(Solomon Islands) – So Solomon, So Different

The Solomon Islands are a collection of nearly one thousand islands in Oceania that form a sovereign country. They lie to the east of Papua New Guinea in Melanesia and cover a land area of 28,400 square kilometres (11,000 sq mi). The country's capital, Honiara, is located on the island of Guadalcanal.

Solomon islands

With 300+ days of perfect weather, the Solomon Islands is a traveller’s paradise. Get active & trek to the top of waterfalls and volcanoes, or take it easy and relax under the shade of palm trees as you lie in a hammock with a cocktail in hand.

Solomon islands - Solomon map

Solomon islands

Explore the hidden paradise of this Pacific archipelago comprising of 992 islands; there is so much to see and do in the Solomon Islands - from the diver’s paradise of diverse marine life, to the wild interiors of local village treks.

Solomon islands

Things to see and do in Solomon Islands

Explore the wildlife

Visit the main islands of Choiseul, Guadalcanal, Malaita, New Georgia, San Cristobal and Santa Isabel. They are up to 200km (120 miles) long and up to 50km (30 miles) wide. The wildlife on the islands is of great interest, consisting of a mixture of introduced and indigenous species. Most islands are populated with a range of reptiles (including turtles), as well as marsupials such as flying foxes (fruit bats), phalangers and opossums.

Solomon islands

Go diving

Much of the best land-based diving located in the Western Province on or near the islands of Gizo (the capital of the Western Province) and New Georgia. Well-known dive sites in the area include Munda, on the Roviana Lagoon, 15 minutes by plane from Gizo; and Uepi Island, on the north side of New Georgia, across the famous Marovo Lagoon. Diving tours to the numerous WWII wrecks are also possible.

Solomon islands

Go fishing

Try a spot of fishing in the well-stocked waters. Enquiries may be made at the Point Cruz Yacht Club, which welcomes visitors.

Solomon islands

Guadalcanal

Go on an excursion around Guadalcanal and other islands. Popular tours include the battlefields of WWII, the Betikama carving centre, and Alite and Laulasi villages on the island of Malaita, where shells are broken, rounded and, after further working, strung together. They are used to denote status and as gifts and items of barter in inter-tribal deals. The strings of shells can be worn as bracelets, necklaces, belts and earrings.

Solomon islands

Honiara

Head to Honiara, the capital on Guadalcanal, which has a museum, botanical gardens and Chinatown. There are relics of WWII in and around the town, and notice boards indicate major battles and incidents that took place during the battle for Guadalcanal. Villages and scenic drives are within easy reach.

Solomon islands

Tropical rainforests

Head out on an educational tour to the tropical rainforests that cover most of the archipelago and dormant volcanoes with the Solomon Islands Visitors Bureau. Exotic orchids, ferns and palms are widespread and butterflies are abundant. There are more than 70 species of reptiles. A variety of trees and shrubs have been introduced along with fruits and vegetables.

Solomon islands

Volcanic islands

Explore the 900 volcanic islands and coral atolls spread across the blue tropical waters. The superb marine life makes the islands an excellent destination for swimming and cruising.

Solomon islands

Solomon islands

Solomon islands

Solomon islands

Solomon islands

(World Travel Guide, Visit Solomon, Wikipedia)

Read more

(Estonia) – Welcome to Tallinn City

Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, lies on the southern coast of the Gulf of Finland, only 70 km (43 mi) south of Helsinki. At the historical and medieval heart of the city is the hill of Toompea, covered in cobbled streets and filled with medieval houses and alleyways. The lower town spreads out from the foot of the hill, still protected by the remnants of a city wall. Around the city wall is a series of well-maintained green parks, great for strolling.

(Estonia) – Welcome to Tallinn City

 The city's old town has been astonishingly well preserved and was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1997, it is now in better shape than ever, with the bigger roads converted into fashionable shopping streets reminiscent of Zürich or Geneva. Especially in summer, the Old Town is packed with tourists, with the traditional daytrippers from sister city Helsinki increasingly supplemented by Europeans taking advantage of cheap flights.

