Palmetto Dunes Oceanfront Resort - Hilton Head Island, SC

World Class Sports and Activities

Fifty four holes of championship golf wind through the Palmetto Dunes community in Hilton Head Island. Spread over three courses, golfers enjoy these challenging links designed by George Fazio, Arthur Hills, and Robert Trent Jones.

The Palmetto Dunes Tennis Center boasts 25 courts. 23 are clay and two are prime Nova ProBounce; eight of the courts are lighted at night, and instructors offer private lessons and adult/junior clinics. Since 1975, Tennis Magazine has ranked the center among the top 50 in the nation.

Over 11 miles of connecting lagoon systems are great for kayaking through Palmetto Dunes. Guided tours are offered on a complementary basis by the community's naturalist. These lagoons are also a great place to do a little fishing and crabbing!

Shelter Cove Harbour, bordering Palmetto Dunes to the west, offers canoeing, deep-sea fishing and sailing charters, and other water sports. The deepwater marina on Broad Creek is accessible from the Atlantic; its 15.5 acres contain 170 boat slips for 120-ft boats. Shopping, dining, entertainment and bike paths create many diversions for residents and vacationers alike.

Luxury Vacation Rentals and Resorts:

If you are planning a vacation for your family this summer and still are not sure where to go, I recommend going to Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. The first thing I would do is look to book one of the beautiful Hilton Head Island Vacation Home, Condo or Villa Rentals online. This luxury getaway is just forty five minutes away from Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport.

Befitting a resort-residential combination community, Palmetto Dunes contains numerous upscale vacation facilities including the Marriott, Hilton and Disney resorts and several oceanfront luxury hotels in Hilton Head Island.

Highly popular is the Hilton Head Disney Resort, which offers over 120 villas/studio units occupying 20 three-story buildings on its own island in Shelter Cove. The main resort building has a uniquely-shaped heated swimming pool, a waterslide, a wading pool, and a large whirlpool spa. It also has a shuffleboard court, horseshoe pits, and bocce games. Part of the island's Disney Resort is its 13,000 square foot Beach House, covering 3.5 acres of oceanfront land, complete with a temperature-controlled, 50-foot-long swimming pool, a children's soft-floored pool/play facility, arcade games, dressing rooms, covered parking, and a poolside bar.

The Marriott at the oceanfront has more than 500 recently restored guestrooms with a balcony for every accommodation and wireless high-speed Internet. Its popular pool deck features a picturesque two-part swimming pool.

The Hilton at Palmetto Dunes also has balconies attached to each room, as well as separate adult-only and family swimming pools, Hi-Speed Internet, and the Ocean Tides Spa.

Oceanfront and Golf Oriented Real Estate:

Housing options in Palmetto Dunes include private real estate as well as houses and villas ("Villas" is the local term for condominiums.) that are marketed for rental. As a distinctive feature Palmetto Dunes has two security gates manned 24 hours a day. Access into the private residential areas, as well as the resort areas, is strictly controlled. Views include woods, golf course, lagoon, or oceanfront.

Home prices range from $600,000 to $6.5 million, making this plantation one of the island's most exclusive. Villas are priced between $150,000 and $4.5 million. Complexes include Windsor Court, Captain's Walk, Somerset, Hampton Place, Villamare and the Townhomes at South Shore, among others. A few home sites are available for sale in Palmetto Dunes. Lot prices range from the $400,000s upward, as high as $7 million for an oceanfront parcel.

Short History:

The Hilton Head Agricultural Company owned the only 1,900 acres of hunting land left on Hilton Head not already owned by developers Hack, Fraser, or McIntosh,. The tract finally sold in 1967 to the Palmetto Dunes Corporation (outbidding Fraser) for $1,000 per acre.

The Palmetto Dunes community was intended to outshine any previous island projects as a much more intense vacation experience. While other plantations were either major resort destinations or private residential areas, Palmetto Dunes' founders incorporated both ideas by building a second internal gate separating its private residential sector from the ritzy vacation areas.

Later, in 1971, Phipps Land Company and Trans International Properties Corporation of New York together purchased and incorporated the resort. (PLC had earned a success as the first major financial provider for Sea Pines Plantation). Palmetto Dunes was subsequently sold to Greenwood Development Corporation (formed in 1978 by Jim Self of Greenwood Mills) in 1979. Ownership and management of the community was finally conveyed to the Palmetto Dunes Property Owners Association on January 1, 2006.

