Saturday 23 November 2019

A Week in Seychelles


Day 1 – Mahe, Seychelles (Relax at the Resort & Beach Walk)

Upon arrival at Mahe island, go straight to your accommodation and relax at the property. I recommended a stay at the resort “Barjaya” on Beau Vallon. It is an excellent property with delicious Indian food option.

Beau Vallon is also a good location for sunset, also for swimming especially if you are traveling with kids, as the water here is mostly calm. In the evening, just relax at the poolside bar, have some Seychelles Beer, or just have a walk at the beach.

Day 2 – Mahe (Hiking, City Tour & Beaches)

If you love driving and interested in exploring the island like a local, hire a car and hit the mountain road (Sans Souci) and enjoy the early morning breeze. It’s a hilly road with many attractions along the way and you will see stunning landscape too. 

If you love hiking; There are two trails worth exploring- Morne Blanc & Capolia. The Capolia trail is a fairly steep hike which will reward you with spectacular views of the east coast of Mahe. This trail takes 1 to 2 hours, depending on your fitness level.

Morne Blanc is a bit rocky and muddy but worth exploring it too. The total length of the trail is 3.2 km and approximately you can cove in 40- 60 minutes again depending on your fitness level.

“Don’t forget to carry lots of water & energy bars”

After the hike, while you’re coming back from Sans Souci road, you will find yourself on the west coast. There you have many beaches to swim, including Grand Anse, Port Launay, and Baie Ternay.

I am sure after hiking and swimming it’s time to have some of the local delicacies with chilled beer. There are many good restaurants along the coast offers delicious food with the great sea view.

After a fulfilling meal, you can explore the city by visiting their central market and the clock tower in the center of town. There is also a museum if you want to learn a bit about how the islands formed and their unique flora and fauna.

In the evening, head back to resort for stunning views of the sunset… Relax at the beach, hear the sound of waves and watch the night sky.

Day 3 – Mahe City (Meet with Locals, Craft Village, Takamaka Rum Distillery & Beaches)

It’s time to mingle with some locals & explore the south part of the island. You can visit Domaine de Val des Prés – Craft Village & Takamaka Rum Distillery. Craft Village is an ideal place to buy souvenirs, as the products are authentic, created by the local craftspeople & reasonably priced. You’ll find t-shirts, candles, hand-carved fridge magnets, etc. You can help locals by buying their products as the money will go straight into the hands of the crafter. 

This is also a good opportunity to chat with the local people to know more about their lovely islands, their lifestyle, and their culture. Have lunch at one of the local restaurants at the craft village. 

In the afternoon you can visit the Takamaka Rum Distillery, there you get a chance to learn how they made the Rum and probably do a tasting of all the varieties of rum. After that drive to the south of the island, down the Grand Police road, past Anse Intendance, and explore more beaches down here – Anse Bazarca, Anse Petit Police and Anse Grand Police. They are pristine & relatively untouched as not many tourists go there. It is the best area to enjoy virgin beaches (tranquil & serene, away from the crowds into nature)

If your time permits you can explore Baie Lazare, Anse Soleil, Petit Anse, and Anse Louis. They have many good restaurants offering delicious seafood.

Relax at the Resort in the evening.

Day 4 – Praslin, Seychelles (Mahe to Praslin Island & Anse Lazio (World’s Best Beach)

There are two ways to reach Praslin either by sea (around an hour) or by air (15 min). I feel to go via air and come via the sea to have both the experiences. If you want to take a ferry, then take the early morning ferry which leaves from the Inter-Island ferry port in Victoria. Make sure you check the schedule before planning your trip. (it is recommended to take seasickness pills as waves can be high at times) or take morning Charter plane/flight from the Inter-Island airport.

Once you get to Praslin, it is highly recommended to hire an open jeep/car (pre-book, or easily available at Praslin ferry terminal). Once you reach your resort, check-in and then hit the road for UNESCO world heritage site the “Vallee de Mai”, where you will see the world’s largest nut “the giant Coco de Mer palm (Coconut)”.

Once you have seen the Vallee du Mai, it’s time to visit Anse Lazio, one of Praslin’s most spectacular and famous beaches, which is regularly rated among the best beaches in the world. Anse Lazio is indeed stunning and worth a visit for a full day to capture different shades of Blue… It is just stunning!

There is an excellent seafood restaurant here (www.lechevalierbay.com) where you can have nice food. You can also stay there to check their website for more details.

Some of the resorts in Praslin organize bonfire & cultural activates for their guests and if you are lucky to have some in your resort than you can spend the night at your resort and enjoy the event.

