Enjoy Whale Watching in Australia

Nowadays it is a greatly overused word, but whale watching is one of the most awesome experiences that I have ever had.  To get up close and personal with these magnificent marine mammals is truly a privilege and one that will stay in your mind for years to come.  There are many great spots to go whale watching around the world, but Australia has to provide some of the best.  Humpback whales make a yearly migration from the chilly seas of Antarctica to warmer topical waters to breed, so pass up the both the East and West coasts of Australia during the autumn and winter months.
SidneyMorgan has written a great hub on whale watching in Australia, detailing the best places to watch whales on both coasts.  Generally you will find that in all of these locations, that there are specialised boat tours that go out every day specifically for whale watching.  Spotter planes are often sent up to locate the whale's position and the boats also often have a special underwater gadget that can pick up a whale song from many kilometres away and then pinpoint the position of the whale.

On the East Coast of Australia, Hervey Bay in Queensland is a great whale watching location, as are Port Stephens and Byron Bay in New South Wales.  You can also spot whales off Cairns, and humback whales breached nearly alongside the dive boat I was on going out to the reef this July.  There are also a great many whale watching spots in Western Australia, including Exmouth, Broome, Kalbarri and Albany.

So read the whole hub on whale watching in Australia to find out more information and see some great pictures.

Humpback Whales, Exmouth, Western Australia



Visiting the Top Ten Castles in Wales

While it is always exciting to jet away to exotic foreign countries for our holidays, we can sometimes be guilty of forgetting that the British Isles are incredibly beautiful and full of history.  Wales has a history that stretches back to prehistoric times, and is also home to some of the most magnificent and interesting castles in Europe.

In the early Middle Ages, the Welsh fiercely fought to keep their independence from the English, so when the English conquerors arrived they built a series of castles and fortifications around Wales. There are also more recent castles that have been built in Wales, those follies that were constructed in Victorian times by rich men who wanted to reach back into the past.

Bard of Ely has written a fascinating Hub on his Top Ten Castles in Wales.  They include Castle Coch, Cardiff Castle, Caerphilly Castle, Pembroke Castle, Powis Castle and Penrhyn Castle.  So travel through Welsh history from medieval times to the Victorian era, by visiting ten of the best castles in Wales.

Australia's Whales, Dolphins and Crocodiles

When you think of animals in Australia, you tend to think of the iconic Australian marsupials like the koala and the kangaroo.  But Australia is also home to some large and interesting animals that live in the water - whales, dolphins and crocodiles.

Australia is one of the best places to go whale watching, as during the season, the humpback whales migrate up both the coasts of Australia from the frigid waters of the Antarctic to give birth in the warmer waters of the tropics.  Hervey Bay in Queensland and Port Stephens in New South Wales are famous for their whales watching tours, as is Exmouth on the Ningaloo Reef in Western Australia.

There are many locations in Australia where you are privileged to be able to swim with dolphins, but if you are not keen on getting wet, probably the best place to see dolphins is Monkey Mia in Western Australia.  In Monkey Mia, selected dolphins are fed on the beach every day by the research team and you can generally be guaranteed to see the dolphins and maybe even chosen to give one a fish!

One of the most feared denizens of Australia is the mighty saltwater crocodile.  Saltwater crocodiles are very efficient apex predators, so to view them it is best to go on an organised river tour or visit a crocodile farm. You can even see the crocs jumping on the cruise on the Adelaide River in the Northern Territory.

So read on for more information on Australia's whales, dolphins and crocodiles

Winter in New Zealand's South Island

 New Zealand is a beautiful country, and one that we usually associate with glorious sunshine and summer weather.  But New Zealand does have a winter, and on the South Island that winter can be pretty severe with snow and frost.  So is winter a good time to visit New Zealand's South Island for a holiday?

This great article on what to do in winter in the South Island outlines a lot of the places that you can visit and activities that you can enjoy.  Visit Queenstown and the surrounding mountain ranges if you enjoy the winter sports of skiing and snowboarding.  Queenstown is also the perfect place to bungy jump, take a trip down the lake on an old steamer or see a kiwi bird in captivity.  Or how about going walking on the Franz Josef Glacier or sailing down Milford Sound?

There are so many things to do, like whale watching in Kaikoura, hiking in the Abel Tasman National Park, touring the Cadbury's chocolate factory or punting in Christchurch.

It may be winter, but there is always something exciting to see or do on New Zealand's South Island during winter!

New Hubber Hubtrail Travel Guide Website

Writers on HubPages come from all the corners of the world and have written some really great articles on where they live and all the fascinating places that they have visited and travelled in.  In order to bring all these amazing travel articles together in one place, the Hubtrail has been developed by top Hubber Ohma.  There is also a brand new website that has been developed that brings all these Hubtrail Hubs together called Follow the Hub Trail - travel the world! created by talented Hubber, Marisa Wright.

So whatever part of the world you like reading about, you are bound to find a Hub on that country, town or tourist attraction that will entertain you, inform you and give you some beautiful images.

