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Travel – Isla Palenque Chiriquí, an island in the Gulf of Chiriquí in Panama

Traveller — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 17:53:12 +0000

Isla Palenque is an island located in the Gulf of Chiriquí. The word Palenque actually means a refuge for escaped slaves and this is island is given this name due to Central America’s colonial periods Indians who were indentured to work in the Spanish mines in those times. The island is situated off the western Pacific shore and near the Costa Rica border. To its north is Boca Brava and is linked to it by a narrow bridge. This island is about 400 acres (1.6 km2), with approx. 5 miles (8.0 km) of coastline and over 1-mile (1.6 km) of beaches. The island is mostly full of ecosystems of tropical forest that have mangroves, lagoons, and littoral forest and is home for many species of plants, flowers, animals and birds.
Families of Howler monkeys, Northern Tamandua Anteater, the Nine-banded Armadillo, White-nosed Coati, Crab-eating Raccoon, Agouti, Woolly Opossum, and the Mexican Hairy Dwarf Porcupine, kinds of rabbits, squirrels and mice all exist here. Among the large reptiles are the Emerald Basilisk, Black ctenosaur, Green Iguana, and Spectacled Caiman along with multiple species of frogs, salamander, lizards and snakes. Among the birds are Toucans, Parrots, Woodpeckers, Frigate birds, Hawks, and Owls along with multiple varieties of Hummingbirds.
This island is also another ideal point for sport fishing, scuba diving and snorkeling in the Gulf of Chiriquí.

Attractions of Islas Palenques, Chiriquí, Panama
Wildlife:
• Whale watching: One can watch the humpback whales only once in a point of year as these are migratory whales. This archipelago displays their acrobatic behavior with leviathans of deep travel of miles on icy waters and winter feeding at the poles.
• Bird Watching: The Frigate bird colony on Coco Island at Islas Secas Resort is worth watching and a beautiful experience as one can watch many species of birds on the archipelago.
• Coiba National Marine Park: This is on the island of Coiba. There are 37 surrounding islands and islets which are 30 miles off the Panamanian coast in the Gulf of Chiriquí. During the period 1919 to 2004, this island was a location for political prisoners and a penal colony for criminals in Panama. It is about twenty miles to the southeast of Las Secas and one can reach by boat to this archipelago. It is an UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• Islas Ladrones: This Island is in the Gulf of Chiriqui and is an island. The word Ladrones means “thief” in Spanish. Islas Ladrones is situated to the south of Boca Chica and is 27 miles to Boca Chica. This island is the ideal point for sport fishing and scuba diving in the Gulf of Chiriquí. This island is full of fish life; divers can see many varieties of fish species like King Angelfish, Damselfish, Surgeonfish, Parrotfish, Triggerfish, Wrasse, Gobies, Blennies and Moorish idols. This island is unique as from May to November giant manta rays make an appearance and on a year round basis one can view species of eagle, mobula and devil fish. Sharks of white-tip, black-tip and nurse species are also seen all through the year along with humpback whales. Among the activities that tourists do are scuba diving (with a visibility of 30-80 meters) and Snorkeling. Boco Chica is an ideal place for scuba diving and sport fishing.
• Islas Secas is located in the Gulf of Chiriquí and is an island. This island, Islas Secas, is situated to the east of Boca Chica and is 16 miles to Boca Chica. This island is also another ideal point for sport fishing and scuba diving in the Gulf of Chiriquí. The visibility is good in dry months and right for sport fishing as the fish flock from corals and rock to form schools. One can also see White-tip sharks, rays and turtles along with moray eels, lobster and nudi branchs and Humpback whales. One can watch the humpback whales only once in a particular time of the year.
• Diving: The Secas Archipelago with its neighboring island groups like Ladrones, Paredas and the Coiba National Park and the park being an UNESCO World Heritage site gives us the best adventure diving in the world. This island is governed by five oceanic currents and is rich in eco-regions. The Tropical Eastern Pacific, the islands of the Gulf of ChiriquÌ and the marine biodiverse life and habitat is unique here and is not there in other islands like the Galapagos and Coco Islands, Costa Rica. One can watch about 800 species of fish which include about thirty-three species of shark including the Reef White Tip, Scalloped Hammerhead, Bull, Tiger, and the bizarre Guitar shark.
• Kayaking – Sailing – Surfing: There are hidden coves, reefs, beaches along with mangrove forests which is a biggest attraction of this island. One can go through an all Kayaking safari. There is a blow hole which is also known as Buffona which is a natural phenomenon on Isla Cavada. One can do the best surfing from April through October.
• Boca Brava: This is an island in Panama in the Gulf of Chiriquí. One can access Boca Brava from David’s Enrique Malek International Airport. From Boca Chica, one can access by a boat. Boca Chica is a small fishing village that is 5 miles from Boca Brava.
• Parque Nacional Marino Golfo de Chiriquí is in the Gulf of Chiriquí and is a national park. This national park was found in 1994 and spread over 14,730 hectares or 36,400 acres. This area has coral reef, mangrove swamp and marine meadows with forests and white sand with temperate air and weather. This has been given the tag “one of Panama’s best kept secrets.” It is one of the hot spots of Bouquet. It has an archipelago called Las Isla Parida where one can see green iguanas, humpback whales (from August to October), hammerhead sharks, dolphins and multiple species of sea turtle on its island beaches.

Best time to visit / climate:
Isla Palenque’s temperatures are consistent year round but the dry season is from December through April and the rainy season is from May through November. So the best time for visiting this island is December through April.

Location on Google Maps:

View Larger Map

How to get there:
From David’s Enrique Malek International Airport, the island of Isla Palenque can be accessed by boat from the small fishing village of Boca Chica which is just about 5 miles from Isla Palenque over water. This takes about one hour or less and from port of Pedregal it is a 50 minute scenic ride.
To get around electric GEM bikes and cars are available for the resort residents.

