The Mamanucas, South Pacific - Castaway Island
When it comes to cool paradise islands, The Mamanucas are up there with the most stunning. They are a group of islands in the South Pacific and one of these islands is the tiny uninhabited island of Monuriki (Castaway Island) which was the location for Tom Hanks's movie Cast Away. Check out these cool pictures....
There are about 20 islands in the group, basking in a large lagoon formed by the Malolo Barrier Reef. Many of the islands take day-trippers from the mainland, who can enjoy the white sand beneath paradise coconut palms. The ocean around the islands has some excellent dive sites and surf spots. The snorkelling here is generally fantastic with the clear waters offering fascinating windows into the undersea world.
Most of the habitable islands support a tourist resort. If there is a resort but no village, it is usually because there is no natural source of water. Most resorts bring in their water from the mainland by barge. A few of the smaller islands, such as Monuriki, retain significant areas of forest with native birds and reptiles.
Top 10 Cool Places in New Zealand
It is a haven for those seeking peace and relaxation and also its a well known playground for thrill seekers and adventurers. A temperate climate with relatively small seasonal variation makes it an ideal year-round holiday destination.
So here is our top 10 cool places to visit in New Zealand...
Fiordland National Park
Here in the Fiordlands you will find a place where glaciers have carved many deep fiords the most famous of which is Milford Sound. Other notable fiords located in this region include Doubtful and Dusky Sound.
Abel Tasman National Park
Another place in New Zealand you must see is the Abel Tasman National Park, New Zealand’s smallest National Park.
Queenstown
Queenstown is New Zealand’s most popular destination and regarded as New Zealand’s adventure capital. Queenstown hosts most of the countries bungy jump sites and many other outdoor activities such as shotover jet and white water rafting.
Rotorua
Rotorua is famous for its volcanic activity which includes geysers, steaming hot pools, mud pools and lakes. It is the spiritual home to the Maori.
Bay of Islands
The Bay of Islands is a “must see” if you are visiting New Zealand. It's one of the places renowned for having 144 islands, with many superb beaches and secluded bays and an abundance of marine life.
Mount Cook
The highest Mountain in New Zealand and its most popular tourist destination. Mt Cook National Park located in the Canterbury region is another National Park that you must see.
Westland National Park
Located in the South of New Zealand West Coast, famous for its diverse landscape, glaciers, Franz Joseph Glacier and Fox Glacier, it spectacular scenery and pristine nature.
Tongariro National Park
The Tongariro National Park, located in the Taupo region, is a World Heritage Park and one of the oldest National Parks in the world. The park contains three superb volcanoes - Mt Ruapehu, Mt Tongariro and Mt Ngauruhoe.
Coromandel
The Coromandel is where the kiwi's go on holiday. Renowned wordwide for its natural beauty - misty rainforests and pristine golden beaches, the Coromandel is blessed with hundreds of natural hideaways, making it an ideal place to slow down, relax and unwind. Dig your own hot spa pool in the sand at Hot Water Beach, explore the Coromandel Forest Park, or cruise the islands by boat.
Kaikoura
Another must see destination is Kaikoura situated in the middle between Christchurch and Picton on the East Coast of New Zealand’s South Island. Here you can swin with dolphins in their natural habitat and see some amazing marine life.
Atlantis Hotel in Dubai
Showcasing the cool Atlantis Hotel in Dubai - the latest word in Gulf excess - a sprawling £800million resort boasting a £13,000-a-night suite and dolphins flown in from the South Pacific, all housed on a palm tree-shaped island. This stunning luxury hotel opens today and here are some pictures in all its glory.
The 113-acre resort on an artificial island off the Persian Gulf coast is among the city-state's biggest bets that tourism can help sustain its economy once regional oil profits stop flowing.Much of the focus at Atlantis, modelled on a sister resort in the Bahamas, is on ocean-themed family entertainment.
The resort contains a giant open-air tank with 65,000 fish, stingrays and other sea creatures and a dolphinarium with more than two dozen bottlenose dolphins flown in, amid controversy, from the Solomon Islands. But the hotel's top floor aims squarely at the ultra-wealthy. A three-bedroom, three-bathroom suite complete with gold-leaf 18-seat dining table is on offer for £13,000 a night.
Dubai's development has long been criticized by environmental activists, who say the construction of artificial islands hurts coral reefs and even shifts water currents. They point to growing water and power consumption.An 1,800-seat theatre nearby will house a permanent Cirque du Soleil show beginning in summer 2011. 'Palm Jumeirah in and of itself will become one of Dubai's major tourist attractions,' said Joe Cita, chief executive of Nakheel's hotel division.
