Adventure Awaits - adventures by AdventureLink

Top 10 Luxury Trips for 2012

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 00:00:00 Z

Sometimes travel is better left to the professionals, and luxury tour operators are the cream of the crop. They take care of the smallest details, allowing you to focus on having the travel experience of a lifetime. These trips feature only the best in transportation, accommodations and dining, from private jets and five-star hotels and palaces to elegant multi-course meals. Here are our top 10 luxury trips.

1. The Royal Scotsman & The Military Tattoo Escorted Journey

Photo credit: DanL via flickr

This 11-day trip explores the historic cities and beautiful rural countryside of Scotland. It features travel aboard one of the world's most elegant trains, the Royal Scotsman. Participants begin in charismatic Glasgow, then move on to Loch Ness, Fort William and the Isle of Skye. Then it's off to Edinburgh, where they take a private tour of the Dalwhinnie Scotch distillery and enjoy the world-famous display of pipes and drums at the annual Military Tattoo pageant.

2. Experiences of a Lifetime

This extravagant, globe-spanning 23-day adventure takes in parts of Africa, the Indian Ocean, Southeast Asia, the Indian Subcontinent and the Middle East. Beginning in London, participants fly by private jet to Cairo and enjoy a private dinner at the pyramids with a view of the Sphinx. Then it's off to Rwanda, where they have the option to go gorilla trekking or take a helicopter ride over the lush Virunga Volcanoes. They venture into the wildlife parks of South Africa, then chill out in the stunning over-water bungalows of the Maldives. Flying deep into the Himalayas, participants discover the traditions of the Kingdom of Bhutan and hike to the spectacularly perched Tiger's Nest Monastery. The trip wraps up with camel riding in the Thar Desert and wandering through enchanting Petra.

3. Imperial Japan

Photo credit: matsunuma via flickr

Travelers experience the "Land of the Rising Sun" in comfort and style on this 12-day trip, which includes first-class travel aboard the Bullet Train. In Tokyo, they stay at the legendary Peninsula Hotel and explore the Garden of the Meji Shrine. They visit Mount Fuji, and in Hakone, they enjoy a cruise on Lake Ashi, where blue waters reflect the mountain's peak. In Kyoto, they take part in a Japanese tea ceremony and enjoy an origami demonstration in a private home. They visit nearby Nara, where they explore Deer Park at the Todaji Temple. The final days include visits to Kurashiki, Hiroshima and Miyajima Island.

4. Heaven & Earth

Participants on this 21-day 'round-the-world trip travel by private jet to some of the world's most iconic and historic places with a professional staff and a team of world-class scholars. Enjoying unmatched levels of service and comfort, they explore natural wonders and ancient treasures, including Mayan ruins, Easter Island, the Great Barrier Reef, Petra, Machu Picchu and the Polynesian Kingdom of Tonga.

5. Timeless Namibia By Private Plane

Photo credit: teomancimit via flickr

This 12-day trip has participants exploring Namibia in the utmost comfort, with stays in luxurious lodges and time on charted catamarans and a private plane. Travelers are treated to a private picnic breakfast with a sunrise view of the stunning dunes of the Namib Desert. They travel by private safari vehicle, looking out for elephants, lions and giraffes in Etosha National Park. Throughout the trip, they learn about local tribes and traditions.

6. Lapland Reindeer Safari

This 15-day trip takes travelers to one the world's last frontiers: the Arctic Circle. Participants board an icebreaker to plow through ice in the Gulf of Bothnia. Embarking on a three-stage adventure through Finland, they take part in snowmobiling and sledding through the winter terrain. They also visit Sweden's famous ICEHOTEL and the illuminating Northern Lights research center.

7. Indian Indulgence

Photo credit: dominickelly1977 via flickr

Imagine a champagne breakfast overlooking the Taj Mahal. The itinerary on this 16-day trip includes that -- and a mix of other activities as well as free time. As a result, participants have the freedom to explore, or to simply relax the day away at one of the luxurious palace hotels. There's plenty of time for yoga and spa sessions, shopping excursions, and walking tours of old cities, markets and cultural sites.

8. African Splendor

Adventurers experience the best of South and East Africa on this 17-day tour. From South Africa's vineyards and iconic Table Mountain to East Africa's unparalleled wildlife parks, the itinerary includes the region's best destinations. Participants take in powerful Victoria Falls on a scenic flight and enjoy a sunset cruise down the Zambezi River. They also explore the mahogany forest, marsh and grasslands of the Lake Manyara region, home to more than 350 species of birds. Participants see the Big Five and the wildlife migrations of the Serengeti from the comfort of a safari vehicle, and they spend nights under the stars in the comfort of a luxury tented camp or lodge.

9. Time of Your Life Italian Style

Photo credit: peo pea via flickr

There are very few places that exude luxury and elegance like Italy, with its fine food, arts, style, wine, architecture and more. This 14-day trip explores the riches of northern Italy. Travelers begin in Torino and immerse themselves in the culture of "slow food." They admire the Medieval, Renaissance and Palladian architecture of Cremona and Verona, and they see great works of art, enjoy an opera performance, and of course taste the delicacies and superb wine of the region.

10. Cultures and Cuisines

This 19-day world tour explores eight culinary destinations by private jet. The trip begins with Reykjavik's unique landscape and moves on to rich Budapest, spicy India, delectable China, mouthwatering Vietnam, savory Oman, tasty Crete, and the exquisite Burgundy region of France.

Top 10 Budget Trips For 2012

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 00:00:00 Z

Contrary to popular belief, adventure travel is not just for the wealthy. Destinations and tour operators offer trips across the globe for every budget, and hundreds of great trips cost less per day than a stay in a Motel 6. Here are AdventureLink's top 10 budgets trips for 2012. (Note that prices generally include lodging, meals and guides but not airfare. See individual trip itineraries for more details.)

1. Classic Cambodia

Although Cambodia has had a troubled past, it's overflowing with history and cultural riches. This six-day trip includes the best of Cambodia, from key historical sites and busy Phenom Penh to the small city of Siem Reap, which oozes French colonial history and is the gateway to Angkor Wat. Among other highlights, participants view endangered species at the Angkor Center for Conservation of Biodiversity and eat lunch at the Sala Bai, a hospitality training center for disadvantaged families.

Total: $761 ($127 per day)

Photo credit: zxiank via flickr

2. Spirit of Sinai

With camel companions, participants on this eight-day trip trek to villages, garden oases and the pink granite slopes of the Sinai. They can walk the steps leading to Mount Sinai, which many believe to be the place where Moses received the Ten Commandments. They also cool off at the beach.

Total: $895 ($112 per day)

3. Beautiful Bali

Participants on this nine-day trip to the Indonesian island begin their journey in Ubud, its cultural heart, where they sample local delicacies at a night market and take in a Kecak dance performance. They cycle through small villages and rice paddies and explore Sengeh, home to a centuries-old temple. Then they head to Mt. Batur to take in its picturesque lake and hike to the summit for a golden sunrise. They snorkel the coral reefs off Lovina, explore misty Bedugal and then wind down in tranquil Ubud.

Total: $1015 ($113 per day)

Photo credit: Bruce_Hood via flickr

4. Budget Egypt

This trip says it best: "Maximum Egypt at minimum cost." Egypt has been a top destination for intrepid travelers for years, and for good reason. Travelers on this eight-day trip marvel at the great pyramids, float down the Nile, meet the local Nubian people, and walk through the Valley of the Kings.

Total: $599 ($75 per day)

5. Langtang, Helambu Gosaikunda Trek

Participants on this 19-day trip trek through one of the spiritual centers of Asia. They explore the three major areas north of Kathmandu along the border of Tibet: Langtang, Gosainkund and Helambu. En route, they discover magnificent snow-covered mountains and glaciers, highland Sherpa villages, lakes and beautiful Rhododendron forests.

Total: $1,350 ($71 per day)

Photo credit: Nesta* via flickr

6. Apes & Lakes Nairobi to Lilongwe

Africa may seem like an unattainable destination for those on a budget, but this trip makes it possible. Travelers view the Big Five at three of Africa’s most well known national parks: the Serengeti, Ngorogoro Crater, and Manyara. The length of this trip -- a whopping 38 days -- allows participants to see and do just about everything that Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, and Malawi have to offer.

Total: $1,326 ($35 per day)

7. Vietnam Discovery

Vietnam offers colonial charm, delicious food, friendly people and a verdant landscape replete with stunning beaches and lush rice paddies. This 15-day trip encompasses the best that Vietnam has to offer. Participants cruise Halong Bay, experience the modern chaos of Ho Chi Minh City, and discover the fusion of French and Vietnamese culture in Hanoi.

Total: $1075 ($72 per day)

Photo credit: Siva Vasanth via flickr

8. Mexico Unplugged

Participants on this two-week journey discover the Aztec, Zapotec, Mayan and Spanish cultures that formed modern Mexico. Travelers visit pueblos, bustling cities and the site of ancient civilizations. They can head to the beaches on the Yucatan Peninsula to swim, snorkel, and relax the day away.

Total: $851 ($57 per day)

9. Armenia's Trekking Highlights

Travelers on this 10-day trip to Armenia walk through mountainous passageways and hike rugged trails, and they explore medieval monasteries, villages and crater lakes.

Total: $1475 ($148 per day)

Photo credit: Mohammad Nick via flickr

10. Bolivia Highlights

Participants on this 12-day trip explore the less traveled side of South America. They visit bustling La Paz, colonial Sucre, and Potosi, once the world's richest city. They can ride a 4x4 through the otherworldly landscape of the Salar de Uyuni salt flats, where the endless white salt of this prehistoric lake meets bright blue skies.

Total: $1046 ($87 per day)

Looking for cheap flights to get to these destinations? Visit Kayak.com or CheapOAir.com for the most affordable airfare around.

A Siberian Woolly Mammoth caught on video (thought to be extinct for thousands of years)?

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 00:00:00 Z

Was a woolly mammoth spotted in Siberia? According to The Sun a government-employed engineer filmed this footage last summer in the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug region of Siberia. Amazing if this was real, but obviously we have our doubts. Meanwhile, if you want to visit Siberia to see if you can spot this whoolly mammoth, take a look at our trips in that area.

