Growing up in the southern hemisphere, each year my mother sent me to the family dairy farm in Golden Bay, at the top of the South Island of New Zealand, for a two-month summer holiday. Celebrating Christmas with the family, picking juicy blood plums from the tree in the garden, swimming in the crystal-clear river on the property, visiting the milking shed while the cows stared mournfully at me from those deep dark eyes. A simple, innocent life in a small New Zealand country town.

New Zealand - the beauty almost breaks your heart

Now, 20 years later, New Zealand is a Mecca for national and international tourists driving along the extravagantly beautiful coastline, filling up in one of the many cafes that have sprung up on the main streets, or stocking up on supplies for the trek through Abel Tasman National Park or along the Heaphy Track.

Around the New Year there is steady stream of happy campers making their way to one of the raves further along the coast (travel tip: check out the local music shop and organic store for fliers in places like Farewell Spit, perhaps one day The Gathering will be on again). In fact, if I was showing you my New Zealand, this is where I would take you…

Suggested Itineraries in New Zealand: Christchurch to Wine Country

Start in Christchurch, on New Zealand’s South Island. It’s a very quaint town, birthplace of my grandmother, who then reinvented herself as a quintessential English lady, which I am sure has a lot to do with the mock Tudor architecture and colonial history. There is a lovely botanic garden to wander around in, the Arts Centre on Worcester Boulevard has a lively craft market, and the beaches just out of town stretch for miles with golden sands. The Wunderbar in Lyttleton is nestled over the supermarket on London St, and has a superb kitsch style with board games, open-minded hosts and spectacular views of the still working harbour.

Shop along High St, Colombo and Cashel for fabulous NZ designer clothes and incredibly stylish fashion, made with gorgeous fabrics, beautifully cut and designed to fit real women’s bodies. Drop into the Globe Café at 171 High St for coffee and cake.

Fancy a helicopter tour up Fox & Franz Josef glaciers?

Drive over Arthur’s Pass to the tiny mountain village Otira, which was overrun by artists for ‘Oblique’ in 1999, and has since become a thriving creative haven. Continue on to Greymouth, and turn right for some of the wildest, most rugged and spectacular coastline you will see in your life – The Piano was filmed on a beach up here (ask a local which one), or drive left to the experience the effects of global warming at the rapidly disappearing Fox and Franz Josef glaciers.

The tiny coastal town of Hokitika boasts an intriguing second-hand shop and at the local pub you can find out all about the aviation disaster early last century, which explains the photos of an airplane landing in their field.

Heading back to the east, you now have a gentle drive up more beautiful coastline. There are a range of accommodation options to break the journey, from the caravan park right on the beach, to a glamorous hotel and café scene at Kaikoura where you will want to spend some time swimming with the dolphins. We wandered out to the edge of the rocks, and were amazed to see the seals frolicking and cavorting just a few metres away, although there are very strict health regulations about keeping a respectful distance from their habitat.

New Zealand: The view from Kaikoura

Once you’re ready to hit the road again, the highway drifts gently through rolling hills and blue horizons, until you come to the Marlborough Wine country. Cloudy Bay is my pick but I’m no expert, so you’re best off making your own extensive tasting tour. Find a B&B, and take advantage of the incredible range of excellent New Zealand whites produced here.

At this point you have two options, either to head straight to Picton for the sublime ferry ride through the Marlborough Sounds to Wellington, or drive West again to Nelson, and ‘over the hill’ to Golden Bay. Since this is my itinerary, I’m taking you on all the detours and tangents, as that’s the joy of travel.

Not having to keep going in one direction; you may end up headed somewhere you’ve never even heard of. And if you’re really keen, download the wine trail map before you go!

Suggested Itineraries in New Zealand: Onward to Wellington

The drive across to Nelson is only a few hours, and takes you through lovely countryside until you reach this charming town nestled into the hills. There is a veritable plethora of artisan shops selling the work of local jewelers, potters, artists and designers. The café at the very top of the hill on the main road through town has great burgers, and there is a scenic drive back down to the highway, which curves along the coast here for miles. As you travel West again, headed for Golden Bay, you will drive close to the Abel Tasman National Forest, and over what is laughingly called ‘the hill’ by locals; an incredibly steep and twisty mountain road. I always got car sick on this drive as a child, but seem to have survived unscathed this trip.

Watch the valley unfold before you as the road slowly evens out, and you soon arrive in Takaka. Once home to many an ‘alternative lifestyler’ up in the hills, the farming community now appears to be outnumbered by weekend holiday houses and adventurers. This has brought a new buzz to the main street, along with the funky cafes and shops on Main Street. The local pool on the road out of town is where I learnt to swim, with my great-aunt and some of those triathlete cousins who consider a quick run up one of the nearby hills an excellent morning activity. Not before breakfast for me, and certainly not after!

There are plenty of other options for the less actively inclined, like driving to one of the many gorgeous bays for a swim, or a stroll along the boardwalks – but no swimming in the sacred Te Waikoropupu (Pupu) Springs, just outside Takaka. The waters are some of the purest on earth, and were once used for healing and ceremonial blessings for Maoris at birth, death, arrival and departure of travelers.

The nearby walk up a mountain alongside the abandoned power plant is a fabulous three hour hike, and takes you to a sparkling clear pool at the top. It was too cold for any but the most hardy to swim even at the height of summer, but is a satisfying day trip.

The view from Chocolate Fish Cafe

If dancing is your thing, head out to Farewell Spit or one of the local beaches for the summer party season, and shake your booty to the pulse of the pacific ocean. Here you will be one of the first people in the world to see in the new year.

Retrace your steps annd drive back to Picton where we board the ferry for the three-hour trip to Wellington. This takes you through the Marlborough Sounds, truly some of the most luscious, divine scenery on the planet.

In Wellington, visit Te Papa Musuem, and make sure you stop in to the Chocolate Fish Café out along the Karaka Rd on the white sand beach, where visiting rock stars mingle with families on the colourful wooden chairs overlooking the water of Scorching Bay.

The shopping here is again superb, with the cream of local talent such as Starfish, Zambesi, Ricochet, Karen Walker and more scattered along Lambton Quay, Cuba St and Willis St.

An hour away Titahi Bay offers a stunning walk around the cliffs. Head a little further up north to Pukaha Mt Bruce, for a gorgeous walk through the forest of the magnificent wild life sanctuary, where you can see endangered birds and wildlife (Kiwi, Tuatara, Kokako, Kaka) before they are restored to their natural habitat in the forest.