If you would like to join in the Hubtrail and write articles on where you live or places where you love to travel, sign up for HubPages and unleash your inner travel writer!

Why Slovenia Makes a Perfect Holiday Destination

Slovenia used to be part of the former Yugoslavia, and sits to the north of the Balkan Peninsula and has a border with Italy.  Hello,hello has written a fascinating and informative Hub about Slovenia and why Slovenia makes the perfect holiday destination.  Slovenia has a beautiful, rocky coastline that enjoys a Mediterranean climate - so long hot summer days to laze away on the beach or by the pool.

Moving further inland, Slovenia has a mountainous interior where you can ski during the winter months.  Lake Bled and the city of Ljubljana are also great places to visit while on holiday.  Other holiday attractions that Slovenia has to offer are the famous Lippizaner Horses Stud and some of the magnificent limestone caves.

Find out more about what makes Slovenia a perfect holiday destination

10 Seaside Locations in the UK to Explore Our Maritime History

Visit Britain has put together a list of the Top Ten Maritime Heritage sites in the UK.  So if you are looking for somewhere to go this summer, why not seek out some of our naval history and stories of smugglers, pirates and explorers setting sail to discover distant, unexplored lands.

The list that they have put together includes:

Whitby - a charming and historic fishing port on the coast of Yorkshire, famous for it's associations with Bram Stoker's 'Dracula'
Portsmouth - the famous naval town on the coast of Hampshire, where you can visit the Tudor warship 'Mary Rose' and Nelson's famous flagship 'HMS Victory'
Falmouth - a port on the coast of Cornwall that boasts the National Maritime Museum and has many tales of smugglers and the revenue men who tracked them down.
Greenwich - the historical maritime centre in London, where you can visit the Old Royal Naval College, Greenwich Park, and the Cutty Sark, which is one of the world's last tea clippers.
Cardiff Bay - which used to be the centre of the coal exporting industry
Bristol - visit the SS Great Britain which was the world's first large iron passenger steam ship and learn about Bristol's wine, tobacco and slave trading past in the 17th century
Aberdeen - on the coast of Scotland, Aberdeen has a Maritime Museum and is still an important port for the oil and fishing industries
Buckler's Hard - a quaint village in the New Forest National Park, where you can learn about the British Navy's shipbuilding operations. You can visit the Maritime Musem or take a boat ride down the river
Tenby - on the Pembrokeshire coast is an unspoilt beach resort, with a magnificent sandy beach and old medieval streets
Liverpool - on the mouth of the Mersey, Liverpool was one of Great Britain's busiest ports.  Visit the Maritime Museum and the new International Slavery Museum

So enjoy yourself this summer and learn about our rich maritime heritage at the same time!

Magnetic Island - Barrier Reef Island Paradise

Magnetic Island sits just off the eastern seaboard of Australia from Townsville and is in the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Marine Area.  Magnetic Island is easily accessed from Townsville by ferry, and the ferry can take your car as well! Magnetic Island covers 52 kilometres and has a very mountainous and beautiful interior.

Magnetic Island has a wide range of tourist accommodation ranging from basic backpacker facilities, through self-catering units to plush beachside resorts.  Transport around Magnetic Island is easy as there is a reliable bus service that stops at all the key places on the island.

Magnetic Island has some magnificent beaches for you to laze you days away in the tropical sun, or if you are feeling more energetic there are miles of well-marked walking tracks that cris-cross the island.

Snorkelling, diving and fishing are also big attractions on Magnetic island, as is trying to spot one of Magnetic Island's famous koalas.  For a more certain view, visit Bungalow Bay Koala Village and have a champagne bush tucker breakfast with the koalas.

Find out more on why Magnetic Island is a perfect holiday destination!

Birth of a Baby Giraffe Caught on Camera in the Masai Mara

A group of tourists in Kenya's Masai Mara have been lucky enough to witness the birth of a baby giraffe.  In a series of amazing photographs in this news article from the Daily Mail, the first few minutes of this tiny giraffe's life have been captured.  The pictures were taken by Paul Goldstein, an award-winning photographer, who was guiding a group of tourists on safari for the tour group Exodus.  Paul Goldstein has lead safaris through the Masai Mara for twelve years, but this is the first time he has been privileged to witness the birth of a baby giraffe.

Birth is a difficult time for giraffe, as it is imperative that they manage to stand and be ready to move around with the older giraffes in as short a time as possible.  While adult giraffes are capable of kicking out and defending themselves from lion and hyena, young giraffes are still vulnerable to predation.  Luckily for this little one, it managed to stagger to it's feet successfully and was spotted a few days later, looking healthy and confident, with his mother.

Read more of the news article and see the amazing pictures of the giraffe's birth

Why Visit Kalbarri in Western Australia

Many people dream of travelling to Australia and having a holiday there.  Usually the famous destinations, such as Sydney, Melbourne, Uluru, the Whitsunday Islands and the Great Barrier Reef are chosen, as these are the images that people have seen all their lives and have dreamt about.  But there is more to Australia than these iconic tourist spots, and beautiful Kalbarri is one of the lesser known destinations that have just as much to offer as well as some of the better known resorts.