Top 10 Trips For Travelers 55 and Over

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 00:00:00 Z

Life should never cease to be exciting, and the same goes for travel. Your adventure vacation should lead you to new and exciting places while steering clear of big, dreary group bus tours. Your trip needn't be filled with strenuous or extreme activities. For mature adventurers over 55, consider a walking tour or a wildlife-viewing cruise down the Amazon; explore Mongolia by camel or hike to Patagonia's Torres del Paine. Here are our top 10 amazing adventure trips for travelers 55 and over.

1. Brazil - Rivers, Rainforests & Wildlife (15 days)

Photo credit: CIFOR via flickr

This trip includes the best of Brazil. Participants take a four-day river cruise down the Amazon and walk through the jungle; they visit local tribes and fish for piranhas. They also head to the Pantanal wetlands, the world's largest inland swamp and one of the richest natural reserves, for prime wildlife viewing, and then move on to Iguazu falls for unforgettable views. The trip winds down in Rio de Janiero, one of the world's most beautiful cities, where travelers explore the streets, squares and nightlife.

2. Papua New Guinea - A Tribal Odyssey (21 days)

Papua New Guinea is as remote as it is culturally rich, and to visit the island nation is to travel to one of the world's last frontiers. On this trip, participants explore the Sepik River by canoe, take in the country's diverse flora and fauna, and meet the tribal people who call PNG home, including the Trobriand Islanders, who were made famous by anthropologist Bronislaw Malinowski.

3. Lost World of the Mayans (19 days)

Photo credit: grebberg via flickr

On this exhilarating trip, travelers not only visit the once-great cities of Tikal, Caracol, Chichen Itza and Tulum, but they also reach nearly inaccessible sites like El Mirador, Yaxchilan and Aguateca by helicopter or boat. They discover the controversial Stelae of Quirigua, which, according to some, predicts the "end of the world" in 2012. In addition, participants explore rivers and lagoons teeming with wildlife, traditional mountain cultures, seaside fortresses and the oldest cathedral in the Americas.

4. Patagonia Trekking - To the End of the World (16 days)

When humans thought the Earth was flat, adventurers sought to find the end of the world. Travelers can come close to that mythic land on this trek in Patagonia that includes spectacular Torres del Paine. There, they take in some of the world's most stunning panoramas, including blue glaciers, snow-capped peaks, turquoise lakes, massive gorges and granite spires.

5. Boomer Backpack in Glacier National Park, Montana (5 days)

Photo credit: arbabi via flickr

Participants on this trip explore subalpine and alpine meadows among the towering mountain peaks of Montana's Glacier National Park. Among other highlights, they fish for rainbow trout in Lake Francis and trek to glacier ice caves and waterfalls, while spending memorable nights in this great North American backcountry.

6. Mongolia - Grasslands, Nomads and the Gobi (17 days)

This extraordinary trip explores the remote lands we still associate with Genghis Khan. Participants immerse themselves in a culture composed of rugged nomads, Buddhist monks, farmers and merchants, while exploring the vast Gobi Desert, Lake Hovsgol and the plains of central Mongolia.

7. The Great East African Safari (22 days)

Photo credit: Jim Shannon via flickr

This adventure is perfect for wildlife seekers. East Africa is home to some of the best game parks on the continent, and this trip features the best of them. Participants visit the Serengeti, Maasai Mara, Tarangire, Ngorogoro Crater, Bwindi and Queen Elizabeth national parks. While there, they witness one of the greatest wildlife migrations on Earth and search for leopards, gorillas, and rare bird species.

8. Yosemite, Sequoia and Kings Canyon (8 days)

This exciting trip combines education and wildlife viewing with some of the best scenery in North America. Travelers hike through forests of Sequoias to discover plunging waterfalls, and they witness magnificent cliffs and monoliths. What's more, they study black bear ecology with wildlife experts.

9. Cuba - Pearl of the Antilles (13 days)

Photo credit: azuaravaconmigo via flickr

This vibrant and enticing Caribbean country is less forbidden to American visitors than it was several years ago. Participants on this trip explore Old Havana, Cienfuegos and the picturesque Viñales Valley. They enjoy a vintage car tour and visit a school and maternity home. They also soak in one of the world's great musical traditions, enjoying the kind of rich, evocative music made famous in "The Buena Vista Social Club."

10. Jordan - Journey to Ancient Petra (10 days)

Once an important trade link between Arabia and the Far East, the Rose City of Petra captivates visitors. The pink stone site, created more than 2,000 years ago, is a huge draw, but on this trip participants also take a dip in the salt-rich Dead Sea and ride on camelback through the Wadi Rum desert among the ancient Bedouin people.

Going to Mardi Gras? Check out these New Orleans Tours.

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 00:00:00 Z

Millions of people visit New Orleans each year. It's not only the birthplace of jazz and the home of Creole and Cajun cooking, but it's the epicenter of America's Mardi Gras celebrations. You can see the city on your own, or you can enhance your visit with a cooking class or specialized tour that grants visitors exclusive access to some of New Orleans' most historic sites. Here are some of New Orleans' top tours.

New Orleans Cooking Class

Red beans and rice, gumbo, jumbalaya, crawfish etouffee: These are just some of the dishes New Orleans is famous for. In New Orleans School of Cooking's two-hour classes, local chefs share regional folklore and teach participants how to cook classic dishes through instructional demonstrations.

Check out a New Orleans Cooking Class

New Orleans Food Tour

Many visitors are happy to skip the kitchen and go straight to eating. This three-hour walking tour combines historical and architectural insights with stops at some of New Orleans' most famous eateries. Participate enjoy muffaleta at Serio's, winner of Bobby Flay's Food Network Throwdown, as well as a bowl of gumbo at the Old Coffee Pot Restaurant, which has served gumbo in the city since 1894.

Check out a New Orleans Food Tour

New Orleans Gondola Ride

Each year more than 14 million people visit New Orleans City Park to explore its oak trees and lagoons. In 2004, Robert Dula began offering another way to see the park: by authentic Venetian gondola. The 50-minute gondola tours run from 1 to 10 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays. An ice bucket and glasses are available for those who bring wine or champagne.

Check out the New Orleans Gondola Ride

Mardi Gras Tour

Mardi Gras aficionados seeking a behind-the-scenes look at the parade's floats can sign on for a tour of Blaine Kern's Mardi Gras World, where more than 70% of the Mardi Gras floats are built and housed.

Check out the Mardi Gras World Tour

New Orleans Walking Tours

The birthplace of Louis Armstrong and many other jazz greats, New Orleans is a city where great American music still thrives. An expertly guided music tour of New Orleans offers participants access to the legendary Preservation Hall, a rare experience since the building is open to the public only for evening performances. Other walking tours cover the Garden District, including its history and buildings, which are some of the most beautiful in New Orleans. Visitors can even tour New Orleans' cemeteries, which are some of the oldest in the country.

Top Eight Things to do in Thailand

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 00:00:00 Z

Thailand has something for everyone. Bustling Bangkok, historical Kanchanaburi and charismatic Chiang Mai are just a few of the places that draw visitors to this Southeast Asian country. Explore the idyllic islands of the south, or head north and hike through jungle forests to hill tribes and rural villages. Here are Thailand's top attractions.

8. Damnoen Saduak Floating Market

Photo credit: BestViewedOnBlack via flickr

Floating markets abound in Thailand, but Damnoen Saduak, located 100 kilometers southwest of Bangkok, is by far the most famous. It's a great scene: Vendors paddle along busy canals, their long canoes brimming with colorful fruits and vegetables. Shoppers line the banks. The best time to visit the picturesque market is in the morning, before the crowds arrive.

7. Bangkok

Bangkok may be one the central transportation hubs of Southeast Asia, but it's also a destination in its own right. The temples of Wat Pho, Wat Arun, Wat Mahathat, the Emerald Buddha and the Grand Palace offer visitors a glimpse of the grandeur of Thai religion and culture. Khao San Road, on the other hand, with its cafes serving banana pancakes, offers a glimpse of serious backpacker culture. And pancakes aside, Bangkok is a food lover's haven, with unrivaled food stalls and markets selling everything from noodle dishes to meat satay.

6. The Hill Tribes

Photo credit: Matt-Richardson via flickr

Thailand is home to many hill tribes and rural villages, and visitors often explore them in Northern Thailand. The hill tribes, or chao kow, are nomads who migrated from regions in southern China and Tibet. The karen people are the most numerous. Many tours visit karen villages and travel down nearby rivers on bamboo rafts, among elephants and other flora and fauna.

5. Chiang Mai

The famous Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep and the night bazaar attract tourists to Thailand's northern city of Chiang Mai. The Doi Suthep temple, located on a mountain of the same name, features shrines, statues, bells and pagodas emerging from Theravada Buddhism. Chiang Mai's daily night market and superb weekend markets feature vendors selling fabrics, handmade crafts and delicious regional cooking. Elephant Nature Park, just outside the city, is an elephant rescue and rehabilitation center where visitors learn about the animals and how they are used, sometimes unfortunately, in tourism.

4. The Southern Islands

_{Photo credit: Star Tour via flickr}

Thailand’s Southern islands are blessed with white sand beaches, limestone cliffs, turquoise water and small fishing villages. Tourists flock to Koh Phi Phi, Koh Lanta, and Ko Samui for the beaches, and especially to Koh Phangan for its famously wild Full Moon Party. Southern Thailand has much to offer those not looking for an all-night bender. Cut off from mainland access, the small peninsula of Railay beach draws rock-climbing enthusiasts and other visitors with its limestone cliffs and beautiful beaches. Off the island of Phuket lies Phang Nga Bay, with its caves, aquatic grottoes, limestone cliffs, and the famous sea stack island of Ko Ping Kan.

3. Thi Lor Su Waterfall

Located within the Umphang Wildlife Sanctuary, Thailand's biggest and most spectacular waterfall is hidden away near the Myanmar border, but it's worth the trek. It's at its peak at the end of the rainy season, around November.

2. Kanchanaburi

Photo credit: Damien @ Flickr via flickr

Most people have heard of Kanchanaburi as the location of the bridge over the river Kwai, made famous in the 1957 World War II film of the same name. Although the bridge itself is far from memorable, the story of Kanchanaburi (and Thailand and Burma as a whole) during the second World War is fascinating. Visitors should not miss the moving tour at Hellfire Pass, nearby Erawan Falls, as well as the sites in and around the city of Kanchanaburi.

1. Rayong

An emerging destination easily accessible from Bangkok, Rayong offers beaches, waterfalls, national parks, fruit orchards and fresh seafood from local fishing villages.

We have a range of Thailand trips suitable for any budget. Check 'em out.

