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TravelEarth features a number of specific world destinations that will fill you with a rich sense of wonder at the myriad of colors and cultures that surround us.
BALI, INDONESIA
Lush and full of flowers, Bali is called the island of one thousand temples. The small island is part of Indonesia and is a very popular destination for those looking for pristine, white-sanded, palm-lined beaches and crystalline waters. A great destination for surfing, snorkeling and diving as well as wonderful opportunities to see tropical flora and fauna. Stunning seaside and volcano landscapes, terraced rice fields and more than 20,000 temples and ornate palaces will surround you.
Bali excels in the arts. Visit the village of Celuk to view the works of the silver and goldsmiths of the island, and Ubud, Sukawati, Pengosan and Kamasan for Bali's fine paintings, woodcarvings, textiles and miscellanous fine arts and crafts.
BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA
Buenos Aires is situated near the mouth of the Rio de la Plata (Rio Plate), one of the continent's great navigable waterways, making it a vital distribution point for the southern area of the continent as well as an industrial and agricultural center, bordering as it does an immensely fertile agricultural area for the production of meats and dairy products, tobacco and grains.
The original city of Buenos Aires was founded in 1536 under the name of Santa María del Buen Ayre (Santa Maria of the Fair Wind) by Pedro de Mendoza. This original settlement was subsequently destroyed and then rebuilt nearby by Juan de Garay in 1580. Throughout its history, Buenos Aires grew up as an important center of trade under Spanish rule although the port was twice but unsuccessfully invaded by the British in the early 1800s. The Porteños finally freed themselves from the rule of the Spanish Viceroy on May 25th, 1810, a date which is now celebrated as May Revolution Day although independence from Spain was not dectTltared until 1816.
Buenos Aires has some beautiful colonial and Victorian architecture, verdant parks, wide boulevards and culturally is very deeply influenced by its European heritage. Museums and houses of culture and the arts abound; art and design are at the forefront and the city exudes a style and elegance all of its own.
HUNGARY
Hungary's terrain consists mainly low plains with rolling hills and plenty of water. It has no seacoasts but does encompass Lake Balaton - Central Europe's largest lake - known to the Magyars as the "Hungarian Sea". The country and capital city of Budapest is split by the major waterway of the Danube River, Buda being situated on one bank of the river and Pest on the other. The country lays claim to Hévíz Spa which is the world's largest thermal lake, and within Hungary's borders there are in excess of 1,000 hot and mineral springs with a capacity for more than 300,000 visitors simultaneously.
Hungarian food is outstanding and hearty. The Tokay wines of of Tokaj foothill wine country are appreciated world-wide.
Visitors to Hungary can enjoy tours of the country's several World Heritage sites, it's historic castles and country mansions, the rolling wine country, the shores and traditions of the Lake Balaton area and the entire range of incredible and colorful variety of experiences offered at every turn.
HAVANA, CUBA
Through it's history as a Spanish colony, Havana was looted, pillaged and burned by French and British buccaneers and it figured as an important ship-building and trade port in the islands. In 1762 it was taken over by the British, only to be returned to Spain shortly thereafter, in exchange for the Spanish-held land of Florida.
Havana offers a beautiful walk through history while exploring it's tree-lined streets and harbor walk with it's ancient fortifications and stately, colonial mansions, many of which are being in the process of restoration. It's downtown areas thrive on the rhythms of salsa and the flavor of it's famous "Mojitos".
SALVADOR DA BAHIA, BRAZIL
The capital of the state of Bahia, Salvador is a colonial jewel which, from 1549 through 1763, served as Brazil's first colonial capital, settled in large part by African slaves whose descendents now form up to about 80% of the current population. It lies on All Saints Bay (Bahia de Todos os Santos), Brazil's largest, encompassing some 400 islands with the best snorkeling and diving sites in the country, many of which are shipwreck sites teeming with aquatic life.
Salvador, also known as the "City of Joy", abounds with expressions of art, music & dance and other aspects and manifestations of the Afro-Brazilian culture. It is the place to enjoy the movements of Capoeira - which looks akin to a rhythmic and ballet-like precision form of kick-boxing - and the rhythm of the Berimbau, a one-stringed, bow-like instrument which uses a gourd and the player's belly as it's sound chamber
THE GREAT WALL OF CHINA
The Great Wall of China is one of the great wonders of the world. Every year in excess of 4 million visitors from around the world tour sections the Great Wall to marvel over it's construction. It was inscribed into the UNESCO list of World Heritage Sites in 1987, and winds a total of 6,700 km through the provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions of Liaoning, Jilin, Hebei, Beijing, Tianjin, Shanxi, Inner Mongolia, Shaanxi, Ningxia, Gansu, Xinjiang, Shandong, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Sichuan and Qinghai .
For more information on these and other intriguing world destinations, visit http://www.travelearth.info
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