WHY VISIT HAWAII! SO MANY REASONS!
New Zealand
fromTravel+Leisure Magazine
New Zealand, if you didn't know, is actually two islands. Generally speaking, the North Island equals beaches, and the South Island equals mountains. There is, as you might guess, a bit more to it than that, but the formula does reflect the great Down Under passion for the outdoors.
The unmatched scenery includes rain forests and glaciers, rivers and lakes loaded with trophy trout, alpine mountains with superb skiing, and the kind of hiking found on the Milford Track, touted as "the finest walk in the world." Yes, these Kiwis are an active bunch: They invented bungy jumping, believe there is no friendlier game than rugby (the national sport), and just may be the world's most enthusiastic sailors.
If you like cultural insights with your great outdoors, consider that New Zealand's 3.8 million inhabitants (outnumbered, it must dutifully be noted, by some 60 million sheep - give or take 10 million or so) not only celebrate a Maori artistic heritage that dates back centuries, but have also produced world-renowned opera singers (Kiri Te Kanawa), filmmakers (Jane Campion, who directed The Piano), and top-drawer wines, including some of the world's premium sauvignon blancs. In short, it's a country for all seasons - especially when you consider that in December it's summer Down Under.
Why here? There are clear, clean waters, fjords and coves along the Marlborough Sounds' 930 miles of coastline. Then, there are the 106 wineries and 600 mussel farms.
Why now? Suffer, if you will, the drudgery of winter. But in New Zealand, it's summertime - break out the Sauvignon Blanc and mussels and have yourself a picnic on the deck of a boat or in a vineyard. www.marlboroughtravel.co.nz
It was no accident when the Kiwis sailed off with the America's Cup in 1996, then successfully defended it four years later in Auckland. "The City of Sails" has more boats per capita than any other metropolis in the world, and bareboat and skippered charters are available throughout New Zealand. The only real problem is deciding whether to ply the marine reserves of the Bay of Islands, skim across Auckland's wind-whipped Hauraki Gulf, or head to the South Island to glide along the coastline edging the Marlborough Sounds.
FISHING
The Bay of Islands, at the top of the North Island, has been a hot spot for big-game fishing since the 1920s, when western author (and fishing pioneer) Zane Grey first landed some monster marlin. Today, however, more anglers come to test their fly-fishing skills on huge brown and rainbow trout in such river meccas as the Motu and Tongariro, and in enormous Lake Taupo.
BICYCLING
New Zealand's major wine-growing regions are ideal cycling country: The terrain's not too steep, the weather's often good, and vineyard tastings and gourmet meals await around every curve. A good place to stage your own Tour de Grape is in the sun-drenched Marlborough region, at the top of the South Island. Base yourself at a country B and B or at a hotel in the bustling little seaside town of Blenheim, and sip the excellent whites, the small-batch reds, and the ever-growing selection of late-harvest dessert wines.
Tahiti Islands --
fromTravel+Leisure Magazine
Fly into Tahiti at Faa'a International Airport. This airport can be your launching point to explore other Tahitian islands. Hop on Air Tahiti for an hour-long flight to Fakarava (there's only one flight per day, so don't miss it). Or go to the Marquesas Island of Nuku Hiva (a three-hour flight departing just once a day, except twice on Fridays). Fly to Huahine on multiple flights per day. airtahiti.aero
Stay on those Tahitian islands at these inviting places. On Fakarava, the name says it all at Le Maitai Dream Fakarava, which has just 30 units overlooking a tropical lagoon, 689-93-41-50. On Huahine, venture off the beaten path to Te Tiare Beach Resort, where you'll find 11 deep over-water bungalows and five shallow over-water bungalows, which all face west for optimal sunset viewing. The resort is only accessible by boat (catch it in Fare, the main town on Huahine). Maurii Pension on Huahine features traditionally built beachside bungalows.
Play "pearl lottery" at the Pearl Guest House Havaiki where you swim out, choose a pearl oyster and keep whatever is inside. Black ones are the most common. Get a green one, and you've hit the jackpot.
Day trip to Tetamanu on the southern coast of Fakarava, where you can snorkel completely surrounded by sharks, rays and lagoon fish. Then visit one of the first Catholic churches built all of coral in 1874.
