zondag 7 augustus 2011

Vietnam Tourist Attractions and Travel

If you are seeking Vietnam travel information in order to make your visit to Vietnam more relaxing and enjoying and free from all hassles, then you are probably at the right place. Here in this article we will emphasise elaborating on the various beautiful sides of the Vietnam city in addition to making your travel light and easy. There are many sites that offer you with heavy discounted prices for transporting to Vietnam and you can even get the whole schedule plan through a travel agent. These agents give you a complete package that includes complete Vietnam travel information from the day of departure to the day you are planning to come back. They provide you with a day to day guide of the main Vietnam tourist attractions that are worth seeing in the land of Vietnam.

Many personal and online agents provide you with a complete source of Vietnam travel information and you can even get easy access to all the basic information that you need to gather before travelling to your destination. The main travel information would include the following that needs to be followed in order to have an enjoyable trip to Vietnam. Firstly, Vietnam travel information would include going through various web pages and exploring the city to find your areas of interest so that you can analyse whether or not the place is good for you and your family to visit.

Secondly, after you have made up your mind for travelling to Vietnam you need to book your travel tickets and choose the best mode of travelling. For making the bookings, you can either make online reservations through various tour managing websites or you can even hire the services of a travel agent to book the tickets for you. Thirdly, you need to decide the duration you want to be in Vietnam and accordingly decide whether you want a day to day schedule for your travel planned and make bookings for you well in advance that covers all the major attractions and sightseeing places in Vietnam or you want to manage it on your own there and then.

Fourthly, Vietnam travel information includes exploring about the visas and the procedures to apply for it as well as the formalities to be fulfilled in order to qualify for the visa. The Vietnam state offers various kinds of visas and you have to decide which category of visa you fall into and proceed further. Then you need to know about the visa fees and charges and the basic documents required to be carried at the time of visa interview to the embassy. After all that, the next thing is the information on currency which also forms a major part of the Vietnam travel information. This is necessary because you should never travel without the local currency of the state as it is better to carry it with yourself to avoid any confusions and wasting time later.

By doing a proper survey before travelling and gathering all the relevant Vietnam travel information well in advance you can make your stay in the city more comfortable and free from all end moment and unwanted tensions and worries.

Turkey Travel Information

Flanked by three continents namely Africa, Asia, and Europe, Turkey is the point where Istanbul, the enchanting capital of capitals, straddles two continents. This is the land of several historic battles such as the Trojan war and Alexander’s war with the Gordioin Knot. Apart from the historical legacy that still survives in form of a myriad of structures to attract the historical fans, Turkey is also famous for its sumptuous dishes for pleasing the gourmets from all across the world.

However, while planning for a trip to see the Turkey tourist attractions, you must consider some factors so that you can enjoy a hassle free trip. Do not just restrict yourself in knowing about Turkey travel information related to places of interest, hotels, restaurants, and modes of transport. In fact, you must go through the Turkey travel information that reveals about tips, customs, and safety so that you can enjoy a cool holiday in this beautiful region that boasts historical legacy, natural beauty, and ethnic vivacity. In this article, you will come across such information so that you can plan your trip with some prior knowledge.

Let us first talk of the local customs that you must know to mingle with the people in Turkey. Mostly, you will come across Islamic and Christian customs that are traditional and strict. This simply means that you as a tourist must respect them, especially in the Islamic month of Ramadan when smoking and drinking during the day is forbidden. Further, you need to cover your full body while visiting any religious shrines, which means not wearing short and sleeveless apparels.

Apart from the above, tourists are required to follow the age-old custom of Turkey. According to this custom, the locals expect the tourists to offer a small change or some percent of the bill as a tip. In case you are in a 4- or 5-star hotel or restaurant and if the bill does not include the service charge, it is normal to offer a tip of anywhere between 10 and 15%; while for the taxi fares, you need to just round up the bill.

One of the mandatory public rules for the tourists is not smoking inside a vehicle or at any outdoor venue such as cafes and restaurants irrespective of day and time. In addition, you are not allowed to capture photographs of people or of any official or military institution.

Coming to the health issues, no vaccination is mandatory although a vaccine against typhoid is advisable according to online Turkey travel information guides. You might avoid this vaccine if you are coming for a short time and are planning to eat only in main restaurants. No major risk of malaria exists in the southeast part, but the west and southwest areas of Turkey visitors can witness it. Nevertheless, mosquitoes are yet irritating in summer, so one needs to stay away from them or use insect repellants. Further, prefer only mineral bottle for water and avoid street food.

