5/15/2008 at 9:30 AM
Tags: Oman, Animals, Ecotourism, Beaches, Summer Travel (all tags)
Although a rush on accommodation might mean going to Oman isn't instantly possible, we've just discovered yet another reason to try it. Sea turtles.
Turns out there are seven different species of sea turtles in the world, and Oman's got five of 'em. If you visit Oman's beaches in the evening between June and September, you've got a great chance of seeing a leatherback or a loggerhead or a bunch of other turtles laying eggs.
There are a few special rules for sea turtle viewing in Oman: You shouldn't get too close, never touch their eggs (we thought that went without saying?), you can't camp nearby and, most importantly, don't litter. Sea turtles aren't that bright and sometimes confuse plastic with jellyfish, which they eat. And we could certainly use fewer jellies on the beach.
Related Stories:
· Into the Azure [The Australian]
· Still Crushing on Oman [Jaunted]
· Come Back Soon, Oman Is Full [Jaunted]
[Photo: Mct-Enigma]
by amandak
5/13/2008 at 3:00 PM
Tags: Sanibel-and-Captiva-Map, Shelling, Beaches, Summer Travel, Animals, Outdoor Travel, Active Travel (all tags)
David LaHuta just got back from Florida, and he's telling us all about it this week. Keep up with our Sanibel and Captiva Map.
By now your pockets are overflowing with seashells, after all, yesterday was spent combing the beaches of Sanibel and Captiva, by far two of the best islands in the country to spot a rare find. Looking for a break from the sand?
Head to JN "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge--with over 6,400 acres of mangrove forest and submerged seagrass beds, plus more than 220 species of migratory birds, the refuge is perhaps one of Florida's finest sites to view nature in the raw.
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by David LaHuta
5/13/2008 at 12:30 PM
Tags: Sharks, Animals, Killer Beaches 2008, Beaches, Dangerous Travel, Killer-Beaches-2008 (all tags)
We love Australia. It's gotta be the only country in the world where a swimmer who gets attacked by a shark laughs off the experience from his hospital bed.
After the 16-foot animal--believed to be a great white--bit swimmer Jason Cull on Saturday, he calmly tried to work himself out of trouble:
It banged straight into me ... I sort of punched it, and it grabbed me by the leg and dragged me under the water. I just remember being dragged backwards underwater. I felt along it, I found its eye and I poked it in the eye, and that's when it let go.
Ah, the old poke-it-in-the-eye trick: Works every time!
As for Middleton Beach, it was closed after the attack, and a couple more sharks were reported in the wake of Cull's encounter. Sounds like a good candidate for our Killer Beaches Map.
Related Stories:
· Australian Pokes Shark in Eye to Survive [AP, via Google]
· Sharks coverage [Jaunted]
[Photo: natmeister]
by pbb
5/09/2008 at 9:15 AM
Tags: Brazil Travel, National Parks, Animals (all tags)
Although most of the travel news coming out of Brazil recently is a bit odd--think floating priests and blue airlines--the Chapada Diamantina National Park has also been pumping out a few press releases, simply because it's stunningly beautiful. Their words, but we tend to agree.
A national park since the 1980s and in Bahia state in the northeast of the country, Chapada Diamantina is full of caves, rivers and hiking trails, some traces of gold and diamonds and tons of animals: parrots, lizards, and even jaguars and pumas.
Despite the PR push, info on Chapada Diamantina mentions that "there is no infrastructure support for visitors in the park." The tourist board recommends carrying water and sandwiches. We presume the sandwiches are to pacify hungry pumas that happen to pass by.
Related Stories:
· Valle de Capão, Brazil [About.com]
· Balloon Ride Goes Awry in Brazil [Jaunted]
· Brazil Travel coverage [Jaunted]
[Photo: philgee]
by amandak
5/08/2008 at 10:05 AM
Tags: Japan Travel, Asia Travel, Animals (all tags)
While the cawing of crows at dawn may be a familiar nuisance in most parts of the world, in Japan the ominous-looking birds are raising hell. They're snipping fiber optic cables for nest material, causing major blackouts and have even pecked at children's faces as they tried to steal candy. Seriously.
