Namibia Travel and Tours

Namibia Travel and Tours

Special offers Galore  –  we love passing on our Special Offers for travel in  Africa  to our clients – offering excellent value for money.   We are constantly updating our specials – so don’t forget to visit us again !  Namibia never fails to enthral its visitors, to charge the fantasies and imaginations of narrators in their efforts to aptly describe the many-facetted grandeur and harsh splendour of this desert country

Namibia is known for its contrasting landscapes. The desolate Namib Desert is said to be the oldest in the world, with its high dunes and awe-inspiring sense of space…..

Namibia is located in southwest Africa. It is a large and mainly arid country sharing borders with Angola, Botswana, South Africa , Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Along its entire length, the vast shifting sand dunes of the Namib Desert spread inland for 80 to 130km.  Sossusvlei hosts postcard perfect Sand Dunes – a photographers delight !

A fascinating land of contrasts – from the  interior sand basin of the Kalahari to the Etosha Pan (a dried-out saline lake), surrounded by grasslands and bush which support a large and varied wildlife.  The Etosha National Park & Game Reserve is one of the finest in Africa, in that it remains, to a large extent, free of human influence

As Namibia is a semi-desert country it has a dry climate where droughts occur regularly. This phenomenon is greatly influenced by the cold Benguela current in the Atlantic Ocean.
Days are mostly warm to very hot, while nights are generally cool.
In summer (October to April) the average temperatures range from 20°C to 34°C during the day.
In winter nigh – time temperatures can drop below freezing point and ground frosts do occur. The day – time temperatures in the interior range from 18°C – 25°C
The rainy season is from October to May, but mostly it rains from January to March.
Rainfall is usually caused by convection thunderstorms, which are normally of a short duration.
The average rainfall figures vary from less than 50mm along the coast to 350 mm in the central and 700mm in the far north – eastern regions.
Winter rains do occur in the far south – westerly regions.
Often the coast is covered by thick mist.

Parks:

Namibia has several national parks as well as a few private parks.

In the north of Namibia we find the world-famous Etosha National Park, with a size of 22 270km? it is one of the largest game parks in Africa.

Etosha owes its unique landscape to the Etosha Pan, a vast shallow depression of approximately 5 000km?. A series of waterholes along the southern edge of the pan guarantees rewarding and often spectacular game viewing. Several of the 114 mammal species found in the park are rare and/or endangered, including the black rhino and black-faced impala. Over 340 bird species have been recorded at Etosha.

The Skeleton Coast Park was proclaimed in its present form in 1973. It extends from the Ugab River in the south to the Kunene River in the North.

The attraction of this remote area lies mainly in the colour changing moods and untouched profile of its landscape, ranging from sweeping vistas of windswept dunes to rugged canyons with walls of richly coloured volcanic rock and extensive mountain ranges.

Its aura of mystery and impenetrability is due to the many shipwrecks, the dense coastal fog and rough sea-swell.

Vacationing in American Samoa – Pago Pago is a Must-see

Vacationing in American Samoa – Pago Pago is a Must-see

Deep in the South Pacific lies a group of six Polynesian islands that make up American Samoa. The island group is located fourteen degrees below the equator, which makes it the United States most southern territory. American Samoa is normally referred to as the “heart of Polynesia” since you can draw a straight line from New Zealand to Tahiti to Hawaii, which places American Samoa right in the middle. With it’s awesome location in the warm Pacific, there is no surprise that American Samoa is swiftly becoming one of the most popular island getaway destinations.

To gain the most out of your vacation time in American Samoa, finding the perfect vacation rental is the way to go. You can truly experience all that the islands offer without being bogged down in the larger tourist resorts. By finding a vacation rental, you will have a private getaway for you and your family to enjoy the peace and beauty that these islands offer everyone.

Once you have found your rental, take the time to explore the island of Tutuila. Whether you find a vacation rental there or you take a ferry over to the island, this is one stop on your American Samoa vacation that you cannot afford to miss. Tutuila is the home of Pago Pago Harbor, which is one of the biggest harbors anywhere in the Southern Pacific Ocean. Since the harbor is so large and sheltered, it helped the United States tremendously in World War Two and a lot of the historical buildings and sites are available for visitors to enjoy daily.

Since a trip to Pago Pago Harbor offers you beautiful scenery, you will find hundreds of great photo opportunities so be sure that you take your camera along with you. Some of the most popular buildings that visitors often shoot photos of are the many beautiful historical churches around the harbor. It is said that the Samoans have more churches per capita than anywhere else in the world, and while that isn’t confirmed, it offers visitors great photo opportunities in these beautiful churches.

