World Best Places

Best of Koh Samui, Thailand

Mat Siems — Sun, 05 Sep 2010 10:13:48 +0000

Koh Samui in the Gulf of Siam is one of the best destination in Southern Thailand. It is the second most visited island in Thailand right after Phucket. It is perhaps not a surprise as it offers unprecedented natural beauty, with white sandy beaches surrounded with coconut trees, azure clean water, hidden waterfalls and dense lush forests at its heart. It’s the perfect place to take a stress free holiday or a more active one enjoying everything the island has to offer including numerous water sports and the famous elephants treks.

Meanam Beach, Best of Koh Samui

Koh Samui content

Introduction
Koh Samui Interactive Map
About Koh Samui
Getting Around Koh Samui
Koh Samui weather
Koh Samui beaches
Koh Samui Accommodations
Attractions around Koh Samui
Koh Samui Dinning
Conclusion
Photographs of Koh Samui

Koh Samui Interactive Map

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Bophut Beach, Best of Koh Samui

About Koh Samui

Koh Samui, occasionally spelled Ko Samui and often just called Samui is one of the top destinations in Thailand. It is located some 700km south of Bangkok and about 80km from the eastern coastline of Southern Thailand. It is 25 kilometres long, 21 kilometres wide and with its area of 247km² is the biggest island and main hub in the Gulf of Siam.

Without any doubt it is an island of great natural beauty and variety. It is small enough to get around it in just a couple of hours by scooter, but big enough for some serious exploration. The shoreline is mostly comprised of sandy beaches and coconut trees, while mountainous rainforest is located at its heart.

The island has a population of about 40,000 people, with many thousand more can be added during the peak touristic season. The vast majority of its inhabitants are Buddhist, and therefore many temples (also called vat) can be seen all over the island.

It is said that Chinese fishermen where the first to settle on the island, some 15 centuries ago. Samui stayed an isolated and self-sufficient community until the late 20th century. The tourism industry only really started a couple of decade ago, in the 90′s after years of backpackers visiting the island and spreading the word. It is safe to say, that now tourism represent the primary industry of the island, as can be seen by the numerous resorts, hotels, spas, restaurants and many other businesses that satisfy every customer desire.

Top 20 places in Koh Samui

The natural beauty of the island with its numerous white sandy beaches surrounded with coconut trees remains the main attraction of the island, but there are plenty more places and activities to be discovered including diving, day trips to marine parks, full moon partying on nearby Koh Phangan, spas, massages and famous elephant trek in the heart of the island.
Perhaps the most known attractions is the Big Buddha statue, located at the end of Bo Phut beach in the north east of the island. Below are the 20 top places in Koh Samui, clockwise from Nathon. A short description of each will follow.

Big Buddha Beach, Best of Koh Samui

Nathon
Ao Bang Pho
Hat Maenam
Hat Bophut
Hat Bangrak and Big Buddha
Hat Choeng Mon
Hat Chaweng
Ao Lamai
Hin-Ta And Hin-Ya
Samui Aquarium and Tiger Zoo
Samui Butterfly Garden
Hat Laem Set
Laem Hin Khom
Ao Phangka
Ao Taling Ngam
Ao Thong Yong
Secret Buddha Garden
Na Muang Falls and elephant trek
Samui Higlands
Hin Lat Waterfalls

Nathon

Nathon is the capital and primary hub of the island where live the majority of its inhabitants. It may not have the most beautiful beaches but it is for most travellers the transit point to other destinations on Koh Samui or to the other of the surrounding islands.

Bang Pho Beach, Best of Koh Samui

Ao Bang Pho

Ao Bang Pho located on the north western side of the island is the ideal place for extreme water sports lovers, especially for windsurfing and kite boarding.

Hat Maenam

Maenam is a quiet and beautiful town and beach on the northern coast. It is much more peaceful then the famous Chaweng or Lamai, but offer a similar quality beach and many good value front view resorts to choose from. I personally recommend the Hutcha resort, our first accommodation on the island.

Hat Bophut

Hat Bophut located on the north of the island between Maenam and Big Buddha beach, has plenty of facilities and resorts to choose from including excellent restaurants and a vibrant nightlife. Once known as a Fisherman’s Village, it has more recently become a good spots for a beach holiday and a place to enjoy numerous water sports including jet skis.

Big Buddha, Best of Koh Samui

Hat Bangrak and Big Buddha

The Hat Bangrak beaches is a 3 miles long stretch of beautiful sand with the famous Big Buddha statue and temple on the west side.

Hat Choeng Mon

Choeng Mon, a quiet North East shore beach is the more deluxe alternative of all the resorts of the north and east of the islands. If you are looking for a beautiful vacation away from the crowd, and your budgets permits it, it is definitely the place to be.

Chaweng Beach, Best of Koh Samui

Chaweng

Chaweng is the largest, most-developed and most popular beach destinations of the island. Located on the northern East coast, it is close to the airport and has plenty of resorts, hotels and cheap bungalows to choose from. The town of Chaweng also offer a lively atmosphere with many seafront places to eat and drink, and plenty of places for an exciting night out.

Lamai

Lamai, Samui’s second most popular beach located south of Chaweng is another tourist favourite. It is well known for its lengthy white sanded beach, restaurants and bars. It is a perfect place to unwind and have a relaxed vacation.

Hin-Ta and Hin-Yai, Best of Koh Samui

Hin-Ta and Hin-Yai

Hin-Ta And Hin-Yai also called the Grandmother and Grandfather Rocks are located on the Lamai beach and consists of rocks that have a striking resemblance to male and female sexual organs. It is one of the island’s biggest attractions and also a great place to buy bowls and vases made from Samui’s coconut palm wood.

Only a few kilometre of Hin-Ta and Hin-Yai is located the Elephant stone which is also worth making quick stop.

Samui Aquarium, Best of Koh Samui

Samui Aquarium and Tiger Zoo

Located on the south part of the island, it is the perfect attractions to discover the marine wildlife and fauna of the region. It is a great attractions for kids.

Samui Butterfly Garden

Located in a beautiful tropical garden, the Samui Butterfly garden offers a wide variety of protected species of butterflies.

Hat Laem Set

Hat Laem Set is one of the nicest beach in the southern part of the island. Apart from swimming and sunbathing it is also an ideal place to learn kite boarding.

Laem Hin Khom

Laem Hin Khom represent the luxury area of the southern part of the island. It is packed with astonishing high end resorts.

Ao Thong Yang

Ao Thong Yang is perhaps of the most peaceful places on the west coast of the island, and only a short ride from Nathon.

Ao Taling Ngam Beach, Best of Koh Samui

Ao Taling Ngam

Ao Taling Ngam offers multiple beaches along its 2 miles coast and is home to one of the top hotel on the island, the famous Baan Taling Ngam Resort and Spa.

Ao Phangka

Located on the western part of Koh Samui, Ao Phangka also named Emerald Cove is a beautiful bay and perhaps one of the most remote places on the island.

Heaven’s Garden/Secret Buddha Garden

In the heart of the island can be found a beautiful garden called the Heaven’s Garden or most commonly known as the Secret Buddha Garden. It was created by a 77 years old local Samui who decided to create a place where we could all appreciate all that beautiful vegetation of the island.

Na Muang Falls, Best of Koh Samui

Na Muang Falls and elephant trek

The Na Muang Falls are two amazing waterfalls located south east of Nathon. This place is also the location of the famous Elephant trek, which is definitely worth the experiencing. Both the trek and the waterfalls are available for a package at 700THB per person.

Samui Higlands

Even though the island is mostly know for its idyllic beaches, the Samui highlands, Packed with loads of coconut trees are definitely worth a visit.

Hin Lat Waterfall

The Hin Lat waterfalls are located in the heart of the jungle, only a few kilometres south of Nathon. There is no direct access by road to the falls but only a long walk (about 3 kms)down a forest path. There is a possibility of a swim at the base within a large rock pool. There is also the Hin Lad monastery close by that is worth making a visit.

Koh Samui pickup taxi, best of Koh Samui

Getting Around Koh Samui

Koh Samui is very easy to get around with a main ring road all around the island, linking all the different beaches and local attractions. There are many transport options including air conditioned taxi, pickup buses and motorcycles. Perhaps the best and more affordable option is to rent a scooter on a daily basis for about 200THB.

Koh Samui weather

Koh Samui tropical weather is almost always perfect with an above average temperature, plenty of sun and with a refreshing ocean breeze. Even if the island can be visited all year round some say the best months are between late December to the end of March. As for those who like it really hot then April to June would be a better option and mid-October to early December if you enjoy a bit of rain.

Koh Samui beaches

If you love the beach, sun and sea, then look no further as Koh Samui is definitely the place. Indeed the island offer numerous stripes of sands from more secluded one, to others packed with resorts, bars and restaurants. The most popular are the ones located on the east coast of the island including the beaches of Chaweng and Lamai. If you are looking for a more peaceful option than perhaps the northern beaches of Mae Nam and Bo Phut is a better option.

Thong Yang Beach, Best of Koh Samui

From North to South the main beaches of the island are:

Mae Nam, a quiet and beautiful beach on the northern coast
Bophut , once known as Fisherman’s Village, had recently became a good spots for water sports
Choeng Mon, a quiet North shore beach
Chaweng, the largest and most-developed beach, with a curious mix of luxury hotels and backpacker guesthouses and a hopping nightlife
Lamai, Samui’s “second” most popular beach located south of Chaweng
Samui South Coast, including the small beaches of Ban Hua Thanon, Na Khai, Laem Set, Bang Kao and Thong Krut

In terms of sporting activities the island has plenty of options available including both on land and of water. The water sports to be experienced includes diving, sailing, kayaking, fishing just to name a few. As for the on land activities, there is something for everyone including golf, mountain biking, bowling, bungee bumping, horse riding and martial arts with the famous local combat sport, Thai box.

