Tag Archives: Scenery

TRAVEL

A Kualoa Ranch Adventure on ATVs

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ATV Tour of Kualoa Ranch

By Siddhi: 

Who?  Anyone 16 years old and above interested in experiencing some of the most stunning natural landscapes on the island of Oahu while keeping their adrenaline levels high.

What? An ATV tour of the Kaʻaʻawa Valley (Kualoa Valley) that provides movie and TV lovers (especially Lost and Jurassic Park aficionados) with breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean tucked between the majesty of expansive hills and arguably the most vivid greenery on the island. The Kualoa Ranch has become a top destination for travelers for both its standout scenic qualities and its proud stamp as the home of several screen wonders. An ATV tour takes you to Godzilla’s real footsteps engraved in the mud, Hurley’s golf course from the epic sci-fi drama Lost, and the set of 50 First Dates among many other cinematic locations. You can choose either a one or two hour excursion. And the best part? After a brief ten minute introduction of the vehicles and some safety instructions, you’re the master of your Kualoa adventure, even if you’ve never driven an ATV before in your life.

How? Because the ATV tours fill up very quickly even in non-peak travel periods, it’s best to book your seat online ahead of time if you know you’ll be in Oahu on a certain day. The Kualoa Ranch website makes booking a simple process:

http://www.kualoa.com/tours/

You can also call the ranch directly:

Toll Free: (800) 231-7321
Tour Desk: (808) 237-7321

We were fortunately able to call and reserve spots the morning of our ATV tour, but being one of the most popular Kualoa attractions, it’s easy to miss a spot when you want one.  The one-hour tour is $69.00 and the two-hour tour is $99.00. Also, have some cash on you if you’re interested in taking home some photos of you on your ATV. When your tour finishes, printed images of you manning your vehicle are available for purchase.

Why?  Oahu is hands down one of the most beautiful places we have visited. And those who’ve been on the island know that there is no shortage of excursions offered to take in the stunning Hawaiian scenes. But from helicopter tours to boat rides out into the Pacific, many of the island viewing approaches rely on someone or something else controlling the way you perceive the world around you. What’s incredible about the Kualoa Ranch ATV tours is that even within the structure of a “tour”, you’re driving and steering your own vehicle through some truly heart-stopping natural sites. The experience is the ideal marriage of energy and visual bliss, and is a must-do for anyone who wants to add a zealous punch to their Hawaiian adventure.

And if you’re not old enough for an ATV, the ranch also offers horseback riding, sailing tours, and movie site bus trips among a list of other options so that you can still explore Kualoa in all its glory.

TRAVEL

Villa Sassa – A Beautiful Hotel Overlooking a Lake and Hills in Lugano

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Breakfast at Villa Sassa
Source: wegotravel.ch

By Lakshmi:

Who?  If you are visiting Lugano, Switzerland and want to spend a day or a night or even just grab a meal at a lovely hotel with spectacular lake and hill views.

What? Villa Sassa is a beautiful hotel with spacious apartment style rooms in the heart of Lugano, the Italian speaking region of Switzerland.

How? Villa Sassa is located about an hour from Milan’s Malpensa airport and within 20 minutes of Lugano airport.

Villa Sassa Hotel, Residence & SPA, Via Tesserete 10, CH-6900 Lugano – Switzerland

Tel.  +41 (0)91 911 41 11

info@villasassa.ch

Why?  I have stayed at this property multiple times over the last several years.  On each stay, I have been greeted by a very efficient staff and the multi-room apartments have been way extremely spacious for a solo traveler.  On multiple occasions, I have asked for wake up calls and coffee at four o’clock am to get to Milan for an early morning flight and the service has been spot on.  This is where I have practiced my few sentences of known Italian to an incredibly friendly staff.

While the hotel has a spa and a gym (I have used the latter), to me what is really special is the restaurant overlooking the lake.  When you are up early in the mornings and head over for breakfast, the lake view from the garden blooming with flowers is just breathtaking.  At night, when the lights come on, it appears as though the view was simply draped with a multi-tier beaded necklace.

While it is a pricey property, you can always go there to have breakfast or dinner and the food has always been simple and fresh.

To learn more about Villa Sassa, click here:

http://www.villasassa.ch/en/6/default.aspx

TRAVEL

Fairbanks to Denali, Alaska – A Visual Feast Aboard The Midnight Sun Express

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By Lakshmi:

Who?  Anyone planning a trip to Alaska, plans to visit Denali and/or loves train journeys

What? The train journey from Fairbanks to Denali aboard the Midnight Sun Express.

How? The four-hour train journey from Fairbanks Depot to Denali commences at 8:15 am arriving at lunch time in Denali.

Why?  Alaska is truly a state like Hawaii where no matter where you look, the 360 degree vistas provided by nature are simply matchless.  I love train journeys and the opportunity to take one aboard a train with observation decks and huge wraparound windows facilitating ample viewing was just a bait waiting to be taken.

As soon as the train started pulling away from the station, we knew that every dime spent on this journey was going to be worth it.  As foodies, we kicked off our trip with a celebratory order of blueberry pancakes and the taste was simply divine.  It is in this wonderfully satiated state of mind that we started admiring the vistas passing by.  The added bonus?  Experienced staff who provided a good dose of history while pointing out wildlife and scenery along the way.  Our color infused visual kaleidoscope included mountains, streams, rivers, wildlife, flowers, the area where Christopher McCandless’s bus was found (prompting us to read Into the Wild) and of course every other natural aspect you see on the umpteen postcards on Alaska.

Taking train journeys is always awesome, but partaking in one that makes you seem almost unified with the nature surrounding you is surreal.

To learn more about the Midnight Sun Explorer, click here:

http://www.princesslodges.com/denali-rail-tours.cfm