After all that activity, continue in a leisurely fashion up to Rotorua and sloth around in the hot mud, where I will leave you for now.

-Jodi Rose

Planning a trip? Browse Viator’s tours and things to do in New Zealand, from Christchurch tours to things to do in Auckland to Bay of Island tours and activities.

Bring on something a little unique!

#1 - the crypts in Rome

Viator’s travelers are all over the weird and wonderful. Everyone still seems to love a good scare or a great thrill. Though Europe’s ghost & vampire tours top the list, it seems like the USA’s own ghost tours are not too far behind. Every corner of the world has something that’s a little strange. So here’s the top picks of Viator travelers for things that were a little spooky to do. Boo!

Top 13 Weird and Wonderful Things to Do

13. Ghost Walking Tour of Chinatown, San Francisco, USA

12. Stockholm Ghost Tour, Stockholm, Sweden

11. Evening Walking Tour of Edinburgh - Haunted Underground Experience, Edinburgh, Scotland

10. Vampire Tour of San Francisco, San Francisco, USA

9. Boston Ghosts & Gravestones, Boston, USA

8. Cemetery and Gris-Gris Walking Tour, New Orleans, USA

7. Kutna Hora Ossuary & Tombs, Prague, Czech Republic

6. Late Night Walking Tour of Edinburgh - Ghost Hunter Trail, Edinburgh, Scotland

5. Catacombs and Roman Countryside Rome Walking Tour, Rome, Italy

4. The Dark Heart of Rome - Ghost and Mystery Evening Walking Tour, Rome, Italy

3. Venice Ghost Walking Tour, Venice, Italy

2. New Orleans Vampire Tour, New Orleans, USA

1. Crypts and Catacombs Walking Tour - The Underside of Rome, Rome, Italy

Apparently you can’t go wrong with a good ghost tour, no matter what your haunt is. Keep pushing the spooky envelope!

-Kelly G

The runners-up are Shawn (his answer: 6 kids, $200 a month wages, wife needs break. thanks) and Dana (Two Lovebirds / Perched and Dined / Over the Strip / Were Roasted). Shawn and Dana, we are sending you a promo code good for 5% off your next Viator booking, as our way of saying thanks!

The Grand Prize Winner? A unanimous decision, our Las Vegas team voted C. Mayes the Grand Prize winner. C. Mayes submitted a few entries, all of them worthy of prizes. However what impressed us most was this post-contest post, where C. Mayes reminded a late contest entrant that they missed the deadline (in a reply of exactly 10 words): “Kinda clever, but too late. Registration deadline was June 30th!”

Nicely done, C. Mayes. Enjoy your dinner and show in Las Vegas!

* * * * * * * * * * *

We’ve written about the new Dinner in the Sky in Las Vegas. Here’s the recap in case: there’s a new dining experience in Las Vegas, involving a large crane, an elevated outdoor table, and amazing views of the Las Vegas skyline. It’s called Dinner in the Sky. It is either the coolest experience ever, or the worst idea yet conceived by mankind, all depending on your opinion of heights.

Win 2 free tickets to Las Vegas Dinner in the Sky & Vinnie Favorito at the Flamingo!

The best news of all: Viator has scored 2 free tickets to Las Vegas Dinner in the Sky!! And yes, we are giving them away!! (Free tickets, woo hoo!)

We’ve also scored 2 free tickets to the Vinnie Favorito comedy show at the Flamingo hotel, which we’re including as part of the prize. The show is getting excellent reviews. With Vinnie you will laugh, you will cry (from laughter), and you may very well become the butt of Vinnie’s jokes. This is an interactive ‘roast’ and audience members spend plenty of time in the comedic hot seat.

Las Vegas Dinner & Show Contest: How do I enter?

Vinnie Favorito at the Flamingo

Simply leave a reply for this post below to enter our “Las Vegas Dinner & Show” contest. We want you to answer one simple question: “Why should Viator give YOU free tickets to a Las Vegas dinner & show?” Entries must be submitted by June 30, 2009.

Winners will be announced on July 2, 2009.

Of course, there is a catch! We are only accepting replies that are 10 words or less! That’s right, answer the question “Why should we give YOU free tickets to a Las Vegas dinner & show” in 10 words or less, and you could win 2 free tickets to Dinner in the Sky and 2 free tickets to Vinnie Favorito at the Flamingo. You can enter our contest as many times as you like, but remember, your reply must be 10 words or less or it will not be considered.

Las Vegas Dinner & Show Contest: What do I win?

Our staff will pick the entry that we think best answers the question above, in 10 words or less. We are providing 2 free tickets to Dinner in the Sky Las Vegas (valid thru December 2009; the only blackout dates are July 4 and New Year’s Eve). We are also providing 2 free tickets to Vinnie Favorito at the Flamingo hotel (valid thru December 2009).

Airfare, hotel, taxes, and any other expenses are not included. We provide an unforgettable night of entertainment in Las Vegas, you need to get there on your own!

Good luck!

-Viator Travel Team

So if you were a bit of a mug, or a romantic – which is the same thing in some people’s books (not mine, but that’s another bloody story, so mind your business) – a boat is one of those things that you’d use to get between places girt by sea, as our Australian national anthem curiously phrases it. A plane is the one most folk opt for, quicker and less of that getting trapped with the same people in a small place for long periods of time surrounded only by blue… well that nearly worked, but you get my drift, which is also one main thing boats do.

Now, if you were in a hurry then a boat to Greece might not cut it so – as they’ve got lots of ports to weather in all their personal stormy-things, y’know like stop at, it means that they need to get to most of them at a reasonable hour so maaaaybe time gets stretched a little to allow for such occurrences. (Like that rumour that the trip from Melbourne to Tasmania doesn’t really take 14 hours and that the ship does blockies in Port Philip Bay so it gets in at the right hour for the businesses and all. But I didn’t say that.)

Corfu, no joke, this is sunrise

Right then, this story, unlike most of them, is already taking too long. Not to say that it hasn’t got started, which the boat did, and throb it did too – like the mother of all drone-music performances – I’ve stood outside AC/DC concerts that were more subtle (new singer still doesn’t work for me…) And the boat, she does go, but I did notice two wee birds that were feeling the inter-island tiredness of it all, staying a little low to the sea and minimizing their flapping to get maximum glide out of their tiny wings, and, well, they overtook us. Didn’t have a sheet handy, so couldn’t say how many knots we were doing, but she weren’t so many.