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

• http://iguide.travel/Isla_Palenque
• Tripadvisor (link1, link2)
• http://www.boutiquehotelcalamia.com/hotelcalamiapanama.html

Blogs / Sites about Islas Palenque Chiriquí, Panama:

• http://www.islapalenque.com/blog/
• http://adamspictureblog.blogspot.com/2009/08/isla-palenque.html
• http://www.islapalenque.com/blog/2010/03/furniture-finds-in-panama/

Images and photos of Islas Palenque Chiriquí, Panama:

• Google Search
• http://www.islapalenque.com/blog/2009/12/scale/
• http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/Palenque.aspx
• http://www.facebook.com/pages/Isla-Palenque/103250256395958?sk=wall

Videos of the island “Isla Palenque Chiriquí” from Youtube:

Isla Palenque by Chopper

Isla Palenque Shoreline

Whales and Dolphins off the Coast of Isla Palenque

Travel – Herrera, Panama – named after the general, General Tomás Herrera

Traveller — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 19:07:58 +0000

Herrera is a province located in Panama. It was named after the general, General Tomás Herrera. This province got its existence after the division of the Los Santos province. Chitre is the capital of Herrara and lies on the coastline of the province. Towards its north are the provinces of Veraguas and Cocle, to its south is Los Santos, to its east are Golfo de Parita and to its west is Veraguas.
This province was created in 1854. There are nine provinces in Panama and Herrara is the third biggest in terms of sugarcane production. The economy is also dependent on sugarcane production, along with retail, equipment repair, banking, and domestic service. The other main industries include dairy, cattle, commercial fishing, alcohol, ceramics, clay products, mosaics, and cement.
This province is popular for its festival Del manito ocueno which originated in the city of Ocu. There are many carnivals held in Chitré, Parita and Ocú. Chitre’s carnival is the most famous in Panama. In addition, Herrera is known for the best pottery in the country.
This province is divided into 7 districts:
1. Chitré District. Corregimientos that includes the cities Chitré (capital), La Arena, Monagrillo, Llano Bonito and San Juan Bautistas.
2. Las Minas District. Corregimientos that includes the cities Las Minas (capital), Chepo, Chumical, El Toro, Leones, Quebrada del Rosario and Quebrada El Ciprián.
3. Los Pozos District. Corregimientos that includes the cities Los Pozos (capital), El Capurí, El Calabacito, El Cedro, La Arena, La Pitaloza, Los Cerritos, Los Cerros de Paja and Las Llanas.
4. Ocú District Corregimientos that includes the cities Ocú (capital), Cerro Largo, Los Llanos, Llano Grande, Peñas Chatas, El Tijera and Menchaca.
5. Parita District Corregimientos that includes the cities Parita (capital), Cabuya, Los Castillos, Llano de la Cruz, París, Portobelillo and Potuga.
6. Pesé District Corregimientos that includes the cities Pesé (capital), Las Cabras, El Pájaro, El Barrero, El Pedregoso, El Ciruelo, Sabanagrande andRincón Hondo.
7. Santa María District Corregimientos that includes the cities Santa María (capital), Chupampa, El Rincón, El Limón and Los Canelos.

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

Travel – Gran Parque Natural Topes de Collantes in Cuba

Traveller — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 06:45:25 +0000

Gran Parque Natural Topes de Collantes is in Cuba, in the Cienfuegos, Villa Clara, and Sancti Spiritus provinces. During the long fights first by Castro’s men, and then by rebels against him, the men hid in the Escambray mountains. The mountains are Limestone Mountains called mogotes. The national park has “mogotes” and waterfalls and cave. Pico de San Juan, at 1150 meters (3773 feet) is known to be the highest mountain of the place which one can’t hike.

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

Travel – French Guiana – in the Amazon region of South America

Traveller — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 18:25:10 +0000

French Guiana is located in the Amazon region of South America; is a French department and hence the name, French Guiana. This region is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean; lying between Brazil and Suriname. To the east lies Brazil and to the west Suriname. French Guiana is an overseas region of France. It has a land area of about 83,534 km² and a population of approximately 229,000. Its capital is Cayenne and its currency is Euro.
Earlier there were three sub colonies of French Guiana and they are from west to east: British Guiana (now Guyana), Dutch Guiana (now Suriname) and French Guiana.
The two main geographical regions of French Guiana are the coastal strip and the rainforest. The Tumac-Humac Mountains lie in the rainforest, and the highest peak of this region is Bellevue de l’Inini (at a height of 851 m). Among other mountains are Mont Machalou (782 m), Pic Coudreau (711 m), Mont St Marcel (635 m), Mont Favard (200 m) and Montagne du Mahury(156 m). There are three Iles du Salut Salvation Islands including the Devil’s Island and the isolated Iles du Connétable which is a bird sanctuary located further towards Brazil. There is a dam in the north of the region that has created an artificial lake called the Barrage de Petit-Saut (built for providing hydroelectricity). One of the nine national parks of France is the Guiana Amazonian Park which is actually spread over 33,900 square kilometres (13,090 sq mi). This park is upon the communes of Camopi, Maripasoula, Papaïchton, Saint-Élie and Saül.
French Guiana’s administrative divisions are divided into 2 arrondissements and 19 cantons and 22 communes and they are:
1. Awala-Yalimapo
2. Mana
3. Saint-Laurent-du-Maroni
4. Apatou
5. Grand-Santi
6. Papaïchton
7. Saül
8. Maripasoula
9. Camopi
10. Saint-Georges
11. Ouanary
12. Régina
13. Roura
14. Saint-Élie
15. Iracoubo
16. Sinnamary
17. Kourou
18. Macouria
19. Montsinéry-Tonnegrande
20. Matoury
21. Cayenne
22. Remire-Montjoly

The Cities of French Guiana are:
• Cayenne: This is the administrative capital of French Guiana.
• Kourou: This is the city that hosts the space center and Arianespace.
• Saint-Laurent: this city is located on the Maroni River that forms the natural border between Surinam and French Guyana.
• Saint-Georges: This city is on the Oyapock River that forms the natural border between Brazil and French Guyana.
This area is a low-lying coastal plain that rises to hills, and small mountains and also consists of hill plateaus and the Tumuc-humac Mountains.
The official language of French Guiana is French but Creole is also widely spoken. Few understand English here. On the Maroni river, Taki-taki is spoken and basic Portuguese and basic Spanish are understood.