Koh Samui Accommodations and Dinning

The island is packed with different accommodations from 5 stars resorts to beach front bungalows that will fit every budget. The most remarkable thing about Koh Samui is that unlikely other popular islands a big majority of the accommodations have their own beachfront. The east coast, including Chaweng and Lamai are where most of the tourist resorts are located, mainly because of the beaches and nightlife. If you are looking for a more quieter place, the north of the island is your best bet. The best place is Maenam if you are looking for a lovely deserted beach away from the crowds, and the Bo Phut beach if you are interested in water sports. Finally if you are looking for some more upscale and exclusive accommodation then Choeng Mon in the north east and the private resorts of the South of the island.

As for Koh Samui culinary experience it has been put on a higher level in the last decade. Indeed a vast array of high end restaurant opened with many renown chefs. From enjoying a meal on mats on the beach to the AC comfort of a location with breathtaking views it has dining experiences for every taste. Not to forget that Koh Samui also offer a great nightlife packed with numerous bars and clubs.

Koh Phangan, Best of Koh Samui

Attractions around Koh Samui

Some of the best sightseeing around Koh Samui includes the following destinations:

Ang Thong Marine Park
Koh Phangan
Koh Tao

Ang Thong Marine Park

The Ang Thong National Marine Park is natural beauty at its purest. Located west of Koh Samui, the archipelago consist of mostly uninhabited islands and is a great day trip. It is said that it is one of the places where the movie “the Beach” was filmed.

Koh Phangan

Koh Phangan is the little sister of Koh Samui. It is less developed , with fewer resorts but is the home to beautiful beaches and to the famous Moon parties every month.

Koh Tao

Koh Tao is the smallest of the three main islands of the Gulf but offers the best environment for diving. Indeed with some of the best diving schools in the world combine with pristine water it is the perfect place to discover the underwater world.

Conclusion

Perhaps the most fundamental characteristic of this tropical island is that it is able to maintain a broad appeal to everyone. From vacationers, to water sport lover, from the backpacker to the more high end tourist. Everyone is welcome to join its distinctive laid back atmosphere. If you are looking to be spoiled in a tropical paradise, Koh Samui is your answer.

Photographs of Koh Samui

Bang Pho beach, best of Koh Samui

Big Buddha, best of Koh Samui

Hat Bophut, best of Koh Samui

Hat Chaweng, best of Koh Samui

Elephant Rock, best of Koh Samui

Hat Maenam, best of Koh Samui

Ao Phangka, best of Koh Samui

Samui Butterfly Garden, best of Koh Samui

Samui Higlands, best of Koh Samui

Ao Taling Ngam, best of Koh Samui

Elephant trek at Na Muang Waterfalls, best of Koh Samui

Ao Taling Ngam, best of Koh Samui

Ao Thong Yong, best of Koh Samui

Our First Week In Thailand

Mat Siems — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 11:06:45 +0000

Koh Samui, Thailand

Today is the last day of August. A week passed since our arrival to the Kingdom of Thailand. We are chilling in the North of Koh Samui, on the Hat Maenam cost, in the wonderful Hutcha Resort. From where we are sitting, we can see the blue greenish water and just next to us a large swimming pool surrounded by palm trees. It is my first time in Thailand and as promise it is paradise on earth. Let’s go back a bit, so I may reveal how we actually got here.

First Week In Thailand Content

Day 1- The arrival, London to Bangkok
Day 2 – Bangkok to Surat Thani
Day 3 – Samui Island and Hutcha Resort
Day 4 – Just Chilling
Day 5 – Scooter and elephant ride
Day 6 and 7
In summary
Koh Samui Photographs
Elephant ride in Koh Samui Photographs

Arrival to Thailand

Day 1- The arrival, London to Bangkok

We left UK’s capital on the 23^rd of September, leaving behind us our lovely garden flat in North London. We took an overnight flight to Muscat, the capital and main city in Oman. It is Ramadan for the Muslim, therefore no food and drink should be consumed between sunrise and sunset. Our next flight was a bit before noon, and the journey itself was quite enjoyable with good food and lots of on board entertainment (especially when you are used to low cost airlines). We landed perfectly on time at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi International airport, one of the biggest transport hub in South East Asia. From the airport we took the bus to the city’s main train station where we booked a hotel. Exhausted after the long journey, we went to bed right after a beer from the local shop. My first impression of Thailand is that it is a rich country, especially judging by the magnificent airport they have, and the transport links to the centre including the highway and the sky train.

Koh Samui, Thailand

Day 2 – Bangkok to Surat Thani

The hotel we slept in was clean and quite cheap, my only concern was that they didn’t wake us up as we asked the next morning. Fortunately my girlfriend managed to naturally wake up more or less on time and we quickly ran to the station. We grabbed a very tasty grilled chicken on a stick for breakfast and embarked on the train that would take us to the South of Thailand. I was surprised to notice that our train was only two wagons long, one first class and ours second class. The conditions were quite nice and we were offered a complementary stuffed bun with coffee for breakfast and a rice and veggie meal for lunch. It was a pleasant but long ride as we left the capital a few minutes after eight and only arrived at Surat Thani half pass four. The scenery was fantastic filled with rice field, tropical forests and mountains. As I took time to snooze, my girlfriend couldn’t stop watching as we passed the coastal towns of Phetchaburi, Chaam and Chumphon. When we finally arrived at Surat Thani, a bit against my will, we got pressured by a tout, to get a ride to the pier in order to catch the last boat to Samui Island where we were heading. After two taxis and one boat ride we finally reached our destination. Instead of costing us the expected 400THB, it ended up three times as much. I however took it as a lesson that sometimes being rushed will have unwanted consequences. When we finally arrived at the Na Thon Pier on Koh Samui, we opted for the walking option and checked in a hotel in the town centre. After leaving our luggage in our room, we headed to the port where we grabbed some food and a cold beer.

Hutcha Resort, Koh Samui, Thailand

Day 3 – Samui Island and Hutcha Resort

Exhausted we slept as babies and woke up with a big sunshine on Samui Island. Soon after we were in AC taxi heading north to the mind blowing Maenam beach, where our booked resort were located. As read on the numerous positive reviews, this place is just perfect. It is located right next to the beach, has a lovely large size swimming pool, and is divided into individuals Thai style huts surrounded with palm trees and all sort of vegetation and colourful flowers. The room itself isn’t that big but really beautifully designed with a feng shui aesthetic.

After a quick bite in a local restaurant, we changed into our swimming gear and spent the rest of the day chilling at the beach and next to the pool. I can now confirm you that I didn’t put enough solar protection as the next day my back and shoulders were really burning. Always protect yourself against the sun, especially in that part of Asia.

Koh Samui, Thailand

Day 4 – Just Chilling

The following day, after a good night rest, I woke up really early, to be able to take a couple of photographs of the beach and the area. We later had an English breakfast at the resort, while day dreaming looking at the Gulf of Thailand. I spent the rest of the day on the web, as I had some catching up to do being the first time online since our departure.

Later that night we went to the beach front Chill Out Cafe to celebrate our two years anniversary. It was paradise. Looking at the sunset, sipping a Chang beer and enjoying a marvellous grilled fish.

Elephant Ride in Koh Samui, Thailand

Day 5 – Scooter and elephant ride

After having being relaxing the last two days it was time for some action. And action we got that day! After our usual beach front resort breakfast, we rented a scooter and went on the island discovery from west to east. After passing through Na Thon, our first destination was the Hit Lat Falls and Elephant Ride in the heart of the island. It was just so remarkable and the most exciting part of our trip so far. The ride itself is a bit shaky at first, but you soon get use to it and create a relationship with the animal by feeding them bananas that it grabs with its trunk. Her name was “apple” and she was one nice and very strong girl. I was lucky enough that our guide let me sit on the elephant head for almost all of the ride while he took some beautiful photographs of us. After the ride, we jumped into a “Jurassic park” style jeep and lost ourselves into the island jungle. We explored two magnificent waterfalls in the heart of the forest, where in the latter I had the chance to refresh myself in the chilling mountain water.

After this emotions intensive experience, we were back on our scooter to continue the touring of the island. We headed back South through Ban Thurian and then east along the beautiful cost of Lamai. As we arrived near Chaweng we wanted to enjoy the view of the coast from one of the hills. Perhaps I was still day dreaming about the elephants at that time, because I turned the scooter a bit to abruptly and ended up scratching my foot and knees. Nothing major, but burning as hell, especially when dipping in the salted Samui water or at the chlorine pool water of the resort. After the little incident we chilled a bit at the wonderful beach of Chaweng before hitting back to our resort.

Koh Samui Resort, Thailand

Day 6 and 7

The last two days were spend mostly at the resort as I couldn’t be near the water. What a shame not to be able to use the swimming facilities, but I preferred to fully heal up first, to make sure to fully enjoy the rest of the trip. We however had the chance to explore some excellent local restaurants and enjoyed some of the best Thai food. Yesterday evening for example, I order some Thai duck and couldn’t believe how delicious it was as I still can feel the taste.

Hat Maenam Beach, Koh Samui, Thailand

In summary

One week passed since our arrival in Thailand. Putting aside the small scooter incident, this place is just fantastic and will definitely be on the World’s Best Places list. The weather was fantastic, the people really friendly and the food incredible. It is truly the land of smile, where people are genuinely nice and want to be helpful. Koh Samui was a fantastic first spot destination as the weather is above average for the month of Monsoon in Thailand. The water is just great. Warm, clean with a clear blue colour, which makes you want to spent the whole day in it. As for our resort, there is nothing to complain about really. The location is idyllic, surrounded with magnificent flowers, coconut tree and other vegetations. It is very clean and the service is impeccable. Perfect for a vacation. My only concern was that the wireless network didn’t reach to our room (but perhaps that was a good thing for me, taking a short break from the web). Tonight will be our last night here, but I will make sure I recommend this place to everyone. In my next post, I will have some videos and more information about this idyllic island. All the best and hope that it will inspire you.

