Friday 18 December 2015

7 Most Amazing Caves in the World

Our planet is full of phantasmagorical places and natural sceneries with beautiful waterfalls, forests, caves and mountains. Here is a round up of the most stunning caves in the world, I hope these pictures will leave you breathless.

The Reed Flute Cave
 
Image Source: China's Psychedelic Reed Flute Cave

The Reed Flute Cave is a landmark and tourist attraction in Guilin, Guangxi, China. It is a natural limestone cave with multicolored lighting and has been one of Guilin’s most interesting attractions for over 1200 years.
Source: Wikipedia

St. Michael's Cave


Image Source: St. Michael's Cave
St. Michael's Cave or Old St. Michael's Cave is the name given to a network of limestone caves located within the Upper Rock Nature Reserve in the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar, at a height of over 300 metres above sea level.
Source: Wikipedia

Tham Phu Kham

 
Image Source: Tham Phu Kham

Tham Phu Kham (or Blue Lagoon) is a cave located to the northwest of Vang Vieng, Laos.  Even though Buddhism is not the main religion of Loas, it has coexisted peacefully since its introduction to the country with the local polytheism and many templs were built in the country.

The Fairy Cave, Malaysia


Image Source: The Faiy Cave
The Faiy Cave is located in Kuching, Sarawak, Borneo, Malaysia. Sunlight streams into the main chamber, enabling you to view the limestone formation of several types. The plants take advantages of this sunny place and proliferate.

Vatnajokull Cave, Iceland


Image Source: Vatnajokull Cave, Iceland
Sometimes called Crystal Caves, the ice caves in the Icelandic glaciers are a truly mesmerizing wonder of nature.

Marble Cathedral Caves


Image Source: stunning marble caves
These stunning marble caves, also known as the "Marble Cathedral", are located on General Carrera Lake in Patagonia, Chile.

The Waitomo Glowworm Caves

 
Image Source: Waitomo Glowworm Caves

The Waitomo Glowworm Caves attraction is a cave at Waitomo on the North Island of New Zealand, known for its population of glowworms, Arachnocampa luminosa. This species is found exclusively in New Zealand.

Top 10 Hill Stations in India

India has fascinated millions of people from the various geographical locations of the world, to visit the country, where many religions were born and flourished. It is a land of varied diversity, where over a billion people speak more than 700 languages, sync together to prosper as a nation. There are numerous tourist destinations in the country.

Shimla, Himachal Pardesh

 

Image Source: Shimla Covered with White Snow

Shimla is the capital of the northern Indian state of Himachal Pradesh, in the Himalayan foothills. Once the summer capital of British India, it remains the terminus of the narrow-gauge Kalka-Shimla Railway, completed in 1903. It’s also known for the handicraft shops that line The Mall, a pedestrian avenue, as well as the Lakkar Bazaar, a market specializing in wooden toys and crafts.

Darjeeling, West Bengal

 
Image Source: Beautiful Valleys of Darjeeling

Darjeeling is a town in India's West Bengal state, in the Himalayan foothills. Once a summer resort for the British Raj elite, it remains the terminus of the narrow-gauge Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, or “Toy Train,” completed in 1881. It's famed for the distinctive black tea grown on plantations that dot its surrounding slopes. Its backdrop is Mt. Kanchenjunga, among the world’s highest peaks.

Shillong, Meghalaya

 

Image Source: Shillong, Meghalaya

Shillong is the capital and hill station of Meghalaya, also known as "The Abode of Clouds", one of the smallest states in India.
Source: Wikipedia

Ooty, Tamil Nadu

 

Image Source: Tea Gardens of Ooty
Established as a summer retreat by the British and nicknamed ‘Snooty Ooty',Ooty is a visual delight filled with pretty cottages, fenced flower gardens, thatched-roof churches and terraced botanical gardens. Venture a few kilometres out and you'll find yourself surrounded by greener, quieter areas dotted with an abundance of pine trees.

[Check out these hill stations near Bangalore]

Coonoor, Tamil Nadu

 

Image Source: Coonoor
Coonoor is is the second largest hill station in the Nilgiri hills after Ooty. It is an ideal base for a number of trekking expeditions leading into the Nilgiris. It is known for its production of Nilgiri tea.

Manali, Himachal Pradesh


Image Source: Skiing in Manali
Manali is a high-altitude Himalayan resort town in India’s northern Himachal Pradesh state. It has a reputation as a backpacking center and honeymoon destination. Set on the Beas River, it’s a gateway for skiing in the Solang Valley and trekking in Parvati Valley. It's also a jumping-off point for paragliding, rafting and mountaineering in the Pir Panjal mountains, home to 4,000m-high Rohtang Pass.

