Text: Irina Malkova, Maya Vasilieva IF YOU ARE CONSTANTLY LIVING IN DUBAI AND WHAT BEFORE YOU SEEKED EXOTIC, BECAME A MUSIC EVERYDAY EVERYTHING - IT IS TIME TO CHANGE THE CLIMATE AND GO TO JOURNEY. ESPECIALLY IF YOU SO WERE NOT ABLE TO ADD TO THE LOCAL HEAT ...
Bali
Start your journey around the island of Bali with the sacred mountain-volcano Gunung-Agung. It is better to climb to its peak in the early morning, when the surrounding landscape unfolds in front of you in the rays of the rising sun.
A long climb up a long staircase will lead you to Besakih - the main temple of Bali, built in the XI century. There is a lively trade in souvenirs on the stone steps, and beautiful photographs of sculptures of Hindu deities can be made in the temple complex. Temple of Pura Oolong Danu on the sacred lake Bratan - an amazing place in Bali. The multi-tiered pagodas built on tiny islets, as if soaring above the water, are a mystical sight. Here you can rent a boat and sail along the peaceful surface of a magical lake.
KENYA
In contrast to the noisy megacities in Africa, you find that which has remained unchanged for millions of years - wild untouched nature. The general idea that it is always hot there is incorrect. For example, Kenya is located right at the equator, so there is a fairly comfortable temperature there all year round - about 25 degrees. In Kenya, you must definitely live a couple of days in nature reserves, where there are equipped hotels for every taste and budget.
You can go on a safari and watch the animals in the wild. And in the evening, at a candlelit dinner, watch them gather at a watering place. However, not all hotels have fences, so it is not recommended to leave the rooms at night. Extreme lovers can climb Mount Kenya. The picturesque valleys that were once lava channels diverge from its top.
PORTUGAL
In the capital of Portugal - Lisbon - everywhere there is a close proximity to the ocean. The powerful breath of the Atlantic fills the atmosphere of the city with a special touch, evoking thoughts about long voyages. In the center of the city rises a white caravel - a monument to the discoverers (Padrão dos Descobrimentos).
And the Jeronimush monastery, located nearby, was built in the Middle Ages with money received from the sale of Indian spices. Vasco da Gama prayed here on the eve of his departure on a long expedition. About the middle between the Portuguese and African shores is the island of Madeira. Extinct volcanoes, sparkling waterfalls, crystal clear air, holidays and fairs ... Bright sunshine all day, and in the evening - fireworks over the bay against the blue velvet of the night sky.
You can have a good time and go over the local shops in the center of the resort town of Albufeira. The city is ideal for relaxation: luxurious beaches, flowering orange trees, music coming from cozy restaurants. Fans of marine adventures will be interested in yachting, diving and jet skiing.
MAURITIUS
Mauritians are proud of their hospitality. Indeed, they managed to achieve the ideal level of service in their hotels. The local cuisine is an unusual mixture of culinary styles. It harmoniously combines Indian, French and Creole motifs. You can also feel an unusual mix of cultures by visiting the island's national festivals. And this archipelago, lying in the Indian Ocean east of Madagascar, is famous for its golf courses. There are 3 champion class fields of 18 holes each and several 9-hole courses. Moreover, Mauritius Golf Open Championship is constantly held in Mauritius. Mauritius is also famous for its SPA and beauty salons. We recommend taking a boat trip with a transparent bottom. And you can go deep sea fishing or a boat trip.
MEXICO
Usually tourists going to Mexico go to the resort town of Cancun. But we recommend paying attention to Tulum. These are kilometers of white fine sand stretching along the coast, saturated blue sky and jade water. The water really has a very unusual blue-green hue that looks spectacular in contrast to the blue sky and completely white sand.
Tulum is a mecca for those who love nature, eco-hotels, cozy small restaurants, scuba diving and good music. Unlike the bustling Cancun, you can feel the local flavor and romance. By the way, Tulum beach is considered the most beautiful in all of Mexico, so it is not surprising that there are many retreats for yoga and self-improvement, many divers and kitesurfers. In Tulum, there are also famous cenotes - sacred wells in which the Mayans took fresh water and where you can go snorkelling, but the most daring ones are to sink to the bottom of underwater caves, since in essence cenotes are karst lakes connected by underground passages.
