The city of Suriname includes:
• Paramaribo: This is the capital of the country.
• Albina: This city is a tourist spot famous in the east.
• Brownsweg: This is where the Brownsberg Nature Park is located and it is famous for its waterfalls.
• Lelydorp: This is the second largest village of Suriname.
• Moengo: This was a center for the mining and storage of bauxite in earlier times.
• Nieuw Amsterdam: This is a suburb of Paramaribo.
• Nieuw Nickerie: This is the largest village of the West Coast and it has about 13,000 inhabitants living in it.
• Paranam: This is another bauxite village along with Moengo.
• Wageningen: this is also known as the rice village of Suriname.

Attractions of Suriname:

Paramaribo: This is the capital of the country and is a listed UNESCO World Heritage Site, famous for its colonial buildings. The capital has an attractive British, Dutch, French and Spanish colonial architecture. There is a fort nearby known as the fort Zeelandia which is actually a restored fort and it houses the Surinam Museum. There is a Roman Catholic cathedral that dates back to the 19th century and which is made of wood entirely. The Independence Square, the Presidential Palace with a palm garden and the lively waterfront, Palmentuin – a park and market districts are other attractions of the place.

Watersports: Colakreek is a recreation area that is about 50km (32 miles) to the south of Paramaribo. It contains numerous creeks which has brown water in the small savannah belt behind the coastal plains. Other than these there are public pools in Poramaribo which are called Niew-Nickerie, Moengo and Groningen. In Jachthaven Ornamibo there are sailing facilities.

Golf: There is an 18-hole golf course that is located about 5km (3 miles) from Paramaribo on the airport road.

Eco tourism: Suriname has more than 80 percent of tropical rainforests, which are included in national parks and natural reserves. One can take a guided tour to Raleighvallen/Voltzberg Nature Park or Natuurpark Brownsberg (Brownsberg Nature Park) and a five day river tour to Kumalu and the Awarra Dam. One can view the diverse flora and fauna of the tropical forest which has numerous mammals that include jaguars, pumas and ocelots, birds like flamingos and eagles and rare flowers like orchids and ixora as well as the black and blue morph butterflies.
• Central Suriname Nature Reserve: The Central Suriname Nature Reserve (CSNR) consists of more than 1.6 million hectares of primary tropical forest of Suriname. The three most important protected areas are in central Suriname: the Raleighvallen Nature reserve in the north, and the Tafelberg and Eilerts de Hann Gebergte Nature Reserves in the central and southern portion of the corridor are linked by this reserve. The land area is large and has Suriname’s most important river systems, the Coppename River with diverse flora and fauna.
• The Tafelberg Nature Reserve: This is in the geographic center of Suriname. This covers the primary rainforest and savanna ecosystems.
• The Eilerts de Hann Gebergte Nature Reserve: This reserve has no human population living within or around its boundaries and comes under the Eilerts de Hann Gebergte mountain range and comes under the primary tropical rain forest and savanna ecosystems.
• The Raleighvallen Nature Reserve: This is an important area in South America and it is protected. The Vegetation here has the moist highland forest which comes under 80 percent of Suriname. This reserve is spread wide on an area of 78,170 ha. It is located along the Coppename River. This reserve also has falls named Raleighvallen (Raleigh Falls) which is near Fungo Island and in the upper Coppename River. It is also known as a bird and monkey paradise. One can explore toucans, macaws and parrots and 400 other species. There are weaver birds called oropendulas which are large and have yellow feathers which are special. Voltzberg which is a granite sugarloaf mountain and which can be reached on foot in three hours by jungle trail from Foengoe Island is another attraction of the reserve. This mountain is at an altitude of approximately 150 m (375 ft) above the forest canopy.
• Brownsberg: This is a natural park that is located 130 km (90 mi) south of Paramaribo. The view is great over the Brokopondo Reservoir. It is a birdwatchers paradise and has about 650 birds and that are rarely seen. The waterfall Irenevallen is very popular here which about 10 m high in the Brownskreek is. Witikreek is a stream at the foot of the Brownsberg.
• Galibi Nature Reserve: This is a single nesting site for the giant leatherback turtles – Dermochelys coriacea and one in the world. These are endangered sea turtles. These turtles nest from February and August which is peak season for more than 200 leatherbacks. Their eggs are known to hatch from July to September. Even green turtles – Chelonia mydas nest here along with Olive ridley turtles – Lepidochelys olivacea and hawksbill turtles- Eretmochelys imbricata. Eilanti Beach is the only beach where mass nesting aggregations occur of the Atlantic region. Christiannkondre and Langemankondre are the nearby Amerindian villages that can be visited and Carib Indian artwork is popular here. This reserve is on the edge of Marowiine River. This reserve is used by villagers for fishing, hunting, and plant collecting and small-scale agricultural activities.
• Upper Surinam River: Brownsberg is to the south of the Brokopondo Lake and ends at Atjoni. From here the Upper Suriname River begins and so to south as Djuumu and here the river branches into Gran Rio and Pikin Rio.