It is also vital to know about your safety in Turkey. Unfortunately, terrorism, Kurdish militant groups, sexual assaults in coastal areas, and seismic faults are the major risks here. Therefore, it is advisable never to travel alone. Always be in groups and inquire about the safety of the place at your hotel’s reception.

Egypt Tourist Attractions and Travel

Considered among the vibrant regions of Africa, Egypt is popular for its pyramids. However, it is not only the pyramids that pull people from across the globe, but is also the myriad of historic structures such as temples and the Nile River on which cruising is the dream of most of us. All this seems quite interesting and magnetizing, but this is not all that you want to know about Egypt tourist attractions.

When you plan to travel to a famous destination for the first time, you surely look for tips as well as the experiences of other tourists. In order to know this, you will certainly look for some great Egypt travel information online. Although Egypt is among the most visited destinations in the world, it is unfortunately coming under the list of crime-laid regions. Therefore, while looking for Egypt travel information, it is essential to go through a few tips and warnings that are applicable to you in general or specifically in the areas of your sojourn. Well, this article on Egypt travel information will guide you to plan for a safe and happy vacationing in Egypt.

If you are a cultural fan, you will surely love to mingle with people once you are in the nation. Actually, mingling with people is something that most tourists do. This means that you must know about the Egyptian greeting styles. Well, Egyptians are mostly Arabic or Islamic people who greet each other via handshakes (for friends), bowing a bit of the head (in front of the masters or elders), and cheek kissing (with closely related ones). Even more effective would be to learn some Arabic words for Hi and Thank You and give some gifts on visiting a local home. While you visit a local home, do remove your shoes before you step inside, as for the locals, their home is a sacred place. As you enter, you might see the master turning on a TV, which is actually for welcoming you. Therefore, do not feel offended.

There are certain things that you must avoid while visiting a local’s home. Avoid eating or passing objects with the left hand, never eat before the master has taken a bite, and do not cross your legs in front of the master. These actions are considered impolite, which can put your aim of getting to know the culture at bay.

If you are out in the market or streets, never be in shorts or sleeveless. Further, avoid offering pork or alcohol to the locals, as both are impure according to Islam. Moreover, you are not supposed to eat, smoke, or drink in public on Muslim fasting days.

While planning for a desert or pyramid trip, it would be good if you bargain on the price before getting into a camel ride or cab, which is a great way of saving money. Further, whenever you are out of your hotel, do carry a map or a guidebook and always remain in groups, as issues as theft and sexual assaults are now common. In addition, be always prepared to face the heat via hats, full-sleeve shirts, and sunscreens.

All about Italy Travel

Italy is known to have many world heritage sites and Italy travel information has a lot to give us about where to visit, what things to do and much more. When we travel there can be various reasons for going to that place. It can be a vacation when you go as a tourist, for studies, holiday but there are a few things to know before traveling that are of utmost importance. For instance where to stay, hotel information, whether, which places to visit, getting there are around.

Colosseum, pantheon, Trevi fountains, St. Peters basilica in Rome, the capital city of Italy are some of the Italy tourist attractions. This short travel guide helps you find places to visit once you reach there and you can decide or plan your trip accordingly. For any assistance at any time keep the helpline numbers and websites and contact details of your travel agent handy. Italy is a beautiful country which offers many sights including museums, galleries and markets to shop.

Deciding accommodation in advance along with flight information is a good choice. You can choose from varied number of flights depending upon your budget. There are direct flights as well as connected. The number of days you have planned your trip for will help you decide the whole travel plan actually. Florence, Venice, Rome, Sicily are some places in Italy to name a few. Italian food is incomplete without Pizzas and coffee. The Alps in the north and romantic landscapes in Apennines and bay of Naples are world’s most popular sights. A combination of art, history and culture makes you discover the most enchanting experience of your life.

Occasional Venice carnival which happens to be in the month of February should not be missed if you are visiting Italy in this month. Pompeii is Europe’s most priceless and famous archaeological site. Food lovers have to have world’s best ice-cream known as noto. The Best period to travel to Italy is April to June to view the best of islands and lakes, blossoming flowers and Alps in Italy. Fashion and food are known to be related to this country and so you can shop a lot while being there for shoes, jewellery, clothes and garments.

