Bahamas Attractions

• Power boat Adventures: This is in the capital Nassau. One can enjoy stingray and shark encounters, with the iguanas and have a good lunch. It is scary for some of the tourists as the wave might cause the boat to shake around.
• Bacardi Distillery: This distillery was established in 1962. This is a production house for rum that is sold on the island. One can take a tour and taste sample cocktails and buy them at the store. Its gift shop is still in running mode but the distillery was closed in 2008.
• Blue Lagoon Island and Dolphin Encounters: This is an exciting tour and cruising through Nassau Harbor on large, high-speed catamarans to the beautiful private island, giving a just perfect trip. Dolphin Encounters also offers a close encounter with California sea lions along with Dolphin swim.
• Daq shack: This is a local flavor to Cable Beach. It is situated direct from the Wyndham and Sheraton. The local straw market, food and cigar vendors are part of the shack. One can enjoy Caribbean music and have fun.
• Arawak cay: This is a cay which is known for its Fish fry. The local flavor of fish can be tasted here. Other Bahamian cuisines are also available.
• Stuart Cove’s Dive Bahamas: This is a notch, swimming with sharks and diving expeditions are available.
• Nassau: This is the capital of the Bahamas and is on New Providence Island. This is a colonial Caribbean city which has modern American culture. It is a combination of old and new in its facilities with an old-world charm. Many of the town’s buildings are dated back to 18th century.
• Junkanoo: This is known to be the biggest event in the Bahamian calendar. This is a street carnival which is held on December 26 which is also known as the Boxing Day. On New Year’s Day Junkanoo groups rush all through the town. Nassau town is the centre of this festival. Junakanoo music is played which has African rhythms and medley on cacophony. Every year the costumes are made from the scratch.
• Dolphin Encounters: Dolphin encounters are where one gets to swim with dolphins. One can also watch from the side. This is located on Salt cay.
• Bahamas Historical Museum: This museum is housed in Nassau and exhibits the pre Columbian times to present times, around 50 years of the history of Bahamas. It has interesting historical artifacts.
• Pirate Museum: This is a tour which takes us to a journey to the heart of downtown Nassau and back to 1716. There is a replica of the pirate ship “Revenge” which can be boarded and seen from the inside.
• Aqua venture at Atlantis Paradise Island: The Atlantis resort that is located on Pirate island houses the largest water park of the world and is spread on a 97-acre Park. There are many waterslides and river rides with special effects that are great fun.
• Bimini Islands: These islands are a group in the Bahamas with an underwater cave system. It is 50 miles (80km) east of Miami and has an area no larger than 10 square miles (26 sq km). The main island of North Bimini, is seven miles long (11km).
• Paradise Island: This Island is connected to the New Providence Island by two bridges. This island has a variety of beaches and hotels and resorts. Cable beach is the popular one.
• Freeport, Grand Bahamas Island: This Island has white beaches and aquamarine seas and is fifty miles, that is, 80 km, east of Miami. Free port is an inland which is preferred by visitors for stay or they choose Lucaya which is a seaside suburb.
• Andros Island: This is the largest island in Bahamas. This island is ideal for scuba divers and fisherman. This island is not that developed but tourist enjoy on the island.
• Exumas Islands: The Exumas comprises of a myriad set of islands and cays. They are spread over hundreds of miles. There are two parts of the islands, the largest is the Great Exuma and the little is the Little Exuma.
• Long Island: This Island hosts one of the main events of Bahamas, a yachting race called Long Island Regatta. It is held in the town of Salt Pond every may. People from all over the world come here to watch it. It is one of the unspoilt islands of the Bahamas.
• Eleuthera Island: This Island has no hotels nor cruise ships and hence not very crowded. It is spread almost 100 miles (161km) but is at most two miles (3km) wide. Harbor Island is considered to be its satellite island.
• Hartley’s Undersea Walk: One can take a walk along the oceanic floor here. Diving is popular and is easy with the use of undersea botanical helmet which is useful for a normal breathing experience and dry hair.
• Pine tree Stables: Here people are taken on a two hour Bahamian horse back ride. This ride starts from Freeport and through the Pine Tree forest, through a castle and then to the dunes and along the beach.

Best time to visit / climate:

This island has a tropical marine climate and the waters of Gulf Stream are warm. The place is attacked by hurricanes and tropical storms and floods. The hurricane season lasts (officially) from June to November. The hotels charge their highest prices during the peak winter period from mid-December to mid-April and are the peak period for touring. Late summer or summer is the best time to visit the place.

Location on Google Maps:

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Or click and paste the URL below on your browser:

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=New+Providence,+Nassau,+Bahamas&sll=25.06,-77.345&sspn=0.264352,0.44014&gl=uk&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Nassau,+The+Bahamas&ll=25.060099,-77.345123&spn=0.279903,0.44014&z=11

How to get there:
Visitors from US, Canada, EU and Japan do not need an advance visa for stays of up to three months.
By plane: the capital Nassau, on New Providence, and Freeport, on Grand Bahamas are the largest airports of Bahamas. There are smaller airports in other places.
By boat: The capital, Nassau, on New Providence Island is one of the world’s busiest cruise ship ports, and is served by ships that originate from Florida, Freeport on Grand Bahamas Island.
Getting around: One can go by Bahamasair from Nassau or take bus services from Nassau/New Providence or take a taxi or rent a car to go around the place. Mail boats are served in almost all islands in Bahamas and are the cheapest mode of transport.