Other locations that can be seen:
• Awarra dam
• Palumeu
• Kasikasima
• Nickerie / Bigi Pan
• Colakreek
• Matapica
• Blanche Marie Falls
• Berg en Dal River Resort
• Danta Bai

Best time to visit / climate:
The climate is Tropical and moderated by trade winds. There are 2 dry seasons which is from February to March and August to November. There are 2 rainy seasons from December to January and April to August. November is considered the hottest month so it is best to avoid this time.

Location on Google Maps:

View Larger Map

How to get there:
By plane:
From Amsterdam there are daily KLM flights. Surinam Airways serves flights from Amsterdam and various Caribbean destinations.
From the United States, airline service is available via Surinam Airways and Caribbean Airlines via Trinidad.
The Johan Adolf Pengel International Airport, which was formerly called Zanderij International Airport, is the arrival point which is located 45 Kilometers south of Paramaribo from where one can take a taxi or bus.
There are weekly flights to Trinidad, Belem (Brazil), Cayenne (French Guiana) and Aruba.

By car: There is a road from Guyana to Suriname. There are mini buses from Georgetown to Suriname.

By bus: One can take a bus from Albina to Paramaribo.

By boat: There are small boats and small ferries between Albina (Suriname) and St. Laurent (French Guiana).

Getting around: One can take a boat or car to go around Suriname. There are charter boats too.

Buy these books to make your trip more enjoyable:

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

• Restaurant
• Hotel
• Southtravels
• http://www.surinamehotels.org/
• Yahoo travel

Blogs / Sites about Suriname:

• Travelpod
• expat-blog.com
• http://www.goldbamboo.com/blogs-t8704.html
• Travelblog

Images and photos of Suriname:

• http://www.travel-images.com/suriname.html
• Infohub
• http://www.travel-pictures-gallery.net/suriname/suriname-main-1.html
• Placesonline

Cueva del Cable (Cave of the Cable)
Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
Difficulty: Medium
Length: 10 km
Start: Rancho San Vicente
End: Hoya de Jutia
San Vicente-Ancón
Time: 3 hours 30 minutes
Difficulty: Low
Length: 5 km
Start: Hotel Rancho San Vicente
End: Ancón

Maravillas de Viñales (Wonders of Viñales)
Time: 5 hours
Difficulty: Low
Length: 6 km
Start: 2 km from Moncada
End: 1.5 km from Moncada

El Pinar y Su Encanto (The Pine and His Charm)
Time: 4 hours
Difficulty: Medium
Length: 2.8 km
Start: Hotel Rancho San Vicente
End: Hotel Rancho San Vicente

Entre Valles y Montañas (Between Valleys and Mountains)
Time: 5-6 hours
Difficulty: Low-Medium
Length: 10.8 km
Start: Hotel La Ermita
End: Hotel La Ermita

Tradiciones Campesinas (Traditional Countryside)
Time: 7 hours
Difficulty: Low-Medium
Length: 7 km
Start: Intersection of the road Capón and the Viñales-Puerto highway
End: Comunidad República de Chile

Del Infierno al Paraíso (From Hell to Paradise)
Time: 6-7 hours
Difficulty: Very high
Length: 8.6 km
Start: Resolladero río El Novillo
End: Mural de la Prehistoria

Tradiciones de Viñales (Traditional Viñales)
Time: 2-3 hours
Difficulty: Low
Length: 5.7 km
Start: Hotel Los Jazmines
End: Hotel Los Jazmines

