Tag Archives: Holiday destinations

Hit the Snow in Niseko

Snow lovers, skiing gurus, and anyone who lives on a snowboard need to head to Niseko. Move over Aspen and Swiss Alps and welcome to Japan. The Niseko Ski Resort is in Hokkaido and is famous throughout the world for all it has to offer for those who live to ski and snowboard. Part of the reason Niseko is such a draw to snow enthusiasts is the continuous supply of fresh powder. There is no need to make snow because more is always on the way in Niseko making for the best conditions on the mountain and the envy of other leading ski resorts. For people on holiday or those who have come to train, this is a snow paradise.

Awarded with the impressive advantage of offering “the best skiiing in Japan,” Niseko has runs for every type of person on skis or a snowboard. The beginner can make those first baby steps into the sport, amateurs will find plenty of opportunities to learn more skills, intermediates can hit slopes geared for their level, and the most advanced will find their dreams coming true when they come to Niseko. Alpine and tree skiing are offered at Niseko which places it above other locations that are not as diverse. Another positive feature of Niseko is easy access. There are numerous accommodations available throughout the region within a short distance of the resort. People can make their way in and get to the lift without a problem.

In regards to conditions, Niseko is a location that does not get kissed by the sun very often. It is always cold and the snow is plentiful. For the person who wants to take a sunbath while hitting the slopes, they’ll need to rearrange their expectations. Niseko is the hot spot for anyone looking for perfect powder. It’s the largest that Japan has to offer, composing of four areas. Niseko Village, Hanazano, Hirafu, and An’nupuri are all connected and provide anyone on skis or a snowboard with plenty of opportunities to explore an ample selection of trails.

Niseko is close to an international airport and shuttle service is available. For anyone with big plans to hit the slopes, they should put Niseko on their bucket list as a prime location for the ski and snowboarding experience of their dreams. Niseko is waiting to pull them in and bring them to new heights. For those who are dabbling in the sport for the first time, they may find themselves turning professional. Experience Niseko and all that Japan has to offer as well. Experience a new culture and a warm welcome from the Japanese. Take a taste of fine cuisine, find the popular places for night life with the locals and see what talented artisans have to offer for memories from the travel experience of a life time. Niseko will give people the powder they’ve been waiting for, a bite of Japan, and a memorable moment that will make them want to come back for more snow!

Come find out why Pamukkale is Turkey’s greatest hidden treasure

Pamukkale is a stunning wonder to behold and a very surreal experience for anyone visiting this amazing place. Etched into the Turkish hillside in Aegean, amongst the searing heat and sweltering sunshine lies the perfectly white mountains of Pamukkale. At first glance you may believe you’re staring out at the famous Rockies or the French Alps, as Pamukkale’s white, snow-like, appearance really gives it that chilling impression. This is what makes the Pamukkale Mountains such a surreal experience when you’re trekking along its trails, as you feel you should be cold being surrounded by so much white but you are most definitely not!

The Turkish summers are well renowned for being long, dry, and very very hot! Luckily Pamukkale has many beautiful pools of mountain springs you can cool down in whilst exploring this epic natural phenomena. Watch out though, some of the springs are hot so maybe not the best thing if your wanting to cool down. However, the hot springs are perfect if you are on a romantic, midnight stroll and fancy a dip with a bottle of champagne or two!

Now for all you geologist geeks out there let’s go in to how the amazing white mountains of Pamukkale were created and the hardcore facts. Pamukkale gains its white appearance from being made up of the rock calcium carbonate, which is deposited by the hot water springs that travel over 320 meters from the River Menderes, which is located deeper in the Aegean valley. When the calcium carbonate is despoiled on the surface, carbon dioxide is released and continues to do this until it is at a equilibrium with the water in the air. The chemical reaction between the calcium carbonate is intensified by the heat and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Although it is hard for geologist to pin point exactly, they estimate that up to 4.9 square kilometres of the Pamukkale landscape is covered by the white calcium carbonate with a 1mm of thickness due to this constant chemical reaction between the rock and atmosphere.

Pamukkale meaning ‘cotton castle’ in Turkish, has been a protected World Heritage Site since 1988 and was first discovered by the ancient Greco-Romans in the 5th century. The Greco-Romans were as mesmerised with Pamukkale as people still are today, as they built their famous city of Hierapolis very close to it. The Hierapolis ruins are still a major attraction as you can still explore the ruins of this wonderful city and swim over its huge ancient remnants in the Cleopatra pools located here.

The former Roman Baths of the city of Hierapolis are still in use today and have been converted into a Archaeology Museum since 1984. The museum holds many stunning artefacts and is definitely worth a peek whilst visiting this magical place.

So, if you’re in the mood for something different and wish to explore a place truly out of this world (and maybe even stay in villas in turkey), Pamukkale is definitely for you!