Warm Spots
Potomac River
Like a historic highway, the Potomac River cuts a path from the Chesapeake Bay to the Appalachian Mountains. In its 400 mile journey, the Potomac River follows a path of natural and historical significance. The fourth largest watershed on the East coast, the Potomac is the second largest river nourishing the Chesapeake Bay. Its headwaters cut through breathtaking cliffs and rocks and provide some of West Virginia's most spectacular scenery. The entire basin provides a wealth of natural resources and recreational activity, including fishing, hiking, kayaking, canoeing, skiing, and rock-climbing.
Fort Lauderdale
Nicknamed "The Venice of America" because of its 300 miles of canals and the 35,000 boats moored there year round, Fort Lauderdale is indeed a tourist attraction of Venetian caliber. Its 23 miles of beaches, hundreds of hotels, motel, and rooming houses with a total of 25,000 rooms, 2,500 restaurants of all kinds and in all price ranges, the fashionable boutiques of Las Olas Boulevard, one of the world's biggest pleasure-boat harbors - all these attractions have made this busy, friendly city one of the leading tourist resorts in Florida. It does not hurt, either, that with 3,000 hours of sunshine annually, Fort Lauderdale holds the U.S. record.
Miami Beach
Made up of 17 islands in Biscayne Bay, Miami Beach is officially a separate city from Miami. There are big-game fishermen and boating buffs who can indulge their passion here- 43,000 pleasure boats claim Miami Beach as their port of registration, from little outboards to 120-ft yacts; as to the fishing, biologists can point to no fewer than 600 species in the waters of southern Florida.
Florida Keys
The string of 31 islands- or keys- placed like a comma between the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico at the southern tip of Florida presents a paradox to the visitor. On the one hand, the Keys are natural wonders of lush vegetation, tropical birds, and wildlife, washed by waters teeming with more than 600 kinds of fish, where swimming, fishing, and boating are a way of life. But the Keys are also a highly commercialized tourist attraction that has brought a clutter of unsightly billboards, motels, and shopping malls to U.S. 1 linking the islands to the mainland. Although the 110-mile drive from Key Largo to Key West is often clogged with traffic, it is still a mesmerizing journey into expanses of blue water and blue sky, especially where the road is the only thing separating the ocean from the Gulf.
Lake Powell
Lake Powell lies behind Glen Canyon Dam. Its 120 miles of emerald waters are held in precipitous canyons of erosion-carved stone. The best way to see eerie, man-made Lake Powell as it twists through rugged canyon country is by boat. Glen Canyon National Recreation Area surrounds Lake Powell, a stark mingling of water and stone that resulted from the construction of Glen Canyon Dam on the Colorado River.
Myrtle Beach
The South Carolina coast is the land of extremes. The Grand Strand is one of the East Coast's family-vacation megacenters and the state's top tourist area. With its high-rise beachfront hotels, nightlife, and amusement parks, Myrtle Beach is the hub of the Grand Strand. It offers 60 miles of beaches, championship golf courses, campgrounds, seafood restaurants, and giant shopping malls. Downtown has a festive look, with the Myrtle Beach Pavilion and Amusement Park catching most of the tourist's attention. Almost all beaches are open to the public. The widest expanses are in North Myrtle Beach. The beautiful offshore waters and well-landscaped beachfront along the South Carolina coast provide a great vacation spot for all tourists.
Victoria and Alfred Waterfront
The Victoria and Alfred Waterfront, situated
near the town centre of Cape Town, is a popular entertainment centre and
a huge shopping mall. The waterfront is named after the surrounding basins,
the Victoria basin and the Alfred basin. There are endless lists of activities at the
waterfront. Besides shopping facilities, restaurants, taverns and food
outlets, there's also a maritime museum, a theatre, cinemas, speciality
shops, and a craft market. Old buildings have been renovated into top class
hotels. 1995 marked the opening of the Two Oceans Aquarium. For the internet addicts, there's even an
Internet Cafe. A variety of facilities for different needs are
offered, such as special venues for small and large conferences,
wheelchairs for disabled people, and special breast-feeding and diaper
changing facilities.
For visitors and tourists there are also special tours available.