(Estonia) – Welcome to Tallinn City

Tallinn's atmospheric Old Town is an enthralling hodgepodge of medieval streets and spires. It's a small city, and the tourist areas are safe and easily explored on foot. Buy a Tallinn Card if intending to use buses, trolleys or trams. For a look into Tallinn's past, visit Rocca-al-Mare Open Air Museum's typical rural Estonian taverns, windmills and watermills, see the onion-domed 1900 cathedral or join the bustle in historic Town Hall Square. St. Olav's spire was once the tallest in the world.

(Estonia) – Welcome to Tallinn City

Attractions

Like most cities with an eight-hundred-year-old past, Tallinn is a patchwork of historic areas. The city's pride and joy is without a doubt its Medieval Old Town, but equally enchanting is the Kadriorg district, a throwback to the time when Estonia was ruled by the Russian Tsars. Other areas of Tallinn are perfect for those who want to get a glimpse of Soviet-era life, or just want to spend time in the great outdoors.

(Estonia) - Tallinn City - Fat Margaret tower

(Estonia) - Tallinn City - Tall Hermann tower

(Estonia) - Tallinn City - Tall Hermann tower

Some of the attractions that the Old City has to offer are Fat Margaret and Tall Herman, these are two towers, the first one being short and stout while the second one being the tallest in Tallinn and part of the city’s medieval fortifications. Alongside these you will find here the Maritime Museum as well as the Art Museum and the Dome Church.

(Estonia) - Tallinn city - Church - St Nicholas Church

(Estonia) - Tallinn city - Alexander Nevsky Cathedral

One other major point of interest is the Kadriorg Palace, built in 1736 for Peter the Great it features wonderful wooded grounds as well as a small cottage which houses the Peter the Great Museum. In a somewhat similar vein you might want to travel a bit west of Tallinn and visit the Estonian Open-Air Museum, this is where you will encounter rebuilt traditional homesteads and trade houses of old Tallinn. With a bit of lucky you’ll see a street performance of folk music or dance.

(Estonia) – Welcome to Tallinn City

When the sun goes down and you’re tired from all that sightseeing it is time to experience the city’s varied culinary offers and as far as food is concerned you will find pretty much everything possible from Indian and Mexican restaurants to the more traditional eateries.

(Estonia) – Welcome to Tallinn City

The city also has a series of popular nightclubs as well as beaches, despite its northern location, so there is something for everyone in Tallinn.

(Estonia) - Tallinn city - Toompea Castle

(Estonia) - Tallinn city - Tallinn festival

(Wiki Travel, Trip Advisor, Tourism Tallinn)

Read more

(England) – Visiting Hampton Court in London

For almost 200 years, Hampton Court Palace was at the centre of English court life, politics and national history. Its most infamous resident was Henry VIII.

Today Hampton Court is an easy day trip for all visitors to London.

(England) – Visiting Hampton Court in London

Hampton Court Castle and Gardens are situated in the beautiful Herefordshire countryside between Hereford and Leominster. The Castle which dates back to 1427 is one of the most stunning Wedding Venues in the country and is also available for Corporate Events and Private Functions.

Hampton Court Castle is not a hotel but its 24 sumptuous bedrooms are available for use by those holding an event at the Castle.

(England) – Visiting Hampton Court in London

The 15th century Hampton Court Castle surrounded by 1000 acres of stunning parkland, pasture and woodlands with the river Lugg running alongside predates Hampton Court Palace by some 80 years.

The land was granted by King Henry IV to Sir Rowland Lenthall at the time of his marriage to Margaret Fitzalan, daughter of the Earl of Arundel, a cousin of the King.

(England) – Visiting Hampton Court in London

Lenthall built the original quadrangular manor house in 1427, 12 years after his Knighthood at the battle of Agincourt (1415). In 1434 he was granted licence to crenellate the house by King Henry VI.

The Castle

The Hampton Court Estate has a rich and fascinating history dating back to before the 15th Century.

