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Travel – Los Santos, Panama – famous for its carnivals

Traveller — Sun, 20 May 2012 18:23:19 +0000

Los Santos (The Saints) is a province of Panama with Las Tablas is its capital city. This capital city is famous for its carnivals such as the Festival Nacional de la Pollera (National Festival of the Pollera), the Festival of the Patron Santa Librada; and the Festival Nacional de la Mejorana in Guararé. Los Santos along with Herrara is known to be the birth place of the traditional Panamian dress known as the Pollera. This province is spread on a land area of about 3,804.6 square kilometers with an approximate population of 83,500. Growing corn, rice, coffee, sugar cane and the raising of livestock and commerce are its primary economy.
This province is divided in 7 districts:
• Guararé District-Corregimientos that include the cities of Guararé (capital), El Espinal, El Macano, Guararé Arriba, La Enea, La Pasera, Las Trancas,Llano Abajo, El Hato and Perales.
• Las Tablas District-Corregimientos that include the cities of Las Tablas (capital), Bajo Corral, Bayano, El Carate, El Cocal, El Manantial, El Muñoz, El Pedregoso, La Laja, La Miel, La Palma, La Tiza, Las Palmitas, Las Tablas Abajo, Nuario, Palmira, Peña Blanca, Río Hondo, San José,San Miguel, Santo Domingo, El Sesteadero, Valle Rico and Vallerriquito.
• Los Santos District-Corregimientos that include the of cities La Villa de los Santos (capital), El Guásimo, La Colorada, La Espigadilla, Las Cruces, Las Guabas, Los Angeles, Los Olivos, Llano Largo, Sabanagrande, Santa Ana, Tres Quebrada, Villa Lourdes and Agua Buena.
• Macaracas District-Corregimientos that include the cities of Macaracas (capital), Bahía Honda, Bajos de Guera, Corozal, Chupa, El Cedro, Espino Amarillo, La Mesa, Llano de Piedra, Las Palmas and Mogollón.
• Pedasí District-Corregimientos that include the cities of Pedasí (capital), Los Asientos, Mariabé, Purio and Oria Arriba.
• Pocrí District-Corregimientos that include the cities of Pocrí (capital), El Cañafístulo, Lajamina, Paraíso and Paritilla.
• Tonosí District-Corregimientos that include the cities of Tonosí (capital), Altos de Guera, Cañas, El Bebedero, El Cacao, El Cortezo, Flores, Guánico, La Tronosa, Cambutal and Isla de Cañas.
In 1855, the provinces were divided into the regions of Los Santos and Herrera and in 1941; Los Santos and Herrera were established as one province, named Los Santos. In 1945, Herrera and Los Santos became two different provinces.

Attractions of Los Santos:

Carnivals:
• Festival Nacional de la Pollera (National Festival of the Pollera)
• The Festival of the Patron Santa Librada
• The Festival Nacional de la Mejorana in Guararé.

Beaches: Venado, Achotines, and Guararé cities have many beaches. Isla Iguana beach is well known for its blue water and white sand and this island is just about 25 minutes by boat from Pedasí.

Museums:
• Museum of Nationality (Museo de la Nacionalidad)
• The Museum Belisario Porras
• The Museum Manuel F. Zarate
• The Sitio Arqueologico Cerro Juan Diaz-an archaeological site.

Churches:
• The Church of San Antonio
• The Church of Santa Librada (1872): It is in Las Tablas and is a national monument.

Others:
• Guarare: This is surrounded by the little town of El jobo, Bella Vista, Las Lagunitas, La Guaca, La Pacheca and La Enea. There was an Indian chief named Guarari, who reigned over this part during Spanish colonial times and on whose name this town is named after. The pollera, the montuno and the music are special symbols of this town which are representative of the Panamian culture. This town hosts the festival, Festival Nacional de La Mejorana, which takes place from September 20th to 26th.
• Las Tablas: This city is the capital of the province. It is about 12 kilometers from the port Mensabe on the coast of the Pacific Ocean. This city hosts best carnival celebrations in the Republic of Panama. The national monumental church, the Santa Librada Church, is housed here.
• Playa Venao: This is a long beach of about three miles. It is about 6 hours from Panama City by drive. The waves are ideal for surfing and the waves are about 15 feet tall and never under 4 feet.
• Pedasí: This town is on the Azuero Peninsula which is a small coastal fishing village. The coastal roads are surrounded by scenic cliffs. One can see tide pools, beaches, and a traditional Spanish hacienda from here. There are many houses and lands that are purchased by Hollywood people.
• Red Frog Beach: This is a beautiful Caribbean beach in the province which is ideal for surfing and palms around.
• Isla Iguana Beach: This is a beach off the coast of Pedasi in the Panama Bay. This is protected by a wildlife reserve.
• El Morro: This is a rainforest in Toboga in the province. One can see Pacific Ocean from this area that is topped by this rainforest.
• Herrera: This is a neighboring province that is in Panama. This province got its name after the division of the Los Santos province. Chitre is the capital of Herrara and lies on the coastline of the province. Towards its north are the provinces by Veraguas and Cocle and to its south is Los Santos and to its east are Golfo de Parita and Los Santos and to its west is Veraguas. There are nine provinces in Panama and Herrara is the third in sugarcane production. The main economy is also due to this along with retail, equipment repair, banking, and domestic service. The other main industries include dairy, cattle, commercial fishing, alcohol, ceramics, clay products, mosaics, and cement. This province is popular for its festival Del manito ocueno which originated in the city of Ocu. Herrera is known for its best pottery in the country. There are many carnivals held in Chitré, Parita and Ocú. Chitre’s carnival is the most famous in Panama.

Best time to visit / climate:

Las Santos has a tropical wet and dry climate. The dry season is from January to April whereas the wet season is in remaining year. The best time to visit this place is in the dry season.

Location on Google Maps:

View Larger Map

How to get there:
This province can be reached in approximately 4 to 5 hours drive from Panama City.
To reach Panama City:
By plane: Tocumen International Airport is outside Panama City. This airport offers services for Copa Airline, American Airlines (Dallas/Ft.Worth, Miami), Delta Airlines (Atlanta, Georgia), Continental Airlines (Houston, Newark), Avianca (Bogotá, Colombia) and TACA (San José, Costa Rica and San Salvador, El Salvador) along with major Central American airlines, and several South American airlines and European Airlines. There are direct flights between Tocumen and New York, Newark, Washington D.C., Los Angeles, Houston, Dallas, Orlando, Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Atlanta, Amsterdam, Madrid, and all major cities in the Caribbean area, Central America and South America, like Santiago de Chile.
By train:
Between Panama City and Colon, only one train service operates with a passenger car. This ride is a scenic ride with views of the Panama Canal and the tropical rainforest.

To get around locally, taking a taxi is the best way.

Lonely Planet Panama	Panama AdventureMap (National Geographic)	Fodor’s Panama, 2nd Edition

Places to stay (hotels / restaurants along with website / contact numbers):
• Hotels at world66
• Restaurants at geckogo
• Hotels at geckogo
• Hotels at allstays
• Hotels at costaricalink
• Hotels at maplandia

Blogs / Sites about Las Santos, Panama:

• Blogs and reviews at travelblog
• Blogs and reviews at travbuddy
• Blogs and reviews at the travelpod

Images and photos of Las Santos, Panama:

• Images at google
• Images at travelpod
• Images at travel images
• Images at travelblog

Videos of Las Santos, Panama:

Video de Tamborito en Carnaval de Panama

“Into Panama” Courtrand’s photos around Los Santos, Panama

Los Santos Panama – driving a flooded road

Pedasi – Los Santos – Panama Traveling

Corpus Christy, La Villa de Los Santos Panamá

Travel – Dodecanese Islands – an island group of 12 larger plus 150 smaller Greek islands

Traveller — Mon, 14 May 2012 18:47:38 +0000

The Dodecanese Islands (which means “twelve islands”) are an island group of 12 larger plus 150 smaller Greek islands in the South Aegean Islands of Greece. These islands are off the southwest coast of Turkey, to the southward of Samos Island and to the northeastward of the Crete Island. Byzantine churches and medieval castles are the tourist specialties of the island. There are a large number of islands, with the total number being 163, out of these only 26 are inhabited islands. The most well known of the twelve islands is Rhodes, Kos and Patmos with the remaining nine being Astipalea, Kalimnos, Karpathos, Kasos, Leros, Nisyros, Symi, Tilos and Kastelorizo which are located in the east Mediterranean.
Other islands in the chain are Agathonisi, Alimia, Arkoi, Chalki, Farmakonisi, Gyali,Kinaros, Levitha, Lipsi, Nimos, Pserimos, Saria, Syrna and Telendos. There are many municipalities that come under these islands and some of them are Afantou Archangelos, Astypalaia, Attavyros, Chalki, Dikaio, Ialysos, Irakleides and Kallithea.

