Indian Ocean Holidays Blog

Stunning Sri Lanka

holidays — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 11:42:34 +0000

My friend and I went to Sri Lanka a couple of weeks ago and loved it. We stayed at the Dolphin hotel in Negombo and it was fabulous. We were a little dubious with it only being a 3* star but it was the location we wanted due to the short transfer from the airport. We weren’t disappointed with it at all. The beach was clean, golden sand though we tended to stay around the fabulous pool, apparently the longest pool in Sri Lanka.

The longest pool in Sri Lanka

The pool bar served cocktails which we enjoyed, as well as the beer and some spirits were available on the all inclusive too. The grounds were extensive and you certainly walked off the food and drinks each day. The food was fabulous every day. So much choice, they served a lot of local dishes and international dishes. Breakfast was lovely, they had bacon and scrambled eggs and even fish curry! Needless to say we passed on the curry but everything we did try was superb. There was a snack bar which we often used for lunch which was round the quiet pool. This made a refreshing change from the restaurant as we ate in there twice a day anyway.

The quiet pool was lovely and relaxing and you could have massages too. We each had a full body massage which cost about £25 each. The main pool was lively with music and games. Our room was a sea view which was fantastic though the balconies were quite small. All staff were friendly and very helpful and our First Choice rep Sam was brilliant. We wanted to go to the Maldives for 3 nights and he arranged it for us. We could have booked a twin centre but prefer to do our own thing and not be part of a group. The Maldives was the most beautiful place in the world. We stayed at Dhonvelli Island because it was a short boat transfer from Male airport. 3 nights was enough for us as we get bored easily.

The only downside on this holiday was that the hotel didn’t serve wine as part of the all inclusive. As conscientious wine drinkers, we had to have some! We were told the hotels in Sri Lanka don’t include it on all inclusive as it is very expensive. Fair enough, so we got a tuk tuk (small vehicle with driver) to take us to the supermarket to buy some. Couldn’t believe how cheap it was so we bought a couple of flagons! Don’t understand why they don’t include it.

Elephant Orphanage

We did the excursion to the Elephant Orphanage which was awful. The elephants were mistreated and it was a long journey we just thought we were never going to get back to the hotel.

We would definitely go back to Sri Lanka and this hotel.

Donna and Louise

GORGEOUS GOA

holidays — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 10:50:11 +0000

Having been to Goa 8 times, I feel the need to tell everyone about my experiences in such a wonderful country. Goa is split into two areas – North and South. North is where it all happens. The main resorts are Baga, Calangute and Candolim.

The amazing beach spans all three resorts and there is nothing better than to walk along the beach, stopping at the numerous beach shacks along the way. The food quality in the beach shacks is nothing short of amazing!! There are fruit sellers galore, offering pineapples, melons, coconuts, bananas etc. There is one seller in particular – Mama Goa – is a favourite of mine. She is 75 and has worked the beach since she became a widow 12 years ago in order to support her family!! She will take 10 minutes out of her tiring day to share her life experiences with you. One thing to notice – watch out for the cows that stroll along the beach!! Don’t worry, they won’t harm you but they are partial to a pineapple or two!!

One of the best things about Goa holidays is the food. Imagine lying on a beach and the wonderful aroma of Indian food drifting up your nose – heaven!! However, if you don’t like the idea of eating Indian food for breakfast lunch and dinner, don’t worry as all restaurants are multi national cuisine. One of my favourite restaurants is East Meets West in Baga. Think of Chateau Briand (a full fillet steak serving 2 for £7), the most tender Lamb Balti and succulent Tiger Prawns. I would say that this is our most expensive meal but we still get change from £20 and that includes a cheeky bottle of wine or two!!

Shopping is to die for! Top branded names including Gucci, Ray-Ban, Lacoste to name but a few, all at a fraction of the cost you would expect to pay in the UK.

The excursions on offer are also amazing. A must is to visit the Elephant sanctuary, where you can feel free to bathe the elephants, take a ride on them and feed them – they love all the attention! The spice trail is another favourite of mine as I love to buy all the wonderful herbs and spices to take home.

Night life in the North of Goa!! Tito’s road is a must. The well known Tito’s Club has been there for as long as I can remember. Top Dj’s now perform in this club as it has become a landmark in the North. Also try Mambos, Cocktail of Dreams, the Ivy – to name but a few. Again the prices of drinks are superb. Try a Mojito Cocktail for less than 75p and don’t be concerned when it comes in a pint glass!! You will even see a typical Irish Bar – Shamrock – how bizarre to see the locals rocking it on the Karaoke!!

If you prefer something a bit more serene, take a trip to the South. Cavelossim, Benaulim and Varca are some of the main resorts. All of the big 4 and 5 * hotels are now springing up here. Nightlife is quite laid back but make sure you head to Mikes Place for an evening of fun and great food!