Corfu? Well, it is in Greece

But, you wouldn’t believe it, but it, the great boat, that is, which by the way doesn’t leave Corfu on Wednesdays (”no boat on Wednesday,” the guy said, and you can’t argue with a statement like that when you want to leave on a Wednesday)… the boat, yes, well it gets there, like this story. And back again too if you are game. But let’s get all travel blogified, and maybe spend a moment about Corfu before we hop straight back on the huge metal ship, thing. Right.

Corfu, well it’s in Greece. Which being an island off the “mainland”, like a few of them are, gives you the unique issue of wondering if you are “on” Greece or “at” Greece, or as it were, on a little bit of it which is in itself “in” Greece (you guessed correctly if you said, (c) in Greece, dunno why, you just did). And at first everything looked like the side of a packet of Feta Cheese, or a maths exam, one of the two – you know, all those letters, but en masse, everywhere, like a semi-graphic/linguistic ambush or something. And most of it is in capitals, so when you work this out, you feel like the signs are SHOUTING AT YOU all the time. Not nice is it. You’ll cope.

Just for the record, Greek is nothing like Spanish, there is no lisp, just a lot of “th” in there. This keyboard does not do that character as it is the one that I carry with me. Which also does not do umlauts, or much before breakfast.

Corfu, rhymes with tofu but is different

So, I ‘spose if you were thinking of going to Corfu, which is not some kind of meat substitute, that you would like to know something about it. Right then, it’s got mucho coast action, being an island, the main town is very old and the main streets, which are not so suitable for cars with lots of bits having things in the middle of the road to block them getting through, are very shiny from all many yearses of the foot traffic.

These same streets and town design owes a lot to the Venezian influence, not quite as narrow as the Venice backstreets and a lot drier, but still lots of washing hanging out over your head with quaint balcony action abounding. It’s a good place to buy a belt, or a T-shirt, too, cos lots of shops sell them. Despite sounding like a soya-based food-product, Corfu is not a good place to be a vegetarian either, which is also good cos I eat them for breakfast.

There are many old things there, exactly how old you should consult a book or travel guide to find out, cos I am not a bloody encyclopaedia, but them, probably like universities, sound quaintly Socratic and would probably fit in well if you were on, in, or around Greece. So as not to piss off the Viator editors I will spill some beans, which far from being messy, provides details for you, the venerable reader.

Corfu in a nutshell (Jack is the nut)

Warning or a promise?

The local beer is Mythos. It’s good for drinking after going around the old fort which is next to and around the university - you can spot it from the boat as it has a big wall round it to keep the fish out. Dangerous things fish, best eaten to make sure they are not a threat.

Corfu generally, despite being quite south in the European stakes, has a lot of conifers, which is not so alpine if you have seen northern Australia and all the bloody casuarinas. Sorry about all the swearing, it’s the boat I tells ya. There are some very nice rocks poking up and around all these trees.

Hills, karsts, tors, mountainy bumpy bits, the lot. The Phoenecians, after chopping lots of trees down for their boats, saw to it that there would be lots of olives for future generations, so there’s hundreds of years old olive groves all over the place. And I probably mentioned it before, but the coast is very prominent too. There’s some creepage of the Mediterranean Sea lately - which is not an ocean, so there’s no tide, we can call it Lake Mediterrano if you like – and this creepage of the sea, which is not to be confused with tide, has made some of the beaches a little smaller.

So you can get a little closely associated with your fellow swimmer and worshipper of the sun, and occasionally the odd wrist monkey, but don’t feed them and if you find one just put a bucket of water of it and it’ll go off to the nearest tree licketty split. Your average swimmer in Corfu might not be wearing any gear, and that’s fine by me cos I don’t like getting my favourite pair of shorts wet. So don’t be shy, jump on in and enjoy the fact that the Lake Mediterrano sun does not fry you like a lobster in the merciless way the Australian sun does. The light does do something marvelous to the world your eyes around an hour before sunset here though… Glory be…

Jack, how many??

Speaking of seafood, the food here is bloody great. Eat some, and if you get another chance, eat lots. There’s little tavernas tucked away in the hills that are the place to go, you can get a real affordable feed, some great local wine, ouzo if you must, and your wallet will feel as happy as your gullet. Bingo.

If you are looking for somewhere to stay, and speaking of ouzo, its known in local legend, the Pink Palace, a backpackers of extra-terrestrial proportions on the upper west coast of the island, will send its bus down to the port to meet the ships as they come in and offer free ouzo. The kids, they love it, and all drunky punky as they get, the PP becomes their place to stay. Ouzo is free there, no questions about what it does to you though – they even having a “going-away” party for you and you’ll probably end up as smashed as a set of wickets after a one day test at the GABBA and then curiously unable to make your onward connection.

But there’s always tomorrow. That’s not to say the whole place is like that, as long as you remember “no boat on Wednesday”, your visit to Corfu doesn’t need to be the Lake Mediterrano answer to Hotel California. No eagles that I saw there, either.

-Jack Brown

Planning a trip? Browse Viator’s Greece tours & things to do in Greece, from things to do in Athens to DelphiMykonos & Santorini plus a few spots in between. to

But this is not my family, and the friends I’ve only known for a week. I’m in Cuba and it’s a surprising place indeed. The friends are a mix of Aussies, Kiwis, Canadians and Americans. (There’s also a lot of Europeans visiting Cuba, but none tonight.) That’s one of the surprises – there are more Americans visiting Cuba than you might think, and I didn’t met a single one who was there on an approved trip. They come through Mexico or Canada in large numbers every year, and are happy to flout their government’s rules.

Cuba - Vive la Revoluccion?

The family is the family of our local guide. It includes Grandad, the charming silver fox; Grandma, who is happy with a little half-glass of beer; shy but smiling Mum; staunch communist Dad, who isn’t comfortable with so many foreigners around; brother-in-law who is loudly pro-American and wants to discuss politics all night; a delightful grandson, and many more. We were honored to be invited to their party while we were so far from home.

Cuba: It loves to party

Another surprise – this is the only communist country I have visited that loves a party – there seems to be great support for the arts and musicians, and you didn’t have to look very hard to find music and dancing – it is certainly part of every day for us. Of course the locals dance with snake-hips that no amount of salsa lessons are going to give me, but after a couple Cuba Libre’s I am always happy to try. It helps to be here for the 50th anniversary of the Revolution – I’m appreciating the government sponsored street parties every night. And the art – paintings everywhere, art galleries, street markets – great galleries of diverse originals in Camaguey and Baracoa in particular, huge range of cheap but good street-market stuff in Havana.