The regions that come under this prefecture are:
• Astipalea: This island is located between Kos and Amorgos and is a small and not very well developed island. This island is on the borders between Dodecanese and Cyclades. The island has traditional villages and wonderful sandy beaches. This island is in the shape of a butterfly.
• Halkiis: This is also a small and not a very developed island that is close to Rhodes. This island is good for those interested in trekking. The island is popular for its traditional architecture, the lovely waterfront, the calm beaches and the abandoned village in the centre of the island.
• Kalymnos is an island that is located between Kos and Leros that is close to the coast of western Turkey. This is the most beautiful island in Greece, that is also well known as the island of sponge fishers. This is actually a mountainous island but it also has two valleys that are best known for its agricultural products. Beaches, castles and churches make this is a popular place.
• Karpathos is an island that is located between Rhodes and Crete. It is the second largest island of the Dodecanese Greece islands. It is known for its clear waters and beaches and hills. This island is full of mountain villages with whitewashed houses with red tiled roofs and the narrow paved streets.
• Kos is the second most popular and the third largest of the Dodecanese islands after Rhodes. It has a good nightlife along with a beautiful landscape and soft sandy crystalline waters. There are verdant forests and the island is rich for those interested in archaeology.
• Leros: This Island is one of the smallest islands of the Dodecanese Greece islands and is full of vegetation, verdant trees, bright colored along with the deep blue of the sea and the golden sand that is the main attraction, attracting people like a paradise.
• Nisyros This Island is to the south of Kos and is a small island with the only ‘active’ volcano of Greece. The capital of the island which is known as Mandraki is a traditional settlement in blue and white colors. The beaches of Nisyros and the roads on Nisyros are not very developed.
• Patmos: This island is to the north of Leros and is known to be the most religious of Greek Islands as Saint John the Theologian who was exiled in 95-95 AD revealed and wrote the Apocalypse. It is located between Ikaria and Leros. The island has whitewashed cubic houses and flowered gardens, surrounded by narrow streets and stone steps.
• Symi: This is a small island that is located between Rhodes and Kos and to the north of Rhodes. The island has scenic towns and villages. This island is close to the Aegean and the Turkish shores and has a coastline of about 85 kilometers. This island is a mountainous island.
• Rhodes: This is the most popular and the largest of the Dodecanese islands. This island is the one of the most favorite tourist destination. This island has nice sandy beaches, picturesque villages and has an Old Medieval Town (the capital) which is very scenic. This island is very popular among the tourists.
• Tilos: This is another small and remote island that is located between Kos and Rhodes.

The provinces of Dodecanese islands are as below:
• Province of Patmos – Patmos
• Province of Kalymnos – Kalymnos
• Province of Kos – Kos
• Province of Rhodes – Rhodes City
• Province of Karpathos & Kasos – Karpathos

Best time to visit / climate:
The climate of is a mild Mediterranean climate; sunny with dry summers and mild winters. The months of July and August has the temperatures as being more bearable and is the best time to visit the place.

Location on Google Maps:

View Larger Map

How to get there:
One can reach these islands from Piraeus, Athens.
Most travelers arriving in Piraeus from Athens make use of the very convenient Metro Line 1 that terminates at the Port from where one can take a walk to the Saronic Gulf ferries, hydrofoils and catamarans, or a free shuttle-bus ride to the ships sailing to Crete and the Dodecanese. Direct Airport Express buses run 24 hours between the port of Piraeus and Athens International Airport.

Frommer’s Greece (Frommer’s Complete Guides)	Lonely Planet Greek Islands	Lonely Planet Greece

Places to stay (hotels / restaurants along with website / contact numbers):

• Hotels at top-hotels-greece
• Hotels at dodecanese-islands
• Hotels at greekhotels

Blogs / Sites about Dodecanese:

• Blogs and reviews at bootsnall
• Blogs and reviews at lonelyplanet
• Blogs and reviews at worldreviewer
• Blogs and reviews at travelpod

Images and photos of Dodecanese:

• images at Google
• Images at greeka
• Images at united-hellas

Videos of Dodecanese:

Dodecanese Islands – Greece
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Karpathos & Kastelorizo : Two of the Dodecanese Islands – Greece

Dodecanese Islands – Greece

Kassos – A remote island

A video tour of Rhodes, Kos and Kalymnos in Greece’s Dodecanese islands

Rodos Island Greece

Travel – Bali in Rethymno Prefecture on the island of Crete

Traveller — Fri, 04 May 2012 20:58:54 +0000

Bali is located in a place called Rethymno Prefecture, on the island of Crete in Greece. The tourist attractiveness of this place is that it has many beaches of varying size and for staying purposes, countless hotels and apartment complexes.
Attractions of Bali and around:
• Diving: One can go for guided diving. Take your International Padi divers license at Hippocampus diving centre or enjoy an excursion that is by boat to other beaches and towns.
• The Atali Monastery (or Bali Monastery): This is about 5 kilometers from Bali to the South. This monastery has stunning views. This monastery was built in dedication to Aghios Ioannis (St. John) and belongs to 17th century.
• The church of Panaghia Charakiani: This church is at the eastern end of the cove.
• Bali beach: This beach is located about 33 kilometers from Rethymnon to the East. It is only a kilometer from the National Road to Heraklion. There are four other beaches in this Bali bay, some with sand and some with pebbles. These beaches are not affected by the “meltemia” -northern summer winds.
• For having an entertaining night, there are two nightclubs in the place.
• Rethimno is a city on the Crete island in Greece. It has an approximate population of about 40,000. It actually mints its own coins. There are relics of the Minoan civilization centred at Kydonia east of Rethymno. This town still maintains its antiquity and its old aristrocratic appearance. This town dates back to 16th century and its arched arched doorways, stone staircases, Byzantine and Hellenic-Roman remain (making it attractive to tourists). The city’s main income is tourism and agriculture of olives for olive oil and other Mediterranean products.
The Venetian Loggia houses the Ministry of culture today. This town is also known for its wine festival that is held every year at the beginning of July. The other festival in memory of destruction of Arkadi Monastery is on 7-8 November. This town was taken over by the Ottoman Turks in 1646 and ruled for for three centuries. This town was their centre of rule.
• Historic Buildings. The buildings remaining are from the Venetian occupation of Crete dating back to 17th century. They include the Fortessa and the lighthouse.
• The Fortezza: This is the city’s Venetian-era citadel and the best-preserved castles in Crete. It is a fusion of medieval European and Moorish architecture.
• Archaeological Museum Rethymnon: This museum houses objects from the Neolithic to Roman period found in Rethymnon in a Turkish building. These objects have been collected from hilltops sacred sites, in caves and necropolis. It is situated opposite to the Fortezza. The Opening times are from Tuesday – Sunday 8.30 – 15h Monday closed.
• Heraklion Archaeological Museum: This is located on Xanthoudidou Street and it houses finds from the Minoan civilization and excavations across the island of Crete. The find includes the statues of the Snake Goddess, the famous Bull-Leaping Fresco, the enigmatic and mysterious Phaistos Disk, and Minoan seals and jewelry. The Heraklion Archaeological Museum is one of the world’s great museums representing the Minoan culture.
• Beaches. This city has unspoilt coastline beaches. There is a 5 mile beach to the west of Rehimno and towards Georgiopoli.
• Parks. There is a small park in the centre which also houses a very small zoo containing some Cretan mountain goats.
• Boat Trips: From the Venetian harbor there are boat trips available to go around.
• Chrissi Island: For quiet presence of palm trees and soothing watered sandy beaches one can take a boat trip from here to Chrissi Island. This is one of the uninhabited islands off Crete. It is about 8 miles from Ierapetra. The island has blue-green sea, sandy beaches, cedar forest on the sand hills and colorful volcanic rock. This island is about 5km in length and of a height 10m.

Other monuments:
• The Neratze mosque (the Municipal Odeon arts centre)
• The Great Gate
• The Piazza Rimondi (Rimondi square)
• The Venetian Loggia.

