Tropical Destinations

The Perhentian Islands are a small group of beautiful, coral-fringed islands off the coast of northeastern Malaysia in the state of Terengganu, not far from the Thai border.
The two main islands are Perhentian Besar (”Big Perhentian”) and Perhentian Kecil (”Small Perhentian”). Kecil, the more popular of the two, has cheap accommodation and is a bit of a backpacker party scene, while Besar is slightly more expensive and caters more to families. The relative difficulty of access and the higher prices compared to Thailand mean that both are still relatively unexplored.
The small, uninhabited islands of Susu Dara, Seringgi and Rawa lie off Kecil. The Perhentians belong to Pulau Redang National Marine Park, which means that fishing, collecting coral and littering are strictly prohibited.
The name “perhentian” means “point to stop” in Malay, referring to their longstanding role as a waypoint for traders between Bangkok and Malaysia. The islands were sparsely inhabited by fishermen for centuries, although tourism now accounts for most economic activity.

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Bermuda is a self-governing British overseas territory in the Atlantic Ocean north of the Caribbean, around 640 miles (975 km) off the coast of the United States. It consists of about 138 islands and islets, with all the major islands aligned on a hook-shaped but roughly east-west axis and connected together by road bridges.

Hamilton, in Pembroke Parish, is Bermuda’s administrative center and largest city. It boasts a large quantity of museums, some fine buildings and architecture. It boasts a fine Anglican cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity. There are numerous forts, fortifications and bits of Royal Naval heritage. There are cinemas, a variety of shops, bars, hotels and restaurants. The city is also blessed with markets, gardens, stalls, beaches, squares and plazas with wide streets, boulevards and walkways.

Saint George is the second town and former capital of Bermuda. St. George is described as the oldest, continually inhabited English settlement in the new world. It was founded in 1612 and served as the capital of Bermuda until eclipsed by Hamilton in 1815. Because of a shift of business and government to Hamilton, St. George did not have its streets and buildings demolished and rebuilt as in Hamilton and therefore looks very much like it did 250 years ago. In fact, because of its many heritage buildings, it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site during the 1990s.

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Costa Rica is a country in Central America. In the north it borders to Nicaragua and in the south to Panamá. To the west there is the Pacific Ocean and to the east the Caribbean Sea.

Costa Rica protects over 25% of its national territory within national parks. Eco tourism is a central focus of development and it shows. The country is stunning and unspoiled and the will is there to keep it that way. However one would have to exempt San Jose itself from this assessment.
San Jose, the capital, is on a plateau in the Central Valley at 1500 meters elevation. It is ringed by lush green mountains and valleys. The population of this city is probably half of the whole country. It contains the primary airport, the University of Costa Rica, the US’ and other embassies and many museums, cultural venues, hotels, markets, etc. It is the hub of the country.
Taxis are generally cheap. A ride inside the city center will normally cost 500-1000 colones. Basically a couple dollars, which they will accept, will get you anywhere in the city. There are many museums worth seeing here.

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Bali is an Indonesian island located at the east end of Java. The word “paradise” is used a lot in Bali, and not without reason. The combination of friendly, hospitable people, a magnificently visual culture infused with spirituality and (not least) spectacular beaches with great surfing and diving have made Bali Indonesia’s unparalleled number one tourist attraction.
The popularity is not without its flip sides — once paradisical Kuta has degenerated into a congested warren of concrete, touts and scammers live on overcharging tourists, and the island’s visibility has even drawn the unwanted attention of terrorists in 2002 and 2005 — but Bali has managed to retain its magic.

Bali’s best-known attractions are its countless Hindu temples. There are an estimated 20,000 temples (pura) on the island. Even the smallest villages usually have at least three, but the nine directional temples (kayangan jagat) are the largest and most important. Uluwatu, at the southern tip of Bali, is easily accessed and hence the most popular, with Tanah Lot a close second. However, for the Balinese themselves, the “mother temple” of Besakih on the slopes of Mount Agung is the most important of all.
There are several hot springs to be discovered in Bali. One of them, along the northern coast of the island, near Lovina, is Air Panjar where stone mouth carvings allow hot water to pass between pools which are set among a lush garden. Bali is paradise for spa lovers and all sorts of treatments are widely available, but the Balinese lulur body scrub with herbs and spices — traditionally performed before a wedding ceremony — is particularly popular. Balinese massage is usually done with oil and involves long, Swedish-style strokes. A day at any spas in Sanur, a small town on the east side of the island, is exactly what you would expect during your stay in Bali: full service treatment steeped in Balinese tradition. Take advantage of any opportunity to enjoy a spa during your stay, the cost here is at least half what you would pay in North America or Europe.
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