MONTENEGRO
Do not believe anyone who says that Montenegro is boring. Nature - national parks and reserves - fascinates with its beauty. Rivers and lakes, forests and mountains, picturesque Montenegrin canyons - all this is worth visiting here. Medieval castles and monasteries organically fit into the fabulous landscape. In the south of Montenegro, it is worth visiting two cities - Ulcinj and Old Bar. Ulcinj is a city with an ancient history. Once it was the pirate capital of the Adriatic, it was here that the pirates kept the great Cervantes imprisoned.
In Ulcinj, you can admire the old city, where there are many beautiful mosques and real Turkish baths. In addition, here you can sunbathe on the Great Ulcinj Beach, the longest Adriatic beach. Local cuisine also deserves special attention. The main thing is to get used to the unusual names of dishes. For example, chops stuffed with spices are called “hangers,” and meat roasted on a spit is called “cookies.” Be sure to try the local feta cheese and the ear of Chorba.
Cote d'Azur
Marseille, Cannes, Nice, Monaco ... The sparkle of a casino, the roar of Formula 1 cars, luxurious yachts ... And also - many small towns of Provence, lost in mountain labyrinths fanned with the scent of lavender. All this together is called the French Riviera. It’s useless to paint its beauty, it’s better to just come and see everything with your own eyes. No wonder all the most famous writers lived and worked here, including Chekhov, Kuprin, Maupassant, Fitzgerald and Nabokov.
This place is special. In the atmosphere there is a spark of divine inspiration combined with peace and tranquility. The air is filled with freshness and aromas of flowers that bloom here all year round. In Marseille, be sure to climb the hill where the basilica of Notre Dame de la Garde stands. It offers stunning views of the entire city. Also try the famous bouillabaisse soup. Nice, in addition to the usual shopping, has a great nightlife. Near Nice there is the picturesque town of Eze, where the perfume factory Fragonard, which produces niche perfumes, is located.
GREECE, Fr. SANTORINI
Despite the tangible high cost of life on the island, it is not customary to talk about money. There is no bohemian fuss of Nice or Capri, no palm trees and snow-white beaches of the Maldives or Bali. People come here for another - to feel what Milan Kundera once called the "unbearable lightness of being."
Once the Argonauts called Santorini "Calisti", which in ancient Greek means "beautiful." And indeed, the local species have a truly therapeutic effect. Sitting at a restaurant table, whose porch is hollowed out in a limestone rock, and looking down at three neighboring islands and white yachts scurrying between them, the blue sea and sky without a single cloud, tourists experience an unusual and so strong feeling that tears can involuntarily wake their eyes . Many are convinced that Santorini is the very lost Atlantis. Blue domes are the visiting card of the island. In addition, sometimes there are rooftops of leopard-colored houses, which is why in the evenings, Santorini resembles a fairy-tale country, either gnomes or elves.
AUSTRALIA
At least once in your life you need to visit Australia. Not for the sake of exoticism, but to feel absolutely happy. Just like in childhood ... Sand, palm trees, the ocean, kangaroos and koalas. But perhaps few people know that one of the pearls of Australia (and the second main attraction of the country after the Sydney Opera House) is the Great Ocean Road - one of the most beautiful highways in the world. It runs along the coast of the Pacific Ocean near the city of Melbourne, and driving along it you can see the nature of Australia in all its diversity - from tropical forests to ancient volcanoes and the rocky coast.
In addition, along the way you can observe whales, admire the huge waves from Bells Beach (the cult place of all surfers and where, by the way, the film "On the crest of a wave" was shot) and, of course, see the "Twelve Apostles" - giant limestone rocks, majestically surging from the waters of the ocean. There are many excellent restaurants and wineries throughout the journey, comfortably housed in the wild. A little tip: somewhere in the middle of the route you can take a helicopter tour and look at the Great Ocean Road from above. Do not spare money and time, it's worth it!
