Mount Pinatubo, Philippines
Recover from a very large explosion disaster in 1991, Mount Pinatubo become the main source of income for the location of extreme sports.
In 1991, Mount Pinatubo released the world’s second largest volcanic explosion in the last 100 years. The explosion caused the world temperature dropped 17.27 degrees Celsius and the death toll reached 800 people. Financial losses estimated at about $ 250 million.
Parking lot at Cotopaxi Volcano – 4,500 meters above sea level
Mountain biking Cotopaxi Volcano was easily the most scenic, exciting bike ride of my life. And one of my favorite day trips, ever.
First, can I find a tour company that uses quality bikes, and keeps the brakes in good working condition?
Yes. After Googling around, I discovered several positive peoples, which has been running tours to Cotopaxi for an odd 25 years, before anyone else I’m sure. And that’s just one of many trips they run all throughout the country (for more serious riders).
And second, how would I feel at our dropoff point, 4,500 meters above sea level, when I was already having light headaches while acclimatizing to Quito’s 2,800 meter elevation?
Colorful buildings in Sighisoara, Romania
The readers of an online travel magazine have named Bali as the top holiday destination in Asia for 2011.
The poll, conducted by Smart Travel Asia, also picked out several Bali resorts as the top places for a relaxing break.
Bali took the top spot from Kerala, India, which was bumped down to No. 4. Phuket, Thailand, and Hong Kong were the runners-up, respectively.
In terms of top places to stay, a number of Bali resorts were included in the top 25 list, including the Bulgari Resort Bali and the Four Seasons Resort Bali at spots 2 and 3, respectively.
The poll also reported on preferred budget airlines, with AirAsia getting the gold star. Indonesia’s own Lion Air failed to chart.
The poll did not specify the number of voters, but the demographics skewed upscale. According to the magazine, voters took an average of 15.75 air trips over the past year and earned an average annual income of $150,000.
The new Sarbagita Bus System commenced operations in mid August 2011. Much much helpfull for backpackers. Easy and cheap. Loved it
• This is the route map showing the route served and the location of bus halts.
• The bus system operates daily from 5:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m. covering a route system from Batubulan to Nusa Dua.
• The provincial government of Bali has allocated Rp. 5.5 billion (US$625,000) to cover the operational expenses of the new bus system.
• The cost of a one-way fare for an adult passenger is uniformly Rp. 3,500 (US$0.40) and Rp. 2,500 (US$0.28) for students.
By some reports, only student wearing school uniforms are provided the lower student fare.
Inside the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, TurkeyYou will notice that most of these destinations are out of the way and rather hard to get to, but they are relatively easy to get to.
These places must have all captured your fancy for some reason or another. Save for the locations in Canada and Australia.
Here are the list of 13 places you would most like to find out :
1. Socotra (Yemen)
If you’ve seen photos from Socotra you’ll understand why this is a very special place. It is an island in the Indian Ocean located about 240km from the coast of Yemen. It is home to species found nowhere else on Earth. Moreover, they look really cool. It has been called the most alien looking place on Earth.
Bottle cap music maker as seen in Medellin, Colombia.This bottle cap music maker (for lack of a proper name) at Dulce Jesus Mio, a popular discoteca in Medellin.
The domestic beer bottle caps are flattened, and then pierced through a wire.
When it comes to creating a fun atmosphere, a little ingenuity can go a long way.
1. Egypt.
King Tut, The Pyramids, The Valley of the Kings. The list is endless. But it’s just not the history and the culture, it’s the people too. Egyptians are some of the kindest and most generous people on the planet. They will welcome you into their homes in a second and even if they have almost nothing, they will share it with you.
An afternoon on the Nile with an Egyptian felucca captain sailing your boat as the sun sets over the Nile in Luxor is a once in a lifetime experience not to be missed.
2. China.
China is not somewhere people immediately think of when planning a holiday…but they should, and hopefully after the Olympics in Beijing they will. Even if you could only afford 7 to 10 days, an itinerary that takes in Beijing, Xian, a Yangtze River Cruise and Shanghai will be a great introduction.
And for an unforgettable experience, juts visit Guilin. Guilins landscape is amazing and totally unique. It can’t necessarily be called Mountainous as such, but the peaks that do rise, rise almost vertically up into the mist.
If you get a chance take a ski lift up to one of the peaks and just stare in awe at the view, and if you are feeing adventurous, take a kart down a toboggan style run (about 3,000 feet in length) !
3. Jordan.
Handily located, if you plan it right you can visit Egypt and Jordan together to make a real trip to remember. Amman is a great city full of atmosphere, Petra is marvellous, but surely the can’t miss site is the Dead Sea. The only ocean in the world with so much salt in it, you actually float !
