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Tuesday, February 09, 2016

5 places in the world you won’t believe that exist

While visiting some exotic countries, it is sometimes smart to look beyond your stay at luxurious and comfortable hotels. Sometimes, the real spirit of the country can be seen in places that are usually not very popular among tourist groups. And sometimes it can be so hidden, we might never guess that it actually exists!

So today, let's open the curtain of five places around the globe that are so forgotten by many tourists groups and companies, you might be hearing about them for the first time in your lives. But that does not mean that these places are some kind of wrong or ugly. In fact, they are really breath-taking and worth visiting for sure! After reading the article, definitely don't forget to find a nice website to book cheap hotels too, so your traveling around the globe can be even more fun and enjoyable! 

A little life in a place of death


Sossusvlei Salt Flats of Namibian Desert

It is not surprising to say that the hottest and driest point on the Earth can be found in Africa, the Namibian desert. But what is interesting about this place is the fact, that this land of death is not so empty. In fact, in the merciless sun-baked Sossusvlei salt land grow some trees, which, to be fair, do not have abundant foliage.

To stay here for a longer period of time is not recommended, but even those few minutes spent will be remembered for long. The white salt surface is overspread with pink dunes and framed with beautifully blue sky that creates a beautiful contrast. So don't forget to bring your camera too, since this desert looks very photogenic in pictures too.

In the skeleton coast - skeletons and peace


In ancient times, this place was called the Hell's coast. Also found in Namibia, it will take your breath away with its super strong winds and a coast full of dozens of shattered ships.

In the beach, you can not only take a look at the sand dunes, but also check out a lot of wooden and metal debris too. Moreover, some time ago on this beach, twelve mysterious headless skeletons were found, making this coastline, one of the scariest ever. Probably, because of that this place is not very loved by tons of tourists., Hence, if you are not afraid of horrific local legends, go on and enjoy some peacefulness and tranquillity – this place is perfect for you. Visitors are seen very rarely in here!

From the desert dunes to a refreshing lake

Huacachina oasis of Peru

If one day you get lost in the desert in Peru, and see many trees and houses surrounding a small body of water – don’t panic. It is not a mirage – you are likely to have come across the Huacachina oasis, which is slowly becoming a resort town.

To be fair, this oasis is pretty popular among snowboarding enthusiasts. But not that ordinary ones, since here is no snow. Snowboarders actually slide down the huge sand hills, so here there is no need to protect yourself from the cold winter wind as well.  Moreover, the oasis is just five hours away from the Peru’s capital city of Lima, so while you visit this country, you can visit both of these places, and can kill two birds with one stone!

Blood-colored Weed Beach


Every fall in China, around the city Panjino, the view starts to change. The entire 26-kilometer-long riverside beach turns red, because of one of a kind weed growing in this place.

Although visitors can walk only on narrow wooden tracks overhanging above the ground, you can still enjoy the stunning view of a gorgeous red horizon full of thousands of migrating birds. This place will offer one of the most magical days of your lifetime, and your selfies will look stunning here too.

Pink algae and salt lake


Pink Lake Retba of Senegal

We are used to enjoying the crystal-clear waters of lakes and perfect beaches, but Senegal’s most popular Lake Retba is nothing like that at all. It is actually pink! This unusual color is due to an unique type of algae living in the bottom of the lake. The beauty of this lake is in its different shades of pink that vary with the rays of the sun. Nature can’t get any prettier than this.

The lake is pretty salty, so just like in the Black or Dead sea, you can jump and swim in it without any additional safety gear at all. So you trip to the Pink Lake can be even more amazing since you will get a chance to swim in it too.

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Thursday, April 10, 2014

Travel Photo: Trishaws of Macau

Macau is associated with money, luxury and gambling. And to a lesser extent, its rich Portuguese culture. However, within all of this and something that you don’t normally associate with a casino destination are the Trishaws of Macau. This archaic mode of transport can be seen standing in front of the casinos and five star hotels in resplendent yellow colours.

The Tricyclos of Macau
Each of these trishaws have a menu at their disposal that tourists can refer to see which area of Macau they want to explore. To give you an idea of the menu, it has packages to the strip clubs of Macau, the happening night clubs, the busy casinos, the historic sites and much more. These trishaws or tricyclos are ideal for those who wish to explore this vibrant city at leisure and then step into the happening nightlife spots of this casino city.

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Wednesday, April 09, 2014

Travel Photo: Yellow Lanterns at Taipei’s Longshan Temple

This is possibly one of the oldest temples in Taipei. It is also a place where you will definitely find the spiritual vibe during the early morning and early evening hours. This is the famous (Mengja) Longshan temple in the Wanhua district of Taipei. This temple worships a mixture of Buddhist, Taoist and folk deities like most temples in Taiwan and showcases beautiful Taiwanese classical architecture with southern Chinese influences.

