Ultimate Vacation Spots

posted by Travel Cat on Jun 26

Best Cities in Europe?

This is based on the places I have been in Europe (or are intending to go to in the near future after recommendations from friends!). It is only a brief description of the feel of the place, just to tease you to investigate further…….

We are still quite northern to start here - but it does get warmer from number 8! Promise….

6) Prague, Czech Republic
If you love the whole fairy-tale look, then you will love it here. Perched on a huge hill, across the wide meandering dark river and over the ornately decorated bridges sits a beautiful castle!

The whole city, although with all the modern trapping, looks like a story book. Tall, colourful buildings line the streets, surrounding cobbled squares and walled gardens. Nearer the castle, there are steep steps and small shops and cafes crammed in, and in all shapes and sizes. Enter one on the street and be amazed as it then splits off into different levels, and around corners. This place warrants a second visit, and go there in winter if you can, as the castle looks great in the snow!

7) Paris, France
The rumours are true about this place - even when it’s raining; this city is romantic. You’ll find couples sheltering in little bistro’s with a steaming cup of coffee, or running hand in hand through the streets to find an obliging doorway for their cuddles!

If you love food and art you should be right at home here, and even if you don’t, you will almost certainly find a part of Paris that suits your needs! Time after time people visit this welcoming place to spend a few short days wandering the streets, as they will always be guaranteed a great vacation.

As with nearly all great cities, Paris has a wide sweeping river running through it’s centre and the peace along it’s banks are well known - and painted by many! However, don’t hire a car here if you aren’t a confident driver, or don’t like small cars!!!

Venice, Italy
Even in the cold weather, this city will please the traveller. I actually stayed on a separate island to Venice itself, so I had to catch a boat in to town everyday - more exotic than the train or bus!

From my hotel, I could see the skyline of the whole island, making it’s allure more real than being right in the town looking out your window at the wall of someone else’s hotel. The town centre is so crammed in, that some streets are little more than 3 feet wide, as are some of the lesser used canals! This makes it great for someone like me who loves the whole ‘cuteness’ of this retained character from many years before.

Get a map otherwise you could end up trapped in it’s maze of lanes and paths - don’t rely on landmarks to escape either - we ended up like a silly cartoon and kept reappearing in the same square from another entrance, leaving again only to end up back in the same place! How can that happen to grown ups!!

9) Barcelona, Spain
Not having been here myself, I can only explain the delights that await the traveller, and the very things that are calling out to me to visit.

With an intense history or invasions and defences between fellow Spaniards and invading ‘moors’, this city really has got some great architecture and culture to rival any great city.  With the walled city and plenty of ornate churches to ponder over you may not have time to visit all the museums if that is what you were hoping to squeeze in! 

Then there is the fantastic food, and the views over the Mediterranean and the amazing people you’ll meet and the fantastic weather……. 

10) Lisbon, Portugal
This country has a rich history for adventure and history, and it’s ships travelled the world collecting culture, artifacts and several other countries!

This harbour-side city is a mini reflection of that great era, where great buildings display their heritage, and main square after square in the city centre are filled with statues and monuments dedicated to various ‘heroes’.  And with an al-fresco feel throughout the day you can relax in the sun without the pressures of a normal city - and there is a lot of sun!
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posted by Travel Cat on Jun 24

Best Cities in Europe?

This is based on the places I have been in Europe (or are intending to go to in the near future after recommendations from friends!). It is only a brief description of the feel of the place, just to tease you to investigate further…….

This guide moves from north to south, and hopefully getting warmer with each hop…….. but seeing as we are starting with Iceland - still take your hat and gloves!!!!

1) Reykjavik, Iceland
If you want to see new pieces of Planet Earth growing out of the ice, then you cannot afford to miss this place. The land of Fire and Ice.

I have never made it here myself yet, as I am waiting for the great ‘northern lights’ display - but every year something gets in my way! But I will make it to this amazing and unique country while it is still that way. The history on this island is immense and the fact that most of the population of this country live in this one city has got to make it a busy but fascinating place!

2) Edinburgh, Scotland
Expect to be cold here, and in-fact, it’s probably better to go in the winter, as you will be almost guaranteed some snow to set this historic city off as it should be seen.

An ancient city, with it’s castle perched on top of a craggy volcanic outcrop, heavily defended by huge rising walls will silence any traveller who arrives here in daylight. The surrounding old town is full of old buildings, alleyways and vaults and some impressive buildings - it also houses a tiny pub, built into the hill underneath another pub!

You can’t escape the history of the place, and of all Scotland really, as well as a few ghost stories to keep you occupied. If you want to step back from it all for a while to give the city some thought of your own, then the best place is a short walk up to Arthur’s Seat and watch over the streets from this lofty natural peak.