Day 5 – Praslin / Curieuse Day Trip (Boat Tour, Giant Tortoise, Hiking & Snorkelling)

It’s time to take a boat tour around Praslin Island. Many boat tours agents operate from Praslin. Negotiate with them to get a good deal. Otherwise, let your resort arrange an excursion for you. Generally, most boat excursions include island visits of Curieuse, Cousin, Felicité, Coco, Sister, and the small island of St. Pierre. So it depends on your personal preference & time available.

Curieuse Island is the best place to meet the Aldabra Giant Land Tortoise. It also has a small trail into the mangrove forest where you will see many different birds, crabs, lizards, lobsters and many more (proper hiking shoes & insect replant spray are a must).

Cousine Island is great for bird lovers, an excellent place to see a number of the birds including the Seychelles Magpie Robin, Fairy terns, white-tailed tropicbirds, and more. You can also go snorkeling on the way of going to Cousine Island.

Relax at night at your beach resort in Praslin

Day 6 – La Digue: Praslin to La Digue (Cycling, Walking & Beaches)

Take the morning ferry to La Digue which takes just 15 minutes. La Digue is a very small Island with very different vibes, many visitors love to explore this Island by cycle, bike or on foot. I highly recommended to hire a cycle and explore many amazing attractions that make it worth visiting and have some romantic time under the trees laden with flowers.

The top beach in La Digue is Anse Source D’Argent. This is a beach at the south end of the island, surrounded by palm trees, turquoise waters and pale white sands. also, an excellent spot for watching the sunset is very much worth visiting.

Finally, while you’re on La Digue you should try to catch a glimpse of the Seychelles Paradise Flycatcher. This endemic bird is critically endangered and native to La Digue. The best place to spot one is in the Veuve Reserve.

It is noteworthy that to enter this beautiful Island you need to pay some taxes that can be pay at the time of booking your tour.

Spend the night at your beach resort in Digue

Day 7 Return to Mahe

Take the ferry directly from La Digue to Mahe via Praslin, with a total journey time of around 60 to 90 minutes. Check-in at your hotel in Mahe. Free time to shop & relax.

Day 8 Departure from Seychelles

Checkout from your Mahe hotel after breakfast. You may use the hotel shuttle to Airport. Catch the flight back from Mahe to your Home.

Author :- Sagar Sharma,Explorer by Soul

Friday 8 November 2019

Fly High with Skydive Dubai!!!



Skydiving is one of the most adventurous things to do in life, and if you are in Dubai don’t miss the chance to book your tandem jump with Skydive Dubai.

Skydiving is one of the best ways to witness the most spectacular view of Palm Jumeriah from 13,000 ft above sea level, which will also give you the best bird view of the most amazing archipelago of Dubai city.

Is Skydiving a safe adventure?

Hell, Yes, in this modern-day technology and usage of advance gears, making skydiving is the safest and most popular adventure sport nowadays. Most importantly, in a tandem jump, you are paired with an experienced person who must be having the experience of hundreds of jumps and who is equally concern about your safety too.

Is AED 2000 worth for Skydiving?

Definitely Yes, it’s a lifetime experience and I recommended everyone comfortable with height should try this adventure at least once in his or her lifetime.  

Some Tips:

To avoid any last moment disappointment its highly recommended that you should book your jump in advance (www.skydivedubai.ae) I did mine like three months in advance. This pre-advance booking also motivates you to get in shape before your jump if you are not fit.

As in my case, my BMI was above 30 and not eligible for a tandem jump at that time and these three months pre-advance booking helps me to get in shape.

Please check the Skydive requirements before booking your jump as Skydive Dubai have a very strict BMI policy and they follow the world standard safety measures tool for all their diver’s. Skydive Dubai Requirement 

My Experience!!!

One beautiful morning in Dubai at a sharp 0700hr I reach the diving venue. I was very excited because I knew in the next few hours, my dream of flying like a bird is going to be real. “It was a great feeling”.

Upon reaching the registration desk, they check my BMI and once the scale read below 30, they gave me a wavier form to fill, sign and acknowledge that I understood and agreed with all their conditions. Basically, that form was all about, giving your life away. (Hahaha)
“That day I did the most thrilling signature in my life on that wavier form”. 

Once I am done with the registration procedure now the thrill begins when my instructor Mr. Alex call me and gave a 15 mins of training on few body postures which I have to make at the time of jump and landing, such as; knee band, head straight, cross arms, keep a hand on upright position while jumping off the plan, pull your legs upward while landing and so on…


After the training, all the adventurers with their respective experienced instructors reached the boarding spot to board the plane for their lifetime adventure. All of us look very positive and confident. 