AdventureLink's Top Ten Active Things to Do in and Around Los Angeles

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 00:00:00 Z

Los Angeles is home to some of the most exciting trips and tours. Let's explore these trips.

Fun Activities Near Los Angeles

Day trips are a great way to spice up a weekend, a day off, or can be the unexpected highlight of a quick trip. Here are the best day trips L.A. has to offer.

1. A Romantic Helicopter Tour Enjoy this romantic and exciting helicopter tour of L.A.'s best sites. See L.A.'s most famous sites from a new point of view, above, then cruise over California's golden coastline, finish up with a romantic mountain top landing, complete with dessert, a toast, and an amazing view.
2. See the Whales The deep waters off the coast of Southern California are prime for whale watching. During the winter months, catch sight of one of the greatest migrations on Earth, the gray whale migration. In summer you're likely to spot the monstrous blue and finback whales. Both of these are exciting, educational, and memorable experiences for adults and children alike.
3. Zip-Line in the San Bernardino Mountains Thrill-seekers and naturalists alike will love soaring through the tree tops in the beautiful San Bernardino Mountains just North of L.A. County. Take in views of the forest, the peaks of the San Bernardino Mountains, and even expanses of the Mojave Desert. This trip entails a bit of hiking, as well as rappelling, and taking in the sites from amazing sky bridges, as well as ten zip lines up to 1500 feet in length. This is everything you need for the perfect L.A. adventure day!
4. Take a Horseback Dinner Ride There's no better way to escape the hustle and bustle of city life without leaving the city itself then to start a horseback adventure at a ranch in the Hollywood Hills. Amble along through the Hollywood Hills on horseback, taking in the sites of Griffith Park and its surrounds.
5. Enjoy a Culinary Extravaganza in Pasadena If you're looking to try something new, but want to keep the effort to a minimum then hop on this food tour. Get the inside scoop on all the amazing eats Pasadena has to offer on this expertly guided culinary walking tour.

Explore amazing getaways near LA.

Been itching to do something adventurous for a while? Well give in and let your adventurous side rejoice in some of the amazing possibilities California has to offer.

1. Escape to Catalina Island Perhaps you've been to Catalina Island before, but we bet you haven't done it like this. On this three day camping trip you'll experience this conveniently located island like never before. Expert guides will lead you in hiking, sea kayaking, snorkeling, and wildlife spotting, giving you plenty of chances to learn skills along the way. Bring your loved ones on this trip so that you can say you watched the sun rise over the sea as you ate breakfast at your cove on Catalina Island.
2. San Diego, Grand Canyon & Vegas Tour Tour the historic Route 66 and the amazing sites along the way on this incredible tour of some of the Southwest's greatest sites. This tour gives you the chance to experience the best of both the urban and rural attractions the Southwest has to offer. From seaside L.A. and San Diego to the Imperial Sand Dunes and the Grand Canyon, finishing up in the one of a kind Las Vegas, this trip will fulfill your fix of nightlife, culture and the great outdoors.
3. Cycling Napa Valley Make the trip up north to cycle in the beauty of Napa Valley's vine covered land, and taste the vintages that made this area famous. On this trip you will cycle each day and stay in luxury accommodations each night, the perfect balance of accomplishment and relaxation.
4. Baja Sea kayaking & Whale Watching Get down to Baja this winter to enjoy the warm sun, and the bounties of nature. Kayak in the Sea of Cortez and spot gray whales returning to the waters of Baja all the way from Alaska. You'll camp on the beach and eat under the stars, making this trip perfect for outdoor, nature, and wildlife lovers.
5. California Motorcyle Tour Release the rebel within and tear up the coast on your very own Harley Davidson. Rediscover California while riding on the Pacific Coast Highway, one of the most iconic roads in the world, on a Harley Davidson, the most iconic motorcycle in the world.

Richard Bangs: The Savage Craic Of Western Ireland, Part 5

Mon, 23 Jan 2012 00:00:00 Z

Editor's Note: This is the final installment of a five-part series from world traveler Richard Bangs.

At the craic of noon next day we make our way to an interruption in the road, a pause between thoughts, the privately-owned 18th-century grand edifice known as the Westport House, lording over some 500 park-like acres. We're here to probe some pirate history. We meet up with Lady Sheelyn Browne, the 14th great granddaughter of the Pirate Queen of Connaught, the mistress of the western waves, Grace O'Malley.

Lady Browne escorts us to the dungeons of the grand manor, which she has converted into a pirate's cove, replete with treasure chest, Jolly Roger flags, brandy casks, cutlasses, flintlocks and fun house mirrors (not sure how they fit the pirate theme, but they are fun). Here she tells us the story of her ancestor, the most notorious woman in all the coasts of Ireland.

Born in a nearby castle in 1530, Grace O'Malley grew up idolizing her sea captain father. Once a teen and determined to join his crew, she cut off her hair and dressed in boys' clothing, earning her the nickname "Grainne Mhaol" (bald Grace) and set sail with her dad. Once, when the ship was boarded by English buccaneers, she climbed the sail rigging, and as her father was being attacked from behind, she sailed through the air screaming and landed on the attacking pirate's back. Her father and crew then won the fight.

She married into a wealthy clan, and when her husband died in battle, she inherited three galleys and 200 fighting men. Soon Grace had a thriving piracy empire and controlled Clew Bay and five castles, including one on whose foundations the Westport House was built. When the English captured her son and brother, she sailed to England to meet with the other great woman pirate of the era, Queen Elizabeth.

Grace spoke no English but was fluent in Latin, so she and the Queen conversed freely. She asked for the release of her brother and son and agreed to use her pirate skills to help the Queen defeat her enemies. Legend has it she then sneezed. A member of the court handed her a very expensive handkerchief of lace and delicate embroidery. Grace loudly blew her nose into the hankie, then tossed it into the fire.

The court was aghast and expected her to be executed for the act of insolence. But instead The Queen gently chided her, suggesting she should have put it into her pocket instead. Grace replied the Irish did not put soiled articles into their pockets, and therefore must have a higher sense of cleanliness. The Queen laughed, agreed to Grace's offer, and ordered Grace's family released. Grace continued to pillage and pirate into her 60s, died a wealthy warrior in her 70s, and served as inspiration for spirited women for the following ages, as well as for Keith Richards and Johnny Depp, I would suspect.

There are true stories, and then there are Irish stories. After leaving the manor house we make our way to Galway, a college town with as much history as future. Christopher Columbus pulled into port here, and rumor has it a band of sailors jumped ship, thinking the world was indeed flat while the beer here was not.

"The Irish, and I'm also guilty of this, think they invented everything," says Bono. And so they say lynching was invented here, by James Lynch Fitzstephen, Mayor of Galway, who hanged his own son from the balcony of his house after convicting him of a murder in 1493.

But we're looking for a narrative a tad more current, so we check into the G Hotel, designed by Philip Treacy, or, as I call him, "The Man Who Mistook a Hotel for a Hat." Treacy is the Galway-born theatrical milliner who designed twizzling headgear for the likes of Madonna, Lady Gaga, Sarah Jessica Parker, Victoria Beckham, Grace Jones, Boy George and most notoriously, the toilet seat top for Princess Beatrice at The Royal Wedding. The G looks like the inside of such a hat, asymmetrically hemmed, a mish-mash of eye-popping colors and textures, raspberry carpets, furnishings in undercooked hues and leopard skin. The lobby men's room is done in hot, hot pink. The effect is of something I used to envision after certain parties in college, something perhaps a little too flamboyantly trendy, at least to my plebeian sensibilities today. I do take comfort knowing that for future travelers this, too, will be a curious relic, like the dolmens and ancient forts of County Clare.

So we head downtown to a proper Irish pub and quite providentially turn into the bright blue doorsill of The Quays, reeking with age, as the interior is the transept of a medieval church, complete with stained glass, Gothic arches and pews. Beauty is in the eye of the beer holder here, so we belly up and order a pint of Irish mothers' milk: Guinness. The verger-barkeep Simon Powell asks, "Want to see how I pull a perfect pint?"

Nothing that exists is without imperfections, some philosophers contend, but they haven't met Mr. Powell's artistry. He first double cleans a dry glass and then holds it at 45 degrees under the spout. He slowly pulls the handle and allows the beer to flow smoothly down the side of the glass. As the glass fills, he straightens it. He then stands the glass on the counter and allows the gas to surge through the beer. To create the fabled head, he pushes the handle backward slightly, topping off the brew as the head rises just proud of the rim. Then he adroitly swirls the glass to etch a shamrock in the foam.

For the denouement, he picks up his stout, holds it up to the light and with an economical nod says, "That's savage craic!"

Yet the pièce de résistance of the trip comes that evening, after Karen Coleman, who inspired this quest, calls and says she is in Galway visiting friend Dr. Frank Sullivan -- and asks if we would we like to join for a dinner of whelks and homemade Irish stew. We spend a few delicious hours sipping, feasting and recounting the wanderings and encounters of our rove through Western Ireland. As the night winds down, Karen lathers the summary question, "So, all in all, how was it?"

What else could ever be returned?

"Karen, it's absolutely impossible to describe. But I'll try. We had great craic!"

Richard Bangs: The Savage Craic Of Western Ireland, Part 4

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 00:00:00 Z

Editor's Note: This is the fourth installment of a five-part series from world traveler Richard Bangs.

Now Martin gives us a tour of Dan O'Hara's cottage. It's a brief tour as the place is hardly big enough to swing a cat. He points out where the various family members slept, including a reechy loft for the unmarried girls. "Where the term 'left on the shelf comes from'," he claims.

Then he pulls out a secret sill by the chimney and produces a clear bottle of Ischabaha, water of life, mountain dew, the taste of Irish culture, Poitín or, as we know it, moonshine. Distilled from malted barley grain, he says it is one of the strongest alcoholic beverages in the world and pours a wee dram into a quartet of glasses, lifts his high and says, "Here's to all who wish us well, and those who don't can go to Hell. Sláinte." I frankly can't remember what happens next, though I do recall Martin singing a ballad by the fire and a dream with Angelica Houston in culottes and a logoed blazer.

And here we are, later that day, in front of Kylemore Abbey, where we're told Angelica Houston went to high school. The teller is Bríd Connell, a fetching young architect who works here, and with moist eyes, tells the achingly romantic story of the castle across the lake.

