Green Destinations

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September 7, 2018 by Chase Vandros

4 Family Friendly Places to Visit in New Zealand

New Zealand is the ultimate destination for families. It’s kid-friendly and safe everywhere- which is great since there are tons of attractions for families to choose from. New Zealand has lots of fun activities and once-in-a-lifetime adventures to offer. Though there are plenty of family-friendly places in New Zealand, the following destinations are the most popular ones.

  1. Central North Island

The Central North Island has some of the most picturesque locations in New Zealand. The Hobbiton Movie Set is one of the most popular tourist spots in this area. If you’re a nature lover, you’ll definitely appreciate Rotorua, which is a volcanic playground surrounded with stunning natural hot springs and relaxing mud baths. Various adventure activities are also available at Rotorua. Kids will enjoy a visit to the Agrodome where they can feed different animals and experience what it’s like to work on a real farm. Visiting the Mitai Maori Village can help you learn about the village’s interesting indigenous culture. You’ll be travelling with your family so you must keep all your bags intact, since lost luggage can ruin a vacation.

  1. Auckland

Auckland is New Zealand’s modern paradise. One of the most exciting activities to enjoy in this destination is taking the ferry to experience the beauty of the stunning gulf islands. One of them is the Waiheke Island where you can enjoy stunning beaches that will ease any tension you may be carrying. There are so many cafes to try in this island. Kids will surely enjoy Auckland’s Butterfly Creek where not just butterflies, but different animals can be observed. It also has a Buttermilk Farm and Dinosaur Kingdom for kids to enjoy. Auckland also has lots of beautiful playgrounds where kids can roam around and just experience simple joys all throughout the day. Finally, your family can go on a unique adventure by climbing an inactive volcano in Auckland.

  1. Hokianga

Hokianga is another great destination for your family. Its temperature is perfect for taking a dip on its clear waters and spending the entire day just relaxing on the beach. The giant kauri trees on the west coast are also something to look forward to. One awesome activity in this beach destination is sand boarding the sand dunes that go as high as 300 meters. If you’re lucky, you can even get a glimpse of orcas and dolphins roaming underneath the beach. There are lots of fun activities that you can enjoy in Hokianga. Each member of your family will surely find an activity that is suitable for them. But don’t forget to be responsible while enjoying nature. Wherever you may go, always make it a point to leave no trace behind and protect the ocean.

  1. Queenstown and Arrowtown

Queenstown and Arrowtown are perfect places to take in the beauty of nature and have a relaxing but equally fulfilling adventure in New Zealand. You can take your whole family on a trip to Queenstown’s Gondola to get a phenomenal view of the stunning mountains. The main fun activity in these locations is going on a picnic during a warm, autumn day. There are lots of exciting activities in Queenstown, including going on short hikes, renting a bike, walking by the lakeside, and exploring markets. For sporty people, there’s also a golf course around the area. This place is definitely a perfect destination for families. A relaxing trip with picturesque views is an absolutely great way to bond with your family.

New Zealand is one of the best places to enjoy with your whole family. It’s a beautiful paradise especially for nature lovers. Exploring New Zealand can be a great bonding activity with your family.

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September 15, 2017 by Chase Vandros

Oh Canada! Top Vacation Cities

By any measure, whether it is economic, quality of living, friendliness, or sheer beauty, Canada is a top rated country. Its mixture of high tech and cosmopolitan big cities, charming smaller towns and rural expanses make it an ideal place to plan a short visit or even stay longer.

At the core of its allure are the ten Canadian provinces that make up Canada. The largest of these is Ontario, Quebec, and British Columbia. Each has its own reasons why it is special. Here is a look at the largest cities in these provinces and reasons why you should book a flight to Canada.

Toronto, OntarioToronto 5

The number one Canadian province in terms of population and international flair is Ontario and its jewel is its capital city, Toronto. This burgeoning megalopolis is one of the fastest growing cities in the world, with nearly 100 skyscrapers currently being built, and most in the city no older than 25 years. Toronto attracts the top businesses because of its winning blend of beauty, attractions, and and quality of life.

The city features the famous CN Tower which sits near its center, and its Toronto Maple Leafs professional hockey team is a perennial favorite to compete for the NHL’s Stanley Cup. Toronto is also home to one of the world’s top film festivals and is Canada’s home for culture. More museums and galleries reside here than anywhere is Canada.

No matter what cuisine you love, you will be overwhelmed with the selection in Toronto. The city boasts Canada’s top chefs and every cuisine is represented here.

At night, the city comes alive with nightclubs, concerts, and bars lighting up the city and music filling its night air. Partying goes on in the city nearly every night of the week.

Toronto also excels as a green city. There are parks and green spaces throughout for inhabitants to come in direct contact with nature. Surrounding the city are beaches and forests to be accessed in the summer, and mountains to be climbed and utilized for winter sports.

So what can’t you do in Toronto? Not much because Toronto has it all.

Montreal, QuebecMontreal

Perhaps no province it touted as a year round getaway more than Quebec and its capital city Montreal.  The city’s combination of attractions and festivals makes it the perfect destination. And, whether your aim is romance, sightseeing or fun with the family, the city can’t be beat.