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

• Tripadvisor (hotel, restaurant)
• Wheretostay
• Caribbean.com
• Bahamas-travel.info

Blogs / Sites about New Providence:

• Travelpod.com
• http://www.newprovidenceblog.com/
• nj.com
• Travelbuddy.com

Images and photos of New Providence:

• Google Search
• Trekearth.com
• Tripadvisor.com
• pbase.com

Videos on youtube:

Destiny’s Day of Paradise and New Providence

Nassau – Bahamas New Providence Island – by Esther Borbas

Snorkeling Southwest Reef, New Providence, Bahamas

Attractions of Herrera:
• La Casa Vegetariana: One can get vegetarian food with wide varieties of fruit drinks and soya bean milk etc.
• Gamboa Rainforest Resort: This resort has a magnificent view of the rainforest. There are adventure programs around the Panama Canal area.
• Portobelo National Park: This is a park which offers snorkeling opportunity and kayaking the mangroves and this place is famous for the Spanish and the pirates.
• Colon: Colón is a sea port that is on the Caribbean Sea coast of Panama. This is a city that is on the entrance to the Panama Canal and is capital of the province by the same name. It is also known as the second city of Panama. It is located on Manzanillo Island. It is surrounded by Limon Bay, Manzanillo Bay and the Folks River. It now includes the towns of Cristobal, Rainbow City, Margarita, and Coco Solo, and the former U.S. Army base of Fort Gulick.
• El Casco Viejo: This is a 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.
• Iglesia de San Francisco de la Montaña: This is a church that dates to 1727. It has unique Baroque architecture and is a declared National Historical Monument on January 27, 1937. About Seventeen kilometers from Santiago, the 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. It is a reflection of Spanish Catholicism with Indian culture. This is located a few kilometers away from the Pan American Highway.
• La Laguna, Las Colinas: This place is near the mountains and beaches zone. One can enjoy being at the top of a mountain or explore the pre mountain tropical forest with birds, plants and wildlife.
• Palacio de Las Garzas: There are many historic buildings in this area.
• Istmo Brew Pub: This pub provides the tourists with locally brewed beers and imported beers.
• The Panama Canal: This canal is about 77 km (48 miles). It is a shipping canal, located in Panama and this canal joins the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean; it is a key for maritime trade. The traffic is about 1000 ships in the early days and much higher right now. This canal has its own measurement system called Panama Canal/Universal Measurement System (PC/UMS) in tons. It is one of the largest engineering projects of the times. The route is via the Drake Passage and Cape Horn at the southernmost tip of South America.

Best time to visit / climate:

Herrera 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:
There is a large regional bus terminal in Chitré from where there are bus services to and fro to the destinations like Las Minas, Las Tablas, Los Posos, Ocú, Panama City, Pesé, Santiago, and Tonosí. Chitré has a small airport that has flight service to and fro from Panama City on Aeroperlas.
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 offers a scenic ride with views of the Panama Canal and the tropical rainforest.
To get around in local taxis is the best way of getting around.

Places to stay (hotels / restaurants along with website / contact numbers):
• Hotels at allstays
• Hotel at virtual panama
• Hotels at gtahotels
• Hotels at maplandia
• hotels at exclusive hotels
• Hotels at costaricalink

Blogs / Sites about Herrea, Panama:

• Blogs and reviews at travelblog
• Blogs and reviews at travelpost
• Blogs and reviews at the panama realestate

Images and photos of Herrea, Panama:

• Images at google
• Images at tripadvisor
• Images at Panama Pictures
• Images at Topix

Videos of Herrera, Panama:

Caballo en plaza Colonial de Parita (Herrera-Panama)

Herrera Province, Panama

Herrera Cathedral, Chapel,Center, Azuera Peninsula HD

The main attractions in Hamilton are:
- Anglican Cathedral of The Most Holy Trinity
- Barr’s Bay Park
- Bermuda Farmers market
- Bermuda Historical Society Museum
- Bermuda National Gallery
- Bermuda National Library
- Bermudiana Arcade
- Cabinet Building and Cenotaph
- Canon’s Court
- Cathedral of St. Theresa
- City Hall
- Law courts
- Par-la-Ville Park
- Royal Bermuda Yacht Club
- Sessions House
- Victoria Park
- Washington Mall

Few of the popular attractions are:
• Bermuda Forts: There are large forts and smaller batteries on the island. They were built from 1612 to 1957. Almost 100 fortifications are built on this island. The larger ones are restored while some are on displays. Some can only be reached by boat.
• Fort Hamilton: This is a Victorian fort and has a view of Hamilton Harbor. The fortification dates back to mid-19th century. It was the times of rift between Britain and the USA. The ramparts are mounted with 18-ton artillery pieces (to date unused) capable of firing 400-pound (181kg) cannonballs through iron-hulled vessels. There is a small beach nearby known as Clarence Cove. There is a house known to be the residence of Royal Navy’s regional commander and the house is dated from the early 19th century.
• Harrington Sound: This is a big inland sea that is five miles (8km) northeast of Hamilton. The sound is associated to the changing tides and water rush below the bridge connecting. One side is Flatts village on north side and the other side is south side.
• Crystal Caves: The caves are on the land between Harrington Sound and Castle Harbor. One can see stalactites and stalagmites formations. There is a lake known as Cahow Lake which is at a depth of 55ft (17m). Palm garden is another attraction nearby. Further located are Leamington caves which has underground pools.
• Bermuda Maritime Museum, Pender Rd., and Royal Naval Dockyard: One can go for 1/2 a day to the Royal Naval Dockyard. During the American Revolutionary War, the island had naval bases. This island had been the base of the British Royal Navy which relocated the headquarters of its Atlantic Fleet here from 1812 to 1957. The tourist attractions include the old limestone storage buildings, fortresses which were redeveloped by the Bermuda Government. There are shopping centers too.
• Bermuda Perfumery & Gardens: These gardens are for nature lover. There is horticulture and jungle spread with flora like hibiscus, passion flowers, Easter lilies, thumbergia, night-blooming cerus and other flowers. This is known to be the oldest and best perfume shop which also shows how the scents are made. The perfumery is in an old farmhouse that was built around 250 years ago.
• Hamilton City Hall, Repton, Church St, Repton: This hall is known to be built in 1960. It has two galleries and a theatre. The Bermuda Festival of the Performing Arts take place here, and others like the magical Evening of Jazz concert etc. are performed in this hall.
• Scuba Look, Hamilton, 11 Blue Hole Hill, Hamilton: This is on the east side of Bermuda and at Grotto Bay Beach Hotel. It is the only dive operator.
• Bermuda Aquarium, Museum, and Zoo, 40 North Shore Road, Flatts Village: This aquarium has a centerpiece of a 140,000 gallon replica coral reef which is special and there are Over three hundred birds, reptiles and mammals and 200 species of fish housed in this centre.
• Devil’s Hole Aquarium, Harrington Sound Road, Hamilton: It is a small aquarium but one has to look for reef fish and turtles with bait.
• Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute, 40 Crow Lane, East Broadway, Pembroke: This is just outside Hamilton which takes tourists to an underwater expedition.
• John Smith’s Bay Beach, Hamilton Parish: This is another nice pink sand beach.
• Shelly Bay, North Shore Road, Hamilton Parish: This bay has lots of shallow water. It also has a large playground ideal for families with small kids. It is not far from Flatts Village and the Bermuda Aquarium, Museum and Zoo are also nearby. This bay also has Restrooms, beach rentals, food concession.
• Bermuda Railway Trail: This trail was dismantled after 17 years in 1948. It is now a public walking trail from St. George Town in the east end, through Pembroke Parish near the City of Hamilton and on toward Somerset Village in the west end. On the way one can find trestle houses, station houses and railway ties and views of the island and waters.