All in all, holidays to Goa will be a life changing experience for you. You will find yourself (like me) going back time after time.

By Jan from Peterlee

TOP 10 DRAMATIC SUNSETS

holidays — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 09:43:58 +0000

Source www.picstropical.com

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TOP 10 REASONS TO WEAR SUN CREAM!

holidays — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 09:42:51 +0000

Source; www.images.google.co.uk

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Source www.thebeautystop.com

Source www.images.google.co.uk

TOP 10 PREDATORS OF THE SEA

holidays — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 09:25:55 +0000

The Lionfish is one of the most venomous fish on the ocean floor, the venom is delivered via an array of up to 18 needle-like dorsal fins but is purely defensive. The sting from a Lionfish is extremely painful but very rarely fatal to humans. Lionfish are voracious predators, when hunting they corner prey using their large fins and then use their quick reflexes to swallow the prey whole.

Source www.picstropical.com

Mantas are filter feeders, they feed on plankton & fish larvae and this has allowed them to grow larger that other ray species to approximately 25ft across and weighing around 2,300kg. Mantas are extremely curious around humans and are fond of swimming with scuba divers. They have the largest brain to body ratio of all the shark and rays. The predators of the manta ray are mainly large sharks, however orcas have also been observed preying on them.

Source www.picstropical.com

Believed to have originated 60 million years ago, the whale shark is a slow moving filter feeding shark, it’s the largest living fish species and can grow up to 40ft in length and weighing up to 13.6 tonnes. Found in tropical, warm oceans, the whale shark can live for about 70years. Despite its enormous size, they are actually quite gentle and can be playful with divers. The only risk to divers and snorkelers is unintentionally being struck by the shark’s large tail fin.

Source www.trekearth.com

Moray Eels are carnivorous and even feed on other morays. They have large teeth designed to tear flesh as opposed to holding or chewing. They have a second set of jaws in their throat which also possess teeth. Morays are commonly seen with their heads poking out of a coral reef. Known as a ‘Sea Monster’ the moray eel actually only attacks if it feels threatened.

Source www.trekearth.com

Triggerfish can range in size from 8inches to 3ft long. Their small eyes, situated on top of their large head, can be rotated independently. They have tough skin covered with rough scales that form a tough armour on their body. The Titan Triggerfish can be quite aggressive during reproduction season and viciously defend their circular nests against intruders including scuba divers and snorkelers. They will aggressively attack anything or anyone who comes to disturb its eggs, the titan triggerfish can cause serious injury.

Source www.wikipedia.org

The Dragon Moray Eel is highly predatory and one of the fiercest in the ocean, with its sharp teeth and intimidating face, it’s dangerous to fish as well as humans. They can grow up to 36” long. The dragon moray eel is characterized by its narrow curved jaws, vivid red stripes on the head and elongated tubular nostrils.

Source www.oceans4ever.com

The Bull Shark is well known for its unpredictable, often aggressive behaviour. Many scientists agree that since bull sharks often dwell in shallow waters, they may be more dangerous to humans than any other species of shark. Bull sharks are large and stout, males can reach over 6ft and weigh 200lb whereas females can be much larger, up to 13ft long and weighing 700lb. They have the ability to suddenly burst into speed and be highly aggressive.

Source www.sharkinformation.org

This unusual shark is a master of camouflage, it hosts an amazing mottled pattern which enables it to virtually disappear against the sand and algae-covered ocean floor. Reaching a maximum length of 3.2m, it has a flat body and head. The mouth has a protruding jaw that aids in the capture of prey. The spotted wobbegong, like other wobbegong species, has nasal barbels and hanging tassels on and around the head and body. Usually found in shallow waters, commonly around coral and rocky reefs. They feed at night on octopuses, lobster and sea bass. They are relatively harmless but will bite if disturbed by humans.

Source www.discovery.com

Found in the shallow waters near coral reefs, this amazing Zebra Shark has a beautiful pattern unlike any other. Relatively harmless to humans, they will usually remain still for extended periods even when touched. Zebra Sharks are nocturnal and spend most of the day motionless on the sea floor. By night the zebra shark feeds primarily on molluscs, crustaceans and occasionally small bony fish. With the exception of some other large sharks, few predators could tackle an adult zebra shark.

Source www.aboututila.com

There are currently nine known species of Hammerhead Shark which range from 3ft to 20ft long. Of the nine species of hammerheads, three can be dangerous to humans; the scalloped, the great and the smooth hammerheads. All the species have a projection on each side of the head which gives it a resemblance to a flattened hammer. The eyes and nostrils are at the tips of the extensions. Hammerheads have small mouths and seem to do a lot of bottom-hunting. Known to form schools during the day forming groups of over 100, by night they hunt alone.

