Editor’s Note: This post is from Diana Edelman, a travel writer and PR professional. Her popular blog, d travels ’round, shares entertaining stories from her travels, along with travel tips and photos from all over the world. Follow her on Twitter and Facebook for travel stories, news and more.

Just because most of America is in a deep freeze (or at least not shorts weather), doesn’t mean the rest of the world is experiencing the same. Thankfully, there are plenty of places enjoying summer whilst we pack on the layers and bundle up to face winter’s wrath.

During the Northern Hemisphere’s winter, many other places are enjoying some gorgeous weather, free from the rainy seasons, monsoons and sweltering heat, so now is the time to head to one of these exotic locales to enjoy some sun, blue skies and less clothes. A lot less clothes.

Thailand

Whether you’re in the mood for some city living in Bangkok or up north in Chiang Mai, or want to relax on the pristine beaches in the south, the weather is pure bliss from January through March. With average temps ranging from the high 70s to high 80s, the likelihood of having the perfect weather day is just about 100 percent.

Thailand is the perfect remedy for winter blues

Not sure where to go? For a true holiday, head to either the Andaman Coast or Gulf of Thailand. Both of these regions feature blue water, white sand and sunshine. The tourist hot spots are Phuket and Pattaya. If you don’t want to share your little spot on the sand with others, try the less popular (but equally beautiful) islands like Koh Samet, Phi Phi Island or Koh Chang.

Kenya

Another hot spot is Kenya this winter. Temps here average between 70s and 90s, with the hottest months being in February and March. While there are plenty of resorts to relax at, safaris are the name of the game. In fact, the beginning of the Wildebeest Migration runs from January through March where more than 500,000 new wildebeests are born.

Take time to visit the Maasai Mara National Reserve to see the “Big Five” on a safari – elephants, lions, buffalo, rhinos, leopards – at the most famous wildlife safari area. There are plenty of ways to experience the wildlife in Kenya, whether you want to fly over in an airplane, drive, camp, go on a safari adventure, or enjoy a different perspective from a hot air balloon. And, when you are amply safari-ed out, head to some of the nomadic communities in the country to learn about culture and life in Kenya.

Brazil

Yes, Carnival in Rio de Janeiro happens to fall in one of the most perfect times of year for a visit to Brazil (Feb. 18-21). Temps during this time are mid-80s and lend themselves perfectly to days and nights spent dancing, drinking and enjoying the vibrant culture and celebrations. But, there’s more.

With 4,600-plus miles of coastline, Brazil is a great spot to unwind and enjoy the summer weather during our winter. Hang out at Fernando de Noronha, 350 miles off of the coast, for diving and snorkeling. Or, check out Salvador, a vibrant and colorful coastal town where you can surf and swim in addition to explore local culture.

Wear shorts and short sleeves this winter in Cambodia!

Cambodia

Like Thailand, Cambodia delights with temperatures in the 80s during this time of year. And, like Thailand, there is plenty to do. Head inland to Angkor Wat and check out the other-worldly temple, or learn about the country’s past with a visit to S-21 detention centre, a harsh reminder of the genocide that took place here.

There’s also the beaches, which are largely free from huge tourist enclaves. Dine on fresh fish and relish in the relatively untouched areas of the country’s three beach communities – Sihanoukville, Koh Kong and Kep – or head out to some islands for a private experience.

Maldives

This exotic and romantic country is the stuff dreams are made of. During the Northern Hemisphere’s winter is the best time to visit. In fact, in January, the air and water temperatures are nearly the same – both in the 80s. People visit this lush locale for relaxation and to unplug from the world.

And, it’s easy to do. There are more than 1,000 islands, many untouched, to explore. Plus, there is snorkeling and diving, which affords a glimpse into the colorful and whimsical underwater life of more than 1,000 species of fish. For adventurers, there is swimming and surfing (although most of the big waves come later in the year). When the beaches get old – if they ever do – head out to visit little fishing villages and visit the locals.

- Diana Edelman

Editor’s Note: This post is from Diana Edelman, a travel writer and PR professional. Her popular blog, d travels ’round, shares entertaining stories from her travels, along with travel tips and photos from all over the world. Follow her on Twitter and Facebook for travel stories, news and more.

5 Places to Travel in Winter by Diana Edelman from Viator Travel Blog

Hooray! It's time for the Top 25 Things to Do in Africa & the Middle East!

Editor’s Note: This post is part of the Viator Travel Awards, an annual awards competition where we let our travelers select the top things to do and see in each of the major regions we serve, as well as the top things to do in our most popular tour categories. The awards culminate in the Viator Top Travel Destinations and our annual list of the world’s most travel-inspiring attractions.

* * * * * *

Welcome to the 2011 Viator Travel Awards: Africa & the Middle East Edition! We’ve combined input from traveler reviews and photos, data from the millions of travelers who visit Viator.com each year, plus data on which tours generated the most bookings in 2011, in order to crown the Top 25 Things to Do in Africa & the Middle East in 2011!

Whether it’s an African safari or the romance of the Middle Eastern desert, traveling through to these parts of the world carries an unparalleled allure compared to the rest of the world. In old Israel, Egypt, or South Africa, their great cities have endured time and a strong cultural backbone will surely impress travelers. Here are Viator’s Top 25 Things to Do in Africa & the Middle East.

#25. Explore Cape Point

Kick off your vacation with a wine tour of South Africa and dive into the spectacular coastal drives through to the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve with the Cape Point Highlights Tour and Wine Tasting in Stellenbosch.

#24. Immerse yourself in Egyptian history

See Alabaster Mosque in Egypt

There is certainly more to Egypt than the Sphinx and the Great Pyramids. With the Private Tour: Egyptian Museum, Alabaster Mosque, Khan el-Khalili, you go to three of central Cairo’s most famous sites — the Egyptian Museum, Alabaster Mosque and Khan el-Khalili for a full-flavored Egyptian experience.

#23. Experience Moroccan food and culture

Get down on some Moroccan belly dancing and enjoy the fun and excitement of Morocco with the Fantasia Moroccan Dinner and Cultural Show, complete with a meal in traditional settings.

#22. Go on an overnight safari

The Arabian night is an alluring adventure exemplified in folklore and fairy tales alike. Create one of your own on the Private Overnight Safari – 1001 Arabian Stars – Camel Farm, Sandboarding, Camel Rock and BBQ Dinner, where you get all the aforementioned benefits in a safari package sure to leave you satisfied.

21. Tour Alexandria

See Alexandria on a day trip from Cairo!

The road to the historic city of Alexandria is journey worth pursuing. With all-important sights such as the Kom ash-Shuqqafa Roman burial site, Pompey’s Pillar and Roman amphitheater and the Alexandria Library, Viator’s Private Tour: Alexandria Day Trip from Cairo takes you there.

#20. Explore the Berber Trails

Going to Morocco has always epitomized the essence of a romantic getaway from the trails of everyday life–a dream for most. Well, it doesn’t have to be with the Berber Trails 4WD Day Trip from Marrakech, where you can explore the valleys on your way to the pristine summits of Atlas Mountain.

#19. Sightsee in Abu Dhabi

Explore the capital of the United Arab Emirates with the Abu Dhabi City Sightseeing Tour – The Arabian Jewel and see the lush greenery, beautiful parks, and rows of trees in the city on your way to Abu Dhabi’s oldest building and the 18th century Al Husn Palace.

#18. Go quad biking through the desert

See the desert from Sharm el Sheikh

Go Quad Biking in the Egyptian Desert from Sharm el Sheikh and scope out the Sinai desert with the whole family in an exciting and fantastic way. Includes pick-up and drop-off from central Sharm el Sheikh hotels.

#17. Dine on the Nile

Treat yourself and take a cruise down the Nile River with the Nile River Dinner Cruise in Cairo aboard one of the most elegant cruising restaurants sailing the world’s longest waterway. With music, food, and an after-dinner belly-dancing show and folklore band, you will surely have a great time.

#16. Enjoy the scenery of Cape Peninsula

For some of the regions most impressive nature tourism, Cape Peninsula and its very impressive Cape Peninsula Tour from Cape Town Hout Bay, you have the option of taking a boat trip to Duiker Island to see Cape fur seals. You will also get to visit the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens and Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve.

#15. Sightsee in Israel

Visit the Wailing Wall in Israel

Israel is one impressive country. For those who do not have enough time to see it all, take the Day Tour to Jerusalem and Bethlehem from Tel Aviv and cover your bases, seeing the modern and up and coming city of Tel Aviv, the historic and all important city of Jerusalem, and the religious town of Bethlehem.

#14. Search for Africa’s “Big Five”

With the Pilanesberg Nature Reserve Safari and Sun City Day Trip you are in proximate of over 7,000 animals and put right in the hunt to spot for Africa’s “Big Five”: elephants, lions, rhinos, leopards and African buffalo.

#13. Tour the Abu Simbel temples

On Viator’s Private Tour: Abu Simbel Flight and Tour from Aswan, you are whisked by air to Abu Simbel for an unforgettable adventure. You will visit the Great Temple of Ramses II and smaller Temple of Hathor surrounded by ancient statues and most impressive structures.

#12. Float in the Dead Sea

Read a book while floating in the Dead Sea? Why not!

The Dead Sea is so salty that it is said no sea life can possibly live in it. It is also so salty that you will float right to the top if you lie in it. With the Masada and the Dead Sea Day Trip from Tel Aviv you get to see only just the famous Dead Sea, but also visit the long abandoned city of Masada, conquered in one of the most tragic tales by the Romans.