Munnar, Kerala


Image Source: Munnar, Kerala
Munnar is a town in the Western Ghats mountains in India’s Kerala state. Munnar, a hill station and former resort for the British Raj elite, is set within rolling hills dotted with tea plantations established in the 19th century. Eravikulam National Park, home to the endangered mountain goat Nilgiri tahr, is a seasonal trekking destination encompassing the Lakkam Waterfalls and 2,695m-tall Anamudi Peak.

Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir


Image Source: Boating in Srinagar
Srinagar is the largest city of the Kashmir Valley and the summer capital of the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. It lies on the banks of the Jhelum River,The city is famous for its gardens, waterfronts and houseboats. It is also known for traditional Kashmiri handicrafts and dried fruits.

 Nainital, Uttarakhand

 
Image Source: Nainital

Nainital is a Himalayan resort town in the Kumaon region of India’s Uttarakhand state, at an elevation of roughly 2,000m. Formerly a British hill station, it’s set around Nainital Lake, a popular boating site with Naina Devi Hindu Temple on its north shore. There’s shopping in Bara Bazaar, and hiking trails with mountain views crisscross the surrounding area’s wooded hills.

Mussoorie, Uttarakhand


Image Source: Kempty Fall, Mussorie
Mussoorie is a hill stationsituated in the foothills of the Garhwal Himalayan ranges, is also known as the Queen of the Hills. The town was once said to present a 'fairyland' atmosphere to tourists. Offering stunning views of the green Doon Valley and the distant white-capped Himalayan peaks, You can walk up and down the famous Mall road, or sit and admire the mist-covered hills from Mussoorie’s highest point called Lal Tibba.
 

Tuesday 15 December 2015

The World' Best Festival List: Jan 2016

Ati-Atihan


Add caption: Ati-Atihan
The Ati-Atihan Festival is a feast held annually in January in honor of the Santo Niño (Infant Jesus), concluding on the third Sunday, in the island and town of Kalibo, Aklan in the Philippines. The name "Ati-Atihan" means "to be like Atis" or "make believe Ati's". Itas were the primary settlers in the islands according to history books. They too are the earliest settlers of Panay Island where the province of Aklan is situated. The festival consists of tribal dance, music, accompanied by indigenous costumes and weapons, and parade along the street. 
Start Date: January 17, 2016

 

 Banff SnowDays


Image Source: Banff Snow Days
In Banff National Park's winter wonderland, celebrate the best of snowy fun, sports and food for an entire month.
Start Date: Jan 2016

 

Carnevale di Venezia


Image Source: Carnival of Venice
The Carnival of Venice is an annual festival, held in Venice, Italy. The Carnival ends with the Christian celebration of Lent, forty days before Easter on Shrove Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday.
Start Date: January 23, 2016
Source: Wikipedia
 

 

Harbin Ice & Snow Sculpture Festival


Image Source: Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival
The Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival' is an annual winter festival that takes place with a theme in Harbin, Heilongjiang, China, and now is the largest ice and snow festival in the world.
Start Date: January 5, 2016
Source: Wikipedia

 

Hogmanay Celebration


Image Source: Hogmanay Celebration
Hogmanay Celebration is the Scots word for the last day of the year and is synonymous with the celebration of the New Year (Gregorian calendar) in the Scottish manner. It is normally followed by further celebration on the morning of New Year's Day (1 January) or, in some cases, 2 January—a Scottish Bank Holiday.
The origins of Hogmanay are unclear, but may be derived from Norse and Gaelic observances. Customs vary throughout Scotland, and usually include gift-giving and visiting the homes of friends and neighbours, with special attention given to the first-foot, the first guest of the new year.
Start Date: December 30, 2015
Source: Wikipedia

 

Junkanoo Parade


Image Source: Junkanoo
 Junkanoo is a street parade with music, dance, and costumes in many towns across the Bahamas every Boxing Day, New Year's Day. The largest Junkanoo parade happens in New Providence, the capital.
Start Date: December 26, 2015
Source: Wikipedia

 

Quebec Winter Carnival


Add caption: Quebec Winter Carnival

The most famous attractions of this winter festival are the night-time and daytime parades led by mascot Bonhomme Carnival. The parades wind through the upper city, decorated for the occasion with lights and ice sculptures.
Source: Wikipedia
Start Date: January 29, 2016

 

Rainbow Serpent Festival


Image Source: Rainbow Serpent Festival
The Rainbow Serpent Festival is a large electronic music, art and lifestyle festival, located in Victoria, Australia.
Source: Wikipedia
Start Date: January 22, 2016

 