Koh Samui Photographs

Koh Samui, Thailand

Elephant ride in Koh Samui Photographs

Elephant Ride in Koh Samui, Thailand

Planning our trip to South East Asia

Mat Siems — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 18:24:13 +0000

South East Asia

Today I will be revealing our plan for our 3 months journey across South East Asia. It will be my longest trip so far and my third mini retirement.

South East Asia Journey content

The planned itinerary
South East Asia Flash Interactive Map
South East Asia Maps
About South East Asia

The planned itinerary

South East Asia Itinerary.

There is only one a couple of days left before our departure from London to Thailand’s capital, Bangkok. From where we will head south to the beautiful islands of the Gulf of Thailand. We are planning to chill out on Koh Samui, party on Koh Phangan and dive in the beautiful spots of Koh Tao.

After the first month relaxing we will head back to Bangkok and move East to Cambodia. First, to discover the world’s biggest temple at Angkor Vat, then visit Cambodian’s capital Phom Penh and finally chillout in the Southern town of Shihanoukville.
From Cambodia we will move further east to Vietnam, where we are planning to travel by train from South to North. Our first stop will be the beautiful southern island of Phu Quoc , then fly over the Mekong Delta to the once capital of the South, Ho Chi Minh City. From HCMC to the lovely beaches of Mui Ne, then visit the coastal cities of Nha Trang, Hoi An, Hue, before heading north to Halong Bay, one of the most inspiring places in Vietnam. Then a last train to the capital , Hanoi, the city between the rivers.
From Hanoi fly west to Luang Prabang to explore this intriguing city of the kingdom of Laos, before heading back south to the country’s capital Vientiane , located in the Mekong Valley.
From Vientiane, we will head back to Bangkok by train or take another flight to Chiang Mai, perhaps one of the most culturally significant city in the north of Thailand.
After a couple days in the Jungle of the capital we will head back South again but this time to the South West of Thailand to discover the mind blowing Andaman Sea coast and islands. Our first stop will be the historic city of Trang, then the famous Krabi before hitting the most beautiful islands of Thailand including Koh Phi Phi, Koh Lanta and the most known of them all Phucket. From those paradise islands, move back to the coast and explore the city of Khao Lak and the Khao Sok National Park, before taking the journey back to Bangkok.
This is basically the plan. 3 months, 4 countries and as many World’s Best Places as we can find including the best cities, top beaches, most beautiful diving spots and mind blowing natural wonders.
As always, I am planning to fully document our journey, offering the majority of the content for free on World’s Best Places.com but also a premium version which will include a high quality full version of the content and many other bonuses. Please stay tuned to check out latest content, videos, photographs and interactive maps.

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South East Asia Maps

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About South East Asia

Southeast Asia is the most exotic, tropical and touristic sub regions in Asia, due to its climate, sunny days, lovely beaches and paradise islands. It has an area of 5,000,000 km2 with currently a population of a bit less than 600 millions. The South East Asia region officially includes 12 countries but we will only focus on the following 4: Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos. We will cover the best things of each country in more details in the following sections.

Key Facts about Southeast Asia

The key things you should know about Southeast Asia includes the following:

South East Asia has an area of 5,000,000 km2
South East Asia consists of the countries that are geographically south of China, east of India and north of Australia.
South East Asia has a total population of 593,000,000 with a density of 116.5 people per km2
South East Asia lies on the intersection of geological plates, with heavy seismic and volcanic activity.
South East Asia includes 12 countries
South East Asia consists of two geographic regions: the Asian mainland and island arcs and archipelagos to the east and southeast.
South East Asia’s mainland section consists of Burma (Myanmar), Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Vietnam and Peninsular Malaysia.
South East Asia’s maritime section consists of Brunei, East Malaysia, East Timor, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Singapore.
South East Asia Largest cities includes Bangkok, Jakarta, Ho Chi Minh City, Kuala Lumpur, Luang Prabang, Manila, Phnom Penh, Singapore and Yangon
South East Asia’s major religions are Islam and Buddhism, followed by Christianity. However a wide variety of religions are found throughout the region, including many Hindu and animist-influenced practices

Thailand

About Thailand

Thailand is by far one of the world’s most visited exotic destinations. It is blessed not only with magnificence scenery but has also one of the friendly’s citizens. Indeed, Thailand is said to be the land of the smile with their Zen like approach and legendary hedonistic attitude towards life.

Key Facts about Thailand

Thailand’s total area is 513,000 km2 (198,000 sq mi).
Thailand has a population of 64 million people (21st most-populous country)
Thailand is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the west by the Andaman Sea and the southern extremity of Burma.
Thailand is a kingdom, a constitutional monarchy with King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the ninth king of the House of Chakri, who has reigned since 1946, making him the world’s longest-serving current head of state and the longest-reigning monarch in Thai history. The king is officially titled Head of State, the Head of the Armed Forces, an Upholder of the Buddhist religion, and the Defender of all Faiths.
The largest city in Thailand is Bangkok, the capital, which is also the country’s centre of political, commercial, industrial and cultural activities.
About 75% of the population is ethnically Thai, 14% is of Chinese origin, and 3% is ethnically Malay; the rest belong to minority groups including Mons, Khmers and various hill tribes. There are approximately 2.2 million legal and illegal migrants in Thailand
The country’s official language is Thai.
Its primary religion is Buddhism, which is practiced by around 95% of all Thais.

Thailand experienced rapid economic growth between 1985 and 1995 and is a newly industrialized country with tourism, due to well-known tourist destinations such as Pattaya, Bangkok, Phuket, Chiang Mai and Ko Samui, and exports contributing significantly to the economy.

Cambodia

About cambodia

Cambodia is the land of the most magnificent temples in Southeast Asia. The most known of them is the world’s largest, Angkor Vat near the city of Siem Reap. Other interesting cities include the capital Phnom Penh City and the relaxed coastal city of SihanoukVille.

Key Facts about Cambodia

The Kingdom of Cambodia is a Southeast Asian nation bordered by Vietnam to the east, Laos to the north, Thailand to the northwest, and the Gulf of Thailand to the southwest.
The Capital and largest city is Phnom Penh
The Official language is Khmer
The Government is a Constitutional monarchy,
The Kingdom formation started with the Funan Empire in 68
It then continued with the Chenla in 550,
Then in 802 with the famous Khmer Empire
The Kingdom became a French Colony in 1863
Got Independence from France in November 9, 1953
Became a Khmer Republic in March 18, 1970
It has a Total area of 181,035 km2 (88th)
It has a population of 14,805,000 (66th)
It has a Total GDP (PPP) of £17.98 billion and £1,333.7 Per capita
Its Currency is the Riel (KHR)
The Time zone is (UTC+7)
They drive on the right
Their Internet TLD is .kh and their Calling code is 855

Vietnam

About Vietnam

Vietnam is another of Southeast Asia tropical treasure with its long coast of the South China Sea.

Vietnam is known to be the hidden charm of South East Asia as it is perhaps one of the most exotic countries you may visit. It is the latest of the Asian dragon to fully emerge. From the the long and beautiful coastline packed with vibrant cities to the impressing mountains and rice field in the heart of the country, Vietnam is a jewel for every traveller. Indeed it is a country of vivid colours, amazing smells, breathtaking vues and warm people.

Vietnam is a country with a great history. From its independence with China more than a thousand year ago, to the French influence and more recently the economic boom after the war, it offers a great deal of historic sites to have a better understanding of the country ‘s past. Perhaps the most impressing is the seven Royal Tombs in Hue where the remains of the last Vietnamese dynasty, the Nguyen Dynasty are held. Another interesting site includes the One Pillar Pagoda in Hanoi, dedicated to the goddess of mercy.

Vietnam is a also a country blessed by mother nature, will it be with beautiful sandy beaches, amazing islands or impressing mountains and passes. Vietnam is a place of contrasts. Indeed the buzz of the cities with its ocean of motorbikes where people live in the fast lane is opposed to the calm and Zen attitude of the sleepy villages.

The people of Vietnam are worth being mentioned as they are an inspiration for us all. Even after surviving the worse with colonialism and communist, they still manage to have a contagious optimism towards the future. Not to mention that they are quickly catching up with capitalism.

From the North to South, from Hanoi to Ho Chi Min City and the island of Phu Quoc, Vietnam is definitely a place worth visiting.

Key Facts about Vietnam

The Socialist Republic of Vietnam is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia.
Vietnam is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea, referred to as East Sea, to the east.
Vietnam has a population of over 86 million making it the 13th most populous country in the world.
Vietnam has an area of 331,688 km2 (128,065 sq mi)
Vietnam’s topography consists of hills and densely forested mountains, with level land covering no more than 20%.
The people of Vietnam regained independence and broke away from China in AD 938 after their victory at the battle of Bạch Đằng River.
Successive dynasties flourished along with geographic and political expansion deeper into Southeast Asia, until it was colonized by the French in the mid-19th century.
Efforts to resist the French eventually led to their expulsion from the country in the mid-20th century, leaving a nation divided politically into two countries.
Fighting between the two sides continued during the Vietnam War, ending with a North Vietnamese victory in 1975.
Emerging from this prolonged military engagement, the war-ravaged nation was politically isolated.
In 1986, the government instituted economic and political reforms and began a path towards international reintegration.
By 2000, it had established diplomatic relations with most nations.
Its economic growth had been among the highest in the world in the past decade. These efforts resulted in Vietnam joining the World Trade Organization in 2007.

Laos

About Laos

Squeezed between Thailand’s and Vietnams beach miracles, Laos is one of the most laid back country on the planet with a very ecological approach with mother nature. Some of the most interesting places worth visiting include the royal city of Luang Prabang and the capital Vientiane.