Whether you are looking to spend your vacation, to celebrate your wedding in Hilton Head Island or to live here, you will enjoy exclusive and preferred tennis, golf and amenity privileges unique to this piece of paradise called Palmetto Dunes - Hilton Head Island.

Vacation Package to Costa Rica - Is There an Ideal Costa Rican Vacation Package?

What is the ideal Vacation Package to Costa Rica? Pretty much whatever you can dream up is available in Costa Rica. For a country roughly the size of Vermont and New Hampshire combined, there is an incredible amount of diversity available for any kind of traveler. The geography and the resultant micro climates alone are amazing. From rain forests to cloud forests, Pacific and Caribbean beaches, volcanoes, islands, abundant national parks, and the bustling Central Valley, there is literally something for everyone. What is the vacation you have been dreaming of?

Adrenaline on Demand: The All Out Costa Rica Adventure Vacation

Are you happy when upside down or in constant motion? There are many ways to satisfy this craving in Costa Rica including: class 4 white water rafting on the Reventazon, bungee jumping over the Colorado River Gorge, dramatic waterfall rappelling in Arenal, exhilarating zip line canopy tour in lush Monteverde, hiking into the depths of the amazing Corcovado Park, sea kayaking in the Caribbean, action-packed guided mountain bike tours, camping and climbing to Costa Rica's highest peak Chirripo, hard-core custom surfing trip to Witch's Rock and beyond, diving with the dolphins off of the Osa and Canos Island. The list goes on...

Beach Bum: Sun and Sand

Looking for the endless summer? Nearly two-thirds of Costa Rica's borders are beaches. Combine this with year-round summer temperatures averaging in the 80's and you don't have to look hard at all. Whether you seek night life or seclusion, local culture or surf culture Costa Rica has it all, and with accommodations to fit every budget/lifestyle. Some key beaches of the Nicoya Peninsula include the lively Tamarindo, Malpais, and Montezuma as well as the more secluded Samara, Nosara, Hermosa and Playa Grande. One of the most visited parks and beaches is Manuel Antonio just outside of Quepos. Farther South you have the raw and seemingly untouched Drake Bay in the Osa Peninsula, and on the other side near Golfo Dulce you have the Pan Dulce, and farther up over on the Caribbeaan Coast the beautiful Manzanillo and Cahuita. All the beaches have easy access to many activities and National Parks as well.

Hooked on Ease: The All Inclusive Vacation

We have heard from many people from various professions, married or single, with or without children that they love all-inclusive. The highlight is definitely on convenience; everything is taken care of from transportation to lodging,food and drinks, and in many cases the activities and tours as well. The time to unwind and feel like you are really on vacation is minimal, you sink right into ultra-relaxation mode. If you have teenagers with constant appetites, no problem, with all meals and non-alcoholic drinks included. Many places have special kid's activities and shows with child care centers for the smaller ones. The resorts are safe, contained communities, where you don't have to worry about your teenager wandering too far in uncharted territory. If you want to have a bit more flexibility and see some of the surrounding areas, you can arrange during your visit many different day and half-day tours. Canopy zip-line adventures, national park tours, hiking, rappelling, white water rafting to name just a few. You can do as little or as much as you like with all the basics covered.

I could go on an on with all of the options: spa packages and hot springs, luxury resort packages, casino resort experiences, cultural tours, vacations fire indigenous, eco-hotel of Sciences Agro-packages including an organic chocolate plantation in Talamanca, the best custom surf camp packages for beginners and advanced volcano / mountain / beach combo packages ..... The list is endless, and the best way to get your ideal trip is one of our designers to travel, speak live, work and play in Costa Rica Traveldesigners will listen to your expectations and wishes and custom design the Vacation Package to Costa Rica of your dreams!

Sex in Car? Sex on Beach? Some Tips For Variety!

Variety is the key in every sex life which aims for sex to be wild, creative, fun, exciting, outrageous and to go far beyond the standard, sometimes boring, sex practices that most partake in. So how can you become one of the wild and creative sexual explorers who go beyond the norm? Here are some excellent ways to get started!