Attractions of French Guiana:
• Emerald jungle village: This village is the best of the eco tourism. It is in the Cayenne region and has the solar powered lodge which is a French Foreign Legion post. This is abandoned now. The building comprises of a library and on the property lie the botanical trail.
The lodge conducts excursions through eastern French Guiana; canoes and mountain bikes are also available on rent.
• Hattes Beach: This is a single nesting site for the giant leatherback turtles in the world. These turtles nest from April to July (which is peak season for more than 200 leatherbacks). Their eggs are known to hatch from July to September. Even green turtles nest here, along with Olive ridley turtles and hawksbill turtles. This beach also has a local museum giving information regarding turtles.
• Salvation islands: Its Local Name is Îles du Salut and these are tropical islands; a group of islands are known for being a brutal penal colony setup in 1852. There are 3 groups of islands; they are Île Royale, Île St Joseph, and the Île du Diable which is also known as the “Devil’s Island” being a penal colony from 1852 to 1953.
The population of these islands is about 2000. These islands are located in shark infested waters.
• Marshes of Caw: This is located in the Cayenne region and is a natural reserve. It is best for nature lovers. One can see abundant wildlife in here.
• Cayenne Zoo: This is also in the Cayenne region and is a zoo that is situated in a tropical rainforest.
• Place des Palmistes: This is known as the “place of the cabbage trees” and has monuments and gardens. This place is full of palm trees because of which it’s got its name.
• Avenue du General de Gaulle: This is also in the Cayenne region. This is a well known street for hotels, eateries and boutiques, named for the war hero and the former President of France.
• Place Grenoble: This is also in the Cayenne region. This is one of the main town squares full of public buildings.
• Place Victor Schoelcher Market: This is also in the Cayenne region and is Cayenne’s main vegetable market.
• Cayenne River: This river is well know for tourists to take a walk and enjoy the atmosphere around.
• Musee Departemental: This is also in the Cayenne region and is a museum that was an old Creole home.
• Fort Ceperou: This is also in the Cayenne region and is a fort that dates back to the 17th century and is on a high hillside location with perfect views.
• Fort Diamant: This is also in the Cayenne region and is a government structure dating back to 17th century.
• Remire-Montjoly Beach: This is a beach that is in the Cayenne region and there is an old sugar mill with some ruins. It has great views of the beach.
• Village Chinois (Chinatown): This is also in the Cayenne region. This village is full of Restaurants and markets and a bustling fish market.
• Kourou Space Centre (Centre Spatial Guyanais): This is a Science museum and a space centre in the Kourou region of French Guiana. It is known for more than 500 launches that started in the 1960s. One can take a guided tour and view its six launch sites that are the region’s most popular attractions.
• Kourou River: This is in the Kourou region of French Guiana. There are organized rides in pirogues, traditional hollowed-out log canoes.

Best time to visit / climate:
The climate of French Guiana is Tropical; hot, humid with minimal seasonal temperature variation.

Location on Google Maps:

View Larger Map

How to get there:

By plane: Cayenne-Rochambeau Airport (CAY) is the Airport that serves this place of French Guiana.
The flights that serve are:
- From Surinam, with Surinam Airways.
- From Brazil, formerly with Penta but now with Air Caribbes.
- From Martinique and Guadeloupe, with Air France and Air Caraibes
- From France, with Air France and Air Caraibes.
- From Panama with Air Caraibes.
- From Costa Rica with Air Caraibes.
- From Dominican Republic with Air Caraibes.
- From Miami with Air France.

By car: From Brazil a private barge serves across the Oiapoque River.
From Suriname, there is a ferry to cross the Maroni River.

By bus: From Brazil and Suriname, once you reach the border, cross the river with a motorboat or a dugout canoe.

By boat: From Brazil and Suriname, one has to cross the rivers Oyapoque and Le Maroni.

Get around: One can take a native craft or vessels and coastal river steamers or take minibuses to go between towns.

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

• Southtravels
• Tripadvisor
• Mytravelguide
• Travel.yahoo

Blogs / Sites about French Guiana:

• Travelblog.org
• Travelpod.com
• Mongabay.com
• Expat-blog

Images and photos of French Guiana:

• Hanrossel
• Picturesofplaces
• Ddbstock

Travel – El Valle de Anton – a seven square mile town in Cocle in Panama

Traveller — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 19:11:30 +0000

El Valle de Anton is a seven square mile town in Cocle in Panama. It is surrounded by a volcanic caldera which was a deep lake. The crater spit out richest volcanic soil onto the valley floor which is known as tierra negra or black earth. It is located at a 2,000 foot elevation. It is known to be the cultural, environmental and culinary bounty of Old Panama.
One can ride or walk to waterfalls, square trees, mud baths, a zoo, a museum, the forest canopy tour, pre-Columbian petro glyphs, farmers market, tours of the local organic farm, coffee roaster, artisan bakery, and guided birding and fauna surveys, El Nispero – a local private zoo, a large waterfall called “El Macho”, a grove of square trees, a etched hieroglyphic rock, lots of birds, bugs, butterflies, animals or cooking school. El Valle houses an orchid conservatory and the amphibian rescue station that are two world class eco sites in town.
Activities at the place include hiking, horseback riding, and bird watching as El Valle houses around 500 species of birds.
Attractions of El Valle de Anton and around:
• “El Valle’s Sunday Market”: It is the town’s public market, which is open 7 days a week, located on Avenida Central or Calle Central to the east-west of the town.
• “El Nispero”: This is a zoo as well as a historical and geological museum, and a small serpentarium and an orchid garden that houses local orchid species.
• Cerro Gaital National Monument: It is a house for Panama’s 10,000 plants, 1500 trees, 1000 birds, 220 mammals, or 354 amphibians and reptile species.
• El Valle Amphibian Conservation Centre, EVACC: Over 200 frogs, salamanders and toads are prevented from attack from an unstoppable fungus that has been known to be hit them. They are maintained in micro climate and treated and detoxed. This also houses exhibits like the local golden frog, a cultural icon and the republic’s emblematic conservation symbol.
• El Nispero Zoo-Nursery: This place has examples of the local fauna, flora and wildlife.
• El Valley Orchid Nursery: This is an eco-site where the orchidophile can experience orchidelirium. There are about 1300 varieties and 200 endangered samples housed here. The JICA, COSPA, APROVACA center is one sponsored by a consortium of Japanese and Panamanian orchid growers.
• Three Sisters Cooking School: This is a cooking school giving insight of history and culture of food ways of the place.
• Alquiler de Caballos: This is a stable that houses 30 horses, who are used for exploring the mountains that are nearby. One can enjoy the horse ride over the mountains.
• Canopy Adventure: This is a gliding adventure that uses cables, pulleys and harness to glide and view the rainforest from above the jungle which is a magnificent experience.
• Chorro de las Mozas: This is a waterfall or set of waterfalls that cascade down the hill sides into the valley. These falls are also called Young Women’s falls.
• Chorro El Macho: This is the popular waterfall of El Valle which is 85 feet high. Below the falls one has swimming pools for swimming which are made out of rocks and surrounding it is the rainforest, with the water of the river being fed into the pool. There are hiking trails too available here.
• Handicrafts Market: This is a popular attraction and one of the Panama’s largest handicrafts markets.
• La Piedra Pintada: This is a huge boulder which is a colored stone of pre-Columbian carvings and full of petro glyphs.
• Coffee Plantation of Boquete: This region is famous for gesha coffee which can be visited and enjoyed and one can buy coffee that is grown on volcanic slope. Cafe Ruiz and Kotowa are for touring.
• Whitewater River Rafting on the Chiriquí Viejo: River tours that are either about 1/2 day and full day rafting excursions. Among them are:
o Chiriqui River Rafting
o Panama Rafters
o Boquete Outdoor Adventure
• Visit Paradise Garden: This is a Wildlife Rescue Center in Panama which takes an entrance fee in order to support the centre.

