Wineglass Bay - Tasmania Australia

source : www.australia.com

Wineglass Bay, on Tasmania's Freycinet Peninsula, is considered one of the top ten beaches in the world. This flawless crescent of dazzling white sand and sapphire-coloured sea set against pink and grey granite peaks is one of Australia's most beautiful natural environments. It's the perfect location for fishing, sailing, bushwalking, sea kayaking, rock-climbing, or simply soaking up the spectacular coastal scenery. Wineglass Bay has become a favourite honeymoon destination for couples to escape and relax away from the rest of the world. With secluded sandy beaches, luxurious eco-lodges, and fine Tasmanian cuisine, Freycinet Peninsula is an adventure of pure indulgence.

 source : wikimedia.org

Wineglass Bay is part of the Freycinet Peninsula, an outcrop of wild, pristine coastland on Tasmania's east coast. The entire peninsula, comprising Friendly Beaches, Wineglass Bay and Schouten Island, is encompassed within the Freycinet National Park.

An almost perfect curve of pure white sand fringed by turquoise waters has earned Wineglass Bay a reputation as one of the top ten beaches in the world.

Equally beautiful are the wide deserted beaches and aquamarine shallows at Bryans and Cooks beaches on the western side of the peninsula facing Great Oyster Bay. On the eastern side of the Freycinet Peninsula there are soaring sea cliffs, secluded coves, and dramatic ocean beaches. The remarkable pink granite peaks known as The Hazards guard the peninsula at its northern end, and to the south is uninhabited Schouten Island.

Wineglass Bay is just a short walk from the camping grounds at Coles Bay. The walk to Wineglass Bay involves an uphill climb through The Hazards to a rocky lookout, followed by a downhill walk to the beach. It takes around two hours to walk to Wineglass Bay from the entrance of the Freycinet National Park.

source : wineglassbaytours.com.au

The award winning Freycinet Experience Walk is a four-day guided walk covering the entire length of the peninsula including Wineglass Bay. The peninsula was home to the Oyster Bay Tribe of Tasmanian Aborigines for at least 20,000 years. Some of the tracks are paths walked by the area's original Aboriginal inhabitants thousands of years ago. Learn about the French explorers who first discovered this paradise. Watch for wildlifeincluding white-bellied sea-eagles, quolls, wallabies, wombats and Tasmanian devils.

Set off on a scenic cruise where you might be lucky enough to see a pod of dolphins or migrating whales in season. Take a 4WD to the cobblestone shore of Bluestone Bay or Cape Tourville Lighthouse for unforgettable views.

The area is also renowned for its deep sea fishing, rock climbing, scuba diving and mountain biking. A scenic flight reveals the whole breathtaking panorama from above.

Taste crayfish, scallops and fresh oysters picked straight from some of the world's cleanest waters, complemented by Tasmania's internationally acclaimed cool-climate wines. Relax in your luxury lodge watching the sun set across the water and you will feel truly in touch with the beauty and depth of nature. Wineglass Bay is approximately two and a half hours drive north of Hobart or south of Launceston. Article Source : here

source : freycinetlodge.com.au

 

Australia's Great Natural Wonder : Great Barrier Reef

 source : static5.businessinsider.com

One of Australia’s most remarkable natural gifts, the Great Barrier Reef is blessed with the breathtaking beauty of the world’s largest coral reef. The reef contains an abundance of marine life and comprises of over 3000 individual reef systems and coral cays and literally hundreds of picturesque tropical islands with some of the worlds most beautiful sun-soaked, golden beaches.

source : gbrmpa.gov.au

Because of its natural beauty, the Great Barrier Reef has become one of the worlds most sought after tourist destinations. A visitor to the Great Barrier Reef can enjoy many experiences including snorkelling, scuba diving, aircraft or helicopter tours, bare boats (self-sail), glass-bottomed boat viewing, semi-submersibles and educational trips, cruise ship tours, whale watching and swimming with dolphins.

