The Huacachina Mermaid

HUACACHINA is a natural oasis in the desert of Ica, located at the south of Lima- Perù, famous for dune buggy rides and sandboarding. But did you know that there is a legend surrounding this beautiful oasis? 

The young Inca princess Huacay China, married a young warrior Ajall Krinaand and they were happy together, but Ajall was senT to war and he died during the battle. The princess full of sadness and tears went to the place where they met, she wept constantly, day after day, until her tears formed a small lagoon and she became a mermaid that protects it.

www.legendaryperu.com.pe

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Americans seek unique and novel experiences

EXPEDIA.COM analyzed thousands of data points this year to identify the top trends in travel for 2018, and the results show that American travelers are increasingly interested in unique and novel experiences.

Activities and experiences are increasingly popular as travelers look to personalize and customize their vacations. These are the fastest-growing activity categories in 2018 for the U.S.:

Fastest-growing category: Attractions. Observation decks and architectural landmarks are leading the pack, with the Eiffel Tower, Rome's Colosseum, the 360 Chicago Observation Deck and the High Roller Observation Wheel in Las Vegas among the top trending attractions.

Runner-up: Tours & Sightseeing. Walking and hop-on-hop-off bus tours remain popular among travelers visiting big cities.

Third place: Shopping & Culinary Experiences round out the top categories, as travelers look to get the most out of their destinations and sample local flavors.


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The True Spirit of Alaska

BEAR Viewing in #Alaska with the assistance of Captain Mel Erickson and his famed boat aptly named the Alaskan Gamefisher can help you to discover the true spirit of the location and its natural inhabitants namely the bears. You get the opportunity to watch the beautiful creatures in their own habitat without being threatened in the least.

While Alaskan Brown bear viewing might be your primary objective, the Alaskan Gamefisher enables you to widen your experience by permitting you to fish for the choicest salmon and halibuts in the icy waters of Alaska as well. 

The proficient guides accompanying you are quick to show you the tips and tricks of digging clams while the astounding sight of five magnificent snow-covered volcanic mountains all around the National Park area is sure to make you wonder at the magic of nature.


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Engaging in rural tourism

CHINA has been encouraging poor villages to develop tourism by providing them with subsidies. In 2007, the number of tourist visits to rural areas exceeded 2.5 billion, benefiting 9 million rural households. 17.5 percent of the people who have risen above the poverty line have done so through engaging in rural tourism.

51 year old Chang Ying is a resident of a remote desert village in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. He has three daughters, and had almost no source of income. Opportunities came in the summer of 2014 when a tourism company came to invest and turned the desert land into a scenic spot where villagers like Chang can make money by offering tourists horse or camel rides.

It turned out that the revenue from one horse could reach 700 to 800 yuan a day. Apart from that incentive, each poor household is eligible for a subsidized loan of up to 50,000 yuan with which they joined the operation of the scenic spot and get a yearly dividend of 5000 yuan. This policy has helped to greatly improve the life of poor households.


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Apulia & Salento Food & Wine Tours

IN today’s era, food and wine tours are the most attractive element of the tourism experience. Outside dining is common among tourists and the tasty food is supposed to rank alongside climate, accommodation, and scenery. Keeping all that points in mind, Italy Luxury Tours step forward to offer you the best food & wine tours to the famous cities of #Italy which are Apulia & Salento.

Food and wine tour to Apulia and Salento for 7 nights/8 days operated by Italy Luxury Tours have brought together the best local food collectives to give an amazing experience in and around this ancient Italy towns. As everyone knows that Apulia is a region whose symbolic side is the balance of foods and wines deriving both from land and sea, so this #foodandwine tours offered by Italy Luxury Tours will let you refine your senses for delicious wine and foods.

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Visit the Alps, Down Under

VISITORS to the Alpine National Park can now experience the Bogong High Plains like never before thanks to Parks Victoria’s new Alps Discovery Days at Wallace’s Hut Heritage Trail. The Alps Discovery Days experience will immerse visitors in the cultural heritage of the Bogong High Plains, while showcasing the unique flora and fauna of the Alpine National Park. 

The Volunteer Park Guides will lead both guided tours and more informal chats of Wallace’s hut and the surrounding wetlands between 10am to 2pm during the summer school holidays and on the Easter long weekend in April 2019.

The Alps Discovery Days tours will be available on Thursdays, Saturday and Sunday. They are free, fun and educational for all. To book a place on a Volunteer Park Guide tour, visit www.parkstay.vic.gov.au/alpine-discovery-days or simply arrive at Wallace’s Hut within the designated time.


