24012013 etmc spa 01 1 col r1 - top news in india: india ... · cmyk explore ultimate destinations...

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Explore ultimatedestinations around theworld. Read about relateddestinations and tips bylogging ontowww.facebook/ETtravelindiaScan the QR code on yoursmart phone and access ourfan page on the go

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RR egular travellers are always looking to push theirlimits... try the best and the most exciting.Whatever the activity, we want to visit destinations

that wear their specialities on their sleeve — loud andproud.

In this week’s issue of ET-Travel, we selectdestinations across the globe that offer you just that‘Ultimate’ experience. For those interested in culture, thehighlands of Mongolia come calling, while nature loverscan head to British Columbia and come face to face withbears. Gourmands, we direct you towards Morocco,where spices mix with tradition to bring to the tabledelicacies that will make your mouth water.

We’ve selected places that have something unique tooffer... that envelope you in their speciality and send youback home enriched with a new experience.

WORK OF ART: Study the works offamed artists like Manet while at theMusee d’Orsay in Paris

INTO THE BLUE: Scuba dive tocheck out beautifully colouredsoft coral and fish while inTaveuni, Vatulele or Mamanucas,Fiji. April to October is the besttime to explore the Fijiian seabed

NAPA VALLEY, USAThe vineyards of Napa Valley inCalifornia, USA, are some of the bestin the world. Get onboard the NapaValley Wine Train and visit variousvineyards along the region. Try theChardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignonwines enjoying a hot air balloon rideover this viticultural area.

WOW! Pont Alexandre IIIalong with the Left Bank isan artist’s hub. Hobnob withpainters, sculptors andpoets as you enjoy a mealat a cafe here

HEAT IT UP! Feel like you’re at thecentre of the world at the active volcano of Mount Nyiragongo in theDemocratic Republic of the Congo

BAM! Learn a few moves from street Capoeira artistes

LOCAL TREATS: Dine at a roof top restaurant or be part of the bustlingmarket scene in Marrakech, Morocco

MOROCCOGreat for: FoodSubjected to Berber, Moorish, French,Middle Eastern, Mediterranean African,Iberian and Arab influences, Moroccancuisine is spicy and many of its disheshave a history to them. Beef, lamb andchicken preparations are served mostoften along with couscous. Preparinggood mint tea is considered as an artform and the souks (markets) offer manytea joints. Street food like kebabs andbarbosa (made with escargot) are a musttry while in Djemma el Fna square inMarrakech.www.visitmorocco.com

PARISGreat for: Art and ArchitectureFor ages, artists from across the worldmade their way to Paris in search ofinspiration and appreciation. Today, the

place has a rich reservoir of art and architecture toshowcase. Head over to Musee d’Orsay, home to greatImpressionist works by Degas, Renoir and Van Goghand others. The locality (Left Bank) is a mecca for artenthusiasts. Visit Boulevard Saint-Germain,Boulevard Saint-Michel and Rue de Rennes.en.parisinfo.com

BRAZILGreat for: Adventure and ActionWhichever direction you look, Brazil exudes ‘action’.Birthplace of Capoeira, a rigorous martial art, watch asstreet artistes perform to a drum beat. Sign up for asweat breaking workshop while here. In Rio, don’tforget to paraglide from Pedra Bonita and get anaerial view of the coastal city. For a wilder experience,head for the Amazon jungle for a boat safari andcome thrillingly close to alligators, anacondas anddolphins. Also try the helicopter safaris.www.visitbrasil.com

MONGOLIAGreat for: CultureUnique and relatively unexplored travel destination,Mongolia’s culture has seen very little dilution. Meetwith Kazakh hunters who use trained eagles to huntand maybe even find your way to one of the secretshaman houses. Check out the cave paintings in theKhoud Tsenker region or head to National Museumof Mongolian History to understand the culture better.While here, stay in a traditional yurt fixed up withmodern day luxuries.www.visitmongolia.com

Compiled by Lara Rebellolara.rebello@timesgroup.com

DANCE WITH US: Get an up-close performanceby a Rwandan dance group while at the VirungaNational Park in DR of the Congo

TEA TIME: Join inpicking tea leaves on aPuer tea estate in theYunnan Province

ANCIENT CITY: Lijiang’s Old Town inChina oozes old world charm with itscanals and bridges

HAWK’S EYE: Meet with local tribes while inthe Ulgii Province, Mongolia

LAZY DAYS: Clear waters, coralreefs, untouched islets andfriendly tribes-people, togethermake Fiji a relaxed escape fromthe bustling city. Take a boat andhead out to one of the uninhabit-

ed islands for a day picnic.www.fijime.com

UltimateUltimateTravel ListTravel List

The The

ET-Travel recommends destinations that will top your vacation memories

THURSDAY 24 JANUARY 2013 MUMBAI, DELHI, BANGALORE

ADVERTORIAL, TRAVEL PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

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issue of ET-Travel

B ritish Columbia’s GreatBear Rainforest, alandscape of forests, deep

fjords and looming snow peaks, isamong the last intact temperaterainforests on earth. Home togrizzly bears, whales and wolves,it’s also the only place on theplanet to find the Kermode, orSpirit bear, a rare white-coatedblack bear. Viewing these creaturesin their natural habitat is somagical that the Great BearRainforest was listed as one of the“Best Trips” for 2013.

Getting here? Fly into one of thecoast’s floating eco-lodges.Accessible only by sea or air, theseremote lodges, moored in shelteredcoves, offer comfortable, and evenluxurious, eco-friendly basesfor exploring the rainforest.

At Great BearLodge, forexample, guestsand guidesexplore the wildsby foot, boat or

kayak before sitting down to mealsof fresh-caught seafood. With justfive bedrooms, this cosy wind-andsolar-powered lodge keeps itsenvironmental footprint small.

Set in the village of Klemtu andevoking a traditional long house,Spirit Bear Lodge, operated byAboriginal people of theKitasoo/Xai’xais First Nation, offerscultural insights and ecological

adventures,including a chance toexplore the KitasooSpirit BearConservancy.Grizzly bears are the

focus at Knight InletLodge, moored in one

of BC’s richest bear habitats. Seakayaking, rainforest walks and inletcruises are on the adventure menutoo.

The luxurious King PacificLodge, one of the first in Canada tooffer carbon neutral vacations, isanchored in the heart of Spirit Bearterritory. Here, salmon fishing,kayaking and helicopterexcursions meet organic finedining and spa services.

Of course, seeing a Spirit Bear isnot guaranteed (they arenotoriously elusive creatures);having the trip of a lifetime is,however, pretty much assured.

For more information visit:www.britishcolumbia.travel

IN NATURE: Go boating on the waters in Great Bear Rainforest

TAKE THE LEAP: New Zealandoffers brilliant opportunities forbungee jumping. Head over to AJHackett in Queenstown, one ofthe world’s best bungee points

ULTIMATE EXPERIENCESWORLD SPECIAL

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