MY UNDERWATER EXPERIENCE AT INDIAN OCEAN IN A SUBMARINE; MAURITIUS

Can you imagine yourself underwater at a depth of 35 meters for 45 minutes with a normal supply of oxygen? How will you feel, watching the underwater life, surrounded by reefs & corals, variety of fishes, a shipwreck, an anchor of a 17^th century galleon & much more.

Well, this can all be experienced whilst your visit to this beautiful country, “Mauritius”. You can have fantastic experiences underwater at “Blue Safari Submarine”. 

All thanks to the Invitation which came to me by “Mauritius Tourism Promotion Board” to visit Mauritius. I was lucky to witnessed all; experiencing the most spectacular way of diving on board-a real submarine. This is where we enter the vessel.

My senses were overjoyed. I had a great time here, enjoying my life’s most adventurous moment. I am absolutely speechless to express my experience in words. I feel it is one of the best adventure experiences amongst the rest. The entire activity takes 2 hours from departure to boarding & back. Prior booking is always recommended.

One can opt to ride a subscooter or a submarine to enjoy the marine life. 

I boarded a submarine to witness the underwater world for 45 minutes. It is a small vessel where we all are comfortably seated in an air-conditioned cabin under atmospheric pressure, discovering the splendor of marine & coral life. It can board upto 10 passengers in one go. I kept watching & discovering shoaling & schooling of colourful fishes; shipwreck of the “Star Hope”, corals & much more from my glass window.

Let me introduce you to our Submarine pilot.

A throttle controls your forward speed & you steer the Blue Subscooter underwater almost like an ordinary one. This consists of an airtight capsule which once hermetically sealed allows the pilot & the passengers to enjoy every moment in the water. It is protected by a transparent dome, a panoramic underwater 360 degree view; both are able to breathe normally as the water inside reaches upto the shoulders only. The dive is for about 30 mins, a depth of which is 3 meters offering the opportunity to steer the subscooter’s speed & direction. You are constantly supervised by one of the diver guides.

Thank you Pilot for taking us around underwater, in the Blue Submarine.

What made my day was a certificate of Diving! 

Stay tuned for my separate Blog on Submarine Videos. Coming soon :-)

SUBMARINE LUNCH

Do you want to enjoy a seafood lunch or an exciting wedding ceremony filmed by an underwater cameraman? Yes, this can also be arranged; contact Blue Safari Submarine www.blue-safari.com

DEPARTURE

From Mont Choisy, North West of the Island.

BOARDING

Daily, every hour from 8.30a.m.-15.30p.m.

DURATION OF EXCURSION

2 Hours (45mins below surface)

THE WORLD OF KOMODO DRAGONS; FLORES ISLAND- INDONESIA

We started our journey from Delhi to visit Indonesia-Bali & Flores Islands. It was a long journey from Delhi to Bali & then to reach Flores Islands. Finally, we landed at Bali.

We stayed a night at Mercure Hotel in Bali which was right in the center of the city & in the vicinity for shopping lovers. 

Next morning we were ready to board another flight to Flores Islands.  It was a hour & a half flight. We had a strong desire to witness Komodo; the gigantic dragons in it's origin.  

We checked in at Luwansa Beach Hotel which was nice. It has a swimming pool, restaurant & a clear beach adjoining each other. Rooms of the hotel were also comfortable & AC was superb. The only drawback was no wifi in rooms & it is available only in lobby. Luwansa Beach Hotel is based in Labuan Bajo.

The sunset & sunrise from the hotel was so soothing;it looks like a dreamy scenery. 

We took a ferry to reach Komodo Island which takes about hour & a half from Labuan Bajo. The feeling of witnessing the Komodo in their origin world “Komodo National Park” was scary but packed with a lot of excitement & thrill.

There were maps which showed 3 treks to go around the Komodo National Park. From easy to medium to hard trek. You can pick your pick from here. This helps you to search & locate komodo around the dry Island. Also, giving you the most amazing views of nature from this height. Although, our's was a medium trek.

Flores is most famous for “Komodo National Park”, home to the unique Komodo dragon. It is quite huge & gives a little creepy feeling when you look at it, the first time. You can say, it is a monitor lizard of impressive size; shape & appearance which attracts thousands of people to visit them on their land from around the world.