3) Copenhagen, Denmark
This place was like a very clean little England. The style of the houses is different as they have the high facades with roofs running front to back with great colour and designs, but it just feels so normal.

The pedestrianised harbour side with it’s huge variety of little restaurants in buildings that seem to go on and on away from the streets is the place to be, and the bright colours and numbers of people just sitting around enjoying the place gives it a homely feel. There is a small amusement park right in the centre of town with some big rides, as well as some interesting museums and historical buildings.

Added to this, Sweden is only a few minutes away on the fast train, so make a day trip out there and feast on culinary delights in their huge heated ‘restaurant’ squares. Be prepared to spend some money in either location - prices are not cheap!

4) Dublin, Ireland
This beautiful city is a labyrinth of street and shops, with one shop leading into another street, or another shop even!  And the shops themselves are not always what they seem - one hardware shop I went int, had a bar down the left side with sports on TV, and a bike hire shop out the back……

The huge thundering river runs through the town, and is worth an hour of so on it’s own, just watching it and the world go by. There are bars just about everywhere, but also some gems of restaurants dotted all over as well - many al fresco in the summer.

This is a very busy area for stag and hen nights, so watch out for your weekends being overwhelmed by groups of women wearing fairy wings!

5) London, England
Only come here in the height of summer, otherwise you could be in for a miserable time! Sitting on an open-topped bus in the wind and drizzle really is as bad as it sounds!

In the sunshine though, this city will dazzle you. It has buildings that will fill you with awe at their sheer brute size and appearance; it has large open spaces right in the centre that will carry away your worries and relax your soul; and has a busy nightlife around the theatre district where people spill out of the shows into the cafes and bars to finish off the night!

There’s plenty of history for you here, with the London Dungeons and the Tower of London will certainly evoke past times, along with unbelievably modern additions almost next door, with the London Eye and the Gherkin (a giant curved glass building) dominating the ancient skyline that used to be all towers and cathedrals.

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posted by Travel Cat on Feb 24

The following information concerns the environments themselves. Here you will be get the chance to see vast numbers of wildlife and plants in one place - of course, if you pick the wrong guide or go alone and get lost you may not see anything worth writing home about!

Also, I have only picked those areas that are most popular, so if you visit regularly you may find more secluded areas to visit, off the beaten track so to speak, but never walk into a jungle without a clearly marked track or a local guide!

6) Tropical Rainforest

Reserva de la Biosfera Sian Ka’an (south of Cancun) - This good size reserve (5000 sq km) is by no mean lacking in wildlife, and you will need a professional guide to escort you through it so you don’t get lost! It borders a relatively ‘boring’ beach so you can get this whole area to yourself, with a huge number of migratory and local birds found here.

Pelenque- This ancient Mayan city is surrounded in heavy jungle, containing ocelots, toucans howler monkeys to name a few. As with Reserva de la Biosfera Calakmul (another great Mayan city ruins) it is probably best to book yourself on one of the temple tours, this was you get a useful guide and also the chance to climb the ancient temples and get an amazing view of the jungle.

Reserva de la Biosfera Montes Azules, including Laguna Miramar- The largest lake in this preserved area of Mexico along the Guatemalan border, helps support a huge number of large mammals - apparently 27% of all Mexico’s mammals including the tapir and jaguar, as well as 33% of the nations birds including the Harpy eagle and red macaw reside here. It also contains rare mahogany trees and river crocodiles. It is so protected though that you need to go through a sort of local ceremony to get guided thru here, so book well in advance!

7) Mangroves

Reserva de la Biosfera La Encrucijada - This coastal biosphere contains some of the tallest mangroves in Mexico and cover a vast area of lagoons, sandbars and wetland areas at the very south of the country, close to Guatemala. Not only is it a valuable landing spot for hundreds of migratory birds each year, but the reserve continues inland and apparently houses the largest population of Mexican jaguars! You’ll find creatures ranging from boa constrictors to fishing bats and fishing eagles, from anteaters and deer to river crocodiles and turtles, and many, many more. Take a boat ride deep inside to find out more…..

8 ) Coral Reefs

Isla Cozumel and Reserva de la Biosfera Banco Chinchorro(south of Cancun) - This small island (53 x 14km) is home to 100 world class dive sites, and it’s not difficult to tell why when you get there! It has many locations suitable for snorkeling too with it’s crystal clear waters giving year round visibility of 50m - and it’s Mexico’s only Caribbean island! The variety of coral and fish here found Cozumel chosen as the most popular dive site in the world by Scuba Diving magazine!

