Perth City in Australia

This web page was part of a project on Australia done for International-Travel-Tours.com

Welcome to Perth. Welcome to the land that is blessed with some of the prestine coastline of the world. Perth - home of the world’s oldest operating mint; numerous museums and art galleries, historic character buildings, a five-star resort and casino and a great variety of shopping .Of the 1.8 million people that live in Western Australia, 1.4 million reside in Perth. Perth sits elegantly on the banks of the Swan River, like a monarch surveying her realm.

Perth , the gift of nature is blessed with a Mediterranean climate, most of Perth’s sporting and recreational activities revolve around the city’s superb beaches. Perth’s waters play host to abundant marine life including seals, dolphins, whales and many, many species of fish. Beaches like Scarborough and Cottesloe have been described by countless visitors as some of the best strips in the country. Boasting an impressive skyline, inner-city Perth seems to have been designed with people in mind. Its attractive malls and elevated walkways make it pleasant to navigate on foot.

Beaches
Perth’s closest beaches extend along the Indian Ocean’s Sunset Coast, 30km of near-unbroken sand and coastal suburbs stretching north of the Swan River.There are also inshore beaches along the Swan River at Crawley, Nedlands, Peppermint Grove and Mosman Bay on the north shore, and Como, Canning Bridge and Applecross on the south – all are calm and safe for kiddies. Cottesloe Beach, 7km north of Fremantle, is the most popular city beach, with safe swimming in the lee of a groyne. There are ice-cream vendors, cafés and watercraft-rental outlets all just a short walk from Cottesloe train station.

Scarborough Beach is as much a holiday resort as beachside suburb and is the best base along the Sunset Coast if you want to stay a day or two. Popular with surfers and their groupies, the suburb has an easy-going air of “Californian tan-upmanship”, plus enough services, inexpensive accommodation and activity to sustain a few days out of central Perth.

Underwater World
Encounter the beautiful bottlenose dolphins cared for by Underwater World. Watch them being fed and observe their natural behaviour. Travel the submerged tunnel on a moving walkway and come face to face with over 2,000 marine animals. See divers hand-feed sharks and giant rays. In the touch pool, feel a starfish or even a shark, or zoom in on the sea's tiny creaturest the Microworld display

Whale Watching
Experience the awesome beauty and wonder of the humpback whale on cruises operating from Hillarys Boat Harbour.

Perth Tram
A fun way to discover Perth and its history. This wooden replica tram was built locally to resemble the first trams operating in Perth in 1899. Visit Kings Park, the Casino, Old Perth Port at the Barrack Street Jetty and the city shopping areas. Interesting commentary by knowledgeable drivers. Full tour l.5 hours, or break your journey at any point and rejoin later.

Perth Mint
Step through the door to the Perth Mint's Old Melting House and step back into the past century when Western Australia was in the grip of gold fever, and the refining and minting processes were a symphony of steam-driven engines, whining leather belts and the striking of metal on metal. See daily demonstrations of pure gold bars being poured and moulded. From the spectacular viewing gallery, you can also see where the Perth Mint's bullion and proof issue coins are produced today.

Wines of Perth
Parth is also popular for its wines and all over the world . A traditional family winery with a policy of keeping its wide range of multi-award winning whites, reds and fortified wines at affordable prices. Nearby on Benara Road you'll find Dear Friends Garden Restaurant and The Vineyard Teahouse Restaurant. Both are also open for meals, Devonshire teas and stock local wines.

Activities
Surfing and swimming at the city's beaches are favoured activities along with diving and fishing and the picturesque Avon River is a popular canoeing spot. You can also get out on the ocean by renting a catamaran at the South Perth foreshore, or asking around Perth's yachting clubs for volunteer spots on racing yachts.

There are a number of activities that bring you into contact with marine mammals in and around Perth, including watching for humpback whales returning to Antarctic waters after wintering in the ocean off north-western Australia.

Touring Adelaide

This web page was a part of Australia project done for International-Travel-Tours.com

Welcome to Adelaide. The city of hopes and aspirations with amazing diversity that offers you everything you could ever want in a holiday. Adelaide - Capital of South Australia, fourth largest city, a multicultural society and a ‘Mediterranean’ city with a population of over 100 different ethnic communities. Adelaide is situated along the southern coast of Australia. The city combines interest, creativity and liveliness with a safe and clean environment.

Adelaide displays a sophisticated heritage, strongly reflected in the beauty and charm of its well planned streets, surrounding parks and gardens, gracious architecture and a special character that makes it quite distinct from other cities of Australia .Adelaide is renowned for great food and wine - there are more restaurants per population in Adelaide than any other major city. The capital’s thriving arts culture is well-respected internationally. The Adelaide Festival of Arts, which is conducted annually, attracts major artists from all over the world . The Adelaide Fringe Festival unites the expressive, alternative people of Adelaide in a tidal wave of colour, parades and creativity.

