Posts Tagged ‘Holiday Makers’

The Best Walks in Southern England

April 20th, 2012 Tushar Mathur

With the best weather in the country, it’s no surprise that there are many famous and well-used country walk routes in the South of England. With the vast majority of Southerners living in an urban habitat, endless amounts of holiday makers take to the countryside in search of a break from urban insanity to rural serenity. A simple online search of specialist outdoor companies such as Pitchup will give you all the information you need about making the most of your stay in the countryside. Take a look at the list below of the most famous and tranquil routes in the South.

Gloucestershire

Gloucester, heart of the West Country, is known for its farmland (especially orchards) and is home to some amazing landscape and countryside views. A great country walk is that from Cowley to Devil’s Chimney. The walk is 13 miles long, so certainly isn’t for the faint hearted! It should take most walkers about a day to complete at an easy pace, so get a picnic packed before you get on your way!

Alternatively, you could stop off in a pub or café in one of the three charming villages along this route. An interesting walk, you will be met by terrains such as farmland tracks, field paths and country lanes. The destination of Devil’s Chimney, a structure whose origins are still debated today, has sparked interesting local myth in this part of the Cotswolds.

West Sussex 

One of the best walks in this extremely southern county is the straight line, five-hour stroll from Midhurst to Petworth. The walk is one way, so make sure you take everything with you before you set off! Best walked in the Autumn for the South Down’s famous foliage, this route will lead you through woodlands, parks and fields. The destination town, Petworth, is home to Petworth house, a famous 17th-century mansion. Among its historical curiosities is a collection of the National Trust’s finest artworks.

Devon

If you’re a keen, experienced walker/hiker looking for something a little more demanding why not try the trail between Salcombe and Noss Mayo in Devon. The county boasts a large area deemed an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and this route runs straight through it. A good base is Bigby on Sea; it’s equidistant from the start and finish line of the walk and with 26 miles of coastline to scope it will take any walker a couple of days to triumph. There are some amazing camping sites in Devon which make for perfect stop offs in this area.

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Five Things to do in Zanzibar

August 4th, 2011 Tushar Mathur

Zanzibar is a small island off the coast of Tanzania in Africa. It is surrounded by the warm Indian Ocean making it a paradise for people wanting a luxurious and relaxing African holiday. Zanzibar Town is a hub of cultural activity and a hotspot for tourists looking to escape their regular lives so it’s no wonder why people from around the world visit the best kept secret in Island luxury. Are you tempted on going? Well here are 5 things you have to do if you go:

Scuba Diving on the East Coast – The reefs on the east coast are beautiful and full of marine life, meaning any keep divers, swimmers, holiday makers or wildlife enthusiasts can make their way down to explore the sea bed and coral. There are even dolphins around the coast if that’s your thing. All courses are PADI accredited and you will be in the hands of trained and qualified professionals. The scuba diving offering in Zanzibar is world class and the waters are clear and warm, making it ideal.

Jozani Forest – No trip to Zanzibar would be complete without a trip to the Rainforest where you can see the monkeys and Mangrove Swamp. Even unusual animals such as land crabs are around the surface of the forest. I recommend a good camera if you want to take some beautiful shots as the monkeys can be quite inquisitive when around you. Photography and nature lovers will find this a real treat.

The narrow shopping alleys – The alleys in Zanzibar are all very slim, with only space for 2 or 3 people to fit across at a time. The doors also feature the unusual wooden carved doors that are unique to the island. There are meant to be over 500 of these unique doors that date back to the 17th Century. This is an attraction for any cultural history lovers in your group. The shoppers will love the alleys for the area of market-like stands selling local fair and produce.

Jambiani Beach – This is one of the most beautiful beaches on the east coast if you want to relax in the sun. The beach has plenty of reasonable hotels and attractions, like you would expect from any beach resort in a tropical paradise such as Zanzibar. Enjoy the views of the boats at sea and try to catch glimpses of the fish swimming below. Those keen on sunbathing and getting away from a busy life will love this beach.