Museums:
• Archaeological Museum
• Historical and Folklore Museum
• Historical Museum of Crete, Heraklion
• Museum of Cretan Ethnology, Heraklion

Best time to visit / climate:

The best time to visit this place is in summer. The temperatures are ideal from July to August.

Location on Google Maps:

View Larger Map

How to get there:
• There is a daily ferry from Pireaus (Athens) to Rethimno Crete Island.
• There are regular bus services from both Chania and Heraklion which stop at the bus station, just west of the center of Rethimno.
• The distance from Heraklion to Rethymno is 80 km and from Chania to Rethymno 56 km. Chania airport is much smaller and far less busy than Heraklion airport.
• For getting around: One can either take a bus or a taxi.

Top Sights Travel Guide: Crete (Kindle)	Rough Guide Map Crete [Folded Map]	Lonely Planet Crete (Regional Guide)

Places to stay (hotels / restaurants along with website / contact numbers):

• Hotels at tripadvisor
• Restaurants at rethymno
• Hotels at wikitravel
• hotels at greeka
• Hotels at dilos

Blogs / Sites about Bali, Rethimno:

• Blogs and reviews at travelpod
• Blogs and reviews at greece.creteisland
• Blogs and reviews at explorecrete

Images and photos of Bali, Rethimno:

• images at Google
• Images at tripadvisor
• Images at explorecrete

Videos of Bali, Rethimno:

• Bali, Rethimno:

Greece – Crete – Kourna Lake – Bali Beach – Rethymnon from jose on Vimeo.

• Bali – Crete: Freediving

Bali, Crete

Bali in Crete

Seahorses in Bali Crete

Crete Bali 2007

Travel – Elounda – a small fishing town which is on the northern coast of the island of Crete, Greece

Traveller — Sat, 21 Apr 2012 20:07:01 +0000

Elounda is a city in Crete (Elounda is also known as Elounta or Elouda). It is a small fishing town located on the northern coast of the island of Crete, Greece. Elounda is part of the municipality of Agios Nikolaos. The town has a fishing port and has several sandy beaches easily reachable from the centre square. This port also offers boat trips to the island of Spinalonga. Further, there is a small sandy beach called Elounda in this city. On the Visit to Elounda & Spinalonga Island, there are Kritsa’s tourist shops from where one can buy some local hand woven linens, rugs, tablecloths and handicrafts.

Attractions of Elounda and around:
• Spinalonga Island: This Island is across the causeway from Elounda. This island is accessible by a boat from Elounda and the small village of Plaka. It is a popular tourist attraction in Crete. The name ‘Spinalonga’, means ‘Long Thorn’ that came from the Venitians, which is named after a small island near Venice. Kalidon is the official name. There is a fortress that was built on this island to protect the port of ancient Eloundians. Spinalonga Island is an archaeological site.
• Salt Pans: This is a 15th century site which had salt evaporation pans. These pans were used until the early 1970′s.
• Canal: This was built by the French engineers to ease trade between Elounda and Agioas Nikolaos.
• Elounda Village: This is a fishing village with many shops and beautifully situated restaurants too.
• Agios Nikolaos is a city or a coastal town on the island of Greek of Crete. The city lies to the east of the capital, Heraklion and to the north of lerapetra and to the west of sitia. This town is capital of Lasithi. The three faces to the sea of this town are The Lake & port, Kitroplatia beach and the Marina.

Beaches:
• Ammos (sandy public beach by the marina)
• Kitroplatia is the town centre (shingle & sand) beach.
• Ammoudi and Havania beaches (on the way to Elounda).
• Almiros & Ammoudara (sandy beaches with organized facilities, about 2.5 km east of Agios Nikolaos)
• Istron/Kalo Horio – 2 good beaches (10 km),
• Plaka pebble beach (16 km).

Golf: There are 2 golf courses in Crete; one is a 9-hole course and the other an 18-hole course. The first is available about 10 km from Agios Nikolaos located at the Porto Elounda resort. The other is the Crete Golf Club with full facilities golf course that is about 45 km (about 30 minutes drive) from Agios Nikolaos, between Hersonissos & Kastelli.
• Plaka village: This village is about 15 km from Agios Nikolaos. This has fish tavernas, cafes and a crystal clear pebble beach.
• Lake Voulismeni: This is a small lake which connects to the sea. It is situated at the centre of the town of Agios Nikolaos on the Greek island of Crete. The diameter of the lake is about 137 m and depth is about 64 m. This lake is connected to the harbour of the town with a channel. There is a small park around it. This lake is popular for the fireworks celebrations that happen on Orthodox Christian Easter day.
• The Cretan diet: This is a traditional local diet of the Mediterranean island of Crete, also called “Mediterranean diet” which is very popular in the place.
• The Archaeological Museum: This is a museum with exhibits from the whole of Eastern Crete, like the early Minoan cemetery of Mochlos, the Zakros palace, Lato and Elounda. There are plenty of coins ranging from about 330-350 BC to 200 AD exhibited here along with more than 1500 vases from that time.
• The Folklore Museum: This is a museum exhibiting woven textiles, embroideries, handicrafts and a model of an old traditional Cretan house along with Old photographs, paintings and costumes of the olden times.
• The Iris Museum: This museum is housed in a neoclassical building on the 28th Oktovriou pedestrian street that also holds a local flora exhibition.
• Walking: There are many routes and hikes, going through villages, hills and beaches which are ideal for walking.
• Diving: The scuba-diving centre is about 250 m from the lake.
• Almyros beach: This is a sandy beach entering the sea at the southern end. This beach offers a cooling paddle and is about a 20 minute walk from the town center. One can take a taxi from the town centre.

Best time to visit / climate:

The best time to visit this place is in summer. One can expect showers between October and April. The temperatures are ideal from July to August.

Location on Google Maps:

View Larger Map

How to get there:
Agios Nikolaos (Crete) is about 40 miles from Herakleion Airport (HER). The journey takes about 45 – 60 minutes by car or taxi. Elounda is about 80 km from Heraklion Airport and it takes 60 – 75 minutes by car or taxi to Elounda.
By Bus: There are local bus services available in the place.

By Ferry:
Ferry services run to Agios Nikolaos from Athens (Piraeusport), Rhodes, Chalki, Karpathos and Kassos.
Major ferry lines operate to the port of Herakleion with buses connecting at the main bus station near to the port. Ferries run directly to the town via LANE lines from Pireaus and Rhodes. Take a connecting bus to Elounda from Agios Nikolaos.
By plane: The distance is 40 miles from Heraklion airport to Agios Nikolaos.

Getting around:
By Bus: Elounda, Kritsa, Sitia, Heraklion (and from there, Knossos), Malia and Hersonnisos are accessed with a regular bus service.
Among others are taxis, scooters, rent car facilities available in the place.

Some travel books from Amazon about Crete:

Frommer’s Crete Day by Day	Lonely Planet Crete	Heraklion, Crete (Greece) Travel Guide

Places to stay (hotels / restaurants along with website / contact numbers):

• Hotels at Tripadvisor
• Restaurants at wikitravel
• Hotels at Wikitravel
• hotels at elounda
• Hotels at booking.com

Blogs / Sites about Elounda:

• Blogs and reviews at aluxurytravelblog
• Blogs and reviews at completely-crete
• Blogs and reviews at explorecrete
• Blogs and reviews at travelpod

Images and photos of Elounda:

• Images at google
• Images at tripadvisor
• Images at travel.webshots

Videos of Elounda:

Elounda

Spinalonga and Greek Flag

Luxury Resort in Greece | Domes of Elounda

Elounda 2010 – Skisma to Plaka

ELOUNDA 2008 and THEA RESTAURANT

Elounda Beach Party 2011 *** official video in HD

Travel – Guyana – a country located in north-eastern South America

Traveller — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 20:00:46 +0000

Guyana is located in in the north-eastern part of South America. It is a country that has an Atlantic Ocean coastline on its northeast; to the east is Suriname; to the west is Venezuela and to the south is Brazil. It is known to be the third smallest country in South America (the first and the second are Suriname and Uruguay). The word Guyana means “Land of many waters”.
It is a non-Hispanic nation in South America along with Suriname, French Guiana, and Brazil.
This place’s main events include Mashramani (Mash), Phagwah (Holi), and Deepavali (Diwali). This place is same as that of English-speaking Caribbean. It is also a founding member of the Caricom. The country is mostly populated with Amerindians and is a blend of Indo-Guyanese (East Indian) and Afro-Guyanese (African) cultures like that of Trinidad. It has the same types of food, festive events, music, sports, etc. to that of West Indies. Guyana’s main sports are Cricket and Softball cricket and football along with netball, rounder’s, lawn tennis, basketball, table tennis, boxing, squash and rugby.
English is the officially spoken language along with Creole and Amerindian dialects. This place is mostly either on highlands or on low coastal planes. The highest point is Mount Roraima which is at an altitude of 2,835 metres.
This place was initially a Dutch Colony and by 1815, the British took possession. It got its Independence on 26 May 1966 (from UK) and its National holiday is Republic Day, 23 February (1970) with the Constitution formed on 6 October 1980.
The regions of Guyana are:
• Guyanese Coastal Plain: This plain includes the cities of Georgetown, Bartica, Mabaruma and New Amsterdam.
• Guyanese Highlands: This region includes the cities Lethem and Paramakatoi.
• Corentyne-Berbice: This region includes the city Linden.

