Cottage colony set on a peninsula overlooking Mangrove Bay. Awards, guest comments, photographs, property and local maps, rooms descriptions and rates, activities and dining Read More

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If you’re looking to experience Australia, the east coast is home to three of Australia’s major city centres and always full of fun things to see and do. Whether you’re in a large group or a family, looking for budget travel or luxury resort accommodation, there’s options to delight everyone. Sydney: the city for all seasons From famous Bondi Beach to the tranquil Blue Mountains, to glittering Sydney Harbour and the thriving city centre, Sydney has it all. Transport: getting there and getting around: You can fly direct to Sydney from major international airports. There are 40 airlines servicing Sydney airport including all the major carriers such as Qantas, Virgin and British Airways. Sydney has a well established rail and bus system which can take you all over the city and out to regional areas and interstate. The road system is modern and easy to navigate and car hire is available at reasonable rates. Climate: Sydney weather and seasonal variations Sydney enjoys mild weather all year round. Australian seasons are the opposite of those in the northern hemisphere. It’s the perfect escape from a cold northern hemisphere winter! Spring is from September to November. Summer is from December to February. Autumn is from March to May. Winter is from June to August. , so it can provide a great escape from a cold winter! Accommodation: from cheap stays to luxury resorts Booking accommodation is easy with a huge range available. Check on the internet for the range, location and cost of Sydney Hotels. Events: there’s always something on in Sydney • Variety Club Annual Road Bash starts from Garden Island on August 5 2007 on its way to the Northern Territory • Priscilla the Queen of the Desert - the iconic Australian Musical is on at the Lyric Theatre Star City Darling Harbour • Sydney Opera House has started its Winter Season ??” for details of what is on visit www.sydneyoperahouse.com • For the family, El Caballo Blanco is on at the Horseworld Stadium on Saturday and Sunday nights ??” it is a show with amazingly trained choreographed horses • Melbourne: shopping, restaurants and entertainment Melbourne is known as the cultural centre of Australia. It is renowned for its beautiful restaurants, bars, shopping, art galleries, sport, live entertainment, the Melbourne Grand Prix and of course the world famous Melbourne Cup horse racing event ??” ‘the race that stops a nation’. You can fly direct to Melbourne’s international airport from major international airports. Bus, taxi and rental cars are all readily available from the airport and the road network is simple to navigate. Melbourne’s trams ??” the only remaining tram network in Australia ??” are one of its major attractions and a unique and easy way to get around town. Accommodation is plentiful with hundreds of Melbourne Hotels catering for all tastes and every budget. Be sure to stop by the Travellers Information Desk located in the International Arrivals terminal to pick up all the information you need to have a great holiday. Set on the Yarra River, Melbourne is a wonderful place to explore. There are distinct enclaves to tour around whatever your interests are. If you want to go further afield, the Victorian Alps are only a few hours away by car and offer good skiing in winter. Brisbane: beautiful one day, perfect the next If you’re looking for superb sub-tropical weather, friendly relaxed people and some of the world’s most beautiful beaches, Brisbane is the place to be any time of the year. It offers long hot summers and wonderfully mild winters. Brisbane’s international and domestic airports are easily accessible by train, taxi and car and shuttle buses also depart regularly. Situated on the Brisbane River, the city boasts a well resourced ferry system to let you tour the city sites in ease. Brisbane hotels are available to suit any budget, and accommodation is also plentiful in surrounding areas. The pristine coastline and beaches both north and south of Brisbane are popular holiday destinations with many attractions and islands to explore. Last but not least, from Brisbane you can visit many of Australia’s biggest theme parks including Dreamworld, Movieworld, Steve Irwin’s Australia Zoo, Sea World, Wet ‘n’ Wild and more. Shuttle buses are a quick and easy way to get there.

Tim Barnett writes for Cheaperthanhotels wich has established working arrangements with leading hotel chains and thousands of hotels across the globe through, to meet the accommodation needs of travellers at the most competitive rates and the highest ethical standards. More Info…

Langkawi situated just off the northwestern coast of Peninsular Malaysia comprises a group of 104 tropical islands during the low tides and 99 Island during the high tides. The main island Langkawi, is 47. 848 Hectare followed by Pulau Dayang Bunting and Pulau Tuba while some of the others appear to be mere dots in the emerald green ocean when viewed from the air.

In Langkawi a nature adventure had a true-blue naturalist as their guide. The guide’s name is Irshad Mobarak. Dubbed the Jungle-wallah (Jungle-fellow) of Langkawi (http://www.junglewallah.com), he is perfect for the job as he possesses vast knowledge about Langkawi’s wildlife, gleaned from years of trekking and observation of its jungles, mangroves and wildlife.

Some people think the beauty of Langkawi lies in its pristine beaches. Others like the duty-free shopping. But Irshad and his team of naturalists at Natural History Tours (http://www.wildlangkawi.com) reckon that the edge Langkawi has over places like Bali and Phuket is its jungle and wildlife.

