Diana's Peak at St. Helena: Best Destination to Discover

Just receiving notification email in my Yahoo Mail from WAYN. Several stories about traveling were sent by people through WAYN. My eyes got attracted to the title about St. Helena, The Secret Island of St. Helena. And, there are some testimonial about Diana's Peak from visitors. As reading Diana's name, my mind goes on Princess Diana. So, I click them and discover what actually St. Helena, where it is, and what Diana's Peak is ...

St Helena Island is situated in the South Atlantic Ocean, at 15° 56' South and 5° 45' West. The nearest land is Ascension Island, which is 703 miles (1,125km) to the North West. It is 1,200 miles (1,950km) from the South-West coast of Africa and 1,800 miles (2,900km) from the coast of South America. St Helena offers a uniquely rich diversity of heritage-based attractions, both built and natural. There are many things to see and lots to do on the island - from visiting the Georgian town to the rugged coastline, from the rolling hills to the stark yet striking geology at Sandy Bay. St Helena is home to the most varied heritage and nature, breathtaking views from the highest peaks, inviting waters, and 100% quaintness. Hence, there are some travel activities that can be done there, because there are some unique and interesting places for having vacation.

The Highest Point st St Helena, Diana's Peak (Image: www.sthelena.se)

Diana's Peak National Park, Saint Helena is one of best travel place there. It is the first national park in Saint Helena, which was created around March 1996. It is very small, if compared to the better known national parks around the world - just 81 ha. But this small microcosm provides endless opportunities to scientists and numerous impressive sights and experiences to tourists.

Largest patches of tree fern thicket remain around the summit of the highest peak of Saint Helena island, the 818 m high Diana's Peak (Image: www.sthelena.se)

Diana’s Peak rises 823 metres above sea level and is the highest point on St Helena. It is here in the National Park that many of the island’s endemic plant species find refuge. The endemic blushing snail also lives here. On a clear day the views from the Peaks is magnificent. Hike up Diana's Peak - at 823m, the highest point of the island and the perfect place to get a 360º view, and home to many endemic plant and invertebrate species.

Diana's Peak Entrance (Image: www.sthelena.se)

Diana's Peak Nursery (Image:www.the-islander.org.ac)

 Of course, instead of Diana's Peak, there are still some places at St. Helena that can be discovered, such as Jamestown, the island’s capital; Longwood House - Napoleon's Residence for the last 6 years of his life; Plantation House, the Governors Residence, with Jonathan, the giant tortoise; Jacob's Ladder, and so on.

Best Destination : Cape Town, South Africa

Based on the traveler's choice by tripadvisor 2011, it is mentioned that Cape Town, South Africa is the best travel destination in the world. Cape town is being an attraction for people to visit an make a trip there due to the amazing scene of Blaauwberg Beach and National Botanical Gardens Kirstenbosch, in which can be reached easily from the city just by driving. Beside that there is conservation Tanjung Harapan that offers the beautiful sea scene, cross-country track, and interaction with wild animals. Then, there is also Robben Island, where there is a prison in which Nelson Mandela ever been prisoned there for 27 years.

The other attractive destinations in Cape Town are the beautiful beaches such as Clifton, Camps Bay, Bantry Bay and Green Point, etc. All water sports are offered there and the beaches are first class – as well as the property prices, unfortunately. Then, all are can be reached just by driving a few minutes from the city center.

KRUGER NATIONAL PARK, SOUTH AFRICA NATIONAL PARK

Kruger National Park covers roughly 18,989 square kilometres (7,332 sq mi) and extends 360 kilometres (220 mi) from north to south and 65 kilometres (40 mi) from east to west. Kruger National Park is the biggest in South Africa, and offers visitors a great range of attractions for those who are keen to see the mammals that are native to the South African savannahs, including the ‘big five’; lion, leopard, rhinoceros, elephant and buffalo, along with smaller mammals such as kudus, bonteboks, impalas, nyalas and all of the other animals that the England Rugby Travel tours are named afterKruger National Park offers a wildlife experience that ranks with the best in Africa. Kruger National Park is part of the Kruger to Canyons Biosphere, an area designated by the United Nations Education and Scientific Organisation (UNESCO) as an International Man and Biosphere Reserve (the "Biosphere"). The park has 9 main gates that allow entrance to the different camps. The names of these gates are Paul Kruger Gate, Numbi Gate, Malelane Gate, Crocodile Bridge Gate, Punda Maria Gate, Orpen Gate, Phalaborwa Gate, Phabeni Gate and Pafuri Gate.

