Tagged with "Outdoor Recreation"

International travel often seems maddeningly out of reach. Friends seems to be constantly posting on social media about magnificent tropical vacations spent at lush island resorts. If you’ve even wondered (or fumed) how it was possible, there’s a secret you’re probably not aware of just yet. International travel need not be prohibitively expensive. With the right combination of airfare hunting and budget-friendly destinations, you too can have an incredible time abroad. We’ve done some of the heavy lifting for you and profiled these 20 international destinations we think offer great experiences without the corresponding risk you’ll need to refinance your home to afford them. These are our recommendations for the best international travel destinations for those on a budget.

You can't visit the beautiful islands of Thailand right now but you can transport yourself there from home with this virtual trip! Discover this fascinating destination: try cooking Thai cuisine, test your language skills with local Thai phrases, watch some of the best films set in Thailand and immerse yourself in a virtual tour of the Grand Palace in Bangkok.

Australia is truly a country for nature lovers and for many of us, we are itching to get out to explore The Great Outdoors. The good news is as restrictions start to lift, national parks are going to be some of the first areas we can leave our house to roam. We are lucky to live in a country whose sheer size lends itself to a wide variety of landscapes; from mountain ranges and deserts, to tropical rain forests, and beaches. The lush hinterlands, sea cliffs, dense rain forests, and canyons are all there waiting to be explored - now more than ever.

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France, the quintessential travel destination. European old world charm. Rolling hills with vineyards stretching to the horizon. Quaint cafes tucked away in Parisian back alleys. Whether you love culture and history, natural scenery, seaside luxury, or just some heart-stopping mountain thrills, France has it all and more. Come along as we explore this great country. From the port cities on the English Channel to the storied towns on the French Riviera, we will highlight some must-see attractions and recommend ways to best enjoy the wonders on offer across the land.

Heading east on I-15, you strike out from Los Angeles. Past Barstow, a seemingly endless desert. Crossing the Nevada state line you wonder if the sand and cacti will ever end. Then it happens. First a twinkle in the distance. A shining spot on the horizon as Las Vegas appears like a mirage. You see bright lights on the strip as someone plays a Tom Jones album two cars over. Your mind fills with images of Sinatra hanging with the Rat Pack, or maybe De Niro casually drawing a smoke at the end of the bar as he waits for Don Rickles to arrive. These are the indelible images of a town simply called Vegas. What are the top-10 things to do in “Sin City” you ask? Well not to worry because we’ve got you covered.

It was once said about the Maldives that this is “where the blue sky and white clouds, the coconut trees and shadows, the clear water and white sand, are located in the paradise of the Indian Ocean.” This relatively small country comprises some 26 atolls. It is a place travelers yearn to visit, a place where couples venture for the perfect honeymoon, and a place to truly find rest and relaxation. In this short article, we will take a closer look at the Maldives and opportunities visitors will find there. We will profile some of the more developed atolls, and highlight some excellent sightseeing opportunities.

Turkey has long been a global crossroads. Straddling Europe and Asia, its lands have seen the rise and fall of vast empires including the Greek, Persian, Roman, Byzantine, and Ottoman. This long history combines with pristine natural beauty. Black Sea resorts dot Turkey’s northern coast. Grand cathedrals and mosques line the Bosporus Straits in Istanbul. Picturesque islands are scattered in the Aegean Sea. And ancient ruins coexist with modern luxury along the Mediterranean coast. It is a land for travelers seeking something exotic yet familiar. In this and so many other ways, Turkey is the ideal blend.

Travel lovers have undoubtedly heard of or even visited Bali at some point. Beautiful scenery, divine beaches, dramatic volcanoes, temples, and genuine people…there’s much to appreciate. In recent years however, over-commercialization, large crowds, and pollution have begun to detract from Bali’s reputation as a tropical paradise.

Picturing beach resorts in Southeast Asia, Thailand’s Phuket, Indonesia’s Bali, and Philippines' Boracay probably come to mind. With tourists flocking to those locations, however, people who seek less populated shores must look elsewhere. White sand beaches, diving hotspots, fresh-from-the-ocean seafood, and a rapidly growing casino scene make Cambodia’s premier beach town of Sihanoukville a worthwhile destination.

For many, nature exists as a curiosity, as somewhere to visit or occasionally recreate. There are those rare places, however, where one finds harmony in nature. Places time seems to have forgotten. Places where ancient creatures roam, and where the landscape seems conjured from the imagination. Komodo National Park is such a place.

As lumbering land mammals, we humans can but imagine the freedom experienced by creatures who call the oceans home. Some 71% of the Earth’s surface is covered in water. The oceans remain the last great frontier of Earthly adventure. With new species to discover and countless unexplored regions, let’s take a journey beneath the waves. As mere visitors to the underwater realms, diving affords us a modicum of understanding this part of our great blue planet. Here we will consider some of the world’s best diving locations. For the vast majority of people, diving is both easiest and most enjoyable in the rich tropical waters circling the globe at the equator. Vast coral reefs shelter mesmerizing life forms, ones whose colors and numbers astound. These are the world’s best diving locations.

In the western Philippines, there is an island archipelago with unique geology and majestic scenery. Known locally as “Heaven on Earth,” travelers who venture there cannot help but to agree. El Nido sits on the northern tip of Palawan Island, roughly 420 kilometers south-west of Manila. Owing to its location as part of the Sunda tectonic plate, the geology on El Nido is unlike anywhere else in the Philippines.

Picture yourself standing in a quiet field. Snow crunches underfoot as you shift your weight, gazing towards the heavens. Your breath forms a frosty mist in the air. In the distance, a dogsled pulls its passenger over the frozen fields. Slowly, almost imperceptibly, the skies above begin to glow. Great rivers of color swirl high overhead and soon the entire sky appears on fire; an eerie greenish light casting shadows far below.