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Magnetic Island (Australia)
by anwar7
Having just returned from a trip to Australia I have many reviews to write! I recently reviewed bungalow bay koala hostel on Magnetic Island and said I would review the Island at a later date, so as promised here is that review!
Magnetic Island ( or Maggie as it is known) lies just 8 KM off the coast of Townsville in ... Queensland. The Island measures 52 square km's and has 40 km of beautiful coastline and 60 km of roads to explore. The Island is 2/3 National park and is situated on the Great Barrier Reef. The granite rock formations are softened by the lush greenery .The Island has a resident population of around 2,500,so feels like area so feels like a real living Island!
There are 4 main small towns on the Island; Picnic bay, Nellie bay, Arcadia and Horseshoe bay. We stayed in Horseshoe bay. The Island was named by James Cook who believed the Island rock caused his compass to fail to operate-he was wrong! He also made the mistake of not paying a visit to this gorgeous Island!
Getting there.
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Getting to the Island is easy if expensive! There are 2 ferry terminals; one for passengers only and one for the car ferry. The passenger ferry leaves from the breakwater terminal on Sir Leslie Thies road, Townsville. It is well signposted and easy to find. There is a large car park at the terminal where, for 7 dollars a day you can leave your car. The car park is not secured although there is an attendant on duty during the day.
The sea link ferry leaves19 times a day from 5.30am until 11.30 pm. Tickets cost 32 dollars return for an adult and 16 dollars for children aged 5-14. The crossing is by fast catamaran and there are toilets and a small café on board. We were luck enough to spot dolphins on our crossing and the captain paused so we could all get a good look and take some pictures! If you intend taking your car then I suggest you check the sea link website for prices!
The ferry terminal is in Nellie bay and the local bus service meets the ferries and stops at the 4 main townships on the Island.
Why visit ?
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If the thought of a tropical Island with miles of white sandy beaches and sparkling water is not enough for you then Maggie does have a lot more to offer! Each of the 4 small towns has its own beach, all of which are sandy and accessible. We stayed in Horseshoe bay and the beach is a long stretch of white sand with protected swimming. The protective net just off the coast is designed to keep sharks and stingers away! The water is usually warm even during the winter!
We also visited Arthur bay where there is good snorkelling to be had. If you enjoy driving then it is worth knowing that Magnetic Island had several good wrecks to explore. Many of the bays are secluded and only accessible via unsealed roads.
If you enjoy walking then you will appreciate the 24 km's of walking trails. We visited during the winter but the temperature was still around 26 degrees and you will need to remember to carry plenty of water and sunscreen.
I would particularly recommend the walk that goes to the fort. The forts walk is well signposted and the local bus stops at the start of the trail. The walk takes about 2 hours to complete and is on mainly good tracks. The fort refers to the ww2 ruined fort and command post that were built to protect Townsville during ww2. There are great views of the Island from the top of the command post accessed via a metal ladder. This is also the best area to spot Koala's with the best time being the late afternoon.
When you tire of walking then there are several water activities to enjoy including the excellent Jet Ski tour from Horseshoe bay. We took a tour with Adrenalin Jet Ski hire and can highly recommend it! The tour is expensive but was far more than just a ride on a jet ski! The guide was very knowledgeable and made the trip fun and safe! There are also kayaks for hire if you prefer something a bit slower!
Other activities include horseriding, scenic flights, scuba diving lessons and windsurfing. There is also good fishing to be had from several of the beaches.
I love wildlife spotting and Magnetic Island has this is abundance! Apart from the Koalas (we saw several) there are rock wallerbies, possums, and over 120 species of bird. We spent some time watching a white bellied sea eagle fishing- pure magic!
Other information.
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Although we didn't take our hire car to the Island due to cost, we did hire a 4 wheel drive for the day from our hostel. I can't remember exactly how much I paid but it was around 80 dollars. I think it is well worth while to hire a 4 wheel drive car as there are some lovely places that are only accessible via unsealed roads. I would particularly recommend west point on the west coast for the amazing sunsets. The beach at west point is lovely and often deserted. There are no facilities on the beach so bring your own picnic. The unsealed track to the beach is an enjoyable if challenging 25 minute drive.
There are also minimokes for hire although these are not allowed on the unsealed roads. The main roads are sealed although narrow and winding in places. When we visited at the beginning of August there were lots of roadwork's causing lengthy delays. There is petrol available in Arcadia and Nellie bay.
Eating and drinking.
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There are lots of places to eat in all the main townships. We choose to self cater to save money and there are several small, expensive supermarkets on the Island. We used the one in Horseshoe bay although the one just outside Nellie bay was better stocked and slightly cheaper. There is also a bottle shop where you can buy alcohol (alcohol is not available in supermarkets in Oz) in Arcadia.
There are numerous places to stay from expensive private villas to hostels. We stayed in bungalow bay hostel .this is the only place you can camp on the Island.
Overall I loved Maggie and would love to return someday! It has so much to offer and although it receives many visitors all year round we managed to find deserted beaches and saw few other people on our walks!