The story goes that Mitchell and Margaret Henry visited Connemara while on honeymoon and were so enchanted by the beauty of the uninhibited landscape, Mitchell offered to build a castle for his bride on a 15,000-acre plot. It was completed in 1868, and the couple celebrated by inviting friends and family to come and dine and stay and rejoice in their happiness. But then during a vacation in Egypt, Margaret contracted Nile Fever and died suddenly on the return. Mitchell was devastated and abandoned the castle, though he built a beautiful memorial church, a miniature replica of Bristol Cathedral, about a mile from the Castle on the shore of the lake, in which Margaret was finally laid to rest, and where, in due course, he joined her. By the time Bríd finishes the tale, we're all in tears.

We find refuge that night at the Lough Inagh Lodge, where the rooms are themed after famous Irish writers, and I get James Joyce, which both thrills and intimidates, as I took a deconstruction course about the author in college, but even with Cliff's Notes, never understood the man and his musings. I was more of the Nora Joyce school, who complained to her husband, "Why don't you write books people can read?"

Down in the bar we discover the remnants of a wedding party -- and luck of the Irish, the couple hails from Portland, Oregon, where Didrik resides. So, we order up Irish coffees and sit with the nuptial stragglers who are soused and thumping away with Irish folk tunes, roasting everyone from Bono to Joyce to Oliver Cromwell. "How's the craic?" canvasses Dominic O'Morain, the general manager, who keeps the drinks flowing long after we've left the train to the temperate zone.

I have a hard time forcing sleep. The pillow is grudging my head, and a portrait of James Joyce is looking down on me, and through his round glasses he seems to be making some kind of judgment, either on the excess of drink or my insufficient writings.

With the morning, Dominic offers to ruin us with a walk through beauty, a hike in the footsteps of St. Patrick. Under ragged shreds of clouds and swirling mist we knock the van down a skinny rock and dirt road and park at the beginning of the Meanean Pass (Pass for Birds) in the round-shouldered Maumturk Mountains. At a signpost made of recycled tires, we equip ourselves with backpacks and wind up a stony pilgrim's path. We rise above a reflective corrie lake, fingered by fog, where some Druid lost his dog, so says Dominic. Then just past the bleached skull of a horned sheep we step not-so-smartly to the vertex of the pass, which is crawling with no snakes. But we do encounter a number of stone crosses, a little chapel (a hollow in the rock known as Patrick's Bed) and a life-sized statue of St. Patrick with his signature staff.

It is here Dominic divulges some shocking news: St. Patrick wasn't Irish!

Turns out Patrick was born in Britain around 390 A.D. to a titled Christian family, though he showed little interest in the family religion. But at 16 he was kidnapped and ended up a slave tending sheep in the countryside of Ireland for seven years. According to folklore, a voice came to Patrick in his dreams, telling him to escape. He found passage on a pirate ship back to Britain, where he was reunited with his family.

But then he had a dream telling him to head back to Ireland and convert the Irish to Christianity. He spent the rest of his life wandering the land proselytizing, climbing mountains and performing miracles, such as banishing snakes (truth is, it's too damn cold for snakes), using three-leafed shamrocks to explain the Holy Trinity (Father, Son and Holy Ghost) and somehow inspiring green beer.

On the way back down, facing the infinite romance of the sea, spears of light piece the clouds, looking like shortcuts to heaven. It feels like hiking into a watercolor of The Rapture. Near the bottom, Dominic detours us from the trail, and picks his way over bogs, becks, chines and scree to a scattering of sharp piebald stones near the tangled boughs of a Hawthorne tree.

The rocks look randomly dashed, until he moves us to a certain perspective where a clear pattern emerges.

"These are the gravestones of unbaptized children," he tells us. "This is unconsecrated ground, and it is here those who perished in accidents or as famine victims or committed suicide or simply died unknown of faith are buried."

We need some spirit lifting after the somber hike, so head to Westport, and Matt Malloy's Bar, an infamous watering hole owned by the flute player for The Chieftains, the multi-Grammy winning group among the first to make Irish trad popular beyond the Isle. By some estimates, Ireland has the second highest beer consumption in the world, and it would seem this pub is ground zero.

"The craic is mighty here," Ciarán says over the din of a hooley. When a rare stool becomes vacant, I grab it, but before sitting, notice it has a hole where the butt crack would go. Scanning the room, I see that all the stools are holey. Ciarán witnesses my puzzlement and cracks, "It's because of the Guinness. Guinness causes farts."

Keenly observant that I am, after settling into the stool I browse the room and register something else that seems a bit off. There are no women in the packed room. "Is this a gay bar?" I ask Ciarán, pulling on my coat.

"No, no, lad. This is X-Factor night. All the women are at home watching the telly." Ciarán glances at his watch, "Give it another ten minutes, and the hens will come." And sure enough, a quarter of an hour later the already full room becomes three times as packed, and we squeeze through the crush back to the street and decide to walk back to the hotel. We turn a corner and bump into a passel of partying teens, always a bit unsettling late at night in a foreign town. But rather than menace, they are toothy smiles and cheer.

"Need a taxi?" one asks. "My mom drives for the company across the street. And we turn and see a sign for "Taxi & Funeral Service."

"Sign of the times," Ciarán explains. "With the recession everyone is doubling up on services. They take you coming and going."

"It's a nice night," I turn to the teens. "I think we'll walk."

"That's craic-tastic!" one says, and off they skip into the night.

Top Four Carnival Celebrations Around the World

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 00:00:00 Z

Carnival is a time to dress up, dance and indulge. It began as a Catholic tradition to feast and celebrate before the 40 days of Lent: All rich food and drink had to be disposed of before fasting and other pious practices began. That giant communal party led to Carnival, and from there spread around the globe. Check out these Carnival celebrations and revel in Carnival mischief on your next trip.

4. New Orleans Mardi Gras - January 6-February 21

Photo credit: Infrogmation via flickr

The parades, balls and king cake parties of Mardis Gras were brought to Louisiana by early French settlers. Celebrations are concentrated in the two weeks before Fat Tuesday, with the largest and most elaborate parades taking place in the season's final five days. Revelers wander down Canal Street and St. Charles Avenue, gawking at the flamboyant get-ups and collecting colorful bead necklaces and doubloons.

3. Quebec Winter Carnival - January 27-February 12

Photo credit: Jim Pare via flickr

The Quebec Winter Carnival is the largest of its kind in the world and began in 1894 with the erection of the first Ice Castle. Visitors can take part in the parade, led by the Carnival's master, Le Bonhomme (short for bonhomme de neige, or "snowman"). They can also visit the Ice Palace, marvel at the giant ice sculptures and compete in one of the various outdoor winter races.

2. Venice Carnival - February 11-February 21

Photo credit: EMIL CENZATO via flickr

Masks are a central feature of Carnivale di Venezia: They were worn to hide the identities between social classes when the Carnival began. With its famous costumes, intricate painted masks and street fun, this historical city morphs into a place of indulgence and grandeur.

1. Rio de Janeiro - February 17th-February 21

Photo credit: Ramon Morales via flickr

The parades and parties of Rio de Janeiro's Carnival are famous worldwide. Visitors travel from around the world to experience the revelry, dancing to samba while watching one of the Samba Parades in the Sambodromo, or dressing up and attending one of the Carnival Balls.

Richard Bangs: The Savage Craic Of Western Ireland, Part 3

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 00:00:00 Z

Editor's Note: This is the third installment of a five-part series from world traveler Richard Bangs.

Beneath a morning sky that seems about to collapse under its own weight, we venture to the Rossaveal ferry terminal and board the Happy Hooker for a ride across Galway Bay to Inishmore Island, one in the triptych of the fabled Aran Islands. These are the western-most habitable islands in Europe: next stop, Newfoundland. We're met by driver-guide Michael Hernon, a champion for his isle, who evokes the sense that the rest of the world is far away and unnecessary.

He boasts the island's assets as we pootle along: "19 types of bees, 437 wildflowers, 30 types of butterflies" and herds of white Connemara ponies. "Take a deep breath," he instructs as he toothpastes the van between low dry stone walls lining a very narrow stretch of road, "In fact, if a single girl sees seven white ponies in a day, the next single man will be her husband." Our traveling companion Ciarán crouches down in the back.

It's a miracle Michael can negotiate these roads without scoring the sides of his van like an Etch A Sketch, and it begs what happens if he meets a car coming the other direction. Ciarán says his dad was here years ago when there were only two cars on the whole of the island, and, as luck would have it, they crashed into one another. A bad craic-up.

Michael steers us up the hill to Dún Aonghasa, Ireland's favorite ruin, after Seán Quinn. It's a pre-Christian stone fort enclosed by three curvilinear wind-chiseled walls ending at a clean-sliced cliff. It is how I imagine the perch from "The Guns of Navarone," though some scholars think its purpose was more religious than military, perhaps used for seasonal rites by the Druids. The wind is the sound of ghosts who can't tell their stories. The light here seems like a physical object, as though you could lean on it, though not too close to the edge, which is a sheer 300-foot drop to a grim and battering sea. But talk about heightened awareness: Standing here, looking out to infinity, eyes are far ahead of thoughts.

The ruins, now designated as a World Heritage Site, are a popular tourist stop, which typically means a perimeter ruination of concessions, gift shops, fudge bars, colored trash bins, civilized with stairs or trams. But happily there is nothing here but ancient stone. We have to head down the hill to find the knick-knackery and to peek into the An Púcán Craft Shop in Kilronan, where they sell the famous Aran sweaters. Francis Beatty, who has been running the shop with her husband for 32 years, tells us the Aran Sweater was an early version of DNA, in that mothers would weave a distinctive pattern into the pullovers for their sons so that if lost at sea, they could then be identified. But things have changed, even here on Inishmore, she laments. "The fishermen today prefer Tommy Hilfiger."

'Round twilight we check into the Tigh Fitz B&B, next to a shuttered pub advertising "Craic Agus Ceol," whatever that is. The guesthouse is family run, and the proprietress is sweet as the local cream, but I am a bit puzzled by the large sign in my bathroom: "Dear Guests. Please ensure all traces of make-up have been removed before using provided towels, as stains cannot be removed and extra charges may incur." Makes me wonder what kind of guests usually stay here, and where they might be from -- but also whether there might be a business opportunity to introduce a good laundry detergent to the islands.