Isla del Carmen and Parque Marino Nacional Bahia de Lereto- Another small island but this time on the Pacific coast of Mexico, but facing the Sea of Cortez. This means that you are protected from the forceful coastal waves, and have relative protection from the elements, reason enough to preserve this reef for your pleasure. Although not as extensive and popular as Isla Cozumel, you may find it cheaper and less crowded here.

9) Cloud Forests

Reserva de la Biosfera El Cielo- South of Monterrey in Northwest Mexico, nestled up the Sierra Madre mountains you will find this 1440 sq km reserve. It reaches through semi-desert to temperate to tropical ecosystems it was granted certain status by the UN in the 80’s. You can find around 40 orchid species at higher climes, half of all the nations bird species can be found within it, along with 40 kinds of bats as well as the more common tropical mammals.

Reserva de la Biosfera El Triunfo- This is a bird lovers paradise high in a remote part of the Sierra Madres southern tip, with around 30 bird species not found elsewhere in Mexico, as well as your best chance of seeing the infamous quetzal. It is also a weird world of epiphytes, bromeliads, mosses, lichens and vines covering almost every tree in this cool damp cloud forest, however try to avoid May to October as this is the wet season! You also need a permit for here up to a month in advance, so plan in advance for several days of guided tours only. It’s not cheap but it does include accommodation.

10) Desert Oasis

Area de Proteccion de Flora y Fauna Cuatrocienegas- This isolated area in the Chihuahuan Desert has endless white sand dunes and very high temperatures - even the water can reach up to 32/90 degrees! It is bordered on every side by mountain ranges, and the underground springs supply rivers and pools house turtles and fish - many of which are endemic to the region due to it’s restrictive landscape. It also holds species such as coyotes, rabbits, roadrunners and scorpions, as would any desert in the region.

Well, what are you waiting for?

posted by Travel Cat on Feb 22

Described below are the best times and places to see some of the wildlife and habitats that Mexico has to offer the traveller.

I find that planning what you want to see before you book is great,  That way you pay the least for internal travel and you don’t regret missing something that you were too far away from when you got there! More importantly, you come back with photos and memories of what you wanted to see the most, and have the best time doing it!

As there is so much to cover I have split this into 2 parts. Part 1 below, details specific species that you may wish to see, whereas Part 2 looks at whole environments, where you can see a number of different species including birds, mammals, fish, reptiles and insects.

So here we go - starting with the largest!

1) Whales

Baja California- From January to March in the Reserva de la Biosfera Vizcaino (a 25,000 sq km reserve - Latin America’s largest) there is a major Gray Whale calving site. You can book 3 hour excursions locally, with Laguna San Ignacio and Laguna Ojo de Liebre being popular locations.

Bahia de Banderas(near Puerta Vallarta) - You can see whales all year round here (if you look hard enough). Humpback whales come here between December and March to give birth to last years calf, and then to breed again, so there is plenty of display to watch as well as seeing the mothers swimming with their calves. Bride Whales are here all year, but are much rarer, as are Grey Whales who have also been seen here, but only occasionally.

2) Dolphins

Bahia de Banderas(near Puerta Vallarta) - This huge bay (the 7th largest in the world apparently) is home all year to pods of dolphins. Due to this community there are allegedly no sharks here at all, and groups of dolphins are regularly seen ‘patrolling’ the edges of the bay to ward off any marauding sharks!

I have stayed on the bays edge (in Bucerais) and found that on most mornings you will be greeted by leaping dolphins. People from the nearby resorts grab the complimentary kayaks and paddle out to the centre of the groups while they play. The dolphins are so used to this that they are not scared off and just carry on with whatever they were doing. You can also see where they are feeding out in the bay, as they attract great flocks of giant Frigate birds and gulls who circle the area, then dive straight into the swirling mass of fish from above - an amazing site.

3) Turtles

Isla Mujeres(south of Cancun) - This quiet island off the Cancun Coast in the Gulf of Mexico is where 6 of the 8 sea turtle species in the world come to nest. You will find Kemps Ridley, Olive Ridley, Black, Green, Leatherback and Hawksbill here throughout the year, with June to September being the best time to see several species in one visit. There is also a turtle farm here to help with breeding as the locals have always found turtles and their eggs a delicacy. Kemps Ridley also nest in La Pesca from March to July, Black Turtles in Bahia de Maruata and Olive Ridley on Playa Escobilla between March and July, with up to 700,000 coming to shore in a season!

Cabo San Lucas(Baja California) - This trendy resort is also a great place to see many turtle species with the 7th species found in Mexico - the giant Leatherback. These can reach 3 metres in length and a ton in weight, although are very rarely sighted. If you get a photo of an adult one of these you are very lucky indeed! (Mazunte in Oaxaca is also a great place to see these turtles).

