Mati is an abundant and peaceful city in Davao Oriental. It has a total land area of 79,109 and it houses twenty-six barangays. Mandaya, Cebuano, Boholano and Kalagan are the four major dialects in the region but majority of the people can speak and understand English. For various guests and visitors, the entire region is now an ideal haven for relaxation, honeymoon destinations for newly weds and reunion of friends and family.

Tourist Attractions

The Sleeping Dinosaur is located at Sitio Baso of Barangay Badas. This long stunning island is one of the major key attractions in the city, which offers a wonderful break from the landscape.

The Waniban Island is a four-hectare island. If you seek for pleasurable activities under the scorching heat of the sun, this is the place you want to be. Here, you are free to sunbathe, to have picnic, to swim and to camp with your entire family.

The Dahican Beach is just a 15-minute ride from the Poblacion. The resort is largely known for its strong wind, the reason why it has become the ideal site for windsurfing.

The Philippine Eagle Sanctuary is a tropical forest located in Barangay Cabuaya and Luban. Come and see this place as you will understand how these eagles are preserved and taken care of.

Have you been to a plantation? If not, this is your chance to see one. The Menzi Citrus Plantation is rented by DOLE Philippines and they produce a series of quality fruits such as cashew, grapes, pomelo, grapes, banana and mango.

At the peak of Mt. Hamiguitan lies the astonishing view of Bonsai Forest. This is undeniably the nicest place for the nature lovers and plant lovers. You will surely get spellbound by the series of trees in different sizes. The small ones are kept in the containers or pots. The forest is also your ideal setting for reflection and for yoga.

Not satisfied? Continue with your travel but you should never fail to include these tourist attractions in your list: Pygmy Forest, Jericho Camping Site and Guano Cave.

Rio de Janiero (River of January in English) is the second largest city of Brazil. Among the cities in Brazil, Rio gets the most number of tourist visits every year because of its abundance in wonderful tourist attractions and one of those tourist attractions is the "Christ The Redeemer". The statue is considered to be the largest Art Deco statue in the world. Below are the 10 facts you should know about the magnificent statue.

• Build between 1922 and 1931, the Christ the Redeemer has become the symbol of Christianity in Rio and Brazil. The budget for construction clocked at $250,000.

• Christ the Redeemer also symbolizes freedom, blessing and protection.

• The idea was suggested by Princess Isabel but the idea was dismissed in 1889. Years passed by and the Catholic Circle of Rio organized another proposal in 1921. Among the designs, the statue with open arms on a pedestal was chosen.

• The outer layers of the monument were built from high-quality soapstone.
  

• It is located at the Peak of Corcovado Mountain in Tijuca Forest National Park and is referred to as the World’s Largest Art Deco-- standing at 130 feet and weighs 635 tons.

• Heitor da Silva Costa was the local engineer of the monument and it was originally sculptured by Paul Landowski.

• Christ the Redeemer was inaugurated in October 12, 1931 and welcomed numerous tourists around the world.

• Christ the Redeemer has officially joined the list of New Seven Wold’s Wonders in July 7, 2007 along with Giza Pyramid Complex in Cairo, Chichen Itza in Yucatan, Mexico, Colosseum in Rome Italy, Great Wall of China, Machu Picchu in Cuzco, Peru, Petra in Jordan and Taj Mahal in Agra, India.

• On February 10, 2008, the monument suffered a damage caused by thunders and lightning. Restoration effort was immediately put into place, especially in the statue’s head and arms.

• Getting to Christ the Redeemer is easy. Once you’re in Rio de Janeiro, simply go to Cosme Velho District, specifically the Rua Cosme Velho 513. This is the place where you are going to buy tickets for train. This train takes you through the Atlantic Rainforest up to the statue’s foot.

Hunter Valley is definitely one of the must see island when you visit Australia. The warm and sunny climate of the city awaits you. But of course, there's more than just the clear skies, Hunter Valley offers many attractions for you.

There are many places that you can go to in the city. Whether you are a wine lover, an enthusiast of natural beauty and wildlife, Hunters has it all. Barington Tops is one of the most popular areas with if you are a nature lover. Here you can see a large of unspoiled cities of rare wildlife.

List of Activities You Can do In Hunter Valley:

• Wine Tasting There are over 120 cellar doors that will accommodate you daily.
• Food and Wine. You can see wide selection of world class restaurants.
• Golf. Enjoy the three championship courses.
• Hot Air Ballooning
• Arts and Galleries If you are into history, you can visit different arts and galleries in Hunt Valley
• Concerts – Witness the world class acts performing in the vineyards.
  

For those who prefer the conventional sightseeing routine, there are spectacular building that can be found in the Hunter. You can visit several galleries and museum displaying various antiques and crafts such as glassware, jewelry, paintings and sculptures.

One of the sights in Hunter Valley that is sure to get the attention of all visitors is the Hunter Village Garden located in the heart of the Hunter vineyard at the foothills of the Brokenback Ranges. You will be amazed by the colors and fragrances of the twelve stunning feature gardens.

