Why Every Traveler Should Catch an American Football Game

October 22, 2015 No Comment

A Growing Love of American Football

For quite a few years now, I’ve been a growing fan of American Football.

What started out as an innocent enough interest in fantasy football spawned by The League slowly developed into watching actual games and finding teams I liked or disliked.

I tuned in to watch my then girlfriend’s Baltimore Ravens beat the 49ers from a beach hotel in Koh Phangan, Thailand back in 2013, and would start my Monday mornings in Australia last year watching whatever game the FTA networks deigned to share.

When I decided to plan my Great US Road Trip, one of my regrets was that we’d be arriving a month after the NFL season ended.

Expats playing American football in South Korea — A much younger CWB does his best to get up to speed with the complications of American Football.

Why the Interest?

Whether it’s a small town that closes up on a Friday night to watch the local high school team play; a stadium packed with over 90,000 fans to see an epic college match up like Notre Dame vs. Southern Cal; or a rivalry between two original AFL teams dating back over 50 years like the San Diego Chargers and Oakland Raiders, few experiences match the raw emotion and drama of a great football game.

Not only is football the most popular spectator sport in America, it has been that way for the past 30 years, according to the Harris Poll. In 2014, a combined total of 42 percent of those surveyed chose either professional or college football as their favorite sport.

Similarities to Rugby & Aussie Rules Football

Sports fans outside the U.S. who follow rugby will see some similarity between rugby and American football. There is some similarity between a rugby scrum and a running play in American football where the ball carrier attempts to advance the ball by running through an opening created by his teammates blocking or pushing defenders. If you carry the ball across the goal line in rugby, that’s called a try; in American football, it’s a touchdown. All three sports have some variation of a field goal where the ball is kicked from the field between two uprights.

One way that American football differs from the other two sports mentioned earlier is the use of set plays. Most plays are run from scrimmage, where the offense lines up across from the defense. A ball is ‘snapped’ where the center lines up over the ball and passes it underneath him to the quarterback, who then typically hands the ball to a running back or throws it to a receiver who is usually tackled, ending the play. Each play usually lasts only a few seconds of real time. In between live playing action, both defense and offense normally ‘huddle up’ to run a set play or call out a specific defense against it.

In rugby and Aussie Rules football, the action is more continuous, with less time between plays. Another obvious difference is that American football players wear padding while players from the other two sports usually wear little to no padding. In American football, each team has 11 players on the field; Aussie Rules has 18 players from each team, while rugby has variations with 13 or 15 players per team.

Why American Football has So Much Emotion and Drama Behind it

By its very nature, football is a sport that can leave fans on the edge of their seats. Compared to other sports like basketball, ice hockey or baseball, football has a relatively small number of games. One loss in a 162-game baseball season probably won’t affect a team’s season much; for a football team playing a 16-game season, that one loss could be devastating.

Crowd participation is usually more intense with football than it is with other sports. When the home team is on defense, the fans often make a lot of noise, since offenses rely heavily on being able to hear the quarterback call out instructions known as ‘signals’ or ‘audibles’ to the rest of the offense.

Difficulty in hearing these signals can lead to plays being executed improperly and miscues that result in penalties. This can have so much of an impact on a game that many football teams often refer to a vocal and supportive home crowd as the ‘12^th man’.

As is the case with any contact sport, the hard-hitting action of football appeals to many fans. A hard hit, whether it causes a fumble, prevents a receiver from catching the pass, or results in a quarterback sack or other tackle for negative yardage usually draws a visceral reaction from the audience.

Any sports fan visiting the U.S. should make every effort to include watching a game of American football on their itinerary. A little extra research on which games have the best rivalries, and some planning to include tailgate parties and other similar fun activities outside the game will make the visit an experience of a lifetime.

Your Say

Have you ever been to an NFL or college football game?

What sport do you think is unmissable for any traveler?

Travel Writing

A Cycling Tour of Koh Yao Noi

October 12, 2015 No Comment

Our group poses at the end of one of the piers and tries not to look as exhausted as we feel.

Something Different

I’ve mentioned before my desire to find some different things to do in Phuket this time around. With my last tour mostly made up of Pad Thai, tourist attractions, and lounging about on the beach (and one unforgettable day spent using Thailand as my toilet) – I wanted to get off the beaten track this time around.