The moment we reach halfway Mr. Alex asks, “Are you feeling nervous?” I smile at him and said “No, not at all, feeling fresh and excited and looking forward to my first jump. He smiled me back and said “I like your passion”
Now, it’s time to jump. We were already at 13,000ft and the instructor asked, “Are you ready for the jump”? I said it loud and clear “let’s jump”. we started crawling towards the door, because of the harness and also I paired with my instructor it was difficult to walk inside the plan.

On the count of 3, we jumped, I must say that jump wasn’t an ordinary one, I jumped into the heaven of my dream. Wow!!! Such a breathtaking feeling and very hard to express in the words.

The first time when I look down, I saw the most spectacular view of the whole city. My heart was beating fast, my mind was relaxed, and my soul was just enjoying the pure winds at 13,000ft. I feel like a bird in the sky.
Out of the excitement, a few seconds after my jump I opened my mouth and trying to say “huuurrryyy” I didn’t even realize that the pressure of the wind would be very high, and if I open my mouth the air can enter quickly. I must admit, it was getting difficult to close my mouth and take the breath normally again. (Please do not perform this kind of act while skydiving).

Mr. Alex is such a cool guy and said: “look straight and enjoy the adventure don’t think anything else”.
I recover in no time and started enjoying the view. I must say that time I felt that I got a wing and flying in the sky like a bird. My soul got lost somewhere in the sky, and my eyes were just admiring the most spectacular view of Palm Jumeriah.

Such a cool experience and hard to describe in the words!!! 

After, experiencing the thrill of freefall at over 120mile per hour for 3-5 minutes. Its time for Mr. Alex to open the parachute OMG!!! the moment after he opens the parachute, the bouncing effect of a few seconds in the sky was a breathtaking even till date remembering that moment gives me goosebumps!!!

While gliding smoothly for some minutes I saw a nice panoramic view of the whole city. Its time for landing and as a part of our training instruction, Mr. Alex reminded me to pull my legs in an upward position to have a safe landing.

Wow!!! that was an amazing experience and thanks to Skydive Dubai for making this adventure more memorable by giving the picture and video of my whole journey in beautifully branded Skydive Dubai Pen drive which I am going to cherish forever.
I highly recommended Skydive Dubai if you are planning for your lifetime adventure.

Important Note: –

Don’t forget to check your Pen drive and be sure that, all the content of your jump is there in it.

Few more Important information: –  

Location: Dubai UAE

Cost: AED 2000

Website: www.skydivedubai.ae

Facebook: facebook.com/SkydiveDXB

Twitter: twitter.com/SkydiveDubai

Thanks for reading. I hope you enjoyed reading it and if you think its worth reading then please leave a comment below. This will motivate me to share more of my travel stories with you all lovely people.

Keep Travelling & Keep Exploring the World….

Thursday 7 November 2019

The Blue Mountain Village



The Blue Mountain Village is an alpine ski destination for ski lovers from all across the world, it is situated on a section of the Niagara Escarpment about 1 km (0.6 mi.) from Nottawasaga Bay, in Ontario, Canada.

The Blue Mountain Village is Ontario’s largest pedestrian Village and one of the favorite tourist’s destinations for Ski lovers and a great weekend gateway village for many locals all around the year, 

The Blue Mountain Village offers a wide range of activities such as Ski, Mountaineering, Hiking, Camping, Biking, Zipline, Shopping, Dining, Accommodation, Family gathering, Fun and many more. The Blue Mountain Village also has many award-winning Festivals & Events for all seasons. 

My Experience!!!

During my visit to see my friends in Windsor, Canada. One peaceful morning of Friday, me & my friends Tina & Pawan enjoying our first snowfall in Windsor with a cup of coffee and planning for our weekend gateway. 

Suddenly, from nowhere Tina suggested that “guys I heard about The Blue Mountain Village” and it’s a very good place for Skiing and currently they are celebrating the 21st MLK Ski Weekend Festival. 

I and Pawan were like “SKI” Hell No! none of us know Ski and it will be a waste of money. She insisted that we should check their website The Blue Mountain and if we are okay with it. then we can leave the same evening for Toronto to catch tomorrow’s early morning bus for The Blue Mountain.

Trust me, I and Pawan fall in love with this place on the website already and decided to leave immediately and Tina (not so expert in online booking, somehow booked all the tickets without wasting a single second).

I am telling you “Unplanned journeys are always the best ones”

Finally, we left for Toronto, We reach Toronto around 11:00 pm and have to catch the bus the next morning from central station for The Blue Mountain Village by 07:00 am. 

Ideally, we suppose to take rest in our Beautiful Westin Hotels & Resorts with an amazing harbor view from our window to avoid tiredness for the second leg of our journey, but in our case, we decided to explore Toronto city at night. 

