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Kerala,
Gods own country
Speedily climbing the readings of the travel barometer, the recently discovered town of Varkala is often romanticized in the same manner as Goa, when it was first being traversed by the Western tourists. Unmarred by the typicality of a tourist destination, the location is still elusive to many.
Veering off the main Kollam – Trivandrum highway, Varkala stands adjacent to the Arabian sea, with a spectacular view from atop the colossal cliffs; a topography unique to the Western Coast of Kerala. Numerous quaint guest houses, sprung up in the last two years, meet you after the marginal climb onto the North Cliff. There are four distinct topographical areas of this small beach-side town; the South Cliff, Main Beach, North Cliff and the Black beach. Infamous as a bargain-destination one can find a variety of lodging options along the North Cliff.
A perfect setting to lounge in the line of cafes on the North Cliff, Varkala has abstained from over crowded touristy din. Though, on New Years, it’s apparently hard to walk on the narrow path of the North Cliff, as a number of guests come down to enter a new year in this serene coastal town. A 900 years old ancient temple, a natural spring near the sea, paragliding and dolphin watching are some of the activities one can indulge in.
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PHILIPPINES
The pearl of the orient
An archipelago of more than 7,100 islands strewn across a great streach of tropical sea. Add just about the worlds most diverse ecosystems. Throw in hundreds of ancient cultures and one modern one. Steep it in a rich history at the crossroads of Southeast Asia.
Ontop of which we place soaring mountains, beautiful white sand beaches, clear waters, and rememorable sunsets... and voila, you have got the PHILIPPINES.
Long bypassed by most travellers to Southeast Asia because of its location on the opposite side of the South China sea, the Philippines is a well kept secret among those that have travelled there. These coral fringed islands are home to wonders enough to stagger even the most jaded traveller: extraordinary rice terraces, tropical rainforests, underground rivers, soaring limestone towers, unihabited islands, cascading waterfalls, white sand beaches and wonderful sunsets... and thats just above the oceans surface! Below, you have the reefs and walls, offering memorable diving and snorkelling, and in Palawan the wreck diving is perhaps the BEST IN THE WORLD.
But its more than just the stunning natural scenery, its the people of the Philippines that most visitors find unforgettable. From isolated hill tribes, to the intellectual urban dwellers, Filipinos form a mosaic that reflects the islands rich and varied nature.
For those who are willing to adapt to the challenges of travel here, there will be plenty of rewards, so relax, slow down your in a different world, set your clock to Philippines time, keep your eyes open, somewhere among those 7,107 islands there is a great adventure waiting to happen... one visit and "YOU WILL BE HOOKED FOR LIFE".
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NEPAL
THE ADVENTURE OF A LIFETIME
This landlocked mountainous land, sandwiched between China, and India, boasts not only the birthplace of Lord Buddha at Lumbini and the Hindu Lord Sita at Janakpur, but living goddesses (or Kumari), legendary warriors (the Gurkhas) and, of course, Mount Everest, the highest peak in the world
While the security situation has been of concern in the past, the Foreign Office states that the situation has improved. Nepal's people are poor and tourism is of great importance to the country. They are welcoming and friendly. Kathmandu is capital and home to Trivuwan International at which flights to Nepal land. The city has almost weekly festivals - the most important are Dashain (September-mid October) a festival of lights, and Tihar. Fagu Purnima or Holi is the festival of colours.
The Kathmandu Valley alone boasts seven of Nepal’s eight World Cultural Heritage Sites: Durbar Squares of Hanuman Dhoka (Kathmandu), Patan and Bhaktapur, the Buddhist stupas of Swayambhu and Bauddhanath and the Hindu temples of Pashupati and Changu Narayan. Nepal is also home to the Natural World Heritage Sites of Everest National Park and Chitwan National Park.
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