(England) – Visiting Hampton Court in London

The estate was originally formed by the merging of the manors of Hampton Richard and Hampton Mappenor. It was granted by Henry IV to Sir Rowland Lenthall at the time of his marriage to Margaret Fitzalan, daughter of the Earl of Arundel and a cousin of the King. Lenthall built the original quadrangular manor house in 1427, twelve years after his knighthood at the battle of Agincourt. In 1434 he was granted a licence to crenellate the house by Henry VI.

(England) – Visiting Hampton Court in London

Sir Rowland was succeeded by his daughter who married the Baron of Burford and it was their grandson who sold Hampton to Sir Humphrey Coningsby in 1510.

Hampton remained in the Coningsby family, a prominent noble Herefordshire family, until the early 19th Century when the estate was purchased by Richard Arkwright, the son of the famous inventor. Richard Arkwright's son, John, then comissioned the remodelling of the house in the 1830's and 40's, the work being designed and carried out by Charles Hanbury Tracy, later Lord Sudeley. The Arkwrights lived at Hampton Court until 1912.

(England) – Visiting Hampton Court in London

The Gardens at Hampton Court

The Gardens at Hampton Court Herefordshire, recently completed, are one of the most ambitious garden creations of our time.

Original Victorian garden walls enclose stunning new flower gardens divided by canals, island pavilions and pleached avenues. The kitchen garden is an ornamental garden of fruit and vegetables. It is managed organically, supplying produce to the Orangery Restaurant for its seasonal menu.

(England) – Visiting Hampton Court in London

There is a maze of a thousand yews with a gothic tower at its centre. Climb to the top for a panoramic view of the gardens or descend underground to a tunnel that leads to a waterfall in the sunken garden. Beautiful herbaceous borders stretch out from a one hundred and fifty year old wisteria tunnel that leads to vast lawns and ancient trees beside the castle. Beyond the lawns are riverside and woodland walks.

(England) – Visiting Hampton Court in London

Adjoining the castle, in a grand conservatory designed by Joseph Paxton, is the Orangery Café. Here delicious lunches and teas can be enjoyed.

(England) – Visiting Hampton Court in London

The garden shop, in the garden bothy, sells plants from the garden, homemade produce from the castle kitchens and local crafts and gifts.

(England) – Visiting Hampton Court in London

(Hampton Court, London Toolkit, London Pass)

Read more

Best in Travel 2013 - Top 10 regions

1. Corsica, France

Melting pot of Med to host Tour

Best for: Activities, events, food

Corsica, France - GR20 walking route on the ridge before the Asinao shelter in Corsia

Mixing the cultures of Italy and France yet fiercely Corsican, the French Mediterranean island of Corsica has a furious beauty. It is this epic beauty combined with its challenging topography that make it a spectacular choice to host the historic centenary of the initial stages of the Tour de France. Race organisers wanted the hundredth Tour to start in an enchanting location, and decided Corsica was the place; this will be the first time the race has braved its challenges.

2. The Negev, Israel

Desert in throes of transformation

Best for: Adventure, activities, off the beaten track

The Negev, Israel - Acacia Raddiana tree in the Negev desert

For decades the Negev was regarded as nothing but a desolate desert. But today, this region is a giant greenhouse of development. Think eco-villages, spa resorts and even wineries. In the next few years a new international airport at Timna is scheduled to open, followed by a high-speed railway to Eilat and more hotels. Time is running out to experience the desert as nature intended.

3. Mustang, Nepal

Last chance to see 'forbidden kingdom'

Best for: Activities, off the beaten track, culture

Mustang, Nepal - Tilicho Peak and Annapurna I from Tama Gaon

The completion of a road connecting Mustang to China in the north and the rest of Nepal to the south will make all the difference to this remote region. Lo Manthang, or Mustang as it’s usually called, has been dubbed ‘little Tibet’ or ‘the last forbidden kingdom’; though politically part of Nepal, in language, culture, climate and geography, it’s Tibet. Until 1992 nobody from outside was allowed in; for a while after that it was opened up to a few hundred a year, and these days anyone can enter, though the pricey trekking permit keeps the numbers down. Expect that to change.