Best time to visit / climate:
The climate of Hamilton is sub-tropical, the weather being sunny and hot all year round. July, August and September are hot enough. The best time to visit Bermuda is from spring through to autumn. The warm waters of the Gulf Stream give it a quasi-tropical atmosphere. Overall, Bermuda has a mild, humid subtropical maritime climate; strong winds are common in winter. The hurricane season is from June to November. It is best to avoid this time of the year.

Location on Google Maps:

View Larger Map

How to get there:
Hamilton is accessible from all parts of Bermuda.
By plane: Bermuda International Airport is the airport operating in Bermuda and is located in St. George’s parish which is beside Castle Harbor. This airport serves daily flights from Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Charlotte, Newark, New York, Philadelphia, Toronto and Washington, together with less frequent flights from other US and Canadian cities. British Airways fly from London (Gatwick) to Bermuda.
By boat/yacht: The cruise ships operate from the ports of Baltimore, Boston, Bayonne, New York, Norfolk, Miami/Ft Lauderdale, and Philadelphia on the eastern seaboard of the United States.

Get around: All locations in and around Hamilton are easily accessible by foot.

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

• Wikitravel.org
• Tripreport.com
• Tripadvisor
• Travel at Yahoo

Blogs / Sites about Hamilton (Bermuda):

• http://blog.laurellkhamilton.org/
• Travelblog.org
• Travelpod.com
• http://ca.loadedweb.com/cities/ontario/hamilton/blogs/
• http://www.travbuddy.com/Hamilton-travel-blogs-520444

Images and photos of Hamilton (Bermuda):

• Google Search
• Travel-tips
• dere-street
• Travelpost

Videos of Hamilton in Bermuda from Youtube:

Hamilton Bermuda, HD Video

Cruise ship, Front Street, Hamilton Bermuda

Bermuda Hamilton Harbor

Hamilton Harbor

Attractions of Gran Parque Natural Topes de Collantes:
• Parque Altiplano: The main hotels are located here. There are places such as the Museo de Arte Cubano Contemparano (“Museum of Contemporary Cuban Art”); the Casa de Café and the “Mi Retiro” restaurant located here which are popular. The De Gigantes (“Giants Garden”) and a short hike to Salto Vega Grande (“Vega Grande Falls’) are small hiking trails.
• Salto de Caburní (“Caburní Falls”): These falls are a hike of 7 kilometers on a roundtrip basis and starts to the east of the Kurhotel. One can also swim in the large pool that is below the falls. It is a waterfall that is about 35-meters high.
• Sendero La Batata: This is another hiking trail that is about six kilometers long. It is a hike to a cave which also has an underground creek. One can also swim in the cave. The hike trails begins at the Casa de Café.
• Parque Codina: This serves as the starting point for hiking trails to caves, waterfalls and other viewpoints along with bird watching and camping and it is near the Parque Altiplano.
• Parque Guanayara: This hiking trail is to the Cascada El Rocío waterfall, swimming, hiking trails, camping.
• Parque El Nicho: These are series of waterfalls with clear blue waters. This is a drive about two hours. One can even go for horse back riding.
• Parque El Cubano: This is the part closest to Trinidad, and this site includes waterfall, swimming, camping, bird watching, horseback riding, and a restaurant and a trail from the Mirador de Caribe to Topos de Collantes.
• Embalse Hanabanilla: This is to the north of the national park and is a large reservoir which is near to the town of Manicaragua. There are offers for hiking, horseback riding, boating, and fishing.
• Mirador de Venus: This is a mountain top and one can on a hike to the top which is about two hours from El Salto.

Best time to visit / climate:

The best time to visit Gran Parque Natural Topes de Collantes 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 some.

Location on Google Maps:

View Larger Map

How to get there:
The road to Topos de Collantes is fifteen kilometers and has a steep incline.
By plane: One can reach Cuba from Canada, Mexico and Europe by arriving at Jose Marti International Airport (located 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 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.

Get 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

Aero Caribbean
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 train: The main line runs between 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 bus: Viazul is the bus service in Cuba for public transport to tour the island. Astro is another bus line for touring in Cuba.

By boat: Cienfuegos or Trinidad incorporates the Canarreos Archipelago and the Juventud Islands or Jardines de la Reina Archipelago. Windward Islands is the bases for boat rides.

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

• Wikitravel.org
• Moon.com
• iGuide
• Travelbuddy.com
• Tripadvisor Hotels

Blogs / Sites about Gran Parque Natural Topes de Collantes:

• Travelpod.com(1, 2)
• Travelblog.com
• Eurekamag.com
• http://www.lonelyplanet.com/cuba/travelblogs

Images and photos of Gran Parque Natural Topes de Collantes:

• Google Search
• iguide
• http://www.cubatravelphotos.com/

Videos of Gran Parque Natural Topes de Collantes from Youtube:

Cuba: Gran Parque Natural Topes de Collantes

Attractions of El Condado and around in San Juan:

• Condado Beach: This beach is one mile long stretched along the Atlantic Ocean and Laguna Condado. The line has many luxury hotels and facilities.
• The modern Convention Center: This convention centre is in Condado. It is known to be one of the largest in the Caribbean. This centre can hold about 10,000 people and houses and hosts many art exhibitions and festivals. The total area is about 580,000 square feet. It is located on a site that was earlier a US Naval and Coast Guard Base. It is the centre for many shopping centers, theatres, restaurants, and more.
• Casinos: There are two popular casino hotels of San Juan. Also there are small parks in the surroundings.
• Shopping: Most of the shopping centers are found on Ashford Avenue. The main centers are
1. Cartier
2. Louis Vuitton
3. Ferragamo
4. Furla
5. Hellmuth
• Nightlife: The following are the casinos and restaurants that stay open late into the night:
1. Eternal, the lobby-level lounge at the Conrad Condado Plaza.
2. The lobby bar at the La Concha Resort.
3. Kali, an Eastern-themed lounge and restaurant.
• El Castillo San Felipe Del Morro “El Morro”: This is a citadel that dates back to sixteenth-century. It lies to the northwestern-most point of the islet of San Juan, Puerto Rico. It is a part of National Historic Site and is a World Heritage Site by the United Nations in 1983.
• El Castillo de San Cristóbal: This is a Spanish fort that is in San Juan, Puerto Rico. This fort was built to protect against land based attacks on this city of San Juan. It is part of National Historic Site. It is of a height 150 feet and is on an area of 27 acres of land.
• Palacio de Santa Catalina: It is a residence of the Governor of Puerto Rico. This was built between 1533 and 1540 to defend the San Juan harbor. It is also known as El Palacio de Santa Catalina or Palace of Santa Catalina which is also the oldest executive mansion in the New World. La Fortaleza is a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
• El Catedral de San Juan Bautista: Juan Ponce de León, a Spanish explorer’s tomb lies here which was built in the 1520′s. It was rebuilt in 1540 after destroyed by hurricane.
• Castillo de San Jerónimo: It is a fort that was built to defend from attacks in 1595.
• Iglesia de San Jose: This is a church and Monastery that dates back to 1523.
• Ayuntamiento or Alcaldia: This is also known as the City Hall.
• The municipal cemetery of Santa María Madgalena de Pazzis: This is a cemetery that is situated just outside the city walls.
• Fuerte San Geronimo: This is a fort that was built to tighten defense within the city with a small museum housed inside.
• Centro de Bellas Artes: This is a fine arts centre in the Caribbean in 1981.
• Bacardi Rum Factory: This has a trolley and guided tour inside the factory.
• There are famous beaches in Condado and Isla Verde.
• Parks in San Juan: Central Park, Garfield, Munoz Rivera Park and Parque de las Palomas.
• The Casino of Puerto Rico which is a large building and The Teatro Tapia is the oldest theatre in the Western Hemisphere.
• San Juan National Historic Site: This place has the old and the colonial portion and this includes three fourths of the city wall and Forts San Cristóbal, San Felipe del Morro, and San Juan de la Cruz, also called El Cañuelo, plus bastions, powder houses. Among the best preserved, this city of San Juan is one of the oldest locations and is also a National Historic Site.

Best time to visit / climate:
El Condado, San Juan has a tropical marine climate and has minimal seasonal variations. The climate is mild but has abundant rainfall in the north coast. June and November are usually the seasons of Hurricane. So avoid this time.

Location on Google Maps:

View Larger Map

How to get there:
Condado is located between Luis Munoz Marin International Airport and Old San Juan and is a 10 minute taxi ride away from each. To get around, one can just walk around.
US citizens do not need any visa since Puerto Rico is a US territory. A Picture ID should serve the purpose. For other citizens visa and supporting documents are required.
By plane: Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport is the main airport which is in Carolina, near San Juan. Aguadilla and Ponce also connects with flights like Jet Blue, Continental and Delta. There are direct flights from US. SJU is the modern airport in the Caribbean. From airport taxi services are available.
By boat: The west coast city of Mayaguez and Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic has ferry services available. From Fajardo to St. Thomas, there is a ferry. There are cruise ships that land in San Juan.

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

• Hotelguides.com
• Wikitravel.org
• http://www.sanjuanhotelsltd.com/
• http://www.condado.com.pe/pages/index.php
• Virtualtourist.com

Blogs / Sites about El Condado:

• http://www.travelpod.com/s/el+condado
• Tripwiser.com
• Lonelyplanet.com
• http://sanjuansafaris.com/blog/

Images and photos of El Condado:

• Google Search
• http://www.flickr.com/photos/jjd_photography/3515913303/
• http://www.terragalleria.com/america/puerto-rico/san-juan/
• http://photos.igougo.com/pictures-l613-San_Juan_photos.html

Videos of El Condado on Youtube:

Travel San Juan, Puerto Rico: Glitz @ El Condado & Isla Verde

El Condado, San Juan

El Condado, San Juan – Puerto Rico

Attractions of Darién, Panama

• The Pan-American Highway: It is a system of roads that measure 48,000 km (30,000 mi) long. It crosses North, Central, and South America. On the Colombian side, the highway is ending at 27 km (17 mi) west of Barranquillita, at Lomas Aisiadas and on the Panamian side the road terminates at town of Yaviza making it a total of about 100 km (62 mi). From South America to North America, there is a highway but breaks at the Darien gap.
• The Darién National Park: This Park is spread on a land area of about 5,790 square kilometers and established in 1980. It is known to be the largest national park in Central America and a UNESCO world heritage site. One can explore tropical forests, swamps, rocky coasts, sandy beaches, mangroves and a plethora of wildlife here in this park. There are two Indian tribes in the park limits.
• Gulf of Darien: Darien gulf is part of the Caribbean Sea and is on the north side of the Darien Gap. At this gulf, the Atrato River joins the sea. The gulf is bordered by Panama. The inner section of the gulf which is known as Gulf of Uraba is full of mangrove trees. One can access this gulf by boat. There are no roads but only hiking trails.
• Fort St. Andrew: This is the first Scottish settlement at Caledonia Bay. New Caledona settled in the gap area in 1700s. There is a shipwreck that can be viewed.

Darien Gap things to do:
• Bird watching: This gap area is full of rainforests in which there are many birds and jaguars, howler monkeys and slots too. There are about 900 species of birds to watch for. There are agents and companies which take the tourists to safe spots and for better viewing.

