Cultural Awakenings

Airlie Beach, without doubt the social centre of the Whitsundays, is a bustling village nestled between the steep mountains of Conway National Park and the sparkling blue waters of the Coral sea.

With plenty of budget accommodation (including 11 backpacker hostels) and its close proximity to beach and hinterland activities, it’s the perfect backpacker base for exploring the Whitsundays.

On the main street of Airlie Beach you’ll find everything you need: banks, post office, souvenirs, restaurants, cafes and nightclubs – many of which feature live entertainment every night of the week. And on Saturdays, there’s usually a market on the foreshore selling everything from local arts and crafts to fresh produce.

At Airlie Beach you’re close to every activity the Whitsundays has to offer. You can dive, sail, snorkel, swim and cruise the islands or reef. If you’re after some real action, there’s bungy jumping, sky diving or stunt flying. You can even feed the crocodiles. Or if you want something a little more subdued, try horse riding or 4WD rainforest touring – it’s all nearby.

No matter what time of year you visit Airlie Beach, you’ll find it a great place to stay and a wicked place to party.

Bali is the festive face of Indonesia, the jewel in its crown. “Island of the Gods” and “Morning of the World” are two of the names commonly used to describe this island, which is believed by its 2.7 million people to be on loan from the gods.

Profoundly influenced by its rich Hindu culture, Bali has 20,000 temples, 60 annual religious holidays, and 2,000 dance troupes. Hardly a day goes by without a celebration, a procession, or some other festivity.

Westernmost island of the Lesser Sundas, Bali is the most visited island in the Indonesian archipelago. It possesses the country’s most developed infrastructure. The island, which is 150 kilometers (93 miles) long, is known for its beaches some with crashing surf, others with placid waters framed by multicolored coral reefs. Bali’s interior is characterized by an east-west range of volcanoes (Mount Batur rises to 1,720 meters/5,643 feet and Mount Agung to 3,000 meters/9,842 feet) and deep north-south ravines where rice paddies fall away to emerald-green terraces. Bali is characterized by volcanic soil and tropical rainfall that make it an extraordinarily green and fertile land.

Bali alone of the Indonesian islands is predominantly Hindu, and that heritage is largely responsible for the island’s unique character. When the Hindu Javanese Majapahit Empire conquered Indonesia in the 14th century, their artistic and cultural influence profoundly changed Bali, although vestiges of the island’s indigenous culture survive in isolated villages. When Muslims prevailed in Java, the entire Hindu cultural body moved its customs and practices to the smaller island, where the prevailing animist traditions were incorporated into the religion. As a result, Hinduism in Bali has its own flavor, different from that of India.

Paradoxically, given its many blessings, Bali survived the incursions of colonizers and invaders that plagued the rest of Indonesia because it lacked what other islands possessed in abundance: spices, precious metals, and woods. Thus Bali’s culture flourished more or less undisturbed until 1908, when the Dutch took control.

Fishing, golf and, of course, elephant kraals.

Established in 1767 as the capital of Thailand the city maintains a timeless charm. An extensive system of canals has earned it the nickname “Venice of the Far East,” and visitors should make a point of experiencing its floating marketplace. Bangkok is of course also world-renowned for its wealth of ancient temples and beautiful gardens–and did we mention, shopper’s paradise. An hour from Laem Chabang is Pattaya, Thailand’s most popular vacation spot. That’s where the elephant kraals come in.

Welcome to Brisbane, the capital of the Sunshine State and Australia’s third largest city. Brisbane is a booming city with over one million people and is the major international gateway to South East Queensland. Brisbane also provides access to the holiday destinations of the Gold Coast to the South and the Sunshine Coast to the North. Brisbane is Australia’s third largest city and the state capital of Queensland. Not so long ago, the rest of Australia considered it little more than an
overgrown country town, but it has shirked off this unwelcome reputation to become one of the country’s most progressive centres.

Beautiful Climate
The Sub-tropical climate promotes an easy going relaxed lifestyle with hot summers and warm clear winter sun.

Explore Brisbane
Brisbane offers a whole range of activities for the visitor. The South Bank Parklands has 16 hectares of fun and excitement: Tropical rainforests, beaches, wildlife habitats, restaurants, specialty shops , shows and even an English style pub. The Queensland Art Gallery, the Queensland Museum and the Maritime Museum are justifiably famous. Customs House provides a look back in Queensland’s history, as does Newstead House complete with period furnishings.
With its Sub-tropical ambience, Brisbane has many gardens and parks. See the Koalas at the Alma Park Zoo, the Australian Woolshed also has sheep shearing demonstrations and don’t miss the Lone Pine sanctuary, the famous City Gardens and Mt Coot-tha Gardens.

The Great Barrier Reef curves close to the coast and meets the rain forest at Cairns, the gateway to Australia’s “Deep North.” Explore the reef up close via catamaran, or choose from a host of excursions the lush tropical forests, picturesque towns and homesteads that surround the city. The nearby town of Kuranda has a butterfly farm and a great street market on Sundays and Wednesdays.

Cooktown was settled by Captain Cook in 1770 when the Endeavour boat was beached here, and is where Joseph Banks gathered 186 different species of Australian plantlife along the Endeavour River. Cooktown grew to the second largest town in Queensland after the Palmer River Gold Rush, although WWII and various cyclones almost destroyed Cooktown.

