Australia - Great Barrier Reef

The Great Barrier Reef is located off the coast of Queensland, with an area of 344,400kms followed by an astonishing view of the sea as it is classified as one of the largest coral reefs in the world. This is a place you must see to fully experience the breath taking view when visiting Australia, as it's one of the 7 natural wonders of the world and a national treasure.

(Image taken from here)

Explore and experience the Great Barrier Reef under water sea life. You can take a tour, snorkel, scuba dive or take a scenic view over the Great Barrier Reef which stretches over 2000km along the coast, it's truly an experience that you will never forget. Also, the Great Barrier Reef is a popular tourist destination, attracting over 2 million tourists a year, however too much tourism could be a risk to the reef if it's poorly managed.

(Image taken from here)

The Great Barrier Reef is home to 30 species of whales, dolphins and other sea life. Also there are more than 215 species of birds that visit the reef. Six species of sea turtles come to the reef to breed and around 10% of the world's total fish species can be found just within the Great Barrier Reef alone.

(Image taken from here)

(Information sourced from here)

New Zealand - Maori Rock Carvings

Located in Taupo approximately 360 kilometres away from New Zealand’s capital Wellington is the Maori Rock Carvings, a must see for anyone that is interested in learning more about the Maori culture. These carvings are located in the iconic Lake Taupo, so the only way to get there is either a scenic flight, kayaking or scenic cruises.

Full steam ahead! 

I’m not one that boasts athletic strength nor do I have the funds to take a flight so the best option was to travel via scenic cruise! Aboard launch of the Ernest Kemp Cruises I was greeted with a stunning view of Taupo and complimentary shortbread cookies, tea and chocolate milk to keep us warm!

Ngatoroirangi

Tuatara

These rock carvings consist of many individual carvings each with their own meaning. The main face represents Ngatoroirangi, a highly regarded priest that navigated the Maori people to Aotearoa or New Zealand from the origin of Hawaiki. The carvings of Tuatara or lizards serve as protectors of the lake and carvings.

Of course there are more carvings however I think it’s best if you go and see them for yourself to save you all the fun! Another plus side of taking a cruise was the boat was able to get close and personal to the carvings allowing all of us to take close up snapshots.

If you want to get to know more about the rich culture and history of New Zealand, this is an attraction you definitely want to see! 

To know more the Maori Rock Carvings and how to get there click here

United States - DisneyLand

Disneyland is one of America's greatest tourist attractions and should be something every individual should experience at least once in their lifetime. The theme park is located in Anaheim, California and has been boasting a large audience since its conception by Walt Disney in 1955.

Image taken from (link)

The attendance has been exponentially increasing since 1955, where the initial average was 1 million, and has grown to 16.7 million in 2014. In addition to this, the ticket pricing has also jumped up, from being $10.75 admission per person to around $100 in 2016. 

One of the most popular rides is 'Splash Mountain', a log-style ride in the 'Critter Country' Land section of the park, which started operating in 1989 and is still running to this day. Splash Mountain is famously known around the world due to its roller-coaster style and interesting characters within. It features a 50 foot drop, and reaches speeds of 64km/h.

Image taken from (link)

Every year, Disneyland features various events that dramatically transform the appearance of the park. One of those being the Halloween promotion, which alters the overall theme of the park to be more sinister and fits the holiday event. Additionally, fireworks and other special celebrations take place during these holiday events that attract a larger audience and bring in an increased revenue to the park which ultimately boosts the happily themed atmosphere that the attraction emits.

Image taken from (link)

Information sourced from (link)

New Zealand - Waitomo Caves

Image taken from here

If there is one thing you need to add or cross off your bucket list it’s definitely got to be the Waitomo Caves located in the North Island of New Zealand. This cave boasts the largest number of glow worms and highlights one of the natural wonders this country has to offer. Glow worms or through their scientific name Arachnocampa luminosa are miniature insects that light up when you glide peacefully through the Waitomo grotto.  

Image taken from here

The Waitomo Caves can only be entered by purchasing tickets where a tour guide will explain the history of these glow worms and the ecological significance of them. The last part of the tour is where the magic begins where you will blissfully sail and be mesmerized by the stream of luminescent lights that guide the way to the end of the tunnel!

Unfortunately you do have to follow the condition to remain silent and not take photos, otherwise the noise and flash could potential disrupt their habitat. However overall this destination is a must see for travelers that are curious to explore what New Zealand has to offer!  

Australia - A bit about the culture

Travelers have this preconceived notion that every wild animal in Australia is trying to kill you, and we ride our kangaroos to work/school. Jokes aside, Australia is considered a 'laid-back' country because:

- We have freedom of speech
 - Freedom of religion
 - Peacefulness
 - Equal opportunity
 - Multicultural

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Everyone is free to live the way they want in Australia, attend a higher education and dedicate their life to any or no religion and the ability to choose any occupation, as a nation that prides itself on its high level of cultural diversity. Australian culture is pretty friendly and welcoming, but the accent and use of slang may be confusing at first, however you'll get use to it.



A must NEED to eat in Australia

You cannot miss these foods when visiting Australia, as it is a must to experience the full Australian culture. The first thing to try is Tim Tams, which you can find in a lot of grocery stores. The next food you must try is the Australian meat pie, which can be found at any bakery and cafes. And last but not least, Vegemite on toast which can be found in most grocery stores.

(image taken from here)

Places to visit in Australia:

- Sydney Opera House
- Sydney Harbour Bridge
- Great Barrier Reef
- Uluru

(More information about the Australian culture here)

Welcome to our Tourism Blog!

Welcome to our Tourism Blog. We are a group of 5 members that have a passion for travelling the world. Over the next few weeks, we will be adding posts in relation to locations we have personally visited internationally, along with the amazing food and cultural perspectives we have picked up along the way.

Our blog will include attractions in locations such as: United States, New Zealand, Japan, Australia and Philippines.

Our group members consist of-

·        Brody Murray

·        Connie Zeng

·        Dai Nguyen

·        Niko Roqueza

·        Ian Tian

Remember to check back constantly as we’ll be updating frequently with interesting content.

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