Boosting the number of attractions on the island will not only entice more visitors, he said, but also persuade them to spend more time and money in the city. By 2010, Dubai aims to attract a staggering 10 million hotel visitors annually, up from about 7 million in 2007. Atlantis alone will increase the city's hotel capacity by 3 percent.
Visit the Atlantis Palm Hotel website
Sexy Hotels
A collection of very sexy hotels from around the world. If you are looking for a sexy hotel for that dirty weekend or a special occasion like valentines day then these 5 hotels will hit the spot.
Hotel Pelirocco - Brighton
This establishment is included in every review of Britain’s sexiest hotels without fail. With room names like 'Play Room', 'Absolut Love', 'The Pin Up Parlour' and 'Nookii' this Brighton sleepover has put into flesh the connotations that come up with the two words ‘dirty weekend.’
It may not look like the sexiest hotel from the outside but on the inside Perlirocco has the perfect proportions of an absolute sexpot. The Play Room is the piece de resistance with huge round mirror above the central bed, a plunge bath and a dancing pole. If you are looking for subtly or romance, then don’t look here because this hotel is as cheekily blatant as they come.Tuddenham Mill – Suffolk
For the more refined tastes, the converted mill is cosy and luxurious with exposed original beams and Joe Malone toiletries but is also clean and minimalist with no unnecessary ‘fluff.’
The generously proportioned stone baths and Egyptian cotton sheets beckon and if you could, you would probably spend the entire time you have in the hotel using them. Well, you would if it wasn’t for the excellent food provided by the hotels chef. You can’t even avoid the mouth watering dishes if you hide inside your room because home made biscuits have sneakily been put beside your pillows.Chateau De Bagnols - South of France
I stayed in this hotel the first time after stumbling upon it whilst driving through the South of France. It was the singular most beautiful, romantic place I have been in my entire life.
It is one of the most expensive places I have ever stayed but after seeing the rooms and the view there was no way I could refuse. Voted one of the best hotels in the world, Tom Cruise and Bill Clinton are regular patrons. If you’re going to propose then this would be the perfect place, anywhere else would just not compare.The Night - New York
If the rich and famous of Batman’s Gotham city were real, they would stay in a hotel like this. With a monster cable to hook your own iPod up to the Bose or Bang and Olufsen sound system you can enjoy your own sexy sounds or, if your music is a little out of date, request one of the hotels slick, already filled black iPod’s instead.
Decked out in furry fabric and black and white lacquer this hotel has the charm of a slick, rich late 1940’s New York. Imagine Tarentino’s Sin City with all off it’s sexiness but less of the colour.The Witchery - Edinburgh
With champagne on arrival and a huge four poster bed there is no way this room is going to let you out of it before you have agreed to have a little nibble of romance and a large slice of fun. Talking of eating, the award winning Witchery restaurant over the road is the perfect and most sought after place to refuel before (or after) bed time. Enjoy!
5 Cool Eco Friendly and Green Hotels
Showcasing cool eco-friendly and green hotels worldwide.Black Rock Lodge, Belize
At a bend in the Macal River, in the Mayan Mountains of Belize, Black Rock Lodge is an off-the-grid rainforest resort with 13 cabins. A restaurant on site serves organic fruits grown on the property, and all water is supplied by a nearby mountain spring. For adventure, head out early with a local guide for a jungle trek to a waterfall or a cave. Come afternoon, chill in your hammock—each cabin comes with one—for a siesta on the hill above the rushing river.
The Lodge at Sun Ranch, Montana
In Montana's Madison River valley—a 40-minute drive from Yellowstone National Par—the Lodge at Sun Ranch boasts a 26,000-acre property that's shared by a maximum of 16 guests. Scheduled to open in May, the ranch includes a 10,000-square-foot lodge with six rooms and two free-standing private cabins. Outside, Big Sky Country awaits with fly fishing, horseback riding, canoe trips and naturalist-led hikes.
Savute Under Canvas, Botswana
Safari outfitter Conservation Corporation Africa operates this semi-permanent camp in Botswana's Chobe National Park, a preserve that is among the largest on the African continent. Zebras, wildebeests, cheetahs, leopards and lions are common sights. The light-on-the-land canvas tents have double beds and flush toilets. Hot-water bucket showers let you steam off at night with nothing above but the African stars.