Darien Gap Festivals: There are festivals organized wherein one can get a taste of local culture, music and food.
• Panama Jazz Festival: This festival is famous for Latin American beats. It is the largest music festival in all of Central and South America. It is hosted in January for a week and in the Capital of Panama city.
• Festival de la Mejorana: This is a national festival and takes place at the end of the September. It is held annually. It is named after the guitar-like instrument—La Mejorana. It originated in a small town in Guarare called los santos. This festival has music, dancing, parades etc.
• Semana Santa: This is during the Easter week in Panama. It is a catholic festival with mass and prayers. The cathedrals are decorated at its best. There is celebration and dancing along with Spanish food.

Best time to visit / climate:
The weather of Darien is usually hot and wet. The humidity is higher at the Darien gap. As the mountain terrain is cooler than other areas, it is best in the mornings and evenings whereas afternoons are very hot.
The best time for travel is March and April as the weather is favorable. The rainfall time that is around May to mid November is rainiest and hence it is better to avoid this time of the year.

Location on Google Maps:

View Larger Map

How to get there:
The Darien Gap is a large section of jungle between Panama and Columbia, and Darien Gap transportation is useful if you are going to try to cross the jungle. The Darien Gap is a dangerous area, and travelers should use caution and careful planning when considering crossing this area.
Airplane: Darien Gap is best to cross on plane as there is no road transportation and vehicles need to be shipped. The flight is about an hour and twenty minutes from Panama to Columbia.
Boat: There are ferry services by companies but booking in advance is advisable.
By Foot: It is not recommended to go via foot.
Vehicle: There are no roads in the Darien gap.

Places to stay (hotels / restaurants along with website / contact numbers):
• Hotels at world66.com
• Hotels at tripadvisor
• Hotels at booking.com

Blogs / Sites about Darien Gap, Panama:
• Blogs and reviews at travelpod.com
• Blogs and reviews at lonely planet
• Blogs and reviews at afewmoremiles.com
• Blogs and reviews at gomadnomad.com
• Blogs and reviews at travelpod.com

Images and photos of Darien Gap, Panama:
• Images at thomasgriffioen.com
• Images at Flickr
• Images at jpsviewfinder.com
• Images at Webshots.com

Videos of Darien Gap, Panama:
• Darién Jungle Fever

• Darien Rain Forest

• Crossing the Darien Gap by Bicycle

• Crossing the Darien Gap from Panama to Colombia

• Darien Gap, Panama – Darien Project

Bimini Attractions
• Fishing: Bimini is well known for sport fishing and the perfect spot for this is located just 50 miles from the coast. This place is famous for diving and popular among angler because of the deep waters. Bimini is made up of two small islands which are North Bimini and South Bimini. Since it is in the path of the Gulf Stream, it also serves as a topspot for marine life which includes sea turtles and dolphins. Tourists and locals take their boats for fishing and relaxing in Bimini. There are many mysteries and legends and myths associates with Bimini.
• Bimini Road and Underwater Relics: North Bimini is just off the shore which has huge limestone blocks which are 20 feet below the surface which form a sort of road. In 1968, these blocks were discovered and are believed to the lost city of Atlantis. These blocks can be explored by Divers and Snorkelers. There is also an old shipwreck and its vessels that lie in the shallow waters. “The Sapona”, a World War II freighter is one of them.
• The Healing Hole: This is hidden among the mangrove creeks of North Bimini. This is actually a freshwater spring pool of sulphur which is mineral-rich and offers magical healing powers. These pools are used for rejuvenating experience and tourists do enjoy the feel.
• The Bimini Museum: It is situated in Alice town on King’s highway. This highway is a single road which is the main road of North Bimini. This museum has collection of artifacts and exhibits on the island’s history. This museum houses the rag-tag collection of mementos of the celebrities like Martin Luther King Junior’s immigration card, Ernest Hemingway’s fishing logs and even a domino set that once belonged to Adam Clayton Powell Junior. Among the artifacts are the old rum kegs and fishing boats.
• Dolphins: Bimini is known for its wild Atlantic spotted dolphins. There are trips that are organized by Wild quest to interacts with these dolphins and swim along with them in their natural habitats.
• Beaches: Bimini has many unspoiled beaches. Bimini Bay beach is known to be the largest white sand beach of Bimini which is not crowded. Alice Town of North Bimini has three main beaches that are connected and very popular which are Radio Beach, Blister Beach and Spook Hills. On the South side there is a beach named Tiki Hut Beach. This beach is less visited and is spread over two miles and this is also a pristine white beach of Bimini.

Things to do:
In Bimini one can go for deep sea fishing and hence this island is also known as the “Deep Sea Fishing Capital of the World”. The tourists flock from April – July to enjoy and take the full advantage of the calm seas for fishing and diving. The number of bars are more than restaurants in Bimini. Bimini has many small beaches though not known as Beach Island. The other activities include bone fishing, scuba diving, boating and relaxing.

Best time to visit / climate:
The tourists flock from April – July to enjoy and take the full advantage of the calm seas for fishing and diving. The weather is hot in the summer with afternoon thundershowers and warm and windy in the winter months.

Location on Google Maps:

View Larger Map

How to get there:
One can take a taxi to the ferry which is about five minutes to North Bimini. The best way to reach Bimini is via Grumman seaplane from Ft. Lauderdale or Miami run by Chalks Ocean Airways. The airport is last option as chalks no longer fly the sea planes. Traditional land based flights are still available. Bimini Island Air and Continental Airlines also serve Bimini, flying in to the airport on South Bimini.
To get around, a bicycle or golf cart is all needed as the roads are small about the length of 7-mile long island. The main road is the Kings Highway on which most shops, hotels and restaurants are located. The smaller Queen’s Highway that follows the east coast and along which the beaches are located.

