Tropical Destinations

Hinchinbrook Island is in northern Queensland, Australia, just north of the town of Ingham, approximately 150km south of the city of Cairns.
Separated from the mainland by the narrow Hinchinbrook Channel, the entire island is zoned as a National Park. Access to the park is strictly limited and, when much of Queensland teems with tourists, here you can truly experience untouched nature.

The only regular means of access to the island is Hinchinbrook Island Ferries from Cardwell on mainland, 2 hours south of Cairns. Boats leave at 9 AM and return at 5 PM, daily in the high season (May-Oct), three times weekly in the low season (Nov-Apr). A day cruise is $90, one-way transfers to the northern start of the Thorsborne Trail are $66. Pickups from the southern end point can also be arranged.

(read more…)

Aruba is a Caribbean island 15 miles north of the coast of Venezuela. With an area of approximately 70 sq. miles (184 sq. km) this flat, riverless island is renowned for its white sand beaches.
Because of its location south in the Caribbean there is very strong sun, but a light breeze keeps the temperature pleasant and almost constant at about 27°C (81°F).

From the tourist point of view, Aruba can be considered to be divided into the southeast and northwest coasts. The southeast has the white sand beaches, turquoise seas, and warm waters. The northwest coast, exposed to the Atlantic, has a few white sand beaches, rough seas with treacherous currents and rocky coastline.

With beautiful weather all year round and turquoise Caribbean waters the best thing to do in Aruba is to enjoy the sunshine on one of the many beaches:
• Baby Beach - Southern Tip of the island. It’s called Baby Beach because it is no more than five feet deep at any point - like a giant wading pool. This beach also has some of the best snorkeling on the island.
• Eagle Beach - Often called “1 of the 10 best beaches in the world”
• Hadikurari Beach (a.k.a Fisherman’s Huts) - This is where the High Winds Pro AM windsurfing world championship is held every June.
• Palm Beach - White sand and excellent swimming conditions in calm water. Nearby hotels allow you to use public areas for changing. Accessible by bus, car or taxi.
• Malmok Beach - Shallow water and lots of fish make this another good choice for snorkeling. There are no nearby facilities. The place is accessible by car or public bus.

(read more…)

Rai Leh, also commonly known as Railay, is a tourist area located on the Andaman Coast of Thailand, in Krabi Province. Rai Leh is primarily known as a rock climbing hot spot, attracting climbers from all over the world to its superb towering limestone.

As Rai Leh is a peninsula surrounded by ocean and mountains, final access can only be by boat. Long-tails depart from Ao Nang (10 minutes, 60 baht/person) and Krabi (30 minutes) on demand, making those towns the gateways to Rai Leh. It’s also possible to access Rai Leh via regular ferries that run between Ko Lanta, Ko Phi Phi, and Phuket (more frequent in the November-May dry season.
From Bangkok there are flights to Krabi and Phuket, direct bus services, and trains to Surat Thani with onward connections by bus.

Rai Leh is considered to be all of the peninsula, which has four primary areas:
• Phra Nang: a fine white sand beach, on the southern tip of the peninsula
• Rai Leh East: the mangrove side of the peninsula, used by long-tails to/from Krabi
• Rai Leh West: a fine beach of white sand and shallow water, where most long-tails arrive from Ao Nang
• Ton Sai: a cove around the corner from Rai Ley West where rockclimbers and backpackers hang out in cheap accomodation and practice climbing
It’s a 5-10 minute walk between any of these landmarks. The village itself is a pedestrian’s dream, as there are no cars, and the uneven bumpy walkways make even bicycles impractical.

On the east side of the peninsula, to the north of Rai Leh East, Diamond Cave is an interesting place to explore and one of the few strictly sight-seeing destinations at Rai Leh. A nominal entrance fee pays for a short walk along the lit boardwalk through formations that glitter as if they were full of diamonds. Though not breathtakingly large (and thus easily viewed in about fifteen minutes) it is quite beautiful.
Phra Nang Shrine, north end of Phra Nang Beach. Dedicated to the spirit of the drowned princess (phra nang) who gave the beach her name, this small shrine in a small cave is notable primarily for the dozens of carved red-tipped phalluses donated by fishermen seeking her favour.

(read more…)