To get complete Italy travel information there are travel guides who provides you with maps as well as online information websites that can provide you with all the information you require. These Italy travel information guides also give information regarding Travel insurance and visa information. The currency used in Italy is easily available and you can carry euros to the country and get them converted easily.

If you are a book lover there are around 20 famous book bars and stores to explore and find a book of your choice. You can visit cafes and restaurants to enjoy a cup of Italian coffee and breakfast. Italy is not cheap but if you plan your trip wisely you can afford it easily. Car travel is expensive so prefer rail routes when in Italy or you can rent a bicycle or bike. Italy travel information guide tells you all about the routes and map to assist you in travel.

France Tourist Attractions and Travel

France is one of the finest destinations for tourism and we all know that, there’s no special logic behind it. France has all in his kingdom viz. famous museums, outstanding architecture, amazing scenery, charming landscapes, romantic villas, charming and polite people, delicious food and indeed great wines which all together makes France the most popular and universal tourist destination across world. Though it could be difficult to visit or see every tourist places in just a small trip but a small research on France Travel Information and planning your trip accordingly will add value to your memorable experience throughout your trip.

Information about the France tourist attractions can be collected over various sources like navigating several web pages, France Tourism official website, contacting travel agents, referring travel guiding books and others. Before actually booking your seat to France you must learn more about France climate which varies a lot in temperature like mild summers and moderate winters over most of its territory. You should be ready to face climate changes if you plan to visit South or North West Territories, mountain regions in France. Following France travel information guides is necessary because it suggests you the best times to plan your trip to the country detailing the preferable months and activities to enjoy while visiting. This is necessary because if you land in France on public holidays or during Easter you will screw your plans.

The France travel information guide will also give you information like what transportation you can use during your stay in the country and what are the best ways of reaching it. To enter France the best means of transportation are air ways but French National Rail roads are also available to the visitor that connects around 50 cities in the country and has more than 3000 stations. Another option available to tourists is renting a car to enjoy the trip.

France boasts the world’s oldest and most famous museums, including the world’s legendary Louvre museum (in Paris). France Travel Information guide provides you complete information on visiting time of museums and a small brief on its history too. The shopping time in France is also often different (Normally opens Monday through Saturday, opening time is 9a.m. and closing time is 7p.m.) this is why it is necessary to have a complete information regarding the country you are visiting so as to avoid going to places at the wrong time.

Generally France Travel Information advises that France is a very safe and peaceful place but nowadays problems are rising for the tourists such as theft incidents and pick pocketing. So be extra careful and be cautious of your belongings in area with crowd like museums, railway stations and place of tourist attractions. You can protect your belongings and money by wearing a money belt, hidden wallet in your pocket, hidden underneath pocket in your cloths and by keeping copies of every important document.

France Travel Information advises you, on tiniest of information related to plans. So if your travel is planned properly (referring France Travel Information) you can make your tour the most memorable and safe tour ever.

How to find Spain Travel Information

This page is to let you know that apart from the bullfights, there are many more things in the Spain to look for. Spain is an extravagant and diverse country, where you can find flamenco dancers, beaches, amazing landscapes Spain tourist attractions and the opportunity to see the astounding architectures. The unique thing about Spain is the separate kingdoms combined together to make the one original nation Spain.

If you want to know more about the history of Spain then you should not miss paintings on the prehistoric caves. Apart from these, its marvelous history is also reflected in his Moorish palaces, collapsed castles, Roman wrecks, Gothic and renaissance cathedrals. If you want to holiday in a place where a touch of Ancient world is combined perfectly with the modern world, the Spain is the ideal place. This Spain travel information guide will be incomplete without mentioning the people of Spain. Spanish’s are open-hearted and communicative. It won’t be a problem for you to develop a bond with them, thus making your trip more pleasurable and friendly.

The best time to visit there is the time between May to September. In many parts of Spain the tourist period starts during the Holy week known as the Semana Santa in Spain, and also in the festival period. If you want to enjoy the parties in Spain, then you should not miss festivals there and the best time is between Holy Week and September. However, if you are looking for some of the bargains then you should go there in low season. At that time you will get less crowd and lower prices on each and every thing.