Source www.google.co.uk

The only one of these stunning predators i’ve ever come across is the Titan Triggerfish. I was on holiday in the Maldives when the incident occurred. I was just floating along whilst snorkelling when i came across the Triggerfish, it was harshly tearing apart the coral in a very aggressive manner. I must’ve floated too close and it turned and darted towards me showing its teeth. I couldn’t tell you what happened after that as i was so petrified i swam off as fast as i could. Since that incident i have seen them several times, i’ve kept my distance and they’ve never bothered me.

TOP 10 WILDEST WAVES

holidays — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 09:18:36 +0000

Source www.prelovac.com

Source www.farm2.static.flickr.com

Source www.spongewars.com

Source www.prelovac.com

Source www.aloqmalai.files.wordpress.com

Source www.prelovac.com

Source www.dailymail.co.uk

Source www.prelovac.com

TOP 10 CUTEST CREATURES OF THE DEEP

holidays — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 09:16:44 +0000

Source www.picstropical.com

The Sea Turtles inhabit all the world’s oceans except the arctic. The lifespan of Sea Turtles has been speculated at 80 years. Unfortunately ALL species of Sea Turtles are listed as threatened or endangered. After 3 years maturing, females haul themselves onto the beach to create a nest. She then digs a hole and deposits approximately 150-200 eggs. After laying, she refills the whole and returns to the ocean, leaving the eggs unattended. Incubation takes months, then the young turtles tear their shells apart and dig through the sand. Once they reach the surface. They instinctively head towards the ocean.

Source www.pbase.com

Native to warmer waters of the Indian and Pacific Ocean, there are around 28 species of Clown Fish. They all form symbiotic mutualisms with sea anemones. They feed on undigested matter which otherwise could potentially harm the sea anemone. In addition to providing food for the clownfish, the sea anemone also provides safety due to its poison.

Source www.trekearth.com

The Pacific Barreleye Fish is the first ever known fish to have a completely transparent head. Found in tropical waters, they have large, telescoping eyes which dominate and protrude from the skull, but enclosed within a large transparent dome of soft tissue which allows the barreleye to peer up at potential prey of focus forward to see what it is eating.

Source www.huffingtonpost.com

This large, long living Humphead Wrasse can be found in the Indian Ocean around coral reefs. Reaching almost 8 foot in length and weighs more than 800 pounds making it one of the largest reef fish known. They are very opportunistic predators preying primarily on crustaceans and mollusks but are also one of the few predators of toxic animals such as the sea hare and boxfish.

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The unmistakable Bowmouth Guitar Fish is named for its distinctive mouth which undulates like a longbow. Its snout is round and it has sharp thorns which run along its bony ridges over its head used for butting. This large fish grows up to 2.7m long and weighing up to 135kg.

Source www.i.pbase.com

Commonly found in shallow waters, the Giant Grouper feed on a variety of marine life, including small sharks and juvenile sea turtles. The reef dwelling species can grow as large as 9 ft long, weighing up to 600kg. They can live to be more than 50 years old, start out life as females and later switch sex to male with age. It has at least 7 rows of teeth on the middle of its lower jaw and can expand its mouth to create a strong suction, which allows it to engulf its unsuspecting prey.

Source www.wikimedia.org

A truly unique species unlike no other, the Puffer Fish have the ability to puff up and inflate themselves when they are scared, in order to detract predators by surprising them, failing this they can produce a poisonous toxin to deter the would be predator. There are many variations of Puffer Fish, the one pictured above is a porcupine which has these sharp needles attached. Below is a non spiky Puffer Fish.

Source www.wallpapers.free-review.net

And because I love them so much….here’s another cute picture of the Porcupine Puffer Fish;

Source www.christthetruth.files.wordpress.com

And one last one!

Source www.trekearth.com

The Bottlenose Dolphin is commonly known for its friendly character and curiosity. It is not uncommon for a diver to be investigated by a group of them. It has been known that dolphins have rescued injured divers by raising them to the surface. Females live for approximately 40 years and Males for 30 years. Their main diet includes small fish, squid and crabs.

Source www.static.guim.co.uk

Found on shallow reefs in tropical waters, the Blue Faced Angel Fish can grow up to 15 inches. There are approximately 86 species of angel fish, the larger species are quite bold and seemingly fearless, and they have been known to approach divers. With beautiful bright colours and flawless patterns, this pretty species would very rarely venture deeper than 50m.

Source www.adamaqua.com

A member of the surgeonfish family, Yellow Tang Fish can grow up to 20cm in length. Commonly found in shallow reefs, from 2 to 46m deep. All individuals of this species are bright daffodil yellow in colour which by night changes to a dull brown shade. They have a long snout-like mouth used to eat the algae off rocks, they provide cleaner services to the marine turtle by removing algal growth from their shells.

Source www.wikimedia.org

These stunning creatures can be found across the Indian Ocean, i am always looking for more cute species so i can hopefully make a top 20!