When I found Amazing Bike Tours, I knew I’d found what I was looking for. None of the normal tourist attractions and, most importantly, no poor elephants being abused.

While the company offers a variety of tours that cover Phuket itself, the owner encouraged me to instead get off the main island and head to idyllic Koh Yao Noi.

So far largely untainted by the flood of Australians, Russians, and Chinese who have turned Phuket into sin city – this small, rural island still generates much of its income through rice paddies, rubber plantations, and fishing.

A visit sounded like just what I needed after a few days feeling dirty in Patong.

Getting There

Departing from Phuket’s beaches early in the morning, it was a bumpy 30-45 minute ride across to the island’s east coast.

From there we boarded a longtail boat that acts as a ferry between Phuket, Koh Yao Yai, and Koh Yao Noi. On a normal day, the chance to drift through the stunning karst formations of Phang Nga Bay might have grabbed my attention, but a day after spending the entire day out among the islands annulled me to it somewhat.

I slept.

phang nga bay koh yao noi — Window seats get just a little wet. Good way to get the sleep out of your eyes!

Upon arrival on the island, we’re given a quick briefing of the day ahead. Where we’ll be riding, how to use the bikes, and what we can expect ahead of us.

Our ride would take us to a rubber tree plantation, through a rice paddy, to a fishing village, up two steep hills, and, eventually, to a delicious Thai lunch.

It all sounded good, but those two hills were already at the back of my mind. I’d heard the ride described as ‘challenging’, and it had been a while since my experience biking the Everglades way back in 2012.

Biking Koh Yah Noi

It all starts off innocently enough. Our motley crew comprises an older Aussie couple, a pair of Belgian lads on a post break-up tour, and a pair of experienced cyclists from Poland.

Somewhere in the middle of the pack, a long way from the days when he ran a cheeky 10k 2-3 times a week, is little old me.

It’s a 32C day and sunny as hell, so it isn’t too long before I’m drenched in sweat.

We wind our way through quiet streets without the massage parlours and Australian bars that now riddle Phuket, and then it’s a sharp left into a rubber tree plantation.

Our first stop is a rubber tree plantation, and I don't think a single one of us complained. — Our first stop is a rubber tree plantation, and I don’t think a single one of us complained.

From there it’s all a bit of a sweaty blur. The pace is never uncomfortably fast, but the competitor in my can’t stand to have the four other lads on the tour ahead of me for long.

We whiz through quiet fishing villages, down shady lanes, and through the steamy heat of a rice paddy before our next stop.

It’s shortly after the rice paddy – air rich with the scent of Asia’s staple – that we stop off for our next break.

The local lady gifts us with a toothy grin as she uses a machete to split our coconuts with casual ease. After a dozen or so kilometres in blistering heat, each of us has already drained 2-3 bottles of water, and the coconut water is a welcome change.

Few things are quite as refreshing as fresh coconut juice on a hot day.

We also got to sample a local snack, canom ja – a sweet and chewy treat made with coconut mik, flour, and brown sugar. Not half bad!

From here it was on to tackle the first of two ‘challenging’ hills. They weren’t particularly steep or anything, although one of them was frustratingly long and reminded me of Heartbreak Hill in the City 2 Surf.

I gave both of them the old college try, but found my fitness sadly lacking.

Pride was put aside as first three of us (myself and my fellow Aussies) and then six of us got off our bikes and instead trudged up the hills in the scorching mid-afternoon heat.

Our reward at the top of the second hill?

A delicious Thai feast served on the shores of the serene bay, and an hour of ‘free time’ to spend dozing in hammocks or dangling our feet in the blessedly cool water.

I won’t make you guess which one this unfit lad opted for…

After lunch and a much needed rest, we returned to the dock for our afternoon ferry back to the main island.

Legs afire, skin radiating heat despite being lathered in sunscreen, and ass feeling sore and sorry – we took our last photos, said our goodbyes, and returned to the hustle and bustle.

A Fantastic Day

Gripe though I might about how tough those hills were, they weren’t anything you wouldn’t expect to find on any cycling trip. Anybody with moderate to good fitness isn’t going to have a trouble, and we certainly weren’t made to feel bad because we got off to walk.