As such Irshad and his team have been actively involved in preserving Langkawi’s natural environment. His social-responsible company provides real ecotourism experiences such as nature walks, birdwatching, jungle-trekking and mangrove tours in kayaks or motorized boats without the “gimmicks” activities involve.

His pet peeve is the eagle-feeding sessions at the mangrove swamps of the Kilim River. While it is quite a sight to see dozens of white-bellied sea eagles and brahminy kites circling in the sky and swooping down on their food, Irshad feels it’s bad for the birds.

“What you’re doing is habituating the eagles to take food from humans when they usually feed on fish. Now they are given chicken guts, and these are from farm-bred chickens fed with antibiotics and hormones, making it unhealthy. It may affect their bone development and the integrity of the shells of their eggs.” Irshad said contaminated feed could kill a lot of birds, as each feeding attracts between 50 to 100 birds.

Not only is Irshad fully acquainted with information on the wildlife in Langkawi, he is also great at handling children. His “young explorer club” is a hit for student’s summer program in Malaysia and tourists traveling with their children. “The trick is not to bore them to death. You can be much more informative with adults, but with children, you need to make it more experiential. They need to touch and smell and conduct experiments.”

Irshad, who’s especially love birds, said Langkawi has recorded 190 species of birds, including brown winged kingfisher, black hooded oriole and mountain hawk eagle. The mountain hawk eagle which can be identified by its very pronounced crest with two feathers can only be found in Langkawi and Irshad has recorded 3 different individual here.

The relatively small and cut-off habitat of an island like Langkawi allows for many of its flora and fauna to evolve into unique species over thousands of years. But it also possessed a danger of Habitat-fragmentations. One of Irshad ongoing project is planting figs trees closer to the road so the canopy on either side of the road will meet and become close enough for animals to cross over. “This is one way to counter the negative effects of habitat fragmentations and we hope to see the results in 10 years,” Irshad said. Visitor can also get involve in this program by purchasing trees and plant it during their visit to Langkawi (http://www.treesfornature.com)

Who is the Jungle-Wallah of Langkawi?

In the 80s, the Negri Sembilan-born Irshad was a decathlete and rugby player employed by a major bank institution. He worked for five years with the bank in Kuala Lumpur, only to discover the corporate world was simply not his cup of tea.

The turning point in his life came during a vacation in Tioman Island between 1981 and 1982. He realized that what he really wanted was to be closer to nature.

“So I quit my job, traveled and bummed around for a couple of years,” said Irshad, and then he found Langkawi. The island’s beauty and mystique inspired him to embark on his own study of its ecosystems.

“I saw the potential for nature-related work. I got a job as recreation manager at Datai and at the same time was involved in conservation work,” he said. Soon, a new position was created for him, that of a Resident-naturalist. And today, after 19 years, he is so well-versed in the subject, he is considered an expert. He has trained many individual who is now employed by other hotels as their own Resident-naturalist and some of them work as independent nature guides.

Irshad considered himself very lucky because his work, his hobby and his passion are all fused into one. He also believes that taking care of the natural environment is an integral part of being a steward of the Earth. He is recently won DiGi Amazing Malaysians Award 2007, an award for Malaysians who were nominated by the public for their passion and dedication in heritage conservation.