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

• http://wikitravel.org/en/Bimini#Eat
• http://wikitravel.org/en/Bimini#Sleep
• Tripadvisor (hotel, restaurant)
• http://www.frommers.com/destinations/bimini/263_indacc.html

Blogs / Sites about Bimini:

• Travelpod
• http://www.blogcatalog.com/blogs/bimini-ring-game-headquarters
• nwidi.org

Images and photos of Bimini:

• Google Search
• Tripadvisor
• Seacrestbmini.com
• http://www.placesonline.com/central_america/bahamas/bimini/photos.asp

Youtube videos:

Miami to Bimini by JetSki Part I – w/ the South Florida Riders

Miami to Bimini Bahamas on Sea-Doos (PWC’s & Jet Boats)

Pershing around bimni and the exumas

Bimini Island — The REAL Bahamas HD

Top Events
In Gstaad, the following regular events are held:
• “ProCivitas week” 10-17 February
• International Balloon Festival in Châteux-d’Oex – This event takes place in January and is the most important Alpine balloon event with about 90 hot-air balloons in a variety of shapes and colours.
• The Allianz Suisse Open Gstaad tennis tournament: – This event takes place in July and is an international ATP Tennis Tournament with elite players.
• Davidoff Saveurs Gstaad – This event takes place in July and is a celebration of authentic flavors from kitchen, cellar and humidor.
• The “Menuhin Festival” classical music summer series: – This event takes place from July – September and is a summer music festival in honor of the great violinist and conductor.
• The “Hublot Polo Gold Cup” polo tournament: – This event takes place in August and features an international team riding fiery Arab horses fighting for victory.
• Country Night Gstaad – leading country event encompassing a wide musical spectrum (September).
• Sommets Musicaux de Gstaad or the “1to1 energy open” beach volleyball tournament: – This event takes place in February – March and is an intimate festival of classical music in spring.
There are many neighbouring resorts of Saanen, Rougemont, Schönried, Saanenmöser, Zweisimmen, Gsteig and Lauenen. The Saanenland is the nature preserve by Lake Lauenen with its waterfalls and high moors, the narrow streets in the historic village centre of Saanen.
The Saanenland ski and hiking arena has more than 60 transport facilities which can be accessed from several villages. The Montreux-Oberland-Railways (MOB) and buses connect Gstaad with other base stations in Saanenmöser, Schönried, Zweisimmen, Gsteig, Reusch, Lauenen Rougemont and Château-d’Oex in the French-speaking neighbouring region of Pays d’Enhaut.
Highlights
• Gourmet restaurants – There are almost thirteen renowned restaurants in the gourmet’s paradise of Gstaad. This includes the Restaurant Chesery which has been awarded 18 Gault Millau points.
• Lake Lauenen – This is an idyllic mountain lake. One can take a dip in or just walk along it. It also has a restaurant for mountain bikers and walkers.
• Scooter fun – Wispile-Gstaad or Sparenmoos-Zweisimmen offer fast descents on special scooters.
• Golden Pass panorama railway – The journey from Montreux on Lake Geneva via Gstaad to Lake Thun and from there on to Lucerne in Central Switzerland can be taken by the Golden Pass railway.

How to get there:

Gstaad is in the MOB (Montreux Oberland Bernois) railway line which runs from Montreux to Zweisimmen. The other trains are Golden Pass Panoramic or Classic trains. These Panoramic carriages enables one to see the splendid views of Lake Geneva.The Classic carriages are all wood-lined and with service. The trip from Montreux to Gstaad is beautiful with the scenery. During the Montreux Jazz festival there is a special jazz train with live music in dedicated carriages.

Best time to visit / climate:

In summer, Gstaad offers hiking trail of over 300 kilometers, mountain biking, paragliding and golf. Take a ride on river Saane, cross-country skiing in the glacier and toboggan run in Schönried via ferrata and the Lake Lauenen are other places of interest in summer.
In winter, 250 km of pistes at altitudes of up to 3000 meters above sea level attracts skiers and snowboard riders. The snow parks and toboggan runs of about 80km trails and skating, curling and skiing are the winter attractions of the place. This place is also known for Bavarian curling in the centre of Gstaad and glacier- and heli-skiing and riding a horse-drawn sleigh.

Location on Google Maps:

View Hallenbad im Sportzentrum Gstaad in a larger map

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

• http://wikitravel.org/en/Gstaad#Eat (list of restaurants)
• http://wikitravel.org/en/Gstaad#Sleep (list of hotels)
• http://www.myswitzerland.com/en/hotels/index.cfm/berneroberland/gstaad
• Booking.com
• http://www.gstaad.ch/en/
• http://www.palace.ch/
• Tripadvisor (hotel, restaurant)
• http://www.frommers.com/destinations/gstaad/2582_inddin.html (list of restaurants with reviews)

Blogs / Sites about Gstaad:

• http://www.gstaad.ch/en/
• Tripadvisor
• http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-city/Switzerland/Gstaad/tpod.html
• http://ladyantebellum.com/media/videos/blog-gstaad-need-you-now
• http://www.hereorthere.com/members/charlotte/experience/356
• http://www.travellerspoint.com/budget-accommodation-en-ci-475.html
• Virtualtourist

Images and photos of Gstaad:

• Google Search
• Tripadvisor
• http://www.picture-newsletter.com/country/index.htm
• worldtravels.com
• mlmagazine
• http://www.trekearth.com/gallery/Europe/Switzerland/West/Bern/gstaad/
• virtualtourist.com

Videos of Gstaad (on Google search)

Gstaad Palace, Hotel, Schweiz – Magic in the Mountains

GSTAAD – Skiing

Extreme skiing in Gstaad, Switzerland

Gstaad Switzerland

Snowboarding in Gstaad

Things to do:

• Hiking: Homebase Spiez
The peaks around Spiez are good for hiking. One can take a train or bus to reach the area. The right peak behind is Nisen which can be reached by a post auto. One can get to or back by train and enjoy the view around.
Stockhorn is another alpine mountain to hike. The starting point is Erlenbach which is 15 minutes from Spiez by train. Take a ride towards Zweissimen. To go to the peak, one can take a cable car or hike or reach there and hike. This hike is unique as the peak is above 400 metre cliff.
There are a few fantastic peaks that will definitely be great hikes starting from Spiez (by train or bus). The peak right behind Spiez is the Nisen. A post auto (bus) can take you to a variety of base locations, and there is a train that can take you down at the end of a tired day, or take you up just for the view.

• Cruising-day tickets in spring for both lakes
In spring one can get a day ticket for Thunersee and Brienzersee.
This ticket will include all of the cruises. Take the train between Interlaken Ost and Interlaken West.