The cities of Guyana include:
Georgetown: This city is the Capital of the country and is situated in the county of Demerara.

Attractions of Guyana:
• Mashramani: This is an Amerindian word meaning “celebration after hard work” which takes place on February 23rd and it is also the country’s republic anniversary celebration. One can view a carnival-like event with parades and costumed bands through the city.
• Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Building: It is the largest and most powerful economic union in the Caribbean and housed in this building.
• Providence Stadium: It is on the north bank of the Demerara River and is the largest sports stadium in the country. There is a mall nearby called Providence Mall.
• Guyana International Conference Centre: It is a gift from the People’s Republic of China to the Government of Guyana.
• Stabroek Market: It is a large cast-iron colonial structure which looks like the statue that was located next to the Demerara River.
• The City Hall: This is a beautiful wooden structure originating from the colonial era.
• Orinduik Falls: This is the most visited falls of Guyana. It is situated on a highland river called Ireng River. This river lies on the border of Brazil and Guyana and joins Takutu River and then the Amazon River. These falls are at the Pakaraima Mountains and is known to be an extremely beautiful scene. The name Orinduik Falls is given after Orduik, which is the Amerindian name of an acquatic plant present at the falls. There are several herbal plants here. The surroundings are soothing and relaxings and one can rejuvenate mind and body. It is an eye for natural lovers and enjoyable site for children and family and one can also go for swimming here.
• St. George’s Cathedral, Georgetown, also known as St. George’s Anglican Cathedral: It is situated on Church Street. This church has one of the tallest wooden structures in the world and is the second tallest wooden church with its height being about 43.5 meters. The architect of this Cathedral is Sir Arthur Blomfield and the church was accessible to public on 1899. This is a National Monument as it was the first church, and it dates back to 1810. The arches are of Gothic style and it gives a historical glimpse into the Guyana of that time. The glasses are stained and portray scenes like Crucifixion and the Ascension and it also has a large chandelier gifted by Queen Victoria.
• Demerara Harbour Bridge, Guyana: This Bridge is a floating toll bridge of length 6,074 feet long. It was opened in 2 July 1978 and is one of the longest floating bridges in the world. The construction of Demerara Harbour Bridge, Guyana was assisted and started under the British Government. It is 1.25 miles long and has 61 spans with even small crafts being able to pass under. This bridge links people of Georgetown to the people living in West Bank Demerara and enhances business and trade in the country.
• Dadanawa, Guyana: This is also called as the Melville’s Ranch and is located on the Rupununi River in Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo Region of Guyana. It is spread over an area of 2,000 square miles. It is also known to be the largest and most isolated cattle ranch of the country. The name is based on an Amerindian name from of the local Wapishanan of a mountain, Dadinauwau, which is close to Dadanawa, Guyana.
• Walter Roth Museum of Anthropology, Guyana: This is a museum of anthropology that is one of the oldest museums of the country. It was open to public in 1982 though open in1974. It was run by a NGO of Government of Guyana. This museum houses collection and artifact of culture of Guyana. It also hosts exhibitions.
The organization takes care of the collection, exhibition and conservation of the artifacts that showcases the spectacular culture of Guyana. Dr Denis Williams (who was an archaeologist) founded Walter Roth Museum of Anthropology, Guyana.
• Kaieteur Falls: It is situated in the centre of Guyana and on the Potaro River. It is a natural wonder, very beautiful. It has a single drop of 741 feet which is the largest in the world. It is located in Kaieteur National Park. It is known to be five times higher than the Niagara Falls and two times the height of the Victoria Falls. It is the 123rd tallest according to the World Waterfalls Database and the 19th largest waterfall in terms of volume and in their estimation, the 26th most scenic waterfall in the world.
• Iwokrama Canopy Walkway: It was opened in 2003 of November and has a 154 meter long Canopy Walkway from heights of 30 meters. One can see birds like the Green Aracari, Scarlet Macaw, Guiana Toucanette or Channel-bill Toucan and Red Howler Monkeys.
• Ecotourism: This is a booming industry in Guyana.
• The Rupununi Savannah, The Kanuku Mountains, Marshall Falls, Kyk-Over-Al, Shell Beach, Mabaruma, Lethem and Paramakatoi are some other destinations to visit.

Best time to visit / climate:
The climate is Tropical and moderated by northeast trade winds. There are two rainy seasons which are from May to mid-August and mid-November to mid-January. There is a threat of floods in the rainy seasons and so it is best to avoid this time for tourists.

Location on Google Maps:

View Larger Map

How to get there:

Citizens of the following countries do not need a visa to visit Guyana: Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Canada, Dominica, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Grenada, Ireland, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Luxembourg, Montserrat, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, United Kingdom, United States.

By plane:
The Timehri international airport was named in honor of the indigineous displaced peoples of Guyana; and was renamed Cheddi Jagan International Airport after the President. There are daily international flights into and out of Cheddi Jagan International Airport which is about 40km south of Georgetown. International flights include flights to the US, Canada, UK and the Caribbean with Caribbean Airlines.

By car:
Guyana has roads accessible to Suriname to the East and Brazil to the south.
There are no road links between Venezuela and Guyana. Travel to Venezuela may be done by air via Trinidad or overland through Roraima State in Brazil.

Getting around:
Minibuses travel throughout Guyana and are the cheapest way to travel. Many parts of Guyana are separated by large rivers which can be traversed by way of river taxi. Taxis are a good way to get around in Georgetown or also rent cars.

Some books that will help enhance your trip to Guyana:

Guyana (Bradt Travel Guide Guyana)	Guyana [Hardcover]	Guyana, Guyane & Suriname

Places to stay (hotels / restaurants along with website / contact numbers):

• Hotel
• http://guyanahotels.com/
• http://www.guyanahotel.com/
• http://www.herdmanstonlodge.com/

Blogs / Sites about Guyana:

• http://www.herdmanstonlodge.com/
• Expat-blog
• Travelblog
• Another Blog

Images and photos of Guyana:

• Google Image Search
• http://www.travel-images.com/guyana.html
• pbase

Videos about Guyana from youtube:

Guyana trip 2012

Guyana georgetown 12/6/11

GUYANA IS MY COUNTRY

Travel – Port-au-Prince – the largest city of Haiti

Traveller — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 19:18:10 +0000

Port-au-Prince is the capital city of Haiti as well as being the largest city of Haiti (which is a Caribbean nation). The population of this place is about 704,000. This city is on the Gulf of Mexico and is a natural harbor for the city’s economical activities. The official language of this place is Haitian Creole and French. French is the administrative language of Haiti. English is known in tourist spots. It was affected by a massive earthquake on January 12, 2010.

This area is divided into communes.
Pétionville: A suburban commune in the southeast of the city.
Delmas: It is directly to the south of the airport and north of the central city.
Carrefour: This is a poor commune that is to the southwest of the city.
Cité Soleil: It is another commune that has split off from Port-au-Prince into a separate commune.

The main economy of Port-au-Prince is production of coffee and sugar and earlier also exported goods such as shoes and baseballs and it has food-processing plants as well as soap, textile, and cement factories.

Port-au-Prince has two sister cities: Miami, United States and Montreal, Canada.