A cold monsoon has let loose at dawn and gets worse as we head to the serpentine ferry car park, a new construction that has, says Michael, "127 signs, including one that tells visitors the number of signs." The sea has the voice of a rock concert crowd as we holler goodbyes to Michael. Inside the ferry we ride the white horses, as the Irish call the white caps crashing over the gunwales. It feels like the sea is playing air guitar with our boat, and one by one the children, then their parents, stagger to the stern to call for O'Rourke and feed the fishes.

Once back on solid ground, we appreciatively settle into the steady seats in our van and blast into the past to a great historical crossroads marked with a stone triangular monument that proudly states: "On this site in 1897, nothing happened." We're in the village of Recess, so perhaps the marker makes sense. A little later down the lane is a piece of unsung history now being intoned. The Connemara Heritage and History Centre is based around a restored pre-famine cottage of one Dan O' Hara, who was forced to emigrate in the 1840s when evicted from his home for having windows that were too big. Dan didn't own the home, but when he increased the size of the windows in his house -- and added glass -- this led to increased rent payments to his British landlord, which he couldn't afford.

Ciarán says the term "daylight robbery" comes from what they called the window tax. Ireland was over-larded by Britain when the tax was introduced as part of the "Act of Making Good the Deficiency of the Clipped Money" in 1696, designed to impose tax relative to the prosperity of the taxpayer, but without the controversy that then surrounded the idea of income tax. (Sound familiar?) At that time, many Brits opposed income tax, on principle, because they believed the disclosure of personal income represented an unacceptable governmental intrusion into private matters. My, how things change.

The past is not a foreign country for Martin and Nora Walsh, who plowed into agri-tourism when converting their six-acre farm in 1992 as a tribute to an era most have tried to bury from memory. Martin also undertook the project out of what might be considered a disproportionately strong affinity to kinship: His mother's grandmother was the daughter of Dan O'Hara's brother. Now Martin loads us into his red tractor-drawn carriage and chugs up the hill to a view point. From here we can see the Twelve Bens, not an ice-cream display but rather a range of eyebrow-peaked quartzite crags, a set of blue beckoning tors, the dominant features of Connemara, which in turn is the most unreclaimed acreage of nature in Ireland.

But Martin also casts his sharp blue-eyes down past pinfolds of sheep on to the village of Clifden, the western-most jut of land on the main mass of Ireland, and beyond to a hammered-gold spread of ocean. "On a clear day you can see the Statue of Liberty," Martin promises. He also gives us some historical data points about Clifden. Guglielmo Marconi (whose wife was a Jameson, granddaughter of John Jameson, founder of my favorite whiskey) made the first transmission connecting Europe with North America here in 1907 with a 10,000 word memo. (Probably 100 words would have been fine, but an Italian in Ireland can't help but be wordy). And the first non-stop transatlantic flight, a modified World War I Vickers Vimy bomber, crash-landed in a bog here in 1919. Now gulls hang in the air like kites.

But the most interesting view is of the tiny thatched-roof stone cottage a stone's throw down the hill to which we tractor next. Tenant farmer Dan O'Hara lived here with his wife and seven children. Most of his land was given over to potatoes, which grew in the poorest conditions. An acre and a half would sustain a half dozen people for six months. Some of the crop was used to feed a pig. Potatoes, along with buttermilk, ensured the population of Connemara was robust and healthy, though poor.

Things were peachy until the Irish Potato Famine of 1845-1852, in which the country experienced the greatest loss of population in world history. Locally known as Gorta Mór, meaning "the Great Hunger," it triggered over a million deaths and prompted another million or so to ship out. (It's one of the reasons there are over 40 million Americans who report Irish ancestry today, while the population of the whole of Ireland is only about 6 million.) Ciarán blames the famine on Ireland's favorite villain, Oliver Cromwell, who conquered the emerald isles in the middle 1600s (and, among other unpleasant decrees, banned Christmas festivities).

As the British took over the prime real estate in the eastern quarters, he pushed millions of Irish to the "savage, savage lands" of western Ireland. Many were given the choice of being shipped to the Bahamas or moving to the poor soils of Connemara, and since the Bahamas were little-known and evoked Hellish images, most chose to move west. If only they could have seen today's coconut tree- and beach-laden brochures, Gaelic might have been become the lingua franca on the edge of the Caribbean.

When Dan O'Hara lost his home, he took passage on one of the diaspora boats to New York, often called, with good reason, coffin ships. He arrived a broken man. His wife and three children died on the sea journey. He was penniless and destitute when he stepped ashore, so he had to put his remaining children into care. He ended his days selling matches on the mean streets of New York.

Richard Bangs: The Savage Craic of Western Ireland, Part 2

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 00:00:00 Z

Editor's note: This is the second installment in a five-part series from world traveler Richard Bangs.

Up the stunning R478 coastal road, full of scoops and cuts, pleats and tucks, bights and coves, where the cold Atlantic is engaged in its never-ending battle with the rocky shore: By mid-afternoon, we pull into "The Cliffs of Insanity," as so aptly termed in The Princess Bride. Née The Cliffs of Moher, they are the most visited outdoor site in country and were short-listed for one of the New Seven Wonders of Nature (but didn't make the final cut). Beyond the capacious car park there is one spectral man-made structure overlooking the 702-foot-high cliffs, a gray tower built in 1835 by Sir Cornelius O'Brien, a descendent of the first High King of Ireland. He erected the phallus-like lookout ostensibly to impress potential mistresses, though word is they were more impressed by the view than by the lord they privately called Corny.

Just beyond the huge grim pawn is the precipice. It's one of those places that makes you dizzy and disoriented looking at birds flying below, and it attracts the crazies. Some mountain bikers snuck a ride along a narrow ledge for a few yards and posted it on the internet as "The Most Terrifying Mountain Biking Trail On Earth."

And the day before our visit an American woman posted a fake image of Jesus Christ on the cliffs, and punked a web audience into belief. (Earlier in the summer I visited Medjugorje in Bosnia where over a million pilgrims a year flock to see the site where a group of local kids supposedly saw the Virgin Mary in 1981, so I don't underestimate the tourism potential in these sightings and have seriously considered announcing an apparition in my backyard.) Extreme surfers often tempt fate in the 40-foot-high Aileen wave below. Hollywood drove a Mercedes off the cliffs (for the pre-digital Paul Newman-vehicle, The Mackintosh Man.) Someone recently did a Michael Jackson and hung his baby over the edge. Then there are the suicides. Our guide refuses to share the numbers, but it is safe to say this is the Golden Gate of Ireland. She does offer that there have been "29 known interventions."

We're now squarely in The Burren (from Boireann, a rocky place), a dusky karst surface that looks like the maria of the moon, with not a high-rise in sight. "Sorry, there are no high-rises," edifies our guide Ciarán, "We came too late to money, and they block out the sun."

Late afternoon we're feeling high tea, so pull into the Burren Smokehouse, amusingly decorated with a leaping mosaic salmon at the entrance, large story tiles on the outside and inside walls depicting the Irish saga of the "Salmon of Knowledge." It's a chipper shop spilling with curios, including a publication that would only sell well in rural Ireland or New Zealand: a pin-up calendar of sheep. "Let's go have some craic," proprietor Peter Curtin suggests, offering up a nosh of freshly smoked salmon on toast.

Then he reveals the mythology behind his theme. An ordinary salmon ate some hazelnuts that fell from the Tree of Wisdom and in so doing gained all the knowledge in the world. Moreover, the first person to eat of its flesh would, in turn, gain this knowledge. A poet then caught the salmon and gave it to his servant to cook, instructing him not to eat a whit of it. The servant cooked the salmon with care, but when he touched the fish with his thumb to see if it was ready, he burned his finger on a drop of hot fat. Immediately he sucked on his burned finger, and -- whoosh -- he possessed the noosphere. Yet with all the hindsight of history, he lacked sufficient foresight, apparently, to warn of the real estate iceberg Ireland hit in 2008. It's a craic story nonetheless, Peter says. Ciarán adds the only difference between Iceland and Ireland is one letter and six months.

Still, Ireland is optimism in action. We settle into a guesthouse in Doolin, but Didrik wants to sup down the road at O'Connor's Pub, as his great Aunt is an O'Connor and he wants to lay claim. Gus O'Connor says it's been a family operation since 1834 and has strong ties to Irish Americans, especially policemen, and he shows off what may be the largest collection of police patches in the world, all dispatched by Paddys in the various precincts around America. "It's all mad craic," he beams between unstinting sips of Bushmills Black Bush.

Up the arrestingly empty Ballyvaughan Road, the feeling of spaciousness is thrilling and comforting at the same time, as there is nothing to crack into. Our next stop is The Poulnabrone Dolmen ("Hole of the Sorrows"), a megalithic tomb dating from about 3,500 BC, looking like an oversized stone stool for the dead. Excavations in the 1980s found at least 22 adults and children buried here, along with a polished stone axe, a bone pendant, quartz crystals, weapons and pottery. A low cloud seems to push down the flat top, and the baleful effect is all the more as it has started raining cobblers' knives, the first precipitation since we've arrived. "It only rained twice last week," Ciarán slags, "once for three days and then once for four days."

To seek shelter we decide to go potholing, Irish for spelunking, at the nearby Aillwee Cave, what they call a keyhole cave for the shape of its entrance, and the feeling you get of spying on another world. Nuala MulQueeney, the director, says we're not the only ones to find refuge here: It used to be a bear haven. About 1,400 years ago some European brown bears (now extinct) escaped the winter cold in this climate-controlled grotto -- it's a constant 50 degrees down here -- but apparently never came out, as a pile of bear bones lie in a scallop by the path. Nula suggests this may have been the last bear den in Ireland.

Beyond the bones it's a garishly lit underworld, like a themed frat party, but an exciting moment is when Nuala turns off the lights for the total darkness experience. Having crawled a few caverns, I would say that with the lights off, if you've seen one cave, you've seen them all. One guide shows us a stalagmite that he says has been carbon dated as 7,000 years old, and then he traces his finger down the cone to mark certain eras: "Here is when the Greeks built the Parthenon," he swipes a line about mid-section. "And here is when the Egyptians built the pyramids," as he pulls an invisible line further down the shaft. And then he drops his finger near the base, "and here is when Mick met Keith Richards."