Timkat


Image Source: Timkat
Timkat is the Ethiopian Orthodox celebration of Epiphany. It is celebrated on January 19 (or 20 on Leap Year), corresponding to the 10th day of Terr following the Ethiopian calendar. Timket celebrates the baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River. This festival is best known for its ritual reenactment of baptism (similar to such reenactments performed by numerous Christian pilgrims to the Holy Land when they visit the Jordan); early European visitors confused the activities with the actual sacrament of baptism, and erroneously used this as one example of alleged religious error, since traditional Christians believe in "one baptism for the remission of sins" (Nicene Creed).
Source: Wikipedia
Start Date: January 20, 2016

 

Thaipusam


Image Source: Thaipusam
Thaipusam, Thaipoosam is a Hindu festival celebrated mostly by the Tamil community on the full moon in the Tamil month of Thai.
Source: Wikipedia
Start Date: January 24, 2016

 

Lohri


Image Source: Lohri
Lohri is a popular Punjabi festival, celebrated by people from the Punjab region of South Asia. The origins of Lohri are many and link the festival to Punjab region. 
Source: Wikipedia
Start Date: January 13, 2016

 

Pongal


Image Source: Thai Pongal
Thai Pongal is a Tamil harvest festival. Thai Pongal is a four day festival which according to the Gregorian calendar is normally celebrated from January 13 to January 16, but sometimes it is celebrated from January 14 to January 17. This corresponds to the last day of the Tamil month Maargazhi to the third day of the Tamil month Thai. During the festival milk is cooked in a vessel. When it starts to bubble and overflows out of the vessel, freshly harvested rice grains are added to the pot. At the same time other participants blow a conch called the sanggu and shout "Pongalo Pongal!"
Start Date: January 15, 2016

5 Ways To Make Air Travel Pleasant

Humidity in airplanes can be as low as 1%,  lower than in any major desert in the world. Here are some quick and easy tips that make you relax while on long plane journeys.

Christmas Holidays in 8 Easy Steps


Plan your Christmas holidays perfectly with these 8 easy steps. In this info graphics you learn how to plan your travel in budget.

Monday 14 December 2015

12 Ways to Stretch At Your Desk



Here are 12 best tips on office desk stretches to help you keep yourself healthy and fresh throughout working hours.
Here are 12 best tips on office desk stretches to help you keep yourself healthy and fresh throughout working hours. - See more at: http://visual.ly/tips-office-desk-stretches#sthash.NMD2tbZd.dpuf
Here are 12 best tips on office desk stretches to help you keep yourself healthy and fresh throughout working hours. - See more at: http://visual.ly/tips-office-desk-stretches#sthash.NMD2tbZd.dpuf
Here are 12 best tips on office desk stretches to help you keep yourself healthy and fresh throughout working hours. - See more at: http://visual.ly/tips-office-desk-stretches#sthash.NMD2tbZd.dpuf

5 Health Tips for Office Workers

Here are some quick and easy health tips that make you more active while your office working hours. 

10 World Best Beaches

Fraser Island, Queensland, Australia

 

Image Source: Fraser Island

Fraser Island, off Australia’s eastern Queensland coast, is the world's largest sand island, stretching over 120km. Panoramic viewpoints include Indian Head, a rocky outcrop on the island's easternmost tip, and the Cathedrals, a cliff famous for sculpted ribbons of coloured sand. It's a camping and ecotourism destination, with popular beaches and swimming sites at Lake McKenzie, Lake Wabby and other freshwater pools.

Kailua, Hawaii


Image Source: Scuba Diving at Kailua

Kailua is a census-designated place (CDP) in Honolulu County, Hawaii, United States. It lies in the Koʻolaupoko District of the island of Oʻahu on the windward coast at Kailua Bay. It is in the judicial district and the ahupua'a named Ko'olaupoko. It is 12 miles (19 km) northeast of Honolulu – over Nu‘uanu Pali.


La Digue


Image Source: La Digue
La Digue is the third largest inhabited island of the Seychelles in terms of population, lying east of Praslin and west of Felicite Island.

El Nido, Palawan, Philippines


Image Source: El Nido
El Nido is a first class municipality and managed resource protected area in the province of Palawan in the Philippines. It is about 420 kilometres southwest of Manila, and about 238 kilometres northeast of Puerto Princesa, Palawan’s capital.

[*Useful for USA Traveler:  Best Beaches in US]

Nantucket


Image Source: Nantucket

Nantucket, a tiny, isolated island off Cape Cod, Massachusetts, is a summer destination with dune-backed beaches. It’s marked by its unpainted cedar-shingled buildings, many surrounded by manicured privets. The wharves and cobblestoned streets of the Town of Nantucket are lined with restaurants, high-end boutiques and steepled churches. The town’s Whaling Museum recounts the island’s role as a 19th-century whaling hub.