The main attractions of Port-au-Prince are:
The Haitian National Palace, The Cathedral of Port-au-Prince, The Cathedral of St. Trinity, Musee du Pantheon, Place des Heros de Independence, In Boutilliers, the attraction is the Jane Barbancourt Distillery. In the Côte des Arcadins the attraction is the Moulin sur Mer.
The other cities of Haiti are Cap-Haïtien, Gonaïves, Jacmel, Jérémie, Les Cayes, Milot, Miragoane, Mirebalais, Port-de-Paix, Saint-Marc and Port-Salut.

Haiti is full of mountains with the highest point being Chaine de la Selle which is at 2,777m and has wide and flat central plain to the north. This island was inhabited by Tainos first; Christopher Columbus reached it during his voyage and later a part of this island became independent as the Dominican Republic. This is a part of the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean.

Places of interest
• The Musée du Panthéon National Haïtien: This is a museum where one can take a guided tour to Haitian history. The museum is divided into muraled section of periods containing the items of that period; like the anchor of the Santa Maria, Christopher Columbus’s flagship, is the centerpiece of the exploration age section.
• Champs-de-Mars: It is a beautiful park in Haiti which is open for public to relax in. It is situated near the National Palace.
• The Citadelle Henri Christophe (also known as Citadelle Laferrière): This is a fortress in Haiti and in the city of Milot. It is situated on a high mountain and to its base are the ruins of Palais Sans Souci.
• Labadee: This is a private port that is used by cruise ships. One can take a cruise to tour the island’s beaches and bays. • • Bay of Acul has many reefs that one can view and the town of Caracol and Amiga Island which has lush green landscapes are very interesting.
• The Citadelle: It is a historic site of Haiti and is a landmark of the country’s history.
• Musee de Guahah: This is a specialty museum which houses many artifacts and arts.
• Barbancourt Rum Distillery: This is a brewery of rum. One can taste and also know how it is made.
• Plaine du Cul de Sac: It is a landmark that is popular and is a stretch of fertile land. It is on the border of the Dominican Republic.
• Petionville: This is a famous neighborhood in the Capital city of Port-au-Prince. This place is full of shops and restaurants and cultural institutions depicting the rich culture of Haiti.
• Lake Saumatre: This Lake is famous for the flamingos, water buffaloes and crocodiles.
• Chaine de la Selle peak: This is the peak point of Haiti.

Things to do
• Sightseeing: Take a look at the mountains, parks, lakes, valleys and beaches with its natural beauty and scenic landscapes and know the historical past and visit the sights
• Outdoor activities: The famous based activities are snorkeling, scuba diving, swimming, sailing, yachting and surfing along with beach activities like beach volleyball or simply sun bathing.
• Trekking, hiking, rock climbing, forest exploration, camping and other activities are adventurous here in Haiti over here.
• Dining in restaurants and cafes, like Café Cubano and casinos like El rancho and Casino Choucoune are the places to enjoy and relax.
• Shopping, Cultural tours, boating in the lakes etc., are other activities of the place.

Best time to visit / climate:
This place has a tropical wet and dry climate and wet season runs from March to November and rainfall in July and the rest of the three months is dry season. The best time to visit this place is January to March as during June to October this island is subjected to severe storms as this island lies in the middle of hurricane belt. It is best to visit in the Tropical maritime which has seasonal temperature variation.

Location on Google Maps:

View Larger Map
Or click and paste the URL below on your browser:

http://maps.google.co.in/maps?hl=en&q=port+au+prince+haiti&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Port-au-Prince,+Ouest,+Haiti&gl=in&ei=lSrZTO6ULYawuAO189XcCQ&sqi=2&ved=0CCQQ8gEwAA&z=11

How to get there:
By plane: Port au Prince airport serves several major airlines–Air France, Spirit Air, American Airlines, Copa–and smaller flights from the Dominican Republic, Cuba, and other spots in the Caribbean. Haiti at Port-au-Prince (PAP) at the Aéroport Toussaint L’Ouverture Airport or Aéroport International Cap-Haïtien in the North are the airports in Haiti.
From US, American Airlines, Delta and Spirit serve Port-au-Prince, Air Canada, Air France and Caribair, among others, also offer international flights to and from Port-au-Prince, Lynx Air flies from Fort Lauderdale and Miami to Cap-Haïtien and MFI (Missionary Flights International) fly to Cap also from Florida.
By bus: The northern highway, Route Nationale #1 (National Highway One), originates in Port-au-Prince. Getting in to the capital by bus is relatively easy from the Dominican Republic.

Getting around
By car: One can take rent –a-car from Hertz, Avis, etc.
By bus: The public taxis are called tap-tap which is like a van. These are most convenient form of travel around.

Haitian Creole Phraseboo	Dominican Republic & Haiti (Country Travel Guide)	Haiti After the Earthquake

Places to stay (hotels / restaurants along with website / contact numbers):

• Restaurant
• Hotels
• Tripadvisor
• Kayak.com
• Travelpod

Blogs / Sites about Port au Prince:

• aljazeera.net
• expat-blog.com
• http://livesayhaiti.blogspot.com/

Images and photos of Port au Prince:

• Google Image Search
• http://www.galenfrysinger.com/port_au_prince,_haiti.htm
• pbase
• Tripadvisor
• Infohub

Videos of Port-au-Prince from youtube:

Driving in Port-au-Prince, Haiti

Nightclubs of Port-au-Prince

Flying into Port-au-Prince

Caribbean Hotel Port au Prince Haiti

Travel – Veraguas, a province of Panama that is to the centre-west of the country

Traveller — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 19:53:50 +0000

Veraguas is a province of Panama that is to the centre-west of the country. Santiago de Veraguas is the capital of this province. This province covers a land area of 10,677.2 km². Veraguas was founded by Christopher Columbus who could not establish a Spanish colony due to native Indians. Its capital, Santiago de Veraguas was founded in 1636. This is a province with coastlines on both the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean and is the only province to have such coastlines. The original inhabitants were Spanish-Indian origin named Campesinos. This province has a wide variety of Forests, mountains, coasts and islands where there are more than 200 varieties of orchids; more than 400 species of birds, besides mammals, reptiles and insects which attracts tourists.

This province is divided into twelve districts.
1. Atalaya District (Atalaya): Atalaya District is a district (distrito) of Veraguas Province with an approximate population of 8,916 and a land area of about 157 km².
2. Calobre District (Calobre): Calobre District is a district (distrito) of Veraguas Province with an approximate population of 12,184and a land area of about 802 km².
3. Cañazas District (Cañazas): Cañazas District is a district (distrito) of Veraguas Province with an approximate population of 15,999and a land area of about 800 km².
4. La Mesa District (La Mesa): La Mesa District is a district (distrito) of Veraguas Province with an approximate population of 11,746 and a land area of about 516 km².
5. Las Palmas District (Las Palmas): Las Palmas District is a district (distrito) of Veraguas Province with an approximate population of 17,924 and a land area of about 1006 km².
6. Montijo District (Montijo, Panama): Montijo District is a district (distrito) of Veraguas Province with an approximate population of 12,211and a land area of about 2202 km².
7. Río de Jesús District (Río de Jesús): Río de Jesús District is a district (distrito) of Veraguas Province with an approximate population of 5,256 and a land area of about 317 km².
8. San Francisco District (San Francisco): San Francisco District is a district in Veraguas Province.
9. Santa Fé District (Santa Fé): Santa Fé District is a district (distrito) of Veraguas Province with an approximate land area of about 1943 km². This district is known for its orchids and Artisan Market that is known for classic Panama hats making and selling. These hats are very durable and cheaper here. Also this market sells handmade indigenous style dresses for women and girls. The district is divided into the following corregimientos: Santa Fé(capital), Calovébora, El Alto, El Cuay, El Pantano, Gatuncito, Río Luis
10. Santiago District (Santiago de Veraguas): Santiago District is a district (distrito) of Veraguas Province with an approximate population of 74,679 and a land area of about 971 km². This capital city houses the primary industries that include lead for 2H pencils and Spoon Handles.
11. Mariato District (Mariato): Mariato District is a district (distrito) of Veraguas Province.
12. Soná District (Enrique Arosemena): The district of Soná is a district within the Province of Veraguas and is located in the Republic of Panama. The capital town of this district is also Soná and hosts to the Sona Football Club 1835.