Montreal is built on a mountain island, which means that there is water everywhere, and of course water sports rule during the warm summer months. The city also has two official languages, English and French which are mixed in nearly every sentence heard here.

Montreal also has four large universities and with so many college students, it is the youngest city in Canada.

The city prides itself on accommodating visitors in every budget range, so you will find lots of great options for hotels and restaurants here, whether you are a backpacker or a princess.

The main attraction of the city however is its culture. There are more than 90 festivals here every year and the amount of culture based attractions from museums to galleries are only surpassed by Toronto.

Vancouver, British Columbia

Vancouver 3

On the west coast of Canada sits one of the most beautiful and highly regarded cities in the world, Vancouver. This city of nearly two million boasts a plethora of beautiful landmarks including: the North Shore Mountains, Mount Baker in its background, English Bay, and the gorgeous Vancouver Island.

Vancouver city is filled with all of the amenities of a top city; fine restaurants, great museums and galleries, cafes, bistros, and a bustling nightlife. The city also has its own professional hockey team and an abundance of parks.

British Columbia has the mildest weather in Canada so there is no guarantee that there will be constant snow during the winter. However, this is not to say that there isn’t abundant skiing and winter sports. In fact B.C. has Canada’s most visited ski and snowboarding area, Whistler Blackcomb, which has hosted the Winter Olympics.

During the warmer months, Vancouver plays host to fishermen, bikers and hikers who take advantage of its abundant rivers, trails and mountain passages.

The city is also one of the top filming destinations. In fact you probably have seen Vancouver in more films that just about any other city. Vancouver is perhaps the most complete city for visitors in Canada.

No matter which Canadian city you choose to visit, you will have a fantastic time and have wonderful lifelong memories.

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August 25, 2017 by Chase Vandros

Natural Wonders to Knock Your Socks Off!

The world is a beautiful place, but the average person doesn’t get to see much of it. Chances are you spend most of your days stuck in a workplace, before going home to sleep and repeating again. This is why travel is so important, it allows you to break up the monotony of daily life and get out there and see the beautiful planet we live on. If you’re looking for a trip that’s really going to take your breath away and allow you to create memories that will last a lifetime, here are some of the most awe inspiring wonders of the world.

Northern Lights

Just about everyone has ‘see the northern lights’ scribbled on their travel bucket list. And as one of the most phenomenal natural wonders on the planet, it’s easy to see why. The Northern Lights or ‘Aurora Borealis‘ are collisions between the sun-charged gaseous particles in the Earth’s atmosphere. This creates the most spectacular show of lights in colors of blue, green, yellow, purple and pink. You can see the Northern Lights in lots of countries around the world Alaska, Denmark, Scotland, Greenland, Canada, Finland, and Iceland are just a few of them. The key to getting it right is to go at the right time of year and at a time when the weather conditions are right. So if seeing the lights is high on your list, don’t leave it until the last night of your trip in case it’s overcast.

Natural Wonders

Serengeti Wildebeest Migration

The great Serengeti wildebeest migration is a predictable annual pattern in which over a million wildebeest (accompanied by gazelle, zebra, and impala) move to find fresh grazing and better water. They are on the move starting in April right through to September where they begin to spread out across the heart of the Serengeti National park. Book today if you want to see this amazing natural phenomenon, you can go on safari in the park and witness this as well as tonnes of other majestic animals.

Sea Turtle Hatchling Release

Another incredible natural sight when it comes to animals is to see baby sea turtles making their way into the ocean. Be sure to check the dates and any updates to give yourself the best chances of seeing this, but you have the opportunity in places like Malaysia, Costa Rica, Sri Lanka, Turkey amongst others.

Niagara Falls

Niagara falls is of course one of the wonders of the natural world, and is breathtaking sight that will really make you appreciate nature. The falls are actually a collection of three waterfalls, these sit between Ontario in Canada and New York in America. Perfect photo opportunities or to just sit and take in to marvel at. There’s nothing like feeling so small on the planet to make you realize your personal problems really aren’t that important!

Natural Wonders 2

Which of the world’s natural wonders would you most like to see? Which of these would interest you most?

 

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July 10, 2017 by Chase Vandros

Dubai is surprisingly green

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Dubai probably isn’t the first or even the fiftieth place you think of when you think about green vacation destinations, but the city which is known for its huge skyscrapers and mind-boggling wealth is surprisingly eco-friendly. Not convinced that the land of oil and designer shopping opportunities is a green place to visit? Read on…

Eco-Friendly in Dubai

Dubai is known for its abundance of entertainment complex’s and leisure facilities, but did you know that many of the top things to do in Dubai are decidedly green? In fact, there are 35 Green Globe Certified buildings located in Dubai, and no less than ten hotel brands are included in this. That means that there are more green hotel complexes and buildings in Dubai than anywhere else on the planet.