4) Elephant Seals and Sea Lions

Baja California- These aquatic mammals are only really found in one small area of Mexico and often in close proximity to each other. The best spots are Islas San Benito and Isla Cedros where you will often see them sprawled out on the beaches and playing around the coast. You will need to hire boats for this trip, which you can do all year round.

5) Butterflies

Santuario de Mariposas El Rosario(west of Mexico City) - This sanctuary for Monarch Butterflies with astound you. Even if you haven’t really an interest in insects, the sheer numbers of these creatures with have you gob smacked! They travel from the U.S. to Mexico arriving in late October thru November, and are all gone by March, all 400 million of them. They cover every tree in the sanctuary in the mornings, turning them bright orange and you will be mesmerised by them as they move about you and land elsewhere during the warmth of the day.

Laguna Miramar- Apparently the jungle surrounding this huge lake contains 44% of all butterflies found in Mexico! You’ll easy fin Swallowtails and Cattlehearts flying around the jungle and lagoon itself without really trying, however, avoid coming here between June and October as most of the areas rainfall occurs then, and this jungle gets a lot of rain!!

Part 2 is coming up next…..

posted by Travel Cat on Feb 13

We all know the basics of polite society, yet sometimes we fail to apply them when on vacation in a foreign country. What we need to remember is that we are only visiting these places because we think they are better than a vacation at home, so why would we think it a good idea to overwhelm these destinations with our western ways and assume that 1) they can cope, and 2) they will stay the same for the next time we visit!

I know it might not seem so bad to drop that little tissue down to toilets (even though the locals use a bin) or to leave your empty plastic cosmetic bottles at the hotel, but multiply that by the 1000’s of visitors to that one resort, who all just do ‘one little thing’ wrong. The sewers will block up or spew metres of waste material into local rivers, and a small town may have 3000 plastic bottles to landfill. I can’t even begin to frighten you with the math if every holiday resort in developing countries have this mess to clean up. It can’t leave the locals to pleased either!

So, follow these simple steps to keep your destination friendly, clean and somewhere for other people to visit in years to come.

1) Research your destination before you go.
Make sure you know local customs and appropriate language and dress for your visit. Be aware of your presence in public places and during festivals, etc.

2) Learn the language.
Even if it’s just a basic grasp, you will find that not only will you enjoy your stay more, but communication with people there will be easier. Even if they speak English and you are taking for ever to order a drink, they may still appreciate your efforts enough to break the ice.

3) Don’t litter. Ever.

4) Buy local produce from locals.
If you are bothering to travel to a certain town, you obviously like what it has to offer, so buy something from there. Mingle with the locals and barter for a gift you know is keeping that town on the map.

5) Use local services.
Why book with a hotel chain when you could stay with some locals? Why book a room with a company that takes your money back to the U.S or UK rather than re-investing it back into the community you are in? Think of your local grocer being out-competed by a supermarket.

6) Check credentials for tours and trips.
Make sure that if you are relying on someone to take you through the local environment or a distant mountain or jungle, that they are responsible. Not only in terms of limiting damage to flora and fauna, but also that they are well known in the area and can offer you safe, reliable and community friendly travel.

7) Tip where you can.
Make sure that if a guide, waiter or porter is offering a better than average service and have made whatever you were trying to do effort free and worth that bit extra, make sure you tip them well. Not only will it make their efforts worth while, but it will encourage this high service to all the travellers who follow you there!

Respect people.
Don’t expect everyone you meet on your travels to have to like you and offer you a service or their time. They are also not part of the landscape, so make sure you check if they want you to take their photo while they sit on a bench, or tend to their land.

9) Don’t encourage the killing of endangered animals or delicate environments.
If you buy a piece of coral or a highly carved piece of turtle shell or ivory - where do you think they are going to get more from? If no-one buys a product, regardless of what it is, shops will stop selling it. This is what makes it all the more sad to see these products readily available in tourist destinations - someone is still buying them…….

10) Wash with piece of mind.
Use showers where ever possible to save water and the heating of it. In addition, try to travel with bio-degradable toiletries like shampoo, suncream and soap powder. They all wash off of us and our clothes into streams and rivers, so make sure they don’t stay there too long. Supplies of these are readily available in our stores and at a similar cost to regular products. Why not protect your own environment and use these at home too!

In fact all of these tips can help our own environment and cultures; use local services rather than chain stores, respect other people, use less water and don’t pollute what you do use. Also, why pay to be disappointed? Make sure you only pay for services that are safe, respect the environment where possible and offer a better than average service.

Congratulations, you have now become a responsible tourist!