Best time to visit / climate:
El Valle de Anton dry Season starts from December through March which is also known as summer, and a cooler Wet Season which starts from April through November and is known as Winter. The best time to visit this place is hence December to March which is summer.

Location on Google Maps:

View Larger Map

How to get there:
There are frequent buses to and from Albrook in the Panama City hub which connects to Costa Rica or the Caribbean side. Also from the Albrook bus terminal there are buses that are run by Panafrom, Padafront, and Terminales David to David every one hour.

Get around: One can either take foot or take a taxi to go around. Apart from this there are several tour companies offering packages of tour around the place.

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

• http://wikitravel.org/en/El_Valle#Sleep
• Tripadvisor
• Czbrats
• Panamainfo.com

Blogs / Sites about El Valle de Anton:

• http://blogs.vidaenelvalle.com/
• Travelpod.com
• Lonelyplanet.com

Images and photos of El Valle de Anton:

• Google Search
• Tripadvisor
• http://travel.webshots.com/album/115166797oCQRsV
• Abpanama.com

Videos from youtube:

The Golden Frog Inn, El Valle De Anton, Panama

El valle de Anton

HD – El Valle de Anton

On the way to El Valle de Anton, Panama

Panama, El Valle de Anton, 2007

Travel – Darién Gap, Panama – a forested region between Panama and Colombia

Traveller — Sun, 28 Aug 2011 07:49:24 +0000

The Darién Gap is a forested region between Panama and Colombia, with the city of La Meil being a city in the region of Darien. This place is also one break in the Pan-American Highway. The interesting thing about this is that it is a 60 miles gap without roads and can be crossed only by a combination of foot and boat. One cannot drive and can only ship the vehicle to proceed from central to South America and vice versa. It separates Darien Province in Central America and Colombia which is in South America. On the Colombian side the gap is dominated by river delta and Atrato River with 80km of marshland that is half of the swampland. On the Panamian side, it’s a rainforest with 60m in the valley floors and the tallest peaks, Cerro Tacarcuna.
This place is home for Embera-Wounaan and Kuna Indians. On the Panamian side, Yaviza is the main cultural centre and corn, plantains and bananas are their major crops. There are two national parks called Darién National Park in Panama and Los Katíos National Park in Colombia.

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

Pangot – A bird watcher’s paradise in North India

Traveller — Sat, 07 Aug 2010 18:55:06 +0000

Pangot is 15 kms away from the more popular Nainital (hill station) in Uttaranchal. Pangot is located within the Kumaon Hills, and one of the prime attractions is of forests echoing with the calls of birds. Thus, Pangot is also known as a Birdwatcher’s paradise. The drive to Pangot is through the bird habitats of Cheena peak range forests via Snow View Point and Kilbury.
There are 150 species of birds that are believed to be there in the area around Pangot, among which some of the commonly encountered birds are the Lammergeier, Himalayan Griffon, Blue-Winged Minla, Spotted & Slaty-backed Forktail, Rufous-Bellied Woodpecker, Rufous-Bellied Niltava, Khalij Pheasant, variety of thrushes etc. The more commonly done things in Pangot are Bird watching, trekking, rappelling, fishing, horse riding, kayaking, sailing and boating, camping, dirt biking, and wildlife safaris into Corbett National Park.
Pangot is famous for bird watching and it has been popular with naturelovers, photographers and birders.You can see different kinds of migratory birds at Pangot. Birds from the upper Himalayan region fly down to the lower Himalayas to escape the harsh winter season. The numerous perennial & seasonal creeks are home to an amazing variety of flora and fauna including the leopard, yellow-throated Himalayan Martins, Himalayan palm civet, Ghoral, barking deer, Sambhar etc.

Once you are in Pangot and are done with enjoying nature, some of the places to see near Pangot

• Corbett National Park: The park has 150 species of birds found in India, more than 50 mammal species including Tiger, Leopard, Bears and Elephants and more than 40 species of reptiles including the rare Gharial. It is one of the finest Wildlife reserves in India, Corbett has a distinction of been the country’s first National park. Formerly called as “Hailey national Park” it was established in 1936 in consultation with the legendary Hunter / Naturalist Jim Corbet, it was aptly renamed “Jim Corbett National Park” in 1972.

• Bhimtal: Bhimtal is a town in the state of Uttarakhand, India. It is a nagar panchayat in Nainital district. The town is named after Bhima, one of the Pandavas in Mahabharata. Bhimtal Lake is one of the major attractions of this town as it has an island in its centre at a distance of 91 metres from the shore.

• Jeolikot: Jeolikot is a hill station in the state of Uttarakhand on the Nainital-Haldwani Highway. It is at a distance of 17 km from Nainital. It is well known as a spot for nature lovers who are interested in butterfly watching and floriculture. The surrounding natural beauty on the backdrop of Kumaon hills is ideal for visitors. The places to see are Gateway to Kumaon’s Lake District, Binsar, Kausani, Ranikhet.

• Mukteswar: Mukteshwar is another town, famous for its Mukteswar dham.

• Bhowali: It is another beautiful town in Nainital.

• Nainital: It is a beautiful hill station.