Pago Pago is actually made up of several small communities that have all blended into one larger community. So, by traveling just a few miles in any direction, you will find many different cultures, styles, dialects, cuisines, and musics. The architecture of the homes and buildings change dramatically in several areas, and this offers some other great photo opportunities for you while you visit. Many of the houses in Pago Pago have a special area in the front yard, called a fale talimalo. These are used for special family gatherings and dances. Also, many homes will have family cemeteries or crypts located near these areas. The Samoan tradition of keeping their ancestors close to home helps them to keep their honor and maintain their roots.

Pago Pago is one city in American Samoa that every visitor should take the time to enjoy. If American Samoa is on your list of vacation destinations, then make sure that you check out the vacation rentals in and around Pago Pago before you go.

Thailand Buddhist Temples

Thailand Buddhist Temples

The vast majority of people in Thailand are Buddhists for whom the temple plays an important role in the spiritual wellbeing of individuals and the community. There are over 31,200 Buddhist temples spread around Thailand. In Thai they are called wat. They are grouped into two main groups: temples which are permitted to carry out religious functions and those which are used only for living quarters for monks.

Wherever you happen to find yourself in Thailand you’ll never be too far from a temple where you can go to offer your prayers and “make merit” even if you aren’t Buddhist. Although all Buddhist temples share similar beautiful characteristics, there are some that are architecturally more magnificent and historically significant.

Temples are classified into two main categories: Royal Temples and Common Temples. The Royal Temples were either built by royalty or came under their sponsorship. In Thailand, there are about 200 Royal Temples though there are only six of the highest grade.

With its beautiful temples, rich culture and history, great weather, fine food and world-renowned beaches, Thailand is visited by approximately seven million visitors each year. It is a country of approximately sixty million people, with a land area equivalent to that of France. It is undergoing a remarkable economic expansion, with growth rates of approximately 8%-10 % each year. That’s why Thailand continues to enter the sights of Thailand property investors looking for new opportunities away from the traditional European and Caribbean markets. The two key drivers behind the Thai property market are the domestic economic growth and tourism, and the expectation is that developments in both areas will contribute to a continuing upward trend in property prices. People buy property in Thailand for a number of reasons, from capital investments, to holiday rentals (with a long-term view of capital appreciation), to personal use as a holiday or retirement home.

Tourists and other foreigners should know some basic information before visiting Thailand and especially its temples. Thailand is a Buddhist country where Buddha images are held secret. Sacrilegious acts are punishable by imprisonment even if committed by foreign visitors. Visitors to temples should ensure that they are suitably dressed – no shorts or sing lets and ladies should also cover their arms. Shoes should be removed before entering any building and it would be polite to sit quietly when in the main temple buildings.

When visiting a temple it is polite to seek the permission of the Abbott before taking photographs or entering other than the main area. This can be done by approaching a monk or one of the many helpers found in the temple grounds. Normally permission is granted without seeing the Abbott, but your show of respect by asking, will be returned. If visiting popular temples, such as Wat Phra Kaeo in the Grand Palace grounds, there is no need to seek any permission, but you should look out for signs indicating where photography is forbidden.

Wat Phra Kaeo temple is situated in the capital city of Bangkok and is more commonly known as the Temple of the Emerald Buddha because it houses a small two foot jade statue of Buddha which rests upon a huge golden alter. The temple is very elaborately decorated with a rich array of colours that are sure to astonish and dazzle all visitors. This Buddhist temple is also significant in that it is the official royal chapel where the revered Thai royal family goes to perform their religious ceremonies. Phra Kaeo temple is situates inside the grounds of the Royal Palace and aside from the decorations of the actual building is home to some fascinating paintings and sculptures.

Wat Traimit, Temple of the Gold Buddha- the most amazing feature of this temple is the fact that the 3 meter tall Buddha image is made up of 5.5 tons of solid gold. It was made about 700 years ago in the Sukhothai period but the image was covered in plaster in fear of the invading Burmese. It was rediscovered about 40 years ago.

Besides these one should also visit the Wat Pho (Wat Phra Chetuphon or Temple of Reclining Buddha) Wat Suthat , Wat Ratchabophit, Wat Ratchanatdaram , Wat Thepthidaram , Wat Saket (The Golden Mount) , Wat Mahathat and the Wat Rakhangkositaram.