Archive for September, 2010
Out And About In Nassau – Outdoor Recreation In The Bahamas
Mention the name The Bahamas and sparkling blue water with pink or white sand beaches spring to mind. Conch fritters Conch salad 700 islands duty free shopping and Junkanoo are all terms that are synonymous with the Bahamas. This island nation has a total land area of 5300 square miles and consists of 700 islands plus 2500 cays low banks or reefs. New Providence Island on which Nassau the capital is located is 21 miles by 7 miles. Paradise Island which is 5.5 miles long by 2/3 of a mile wide is connected to Nassau by a short bridge. Thousands of tourists visit Nassau every year to enjoy the clear water or place their bets at the gambling tables at Paradise Island.
All of the Bahamas however has myriad outdoor recreational activitiesthat are perfect for burning off the pounds gained from eating all those conch fritters or adding some variety to your holiday and Nassau is no exception. For the business person who wants to catch some recreational activity on a business trip or the individual who wants to get some fresh air after all the time at the gambling tables Nassau’s outdoor recreation can be all day or just a few hours.
Those sparkling blue waters make Nassau an ideal location for snorkeling. Some of the more popular snorkeling destinations for excursions leaving from Nassau include Rainbow Reef Blue Lagoon Island home to Stingray City as well as other snorkeling venues Blackbeard’s Cay Pearl Island and Rose Island Reef. Rainbow Reef is approximately 45 minutes from Nassau by catamaran or other highspeed boat. The water at Rainbow Reef is about 15 feet deep throughout the viable swimming and snorkeling area. Blue Lagoon is a circular island encircling water. A narrow opening in the land leads into a large pool of water. A 15minute walk through some of the most beautiful beaches and on bridges spanning absolutely calm sparkling blue water leads to Stingray City. Another stingray encounter can be had at Pearl Island which is a 30minute boat ride from Nassau. Yellow tail snapper Grouper and many other tame fish make Athol Island in Athol Island National Marine Park at the eastern end of Nassau Harbor an outstanding snorkel site.
Those sparkling blue waters also make Nassau a wonderful location for the sport fisherman. Fishing charters are available for half day or full day with a choice of deepsea fishing or reef fishing. Wahoo are abundant between November to January and 100 pounders are frequent. Dolphin fish Mahi Mahi are found between April and June while Sailfish can be fought during April and May and again between October and November. Barracuda and Marlin Black Blue and White are found year round.
For the landlubber there is offroad cycling away from traffic and noise. On allterrain bicycles you can enjoy a guided tour of shady woodland trails open forest the seashore and mangrove creeks and visit the historic village of Adelaide. You can have a relaxed easy ride or a longer route. For the seasoned cyclist there are more challenging rides.
The Bahamas sits on the migration route for birds moving north and south on their winter and spring migrations. As such there are two opportunities to see many northern species. Of course no visit to the Bahamas would be complete for a birder without viewing the Bahama Pintail duck also known as the Whitecheeked Pintail. These inhabitants of lagoons and mangrove swamps are widely distributed and the clear water of the mangroves makes viewing them a pleasure. Other species that are generally seen include eurasian collared doves neotropic cormorants american coot great blue herons snowy egrets great egrets reddish egrets green herons white ibis blue winged teal northern mockingbirds. Some of the locations for viewing various species include the Paradise Island ponds Clifton Heritage site and the Harold amp; Wilson ponds.
For those who want to be outdoors but simply want a walking pace Nassau has retained much of its older architecture and blended it with modern buildings so that it creates a harmonious whole. The original part of the city is small enough that you can wander along and see much of the historic architecture. Parliament Square with the Houses of Parliament the Old Colonial Secretary’s office the Supreme Court and the Statue of Queen Victoria is definitely worth a visit. Nearby at Parliament and Shirley Streets is the Nassau Public Library that was originally a prison. Not far away at Shirley and Elizabeth Streets is the Bahamas Historical Society with numerous exhibits.
If it is “action” and people watching you seek Arawak Cay is not to be missed. This lively gathering spot has a row of small wooden restaurants fronted by a large park and backed by the sea. You can sit on the verandah of any of the restaurants or in the open air and watch the parade of people as they stroll by. Have a Kalik Bahamian Beer and enjoy the West Indian atmosphere and when hunger strikes you can have a conch salad or conch fritters or fried fish prepared before your eyes.
You can learn more about Bahamas vacations at the Caribbean Outdoor Life web site and the next time you are in Nassau or if it is your first time remember there is an interesting world to discover beyond the beach.
About the writer: Paradise Garden Boracay Mulligan Golf Boracay Hotel Tour Philippines
On Location Nov 07 – Kenya
It is seven years since my last in depth visit to Kenya and I was pleasantly surprised by the high standard of accommodation.