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Picture Credit: By Rod Waddington from Kergunyah, Australia - Wallace's Hut, Bogong High Plains, Australia, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=29767279

144 hours in Shandong Province

STARTING January 1, 2019, five Chinese cities -- Xiamen, Qingdao, Wuhan, Chengdu and Kunming -- will implement a 144-hour (6 day) transit visa exemption policy for non-Chinese citizens who are transiting through the five cities, giving them more time and opportunities to get a taste of the hospitality that Shandong province is known for and experience some of its folk customs. How does one travel in Shandong in 144 hours? The Information Office of the People's Government of Shandong Province has put together some recommendations.

A three-day trip throughout the province's coastal regions
Stop 1: Qingdao

The old city of Qingdao is a place that every traveler to China has heard about and wants to visit. Badaguan, a.k.a. the Expo of World Architecture in China, features a multiplicity of architectural styles, giving visitors the opportunity to feel the romance of the historical locale.

Stop 2: Yantai

The seaside city of Yantai has a distinctly different feel from Qingdao. Yantai Mountain is the region's landmark and a scenic spot replete with beautiful scenery and oddly-shaped rocks. The nearby city of Penglai has a long, historical association with the Taoist legend of the Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea, imbuing visitors with a sense of being in a wonderland.

Stop 3: Weihai

Every winter in Yandunjiao, travelers can observe the thousands of whooper swans that spend the winter here. Lights from the fishing boats, seaweed cottages and country roads form a dream-like world reminiscent of what one might only see in an oil painting.

A three-day tour of the inland regions
Stop 1: A fantasy journey to Tai'erzhuang

During the visit in Tai'erzhuang, a water town nestled in a landscape that is typical of the region that lies on the north side of the Yangtze River at the point where Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces meet, you can make your entrance into the ancient city on the deck of a black-awning boat to take in the ancient Huizhou buildings and the architecture that is emblematic of the region.

Stop 2: Mount Tai

Climb to the top of Mount Tai, known as the Chief of the Five Sacred Mountains, and take in the view of all mountains in a single glance. At the top of the mountain, you can look down on the whole of the city of Tai'an.

Stop 3: Qufu, a.k.a. the Holy City of the East

If you want to understand the true meaning of the common Chinese saying, "how happy we are to meet friends from afar", a visit to Kong Family Mansion, the Temple of Confucius and Confucius Cemetery is an essential part of the journey through Shandong.

Stop 4: Jinan, the City of Springs

In Jinan, a city known for its many springs, you can enjoy the beauty and sound of bubbling water, all well stocked with many species of beautiful fish. The water that pours forth from Pearl Spring emulates the look of gorgeous pearls. The area is home to 72 famous springs, among them, Baotu Spring, Black Tiger Spring, Five Dragon Pool and Baimai Spring.


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Australia's Top 10 Wine Tours

AUSTRALIA'S Top 10 wine tours, based on booking data from the past four seasons has been unveiled by TripAdvisor. The data, which dates back to 2015, has underlined some key trends in Australia’s contemporary wine-scene, including: Victoria is the country’s most popular state for a wine tour, with three entries in the Top 10.

But South Australia is home to Australia’s #1 most booked wine tour overall Queensland has emerged onto the wine-tour map for the first time, with the Mount Tamborine Wine and Winery Tour now amongst the top 10 booked tours in the country New South Wales.  Western Australia and Tasmania are also represented With over 140,000 bookable tours and activities around the world on TripAdvisor Experiences, it’s a one-stop destination for planning all of your travel activities. From traditional sightseeing to food and wine tours, day trips, and local experiences, travellers can find it all on TripAdvisor Experiences. 

Top 10 Australian bookable winery tours for 2018: 

1.   Small-Group Barossa Valley Food and Wine Tour, South Australia 

2.   Mount Tamborine Wine and Winery Tour from Brisbane or the Gold Coast,          Queensland

3.   Swan Valley River Cruise and Wine Tasting Day Trip from Perth, Western 

      Australia 

4.   Moorilla Estate Winery Tour Including Wine Tasting, Lunch and Mona 

      Admission, Tasmania 

5.   Gourmet Vineyard Lunch and Yarra Valley Winery Tour from Melbourne, 

      Victoria 

6.   Small-Group Hunter Valley Wine and Cheese Tasting Tour from Sydney, 

      New South Wales 

7.   Barossa Valley Wineries Tour with Tastings from Adelaide, South Australia 

8.   Yarra Valley Wineries and Puffing Billy Steam Train Tour from Melbourne, 

      Victoria 

9.   Hunter Valley Gatherer’s Full-Day Food and Wine Tour, New South Wales 

10. Experience Yarra Valley: Beer, Cider, Wine and Food from Melbourne, 

      Victoria 

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Dragoman Overland Guide wins top award!

A leader for Dragoman Overland since 2013, Julie Gabbott has received the top award at Wanderlust magazine's 13th World Guide Awards. 