Yellow Lanterns at Longshan Temple, Taipei
And after you have explored your spiritual self, you can listen to your growling stomach and sample one of the many night markets located close to the Longshan temple. Taipei has such a night eating culture that you can keep eating all the way to your bed. But, irrespective of the night markets, if you are in Taipei and have seen the view from the top of Taipei 101, you have to visit this temple to see the fervor with which the locals pray here every day. Personally, I love it here.

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Friday, August 23, 2013

The Rise of the Chinese Traveler

If you have been traversing across the globe, you would have definitely noticed the rise of the Chinese traveler. These days, people from China seem to be everywhere. I mean not as immigrants, which is on the rise too, but more so, the Chinese travelers. Their numbers have increased so much that the entire travel community is creating a special China focus area in their business plan. You can see Chinese translators at key tourist hot spots and then you have all these travel companies and agents have their information lied out in Chinese. I have noticed this trend too and have in fact come in touch with many of them personally during my travels. I have put them into different buckets to help understand their true travel personalities.

The Super Rich Chinese Traveler
The entire world knows that 99% of the products they come in touch with is manufactured in China and hence it comes as no surprise that this has led to some of the Chinese people becoming super rich. To see the amount of money they have, walk into some of Macau’s casinos during a weekend and see bets worth millions of dollars being placed. These are travelers who don’t flinch at seeing the bill. They are out there to sample special destinations and don’t care how much it costs.

The Rich Chinese Middle Class Traveler
They wear designer labels and don’t flinch while swiping their card for a $10,000 watch in Hong Kong. They are the luxury traveler and can be seen in five star hotels in Kenya, Tanzania, Italy, Hawaii, Bahamas, Bali and other exotic destinations. They love to be pampered and indulge in massages, spa treatment and good food. Some of them speak English, while the rest speak Mandarin only. I hate to say this, but some of them are also very loud and rude.

The Large Chinese Tour Groups
There is no other country on the planet that travels in larger groups than the people from mainland China. I have personally seen 20 buses in Siem Reap and 200 tuk tuks in Thailand ferrying large groups of Chinese travelers. Generally, all these groups come with Chinese translators and tour guides. A lot of tour agencies in China cater to such kind of travelers who like to travel, but need their own flavor. These people love to stick to their kind and try and eat Chinese cuisine. They are middle aged to elderly people who seek a bit of luxury and comfort.

The English Speaking Young Chinese Backpacker
The younger generation of Chinese people either speak crisp American English or speak passable English. Their gadgets are like second skin to them. I think they are possibly the most obsessive users of social media in the world. They have been bitten by the backpacking bug and bitten real hard. They stay in hostels and do budget travel. They like to experiment. They break the ‘standard Chinese travel’ style and go out of the way. You will see them in places where you typically will only see die-hard European backpackers. They do both short vacations as well as gap years.

If you are a travel outfit and don’t have a China focus area, I advise that you re-look at your plan and think of the potential of a billion plus people with rising income and increasing travel appetites, but who prefer their own style of travel.

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Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Spending money wisely in Macau

Every time a traveler is in a flashy location, there is an urge to spend money. Every time there are more avenues to buy, people spend more money. And when this is coupled with casinos, money flows freely. That is the case with Macau. This country is such a lifestyle statement. It’s casinos make more money than Las Vegas and that is why all the leading casino brands of the world have an empire here.

Colorful Casino District of Macau
And with China’s growing riches, Macau is just getting bigger and bigger. There are mighty big casinos and five star hotels, there are the leading fashion brands and then there is unlimited shopping. All of this ensures that the traveler is tempted to shell out a lot of money.

Night Lights at Casino Lisboa, Macau
Sometimes it is the temptation to become one with Macau and play the part. For a while, this is a way to have a good holiday. But, if not kept in check, it could have a big drain on your wallet as living the Macau lifestyle is an expensive proposition. And when it comes to the casinos, we know how gambling makes people behave. The temptation to make more money is always there and to make some profits, people have been known to lose a lot if not all.

Vibrant Grand Lisboa Hotel at Night
If someone is lucky and ends up on the positive side of the casino table in terms of profits, even they get controlled by the lust for more money or fame. They either end up placing the money in another bet or end up spending the money on lifestyle products or services. In sum, money is not earned, but spent. If you wish to keep your spending habits in check when you are in Macau, always use a credit card when possible with a pre-defined limit so that you can keep yourself in check. This will help you enjoy your Macau holiday while ensuring that you don’t have a financial heart attack when you return home after your holiday.

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