South Australia boasts a diverse range of different landforms, from hills, grasslands and valleys, to the semi-arid and arid deserts in the north of the State. Australia is one of the oldest continents on Earth, and consists of a wide variety of landforms, mostly consisting of vast ancient crystal blocks. The lowest point in Australia is Lake Eyre in South Australia, which is 16 metres below sea level.It offres a wide range of tourist attractions place which attracts tourists all over the world.

Adelaide Hills
There is much to see and do in the historic Adelaide Hills, one of the first regions to be settled within South Australia. Twenty minutes drive from the City of Adelaide.The Mount Lofty Botanic gardens offer beautiful scenery with views of the City of Adelaide. There is also an abundance of great food and fine wine.

Fleurieu Peninsula
The Fleurieu Peninsula is home to some of South Australia's most picturesque swimming and fishing beaches, walking trails, and wine regions. The seaside region of Victor Harbour offers many different opportunities: surfing, fishing and swimming at its different beaches, whale-watching between June and September each year, and the chance to see more than 1000 fairy penguins, nesting on Granite Island.

Kangaroo Island
Located just 16km from the tip of the Fleurieu Peninsula, Kangaroo Island is the third largest island off the Australian mainland, accessible by vehicle/passenger ferry and by air. It offers an abundance of wildlife largely unaffected by developments on the mainland, including sea lions, koalas, wallabies and of course kangaroos! It is also home to Australia's largest sea lion colony, spectacular rock formations, and untouched sandy beaches.

Kangaroo Island
Australia's largest Aboriginal history and arts collection is displayed at the South Australian Museum. The fine museum, which also exhibits natural history, is worth seeing. Another highly recommended museum is the Migration Museum, which chronicles the social history of the state. Just 11km from the city centre is Adelaide's top beach destination, Glenelg. The lively beach has a good assortment of places to eat and drink.

Shopper's Paradise
Adelaide Arcade and the bustling Rundle Mall are the city’s main shopping precincts. Rundle Mall is ideal for city shoppers with every major label represented, plus loads of cafes and restaurants. For antiques and bric-a-brac, head for King William Road, Norwood Parade and Magill Road. Just 10 minutes drive from the city centre, Unley Road features specialty shops and exciting designer fashion boutiques dotted between classy restaurants, outdoor cafes and antique dealers.

Activities
There are several bushwalking clubs in the Adelaide area which organise weekend walks in the Mt Lofty Ranges. There is good sailing all along the Adelaide shoreline of the Gulf of St Vincent. Beaches close to the city, such as Seacliff, Brighton, Somerton and Glenelg offer excellent swimming, though you have to go a litte further afield for surfing. There's an artificial reef designed for divers off Glenelg beach. You can go ice-skating or skiing year-round at the indoor rink and slope in Thebarton.

Singapore Tourism

This web page was written for Singapore section for Tourism-Asia.net in April, 2007.

Singapore has always been a paradise for the tourists. It is a charismatic city which has a perfect blend of contrast and color. Singapore serves you with diverse culture, exotic sea food combined with brilliant art and architecture. Stuffed with great enthusiasm, Singapore tourism provides memorable experience, for its visitors in some of its highlighted attractions. This includes journeys that will take you to see the scenic beauty of the island, and even under the crystal clear waters that surround it.

A single day's travel will take you from the past to the future, from extraordinary traditional enclave to efficient business centre, from lush gardens to sleek skyscrapers.

Tourist Attractions
If you are planning to visit Singapore then here is a list of Tourist Attractions or the Places of Interest in Singapore which you can visit while you are here in Singapore:

Asian Civilization Museum: The Asian Civilization Museum is a form of the three museums of the National Museums of Singapore. This is the most established museum in the region to focus exhibits and origins in Asia's cultures and evolutions.

Escape Theme Park : Scream your hearts out at Singapore's biggest outdoor theme park, Escape Theme Park. Escape Theme Park will certainly thrill and excite you with its huge range of wet and dry rides for the whole family.

Jurong Bird Park: Located at the west end of Singapore, the Jurong Bird Park is the largest and most remarkable bird park in Southeast Asia that will certainly fascinate and impress you with its variety of 9,000 birds.

Kent Ridge Park: With a size of 47 hectares, this park offers you the most magnificent views of the off-shore islands such as the Pulau Duran Darat. Filled with Tembusu, Acacias and Dillenias trees, you will certainly enjoy the peacefulness and serenity of the park.

Merlion: The Merlion is to welcome all visitors to Singapore. Standing tall at 8.6 metres high and weighs as heavy as 70 tonnes, it was designed since 1964. It is originally located at the mouth of the Singapore River.

Night Safari: The Night Safari is the first wildlife park built especially to be viewed at night unlike the traditional nocturnal houses elsewhere. This place occupies 40 hectares of land, ranging animals from South America and other parts of Asia.

Pulau Ubin: A small island, shaped like a boomerang, this island is off the northeastern coast of Singapore main island. This could be the very last kampung or village in Singapore.

Singapore Johore Battery at Changi: The Johore Battery is a war memorial site in Singapore that dates back to the early 1940s. Some of the other major coastal batteries were the Pasir Laba Battery, Labrador Battery and the Fort Siloso Battery.