• Sattal: Sattal is located in Kumaon lake region and as the name, are an interconnected group of seven freshwater lakes. These lakes are 22 kms from Nainital. These lakes are at an altitude of 4,000 feet and are situated in Lower Himalyan Range near Bhimtal. These lakes are surrounded by oak andpine forests. This area is rich in birdlife and butterflies. Hence it is a spot for nature walks and butterfly watching. Below are the lush orchanrds in the Meheragaon valley.

• Rishikesh: Rishikesh is one of the most famous pilgrim sites. Laxman Jhula is the popular attraction of the place. Other notable places are the Swarg Ashram and Tattvaa Yogashala which are the only full-time, dedicated Ashtanga Yoga school in Rishikesh (For those of you who would like to deepen your practice, reach new levels safely, and explore the path of YOGA).

There are not too many places to eat at Pangot, except the hotels which serve homely food. There are some hotels which serve the local food – Garhwali and Kumauni cuisine. Try the amazing piping hot pahari tea along with a plate of ‘pakoras’ or ‘samosas’. To tantalize your taste buds further, you can head to Nainital, just 15 km from Pangot.

Best time to visit / climate

The best time to visit Pangot is from Mar – June and Sep – Oct
The days are nice and crisp, but the nights get cold. Great season for bird watching and mountain views. The summers are from April to June and the days are cool with pleasant nights. Good birding season to watch. The monsoons start from July to September with Cold days and nights. Good for resident birds, but not so good for tourists.

Location on Google Maps:

View Larger Map

Or click or paste the URL below on your browser:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=pangot&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Pangot,+Nainital,+Uttarakhand,+India&ll=29.423974,79.427483&spn=0.00856,0.013797&z=16&iwloc=A

How to get to Pangot

From Delhi
• By Road: Drive from Delhi via Kathgodam and Nainital: 8½ hours. A marked road map is handy or research the path from some online maps site. Drive from Delhi via Ramnagar (Corbett National Park) and Kaladhungi: 7½ hours
• By Train: Overnight air-conditioned train from Old Delhi railway station (departing at 2245 hr.) to Kathgodam (arriving at 0615 hr.) and then 2 hr. drive to Pangot via Nainital. Pick-up/ drop at Kathgodam RS can be arranged through taxi with prior notice.
Overnight non air-conditioned train from Old Delhi railway station (departing at 2245 hr.) to Ramnagar, Corbett National Park (arriving at 0500 hr.) and then 2½ hr. drive to Pangot via Kaladungi.
• Pangot by Air: The nearest airport is Pantnagar. However, fights are not operational at present. Hence flying to Delhi and then coming from delhi via road or train is recommended.

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

• http://www.travelmasti.com/Pangot_Resorts_Hotels.asp
• http://www.nivalink.com/junglelore/index.html
• http://www.pangot.com and http://www.pangot.com/accomdation.htm#accom
• http://www.oktatabyebye.com/hotels/hotels-in-Pangot.html
• http://www.travelmasti.com/Pangot_Resorts_Hotels.asp
• http://www.tripadvisor.in/Hotel_Review-g580106-d615541-Reviews-Woodside_Retreat_Pangot-Rishikesh_Uttarakhand.html
• http://www.nivalink.com/junglelore/index.html

Blogs / Sites about Pangot

• http://www.pangot.com
• http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:http://www.milestones.net/pangot.html
• http://www.euttaranchal.com/tourism/pangot.php
• http://natureindiatour.blogspot.com/2009/11/corbett-pangot-wildlifers-dream.html
• http://www.pangot.com/index.htm#pangot
• www.junglelore.com – For birding tours
• http://www.trekearth.com/gallery/Asia/India/North/Uttarakhand/Pangot/

Images and photos of Pangot

• Images in Google Search
• http://www.pangot.com/gallery.htm
• http://www.oktatabyebye.com/picture-gallery/Pangot-pictures.html
• http://www.trekearth.com/gallery/Asia/India/North/Uttarakhand/Pangot/

Sattal located in the Kumaon lake region in North India

Traveller — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 17:34:06 +0000

Sattal is located in the Kumaon lake region (in Uttranchal) and as the name, is an interconnected group of seven freshwater lakes. These lakes are located 22 kms from Nainital and are at an altitude of 4,000 feet, situated in the Lower Himalyan Range near Bhimtal. These lakes are surrounded by oak and pine forests. This area is rich in birdlife and butterflies. Hence it is a spot for nature walks and butterfly watching. Below are the lush orchards in the Meheragaon valley. Trekking, rappelling, biking are the different adventures one can look forward here.
The fresh water here is one of few unspoiled and unpolluted biomes in India. Lot of birds migrates here. Since it is situated in the Lower Himalayan Range, one can observe tectonic activities and uplifting of sediments. The activities are between the Tibetan plain and Indo-Gangetic plains. One can find quartzite here.
Known for its biological diversity, the region has 500 species of resident and migratory birds, 20 species of mammals and 11,000 species of moths, beetles, bugs and other insects and over 525 species of butterflies. The flora comprises of Bryophytes, orchids, rare climbing plants, ferns, lichens, fungi, medicinal herbs and shrubs. Each individual lake has its own unique Diatomindex (The Trophic Diatom Index uses the composition of freshwater diatom assemblages to assess water quality and ecological status).

The seven lakes of Sattal are
• Panna Tal or Garud Tal
• Nal-Damyanti Tal
• Purna Tal
• Sita Tal
• Ram Tal
• Laxman Tal
• Sukha Tal or Khurdariya Tal

The unique avian fauna of Sattal includes red-billed blue magpie, kingfishers, blue-throated and brown-headed barbets, lineated barbet, golden-throated barbet, crimson-fronted barbet, coppersmith Barbet plum-headed parakeet, slaty-headed Parakeet, chestnut bellied rock thrush, woodpecker, grey-capped pygmy woodpecker, brown-fronted woodpecker, stripe-breasted woodpecker, titmouse, babblers, jungle Owlet, fish eagle, pied woodpecker, brown-capped pygmy, yellow-crowned woodpecker, rufous-bellied woodpecker, crimson-breasted woodpecker, Himalayan dollarbird, leaf birds,crested kingfisher, white-throated kingfisher, pied kingfisher, common kingfisher, blue-eared kingfisher, Himalayan kingfisher, Mrs. Gould’s sunbird, green-tailed sunbird, black-throated sunbird, black-breasted sunbird, Crimson sunbird, fire-tailed sunbird, thick-billed flowerpecker, plain-leaf flowerpecker, and many more.

