Read more about the article Indonesia: Komodo

Indonesia: Komodo

Komodo island, part of the Lesser Sunda chain of Indonesian islands, is the rugged habitat of the 3m-long Komodo dragon monitor lizard. Komodo National Park covers the entire region and is home to more than 4,000 dragons, and is made up of rusty-red volcanic hills, savannah and forests. Its surrounding waters of seagrass beds, mangrove shrublands and coral reefs are famous for diving.. The Komodo dragon, also known as the Komodo monitor, is a member of the monitor lizard family Varanidae that is endemic to the Indonesian islands of Komodo, Rinca, Flores, and Gili Motang. It is the largest extant species of lizard, growing to a maximum length of 3 metres, and weighing up to 70 kilograms.

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Read more about the article Indonesia: Lombok & Gili Islands

Indonesia: Lombok & Gili Islands

The Gili Islands are a group of 3 tiny islands – Gili Trawangan, Gili Meno and Gili Air – in Indonesia, near the coast of northwest Lombok Island. Characterised by sandy beaches fringed with palm trees, they're known for their coral reefs just offshore. On the smallest island of Gili Meno, sea turtles swim at Turtle Point. At Gili Trawangan, the largest island, a sunken ship sits at Wreck Point near Mentigi Beach.

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Read more about the article Indonesia

Indonesia

Indonesia is home to an endless list of rare and exotic animals ... Komodo National Park includes the islands of Komodo, Rinca and Padar....thrilling stuff! In Sumatra, you’ll spy rare birds and elephants and the endangered Sumantran rhino. Orangutans roam free and proboscis monkeys play in the trees in the Tanjung Puting National Park in Kalimantan. Rare birds of paradise admired for their colourful plumage and entertaining mating dances can be spied deep in the forests of Papua. Thousands of years ago, the region was part of the Australian continent, and marsupials such as wallabies and kangaroos can still be found! Indonesian food is sublime...the volcanic lunar landscapes of Bromo are entrancing - there is so much to see and do!

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Read more about the article Indonesia: Bali & Ubud

Indonesia: Bali & Ubud

Bali is a province of Indonesia and the westernmost of the Lesser Sunda Islands. East of Java and west of Lombok, the province includes the island of Bali and a few smaller neighbouring islands, notably Nusa Penida, Nusa Lembongan, and Nusa Ceningan.The town of Ubud, in the uplands of Bali, Indonesia, is known as a centre for traditional crafts and dance. The surrounding Ubud District’s rainforest and terraced rice paddies, dotted with Hindu temples and shrines, are among Bali’s most famous landscapes. Ancient holy sites include the intricately carved Goa Gajah (“Elephant Cave”) and Gunung Kawi, with its rock-cut shrines.

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Read more about the article New Zealand: Arthur’s Pass – Cape Foulwind – Abel Tasman 1995

New Zealand: Arthur’s Pass – Cape Foulwind – Abel Tasman 1995

The mountain ranges of Arthur's Pass National Park have been a climbing mecca since 1891. Mt Rolleston (2275 m) near the summit of Arthur's Pass is a popular climb for novice mountaineers to cut their crampons on. Cape Foulwind short walk takes you from Tauranga Bay along a rocky headland to a viewpoint overlooking a New Zealand fur seal breeding colony. Abel Tasman National Park is a wilderness reserve at the north end of New Zealand’s South Island. It’s known for the Abel Tasman Coast Track, a long trail winding over beaches and across ridges between Marahau in the south and Wainui in the north. The headland at Separation Point is home to New Zealand fur seal colonies. Little blue penguins, bottlenose dolphins and seals inhabit the Tonga Island Marine Reserve.

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Read more about the article New Zealand: Fox and Franz Josef Glaciers 1995

New Zealand: Fox and Franz Josef Glaciers 1995

Fox Glacier (Māori: Te Moeka o Tuawe; officially Fox Glacier / Te Moeka o Tuawe) is a 13-kilometre-long (8.1 mi) temperate maritime glacier located in Westland Tai Poutini National Park on the West Coast of New Zealand's South Island. Lake Matheson is a small glacial lake in South Westland, New Zealand, near the township of Fox Glacier. It was a traditional food-gathering place for local Māori. An easy walking track circles the lake, which is famous for its reflected views of Aoraki / Mount Cook and Mount Tasman. The Franz Josef Glacier is a 12-kilometre-long temperate maritime glacier in Westland Tai Poutini National Park on the West Coast of New Zealand's South Island. Together with the Fox Glacier 20 kilometres to the south, and a third glacier, it descends from the Southern Alps to less than 300 metres above sea level.

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Read more about the article New Zealand: Queenstown – Wanaka – Cardrona Ski Field 1995

New Zealand: Queenstown – Wanaka – Cardrona Ski Field 1995

Queenstown, New Zealand, sits on the shores of the South Island’s Lake Wakatipu, set against the dramatic Southern Alps. Renowned for adventure sports, it’s also a base for exploring the region’s vineyards and historic mining towns. There's bungee jumping off Kawarau Gorge Suspension Bridge and jet-boating on the Shotover and Dart rivers. In winter, there's skiing on the slopes of The Remarkables and Coronet Peak. Wanaka, a resort town on New Zealand's South Island, is set on the southern end of its namesake lake with views of snowcapped mountains. It's the gateway to the Southern Alps' Mount Aspiring National Park, a wilderness of glaciers, beech forests and alpine lakes. Treble Cone and Cardrona ski resorts are near the park.

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Read more about the article New Zealand: Dunedin – Te Anau – Milford Sound 1995

New Zealand: Dunedin – Te Anau – Milford Sound 1995

Dunedin is a city in New Zealand, at the head of Otago Harbour on the South Island’s southeast coast. It's known for its Scottish and Maori heritage, Victorian and Edwardian architecture, and a large student population. Hiking and cycling trails crisscross the dramatic landscape of the adjoining Otago Peninsula, home to colonies of albatross, sea lions and rare yellow-eyed penguins. Te Anau is a town on the South Island of New Zealand. It’s known as a gateway to Fiordland National Park and Milford Sound. The region is home to endangered, flightless takahē birds and abundant trout in Lake Te Anau. Te Anau Caves feature a limestone grotto of glowworms and an underground waterfall. To the southwest, the Kepler Track winds through beech forests, glacial valleys and mountains. Milford Sound is a fiord in the southwest of New Zealand’s South Island. It’s known for towering Mitre Peak, plus rainforests and waterfalls like Stirling and Bowen falls, which plummet down its sheer sides. The fiord is home to fur seal colonies, penguins and dolphins. Milford Discovery Centre and Underwater Observatory offers views of rare black coral and other marine life. Boat tours are a popular way to explore. The Kepler Track is a 60 km circular hiking track which travels through the landscape of the South Island of New Zealand and is situated near the town of Te Anau.

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