#11. Fly over Dubai

One of the safest and most interesting towns in the Middle East, Dubai is more than just a major regional business hub with lots of financial support and modern cityscape. It is all the more reasons to get into the air with the Dubai Seaplane Flight and see it from above.

#10. Travel to Petra

The city of stone, and certainly one of the worlds most majestic and important historical sight, Petra in Jordan is a true wonder. With the Private Tour: Petra Day Trip from Amman or the Petra Day Trip from Tel Aviv – UNESCO World Heritage Site, you can see it all for yourself.

#9. See animals on a safari

Quite simply, when you are in South Africa, going on the safari has to be done. With the Aquila Game Reserve Wildlife Safari from Cape Town, you are only a 90-minute drive away from the most exotic wildlife–from lions to leopards, springboks to zebras, or the black and blue wildebeests.

African Elephant

#8. Save time at the airport: Dubai Private Arrival Airport Transfer

Convenience is the key to good travel and the Dubai Private Departure Airport Transfer is one way of making sure that happens. Travel from your Dubai city, Jumairah, Palm Jumairah, Sharjah, Jebel Ali hotel or Dubai Port to the Dubai International Airport effortlessly.

#7. Travel down the Nile

With private tours of Egypt’s Valley of the Kings, Edfu Temple, Kom Ombo and Philae Temple in Aswan, the 4-Day Nile River Cruise from Aswan to Luxor with Optional Private Guide gives you the complete experience of famous Nile.

#6. Float over Dubai in a balloon

Dubai is beautiful on its own when just walking around, but there is no better way to experience it than soaring high above its romantically rocky and dry terrain in a balloon. With the Dubai Hot Air Balloon Flight, you do just that.

#5. Visit the Great Pyramids

When in Egypt, there is truly only one sight that reigns over all, the pyramids. Do it in style with the Private Tour: Giza Pyramids, Sphinx, Memphis, Sakkara, and get a detailed history lesson of one of the world’s truly great civilizations.

#4.  Tour Jordan’s famous landmarks

Petra, Jordan

Containing some of the world’s greatest wonders, Jordan is not only one of the most historically significant destinations, but a natural one as well. With the Private 4-Day Jordan Special Tour: Petra, Wadi Rum and The Dead Sea, you can see the city of stone in Petra, and perhaps the saltiest body of water on the planet, the Dead Sea.

#3. Explore Kruger National Park

Taking a safari in the famous Kruger National Park in Africa is what traveling is all about. On the 3-Day Classic Kruger Breakaway Tour from Johannesburg, you will see just what all the hubbub is about with the African safari–lions, elephants, buffalo, leopards and rhinoceros, you see it all.

#2. Sight-see in Dubai

From the Dubai Museum to an Arabian Dhow Cruise, there are many Middle Eastern delights to be discovered in the UAE. With the Dubai Hop-on Hop-off Tour or Dubai City Half-Day Sightseeing Tour or you can check out the glamor of one of the regions most developed and fascinating towns.

#1. Go on a desert safari

Take to the sands of Dubai with the 4×4 Dubai Desert Safari, or alternatively the Private Tour: 4×4 Desert Adventure Safari from Dubai and you will not only get to explore the vast horizons of the Middle East’s famed desert land, but you’ll smoke a shisha water pipe and enjoy traditional belly dancing over a BBQ dinner. Not bad.

We hope you enjoyed Viator’s list of the Top 25 Things to Do in Africa & the Middle East in 2011. Stay tuned for more lists in the coming days, to help you plan your next trip across the globe. Let us know what you think, tell us about your own travel experiences, and most important of all – happy travels in 2012!

- Viator Travel Team

Top 25 Things to Do in Africa & the Middle East: 2011 Viator Travel Awards by Viator Travel Team from Viator Travel Blog

Editor’s Note: Viator is proud to introduce some of our new local experts. This network of licensed tour guides covers most every destination you can imagine, so check ‘em out the next time you’re looking for a private tour guide – or simply looking to explore a destination from a local’s perspective.

Meet Private Guide
Sunil Sathyan!

Meet Sunil Sathyan, one of Viator’s local experts in Dubai (and a highly rated licensed tour guide you’ll find at Viator Private Tour Guides).

Interested in exploring Dubai and seeing it through the eyes of a local? Book a tour with private guide Sunil! Indian by citizenship but born and raised in the UAE, he is passionate about traveling and loves showing visitors around the region.

Known for its ultra-fast modernization, Dubai is also a cultural hub where people from different parts of the world have come together to create a unique destination for exploring. Additionally, it is incredibly safe and more liberal than many of its neighboring countries, which makes it an ideal location for traveling. And with over nine years of tour guide experience, Sunil is the perfect resource for anyone looking to plan a trip there!

Here’s what one of his many happy customers has to say:

Sunil was a great guide and went above and beyond what we have expected. He took us to all the places on the list plus added time for shopping and personalized the tour for our group of 8 Americans. Additionally, we really appreciated the large van airport shuttle service for our group and luggage the extra fee was worth it. Would highly recommend Sunil Sathyan!

For a customized and cultural experience in Dubai, look no further than the knowledgeable and friendly Sunil!

Check out Sunil’s Viator Private Tour Guide profile for more details of his private Dubai tours and further information on how to contact and book with Sunil.

-Viator Travel Team

Planning a trip? Browse Viator’s Dubai tours and things to do, Dubai attractions, and Dubai travel recommendations, or book a private tour guide in Dubai for a customized tour!

Meet Private Tour Guide Sunil in Dubai by Viator Travel Team from Viator Travel Blog

The Private Half Day Jerash and Amman City Sightseeing Tour provides a dramatic insight into the extraordinary growth of two cities. Amman, the capital of Jordan, formerly known as Philadelphia, exploding from a small, sleepy town into a modern metropolis with 2.4 million people, almost half of the Kingdom’s population; and Jerash, a city of 30,000 at its zenith and one of the most important centres in the former Roman Empire.

The tour begins at the blue and white King Abdullah Mosque near the centre of the city and moves on to the up-market district of Abdoun, home to the rich and famous in their beautifully ornate, multi-million dollar houses. You then descend into the downtown area with its bustling shops and street markets before winding your way up to the Citadel, dominating the skyline with its panoramic views of the ancient Roman amphitheatre below and the Royal Palace on the hillside in the distance.

You then escape the city and head 30 kms north past hillsides covered in olive trees, farms and rural settlements before arriving at Jerash, one of the jewels of Jordan and one of the best preserved Roman sites in the Middle East. Step back in time, enter through Hadrian’s Arch and stroll down the Cardo Maximum with the marks of the chariot wheels etched deep into the limestone slabs. Visit the amphitheatre, the Temple of Zeus and the Roman Theatre, or if you’d like something more adventurous watch chariot races and gladiatorial combat in the Hippodrome.

This is a tour of contrasts, combining the old with the new, the rise and fall of the Roman Empire, and the emergence of Jordan with its soaring skyscrapers and luxury hotels, a centre of commerce and business in the Middle East.

- Graham Walker

Planning a trip? Browse Viator’s Jordan tours and things to do, Jordan attractions, and Jordan travel recommendations, or book a private tour guide in Jordan for a customized tour!

[VIDEO] Private Half Day Jerash and Amman City Sightseeing Tour by Graham Walker from Viator Travel Blog

I first visited Amman in the winter of 1980.  It was cold, wet and windy and the capital’s 500,000 inhabitants retreated behind the stark concrete walls of their houses and apartments that stretched over the hills surrounding the city. It was relatively small compared with bustling Cairo or Damascus and appeared to have little of their charm, intimate architecture or extensive historical heritage. There were just two international hotels, the Intercontinental and the Holiday Inn, and these were packed with consultants, businessmen and the occasional traveller.

Look and you will find a mix of ancient and modern in Amman, Jordan

Returning there in 2010, I was shocked by the scale and density of the city with its population now standing at over 2.4 million – almost half that of Jordan.  High-rise tower blocks dominate the horizon, a testimony to Amman’s new status as one of the Middle East’s major business and financial centres; luxury hotels such as the Four Seasons, the Royal, the Meridien and of course the Intercontinental illuminate the night skies; and mile after mile of apartments and housing blocks sprawl over every inch of the hillsides. Urbanisation has been on a massive scale with the car being the dominant and all consuming mode of transport. Yet, scratch beneath the surface of this urban sprawl and you will find wonderful pockets of the ancient civilisation that once prospered here and a society that is warm, welcoming and proud of its heritage and newfound wealth and status.

History of Amman

Rebuilt by Ptolomey II (283-246 BC) and renamed Philadelphia, the city became one of the key centres of the Decapolis, the 10 Graeco-Roman cities in the region before succumbing to the Arab conquest and reverting to its early Semitic name, Ammon. It remained a powerful cornerstone of the Umayyad dynasty until the centre of the Islamic world was moved from Damascus to Baghdad in the 8th century under the Abbasids. After that its decline was rapid and by the 15th century it was practically abandoned and in ruins. Some sign of re-emergence took place in the 19th century when the Ottoman Turks settled the Circassians here, but its resurrection only really began after 1921 when Amman once again became the capital. Layer after layer of civilisations, therefore, lie beneath the concrete and tarmac of the new metropolis, and the ardent traveller does not have to travel far to unravel its secrets.