Spice Tour – Zanzibar makes a lot of its income from their successful spice trade and exporting.

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The Life Cycle of Self Catering Holiday Cottages

April 15th, 2011 Tushar Mathur

Owning a holiday cottage has brought a number of opportunities to the spotlight for the owner / renter and the holiday maker / renter. The holiday industry within the UK is a multi billion pound industry and offers a renter a wide variation of properties other than traditional bed and breakfasts, guest houses and hotels, the opportunity to cater for one’s self, aptly named ‘self catering’.
There are in popular tourist destinations such as Cornwall (South West England) thousands of potential properties for let, ranging in size, location and of cause price tag! Over the past decade the number of properties has increased dramatically and every corner of the South West has a property to suit each and every tourist.

Why the move towards self catering holidays? Simple, with seemingly ever increasing costs of everything causing an unequal correlation between income and expenditure we are seeing more and more holiday makers looking to make savings where ever they can. Making your own meals or even just one meal a day for example has a dramatic cost saving and let’s not forget that the accommodation costs are generally less than that of comparable quality accommodation.

The demand has essentially led to great opportunities for local investment in the tourist sector from both local people and further afield investment from large holiday companies etc. This is making the whole area a more prosperous one, let’s not forget that the tourism industry yields benefits for the local economy and wider geographical area in the tourism life cycle, thus benefiting many more than just the holiday maker and the property owner.

In the South West of England especially we are highly reliant on tourism as a large portion of the gross income to the County, tourism is one of the largest employers if not the largest employer  in Cornwall for jobs both seasonal and all year round.

Being so remote and having fewer infrastructures than places like London and Birmingham, both major cities has both benefits and drawbacks. Generally speaking it adds to the overall charm of Cornwall being remote, different and unique – this brings many city dwellers for weekend breaks and holidays. After all were all looking to head to somewhere different, somewhere to relax or do something? Cornwall and other popular South West tourist destinations can offer the self catering generation something tangible and memorable, an experience worth capturing and keeping.

Isaac writes for Cornwall Cottage Boutique who are a self-catering accommodation specialists for cottages in St Ives. For a taste of St Ives read our latest article on St Ives beaches.

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Travel to Sri Lanka

June 30th, 2010 Tushar Mathur

Sri Lanka BeautySRI LANKA is an island in the Indian Ocean about 880 km. north of the Equator. The climate is tropical and ideal for holiday makers round the year. The languages spoken are Sinhalese, Tamil and English in major towns. In the interior it is Sinhalese only. The entire island is a tourist spot with beaches, lagoons, and monuments.

Colombo, the capital city of Sri Lanka is a perfect example of the mix of the East and the West. It has fascinating monuments, museums, zoo, Buddhist temples, and art galleries. Galle, the coastal town is the center of administration in the south. The work of ebony-carving and gem-polishing is the main business of this place. Kandy, which is about 120 km. from Colombo, is a hill capital. Paradeniya Gardens known for the exotic flowers, trees and plants is a must see place for a traveler.

Trincomalee, with its while sand and beautiful beaches is a place tat can be visited round the year. The sea is calm here and the beaches are very safe. It is the natural port of Sri Lanka. The traveler to Sri Lanka can definitely think of undergoing the treatment by Ayurveda. Ayurveda is an ancient form of herbal medication. It does not use chemicals in any form and does not have any side effects. The island is attracting more tourists for medical tourism.

Sri Lanka has a rich cultural heritage. The dance and drama is a must in every function. There are three different types of dance forms depending on the regions where they have originated.
Adventure sports like Kayaking and Canoeing, White water rafting in Kitungala from May till December, Hiking and trekking, Mountain Biking, Rock climbing, Diving, Elephant safari, is a big attraction to the tourists.