4. The Yukon, Canada

Putting the 'wild' in wilderness

Best for: Activities, adventure, off the beaten track

The Yukon, Canada - Dall Sheep (Ovis dalli) in the Yukon Territory

This vast and thinly populated wilderness has a grandeur and beauty that can only be properly appreciated in person. But while few places in the world today are so unchanged over the course of time, change has started coming fast to the Yukon. In 2013 it is still one of the least densely populated regions on the planet (there’s almost 14.2 sq km/5.5 sq miles for each hardy local) but its tremendous mineral wealth is drawing new residents in a reprise of the fabled Klondike Gold Rush of 1898. Climate change means that parts of the far north are actually dissolving into the Arctic Ocean and the glacier-clad parks are undergoing profound change.

5. Chachapoyas - Kuelap, Peru

Hidden gem of the Andes

Best for: Adventure, culture, off the beaten track

Chachapoyas _ Kuelap, Peru - Ruins of one of the 420 round houses inside Kuelap, Peru

Nestled in the northern Peruvian Andes, the placid mountain city of Chachapoyas is small, quiet and a pain in the neck to reach. But this charming agricultural centre sits amid some of the country’s most incredible cultural and natural treasures, including an entire river valley’s worth of pre-Inca ruins, the funerary site of Karajía, and one of the world’s tallest waterfalls. The glorious isolation isn’t going to last for long. For the past half-dozen years, the Peruvian government has been quietly paving roads and improving other infrastructure to make the area more visitor-friendly.

6. The Gulf Coast, USA

Coast on comeback trail

Best for: Activities, family, value for money

The Gulf Coast, USA - Mardi Gras 2011

An area that has become synonymous with the words ‘oil spill’ doesn’t sound like it’d be a vacation must-do. But a lot has happened since a deep-water drilling operation off the coast of Louisiana went fatally awry in 2010. The Gulf Coast – never a place to take disaster lying down – has rebounded. Rolling sand dunes once again sparkle and seasonal travellers are once again enjoying the Gulf’s tepid waters, not to mention its tender locally caught fish. The 'Redneck Riviera' is edging back to its best

7. Carinthia, Austria

Serene bargain nestled in Alps

Best for: Activities, family, value for money

Carinthia, Austria - Gothic Stadtpfarrkirche St. BartholomSus (12th and 14th century) and Hauptplatz (right) from Petersberg, Carinthia

With belts tightening across Europe, the Alps are fast becoming the exclusive preserve of the champagne set… but lesser mortals will find plenty to love about Carinthia. With ski resorts nestled on every mountain top, Carinthia is best known outside Austria for uncrowded slopes and après-ski where you don’t have to take out a second mortgage just to buy a beer. Backing onto Italy and Slovenia, the region dilutes the Austrian efficiency with Mediterranean laissez-faire. So where are the crowds? Check out Carinthia now, while peace and quiet reigns; it won’t stay like this forever.

8. Palawan, the Philippines

The ultimate archipelago for adventurers

Best for: Off the beaten track, adventure, culture

Palawan, the Philippines - Lake Kayangan , Coron Island, Palawan

Palawan incorporates thousands of sparkling, rugged islands and is fringed by 2000km of pristine coastline. So far Palawan’s natural marvels have only been sampled by plucky backpackers. Not for much longer. The trail these pioneers have blazed is set to explode, with regional airlines waking up to Palawan’s potential and clambering to schedule direct flights to the capital. Throw in the mushrooming growth of style-conscious boutique hotels normally found in places like Ko Samui or Bali, and you can feel that Palawan is ready to hit the big-time in 2013.

9. Inland Sea, Japan

Japan without the bells, whistles and bullet trains

Best for: Culture, activities, off the beaten track

Inland Sea, Japan - Dawn over the Kurushima Bridge across the Seto Inland Sea

Tokyo, Kyoto, Mt Fuji… the islands of the Seto Inland Sea? You’d be forgiven if the name of this vast stretch of water in Japan’s west doesn’t ring any bells. With the exception of Miyajima, with its oft-photographed vermillion ‘floating’ torii (shrine gate), most of the Inland Sea islands aren’t on the usual international-tourist hit list. Fair enough. They’re out of the way, and there’s just so much to do in Tokyo. But those who make the effort are rewarded. Many of the islands in this roughly 400km-long waterway offer the chance to experience a Japan without all the bells, whistles and bullet trains.