Key Facts about Laos

The Capital and largest city is Vientiane
The Official language is Lao
The Government is a Socialist republic, Communist single-party state
It obtains Independence from France in 19 July 1949
The Area total is 236,800 km2 (83rd)
The Population is about 6,320,000 (101st)
The GDP (PPP) is estimate at a total of billion and Per capita
The Currency is the Kip (LAK)
The Time zone is (UTC+7) and they drive on the right
The Internet TLD is .la and the Calling code 856

Best of Krakow

Mat Siems — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 10:46:54 +0000

best of krakow

Krakow is by far the most remarkable cities not only in Poland but in the whole of central Europe. Indeed the Rynek, the biggest market square and the historic centre that surround it was inscribed on the list of World Heritage Sites as the first of its kind. Krakow remains to that day a centre for academics with many schools and universities including Jagielonski one of the oldest in Poland. The city is as well as the epicentre of cultural and artistic life with many great festivals and music venues. Even though, Warsaw took over as the economic capital of the country, Krakow rebranded itself in the last couple of decades as the Silicon Valley of Europe with many skilful programmers and a huge investment of IT related businesses (including Google and IBM).

Krakow Content

About Krakow
Krakow Map
Top 10 Krakow
Best Krakow hotels
Best Krakow restaurants
Best Krakow bars
Best Krakow Shopping
Krakow Essential
Krakow Photographs
Krakow Videos

Krakow Map

Rynek Glowny

Top 10 Krakow

Top 10 sights to visit in Krakow include:

Wawel Castle
Rynek Glowny
St-Mary’s Church
Kazimierz
Barbakan
Collegium Maius
Florianska Street
Grodzka Street
Czartoryski Museum
Ethnographical Museum

Rynek Glowny

Top 10 Hotels

Top 10 hotels to visit in Krakow include:

Grand Hotel
Hotel Copernicus
Hotel pod Roza
Hotel Amadeus
Ostoya Palace Hotel
Wentzl
Hotel Eden
Hotel Royal
Hotel Klezmer Hois
Hotel Petrus

Top 10 Bars

Boogie
CK Browar
Free Pub & Dekafencja
Nic nowego
Oldsmobile
Shisha Club
Transylvania
U kacpra
Vinoteka La Bodega
Wodka

Top 10 shopping

Galeria Centrum
Galeria Kazimierz
Jubilat
Alhena
Cloth Hall
Gala
Empik
The Amber Chamber
Blazko Kindery
Galeria Skarbiec

Central Krakow

Krakow Essential

The Krakow essential section gives you a better understanding of the city and includes the following topics:

Key facts about Krakow
History of Krakow
Geography of Krakow
Krakow’s economy
Krakow Arts
Key places around Krakow

Key Facts about Krakow

Kraków can be spelled Krakow or Cracow
Krakow is the second largest city in Poland
Krakow is one of the oldest cities in the region.
Krakow is situated on the Vistula River (Polish: Wisła) in the Lesser Poland region,
Krakow dates back to the 7th century.
Kraków was the capital of Poland from 1038 to 1596; and is now the capital of the Lesser Poland Voivodeship.

History of Krakow

Even though there was a settlement as far back as the Stone Age, the first document from Krakow we have dates back from the 7 century. The legend says the mythical rulers Krakus built the city above the cave of a dragon, the now famous Smok Wawelski which became the symbol of the city.

By the end of the 10th century, Krakow became a major commercial and trading hub. During that period the city was faced with many Mongol invasion, but was rebuilt stronger every time. In 1364, one of the oldest European universities was built, and science and arts began to flourish in the capital of the Kingdom of Poland.

In 1473, during the Golden Age of Krakow the first printing press was established publishing the first printed work called the Calendarium Cracoviense.

Between the 18 and beginning of the 20 century, the city was weakened and partitioned as much as 3 times between its neighbours of Russia, Prussia and Austria.

The Second Polish Republic only emerged in 1918 at the end of the First World War. The country was however soon recaptured in 1939 and Krakow became the capital of a Nazi General government. By the end of the war Second World War Krakow remained one of the few cities not heavily destroyed by the Nazis. However, another tragedy soon stroke when the Stalinist regime took over and the city was run with a puppy pro communist government. It was during those years that the neighbourhood of Nowa Huta was created with the construction of the steel mill.

In 1978, Karol Wojtyla the cardinal archbishop of Krakow was elected as the first non-Italian pope in centuries. A Decade later, the Solidarnosc party and its leader Lech Walesa manage to break free from the communist oppression.

History of Krakow

Geography of Krakow

Krakow is located in the southern part of Poland in the administrative region called Lesser Poland. It is 100 kilometres of north of the Tatra Mountain which constitutes a natural border with Slovakia and the Czech Republic. The city center is situated on the northern bank of the Vistula River.

There are 18 districts of Krakow including:

Stare Miasto (I)
Grzegórzki (II)
Prądnik Czerwony (III)
Prądnik Biały (IV)
Krowodrza (V)
Bronowice (VI)
Zwierzyniec (VII)
Dębniki (VIII)
Łagiewniki-Borek Fałęcki (IX)
Swoszowice (X)
Podgórze Duchackie (XI)
Bieżanów-Prokocim (XII)
Podgórze (XIII)
Czyżyny (XIV)
Mistrzejowice (XV)
Bieńczyce (XVI)
Wzgórza Krzesławickie (XVII)
Nowa Huta (XVIII).

Krakow’s economy

Krakow is the most important economic center in the south of Poland with the private sector booming since the collapse of communism. It is especially strong in the information technology and communication (ITC) industry and sometimes referred as Europe’s Silicon Valley, with brands such as Google, Motorola and IBM.

Other multinational companies in Kraków include Hitachi, General Electric, Philip Morris, Capgemini and Sabre Holdings.

Krakow have a much lower unemployment rate compared to the rest of Poland and have foreign direct investment reached approximately billion.

Painting students in Kazimerz

Krakow Arts

Krakow always had a reputation for art and culture. It was in fact named the capital of culture in 2000. The following Arts are popular in Krakow:

Architecture
Painting and sculpture
Literature
Music
Cinema

Architecture

The Krakow architecture is quite unique in its genre being composed from different areas including renaissance, Baroque and Gothic. Many buildings can be seen around the old town and Kazimierz neighbourhood. The most impressive of them all is the market square which retain its original form the medieval time.

Literature

Krakow is famous for being the home of Poland best writers including Wislawa Szymborska and Czeslaw Milosz, which both won the Nobel Price in literature.

Cinema

Krakow is also popular with cinema. It has an annual festival of short films. which is one of Europe oldest event. It was also once the residence of some of the best Polish authors including Andrzej Wajda and Roman Polanski. It is also worth noticing that the architecture of the city remains a wonderful place for second world war movie such as the famous Spielberg film Schindler List.

Key places around Krakow

Wieliczka salt mine
Auschwitz Birkenau
Tatry Mountains

Montreal

Mat Siems — Mon, 10 May 2010 08:59:08 +0000

Moutain and down-town Montreal

Best of Montreal

Montreal is by far one of the top destinations to visit in North America. The city lays on a 50km long island surrounded by the Saint Laurence River. It is the second largest French speaking city (second only to Paris) and is the perfect mix between European and American culture. For nature lover to party animals, for world class cuisine gourmet to big shoppers, Montreal has something for everyone. It is home to over 40 major festivals and events including the International Jazz festival and Just for Laughs.

Montreal is also a big sport city, hosting the F1 Grand Prix and being home to the mostly awarded hockey team, the Montreal Canadians. As you may see Montreal is truly on a league of its own.

Content

This are the Montreal topics that we would like to share:

Montreal’s Flash Interactive Map
Top 10 Montreal
Montreal’s Essential
Top Neighbourhoods in Montreal
Top Attractions in Montreal
Best of Down Town Montreal
Best of Old Montreal
Best of the Mont-Royal Park and Cote-des-Neiges
Best of the Plateau
Best of the rest
Top Restaurants, Bars and hotels
Conclusion

Montreal’s Flash Interactive Map

Discover Montreal’s content including best sights, streets, restaurants, bars hotels with picture and video on a flash interactive map.
Click here to start the experience.

Montreal Flash Interactive map with top sights, streets, bars, restaurants and much more

Moutain and down-town Montreal

Top 10 Montreal

It is hard to find the top 10 in a city such diverse as Montreal, as there are so many things to visit, to enjoy and to experience. Here is however a list of what I consider the top thing you must do when visiting Montreal:

Mount Royal Park, The Mountain and the lungs of the City.
Sainte Catherine Street, in the centre of the city from Down Town to the Village.
L’Oratoire St.-Joseph du Mont-Royal in Cote-des-Neiges.
Mont-Royal Street in the artist neighbourhood of the Plateau.
Promenade du vieux Port and the Place Jacques Cartier to discover historic Montréal
Crescent Street and its restaurants, bars and night life.
The Montreal Canadians and the passion for Hockey.
Montreal’s Grand Prix and the circuit Jacques Villeneuve on the Park Jean-Drapeau
The Olympic Stadium and all its attractions including Biodôme and botanic garden.
Quartier Latin and its student, café and cinema atmoshphere.

Montreal Jacques Cartier Bridge and Molsonl

Montreal’s Essential

Before revealing you the best sites and attractions in Montreal, let’s go over some of the facts about Montreal. Montreal’s essential will cover the following topics:

Montreal’s geography
Montreal’s economy
Montreal’s politics
Montreal’s history
Montreal’s sports
Montreal’s education

Geography

Montreal is the second largest city in Canada, just after Toronto. It is consider one of North America most international city, consisting of more than 30% of immigrants and with the vast majority of its citizens speaking at least two languages (French and English). The metropolitan area consists of around 3.5 million people, which is about half the entire population of the province of Quebec. It is 1600km from the Atlantic and has the largest container port on the east-coast of North America.

Economy

A part from the education, tourism and information technologies sector, Montreal is a big player in the film industry. Indeed it employs more than 9000 people and generates $1.6 billion annually. It is often a cheaper alternative for big Hollywood productions, by offering qualified film crew and the latest technology (including special effects and post production).

