As always, virtual tourism posts come with our strong disclaimer that real travel is infinitely preferable to virtual travel. But not all destinations are accessible to all tourists, which is why programmers have developed tools to take you to faraway places or even back in time. The newest entrant into the virtual tourism is Croatian company Vizerra, which is developing software models of World Heritage Sites and architectural treasures.

Their site currently offers downloadable models of Macchu Picchu, Angkor Vat, the Taj Mahal, and the Tatev Monastery. They're working on more locations, with Swayambhunath Stupa, the Kiev Cave Monastery, and Prague's Old Town Square slated for the next release wave. ]]> Omri 2009-06-23T17:12:15-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/6/22/141052/668

The bad part about vacationing on Socotra, a four-island archipelago off the coast of the Horn of Africa: pirates. The good part about vacationing on Socotra: now that it has an airport, the island's freaky deaky biodiversity is accessible to tourists year-round.

And freaky deaky that biodiversity is. The last time the island was attached to any mainland we didn't even have real continents. It separated from the super-continent of Gondwana tens of millions of years ago and has been ecologically isolated ever since, though it's been continuously inhabited since ancient times.

Today there are over 700 endangered plants and animals on the island, a full 1/3 of them found nowhere else in the world. The island is a UNESCO recognized world heritage site. You can check out their Conservation Programme for more background.]]> Omri 2009-06-22T16:27:15-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/6/3/11131/17389

In continuing our European Vacation series, (we've already gone to Rome, France, Berlin and Turkey), our newest correspondent, Kate Winick, is fresh off a trip to Geneva where she spent some time lakeside. Here's her guide to Lake Geneva.

Thirty kilometers of UNESCO World Heritage site stretch along the northern shore of Lake Geneva, from Montreux to Lausanne, and from the lake to the lower slopes of the mountains, comprised of snaking miles of stone walls, tightly nestled villages, and most importantly—vineyards. Called The Lavaux Vineyard Terraces, the neat rows of vines upon vines have been growing from grapes into wine here since the 11th century.]]> kate winick 2009-06-03T16:53:24-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/2/8/81822/85150

All week long our roving correspondent Claire Duffett will be sending back her travel reports from Vietnam. Any questions or suggestions? Let us know and we'll have Claire answer them for you.

An hour south of Hue, Hoi An offers a brighter side of Vietnamese history. The city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site unto itself, a preserved shipping village. The entire city rests inside the low-hanging slope of scalloped, stone roofs that characterize Chinese-Viet architecture.

In town, you can watch local artisans, paint, sculpt, and embroider, visit the many gated, ornate homes dedicated to familial ancestors, or stroll across the wooden Japanese Covered Bridge. The whole place is almost too quaint, and you will be surrounded by plenty of wholesome families spending there days eating and shopping. It’s certainly a great place to do both.

]]> ced138 2009-02-13T15:31:04-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/2/8/7030/10855

All week long our roving correspondent Claire Duffett will be sending back her travel reports from Vietnam. Any questions or suggestions? Let us know and we'll have Claire answer them for you.

From Hanoi, we headed east to Halong Bay. More than 3,000 limestone islands jut out of the Gulf of Tonkin, so it's often compared to Krabi in Southern Thailand, though I visited there in November and Halong’s landscape is far more impressive. It does, however, lack the sandy, white beaches.

Like many UNESCO sites, the beauty of Halong Bay is constantly at odds with the ugliness of heavy tourism. Its adjacent city is the worst of rapid, unchecked development, with hideous high-rises abutting massage parlors and slums. The bay itself is littered with “junk boats,” heavy wooden boats that ferry tourists through the maze of islands.

While the antique boats themselves look quite beautiful lumbering through the water, there is simply too many of them. Often, the iridescent glean of oil is visible on the water, and I floated past empty bottles and debris.

]]> ced138 2009-02-10T11:31:02-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2009/1/15/145230/867

There are plenty of reasons to visit Scotland, London’s twee neighbor to the north—and by that we mean, plenty of reasons beyond the thousands of burly men in skirts with adorable Scottish accents. Just to prove it, we’ll give you five fabulous reasons to go to Scotland, and we won’t mention kilts at all.

Reason 1: 2009 is a banner year for the Scots, as it is the 250th anniversary of the birth of Robert “Rabbie” Burns, and the entire country is partying all year long to celebrate. Rabbie Burns, for those who don’t know, is the famous (Scottish) poet who gave us “Auld Lang Syne,” and for whom the town of Burns, New York, was named after. The year long “Rabbie” celebration is widely called “Homecoming” and anyone with Scottish descent is invited to fly “home,” trace their ancestry, drink some whisky, and dance around with their fellow countrymen. Whether you dance in pants or “skirts,” is up to you.

More reasons after the jump]]> brycelongton 2009-01-26T11:30:55-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2008/10/29/152823/81

Marriott is running an online contest right now that asks "How many major pyramids are located at Giza?" If you couldn't figure it out from the photo they show right next to the question, the answer is three.

The two previous questions in the game asked why they celebrate Carnival in Rio (to mark the beginning of Lent) and who officially opened the Sydney Opera House (Elizabeth II). Tomorrow's quiz is about Rome, and judging from the difficulty of the questions so far, we're throwing out these potential answers: The Forum, The Colosseum, Romulus, Julius Caesar, Trevi Fountain and Italy.

Related Stories:
· Marriott World of Rewards [Official Site]
· 3-D Models of the Pyramids for Google Earth [GEHacks]
· The Giza Pyramids World Heritage Site [UNESCO]
· Giza Pyramid Complex [Wikipedia]

[Photo of the famous Giza Pizza Hut: noaman]]]> pbb 2008-10-29T16:45:03-05:00 Search Jaunted string http://www.jaunted.com/search/