10. Campania, Italy

Old classic prepares for epic year

Best for: Culture, family, food

Campania, Italy - Chiesa di San Paolo Maggiore in Campania

Campania is home to Italy’s most sumptuous stretch of coastline (the Amalfi Coast), one of its most mind-blowing and ebullient cities (Naples), the menacing beauty of Mt Vesuvius, and the frozen-in-lava ancient Roman city of Pompeii. This year it is receiving an enormous injection of cash as part of its role in hosting the UN’s fourth Universal Forum of Cultures from April to July. Events will include art exhibitions from all five continents, music, cinema, dance, street artists and theatre, circus acts, food markets and workshops.

 (Lonely Planet)

Read more

Best in Travel 2013 - Top 10 cities

1. San Francisco

Darling of America's west coast

Best for: Culture, events, food

San Francisco - Quirky shop front decoration, Haight Street, The Haight.

Famous for hills, earthquakes and a penchant for liberal politics, San Francisco continues to attract kindred spirits, eagerly embracing all newcomers to the bosom of its cultural mélange. If you need an extra incentive to get yourself to San Francisco, the city has an ace up its sleeve – the 34th America’s Cup is coming to fog city in 2013, and big changes and upgrades are afoot all along San Francisco’s heaving waterfront.

2. Amsterdam

Golden Age charmer prepares to party

Best for: Culture, events, food

Amsterdam - Lights along canal bridges along Herengracht near the famous “Golden Bend”

Amsterdam always cast a spell on travellers, but the party ramps up big-time in 2013, when more anniversaries than you can shake a herring at coincide. The famed canal ring turns 400 years old. It’s Vincent van Gogh’s 160th birthday and the 40th for his colour-swirled museum. The Rijksmuseum re-opens after a 10-year renovation. The Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra – often considered the world’s best – blows out 125 candles. Plus the Artis Royal Zoo and Felix Meritis cultural centre mark 175 years and 225 years, respectively. It all adds up to a slew of celebratory concerts, exhibits and street fests grooving throughout 2013.

3. Hyderbad

Old City recapturing past glories

Best for: Culture, food, value for money

Hyderbad - Vendor at street stall at foot of of the Charminar

Hyderabad was once the capital of a filthy-rich princely state. After India’s independence, the palaces and pleasure gardens were sold off, built over and looted, and you had to be really sharp to see the city’s beauty. But several palaces in Hyderabad’s Old City have recently been refurbished, including Falaknuma Palace, a seven-star hotel that was skilfully restored by the Taj Group and is now an exceedingly plush time capsule. Other monuments and buildings are being fixed up, but the city, and many of its architectural gems, are still off the radar – which keeps the masses at bay. Elegant and blossoming, but also weathered and undiscovered, Hyderabad’s Old City is ripe for exploration.

4. Londonderry/Derry

Packed calendar for UK City of Culture

Best for: Culture, events, family

Londonderry_Derry - You are now Entering Free Derry

Londonderry/Derry is the UK City of Culture 2013, which means this vibrant, historic walled city is undergoing a renaissance. The year will see a wealth of cultural events, including the 10-day All Ireland Fleadh, the world’s biggest Irish festival and it also plays host to the always-controversial Turner Prize. The city will buzz throughout the year with hundreds of other events, from pageants to music to contemporary dance. Derry also hosts lots of regular festivals, such as the Jazz Festival and Earhart Festival (in 2013 celebrating 80 years since American aviation pioneer Amelia Earhart landed here), celebrations for which will all be cranked up a notch.