We were given a small briefing by our guide about the do’s & don't before entering the Park. We were strictly told to maintain a good distance from them which was most important; do not separate yourself from your group & walk with the group; do not speak loudly, just whisper, incase we were lucky to witness them. 

Indeed, we were lucky to find a couple of them. It was a great yet sleazy feeling, surrounded by the Komodos around you.

After a short stroll, we came across “a komodo couple”. We were told by our guide, it’s a male komodo who is so lazy & didn’t want to move from it’s place. The female komodo was full of aggression seeing so many visitors around her that she kept moving around.

Check out these videos to get a shiver in your body, like I felt-

There are unlimited natural beauties waiting for you to discover here. It is a paradise for nature lovers.

This is a local fruit which is also grown here, this is tamarind. I did try to eat but could not finish as it was very sour.

There is also a small market once you step out from the Park. Some locales  are selling Komodo key-rings, statues of komodo, pearls, jewellery etc for their livelihood.

We enjoyed every bit of being around & witnessing Komodos such closely. This will be a lifetime memory for me. Do not miss visiting the Komodo Island whenever you are in Indonesia. 

P.S.- It was an Invite from Indonesia Tourism Board; VitoIndia/Wonderful-Indonesia.

ADVENTUROUS EXPERIENCE OF SKI DUBAI (DUBAI) FOR EVERY AGE

When you visit Dubai, you should not miss the experience of "Ski Dubai". 
It has something or the other for all age groups. Mothers need not worry, your children can play with penguins here or simply make snowballs here in front of your eyes. No matter what your age is, you can enjoy every bit here. It is well said, "there is always a hidden child in everyone. " so why not explore & enjoy the "Ski Dubai" experience.
Here, are some interesting facts you would want to know about "Ski Dubai" in my small interview with Mr. Bashar Aljbaei – "Senior Sales Manager" who is also a great foodie & loves Indian food and culture.

1) Educate the travellers on Ski Dubai, specially to those who are not so familiar with it?

We have many attractions here at Ski Dubai. The most common & educational sessions among the rest are Penguins & Ski Lessons. This can be done from beginners to professionals. Everyone can enjoy here.

2) It's all snow here, what is the temperature here & how do you maintain it all year around?

The temperature here at Ski Dubai goes between -2 to -4 degrees throughout the year. We have gigantic machines that keeps the temperature on that lever. You can fall in love here, as it snows every morning between 4AM and 6AM non stop. Also the material we use is of utmost quality. The thickness of the glass is almost 10 CM which keeps up the whole thing leak-proof & maintains it's strength.

3) Do we have any age limit for Ski Dubai entrance? What about children 
& elderly people?

The minimum age to enter the Ski Dubai has to be 2 years and above. Elderly people can have utmost fun. We have something for each and every age group to ensure they enjoy. Ski Dubai is for everyone, so come explore & enjoy snow here.

4) Tell us about the activities we have here for the visitors?

When Ski Dubai was established, we took in consideration to offer something for everyone, from the chairlift to the slides – the giant balls and most of all we have 25 awesome penguins which bring a smile to everyone's face. You can see them walking through the park. No only this, if you are a professional skier, you can cover multiple difficult slopes which for sure will satisfy your ski-thirst. If you are willing to learn to Ski, we have a great ski school which will make sure that you will be skilled skier in a very short span. The lovely kids can have a great time at our snow-park, they can enjoy building snow-men on our mountains and much more.  

5) What is that 1 most interesting thing one should not miss as a traveller when visiting here?

Ski Dubai is a unique place in itself, if you come to Dubai and not visit 
Ski Dubai, you will be missing out, the world's iconic ski resort & the entire unique experience which is of it's own.

Thank you Mr. Bashar Aljbaei for sharing the details above with our readers.

Peru won “Best International Emerging Destination” prize

PRESS RELEASE:

3^rd June 2016, New Delhi

Peru won “Best International Emerging Destination” prize at the Lonely Planet Awards function.

Peru has been voted as the “Best International Emerging Destination” by the Readers of Lonely Planet Magazine India in May 2016. Peru received the award at the annual “Lonely Planet Magazine India Travel Awards – 2016” which was held at St Regis hotel in Mumbai. The jury panel consisted of industry experts, who decided the best national and international destinations. The award was received by Mr. Luis M Cabello, Economic and Commercial Counsellor of Peru in India. The award was handed over to Mr Cabello by the Bollywood actor and former model John Abraham.