 source : qualia.com.au

The Great Barrier Reef is one of the seven wonders of the natural world, and pulling away from it, and viewing it from a greater distance, you can understand why. It is larger than the Great Wall of China and the only living thing on earth visible from space. Article source : here

 source : great-barrier-reef.com

Amazing Sanur Beach - BALI INDONESIA

 source : footrips.com

Sanur is Bali's oldest upscale resort area and is a mature beach-side town. Despite the abundance of restaurants and accommodation, it has a quiet and relaxed feel to it. In general terms, it is more expensive than Kuta but cheaper than Seminyak. Sanur tends to appeal most to middle-aged and older families, especially Europeans.

 source : static.asiawebdirect.com

The Sanur area is sandwiched between the main Jalan Ngurah Rai bypass and the beach. One main route called Jalan Danau Tamblingan runs north to south through the town and it is easy to orient yourself with reference to this road.

Sanur Beach, Bali's earliest beach resort, features a relaxed coastal ambiance. Located on the eastern side of the island's isthmus, it is the opposite of Kuta, both in characteristics and nuance. The former fishing village maintains most of its charm and continues to attract repeat visitors, mostly from Europe.

 source : vilondo.com

Among Bali’s first hotels and beachfront retreats, together with an eclectic mix of restaurants, shops and bars and an assortment of innovative and modern entertainment venues share the Sanur Beach coastline. Known for its laidback atmosphere, Sanur Beach maintains its wealth in arts and culture, making it an ideal destination to enjoy the best of both eras, classic and contemporary. Article source : here here

 source : wyndhamap.com

Senggigi - Lombok Island Indonesia

The Senggigi region is the main tourist destination on the island of Lombok in Indonesia. The main town is Senggigi itself, and the whole area is well known for its beautiful west facing beaches. The Senggigi region is formed by several adjacent yet subtly different areas all lying along the same 2 lane coastal road. The exact boundaries of each area can seem rather ill-defined. While pockets of development can be found in some areas, long stretches of open undeveloped land lie in between.

source : gilitransfers.com

source : kileetravels.com

Nightlife and major restaurants are concentrated in the central township of Senggigi. The first time visitor should be aware of these distinct regional differences. Simply booking a hotel in Senggigi could mean a relatively remote location where the town centre can only be reached by taxi or public transport.

source : media-cdn.tripadvisor.com

source : media-cdn.tripadvisor.com

Mangsit — a little to the north of Senggigi township it has a well established hotel strip running along a long tranquil sweeping beach with traditional outrigger boats resting on the sand. Mangsit is the gateway to the northern area of activities at Gili Islands, Tanjung and Mount Rinjani. It has well established resort hotel choices but few other tourist activities, such as shopping and nightlife. Mangsit can be quickly and conveniently reached from the centre of Senggigi by taxi or public bemo.

 source : beachresort.purimas-lombok.com

Kerangdangan — in a large quiet bay to the immediate north of the Senggigi township with some rental villa's in the valley behind the beach.

Senggigi (centre) — not a typical tourist resort town, such as may be found in Bali where a day can be spent shopping and socialising at the local bars and restaurants. However there are enough bars, pool tables, TV screens with sports broadcasts, relaxing lounge areas and beach side restaurants to keep people occupied should that be their focus. Many visitors use Senggigi as a home base and take day trips to the waterfalls, the Gili Islands, or just go exploring the still authentic villages, temples, and forest habitat found within a couple of hours drive.

Batu Bolong — is to the immediate south of Senggigi and has a sparsely spread out collection of hotels, cafes, restaurants, several karaoke style establishments and a large barn like nightclub all situated along the coast road. A smaller restaurant and hotel strip is concentrated at the Senggigi end. It feels in the most part like a southern satellite extension of the Senggigi township. In the valley behind Batu Bolong is a large housing complex catering to both Indonesian and expatriate long term residents and visitors. Taxis, or bemo if during daylight hours, give very quick access the centre of Senggigi.