The V&A Waterfront always has an abundance of activity, and anytime
is a good time to visit. Robben Island Robben Island is situated just off the southern coast of South Africa,
and is a place of great importance. In earlier days, Robben Island was
used by the Dutch East India Company (VOC) as a refreshment station.
It then became an asylum for the mentally disturbed and also served as
a leprosy colony. In 1960, it fell under the jurisdiction of the
Department of Corrective Services and was a jail-house for dangerous
criminals and political prisoners. Nelson Mandela, the current South
African President, was sent to prison there in 1964 and remained for
27 years. Today, Robben Island serves as a tourist attraction and
historical monument. There are special tours, but only a small number
of people are allow-ed on the island at a time. Tourists from all over
the world come to Cape Town to visit this historic island, Robben Island. Castle of Good Hope Cape Town is the oldest city in South Africa
and is known as the "Mother City." The city centre focuses on the castle,
public gardens and Houses of Parliament. Cape Town is headquarters for
banks and insurance companies and is also the heart of entertainment,
which includes theatres, museums, cinemas, restaurants, and the Cape Town
Symphony Orchestra. The castle is the oldest building in South Africa and is situated at the
foot of Table Mountain. The castle was constructed between 1666 and 1679,
with the bastions of the pentagonal fortication named after the Prince of
Orange, namely: Buuren, Nassau, Catzenellenbogen, Oranje,and Leerdam.
During the 17th century, the castle was the seat of government. Today,
it is a museum and also serves as headquarters for the Western Province
Army Command. The castle contains the William Fehr Collection of paintings,
porcelain, carpets, furniture and other objects. The newly renovated
dolphin pool is now on view to all visitors. The Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve houses many species of indigenous
flora and fauna. It offers various drives, walks, picnic spots, changing
room facilities and a restaurant. There are also daily coach tours available
for tourists. The Company Garden is the oldest garden in
South Africa,established in 1652
by Jan Van Riebeek to supply passing ships with fresh fruit and vegetables.
Today, it contains a wide variety of indigenous and exotic plants, shrubs,
and trees. The Sun Dial dates from 1855. There's also an aviary and
restaurant. Below the restaurant is a Saffren Pear Tree, known to be the
oldest cultivated tree in South Africa. Whale Watching Hermanus is a small fishing village along the
southeastern coast of South Africa and is acknowledged
by the World Wildlife Foundation as one of the twelve
best places in the world to view whales. It is also the
only place in the world where you can watch the whales
and hear the calls at the same time by means of a sonar link-up. The peak whale season is during September and October, which is during
South Africa's spring season. During this time, visitors can be guaranteed
spotting a whale. During June and December, the southern right whale can be
seen. The northern right whale is almost extinct. Hotel or guest house accommodations are available for tourists. Also, don't
forget to visit the arts and crafts market near the Old Harbour. Wineries on the Cape The Cape has become well known for the art of wine - making.
The first grape vines were planted by Jan Van Rebeek (the founder
of the Cape of Good Hope) in 1652. The French Huguenots who arrived
in the Cape after Jan Van Rebeek contributed their skills and knowledge
by refining the production of wine. By this time, wines of excellent
quality were being produced in the Cape. The Cape wine routes have become extremely popular among tourists and
Capetonians alike. They provide the perfect opportunity for wine
lovers to sample the best of blended and cultivar wines, as well as allowing
a glimpse of the wine-making process during harvesting time. Stellenbosch is the oldest wine route and lies in the heart of
the winelands. This region boasts more than 400 different Stellenbosch
wines. The historic town of Stellenbosch prides itself with the Cape's
most beautiful wine farms. A true Stellenbosh experience must include
a meal at one of Stellenbosch's restaurants and a leisurely stay at one
of the hotels. The Franschhoek and Paarl Wine Routes are just as enticing.
These wine routes follow along Wellington, Worcester, Robertson,
Tulbagh and Klein Karoo, where each wine area has its own speciality.
Other spectacular wine routes to visit are those in the Swartland on the
west coast, Constantia in the Cape Peninsula and the Walker Bay Vineyards
near Hermanus. Witwatersrand Witwatersrand, also known as 'The Rand', is
the largest industrialised region in Africa and also the largest goldfield in the world. The Rand
produces two-thirds of South Africa's gold output
and about one-third of the world's total gold output.