Peruvian Minister of Foreign Trade and Tourism, Magali Silva, said “This recognition is an excellent indicator of India’s growing interest in Peru, its history, culture, beautiful landscape and cuisines.” Ms. Silva also added, “It is the result of promotional efforts which we expect, will translate into a large flow of Indian tourists becoming keen to visit our country.”

About Peru

Peru is a truly diverse country, with 11 eco-regions and 84 of the 117 life zones that exist worldwide. Being one of the world’s 10 mega diverse countries, Peru contains natural wonders. Peru has many World Heritage sites which are a must do in one lifetime for sure…QhapaqÑan (Inca Trail), City of Cusco, Machu Picchu Historic Sanctuary, Chavin Archaeological complex, Huascarán National Park, Chan Chan Archaeological Area (the largest citadel made entirely of adobe), Manu National Park, Lima Historic Centre, Abiseo River National Park, Nazca Lines, Arequipa Historic Centre and Caral(The oldest civilization of the Americas) to name some.

Heir to both native and European cultures, Peru upholds a wide variety of festivals and traditions that make up its cultural heritage. A never-ending series of festivals such as 

Inti Raymi(Feast of the Sun) and events throughout the year bring bright colors and flavours to everyday life.

Credits for the image

Nombre: Panoramic view of Machu Picchu - CUSCO

Crédito: Janine Costa / PROMPERÚ

For more information please contact PR & Marketing Manager, Chandrani Chakraborty at pr@omtourism.com 

FREDERICA NATURE RESERVE- MAURITIUS

Our first day at Mauritius started by visiting the enchanting Frederica Nature Reserve. It is indeed a heaven on earth. We started from out Hotel Heritage Le Telfair on a 4x4(open car) which was full of enthusiasm of upcoming fun. 

I have recorded this special small video for all of you to feel the experience of being here.

Between the infinite blue of the Indian Ocean & the emerald green endemic forests of the south lies Frederica Nature Reserve.

It is vast in some 1,300 hectares of pristine vegetation & breathtaking views. We had lush greenery all around us with various colours & shades of green. I felt a chill going in my spine as we were going deeper & deeper in Frederica.

Nested in the domaine de Bel Ombre, Frederica invites you to reconnect with nature while exploring the many treasures of the Mauritian biodiversity. It is only nature around you; blue skies, clear white waters, bamboos making a unique sound when wind passes through them. 

One thing which I really liked is that the Reserve has made some artificial nests for the birds to lay their eggs. These are really unique. They are deeper in lengh & has a black leather covering it. It is deeper to protect the bird's eggs laid in the nests from monkeys & other animals who can attack the eggs by putting their hands in but after a point, the hand will not go deeper. The covering with black is given because the birds like it dark. 

Rich Heritage-

It is spread in 1,300 hectares of land that composes the reserve. It is full of wild virginal landscapes, one is beautiful than the other. From sugarcane fields on the coastline to higher lands wrapped in their green coat & valleys drenched by enchanting waterfalls & streams.It is a dream turned into a living reality. You can view Java deer gracefully parade in vast lower plains; the upper wetlands shelter a great no. of rare plants & birds. 

It is full of life. You can hear the melody of the birds singing various tunes of music. If you are fortunate enough, you may witness Mauritius Black Bulbul or the Echo Parakeet, saved in the brink of extinction by the Mauritian Wildlife Foundation.

The nature here reserves the Mauritius unique biodiversity. Visitors are invited to commune with nature as they break through the luxuriant vegetation & come close to the hidden beauties. Frederica offers various activities for visitors to delve into timeless natural landscape. 

Powerful, swift & comfortable, quad bikes & buggies are ideal for adventurous & thrill seeking visitors.

One can do the comprehensive 2 hour’s tour of the Reserve, indulging in the rich diversity of sites & panoramas. You can choose from- Dalsing & Sentier Goyaves. So, plan your trip to Mauritius & Frederica Nature Reserve is a must visit.

P.S.- Invited by M.T.P.A (mauritius tourism) & Heritage Hotel