Los Paisajes en al Valle (The Landscapes in the Valley)
Time: 4 hours
Difficulty: Low
Length: 7.6 km
Start: Intersection of the Viñales road and the La Ermita Hotel
End: Intersection of the Viñales road and the La Ermita Hotels

En el Corazon del Valle (In the Heart of the Valley)
Time: 4 hours
Difficulty: Low
Length: 11 km
Start: Viñales Museum
End: Farm House in Viñales

Del Mirador al Valle (The View of the Valley)
Time: 3 hours
Difficulty: Low
Length: 4 km
Start: Hotel Los Jazmines
End: The town of Viñales

De la Mano del Guajiro (Of the Hand of the Peasant)
Time: 3 hours
Difficulty: Low
Length: 4 km
Start: Viewpoint at Sitio del Infierno
End: Primary School El Sitio

Cave Exploring:
1. Cuevas Del Indio: These are Indian caves located five kilometers to the north of Vinales. There is also a boat tour here.
2. Gran Caverna de Santo Tomás: This cave that is 15 kilometers to the west of Gran Caverna de Santo Tomas that is near El moncada. It is the biggest cave in Cuba.

Best time to visit / climate:
The best time to visit Vinales 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:
By plane: 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 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.
By bus: Viazul runs buses twice a day from Havana and Pinar del Rio.

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.
By train: The main line runs through 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 to Windward Islands is the bases for boat rides.

Travel to Vinares after reading these travel books from Amazon:

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

• Restaurant
• Hotel
• Cubahotelreservation
• Tripadvisor
• cuba-junky.com
• Travelpod

Blogs / Sites about Vinales:

• Lonelyplanet
• Travelpod
• bugbitten.com
• globenotes.com

Images and photos of Vinales:

• Google Image Search
• Fotosearch
• Tripadvisor
• Lonelyplanet
• Tripadvisor Canada

Videos of Viñales from Youtube:

Vinales Valley, Vinales (Cuba) – Travel Guide

Unesco World Heritage “Vinales Valley”, Cuba

Vinales Valley Cuba – World Heritage Site

Indian Cave, Vinales Valley, Cuba

VIÑALES VALLEY PINAR DEL RIO CUBA

Horse ridding in Vinales

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:

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)

Attractions of Paramaribo:
• The Mosque Keizerstraat: This is the headquarters of the Lahore Ahmadiyya Movement for the Propagation of Islam in Paramaribo in Suriname, “Surinaamse Islamitische Vereniging” (SIV). This is situated in the Keizerstraat which is adjacent to the Neveh Shalom Synagogue.
• The Neveh Shalom Synagogue: It is the only synagogue of the Ashkenazi community located in Suriname. This is made of wood and was built in between 1665-1671 but later rebuilt with brick. In 1735, it was known to be sold to Ashkenazim. The present synagogue on the Keizerstraat which is located on 82 lot was designed by architect J.F. Halfhide which was completed in 1842 or 1843.
• The Saint Peter and Paul Cathedral: This is a wooden Roman Catholic cathedral that is located in the center of the city of Paramaribo, Suriname. This is known to be the largest wooden building in South America, and the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Paramaribo. This cathedral was constructed in 1883 and it was earlier a theatre.
• Watersports: Colakreek is a recreation area that is about 50km (32 miles) to the south of Paramaribo. It contains numerous creeks having brown water, in the small savannah belt behind the coastal plains. Other than these, there are public pools in Poramaribo which are called Niew-Nickerie, Moengo and Groningen. In Jachthaven Ornamibo there are sailing facilities.
• Golf: There is an 18-hole golf course that is located about 5km (3 miles) from Paramaribo on the airport road.
• Galibi Nature Reserve: This is a nesting site for the giant leatherback turtles- Dermochelys coriacea. These are endangered sea turtles. These turtles nest from February and August which is peak season for more than 200 leatherbacks. Their eggs are known to hatch from July to September. Even green turtles- Chelonia mydas nest here along with Olive ridley turtles- Lepidochelys olivacea and hawksbill turtles- Eretmochelys imbricata. Eilanti Beach is the only beach where mass nesting aggregations occur in the Atlantic region. Christiannkondre and Langemankondre are the nearby Amerindian villages that can be visited and Carib Indian artwork is popular here. This reserve is on the edge of Marowiine River. This reserve is used by villagers for fishing, hunting, and plant collecting and small-scale agricultural activities.
• Brownsberg: This is a natural park that is located 130 km (90 mi) south of Paramaribo. The view is great over the Brokopondo Reservoir. It is a birdwatchers paradise and has about 650 birds, some of them rarely seen. The waterfall Irenevallen is very popular here, which about 10 m high. Witikreek is a stream at the foot of the Brownsberg.
• Fort Zeelandia: This is actually a restored fort and it houses the Surinam Museum.
• Kekemba Resort Paramaribo, Mangolaan: This resort is best for relaxing and swimming.
• There is a flea market that is open on Sundays which should be visited.
• Letitia Vriesdelaan: There is a flower expo at Letitia Vriesdelaan every other Sunday which is beautiful and must visit as different orchids, cacti, and other plants are for sale.
• Others: Royal Palm Gardens, Presidential Palace, Historical city center and Jodensavanne.