It’s been almost an hour walking on the street and admiring the night beauty of Toronto suddenly in a hungry voice Tina said: “Guys please stop walking and take a cab I am feeling hungry”. I looked at the watch it was 01:00 am, Imagine instead of going back to the hotel to sleep, we entered the pub. Why? Because she was hungry!!!

I and Pawan took beer while Tina ordered her favorite Bailey’s with some starters. The music was so great, and the ambiance was so soothing that we didn’t even notice that it was 04: 30 am. We ask for the check and left the pub by 05:00 am to our hotel. We took a shower, took our backpacks and immediately left the hotel to catch the bus for The Blue Mountain Village. 

Upon arrival, we saw the whole village was decorated with lights and flowers, the village has around 50 shops all of them were decorated so artistically, the sense of festival is flowing in the atmosphere and the happiness all around the corners, not only humans but even the pets are enjoying the surrounding. Everyone is in the festival mood.

After finishing, our check-in formalities in The Blue Mountain Resort, without wasting much of our time we started exploring the village. The Blue Mountain Village spread in a very small area and very well organized. It also has a centralized tourist information booth where you get all the required information about the village. 

We took part in many activities such as Ski, Zipline, Mountain Coaster, Hiking and I must say all of them are just awesome one after another. As I always being a more adventurer, I saw one activity named “Horse Drawn Sleigh Rides” immediately I told Tina & Pawan we are doing this. Thanks to both of them without doubting my choice they say yes, and we booked this activity right there.

Horse Drawn Sleigh Rides I feel that this is a but unexplored activity but highly recommended for all nature lovers. For this activity, you have to drive for 30 to 40 mins from the village area to Valley Ridge Farms. This farm is run by two extremely handsome friends, I guess they must be in their 70’s but extremely passionate about their work and very humble soul I ever met in Canada. 

Upon reaching, they welcome us with a cup of hot chocolate and briefed us about the farm and the activities which they do there. After the small briefing they get busy preparing the sleigh for our ride, I and Pawan started exploring the surroundings while Tina decided to sit inside and enjoy her hot chocolate.

Once our sleigh is set, we are now ready to explore the farm. While exploring, they educate us on the various different types of species of trees and forest wilderness. They also talked about their living conditions in that challenging environment especially during the winters. Also, they share their very motivational life experiences.

Wow-what an amazing experience that was, I must say one of the best of that day,  

Skiing is one of the major reasons for many tourists and adventurers to come to Blue Mountain Village every year. Our next activity was Skiing, which none of us know nothing about ski, although Pawan was sounding very confident.

Finally, we bought the tickets. If you are a beginner like us, then no need to worry about anything, you can rent all the equipment including boots, jackets, gloves, Ski poles, by paying the extra dollar also they provide 30 munites free training for beginners.

We were getting ourselves ready for another adventurer, after dressed up we took 30 minutes training class to learn some basic. Wow!!! what fun that was, our instructor briefs us about some of the important body postures such as leg stretch, knee band, head straight, push forward, cross leg, etc…

During our training I don’t remember how many times we fall and get up, I guess the most person fall was Tina followed by me and the least was Pawan. But it was a great experience…   

After having a day filled with adventure now its time to relax and have some chilled beer, so we decided to entre in the pub, the pub was beautifully decorated, and the most attractive part was they were having live music. We ordered a beer and some food and relaxing with great live music.

In the center of the Village, they have a big common bonfire place for everyone. Three of us were just sitting there, feeling the atmosphere, talking to other travelers, singing, dancing, watching the night sky. It was truly a magical night. After all the fun we went to our resort and slept like a baby on our cozy bed.

All of us woke up with fresh energy the next morning, Now, it’s the time for departure, and say bye-bye The Blue Mountain Village.

It was a very amazing and refreshing trip which I always cherish forever!!!

Author :- Sagar Sharma,Explorer by Soul

Saturday 2 November 2019

Whale Watching

 Many of us may think it a stupid idea but I love whale watching, It’s an immense pleasure to watch them swim and dance on the surface of the water, watch them playing with their babies and feeding them.

Whales have the IQ next to humans, Their beauty, intelligent and strength inspire me. The first time I saw Ocra Whale in the Arctic Ocean and since then I am very curious to know more about them.
One beautiful evening in Antarctica when I was taking a fresh air at the 5th deck of our expedition ship, a group of four Minke Whales playing around our ship. (Ohh!!! That was a pleasure watching them from a very close distance). This beautiful picture of Minke Whale I took in Antarctica.
This is one of those my clicks which is very close to my heart… I just love the fluke coming out and the water drops splashing from it. I feel so glad that my lense capture this amazing beauty.