The Thai feed was delicious, the two guides were warm and accommodating, and it was a really enjoyable day away from the crowds on Phuket.

I’d like to thank James and the Amazing Bike Tours team for inviting me along and giving me the opportunity to see Koh Yao Noi.

They also provided any of the photos here that include me that aren’t obviously selfies. All part of the tour package!

I think I found the island I’ll be escaping to next time I’m in Thailand. It was absolutely lovely!

Your Say

Do you like to get out and explore new areas on a bike or scooter when traveling?

Destinations, Namibia

Sunrise over Sossusvlei in Pictures

October 8, 2015 1 Comment

sossusvlei dune 45 namibia — A climb up one of the dunes of Sossusvlei is a tiring but unforgettable experience.

What is Sossusvlei?

Located in Namibia, Sossusvlei (dead-end marsh) is a region of the south African country renowned for its ancient, towering red dunes and the flat areas (pans) that exist between them.

Some of the oldest and tallest dunes in the world, Sossuvlei’s towering sand mountains cut a striking figure against the country’s impossibly blue skies.

The ominously named Deadvlei is one of the world's most unique landscapes. — The ominously named Deadvlei is one of the world’s most unique landscapes.

Nearby Deadvlei, made famous by the film Cell, is a striking mixture of bone white clay, skeletal black trees, and the eye-catching red of the dunes.

Together, Sossusvlei and Deadvlei are one of Namibia’s most popular tourist destinations.

Sunrise Over Sossusvlei

Due to the fact it lies at the heart of one of Namibia’s many sun-baked deserts, it’s best to visit Sossusvlei and its surrounds either early in the day or late in the afternoon.

With a long drive back to Swakopmund ahead of us, we opted for a sunrise drive out to Sossusvlei to see the sun as it set fire to the already crimson dunes.

Roads in the area are rough as guts, but the bouncing about will ensure you’re good and awake when the first of the dunes comes into view and you realize the scale of the things.

They’re not mountains like many of us might be used to, but they’re towering in comparison to insignificant creatures such as ourselves, and that becomes more apparent the closer you come.

With the sun cresting the horizon, we stopped the car and stepped out into the chilly dawn air to snap a few pictures of the dunes as they changed colour.

The first light of day paints the dunes of Sossusvlei in new colour.

Dune 45

The first (and often final) stop for most visitors to Sossusvlei is Dune 45 (pictured below).

Often mistakenly labeled as the tallest sand dune in the world, this isn’t the case. In fact, it’s not even the tallest dune in Namibia.

It is, however, the most accessible of Sossusvlei’s dunes and therefore its most popular.

While we did stop off at the iconic dune to snap some pictures, we decided against joining the huge crowd of Korean and Japanese tourists clamoring for their chance to climb up the dune.

We had slightly smaller, quieter fish to fry.

Climbing the Dunes of Sossuvlei

Once we got away from the crowds with their too large cameras and too loud voices, we sought out a quieter stretch of desert to explore on foot.

This area is Sossusvlei proper – the small corner of the park that lands the entire area its name.

Setting out from the world’s bumpiest road, we trekked over the barren moonscape until we came to a dune that climbing would be within our mixed levels of fitness.

You don't realize how tough sand is to walk through until you're ankle deep in it. — You don’t realize how tough sand is to walk through until you’re ankle deep in it.

This early in the morning, the night winds have crafted stunning patterns in the sand.

One of my party brings up the rear on the hard slog through the sand.

Our climb, although short, was an arduous one. Every step through the deep sand was like five or six on dry land. It was like running through the surf.

Still, the view from atop the dunes was something to behold.

sossusvlei panorama — With thanks to Tony Grant for editing out my idiot shadow.

Perhaps the most transformative thing of the whole experience is the near complete silence that hangs in the air. Aside from your own ragged breathing and the mournful howl of the wind as it scours the desert, there’s not a sound.

No birds cawing or cars growling.

No tourists shouting.

Just you, the desert, and the sense that we’re so small in the grand scheme of things.

Descent into Deadvlei

With our time in Sossusvlei short, we hurriedly made our way down from our lofty perch and into the baked pan of Deadvlei.

Its alien landscape is like nothing else I’ve seen in the world, the ashy bones of trees clawing at azure skies from a pan of sun-baked white set against a fiery backdrop.

