The relaxing island hideaway of Ilha Grande is located 100 miles south of Rio de Janeiro. With beautiful white sandy beaches, clear blue water, unspoilt Atlantic rainforest and relaxed vibe, it’s the type of holiday destination people dream of. The eleven mile crossing from Angra dos Reis to Ilha Grande takes just over an hour, but the difference is huge. Leave behind the high rise developments and busy beaches and arrive on the sandy shores of a laid back, undeveloped paradise. It’s all about relaxing in the sun, swimming in clear waters, swinging in hammocks, hiking forested trails and dining by candle light on fresh seafood with the sound of samba floating through the air.
Tag Archives: Wildlife
Canaima National Park – Finding a Lost World
14 Dec
Rugged, remote and insanely beautiful Canaima National Park stretches over three million hectares in south-eastern Venezuela along the border between Guyana and Brazil. Comparable in size to Belgium, this area is the sixth biggest national park in the world. It was established in 1962 and in just over a decade its protected areas more than doubled whilst being championed by scientists, geologists and historians. The small settlement of Canaima is a mixture of native village and tourist hub. It’s the jumping off point for Angel Falls, undeniably the highlight of any visit to the area, being the world’s highest uninterrupted waterfall at an enormous 979 metres but many will be surprised, as we were, to find that Canaima has plenty of attractions in its own right to offer tourists. Here’s our top 6 reasons why Canaima is worthy of spending an extra day or two exploring.
Struck by lightning – the Catatumbo phenomenon
27 Aug
They say that fact is often stranger than fiction and this was certainly the case with ‘Catatumbo’ – a mind blowing phenomenon found nowhere else in the world apart from the shores of Lake Maracaibo in Venezuela. It’s here where lightning strikes, almost nightly in season, but in complete silence, without any thunder. During intense periods, clouds can reach more than five kilometres in height and flashes are so bright and consistent (up to the 280 times per hour) it’s possible to write your travel journal by! We’d been reliably informed that mother nature puts on an unforgettable show that had to be seen with our own eyes to be believed.
Venezuela – falling off the tourist radar
21 Jun
Venezuela, or officially “The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela”, is one of the most beautiful and diverse countries on the planet but it remains hugely under-visited by international travellers. It is incredibly diverse with habitats ranging from glistening Caribbean coast to Amazon jungle, and snow-covered Andes mountains to dry desert-like plains. The sheer variety of activities would wear out even the most enthusiastic outdoorsy types and vibrant festivals and pumping samba clubs will keep the party owls up all night.
So why is it so far off the tourist radar?
The Incredible Galapagos Islands
4 Jan
Imagine waking up in a parallel universe where animals rule the planet fearlessly and humans are consigned to the sidelines – gawping speechlessly with open mouths, only capable of pointing and clicking a camera over and over again. Where animals work in harmony allocating selected beaches for frolicking lava lizards, watery depths for giant manta rays and green highlands for wise, ancient tortoises, whilst humans push and shove over the same small patch of scrub land. Where hungry sparrows dine out on the same plates of food bought by humans, and sealions sprawl on promenade benches enjoying the sunshine. Imagine no further – this is the Galapagos – and these islands are like few other places to be found on Earth.
Inner tubes, bamboo and string – river travel the Bolivian way!
4 Oct
Five days – drifting 250 kilometres down river – from Guanay to Rurrenabaque – on a home-made raft – with no engine…I must have got that all wrong. Was there a way such a trip could really be possible? The voice on the other end of the phone took a deep breath and repeated what they’d already explained. The ‘No noise’ jungle rafting experience through Bolivia’s chunk of Amazonas was created for people looking for unparalleled adventure. Six people, a guide and a cook, along with rucksacks, food supplies and camping equipment, would pile on top of a raft no bigger than 5 metres long and 2.5 metres wide and float to their destination using only the natural flow and currents of the river. There would be jungle walks to spot exotic animals and indigenous tribes were never far from the river banks. Home each evening would be under canvas in a rustic camp and to wash ourselves there would always be a crystal clear river or a gushing waterfall nearby. Rendered speechless as my head span with all of this information – all I could muster were the immortal words – “Sign us up!”
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Torres del Paine – the ‘W’ trek
Visitors from all walks of life converge on the small hamlet of Puerto Natales to visit Chile’s and perhaps the Continent’s number one national park – Torres del Paine. Located in the Southern Patagonian ice fields at the end of the Andes, the park offers diverse wildlife and incredible mountain scenery, glaciers, lakes, rivers and […]
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