What to see

A good starting point is the Citadel, perched high over the city. Here in the Jordan Archaeological Museum are numerous artifacts showing Jordan’s past, the most important of these are the Dead Sea Scrolls, which were found on the Western shore of the Dead Sea in 1952. Just across from the museum is the Roman Temple of Hercules, dedicated to the co-emperors Marcus Aurelius and Lucius Verus and, behind it, a raised platform providing panoramic views of the downtown area and the amphitheatre below. If you are lucky, you will just be able to see the black and white Abu Darwish Mosque on the hilltop behind Jabal Ashrafiya, built by an eminent Circassian in 1961. Just near the museum is the site of a small Byzantine church. Beyond it are the Umayyad Palace and the remains of an Umayyad city with the Great Audience Hall covered with a recently restored wooden dome.

The Roman Theatre, one of the best preserved monuments in Amman

Returning to the downtown area, the Roman Theatre, cut into the hillside, provides an insight into the importance of this city and is one of the best preserved monuments in Amman. Seating over 6,000 people and built in the reign of Antonius Pius (AD 138-61), it is still used for concerts to this day and on warm, summer evenings can evoke the mood and atmosphere of a by-gone age. Nearby are two museums, the Jordan Folklore Museum and the Jordan Museum of Popular Tradition. Both are worth a visit to learn about the differing cultures of the country and its diverse folk traditions.

Modern attractions

However, if you really want to see the hub of modern Amman and the place where people throng at the weekends, then head towards Jabal Amman and Rainbow Street at the First Circle. Here the streets are filled with cafés packed with young and old who have come to smoke the argeelah, drink coffee, play taowleh (backgammon) or just chat. At the end of Rainbow Street, to the right is the famous Books@Cafe, which was the first internet café in Amman and a place where young Jordanians go to avoid traditional conventions and indulge in Western food, watch films or browse the extensive bookshop on the ground floor. If on the other hand, you want something a little more up market, then try Abdoun on the outskirts of the city at Fourth Circle with their exclusive Café de Paris and Café Makka. This is the suburb of the rich and famous, and million dollar houses line high-security tree-lined streets.

Amman's upscale suburbs are lined with giant homes

Amman may appear somewhat cold and austere from a distance, a far cry from the intimacy of neighbouring capitals. Delve a little deeper, however, and you will find a city where the old and the new come together in a vibrant and flourishing environment. Stay a while and you will soon discover its hidden secrets.

- Graham Walker

Planning a trip? Browse Viator’s Jordan tours and things to do, Jordan attractions, and Jordan travel recommendations, or book a private tour guide in Jordan for a customized tour!

Amman, Jordan by Graham Walker from Viator Travel Blog

Need some help with your travel itinerary? Why not take inspiration from the world’s rich smorgasbord of festivals, and plan your next vacation around the dates and locations of some of the planet’s most exciting events. To get you started, here’s our top 12 far-flung festivities, one for every month of the year…

1. January: Viking Festival, Shetlands, Scotland

Ritual bonfires and processions of axes are held during Lerwick’s annual Up Helly Aa fire festival, held on the last Tuesday in January. There are also torch-lit parades and processions, culminating in dancing and the burning of a Viking galley to warm the Shetland Islands’ winter throngs.

2. February: Carnevale, Venice, Italy

February around the world means Carnevale, the madcap lead-up to Lent that takes the Latin world by storm. You could choose any number of locations to celebrate – Rio‘s Mardi Gras and Spain‘s Carnival spring instantly to mind – but we’ve selected Venice for its sense of history, sequined masks, Casanova costumes and Vivaldi concerts.

Masked participants at the Carnevale celebrations in Venice

3. March: Holi, India

The March full moon is the signal for sheer mayhem on the streets of India, and Little Indias across the globe. Known as the Festival of Colours, the final day of Holi sees adults and children alike hurl brightly coloured powder and balloons full of water at complete strangers. The result is highly coloured anarchy, and as a visitor you’ll be especially targeted during this free-for-all. Wear old clothes and expect to get very wet (and dyed).

4. April: Semana Santa, Philippines

Holy Week in the Philippines is taken very literally, with Way of the Cross processions of self-flagellating true believers on Good Friday. Some devotees even go so far as to be crucified. A Passion Play is also performed on Good Friday, and Easter Sunday is celebrated with statue processions of Jesus and Mary, followed by Easter Mass. The town to head to for the most fervent Good Friday celebrations is San Fernando in the Pampanga region.

5. May: Rocket Festival, Thailand

Yasothon, in northeastern Thailand, honours the rain god with the bun bang fai rocket festival. The rockets are displayed in colourful parades and on decorated podiums before being fired into the air to bring rain. Held in mid-May, the festival features competitions for the best rocket flight and highest explosion. Those firing less than spectacular rockets can expect to be unceremoniously thrown in the mud.

6. June: Midsummer Festival, Sweden

After months of dark winter and a spring that takes a long time coming, summertime is something to really celebrate in Europe’s cold northern climes. Maypole dancing, drinking songs and special menus of herring, potatoes, schnapps and strawberries are served. Midsummer is also celebrated with gay abandon in Finland with bonfires and saunas and in Estonia with the athletic tradition of fire jumping.

7. July: Bastille Day, Paris, France

Where else but Paris would you want to be on 14 July? The French capital goes nuts to celebrate the anniversary of the storming of the Bastille, with military parades down the Champs Elysees, concerts, the firemen’s ball, and to end the day in style, a spectacular fireworks display lights up the sky over the Eiffel Tower.

8. August: Tomato Festival, Pennsylvania, USA

You don’t have to travel to the Spanish town of Buñol to engage in flying tomato fights. Pittston in northeastern Pennsylvania is giving La Tomatina a run for its money during the town’s four-day tomato festival held around 20 August. Unlike in Spain, you’re provided with safety eye goggles if you get caught up in the pandemonium, and all proceeds go to charity. Along with the tomato fights there are games, rides, tomato tastings and a parade.

9. September: Festes de La Mercè, Barcelona, Spain

Celebrate the last days of summer during Barcelona‘s week-long extravaganza of concerts, parades of giant figures, human towers, foot races and competitions. Held a few days either side of 24 September, it’s the city’s biggest knees-up. Festivities are citywide, focusing on the Placa de Sant Jaume in the Gothic Quarter, and a special highlight is the noisy Correfoc, or Fire Run, of fireworks.

10. October: Oktoberfest, Munich, Germany

Grab a beer and join the Oktoberfest festivities in Munich!

Prost! It’s time to clink beer steins at the world’s biggest beer fair, Oktoberfest. As well as foamy tankards of Lowenbrau and Hofbrau ales, Bavarians celebrate with wurst sausages, pretzels, potato dumplings, sauerkraut and bratwurst. The beer festival to end all beer festivals begins in late September and carries on until the first weekend in October.

11. November: Dia de los Muertos, Mexico

Mexicans remember their beloved dead on the 1 and 2 November celebrations of All Saints Day and All Souls Day. Graves are visited for all-night vigils, but the atmosphere is festive and celebratory rather than sombre, with picnics and mini shrines to the dead erected from flowers, mementos and the favourite foods of the departed. The festival’s signature sweets include chocolate skulls, candy skeletons and sugar coffins.

A market altar from Dia de los Muertos in Mexico

12. December: Christmas Mass, Bethlehem, Israel

When the bells of Christmas begin to peal, you’ll want to be where it all began, Manger Square in Bethlehem. During December, the streets of Bethlehem are festooned with Christmas lights, Christmas markets are held and homes display Nativity scenes. The real celebrations begin on Christmas Eve, with processions through Manger Square to the Nativity Grotto in the Orthodox Basilica of the Nativity, followed by midnight mass at St. Catherine’s Church. On Christmas Day, worshipers make a pilgrimage to Shepherds’ Fields, where the Star of the Nativity was seen to shine over Bethlehem.

- Janet Austin

Planning a trip? Browse Viator’s Europe Holiday and Seasonal Tours or North America’s Holiday and Seasonal Tours.

Top 12 Festivals around the World by Janet Austin from Viator Travel Blog

Think Aqaba. Think Lawrence of Arabia and that wonderful scene in David Lean’s iconic film with Peter O’Toole, in full Arab regalia, astride his camel, shouting ‘tut, tut, tut’ as the Arab tribesmen gallop across the desert toward the unsuspecting Turks, holed up in their impregnable fortress, overlooking the Gulf of Aqaba. Or Omar Sharif, making his screen debut, emerging from the shimmering mirage and shooting Lawrence’s manservant dead for daring to take water from his tribe’s well. Shooting a man dead for simply filling his satchel with water would appear abhorrent to the average Westerner, regardless of the time setting. But venture out into the desert around Aqaba at the height of summer when temperatures exceed 122°F (50°C),  and you will understand that water is the life-blood of this region and its scarcity is a perennial problem, exacerbated by the increasing demands of Amman and its voracious consumers.

Aqaba Fort

Background Info

And yet it is water that attracts businessmen and tourists to this town, which has grown from a small fishing village to a city of 110,00 people in less than 20 years. Jordan, for all its size, has a coastline of only 35 kilometres, all of which is around Aqaba and 20 kms of which was purchased from Saudi Arabia in the 1960s. Its only port and container port is there and seventy five percent of all trade into and out of the country passes through here. It has even designated a special authority, ASEZA, to supervise its development and this has become one of the most powerful institutions in the land, with its huge Kafkaesque building dominating the skyline.

It is, however, its crystal clear waters, together with its year-round warmth that attracts tourists, Jordanian and foreign alike. As Amman shivers, like the rest of Europe, through the coldness of winter, it is still possible to swim in the sea, to imbibe the refreshing sea air or to indulge in the one of its luxury hotels hugging the coastline. The government is implementing extremely ambitious plans to move the existing port down the coast near the Saudi Arabian border and to transform the waterfront into a major real estate and tourism project funded by Abu Dhabi investors, making this the Monte Carlo of the Middle East.