We had scant minutes to take our photos and pray at the altar of the desert’s harsh beauty before it was time to return to the cars.

Bidding our farewell in reverent tones, we ended our all too brief pilgrimage and slogged back to the car.

As long walks back to the car go, this one wasn't half bad. — As long walks back to the car go, this one wasn’t half bad.

Visit Sossusvlei

Sossusvlei and I have unfinished business, and my camera’s brief love affair with the starkly beautiful corner of Namibia has only just begun.

I was lucky enough to tour the region as a guest of the Namibia Tourism Board along with Pack Safaris, and I’m already planning to my return trip.

Sossusvlei may not be a name everybody recognizes, but it remains one of the most hauntingly beautiful places I have ever been.

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Destinations, Thailand

5 Different Things to do in Phuket

October 7, 2015 2 Comments

Phuket: An Accessible Beach Escape

Back in 2013, I came to Thailand to escape the bitter cold of a Nanjing winter.

At the time, I was mostly looking for sun and good food, and I found both of those in spades over the course of two weeks split between Phuket, Koh Phangan, Koh Samui, and Koh Tao.

It was a fun trip, but it was a terribly touristy one as well. I went to James Bond Island and fought the crowds for a chance to snap the iconic monolith, got sunburned snorkeling on Koh Phi Phi, drank my weight in fruit shakes, and even got food poisoning eating dodgy Mexican.

James Bond Island as seen from behind. Much less crowded.

A year or so after the trip, I wrote about 5 Things to do in Phuket (aside from getting drunk), but I was never really happy with the list.

While I didn’t get falling down drunk on that 2013 trip, I also didn’t really get off the beaten track either. All I needed to complete my stereotypical Aussie in Phuket story was to buy a suit, get a happy ending, and see some poor girl fire ping pong balls out of her nether regions.

So, whether you’re flying straight from home or taking the bus from Bangkok to Phuket, here are five ways to get off the beaten path in Phuket.

5 Different Things to do in Phuket

On this trip, I once again found myself in southern Thailand’s den of inequity and debauchery, but I was determined to see more of Phuket than just its beaches, night clubs, and more obvious tourist attractions.

There’s more to the island that Aussie bars, happy ending massage parlours, cheap tailors, and crowded beaches.=, and while I didn’t manage to check off all six of the below, all six would be on my list of different things to do on Phuket.

#5 – Explore a Different Beach

Depending on where in Phuket you’re staying, chances are you won’t venture much farther than the Patong, Karon, or Kata beaches.

While I’ll admit that Karon and Kata both have their charms (while Patong is a lifeless stretch of sand and tepid bathwater), Phuket is an island and that means there are considerably more than three beaches on the island.

Thankfully for you, the bulk of tourists tend to congregate on these three beaches, so why not rent a scooter or hire a tuk tuk and head to Freedom Beach, Kata Noi, or Nai Harn?

It’s perhaps no surprise that only Kata Beach rates a mention on Into Phuket’s Top 10 Phuket Beaches.

#4 – Embrace Buddhism with Visits to Wat Chalong and Big Buddha

It’s easy to get lost in the crowded streets of Phuket with their restaurants, souvenir shops, bars, massage parlours, and 7-11’s and forget that you’re in Thailand.

Oh, you’ll hear people speaking Thai and still spot the distinct cultural quirks that make Thailand such a fascinating country, but you might as well be in any crowded city in the world.

big buddha phuket — Photo by Marco Streggato

While you’re not going to escape the tourist crowds with a visit to Wat Chalong or the island’s famous Big Buddha, you’re still going to find a measure of serenity that you can’t when an Indian guy with a thick Aussie accent is telling you how good you’ll look in a suit.

Wat Chalong is even said to contain a splinter of Buddha’s bone, which makes it the most significant of Phuket’s 29 Wats (temples).

#3 – Take a Phuket Heritage Walk or Cultural Tour

Promoting responsible cultural tourism, locally owned Phuket Heritage Trails aims to introduce visitors to Phuket to something beyond the crowded streets through two different guided walking tours.

Their day long Meet the Locals tour features visits to the island’s oldest Sino-Portuguese mansion, delicious food, temple visits, and the chance to visit a traditional fishing village; while their half day Heritage Trails tour takes you through the heart of Phuket Town to see how the locals live.