Arenas del Mar, Costa Rica
This new Pacific coast resort couples deluxe accommodations with "the highest level of certified sustainability." Among its many eco efforts, the resort uses solar power to heat water; recycles its waste water for use in irrigation; and employs recycled-plastic roof tiles made from discarded bags used in the banana industry. Its paradise credentials include tide pools, rainforest, and a two-kilometer-long beach that connects to Manuel Antonio National Park.
Baghvan, India
In the center of the Indian subcontinent, on the edge of Pench National Park, Baghvan resort's 12 standalone bungalows are surrounded by teak trees and meandering jungle streams. Ayurvedic massage, yoga and wildlife safaris occupy your day. At night, sleep out under mosquito netting on your bungalow's rooftop terrace, jungle sounds all around, a twinkling Indian sky above
Cool Churches
A collection of cool, beautiful churches from around the world. Jesus Christ didn’t need fancy churches but thank goodness that some people didn’t listen too well and built these cool buildings to glorify God. Today, there are thousands of churches: some small and simple, whereas others are humongous and ornately decorated. Let’s take a look at some divinely designed churches around the world, both classic and modern in style:
1. Hallgrímskirkja
Built in 17th century, Hallgrímskirkja is the tallest building in Iceland. The church’s unusual design is supposed to represent volcanic columns rising between the steeple tower.
2. St. Peter’s Basilica
St. Peter’s Basilica is the largest religious building in the world and is the center of the Christianity. This massive church covers an area of 5.7 acres (2.3 ha) and has a capacity of over 60,000 people. It is said that Michelangelo designed the dome, Gian Lorenzo Bernini designed the main square, and Donato Bramante was the first architect of the church. No wonder th architecture of St. Peter’s Basilica is to amaze every eye.
3. St. Basil’s Cathedral
St. Basil’s Cathedral is a Russian Orthodox church which sports a series of colorful bulbous domes that taper to a point, aptly named onion domes, that are part of Moscow’s Kremlin skyline. It is said the Ivan blinded the architect who built the church so he would not be able to design something as beautiful afterward.
4. Las Lajas Cathedral
Las Lajas Cathedral was built in 1916 on the same site where teh virgin Mary appeared. Sorrounded by mountains Las Lajas Cathedral holds a natural beauty and worthy of a fairy tale.
5. Hagia Sophia
Hagia Sophia began its life as an early Christian church, then rebuilt as the seat of the Eastern Orthodox Church in Constantinople, then a mosque when the city fell to the Turks in 1453 before it finally became a museum. Hagia Sophia is one of the greatest surviving examples of Byzantine architecture, with a large central dome and interior intricately decorated with mosaics, marbles, and stone inlays. The dome, often referred to as the vault of heaven, was a new architectural feature at the time, necessitating the invention of a new pillar support system.
6. Sagrada Familia
La Sagrada Familia, or Catalan for “The Holy Family”, is a yet-to-be-finished Roman Catholic basilica in Barcelona, Spain. The church’s design is rich with Christian symbolism, with facades featuring intricate details describing the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Perhaps the most awe inspiring is the eighteen towers representing the 12 Apostles, 4 Evangelists, the Virgin Mary, and a central tower – the tallest of them all – representing Christ.
7. Notre Dame
Notre Dame de Paris or simply Notre Dame is one of the first European cathedrals to be built on a truly monumental scale. It took more than 200 years to complete. Notre Dame main features are its Rose Windows (largest windows in the world) circular stained glass windows that depict scenes from the bible. At the end of the 18th century, during the French Revolution, the church was ransacked, its treasures plundered and many of the statues of saints were beheaded.
8. Jubilee Church
Built in 1996 Jubilee Church in Tor Tre Teste, Rome is a modern curved architecture. The curved walls not only serve the engineering purpose of minimizing thermal peak loads in the interior space, they are also a religious metaphor.
9. The Crystal Cathedral
The Crystal Cathedral is entirely made up by glass with a web-like framework of steel, its not made up of crystal. Nevertheless, the Christian mega church in the city of Orange Garden Grove, California, is one amazing church. The Crystal Cathedral also has one of the largest pipe organs in the world, called the Hazel Wright Pipe Organ, with 5 consoles controlling 270 ranks, 31 digital ranks, and more than 16,000 pipes!
10. Notre Dame du Haut
If there was a church modeled after Elvis’ hair, Le Corbusier’s Notre Dame du Haut is it. The pilgrimate chapel is located in Ronchamp, France. Indeed, it is more famous than the little town that most people simply call the structure itself Ronchamp. The cleverness of unusual design of the billowing concrete roof is apparent when it rains: water pours off the slanted roof onto a fountain, creating a dramatic waterfall.