What to see and do in Aqaba

So what are the attractions of Aqaba? It has a beautiful climate if you avoid the intense heat of July and August. Its luxury seaside hotels like the Intercontinental, the Movenpick, the Kampinski and further up the coast, the Tala Bay and the Radisson, all have secluded beaches and private diving facilities.  Some of the best diving sites in the Middle East are all along its coastline. There is easy access to Wadi Rhum- a UNESCO World Heritage Centre- offering a landscape of almost lunar proportions, and of course the wonderful Nabathean City of Petra only a hour and a half -hour’s drive away up the Desert Highway.

Beaches line the coast at Aqaba

While the town may be in need of a facelift, the old fort is still standing by the waterfront and a visit there will take you back in time and conjure up images of marauding Arabs attacking from the desert. Even the old execution chamber is still standing replete with its wooden hanging beam and the old ornate doors are testament to its past. Nearby is the promenade overlooking the public beaches where fishermen and glass bottom boat owners vie for business. Renowned for its seafood, you can dine by the waterfront at the Royal Yacht Club on the marina or in the beach restaurant at the Movenpick and indulge in fresh hammour, sea bass or sea bream.

View of Aqaba from Movenpick Hotel

Aqaba is also in a unique geographical location with Israel’s pristine resort, Eilat, just across the bay; the Sinai and its key resort of Taba, just a 45-minute hydrofoil ride away, and just down the coast, Saudi Arabia.

It’s only 35 minutes by plane from Amman to Aqaba but it is like entering another world. Gone is the congestion and oppressiveness of Amman and in its place is peace, tranquility and a town where everything slows down and swallows you up in its charm. Try it and relax.

- Graham Walker

Planning a trip? Browse Viator’s Jordan tours and things to do, Jordan attractions, and Jordan travel recommendations, or book a private tour guide in Jordan for a customized tour!

Aqaba, Jordan by Graham Walker from Viator Travel Blog

Amman  to the Dead Sea

The first thing you notice when you drive down from Amman to the Dead Sea is that your ears suddenly pop. That’s hardly surprising when you consider that you are dropping from 780 metres to 423 metres (1118 feet) below sea level, the lowest point on the earth. The second is the sudden change in the landscape. Gone is the sprawling, heavily congested metropolis that Amman has become, home to some 2 million people.  In its place is a landscape of almost biblical proportions with brown, sun-baked hills sweeping down to the rich Jordan Valley below with the West Bank and Jericho shimmering in the distance. Lastly, is the sudden increase in temperature. 30 in Amman rapidly gives way to 45 in the space of little less than an hour.  You can understand why the Dead Sea shrinks by over a metre a year through a combination of intense evaporation (10 million tons of water a day) and over-exploitation. If you decide to venture on this journey, make sure that you wear a hat, factor up to the maximum level possible and take a plentiful supply of water. It is also advisable not to follow the mad dogs and Englishmen out into the midday sun.

The dry brown hills of Jordan

The Baptism Site

It is not possible to visit Bethany, also known as the Baptism Site, alone for security reasons, and you have to take the state-controlled guided tour at a cost of 12 Jordanian dinars (equivalent to approximately US$17). Fortunately, the Jordanians have recently invested in air-conditioned buses, a major improvement on the old trucks that were formerly in use. They have also gone high-tech, and with your ticket you are presented with a black plastic card with numbers on it and a pointed metal device that looks very similar to an electronic hair remover. All you have to do is to point it at one of the numbers, place it by your ear and you have a running commentary in beautifully pronounced English or one of the other 6 major languages.

You set off through an almost lunar landscape, extremely dry and barren with no signs of any water whatsoever and very little vegetation save for brush. After a stop at a security checkpoint, you are driven to Elijah’s Hill where the venerable prophet was reportedly driven up to heaven in a chariot drawn by horses of fire. An arch made up of 63 stones, one for each of year of the late King Hussein’s life, has been erected over the remains of a Byzantine church.

Shortly after, the bus parks and the rest of tour is on foot and takes approximately 45 minutes. It consists of a walk to the famous Baptism Pool blessed by Pope John Paul II himself on his visit to the Holy Land in 2000. There you can see some ancient stone foundations, a pool that was designed to hold over 300 pilgrims, and a large wooden structure called the Pilgrim’s Station. All that is left of the Jordan River is a small brackish, brown pool since Israel, Syria and Jordan itself have diverted its waters for irrigation. Gone are the wonderful springs and waterfalls described by the adventurers in the last century. Nevertheless, there is something very reverent about being in the place where Jesus was baptised by John the Baptist.

The tour continues along a meandering path through tamarisk bushes past St John’s Spring and leads on to the very ornate, modern, and gold-domed Church of St John, which was inaugurated in 2005. From here, steps lead down to a wooden platform erected by the River Jordan, which provides the frontier between Jordan and Israel. Here there is some semblance of a real river and visitors can dip their feet in the brown, murky water for absolution and gaze across at the Israeli pilgrims immersing themselves under the watchful eyes of their nervous guards. The large, fortified structures on the other side of the river contrast sharply with the simplicity of the Jordanian side, and are a stark remainder of the volatility of this area and its troubled past. Before the Peace Accord, this area would have been land-mined.

Baptism Site

The Dead Sea

Leaving the Jordan Valley, you turn right towards the Dead Sea some 15 minutes away. The Dead Sea is 377 metres deep (1,237 feet) and the deepest hyper-saline lake in the world with a salinity of 33.7%, which is over 9 times saltier than the ocean. Hence, you are unable to sink and there is a  complete absence of any aquatic life at all. It is, however, possible to purchase caps and T-shirts inscribed with Dead Sea Fishing Club, which is guaranteed to raise a smile from the folks back home.

It is an enormous sea (42 miles long and 11 miles wide), and it has a stillness that is overwhelming. There are no boats of any kind and very little activity apart from at the water’s edges. Access to it can be made via the public beaches but if you really want to indulge, take a half day at one of the many hotels (Movenpick or Marriott) dominating its coastline and indulge in the mud baths, hydrotherapy, or many of the other treatments readily available. A shower after any swim, however, is essential to remove the layer of gluey saline solution that sticks to the body.

Mount Nebo

From the Dead Sea, the road climbs steeply up to Mount Nebo (3300 feet above sea level), twisting and turning through a wild landscape populated only by Bedouins. There are magnificent views of the Jordan Valley below, the Dead Sea, and the West Bank beyond. Occasionally, a small oasis will appear and you will see olive groves clinging to the rugged hillsides. After 30 minutes Mount Nebo appears in the distance.  This is the place where Moses saw the Promised Land after 40 years in the wilderness and before dying at the grand old age of 120. No one knows the exact location of his burial, but the Memorial Church of Moses, currently under reconstruction, claims to be the burial site. Pope John Paul II visited it during his pilgrimage to the Holy Land in 2000 and planted an olive tree next to the Byzantine chapel as a symbol of peace. A serpentine cross sculpture has also been erected on top of Mount Nebo. Designed by the Italian artist Giovanni Fantoni it symbolises the serpent held high by Moses and the cross on which Jesus was crucified.

Madaba

From Mount Nebo, it’s only a short drive to Madaba, once the ceramic capital of the Roman world and famous for its mosaics.  Although it is the 5th largest town in Jordan with a population of 60,000, it is small in comparison to Amman and has small twisting streets packed with shops and small schools selling mosaics, many of them made to order.  Its most important tourist attraction, however, is the Greek Orthodox St. George’s Church famous for the Madaba Map. This was discovered in the nineteenth century when the church was under reconstruction and provides the oldest map of the Holy Land dating back to the 6th Century. The map covers the whole region including Jordan and Palestine in the north to Egypt in the south and provides a detailed map of Jerusalem itself with its many gates and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Originally measuring over 25 by 5 metres, it is comprised of over 2 million individual ceramic pieces, but only a quarter of it still remains. The Church of the Apostles is a short distance away and also has extremely well-preserved mosaic floors dating back to AD 578. A visit to the Archaeological Museum is a must to see the scale of the artistry and the legacy of the Romans.

Madaba is also famous for Haret Jdoudna, one of the most renowned restaurants in Jordan. A former clinic and residence owned by one of Jordan’s leading doctors, this Ottoman house has been transformed into a culinary paradise with every variety of oriental food presented in an atmosphere of calm tranquillity. A stone’s throw away from the town centre, the service is warm and friendly and the prices are ridiculously low for such a high quality of food. Mingle with the locals, relax, and take a brief respite from the heat. If you arrive later in the day, sit on the rooftop patio and absorb the atmosphere of this once prosperous town with its multitude of minarets and the call to prayer echoing through the alleyways.

View from the road

As you drive back to Amman along the 5000-year old Kings Highway, olive groves straddle the hills, verdant lands stretch to the horizon, and you are reminded of the historical significance of the route you have just taken and of the countless pilgrims that have gone before you in search of peace, tranquility and absolution. Jordan has that effect on you.

- Graham Walker

Planning a trip? Browse Viator’s Jordan tours and things to do, Jordan attractions, and Jordan travel recommendations, or book a private tour guide in Jordan for a customized tour!

Jordan: The Baptism Site, the Dead Sea, Mount Nebo and Madaba by Graham Walker from Viator Travel Blog

Traveling somewhere the week of Labor Day or just want to do something fun in your own back yard? Check out the Viator Member-Only Deals available around the globe next week and save big! Every week we reward our loyal members with the most unbeatable deals around the world, helping you make the most of your travel budget!