Best time to visit / climate:
The climate is Tropical and moderated by trade winds. There are 2 dry seasons which are from February to March and August to November. There are 2 rainy seasons from December to January and April to August. November is considered the hottest month so it is best to avoid this time.

Location on Google Maps:

View Larger Map

How to get there:
Citizens of the following countries do not need a visa to enter Suriname:
Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica (for holders of diplomatic and official passports only), Colombia (for holders of diplomatic and official passports only), Cuba (for holders of diplomatic and official passports only), Dominica, Philippines, Gambia, Guyana, Grenada, Hong Kong, Israel, Jamaica, Japan, Malaysia, Monserrat, Netherlands Antilles, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Singapore, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela (for holders of diplomatic and official passports only), South Korea.

By plane:
From Amsterdam there are daily KLM flights. Surinam Airways serves flights from Amsterdam and various Caribbean destinations.
From the United States, airline service is available via Surinam Airways and Caribbean Airlines via Trinidad.
The Johan Adolf Pengel International Airport, which was formerly called Zanderij International Airport, is the arrival point which is located 45 Kilometers south of Paramaribo from where one can take a taxi or bus.
There are weekly flights to Trinidad, Belem (Brazil), Cayenne (French Guiana) and Aruba.

By car: There is a road from Guyana to Suriname. There are mini buses from Georgetown to Suriname.

By bus: One can take a bus from Albina to Paramaribo.

By boat: There are small boats and small ferries between Albina (Suriname) and St. Laurent (French Guiana).

Getting around: One can take a boat or car to go around Suriname. There are charter boats too.

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

• Tripadvisor Hotels
• Yahoo travel
• Hotelscombined
• http://www.torarica.com/

Blogs / Sites about Paramaribo:

• Travelpod
• Travelblog
• Travelpost
• Travelbuddy

Images and photos of Paramaribo:

• Infohub
• Picsearch
• Tripadvisor
• Caribbeanreviewofbooks
• Flickr

Buy these books to make your trip more enjoyable:

Videos of Paramaribo from youtube:

Paramaribo, Suriname

Living in Suriname ( facts and tips from Suriname)

Suriname Paramaribo at night

Garden birds of Paramaribo, Suriname

suriname paramaribo a great city

Some of the St George Bermuda Beaches
- Tobacco Bay, St. George Parish: It is a boulder-sheltered, shallow and warm-water beach and can be reached by foot from St. George square or are shuttles available. Nearby, there is a Fort St. Catherine that can be reached by foot. Rest rooms, food concession, beach rentals are available.
- Achilles Bay / St. Catherine’s Bay, Northeastern St. George Parish: This bay also can be reached on foot from St. George square and shuttles are readily available. This bay is just beside the Fort St. Catherine. Rest rooms, food concession nearby, beach rentals are also available on this beach.
- Clearwater Beach / Turtle Beach / Turtle Bay / Long Bay / Well Bay / Soldier Bay: This is near the east end of the airport in St. David’s. It is situated on a former US Air Base land that weas used for NASA tracking station at Cooper’s Island. Rest rooms, food concession and bar are available on the bay along with the Children’s playground.