Evolving out of the cave, we make our way to the cultural hill village of Cnoc Suain ("Restful Hill"), where the motto is "Bíonn siúlach scéalach" ("The traveller has tales to tell") -- or sings and plays music, in our case. We happen into a traditional jam session with the legendary Mary Bergin on tin whistle (the instrument some hold responsible for making the Titanic sound track the bestselling of all time), Johnny "Ringo" McDonagh on Bodhran drum (he was a solo in Riverdance for four years and one of the groundbreakers in the musical vocabulary of the instrument) and Steve Sweeney lilting, which is a kind of mouth music along the lines of a Gaelic Bobby McFerrin. It's a lively session by a blazing peat fire, with the easy language of Irish whiskey flowing blithely.

When the music stops, co-proprietor Charlie Troy offers to show me his bog. A former teacher in botany and geology, Charlie preserves a keen interest in wet earth. His backyard is an impressive and ancient expanse, flat as a floor, festooned with gorse, for peat's sake. He compares this Atlantic blanket bogland to the Amazon rainforest, as it absorbs huge amounts of carbon dioxide and, when compromised, it contributes to climate change. He instructs that peat, or turf as it's known here, grows about a millimeter a year. About 90% water, it's a remarkable preservative: Plunging an iron rod, taller than me, down through the sloshy ground to bedrock, he says we have descended through 2,000 years of time.

Just as the sands of the Sahara, if blown away, reveal pyramids and temples, if we could roll back this blanket we would find evidence of early civilizations. Manuscripts from the 9th century, in mint condition, were unearthed here. And he says a murdered male school teacher was found 24 years after the crime, though condition was not so mint.

We head back to the thatched cottage, where Dearbhaill Standún, the other proprietor of Cnoc Suain, is baking Irish Soda Bread and reciting Gaelic poetry in dulcet tones, a combination that sets the heart aflutter and inspires more whiskey.

At this point we're feeling pretty ripe, and not ready for bed, so we blow into the nearby Padraicins Pub, where a couple of teenage girls, arms pressed to their sides, are jigging various Michael Flatley moves for a group of Americans on an Elderhostel bus tour. The tour group seems jet-lagged, and not particularly inspired by the step dancing (though a few are coaxed to the floor to flail with the lasses), but for us it is positively foot-stomping, and on a break we ask the girls what they think of their hobby.

"It's super craic!" they giggle, before they twinkle back to the wooden floor for another round.

Richard Bangs: The Savage Craic Of Western Ireland, Part 1

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 00:00:00 Z

Editor's Note: The following is the first installment in a five-part series from adventure traveler Richard Bangs.

It begins, as do all good Irish stories, in a pub. Sitting, Guinness in grip, with old friend Karen Coleman, a radio and television host in Dublin, she effluxes: "You've got to go to the west of Ireland. It's good craic."

Sorry?

So a spell later, a road trip ensues, with traveling pal (and erstwhile Everest summiteer) Didrik Johnck. We recruit Ciarán Ganter, 16-year-veteran local guide, as escort, and in a rented silver Mercedes Viano set out to "craic" -- and crack -- the code.

It's a bit of a haul from Los Angeles to Shannon, so arriving in the pearly light of early morning Didrik and I are a tad rattled and in need of a pick-me-up; something to sooth the nerves, yet keep us awake. So, Ciarán wheels us over to the Foynes Flying Boat Museum, where the original Irish Coffee was invented. Foynes, it turns out, was once the center of the universe, the original server farm for the world wide web, as from 1935 to 1945 it was the terminal for the first long-haul planes, the flying boats.

"It was a mini-Casablanca," pipes director Margaret O'Shaughnessy, whose grandfather was the communications manager for Foynes, meaning that, like Paul Revere, when a plane skid in, he rode around town on his horse alerting folks to come and offer up food, drink and services. This was the hub, the vital link, as planes radiated from here to Newfoundland, New York, Africa, Brazil, Bermuda and the Continent. But the flights didn't always go as planned.

In the winter of 1943 a Pan Am Clipper was nearing the half-way point to North America as a storm over the North Atlantic tossed the plane around like a cork in heavy seas. The pilot decided to turn around and arrived back at Foynes in a wee hours of the night, with passengers cold, damp and unnerved. Joseph Sheridan, the local chef, was asked to concoct something for their condition and so splashed some Powers Irish whiskey into cups of coffee, dolloped on some heavy cream and served 'em up.

"What is this?" a delighted passenger asked. "Brazilian coffee?"

Joe thought for a moment, then, "Nope, Irish coffee." And a wicked neologism was born.

Grainne Walsh, the museum accountant, is our barista, and she shows the technique -- and offers up that Irish coffee provides in a single glass all four essential food groups: alcohol, caffeine, sugar and fat. Ever seeking good health, we each order two more glasses.

Buzzed yet groggy we make our way to our motel, a little Renaissance roadside attraction called the Dromoland Castle, ancestral home of the O'Briens, Barons of Inchiquin. My word. Even in the dungeon, where I bore down to find my room, the accommodations are bloody royal, though the wallpapers the sort you wouldn't wish for your home, or Oscar Wilde's, whose last words reportedly were "Either the wallpaper goes, or I do." And there's no cell service. I overhear an American guest in the lobby, "Why did they build the castle where there aren't any cell towers?"

But sleep is not yet a companion, so we make a visit to tweedy flat-capped fellow Dave Atkinson, the on-grounds falconer. Dave has his head in the clouds, literally. He's taller than Big Bird, and as such is an ideal beacon for raptors, a name derived, he informs, from the Latin word rapere, meaning to seize or take by force.

Dave is a kind of raptor wrangler and as such takes us on a hawk walk across a swath of the 410 acres of castle grounds, introducing Limerick, a female peregrine whom he plucked from a seaside cliff overlooking County Limerick at 4 weeks old and has nurtured into adulthood. And of hoods, Limerick wears a tidy leather one over her head. It's "where the term hoodwinked comes from," Dave says, as he lifts the cover and off to the treetops wheels the bird. Then when Dave swings a rope with a dead mouse attached in a wide circle, Limerick comes swooping, winged lightening, precision predation. "Eyesight is six times better than ours. The fastest living thing in the world, 240 miles an hour," Dave crows as I evoke a more considered avifauna, and duck.

Which brings us to dinner, a recherché affair with a menu of fish, fowl and hearty viands, from pot-roasted guinea fowl to grilled paillard of swordfish to duck confit in the Earl of Thomond restaurant. I indulge in the loin of glazed suckling pig and afterwards make my way through the labyrinthine hallways lined with mullioned windows and portraits of the O'Brien clan, down the dank stairs, and fall, bloated yet unshackled, into bed.

What is Ireland but an ever greenway? We take to the links this first morning, wearing two pair of socks, not just because it is nippy, but in case we get a hole in one. We steer into the Lahinch Golf Club, the "St. Andrews of Ireland," as much for its beastly weather as its dunes, which wave to a sea supple with surfers. The weather is actually quite agreeable, though with some blust, sending balls to the far end of the links, where graze a couple of oblivious goats. Back at the clubhouse, we find the reason for the blessed skies, as a sign in the locker room instructs: "See the goats for the weather. If goats near the clubhouse, bad weather. If at the dunes, good weather." We ruminant on that for a moment and then pile in the van and continue up the road.

It's a lonely and treacherously beautiful road roving under a big sky, lined with flagstone fences, showered in chiaroscuro and ethereal northern light. We pass the Submarine Café, across from which John P. Holland invented the submarine, then a figurine of Dusty the Dolphin, after Dusty Springfield, as when her ashes were tossed into the sea near here, a female dolphin appeared, and witnesses gave the marine mammal the eponymous tag.

We pass a string of shuttered pubs. "A good puzzle would be to cross Ireland without passing a pub," James Joyce quipped. But with the fall from Celtic Tiger to Celtic Kitten in the past years, and with new indoor anti-cigarette laws, and stricter laws on drunk driving, folks are staying closer to home. Ciarán refuses to even take a sip of Irish coffee at lunch for fear the consequences. Pint-sized Ireland just got smaller. "But the craic stays big," promises Ciarán.

The Best Hikes in the World

Thu, 05 Jan 2012 00:00:00 Z

Hiking is one of the simplest activities an adventurer can undertake, and yet it yields some of the greatest pleasures: crisp air, amazing views, and that satisfying sense of accomplishment you get only when you've pushed yourself and met a goal. What's more, the simple act of walking forges a strong connection between you and the land. One of the secrets to a great hiking adventure is choosing your landscape. Here's a list of some of the best hiking destinations in the world.

Italy - The Dolomites

Located in peaceful northern Italy, the Dolomites are one of the world's most picturesque mountain ranges. It's hard to imagine them any other way, but they were a very different place in World War I. The Via Ferrata, or iron roads, that line the mountains were born out of the chaos of that war. Now, the Via Ferrata is ideal for hikers of all levels, as well as anyone interested in history. Many treks include overnights with hearty meals and roaring fires in the many rifugii, or mountain shelters, tucked into the mountains.

From budget, to luxury, and even self-guided we've got all your hiking trips in one place, check 'em out:

Hiking trips in the Dolomites

Photo Credit: juliaviajando via Flickr

New Zealand - Tongoriro National Park

Tongoriro National Park on New Zealand’s North Island is the fourth-oldest national park in the world. It's home to four active volcanoes, and its terrain varies with each changing mile. One moment you can find yourself walking through herb fields, and the next by steaming craters and bubbling mud puddles. The region is also home to the Maori, the area's original inhabitants, so it offers a great place to soak up the culture before or after your trek. Tongoriro can be explored in daylong and multi-day hikes.

Hiking trips to New Zealand

Photo Credit: Jeff Pang via Flickr

Yosemite National Park - California

Yosemite's picturesque vistas seem to have been created by the hands of an artist. Where else can you hike among giant sequoias, cascading waterfalls, roaring rivers and such dramatic granite walls? With more than 800 miles of trails, Yosemite offers hikes for adventurers of all levels. Most visitors stay in Yosemite Valley, but experts recommend getting out into the upper reaches of the park. Visit during the warmer months to take advantage of California's stable sunny weather.

Hiking trips in Yosemite

Photo Credit: .Bala via Flickr

Patagonia

The Patagonia region of South America is one of the world's most popular hiking destinations. It's so spectacular, in fact, that visitor's are more than happy to endure its famously wild weather. They're rewarded with a vast wilderness: Horizons expand seemingly forever, the air is fresh, and the streams are drinkable. Both Torres del Paine National Park and Glaciares National Park offer easy to strenuous hikes ranging from a couple of hours to over a week. It's best between the summer months of December and February. You'll not only find the nicest possible weather, but the most daylight hours, too.

