Friday, March 28, 2014

TRAVEL SPECIAL .....................ISLANDS AND BEACHES WORLD SPECIAL


ISLANDS AND BEACHES WORLD SPECIAL
 
Water - a - Life
Let the sun shine on you, while you dive in pristine waters this summer


    Looking for some sun, surf and sand, solitude, or space to build sand castles with your kids, take a look at the best beaches and islands to visit this summer. From the west to the east, there are plethora of beaches and islands where you can soak up the sun. While Capri, Italy attracts thousands of tourists, Taghazout in Morocco is known as the Surfing Capital of the World. On the Unawatuna Beach in Sri Lanka, make sure you try a delicious spread of fish curry, coconut sambol, papadums with a variety of chutneys. You could either indulge in adventure sports like scuba diving and snorkelling or sit by the beach and let the breeze caress your soul. We suggest, treat your family to glorious islands teaming with fun activities to enjoy a perfect summer holiday.

CAPRI ISLAND, ITALY
Literature and music have been inspired by the town and island of Capri, Itlay. There are two towns in Capri itself (often visited by tourists), which is in the centre of the island, and Anacapri, situated on a plateau above Capri. The island’s main tourist attractions are the Marina Piccola (the little harbour), the Belvedere of Tragara (a high panoramic promenade lined with villas), the limestone crags called sea stacks that project above the sea (the Faraglioni), the town of Anacapri, the Blue Grotto (Grotta Azzurra), and the ruins of the Imperial Roman villas.
LEGEND HAS IT: Most Roman emperors favoured the island as their holiday destination. It is said that Emperor Tiberius had his villa on the island and it was his place of love and romance. Those who displeased the emperor were flung to their deaths from the cliffs.
UPCOMING EVENT: To experience Easter Celebrations, travel to Italy around April 20, 2014. From north to south, cities and towns throughout the country are celebrating, with processions, religious rites, food fairs, and folkloristic traditions and more. On Good Friday, April 18, the city streets will be illuminated with torches the Stations of the Cross. The holy week marks several important events for the Christian faith.
    
www.italia.it/en
UNAWATUNA BEACH
The Unawatuna town is located just 5 km south of the popular town of Galle. The town has a laid-back feel to it, making it a hit among tourists. The motorable, tarred road, a kilometre in length is packed with guest houses, homestays, hotels, and more. If visiting with family, do take the kids to visit the Turtle Hatchery.
FOR ADVENTURE JUNKIE: Snorkelling and scuba diving is a huge-draw for most tourists. You’re sure to sight beautiful corals, reefs and maybe even shipwrecks!
MUST-EAT: A typical Sri Lankan meal consists of rice served with curry of fish, meat or poultry. Do try the spicy condiments — chutneys and coconut sambol made of ground coconut mixed with chilli peppers, dried Maldive fish and lime juice. This is ground to a paste and eaten with rice, as it gives zest to the meal and with papadums (commonly known as appalam). For a drink sip on toddy, a drink made from palm tree sap or coconut arrack.
UPCOMING EVENT: Plan your trip to Sri Lanka around April 13- 14 as it’s time for the Sinhalese Buddhist and Tamil Hindus to celebrate Aluth Avurudda – their new year. Families indulge in a variety of rituals, which are carefully determined by astrological calculations from lighting the fire to making the kiri bath (milk rice) bath, to entering into the first business transaction and eating the first morsels.
    
www.srilanka.travel
TAGHAZOUT, MOROCCO
Eighteen kilometres from the city of Agadir, central coastal Morocco, is the fishing village of Taghazout. There are several beaches north of Agadir, but the Taghazout Beaches are a great option to enjoy a laidback and friendly vibe. The setting of these beaches are most pristine, with mountains on all sides, wide and clean beaches with all necessary amenities. The largest and most popular is Taghazout Beach. The beach also houses several surfing resorts and attracts tourists from across the globe. At one time, Taghazout was Morocco’s hippy region and now it enjoys the reputation of the country’s main surfing region. It is said that in the late 1960s, Taghazout was a destination for young adventurers who would base themselves here, while exploring southern Morocco. Several hundreds of people would reside in tents, makeshift buildings, and camper vans.
SURFING THROUGH: Try surfing from one village to the other, if you’re willing to surf for 2 to 3km. The waves work best between September to April especially for advanced surfers, receiving similar conditions to that of mainland Europe (of course being less crowded as the waters of France), but with the warm waters of the Moroccan Atlantic up to 21 degrees.The rest of the year, the surf is good for beginners and intermediate surfers.
MUST-VISIT: Enjoy the breathtaking views and amazing waterfalls at Paradise Valley, also a place that legendary singer late Jimi Hendrix fell in love with. Do take an half hour hike through the mountains and valleys, you’re sure to be at the place of your dreams surrounded by small mountains and rivers. Swim in idyllic lagoons and indulge in some me-time.
DO KEEP IN MIND: No alcohol is available to purchase in Taghazout. However, it is not prohibited to consume alcohol in the village.
    
www.visitmorocco.com 
Compiled by Rashmi Henriques ETTR 140320

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