Some St. George’s golf courses in the area:
- St. George Golf Course, St. George Parish, north of the Town of St. George.
- Tuckers Point Golf Course / Mid Ocean Golf Course, St. George Parish, near Tucker’s Town.
- Mid Ocean Golf Club Mid Ocean, an 18-hole golf course.

St George Bermuda Museums and Lighthouse:
- Bermuda National Trust Museum: This museum is situated at King’s Square. Bermuda National Trust Museum is one of the oldest stone buildings in Bermuda which depicts Bermuda’s role in America’s civil war.
- Bermuda Old State House: This house is the oldest building of Bermuda. This house held the parliament sessions of Bermuda until 1815 after which Hamilton became the capital and parliament moved there.
- St David’s Lighthouse Bermuda: This is at the highest point on the Eastern tip of the island. This lighthouse sends its beam 20 miles over the ocean.
- Carter House: This house is one of the oldest homes in Bermuda. It is made of stone and the old vernacular architecture of Bermuda is highlighted in this house.
- Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences: This institute was earlier known as the Bermuda Biological Station. This institute performs research operations on deep sea and coral reef behaviors.

Other attractions:
- St George Market Nights: This market is held on every Tuesday evening at 7p.m., held at Kings Square. There are displays of products, Gombey dancing, music and much more.
- Bermuda Perfumery: This is situated on Queen Street of St George. This is known to be the oldest and best perfume shop which also shows how scents are made. The perfumery is in an old farmhouse that was built around 250 years ago.
- 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.
- St Peter’s Church: This is one of the oldest Anglican churches of the Western hemisphere.
- 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 be reached by boat.

The forts in Bermuda are:
- Fort St. Catherine, St. George Parish: This is situated on the north-eastern tip of St. George Island. This fort of St. Catherine’s has collection of historic exhibits & artifacts. Its interior is well-preserved interior and is very popular here.
- Gates Fort, St. George Parish east (guarding Town Cut channel entrance)
- Alexandra Battery, St. George Parish east
- Fort George, St. George Parish (overlooking the Town of St. George)
- St. David’s Battery, St. George Parish east
- Martello Tower / Ferry Island Fort, St. George Parish west (at Ferry Reach)
- King’s Castle / Devonshire Redoubt / Landward Fort, St. George Parish south (on Castle Island, accessed via boat)

Best time to visit / climate:

The best time to visit St. George parish is May-September. The warm waters of the Gulf Stream give it a quasi-tropical atmosphere. Overall, Bermuda has a mild, humid subtropical maritime climate and 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:
Saint George is accessible directly from Hamilton by bus.
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 has 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 flies 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: This parish’s locations in and around are walkable.

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

• Restaurant
• Hotel
• http://www.experiencebermuda.com/
• Tripadvisor Hotel
• Frommers
• http://www.bermuda-online.org/seestgeo.htm

Blogs / Sites about Saint George (Bermuda):

• http://www.bermuda-online.org/seestgeo.htm
• http://bermudacruise.blogspot.com/
• Travelblog.org (Link 1, Link2)
• http://www.flexijourney.com/Saint_George_(Bermuda)

Images and photos of Saint George (Bermuda):

• Google Image Search
• Picturesofplaces
• pbase.com

Videos of Saint George from videos:

St George, Bermuda

Fort St Catherine Bermuda, St Catherine’s Beach, Gates Bay

Ode to Tobacco Bay — St. George, Bermuda

St. George, Bermuda

St George’s Bermuda

Best time to visit / climate:
Puerta de Tierra 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:
Puerta de Tierra, 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 airlines like Jet Blue, Continental and Delta. There are direct flights from US. From the 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):

• Wikitravel – Restaurants
• Wikitravel – Restaurants
• Sanjuanhotels
• http://iguide.travel/San_Juan/Puerta_de_Tierra
• Lonelyplanet

Blogs / Sites about Puerta de Tierra:

• Travelpod
• Billfish tournament
• Lonelyplanet
• Travelpod Link 2

Images and photos of Puerta de Tierra:

• From Google Image Search
• iguide.travel
• Flickriver
• igougo
• From Flickr

Want to know more about San Juan ? Read these books:

Videos of Puerta de Tierra from youtube:

Luis Munoz Rivera park in Puerta de Tierra San Juan Puerto Rico

Luis Munoz Rivera Park and Paseo Caribe in San Juan Puerto Rico

Museums
• Museum of Alcázar
• Altar de la Patria
• Naval Museum of the Atarazanas
• Museum of the Casas Reales :This museum belongs to the colonial period
• Museum of Duarte: This museum depicts the history of the movement and struggle for independence of this place.
• Museum of Natural History
• Museum of Dominican Man
• World of Ambar Museum
• Museum of Modern Arts
• National Museum of History and Geography: This museum is of pre Columbian times and depicts Dominican history.

Parks and recreational areas
• Mirador Norte Park: This Park is in the north of the city and close to Villa Mella.
• Enriquillo Park
• Mirador Sur Park: This Park is situated in the southwest section of the city.
• Independencia Park: This Park is in Zona Colonial.
• Colón Park, located in Zona Colonial
• Las Praderas Metropolitan Park
• The Malecón
• Dr. Rafael Ma. Moscoso National Botanical Garden
• Dominican Republic National Zoo
• Barrio Chino (Chinatown)
• Parque Nuñez de Caceres

Malls and Plazas
• Acropolis Center Mall
• Bella Vista Mall
• Carrefour
• Diamond Mall
• IKEA
• Jumbo
• Malecon Center Mall
• Megacentro
• Plaza Central
• Plaza Lama
• Plaza Las Americas
• Plaza Naco
• Pola
• Sirena
• Sambil Santo Domingo Mall
• Agora Mall
• Blue Mall
• Galerias 360 Mall
• Sky Mall
• Megacentro

Best time to visit / climate:
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

How to get there:
By plane
The main airports of the Dominican Republic are
• (AZS) Samana, also known as “El Catey”, located between the towns of Nagua and Samana on the north coast
• (JBQ) “La Isabela” airport in Santo Domingo, for domestic flights and some flights from other Caribbean islands
• (LRM) La Romana on the south east coast
• (POP) Puerto Plata, also known as “Gregorio Luperon” on the north coast
• (PUJ) Punta Cana International in the east.
• (SDQ) Santo Domingo, also known as “Las Americas” on the south coast close to the capital city Santo Domingo
• (STI) Santiago also known as “Cibao International” in Santiago de los Caballeros which is the country’s second largest city.

From Europe: One can fly from Europe via Madrid (MAD) or Paris (CDG).
From US: One can fly from New York, Ft. Lauderdale, Miami, Philadelphia, San Juan, Atlanta or Charlotte.
One can take a taxi from the airport. Do not forget the tourist card on arrival that cost $10.

By car: In Santo Domingo, Cars may be rented through Hertz, Avis, Prestige Car Rentals and other agencies. Rentals are also available in other major cities. Take DR-1 connecting Santo Domingo and Santiago or DR-7 from just east of Santo Domingo north to near Sanchez. DR takes from east to the Samana peninsula or west along the northern coast.
By boat: Ferry services are available between Mayagüez in Puerto Rico and Santo Domingo in Dominican Republic.
Get around: One can go around using the bus service, ‘gua-guas’, domestic air flights, Cocotours- one of the Dominican Republic’s leading inbound tour operators or charter air services. Cocotours has offices in La Romana, Puerto Plata, Punta Cana and Samana.

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

• http://wikitravel.org/en/Santo_Domingo#Eat
• http://wikitravel.org/en/Santo_Domingo#Sleep
• Yahoo travel
• Tripadvisor

Blogs / Sites about Santo Domingo:

• http://www.blogsantodomingo.com/
• Travelblog
• Travelpod
• LonelyPlanet

Images and photos of Santo Domingo:

• Google Images
• Tripadvisor
• Trekearth
• igougo

Videos of Santa Domingo from youtube:

Santo Domingo

Dominican Republic, Santo Domingo City – Part 1

Dominican Republic, Santo Domingo City – part 2

Dominican Republic

Santo Domingo

The districts of San Juan are:
• Old San Juan: This is the historic part of San Juan. The most historic attractions, galleries, museums, and tourist traps fall into this part of the district.
• Puerta de Tierra: This is in the middle of Old San Juan and Condado. This is a large residential area.
• El Condado: This is a rich residential neighborhood. It is a beach resort of the city and has many hotels and restaurants.
• Isla Verde: This city is closest to the international airport and has beautiful beaches and parks.
• International Convention Center District: This has a fountain that plays both typical and classical music and has many restaurants and shopping centers.
• Hato Rey: This is a business center and has the main banks, the Plaza las Americas (a mall with over 300 stores), the Hiram Bithor Stadium, Roberto Clemente Colosseum and Coliseo de Puerto Rico.
• Rio Piedras: This houses the main campus of the University of Puerto Rico. This is a municipality.
• Santurce: This is also one of the historical parts of Puerto Rico and is a cultural capital. It has two art museums and a performing arts center.
• Miramar: This is near El Condado and has historical houses.

Attractions of San Juan:
• 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 part of National Historic Site and is a World Heritage Site (declared by the United Nations in 1983).
• El Castillo de San Cristóbal: This is a Spanish fort that is located in San Juan, Puerto Rico. This fort was built to protect against land based attacks on the city of San Juan. It is one of the National Historic Sites. It has a height of 150 feet and is on an area of 27 acres of land.
• Palacio de Santa Catalina: It is the 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.
• 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 being destroyed by a hurricane.
• Castillo de San Jerónimo: It is a fort that is known as Condado. This was known 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 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 colonial portion and 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.
• Ateneo de Puerto Rico (museum), Casa del Libro, Cuartel de Ballaja, Felisa Rincón de Gautier Museum, La Princesa (former municipal jail, now a history museum), Museo del Niño (Children’s Museum), Museo Nuestras Raíces Africanas( Our African Roots Museum, Museo de Arte ( Museum of Art), The Pablo Casals Museum are other attractions of San juan.

Things to do:
• Surfing waves, golf course, sunbathing at the beach, tennis, fishing, kayaking, scuba diving, and horseback riding, windsurfing and parasailing are the different activities that the island of Puerto Rico offers.
• Golf: This Island has 15 championship golf courses from the San Juan metropolitan area.
• Snorkel and Scuba dive: These activities are the highlights of Puerto Rico’s Caribbean coasts, especially out of Fajardo. A guided diving and snorkeling tour will take one to the best sites of the activity.
• Bioluminescent Bays: The bays of Fajardo and Vieques are bioluminescent and have microscopic organisms that glow which is really beautiful to watch. One can go for kayaking or boating especially during the new moon to enjoy a clear view of the bay. Lajas is also a Bioluminescent bay that is famous as it is also equipped with kiosks and restaurants.
• Casinos: San Juan offers luxurious hotels and casinos that are similar to Los Vegas.

Best time to visit / climate:
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. Other than these months, one can visit the island anytime and enjoy all the activities of surfing, kayaking, beach walking, sun bathing, hiking etc.

Location on Google Maps:

View Larger Map

How to get there:
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.

Get around:
It is best to rent a car or take a taxi as the public transport system is not very good. A público is a shared taxi service that is another option that is cheap and best to go around the island. The “main” público station is in Río Piedras that is a suburb of San Juan and which are also known as colectivos and pisicorres.
There are ferries from San Juan and Fajardo to Cataño, Vieques Island and Culebra Island along with Mayaguez ferry travels between the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico.
Tren Urbano is a fully automated transit serving San Juan, Bayamón, and Guaynabo. Tren Urbano consists of 16 stations on a single line and is the reliable public transport.

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

• http://wikitravel.org/en/San_Juan#Eat
• http://wikitravel.org/en/San_Juan#Sleep
• http://www.sanjuanhotelsltd.com/
• http://www.elsanjuanhotel.com/
• Tripadvisor

Blogs / Sites about San Juan:

• Travelpod
• http://www.sanjuanislander.com/blogs.shtml
• Lonely Planet
• http://sanjuansafaris.com/blog/

Images and photos of San Juan:

• Tripadvisor
• http://www.travel-images.com/puerto-rico.html
• Terragalleria
• igougo.com

Videos of San Juan from youtube:

San Juan, Puerto Rico

San Juan Sail Away

Old San Juan, Puerto Rico

Walking and Driving around Old San Juan, Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico – San Juan

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