Politics

Jean Drapeau is perhaps the most known mayor of Montreal. Indeed he was re-elected a record of 7 times from 1954 to ’57 and 1960 to ‘86. His legacy consists of making Montreal what it is today by upgrading the metro (the underground trains), supporting the Expo 67 and the Olympic Games in 1976. He was however criticized for his huge spending especially concerning the Olympic Stadium (which ended up costing nearly $3billions and only paid of in 2006).

Place Jacques Cartier in Vieux Montreal

History

Montreal was first discovered by French explorer Jacques Cartier in 1535 when he settled on the island and named the mountain Mont-Royal. More than a century later, in 1642 Paul De Chomedy (sieur de Maisonneuve) founds the colony of Ville Marie, which was shortly after renamed Montreal. It was the great days for the fur trade.

In 1763, after the 7 years war between the French and the English, New France, which included the cities of Quebec and Montreal, became a British colony. Shortly after loyalist from the south and immigrants from Scotland and Ireland arrived to Montreal, which resulted in tensions with the French speaking community.

In 1844, Montreal was declared the capital of United Canada and established itself as one of the world’s biggest grain ports and a manufacturing and financial hub.

In the 20^th century, Toronto became Canada’s metropolis, but Montreal managed to place itself internationally mainly with the Expo 78 and the Olympic Games. Montreal is still today a remarkable city, offering a wide array of international cuisine, sports events and culture life with many museums, art galleries, music venues and cinemas.

Montreal Canadiens

Sport

Montreal has perhaps the highest number of hockey fans per citizen in North America. It is not surprising by being home to the mostly awarded hockey team, the Montreal Canadians, boasting NHL-record 24 Stanley Cup championships.

It is also host to the F1 Grand Prix at the famous circuit Gilles Villeneuve on Notre-Dame Island.

Montreal’s education

Montreal has the highest concentration of post-secondary students of all major cities in North America (4.38 students per 100 residents, followed by Boston at 4.37 students per 100 residents). It has 4 universities including 2 Anglophone (McGill and Concordia) and 2 francophone (UQUAM and University de Montreal)

Place des Arts

Top Areas in Montreal

Montreal core is divided into the following areas including:

Down Town Montreal.
Old Montreal (Vieux-Montreal).
Mount Royal Park and Cote-des-Neiges.
Le Plateau (including Quartier Latin and the village).
Quartier Latin and its student, café and cinema vibe
The Village, east of Sainte Catherine
The best of the rest including the east side, Mile-end and Outremont.
Montreal East and the Olympic Quarter
Park Street in Mile End area
Laurier and Bernard French cafés atmosphere in Outremont

Of course there are plenty more interesting neighbourhoods in the metropolitan area of Montreal, but we couldn’t list them all, and we consider that those mentioned are the most important.

Notre-Dame, Vieux Montreal

Top Attractions in Montreal

The best attractions in Montreal including the top sights, streets, Museums, Parks and Churches

Montreal’s best streets include:

Sainte Catherine Street , in the centre of the city from Down Town to the Village
Promenade du vieux Port and the Place Jacques Cartier
Mont-Royal Avenue in the artist neighbourhood of the Plateau Notre-Dame
Saint-Laurent and its fancy restaurants and nightlife
Saint-Denis in the heart of the Latin Quarter
Crescent Street and its restaurants, bars and night life
Cotes-des-Neiges and its student quarter
Sherbrooke and its grandiose buildings and hotels

Montreal’s best parks include:

Park Du Mont-Royal, The Mountain and the lungs of the City.
Park Jean Drapeau
Park Lafontaine

Montreal’s best religious sites include:

Oratoire St-Joseph
Basilique Notre Dame

Montreal’s best Museums include:

Musée des Beaux-arts
Musée d’art contemporain
Pointe-à-Callière Museum

Montreal’s best sporting attractions:

The Montreal Canadians, the “Habs” and the passion for Hockey
Montreal’s Grand Prix at the circuit Jacques Villeneuve on the park Jean-Drapeau
The Olympic Stadium, where was held the Olympic games of 1976

Best of Downtown Montreal

Down Town Montreal is definitely the place to be, with all its skyscrapers, underground city and nightlife scene. From the Mont Royal Park to the North until the old City in the South and from the Atwater area in the west until the Places Des arts in the east it has all the best places you need.

Downtown Montreal is also consider the central business district and contains most of the city’s skyscrapers — which, by law, cannot be greater in height than Mount Royal. The two tallest of these are the 1000 de La Gauchetière and 1250 René-Lévesque, both of which were built in 1992.

Some of the best attractions include:

Crescent Street
The Montreal Canadiens at the Bell Centre
The Underground City
Planetarium
Musée des Beaux-arts
Musée d’art contemporain
Sherbrooke Street
Chinatown
Square Dorcester and Place du Canada
Cathedral Marie-Reine-du-Monde
Christ Church cathedral

Sainte Catherine Street

Sainte Catherine Street is perhaps one of the longest and well know street of going from the west to the east of the City.

The Montreal Canadiens (The Habs)

Montreal is the city of hockey with their Canadiens team (the team with the most tittles ever). Located in the Centre Bell it is definitely worth going to see a game.
canadiens.nhl.com

The Underground City

Montreal’s Underground City (also called RESO), a set of interconnected complexes both above and below ground is the largest underground complex in the world. It includes over 32 km (20 mi) of tunnels spread over more than 12 km² (4.6 sq mi), connecting areas including shopping malls, apartment buildings, hotels, condominiums, banks, offices, museums, universities, seven metro stations, two commuter train stations, a regional bus terminal and the Bell Centre amphitheatre and arena. If you are looking to shop around and avoid the winter cold, the underground city is the way to go.

Planetarium

The Montreal Planetarium was not only the first public planetarium in Canada but is also Canada’s largest, with a seating capacity of approximately 375.

Musée des Beaux-arts

The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts is one of Montreal’s finest. It was founded in 1860, making it Canada’s oldest art institution and is now the country’s largest. The museum is located on the historic Golden Square Mile stretch of Sherbrooke Street.

Musée d’art Contemporain

The Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal is a contemporary art museum in the Place des Arts complex in the eastern part of Down-Town Montreal. The collection includes over 7,000 works of art by more than 1,500 artists (1,200 still living), covering contemporary art in Quebec in particular and Canada in general, as well as international artists. The museum is Canada’s only cultural complex devoted to both the performing and visual arts. Its collections include contemporary paintings, sculptures, photographs, and works on paper.

Sherbrooke Street

Sherbrooke Street (officially rue Sherbrooke) is a major east-west artery and at 31.3 kilometres (19.4 mi) in length, is the second longest street on the Island of Montreal. The street begins in the town of Montreal West and ends on the extreme tip of the island in Pointe-aux-Trembles, intersecting Gouin Boulevard and joining up with Notre-Dame Street. The street is divided into two portions. Sherbrooke Street East is located east of Saint Laurent Boulevard and Sherbrooke Street West is located west. Sherbrooke Street West is home to many historic mansions that comprised its exclusive Golden Square Mile district, including the now-demolished Van Horne Mansion as well as the imposing Beaux-Arts style Montreal Masonic Memorial Temple.
The street is named for John Coape Sherbrooke, the Governor General of British North America from 1816 to 1818.

Chinatown

Chinatown in Montreal (French: Le quartier chinois de Montréal) is located in the area of De la Gauchetière Street.

Square Dorcester and Place du Canada

Dorchester Square (originally Dominion Square) is a large urban square in downtown Montreal. Together with Place du Canada, the area is just over 21,000 or 2.1 of manicured and protected urban parkland bordered by René Lévesque Boulevard to the south, Peel Street to the west, Metcalfe to the east and Dominion Square to the north. The square is open to the public 24 hours a day and forms a focal point for pedestrian traffic in the city. Until the creation of Place du Canada in 1967, the name Dominion Square had been applied to the entire area.

Best of Vieux Montreal

Best of Old Montreal

Old Montreal was the original establishment of the first French colons and most of the charm still remains in its narrow streets. The port stretching for over two kilometres along the St-Lawrence River has been the social, economic and cultural soul of the city ever since early fur traders used it as a trading post in 1611. It was here that the city and the port came to life more than 350 years ago.

The best sights of Old Montreal includes:

Places Jacques Cartier
Hôtel De Ville
Basilique Notre Dame
Marché Bonsecours
Quai de l’Horloge
Pointe-à-Callière Museum
Parc Jean-Drapeau
Habitat 67
Lachine Canal Bike Paths
Centre d’Histoire de Montréal
Centre des Sciences de Montréal

The best sights of Ile Sainte Helene and Ile Notre-Dame include:

Parc Jean-Drapeau
Circuit Giles Villeneuve
La Ronde

Places Jacques Cartier

Place Jacques-Cartier is a square located next to the Hotel De Ville and is the entrance to the Old Port of Montreal. It is named after the French explorer who first discovered the island of Montreal.

Hotel de Ville

Hôtel De Ville

The five-storey Montreal City Hall or Hôtel de Ville de Montréal is the work of architects Henri-Maurice Perrault and Alexander Cowper Hutchison, and was built between 1872 and 1878 in the Second Empire style. It is located between Place Jacques-Cartier and the Champ de Mars, at 275 Notre-Dame Street East.

Basilique Notre Dame

Notre-Dame Basilica or Basilique Notre-Dame de Montréal is located next to the Saint-Sulpice Seminary and faces the Place d’Armes square.
The church’s Gothic Revival architecture is among the most dramatic in the world; its interior is grand and colourful, its ceiling is coloured deep blue and decorated with golden stars, and the rest of the sanctuary is a polychrome of blues, azures, reds, purples, silver, and gold. It is filled with hundreds of intricate wooden carvings and several religious statues. Unusual for a church, the stained glass windows along the walls of the sanctuary do not depict biblical scenes, but rather scenes from the religious history of Montreal. It also has a Casavant Frères pipe organ, which comprises four keyboards, 97 stops, almost 7000 individual pipes and a pedal board.