Hiking trips in Patagonia

Photo Credit: *christopher* via Flickr

Inca Trail - Peru

Any hike ending at Machu Picchu deserves a spot on a list of the best hikes in the world. Parts of the trail date back to pre-Incan times, and the Peruvians are working hard to preserve its heritage. Only 500 people are allowed to enter the trail each day, so booking in advance is necessary.

Hiking trips on the Inca Trail

Photo Credit: Kudumomo via Flickr

Mont Blanc - France and Italy

Mont Blanc is the tallest mountain in the European Union. It has a reputation as the cushiest hiking destination in the world, but the views are impeccable, and the hikes can be surprisingly challenging. Because it sits on the border of France and Italy, Mont Blanc offers hikers the change to experience two of the most hospitable cultures in the world. The result: After a grueling hike, you can treat yourself to an amazing meal off the trail.

Hiking trips in Mont Blanc

Photo Credit: heatheronhertravels via Flickr

Annapurna Circuit - Nepal

The Annapurna circuit offers hikers breathtaking views of the Himalayas, as well as the opportunity to experience the Buddhist culture of the highland villages. What's more, it winds through both lush valleys and high mountain passes, so hikers enjoy a varied landscape. The trek takes between 17 and 21 days to complete. Accommodations are plentiful, and porter services are reasonably priced. Officials are considering building a road that would alter the region, so now is a good time to experience the pristine landscape.

Hiking the Annapurna Circuit

Photo Credit: Simon le nippon via Flickr

The Outback - Australia

Australia's Outback boasts countless hiking opportunities in a surprisingly colorful landscape. Uluru, also known as Ayers Rock, pictured above, turns a brilliant red in the setting sun. Meanwhile, near the arid King's Canyon, an amazingly green, lush garden flourishes -- appropriately named The Garden of Eden. Visitors can camp and even stay in old cattle ranches.

Hiking trips in the Outback

Photo Credit: nosha via Flickr

The Chomolhari Trek - Bhutan

Bhutan didn't open its borders to tourism until 1974, and still today it limits the number of tourists allowed to visit each year. The result is a culture powerful and potent enough to leave visitors forever changed. Hikers can walk with traditional Buddhist monks and ascend to centuries-old monasteries. And the views? They aren't bad: Bhutan sits in the midst of the heavenly Himalayas.

Hiking trips in Bhutan

Photo Credit: Göran (Kartläsarn) via Flickr

The World's Top Foodie Destinations

Tue, 20 Dec 2011 00:00:00 Z

I don't think I'm alone when I say that one of my favorite aspects of traveling is sampling the local food. I also enjoy learning about different ingredients and how to prepare unfamiliar dishes. I'm certainly not being modest when I say I've eaten my way through my fair share of countries. Herewith, some of my favorite foodie destinations -- places to savor with a hearty appetite. Mangia!

Argentina

Photo by Olie Lever via flickr

The two words that most characterize Argentina's hold on visitors' hearts: meat and wine. Argentinian beef is unparalleled. Asado, or barbecue beef, is the unofficial Argentine national dish and can be found just about everywhere.

Tip: Don't be shy. No one will pay attention to how many bistecas you've had. Argentinian people are known for their love of eating. If you're not in the mood for great red wines, try the traditional drink mate, an infused concoction made from dried yerba mate leaves.

Italy

Yes, this is an obvious choice: pizza, pasta, gelato, cheese, wine, oh my! Also, Italy's regions offer a dizzying variety of dishes, so exploring pays off. Pizza from Naples; lasagna, risotto, and egg noodles from the northern areas; prosciutto, tortellini and ravioli in the south. And as a serious cheese lover, I have a special place in my heart for Italy. It's the birthplace of mozzarella, burrata, parmesan, provolone and ricotta, to name a few.

Tip: You could almost live on cheese and pasta alone, but don't forget to try some of the famous regional wines, such as Chianti, Prosecco and Montepulciano d'Abruzzo.

Thailand

Photo by Tazi Phillips

Most Thai dishes are a combination of salty, sweet, sour, and spicy flavors. Indulge in spring rolls, noodles and pad thai, chicken and beef satay, soups, and green papaya salad with sticky rice.

Tip: Don't hesitate to try the street food. Some of the best food you will ever have is cooked right in front of you at one of the many food carts that roam streets and alleyways -- all for the cost of a bottle of water back home. Also, don't miss out on taking one of the many cooking classes in Chiang Mai. That way, you can savor these foods back home for years to come.

Belgium

With more chocolate truffles, bon bons and pralines per square foot than anywhere else in the world, Belgium has to be on this list. Besides being the home of chocolate connoisseurs Godiva, Neuhaus and Leonidas, Belgium will tempt you with its street waffles, frites and world renowned Belgian beers.

Tip: Try the delicious varieties of dipping sauces for your frites. Variations of mayonnaise like garlic aioli and curry mayonnaise make the perfect flavor combination with the crispy friets.

Morocco

Photo by doybadz101 via flickr

This savory dish is heaven: slow-roasted lamb tagines sweetened with dates or flavored with olives, with cous cous optional. Pair this with a cup of Moroccan mint tea with a wallop of sugar. Your taste buds have the Berbers of North Africa to thank.

Tip: If your fork is not buried in a delicious Moroccan meal, wander the local souk taking in the colorful and pungent barrels of spices, fruits, pastries, vegetables and butchered meats.

California

Los Angeles has its famous food trucks, ethnic markets, and celebrity chefs. San Francisco boasts Chinatown and North Beach's Little Italy. Napa offers renowned wine country and its own culinary restaurant sensations. From south to north, California has it all.

Tip: Don't feel like eating out? Take a quick trip to one of the many farmers markets found in most California cities for locally grown, organic produce to create your own home cooked meal.

Eight Great Winter Travel Destinations

Thu, 15 Dec 2011 00:00:00 Z

Looking for a winter getaway? Winter is a great time to explore new frontiers -- either warm-weather destinations where you can escape the cold, or cooler locales where you'll often find off-season prices and fewer travelers. Check out these recommendations for top warm- and cold-weather winter travel destinations.

ESCAPE

1. Caribbean

Trade blistering cold and snow for balmy temperatures, beaches and the bright sunshine of the Caribbean, a year-round vacation hotspot. The temperatures here rarely dip low enough to require anything more than shorts and a T-shirt. Kayak among islands to explore coral reefs and marine habitats, discover hidden beaches or camp out under the stars.

2. Costa Rica

Costa Rica’s dry summer runs from December through April and is a prime time to visit. Like to surf? The beaches on the Caribbean side offer better breaks this time of year. The wildlife viewing can be great, too. Spot leatherbacks and the resplendent quetzal, among other critters.

3. Cuba

A 2011 Treasury Department travel policy change now allows United States citizens participating in government-sanctioned “people-to-people” group tours to visit Cuba. Tour Old Havana and the cobblestone streets of Trinidad, both UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Forget about the winter blues while exploring tropical beaches, historical sites and Cuba's vibrant culture.

4. Namibia

Namibia is home to one of the world's driest deserts, and its climate is generally pleasant. November to April is the best time to visit the coast and enjoy the culture and unique flora and fauna. For starters, witness thousands of flamingos and a variety of other migratory birds that breed at Etosha National Park.

EMBRACE

Photo Anni Stockeld via flickr

5. Antarctica

The North American winter months are a great time to visit Antarctica, where the austral summer brings intense midnight sun, bearable temperatures (compared to other times of the year) and diverse wildlife, from penguins to leopard seals. Explore the icy waters by expedition cruise to discover this grand landscape.

6. Iceland

This Arctic country has a concentrated summer tourist season, but adventurers shouldn’t miss out on Iceland’s winter. Witness the Aurora Borealis at its most vivid, and take advantage of low-season prices and winter holiday celebrations. Go on a ski tour in Iceland's volcanic wilderness, and experience the holiday season with some serious Christmas celebrations.

7. Europe

Skip lines and grab deals by visiting London, Paris and Venice during the off-season. Many cities are draped in holiday lights this time of year. Crowds are low. And don't forget the delicious European cuisine that brings comfort on cold winter days.

8. Alaska

Although there are fewer wildlife viewing opportunities during the winter, the scenery in Alaska is at its best. Visit in late winter (February and March), when the sun is up longer and winter activities hit their peak. Experience the Aurora Borealis, curl up next to a warm fireplace or embrace outdoor activities like skiing, snowshoeing and dog sledding.

Attractions in Costa Rica

Wed, 07 Dec 2011 00:00:00 Z

Attractions in Costa Rica

Costa Rica is a top adventure travel destination for good reason. Not only has more than a quarter of its land been set aside for protection, but in 2009, the country ranked as the happiest nation on Earth in the New Economics Foundation’s Happy Planet Index. Add to that the dizzying array of activities available to visitors -- hiking, biking, surfing, diving, horseback riding, rafting, and zip-lining, to name a few -- and you have a serious outdoor lover's playground. Here are the top attractions to see in Costa Rica, and the best ways to experience them while you are there.

Corcovado National Park

“The most biologically intense place on Earth,” according to National Geographic, Corcovado is any naturalist’s dream. Its 263 square miles of protected land are host to more than 500 species of trees, 220 species of butterflies, 140 species of mammals, 40 unique kinds of freshwater fish, and more than 6,000 types of insects. Hiking in Corcovado can be challenging because the park is home to a wide range of terrain, from cloud forests to swamp forests, but wandering its trails is well worth the challenge, as Corcovado is certainly one of the top attractions in Costa Rica.

Photo Credit: Flickr user Christian Haugen

Monteverde Cloud Forest

Another eco-Nirvana loaded with biodiversity, Monteverde is topped off by a persistent low-lying cloud cover that only excites the senses and inspires further exploration. You can hike its trails, but if you want to explore at a faster pace, you can bike under the canopy, too.

Photo Credit: Flickr user tillapia

Arenal Volcano

Arenal Volcano awoke from a 400-year slumber in 1968 and destroyed everything within a four-mile radius. Today, it feeds thriving hot springs that lure travelers from around the world.

Photo Credit: Flickr user Clearly Ambiguous

Tortuguero National Park

Being the third-most visited of Costa Rica’s national parks, despite the fact it's only reachable by boat or plane, is testament to Tortuguero’s beauty. The park is located on Costa Rica’s Caribbean coast and boasts no fewer than 11 habitats. One of the top attractions in Costa Rica, Tortuguero is famous for its endangered sea turtles. Every May and June they alight on its beaches to mate, and scientists, researches and volunteers study and protect them. Tortuguero is an ideal place to explore by kayak. Floating down the park's serene waters, you can observe countless birds and other wildlife. Opportunities abound. As Richard Bangs once said, “Wherever there is a channel for water, there is a road for a kayak.”