Bora Bora

 
Image Source: Bora Bora

Bora Bora is a small South Pacific island northwest of Tahiti in French Polynesia. Surrounded by sand-fringed motus (islets) and a turquoise lagoon protected by a coral reef, it’s known for its scuba diving. It's also a popular luxury resort destination where some guest bungalows are perched over the water on stilts. At the island's center rises 727m Mt. Otemanu, a dormant volcano.

Maldives


Image Source: Maldives

The Maldives is a tropical nation in the Indian Ocean composed of 26 coral atolls, which are made up of hundreds of islands. It’s known for its beaches, blue lagoons and extensive reefs. The capital, Malé, has a busy fish market, restaurants and shops on Majeedhee Magu and 17th-century Hukuru Miskiy (also known as Old Friday Mosque) made of coral stone.

Andaman and Nicobar Islands


Image Source: Andaman Islands
The Andaman Islands are an archipelago in India’s Bay of Bengal. These roughly 300 islands are known for their palm-lined, white-sand beaches, mangroves and rainforested interiors. Surrounded with coral reefs that support marine life including sharks and rays, they're destinations for scuba diving and snorkeling. They're also popular for water skiing, windsurfing and fishing. Oceanside camping and hiking is possible on some islands.

Hidden Beach


Image Source: Beautiful Hidden Beach
Hidden Beach is a beach on the east side of Cedar Lake in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The beach is notable for once being the only nude beach in the Twin Cities, although nudity very rarely occurs there today. The beach is hidden down a block-long path through the forest which leads to the shore of Cedar Lake. The beach is officially recognized under the name East Cedar by the city of Minneapolis, as it has just recently become a legal and recognized beach area by the city of Minneapolis.

Kite Beach Cabarete

 
Image Source: Kite Surfing at Kite Beach

On a windy day, the sky above Kite Beach will be filled with, get this, kites! One of the world’s top kite surfing spots, it hosts a giant competition every June.

Friday 11 December 2015

Things to Do in London at Christmas Eve


Thinking of a day at a Christmas Market? Or an evening of Christmas carols? Or even taking a spin around one of the UK's best ice skating rinks. We've even got your Christmas activities all wrapped up, so relax and let the good tidings roll...



Eden Project Winter Festival, Cornwall


Image Source: Christmas Eve at The Eden

The Eden Project is a visitor attraction in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. Inside the two biomes are plants that are collected from many diverse climates and environments.Cornwall’s Eden Project is adding extra sparkle to Christmas this year with an extravaganza of live music performed by regional choirs, an outdoor ice rink and the chance to experience Eden's unique landscape by night.

Carol Concerts in London


Image Source: Carol Concert at the Royal Albert Hall
Traditional carols are as much a part of Christmas in London as the Queen’s annual speech, and London has no shortage of places to hear and sing them. From the historic Royal Albert Hall to the holy walls of St Paul’s Cathedral and Westminster Abbey, many of the city’s most beautiful venues will hold carol concerts during the Christmas season. And for a concert with a charitable angle, head to St Stephen Walbrook church in the City on December 3rd at 6:30pm for carols in aid of International Animal Rescue.


Ice Skating in London


Image Source: Ice Skating at Somerset House
London’s ice skating rinks are a winter tradition, and while the unusually warm weather has been challenging for some this year, winter will sort that out in time. The famous ice skating rink at Somerset House is one of the most beautiful, and the ice skating rink at the Natural History Museum is another favorite.

Disney On Ice, London


Image Source: Disney On Ice
Combining tales as old as time from some of Disney's best loved stories, Disney On Ice comes to the 02 Arena on December 22nd and we can't think of a better way to entertain little ones during the excitement of the run up to Christmas day.

Christmas Lights in London


Image Source: Christmas Lights in London
Britain gets dark early in the winter, but the bright Christmas lights in London offer shiny substitutes for those of us that miss the sun. The famous lights on Carnaby Street and Regent Street have been lit, but if you want to be there for one of the city’s many switching on celebrations, don’t miss the ceremonies in Hatton Garden tomorrow at 5pm or Shepherd Market on December 3rd at 6pm.

Belfast Christmas Market

 
Image Source: Belfast Christmas Market

Opening in mid-November, Belfast Christmas Market injects a blaze of colour and festive cheer into the City Hall Gardens, with the arrival of the chalets signalling, for many, the start of Christmas. Community choirs (performing in authentic Victorian costume) will sing traditional Dickensian carols, making it night impossible not to get into the spirit.

London Bars, Hotels, and Museums at Christmas Eve


Image Source: London Bars at Christmas Eves
Many of London’s famous hotels and bars will be sheltering us from the cold (if it comes) this Christmas. In Bloomsbury, The Montague on the Gardens’ Ski Lodge is back tomorrow for another year of Christmas cocktails and nibbles, complete with a new Log Cabin. And in Rotherhithe, chef Tom Hunt’s alternative Christmas Feast will return to the Brunel Museum from December 10-12th.