Drumming to the salsa beat

There was another party we went to – we weren’t exactly invited to this one, more like gate-crashed, but when we stopped at the gate in the middle of the mountains to see if we could buy some lunch, they warmly invited us to join them. It was National Honor Teachers Day, and the teachers and their families had gathered at this particular house to celebrate. On our arrival they quickly wrung the neck of one of their turkeys, and then invited us to join them while a feast for lunch cooked for the next 4 hours or so.

We sampled their local rum, played some dominoes, danced a bit of salsa, and had deep conversations about the importance of great teachers in our lives – although this was somewhat tempered by our very bad spanglish. We also wandered down the farm to visit the waterfall and swimming hole – very beautiful and another surprise for me – it was the first of many waterfalls, not something I had associated with Cuba at all.

Cuba: Buena Vista Hiphop

Many of my pre-conceptions about Cuba were a bit out of date – where I was thinking salsa, the locals prefer the nightclub, while I was thinking Buena Vista social club the locals are thinking the latest Latino hiphop. I never quite figured out whether it was a requirement or just a strange local taste, but it didn’t matter what club you went to in the evening, you first had to sit through a “show” – maybe a singer of Celine Dion numbers, or Latino boy band numbers, or Buena Vista-like copy cats of varying levels of skill. After enduring the show, the dance music comes on and the crowd throw themselves into what they’d really come for - dancing and partying. Maybe it’s their version of our old “you have to buy food to drink” licensing rules.

Cuba: Expect the unexpected

I’d heard all about the wonderful old American ’50s cars and they were everywhere, they looked amazing and it was even more amazing how they’d managed to keep them intact and running for so long without access to the spare parts. And it was no surprise to see the old Russian Lada’s, although somewhat less attractive.

But I was surprised to spot some brand new Audi’s, imported as car rentals for tourists apparently – yes times they are a’changing. Change was the most common topic of conversation – many Cubans were openly talking about how things were changing, whether they thought that was a good or bad thing, what they would like to see change or not change. Everyone had different views, and everyone seemed to be engaged in a public conversation on this, again more public than you might expect in a communist country. And it also seemed like every visitor had a version of “I wanted to come now before it changes”.

I took heart at the level of public debate on this, hopefully a good sign for the future - I only wish there was this much involvement of the general public in political debate in my country.

The beach in Cuba, pretty close to paradise

Another surprise – how many tourists there were in Havana (not to mention the hop on hop off bus, how did that get here?) - some parts of the old town at about 11 in the morning would have 3 or 4 tour groups per block, it’s not too hard to imagine you are in Venice or Prague instead. But it was so fascinating I would’ve have missed it, no matter how many crowds. The rest of the country so far has a much lighter touch of tourism, and is equally fascinating.

Cuba: The food? Que bueno!

And the final surprise? Every article and guide book I read said to expect the food to be in short supply and boring – some even suggested going armed with muesli bars and other snacks. In most cases this was completely wrong, we ate very well indeed. Breakfasts of omelettes and fresh fruit and good coffee, dinners of fish and lobster and pork and chicken, not to mention the national obsession with ice cream. It’s true that if you only eat in the hotels and the government owned and run restaurants you will be unimpressed. But why would you when you can get great food in so many other places.

Hanging out in Cuba

I highly recommend eating in your casa particular (the B&B-style places you will almost certainly stay in if you venture outside of Havana), they have the best access to fresh food and they cook it well. There are also many private restaurants run out of peoples houses, called a paladar, licenced by the government but run by families, and again the food is far superior, you’re eating in their front room and the best known ones have queues around the corner.

So unsurprisingly I eventually had to leave and go home and back to work but I certainly left a little bit of my heart in Cuba, don’t be surprised if I head back there again soon.

-Victoria Pottering

In that spirit Viator is pleased to announce the launch of a new country on our website: the Republic of Bakpakhistan. Our team of travel experts has tried for three years to crack open the Bakpakhi tours and activities market. It’s not been easy. The Republic of Bakpakhistan has had a rough go of it; first there was the collapse of its patron, the Soviet Union. Then after a brief flurry of activity in 2001, the country literally - quite literally - disappeared from the map.

Haggling over US$0.0001 at the rug market © Lonely Planet

Now, after eight years of isolation and closed borders, the country is re-opening to tourism. The capital, Hikinboot, has started the slow process of rebuilding and repopulating.

“Dubbed by detractors and admirers alike as the ‘Paris of the Central Urgs’, Hikinboot is an oasis of unbreathable air and inedible food. Bakpakhistan may be the ‘forgotten Stan’, but Hikinboot is a vital stopping-off point on any journey around the country - in fact it’s the only stopping-off point, as the sprinkling of land mines, ageing nuclear reactors, viciously hungry guerrillas, and marauding groups of gun-wielding Soviet soldiers who’ve refused to come in from the cold conspire to make travel outside the capital an impossibility. Travel to and from Hikinboot’s airport will be the sum total of road travel you’re likely to undertake.

-Lonely Planet World Guide: Destination Bakpakhistan

Bakpakhistan: Planning Your Trip

So exactly where is Bakpakhistan? What can you expect from a visit there? When to go? What to see & do? These are all great questions. And we have answers.

“Bakpakhistan is bordered by Tajikistan to the north, Uzbekistan to the northwest, Turkmenistan to the west, Afghanistan to the south, Pakistan to the southeast and India to the east. Bakpakhistan is ringed by mountains, creating a mostly dry, arid, windswept microclimate. There is little fresh water, as most major streams from the mountains flow down the other side into neighbouring countries. The one exception, the Guz River, kept the cooling towers cool back in Soviet times. Now, it’s best not spoken about.”

“Bakpakhistan’s only real event is the annual grain festival, the Bakbakbakstöp Harvest Festival. The event, celebrating the nation’s only successful harvest (1867), takes place in the first three weeks of June. A country already pretty much stationary grinds to a total stop, as every town hosts a parade featuring residents wearing traditional three-cornered hats.

It’s also the only time of the year when children are allowed to play the traditional game of stïc bol, played with a stïc (a type of stick) and a bol (a round ball).”