Fish: Sattal has many different varieties of fish. Mahseers are found here in large numbers. Labeo roha, Cirrhinus mrigala, Schizothorax richardsonii and Catla catla are some of the other fish found in the lakes.
Butterflies: Some of the butterflies found at Sattal includes Indian fritillary ,peacock panzy, blue peacock, Paris peacock, red-base Jazebel, red lacewing, yellow pansy, tawny Rajah, red Helen, large silverstripe and thousands of others.

Places to see:
Butterfly museum: There is a rich butterfly museum built by Frederic Smetacek at Jones Estate, which has over 2,500 butterfly and moth specimens and 1,100 species of insects that are found in this region.
Sattal Mission Estate and Methodist Ashram: This is a christian Ashram established by E. Stanley Jone (1884-1973). This ashram is situated on the banks of Sattal lakes, which was one a tea plantation estate. Revered Stanley Jones was a friend of Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King. Earl Denman, who attempted Mount Everest alone and secretly with Tenzing Norgay in 1947, stayed in this Ashram for many years.
Subhash Dhara: There is a spectacular natural spring of fresh water arising out of dense oak forest west of Sattal.

Places around Sattal are
• Town of Bhimtal
• Town of Bhowali
• Naukuchia Tal (Nine-Cornered Lake)
• Ghorakhal
• Golu Devata Temple
• Nainital – 22kms
• Mukteswar-45kms
• Rajkhet
• Shimla

Sattal Festivals
The Shivaratri celebrations during February-march, Dussera during October and 5 day long celebrations, the Bageshwar Mela pilgrimage, during January are the major attractive festivals in Sattal.

Best time to visit / climate:
The best time to visit Sattal is March to June and September to December. April, May and June are summer months offering very pleasant and warm climate within a temperature range of 10°C to 27°C. During winters in December to February, the climate is very severe and the temperature reaches to 2°C and winters are accompanied by heavy snowfalls. The months July and August are the season for rainfalls.

The Shivaratri celebrations during February-March, Dussera during October and 5 day long celebrations, the Bageshwar Mela pilgrimage, during January are the major attractive festivals in Sattal.

Location on Google Maps:

View Larger Map

Or click or paste the URL below on your browser:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Sattal&sll=29.388756,79.552002&sspn=0.274013,0.441513&g=bhimtal&ie=UTF8&ll=29.402516,79.552002&spn=0.273976,0.441513&z=11&iwloc=A

How to get there:
• Sattal by Air: Pantnagar is the nearest airport, from where you can hire taxi to Sattal. Delhi is the nearest International airport, which is 320 km away from Sattal. Delhi airport is well connected with major cities within the country and abroad. Taxis are available from Delhi and the fare is about Rs 6500.
• Sattal by Train: Kathgodam Railway station, about 36 km away from Sattal, is the nearest railhead. Pre-paid taxi services are available from Kathgodam to Sattal which costs about Rs 750. Regular train services are available from Kathgodam to Delhi and also to other cities in India.
• Sattal by Bus: National highway 87 to reach Kathgodam, from where you will be diverted on the road to reach thisdistrict.Sattal is well connected with nearby cities like Nainital and Ramgarh in the state. Tourist and State owned bus services are available from Delhi to Sattal, covering the distance of 320 km. Bus fare is nearly about Rs 1100.

The distance chart is as below:
From and Distance
Delhi-302 km
Nainital-52 km
Almora-109 km
Kasauni-158 km
Haridwar-237 km
Rishikesh-254 km
Rajaji National Park -280 km
Dehradun-289 km
Mussoorie-314 km
Auli -317 km
http://www.mustseeindia.com/Sattal/how-to-reach gives exact train names and flight names with details of distances, timings and days when available.

Places to stay (hotels / restaurants along with website / contact numbers):
• http://www.sattalbirdinglodge.com/
? Sat Tal Birding Camp is located at 4400 feet in a small village of Bhakgtura, 4 km from Sat Tal in Nainital district.
? This deluxe has 5 tents with ensuite facility. The can has local village character overlooking a wooded valley.
? The camp is flanked by pine and oak forest. Little dip pools attracts various species of birds.
? This is an ideal base for birders, nature enthusiasts, walkers and the visitors wishing to explore Sat Tal and surrounding area.
• http://www.cleartrip.com/hotels/india/sattal/ give hotel names, addresses, price etc.,
• http://www.holidayiq.com/destinations/Sattal-Overview.html gives touring offices with addresses and contact numbers.
• http://www.tripadvisor.in/Hotel_Review-g660548-d1154424-Reviews-Country_Inn_Sattal-Nainital_Uttarakhand.html
• http://www.bharatonline.com/uttarakhand/nainital/sattal
• http://www.tripadvisor.in/Restaurants-g660548-Nainital_Uttarakhand.html gives numbers, names, and locations of the restaurants in Sattal.
• http://www.thetopcamp.com/camps-retreats/sattal-birding-camp.html it’s a camp that takes u in and around Sattal.

Blogs / Sites about Sattal:

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sattal
• http://www.holidayiq.com/destinations/Sattal-Overview.html
• http://www.mouthshut.com/product-reviews/Sattal-925042345.html

Images and photos of Sattal:

• http://www.google.co.in/images?q=Sattal&rls=com.microsoft:en-us&oe=UTF-8&rlz=1I7GPCK_enIN389&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=univ&ei=XnlITNTmJ8WrcaqqydMM&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=4&ved=0CDcQsAQwAw
• http://www.holidayiq.com/destinations/photos/Sattal-Photos.html
• http://www.oktatabyebye.com/picture-gallery/Sattal-pictures.html
• http://travel.sulekha.com/naina-devi-temple-3_sat-tal-photo-308270.htm
• http://www.tripadvisor.in/LocationPhotos-g660548-Nainital_Uttarakhand.html

