (De Syv Søstre) which consist of 7 separate streams. Friaren is enjoying the Seven Sister’s dancing and serenading while he is flirting playfully with them. The tallest sister has a height of 250 meters above sea level.

Cruising through the Geiranger fjord, you will see one of the world’s most spectacular views. Although Friaren does not have the height of the Seven Sisters Falls, he possesses a lot of capacity. Any ships that are cruising near by Friaren will easily feel the intense mist from the waterfall.

Geiranger fjord - Tourist Information

1) Lodging:
There are a few camp sites, cabins and hotels you can stay in this area.
Hotel Union Geiranger is over 100 years old offering very unique settings and surroundings. You can read more on hotels in Geiranger.

2) Facts:
Geiranger fjord is one of the most visited Norway fjords with 15 kilometers in length. It is included in UNESCO’s World Heritage list.


3) Location:
Geiranger fjord is located in the northern part of Western Norway at Møre og Romsdal county.

4) What to do
Enjoy scenic fjord cruises. Look out for the famous waterfalls, the Seven Sisters Falls (De syv søstrene) and the Bridal Veil (Brudesløret). Other popular activities around the fjords are, rafting, fishing, summer skiing, and canoe trips.

5) Tours
Join Geiranger & Norway in a Nutshell® tour at Osla or Bergen. The trips are available from April to September.

6) Getting to Geiranger fjord

* Departing from Osla
(450 kilometers southeast of Geiranger)

- By car:
About 7 hours
Route: Oslo – Otta (via E6) - Langvatnet (via Rv15) – Geiranger (via Rv63)

- By bus (depart daily):
From Osla to Ålesund - about 10 hours
From Ålesund to Geiranger – about 1hr plus
Booking through: Nor-Way Bussexpress

- By flight (depart daily):
From Osla to Ålesund Airport, Vigra – 55 minutes
Go to Ålesund bus station with airport shuttle bus. Continue journey to Geiranger in a separate bus.
Booking through: SAS

* Departing from Bergen
(350 kilometers south of Geiranger)

- By car:
About 7 hours.
Route: Bergen – Oppedal (via E39) – Lavik (via ferry) – Førde (via E39) – Byrkjelo (via E39) - Stryn (via Rv60) – Langvatnet (via Rv15) – Geiranger (via Rv63)

- By Bus (depart daily):
From Bergen to Ålesund – about 9 hours
From Ålesund to Geiranger – about 1hr+

- By flight (depart daily):
From Bergen to Ålesund Airport, Vigra – 45 minutes
Go to Ålesund bus station with airport shuttle bus. Continue journey to Geiranger in a separate bus.

- By boat:
In winter:
Take the Nerwegian Coastal Express to Ålesund and continue with a bus to Geiranger.

Other time:
Take the Nerwegian Coastal Express from Bergen to Geiranger.

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The Stunning Castle of Edinburgh - Edinburgh Castle Scotland

Monday, September 7th, 2009

castle_of_edinburgh_01Take a tour to the most popular castle of Edinburgh when you visit the City of Edinburgh, Scotland.

The amazing fortress is dominating Edinburgh skyline, and it has a lot to offer to you and your family. Not only because of the former royal residence, but it is a great place for splendid views of the city as well as for exploration of the massive castle. Nestled on top of an extinct volcano and perched on a rock cliff, you’ll definitely appreciate its unique geological landscapes.

Visitor highlights at Edinburgh Castle, Scotland

#1) Edinburgh Castle - Scotland may not be the most beautiful castle, but it’s definitely the most visited and renowned fortress in Scotland.

#2) There are approximately one million visitors touring the castle every year. The fortress is packed with visitors especially during the summers.castle_of_edinburgh_02

#3) The best time to tour the castle of Edinburgh is in the morning when it is relatively less people compare to other times of the day. The castle consists of many towers and separate structures. You can explore the castle for a few hours in details and view the One O’clock gun firing at the ramparts. The gun fire is a daily routine at 1pm precisely except for Sunday.