-Lonely Planet World Guide: Destination Bakpakhistan

Viator.com is a proud sponsor of the 2008 Bakbakbakstöp Harvest Festival. As part of the festivities, we’ve partnered with Education Minister Snagult Ufqunt to create a crash-course of local tours to help visitors make the most of a holiday in Bakpakhistan.

Semi-traditional non-nomadic Bakpakhistani dwelling © Lonely Planet

Bakpakhistan: Full Day Foraging Tour

From BK3.7 million / US$1.50 per person
Spend a full day discovering Bakpakhistan’s hottest forgaging spots. You’ll learn about the secret spot near the abandoned overpass, the one by the smelly part of the river and more of Bakpakhistan’s best kept foraging secrets form locals who know. Also, you’ll stop off at the market of Gagin Mawnkoont for shopping and gawking at its famous mutations. You’re probably going to need to forage for food, or makeshift transport to leave the country at some point anyway, so this tour is a MUST.

Hikinboot Day Tour*

From BK2.1 million / US$0.99 per person
Visit the ‘Paris of the Central Urgs’! Dodge land mines, guerrillas, nuclear meltdowns and more as you spend a day getting to know this exciting city. This exclusive Viator tour includes:

• Statue of Stalin
• The remains of Proletariat House
• Admission to the carpet museum
• Lunch at Crazy Abdull’s (no vegetarian option)
• A souvenir land mine

Bakpakhi Cultural Half Day Tour, with Clicking Fingers Demonstration

From BK123 million / US$5 per person
Bakpakhistan is renowned for its crafts and carpets, not to mention its folk music. And the rumors are true: Paul Simon has agreed to make a album (produced by Peter Gabriel, featuring Sting and Bono) based on the Bakpakhici art of clicking fingers and tongues while simultaneously slapping a raw cod on the side of a leather boot. This exclusive tour includes a walk through the Hikinboot carpet museum and concludes with a live performance by the Bakpakhi Five Mega-Minstrels at the Bollixinski soccer stadium. Prime Minister Slotcar Nascar will perform a stïc bol demonstration between cod slaps.

Guz River Experience

From BK99 / US$0.00000002 per person
Spend a few hours on what used to be the Guz River. The river was actually concreted over in 1992 and is now the Hivk Highway. Your guide will take you along the highway in a boat converted into a landmobile. You will have the opportunity to view all the sites that were enjoyed from the river before 1992. If you are lucky some of the concrete will be cracked enough in sections along the highway allowing a glimpse of the sludge. You will want your cameras ready when you pass Bakpakhistan woman carrying 30 litres (8 gallons) of water on their heads just to give their children something to drink. The highlight of the tour is when you stop at former fisherman’s shack and get to view all his mutated and preserved marine animals from the good old days when the river was a cesspool of toxic chemicals.

Pricing on request
Your journey begins with a stop in historic Baghpakh, continuing on to the Bakdur Brothel and Cybercafe for a brief photo opportunity. Then it’s off along the Hvik Highway in a yak cart to experience the incredible beauty of the King Tuj mountains, framed against the towering Timtamistan Cliffs. The Timtamistan Arnottonomous Zone is the most ethnically diverse - and dangerous - region in Bakpakhistan. Local tribes have inhabited these badlands for generations and will not hesitate to dunk your biscuit. Notable tribes include the Timtamoriginal clan, the Order of the Timtamchewykarmelites, Timtamdoublecoats, Timtamdarkks, Timtamlövepötiöns, Timtam-chocölatemudders, Timtamstickyvanillatöffees and the vicious tribe of the Timtam Lattes. On the crest of the Timtamistan Cliffs, you will board a thinly disguised UN aid helicopter for a once-in-a-lifetime, 7 minute, 4,000-foot descent to the mighty Guz River below. At the river’s edge, you’ll board a pontoon boat for a relaxing boat ride down toxic Guz tributaries. Float across the water grasping the inner majesty and mystery of this fabulous chasm. Don’t forget your camera!Happy travels. Or as they say in Bakpashti, Vlassplosspissinskaya!

-Viator Travel Team

* Viator and the local tour operator are not responsible for death, injury, or other harm sustained on this tour. Undertake at your own risk. In fact, maybe just pick something else, we hear the foraging tour is nice, and practical too.

Westminster Dog Show

He could barely trot the circle around the ring for heaven’s sake, and he’s a member of the Sporting Group. Shameful. You may disregard my opinion if you like, but I feel particularly vehement about the outcome of the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show this year because I was actually there in person for both days. And I could name five dogs I saw off the top of my head that should have beat out Stump. So there.

Traveling for an event is sort of a treat. No real planning about what do to required, that’s already been decided. We’re going to Mardi Gras! The World Cup! The Inauguration! There’s sort of a nice simplicity in not having to think too much about the things to do on vacation, which given my job at Viator, I do all the time. I’m not saying I’d want every vacation involve a big event, but once every few years it is a nice change of pace.

#9 Pug at Westminster

My Mum turned 60 and wanted to go to the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show for her birthday, the trickiest part is getting tickets and everything else is easy. On the tickets front, just mail in your form early (I think I mailed it in October), download it at the Westminster Kennel Club website.

Beautiful tickets will be mailed back to you (seriously they are really pretty tickets) and you are set for two days of non-stop dog show action at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

You think you’ve seen cute dogs, maybe you even own a cute dog, but you probably have not really experienced dog cuteness at a professional level. The adorableness almost painful. Scratch that, it is painful. After 24 perfect pugs trotted in the ring to be judged, a British girl next to me said, “so cute it hurts me.” Imagine the cutest dog you’ve ever seen, then imagine there’s like ten or twenty of them.

Macho the Pomeranian

It doesn’t stop at admiration from afar, Westminster is a bench show, which means the dogs have to hang around all day so you can pet them, chat with their owners, watch them primp and preen and affix bows. Photographing is encouraged. Fawning over your favorites and screaming or clapping for them when they compete is definitely encouraged. And it is competitive. Have you seen Best in Show? A very accurate depiction in my opinion. Owners who win cry, owners who lose cry. The drama becomes so engrossing you forget that you are in New York City.

The cheering and crying escalate to a frenzy when it is time for Best in Show. Spotlights flash around the Garden as the dogs trot out to the finale. There is also an air of seriousness as the Westminster Kennel Club has a 133-year tradition to uphold. The dog show is the second longest running sporting event in the United States, only the Kentucky Derby beats it out by one year.