 source : lombokvilla.net

Both Mangsit and Batu Bolong are more focussed on the hotels situated along their respective beachfronts where at night the centre of Senggigi has a more lively street feel to it with live music playing and people moving about from one venue to another. Lombok's tourism sector has had a difficult past decade and tourism activity in Senggigi went through a very subdued period with many developments halted and businesses closed. Recently things have been starting to improve again, with new villas and hotels going up and new shops and tourism ventures opening. Senggigi is now becoming increasingly popular with visitors seeking out the stunning scenery and unique culture and flavours of Lombok. Article source : here 

source : quncivillas.com

Sentosa Island - Singapura

 source : sentosacoveguru.com

Sentosa  is a popular island resort in Singapore, visited by some twenty million people a year. Attractions include a 2 km (1.2 mi) long sheltered beach, Fort Siloso, two golf courses, the Merlion, 14 hotels, and the Resorts World Sentosa, featuring the theme park Universal Studios Singapore.

 source : lifetomyfullest.files.wordpress.com

 source : sentosacoveguru.com

The name Sentosa translates as "peace and tranquility" in Malay, which was in turn derived from संतोष (Santosha) in Sanskrit. Sentosa was once known as Pulau Belakang Mati (Chinese: 绝后岛), which in Malay means the "Island (pulau) of Death (mati) from Behind (belakang)". The island has an area of close to 5 km2 (1.9 sq mi). It lies just half a kilometre (a quarter of a mile) away from the southern coast of the main island of Singapore. It is Singapore's fourth largest island (excluding the main island). 70% of the island is covered by secondary rainforest, the habitat of monitor lizards, monkeys, peacocks, parrots as well as other native fauna and flora, also, when the construction of Resorts World Sentosa commenced, environmental impact was kept at a minimum when over two hundred trees in the designated area were replanted elsewhere on the island. The island also has 3.2 km (2.0 mi) stretch of white sand beach. Significantly large portions of land are currently being added to Sentosa due to land reclamation.

 source : rahlat.com

Sentosa has a stretch of sheltered beach of more than 2 km (1.2 mi) on its southern coast, divided into three portions: Palawan Beach, Siloso Beach and Tanjong Beach. These beaches are artificial, reclaimed using sand bought from Indonesia and Malaysia. They are manned by a beach patrol lifeguard team who are easily identified by their red and yellow uniforms.

Palawan Beach lies in the centre of the southern coast of Sentosa. There is a suspension bridge that leads to a small islet off the coast which is said to be the southernmost point of continental Asia, or Asia's closest point to the Equator. There are several bars along the beach offering food and beverage options to visitors as well as Beach Station of the Sentosa Express. Palawan Beach was once served by Central Beach Monorail Station, but this station closed in 2005.

Siloso Beach lies on the west portion of the southern coast and it is known as the place for beach volleyball and other outdoor activities such as canoeing, skimboarding, mountain biking and rollerblading. There are also dining and shopping outlets along the beach. The beach underwent a SGD$3 million facelift in December 2012. The Rasa Sentosa Resort is located at the western end of Siloso Beach.

Tanjong Beach is located on the relatively more secluded eastern part of the coast. The crescent-shaped beach is sometimes used for special events or parties. The beach bar 'KM8' used to be located here, but it closed down on 28 March 2009. The Tanjong Beach Club is now the main draw on Tanjong Beach. Article source : here 

 source : http://gatotravel.com

MacRitchie Reservoir Park - Singapura

 A gateway to Singapore’s nature reserves, the MacRitchie Reservoir Park is a popular spot for nature lovers and exercise enthusiasts. With hiking trails, a newly improved pontoon for kayakers and an upgraded canoe shed, it is also a great place for recreational activities, both on land and in water.

