Travel Joven

Archive for April, 2011

Mauritius is a fun place to visit if you are still enjoying the best time of your life: your youth. Although the island nation is not a very popular tourist resort among the young and the restless, it has surely got more attention in recent years. Mauritius is becoming more of a youth destination, thanks to improvement in its tourist infrastructure.

The golden period of the youth is definitely the age group between 18 and 30 years. Every one falling in this age group looks for a very active and thrilling adventure. The other most important aspect of youth holidays is the economy. Most of them are either dependent on their parents or have just started their careers. They cannot afford a very expensive holiday with a budget of thousands of dollars.

Mauritius has developed a number of tourist resorts that cater to the youth. The local government has developed many attractions, including clubs and discos that offer an excellent entertainment. If you are planning a holiday in Mauritius and don’t have a lot of money to spend, you can follow these tips to save some costs:

Many travel companies offer cheap packages for travelling to Mauritius. These packages include the airfares and accommodation in cheap or moderate hotels. Although the prices vary depending on the tourist season and duration of stay, it will be significantly cheaper than a full-fledged holiday in luxury resorts.

If you want to travel on your own, try to find as much information as you can. Internet is the best place to do so. You will also be able to compare the prices offered by hotels and resorts. Similarly, airfares and travel passes are available on discount if you do a thorough search on the Internet.

Once you are in Mauritius, a cheap holiday can be enjoyed if you ask the locals about the nightlife, clubbing, and other attractions. The capital city of Port Louis has a vibrant nightlife and clubbing scene. In most cases, these places are quite cheap and fun to attend. If you want a local flavour, blend in with the locals and enjoy the traditional dances and parties.

Cheap holidays in Mauritius can be fully enjoyed if your friends accompany you. Group travelling always helps in cutting the total costs of the trip. It also makes the trip a lot more enjoyable.

You and your friends can also explore the interior parts of the island that often remain unknown to most tourists. Travelling by public transport is recommended as it can save you money. You can also hitch rides but that is not advisable in all cases.

Mauritius has an excellent infrastructure for ocean entertainment. You can enjoy snorkelling, deep-sea diving, paragliding, and scuba diving in the blue waters of the Indian Ocean. If you travel in the off-peak season, rates will be much lower and you can easily afford all these attractions.

One of the most pleasant trees you can possibly maintain is a cherry tree. The word Cherry is derived from the name of an ancient city in Turkey. It describes both the tree and the fruit it produces. A cherry fruit is classified as a “drupe”. In the center it has a single hard core that holds the seed. The outside of the fruit is smooth and might have a small groove down one side. There are hundreds of different varieties of cherry.

There are two main groups that cherries can fall under. It is either a wild cherry or a sour cherry. Wild cherries are generally used for plain eating, and originated in Europe or western Asia. Usually if you buy a bag of cherries from the store, you can guess that they are wild cherries. The other type, sour cherries, also originated in Europe and western Asia. These are less pleasant to eat, and are used more in cooking situations, including the production of jam or jelly.

Cherry trees aren’t just known for their delicious fruits. They are also popular for their beautiful flowers or blossoms. The clusters of flowers that appear in the spring are rather breathtaking, and have inspired many a song or poem.

If you’re looking to plant a cherry tree, you might consider black cherries. It is best known for being the tallest tree available, and producing beautiful white clumps of flowers. The fruit, which becomes ready to pick in the summertime, is small and black. The only negative aspects about this tree are its vulnerability to certain caterpillars, and the tendency for the fruits to fall on their own and stain concrete. That’s why it is best to keep them over grass rather then near a sidewalk.

Another one of the most beautiful types of trees is the purple leaved plum. Contrary to its name, it isn’t a plum but rather a larger type of cherry. Its tree is most recognizable for its strikingly purple flowers. Through the course of its flowering season, they usually change from deep purple to light pink. Either way, you’ll probably be the only one on the block with such a colorful tree. One of its strong points is that it is particularly resistant to pests.

The Amur Chokeberry is most recognizable for its golden bark on the trunk and branches. When its flowers bloom in the middle of spring, they are very small and white. These trees specifically require moist, but well-drained soil. If your yard can’t supply that, then this is probably a tree you should skip. This tree is one of the most susceptible to pests and diseases unless you live in a very cold climate. It is one of the most high maintenance trees, but the cherries are delicious and the flowers are some of the lushest.

No matter what your yard or soil situation is like, you should have no problem finding a cherry tree that will do well in your area. They are a great thing to add to your yard, and when it flowers it will take the breath away from everyone that looks at it. It works great as a focal point for any garden. So go to your nursery today, and enquire about what types of cherry trees are known for doing well in your region. You’re bound to find something you like.

Bamburi Beach Beach Resort Guide

Introduction

Bamburi Beach is an unpretentious resort that is wholly devoted to tourism. Its host of hotels, restaurants, clubs and tour companies ensure that visitors are well catered for over a stay of a week or two. While the beach may not be Kenya’s best, it is still attractive, and it lies close to the well-protected coral reefs of the Mombasa Marine National Park and Reserve. This stretch of the Indian Ocean appeals to watersports enthusiasts, with great sailing, snorkelling and diving opportunities; there are also first-class big game fishing sites within easy reach.

Who goes there?

