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Hidden in a wilderness region, called the Gran Sabana, in Venezuela.
Angel Falls – spills from the Auyantepui into what is known as the Devil’s canyon 979 Meters below. The indigenous people call it Kerepakupai-merú but is was named Angel Falls after Jimmy Angel, an American bush pilot and gold-hunting adventurer, who discovered it in 1937. The waters fall freely some 807 meters (2,648 feet) and reach the bottom of the valley as a misty spray that gathers into a small creek which eventually finds its way into the north-bound Churun River.

Continue reading Where is the highest waterfall in the World?

Stonehenge is surely Britain’s greatest national icon, symbolizing mystery, power and endurance. Its original purpose is unclear to us, but some have speculated that it was a temple made for the worship of ancient earth deities. It has been called an astronomical observatory for marking significant events on the prehistoric calendar. Others claim that it was a sacred site for the burial of high-ranking citizens from the societies of long ago.

While we can’t say with any degree of certainty what it was for, we can say that it wasn’t constructed for any casual purpose. Only something very important to the ancients would have been worth the effort and investment that it took to construct Stonehenge.

Continue reading Planning Your Visit to Stonehenge

Iguazu Falls are one of the most spectacular sights in the world. Depending on the season and water flows, Iguazu is made up of 150 to 270 subsidiary falls that stretch across a two mile area of Argentina and Brazil. The average drop from the top of the falls to the narrow canyon below is 240 feet (by contrast, Niagara Falls drops 170 feet on the Canadian side and only 110 feet on the American side).

Continue reading The most imposing natural attractions in Argentina, and why not in South America

The Golden Pavilion (Kinkaku) is a three-story viewing and pleasure pavilion constructed on the edge of a pond as the focal point to a much larger garden on the grounds of the Rokuonji Temple. It gains its more popular name of ‘Kinkakuji’ from the gold plating on the exterior of the pavilion.

Continue reading The Golden Pavilion is literally covered in gold

The ancient Nabataean city of Petra (pictured), in the southern part of the Kingdom 160 miles (257km) from Amman, is Jordan’s most famous tourist attraction. Known as the “rose red city”, it was once a fortress, carved out of craggy rocks in an area which was virtually inaccessible. The city was first settled in about 800B.C. by the Nabataean tribe from northern Arabia, the city reached the peak of its fame in the second century, under Roman rule. A succession of habitation, leadership and development followed but, as the caravan routes were slowly displaced by shipping, the city’s importance gradually dwindled; it fell into disuse and was lost to the world for over a thousand years. In 1812 it was re-discovered by the Swiss explorer, Johann Ludwig Burckhardt and is now a favourite with tourists from all over the world.

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Just a five-minute boat ride north of Efate Island in the Vanauatu Island chain, Kakula Island has been called “The Jewel of the South Pacific” for good reason. Its lush 90 acres include white sand beaches, coral reefs and pristine tropical splendor. Protected by neighboring islands, the calm waters surrounding Kakula are excellent for swimming, fishing and snorkeling. Uninhabited and unspoiled, Kakula serves as a breeding ground for sea turtles.

Continue reading Escape to paradise called Kakula Island

The four days and nights of carnaval in Rio are the lavish self-indulgent anything-goes exotic exhibitionist spectacle the world sees. They are the result of year-long planning organizing practicing and fantasies – and a lot of hard work!

The dates change from year to year. Check the schedule for Rio de Janeiro’s Carnaval Dates. To get to any of the carnaval locations, you’ll need travel arrangements. Compare and select flights from your area. You can also browse for hotels and car rentals.

Carnaval came to South America from Europe as celebrations before the beginning of the forty day Lenten season of fasting and prayer. The word carnival is thought to come from the Italian carne vale or farewell to meat which was not eaten during Lent. These late winter celebrations in Europe gave root to the high-summer frenzy of carnaval in South America.

In Brazil, the Portuguese traditions of entrudo throwing water flour and mud at unsuspecting passers-by evolved into a more lighthearted flour and water or egg tossing spree in Brazil. At the beginning the celebrations were a form of merry-making that the higher classes celebrated privately in their homes while the poorer classes took to the streets in unplanned and unformed revelry. The aristocratic gentry might have looked down on the street frolics but it wasn’t long before the more adventurous among them ventured out heavily masked and disguised to join the fun.

Continue reading Carnival in Rio has been called the world’s most famous party

The Borobodur Temple complex is one of the greatest monuments in the world. It is of uncertain age, but thought to have been built between the end of the seventh and beginning of the eighth century A.D. For about a century and a half it was the spiritual centre of Buddhism in Java, then it was lost until its rediscovery in the eighteenth century. The structure, composed of 55,000 square meters of lava-rock is erected on a hill in the form of a stepped-pyramid of six rectangular storeys, three circular terraces and a central stupa forming the summit. The whole structure is in the form of a lotus, the sacred flower of Buddha. For each direction there are ninety-two Dhyani Buddha statues and 1,460 relief scenes.

Continue reading The Borobudur Temple is considered as one of the seven wonders of the world

Potala Palace located at Lhasa is one of the most massive palace on the Earth. Now a museum it was once the winter religious and political seat of Tibet under the leadership of the Dalai Lama.

Built at an altitude of 3,700 m, on the side of Marpo Ri hill, the Red Mountain in the center of Lhasa Valley, Potala Palace, with its vast inward-sloping walls broken only in the upper parts by straight rows of many windows, and its flat roofs at various levels, is not unlike a fortress in appearance. At the south base of the rock is a large space enclosed by walls and gates, with great porticos on the inner side. A series of tolerably easy staircases, broken by intervals of gentle ascent, leads to the summit of the rock. The whole width of this is occupied by the palace.

Continue reading Potala Palace at Lhasa, a religious and political seat of Tibet

The Taj Mahal, the most magnificent tribute to love and beauty and one of man’s proudest creations, is easily the most identified image to be associated with India. Built between 1631 and 1648 by Emperor Shah Jahan for his beloved wife, this fairytale like marvel took twenty two years and the labor of twenty thousand workmen employed on it daily for its completion. The intensity of the Emperor’s love is carved in white marble as the most beautiful and wondrous expression of love ever.

Standing tall and gracefully in its glory and splendor, the beauty of Tajmahal can be discovered and rediscovered time after time for it not only changes color according to the time of the day but also with every change in the season.

The splendid Tajmahal sparkles like a jewel on a starlit night as the semi-precious inlaid stones reflect the glow of moon. However, it is on a full moon night that silver brilliance of the Taj Mahal becomes evident. Dawn and dusk to flirt with the radiance of the Taj Mahal as it responds to the blush of the skies. The sight is indeed mesmerizing to the visitor.

Continue reading The Taj Mahal Agra is a vivid poetry in Marble. A marvellous piece of Pietra Dura.