Photo Credit: Flickr user Wagner T. Cassimiro "Aranha"

Pacuare River

From the calm waters of Tortuguero, thrill seekers can meet their match in the thick white waters of the Rio Pacuare. The 67-mile-long river is divided into roughly 16 sections. Since its first running in 1968, the Pacuare has become a destination for rafters. Trips can range from hours to days depending on the stretch you raft. You can stick to Class I-III rapids or find more challenging IV-V. What's more, the Pacuare’s shores boast flora and fauna that most U.S. rivers don't, so visitors keep their eyes peeled for a wide range of birds and vegetation. This balance of excitement and natural beauty make the Rio Pacuare one of the top attractions in Costa Rica.

Photo Credit: Flickr user manalahmadkhan

Manuel Antonio National Park

The beaches of Manuel Antonio National Park are some of the most beautiful in the world. They also offer some of the best surf schools around. Snorkeling opportunities abound. After toweling off, visitors set off in search of monkeys, sloths and a host of other wildlife in the park.

Photo Credit: Flickr user Patrick Nouhailler

Getting Around

Sure, you can hike, kayak, raft and surf, but remember that horses offer a great way to explore parts of Costa Rica, too -- they're a big part of the country's Spanish colonial heritage. Whether it’s by exploring one of the national parks, ascending a mountain or volcano, or galloping on the beach, riding a horse will get your heart going. A sunset horseback ride along the beach can be relaxing and romantic, too.

The other exciting way to see Costa Rica's jungle is by zip-line, a must experience attraction in Costa Rica. Zip-lining down a wire suspended in the canopy of a forest is not only one of the most exciting things to do in Costa Rica, but it’s also a great way to see the upper habitats of the forest.

Photo Credit: Flickr user manalahmadkhan

Click to see our collection of Costa Rica Adventures.

New Adventure Tours For 2012

Mon, 05 Dec 2011 00:00:00 Z

Whether it's my first time to a country or I'm revisiting, I always try to see and experience things I never have before. That's where true adventure happens. So what better way to have the trip of a lifetime than by taking part in activities and tours never offered before? Here are some new tours that should get you excited for traveling in 2012.

Spirit of Nepal

(12 Days) Famed for its jagged peaks and ancient traditions, Nepal remains an enigma to most outsiders. That’s a shame; the architectural marvels of the Pashupatinath Temple and the holy cities of Boudhanath and UNESCO-protected Bhaktapur rank among some of humanity’s greatest creations. Start in Kathmandu by visiting temples and shrines and taking a language class. Then head out in search of rhinos and Bengal tigers in Chitwan National Park, and into Gurung villages to see how the locals have lived for centuries.

Patagonia Local Living

(8 Days) Experience Patagonia by living on an authentic sustainable farm and family home. Start in Barlioche, the popular resort town known for its outdoor activities and some of the best food and chocolate in the country. Then travel to the farmhouse in El Bolson, where you’ll live, eat, work, play and explore alongside your hosts, participating in activities that range from helping out on the farm to conquering the surrounding trails by foot and mountain bike.

Costa Rica's Osa Peninsula, Wildland Adventures

(8 Days) Venture deep into the heart of Corcovado National Park to explore the vast, pristine rainforest of Costa Rica's remote Osa Peninsula, identified by National Geographic as "one of the most biologically intense places on the planet.” Engage with locals, who'll share stories about life in Costa Rica. You'll travel by boat along a wild coastline to reach the Sirena Ranger Station, where pumas and jaguars roam. Learn about the Yaguara Wild Cats Conservation Project from local research biologists, and participate in activities from tracking footprints to setting up heat sensors. Proceeds from your trip will help to protect the neotropical felines of the Osa.

Philippines Adventure

(14 Days) Two things you'll notice when traveling in the Philippines: People are always smiling, and there’s a festival happening almost every day. But hey, if you lived here, you might celebrate, too. This adventure-filled trip takes in city life, majestic landscapes, complex cultures and serene beaches -- and keeps you moving with a wide range of activities. Begin your adventure in densely populated Manila, also known as the Pearl of the Orient. Then travel to the village of Batad, where you'll be immersed in the local culture and can swim in nearby Tappia Falls. Head to Donsol on the southern coastline to swim with gentle, majestic whale sharks. Visit the international port of Cebu; relax on Panglao Island; and search for the world's smallest primate, the Tarsier, while exploring the scenic Chocolate Hills or cruising down the Loay River.

Croatia - Islands of Paradise

(8 Days) See Dalmatia's pristine islands at their most intimate and rewarding: by sailing for seven nights aboard a traditional wooden gullet. Visit the region's best places, like Hvar, regarded to be one of the world's 10 most beautiful islands. Or the lush island of Mljet, where Odysseus is said to have taken refuge. Wander the cobbled streets of UNESCO-proteced Dubrovnik and see Diocletian's Palace in Split. Each day you'll have the option to kayak the islands' remote coves and hidden bays, or explore secluded monasteries and medieval villages. Taste the best of Southern Croatia's local cuisine, from seafood risotto, stuffed squid and brodetto to a rich array of local wines and bevanda, a flavor-rich, traditional Croatian red wine. You'll sail to areas inaccessible by foot and explore pine forests, lavender and rosemary fields and the crystalline Adriatic.

Borneo - Sarawak Discovery

(10 Days) Discover the diverse ecosystem of Malaysia's largest state. This compact tour offers nature lovers and photographers of all levels an introduction to Sarawak’s wilderness. Explore caves and hike mountain trails, sail past communities and overnight in a longhouse. Visit Bako, Sarawak's oldest National Park, to find beautiful waterfalls and explore untouched beaches. Experience the amazing network of limestone caves filled with bats at Mulu National Park and trek along the notorious Headhunters Trail. With authentic local transportation and accommodation, this trip will provide a window to the peoples and customs of this beautiful country.

Navigating Nicaragua

(10 Days) This trip has it all. Explore the colonial city of Leon and the largest cathedral in Central America. Hike the Cerro Negro volcano for spectacular views, and sand board down a volcano. Explore the lunar landscape and bat-filled lava-tube caves of Nicaragua's first national park, Masaya Volcano National Park. Mountain bike on the Isla of Ometepe. Explore Lake Nicaragua by sea kayak. There, you'll discover hundreds of lava islets and native birds and enjoy views of the Mombacho volcano.

Bhutan Adventure

(10 Days) Bhutan is famous for investing in its gross national happiness, and you'll experience some of that happiness on this trip. Beauty and wisdom are revealed at each dzong, every Gompa and, most incredibly, in the eyes of the Buddhist monks you'll meet. You'll explore remote trails and visit Paro, Thumpu and Punakja. Nature lovers, photographers and cultural junkies will bask in the country's culture, traditions and kindness.

Nomadic Mongolia

(14 Days) Long after the reign of Genghis Khan, nomadism remains a way of life in modern Mongolia. With so much to see and do here, it’s only natural that people want to move and explore. This adventure taps into the nomadic life embraced by almost 40 percent of Mongolia's citizens. Participants travel through rugged gorges and sandstone mountains in search of golden eagles, desert gazelles and the Mongolian horse. You’ll experience local customs up-close, exploring rural villages and sleeping in traditional ger tents.

Iceland Epic Coast to Coast

(30 Days) Only the most intrepid travelers will tackle this traverse of the epic Icelandic highlands. Trek to Vatnajokull, Europe's largest glacier, and Dettifoss, its most powerful waterfall. Cross the Odaoahraun Desert and head toward the Dyngjufjoll Mountains, along terrain that changes each day. You'll experience black-sand beaches, rose-colored rhyolite mountains and grey-green crater lakes -- backdrops of mythical Icelandic sagas. You'll see the freshly hardened lava fields of 2010's Eyjafjallajokull eruption. Because the trip is offroad-vehicle-supported, you'll carry only your daypack. You'll explore towering glaciers and expansive lava fields while enjoying the comfort of cozy mountain huts and the occasional hot shower.

Photo by yobosayo via Flickr

The Benefits of Voluntourism

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 00:00:00 Z

Volunteer tourism is an increasingly popular way to travel, and for good reason: Volunteering abroad can help people in need and enrich the lives of travelers doing the volunteering. These days, tour companies offer a wide-range of voluntourism opportunities, from building homes to helping teach kids. Here’s a look at just some of the benefits of voluntourism.

Cultural Immersion: One reason many people travel is to experience a new culture. On that front, voluntourism can help -- in a big way. Working in a community offers a perspective on a place that you simply can't get by sightseeing. If you're working alongside locals, you just might find yourself bonding with them. Rather than feeling like an outsider, or a tourist taking in the sights, you might begin to feel a deeper connection to the place and people. Many volunteer service trips utilize homestays to house participants. Homestays offer a great way to make friends with locals and eat authentic local food.

Developing Skills: Last spring I went on a volunteer trip to Guatemala. In five days my group built a house for a family in the small, impoverished town of Alotenango. Before going, I had no construction experience and almost no Spanish skills. At the end of the five days I was quite a bit “handier” and had learned rudimentary construction principles. Through interacting with my host family, who spoke no English, my Spanish skills improved. In fact, by the end of the trip, I was speaking conversational Spanish. I learned local cooking techniques and recipes, too. I ate well.

Meaningful Budget Travel: Because volunteer trips are often run by philanthropic organizations and utilize homestays or other inexpensive methods of housing, they can be a great way to travel on a budget. The price of a trip often includes lodging and meals.

A Base For a Great Trip: Interacting with locals gives you an opportunity to get the inside scoop on what to do during your free time -- and how to do it cheaply. During my trip to Guatemala I not only helped build a house, but I hiked a volcano and surfed off the country's black-sand beaches.

Gratitude: It all comes full circle. Undoubtedly the greatest benefit of a volunteer trip is the difference you can make in the lives of people who could use some help, and the gratitude they share with you.

Guillaume Nery Free Diving at Dean's Blue Hole in the Bahamas

Fri, 25 Nov 2011 00:00:00 Z

World champion freediver Guillaume Nery dives at Dean's Blue Hole, the deepest blue hole in the world.

The video was shot over four afternoons. Guillaume didn't actually go to the bottom -- it's not possible to free-dive that far down. It's a great production and makes me wish I could dive that far down.