Bamburi’s 6km (4-mile) shoreline is lined with relaxed, middle-market beach hotel complexes catering to package holidaymakers, along with a couple of high-end resort hotels. There are also a few mid-priced lodges consisting of relatively simple chalets or apartments.The type of accommodation on offer means it mainly attracts older holidaymakers. Overseas visitors tend to be from Europe, in particular Germany and the UK.

Where in the world?

Bamburi lies on Kenya’s Indian Ocean coast, 12km (7.5 miles) north of the nearest city, Mombasa, which is in turn 487km (303 miles) southwest of the capital, Nairobi. Many of the beachfront hotels have east facing views of the Indian Ocean, which fringes the resort.

When to go?

The best months to visit Bamburi Beach are January to March when the chance of rain is low. Temperatures are fairly consistent with temperatures fluctuating between 27-31°C (81-88°F) during the day and rarely dipping below 22°C (72°F) at night. April to June are the wettest months with frequent and often heavy rainfall.

Beach

The beach at Bamburi is a strip of pale sand, backed by palm trees and flowering beach convolvulus and lapped by shallow turquoise water, kept calm by an offshore reef. Narrow in places, particularly at high tide, and strewn with seaweed from time to time, it has a relaxed, ungroomed feel. Watersports on offer include snorkelling, sailing, water-skiing, jet-skiing and sea kayaking. Many resort hotels have their own watersport centers where certified dive courses, windsurfing and fishing may also be available.

Beyond the beach

The Baobab Adventure (at Baobab Farm, 8km/5 miles from Nyali Bridge) is the area’s main inland attraction. It is a complex of nature trails, wildlife sanctuaries and game farms. 

Offshore, scuba-divers can explore the interesting wreck of the MV Dania, planted on the sea bed by a local diving outfit in 2002; it is now populated by groupers, jacks, lobsters and lionfish. There is more good diving 5km (3 miles) north at Mtwapa. December to March is big game fishing season; a number of outfits organise trips to bag impressive species such as sailfish, marlin, kingfish and wahoo.

Family fun

Bamburi’s relaxed resort hotels welcome children; many have good swimming pools and offer play sessions and babysitting services. Kids will love visiting The Baobab Adventure (see Beyond the Beach above), where they can get close to giraffes, hippos, ostriches and crocs and watch the animals being fed. 

Also popular are the waterslides at Pirates (Kenyatta Beach) and glass-bottomed boat trips into the Mombasa Marine National Park and Reserve. Here, among the coral gardens, you may spot turtles, sea cucumbers and colourful butterflyfish.

Retail therapy

Bamburi’s resort hotels all have curio shops where you’ll find local crafts, such as soapstone sculptures, shell and bead necklaces, sisal baskets and wood carvings. Beach sellers also offer souvenirs, including brightly coloured kangas (sarongs printed with Swahili proverbs), kikois (stripy cotton wraps) and shukas (red Maasai-style blankets).

A night on the town

The area’s bars and nightclubs are a mixed bag, ranging from the glitzy to the downright sleazy. Bars and clubs also tend to get rowdy at weekends. The nightly disco at Pirates (Kenyatta Beach) is legendary amongst Bamburi revelers. Another good partying option is the huge Tembo Disco (Mombasa-Malini Road). Most resort hotels have after-dark entertainment aimed squarely at tourists, featuring African dance shows, acrobatics and discos.

Eating out

Outside the top-end hotels, most of Bamburi’s eating options are mediocre, but there are plenty of them. As well as the many mid-range hotel restaurants, there are numerous tourist-friendly eating places lining the main coast road, which runs south to Mombasa and north to Malindi. Typically, these serve local favourites such as grilled fish or nyama choma (barbecued goat or beef); the more imaginative restaurants serve good-quality Swahili dishes, such as snapper with coconut, cloves and cinnamon. You’ll also find Indian, Chinese and Italian food here.

Getting around

Most locals travel by bus or matatu (shared minibus), which often get extremely crowded. They run along the main coast road between Mombasa and Malindi, passing through Bamburi. Hotel staff can book local taxis and airport transfers for their guests. International car hire firms like Avis have offices at Mombasa Airport and in Mombasa itself, driving in Kenya though is hair-raising at best and at worst downright dangerous, with car-jackings occurring away from the main highways.

Exploring further afield

Many visitors to Bamburi build a safari into their stay. With a few days to spare you could head inland to Tsavo East and Tsavo West National Parks, which together form one of the largest game-viewing areas in the world. Far less crowded than Kenya’s more popular parks, they are home to lions, hippos, elephants, zebras and a great many species of antelope and gazelle. Alternatively, to experience another side of coastal life, travel north to the beaches and marine parks of Malindi and Watamu (great for snorkelling and diving) or immerse yourself in Swahili culture on the island of Lamu.

Splashing out

To enjoy the beach in peace and luxury book into one of the top hotels, such as the SarovaWhitesands Hotel or the Severin Sea Lodge on Bamburi Beach, or the Mombasa Serena Beach Hotel up the road on Shanzu Beach. All these hotels offer comfortable suites, gorgeously designed swimming pools and first-rate service including waiters to bring you drinks as you relax on your sunlounger. At the Mombasa Serena you can indulge in a little hard-earned pampering at the spa.