Hotel accommodation to suit all pockets is available in almost all major tourist places in Sri Lanka. In addition to hotels of international standard holiday homes and guest houses are also available. The food served in Sri Lanka consists of oriental and continental. The native food is rice, eaten with lot of fish and spicy fish delicacies.

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Planning Your Family Camping Holiday In France

November 20th, 2008 Tushar Mathur
The global credit crunch is already having an impact on the spending habits of holiday makers and more people are considering camping in France for their holidays than in recent years. Camping holidays are cheaper than hotels, apartments and foreign rentals, but it’s also an ideal way to see the country and enjoying the wonder of nature right on your doorstep of your tent or mobile home.. Not only that but, if it’s been several years since your last camping trip, then you may well be amazed by the upgrades in comfort and facilities that have been made to France’s camping sites.

If you have indeed been out of the camping loop for a while, then you may need some advice when it comes to the planning and preparation of your camping in France break.

Here are a few tips to help you plan:

Where to Go?

Once you’ve decided that camping in France is for you, the question is which region to visit. Each of the areas have their unique charms, but best value, you can’t beat a camping holiday in Brittany – and doubly so for those with families. It has a great mix being close to Britain (cutting down on the trauma of driving long distances with impatient children), a good selection of family friendly local attractions and, crucially, some truly fantastic campsites. Brittany’s best include Camping Ty Nadan, Camping la Pointe St Gilles and Camping Château de Ormes. All of these are highly rated, with plenty to keep families occupied in delightfully scenic, spacious environments.

When to Go?

Whether you plan to follow my advice and head off to a Brittany campsite, or whether another area of France calls you, the advice of when to plan your trip remains broadly the same. The majority of campsites are open between May and September (some earlier, and some later). July and August are ideal for better weather, more onsite entertainment in the heat of summer and far more visitor attractions will be open. If you want a quieter retreat, then why not travel in May or June when the weather is still warm and the campsites and attractions are much quieter.

What to Bring?

What to bring very much depends on what kind of experience you’re looking for. The majority of campsites in Brittany have fully equipped accommodation including barbeques which means you will save money as you are not buying any extra equipment that you normally need on other camping holidays..

That said there are some things you should definitely take.

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Bali A Lesson To Be Learned

June 17th, 2008 Tushar Mathur
Bali. Indonesia. I wonder what the world?s view of Bali is today.

Once, before October 11th, 2001 it was safe to bet that it was thought by many to be in the south pacific somewhere, courtesy of Mr. Rogers and Mr. Hammerstein from the musical South Pacific. After that date it was perhaps seen as a Muslim militant stronghold following the horrendous night of bombing that destroyed the lives of so any when the clubs Sari and Padi?s were targeted. This was strengthened by the bombs of October 1 2005, when once again, tourists became the victims as two more sites were bombed.

As a long time visitor to Bali I have to say that both views are wrong.

For one thing, Bali is in the Indian Ocean, part of the Indonesian archipelago. Its people are predominantly Hindu although there is a small percentage of Muslims living seamlessly together.

Those of us who have chosen to make this island our home, are bewildered by the events of the last years. Most foreigners here, are engaged in some kind of business (although it is more a life choice decision to settle here rather than a commercial one), and all business here are ultimately affected by tourism. It has been hardest on the 3 million Balinese, many of course lost their jobs as businesses went to the wall. Even those of us who managed to keep going have been under pressure to keep jobs open.

The people of Bali are not militants. They have been the victims of the out rage as much as the innocent holiday makers who have been killed and maimed by a few extremists. Still they harbor no grudge against their Muslim brothers. It is refreshing to see in today?s world that often is so intolerant of others different from ones self or others of a different faith than ones own, an easy acceptance that not all are evil. A lesson perhaps, many could benefit from learning.

I hope the problems will abate for Bali. I hope reason triumphs over fanaticism. I hope more people will come and see for them selves what this charming island has to offer.

I hope to see you here one day.

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