I’m sure you all remember Jurassic Park where dinosaurs roamed a theme park to the amusement of visitors, well guess what its coming true in Dubai, well nearly. Restless Planet opens later this year and over billion dollars is going to build an amazing theme park with robotic dinosaurs roaming the park. The are going to be nearly 40 different types of dinosaur and they are going to be so technically advanced they will be able to sense visitors and fully interact with them. As well as dinosaurs there will be places for kids to do a fossil dig and the park will double as an entertainment park and also a very useful educational tool. The park will also feature volcanoes and landscapes which were around at the time of the dinosaur. Designers are working closely with the National History Museum in London and the makers of the amazing Walking with Dinosaurs TV show and arena event to pull of this spectacular theme park and ensure it is as real as possible. Restless planet will be the jewel of the huge City of Arabia project which will also feature the worlds largest shopping centre and housing for 35000 people and huge office development. It will basically form a new suburb and be is biggest entertainment development in the world, and is on the blocks next to the Burj Dubai which is now the world’s tallest building out dwalfing anything in the world.
One of Kuala Lumpur’s most popular attractions is the Butterfly Park, its lush tropical gardens in the heart of the city are home to more than 6000 of the beautiful insects which are made up of over 120 species. The park even features an insect museum where you can see plenty of creepy and crawly creatures. The gardens have quiet a few lovely spots where you can sit back from the hustle and bustle of the city and just watch these tranquil creatures go about their short lives. The best thing about this attraction is it’s free! and if you haven’t had enough of flying things, the bird park is just next door! Read the rest of this entry »
The Piranha is notorious for being a vicious blood thirsty pack hunting fish, and legend tells how they can rip the flesh of man or beast within a few minutes, well in South America the table has turned and now they are becoming hunted by fishermen for their tasty meat. There are now quiet a few tour operators operating out of Manaus in Northern Brazil which have trips to fish for piranha on the mighty Amazon. One popular family run agency we found has a four day hunting expedition deep into the Amazon to catch fish, simply with a bamboo stick with a piece of meat at the end with a hook. Other than fishing there is an amazing experience to be had on the Amazon, with wildlife and plant life like you have never seen. Expect to see monkeys, jaguars, tapirs, reptiles and beautiful birdlife- and lucky travelers sometimes see pink dolphins and even sloths on their journey.
Komodo National Park includes the Indonesian islands of Komodo, Rinca, Gili Mota, Nusa Kode and Pada and is now protected as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. There park is very rich in animal, plant and marine life but the highlight of the park is the Komodo Dragon which are found nowhere else on earth. The dragon is the largest and fiercest of the monitor lizards and can grow to a length of over 2.5 metres and weigh well over 100 kg. They have become very rare and it is estimated there are little more than a thousand of these magnificent reptiles in the wild. Diving in the area is also very popular with dugon, sharks, manta rays, whales and dolphins all calling the surrounding waters home, not forgetting the coral and reef fish.
If you are a regular reader of Tripandom you have probably noticed we have a soft spot for ‘Big Things’ and we have found another, and guess what it’s in Australia (they seem to have their fair share of big things). This time its a giant Murray Cod it can be found in Swan Hill in North Western Victoria along the mighty Murray River. The fish is 11 metres in length and 6 metres wide, it was actually built as a move prop for a film called ‘Eight Ball’ and the locals liked it so much and found a home for it. Swan Hill is the gateway to inland fishing in Australia and their is no mightier fish to catch than the Murray Cod which lives along the fallen river gums on the Murray.
One of Disney’s newest parks opening about 9 years ago, is the Disney Animal Kindom at Walt Disney World in Orlando Florida. This great You Tube documentary/ad gives you a great insight into the fun and adventure of this great park. There looks like there is so much to do and so much to learn about the animal world at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. The park has all the expected Disney fun, with state of the art rides and attractions and of course all your fury friends are there, but this Disney park is different it has wild animals- not anamatronic ones like the other parks- real live animals. Join the tour on a ride through the Kilimanjaro on a safari tour and see Zebra, rhino, lion and girrafe grazing peacefully in the Florida sun. Trek through the Asian jungles and see live endangered tigers, bats, komodo dragons and taipirs or step back in time and see the amazing dinosaurs on an adventure thrill ride Disney’s Animal Kingdom makes Walt Disney World even better. Read the rest of this entry »
When you think of the tropical islands of Hawaii you think of the sun and the surf but you wouldn’t even dream of penquins. Well there is a happy little colony of the cute black and white critters alive and well and main attraction at the beautiful Hilton Hawaiian Village right on Waikiki Beach. The hotel has magnificent gardens and quiet a range of wildlife living amongst its lush jungle of ferns and palms, including macaws, parakeets, flamingoes, kio carp and turtles. The penguins draw quiet a crowd expecially at meal times when they duck and dive for fish.
From October to April in Dubai is camel racing season and no better place to see this special is at the Nad Al Sheba Racecourse which have races on Thursdays and Fridays. Camel racing is big business in the United Arab Emirates with over 14,000 camels actively racing. The camel racing industry is a large employer in the country. Strangely betting on races in the UAE is illegal but winners receive huge prizes including luxury cars and apartments. Some of the top camels can be worth millions of dollars. Races are quiet long compared to other forms of animal racing with lengths of up to 10 Kms usually with a fleet of 4WDs following them for a better view and there can be up to 70 or more camels in a race. A new rule as entered the sport prohibiting children younger than 15 riding, previously there were some jockeys as young as 6 riding camels, this is being outlawed although there are some reports some children slip under the radar. Read the rest of this entry »
Orang utangs are one of the most precious and endangered of all forest creatures and there is nothing quiet like coming face to face with them over breakfast. Singapore Zoo one of the worlds finest zoos offers one of the most unique experiences you will ever have. Imagine sitting down to a fresh banquet of tropical fruits and other breakfast fare with an orang utang. These beautiful animals are one of the zoo’s star attractions they are the first zoo to have free ranging area which is home to over 20 of these orange hairy creatures. The zoo is part of a very important breeding program which is helping to save these animals from extinction. With people able to get up close and personal with the orang utangs it is hoped that we better understand the needs for survival and conservation of their habitat.
Ever wanted to come face to face with one of the worlds most feared creatures in its natural habitat, well Australia’s Kakaudu is the place. Imagine taking a majestic cruise up the South Alligator River and watch salt water crocodiles glide by. The Yellow Water Bilabong is the place at the end of Jim Jim Creek not far from Jabaru. Experienced guides point out some of the spectacular scenery and magnificent wildlife from canopied cruise boats. Kakadu is home to not only crocodiles but nearly a third of Australia’s bird species including magpie geese, eagles and the magnificent Jaburu stork. At the begining of the cruise to satisfy safety regulations the crew explain the important rules for an emergency including where the life jackets are kept, only a brave person would want to use them in this croc infested area.