As Spain has an international airport, thus it is well connected with the whole world. Most parts of the country are well connected by railways and by the network of buses. One convenient option to move around is Spain is hiring a car. However it is not a very economical choice but surely is very comfortable. You can find number of taxi stands on the road, where you can easily hire a taxi of your choice. It won’t be right on my part if I don’t include the important and amazing destinations of Spain in this Spain travel information guide.

One place that I would strongly recommend not to miss is the beaches of Spain. The excellent and quiet beaches, at the southern end, such as Malaga and Huelve, and beaches near the coast such a La Manga, Cantabria, are just appropriate for your spending relaxing and startling holidays. If you are a true nature lover, then Spain provides you the various opportunities from wildlife parks to the trekking you will find everything here. The Pyreness, specifically around the Aragon area is very famous for its trekking. If you want to go for Skiing, then the Sierra Nevada mountain chains in Andalucía is ideal for you, there are various luxurious skiing resorts near Granada also. To understand the cultures architecture and the actual spirit of Spain places like Barcelona, Mezquito, Aqueduct, Coto de Doñana and Toledo should not be missed.

Peru Tourist Attractions and Travel

Peru travel information is very important if you are planning a tour this country, this includes the time to visit, the Peru tourist attractions, climate etc. Located at the central pacific coast of the South America, and it is the 12th largest nation in the world. Peru is also known as the Land of Incas, offers you the world of adventure and excitement.

Geographically Peru is divided into three different geographical conditions, thin, parched coast, steep Andes Mountains running from the north to South part of the Peru and the Amazon forest at the eastern side. Lima is the capital of Peru, and apart from that some other important cities of Peru are, Arequipa, Trujillo, Chiclayo, Cusco, Ica, Sullana, Tarapoo, Tumbes etc.

Peru travel information guide is incomplete without the information about the exquisite flora and fauna of the Peru. It is the dwelling place of the snowy mountains, gigantic sand dunes, flock of vibrantly colored tropical birds and rock-strewn Pacific outcroppings occupied by confrontational sea lions. And not to forget is the Food, delicious food of Peru. Food is a bounty of inspiring blends made from ingredients which are inhabitant and contemporary. Believe me; you will need at least a week's time to relish the vast selection of delicacies from exceptional dishes of vegetables to guinea pig to juicy and tender ocean mollusks.
Mainly there are two types of climate in Peru; these are wet climate and the dry climate. However, the weather to a large extent depends on the geographical region. Temperature here depends greatly on the elevation, higher you go, lower will be the temperature and vice versa. The best time to visit Peru according to Peru travel information guide is from June to August, this is the peak season. As this is the best time to go for the trekking, climbing, mountain biking and other such activities.

If you are planning a trip to Peru, then it is very important to know some of the important places to visit in Peru. If you love nature, then Iquitos is the ideal place for you. Here you get the pleasure of coming in direct contact with the nature of the Amazon forests. This place is the region of greater bio- diversity in the world, thus the ideal place for you, if you are the lover of eco tourism. Another city, which was elected as the 7 wonders of the World in the year 2007, is the Macchu Picchu, the wonderful City of Inka. This place is the complete spiritualist place, where every man actually feels like the creation of God. Manchu Picchu is the well known archeological centre of the world, and thus attracting more and more tourists.

Nazca, is another famous tourist destination. It is the entryway to number many mystifying pre-Inca sites and also to some of the ritual centers. This place is famous for its itched geometrical and animal designs on the surrounding desert plateau. Peru travel information will not be complete without mentioning some other important destinations of the Peru are Inca trail, Macora beach, Colca Canyon etc. whether you want adventurous holidays or you just want to relax, Peru is the ideal place for everyone.

Kenya Tourist Attractions and Travel

Kenya is the region most loved by safari lovers because of the world’s biggest wild beast migration that takes place here annually. However, this does not mean that Kenya is not for cultural, adventurous, or historical lovers. Right from its historical sites, thrilling adventures, and to the cultural people, Kenya is certainly a magnet for the tourists who love diversity in unity. While planning a trip to this African state, you will come across different Kenya travel information guides that will convey about where to stay, how to go, what to eat, and when to go. However, reading on these topics does not suffice to make your trip safe, hassle free, and memorable. For that, you will have to read about the different aspects such as health, customs, and safety rules via the different Kenya travel information guides. Even this article is on Kenya tourist attractions, but by reading this one, you will come to know about these rarely known aspects.