Member-Only Deals provide exclusive access to deeply discounted deals you won’t find on any other website, with savings ranging from 20% to 75%! Viator members can enjoy instant, on-the-spot availability – but remember, these deals are date-specific and go quickly, so when they’re gone – they’re gone!

Choose from a wide array of activities each week in destinations from San Francisco to Paris, Dubai to Sydney and save money on your next trip – including our Top 10 for the week. Best of all, Viator membership is FREE!

Check out Next Week’s Top 10 Viator Member-Only Deals, just for starters:

UNITED STATES

San Francisco, California

3-Day Camping Adventure in Yosemite and Lake Tahoe! – Save 30% on September 9, 2011

Visiting or even live in San Francisco and want to leave the city for a while without having to do all the planning? Visit two of the West Coast’s (and the world’s) most spectacular natural wonders, Lake Tahoe and Yosemite National Park, on this 3-day small-group adventure tour. You’ll camp under the stars, hike around California’s scenic national forests and spend time indulging in the great outdoors.

Views at Yosemite are breathtaking - a sunset like this at Tuolumne Meadows is alone worth the trip!

With a small-group of maximum 13 passengers, you’ll be sure to make friends for years to come as your share convivial stories around the campfire. All transport is provided by minivan, so enjoy the transport from picturesque vista to the next in full comfort. Your tour leader will facilitate group dinners where you may bond with your fellow travelers and share laughs along this outdoor journey.

New York City, New York

Experience the Unique Culture, Food and History of Brooklyn – Save 40% on September 5, 2011

At Yonah Schimmel bakery in Brooklyn trying a famous knish - delicious!

Save BIG on one of our most popular New York tours on Labor Day! What better way to explore the ethnic diversity of New York City than this exclusive history, culture and gastronomy lesson on a varied international bus and walking tour of Brooklyn. Take a trip back in time and around the world and see a part of New York City you probably didn’t even know existed!

It’s been said that “A trip to Brooklyn is like a trip around the world”. It’s truly amazing how many people visit New York City and miss out on Brooklyn – don’t be one of them. Your journey with an experienced, knowledgeable native New Yorker will show you the most fascinating areas in New York City. Begin in the historic West Village, the past and present home to some of the city’s most influential residents, then venture across the Williamsburg Bridge to Brooklyn, where the rest of your tour takes place by foot – and by taste!

Las Vegas, Nevada

Ride the Trails of Hidden Valley and Primm on an ATV! – Save 20% on September 5, 2011

Looking for something different and heart-pumping to do in Vegas on Labor Day? Take advantage of the savings on this ATV adventure tour from Las Vegas to the Hidden Valley! Escape the pavements of Las Vegas and have lots of fun as you bump along the dusty trails in the McCullough Mountain range, Hidden Valley, extinct lava beds and across the Roach Dry Lake.

No experience is necessary and you’ll cover anywhere from 20 to over 50 miles of desert terrain depending on group size and riding level. Your tour ends with air-conditioned transportation back to your hotel. It’s the longest ATV tour in Las Vegas with the shortest ride to get there!

The group conquered the mountain on our ATVs at Hidden Valley - what a blast!

Miami, Florida

Discounted Tickets to Jungle Island Miami– Save 25% on September 10, 2011

Step into a lush, tropical jungle and mingle with birds, monkeys, and the world’s most rare creatures. Come “face-to-beak” with more than 200 parrots and macaws in the Manu Encounter, the world’s only aviary replicating the clay cliffs of Manu, Peru. The Everglades Habitat recreates South Florida’s unique “river of grass” and its wildlife. The park’s huge collection of reptiles and amphibians are housed in the Serpentarium.

See spectacular animal shows including Winged Wonders, featuring the most lethal bird on the planet, and Tale of the Tiger, highlighting the world’s most rare cats. The magic of Jungle Island really comes alive at the 1,200-seat Parrot Bowl, with the park’s world-famous bird shows, featuring the hilarious and amazing antics of trained parrots, cockatoos and macaws. Discover your wild side on Jungle Island!

Having fun with the wild and furry critters at Jungle Island Miami! Mom, can I have one?

EUROPE

Athens, Greece

3-Day Classics Tour: Epidaurus, Mycenae, Nafplion, Olympia & Delphi – Save 20% on September 5, 2011

Are you going to be in beautiful, storied Greece on Labor Day? Save your cash for other things and leave the planning to us on this 3-day tour of the essential sites of classical Greece: Epidaurus, Mycenae, Nafplion, Olympia and Delphi. You’ll visit famous archaeological sites and museums and experience the glory that was classical Greece.

Trip includes entrance fees, air-conditioned transport (a bonus in hot weather) and a pleasant, knowledgeable guide to make it all come alive. First class accommodations are also available for your 2-night stay. Don’t miss this fun, informative, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience some of the renowned classic sites of Greece!

Temple of Apollo at Delphi: there's something so picturesque about Greek ruins!

London, England

Custom Day Trip to Stonehenge, Salisbury and Bath – Save 20% on September 6, 2011

Leave the city behind for a day and travel to Stonehenge, Salisbury and Bath. This custom day trip guarantees unbeatable low prices, deluxe coaches, experienced guides and the flexibility to add walking tours or entrance tickets along the way. Explore each site independently or upgrade when you get there for a more in-depth guided visit – the choice is all yours!

Highlights include Salisbury’s world famous 750-year-old cathedral, boasting the tallest spire in England; a visit to the most famous prehistoric monument in the world, Stonehenge, a UNESCO World Heritage Site; and the beautiful Georgian city of Bath, also on the UNESCO World Heritage List, boasting some of the most stunning architecture in Europe. Don’t miss this lovely taste of England’s treasures on a day trip from London!

"Standhenge" - doing a handstand in front of Stonehenge, day tripping from London

Prague, Czechoslovakia

Discover the Best of Lovely Prague in a Day – Save 20% on September 9, 2011 (9:30am departure)

Discover the magic of Prague on this introductory tour of the Czech capital. Perfect for first-time visitors, this 3.5-hour city tour combines coach travel and easy walking for a well-rounded exploration of Prague’s famous sights. As you tour, you’ll learn interesting background into the historical monuments you’ll see.

Some highlights featured in this tour are the State Opera, National Museum, Charles Bridge, the Rudolfinum and Prague Castle, where you’ll have the opportunity to enjoy a walk around the castle courtyards and see St. Vitus Cathedral, the Royal Palace and Golden Lane, among other sites. You’ll visit Old Town across the River Vltava and see St. Nicholas Church, the Tyn Cathedral and Old Town Hall with its famous astronomical clock and 12 apostles. A great way to get acquainted with this beautiful old city before venturing out on your own to explore in depth!

View of Prague and River Vltava: no matter where you are, the views are gorgeous!

Paris, France

Walking Tour of Gourmet French Food in Paris – Save 40% on September 10, 2011

Lucky enough to spend the week of Labor Day in Paris? Oh la la! There’s no need to consider calories when you combine gourmet French food with a 3-hour morning walking tour! Your small group tour is led by an expert food connoisseur, who will take you through a number of Paris neighbourhoods to visit a French bakery, pastry shop, French caterer, wine shop, cheese shop, fruit and vegetable shop and market. Numbers on this gourmet walking tour are restricted to a maximum of eight, ensuring you’ll receive individual attention from your expert gastronomic guide.

It's hard to pick favorites in Paris, but this was our favorite cheese shop on the tour

The number of stops you make could be expanded according to the seasonal availability of produce and your group’s preferences. With delectable commentary from your foodie guide you’ll get a good overview of French culinary habits, how and where select food stuffs are produced, a description of any seasonal events taking place and an introduction to selected specialties in the shops. Bon appetit et bon voyage!

MIDDLE EAST & AFRICA

Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Adventure Out in Dubai on a 4×4 Sandboarding Safari! – Save 40% on September 10, 2011

This is not your average tour of Dubai, but it may be the most fun you’ll ever have in the desert. Travel by 4WD to go sandboarding down Dubai’s sand dunes! No trip to Dubai is complete without at least one exciting slide down a sand dune!

You’ll travel across some of Dubai’s most beautiful sand dunes by 4WD vehicle, then experience the sheer exhilaration of one of the most popular sports in the desert – sandboarding! It’s a fun-filled morning you’ll always remember – don’t forget to bring your camera to capture your adventure and share with friends and family back home!

Now this is the way to experience the desert of Dubai - sandboarding is a blast!

AUSTRALIA & THE PACIFIC

Sydney, Australia

Enjoy a Wine Tasting Day Trip in Hunter Valley, Australia – Save 20% on September 7, 2011

Leave Sydney for the day to taste award-winning regional foods and wines on a wine-tasting tour of the Hunter Valley, Australia’s oldest wine-producing region. You’ll enjoy private vineyard inspections, gain insights into the wine making process, have the opportunity to purchase premium Hunter Valley wines and enjoy the beautiful Australian countryside on your day trip from Sydney.

Jungle Juice at Wollombi Tavern, Australia: yes, we loved their brandy based concoction!

Some of the tour’s highlights include historic Wollombi Village where you’ll visit its Courthouse Museum and try Dr. Jurd’s Jungle Juice; a guided tour of McWilliams Mount Pleasant Estate, part of the largest family-owned 100% Australian wine company; a delicious two-course lunch accompanied by wine tastings; a stop at the quaint little township of Hunter Valley Gardens; and visits to renowned local wineries. A beautiful day out of the city and a treat for all the senses – not to be missed!

Please note: Each Member-Only Deal is only valid for the Time/Option and Travel Date listed above. The general activity details following each Member-Only Deal description may list departure times, inclusions, upgrades or features that are not specifically included in the Member-Only Deal.

