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The climb is truly worth it, it's one of the best sunset spots with a 360 degree perfect view from the kites soaring up above you to the Buena Vista of the surrounding waters.
Meditate in the silent ruins on a hill and you may even be lucky enough to spot a peacock.
Take a motorcycle taxi or bus to from Panjim or Mapusa to Chapora beach.
Negril's famous seven mile beach stretches from the cliffs leading up to the famous Rick's cafe in the west to the private beaches of Hedonism on the east. And what a stretch of beach it is, perfectly sandy with plenty of bars and shops around combined with the chilled atmosphere of Jamaica.
Even though I went at a time where there weren't many people around it still had a great atmosphere and was unforgettable.
By day bathe yourself in the steady warm waters of the beautiful Caribbean ocean and dry out on the beach in a lounger with a nice rum cocktail. By night you can continue with the rum in one of the reggae nightspots (Alfred's, Bourbon Beach, Roots Bamboo) which has top Jamaican artists performing with live bands.
It's just such an easy place to get along with the only thing you can argue about is that it's not to be done on a small budget!
Forrespark Lodge is situated on a coffee plantation with wonderful valley and Blue Mountain views, perfect for sunrises and sunsets. Exotic flora and fauna are a delight and on an early morning bird watching walks you will spy many species.
Bring your own G&T for there is no bar, but the verandah is the perfect place to enjoy a cocktail before dinner and observe the tiny Doctor Bird with its' long tail feathers, hover at the sugared water feeder. At dinner, which is al fresco, you may be joined by the large Jamaican Owl, who will sit on the tree branch above your table and hiss.
A short stroll along the road is the JABLUM coffee factory where local growers bring their beans for processing. The guided tour is casual but very interesting. Every bean is graded by hand! A calm and picturesque corner of the island well worth at least a two night stay.
A journey from Kingston to Forrespark Lodge in Mavis Bank cost about £80 in Feb 2006, and took 2 and a half hours to travel 60 miles, but worth it.
Baga beach down by the creek at the quiet end of the Candolim - Calangute stip, is just perfect as a base for exploring north Goa. There are some excellent hotels, guest houses, restaurants and night clubs in the area. You can walk around the cliffs to Anjuna if you don't mind a bit of a hike. Half way round is a small secluded bay and beach shack imaginatively called "Cliffs" perfect for stopping of for a mid moring snack or drink.
Calangute is within walking distance in the other direction should you need the exercise, but a taxi or Tuc-Tuc will take you anywhere within north Goa for less than £10! The views from the top of Chapora fort or from Arambol lake are spectacular at any time of day and Vagator beach is fantastic for sundown.
The capital city of Panjim is also worth a visit as is Old Goa for the architecture and churches - a 3 day trip to Hampi is also well worth the time and trouble.
Dabolim airport is 70 mins away and Mapusa Station is 10 minutes away.
Lowestoft is on the east coast of England (in fact it's the most easterly point in the UK). Walking or cycling along the promenade is a fantastic experience.
The South Prom starts with a shingle beach to the south, at Pakefield. As you progress towards the centre of town the beach is made up of golden sand.
The North Prom isn’t quite so tourist focused, but well worth a wander, if only to walk directly under the sails of ‘Gulliver’ the largest wind turbine in the country.
We arrived on New Year's Eve and found all the accommodation full! Contemplating sleeping on the beach we came across Chris who worked at the diving school. A quick phone call to Poland and five minutes later we had a room with a four-poster bed in an amazing house right on the beach. Amazing sunsets watched from Cholo's, fresh fish from the makeshift market and a sublime atmosphere. Enjoy!
Take a private taxi from Stone Town.
A donkey trip gives you the best views and is the most fun, slightly ridiculous way to see the valley of the kings. We made the mistake of booking through a hotel, who take massive commissions (up to 80% of fee). The donkey trip guides are VERY poor, so why not book direct and cut out the fat? Then they get a fairer deal and you get a cheaper price. Call Abdl on this number: 095/2060352, or 010 472 9416. He will meet you at your hotel and take you on a great 5-6 hour trip which should cost about £4 sterling each.
Call him on 095/2060352 or 010 472 9416
This absolutely magnificent building and grounds were once the home to the King of France and his Family. When you have a look at it you can quite litterally see why the impoverashed citizens of France had a revolution. It is grand beyond belief.
There are no two ways about it - a day here is not enough. Two days and maybe you will have seen most of it but by no means all. I will be returning again soon and perhaps will be able to catch one of the shows they put on outdoors in the garden over the summer months.
A worthwhile train trip away from the center of Paris to the station at Versailles. Easy to get to and easy to get into once you are there. I would recommend going to the tourist office that is near by the palace to get a pass. This means you will avoid any queues there are on the way in. Unfortunatly it doesn't give you much of a discount on the train and no discount on sandwiches but still very worth while. There was a rumour that you could pick up a day passport for the palace at train stations but I never managed to find them there.
A great day or two out for all the family.
This is the place to get that picture every one has got of someone holding up the leaning tower or that postcard of all three buildings, the tower, the baptistry and the Duomo or cathedral.
Staying here for a night to get your flight or stop off before you hit the rest of Tuscany can be a good diea. It will leave you refreshed and ready to see all the wonders this part of Italy has to offer.
La Chene is the gite we stayed in this summer - it's FAB! (and suprisingly affordable). Big and spacious even with two families in it. Lovely back terrace with views across the field and great sunsets. The kids loved the upstairs rooms and the 'wet room' almost as much as the heated pool and bike rides.