Singapore Zoo: The modern Singapore Zoo, or formerly known as the Singapore Zoological Gardens, displays animals in the open. Residents of the animal kingdom roam spaciously in landscaped enclosures.

Heritage
Culture and Traditions
Singapore is a perfect mixture of social ethnicities and traditions. The visitors can explore myriad of festivals, arts and numerous events which are a great fusion of several influences. Moreover, Singapore is gifted with rich heritage which can be seen in its splendid building structures and monuments. Now Singapore's heritage scene has blossomed with a steady rise in museum visitors and cultural activities in recent years.

Architecture
Singapore presents one of the finest and modern skylines in South east Asia. Its modern buildings can challenge sky scrapers from any part of the world. Singapore comes up with the buildings and monuments of colonial heritage in unparalleled style. You can also visit Singapore Institute of Architects (SIA), which is a national organization that represents the architects in Singapore. The marvelous and innovative architecture in Singapore sure keeps the visitor glued to her beautiful skyline.

Must Visit in Singapore
Little India: As you step into Little India, just be prepared for the feast of your senses! You will be welcomed by the strong scent of spices and jasmine garlands, followed by the treasury of silverware, wood carvings, brassware and colorful silk saris. In 19th century, Indian immigrants arrived to find work here, be it as laborers to build roads or to take up prominent positions in the civil service.

Festivals: In Singapore, every ethnic group has its own festivals, mostly related to their religion. Almost every month of the year, you will find a celebration of some form or other, bringing a great display of color, pomp and ceremony which is enjoyed by the whole population. In a peaceful and harmonious society, Singaporeans respect and celebrate one another's festivals with relish.

Staying Options in Singapore:
Choosing a hotel or resort in Singapore that perfectly lives up to your expectations is the easiest thing in the world. At this section, you will find a wide range of places in every style at all popular locations with the most comprehensive, up to date hotel and travel information available anywhere for Singapore. The most famous hotels, where you can accommodate comfortably while on your vacation tour to Singapore are: Orchard Road Hotels, Heritage District Hotels, Financial District Hotels, Hotels at River District, Chinatown Hotels, Hotels in Little India, Hotels in North of Downtown, East Singapore / Airport, Hotels in Sentosa Island and lots more.

Singapore Shopping

I wrote this page for Singapore section of Tourism-Asia.net

Shopping is integral part of any holiday in Singapore. Many tourists come only for sightseeing and recreation, but when then leave, there have one or two extra bags with them. Fantastic shopping malls in Singapore with a galaxy of goods make sure that the visitors return with something special.

Some of the main Singapore shopping malls are:

Orchard Road
Orchard Road is known for its fabulous shopping not only in Singapore but all over the world. Ritzy shopping malls interconnected by underground air-conditioned passages line the streets. Without the tour of Orchard Road, they say, any tour of Singapore is not complete. Most famous among the shopping malls of the Orchard Road are the Centrepoint, Delfi Orchard, DFS Galleria Scottswalk, Far East Plaza, The Heeren, Shopping Gallery of Hilton, Liat Towers, Lucky Plaza, Mandarin Gallery, and Midpoint Orchard.

Marina Bay
Marina Bay is also a nice spot for Singapore shopping extravaganza. The place brims with shopping malls and the visitors have great choices. Main shopping centers of the region are CHIJMES, CityLink, Marina Square, Millenia Walk, and Raffles City Shopping Center.

Chinatown
Chinatown is the cultural hub of Chinese migrants. In the serpentine streets and alleyways, Chinese merchants hawk their wares. Some sell products of medical use like herbs, spices and potions while products like bales of silk, gold jewelry, and other traditional crafts are also there. Conventional teashops, painted masks, kite makers, lacquerware, handicrafts, artefacts, waxed paper umbrellas can also be found in Chinatown.

Arab Street
Arab Street is ideal for those who like bazaar-style shopping. One can enjoy bargaining to the heart's content and purchase most intriguing keepsakes. Items widely available here are goods made of cane, rattan, straw and pandan leaf goods, like baby cradles, floor mats, serving trays and hanging chairs. Other interesting stocks like sewing kits, camel skin bags and fishing items are also on sale.

Little India
Little India is the best place to buy traditional Indian items in Singapore. One would be greeted in Little India shops with pungent scent of spices and jasmine garlands. Other available objects are ethnic jewellery, silverware, brassware, and colorful saris. One can also browse for dazzling bangles and other bridal ornaments. Mustafa Center and Tekka Center are two most prominent shopping centers in Little India.

North Bridge Road
Prominent shopping centers of the North Bridge Road are the Capitol Building, Funan the IT Mall, Stamford Court, Stamford House and Adelphi. Capitol Building is known for fashion boutiques, Funan for computer goods, Stamfor Court for furnishing, lighting, book and CD shops, Stamford House for an art gallery as well as interior design and decoration ideas, and Adelphi for entertainment equipments and beauty services.