#4) The meanings of Edinburgh – “Burgh” comes from the word “borough.” “Edin” means cliff or rock face. Therefore Edinburgh castle refers to “fortress of the rock face.”

#5) Moving in the uphill direction from the Royal Mile, you can’t miss the Edinburgh Castle – Scotland. The visiting hours will change at different time of the year (April – October: 9.30am-6pm, November - March: 9.30am-5pm). The castle opens 7 days a week except during Christmas. Last ticket is at 45 minutes before closing.

#6) Audio guided tours are available on every 15 minutes from inside the drawbridge.

#7) The entrance fee to the castle of Edinburgh is quite expensive. If you want to save some money, you can consider buying an “Explorer Pass” if you intend to tour other historical attractions in Scotland.

edinburgh_castle_scotland_01#8) The fortifications of the castle were destroyed and reconstructed several times over the centuries. The David’s Tower and St. Margaret’s Chapel are the only two original structures. Apart from these oldest sections, you can spend time with “The Stone of Destiny”, Scotland’s Crown Jewels, Laich Hall, the Royal Apartments, One O’clock gun fire, National War Monument of Scotland, the Great Hall and the “Prisoners of War” exhibition.

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The Irish Giant’s Causeway – Northern Ireland Causeway

Sunday, September 6th, 2009

ireland_causeway_01The Giant’s Causeway is situated at the coastline of County Antrim in Northern Ireland. It is made up of an array of unique basalt columns.

There are around 40,000 black lava stones in Ireland causeway. The geological formation of this stunning pattern is a result of prehistoric volcanic eruption about 60 million years ago that has caused rock crystallization under rapid cooling. When molten lava flowed down the cliff and came into contact with seawater, the sudden cooling of molten lava solidified and cracked into the amazing polygonal shape.

giants-causeway-02Some portion of the Ireland causeway seems like a huge manmade monument with volcanic rocks interlocking densely with each other. Most of the columns have four to eight sides, but they’re mostly hexagonal.

The tallest columns documented are 12.2 metres from sea level, and the thickest lava stone is 27.4 metres. The tops of these columns stretch from the foot cliff and disappear under the water.

Since 1986, the Giant’s Causeway has been included in UNESCO’s World Heritage Site. It has attracted very large numbers of visitors coming to the Ireland causeway each year, and it has become the most popular tourist attraction in Northern Island.  At 3 km north of Bushmills town, visitors can park their vehicles at the entrance to the site and walk approximately 600 metres to the causeway at the shoreline.

ireland_causeway_02Many visitors do not just come to see the basalt stones. Next to the lava columns is one of the most beautiful and inspiring coastal scenery on earth.

You can also observe the rare flora and fauna in the lava cliff as well as various species of sea birds. There is a shop providing souvenirs and refreshments. Visitors can have their walks and picnics in the causeway areas or join the guided tours.


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Volcanic Island - The Amazing Volcanic Iceland

Friday, September 4th, 2009

volcanic-iceland_021The volcanic island of Iceland is a very unique land on earth, and it is literally located at the edge of the American and European tectonic plates. Nestled at the North Atlantic Ocean, it has a population of slightly over 300,000. The only productive land for agriculture is at the southern part of the Island, and much of the daily human activities are limited to this part. More than half of the people live in the capital city of Reykjavik. Other areas in the island resemble moon surface with spectacular view of natural beauty.

As implied by its unique label of the volcanic Iceland, the island is on large scale of geological and volcanic activities, and amazing bubbling spots, hot springs, hot geysers and waterfalls are everywhere.

Tourism in Iceland has been on an increasing trend in the recent years. You can take full advantage of the adventurous tours while visiting the island. River rafting, glacier tours, whale watching, mountain climbing, skiing, and fishing are some of the popular activities.

volcanic-iceland_04Most Icelanders start partying around midnight. The most happening places for nightlife are in the capital areas such as at area 101. With hundreds of pubs, bars and discos, the volcanic Iceland city is filled with jolly people until dawn.

More information on Iceland photos, maps and hotel reviews

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