Kalbarri at Sunset

Western Australia has several thousand kilometres of stunning coastline along the Indian Ocean, and offers miles and miles of silver sand beaches and days of endless sunshine and blue sky.  Kalbarri is 590kms north of Perth on the Coral Coast and is about a seven hour drive away.  If you prefer to use public transport, Skywest offers flights from Perth and Carnarvon and Greyhound and TransWA offer coach services from Perth.

Kalbarri is named after the aboriginal word for ‘edible seed’.  The first Europeans in the area were two mutinous ship’s crew who were put ashore in 1629.  There were many shipwrecks in the following centuries off the cliffs and Kalbarri officially became a town in the early 1950’s and has developed from a sleepy fishing town into a thriving tourist resort.

Nature's Window, Kalbarri

There is a wide range of accommodation available in Kalbarri.  Choose from self catering units, basic backpacker accommodation or beach resorts with pools. There is also a few camping/caravan parks.  There is a range of cafes and restaurants offering Australian, Oriental and European food and a pub. For your shopping needs there are a couple of supermarkets, petrol stations, a pharmacy and a bakery.  There is also a Visitor Information Centre where you can book tours and accommodation.

The resort and town of Kalbarri hugs the shores of the Murchison River where it meets the Indian Ocean at Gantheume Bay.  A natural reef has formed at the channel entrance and on the river side there are gentle sandy beaches with safe swimming. Around the headland it gets a bit wilder with surf, rock pools and miles of sand.  Located right at the river mouth, Chinaman’s Beach is one of the most popular swimming spots in the area.  Situated around the shore in Kalbarri are BBQs, picnic areas, and public toilets.

Kalbarri

For those who are looking for an active holiday, there is swimming, snorkelling, water skiing, crabbing, horse riding, camel rides, fishing, kayaking, hiking and cycling on offer.  The path that runs along the top of the cliffs is especially good for cycling and walking and passes the precipitous coastal cliffs, Eagle Gorge, Natural Bridge, Pot Alley, Rainbow Valley and Red Bluff.  You can also try windsurfing or hire a dinghy or paddleboat. For the very adventurous try an Extreme Jet Boat ride, sand boarding or Quad Biking.

If you are a fishing enthusiast you have the choice of river fishing, sea fishing from the beach or going on a deep sea fishing charter.  There are also several cruises that you can take, either inland up the river to spot the wildlife or around the coast watching the whales and dolphins.  Kalbarri is on the annual migration route for several species of whales and their calves from June to December. The sunsets are especially beautiful in Kalbarri, so take a sunset cruise and watch the sun set slowly over the sea.

Kalbarri is surrounded by the Kalbarri National Park, which offers a stunning landscape of red gorges cut out by the Murchison River.   There are many stunning natural rock formations such as Nature’s Window, Z Bend and The Loop.  Great lookouts over the gorges are Hawkes Head Lookout and Ross Graham Lookout.  Kalbarri National Park is rich in wildlife, though much of it is nocturnal, and kangaroos, emus and birds can be seen.  The Park is also famous for its wildflowers that form a colourful carpet of kangaroo paws, grevillias, featherflowers and banksias in the spring (July to October).

Kalbarri also has a range of tourist attractions to visit.  One of the most famous is the feeding of the pelicans on the beach every morning at 8.45am.  The pelican feeding was started in 1970 by a local called Cliff Ross, who would feed the birds on the scraps left over from cleaning the fish he had caught.  Other local people had to join in and help and so the tradition still carries on today. If you like parrots a visit to the Rainbow Jungle is a must.  It is a unique parrot habitat and features the largest free-flight parrot aviary in Australia.  There are many rare species of parrot on display and the Rainbow Jungle plays an important part in parrot conservation.  The Rainbow Jungle is also home to Kalbarri’s cinema – ‘Cinema Parrotiso’ – an open air cinema where you can combine watching a film with pizza and a beer!

Kalbarri

If you prefer marine life take a trip to the Seahorse Sanctuary and find out all about the fascinating world of seahorses.  One of only a few seahorse breeding facilities in the world, the Seahorse Sanctuary takes you through the entire lifecycle of the seahorse and shows how they are adapting seahorses so that they can successfully be kept in home aquariums.  The tiny newborns are especially cute!  At the Kalbarri Marine Centre you can see the local denizens of the sea in the Oceanarium and interact with fish, sponges and anemones in the touch pool.

To see stunning wildflowers, go to The Kalbarri WildflowerCentre where there is a 30 minute nature trail.  Over 200 species of flowers can be seen in this beautiful botanical garden setting.  If you have children to amuse, you can take them to the Kalbarri Family Entertainment Centre which has Mini Putt Putt, trampolines, The ‘Spider’ climbing tower and a 4 in 1 Bungy Trampoline.

So unless your idea of a holiday is upmarket shopping and wild nights clubbing, Kalbarri has everything that you could wish for in a holiday destination.  What more could you want than wonderful scenery, hot sunny weather, gorgeous beaches, plenty of activities and a good choice of eateries!