- Viator Travel Team

To take advantage of Member-Only Deals exclusive discounts, simply sign up (or log in) to browse the week’s deals. Look for the ‘Deal’ tab in your next travel destination. When you see the ‘Member-Only Deals’ link, you know the deals are on!

Viator’s Top 10 Member-Only Deals for Labor Day Week! by Viator Travel Team from Viator Travel Blog

I had organised everything to perfection. The Petra Palace booked on the Internet and only a stone’s throw away from the main site entrance; the JETT bus times confirmed with the pretty Jordanian girl at reception; and the taxi booked with plenty of time to spare to catch the 9am bus south. I had even driven past the JETT office in Abdali to make sure that I knew where it was. I had packed the night before and my bags were ready at the door. Nothing could go wrong.

View of the Royal Tombs of Petra and the surrounding sandstone cliffs

The Adventure is in the Journey

We duly arrived at the ticket office only to be told that the bus had left at 6:30am and that was the only bus of the day. It was always this way, we were told. 6:30 there and 16:30 back. We walked outside disconsolately trying to consider our options only to be rescued somewhat miraculously by Abou Mohammad. He seemed to know exactly where we wanted to go and for the small sum of 75 JD, agreed to get us there in 3 hours. Either he had psychic powers or some conspiracy had been hatched.

For the first half hour, he smiled and talked continuously. About his 11 children, about him being a local celebrity, about the good price he could give us for showing us all the tourists’ sites, etc. He even handed us a somewhat tatty book in which he had a chapter devoted all to himself. He played loud music in Arabic and English and drove the car with his knees as he answered numerous calls on his mobile. He was about 50 with grey hair and a mass of cold teeth. Fortunately, we both fell asleep and I presume he did the same. Three hours later we arrived in Wadi Mousa, bid him goodbye and breathed a sigh of relief despite his attempts to get him to wait until the next day for a good discount price.

The Magnificent Sites of the Rose-Colored City

The famous Treasury (al Khazneh) of Petra, known for its starring role in the film "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade"

Petra – a UNESCO World Heritage Site – is Jordan’s foremost tourist attraction and for that reason, the discerning traveller needs to abide by certain rules. If you want to follow the conventional route via the famous al Khazneh (The Treasury) immortalised in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, then onwards towards the Theatre, be prepared to share it with all manner of tourist groups from China (small and diminutive), Japan (masks compulsory), the good old USA (usually old and overweight) and all manner of countries from the New World Order.

Most are clearly unprepared for the length and steepness of the walks, either in fitness or in foot apparel, with many in flip flops, Wellingtons or high heels. The local Bedouins pursue them mercilessly trying to sell donkey, horse or camel rides or ancient trinkets and coins, and of course postcards. Where you from? One Dinar! and Take Look plees seem to be the only phrases that many of them know.

The tourists follow a preset route posing for photographs all the way and only stopping for drinks or toilets before attempting the long road back. Many give up and take to the horse drawn carts that bounce them up and down on the cobbled streets as their drivers use any means possible to cajole them to move.

If on the other hand you want to escape and sample the sheer magnificence of this place, then it’s vital to invest in some good walking shoes and to climb to places where the average tourist would not dare to venture.

Walking the Ancient Routes of Petra

The route to ad Deir (The Monastery) takes almost 1 hour climbing up the steep cobbled way to the top. The climb is somewhat arduous and you need to be careful to avoid the donkeys charging down the paths toward you. It is, however, well worth the effort. At the top is a beautiful Nabatean temple carved out of the rock face with its beautiful façade measuring 45 by 50 metres. If you’re energetic enough, you can scramble up the side of the monument and emerge on its roof and look down precariously over the plains beyond and the main tourist sites in the valley below.

The beautiful façade of ad Deir (The Monastery) in Petra, carved out of the red sandstone cliffs

To really sample the beauty and tranquility of the site, however, it’s good to stay overnight, to rise early before the crowds gather and to head upwards near the Temple to the High Place of Sacrifice or al Madhbah in Arabic. The circular walk takes around 3 hours but the views are stunning, especially from the top. The route up through Wadi Mataha follows the ancient processional route and you follow a cobbled stairway carved out of the rock face and hugging the steep sides of the Wadi. The site was not for the sacrifice of humans but for offerings of animals to the Gods, and was a very important religious facility for the Nabateans.

A History Once Obscured

The route down through Wadi Farasa is also spectacular and the steep path descends through deserted monuments and tombs only recently rescued from the shifting sands that obscured this site for hundreds of years. One of the most important is the Lion’s Fountain carved into the rock face that once spewed water to the city centre below.

Hiking off the beaten path has its rewards in the rose-hued views of ancient Petra

It is the sheer scale of the site that is overwhelming and the fact that it was hidden for so many years. If it had not been for the adventurism, cunning and audacity of a Swiss explorer, Johann Ludwig Burckhardt, masquerading as an Arab trader by the name of Ibrahim ibn Abdullah, it would have been lost to the world for much longer.

To wander peacefully over the mountains looking down on this ancient site is to be transported back in time where desert caravan routes dominated trade in the region, where the camel was the dominant means of transport and where Nabatean culture reached its zenith before succumbing to Roman occupation and the ravages of time.

- Graham Walker

Planning a trip? Browse Viator’s Petra tours and day trips, as well as greater Jordan tours and activities and other must-see Jordan attractions.

One of the Seven Wonders of the World: Petra, Jordan by Graham Walker from Viator Travel Blog

For the uninitiated, Muscat must come as a bit of a shock. The Omani capital isn’t your classical city with a defined centre and everything else radiating from it. In fact, Muscat itself is tiny; home to the Sultan’s Palace, plenty of government buildings and very little else.

Mutrah Corniche

Muscat vs Greater Muscat

If you’re the sort of person that likes to explore a city on foot, you’re in for a very nasty surprise. In fact, it’s best thought of as a Greater Muscat Area than spans 50km along the coastline rather than Muscat. The things you’ll want to see – the Mutrah Souq, the Qurm Nature Reserve, the Palace and the museums – are spread all over the place. Try to tackle them on foot and you’re going to endure some extremely long and not-at-all pleasant walks. Oil is cheap in Oman, and thus the Greater Muscat Area has been designed almost entirely with the motorist in mind. Much of your pedestrian journey will be spent at the side of terrifying dual carriageways, hoping for slight gap in traffic that you can chicken-run across in.

Driving in Muscat

Having your own rental car in Oman is nigh on essential, but it’s not necessarily the best way to sight-see in Muscat. The road system can occasionally feel like it has been designed by Franz Kafka – you have to know the exact exit you need to take for a certain attraction, restaurant or shopping centre, otherwise you can find yourself going round and round in circles. Getting a guide who knows where he’s going can save a lot of time and frustration. You can also spend time looking out of the window, rather than at the road ahead of you. And once you do that, you start to realise quite how extraordinary the Muscat area is.

It is sandwiched against the coast by the Hajar mountains, almost built into whatever gaps can be found. The ultra-modern roads are often raised to pass through and around the obstacles, and the spectacularly bleak and barren rubble-strewn peaks look like they belong in far more inhospitable territory.

Mutrah

If you have to pick one part of Greater Muscat to spend a bit of time in, it would be Mutrah. This is the one spot with a series of things going for it. It’s where the dolphin-watching trips and ferries to the Musandam Peninsula go from, but for a port it’s darned beautiful. Built into the crags, it hosts what is often called the most atmospheric souq in the Middle East. The wafts of frankincense, gleam of silverware and colour of a million-and-one pashminas bombard the senses. In the evening, the market comes to life, but there’s very little of the hassle factor that you’d get in, say, Morocco or Egypt.

The Corniche skirts the coastline, passing by stone statues of interlocking dolphins and leading the eye towards the watchtowers sat high on the jagged rocks.

View from Nizwa Fort

Travelling inland to Nizwa

Branch out from the coast, however, and Oman soon becomes a different world. The space age roads are still there (even if they’re on occasion waiting for some space age sign posts) but the urban landscape is soon replaced by a far more forbidding one. It becomes rather lunar, and settlements are replaced by the occasional petrol station. It’s like something out of Star Wars.

The road out to Nizwa is worth driving even if you get to the destination and turn straight back, but once you get there, you’ve a rather impressive fort to explore. Nizwa is known as the conservative, religious capital of Oman and it’s only fairly recently that intense rivalries with Muscat have subsided. And such rivalries require defensive strategies.

Road to Nizwa

The fort at Nizwa dates back to the middle of the 17th century and the earth-filled central stone tower is full of sneaky traps. Some steps were replaced with easily breakable wooden planks so that would-be assailants would fall into deep pits. These are mercifully replaced with glass nowadays. Tourists with broken legs aren’t such a good look.

There are also ‘murder holes’ built into the ramparts, where boiling date syrup could be poured through onto the heads of attackers. On a more prosaic level, they could be used for pouring water down on the flames if the enemy tried to set fire to the fort.

At the top of the fort, there are great views of the markets down below and the mountains. You can see that Nizwa is almost surrounded by jagged peak, and plenty of date palms fight the buildings for space.

Mountain village experience

Going too far into said mountains without a four wheel drive vehicle is foolhardy in the extreme. The paved roads soon stop, and you’re onto perilous mountain tracks. If you or your driver are skilled enough with a 4WD, however, you can get up to Jebel Shams and peer down into Wadi Ghul – dubbed the Grand Canyon of Arabia.