This alone makes Jordan a must see country and on top of what I have already mentioned, don’t forget the Wadi Rum, Aqaba, Jerash and the Kings Highway. A week in Jordan is good, but 10 days is better.
4. Hong Kong.
Although there is much more to Hong Kong than just shopping, if you do love to shop, then Hong Kong is the place for you. A stroll along Nathan Road and a visit to the Temple Street market just HAS to be done. And make sure you have your bargaining hat on as haggling is as big a part of the experience as the purchases themselves.
There lots more to Hong Kong too. The great thing is that despite it being a modern city, there is tradition around every corner. Don’t forget to take a trip to Victoria Peak and enjoy the stunning views and remember that even if it’s misty, there are 2 guys at the top who will take your picture and transpose it onto a picture of what you should see if the weather where not so poor ! I also suggest a couple of half day visits out to Lama and Lantau Islands too. A great way to escape the hustle and bustle of the craziness that is Hong Kong.
5. Thailand.
Thailand suffers a little from it’s reputation of being a very hedonistic destination and while it is true that the is a very wild side to Thaialnd (especially certain areas of Bangkok, Phucket etc) there is also an amazing culture to immerse yourself in.
There really is everything there, adventure, culture and even for the not faint hearted, a place about 1 hour north of Thailand where you can go in, yes go in, with real live tigers. No cages, no chains, just you and around a dozen tigers. For me it was a thrill of a lifetime and without doubt it is just one of the many reasons that Thailand is in my top 5 of places you need to visit in the world
Student travel promises to be an enjoyable trip. Not only do students can visit several places, they could also learn so much on every trip. And since air travel agencies as well as airlines provide student travel discount and special student travel rate, student travel is becoming more and more available for greater number of students who want to explore and learn more about the world.
For first time travelers, here are some historical destinations you can consider for you student travel:
Athens
As the center of knowledge, government, and system in the ancient world, every student would be amazed how this ancient city grew and evolved. Students can visit Acropolis, Agora, Library of Hadrian, Kerameikos, Olympieion & Southeast Athens, Pnyx, Roman Agora & Tower of the Winds, Arch of Hadrian, City Eleusinion and other ancient sites in this ancient city of Athens.
Egypt
Visit one of the earliest civilizations founded in this part of the world. Egypt features 3000 years old city in the banks of River Nile. Egypt is also one of the oldest tourist spots in the world with visitors coming from the ancient Rome and Greece.
Moving your way south from Cairo, the nation’s capital, you can stop at Giza where the infamous Great Pyramid stands. It was built by Pharaoh Khafu in the year 2550 BC. Standing at 147 meters, it was the largest and the most ambitious structure built in the ancient Egypt requiring 2.3 million stone block to erect. Also at Giza, see the Pyramid of Khafre home if the Sphinx. It was built 30 after the Great Pyramid. As the second largest, the Pyramid of Khafre stands at 144 meters of 471 feet. The third pyramid located at Giza was the Pyramid of Menkaure which stands at 65 meters or 213 feet.
Further south, Saqqara is home to the Step Pyramid of Djoser built in 2630 BC. Pyramid of Pepi II, also located at Saqqara was the last pyramid built by ancient Egyptians. In Dahshur, the Bent and the Red Pyramids are located. And down south at Maidum, the Maidum Pyramid can be found.
See the temples, mummies, tombs, hieroglyphics, and Valley of the Kings and the Queens if you visit Egypt.
Rome
See ancient Rome still intact with evidences of Roman structure and architectures built more than 2000 years ago. Rome presents the living timeline from the Roman Empire to the shift of the Middle Ages, to baroque and renaissance, to the dawn of the romantic period and enlightenment. Rome preserves its temples, churches, arts, and priceless paintings and murals.
Turkey
A former territory of the Roman Empire which stood strong for more than a thousand years against several barbarian attack. Turkey is in the easternmost part of Europe that features a diverse culture, religion, philosophy, and architectures.
China
Travel Far East and learn the history of the ancient eastern civilization that was once unknown until the last centuries. See the Great Wall, a remnant of the Zhou Dynasty along with other unique oriental culture and tradition. See the Chinese painting, calligraphy, paper cutting, and Chinese art.
Peru
As the center of the Inca civilization, Peru is a great destination for student travel for discovery of South American history. The 500-year old Inca traces could be relived in the Inca Trail that is both exciting and educational. Walk to the Ollantaytambo, Sacsayhuaman, Machu Picchu, and Pisac.