The region's mines are among the deepest in
the world, up to 3,500 m /11,500 ft deep. By-products
from the gold mines include silver and uranium oxide. The Rand
centres on Johannesburg
and extends east to form a continuously urbanised area,
which also includes the cities of Germiston , Benoni,
Boksburg, Brakpun, Kruksdorp, Maraisburg, and the springs,
Potchefstroom and Klerksdorp. World of Birds The World of Birds is the largest bird park in the
world. It is a home to over 3000 birds of more
than 450 different species. The bird sanctuary serves
as a safe-haven for injured or endangered birds. Each
day, more birds are brought in by the public to either
be treated or cared for. Some of the birds are
endangered species and others are visitors from other
continents who have found a new home at the bird
sanctuary. The sanctuary also started several projects in
order to establish breeding colonies in captivity and
thereafter to release the birds back into their natural
habitat. The World of Birds offers regular lectures to
schools, organizations, and clubs. They also offer
advice to people who phone in or visit and ask for information
on how to care and look after bivation projects. A walk through the World of Birds is an unforgettable
experience Some of the rarest and most
beautiful birds can be seen here, including some of
the rarest primates in the world. Everyone who visits
the bird sanctuary leaves with an extraordinary
experience. Botanical Gardens The Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden is a world
famous garden of indigenous plants. The National
Botanical Institute (NBI) is a state-aided institute
and is responsible for the care and maintenance of the
plants. Here, indigenous plants are
collected and cultivated. Institute personnel also research and study
plant and related matters, as well as making plant
material available for research. They also establish
non-indigenous plants for comparative studies.
The NBI controls the seven botanical gardens in South
Africa:
Kirstenbosch in Cape Town, Karoo in Worcester, Harold Porter in Betty's Bay,
Free State in Bloemfontein, Kwazulu Natal in Pietermaritzburg,
Lowveld in Nelspruit, and Witwatersrand in Roodepoort Pretoria The Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens contain one of the
most beautiful collections of flowers to be found anywhere. There
is also a shop and restaurant situated in the garden.
Special guided walks are also offered. Some local authorities also have botanical gardens which are
not controlled by the NBI. The Johannesburg Botanical
Gardens owns one of the biggest collections of lithops
in the world. These are only found in the southern
regions of Africa. Kruger National Park
The Kruger National Park is one of the most famous parks in the world, and is regarded as one of the world's finest examples of wildlife management. It is also the oldest national park in Africa. The park management has one Objective: to maintain the ecosystem in its natural state for the enjoyment of the visitor.
This 1,948,528 hectare park offers a diverse selection of flora and fauna and is home to 147 different mammal species. Most people explore the park in their car, then stop to stare or take a photograph. Visitors are constantly excited at the sight of an elephant, rhino, lion, leopard or buffalo.
There are many different camps to accommodate visitors. Restcamps, bushcamps and private camps are located in the Northern Kruger National Park, Southern Kruger National Park and Central Kruger National Park. There's also other accommodation, ranging from tents and rondavels to caravan sites and luxury guesthouses. Other facilities at the park include conference venues, swimming pools, restaurants and shops.
Professionally-guided or self-guided tours are available, following one of the many hiking trails. There are eight access gates to the park. Some of the park's roads are tarred, while others have gravel surfaces. The Kruger National Park has an enchanting atmosphere which entices the visitor to return.
Etosha National Park
The Etosha National Park, situated in northwestern Namibia, is like an "African Paradise" for any photographer. The park is surrounded by mapane savanna, dry woodland and scrub, which surrounds the Etosha Pan. The huge Etosha Pan is a silvery-white, shallow depression. This area is usually dry, except for the rainy seasons.
The northwestern region is dry, open grassland. However, in the eastern region, there is higher rainfall and a denser bush area.
Besides the many different species of game that can be found here, such as antelopes, impala, springbok, lions, kudu, giraffes, rhino and leopards, there have also been recorded about 320 different bird species. The park is an important breeding area for the flamingo. The largest number of species occur between October and April. The Etosha National Park is also renowned for its abundant population of elephants.
CLIMATE
Temperatures vary according to region and season. For example, the lakes region in East Africa has an approximate temperature range from 16 - 27 degrees C. Cairo has a winter low of 11 degrees C and a summer high of 27 degrees, while In Khartoum temperatures vary from about 34 degrees C in June to 4 degrees C in January.