Misfat

We don’t even attempt that far, but we do make our way up to the mountain village of Misfat. It’s a beautiful spot accessed via a winding, but sealed, road. The hillsides are clearly cultivated up here, with date palms carefully planted into terraces. Some of the homes are mud-built, and there’s a maze-like series of walking paths marked out up and down the mountainside through the villagers’ homes. Elsewhere you’d expect to be confronted by people selling huge tables full of tat, but here you just get a few respectful hellos and the sound of goats bleating. The narrow streets feel as though they have been carved from the rock, and the village feels like a specially-sculpted garden. It’s incredibly peaceful, and with the sun blazing overhead, it lulls you into a fixed lazy smile. It’s a world away from the fearsome dual carriageways of Muscat, and feels like the very best sort of end of the road.

- David Whitley

Accommodation in Oman: David stayed at the Al Nahda Resort outside Muscat. It’s set in a mango plantation, has an excellent pool area and rooms that are done up with a sense of Omani tradition.

Planning a trip? Browse Viator’s Oman tours & things to do, Oman attractions, and Oman travel recommendations.

Highlights of Muscat and Nizwa, Oman by David Whitley from Viator Travel Blog

Protestors on January 31, 2011 in central Cairo, Egypt

No doubt, like us here at Viator, you’ve been watching the protests in Egypt unfold with a mix of hope and fear. Hope that the situation is resolved peacefully and quickly. Fear, that it does not turn violent (and the news over the past 48 hours has been increasingly worrying on this front).

Because your safety and security are always our priority, we, like many other travel companies in the region, have temporarily suspended all tours and activities in Egypt. We are monitoring the situation on a daily basis, receiving regular updates from our local operators in Cairo and throughout Egypt.

Needless to say, we are also waiving any cancel or amendment fees for all affected travelers.

We do hope the situation will stabilize in the very near future and we continue to accept bookings for all travel dates after March 1, 2011. We’ll keep you posted if that changes.

If you have any questions, please contact our Customer Care team and they can assist you immediately. For running updates on the situation in Egypt, check out WSJ.com’s Dispatch blog.

-Viator Travel Team

Viator Travel Update: Egypt by Viator Travel Team from Viator Travel Blog

With around 53 countries, 2,000 languages and covering about 6% of the earth’s surface, Africa is pretty big; so to get a glimpse of it in a short two week break is a tricky one. However, precisely because of its size and diversity is it possible to turn up and experience it first hand on a budget and far from the package tours. A great place to do this is Tanzania.

Relaxing in Tanzania

Before You Go

If there is one thing you need to know about a holiday in Tanzania it is the importance of pleasantries. Do not underestimate the need for the obligatory list of ‘how are you’s’. If you go to ask for directions from a man on the street, never just jump into ‘excuse me, where is….’. First ask the man how his home is, his day, his week, his family, even the goat he is leading by rope and then, if you remember, you can ask him to point you in the direction of whatever it was you were looking for. Once you have mastered this, preferably in Ki-Swahili, then you will find Tanzania one of the friendliest and most enchanting places you will ever visit.

Day 1

Flights to Dar es Salaam, meaning House of Peace, are significantly cheaper than those to Arusha or Kilimanjaro. Called the bongo, brains/wits, by its 2.5 million inhabitants’, experiencing the hustle and bustle of Dar is key to understanding Tanzania. It’s best to spend a night here, both to gather your own wits and because all buses to the northern safari circuit leave early in the morning.

Day 2

Head to Ubungo central bus station and prepare yourself for what may be your first real taste of Tanzania. Touts will descend upon you promising the comfiest ride, food, entertainment and much more to entice you to take their bus. If you haven’t had your coffee then this slap to the face will certainly wake you up. One small tip is don’t lose your cool – pretend you have done this a thousand times before, smile, laugh and say “poa”, cool, whenever you think necessary.

You will hear and read many stories about which bus company to take and which to avoid, however it’s fair to say that they are all pretty scary, bumpy, painful and will leave you feeling like you have gone a round with big Mike once you finally arrive. However, the 8-hour journey from Dar to Moshi is exceptional as it takes you right across the country, giving time to bond with fellow passengers, sample local foods through the open windows and enjoy the wonderful scenery passing by.

The majority of tourists head to Arusha to start their safari or Kilimanjaro trek. Quite frankly there really is no reason as Moshi just down the road is cheaper, more relaxed, friendlier and with Killi looming over the town, far more picturesque. Upon arrival at the main bus stop, you can walk undisturbed a short distance into the town centre where you will find the Kindoroko, Buffalo and Leopard hotels.

Moshi is replete with tour operators and you are bound to find one able to take you the next day on a safari. One recommendation would be R2R Adventure who are new to the scene and eager to make a name for themselves.

A Colourful Massai market by the side of the Dar – Moshi highway

Day 3 & 4

Wake early and head with your tour operator to Lake Manyara National Park, famed for its colony of flamingos, proximity of its elephant herds and, ever elusive, tree climbing lions. In the evening your guide will have you booked into one of the local hotels, camping sites or lodges. It’s typically early to bed as it will certainly be early to rise for the drive to Ngorongoro crater.

As a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the crater really is spectacular and as you enter over the top lip the views are like something out of the Lost World. This collapsed volcano has created a natural enclosure for a flourishing wildlife park. In the crater you will see herds of wildebeest and zebra, a scattering of elephants, probably some hippos and most definitely some of the inbred, but exceptionally large lions.

The king of the Ngorongoro crater awaiting the return of his pride with lunch

Day 5, 6 & 7

In Tanzania there are two key things which most people want to see: safari and the coast. Others however, who are a little more intrepid, venture into the mountains, either the Pare or the Usambara, both formed over 2 billion years ago and covered in cloud rain forest with a wealth of unique endemic species.

For the Usambaras, a great place to head to by bus direct from Moshi, is Lushoto. With its German past still very evident in both the buildings and the people, Lushoto is not only beautiful but intriguing. There is even a Second World War German bunker atop the highest peak in the range, that is now only occupied by thousands of bats. Through the Community Care & Friendship Association just west of the bus station you can hire a guide and take numerous walks into the forests. All profits go towards community development projects.

The other option is to head into the far more ‘untouched’ Pare mountains. Take any bus from Moshi heading south to Dar and get off in Same. From here ask around for a bus, pickup or motorbike to Chome village. This little village, settled in the shadows of numerous peaks is a lush green scattering of small houses and winding dirt paths. In the mornings, as the clouds rise in the sky they pour into the valley like bubbles rolling over the lip of the bath.

In Chome, ask around and you are bound to find someone to take the day to trek with you into the forested mountains. Amongst an abundance of wildlife you may be lucky to see the voodoo cows who roam the forest undisturbed, howler monkeys whooping in the tree tops, chameleons and even the deadliest of all, the black mamba snake.

Day 8 & 9

Leaving the mountains and the cool air, take a direct bus from either Same or Lushoto to Tanga on the coast. In Tanga change and take one of the small local daladala buses down a long winding coastal road to Pangani, a wonderfully friendly and remote little coastal village on the mouth of Tanzania’s longest river, a definite must see. You can pretty much guarantee that you will be the only tourist staying as this hidden gem is far from any tourist map.

Old colononial era housing can be found on every corner in Pangani

Walking around this 19th century Arab slaving port, which was also the centre of an armed resistance to German colonial rule, it really feels as though time has stood still. The inhabitants of Uhindi street still have Indian faces from when their ancestors where brought there to work under colonial rule; the slave depot and prison still stand, the German graveyard still looks cared for and the Boma, built in 1810 by an Omani slave trader still awes. Pangani really is a step back in time and it is worth arranging a village tour through the local tourist impresario, HotHot.

Another thing that HotHot can arrange is a day long dhow trip with a local fisherman to Maziwe Island, a sand bank four hours out to sea. The trip alone is worth it as you may be lucky to see dolphins and tuna breaking the surface of the crystal clear, turquoise blue waters. Maziwe Island is no more than a 100m long and 20m wide stretch of snow white sand surrounded by wonderfully clear tropical fish filled water with a rainbow world of corrals. As you are literally miles from anyone and anything don’t forget water, food, sun cream and if you have a dodgy tummy make you sure you check which way the current is flowing!

Day 10 & 11

Moving on from Pangani, catch a small motorised fishing boat to Nungwi in the north of Zanzibar. The distance is about 40 miles, takes just over 4 hours and is truly adventurous. As the trip is very much ‘off the beaten track’ do your research first and definitely check the weather forecast.

A ride on a traditional Dhow along the coast is a magical experience

On arrival in Nungwi your boat lands on a pristine talcum power-like white sandy beach which squeaks beneath your feet like little squeals of joy. However unlike Pangani every single meter of beach here is filled by foreign owned hotels, catering to package holiday makers. Despite this, Nungwi is a beautiful spot for a couple of days, where you can snorkel amongst dolphins, watch the sun set over the ocean on a Dhow cruise, dance the night away at a full moon party or experience the culinary orgasm of an amazing Zanzibari fish dinner.

Day 12 & 13

There are two ways of moving on from Nungwi to Stone Town: a tourist bus or local daladala costing a fifth of the price and both taking around 2 hours. Stone Town really is spectacular, enchanting, mesmerising and a whole host more. You can spend hours and hours walking through the Arabic styled narrow passage ways, completely and utterly lost but without caring.

This historic epicenter of slavery for East Africa was once also the short lived capital of Oman. It has history lurking round every corner in its mazelike centre. Where Dhows pass ocean liners in the bay, man-pulled rickshaws pass BMWs in the street, you can see flourishing markets, slave baracoons, ornate doors and even go on a spice tour in the surrounding countryside.

