Indonesia. Travel

5. Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park

flickr/frankdouwes

The Bromo Tengger Semeru National Park is best known for its awesome scenery of a vast, ancient volcanic crater and a host of picturesque volcanoes that have emerged from it. The park is named after two mountains, Mount Semeru, Mount Bromo and the Tengger people who inhabit the area. Semeru is the highest mountain in Java as well as one of Indonesia’s most active volcanoes. The smouldering cone of Bromo stands in a sea of volcanic sand, surrounded by the towering cliffs of the crater’s edge.

4. Lombok (Where to Stay)

flickr/rajkumar1220

Lombok is often compared to its closest neighbor: Bali. The island has the same kind of beautiful beaches and volcanic scenery as Bali, with less commercialism and fewer crowds making it one of the best places to visit in Indonesia. The island’s northern area is dominated by the enormous volcano of Gunung Rinjani, and trekking at least part of the way up is the reason many tourists visit Lombok. The three Gili Islands, just off the northwest coast are the most popular beach destination.

3. Komodo National Park

Encompassing both Rinca Island, Komodo Island and a number of smaller islets, the Komodo National Park is world famous as the habitat of the Komodo Dragons, giant carnivorous monitor lizards that can reach up to 3 meters (10 feet) in length. The reptiles roam freely over the islands, and visitors rely on experienced tour guides for sightings and to keep them safe. Komodo National Park is also famous as a world-class scuba diving destination.

2. Yogyakarta (Where to Stay)

flickr/besar bears

Yogyakarta is a bustling town of some 500,000 people and the most popular tourist destination on Java, due to its proximity to the famous temples of Borobudur and Prambanan. The city itself is a center of art and education, offers some good shopping and has a wide range of tourist facilities. Yogyakarta lies in one of the most seismically active parts of Java and has thus repeatedly been struck by earthquakes and volcano eruptions. In 2006 an earthquake flattened over 300,000 houses while in 2010 the nearby volcano of Mount Merapi erupted, spewing lava over nearby villages.

1. Bali (Where to Stay)

flickr/Riza Nugraha

Bali is one of the world’s most popular island destinations and one which consistently wins travel awards. The varied landscape, rugged coastlines, tropical beaches, lush rice terraces and volcanic hillsides all provide a picturesque backdrop to its colorful, deeply spiritual and unique Hindu culture. The combination of friendly people, a magnificently visual culture infused with spirituality and spectacular beaches with great surfing and diving have made Balithe most popular tourist destination 

Ireland places to visit

Outdoors lovers will find lots to be excited about in Ireland, with acres of wild and windswept countryside, cute-as-a-button villages and hair-raising coastal cliffs making up the country’s surprisingly varied scenery. From mesmerizing UNESCO World Heritage sites to unique vistas that beg to be photographed, these are 10 of the most beautiful places to visit in Ireland.

1. Cliffs of Moher

Ireland”s mighty Cliffs of Moher reign strong as one of the country’s most visited natural attractions - towering 214 meters over the Atlantic Ocean in western Ireland. The iconic cliffs run from near the village of Doolin for around 8km to Hags Head in County Clare and host the country’s most spectacular coastal walk. Carved out by a gigantic river delta around 320 million years ago, the imposing cliffs also offer incredible views, stretching over Galway Bay, the distant Twelve Pins mountain range and the northern Maum Turk Mountains

2. Ring of Kerry

Ireland”s most scenic tourist trail, the Ring of Kerry, runs 120 miles through some of southwestern Ireland’s most jaw-dropping landscapes. A patchwork of lush meadows, glacial lakes and heather-topped mountains, the Ring of Kerry includes highlights like the rugged Beara Peninsula and the Kerry Way - Ireland’s longest and oldest walking route. Stop off on route at the Killarney National park, a UNESCO World Heritage biosphere reserve, home to the 15th century Ross Castle and a herd of wild red deer.

3. The Giant’s Causeway

Northern Ireland’s only UNESCO World Heritage-listed site, the Giant’s Causeway is proof that Mother Nature provides the most dramatic tourist attractions. The natural wonder is comprised of around 40,000 polygonal basalt rock columns, formed by the ancient volcanic landscape and stretching along the coastline like a series of gigantic stepping stones. A Giants Causeway Day Trip from Belfast is one of the country’s most popular excursions, with visitors taking the unique opportunity to walk one of nature’s most peculiar pathways.

4. Skellig Islands

Ireland’s magnificent UNESCO World Heritage Skellig Islands make a worthy side trip from the popular Ring of Kerry tourist trail, a pair of small rocky mounds that rise up from the sea off the coast of Portmagee. Not only are the two islands - Skellig Michael and Little Skellig - home to a fascinating 6th-century monastic complex perched on the 230-meter high cliff top, but they also host an impressive array of birdlife. Look out for Gannets, Black Guillemots, Cormorants, Razorbills and Herring Gulls as you climb the hair-raisingly steep 600-step climb to view the monastic remains.

THe OpEra House

Australia is a land of dreams. From the sacred legends of the aboriginal Dreamtime, when the great spirits conjured the coral reefs, rainforests, and scorched red deserts, to armchair travelers who describe Australia as their dream destination, the Land Down Under deserves all the hype. The world's smallest continent and largest island, Australia is almost the same size as the United States but with a population the size of New York State and some of the quirkiest wildlife on the planet.