Although the area and the Deux Sèvres region isn't all that touristy there's no shortage of things to do. We enjoyed days out at the Trogldyte village (caves that were used as houses up to 40 years ago), in the pretty town of Montreuil Bellay, and at the amazing Futuroscope in Poitiers.
We're hoping to go back early next year with some friends on a 'grown-up' break as the owners offer a local 'degustation' wine tasting tour.
Driving there was easier than we expected - ferry to Caen then 4.5 hrs on the autoroutes ending up in peaceful french countryside. If we come for a long weekend we'll fly to Angers and hire a car as that's cheap and easy.
Top tip: If you do stay here, eat out at least once at the Logis de Pompois - AMAZING 4* gormet food (and not too painful on the chequebook).
La Chene is around an hour or so from Tours.
www.gites-en-france.info or call the owners: 00335 49 80 26 58
Nearest airports are Angers or Poitiers, or ferry to Le Harve or Caen and drive...
Le Logis de Pompois, BP86 Sainte Verge 79102 Thouars
Tel: (0)5 49 96 27 84
A blue flag beach of nearly two miles of sand and dunes. You can ape Chariots of Fire and go for a run (the opening scene was filmed here) or just have a leisurely walk. Kite flyers are in abundance on windy days, at the point where the beach curves, near the estuary of the River Eden.
Bring your own bucket and spade, however; there's a merciful shortage of tacky beach shops.
St Andrews
www.fife.gov.uk/atoz/index.cfm?fuseaction=facility.display&facid=F34F9DCE-399D-4C02-97A10D6AC5118C4C
You cannot be in St Elizabeth and not visit the best local seafood restaurant Little Ochie in Alligator Pond where your choice of seafood is custom made. The views of Lovers Leap (Mountain Side) are breathtaking.
Alligator Pond, Manchester
Tel:876 965 4449
www.littleochie.com/index.htm
Tiny village in the north of Skye, has an excellent youth hostel, but the best thing is to take the road over the hills to the east coast from there to see the Quiraing, spectacular almost lunar scenery and extraordinary views.
Northern peninsula of Skye.
Drive just a few miles out of Kingston and you find yourself climbing into the beautiful Blue Mountains. Producer of some of the finest coffee in the world. Setting for spectacular mountain views. And, especially at the weekend, scene of countless dance parties. You can hear the music throbbing from miles away. You can smell the party atmosphere too when you get a bit closer.
A quiet private resort at Metung with many upper class town houses and cabins for couples and families. Set on the hill overlooking the lakeside at Metung, Mcmillans is walking distance (10 mins) from the town centre. Go and have a quiet comfortable weekend away. Highly recommended!
3 hours drive from Melbourne on the Gippsland lakes.
www.mcmillansofmetung.com.au
Going to Gippsland? Like a round of Golf at a new course in picturesque Metung?
I reckon Kings Cove on the hill overlooking Metung is the way to go.
The views are worth the cost of a round, clubs bags and buggies for hire. And if you don't play golf, go to the restaurant for dinner - recently voted one of the best country restaurants
in Victoria
Kings Cove golf course is at Metung on the Gippsland lakes, 3 hours from Melbourne
www.kingscovemetung.com.au/golf/overview.html
This hotel is too rarefied to really feel like Jamaica, but the view from its terrace out over Kingston is worth making a trip fior. The road can be pretty perilous, and often flooded, but it takes you into the foothills of the Blue Mountains, and lush tropical rainforest.
Either go at dusk, for a sunset cocktail, so you can see the lights of Kingston come out beneath you like upside down stars. Or go for Sunday brunch, and get a rare glimpse of the Kingston elite at play.
Irish Town, St Andrew, 876- 944-8400
About a 50 minute drive from Kingston.
www.islandoutpost.com/strawberry_hill
Sitting high above Port Antonio - you'll need a decent car or a high level of tolerance for bumpy local taxis - Jamaica Heights enjoys superb views over the town and countryside. So it's the perfect place to watch huge rainclouds blow in from the sea and back out again, hear local sound systems gearing up for the weekend, and enjoy lazy days on your own. Owner Helmut Steiner is a fund of knowledge about the local area, so what this place lacks in creature comforts is readily compensated by its unique spirit and character.
It's a huge sprawling cemetery in the centre of Cairo, which is inhabited (I guess squatted is the correct term) by around 1 million people. It is incredible to see, and it gives a closer idea of the conditions of living of a huge number of inhabitants of this amazing city.
Impossible to miss it really, it is near the Citadel of Cairo.
Most tourists to the Cape only stick with the tried and tested routes and experiences. !Khwa ttu is one of the very few GENUINE San Bushmen-led initiatives in southern Africa. It's set on stunning hillside overlooking the coast and Table Mountain and here you can meet the San, learn about hunting, gathering, tracking, take a trailer ride, see all of the amazing game and other animals, go on hikes, enjoy the restaurant or stay in their amazinginly peaceful accommodation (cottage or tents). There is a museum, art gallery, training centre, conference facilities and shop too.
I recommend it because I lived and worked with the San in southern Africa until recently and this is the BEST thing I have seen out there, that really, practically helps the San and teaches tourists about some of the real issues still alive in South Africa today...
What's more it's as cheap as chips if you are coming from Europe!
www.khwattu.org email - info@khwattu.org
It's just 70 km drive north of Cape Town - takes 40 minutes and just a short drive from the historic village of Darling and the beautiful beaches of Yzerfontein.
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