The Phuket Heritage Trails site also advertises two upcoming tours that are sure to be every bit as culturally immersive.

Editor’s Note: I really, really wanted to fit one of these tours into my recent visit, but the next activity wore me out on the eve of my only free day. Next time!

#2 – Take a Cycling Tour of Koh Yao Noi with Amazing Bike Tours

Amazing Bike Tours offers a number of guided cycling tours around Phuket, including a number of overnight tours and a day long, 50km trek that takes you to some of the island’s less known corners.

In my case, I opted to tackle the 30km tour of Kho Yao Noi, a nearby island where tourism has yet to have the impact it has in Phuket and Koh Phi Phi. Indeed, while the island is home to hostels and cafes, there are still locals living without electricity amid their rice paddies and rubber tree plantations.

It was about 5km into the 30km exploration of Koh Yao Noi that I began to fear I'd bitten off more than I could chew. — It was about 5km into the 30km exploration of Koh Yao Noi that I began to fear I’d bitten off more than I could chew.

Over the course of one blisteringly hot afternoon, our small group whizzed through these rice paddies and rubber tree plantations, stopping along the way for local Thai snacks, a delicious seaside Thai feast, and a pair of arduous uphill climbs that I’m not ashamed to say I made on foot.

Away from the usual tourist crowd, it’s possible to really appreciate not only Thailand’s natural beauty, but the simple beauty of life before tourism brought in the big bucks.

Sleepy fishing towns built on stilts, quaint shacks with gap-toothed owners, and oblivious water buffalo all combine to transport you back to a simpler time when crowds of Aussie bogans weren’t messing things up.

#1 – Explore Phang Nga Bay’s Secrets with Phuket Sail Tours

No visit to Phuket is complete without spending a day or more out in the breath-taking karst formations of Phang Nga Bay, and there’s certainly no shortage of local tour operators who are only too happy to cram you onto a boat and ferry you between the more famous tourist attractions such as James Bond Island and Monkey Island.

Phuket Sail Tours eschew all of that. They avoid the crowded islands, they cap the number of people on their spacious boat, and they instead take you out to see things that other tour companies can’t or won’t.

My day long exploration of Phangnga Bay’s ‘secrets’ was without question my favourite experience in Thailand so far. I canoed through serene mangrove forests, swam in isolated coves, sunbathed on quiet beaches, indulged in one of the best Thai feeds I’ve ever had, and did so while making friends with the other 15 people on my tour.

How's the serenity? A stretch of unspoiled mangrove forest all to myself! — How’s the serenity? A stretch of unspoiled mangrove forest all to myself!

The smaller numbers and quieter route make for a totally different side to the often over-crowded bay, and you get a better feel for its natural beauty when you’re not being jostled by Chinese tourists or selfie-stick wielding Russian super models with their bulked up boyfriends.

It was a far more intimate exploration of one of Thailand’s most beautiful spots.

Your Say

Have you got a favourite off-the-beaten-path activity when in Phuket?

What little known secret do you wish more visitors to your city or country knew about?

More Different Things

Looking for more different ways to experience a famous city or country?

DISCLAIMER: I was invited by Amazing Bike Tours and Phuket Sail Tours to come along as their guest, but all opinions are my own.

Looking for more different things to do in Phuket? Check out Top 25 Things to do in Phuket by Crazy Tourist!

If you’re looking for the best hotel in Phuket, Karolina & Patryk have you covered too.

Destinations

Traveler’s Tell All: The World’s Best National Parks

September 2, 2015 5 Comments

Today marks the day I leave Tanzania to begin a three-week tour of Kenya, Uganda, and Rwanda. Over the course of the next twenty-four days, I’ll be visiting some of the best national parks in these three East Africa nations, taking site tours of hotels, and learning more about the cultures and histories of these fascinating countries.

It seemed fitting that in a month where I’ll be experiencing so many national parks that this month’s Traveler’s Tell All topic be the simple question of:

What is your favourite national park?

Over the next few pages, you’ll find bloggers from all over the world sharing their favourite national parks and sell you on why you should visit them.

Read on!