Australia is also a land of staggering contrasts and spectacular beauty. Along the coast, you can explore vibrant multicultural cities, vast sand islands, ancient rainforests, and one of the planet's most awe-inspiring natural wonders - the Great Barrier Reef. In the Outback, rugged national parks and red-earthed deserts offer the ultimate in adventure travel. Top it all off with a laid-back feel and friendly people, and it's no wonder Australia scores top billing on bucket lists around the world. Create your own adventure with our list of the top attractions in Australia:

 Sydney Opera House

Sydney Opera House

Share:   

Mention "Sydney, Australia" and most people think of the Opera House. Shaped like huge shells or billowing sails, this famous building on Sydney's Bennelong Point graces the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites and is one of the world's great architectural icons. The location is stunning. Water surrounds the structure on three sides, and the Royal Botanic Gardens border it to the south.

Danish architect, Jørn Utzon won an international competition for its design but withdrew from the project after technical and financing problems. Construction was finally completed in 1973 at a cost ten times the original budget. By this time, Utzon had left the country never returning to see his magnificent creation.

Today, you can enjoy a performance here; dine at one of the restaurants; or take a tour of the building, which encompasses theaters, studios, a concert hall, exhibition rooms, and a cinema. But it's far more impressive viewed from a distance. One of the best sites to photograph the Opera House is Mrs Macquarie's Chair in the Royal Botanic Gardens, or you can hop aboard a harbor cruise or ferry for yet another picturesque perspective.

U MUST chek these OUT

a small island with lots of natural beuty. 

heaven is here⧪

Bay of Islands

(Photo: Thinkstock/iStock)

The Bay of Islands is one of the best places to go in New Zealand for fishing, sailing, and other watersports. The Bay of Islands is about three hours by car from Auckland. This gorgeous region is made up of 144 islands between Cape Brett and the Purerua Peninsula.

What’s there to do in the Bay of Islands? Get on or in the water! Try scuba diving with Paihia Dive‘s intro-to-diving course. You will be ferried far out into the bay to explore a whole new underwater world.

Or get up close and personal with the marine life in the Bay of Islands on a Fullers GreatSights Dolphin Eco Experience. You’ll get to view dolphins and whales from the boat and, if conditions allow, swim with wild dolphins.

Don’t leave the Bay of Islands without seeing the Hole in the Rock, an opening in a rock formation that you can sail through when the tide is right.

Where To Stay: Spend a night at the historic Duke of Marlborough hotel, which has the distinction of holding the oldest pub license in New Zealand and is located on a peninsula that sticks straight out into the middle of the day,

Milford Sound, New Zealand

Rudyard Kipling called Milford Sound the “eighth wonder of the world,” and if you visit this region of New Zealand, you’ll see why. Formed by glaciers during the Ice Age, the landscape around Milford Sound still bears evidence of its creation in the form of epic scenery: Cliffs rise from fjords crowned by mountains and waterfalls.

The best way to see Milford Sound is via boat. Take a sightseeing cruise on the fjord to see waterfalls and wildlife such as dolphins and penguins. Or navigate the waters under your own steam on a kayaking tour.

Once you’ve experienced the water from the surface, go underneath with a visit to the Milford Discovery Centre and Underwater Observatory. This is the only floating, underwater observatory in New Zealand, and visitors can go more than 30 feet deep (while staying dry) and get 360 degrees of the underwater environment.

Where To Stay: There are not a lot of places to stay close to the Sound, but if you’d rather not drive the three and a half hours from Queenstown, consider The Milford Sound Lodge. The lodge offers several packages for hiking and boat tours of the sound, and there really is no beating this spot in terms of access to the Sound.

Auckland, New Zealand

As both the largest city in New Zealand and its international air-travel hub, Auckland is one of the best places to go in New Zealand. Many international flights arrive in New Zealand through Auckland Airport, which makes it an ideal city from which to start your exploration of New Zealand.

Spend at least a day or two in Auckland—named one of the top 10 cities in the world by Lonely Planet—before venturing further afield in New Zealand. Here are our suggestions for what to see and do in Auckland:

• Get some culture by visiting one of the many museums in Auckland, such as the Auckland Art Gallery. The Auckland Art Gallery is the largest art institution in New Zealand, featuring more than 15,000 works of historic, modern, and contemporary art.
• If the weather is nice, take a stroll through the 185-acre Auckland Domainpark. If you’re visiting on a Saturday, include a stop at the nearby Parnell Farmers’ Market, which sells fresh produce in the morning.
• Auckland is also home to a host of multicultural bars and restaurants serving up all types of cuisine, so be sure to dine in downtown Auckland (and go out for a cocktail or two to check out the nightlife).
• If you’re looking for adventure activities in Auckland, consider the Auckland Bridge Climb. And if you’re really brave, try the Auckland Bridge bungee jump.
• If you’re looking for guided trips in Auckland, book an Auckland City Tour or an America’s Cup sailing experience on Waitemata Harbour.

Where To Stay: No matter where you stay in Auckland you will be close to something interesting. Try the accommodations at CityLife Auckland, which is within walking distance of several Auckland highlights like the harbor, both North and Princes Wharf, and the SkyTower.