If you are tired of touring, then you can get outside from something new to do. Feel the glorious sunrise from a hot air balloon, or horse back riding in the vineyard. For a more relaxing adventure, you can head to the beach. Hunter Valley is near the sea, expect that you can find some resorts.

Accommodation is not a problem in Hunter Valley. Whatever your choices in Hunter Valley accommodation, whether it is a simple farm to stay or a luxurious hotel, you can easily find a place to suit your taste and your budget.

Fraser Island is another impressive travel destination in Australia. This island is situated along the southern coast of Queensland, Australia and around three to four hours away from Brisbane. It is 123 kilometers long and at its widest point it’s width around 22 kilometers.

It was year 1992 when the World Heritage discovered the island. After the discovery, the place is considered as one of the world's largest island and the only place with rainforest that grows in the sand. This makes Fraser Island as one of the most rare and mysterious place on Queensland's coastline. In this area, you can see long undisturbed sandy beach flanked by strikingly colored sand cliffs. It is also a home of 100s freshwater both tea colored and clear blue lakes. Hence, Fraser Island is not just an ordinary island. It's an island wherein the Australian's rich natural heritage combine together.

Fishing

During the day, there is plenty to do in Fraser Island. There are endless beaches for swimming, playing Frisbee or beach soccer. Some of the visitors come to Fraser for fishing. In fact, an annual fishing competition is being held in here that last for a whole week.

Day Tours at Fraser Island

You can explore the beauty of Fraser Island from a bird eye view using the MI Helicopters for a day tour. In this way, you can observe Fraser's untamed wilderness, sub-tropical rainforests and crystal clear freshwater lakes. It is perfect for a couple who wants a secluded and romantic getaway.

However, it is better if you explore the scenic highlights of Frazer Island by land. You can visit different pounded beaches, rainforest and freshwater lakes. You can also witness the brilliant spring wild flowers and forest clad dunes and other wildlife settling in the island.

What's more, you can select your accommodation here depending on your budget. There are available luxury hotels and resort for rents, even a simple camp site. If you want a feeling like at home you can set up a tent and a campfire on the beach. Just ask anything you wish, Fraser is a great provider.

Tasmanian Wilderness is a spectacular place to visit in Australia. It is one of the largest temperate wilderness areas remaining in the Southern Hemisphere. It was enrolled on the World Heritage List last 1982 and in 1989. Started May 2007, Tasmanian Wilderness becomes one of the destinations for foreigners.

The area of Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage covers approximately 1.38 million hectares and contains almost twenty percent of the area of Tasmania. In this island, you can see the deepest and longest caves in Australia. And since this is Australia, you are going to expect a wide variety of flora and some of the longest lived trees and tallest flowering plants in the world only found in this area.

The Tasmanian Wilderness is made up of different parks and other reserves:

• Cradle Mountain
• Lake St Clair
• Southwest National Park
• Wild Rivers National Park
• Hartz Mountains
• Mole Creek Karst National Park (part)
• Walls of Jerusalem National Park
• Central Plateau Conservation Area
• Devils Gullet State Reserve
• Liffey Falls State Reserve (part)
  

If you are planning to visit one or all of them, guides of Tasmanian Wilderness are willing to tour you around. In Lake St Clair you can witness a nice landscape encompassing indented mountain peaks, icy streams, ancient rainforest, and glacial lakes. During winter, snow covered the area of Hartz Mountains. But you will amaze with the waterfalls that surround the park and with beautiful and abundant wildlife once the snow melts in late spring.

Activities in Tasmanian Wilderness

The Tasmanian Wilderness offers a wide variety of recreational opportunities ranging from extended walks through to half hour strolls.

Bushwalking

There are over 1,000 kilometers bushwalking tracks and routes in the Tasmanian Wilderness and the numbers are increasing every year. Some of the famous tracks are the Overland, Frenchmans Cap and the South Coast. With plenty f interesting sights and activities to do along the way, this will definitely be an exciting trip.

Camping

Campsites scattered around the Tasmanian Wilderness for affordable overnight fees.
Angling

After the tiring walking and camping, the next exciting activity would be angling. The popular fishing areas in Tasmanian include Lake Pedder, Lake St Clair and the Gordon River.

Rafting and Kayaking

You will enjoy seeing spectacular scenery in Tasmanian for 12 days wilderness rafting.

Are you a lobster and seafood lover? Boothbay Harbor Maine is a perfect destination for you. Lobster restaurants sprout like a mushroom anywhere in Maine as well as the fishing charters that sell lobsters. In fact, many visitors find the best lobster restaurants only in Maine.

Aside for being a popular destination for lobster and seafood restaurants throughout the world, Bootbay Harbor is also known as “The Boating Capital of New England.” Hence, going on a scenic boat tour is the first thing in your to do list during your stay in Boothday Harbor Inn. There are 25 boat trips daily that tour the nearby islands.

The highly recommended place to visit near Boothbay Harbor is the Damariscotta Lake State Park - a good place to go swimming. The place isn't overcrowded during weekdays. In the nearby island is a home of a very nice beach called Pemaquid with warm water compared to other beach in Maine. The calm and lovely views of this beach resort are perfect for you and your kids.