Let us first explore about immunizations required by Kenya. If you are traveling from U.S. or Europe, no immunizations are necessary. However, if you are coming from a nation prone to Yellow Fever, you need to prove your vaccination. Generally, vaccinations for Yellow Fever, Typhoid, Hepatitis A, and Diptheria are recommended. Above all, Kenya is among the highly affected nations by malaria because of it being a wild landscape. Kenya is the dwelling land of the chloroquine-resistant insect causing malaria although the highlands are prone to low risk of the disease. Therefore, before coming to Kenya, be vaccinated from your doctor by informing her or him about the travel (kindly do not say just Africa). While on a safari, be in long clothes, remain fully covered, wear a hat, and apply sunscreen as well as insect repellant.

You also need to consider some safety tips so that you never get into a trouble. First, you must always carry a copy of your passport. Second, avoid wearing jewelry even if it is not precious, do not take much cash, and avoid strolling alone at night anywhere, not even on the beach due to theft and sexual assaults. As a tip, put a money belt that goes well under your clothes. However, there is no harm or risk in visiting a local home, as the Kenyans are very hospitable as well as friendly. In fact, many tourists do make it a point to visit some locals and chat with them to enjoy the feeling of becoming a Kenyan may it be for some time.

In Kenya, it is important to pay attention on clothing. Light clothing is mostly preferred no matter where you go on a safari. However, in case you are visiting the highlands, several Kenya travel information guides recommend wearing sweater and jacket in early mornings as well as in evening irrespective of the season you visit. If you are adventurous enough to scale Mount Kenya, do not forget to carry special clothing considering the ardent treks and subzero temperatures. In Muslim areas, you need to be fully dressed, as shorts and body show offs are totally prohibited.

Brazil Travel Information Guide

Regarded among the vibrant nations of South America, Brazil is famous for its carnivals and welcoming people. It is the fifth largest as well as the most inhabited country on the planet. However, it is not only the carnivals that attract people from far and wide, but it is also the natural and cultural delights such as forests, beaches, and festivals that pull the adventurous tourists every year. Fascinating enough, but this is not all you want to know via an online Brazil travel information guide.

You surely want some tips and experiences if you are looking for Brazil tourist attractions. Although Brazil is among the best holiday destinations on the planet, it is also among the crime-hit regions that call for extra vigilance and care. Therefore, when you search for Brazil travel information on the Internet, it is vital to look for some tips and warnings in the areas of your journey. To ease out this task for you, this article on Brazil travel information aims at guiding you for ensuring you a memorable vacation in this nation.

The very first fact that you should know about Brazil is that insect bites are prevalent no matter where you go. Therefore, it would be wise for you to carry long clothes, hats, eyeglasses, insect repellant, mosquito nets, insect sprays, and prescription tablets to stay away from malaria. In fact, it is better to be vaccinated. Next, you need to act quite smartly if you want to get rid of theft and other dangers that are common in Brazil. Some recommendations are wearing only cheap jewelry and apparels, locking the valuables in the safes of your hotel, hiding cameras, having a safety deposit box, putting cash in the front pocket only, getting the optional travel insurance, and avoiding handbags. If you are in Rio, beware of the innocent-looking street kids that are the most obscure pickpocketers. As a tip, carry those long purses that stick to your body.

Continuing with the safety tips, avoid getting into the unofficial taxis having blacked-out windows and other means of public transport in Rio, Salvador, and Recife. It is best to travel via a private vehicle, for example, a cab arranged by your hotel. In case if this is not possible, go for a taxi with the meter turned on. Further, avoid going to lonely places after sunset irrespective of whether you are with someone or alone because of robbery, murders, and assaults. These places include the Financial District, the Flamengo Park, beaches at midnight, and those around the mountains or hills. In case if you are lost, never let anyone know about it.

One of the fun-filled activities to do in Rio is to mingle with the locals. Doing so might offer you an invitation to party with them at night. In order to mingle, you need to greet them properly in their tradition way to make a lasting impression. In Brazil, shaking hands between men and cheek kissing between women are the traditional ways of greeting. If possible, do learn some Portuguese words.

All about Thailand Travel

Thailand travel information is to make you more familiar with the golden land, which can be of great help, if you are planning a trip to Thailand. The name golden land, is not given because the metal buried under the land, this is because the country has its own luster, in many ways, from central plains with fertile rice field to the white sandy beaches, or the generosity of the people of Thailand, everything has its charm and gleam, which is incomparable.