The major towns of this place are:
1. Soná
2. Bahía Honda
3. Calidonia
4. Cativé
5. El Marañón
6. Guarumal
7. La Soledad
8. Trinchera
9. Quebrada de Oro
10. Río Grande
11. Rodeo Viejo
12. El Distrito de Soná

Attractions of Veraguas:

National parks:
• The Coiba National Park: This Park has the largest coral reef of the Pacific Coast of America.
• Cerro Hoya National Park: This Park covers the southwest part of the Azuero peninsula and the surrounding sea.
• Santa Fe National Park: This is a beautiful virgin forest in the northern region of the province.
• La Yeguada Forest reserve: This reserve is known to have an artificial lake for the production of electricity.
• El Montuoso Forest reserve.

Beaches for recreation, surfing and fishing:
• Playa Santa Catalina
• Playa Mariato
• Malena and Torio

• Hiking: There are many mountains with hiking trails in the Province of Veraguas. One can explore the remote places and cultures by mingling with the locals of the province.
• Nature & Wildlife: The Coiba National Park which is a group of 38 islands including Coiba Island which is known as the largest island in Central America offers quite a large amount of nature and wildlife to explore. The waters are spread over an area covering 430,825 acres. This is a declared UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• Surfing: Santa Catalina offers big waves making it ideal for remote location surfing.
• Iglesia de San Francisco de la Montaña: This is a church that dates back to the year 1727. It has unique Baroque architecture and is a declared National Historical Monument (declared on January 27, 1937). About Seventeen kilometers from Santiago, this San Francisco de la Montaña Church is stationed. This church has hundreds of hand carved pieces and is known to have the oldest baroque group of altars of the continent. These altars are painted or covered with gold leaf. These altars have Scared scriptures carved on them with scenes, a reflection of the Spanish Catholicism mixed with the Indian culture. This is located few kilometers away from the Pan American Highway.
• Atalaya is the smallest district of the province of Veraguas with an area of about 150 square kilometers. This is to celebrate the Cristo de Atalaya, also known as Jesus of Nazareth and to thank and to ask spiritual, physical or material favors. People drive or walk and some crawl and some get there by taking 2 steps forwards and 3 steps backwards to get there. This celebration takes place after carnival until Sunday of the same week.
• The old houses of Sona: This is a town which depicts the history of the Spanish colonial times and one can see the houses that were built with palm, also called huts between 1828 and 1897. These huts had latched doors for avoiding letting pigs into the huts. There are about 80 of them and only 20 have mud walls. There are preserved traditional houses, located around the Plaza de San Isidro that date back to early 20th century.
• Coiba National Marine Park: Is on the island of Coiba which is the largest island in Central America. There are 37 surrounding islands and islets which are 30 miles off the Panamanian coast in the Gulf of Chiriquí. During the period 1919 to 2004, this island was a political prisoners location and a penal colony for criminals in Panama. It is about twenty miles to the southeast of Las Secas and one can reach by boat to this archipelago. It is an UNESCO World Heritage Site. This island is known for superior diving and known to be the best along the Pacific Coast from Columbia to Mexico. One can watch for the new marine species including whale and tiger sharks, sperm whales, sea turtles, angel rays and giant schools of fish and some of them are new to science. The crested eagle and several sub-species of agouti, possum and howler monkeys are housed here. It has been given the name of Garden of Eden and is known as the second largest coral reef in the Pacific.

Best time to visit / climate:

Veraguas has a tropical wet and dry climate. The dry season is from January to April whereas the wet season is in remaining year. The best time to visit this place is in the dry season.

Location on Google Maps:

View Larger Map
Or click and paste the URL below on your browser:

http://maps.google.co.in/maps?hl=en&q=veraguas+panama&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Veraguas,+Panama&ll=8.200616,-81.073608&spn=2.88131,3.532104&z=8&iwloc=A

How to get there:
From the City of Panama one can travel via the Inter-American Highway up to Santiago which takes about 4 hours. Take a private transportation or rented car or public transportation from the Terminal of Albrook. For travelling by airplane, take flights with a local airline departing from Marcos A. Gelabert Airport (Albrook).

To get around, a taxi is the best way.

Enjoy your trip to Veraguas with these Amazon travel books:

Lonely Planet Panama	Panama AdventureMap (National Geographic)	Fodor’s Panama, 2nd Edition

Places to stay (hotels / restaurants along with website / contact numbers):
• Hotels at allstays
• Restaurants at tripadvisor
• Hotels at costaricalink
• Hotels at maplandia
• hotels at exclusive hotels
• Hotels at tripadvisor

Blogs / Sites about Veraguas, Panama:

• Information on veragus at veragus.org
• Blogs and reviews at travelpost
• Blogs and reviews at travelpod
• Blogs and reviews at realestate
• Blogs and reviews at travelblog

Images and photos of Veraguas, Panama:

• Images at google
• Images at tripadvisor
• Images at travel images
• Images at travelpod

Videos of VERAGUAS, Panama:

VERAGUAS, PANAMA

Living in Panama – Santiago, Veraguas

Santa Fe, Veraguas, Panama – International Living Panama

Playa la Plaza beach Western Azero Veraguas Panama

Ocean View near Torio, Veraguas Panama

Santa Fe de Veraguas Panama 2011

Travel – Santiago de Cuba – the capital of the province of Santiago de Cuba

Traveller — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 21:34:41 +0000

Santiago de Cuba is located in south eastern Cuba and it is the capital of the province of Santiago de Cuba. The second city of Cuba after Havana, is Santiago. Cuba is famous for its Cigars, rum, Fidel Castro, salsa, classic cars. Its official language is Spanish and its capital is Havana.
Attractions of Santiago de Cuba:
• Amusement Park: This is down the Ferris wheel stairway of San Juan Hill. It was built in 1985. It was built by Japanese investors and it has many rides that one can enjoy.
• Antiguo Carcel Provincial: This is a historical tour which is two blocks to the west of Parques Cespedes.
• ART ex: This is a shopping centre and has music collections that are popular. The other branches are the Casa de la Trova and at Patio ARTex, ARTex, General Lacret, ARTex, Heredia, ARTex, Patio.
• Ateneo: It is a cultural organization that was set in the late 19th century and now it is a educational centre for dancing, music etc.
• Ayuntamiento: This is a neoclassical architectural site that was erected in 1950.
• Bacardí Rum Factory: It is a brewing factory for rum that opened in 1868.
• Balcón de Velázquez: This is a Spanish fort which is very old and has terrace cotta tiled roofs and is towards the harbor.
• Ballet Folklórico Cutumba: This is a folk dance group that appears in the theatre Teatro Oriente. They perform on weekends with folk music and dance.
• Casa de Diego Velázquez: This is in the northwest corner of Parque Cespede and is the oldest colonial house of Cuba. It dates back to 1522 and was the residence of the first governor of the island. The house has wooden lattice windows and decorations from the 16th to 19th centuries.
• Casa de la Cultura Miguel Matamoros: It is on the eastern side of Parque Cespedes and is a San Carlos club.
• Casa de la Trova: This is the most popular club of Cuba.

Best time to visit / climate:
The best time to visit Santiago de Cuba is between December and April. One can avoid the horrendous storms and hurricanes and avoid the sticky heat of the Cuban summer which can be unbearable for many people.

Location on Google Maps:

View Larger Map

How to get there:

By plane:
Airlines Aero Caribbean is operating to Santiago de Cuba from Havana.
One can reach Cuba from Canada, Mexico and Europe by arriving at Jose Marti International Airport that is outside Havana. Cubana de Aviacion is the major carrier in Cuba and connects to Mexico, South and Central America, Canada and Europe. One can either take a taxi to Havana centre or take a bus service.

By train: The train operates from Havana with stops in Camagüey and Santa Clara.
Four daily Viazul buses run to/from Havana and daily buses to/from Baracoa, Trinidad and Varadero.
The main line runs Havana and Santiago de Cuba. It stops at Santa Clara and Camagüey. Cienfuegos, Manzanillo, Morón, Sancti Spiritus, and Pinar del Rio are the other cities that can be reached by train. Tren Frances operates between Havana and Santiago de Cuba alternately.

By boat:
There are no regular boats or ferries to Cuba but private vessels may enter the marina Hemingway in Havana or marina Aqua in Varadero.
Cienfuegos or Trinidad incorporates the Canarreos Archipelago and the Juventud Islands or Jardines de la Reina Archipelago to Windward Islands which is the bases for boat rides.

