Cape Town is probably the most visited place in South Africa. Cape Town was originally a stop off port for Dutch ships sailing to East Africa, India and the Far East, and grew quickly as a result. With its spectacular location and so much to do, it is a must visit destination.

Victoria and Alfred Waterfront

The Victoria and Alfred Waterfront is located between Table Mountain and Robben Island. Originally built by Prince Alfred (son of Queen Victoria), it is in the heart of the historic harbor, and is now home to a diverse range of shops, and lots of entertainment.

Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens

The Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens feature 36 hectares of cultivated gardens. The gardens have been cultivated since 1913 ? when the government was bequeathed the land. The gardens only feature indigenous South African plants, making it a unique botanical garden to visit. Concerts are held in the gardens every Sunday between December and March.

Robben Island

Robben Island is situated 12 km off the Cape Town coast, and has been designated a UN World Heritage Site. Originally it was inhabited by Stone Age people, at a time when it was still joined to the mainland. In more recent history it has been used as a prison ? made famous by Nelson Mandela’s incarceration. Organized tours are run on the island by former prisoners, and the prison itself is a working museum.

Camps Bay

Camps Bay is one of the most beautiful beaches in Cape Town with palm trees lining the avenue. One of the trendiest places in Cape Town, lots of posh Cafes and restaurants face out across the beach. With a laid back atmosphere this is a great place to unwind.

Table Mountain

Overlooking Cape Town is the prominent landmark of Table Mountain. Table Mountain is a level plateau with steep cliffs surrounding it which resembles a table. Frequently covered in clouds, these appear to hang over the edge of the mountain like a table cloth. An estimated 1500 different types of plant can be found on Table Mountain, making it a botanists dream! The easiest way to get onto Table Mountain is by cable cars, which carry up to 65 passengers at a time.

It’s a very different Africa. Not one of dust and sand and great fiery sunsets, but of the wettest desert on Earth.

In the middle of dry land a great river spills out onto to the sands of the Kalahari Desert in the northern corner of Botswana to create an extraordinary watery jungle. Like an immense oasis surrounded by desert, the Okavango Delta is filled with mysterious waters, lush vegetation and entrancing wildlife.

The Okavango, “The river that never reaches the sea,” flows south from the uplands of Angola winding it’s way into Botswana, and then spreads out over the parched plain irrigating 6,000 square miles to create the largest inland delta on Earth. The area that was once part of Lake Makgadikgadi, an ancient lake that dried up some 10,000 years ago, has once again been transformed into a labyrinth of channels, lagoons, swamps, and wooded islands that sustain a remarkable concentration of life.

Seasonal flooding of the delta during May and June -winter in the southern hemisphere – brings fresh water and a renewal of life to this vast swamp. Islands can disappear completely during the peak flood, and then reappear at the end of the season. These countless islands give birth to several diverse ecosystems, which are home to vast numbers of birds and animals, while the crystal clear waters are filled with a veritable zoo of life.

A consistent source of water and food, amid the arid landscape, the delta draws large numbers of migratory elephants to the area. Lumbering their great masses into the cool water, the elephants swim gracefully weightless among the forests of lily pads. This impenetrable aquatic forest of pinks and greens also hides schools of tiny silver fish.

But the tranquility of the green waters belies an exciting and dangerous side of this idyllic place. Great Nile crocodiles take a refreshing dip from a day spent basking on the riverbank and glide across the surface to settle unnoticed among the vegetation. Meanwhile a group of visitors enjoys a tranquil ride in mokoros (traditional dugout canoes) with a guide watching intently for signs of hippos swimming unseen, whose danger lies in their unpredictable nature and lack of fear of humans.

By day, a cruise along the maze of narrow papyrus-lined waterways of the Okavango Delta offers the chance to enjoy a prosperity of wildlife including lions, hyenas and buffalo, an array of different antelope and other smaller animals – warthog, mongoose, spotted genets, monkeys, bushbabies and tree squirrels.

But nighttime on the delta is a full sensory experience. An incomprehensible number of stars and constellations will make you wish you knew more about astronomy, while you are serenaded by the sound of Hippos and Bell Frogs that mingle with the cacophony of other bleats, burps and hoots; some seemingly threatening, some just unusual and unrecognizable, and some delightfully soothing.

I have read a number of Grand Pineapple Antigua Guest Reviews, and was a little nervous before taking my young family there on vacation, but I needn’t have been. Although like anyone writing a review I have my own opinions, and the first thing that I must say is by Far East standards this is not a 5 star. Caribbean 5 star beach resorts are different altogether.

The Pineapple Beach is situated on probably the best beach in Antigua, in a lovely cove, and it is quite small compared to other all inclusive resorts I have experienced

We arrived hot and tired, to be given a welcoming rum punch drink. Our room wasn’t fantastic, it had great views of the beach and the resort. It is fair to say that the furniture in the room looked worn out, so it is no great surprise to hear the resort is due to close for a makeover, but I understand it will reopen as a couples only resort which is a bit disappointing.

One of my gripes on a vacation is the availability of sun loungers and shade, but the Pineapple Beach Resort had plenty around the pools, although if you wanted to be on the beach, that meant the dawn patrol to get an umbrella.

The two pools, in fact the whole of the resort was well maintained and very clean, and mostly very quiet.

As you would expect service is slow both around the pools, and in the restaurants, but this is the Caribbean, and you are on vacation, so it is no big deal.

In terms of food outlets, there is an outdoor kitchen near the two tiered pool, where they do burgers hot dogs and fries.

The main eating and dining area is the Topaz Room which looks over the beach. This is where we ate excellent breakfast and lunches but we were a bit disappointed in the evening meal there. I’d recommend the Pineapple Grill for dinner, and definitely the Outhouse Snack bar for beers and a tasty snack or two during the day.