1. Sex in Car.

This is such a great, and easy way to have exciting intimacy with someone. It works on so many levels. First it brings back a high school feel of making out with someone in a car, when back then that was the only option. Second, the confined space is especially intimate and forces you to get creative and experimental. Third, is the aspect of semi-public sex, with the windows steaming up, the car moving and so forth. This adds an incredibly exciting and risk taking element to the whole ordeal of sex in car!

2. Sex on Beach.

This is more of an exotic, erotic, and dirty way to go as you will often times be on a beautiful beach setting, the waves crashing nearby, and surrounded by the soft sand which can be used in creative ways! The key to sex on beach is to try to find a secluded beach area where you can really have an intimate and erotic experience. Public beaches you'll have to be much more sneaky and the tension can be too much.

3. Amazing Sex in the Bedroom.

Now don't just cancel out the bedroom for amazing sex to be had! Matter of fact, this can be the best and most erotic of all places, if you engage in new tricks, tips and techniques to make sex outrageous and wild! Technically, much more can be accomplished, and you can test out your variety techniques, which you can later apply to sex in car, or sex on beach!

One's Personal Encounter With Antarctica

This experienced traveler, who happens to be ninety-one years old, has traveled extensively throughout the world. Her last trip took her to Antarctica. Seeing Antarctica with her own two eyes was extremely important to her. This was the third time she'd visited the region, but the first time she'd actually seen Antarctica. She saw Antarctica from the air, and never touched the ground.

The plane flew over Antarctica for four hours and she witnessed glaciers, fjords and mountain passes. They even got as low as 300 feet above the land. A mountain range they passed was fog covered. Clear skies and sunny weather gave them perfect viewing opportunities. They traveled in mid march, which marks the end of Antarctica's summer. The air temperatures were sub-zero. They were treated to a lecture, and had their questions answered by a naturalist who was currently researching on Antarctica.

Our traveler really wanted to glimpse some penguins on this trip. She didn't see any on the flight, but her daughter did. The daughter was sitting at a different window. They took a ship to the Falkland Islands. These are off the coast of Argentina. She was finally able to see hundreds of Magellan penguins when she reached the East Island of the Falklands. She had to take a smaller boat there. Magellans stand the tallest of all penguin species.

They cruised from a South American city after having taken a sixteen hour flight from the US. A dip in the pool was the crew's invitation after visiting many South American ports of call. Ignoring the air temperatures of 35 degrees, the ninety-one year old took to the water. She got a certificate for having done so.

Rio was the flight destination from Santiago, which they'd toured after being driven there. That was after the ship had docked in Chile. The cruise, which was three weeks long, had ideal weather. All passengers saw the Southern Cross, a notoriously difficult to find constellation, in the clear night sky.

One big city and a major river were all this ninety-one year-old tourist had seen during her previous visit to South America. She got to go back to the jungle surrounding that river. The mass destruction of the bird habitat in that area troubled her. Her adventures have taken her to Africa where she went on Safari. A visit to Antarctica completed her 'collection? because she had already been to. Antarctica was conquered with a four hour flight.

Exploring The Galapagos Islands Aboard The Galapagos Explorer II

There are adventurous travelers and there are travelers who really enjoy being pampered more than a great adventure. I have vacationed the complete spectrum, I have pinched pennies while vacationing in Gatlinburg Tennessee and stayed in a very expensive vacation home with a private maid in Saint Jean de Luz, France. I will admit that the vacation home with a private maid was a nice way to experience France.

But, I am an adventurer at heart, probably born from my days as a kid where I grabbed a fishing pole or net and waded creeks and ponds to see what was there. My favorite type of travel is where you see things up close and personal with exposure to the people, culture and wildlife. This might require you to hop on a rubber landing raft and land on a beach where no one lives, or it might require you to reach down and pet a whale. Adventurers run between 8 and 98 years old generally.

This is my second trip discussing the Galapagos Islands . But, today I am going to focus on a ship which was specifically designed to provide adventurous travels in the Galapagos in a nature friendly way. When you think about the most incredible nature destinations the Galapagos would be on the top 5 in anyone's book I believe and number 1 in many eyes. Here is some info on the Galapagos from wikipedia.com The archipelago has been known by many different names, including the "Enchanted Islands" because of the way in which the strong and swift currents made navigation difficult. The first crude navigation chart of the islands was done by the buccaneer Ambrose Cowley in 1684, and in those charts he named the islands after some of his fellow pirates or after the English noblemen who helped the pirates' cause. The term "Galápagos" refers to the Spanish name given to the Giant Land Tortoises known to inhabit the islands. The adjective "Galápagan" may be used to describe things from or related to the islands. Noteworthy species include:

Galapagos land iguanas
Marine Iguana
Galapagos tortoise (Galápagos Giant tortoise), Geochelone elephantopus, known as Galápago in Spanish, it gave the name to the islands
Galapagos Green Turtle, thought to be a subspecies of the Pacific Green Turtle, Chelonia mydas agassisi
Trepand Sea Cucumbers, the cause of environmental battles with fishermen over quotas of this expensive Asian delicacy.
Flightless Cormorant, Phalacrocorax harrisi
Great Frigatebird and Magnificent Frigatebird
Blue Footed Booby, Sula nebouxii, popular among visitors for their large blue feet which they show off in courtship
Galapagos Penguin, Spheniscus mendiculus, the only living tropical penguin Waved Albatross, Phoebastria irrorata, the only living tropical albatross
Galapagos Hawk, Buteo galapagoensis, the islands' main scavenger and "environmental police"
4 endemic species of mockingbirds the first species Darwin noticed to vary from island to island
13 endemic species of buntings, popularly called Darwin's finches. Among them is the Sharp-beaked Ground-finch Geospiza difficilis septentrionalis which is sometimes called the "Vampire Finch" for its blood-sucking habits, and the tool-using Woodpecker Finch, Camarhynchus pallidus
Galápagos Sea Lions, Zalophus californianus

OK, let's get back to your trip. What do you think of when you hear 'Galapagos Islands'? The first thing that comes to my mind is an incredible variety of unique species. Because of the isolation of the Galapagos islands the species found here are often unique to this area. There are unique crabs, fish, tortoises, birds. Retracing the steps of Charles Darwin in his journey of the Beagle has to rank highly with any adventurous traveler. For a specialized trip to the Galapagos Islands we recommend the ship named Galapagos Explorer II. This ship has 50 suites with outside views and was specifically designed to explore the Galapagos Islands. You will have six expert naturalist guides on board to help you learn about the islands on a ship which is environmentally friendly to this pristine area. Activities will include snorkeling, star gazing from December to April (with expert help), beach explorations, glass bottom boats, whale watching and hiking explorations. There is even a Naturalist Room where you can help scientists who are performing experiments on the Galapagos area. Here is a sample itinerary. As you can see this is an active trip with a lot of exploring packed into a short amount of time. Saturday AM: Arrival by air to Baltra Airport Saturday PM: Cerro Dragon, Santa Cruz Island Sunday AM: Bartholemew Island Sunday PM: Puerto Egas, Santiago Island Monday AM: Punta Espinoza, Fernandina Island Monday PM: Punta Vicente Roca, Isabela Island Tuesday AM: Semour Norte Tuesday PM: El Chato (Highlands), lave tunnels and Wild Giant Tortoises, Santa Cruz Island Wednesday AM: Loberia or Islas Lobos or Tijeretas or El Junco and Interpretation Center, San Cristobal Island Departure from San Cristobal Island Please keep in mind that this itinerary could change according to what species is most active at the time so you might do something different. But, it doesn't really matter because the first charts of this area were drawn in 1793 and explored in the Voyage of the Beagle in 1835. Since then this area has changed very little and remains one of the best exploratory trips available.

I hope you are now extremely interested in going to the Galapagos. How can an explorer not take this chance if time and money are available? Next week I will describe some longer trips that also include the Galapagos. But, if you are only interested in the Galapagos this is probably your trip.

For more info please go here [http://www.my-cruise-space.com/bloginforequest.html]!

Jim Corbett National Park - The Tiger Country

The first wildlife reserve of India, the Jim Corbett National Park - also called the Corbett Tiger Reserve - is located in Uttarakhand, India. The Park has a total area of 1318 sq km and a core area of 520 sq km. In its buffer area the Jim Corbett National Park has the Sonanadi Wildlife Sanctuary.

Earlier called the Hailey National Park and later the Ramganga National Park, the Jim Corbett National Park, or the Corbett Tiger Reserve, is named after the famous conservationist and naturalist Jim Corbett who had shot many man eaters and also authored the "Man Eaters of Kumaon".

Jim Corbett's winter home is located just outside the Corbett Tiger Reserve at Kaladhungi around which the Chotta Haldwani village is situated. Jim Corbett's house now has been converted into a wonderful museum which is one of the many attractions of the area.