I started my trip in Nairobi at the House of Waine where the staff are charming and it is the perfect antidote to an international flight. I also went to see the giraffes at the nearby Giraffe Centre and went to some beautiful shops where I bought some wonderful local bags and belts.
The following morning I flew up to Meru to Elsa’s Kopje which is set on a kopje hill in a stunning area. Here I went for a walk with my tracker Francis and later visited a local Boran Village which is not a tribe that I have come across at close quarters before.
I then flew in a private charter to Shaba to Joy’s Camp which overlooks an underground spring and hence the surrounds are lush and green. This is a new camp and the ‘joy’ of Joy’s Camp is that there are no other camps nearby so you have game drives to yourself. I was told that it was possible to go and visit as a Guinea Pig a local salt mining operation. The drive was around two hours and as we walked over the hill we came across a beautiful crater with cows and goats being taken down to water. The ‘miners’ mostly women were old and wizened working in harsh conditions mining salt. At first they were somewhat suspicious of us but eventually we soon ended up getting on and having quite a laugh.
From Joy’s I flew again in a private charter to Laikipia where I stayed at Sabuk. Run by Verity an old Kenyan hand who has spent her life working as a guide many of Sabuk’s staff have been there for over 30 years. I went camel riding had a surprise breakfast in the bush and went to visit a local Samburu village which is only visited by guests of Sabuk so it wasn’t touristy and the fact that the Samburu carried on dancing after the “tourists” had left was great to see.
I was then driven a short way to Loisaba which although nearby to Sabuk offers many different experiences and has completely different views. Here I went quad biking alongside zebra went walking practically running to keep up with a Samburu warrior visited the local nursery school was lucky enough to go hot air ballooning and slept out under the stars on the ‘star beds’.
After Laikipia I was flown down to the Mara where I stayed at Saruni which is run by a charming Italian Riccardo who spent many holidays in Kenya and loved it so much that he decided to set up his own lodge. I stayed at Cottars 1920s where another guest flew in with his pilot in his helicopter. We got chatting over dinner and I was invited to go on a helicopter safari the following morning over the Mara the Serengeti and the Migration! We also popped down onto a mountain for morning coffee! After Cottars I went to Naibor where I had some fantastic game viewing although there were too many vehicles for my liking.
After lots of great game viewing it was time to fly from the Mara back to Nairobi Wilson and then on to Lamu where I was collected by boat and taken to Manda Bay which really is the perfect ending to a safari. A visit to Lamu town and Shela are a must as you get a real feel for the local culture.
I ended my trip at Shompole which is on the edge of Lake Natron. This is serious luxury and again is a perfect start or end to any safari. Every room has a private plunge pool and stunning views. Game viewing is on offer as it a visit to Lake Natron which was full of thousands of pink flamingoes. I also visited a local village which was purely one man his two wives and their nine children. They were all so welcoming so friendly and so happy although they only lived in incredibly basic huts.
About the writer: Steppes Travel specialise in luxury holidays and tailor made holidays
On Location Aug 08 Costa Rica
“Is white water rafting really the only way to reach this lodge?” I asked.”Not exactly but it’s definitely the best way” says Tito our guide as I have a helmet firmly placed on my head and strapped into a life jacket so tightly I thought I might go down the river in two halves.It was a beautiful morning with Costa Rica looking its most tropical. Rich jungle colours of varying shades of green met sparkling clear water as the river meandered through the canyon. Vultures flew over head against a bright blue sky.
We piled into our raft and paddled gently on almost still waters as we were given our safety briefing and practiced our moves on the guide’s instructions. “Paddle left! Paddle paddle! Paddle right Get Down!” Once satisfied that our reactions were immediate enough we settled down to enjoy the exotic scenery with a few butterflies not the flying kind churning around as we thought of the impending rapids.Soon enough we were gripping our oars for the rapids ahead and tried our very best to follow shouted instructions. We shrieked and laughed as great sheets of water enveloped us on the first set of rapids. By the third set we were getting quite blas about our technique while flat stretches of water allowed us moments of calm to admire the surrounding jungle.
Soaking wet but euphoric we arrived at Pacuare Lodge. The beautiful open fronted structure of the main house is located on the banks of the river with a lovely deck overlooking the water. Our guides miraculously transformed from adrenaline junkies into sophisticated hotel staff and later at dinner to skilful waiters.
The villas were superbly appointed with outdoor showers hammocks huge king beds and beautifully crafted furniture all from the local area. By the time I fell into bed listening to the rush of the water and after a delicious three course supper with fine wine from a well stocked cellar I knew Pacuare Lodge had got it spot on and yes Tito was right arriving by river was the best way.
About the writer: Steppes Travel specialise in holidays to Costa Rica China holidays and South Africa safari.