Kruger is home to an impressive number of species: 336 trees, 49 fish, 34 amphibians, 114 reptiles, 507 birds and 147 mammals. Man's interaction with the Lowveld environment over many centuries - from bushman rock paintings to majestic archaeological sites like Masorini and Thulamela - is very evident in the Kruger National Park. These treasures represent the cultures, persons and events that played a role in the history of the Kruger National Park and are conserved along with the park's natural assets.

Kruger National Park established in 1898 to protect the wildlife of the South African Lowveld, this national park of nearly 2 million hectares, SANParks - Kruger National Park is unrivalled in the diversity of its life forms and a world leader in advanced environmental management techniques and policies.  

 A nearby waterhole would make this an exciting place to be in winter. 

Kruger National Park is characterised by combinations of savannah, thornveld and woodland eco-zones. Large African mammals are present. Kruger has 12 main rest camps, 5 bushveld camps, 2 bush lodges and 4 satellite camps.

Pafuri Camp is located in the Makuleke region of the Kruger National Park. The Makuleke community has granted a private concession to the camp's operators and shares in the profits.

The Luvuvhu runs red past the luxury tent on its way to the Limpopo. In the course of one day it rose from a trickle to a fast-flowing torrent.

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data source: http://www.sanparks.org

most photo source: http://www.ecoafrica.com

JOHANNESBURG, A TRANSIT POINT FOR CONNECTING FLIGHTS IN SOUTH AFRICA

Gold Reef City, Cassino, Eatery, Hotel and Theatre

 Johannesburg, South Africa

Johannesburg is one of the most modern and prosperous cities in South Africa. Due to its many different central districts Johannesburg would fall under the Multiple Nuclei Model in Human Geography terms. It is the hub of South Africa's commercial, financial, industrial, and mining undertakings. Johannesburg is part of a larger urban region. It is closely linked with several other satellite towns. Randburg and Sandton form part of the northern area. The east and west ridges spread out from central Johannesburg. The Central Business District covers an area of 6 square kilometres. It consists of closely packed skyscrapers such as the Carlton Centre, Marble Towers, Trust Bank Building, Ponte City Apartments, Southern Life Centre and 11 Diagonal Street.

 Johannesburg Botanical Garden

Parks and gardens in Johannesburg are maintained by Johannesburg City Parks. They are also responsible for maintaining and planting the millions of trees in Johannesburg. Johannesburg Botanical Garden, located in the suburb of Emmarentia, is a popular recreational park.

Johannesburg's largest shopping centre is Sandton City, while Hyde Park is one of its most prestigious. Other centres include Rosebank, Eastgate, Westgate, Northgate, Southgate, The Glen Shopping centre, Johannesburg South, and Cresta. There are also plans to build a large shopping centre, known as the Zonk'Izizwe Shopping Resort, in Midrand. "Zonk'Izizwe" means "All Nations" in Zulu language, indicating that the centre will cater to the city's diverse mix of peoples and races. Also a complex named Greenstone in Modderfontein has been opened and is intended to become the largest shopping complex in the southern hemisphere.

 INTERCONTINENTAL AIRPORT SUN
South Africa's first and only luxury hotel at an airport, the InterContinental Airport Sun is situated within walking distance from the terminals at Johannesburg International Airport.

Johannesburg has not traditionally been known as a tourist destination, but the city is a transit point for connecting flights to Cape Town, Durban, and the Kruger National Park. Consequently, most international visitors to South Africa pass through Johannesburg at least once, which has led to the development of more attractions for tourists. Recent additions have centred around history museums, such as the Apartheid Museum and the Hector Pieterson Museum. Gold Reef City, a large amusement park to the south of the Central Business District, is also a large draw for tourists in the city. The Johannesburg Zoo is also one of the largest in South Africa.

Johannesburg Art Gallery is the largest gallery in southern Africa with an outstanding collection of European and South African paintings

The city also has several art museums, such as the Johannesburg Art Gallery, which featured South African and European landscape and figurative paintings. The Museum Africa covers the history of the city of Johannesburg, as well as housing a large collection of rock art. The Market Theatre complex attained notoriety in the 1970s and 1980s by staging anti-apartheid plays, and has now become a centre for modern South African playwriting. The Johannesburg Civic Theatre is South Africa's foremost "receiving house" of live entertainment—presenting world class theatre, both local and international.