If you didn’t already know, membership of the Green Globe is limited only to hotels, leisure facilities, attractions and tour operators who carry out their work in a sustainable manner, and with 44 separate criteria for membership, including things like the use of solar energy and bio-fuel, it really isn’t easy to be accepted, and it is fair to say that Dubai is leading the way in tourist sustainability.

Green Tourist Destinations

Thinking of checking out Dubai’s Green offerings, here are some of the places you simply must visit:

JA Jebel Ali Golf Resort

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Out of all the green resorts in Dubai, the JA Jebel Ali Golf Resort is one of the best thanks to its unique bio-garden, which is used to grow fresh produce for the hotel via the use of a sustainable aquaponics system.

Sir Bani Yas Desert Islands

This collection of eight islands, which is located just off the west coast of Abu Dhabi is an impressive conservation zone where you can see all manner of protected plants, animals, birds and marine life. Although visitors are allowed to enter the islands, they are strictly monitored and must adhere to strict rules to minimize their impact on the island’s’ natural environment.

Dubai Turtle Rehabilitation Project

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Love turtles? Then when you’re in Dubai, you simply must take the time to visit the Dubai Turtle Rehabilitation Project which is located at the Jumeirah beachside hotel in Mina A’Salam. The project, which is free to enter, looks after, protects and nurses back to health sick turtles. The project also does what it can to raise awareness about the beautiful creatures’ and the importance of caring for them and their home. While you’re there, you’ll be able to find out more about turtles and watch them happily play in the turtle pools.

The Change Initiative

The Change Initiative is Dubai’s first retail premises to sell exclusively sustainable products and services. So, if you’re not impressed by the designer labels and fast fashion that makes up most of Dubai’s shopping districts, head there, and you’ll be in heaven.

The Change Initiative sells everything from soap to electric cars, and even the building itself is extremely earth-friendly, being one of the greenest on the planet!

As you can see, there is much more to Dubai than meets the eye, especially for the green traveller!

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May 19, 2017 by Chase Vandros

9 Things You’ll Only See in Antarctica

AntarcticaAre you sick of traveling halfway around the world only to find another t-shirt shop? Feel like if you’ve seen one tourist-oriented port then you’ve seen them all? We hear you. Here’s the solution – book yourself a trip to Antarctica.

An Antarctic cruise is not your typical touristy vacation. It’s an adventure. You’re going to get to experience things unique to the pristine South Pole region, and you’ll avoid the regular tourist shtick that pollutes the usual vacation hotspots. Here are just ten of the captivating wonders you’ll get to experience when you visit our southernmost continent.

1. Penguins.

Penguins are restricted to the southern hemisphere, either on Antarctica itself or the islands lying within the continent’s vicinity. Unlike most other wildlife, penguins get very curious about humans and will sometimes waddle right up to investigate you.

2. Camping out under the Aurora Australis.

Some cruise lines offer you the chance to have a night camping out on the shores of Antarctica. You’ll set up the provided tents far enough away to not disturb the local penguin populations, then kick back and enjoy the lightshow dancing overhead.

3. The Antarctic Marathon.

Do you like running? Do you like running where almost nobody has ever run before? Hop on over to the Antarctic Ice Marathon and test yourself with an average wind-chill of -20°C, ice, snow, and competing penguins, all taking place at 80° south.

4. Southern continent Zodiac tours.

Zodiacs (small rubber outboard-engine boats) are able to zip in close to the coasts and get into nooks and crannies that your mothership cruise liners will be too big to manage. So you’ll be able to sneak past sunning seals, give lovely blue-white icebergs an up-close inspection, and on the best days, get paid a visit by welcoming whales.

5. Send postcards from Port Lockroy.

There’s a working post office in the historic British site of Port Lockroy. How impressed are your friends going to be to be receiving postcards stamped with an Antarctic origin? While you’re there you’ll also be able to visit the museum that highlights just some of the scientific endeavours that have drawn people to the South Pole over the past century or so.

6. Relics of Antarctic whaling history.

Where there were whales there was whaling. The Antarctic is no exception. One hotspot of our whaling past is found on Deception Island. Historic relics (boilers, oil drums, whale skeletons) still sit on the shores as a reminder of how much the industrialized world has changed in the past 100 years.

7. Shackleton’s shack.

In the late 1800s and early 1900s exploration in the name of God and country was all the rage. Common folk would follow the exploits of explorers much the same way some people follow their favourite sports star today.

One such hero of the people was Sir Ernest Shackleton who led not one but three British expeditions in the race to be the first to reach the South Pole. Relics of those expeditions remain to this day including the shack he and his men lived in while enduring the harsh conditions of the Antarctic.

8. Take a look from Observation Hill.

Sitting about 30 minutes away from McMurdo is Observation Hill. Aptly named, Antarctic explorers can climb the hill and treat themselves to a jaw-dropping view (bring your cameras).

9. Antarctica itself.

It’s clean. It’s rugged. It’s blue and white and beautiful. It’s happily lacking throngs of tourists and it’s free from tacky tourist-geared stores. If you’re looking for a trip that’s more an adventure than just a vacation, then you should give an Antarctic cruise a try.

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