A 12-hectare green haven bordering the country’s first reservoir and the Central Catchment Nature Reserve, the MacRitichie Reservoir Park is highly visited by nature lovers and sports enthusiasts. As a gateway to our pristine forest and waters, the park is a popular venue for schools and organisations to hold cross-country events, allowing participants to run through designated trails while embracing the wonders of our native biodiversity. The iconic MacRitchie bandstand continues to hold a special place in the hearts of many Singaporeans, and is often used to host performing arts presentations and solemnisation ceremonies. Take a morning or evening walk and stroll along the water’s edge to admire the beauty and serenity of the reservoir. Alternatively, enjoy a leisurely paddle through the calm waters or explore the forest and discover its inhabitants on the many trails. For those looking for an adrenaline rush, hike over to the TreeTop Walk.

 Featuring an amenities centre equipped with washrooms, showering facilities, lockers, drinking fountains and food kiosks, the reservoir deck is an ideal venue for warm-ups and cross-country events. Under the Active, Beautiful and Clean programme initiated by the Public Utilities Board, a landscape highlight in the park is a near 100-metre vegetated gravel swale, which is complemented by a 40-metre submerged boardwalk. These features are primarily designed to sieve out coarse sediments and pollutants from surface water runoffs, which eventually enhance the nation’s water quality in the reservoir. The furnishing of these features with plants and vegetation has further enriched biodiversity. Visitors can stay captivated by nature while taking a leisure stroll along the reservoir edge. The park also features a green two-storey car park with 300 parking lots, with an upper deck which collects rainwater and channels them into a bioswale. The MacRitchie Reservoir is one of the four reservoirs that bound Singapore’s nature reserves. Other reservoirs include the Lower Peirce Reservoir, the Upper Peirce Reservoir and the Upper Seletar Reservoir. Serving as water catchment areas, forests surrounding these reservoirs are protected from agricultural activities in order to ensure the quality of the water. Article Source : here

Beautiful Hindu Temple in Java Indonesia - PRAMBANAN TEMPLE

source : static.thousandwonders.net

Prambanan Temple Compounds consist of Prambanan Temple (also called Loro Jonggrang), Sewu Temple, Bubrah Temple and Lumbung Temple. Prambanan Temple itself is a complex consisting of 240 temples. All the mentioned temples form the Prambanan Archaeological Park and were built during the heyday of Sailendra’s powerful dynasty in Java in the 8th century AD.

source : segarratour.com

These compounds are located on the border between the two provinces of Yogyakarta and Central Java on Java Island. While Loro Jonggrang, dating from the 9th century, is a brilliant example of Hindu religious bas-reliefs, Sewu, with its four pairs of Dwarapala giant statues, is Indonesia’s largest Buddhist complex including the temples of Lumbung, Bubrah and Asu (Gana temple). The Hindu temples are decorated with reliefs illustrating the Indonesian version of the Ramayana epic which are masterpieces of stone carvings. These are surrounded by hundreds of shrines that have been arranged in three parts showing high levels of stone building technology and architecture from the 8th century AD in Java. With over 500 temples, Prambanan Temple Compounds represents not only an architectural and cultural treasure, but also a standing proof of past religious peaceful cohabitation. Criterion (i): Prambanan Temple Compounds presents the grandiose culture of Siva art as a masterpiece of the classical period in Indonesia, and the region. Criterion (iv): The property is an outstanding religious complex, characteristic of Siva expression of the 10th century.
Prambanan Temple Compounds comprises of two groups of buildings which includes Loro Jonggrang, Sewu complexes, Lumbung, Bubrah and Asu (Gana). The 508 stone temples of various shapes and sizes are either in a complete and preserved condition or have been retained as ruins. This site includes all elements necessary to express its exceptional significance and is well maintained. There are no threats of development or neglect; however the area is prone to natural threats such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.
Prambanan Temple Compounds contains the original structures that were built in the 9th century AD. The temples collapsed due to earthquake, volcanic eruption and a shift of political power in the early 11th century, and they were rediscovered in the 17th century. These compounds have never been displaced or changed. Restoration works have been conducted since 1918, both in original traditional method of interlocking stone and modern methods using concrete to strengthen the temple structure. Even though extensive restoration works have been done in the past and as recently as after the 2006 earthquake, great care has been taken to retain the authenticity of the structures. Article source : here

  source : livingif.com