Getting around:
By bike: One can use a bike to go around but one has to get one’s own bike for that.
By plane: Cubana de Aviacion or Aero Caribbean covers larger distances and operate on routes:
Cubana de Aviación
Havana – Camaguey – Havana, Yakovlev Yak-42D
Havana – Santiago – Havana, Yakovlev Yak-42D

Aero Caribbean
Havana – Camaguey – Havana, ATR 42-300/320
Havana – Guantanamo – Havana, ATR 42-300/320
Havana – Baracoa – Havana, ATR 72-212
Havana – Bayamo – Havana, ATR 42-300/320
Havana – Cayo Coco – Cienfuegos – Havana, ATR 42-300/320
Havana – Cayo Largo del Sur – Varadero – Havana, ATR 42-300/320
Havana – Cienfuegos – Cayo Coco – Havana, ATR 42-300/320
Havana – Las Tunas – Havana, ATR 42-300/320
Havana – Manzanillo – Havana, ATR 42-300/320
Havana – Moa – Holguin – Havana, ATR 42-300/320
Havana – Nueva Gerona – Havana, ATR 42-300/320
Havana – Santiago – Havana, ATR 42-300/320
Havana – Varadero – Cayo Largo del Sur – Havana, ATR 42-300/320

Global Air (Mexico)
Havana – Cayo Coco – Holguin – Havana, Boeing 737-200
Havana – Holguin – Cayo Coco – Havana, Boeing 737-200
Havana – Santiago – Havana, Boeing 737-200

By bus: Viazul is the bus service in Cuba for public transport to tour the island. Astro is another bus line for touring in Cuba.

Learn more about Santiago de Cuba from Amazon books:

Cuba (Country Travel Guide)	Moon Cuba (Moon Handbooks)	Road to Santiago

Places to stay (hotels / restaurants along with website / contact numbers):

• Hotels
• Planetware
• Yahoo travel
• Cubahotelreservation
• Cuba.tc

Blogs / Sites about Cuba:

• Travelpod
• Travelblog
• Lonelyplanet
• Travelpost

Images and photos of Cuba:

• Google Image Search
• Cuba-pictures
• Tripadvisor
• Travel-images

Videos of Santiago de Cuba from youtube:

Santiago de Cuba ~ Club Bucanero

Bacardi Mansion, Santiago De Cuba – via ‘Coco’ taxi

Salsa dancing in Santiago de Cuba

Cuba: Santiago de Cuba.

Santiago de Cuba – The corner is a busy place

Santiago De Cuba – we check it out

Santiago de Cuba – Sunwing Flight Oct 25/2007

Santiago de Cuba – Virtual Tour (1ra Parte)

Travel – Nassau – the capital of the Bahamas

Traveller — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 16:23:51 +0000

Nassau is the capital of Bahamas (which is a member of the British Commonwealth). Nassau is the largest city in the Bahamas and is located on the eastern half of New Providence Island. It was earlier known as Charles Town around 1650 and later to Nassau, named after Fort Nassau. Nassau was also known as a pirates den. It has a population of approximately 200,000 and constitutes 70 percent of population of the Bahamas.
Bay Street is a street that runs along the shore and is the main shopping street of Nassau. It has a mix of jewelry boutiques and trashy souvenir shops. Many government buildings and company headquarters are located on Over the Hill district.
Attractions of Nassau:
• Old Town: This town is a combination of abandoned buildings and Caribbean structures. There is a pink Parliament Building with a statue of Queen Victoria out in the front.
• Ardastra Gardens, Zoo & Conservation Center: This is the only zoo located in the Bahamas. One can see marching flamingo shows and feed the parakeets. This conservation centre is spread wide on five acres of a tropical garden. Flamingos march here as they are trained in formation and marching. This is a show of marching flamingos that is held daily at 10:30, 14:00 and 16:00 three times. There are Caribbean flamingos which are 40 years old and are the largest flock on Great Inagua Island in Bahamas. This centre houses Bahamas parrot and many species of iguanas. The other animals include jaguars, parrots and small mammals.
• National Art Gallery of the Bahamas, West & West Hill Streets: This centre houses the Bahamian art from the pre-colonial era to the present. The building is a renovated building which was once the residence of the Chief Justice.
• Pirate Museum: This museum is a recreation of the pirate town with a pirate ship and a pirate battle along with a few real artifacts blended. It is fun to take a guided tour.
• Fort Fincastle: This is a small fort that was built in 1793. This fort overlooks the city of Nassau. One can see it from a small hill south of town. One can view many cannons that are kept for display.
• Atlantis Hotel Aquarium: It is known to be the largest open-air aquarium in the world. There is a replica of the lost city of Atlantis through which the stingrays and shining fish swim and there are other collections of Caribbean species in this stunning aquarium.
• Balcony house: This is a restored historic structure of the 18th century dating back to 1788. The residence is very old and made out of wood, an example of a tropical colonial house. The interior has not been disturbed, and has the antiques and objects that belonged to that house originally. There are guided tours available for those who want to visit. The design and construction features are used to keep the house cool, dry and termite free, a specialty of the house. A Mahogany set of swan-neck chairs, four poster beds, a drop-front desk, china and crystal and hand-worked brass valences are among the antiques on display.
• The British Colonial Hilton: This is on the site of Fort Nassau and dating back to 1922. This place gives a view of the harbor and visiting cruise ships. The present building is a replacement to the original wooden hotel of 1898. Henry Flager was the owner and was known for building hotels along Miami Beach and along the coast of Florida. These hotels are special for their Colonial constructions. Its historic façade of towers, galleries, and molded reliefs are maintained. The restaurants and spa are special and an amusement park is also housed.
• Doongalik: This is a centre built to preserve the culture of the Black community who are the majority of the population of Bahamas. It has an art gallery depicting the bush medicine, shops, collection of Junkanoo costumes and sculptures. There are also the traditional instruments for making music out of goat skin like drums and cow bells etc., which are a special attraction.
• Government house: There is a pink and white house on the top of Mount Fitzwilliam which is a Roman-classical mansion dating back to 1801. This served as a house for the British Governor General. There is a white statue of Christopher Columbus belonging to 1830 which is on the stairs of the mansion. On alternate Sundays, changing of the guard ceremony is hosted.
• Paradise Island: Paradise Island is a Caribbean island and off Nassau, Bahamas. This Island is connected to New Providence Island by two bridges crossing Nassau harbor. This island has a variety of beaches and hotels and resorts. Cable beach is the popular one. It is dominated by Las Vegas style Atlantis resort. It is on the northern edge of New Providence. Paradise Island is also known as Hog Island. The bridges were built in 1966 and 1990. An Augustinian monastery was also installed which is dating back to 14th century French style.
Things to do: One can take a guided bus tours, explore old forts, Paradise Island and aquarium and roam around the old town.

Best time to visit / climate:
The best time to visit Nassau is May to October. This island has a tropical monsoon climate with constant temperatures almost through the year. Summertime temperatures rarely exceed 92 degrees Fahrenheit (33 degrees Celsius) and the winter months have daytime temperatures between 68 and 80 °F (20 and 27 °C), rarely falling below 50 °F (10 °C).

Location on Google Maps:

View Larger Map

How to get there:
By air: Lynden Pindling International Airport is the largest airport in the Bahamas. It serves most major U.S. airlines and flights to Nassau. Limited service from Toronto and London also exists.
By sea: A total of seven cruise ships can dock at the Prince George Wharf Cruise Terminal which is adjacent to downtown Nassau.

Getting around:
• By water taxi: One can take a water taxi to get to Paradise Island from downtown.
• By minibus: These minibuses are also known as jitneys which are the bus system of Nassau city and New Providence Island. These are on and near Bay Street.
• By taxi: Taxis operate around the city and they are identified by their yellow license plates.
• By car: one can rent a car to roam around.
• By scooter: Scooter (small motorcycle) rental is also popular in Nassau.
• By bike: Bikes and bicycles also can be rented in Nassau.
• By foot: One can go around on foot in downtown.