Once the dog show is over you’ll remember that you’re in New York City. Museums! Broadway! Restaurants! Back to vacation planning!

-Kelly G

Cat lover? Check out 125 things to do in New York that have nothing to do with dogs. If you need a place to stay, check out Hotels in New York City on Planetware.com.

Well, I was wrong.

Somehow I’d lived here all these years and never seen SF from above. You get a hint of the beauty when you fly in or out of SFO airport and are lucky enough to have a window seat. And I’ve certainly spent many pleasant afternoons up on Twin Peaks, Bernal Hill, Buena Vista Park, and even that funny little park by the Randall Museum in the Castro.

Golden Gate Bridge from the SF Helicopter Tour

So I signed up for one of our San Francisco helicopter tours. At first I thought the whole thing was overblown. A helicopter ride over San Francisco? Sure, whatever, it’ll be great (read: b-o-r-i-n-g). Then as the day got nearer I admit to a small, growing sense of excitement. I’d never taken a helicopter flight before, and I was a huge fan of Magnum P.I. as a kid (T.C., you’re the man!).

Then the day arrived and I became very excited. I started dropping it into my conversations casually, “OK, I’ll call you later, after my HELICOPTER RIDE” and “sure I can stop by the grocery store later tonight, after I get back from my HELICOPTER TOUR.”

So did the helicopter tour live up to my expectations?? Let me put it this way: We flew underneath the Golden Gate Bridge at about 180 miles per hour. Let me repeat that. We flew under the Golden Gate Bridge, clearing the ocean by about 50 feet. We saw the Farallon Islands on the horizon.

We flew over Golden Gate Park and Baker Beach and Sausalito and Alcatraz and downtown San Francisco and the baseball stadium and my old house (my old house!).

So no, to answer the question, it did not live up to my expectations at all. It was sooooo much better, even with the soundtrack of San Francisco-themed songs playing in our noise-reducing headphones (Tony Bennett you, too, are the man). So yes, I loved it. It put my home in a new perspective and showed me, yet again, how beautiful this city is.

If you’re a first-time visitor, take this San Francisco helicopter tour. If you’re a seasoned traveler to San Francisco, take the helicopter tour. If you’re a local and have out-of-town guests, or are looking for a gift that’s a little different, organize the helicopter tour and you will be feted for your creative approach to sightseeing and gift giving. (Click here to see all helicopter tours in San Francisco from Viator.)

-Scott McNeely

Planning a trip? Browse Viator’s San Francisco tours & things to do, including Scott’s very own favorite SF helicopter tour. If you need a place to stay, check out Hotels in San Francisco on Planetware.com.

The tulips at Keukenhof Gardens

Keukenhof is the world’s largest flower garden, over 70 acres (around 32 hectares) of parkland filled with more than 7 million bulbs - tulips, daffodils, hyacinths, narcissi, gladioli. But mainly it’s the tulips - of course, since this is the Netherlands. Located near Haarlem, just outside Amsterdam, it’s easy to get to by train and bus or car, even bicycle – this is the Netherlands. There’s even a bus that goes there direct from Schipol Airport. And once you get there, you can’t get lost in the gardens because there is one big landmark to guide your way - yep, it’s a windmill; after all, this is the Netherlands. Tulips, tick. Bicycles, tick. Windmills, tick. I haven’t got to clogs yet, but I will…

Keukenhof Garden Tours: Plan Ahead

The most important thing to remember about Keukenhof Gardens is that it’s only open in spring, when the bulbs are flowering. That’s about 8 weeks of the year. In 2009 they are open from 19 March to 21 May. The rest of the year, the bulbs sleep - not a bad gig. But during those 8 weeks, the flowers really deliver: over 800,000 people visited the gardens last spring.

Keukenhof Gardens: So pretty it almost hurts

The flower gardens at Keukenhof were established in 1949, the idea of Mr W J H Lambooy, the then mayor of the nearby town of Lisse. He and a few other local identities thought that an annual open-air flower exhibition would be a good thing - largely for the local growers of bulbs to be able to exhibit and sell their wares.

They decided on the Keukenhof Estate, using the former herb and vegetable garden area of the 15th-century Countess of Holland, Jacoba van Beieren. Hence the name of the place: Keukenhof literally means ‘kitchen garden’.

These days the park includes 7 inspiration gardens (ideas for you to try in you own, somewhat smaller, plot at home!); bronze sculptures by Dutch artists scattered around the place; changing exhibitions of flowers; and tents or kiosks from local bulb growers where you can order your favourites, which will then be delivered around September when the bulbs are in their deepest hibernation, gathering strength for next year. Every year about three billion (that’s 3,000,000,000!!) tulip bulbs are produced in Holland.

Tulips for Beginners

One of the most amazing things about tulips is the variety and colour. Every year Dutch growers breed new strains of the flower. Which brings me to more history and the most amazing thing I discovered in my investigations of Keukenhof: tulips are not Dutch at all! Well, they are now, about 500th generation (if every year is a generation for bulb?). But they do not grow wild in the Netherlands and never have.

In fact, the natural habitat of the tulip is the rocky, dry mountainous regions near the border of China and Russia. The kind of flat, below sea-level, damp earth of the Netherlands is their least favourite environment, although I’m sure by now they have adapted. And the Dutch are very good at draining soil, let’s face it. So how did tulips get to the Netherlands?

And why did they become such a national symbol? A botanist called Carolus Clusius who worked in Vienna, met with the Austrian Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire, A. G. Busbequius. Busbeq gave him some tulip bulbs, a flower he had first seen in the gardens of Constantinople (now Istanbul). In fact, they are thought to be called tulips after the Persian word for turban (toliban, which when changed into Latin became tulipa) because there was a visual similarity between the hat and the flower. Clusius then took a job at the University of Leiden in Holland and planted his tulip bulbs.

From there, tulips became the new black. Tulipmania followed, with speculation in tulips reaching such dizzy heights (and losing so many Dutch their fortunes, houses and piece of mind) that the government stepped in during 1637 to stop the tulipwindhandel (literally ‘tulip wind trade’). I’m envisaging it as a vegetarian form of the pork bellies mayhem that occurs on Wall Street these days. Anyway, now the tulip is no less desired, or valuable, but it is more even-tempered in its trade. It is also now firmly a Dutch symbol and foundation of their economy, it’s roots in the east largely faded into history.