Africa

Serengeti National Park, Tanzania (Getting Stamped) Facebook|Twitter|Instagram

The park that stands out in my mind as my favorite in the entire world would have to be the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania. The name Serengeti in Swahili means endless plains, once you visit you will know why. Further than your eyes can see, tall grasses sway in the wind. Sprinkled about the grass are massive smooth boulders that break up the landscape. If you look close enough you might just see something more to those rocks.

The landscapes in the Serengeti are amazing, but it’s not even the main attraction. On top of those large rocks you are likely to find a lion or two, or even a whole pride. The lion population is very strong in the park and seeing one of these apex predators up close in the wild is almost a guarantee. The Serengeti is what you think of when you think of Africa. Prides of lions looking down on prey atop massive boulders, it’s a place like no other. The Serengeti is my favorite park because it’s a real-life version of the Lion King.

Editor’s Note: One of the big perks of working for a safari company has been multiple visits to this stunning park. Whether I’ve stayed in the Four Seasons Serengeti or spent the night in a tent, it’s never been anything less than amazing.

Table Mountain National Park, South Africa (Wander PopIns) Facebook|Twitter|Instagram

It has always been a dream of mine to live between the mountain trails and the sea. After returning to my country of birth and settling in Cape Town, I find myself comfortably and conveniently positioned between the slopes of Table Mountain and the beaches of the Atlantic ocean. This dream is real. An avid trail runner, hiker, photographer, and nature lover, I am now living within a ten minute walk from a trailhead leading me into Table Mountain National Park and onto a mountain with immense diversity, endless trails, and far reaching views.

As the weather changes, orographic clouds roll in and sweep over the mountain peaks in feathery swirls and thicken into Table Mountain’s famous table-cloth formation. A sudden wind picks up, the sun breaks through, presenting new perspectives and moods, dark and light backdrops and a vastly different experience of a trail you thought you knew. There are craggy rocks, expansive plateaus, fynbos plants and flowers only found here in the Cape Floral Kingdom, daily new blooms of wildflower varieties, birds with long tails, the sing song chirp of crickets, and a landscape on top of the mountain taking you back to a time when the earth was wild. The park stretches from Cape Town in the North 60 kilometres South to Cape Point.

Favorite facts about Table Mountain National Park and more imagery can be found here.

Asia

Jiuzhaigou National Park, China (Aussie on the Road – that’s me!) Facebook|Twitter|Instagram

I’ve had the pleasure of visiting some absolutely beautiful national parks in my life, but I also have the luxury of having let other talented writers describe some of them (Yosemite and Serengeti were two of my front-runners). This leaves me free to describe a park most people have never heard of: Jiuzhaigou National Park in Sichuan, China.

It’s a bitch to get to by bus, with a winding, foul-smelling 8-10 hour drive from Chengdu to the quaint little village that clusters around the park’s entrance. During the trip I remember wondering if it would be worth it, but my first breath of that untainted mountain air and my first view of those towering stone cliffs convinced me.

Jiuzhaigou is a park of impossible colours – of fiery orange foliage on autumn trees, brilliantly blue pools, and impossibly verdant greens. On the misty May morning of my visit, there was virtually nobody in the park, so it was a taste of serenity I hadn’t had in months of calling China home.

From Five Flower Lake to the stunning Pearl Shoal Falls, it’s a park full of beautiful landmarks and peaceful moments. I’d love to go back.

Khustain National Park, Mongolia (Nomadic Boys) Facebook|Twitter|Instagram

We visited the Khustain Nuru National Park as part of a tour in central Mongolia during our Trans Siberian adventure in July 2015.

The Khustain Nuru National Park is home to the world’s last species of wild horse – the Takhi (which means spirit in Mongolian). These beautiful horses have quite an interesting history.

They are are unique because they have heavy limbs and strong necks. Their uniqueness caused a wave of interest from European horse traders in the 1880s who rushed in to collect them and bring them back to Europe. The numbers of takhi horses in the wild dwindled and by the 1960s, they became extinct, with only a handful remaining in European zoos.

The Khustain National Park became a joint initiative with the Mongolian, German and Dutch governments to reintroduce the takhi back into the wild.

There are now over 2,000 takhi in the wild and we were fortunate enough to see them in their natural habitat at the Khustain Nuru National Park.

Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park, Vietnam (Global Gal Sarah) Facebook|Twitter|Instagram

Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park in central Vietnam is one of the most impressive places I have ever visited because of its unique beauty and historical significance. The National Park is not just a gorgeous, green mountainous landscape but it is also home to the largest cave in the world, Hang Son Doong. However, Hang Son Doong is not the only cave within Phong Nha-Ke Bang. Since the 1990s, over 170 caves have been discovered.

During a tour of the park, you will learn about the discovery and formation of the caves and about the unique history of this area of Vietnam. Since it is located in the narrowest part of Vietnam, the United States heavily bombed the area during the Vietnam War in order to destroy the Ho Chi Minh Trail and Highway 20, which were the Vietnamese transportation lines that connected the north and south parts of the country.

The landscape and the history of Phong Nha is a favorite part of the experience. However, easily my favorite part of the tour was exploring Hang Toi, or the “Dark Cave.” With only a headlight to guide the way, visitors swim through a lake, wade through chest deep mud and duck through narrow passageways as they cave through Vietnam’s history.

Once we arrived at the furthest point of the tour, we turned off our headlights and sat in complete blackness for one minute. The sensation of total darkness and the quiet of the cave make you fell incredibly small. You are aware of your surroundings as you try to remember which way is up and which direction the entrance is. Listen to the water droplets and whatever wildlife is lurking in the cave! It’s a truly once in a lifetime experience to be part of amazing landscapes within rich Vietnamese history.

Taroko National Park, Taiwan (Veronika’s Adventure) Facebook|Twitter|Instagram

Taroko National Park belongs to most stunning places in Taiwan. With area of 92 000 hectares, it features countless trails, waterfalls, and cliffs. There is impressive 19 kilometers long canyon cutting through the park featuring skyscraping marble walls that were created over 250 million years.

Very interesting is also the relief of the park: the landscape rises from cliffs touching the sea level to some of the tallest peaks in Taiwan at over 3400 meters. During one day in this park, you can get amazed by subtropical forest or also reach some of the peaks. The narrow road through the park in the highest one in Taiwan.

Europe

Lake Bled National Park, Slovenia (Travel Photo Discovery) Facebook|Twitter|Personal Site

Lake Bled is one of the most popular destinations in Slovenia. Only a few hours north of the capital city of Ljubljana by train or driving it has idyllic countryside with stunning landscape. Tall mountains surround and rise above a jewel like lake with an island in the middle with an old church. The island used to have a Slavic settlement with a church built around 1142. You can easily see views of the scenic island from any location around Lake Bled, including from above at Bled castle.

The best way to enjoy the lake is to walk along the paved lakefront trail and through the town of Lake Bled. It’s a relatively flat and easy walk unless you want to explore the large castle on of the smaller hills with spectacular views of the lake and countryside. You can check out more photos and narrative about the visit to Lake Bled in my post on the subject.

Editor’s Note: One of my first pen-pals was from Slovenia, and she instilled in me a deep fascination with the place. Now that I work for a company whose owner is from Slovenia, I might finally get to see it!

Oceania

Royal National Park, Australia (The Trusted Traveller) Facebook|Twitter|Instagram

The Royal National Park is situated in the southern outskirts of Sydney and takes up over 15,000 hectares of land. The park was established in 1879 making it the world’s second oldest National Park after Yellowstone in the US. What I love about the park is it’s diverse habitats. As you explore you’ll find rainforest, heath, woodlands and estuarine systems along with some of Australia’s most iconic wildlife. There are plenty of things to do in the park including walking the 26km coastal track for spectacular views; Garie, Wattamolla and Bundeena beaches which I think are some of Australia’s most beautiful; shorter walks through the park to see waterfalls and Aboriginal carvings; hire a boat or have a picnic at Audley; and camping out under the stars surrounded by nothing but nature.

Editor’s Note: I had a wonderful day kayaking in the Royal National Park back in 2010. My recollection is a little fuzzy due to having only had an hour’s sleep after watching Australia’s World Cup game against Ghana at the FIFA Live Site, but I do recall spending one blissful hour dozing on an island we’d kayaked to for a picnic lunch. Bliss.

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G'day!

Chris

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Continue on to the next page to see more the many amazing parks that North & South America brought to the party.