Here you will discover the historic side of Boothbay Harbor that full of museums. Tourist can enjoy educational and historical part of the town. A one-day tour on Antique Railway Village is enough to discover the history behind this place. Part of the village are old automobiles, a museum, tractor pulls, model and full size train. Another museum you must see is located in downtown the Boothbay Region Historical Society. It is just a small yet informative museum. Seeing their large collection and photographs, you can imagine the look of the town before it became a large tourist destination.

You can also enjoy visiting Burnt Island Lighthouse. It is a five-acre island operated by Maine Department of Marine Resources. From the port of BoothBay Harbor, this lighthouse is just a one mile away. After the successful attempt of restoring this lighthouse it is now an educational spot in Maine.

Lastly, don't forget to visit the Maine State Aquarium. So what is it about this aquarium that seems to be enchanting all? For one thing, it's all the lobsters. Your kids will be amazed with different sizes and colors of lobsters and wide variety of sea creatures they will find here. The Aquarium was built in 1993, and it looks like the actual rocky coast of Maine.

Haiti as we already know by now needs the whole world’s support due to the magnitude 7 earthquake that hit the island earlier this week. With this tragic event that killed an estimated 50,000 people, I can only hope and pray that Haitians can still find a way to continue living.

Haiti is Creole and French speaking Caribbean country. Being a Caribbean country it is blessed with one of a kind beaches. The island attracts thousands of tourists every year from around the globe. Natural wonders, parks, lakes, monument and historic sites are among the best tourist attractions of the island.

Beautiful islands are common in Haiti but Labadie Island is probably the most popular tourist spot in the country. The island is famous for its breathtaking view any time of the day. A cruise can help you check out the totality of the Labadie Island. You can check out the nearby Bay of Acul and Amiga Island. These two tourist spots are equally attractive and offer travelers luxuriant green landscapes.

If you’re a traveler who likes to know more of the country’s history then Citadelle is the right place to visit. Musee de Guahaba is a specialty museum that houses the country’s abundant arts and artifacts.

Barbancourt Rum Distillery is also a major tourist attraction in Haiti. One of the best tasting rums is being made here.

Petionville is the perfect place for vacationers who like to shop. The place is located in the country’s capital which is the Port au Prince. Various restaurants and shops are found in Petionville. You can also get a closer look of the country’s rich cultural heritage in this place.

Aside from the major tourist attractions that I have mentioned, there are also a number of places in Haiti that are worth your time and they are Lake Saumatre and Chaine de la Selle Peak. Lake Saumatre is famous for flamingos, water buffaloes, and crocodiles while the Chaine de la Selle Peak is the highest point of Haiti.

Despite being the poorest country in the western hemisphere there’s no doubt that Haiti has a lot to offer to its growing number of tourists across the globe.

Let us all hope and pray for Haiti’s fast recovery and restore those natural wonders that makes them one of the best tourist destinations in the world.

Perched high atop Mount Lee, the tallest peak in Los Angeles, lies the very famous Hollywood Sign. It is an attraction that literally shouts to the world the word “Hollywood.”

The sign is said to measure 450 feet long, its mammoth letters are 45 feet high, and it's visible from all parts of Hollywood. It was erected on 1923 as an ad sign for real estate development in Beachwood Canyon, the Sign originally read "Hollywoodland." The last four letters were removed in 1945, after Hollywood had become the world's movie capital. The Sign had already become a well-known landmark. To note one event on 1932, during the Great Depression, one despondent young actress, Peg Entwistle, even jumped to her death from the Sign's giant letter "H."

The original sign contained thousands of light bulbs, which were changed daily by a caretaker who lived in a small house behind one of the Sign's giant "L's."And in the 1998 Disney remake of "Mighty Joe Young," the over sized ape climbs the Hollywood Sign and perches in one of its giant letter "O."

There is no easy way to reach the Sign itself, which is located atop an undeveloped hillside, far from roads. And if you did manage to reach the area, you would discover that the Sign has been fenced in to keep out the curious, and that a new high-tech alarm system has recently been installed. So all you have to do is to look at it.

The best way to see the Hollywood Sign is to drive up Beachwood Drive (north of Hollywood Boulevard). The Sign is clearly visible most the way up Beachwood, although the hills begin to obscure the view of the Sign near the top of the drive.

Here's a tip for you to follow to get more close and a good view of the Hollywood Sign:

The Hollywood Sign is located atop Mount Lee, in the Hollywood Hills, northeast of downtown Hollywood. For the best view, take Beachwood Drive north up into the hills. To reach Beachwood Drive from Hollywood & Vine, take Hollywood Boulevard east (a quarter mile), to Gower Street. Turn left (north) up Gower (three blocks, under the freeway) to Franklin Avenue. Turn right (east) on Franklin, then immediately turn left (north) up Beachwood Drive, into the hills. It's a long, twisting drive. To reach Beachwood Drive from the Hollywood (101) Freeway, take the Gower Street exit, then turn right (north) up Beachwood Drive.