Marche Bonsecour

Marché Bonsecours

Bonsecours Market or Marché Bonsecours, at 350 rue Saint-Paul in Old Montreal, is a two-storey domed public market. Named for the adjacent Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours Chapel, it opened in 1847. Construction began in 1844 by architect William Footner, and was completed in 1860 by George Browne. Bonsecours Market housed City Hall between 1852 and 1878. For more than 100 years, it was the main public market in the Montreal area. It also briefly accommodated the Parliament of United Canada in 1849. Today, the market houses outdoor cafés, restaurants and boutiques

Quai de l’Horloge

Montreal Clock Tower, also called the The Sailors’ Memorial Clock, the cornerstone was laid by the Prince of Wales, on Oct. 31, 1919, with the 45-metre tower completed two years later as a memorial to the Canadian sailors who died in the First World War. The original plans called for the clockworks to be connected to five bells that would chime every hour, but the carillon was never built. The clock was constructed in Croydon, England by the firm of Gillett & Johnston, and its mechanism is similar to the one that drives Big Ben at the Palace of Westminster.

Quai de l’Horloge

Pointe-à-Callière Museum

If you are looking for a good understanding of how Montreal was built from the ground up, the Pointe-à-Callière Museum is your must visit destination. Indeed the Museum offers impressing exhibits and displays from the first French settlers to the modern day habitants.
www.pacmuseum.qc.ca

Lachine Canal Bike Paths

If you are a cycling fanatic Montreal has an impressive array of bike routes with the mostly known is the Lachine canals. Check out the maps for more information.
www.velo.qc.ca/fr/reseau.php

Centre des Sciences de Montréal

The Montréal Science Centre will help visitors of all ages acquire an understanding of science and technology for use in building their future.

http://www.montrealsciencecentre.com/home.html

Parc Jean-Drapeau

The Parc Jean-Drapeau is located on the islands of Sainte-Helene and Notre Dame, just south of the Old city, and is an ideal place to spend the day or enjoy the many concerts and festivities that takes places there. The park is a Mecca for sport lover offering outdoor swimming pools, a beach, a rollerblade path and not to forget the home of the F1 circuit Gilles Villeneuve. It is also home to the famous amusement park, la Ronde.
www.parcjeandrapeau.com

Habitat 67

In 1967 Montreal was the host of the International and Universal Exposition. As Housing was one of the main themes of the exposition, the city developed one of the most praised urban development. More then 4 decades after its creation, Moshe Safdies architectural masterpiece remains an icon of the city.
www.habitat67.com

Best of the Mont-Royal Park

Best of the Mont-Royal Park and Cote-des-Neiges

The Mount Royal Park also called the “The Mountain” by locals is perhaps the most emblematic natural sight of the city. Located in the heart of Montreal, it offers astonishing panoramic views over Down Town, the Old city, the port, the river and the Olympic Stadium. It is also an ideal place for nature lovers with lots of trails for walking and biking during the summer and cross-country skiing during the winter.

The best things to enjoy on the Mont-Royal Park include:

Hike to the top of the mountain where the famous cross sits and enjoy the views from the “Chalet”
Experience the “tam-tams” on Sunday on the mountain’s east side
Drive across the Camillien Houde road in the centre of the park
Picnic near the Lac aux Castors (or skate on it during winter)
Have a walk in the Summit Circle Park on the Westmount side of the Mountain where different wild birds can be found.

Cotes-des-Neiges

A bit to the north west of the mountain is the neighbourhood of Cotes-des-Neiges. It has a large immigrant and student population, and is one of the most densely populated and ethnically diverse neighbourhoods in Canada. With over 100 different ethnic communities, predominantly: Québécois, Filipino, West Indian, South Asian (Tamils and Bengalis), Jewish, Latin American, Chinese, Arab, Vietnamese and most recently Eastern European and African. One of the few Montreal neighbourhoods where neither the French nor English language dominate. Both national languages are spoken equally, along with many others by a high number of multi-lingual speakers. The most notable institutions in Côte-des-Neiges are University de Montréal, College Brebeuf, Centre hospitalier universitaire Sainte-Justine, the Jewish General Hospital and Saint Joseph’s Oratory, whose large dommed cathedral perched above the neighbourhood, is by far its most important tourist attraction.

L’Oratoire St.-Joseph du Mont-Royal

The famous Oratoire St.-Joseph is the tallest point in Montreal, and therefore offers spectacular views to North West of the city. The site was first the location of Brother André’s chapel built in the woods, but now became one of the most impressive religious buildings in North America, attracting thousand of pilgrims each year. You might try to redeem yourself by climbing the hundreds of stairs to the top on your knees.
www.saint-joseph.org

Best of the Plateau

The Plateau-Mont-Royal takes its name from its location on relatively flat terrain north of Sherbrooke Street and downtown, and east of Mont-Royal. The borough is bordered to the north and north-east by the Canadian Pacific railroad tracks; to the west by Park Avenue and the intersection of Pine Avenue and University Street; and to the south by Sherbrooke Street. It is one of the most densely populated neighbourhoods in Canada, with 101,054 people living in a 8.1 square kilometre area.

Top sights in the plateau:

Mont-Royal Avenue
Boulevard St-Laurent
Mile End
Square St-Louis
Park Lafontaine

Mount Royal Avenue

Mount Royal Avenue is perhaps the mostly known street on the plateau, filled with book stores, boutiques, restaurant and bars. It is a perfect street for art and music lovers.

Boulevard St-Laurent

Saint Lawrence Boulevard or boulevard Saint-Laurent is one of the major streets in Montreal being a commercial artery and cultural heritage site. The street runs north-south through the near-centre of city and is nicknamed The Main, dividing the city between east and west.

Mile End

Mile End is one of the highly multicultural area of the city, and proud of being an artistic neighbourhood, home to artists, musicians, writers and filmmakers.

Square St-Louis

Square St-Louis is located at the east end of the lovely Prince Arthur street and is surrounded with typical French Canadian stone build houses, with at it centre is a large Victorian fountain.

Park Lafontaine

Park Lafontaine is the biggest park in the heart of the Plateau Mont-Royal. Named in honour of Louis-Hippolyte Lafontaine, features include two linked ponds with a fountain and waterfalls; the Théâtre de Verdure open-air venue; the Calixa-Lavallée cultural centre, as well as playing fields and tennis courts.

Quartier Latin

The Quartier Latin is known for its theatres, artistic atmosphere, cafés, and boutiques and owes its name in reference to the famous Quartier Latin in Paris.

Best of the rest

Although we mainly covered the central part of the city, there are many other exciting sights that are worth visiting including the Olympic Stadium in the east and the Oratoire St.-Joseph in the west in the student neighbourhood of Cotes-des-Neiges.

The Olympic Stadium
Jardin Botanique de Montreal
Biodome
Insectariums
Little Italy

The Olympic Stadium

Build for the 1976 Summer Olympic by French architect Roger Taillibert, the Olympic Stadium also called the “Big Owe” by the locals is another symbol of the city. Once the home of the Montreal Expos but now used for entertainment purposes, it offers spectacular views from the top with its fun ride through a glass elevator.
www.rio.gouv.qc.ca/

Jardin Botanique de Montreal

The Montreal Botanical Garden or Jardin Botanique de Montréal) is one of the largest in the world. It contains a greenhouse complex full of plants from around the world, and a number of large outdoor gardens, each with a specific theme. Some of the gardens include The Chinese Garden, Japanese Garden, The First Nations Garden and The Alpine Garden.
www.ville.montreal.qc.ca/jardin

Biodôme

The Montreal Biodome (Biodôme de Montréal) is a facility located in Montreal that allows visitors to walk through replicas of four ecosystems found in the Americas.
www2.ville.montreal.qc.ca/biodome/

Insectarium

The Montréal Insectarium is a museum located next to the Botanical Garden featuring a large quantity of insects from all around the world. It is the largest North American insectarium and among the largest insectariums worldwide. It was founded by Georges Brossard and opened on February 7, 1990. Its average attendance is 400,000 visitors per year. It displays both live and dead insect collections, from butterflies to bees and ants.
www.ville.montreal.qc.ca/insectarium

Little Italy

Montreal’s Little Italy (French, La Petite-Italie) is home to many fine Italian shops and restaurants, the Jean-Talon Market, as well as the Church of the Madonna della Difesa.

Top Restaurants, Bars and hotels

Top Restaurants in Montreal

The Best Restaurants in Montreal includes:

Toqué – Toqué is rated among the finest restaurants in Montreal. It showcases an exceptional menu with perfectly fresh products prepared by passionate artist in a warm atmosphere.
Cafe Cherrier – Cafe Cherrier is a European-style brasserie located on the busy street of St-Denis which includes both a pub and a restaurant. It offers breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks in a relaxed setting.
Restaurant Julien – Restaurant Julien located in the heart of Montreal is famous for its Paris-inspired décor and cuisine.
Chez L’Épicier – Chez L’Épicier is a friendly restaurant located in the heart of the Vieux Montreal. It offers some of the finest cuisine and delicious wines, with a welcoming ambiance suited for both a friends’ night out as for a business party.
Alexandre – Alexandre is a Paris style brasserie located on the famous Peel Street in down Town Montreal. It is the perfect place to be during the Montreal F1 Grand Prix weekend, when the street is closed and the most beautiful cars are showcased.
Bonaparte – Bonaparte an auberge / restaurant located in the heart of the Vieux Montreal offering an exquisite cuisine inspired by the French countryside.
Cavalli – The Cavalli restaurant is the place to be if you are looking for the perfect ambiance in a retro decor. It is located on the on the Peel street and offers a cosmopolitan menu.
Chez la Mère Michel – Chez la Mère Michel is a famous restaurant on Guy Street offering great French classics in an intimate decor.
Moishes Steakhouse – The Moishes Steakhouse is located on the boulevard St-Laurent and is well known for its great steaks and first-rate meals served in an elegant atmosphere.
Newtown – Newtown, located on the busy Crescent Street is the baby of F1 racer Jacques Villeneuve and offers a Mediterranean cuisine of meats and fish.
S le Restaurant – S le Restaurant is located in the heart of the Vieux Montreal and offers an exciting menu including a variety of beef and lamb, fresh fish and pasta.
House of Jazz –The House of Jazz located in the heart of Montréal offers great food share combined with great live jazz musician.
La Queue de Cheval – La Queue de Cheval is perhaps the best steakhouse in down town Montreal offering its famous “dry-aged” steaks and a variety of fresh fish and seafood.
Restaurant Bice – The Bice Restaurant on the famous Sherbrooke street offers a variety of savoury Italian dishes in a beautiful decor.
Sir Winston Churchill – The Sir Winston Churchill pub, nightclub, restaurant and bar is located on the famous party Crescent Street. It offers a great table d’hôte and a lovely sunshine terrace in the summer.
Beaver Club –Beaver Club in the heart of Montreal is recognised as one of the best tables in Canada. It offers an innovative cuisine by promoting tasty local ingredients.