Julie who guides for Dragoman in their iconic orange overland trucks which go all over the Americas, Africa and Asia; taking the road less travelled and getting away from the tourist trail share their mantra of "it's the journey, not just the destination".

Julie is planning on splitting her winning bursary of £5,000 between Zara Charity in Tanzania (which works towards powering schools for Maasai children) and a charity supporting female victims of genital mutilation in Sierra Leone.

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Get captivated by the magic

THE magnetic fields of sun twist and turn when it rotates on its axis and when these fields become intertwined they burst and generate sunspots that occur in pairs. When the temperature on the surface of sun fluctuates the sun starts boiling and generates bubbles. The particles escaping from the sunspot regions when clash with the plasma called solar wind, it takes around 40 hours to reach Earth and when it occurs that causes the fascinating displays called the aurora borealis.

Wild About Lapland, offer tailor made Aurora Borealis #Lapland tours depending upon the abilities of their clients, weather conditions and the Northern Light forecasts. Their expert guides teach their clients about #AuroraBorealis and also show how the natives make a fire and cook over it. To make the experience of watching the mesmerizing lights they drive away from the city to find the perfect spot that provides the highest chances of seeing the lights on the destined night.

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Enjoy Granada with a little help

THE Italian startup for electric bike tours BikeSquare, is expanding to #Spain to offer the chance of visiting and discovering by ebike the most important Spanish cities with their different history, character and traditions.

Thanks to the collaboration with its partner, E-bike Tour Granada, BikeSquare is offering an electric bike tour of the city, to enjoy #Granada historical districts and their spectacular viewpoints.

Accompanied by a professional guide, visitors will have the chance to visit the fascinating neighbourhoods of Albayzín and Sacromonte, perched on the hill. The Albayzín is a charming area, located at 700-800 mts height, that maintains the Moorish traits, with its narrow lanes and well-kept traditional houses. It is famous especially for its dramatic views overlooking the Alhambra palace. The Sacromonte, is known for its Abbey and its caves, where every night gypsies celebrate with their songs and flamenco dance.

Thanks to the powerful electric bikes, it will be easy reaching the top of the hill and enjoying this charming and authentic areas. The 3 hour tour starts on the roads and Forest trails of the Alhambra. Visitors will enjoy the magnificent views of the Albayzín and the Alhambra, the Sacromonte Abbey, with the viewpoints of San Miguel and San Nicolás, coming back to the center of Granada by the Sacromonte.


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Picture Credit: viator1945  VA Varese dintorni, S.Maria del Monte-Sacro Monte con vista sulla lontana Brianza via photopin

World’s Best Safari Outfitter

ALLURING Africa’s continued dedication to providing exceptional travel experiences has struck a chord with readers of Travel + Leisure Magazine, as they have named the Florida-based luxury tour operator as the World’s Best Safari Outfitter for 2018.

Travel + Leisure cited Alluring Africa’s “exacting attention to detail and earnest love for the places where it works” as a reason for the company’s enduring popularity amongst their “travel-hungry” readers, with this survey response typical of the many citations that Alluring Africa received: “They treat their clients like family, and create ultra-personalized itineraries... they are a world-class business that truly wants to help people connect with Africa!”

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One free for every three

STINGRAY City Cayman Islands is offering one FREE ticket for every three tickets purchased on our Stingray City, Coral Garden and Starfish tour. This end of summer special enhances the exceptional value of tours offered by Stingray City Cayman Islands, which is located in the North Sound of Grand Cayman, within stations on the Royal Watler cruise ship terminal and Seven Mile Beach Safe Haven Marina.

This offer extends to the Stingray City, Coral Garden and Starfish tours booked between September and October and can be applied to tours throughout 2018 and 2019. Stingray City Cayman Islands is one of the leading tour companies selected by cruise ship visitors in the Cayman Islands, with an average rating of 4.8 on TripAdvisor.



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Journey of discovery at The Lakes Distillery

JOIN the The Lakes Distillery,near Bassenthwaite Lake, for the Lakes Autumn Whisky Festival and celebrate all things whisky. Our tour guides are ready to take you on a journey of discovery as they guide you through our whisky making process right up to spirit being laid to rest.

Not a whisky fan? You can take part in spirit tastings, sample our BBQ, dine alfresco and meet our herd of alpacas, or watch the Border Reivers Re-enactment.
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Back to the future in Waikiki

BACK to the future style levitating hoverboards may not be a reality yet, but the clean electric power revolution is here to stay. Just launched, the local startup company, Hawaii Hoverboarding Tours, is utilizing the next best thing to floating boards for their informative tours of Waikiki. They have the latest 2018 model, advanced all-terrain segway-style electric hoverboards.