Keukenhof: Don't come if you don't like tulips

Tulips + Ukulele = Tiny Tim

But not only have tulips been so important to one country, they were crucial in the life of one short man with a high voice: Tiny Tim. His 1968 hit song, ‘Tiptoe through the Tulips’, made him a worldwide star. ,It was not an original but a cover of the song written in 1929 by Nick Lucas (the song had four other incarnations on the pop charts through the 20th century).

I think Tiny Tim was the only one to add ukulele, though, and that made him a standout! Married live on The Tonight Show surrounded by 10,000 tulips, naming his daughter Tulip, and finally being buried in a coffin full of tulips, no-one could say Tiny Tim was not grateful for the leg-up tulips gave him in life. (A useless but fascinating fact: Tiny Tim’s televised wedding to Miss Vicky in 1969 attracted 84% of the American TV audience, coming second only to the moon landing in ratings during the 1960s.

I bet producers these days wish they could match that. Perhaps if Britney surrounded herself with tulips and… but back to Keukenhof.) So, this humble flower has an incredible history. It has made people rich and lost them their houses, it has been a basis of its adopted country’s economy, it has brought joy and been cut from its bulb to be given with love, it has inspired song and television history.

Keukenhof Garden Tours: Remember, it’s March to May Only

Keukenhof Gardens is truly beautiful. The sheer scale immerses you in colour and fragrance. But I think my favourite thing about it is that it’s only open for 8 weeks each year. There’s no theme-park style manipulation of nature here. No hothouses tricking the bulbs into thinking it’s spring all year around. The flowers bloom from March to May, so that’s when you can go and see them. Perfect. One final word of advice: Keukenhof Gardens is a big place. You’ll be doing a lot of walking. You probably shouldn’t wear clogs. (And you thought I’d forgotten…)

-Philippa Burne

Book a Keukenhof Garden Tour over on the Viator site, or read more than 70 reviews of the Keukenhof Garden tours. Also check out Viator’s complete list of things to do in Amsterdam and the Netherlands. Still with us? Good, then browse photos of the Keukenhof Tulip Gardens in bloom on the Viator Flickr site.

This is all part of our end-of-the-year Top 25 Things to Do lists, where we announce the most popular tours and activities around the world based on what was most popular with Viator’s globe-trotting travelers in 2008. So far we’ve covered the Top 25 in Central & South America. Now it is time to shine the spotlight on Australia & New Zealand.

Top 25 Things to Do in Australia & New Zealand

This is all part of our end-of-the-year Top 25 Things to Do lists, where we announce the most popular tours and activities around the world based on what was most popular with Viator’s globe-trotting travelers in 2008. So far we’ve covered the Top 25 in Central & South America. Now it is time to shine the spotlight on Australia & New Zealand.

Australia’s Top 25 has a few surprises. And the biggest surprise of all is the sheer diversity of the list. Walking tours of the Opera House in Sydney… sailing on the Great Barrier Reef… Yarra Valley wine tasting… Melbourne dining… penguins, kangaroos, and wildlife…

Viator’s travelers covered a lot of ground in 2008. If you have your own favorite activity or thing to do in Australia or New Zealand, please leave us a comment, we’d love to hear about it. Now, without further ado, here are the top tours an activities in Australia & New Zealand.

Top 25 Things To Do in Australia & New Zealand: 2008

25. Alice Springs to Uluru (Ayers Rock) via Kings Canyon, Alice Springs, Australia

Travel through ‘Outback’ landscapes, see Kata Tjuta and Olga Gorge, watch sunset and sunrise over Uluru (Ayers Rock), visit the Camel Farm, Kings Canyon and Kings Creek Station.

24. Sydney Tower Restaurant, Sydney, Australia

Dine out at Sydney Tower Restaurant with panoramic views across the Harbour Bridge to the Blue Mountains, and a world class all-you-can-eat buffet lunch or dinner.

Sounds of Silence Dinner, Ayers Rock - Voted #1 in 2006 & 2007, #2 in 2008

23. Phillip Island: Penguins, Koalas and Kangaroos Day Tour, Melbourne, Australia

Watch the Penguins on Parade as they waddle across the sand at dusk, and get up close to the local wildlife including koalas, seals and wallabies on Phillip Island.

22. Swan Valley Wine Cruise, Perth, Australia

Wine tasting, entertainment and a waterfront lunch combine to make this fabulous day cruise on the Swan Valley and the upper reaches of the Swan River absolutely unforgettable.

21. Milford Sound Mariner Overnight Cruise, Milford Sound, New Zealand

Cruise the length of magnificent Milford Sound aboard the Milford Mariner, with kayaking or a tender craft to explore the shoreline, three course buffet dinner and hearty breakfast.

20. Waitomo Caves and Rotorua Day Trip, Auckland, New Zealand

Guided tour and boat ride through Waitomo Caves and the glowworm grotto, sheep mustering and shearing demonstrations and visit Te Whakarewarewa Thermal Reserve and bubbling mud.

19. Yarra Valley Wineries and Puffing Billy Steam Train Day Tour, Melbourne, Australia

Ride the oldest steam train in Australia through lush mountain ash rainforests and fern gullies, feed colorful native parrots, enjoy a spit-roast lunch and cellar door wine and cheese tasting.

18. Great Barrier Reef Scenic Helicopter Flight and Cruise, Cairns, Australia

A scenic helicopter tour with unforgettable aerial views of the Great Barrier Reef’s coral and marine life, lunch on the water, and snorkeling or coral-viewing in a semi-submersible submarine.

17. Sydney Harbour Sunset Dinner Cruise, Sydney, Australia

Cruise Sydney Harbour and watch the city light up as you enjoy champagne, canapes and an early dinner with magnificent evening views.

16. Heli Hiking Franz Josef Glacier, Franz Josef, New Zealand

A unique guided walk in the ice caves and pinnacles of this specatacular glacier, see the extraordinary colors of the ice-flow up close, and panoramic views of a pristine alpine environment.

15. Blue Mountains Nature and Wildlife Day Tour, Sydney, Australia

Visit quaint mountain villages, immerse yourself in stunning vistas at Echo Point, see unique Featherdale Wildlife Park, ride the Scenic Railway, Sky or Cableway over Jamison Valley rainforest.

14. Uluru and Kata Tjuta Helicopter Flight, Ayers Rock, Australia

A panorama of breathtaking scenery unique to the Red Centre, appreciate the sheer magnificence of Uluru (Ayers Rock) and Kata Tjuta (the Olgas), from the air.