Jeolikot – a beautiful hill station located in North India

Traveller — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 17:27:38 +0000

Jeolikot is a hill station in the state of Uttarakhand on the Nainital-Haldwani Highway. It is located at a distance of 17 km from Nainital and is well known as a spot for nature lovers who are interested in butterfly watching and floriculture. The surrounding natural beauty on the backdrop of Kumaon hills is ideal for visitors. Hindi and Kumaoni are the languages spoken by locals there. Jeolikot is at an altitude of 1219 metres. The temperatures in summer go from 15-25°C and in winter from 8-15°C, making it ideal for all seasons.
This place is known for meditation with swamis like Shri Aurobindo and swami Vivekananda spending time with real Mother Nature. The resorts, vintage English cottage, offer a perfect stay in Jeolikot. In addition, Jeolikot houses some ancient temples, a cemetery and other structures pointing to its verdant past. It has bee-keeping centres which is another attraction of the place.
The Cottage in Jeolikot situated at the greenish backdrop of Kumaon hills presents the magnificent Kumaon craftsmanship. This is a charming holiday resort which offers all comforts of an English vintage cottage. Antique carved doors, furniture and windows are special to these cottages. There is a Health centre for the butterflies and for honey, mushrooms and fruits, including strawberries and litchis.
The places nearby (located not very far) to see are
1. Gateway to Kumaon’s Lake District
2. Binsar
3. Kausani
4. Ranikhet
5. Corbett National Park.
Golfing, and trekking in the hills is therapeutic and a lot of fun. Jeolikot is a nice destination for adventurous tourists. Many trekking trails in Jeolikot offer mild to hard challenges to trekkers.

Best time to visit / climate

The best time to visit Jeolikot is July. The weather of Jeolikot is moderately cold and temperature is from 8 to 20 degree Celsius. The nature looks enchanting and suitable at this time. Since winter is chilly, snow and fog forming with monsoon showers, it’s advisable to visit in the month of July for comfort.

Location on Google Maps:

View Larger Map

Or paste the URL below on your browser:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Jeolikot,+uttarakhand&sll=30.221102,79.552002&sspn=4.347183,7.064209&ie=UTF8&hq=Jeolikot,+uttarakhand&hnear=&z=6

How to get there:
• Jeolikot by Train: The nearest railway station is Kathgodam, 48 kms from Jeolikot. It takes about close to an hour to reach Jeolikot. Taxis are available at the railway station. Dehradun-Kathgodam Express (from Dehradun), Ranikhet Express (from Delhi) and Bagh express (from Howrah) are some of the convenient trains to Kathgodam.

• Jeolikot by Air: The nearest airport to Jeolikot is in Pantnagar which is about 56 km away it takes about one and a half hours to reach Jeolikot from there. The airport, however is not in operation yet. So the major international airport near Jeolikot is Delhi, which is nearly 290 km away from the city. Pre-paid taxi charges nearly Rs 4000 from Delhi to Jeolikot. New Delhi is connected to all major cities in India and abroad by Air.

• Jeolikot by Bus: There are overnight tourists buses services run by private companies are available from New Delhi to Jeolikot, which charge around Rs 800.
Buses are available from the ISBT at Ananad Vihar in New Delhi. The 9 pm deluxe bus to Nainital stops at Jeolikot. If you are driving, after the Moradabad by-pass fly-over, take the largely forested road to Bazpur, which will take you to Haldwani via Kaladungi. From Haldwani (a large town which has joined up with Kathgodam), take the Nainital route to reach Jeolikot. Most Delhi motorists prefer this route.

The distance chart from major cities is as below:
From and Distance
1. Delhi – 277 km
2. Nainital – 4 km
3. Almora – 58 km
4. Kasauni -107 km
5. Haridwar- 220 km
6. Rishikesh -237 km
7. Rajaji National Park -263 km
8. Auli -267 km
9. Dehradun -272 km
10. Mussoorie -297 km

The following website gives all the train numbers, names and timings, flight timings, names and buses timings and the road map to reach to Jeolikot: http://www.mustseeindia.com/Jeolikot/how-to-reach

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

• http://www.holidayiq.com/Jeolikot-hotel-photos-Cottage,%20The-1835—m.html
• http://www.indiahotelreview.com/destination_jeolikot.htm
• http://goindia.about.com/od/wheretostay/ss/top-10-homestays-in-india_7.htm
• http://www.travelchacha.com/cities/jeolikot/
• http://www.oktatabyebye.com/hotels/hotels-in-Jeolikot.html

Blogs / Sites about Jeolikot

• http://www.travelchacha.com/cities/jeolikot/
• http://thecottagejeolikot.com/
Golfing, sailing at Naini Lake, trek down to the tiny river below the cottage, snow peak spotting from Kilbury, bird watching at Pangot, Binsar and Naukuchiatal, boat rides at Saattal and treks and hikes in the Kumaoni Himalayas are some of the things that one can do in Jeolikot.
Collecting pebbles and soaking your feet in its refreshing coolness is fun here. There is a tiny shrine under a canopy of trees, the colonial house, is an outlet for fresh honey and saplings. Going with binoculars and a bird and butterfly guide book will add to the enjoyment. In the government horticulture department one can buy fresh kiwi fruit, mushrooms, olives and strawberries and also some fresh wild flower honey.
• http://www.heritagehotelsofindia.com/india/uttaranchal/the-cottage-joelikot.html
• http://www.euttaranchal.com/tourism/jeolikot-excursions.php
Images and photos of Jeolikot
• http://www.google.co.in/images?q=Jeolikot+photos&rls=com.microsoft:en-us&oe=UTF-8&rlz=1I7GPCK_enIN389&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=univ&ei=i4RITN_QKMaDcKHawe4M&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=1&ved=0CCcQsAQwAA
• http://www.oktatabyebye.com/Picture-Gallery/20519-jeolikot-travel-photo.html
• http://www.flickr.com/photos/arnobb/345784246/
• http://photos.travelblog.org/Photos/411/1156/t/2603-Isn-t-it-beautiful-0.jpg
• http://www.delhiweekendbreaks.com/images/jeolikot-hills.jpg

