Where in The World........

[StevieEvans]

Where in The World....
would be the 'best' choice for a couple of weeks holiday (Once in a lifetime kinda opportunity) in an exotic, relaxing, romantic, warm, safe location.
With (Obviously !) a large variety of accessible bird species & numbers, alongwith easily seen numbers of wild animals etc.

All ideas welcomed.....
Thanks in anticipation.
Stevie.

[Tim Allwood]

Cuba perhaps....I haven't been but I've heard it's good. Maybe Jane will be able to say more later

Belize is fantastic.....some of the Cays are just gorgeous and there are some nice reserves too. A good mix of birds, forests, sun and sea. Diving is excellent there also. Belize is well known for its ridiculously easy Neotropical birding.....

[pinkpigeon]

How about a trip to Nepal?

Its cheap, safe, absolutely outstanding scenary, friendly people, lots to see in terms of culture, birds, flowers and mammals, and all the time the majestic Himalayas tower above!

In a couple of weeks in March/April you could have a fantastic trek around the snow line in the Langtang NP, and see the flowering rhodedendron and magnolia forests where if your lucky you might see Red Panda, Snow Leopard, three species of pheasant such as the legendary Satyr tragopan, 15 species of laughing thrush and perhaps even a yeti!

Why not follow this with four or five days in the Chitwan NP staying at one of the luxury lodges? Over 500 species of bird have been seen in the park such as Giant Hornbills, Great Slaty Woodpeckers, Cuckoos, Blue-Magpies, Bee-eaters, Barbets, Eagles, not to mention 5 species of kingfisher! And thats just the support cast really as you'll go on early morning elephant rides in search of Indian Rhino, jeep rides looking for the lord of the jungle the Bengal tiger, and boat trips for herons, Ospreys and the extraordinary Gharial Crocodile! Couple this with hot showers, good food, secluded lodgings and it really does make a trip of a lifetime.

I loved it so much on my first visit I've been back 4 times over a period of 8 months and still I want to go back for more! If you want any more info on places to stay or organisations to travel with then drop me a mail.

PP

[david kelly]

South Africa, especially Natal and the Western Cape. You can see the big 5, a huge variety of birds, there's a good infrastructure, it's cheap and nearly everyone speaks English.

[StevieEvans]

Thank you for the responses......

Some interesting information supplied so far giving me plenty to consider.

But still looking for the perfect getaway that fits my criteria fully.

Stevie.

[Nancy]

I'd second Pinkpigeons advice re Nepal and Chitwan NP.
Otherwise Africa... botswana, kenya, tanzania, SA, aand last but not least ..................Australia.

[Tim Allwood]

mmm....north east Oz / top end and centre could be good too Steve

or for real paradise try one of the Indonesian islands....Flores is heaven. Pretty easy to get too now as well. Lovely food, nice people, great birds, incredible diving. the best sunsets I've ever seen

try this:

[Michael Frankis]

Hi Stevie,

Some of the places suggested, you're pretty much guaranteed to come down with some sort of nasty stomach bug; also high risks of malaria in some too. Not what I'd call "relaxing, romantic" . . .

Michael

[Joern Lehmhus]

Hi Stevie,

well, I´d second the Nepal proposal, having been both in Chitwan and in the Annapurna region;
and I would also recommend the South Africa-Namibia option;

But I´d also readily admit that Michael has a point, too-do not eat any raw vegetables in Nepal, if your stomach is only accustomed to Europe-
I did eat one leaf of lettuce and a quarter of a tomato (the decoration on my plate) the last day I was there-the flight back then was the most awfull experience I ever had...but the weeks before, with cooked vegetables-no problem

And in both countries there are of course areas where you could get mugged or even killed (not the areas where tourists go, so it´s not that much of a problem). Crime is generally more critical in South Africa (parts of big cities) than in Nepal or Namibia; but hey, on the other hand there are also places in german cities where you could easily get mugged or could come to harm...

Birds: both areas are great!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jörn

[helenol]

Sabah - Borneo

[Tim Allwood]

in two years in Indonesia i got sick once and it wasn't too bad.....and I ate off the street daily. Never had any problems abroad at all (touch wood) with crime etc despite living in the middle of one of the largest and poorest cities in the world.

Of course problems occur and we've all heard the horror stories but don't be put off travelling to exciting places. Some of the best birding expereinces to be had are just out there waiting for you......