5. Běijīng

Capital on cusp of greatness

Best for: Culture, value for money, food

Běijīng - Artist painting in the Forbidden City

Běijīng remains as the cultural and artistic centre of China. While the 2008 Olympics may now seem like a distant memory, their effect is enduring – there are English street signs and a multitude of architectural gems such as the Bird’s Nest studded across the sprawling city. More recently, the Běijīng–Shanghai high-speed rail now connects the two cities in under five hours. Today, Běijīng tentatively balances a multitude of (growing) populations and subcultures. There’s a palpable sense of change in the air, though no-one quite knows what to expect. China is on the cusp of true greatness and one day, people will look back and say it all started here.

6. Christchurch

Rising from the rubble with flair

Best for: Culture, events, family

Christchurch - Pop-up shipping-container shopping centre in Cashel St

New Zealand’s ‘Garden City’ is rising from the rubble created by devastating earthquakes in 2010 and 2011 with a breathtaking mix of spirit, determination and flair. With a unique opportunity to rethink urban form, Christchurch is bouncing back with a new energy and inventiveness. Foodies will be surprised by the variety of what is on offer, from Burmese to Turkish to local specialities, live-music venues have popped up all over the place, and innovative artworks fill empty demolition sites. 2013 will be an intriguing year to join the rebirth.

7. Hobart

Harbour town becomes hip

Best for: Events, culture, food

Hobart - Fishing fleet and their lobster pots moored in Victoria Docks, Hobart

The sleepy harbour town reputation attracts a solid ‘outdoorsy’ set, but the recent arrival of the world-class MONA museum has the waters rippling, hip tourists flocking and Hobart rousing from its slumber. 2013 will see the new kid on the block team up with the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery (TMAG) for the Theatre of the World exhibition curated by Jean-Hubert Martin, former director of the Centre Georges Pompidou in Paris. This year will also prove exciting for Hobart’s already burgeoning gastronomic scene as the city’s culinary credentials continue to rise.

8. Montréal

Mélange of cultures marries brains and beauty

Best for: Culture, events, value for money

Montréal - Le Vieux-Montréal

Having recently gained a high rank on city lists including the world’s happiest (Lonely Planet, 2010) and hippest (New York Times, 2011), this year Montréal’s angling for a top spot, showing off in Stephen Spielberg’s summer release Robopocalypse, and inviting everyone for drinks at the new urban beach. But Montréal’s got brains as well as beauty. Spring 2013 marks the launch of the new Rio Tinto Alcan Planetarium, rounding out the ambitious ‘Space for Life’ project. And Montréal’s social calendar is also bubbling over with the unveiling of the Grévin wax museum at the Eaton Centre, the 50th-anniversary celebrations of the Place des Arts, and the new Point Zero hotel, owned by the eponymous fashion label.

9. Addis Ababa

Ethiopian metropolis evolving at pace

Best for: Culture, food, value for money

Addis Ababa - Portrait of jousting competitor at festival of Timkat, dressed in style of traditional Abyssinian warrior, with Gelada monkey headdress and embroidered cloak

Like the Ethiopian marathon runners, Addis Ababa (often shortened to plain ‘Addis’) is evolving at a fast pace. The fact that the country’s economic growth should reach almost 5% in 2013 helps create a feeling of confidence and stamina. Founded little more than a century ago, Addis Ababa, which in Amharic means ‘New Flower’, is not only the diplomatic capital of Africa and a thriving metropolis, but also a groovy city that takes pride in its multifaceted assets.

10. Puerto Iguazú

Much more than just a waterfall

Best for: Family, activities, adventure

Puerto Iguazú - Iguazú Falls

It’s official: votes are in, and the Foz de Iguazú has won its place among the prestigious new seven wonders of nature, following a worldwide 2011 poll. That this phenomenal waterfall, spread-eagled along the Argentine–Brazil border, should make the final reckoning is no great shock. So tourism to these falls is set to morph: good news for Puerto Iguazú, the main tourist base hereabouts. ‘Iguazú’ – as locals call it – doesn’t just want to be the fall guy, though. After all, it offers some of the best hostels, top-end hotels and spas in the country, not to mention some stunning side trips.

(Lonely Planet)

Read more