The company chose to use the all-terrain style hoverboards because they say the boards are the perfect platform for exploring Waikiki. The large wheels provide a cushioned elevated platform to effortlessly glide over terrain on sidewalks or trails, while taking in many more sights than walking alone. After a brief training, the silent self balancing hoverboards can become an extension of the rider as they seemingly float through their surroundings, maneuvering simply with a slight shift in their weight.

Rather than riding to a point of interest and stopping for extended periods of time to learn about the location, a wireless one ear audio system is utilized allowing for narration and music along the entire ride. Participants are immersed in all that is Hawaii along the entire ride, which allows for shorter stops, longer rides, and more sites visited. As riders hover along, the guide points out what they’re seeing and its connection to Hawaii’s exciting Polynesian past and present, all along the tour.


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Saving Patagonia's legendary Torres Trail

SOUTHERN Explorations, specializing in crafting custom small-group trips and itineraries to Latin America, has partnered with the Torres del Paine Legacy Fund to help save Patagonia's legendary Torres Trail. 

Visits to the trail in world-renowned Torres del Paine National Park have rapidly increased. The trail can now receive as many as one thousand hikers a day. Such intensive use has resulted in serious deterioration of the trail and addressing these impacts is now an urgent priority.

Under its partnership agreement with the Chilean National Forest Corporation (CONAF), the Legacy Fund has joined AMA Torres del Paine to launch the "Tu Mejor Huella para el Paine" (Your best footprint for Paine) campaign.

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A truly unique experience

THE Masaya Volcano National Park in Nicaragua offers visitors the rare and unique opportunity to see an active volcano up close. It’s the only volcano in the western hemisphere where you are able to drive right up to the edge and one of only 11 volcanoes in the world with an active lava lake.

The volcano has erupted several times in history, feared by both the indigenous people and Spanish conquerors. The Spanish baptized the volcano “La Boca del Infierno” or “The mouth of hell”. 

ORO Travel offer the rare opportunity to experience the volcano at night an amazing photo opportunity.

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Picture credit: Amaury Laporte Red Hot Flowing Lava 81 via photopin

The Honduran Coffee Route

HONDURAS, one the world's leading coffee exporters and home to a multitude of award-winning coffee farms, is ready to welcome travelers this upcoming fall season when perfect weather and ideal coffee harvesting conditions collide in the country's picturesque coffee regions. 

The Honduran Coffee Route is a journey through six identified coffee regions that allows visitors to hear the success stories of local farmers and learn about their cultivating and roasting procedures while visiting farms, training centers, and research facilities in some of the country's most beautiful destinations.

An initiative of the #Honduras Institute of Coffee in collaboration with the Honduras Institute of Tourism, the Honduran Coffee Route is a must-see for coffee aficionados and travelers that are thirsty to learn more about one of the Central American country's greatest exports.



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Desert daredevils

A Dubai based company has established itself as the go-to desert safari tour operator in the city. Desert Safari Rides provides enchanting tour packages to UAE locals and tourists, who are looking to enjoy a trip through the marvelous #Dubai desert.

The company’s tour packages include morning, evening, and overnight safaris, which last anywhere between four to 16 hours, with the latter duration referring to the overnight package. Desert Safari Rides’ experienced drivers pick up safari participants from their hotels, and take them on a thrilling ride through the desert, in one of the company’s SUVs.

During the safari, participants who wish to can enjoy a rhythmic camel ride, surf boarding or adrenaline-rushing quad biking, in the scenic Dubai desert backdrop.



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Top 10 global experiences

TRIPADVISOR, the travel planning and booking site, today announced the winners of its first-ever Travelers' Choice awards for Experiences. The awards recognize 345 experiences, tours, and activities globally, highlighting the world's best experiences overall. They're also broken down by country, and by category including day cruises, cultural experiences, day trips, multi-day tours, hop-on hop-off tours, and food, beer, and wine experiences.

Top 10 Experiences in the World:

• Cooking Class and Lunch at a Tuscan Farmhouse with Local Market Tour from Florence – Florence, Italy
• Berlin Bike Tour – Berlin, Germany
• New York in One Day Guided Sightseeing Tour – New York City, New York
• Sydney BridgeClimb – Sydney, Australia
• Vatican VIP Experience: Exclusive Breakfast at the Vatican with Early Access to Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel – Rome, Italy
• New Orleans Cooking Class – New Orleans, Louisiana
• Rotorua Maori Hangi Dinner and Performance – Rotorua, New Zealand
• Best of Niagara Falls Tour from Niagara Falls, Ontario – Niagara Falls, Canada
• Vancouver to Victoria and Butchart Gardens Tour by Bus – Vancouver, Canada
• Wild Wicklow Tour including Glendalough from Dublin – Dublin, Ireland

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