Falciparum malaria is dangerous but if you cover up and are sensible you can dramatically minimise the dangers

I know it's a cliche but you are seriously perhaps at more risk in UK or US

[jayhunter]

Singapore, entrance to Botanical Gardens free, entrance National Orchid collection $1-00, entrance to Japanese, Chinese gardens and Bonsai collection $4-00, Jurong Birdworld is great birds really well looked after. Free flight displays of Macaws and Raptors, largest aviary in the world which is a walk in, with mabe a thousand or more birds maybe about 50 different species. I go there every year if possible, I love just being in a jungle environment with a waterfall 30 metres high, and loads of really exoctic birds flying around you. The country is really safe and clean and a joy to visit most Singaporeans love the English (I did live out there for three years in the RAF. I also lived in Belize and enjoyed that, Nepal I have been to, it is typically third world and you have to watch what you eat.

[Birdingam]

COSTA RICA

Got everything, warm, relaxing, fantastic birding and above all relatively safe, as fas as anywhere can be these days.

Andy

[helenol]

Regarding sickness etc, it's mostly a matter of common sense about what you eat or don't eat.
I was eating at outdoor stalls in Kuala Lumpur and it was great. Having said that, I did decline an invitation to taste the meat from this local butcher on a dusty road in Borneo!

Another very nice part of the world is Maui and Molokai.

[jayhunter]

Helen the geezer looks more like a dentist than a butcher!!

[Dave B Smith]

Costa Rica would be my first recommendation. It's easy to get around, is geared up for eco tourism, full of friendly folks and over 800 beautiful birds. No real health hazards that I'm aware of but the driving can be quite dangerous because of the roads and for off the path birding a pair of snake boots might be good.

Ecuador is also supposed to be a great place with over 1100 birds but I haven't personnaly been there YET.

[helenol]

looks more like a dentist than a butcher!!
I wouldn't even go so far as to say that!

[James]

As this is an international site let me recommend North Norfolk. If you are a visitor from, say, the States what a wonderful British list you could get here. C'mon folks lets hear it for the good old UK! Tell me the equivalent in the States and I want to go there!

James

[Acanthis]

Hi Pinkpigeon,

Your description of Nepal sounds fantastic! I've got to do that one.

My own recommendation, the Yucatan in Mexico.
If you have a notion for spectacular mayan pyramids as well as good birding, take a tour of Chichen Itza or Uxmal. My wife and I did a few years ago and it was great. Our hotel room at Uxmal had Social flycatcher and Ruddy Ground Dove nesting next to the balcony, from which you could see motmots, kiskadees, vultures, chachalacas, tityras, pauraques etc. We also visited Celestun which is a mangrove-fringed estuary full of flamingos, herons, ibises, frigatebirds etc. Well worth a visit.
We followed the touring with a relaxing week in Playacar. The hotels and golf course are surrounded with scrubby jungle full of all sorts of neotropical goodies. You hardly ever saw the same species twice. Also the resort is a short taxi ride from Playa del Carmen where you can catch a ferry to Cozumel island which has some endemic and caribbean specialities. Our hotel grounds had spider monkeys and pacas I think they were called (large tailless rodents) wandering around. I used to sit on my balcony drinking a cool beer sorting out and identifying the various orioles and flycatchers passing by.
Absolute Paradise!!

Sandy

[Tim Allwood]

would also second Yucutan. Was there last year and had an ace time....turtles on the beaches at night.....full tourist facilities if you want a bit of comfort, ruins etc and next to Belize for some rainforest birding. Good infrastructure too. Loads of endems as well.

[Dave B Smith]

I'll also vouch for great birdwatching (and comfy resorts) in the Yucatan. And as Tim said, you can add in Belize. You can also get to Chiapas and Oaxaca and then have a tremendous variety. But if I was looking for bird density and variety I would probably still choose Costa Rica first.

[StevieEvans]

Excellent..........!!

Some great ideas and suggestions. We are busy checking out some of the locations on other web sites.

Keep them coming. ( no uk sites )

Steve

[njlarsen]

One place more (and I know that I am reactivating a long dead thread): a week at Asa Wright Nature Centre in Trinidad combined with a few days at Tobago. 11 days total visit produced 174 species, and a few guided tours more would have upped that number even more. Asa Wright is a include it all place, you get out of bed and are right in the middle of the birding. All meals included, etc. Good security as long as you stay in the centre. Not cheap, though.

Niels