Places to see:

• Schloss Spiez – a great medieval palace
The Schloss or the castle of Spiez is a medieval palace known for its architecture dating back to 10th century. It has old walls of the century. It has the 18th century architecture now because of the renovations taken place. It has fancy baroque furniture and ornate decorations, lovely stucco-works and frescos now.
• Step up the tower
A set of steps leads upwards to the tower of the castle of Schloss Spiez. The tower is 39 meters high and belongs to the year 1200. These steps have a panorama-view of the vineyards that are next to the castle, the village of Spiez with the Niesen and the lovely Thunersee.

• Lovely house
Next to the chapel of St.Columban, there is a house with a great balcony facing the Thuner See and a nice painting behind that balcony. One can view this on the way from the lake.

• Festsaal / the hall for festivities
One of the largest and spectacular rooms of the Schloss Spiez is the Festsall, which means the hall for festivities. The sidewalls, the ceilings have unique stucco-works all over it and they are believed to be made by Antonio Castello from Melide. These are unique and original as they have not been renovated or disturbed.

• Great interior of the Schloss Spiez
The interiors of the castle are open in the summer season. It opening starts on Friday before Easter. There is a medieval bed which is unique in style.

• Interior of the castle
In the castle one can see interesting exhibits. These exhibits belong to different centuries. There is a giant painting, wooden ceilings, spinning-wheel, painting of Swiss history etc.

• Spiez & its flowers
The lovely flower-arrangement of Spiez is one of the things you should not miss. This can be watched only if you take the path to the castle as it is in midway to castle. One can see some great wooden houses in the old Swiss style.

• Ship to Schloss Oberhofen
Take the ship from Spiez to Schloss Oberhofen in summer as it gives one a view of the castle and the surrounding park. The museum there is open between mid of May and mid of October.

• St.Columban – a popular wedding-chapel
Just a few meters from the castle of Spiez are the St. Columban chapel. It belongs to the 10th century. This church is a place for marriages in Switzerland and hence known the wedding-chapel.

How to get there

• Cisalpino (CIS) tilting trains
The Cisalpino Company is an Italian-Swiss joint venture with the Italian and Swiss railway systems as equal partners. Cisaplino tilting trains have been running through the Alps between Switzerland and Italy. These tilting trains can lean on curves and ideal for mountain routes rather than normal trains.
The trains between Switzerland and Italy are operated directly by the Swiss and Italian railways, mainly under the name “EuroCity”.

• Transportation hub:
Spiez is a major transportation hub. Two important rail routes meet her: the Lötschberg-Simplon route from Germany through Switzerland (Basel – Bern – Brig) to Italy and the Golden Pass trains from Montreux via Gstaad and Interlaken to Lucerne (continues to Zurich).

• Veloland Switzerland
There are two different bicycle routes, one for normal bicycles and one for mountain bikes.
Spiez is on the Swiss national cycling route number 8, called the “Aare Route” because it follows along the Aare River from its source to the Rhine, and number 9, the “Montreux–Rorschach” route. And there is a mountain bike route going to Leissingen, Krattigen and Aeschi.

• InterCityExpress (ICE) trains from Germany
Within Germany there is one ICE train per hour on most routes. Five of these ICE trains per day go beyond Basel into Switzerland, stopping at Olten, Bern, Thun, Spiez and Interlaken. For connections to Italy, you have to change trains at Spiez, at the latest.
The journey from Frankfurt to Spiez takes four hours and forty-one minutes.

• Take the train to Spiez
Spiez has its own train station and from Interlaken to Bern, almost all the trains halt here.

Best time to visit / climate:

The place is ideal to visit in summer as the castle is open in summer and you can see the interior of the castle as well. The other places, lake, cruising, hiking are all ideal in the weather of summer. The right peak behind is Nisen which can be reached by a post auto. One can get to or back by train and enjoy the view around.
Stockhorn is another alpine mountain to hike. The starting point is Erlenbach which is 15 minutes from Spiez by train. Take a ride towards Zweissimen. To go to the peak, one can take a cable car or hike or reach there and hike. This hike is unique as the peak is above 400 metre cliff.

Location on Google Maps:

View Larger Map

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

• Travelpod
• Tripadvisor (hotel, restaurant)
• http://www.kayak.com/Spiez-Hotels.48838.hotel.ksp
• Booking.com
• http://www.myswitzerland.com/en/hotels/index.cfm/berneroberland/spiez
• http://www.holidaycityeurope.com/spiezhotels/
• http://www.eden-spiez.ch/de_neu/
• http://www.switzerlandhotel.net/spiez_hotels.html
• http://travel.yahoo.com/p-travelguide-489208-spiez_switzerland_vacations-i
• Virtualtourist (list of restaurants, list of hotels)

Blogs / Sites about Spiez:

• Travelpod
• http://www.tripadvisor.com/AllReviews-g580339-Spiez.html
• Travelpod.ca
• lonelyplanet
• http://realtravel.com/dm-22015-spiez_maps
• http://www.travbuddy.com/Spiez-travel-blogs-1192293
• http://lerlop.com/2009/07/berner-oberland-switzerland/
• http://www.dreamstime.com/stock-photos-mountain-scene-spiez-switzerland-image15439233

Images and photos of Spiez:

• Google Search
• Travelpod
• http://www.trekearth.com/gallery/Europe/Switzerland/West/Bern/Spiez/
• http://www.tripadvisor.com/LocationPhotos-g580339-Spiez.html
• http://www.flickr.com/photos/eaglesky/4863206230/
• schweiz-bilder.ch

Videos of Spiez (Google Search)

The Trip Chicks in Spiez Switzerland

Morning Bells, Spiez, Switzerland

A beautiful scenery of Spiez

Switzerland.Spiez

The six main ski areas are:
• Parsenn / Gotschna
• Jakobshorn
• Pischa
• Rinerhorn
• Schatzalp
• Madrisas

Davos Platz is the largest summer and winter resort village in Alps. With varied winter sport activities and hiking trails in summer, in totally splendid Alpine scenery. Davos Platz has skiing and snowing areas between the altitudes 1124 and 2844 m. It has 54 ski lifts, 320 km of slopes, 75 km of cross-country ski tracks, two artificial ice-skating rinks and the largest natural ice rink of Europe skating . It also has almost five sledging runs. The Parsenn and Weissfluhjoch area which connects up with the neighbouring resort of Klosters, are the best places to ski. The Jakobshorn is the right place for snowboarders. The four hiking trails can be accessed by cable cars. The trails are the Jakobshorn (2590 m), Parsenn including the Weissfluhjoch und -gipfel (2844 m), Pischa (2483 m), Rinerhorn (2490 m) and Schatzalp/Strela.