The successful "Project Tiger", to protect tigers and increase their population, was started at the Ramganga National Park in 1973. Presently, the national park has the highest density of tigers in India with one tiger every 10 sq km. No wonder, the Jim Corbett National Park is called the "Tiger Country".

Flat valley, hilly ridges and mixed deciduous forests characterize the landscapes through which the Ramganga River flows. The scenic river has rich populations of the Mahaseer Fish and Ghariyal (crocodile).

The Corbett Tiger Reserve offers many thrilling adventure activities that include, among others, fishing and angling, elephant safari, and jeep safari to its visitors. Elephant safari and jeep safari enable the visitors to explore the park and enjoy great views of the dense jungles and its many inhabitants.

Flora and Fauna

With 575 species of birds, 25 species of reptiles, 7 species of amphibians, 110 species of trees, 51 species of shrubs, 27 species of climbers, and 33 species of bamboo and grass, it is rich in flora and fauna.

Apart from the tigers for which the Jim Corbett is renowned the world over, the national park also has chital, elephant, jackal, wild pig, barking deer, sambar, common langur, and rhesus macaque. The tiger reserve is also a haven for the bird watchers and boasts of several species of the winged creatures that include, among others, sandpiper, woodpecker, kingfisher, peacock, jungle fowl, duck and stork.

How and when to visit

The Jim Corbett National Park is well connected and located 250 km away from Delhi. For the visitors, it remains open from November to June. The first three months (Nov-January is perfect for bird watching).

Tasmania Holidays

Australia is as diverse as it is great, and holiday visitors to Australia by a long list of holiday destinations and choose styles. While some Australians are characterized as symbolic, there are some secrets "home-grown, which are outside the traditional tourist paths. Take the island state of Australia, for example. Tasmania, separated by Bass Strait and lies 240 miles south of the continent , is also called "natural state" because of its nature knowsand isolation from the spoils of excessive population growth and industrialisation.

The naturalist's dream, Tasmania holidays offers visitors a wide range of activities, sights and attractions and a very unique vacation experience. Over 37% of Tasmania is reserves, natural parks and World Heritage Sites, but with vibrant cities and a rich culture to boot, there is a Tasmania holiday experience for everyone. Choose from these different regions as part of your Australia trip:

Hobart and Surrounds: The capital of Hobart has experienced a cultural rebirth in recent times, and now boasts a vibrant cafe, restaurant and art scene in its waterfront areas. The city is steeped in history, and visitors can relive its scandalous convict past in historic Battery Point or in Salamanca Place. Hobart is also surrounded by natural beauty, with Mount Wellington looming in the background and Richmond and the Coal River Valley vineyards only a short distance away.

Launceston, Tamar and the North: Launceston and its surrounding areas ooze old fashioned charm and a rich cultural heritage. Enjoy the inner city vibe of Launceston, or venture to its surrounding areas which are spotted with quaint villages and the award-winning cellar doors of the Tamar Valley Wine region. In Launceston, don't forget to take a tour of the James Boag Brewery, home to one of Australia's most loved beers.

North West Coast: Life moves at a relaxed pace on the North West Coast of Tasmania, an area that boasts stunning scenery and is home to Australia's largest temperate rainforest - The Tarkine. Off the coast lies King Island, which is famous for producing some of Australia's finest cheeses, cream and dairy products. Get your calcium fix and explore the quaint villages and old school charm of this area.

Western Wilderness: Home to some of Australia's most untouched World Heritage areas, the rugged Western Wilderness is an adventure and nature lover's paradise. Whether you hike through the Cradle Mountain - Lake St Clair National Park, fish the untamed coastline or raft the Franklin River, visitors will be blown away by the natural and pristine splendour of Tasmania.

East Coast: With the breathtaking beauty of its coastline, the East Coast of Tasmania is an Australian beach holiday destination with a difference. The beaches at Wineglass Bay, the Bay of Fires and Maria Island are unspoiled with azure waters and soft sand. This region offers some of Australia's best walking holidays, so whether you want to relax on the beach or get your legs moving this area has something for everyone.

Cheap flights to Tasmania from all other destinations in Australia make the island state an affordable and accessible holiday destination. It's natural beauty, historic charm and charisma promises to provide visitors with a unique Australian holiday experience.