Top Hotels in Montreal

The Best Hotels in Montreal includes:

Fairmount the Queen Elizabeth – The Fairmount Queen Elizabeth is one of the grandest hotels of the city providing top-quality service and includes restaurants, boutiques, a health centre and indoor pool.
Hotel Le Crystal – Hotel Le Crystal is a luxury hotel providing all the upscale amenities for a pleasurable stay.
Hotel St-James- Hotel St-James located in the heart of the Vieux Montreal is rated among the most luxurious hotels in the world, combining stylish elegance, impeccable service and beauty.
Intercontinental – The Intercontinental Hotel was this fully renovated and now offers the absinthe bar and a Provencal brasserie.
Loews Hotel Vogue – Loews Hotel Vogue offers duvet blankets and pillows and superior cotton sheets which will give you absolute comfort and sweet dreams after a busy day.
Sofitel Montreal Golden Mile – The Sofitel Montreal Golden Mile offers spacious guest rooms, decorated in a contemporary luxury style with breathtaking views of Montréal.
Auberge Bonaparte – The Auberge Bonaparte located in the heart of the Vieux Montreal offers fine cuisine and excellent dining in its French restaurant.
Auberge du Vieux Port – Auberge du Vieux Port features an elegant ambiance, historic decor and spectacular views of the Old Port (especially from its roof top terrace).
Centre Sheraton – The Centre Sheraton offers a warm welcome, renovated guestrooms and award winning service to give you an unforgettable experience.
Chateau Versailles – Chateau Versailles offers beautiful rooms and suites in its entirely renovated magnificent 19th-century building.
Delta Centre-Ville – Delta Centre-Ville located in the heart of the city is close to the main attractions and access to the underground pedestrian network.
Hotel De La Montagne – Hotel De La Montagne, located next to the famous Crescent Street offers impeccable service and a breathtaking view of the city.
Hotel Gouverneur Place Dupuis – Hotel Gouverneur Place Dupuis is located in the heart of the city and offers easy access to Montréal’s main attractions and business centres.
Hotel Nelligan – Hotel Nelligan offers stylish rooms inspired by verses by Émile Nelligan, a great Québec poet, are sure to charm their guests.
Hotel Omni Mont-Royal – Hotel Omni Mont-Royal provides spacious and comfortable rooms, luxury suites and an urban spa.
Hotel St-Paul – Hotel St-Paul offers modern and serene interior in a beautiful heritage building.
Hyatt Regency Montreal – Hyatt Regency Montreal offers comfort and style in a recently renovated hotel. It is an ideal place for Montreal summer festivals.
W Montreal – W Montreal offers luxury and comfort, chic design and modern ambiance combined with the “Top Désirs” service.

Top Bars in Montreal

The Best Bars to have a good night in Montreal includes:

A GoGo Lounge – A GoGo Lounge located on the famous St-Laurent is voted on of the best destination in the city. It will set you in another area with its psychedelic colours, kitschy cool furniture music and funky music.
Altitude 737 – Altitude 737 located on the top of one of Montreal’s tallest skyscrapers offers a breathtaking view of the whole city
Aria – Aria located on the vibrant St Denis street offers three floors of dance space with a different DJ on each.
Edgar Hypertaverne – Edgar Hypertaverne located on the artistic street of Mont-Royal is one of the city legendary small club offering different vibes on different night. A perfect place to meet new people and have some fun
Globe – The Globe, located on the famous St-Laurent Street is both a restaurant and bar that offers incredible really refreshing cocktails.
Koko Koko located on St Laurent’s restaurant strip offers a mix of elegance, chilled out beats and an asian cuisine. A perfect place to enjoy a drink in a laid-back atmosphere.
Lab – The Lab offers a wide array of cocktails, prepared especially for you by professional mixologist.
Le 2 located on the busy Sherbrooke and Saint Laurent corner is a perfect combination of elegance, an exquisite menu and top whiskey selections.
Mile End, located in the artistic neighbourhood of the same name is 3 floors café-bar which offers different atmospheres for different crowds.
Stereo – Stereo is one of the most look after after-hour club in the city
Tokyo Bar – Tokyo Bar is a Small but classy club offering excellent martinis and an impressive view on the city from its terrace
Time Supper Club – Time Supper Club brings some of the Miami and New York glamour to downtown Montreal with its state-of-the-art lighting and sound.
Typhoon Lounge, located on the cafe street of Monkland offers delicious cocktails in a chill out atmosphere.
Whisky Café – Whisky Café located on St-Laurent, has a minimalist style but offers more than 100 varieties of 100 single malts.

Conclusion

I left Montreal more than 5 years ago, having spent the biggest part of my life in this wonderful city.

Every time I’m going back I can appreciate how remarkable and unique it is, living a life of its own. It is a city that gives its citizens one of the world’s highest standards of living. It is like having the peacefulness of a small town with the advantages of the big city. I strongly recommend visiting Montreal as it is truly unique and won’t leave you indifferent.

Best of Niagara Falls and Toronto

Mat Siems — Sun, 09 May 2010 08:39:51 +0000

Niagara Falls is perhaps one of the top destinations in Canada and one of the most impressing natural wonders in the world. It is located 75 miles (120 km) southeast of Toronto in the province of Ontario. All the falls collectively are called “Niagara Falls” and they are divided into the the Canadian Horseshoe Falls and the American Falls. Those waterfalls sections are separated by Goat Island.

About the falls

Niagara Falls is the most powerful waterfall in North America with more than 6 million cubic feet (168,000 m³) of water falling over the crest line every minute in high flow. It is not only a beautiful site but is also a powerful source of hydroelectricity for many.
The Falls were formed at the end of the last ice age when water from the newly formed Great Lakes tried to find a way to reach the ocean.

Niagara Falls Top attractions

The top 5 must visit sights in Niagara Falls includes:

The Canadian Horseshoe Falls
American Falls
Maid of the Mist for those that want to get a bit wet
Journey Behind the Falls, as the name entails it is the experience to walk behind the falls
Skylon Tower with its 775 feet observation dock offers an impressing view over the falls

Niagara Falls Photographs

Niagara Falls is perhaps one of the world’s most photographed attractions. Here is a few of our best photographs.

The Falls

Niagara Falls

The Canadian Falls

The American Falls

The Bridge

niagara-bridge

The City Center

Niagara Falls City Center

Toronto

Toronto is the largest city in Canada and the provincial capital of Ontario. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. With over 2.5 million residents, it is the fifth most populous municipality in North America

Toronto Video

Watch the Toronto Video to know the best attractions in Canada’s biggest city.

Toronto Photographs

Toronto

Paris

Mat Siems — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 19:17:59 +0000

I had the chance to go visit Paris over the weekend. With the Eurostar train it is only 2 and a half hour trip from London, arriving at Gare du North in the heart of the city. After spending the first night in some expensive bars with an old friend of mine I had the second day to visit the main attractions.

About Paris

Paris is not only the capital and biggest city in France but perhaps the mostly known place in the world. It is situated on the river Seine at the heart of the Île-de-France region. The city of Paris, within its administrative limits, is largely unchanged since 1860 and has an estimated population of 2,203,817. The metropolitan area however has a population of 11,769,433 and is one of the most populated metropolitan areas in Europe.

An important settlement for more than two millennia, Paris is today one of the world’s leading business and cultural centres, and its influence in politics, education, entertainment, media, fashion, science and the arts all contribute to its status as one of the world’s major global cities.

Paris Area by area

The main areas in central Paris that I had the chance to visit during my day included:

Tour Eiffel and Les Invalides
St-Germain
Latin Quarter
Luxembourg Quarter
Ile de la Cité

Tour Eiffel and Les Invalides

I started my trip with the neighbourhood the offers the most famous attractions in Paris including:

Eiffel Tower
Champs De Mars
Ecole Militaire
St-Louis Des Invalides Cchurch
Dome Church
Musée de l’armée
Hôtel des invalides
Rue De Varennes
Musée Rodin
Hotel Montignan

Saint Germain des pres

If you are looking for a lively bit of Paris, St-Germain is the place with its café, restaurants and cinema. Famous for the artists and writers who lived there, including Victor Huge on the rue du Dragon (the street of the Dragon). The most famous attractions you should visit include:

The boulevard St-Germain
The Saint-Germain church
Musée Delacroix, one of the most famous French painter
Rue du Dragon
Institut de France

Latin Quarter

The famous Latin Quarter is the student and artist area of Paris filled with bookstores, cafés and affordable restaurants and bars.
The most famous attractions in the Paris “Quartier Latin” include:

Panthéon
La Sorbonne
Boulevard St-Michel

Luxembourg Quarter

The Quartier du Luxembourg is another student area with at its center the Jardin du Luxembourg, an impressive garden with broad avenues, statues and even a puppet theatre. At one end of the garden, sits the palace built in 1631 inspired by the Piti Palace in Florence.