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Rotorua (New Zealand)
by jade17
Rotorua is a must-see destination for anyone visiting the North Island for the first time. Yes there is a smell of bad eggs that comes and goes in the wind (you will wonder if it is your travelling companion at first!). However, this is a small price to pay for the mind-blowing geo-thermal wonderland that makes Rotorua so special. ... There's something very Jurassic about bubbling mud that the mind and eyes just can't take in!
Although you can see plumes of steam coming out of the earth in various places for free, a visit to one of the tourist attractions is a must. I have been to both Wai-O-Tapu (($NZ80 for family)and Orakei Korako(NZ92 for family)
Although Wai- O- Tapu is more touristy, I would probably recommend this to a first-time visitor or family. The Lady Knox geyser is primed to go off at set times so guaranteeing the spectacle and there are numerous bizarrely coloured pools tainted by various minerals. For anyone who saw the Billy Connolly NZ tour, this was the attraction he visited. By contrast Orakei Korako is a beautiful, more natural, peaceful setting. A few minutes ferry ride takes you across to an amazing wonderland. A path leads you round various pools and formations but it's luck whether one of the 23 geysers will erupt while you are standing there. You may have to listen for the rumblings and double back!
Other Activities
I would think there is something for everyone in Rotorua and I certainly haven't seen or tried even a quarter of what is on offer . Action people may choose zorbing, or head to the Agrodome for one of their adventures. There are zoos and wildlife parks for animal lovers.
The Skyline Luge is great fun and suitable for all the family. A kind of go-kart takes you down the side of the hill on a choice of 3 routes (depending on you sense of adventure) where you catch the gondola back up to the top to do it all again. The top of the Luge a gives you great views over the city. There is a wide array of price options for this activity but it is certainly value for money.
Rotorua also offers a variety of cultural experiences. Many of the hotels have dinner and shows so tourists can see traditional Maori dance and haka. There are 3 main cultural evenings that I am aware of which have a show, dinner and demonstrate aspects of Maori culture. I have been to Tamaki Maori village. Yes, it is touristy but if it is your only chance of seeing a powhiri, wero and haka (welcome, and challenge )and to sample a hangi, (traditional meal cooked in the ground) then it is worthwhile. The ride in the waka (modern day bus) to the evening is fun with great drivers getting the group into the spirit ready to be transported into the recreated Maori village.
On a sunny day just wandering around the lake and seeing the black swans is pleasant. There is also a paddle steamer cruise with various buffets, dining options located there. Government Gardens are attractive and you will find Rotorua Musuem there, also worth a visit.
Accommodation
There is a wide range of accommodation to choose from. Most motels and hotels are situated on Fenton Street . Many of the motels will have a thermally heated spa pool, some individual to the rooms. I have stayed at a couple of the hotels and the YHA but the motels do tend to offer great value for money if you are going to self-cater. Fenton Street is a good half hour walk into town if you are staying at one of the motels furthest away from the town centre (CBD).
Tips
There is a wide and confusing array of discount packages and offers for the attractions. Check out the leaflets in hotel, motels and the I-Site. The I-Site (tourist information) does get very busy here with a large number of coaches transiting through each day.
Although the town centre is pretty compact many of the attractions are spread out around the city and require a vehicle to access them (geothermal parks in particular). Some of the attractions do offer free transport e.g. some cultural evenings.
I would not recommend Rotorua as a long-term base for touring unless you don't mind the smell. However, you can certainly fill one or two days of activities here quite easily.
Rotorua is not a place for shopping other than for tourist souvenirs. Dining options other than cultural evenings were hard to find other than a couple of Irish pubs, Asian Cuisine and the usual chains. However, there was a great food market on Thursday evenings in Tutanekai Street - well recomended.
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Tallinn (Estonia)
by bluestreety
I went to Tallinn as part of a group of 7 middle aged blokes, who were intent, as we usually are when we have a 'lad's weekend' away, on having a good few beer's and to also take in some of the local scenery and food.
As I say, we are middle aged, varying from mid forties to me, I'm 57. Some of the guy's were pretty much into ... Depeche Mode during their heyday and so when we found out that Tallinn had it's very own Depeche Mode Bar, it was met with a considerable amount of glee!
The hotel we had booked was The Go Hotel Shnelli, which is situated at the railway station and the nearest bar to it, is? You've guessed it, The DM Bar.
We usually make one bar our 'base', where we start and finish our day's/evening's drinking and the DM Bar was the obvious choice.
Finding it is simple, on a Street named Nunne, near to The St Olaf Hotel.
Finding your way down the few steps and into the bar area you will find plenty of memorabilia around the place, as you would expect, but what I didn't really expect was every single song played was Depeche Mode. I know it's the Depeche Mode Bar, but, every single song?? Anyway, some of the lad's were in their element and on the night we spent over 3 hours in there, we must have heard a hell of a lot of the total back catalogue.
The beer choice is good, with both dark and light European style beer and the general ambiance of the place is good, with a good mix of clientele, in every sense, whether it be in their dress style or Nationality.
All in all, a great place to visit even if you are not a fan, an amazing place if you are and you might just be lucky enough to be there when the band themselves drop by.
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