Thailand is a multi cultured country, with the predominance of the Thai culture. In Thailand there is also a good population of immigrants, basically from the China and India. Located at the centre of the South East Asia mainland, it covers the areas of around 513,119.5 km, which makes Thailand the 49th largest country in the world. To make your trip more pleasurable, it is very important for me to include the information about the climate in this Thailand travel information guide. Thailand basically experiences three types of seasons: the hot season, which goes from April to May, the months of November to February are quite cold and the rainy season is from the June to October.

The best time to visit Thailand is the cool season, which is from November to the end of February. During the cold season, humidity is quite low, sky is clear and temperature us also relatively low, and the combination of these three make this season the perfect season for the tourist's to visit the Thailand tourist attractions. This is the peak time, when people from all over the world visit Thailand, so if you like making new friends and looking for some main popular sports, all this can be done in tourist season. However, if you are looking for some of the bargains or discounts, then off season is the perfect time for you as at that time, many of the hotels, restaurants and shop keepers offer heavy discounts on their services and goods.

Whether it is inland or the coastline, Thailand has wonderful tourist attraction for all, hills, caves, waterfall, historical places, amazing sightseeing etc. all this include around 10 million travelers every year from all over the world. There are few things without which this Thailand travel information is incomplete; these are tropical climates, scrumptious food, fascinating activities and gracious Thai people.

If you are in Thailand, then Bangkok is the place that you should not miss. This place has the Glinting shopping complex, and is the perfect combination of the international susceptibility with spiritual Buddhism. Chiang Mai, is the Bohemian centre. Here you can actually see the exclusive and specific elements of the Thai culture. Apart from these there are much more to be discovered in Thailand, and it will be wrong on my part if I don't include some other amazing places of Thailand.
On one side you can spend an exotic and comfortable vacation in the 5 star hotels of Phuket or Bangkok, and on the other side, the North Of Thailand, can give you absolutely opposite side of the Thailand, you can find exquisite temples, handicrafts, rugged forest here. Floating market, glitzy malls, wonderful landscape all make this place a magnificent tourist place.

woensdag 4 mei 2011

Islands around the African Continent

Scientific evidence confirm that the origins of Mankind lie only in Africa. From Africa they moved to each area of the globe, and by two thousand years ago most of the planet, among them the Pacific Islands were occupied. Even so, the islands around Africa, the continent where it all begun were among the final places on the globe to be found. The following islands were all discovered late in history, although today they are among the most popular destinations in the world.

Canary Islands
The Canary Islands were most probably one of the initial islands in Africa to be inhabited. The highest point of Teide on Tenerife can be seen on cloudless days from the continent and the islands were seen by the Phoenicians, the Greeks and the Carthaginians in ancient times. As stated by to Pliny the Elder, an expedition sent by the king of Numidia to the isles, found them to be unpopulated, but that there were remains of fantastic structures.

Archaeological findings imply that the initial people of the Canaries entered by the sea around 1000 BC or before and shared general source with African Berber tribes from the Atlas Mountains. When the Europeans started to investigate the Canary Islands, they met Guanche people, still living a prehistoric lifestyle. The islands were ultimately annexed by the Kingdom of Castille in the 15th century.

Mauritius
Mauritius was known to Austronesian, Swahili and Arab seafarers as early as the 10th century. The Portuguese sailors first visited the island in 1507. Five ships from the Netherlands, turned off course during a storm while on their voyage to the Asia, visited Mauritius in 1598, and named it in tribute to Prince Maurice of Nassau, the head of state of the Netherlands.

Cape Verde
The earliest written record of Cape Verde can be found in historic Greek writings where they are named as the islands Gorgades. The Cape Verde islands were relocated by European wayfarers around 1456. Some evidence indicates that the islands may have been navigated by Arabs, generations before the appearance of the Portuguese.

The Seychelles
The earliest detailed sighting of the Seychelles by Europeans happened in 1502 by the Portuguese Admiral Vasco da Gama but these African Islands were certainly travelled to by other people. Austronesian sailors were most likely the first to explore the unpopulated Seychelles hundreds of years. And an Arab document dated to the year 851 speak of higher islands below the Maldives.

The Comoros Islands

The initial people of the Comoros Islands are considered to have been Austronesian and African settlers. The very first known archaeological site, found on Nzwani, dates to 600 AD. The Comoros became inhabited by a sequence of various groups from the shoreline of Africa, Arabia, the Indonesia, and Madagascar. Portuguese explorers discovered the Comoros in beginning of the 16h century.