Webber Esplanade is to the north of the town and starts at the tip of Grassy Peak, where you will find the Powder Magazine which is the oldest brick building in Far North Queensland. There is a great view from the headland as well as from the top of the hill and it makes a pleasant walk back towards town, along the Endeavour River. Once in town, the road turns into Charlotte Street and is where you will find a bank, some cafes and restaurants, many shops, a post office and several pubs. There are also some memorials and monuments along Charlotte Street, for Captain Cook and other explorers.

Darwin, capital of the Northern Territory, N Australia, on an inlet of the Timor Sea. It is the chief port and administrative center for the sparsely settled tropical north coast. Called Palmerston until 1911, it was renamed for Charles Darwin, who discovered its site in 1839. It has been largely rebuilt since a devastating typhoon in 1974. Kakadu National Park is nearby.

As they say on TV, we’re back! Two decades after the last Americans left what was then South Vietnam, the country is luring back Americans as well as many other nationalities with its colorful, diverse blend of Vietnamese, French and American cultures. Divided into 18 districts, this dynamic city has experienced a dramatic reawakening after so many
years of isolation.

Your ship will dock in the well known resort area of Vung Tau. To reach Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon), the capital, requires a day long shore excursion. For those with an appreciation of foreign culture as well as American history, it is highly recommended.

Unfairly saddled with a reputation as a poverty-ridden, surly city, Jakarta (pop 9 million) actually has a lot to offer. Its miserableness and crumbling infrastructure once made it one of the hell holes of Asian travel, but over the past decade the city has changed and now, superficially at least, it has all the outward appearance of an Asian boom town. It’s the most expensive city in Indonesia, the most polluted and the most congested, but if you can withstand this onslaught and
afford to indulge in its charms, then it is also one of the region’s most exciting metropolises. Consider Jakarta the `big durian’ – the foul-smelling exotic fruit that some can’t stomach and others can’t resist.

Jakarta boasts one of the best sights in all of South-East Asia: Sunda Kelapa, the old Dutch port, is awash with magnificent Makassar schooners (pinisi) and anyone who spends an early morning here will not forget the experience. Nearby Pasar Ikan, the early-morning fish market, is a colourful scene of busy, bartering crowds. Other sights include Old
Batavia, an area of 18th-century houses and streets that are gradually being restored; the Gereja Sion church, which is the oldest in Jakarta; and the zoo with its Komodo dragons and orangutans.

This beautiful island off south-eastern Thailand is covered with coconut plantations and circled by (call us clichéd but it’s true) palm-fringed beaches. It was once an ‘untouched’ backpackers’ mecca, but is now well on its way to becoming a fully-fledged tourist resort. Coconuts are still the mainstay of the local economy, however, and up to two million of them are shipped to Bangkok each month.

The most popular beaches are Hat Chaweng and Hat Lamai: both have good swimming and snorkelling but are getting a little crowded. For more peace and quiet, try Mae Nam, Bo Phut and Big Buddha on the northern coast. The main town on the island is Na Thon.

Most of the beaches have plenty of rustic, thatched-roofed bungalows but accommodation can still be hard to secure in the high seasons between December and February and July and August. The best time to visit is during the hot and dry season between February and June. There are flights from Bangkok to the island’s Don Sak Airport. Several ferry and
jetboat companies operate from Surat Thani: express boats take two and a half hours and jet boats take one and a half hours. Local transport comprises songthaews, though several places hire motorcycles.

Ko Samui’s northern neighbour, Ko Pha-Ngan, is more tranquil, and has equally good beaches and fine snorkelling. Its renowned beach parties at Hat Rin are popular with backpackers, though not with the local police. The island is a half-hour boat ride from Ko Samui.

Here in Muara, life revolves around the Sultan of Brunei’s palace, home of the wealthiest man in the world. See Kampong Ayer, an astonishingly modern water village built on stilts.

Semarang, (se-mär´äng) city (1990 pop. 1,250,971), capital of Central Java prov., N Java, Indonesia, at the mouth of the Semarang R. An important port, it is one of Java’s major commercial centers. There are textile and shipbuilding industries, and tobacco, sugar, rubber, coffee, and kapok are exported.

Singapore, officially Republic of Singapore, republic (1995 est. pop. 2,890,000), c.240 sq mi (620 sq km), SE Asia, S of the Malay Peninsula, comprising Singapore Island and about 60 islets. There is no administrative distinction between the country and Singapore city, where the government and port is located. Singapore Island is largely low-lying and has a tropical climate. It is almost entirely urbanized and densely populated; there is a remnant rain forest in the Bukit Timah reserve. Singapore is one of the world’s great commercial centers, and its citizens enjoy one of the highest standards of living in Asia. Its port, at Keppel Harbor, is one of the world’s largest and busiest. The economy is supported primarily by manufacturing, service industries, and trade; shipbuilding is also important. Agriculture plays a minor role, and the country imports most of its food. The population is mainly Chinese; Malays and Indians constitute large minorities. Buddhism, Islam, Hinduism, and Christianity are the major religions. Malay, Chinese, Tamil, and English are the official languages.

On Cape Breton Island, it is not uncommon to find Gaelic spoken and to hear the plaintive call of bagpipes. For it is here that the Scots found a land that most resembled their own beautiful home. Follow the winding Cabot Trail around the coast of Cape Breton, one of the most dramatic drives in North America. On Bras d’Or lake, you may spot one of the 250 pairs of bald eagles nesting in the treetops. Visit the Alexander Graham Bell Museum, where the inventor spent his summers. Explore the star-shaped French fortress of Louisbourg, conquered by the British in 1760. Or sample the rugged life of the coal miner at the Miner’s Museum.