Taroko National Park is one of the highlights of Taiwan, with the Taroko Gorge ranking among the great natural wonders of Asia. When I was planning my trip most of the information I found was from travel agents selling tours. If you are in Taipei on a short visit it is possible to visit Taroko […]
Taman Negara – the ancient rainforest in the heart of Peninsula Malaysia
Taman Negara is the largest national park in Peninsular Malaysia and one the most famous nature reserves in Southeast Asia. Taman Negara is Malay for “national park”, so there’s no need to say Taman Negara National Park when referring to it. As one of the world’s most ancient rainforests and being the green heart of […]
Tour review: Cape Peninsula day tour from Cape Town
During my trip to Cape Town, the two day trips I had planned were for Robben Island and the Cape Peninsula. I didn’t realise that you could also do a safari from Cape Town in a day if you are pressed for time, but I have already been on a safari so that was not […]
Lake St. Lucia – home to the largest hippo population in South Africa
When it comes to the big animals of Africa the hippopotamus lives in the shadow of the Big Five: African lion, African elephant, cape buffalo, African leopard, and rhinoceros. The term “Big Five” was coined by game hunters for being the five most difficult animals to hunt on foot. It has since become a check-list […]
Lodge and safari review: Rhino Ridge Safari Lodge, Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park – South Africa
Lodge Name: Rhino Ridge Safari Lodge Address: Hluhluwe iMfolozi Park, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa Usually when I write accommodation reviews I write about the hotel separately from the destination. This case is a little different because the destination and attractions and part and parcel of the accommodation experience. So for this review it also includes the […]
Tra Su Forest, Vietnam
One of the lesser-known attractions of the Mekong Delta region of Vietnam is the Tra Su Forest. The forest is a former plantation that is now a wildlife reserve. There are canals which are flooded (usually between November to March) and there are boats that will take you on tour. The forest is about 20km […]
How to travel Flores (Indonesia) in 1 week
I’m wrapping up my Flores posts to highlight how to travel Flores in the space of a week. Originally I had intended to spend 2 weeks there, but my trip was cut short when I realised I needed extra time to apply for an East Timor visa in Kupang, West Timor. [The coast of Flores. […]
Komodo dragons and coral reefs: Komodo National Park 2 day boat tour
[One of the many islands of Komodo National Park.] Komodo National Park is a protected watery expanse that covers a group of islands and reefs to the east of the island of Flores, Indonesia. Komodo is famous for the giant lizards of the same name, but it’s also home to some of the best coral […]
Orangutans of Sumatra – Gunung Leuser National Park
Orangutans are the worlds largest living arboreal animal and can only be found in the rainforests of Borneo and Sumatra, Indonesia. These two islands have been logged extensively which has endangered the orangutan population. The North of Sumatra has seen less logging and palm oil/rubber plantation development thus has a the largest orangutan population in […]