Madagascar
The Portuguese mariner Diego Dias was the first Western to visit Madagascar in 1500 when his boat, bound for India, blew off course. The Portuguese found Madagascar to be inhabited by Asian men and women instead of African. Madagascar folktale talks about a pygmy-like people named the Vazimba as the earliest inhabitants of the island. Historians today generally place the settling of Madagascar in the years between 300 BC and 500 AD, when men and women from Borneo appeared in their canoes. These were the initial Malagasy, who emerged to the island as part of the considerable Austronesian colonization, the movement of humans that came to control Indonesia and the Pacific islands.

Author Jared Diamond observed many similarities between Malagasy and Indonesians like cultivating rice in a related fashion and making use of outrigger canoes. Bantu refugees from the African continent certainly crossed the ocean either due to the interaction with Austronesians or because of the Arab traders, decades later.

Temples of the Maya

Located in Central American, The Maya society is one of the well-known civilizations of the Western Hemisphere. The first traces of the Mayan civilization date back to what is called the Preclassic period around 1800 BC. City states were formed by around 400 BC - to 100 AD. Mayan states gained their highest population numbers and large-scale construction during 250 to 900 AD. The most remarkable Mayan ruins from this phase are the temples that were completed in every Maya state of great importance.

Almost all of the Maya cities went into a downswing between 900-1000 AD and were subsequently abandoned. There are numerous possible causes for their failure including environmental problems such as soil depletion, erosion and water shortages. Catastrophes such as earthquakes, sicknesses and conquests by other neighboring civilizations could also be the reason of the decline.

Today the Mayan ruins are located in the countries of Belize, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico. A couple of of the most exciting Mayan ruins are:

Caracol Belize
Caracol is most important Maya site in Belize. It was once one of the greatest Maya cities, covering an enormous area. During its zenith around 650 AD it had a population of about 150,000 inhabitants, which is greater than the population of the capital of Belize at present. 43 ft, Canaa ,meaning Sky Palace, is the highest building at the site and is also still the highest building in the country even though it is more than a thousand years old.

Chichen Itza Mexico
Chichen Itza is the most well known of the Mayan sites in the Yucatan Peninsula and one of Mexico’s most visited tourist spots. The most renowned structure of the Mayan city is the pyramid of El Castillo. The style and design of the pyramid has a specific astronomical meaning. Every side of the pyramid has 91 steps, which combined with the mutual step at the peak, add up to 365, the amount of days in a year. Other interesting structures of the Mayan ruins include the Great Ballcourt and El Caracol, a disk-shaped building which served as an astronomical observatory.

Coba, Mexico
Coba in Mexico was a vast historic Maya city that was the habitat to around 60,000 Mayans at its zenith. Many of its monuments were made between 500 and 900 AD. The Mayan site features a few large pyramids, the highest, the Nohoch Mul pyramid is about 138 ft tall. Today only a small portion of Coba has been cleared from the forest and recovered by archaeologists.

Calakmul Mexico
Calakmul is a Archaeological site covered inside the rain forests of the Mexican state of Campeche. It is one of the largest Mayan cities ever discovered with over 6,500 structures discovered. Calakmul’s 180 foot tall pyramid is certainly the biggest temple at the location. Like many other Mayan pyramids the size of the temple was boosted by building upon an older existing building to reach its existing size.

Tikal Guatemala
Set in the forest of north Guatemala, Tikal is one of the most breathtaking of the Mayan sites. Renovated structures are sprinkled around the city while several more Mayan ruins continue to be hidden by the jungle. Tikal was the largest Mayan city during the Classic Period with over 100,000 people. Tikal includes six gigantic temple pyramids. At 72 meters or 230 feet, Temple IV is the tallest monument in Tikal. The top of the building features a wonderful panorama from above the jungle.

Notes From Planet Earth

Planet Earth, home to millions of species including humans, is the only known planet where life is known to exist. Its unique atmosphere, combined with other abiotic conditions as well as the formation of the ozone layer have created the environment that has given rise to the evolution of life. This blog is about the things that make earth so unqiue: the amazing wildlife in Africa, the the lost ruins left behind by ancient civilizations, the dense rainforest of the Amazon, the corals of the Great Barrier reef and the remote tropical islands in the ocean.