Zanzibar still holds its majestical allure

Day 14

The fast ferry to Dar from Stone Town is much simpler than the boat ride to Nungwi, but definitely less adventurous. From the harbour in Dar a taxi to the airport is both quick and relatively cheap.

And so ends your African adventure. Short but action-packed – the only difficult part is the culture shock of a Monday morning return to work.

- Chris Courth

Planning a trip? Browse Viator’s Africa tours and things to do, Africa attractions, and Africa travel recommendations.

Two Weeks in Tanzania by Chris Courth from Viator Travel Blog

Editor’s Note: This post is from Anna Colclough, who is the founder of the adventure travel web site Tourdust. Anna travels for a living, researching local adventure outfittersaround the world. She also writes about the challenges of balancing travel, work and kids on her own blog.

My parents are brilliant grandparents – the hands on types. Which is great for the kids, but as their daughter, I struggle sometimes to get a word in edgeways. So, in order to get a chance to catch up properly, I booked my mum and me a trip to Morocco with a twist. The plan was to do a spot of shopping in Marrakech and then head out to the desert, to visit some Saharan dunes for a spot of camping and camel trekking. She was all up for the shopping and the desert bit, but less sure about the camels. Still, after checking out some video footage on Youtube, she reckoned she was game, how hard could it be?

Camels Erg Chebbi

Sightseeing and Shopping

We decided to travel in November and beat the onset of winter blues, which turned out to be a fantastic time to go. The temperature in Marrakech was in the low 20′s which was just perfect for ambling around and shopping. And shopping we did, lanterns, tea pots, mirrors, you name it, we shopped, then dropped, then got horribly lost in the labyrinth that is the souk. After a couple of days, however, we were ready to escape the city and see a bit more of the country that we were starting to fall in love with.

We headed out on the spectacular Tizi-n-Tichka Pass, a winding mountain road peaking at a glorious 2,600m with breath-taking panoramic views. Driving past donkey carts and road side stalls selling trinkets, we were leaving the dust of the city far behind. Our first stop of the trip was to visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Ait Benhaddou – an impressive fortified city reached by stepping over stones in a stream. The site has been used as the location for several Hollywood films, including Gladiator and The Mummy and it is easy to understand why. The buildings are enchanting and winding alleys intriguing.

Ait Benhaddou

Journey Through the Desert

After getting our fill of culture, we headed back into the 4 x 4 and continued our drive. The landscape was starting to change from the mountains to plateau and I was starting to wish I had paid more attention in my geography classes. Definite must-sees along the way were two gorges we made side-trips to visit – Dades and Todra Gorges. Both formed out of spectacular red sandstone, they were imposing gorges that my amateur photography could not do justice to.

Still, the desert was calling, beckoning us, and as the plateau turned to rocky desert, our minds turned to the dunes. Mum was preoccupied with the camels, I was wondering about the sand. We had been promised Sahara, but would it be a Disneyfied token dune? I was not to be disappointed. We saw the dunes in the distance and started our approach off road. Driving through the dusty, rock desert, we could see them looming, and they were mighty! The highest dunes are approx. 150m high and the range is around 22km long, by 5 km. I was starting to get excited, this was looking like it would be quite promising.

Anna Erg Chebbi

We arrived at a Kasbah to pick up our camels and meet our guide. We were allocated a camel each, loaded up a day pack and then mounted our animals. There is no dignified way to get on a camel. Well, maybe there is, but we didn’t manage it. After many shrieks and laughing, however, we were ready to head off into the sunset. Literally, actually, as the tour was timed to perfection so that we could watch the sun disappear behind the dunes as we rode. We arrived at our camp after about an hour, tired, but happy. With no electricity and very basic facilities, we lay back and watched mother nature put on a spectacular show, with stars appearing by the second, counting the shooting variety. Sleep came easily that night in the moonlight, under a traditional tent. Good thing really, as the next morning we were awoken at 5am to mount our camels. We trekked for around 30 minutes before dismounting to watch a new day dawn over the dunes. Possibly one of the most magical experiences I have ever had.

Two days later, we were heading home. Mum had overcome her camel phobia and we had pretty much talked the hind legs off both our camels! A perfect trip all round.

- Anna Colclough

Planning a trip to Morocco? Head over to Tourdust for multi-day trekking trips in the Atlas Mountains and multi-day 4wd tours out to the Sahara or browse Viator’s own tours in Marrakech.

Guest Blogger: Anna Colclough in Morocco by Anna Colclough from Viator Travel Blog

The road suddenly ends. We go from tarmac to dunes; an abrupt switch from the real world to a vision from the movies. The Sharqiya Sands are where Oman suddenly becomes tantalisingly inaccessible again. Well, inaccessible to those in a regular vehicle anyway. We’re in the back of a 4WD on a private 4×4 Desert and Wadi Safari.  We are in the capable hands of a man who has been driving across this stereotypical Arabian landscape for nine years. It’s a good job we are; it’s not long before we spot a less experienced driver burning out his clutch as he struggles to keep control of things.

4WD Adventure

Just being here is special enough. It’s a truly extraordinary sight, with the dunes lumbering over the horizon in huge swoops. The colour scheme keeps changing too – the sands seem to have a rust-tinged redness to them at the front, turning more yellow and white as you venture further in.

The Bedouin People

In summer, the temperatures here are regularly in excess of 50 degrees Celsius. The place becomes an absolute cauldron, and even the hardy Bedouin people who call the Sharqiya Sands home temporarily move away.

From the top of the dunes, we look down into a valley. This is where the rudimentary Bedouin houses can be found. They’re made almost entirely out of the wood and fronds of the date palms that are such a key player in Oman. Forget tents – that’s an outdated myth – they’re effectively cabins on the sand. Outside these homes are often pens where animals are kept. Some people keep goats, but by far the most prevalent creature is the camel. The camels are used as beasts of burden, and sometimes for transport, although they’re often kept for milk as well. If someone offers you some camel milk to try, incidentally, you’re probably best off passing – it’s renowned for triggering stomach upsets in the uninitiated.

Some of the camels have masks over their faces. These, according to our guide, are the highly-prized racing camels. The best can fetch prices of nearly US$1m, and the masks are put on to stop them eating anything they’re not supposed to. These comical-looking beasts get the real pampering treatment – including a full wash with shampoo and conditioner twice a day.

We make our way down the dunes to one of the Bedouin huts. Inside, it is decorated with vivid woven carpets and cushions, and we’re invited to kick our shoes off and take a seat on one of the rugs. Our host brings over a tray with a pot and a number of small cups. He pours us an Arabic coffee, made with rose water and cardamom. It’s apparently part of the traditional greeting process – guests are expected to partake in a couple of cups. It is, to be frank, and acquired taste. But the dates are better. Lifting the lid off a silver pot, we’re met with a mountain of the things. We wonder if we’re expected to eat all of them, and are told that our date feast is really just a small portion. Omanis, it seems, will think nothing of chomping through 15 or 20 dates for breakfast. And, to be fair, they are moreish. The succulent flesh keeps you coming back for one last date.

Camel Waiting for Owner

Dune bashing

As interesting as coffee and dates with the Bedouin is, the real reason for coming out to the desert is to have an attempt at taming it. With one skilled driver at the helm, it’s time to try some dune bashing.

We bounce along the dunes at nervousness-inducing speeds. At times, it feels like we’re teetering at a 45 degree angle, sliding down the sand banks and oversteering out of control. It is, of course, all part of the ride. The car kicks up outrageous amounts of sand as we plough through, spraying the (mercifully closed) windows as if they’re enduring a blackout.

The final set piece is a descent, however. After climbing one of the biggest dunes, a steep descent awaits, and we plunge downwards at quite an angle until we hit asphalt again. We’ve only explored the very edge of this dune system, which stretches for hundreds of kilometres into the barely-visited depths of the country. But it’s time to discover that Oman has more natural wonders than just the desert.

Sand Dunes!

Wadi Bani Khalid

The second major stop of our day trip is Wadi Bin Khalid – one of the country’s most famous beauty spots. On a Friday, it can be crammed as locals bring a picnic and hang out over the weekend. Mercifully, it’s far more peaceful when we arrive.

But part of the joy of Wadi Bani Khalid is getting there. The road, as with just about every other road in Oman, passes through incredible mountain landscapes. The Hajar Mountains dominate the northern half of the country, and they’re probably the least pretty mountains imaginable. This is meant in a good way – they’re brutally stark affairs with scarcely a scrap of vegetation amongst the rubble. The unremitting fierceness of the terrain is what makes it so exciting to traverse, and the views from just about every section of the drive inspire a hushed awe.
Once there, we walk along a traditional Omani water system; a man-made channel that snakes gradually downhill from its underground source in the mountains. Precious water in Oman has been distributed like this for centuries.

We go against the flow until we find the natural pools. They’re a vivid green, set in an oasis full of date palms and mango trees. It’s a wonderful spot, and when the sun gets too hot, you can dive into the surprisingly deep gorge for a swim. It’s what the great outdoors should be about, and Oman has it in spades.

The country is blessed with deserts, mountains and swimming holes that are pretty much unrivalled in their wow factor – you just need to be sure that your driver knows what he’s doing in order to enjoy them to their full potential.

- David Whitley

Tours and accommodation: David did the Private 4×4 Desert and Wadi Safari. He stayed at the Al Nahda Resort, a five star complex peacefully set in a mango plantation to the west of the Omani capital, Muscat.

Planning a trip? Browse Viator’s Oman tours and things to do, Oman attractions, and Oman recommendations.

Desert Dune-Bashing and Wadi Swimming in Oman by David Whitley from Viator Travel Blog