Khairul Syahir writes for commercial, informational and educational purposes and has written articles on various topics.
http://www.treesfornature.com
http://www.wildlangkawi.com
http://www.junglewallah.com
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The tolerant nature of modern society in Thailand has made many a traveller feel comfortable and at home despite being in Asia. It has also made Bangkok the site of many an unforgettable party. There is fun to be had in a variety of locations around the city from the comforting company of foreigners to the truly Thai style of a local disco. Although the options for men almost shout at you they are so visible, there are a number of locations where women meet women for drinks, dancing and perhaps more. Although many of the bars are primarily targeted towards men, there are all kinds of people cruising down Silom soi 4. Phuket and Pattaya may have great beach parties but for a night out in the city, nothing beats this pocket of Bangkok for action. Every year the whole city explodes during Pride Week, but every night, the spirit of pride is alive and well and sauntering between the many bars and patios of Bangkok’s Gay street. Bangkok nightlife guide One of the most popular places to enjoy a cocktail and watch the parade of people passing is the Balcony. Not only do they have a large number of street-side tables, but their happy hour prices are the best in the area. Plus the bar is perfectly positioned to watch the staff on the other side of the street who are inevitably well dressed and drool-inducing. On rainy nights, Telephone Pub and Restaurant is another popular venue. Each table comes equipped with its own telephone so that those too timid for a direct hit can start conversations with strangers at a distance. In addition to the cocktails, pubs and sports bars on the soi, several establishments host nightly cabarets and shows. Just off soi 4 is the G.O.D. club, formerly known as the Freeman Dance Arena. Under its old name the shows were legendary, and since reopening the club has only gotten better. An enticing mixture of alluring drag queens and purely masculine muscle, G.O.D. really stands up to its name: Guys on Display. One visitor from the UK, Jack Nambert has visited Bangkok a number of times over the last few years. He says that although he loves the saunas and discos, it’s the drag shows at G.O.D. that keep him coming back. “G.O.D. club looks great, the music is fantastic and it’s open until at least 04:00. It blows other clubs completely away”, he said. Drag queens in Thailand are legendary for their beauty, poise and all around sex appeal. The phenomenon on men dressing and living as women is widespread and accepted in Thai culture. The Thais call them kathoey; English tourists call them lady boys. Although many kathoes are so convincing they are difficult to tell apart from those born as women, kathoey, just like everyone else, come in a wide variety, from men who dress as women, to those undergoing various stages of hormone treatment and surgery. Bangkok for gays DJ Station, on Silom soi 2, combines a nightly cabaret-style show with a fantastic DJ for the rest of the night. Cover charge is minimal and includes two drinks, generally mixed on the strong side. After the show, the crowd is pumped for dancing and by the end of the night, it’s hard to get to the bar amid the crowd of shirtless sweating men who have come to dance here from all over the world. The most notable club in the area is on Kamphaengphet road. ICY was recognised by Metro Magazine as one of the hottest gay bars in Bangkok and if you want to meet a Thai guy, this is the place to go. The intersection of Ramkhamhaeng and Lamsalee roads is another area worth exploring for a taste of Thai culture. Several bars, including ICK, SeaTure, Finalle and Crazy, attract a primarily local clientele. Most of the bars have good DJ’s, especially on weekends, and unlike the clubs on Silom soi 4 that cater to foreigners, the Lamsalee bars serve drinks that are reasonably priced. Men in Bangkok need only to head to a bar, a club or a sauna to meet other men. Women don’t have things nearly quite so easy. After strolling up and down Silom soi 4 several times and still not spotting any likely lesbians, one tourist asked a bouncer at Balls, a sports bar on the soi where she could find lesbians. “I think they go to sleep at 18:00”, he promptly replied. Although not all lesbians in Bangkok stay at home every night, it is true that they can be difficult to find. For an outsider passing through and looking for a night on the town, it can sometimes seem impossible to locate the private gatherings and hidden lairs of the lesbians in Bangkok. Because many Thai lesbians feel entirely comfortable going out with the girls in Thai society, the fact of the matter is that they can be found almost anywhere. The trick is spotting them. When searching for lesbians out on the town in Bangkok, the best thing to do is go out on a Friday or Saturday night. Sukhumvit road has the most number of promising establishments including Mambo, a restaurant with cabarets, and Thumb Up, both on soi 32. Vega, on soi 39, is actually run by a lesbian couple so even if there is no one in attendance, they are usually happy to dish out the low down on what’s happening in town. Things do tend to get hot here on the weekends though with great live music complementing a selection of excellent food. Bars that cater to a mixed crowd litter Silom road and there are several on Phra Athit road. On a weekend, there’s usually a good crowd including some toms and dees at many clubs. It’s definitely not as easy for women to find other women as it is for men to find other men and for travelers with a limited amount of time to enjoy the sights, sounds and flavors of Thailand, it can be very frustrating.

Andy Burrows spends lots of time in Bangkok and as a travel and entertainment writer is very familiar with the city’s nightlife and fringe communities. Read More…

Hawaii vacations offer something for everybody. Besides the popular reasons for most Hawaii vacations ??” sugar white beaches and emerald waters, offering every sort of water sport, these beautiful islands offer the opportunity to imbibe ancient culture, learn about geology and observe wildlife in lush rain forests. The proximity of the islands and their pristine nature make Hawaii a major attraction. No two Hawaii vacations are alike as the string of Hawaiian Islands is varied and each offers a different experience. It may be difficult to list just ten reasons to holiday in Hawaii. It is easier to think of things to do on ten Hawaii vacations! Most people go to Hawaii to snorkel and each island offers a different underwater experience. Coral reefs surround most islands but the shipwrecks off Maui and the sea caves and waterfalls of Kauai add excitement to the underwater trip. In Hawaii you can Snuba, a simple and safe combination of snorkeling with the underwater breathing facility of scuba diving. Windsurfing, jet skiing and sailing are other popular water-sports. The first white settler who came to Hawaii, Captain James Cook landed on Kauai. The island offers a wonderful opportunity to trace the history and heritage of the settlers. A visit to the early plantations and missionary settlements is an eye-opener. Learn about ancient Hawaii and native culture while on your vacation. Nature lovers will never tire of Hawaii vacations with the lush rain forests, gushing waterfalls and placid rivers. Take a waterfall excursion which combines hiking down jungle trails, spectacular views of the mountains and ocean, and gorgeous waterfalls where you can swim and dive. Enjoy a great fishing holiday or a golfing vacation here ??” there are excellent facilities for both.

TangoPang loves to trave. He owns the Travel publications at http://www.paylowfares.com. Click Travel With Low Fares to read more. Read More…