13. Sydney Harbour Tour by Helicopter, Sydney, Australia

Exhilarating ride over the sparkling blue of Sydney Harbour, with incredible views of the iconic Sydney Opera House, Harbour Bridge and Manly Beach.

12. Uluru (Ayers Rock), Kings Canyon and Alice Springs 3-Day Tour, Ayers Rock, Australia

Watch the sunrise over Uluru (Ayers Rock), walk through magnifient Olga Gorge and Kings Canyon, hear the legends of Python Dreaming and learn about the culture and geology of the region.

11. Kuranda Scenic Railway, Skyrail, Great Barrier Reef Helicopter Flight and Cruise, Cairns, Australia

View lush tropical rainforest from the Kuranda Scenic Railway, soar over the Great Barrier Reef, and dive in to snorkel and swim before cruising back to Cairns.

10. Gordon River Cruise from Strahan, Tasmania, Australia

Cruise Gordon River in style through ancient rainforests, past hazardous Hells Gate to Heritage Landing, and stroll in the eternal silence of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area.

9. Sydney Harbour Dinner Cruise on the MV Sydney 2000, Sydney, Australia

Fine dining in a luxurious evening cruise on Sydney Harbour, float past the Opera House and Harbour Bridge while enjoying first-class service, star gazing and entertainment.

8. Kuranda Scenic Railway Day Trip, Cairns, Australia

Enjoy spectacular views of Barron Falls from Kuranda Scenic Railway, visit Heritage Markets and Rainforest Cableway, Tjapukai Aboriginal Cultural Park or Rainforestation Nature Park.

7. Yarra Valley Wine and Winery Tour, Melbourne, Australia

One of Australia’s most picturesque winery regions, cellar door wine tasting at Yering Station, Yering Farm and Rochford Wineries, and private tour of Domaine Chandon.

6. Spirit of Melbourne Cruising Restaurant, Melbourne, Australia

A movable feast along the Yarra River, enjoy this romantic gourmet cruise prepared on board by expert chefs, through changing scenery as the city lights up.

5. Blue Mountains Deluxe Eco Day Tour, Sydney, Australia

Journey into the heart of this ancient landscape, stunning views in Blue Mountains National Park, breakfast with koalas at Featherdale Wildlife park, and champagne with wild Kangaroos.

4. See Sydney and Beyond Smartvisit Card, Sydney, Australia

Exceptional value with admission to the top attractions in Sydney, full-colour guidebook offering practical information, special offers and savings at selected restaurants and shops.

3. Great Ocean Road Small Group Eco Tour, Melbourne, Australia

Walk in the Otway Ranges, spot koalas in their native habitat, enjoy views from the Twelve Apostles rock formations to Shipwreck Coast on the spectacular Great Ocean Road.

2. Sounds of Silence Restaurant, Ayers Rock, Australia

Dine under a million stars in the middle of the desert, enjoying a gourmet barbecue of Australian delicacies served in a secluded formal setting, and a tour of the southern night skies.

1. Colonial Tramcar Restaurant, Melbourne, Australia

Glide through city streets to glorious St Kilda & Prahran on the luxurious Colonial Tramcar Restaurant, enjoying delicious local produce in one of Melbourne’s star attractions.

There you have it. Viator’s list of the Top 25 tours and things to do in Australia in 2008. We’d like to extend a special ‘congratulatory’ note to the Sounds of Silence restaurant at Ayers Rock for winning the #1 spot on our list two years in a row (2006 and 2007), even if it dropped to #2 in 2008. Well done, scoring so well three years running is no easy feat. On the flipside, congratulations to the Colonial Tramcar Restaurant in Melbourne for capturing the #1 spot in 2008.

Stay tuned for more lists in the coming days, to help you plan your next trip across the globe. In the meantime, if your curious about the top things to do last year, in 2007, keep on reading…

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The Aria Restaurant & Sydney's Opera House

In case you want to compare notes, or are simply feeling nostalgic for the year that was, here’s the list of 2007 winners in Australia.

Top 25 Things to Do in Australia & New Zealand: 2007

25. Yarra Valley Wineries and Puffing Billy Steam Train Day Tour, Melbourne, Australia

24. 360 Bar and Dining at Sydney Tower Restaurant, Sydney, Australia

23. Great Ocean Road High Adventure Day Tour, Melbourne, Australia

22. Blue Mountains Nature and Wildlife Day Tour, Sydney, Australia

21. Sydney Harbour Sunset Dinner Cruise, Sydney, Australia

20. Kangaroo Island in a Day Tour, Adelaide, Australia

19. Sunrise Balloon Flight over Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia

18. Sydney Opera House and Opera Australia Dinner Package, Sydney, Australia

17. 24 Hour Uluru (Ayers Rock) Eco-Pass plus Sounds of Silence Dinner, Ayers Rock, Australia

16. Green Island Day Trip, Cairns, Australia

15. Kuranda Scenic Railway, Skyrail, Great Barrier Reef Helicopter Flight and Cruise, Cairns, Australia

14. Uluru and Kata Tjuta Helicopter Flight, Ayers Rock, Australia

13. Kuranda Scenic Railway Day Trip, Cairns, Northern Beaches, Australia

12. Yarra Valley Wine and Winery Tour, Melbourne, Australia

11. Great Barrier Reef Scenic Helicopter Flight and Cruise, Cairns, Australia

10. Phillip Island: Penguins, Koalas and Kangaroos Day Tour, Melbourne, Australia

9. Great Ocean Road Small Group Eco Tour, Melbourne, Australia

8. Sunrise Breakfast Balloon Flight over the Yarra Valley, Melbourne, Australia

7. Uluru (Ayers Rock), Kings Canyon and Alice Springs 3-Day Tour, Ayers Rock, Australia

6. Sydney Harbour Dinner Cruise on the MV Sydney 2000, Sydney, Australia

5. See Sydney and Beyond Smartvisit Card, Sydney, Australia

4. Spirit of Melbourne Dinner Cruise, Melbourne, Australia

3. Colonial Tramcar Restaurant, Melbourne, Australia

2. Blue Mountains Deluxe Eco Day Tour, Sydney, Australia

1. Sounds of Silence Restaurant, Ayers Rock, Northern Territory

Let us know what you think, tell us about your own travel experiences, and most important of all - happy travels in 2009!

-The Viator Team