Bhimtal – A beautiful lake in North India

Traveller — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 17:52:07 +0000

Bhimtal is a town in the state of Uttarakhand, India. It is a nagar panchayat in Nainital district. The town is named after Bhima, one of the Pandavas in Mahabharata. It is situated at an altitude of 1370 meters above sea level. A much more famous lake location, Nainital is 22 kilometers from Bhimtal. Bhimtal Lake is one of the major attractions of this town as it has an island in its centre at a distance of 91 metres from the shore. Bhimtal is a mini district headquarters with Vikas Bhawan being the district head office. Bhimtal is an all year round tourist place but warmer in mid june. At the end of Bhimtal lake there is Victorian dam on one side and terraced flower gardens on either side.
The altitude of 1370 meters gives it a good scenic break. Kumaon hills, beautiful forests etc., add to the town’s charm. Bhimtal Lake is the real lake in the lake district of India. The Bhimtal Lake’s two most attractive features are that it beautifully supports a wide range of aquatic life and the Lake is a stop by for Trans Himalayan birds during winter. It becomes an abode to large number of migratory birds.
This perennial lake is blessed with emerald green water. The boat cruise will enhance the enjoyment of the majestic and subtle experience. There was an island restaurant in the island to help enjoy a good meal but due to the wastes left behind that used to pollute the lake. So the Nainital Lake Development Authority decided to develop an aquarium on the island. They converted the restaurant into an aquarium to prevent pollution and clean the lake. The lake is amidst the lush green Kumaon Hills. The lake is a home to a large variety of aquatic species.
A variety of fishes from countries like South Africa, Mexico and China have been kept in the aquarium that is catching tourist’s attention. Tourists get educated about the fishes, and excited to watch different species of fishes in it. Bhimtal is a haven for the adventure lovers due to the ample variety of the adventure activities offered by this place. Adventures that can be enjoyed are the activities like mountain biking, trekking along the river or mountains, camping along Pine Riviera, river crossing at Lake Bhimtal that is bestowed with an Island at the heart of the Lake, rock climbing up the dense and lush green forest and many more.

Places to see

• Mall Road: Mall road is the best place to visit for buying gifts for your friends and family members while you visit Bhimtal. It is centrally located in Bhimtal. Mall Road has many shops that offers locally made stuff like wooden crafts, paintings, carpets and many more.
• Pine Rivera: Pine Rivera is situated near a small hill and a flowing river. One can experience pleasant sound of the smooth flowing river. It offers stunning scenery of wide species of beautiful birds. It also provides the best location for camps.
• Para Gliding: For an adventurer, Bhimtal can be a best place to visit. It offers activities like paragliding. Paragliding in Bhimtal is a perfect spot for such lovely sport. Flying above the mountain and watching the beautiful forest and Bhimtal Lake while paragliding in Bhimtal is truly a life time experience.
• Trekking: Trekking through the dense jungles, triumphing the beautiful valleys, exploring the virgin verdant green forests, breathing the fresh mountain air, navigating through the mountainous terrain with compass and map, diving into the hidden mountain waterfalls and streams, setting up small camps, sleeping under bright stars, bedazzled by the beautiful views of valley, forging the new friendships with the other trekking enthusiasts and photographing the once-in-lifetime wildlife scene is what you can expect while you trek in Bhimtal.

Best time to visit / climate

The best time to visit Bhimtal is from mid of April to mid of July and from mid of September to October. Bhimtal experiences monsoon from July to September. Bhimtal weather is very alpine. It is blessed with pleasant climate throughout the year. The summers in Bhimtal are very mild and winters are cold.

Location on Google Maps

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Directions from Delhi to Bhimtal:

View Larger Map

How to get there

By Rail: One can reach Bhimtal via railheads through Ranikhet Express or Uttar Sampark Kranti Express.
Direction: Ranikhet Express – Enjoy an overnight journey at AC sleeper coaches from Delhi to Kathgodam. You will reach Kathgodam at 5:30 a.m. From there it is a 40 minutes journey, approximately 22kms drive to Bhimtal.
Sampark Kranti Express – It is an afternoon train from Delhi and you will arrive Kathgodam at 11 p.m. Take a taxi to Bhimtal from here.
By Air: Bhimtal doesn’t have airport facilities. Pant Nagar airport is the nearest airport around 55 km from Bhimtal. The best way to reach there is by railhead or roadways.
By Road: Bhimtal is well connected to Delhi by road. You can easily get transportation facility to reach Bhimtal via roadways. It is approximately 300 km from New Delhi.

Direction: From New Delhi to Bhimtal.
New Delhi(via NH – 24) -> Mohan Nagar(via NH – 24) -> Ghaziabad(via NH – 24) -> Babugarh(via NH – 24) -> Gajroula(via NH – 24) -> Joya(via NH – 24) -> Moradabad(via NH – 24) -> Rampur (via NH – 87) -> Bilaspur(via NH – 87) -> Rudrapur (via NH – 87) -> Lalkuan(via NH – 87) -> Haldwani(via NH – 87) -> Kathgodam(via NH – 87) – Bhimtal

One can also Visit This Place by Taxi or By Tours & Travel Lake Tour Packages.

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

• http://indoexpedition.com/bhimtalhotels.html (gives details like location, price etc., of hotels in Bhimtal)
• http://www.arounddelhi.com/bhimtal.htm gives names, prices, location and contact numbers of many hotels in Bhimtal.
• http://www.bhimtalhotels.com/
• http://www.travelmasti.com/bhimtal.htm

Blogs / Sites about Bhimtal

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhimtal
Bhimtal is named after Bhima of Mahabharata. It is an ancient place. There is an old Shiva temple named Bhimeshwara Mahadev Temple on the banks of Bhimtal slakes. It was built when Bhima visited the place during the vanavas of Pandavas. It is a17th century temple built by a king named Baz Bahadur of chand dynasty and the raja of Kumaon. Britishers ruled Bhimtal after the Anglo-Nepalese war. It is a tourist spot for many.
• http://www.altiusdirectory.com/Travel/bhimtal.php
• http://www.dazzlingindia.com/travel/Bhimtal-of-Nainital.html

Images and photos of Bhimtal

• http://www.google.co.in/images?q=Bhimtal&rls=com.microsoft:en-us&oe=UTF-8&rlz=1I7GPCK_enIN389&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=univ&ei=gXlITOvXBsyPccjzlLQM&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=4&ved=0CDcQsAQwAw
• http://www.tripadvisor.in/LocationPhotos-g679051-Bhimtal_Uttarakhand.html
• http://www.oktatabyebye.com/picture-gallery/Bhimtal-pictures.html
• http://www.holidayiq.com/destinations/photos/Bhimtal-Photos.html
• http://www.altiusdirectory.com/Travel/bhimtal.php
• http://members.tripod.com/image_india/Bhimtal.html