Places to see
• Kirchner Museum Davos: It is Open on Tuesday through Sunday. It was built in the honor of Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, the German Expressionist painter. It was opened in 1992 and considered to be the world’s largest collection of the artist’s work. There is a wide variety of architecture in the museum, which attracts general and architectural circles. The design of the building was done by the Zürich architects Annette Gigon and Mike Guyer.
• Winter Sports Museum: This museum comprises of a large collection of winter sport equipments. It also has a collection of documents donated by the Jürg Kaufmann family. The winter equipment includes the exhibits (sleds, bobsleds, skis, skates, curling material, etc.) and the documents of the history of winter sports.
• The Davos Lake: It has a swimming area and a sailing and surfing centre.
• Zügenschlucht: This a gorge that has a railway line with a splendid view on the way. It also has a mining museum at the Schmelzboden which is 1340 m away. One needs to explore the Geology Trail also that is between Davos-Monstein and Wiesen.
• The Schatzalp: This is 1861m alpine botanical garden with magnificent scenery. This botanical garden has almost around 800 different species of plants from all over the world. To see the true garden, June and July is the right time as the flowers are in bloom.
• Sertigtal: This place is full of alpine sceneries and with natural beauty. One can ride a horse-drawn carriage or sledge and enjoy the surrounding beauty along with the ride.
• Bier Vision Monstein (Monstein Brewery): This is the highest brewery in Europe where one can also learn beer making, if interested.

Important events in Davos Platz:
• O’Neill SB-JAM Davos— this is a freestyle snowboarding event. This even takes place every year in Davos and open in December-January for everyone.
• Young Artists in Concert— this concert opens in July and August for young musicians from all over the world, for soloists and for singers in chamber groups and in churches.
• International Hiking Rally—it takes place in September annually. This is a hiking rally that covers four routes in the mountains around Davos.

How to get there

By train: One has to take train from Zurich to reach Davos. It takes 3 hours. There are train connections from Zurich’s Hauptbahnhof (main station) to Davos every hour. Zurich-Kloten Airport has its own railway station with train connections throughout Switzerland. The train journey between Klosters Dorf and Davos Platz, stopping at Klosters Platz and Davos Dorf on the way, takes just under half an hour. With Davos/Klosters visitor card (Gästekarte), it is a free ride.
Train Connections in Switzerland to Davos along with time taken is as follows:
Zurich-Landquart-Davos: 2 hours 45 minutes.
Geneva-Zurich-Landquart-Davos: 5 hours 15 minutes.
Buchs-Landquart-Davos: 2 hours.
St. Margrethen-Landquart-Davos: 2 hours 30 minutes.

By bus during ski season
From Zurich airport to Davos Dorf or Davos Platz every Saturday, there are buses running. To return from Davos Dorf or Platz to the airport, buses are available every Saturday in December through April. The bus goes three times a day.

By car
From Zurich-Kloten Airport: take A51 to Zurich and look for the road signs to Chur (Expressway A), take Exit “Landquart-Davos” and follow road signs to Davos. It will take two hours to reach to Davos from Zurich.

Get around
The municipal bus system and the cabs are the best modes of transportation around.

Best time to visit / climate:
Davos Platz is the largest summer and winter resort village in Alps. with varied winter sport activities and hiking trails in summer, in a totally splended Alpine scenery. The Parsenn and Weissfluhjoch area which connects up with the neighbouring resort of Klosters, are the best places to ski. The Jakobshorn is the right place for snowboarders or one can just take a ride by horse-drawn sledge into the snowy side valleys and view the Davos Mountains from 84 km. The foot paths are filled with snow and one can go for snow-shoe trails.
The four hiking trails can be accessed by cable cars. The trails are the Jakobshorn (2590 m), Parsenn including the Weissfluhjoch und -gipfel (2844 m), Pischa (2483 m), Rinerhorn (2490 m) and Schatzalp/Strela. They have a total of 450 km of marked footpaths. One can go by foot, by bike or by horse-drawn carriage too, if one is not interested in hiking the valleys of Sertig, Dischma or Flüela. The other options are hang-gliding and paragliding and mountain bike and inline skating routes.

Location on Google Maps:

View Larger Map

Driving directions from Zurich to Davos:

View Larger Map

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

• http://wikitravel.org/en/Davos#Eat (list of restaurants)
• http://wikitravel.org/en/Davos#Sleep (list of hotels)
• Booking.com
• Hotels and more
• http://www.orangesmile.com/booking/en/switzerland/davos-platz.htm
• http://www.venere.com/hotels/switzerland/davos/davos-platz/
• http://www.booked.net/City-Davos-Platz-18077/
• http://www.hotel-rates.com/switzerland/davos-platz/
• Starwoodhotels
• http://www.wikio.com/hotel/davos-platz-reviews-3558-page1-sort0,h.html

Blogs / Sites about Davos Platz:

• Travelpost
• http://realtravel.com/de-30589-davos_platz_real_trips
• http://www.travelpod.com/travel-blog-city/Switzerland/Davos/tpod.html
• http://www.frommers.com/destinations/davos/2605010031.html
• http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/pb/a8fc6/
• http://wikitravel.org/en/Davos
• http://www.wikinfo.org/index.php/Davos

Images and photos of Davos Platz:

• http://members.virtualtourist.com/m/pb/a8fc6/
• Google Search
• Travelpost
• Travelpost Hotels
• http://realtravel.com/d-30589-davos_platz
• davos-platz-ch.com
• http://www.webcamgalore.com/EN/webcam/Switzerland/Davos/428.html
• Weblo.com

Videos of Davos Platz (Google Search link)

Skiing in Davos, Switzerland

International Sports Night Davos Switzerland

Snowboarding, Raceboarding in Davos Switzerland

Davos Snowboarding 2