According to the International Herald Tribune, an explosion in the population of crows is to blame, due largely to an increasing amount of garbage as the Japanese have adopted a more Western lifestyle. Local experts guess that as many as 150,000 of the birds are currently terrorizing Tokyo alone. The city stepped up trapping efforts after a crow buzzed the head of the governor last year while he was playing golf. (At least the guv didn't try to kill the bird with a well-placed shot.)
The eerie part? The crows are getting wise:
In Kagoshima, they are even trying to outsmart the Crow Patrol. The birds have begun building dummy nests as decoys to draw patrol members away from their real nests.
If you're heading off to Japan sometime soon, you might want to invest in one of those clear umbrellas that Scarlett Johansson toted throughout Tokyo. It's a stylish way to avoid getting hit with, um, droppings.
Related Stories:
· As the Crows Fly, Japanese Get Fed up [IHT]
· Japan Travel coverage [Jaunted]
[Photo: isado]
by benh
5/08/2008 at 9:30 AM
Tags: Australia Travel, Islands, Sharks, Animals (all tags)
Most travelers exploring the Queensland coast Down Under are looking for the Great Barrier Reef, but they might be missing a beautiful spot that we heard about in the weekend papers: Hinchinbrook Island, off the coast between Townsville and Cairns.
The first explorers actually thought Hinchinbrook was part of the mainland, which gives you an idea of how close it is to the coast, and that makes it easy to get there by boat. Nowadays you can splurge at the resort, go hiking and beachcombing, or you can hit the Thorsborne Trail.
The 20-mile hike takes four days and there's a good chance you won't see another human--only 40 people are allowed to be on it at any one time. Whether you'll see crocodiles, sharks or just gorgeous scenery depends on which of the locals you believe. We vote for scenery.
Related Stories:
· Living It Up on Hinchinbrook [Sunday Mail]
· Queensland Travel coverage [Jaunted]
[Photo: RedHQ]
by amandak
5/02/2008 at 9:45 AM
Tags: Regulations, Tourist Attractions, Animals, Venice, Italy Travel (all tags)
Venice used to be a romantic getaway. Now it's kinda like being in grade school, because there are just so many rules you have to follow. Last year, we warned you to keep your shirt on--being bare-chested, or eating a picnic on St Mark's Square, can get you fined almost $40. But starting next week, feeding pigeons will be banned, too.
Venetian authorities are sick of the repair bills the birds cause, not just from droppings but also because they peck at gaps in building facades. Feeding the pigeons is apparently much worse than exposing your chest, because the fines start at €50 (nearly US$80).
We're not sure that the pigeons will get the message here, as they've been ruining St Mark's Square for decades now. And we're curious about what activity will be next on the "Not in Venice" list.
Related Stories:
· Venice to Fine Tourists Who Feed Pigeons [Reuters]
· Topless Tourists in Venice Fined [Jaunted]
· Bare Chests Banned in Venice [Jaunted]
[Photo: Malingering]
by amandak
4/23/2008 at 4:30 PM
Tags: Attractions, Zoos, Animals, Videos (all tags)
Valencia, the third largest city in Spain, has just opened the first phase of a $94 million, state-of-the-art zoo called Bioparc Valencia.
The zoo spans 25 acres and is home to 4,000 animals from 250 species including the old zoo favorites and stand-bys: antelope, zebras, gorillas and leopards.
Yet it's not your grandparents zoo where you walk around and point at animals in cages. The Bioparc reproduces the vegetation, terrain and sounds of the animals' ecosystem while hiding all the man-made stuff like barriers so you can feel a little less guilty about observing animals taken from their natural habitats.
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by juliana
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