Ile de la Cité

My last Paris attraction was Ile de la Cité, the island on the Seine River in the heart of the city. This is the home to some of the most famous monuments in Paris including the Notre Dame Cathedral, the gothic masterpiece and the Palais de Justice, the court of Justice.

Photographs of Paris

notre-dame

pantheon

paris

pompidou

seine

sorbonne

tour-eiffel

cite-2

eglise-saint-germain-2

hotel-de-ville

institut-de-france

invalides

jardin-du-luxembourg

arc-st-denis

Stonehenge

Mat Siems — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 12:25:20 +0000

Stonehenge, world most famous prehistoric site

Stonehenge site, how it is now

Stonehenge is one of the most renowned prehistoric monuments not only in England but in the World. It is located in the English county of Wiltshire, about 3.2 kilometres (2.0 mi) west of Amesbury and 13 kilometres (8.1 mi) north of Salisbury and is a 2 hours drive from London. Because of its history and remarkable features it is classed as a World Heritage Site. Archaeologists believe that it is about 5000 years old as some recent research shows that it was probably erected around 3000 BC.

Table of content

This post includes the answers to the following topics on Stonehenge:

What are the key things you should know about the Stonehenge site?
What are the main elements to visit on the site?
What is Stonehenge build Process?
Video Narration
Stonehenge pictures
Conclusion

The essentials things you should know about the Stonehenge site

Full Site of Stonehenge, how it used to be

This is the list of the most essential and interesting facts about Stonehenge:

Age : estimated at 3,100 BC and built between 3,000 and 1,600 BC
Build process: in 3 steps requiring more then 30 Millions hours of labour
Location: Wiltshire, UK
Type of stone: Bluestone, Sarson, Welsh Sandstone
Weight of the stones: the heaviest one could weight up to 50 tonnes
Purpose: remains a mystery but might be for Lunar and Solar Worship, or as a huge astronomical calendar
It is aligned with the midsummer sunrise and midwinter sunset
Price of site ( free for English Heritage members): 6.90£
Site Access: visitors are unable to walk amongst the stones and need to follow the site path
An Audio tour is available in ten languages and is included in the price of the site.

The main elements to visit on the site

Illustration of the Stonehenge site

Based on the official brochure of the Stonehenge site these are the things of interest:

North Barrow
Station Stone
Circular Ditch and Bank
South Barrow
Station Stone
Heel Stone
The Avenue
Slaughter Stone
Circle of sarsen stones with lintels
Circle of Bluestones
Horseshoe of sarsen trilithons

Stonehenge Build process

Stonehenge Build Process

It is believed that Stonehenge was constructed in three phases. It has been estimated that the three phases of the construction required more than thirty million hours of labour. Speculation on the reason it was built range from human sacrifice to astronomy
Let us look back 5000 years ago when it all started.

It is estimated that the first Stonehenge was built around 3100 BC. It was composed of a large earthwork or Henge and comprised a ditch, bank, and the Aubrey holes. Surprisingly shortly after the build was completed it was abandoned for hundreds of years
Evidence of the second phase is no longer visible but archaeologists beliefs it was built around 3000BC
It is believed that the third stage of Stonehenge started at about 2000 BC with the arrival of the Sarsen stones. The interesting thing about this stone is that it was brought from a site which is about 25 miles north of Stonehenge. Not to mention that the heaviest of the stones could weight up to 50 tones and it was proved that there were only moved using sledges and ropes. Therefore some estimation reveals that it was required to have up to 500 men using leather ropes to pull one stone.

Video Narration

Please click here to view the Sonehenge video in a seperate lighbox.
Here it the full transcript of the video:

Stonehenge is one of the most renowned prehistoric monuments not only in England but in the World.
It is located in the English county of Wiltshire and is about a 2 hours drive west of London.
Because of its history and remarkable features it is classed as a World Heritage Site.
Archaeologists believe that Stonehenge is about 5000 year old as it was probably erected at around 3000 BC.
It is believed that it was build in 3 different stages between 3,000 and 1,600 BC
It is estimated that it took more then 30 Millions hours of labour
The type of stones included in the built are the Bluestone, Sarson and the Welsh Sandstone.
Some of the Stones could only be found 25 miles of the site.
Knowing that the heaviest stone could weight up to 50 tonnes it might have required up to 500 men using leather ropes to pull just one stone.
The Purpose remains a mystery but some archaeologists speculate that it might be for Lunar and Solar Worship, or as a huge astronomical calendar
It is interesting to notice that the stones are aligned with the midsummer sunrise and midwinter sunset.
Visitors are unable to walk amongst the stones and need to follow the site path.
However an Audio tour is available in ten different languages and is included in the price of the site.
I strongly recommend a visit to this prehistoric monument which has attracted visitors from all over the globe for centuries.
Even tough only half of the original built remains it still stands as a timeless monument to the people who built it.

Stonehenge Pictures

There are some of the pictures taken on the Stonehenge Site. Please click the links to open the photographs in a lightbox.

Conclusion

Mat Siems & Stonehenge

Stonehenge is by far one of the most famous sites in the world. It is composed of earthworks surrounding a circular setting of large standing stones. It is at the centre of the most dense complex of Neolithic and Bronze Age monuments in England, including several hundred burial mounds.
I strongly recommend a visit to this prehistoric monument which has attracted visitors from all over the globe.
Even tough only half of the original built remains it still stands as a timeless monument to the people who built it.

Gran Canaria

Mat Siems — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 12:46:04 +0000

Best of Gran Canaria

Gran Canaria is an island of the Canary Islands located in the Atlantic Ocean about 150 kilometres (~93 miles) off the north-western coast of Africa and about 1350 km (~838 miles) from Europe. Gran Canaria is the second most populous island of the Canary Islands after Tenerife. Gran Canaria is also the third in extension Canary Islands.

Content

This are the Gran Canaria topics that we would like to share:

Gran Canaria Video
Top 10 Gran Canaria
Gran Canaria’s Essential
Gran Canaria Photographs

Gran Canaria Video

Top 10 Gran Canaria

It is hard to find the top 10 in an island such diverse as Gran Canaria, as there are so many things to visit, to enjoy and to experience. Here is however a list of what I consider the top thing you must do when visiting Gran Canaria:

Las Palmas, the capital and biggest city on the island
Maspalomas, a natural reserve desert with golden dunes
Caldera de Bandama, an impressing deep crater
La Cumbre, the mountainous heart of the island
Teror, a beautiful Canarian Town
Jardin Botanico Viera y Clavijo, Spain largest botanic garden
Puerto de las Nieves, an impressing fishing village on the north east of the island
Barranco de Guayadeque, Guanche (early inhabitants) cave-home
Puerto de Morgan , a lovely port city in the South
Casa Museo de Colon, the museum of the great explorer

Gran Canaria Essential

Here are some of the facts about Gran Canaria including the following topics:

Gran Canaria geography
Gran Canaria history
Gran Canaria climate
Gran Canaria tourism

Gran Canaria geography

Gran Canaria is located southeast of Tenerife and west of Fuerteventura. The island is of volcanic origin, mostly made of fissure vents. Gran Canaria is the second most populous island of the Canary Islands after Tenerife. Gran Canaria’s surface area is 1,560 km² and its maximum altitude is 1,949 meters (Pico de Las Nieves). It has a round shape, with a diameter of approximately 50 km.

Gran Canaria history

Gran Canaria was populated by the Canarii (Guanches), who may have arrived as early as 500 BC. The Canarii called the island Tamarán or Land of the Brave. After over a century of European (French, Portuguese…) incursions and attempts at conquest, the island was conquered on April 29, 1483, after a campaign that lasted 5 years, by the Kingdom of Castile, with the support of Queen Isabella I, a conquest which turned out to be an important step towards the expansion of the unified Spain.

The capital city of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria was founded on June 24, 1478, under the name “Real de Las Palmas”, by Juan Rejón, head of the invading Castilian army. In 1492, Cristopher Columbus anchored in the Port of Las Palmas (and spent some time on the island) on his first trip to the Americas. Some reports suggest that Gran Canaria was formerly named, due to the island’s shape, El Rondo (The Circle) by English explorer Paul C. Reilly who landed on the island in 1451.

Gran Canaria climate

Gran Canaria’s average daytime highs range from 20 °C in winter, to 26 °C in summer. Some cool nights occur in winter, but lows below 10 °C are unknown near the coast. Inland the climate is still mild but mountains areas see the occasional frost or snow. Annual rainfall averages 228 mm, most of this falling in the cooler months, with July, August and September normally rainless. Rainfall is unevenly distributed through the island with some areas being much drier than others. Cloud cover and sunshine is often quite variable during the cooler months, and in fact there can be several rather cloudy days at times in winter. Summers are generally quite sunny however, with the south of the island being most favoured.

Gran Canaria tourism

This island is called a “Miniature Continent” due to the different climates and variety of landscapes found, with its long golden beaches and endless dunes of white sand, its green ravines and picturesque villages. A third of the island is under protection as a Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO.

The number of annual visitors is 2.2 million (2,200,000). Most of the tourists visit the southern part of the island.

Gran Canaria Photographs

gran-canaria

gran-canaria-3

gran-canaria

Best Interactive World Map on the Web

Mat Siems — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 22:22:58 +0000

Want to know everything about the World?

If you want to learn about the World using an interactive flash map you are at the right place. World’s Best places is glad to bring Best Interactive World Map on the Web.

Key Features & Benefit

The Flash Interactive World Map has the following benefits:

Select between the Google world View and the customize SIEMS world view
View the world by night with the World Map by night
View the world with the clouds by using the World Map with cloud
View the world without the clouds by using the the World Map with not cloud
It is an interactive Flex build World Map fully customizable

You may go directly to a specific world continent:

Americas
Europe
Africa
Asia
Oceania

Try is for youself

You may play and learn with the interactive flash e-learning map of the World’s Continents at the top of the page or click here to open it in a lightbox.

Try the Full Screen Version

You want a better view? Try the online Full Screen Version for a better experience by clicking here.