One complaint people have about all inclusive is that drinks take forever to come, and aren’t particularly strong, well there is a solution!! We were advised to tip the barmen well early on, and we did, and our drinks were not only served promptly, but also were potent!!

Our children were well looked after, there was childrens entertainment going on, so they were happy digging sandcastles etc. We weren’t too impressed with the nightly entertainment which was boring and repetitive.

Overall as an Antigua Pineapple Beach review it is mostly plusses. The staff were great, the resort small enough to be personal, but I fear all will change with the new owners and the refurbishment, when it will reopen as a couples only resort.

Nothing says tropical paradise quite like an excursion to the Hawaiian Islands. The volcanic archipelago lost in the middle of the North Pacific Ocean stretches northwest from the Big Island of Hawaii in the south through Maui, Kahoolawe, Lanai, Molokai, Oahu, Kauai and Niihau, each with its own identity and topography. Eleven more islands, reefs and atolls comprise the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands and are all uninhabited.

Get As Far Away As Possible, Really
Travel to Hawaii, the 50th state of the U.S.A., is the ultimate getaway. The island-chain situated 2300 miles from the mainland is the exposed top of an enormous undersea volcanic mountain range known as the Hawaiian-Emperor seamount chain and is commonly known as the most remote and isolated island outcropping on Earth.

Geographically, the islands are more subject to tropical weather, large waves and storms on the north/northeast side, know as the windward side. The leeward side of each island, to the southwest, is drier and thus home to the majority of resort towns. The incredible blend of Polynesian, Tahitian and European cultures makes for a dynamic adventure from the traditional luaus and serene Shinto shrines to the hippie-surfer culture abundant in the less touristy locales.

Kauai: A One-Stop Hawaiian Experience
The westerly island of Kauai is one of the lesser inhabited islands and claims many of Hawaii’s most stunning natural features. The blend of a more prominent local population with the southern resort region and a priceless backdrop makes Kauai the ultimate escape within an escape.

The north shore offers world renowned surfing and windsurfing next to the wealthy community of Princetown. The dramatically plunging Na Pali Coast State Park in the northwest draws backpackers and nature lovers to its 11-mile Kalalau Trail, the only land access to this rugged and isolated coastline. Sea cliffs and lush valleys alternate along the route that ends at Kalalau Beach. Stone terrace walls and sacred burial grounds of Hawaiian tribes still dot the valleys, while there is a growing naturalist community tucked away at the end of the trail. The wettest place on earth, averaging 460 inches of rainfall per year, is near the peak of Kauai’s Mount Wai’ale’ale. From this point, plunging rivers have carved out the fantastic expanse of Waimea Canyon, coined “The Grand Canyon of the Pacific” by Mark Twain. The views are a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Resort or Adventure, Pick your Pleasure
Maui is the most popular resort destination in Hawaii. The lush island boasts the spectacular and riveting Hana Highway, which is more about the wondrous journey than the secluded destination, and Mount Haleakala, where a hike into the Haleakala Crater will land you in the center of the world’s largest dormant volcano. The Big Island of Hawaii is the youngest island and nearly entirely comprised of Mauna Loa, the largest shield volcano on Earth. Lounge and snorkel on the Kona side of the island or venture out across lava fields along the eastern coast.

From the bustle of Honolulu and Waikiki on Oahu to the tranquil serenity of Lanai’s sandy beaches, a journey to the middle of the Pacific will certainly prove to you that Hawaii is more than just pineapples and coffee. For more information, visit http://www.cfares.com.

Tahiti or French Polynesian food is known throughout the world because of its exotic fruits, fresh fish and vegetables which are prepared with a strong French influence underlying the Tahitian ingredients. Restaurants in French Polynesia are from a wide variety of backgrounds including and inevitably French and Tahitian, but also Chinese, Vietnamese, and Italian.

The sauces served in these restaurants often features sauces which contain home grown vanilla beans

However to taste the absolutely genuine Tahiti Food you need to find a way of sampling the Ahima’a otherwise known at Tahiti’s underground oven. It is usually prepared on a Sunday morning, or for a special celebration.

Firstly the oven is preheated with a wood fire, then the wood is placed in levels one on top of the other all criss-crossed. The porous volcanic rock is scattered over the wood until it is completely covered.. When the fire goes out, the rocks are leveled and the food placed on top wrapped in woven baskets of coconut leaves. Fish, pork, chicken and vegetables are prepared in this way. Banana leaves are then laid over the top, plus many layers of leaves from the purao tree to cover the ahima’a completely. Finally earth is shoveled on top so no heat can escape and the food is grilled, braised and steamed for 3-4 hours. The Polynesian food is spread out on a table cloth of palm fronds or banana leaves. You will eat with your fingers off traditional wood plates, dipping juicy pieces of roast pork, fish, breadfruit, taro, and other goodies in coconut cream sauce.
The celebrations are normally concluded with Polynesian dancing.

Other things to look out for are as follows.

Poisson cru (ia ota) which is the national dish of Tahiti and Her Islands. This quite divine snack consists of raw fish and diced vegetables marinated with lime juice and soaked in coconut milk.

Chevrettes are another popular Tahitian dish, and they are tasty freshwater shrimp

No amura’a (meal) is complete without a rich dessert inspired by the islands.
The ultimate Tahitian dessert is Poe, a sweet pudding made of taro root flavored with banana, vanilla, papaya or pumpkin and topped with a rich coconut-milk sauce.

Stop by the roulettes or rolling restaurants, are colourful, electrically lit vans that offer the best inexpensive dining in Papeete. Both locals and visitors can dine on a variety of dishes from roast pork and pizzas to chow mein and flaming crêpes.