Eat a low-key island lunch at Tetamanu Village on Fakarava. On Huahine, head to Te Marara, a waterside restaurant in the town of Fare. Try its renowned fresh-caught grilled mahimahi with a sauce made from locally grown vanilla. And, of course, wash it all down with Hinano beer.
Tuvalu: Sweet Solitude -- This South Pacific gem is unspoiled and remote for most travelers, making it a true secret island
from Islands.com Magazine - by Bronwen Dickey
Weary of waiting in line for your spot on the beach? Hop a northbound plane from Fiji to the island nation of Tuvalu, and you just might be the only beachcomber there. Formed by six coral atolls and three islands, Tuvalu's small size (16 square miles of land) and its remote location render this South Pacific gem unspoiled and well under-the-radar for most travelers (fewer than 1,000 visit each year). Look for the community-oriented people of Tuvalu to be particularly tuned in to the protection of natural resources: Roughly 20 square miles of the country's largest atoll is off-limits for fishing, hunting and gathering. In the capital of Funafuti, the town council will take you on a boat tour of the glassy Funafuti lagoon, including a trip to the immaculate beaches of the Funafuti Conservation Area, a nesting site for green turtles. If you're athletically inclined, try your hand at te ano, the local take on dodge ball. Head to the island's best -- and only -- hotel, the Vaiaku Lagi, for superb sunset views and a dinner of fresh reef fish caught right out back in the lagoon and drenched in coconut cream. One thing is certain: You won't have to wait in line. Boat tour prices start at $93, room rates from $74.
India's Best Wildlife Safari
from Travel + Leisure Magazine
Indian safaris are anything but tame. Elephants, rhinos, reptiles, bears, and wild dogs roam the lush rainforests, while snow leopards make lonely footprints in the Himalayan snow. Of course, the holy grail of any safari is seeing the big cats, and in India that means the elusive wild tiger.
But the highlights don’t stop there. Incredibly, the subcontinent boasts almost 90,000 living species, including 1,250 kinds of birds. Not all of them are thriving: The Asian rhino is India’s most endangered large mammal, but the greatest fear is over the disappearing tiger—a national symbol and major sightseeing draw. (Others facing extinction include snow leopards and freshwater river dolphins.)
Fortunately, though, most species aren’t threatened, thanks to India’s national park system, which has its roots in royal Indian hunting grounds that became public land after the British Crown departed in 1947. Today, parkland comprises tens of thousands of acres of animal terrain; the government designates over 30 parks as official tiger sanctuaries.
Your toughest decision will be deciding where to go, given the vastness of the country and contrasting landscapes of the national parks: western India’s deserts in Gujarat, the jungles on Kerala’s southwest coast, and savannah-like scrub in north-central India’s Madhya Pradesh. But improved air travel across the subcontinent makes itinerary planning easier.
You may want to base your itinerary around what you want to see. For tigers, head to Madhya Pradesh. The Southern region conducts top elephant safaris. The Agra-Delhi-Jaipur triangle is within a day’s drive of excellent tiger and birding environs. Assam and other northeastern states offer a more off-the-beaten-path experience, though fewer visitors travel this far.
Not all parks are uniformly run, so your best bet is to choose a reputable safari operator. CC Africa (a first-rate, Africa-based outfitter committed to defending India’s tigers) has teamed up with the Taj Hotel Group to raise the standard of luxury at several facilities and add expert nature guides. Or try Texas-based Victor Emmanuel Nature Tours, which offers a multi-park package. Also, most hotels (if they don’t employ their own naturalists) will arrange expeditions with veteran tour operators. Lodging options range from comfortable, air-conditioned suites to rustic, jungle tent camps within a few miles of each park.
When to go? Most parks close during monsoon season (June–October). Late spring, which extends from the end of February to mid-May, is best for glimpsing creatures thanks to spare foliage and crowded water holes.
Just don’t forget your binoculars. And if it’s a tiger you’re after, keep your fingers crossed (and your eyes peeled): They’re hard to find, but the experience is unforgettable.
WHY VISIT HAWAII! SO MANY REASONS!
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