Plan your trip to Nassau better with these books:

Frommer’s Bahamas 2012	Sailing Misadventures of the Wild Hair	The Bahamas (Multi Country Travel Guide)

Places to stay (hotels / restaurants along with website / contact numbers):

• Restaurant
• Hotels
• Tripadvisor (hotels, restaurants)
• http://www.nassau-hotel.com/

Blogs / Sites about Nassau:

• Travelblog
• Travelpod
• Realtravel
• Virtualtourist

Images and photos of Nassau:

• Google Image Search
• Tripadvisor
• Cruises
• Placesonline

Videos of Nassau from Youtube:

Nassau Bahamas Cruise Dec. 2007

Nassau Bahamas

Nassau, Bahamas, East Bay Street Shopping District, May, 2009

Nassau, Bahamas

Nassau Straw Market

Atlantis, Paradise Island, Nassau, Bahamas

Nassau, Bahamas

Nassau Bahamas Walking Tour – Dec 18, 2007 Pt 2

Plane Wreck at Nassau, Bahamas

nassau bahamas day & night life

Beach on Nassau, Bahamas

Travel – Panama City, Panama – the capital city

Traveller — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 19:42:15 +0000

Panama City is the capital of Panama and is famous for being a multicultural place, with people from different parts of the world. It is the largest city of the Republic of Panama. Spanish is the most spoken language with English being the second most spoken language. Around Paitilla there are many shopping malls, Via Espana is the banking district and an outdoor mall at the Los pueblos. The approximate population of the city is 1,206,000. This city is located at the entrance of the Pacific ocean inlet of the Panama Canal (probably the most important part of Panama). This city is known to be the political and administrative center of the country and is a hub for international banking and commerce. Panama’s Tocumen International Airport is the biggest and busiest airport of Central America.

Attractions of Panama City, Panama

• The Old City: This is a World Heritage Site and is nearby Pargue Lefevre. There are churches and building of French and Spanish style along with restaurants, bars, nightclubs and shops. Tapas and mojito are restaurants speciality here. Then there is also the Presidential palace, and a Tower that also has a cultural centre.
• Vasco Nunez de Balboa Park: This is a small park situated in la Avenida Balboa and a perfect relaxing place near the sea. Vasco Nunez de Balboa was a Spanish explorer, on whose name this park is named. Hence the park has a statue of him with a flag and a sword and, in front a design of sea horse images.
• Pargue Soberania: This is about 15 minutes away from the Panama City and is a hiking place. The hiking trail goes through the rainforests with caves and lakes, and bird watching and fishing too are also part of the overall adventure.
• The Panama Canal: This canal is about 77 km (48 miles). It is a very famous shipping canal and this canal joins the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean and has been the key for maritime trade, saving a huge longer journey around South America. The traffic was about 1000 ships in the early days and present it is about 14,700 vessels a day. This canal has its own measurement system called Panama Canal/Universal Measurement System (PC/UMS) in tons. It was one of the largest engineering projects of its times, and took a lot of hard work and dedication, and also cost a lot of lives. The alternate much longer route is via the Drake Passage and Cape Horn at the southernmost tip of South America.

Historical Tours:
• Panama Viejo: This was once the gateway city for the Spanish conquest of Latin America. Presently there are ruins of the battles with the English pirate Henry Morgan in 1671. There is a museum with Spanish exhibits near the site. One needs to know Spanish or take a guide for translation for understanding as the exhibits are mostly in Spanish.
• Casco Viejo: This is an established Spanish colonial city, established in 1671. This city was established after the downfall of Panama Viejo in battles and until 20th century, this city was Panama City. Panama bay and other sites depict its history with Spain, France and United States.
• Other Highlights include the churches of the 17th century that include the Church of the Golden Altar, the ruins of 17th century convents and residences, original dungeons. There is a French monument for the 22,000 people who died building the Panama Canal and the Panama Canal Museum. There is also a restored building which was once the headquarters of the French company which was in charge of building a sea level canal.
• Shopper’s Delight: The popular shopping destinations are Punta Pacifica, Alb rook and El Dorado Malls, the Agenda Central with more local flavor and Latin styles.

Enjoy the Outdoors: The beaches, Trails, national parks, surfing, swimming, snorkeling, scuba diving, parasailing, relaxing on beach ends and exploring the marine and mammal life is a must scene in Panama city. The crystal clear waters and the winds and the weather are so favorable and good that one can’t miss it.
• Rio Mar: This offers warm waters and is a best surfing spot. One can also enjoy the beach wind and sip a drink enjoying the view and hear the waves splashing and relax.
• Punta Chame: This beach is ideal for wind surfing and this is the best in dry season which is the best time for it. The other activity is kite surfing.
• Buenaventura: This beach offers plenty of water activities like surfing, snorkeling, swimming etc. If one is not going for these, just the peace of the beach is enough to enjoy.
• Gorgona: This beach is one hour away from Panama City. One can enjoy the beach activities here too in its warm waters.
• Playa Blanca: This beach resembles Florida beach, Nikki beach. One can swim in warm waters and other water activities.
• Amador Causeway: This causeway gives the best views of Panama City’s skyline and the Panama Canal. This is about a mile long causeway that connects four small islands with rock excavations. They also serve as breakwaters to the Pacific Coast to the Panama Canal. A Smithsonian Institute of Tropical Research aquarium, souvenir and specialty shops, a cruise port and a yacht marina are some of the causeway attractions. Some of the restaurants have ocean and Canal views.
• Panama Canal Railway Trans-Isthmus Ride: This is a Kansas City railroad which reopened as the historic Panama Canal Railway.
This is a 50 mile railroad ride with scenic ocean view from the Pacific to the Atlantic Ocean. This ride includes the Panama Canal and rainforest scenery.
• Nightlife: There are nightclubs, discos and casinos in the city.
• Ancon Hill and Los Pueblitos: Ancon hill is a prominent hill in Panama City which overlooks the canal and the city. There is a staircase on the bottom of the hill to the top of the road. This is about half an hour walk. The walk is in a rainforest with birds and animals with a double view at summit and a bird’s eye view of the Canal. There are 3 miniature villages at the foot of the hill. These villages represent 3 cultures, the Spanish, the West Indian and the native Indian.
• Panama Canal Rainforest: The Panama Canal rainforests are one of the most pristine rainforests in the world. The Soberania National Park is about 30 minutes away from Panama City and 45 minutes from the international airport. This is a base for ecotourism.
Some other places to see:
• Las Bóvedas, The Vaults is a waterfront promenade jutting out into the Pacific.
• The National Institute of Culture Building and the French Embassy.
• The Cathedral on Plaza de la Catedral
• Teatro Nacional, a performance center, with outstanding natural acoustics.
• Museo del Canal Interoceánico (Interoceanic Canal Museum);
• Palacio de las Garzas (Heron’s Palace), the official name of the presidential palace.

Best time to visit / climate:

Panama City has a tropical wet and dry climate. The dry season is from January to April whereas the wet season is in remaining year. The best time to visit Panama City is in the dry season.

Location on Google Maps:

View Larger Map

How to get there:

By plane: Tocumen International Airport is outside Panama city. This airport offers services for Copa Airline, American Airlines (Dallas/Ft.Worth, Miami), Delta Airlines (Atlanta, Georgia), Continental Airlines (Houston, Newark), Avianca (Bogotá, Colombia) and TACA (San José, Costa Rica and San Salvador, El Salvador) along with major Central American airlines, and several South American airlines and European Airlines. There are direct flights between Tocumen and New York, Newark, Washington D.C., Los Angeles, Houston, Dallas, Orlando, Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Atlanta, Amsterdam, Madrid, and all major cities in the Caribbean area, Central America and South America, like Santiago de Chile.
Domestic flights leave out of Gelabert/Albrook Airport which was once an airbase. Daily flights serve every major town and city in the country. The major carriers are AirPanama and Aeroperlas.

By train:
Between Panama City and Colon, only one train service operates with a passenger car. This ride is a scenic ride with views of the Panama Canal and the tropical rainforest.
By bus: there is bus terminal which is next to Albrook airport which has regular bus services by Tica Bus.
To get around taxis are the best way.

Learn more about Panama and its capital:

Lonely Planet Panama	Panama AdventureMap (National Geographic)	Fodor’s Panama, 2nd Edition

Places to stay (hotels / restaurants along with website / contact numbers):
• Hotels at tripadvisor
• Restaurants at wikitravel
• Hotels at wikitravel
• Hotels at panamainfo
• Restaurants at Panamainfo
• Hotels with cheap deals at hotelscombined

Blogs / Sites about Panama city, Panama:

• Blogs and reviews at travelpod
• Blogs and reviews at expatblog
• Blogs and reviews at the panama report
• Blogs and reviews at travelblog
• Blogs and reviews at blog at panama total

Images and photos of Panama City, Panama:

• Images at google search
• Images at tripadvisor
• Images at skyscraperctiy
• Images at galenfrysinger
• Images at wikipedia

Videos of Panama City, Panama:

Panama City – Aerial View

Panama City

Panama Travel and Tourism