United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland

Best Gardens in the world; Laura Kerrigan; MyGardenSchool

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UK – Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Meet our selection, 22 of the world’d most beautiful gardens. These places, created by humans to feel the blessings of nature. These are some of the well designed, built and most beautiful gardens from around the world.

22. Kew Gardens, London

Key Gardens, also known as Royal Botanic Gardens, mission is to be the global resource for plant and fungal knowledge, building an understanding of the world’s plants and fungi upon which all our lives depend.

Kew is London’s largest UNESCO World Heritage site offering unique landscapes, vistas and iconic architecture from every stage of the Gardens’ history.

Kew contains the most diverse collection of living plants of any botanic garden in the world. The collection contains plants from tropical, temperate, arid and alpine climates, and are grown out in the Gardens and in controlled conditions within glasshouses and nurseries.

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South Africa

Living Heritage: Inside SA’s 9 UNESCO World Heritage Sites; Traveller24

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South Africa – Cape Floral Region Protected Areas

Cape Town – September in South Africa means a month-long celebration of South African Heritage, culminating on 24 September, our national Heritage Day.

Inline with this month-long awareness campaign around South Africa’s cultural and natural heritage, we’ve gone in search of the splendour of our official UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Do we really know the sites, and how to experience and appreciate them?

If you can’t say you do, here are our suggestions to revelling in South Africa’s incredible heritage.

Let’s start at the beginning with South Africa’s first official UNESCO’s sites. Although formed in 1978, the first three UNESCO World Heritage Sites for South Africa were only listed in 1999. These included the natural wonder of iSimangaliso Wetland Park, the culturally significant sites of Robben Island and the Fossil Hominid Sites of South Africa.

iSimangaliso Wetland Park

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Italy

5 stops you mustn’t miss when visiting Lake Orta in Italy; Celine Renaud; A Luxury Travel Blog

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Italy – Sacri Monti of Piedmont and Lombardy

In Northern Italy, west of Lake Maggiore, you will find Lake Orta. Though not the biggest egg in the basket, it is surely one of the most beautiful lakes. It appears as if all the charm and memories of the larger lakes are found in this small sub-Alpine lake.

Definitely a place for awe-inspiring moments! The discreet beauty of the landscape, enthralling history and wealth of artistic treasures, mainly Romanesque and Baroque architecture, create a favourite area around the lake.

The Island of San Giulio

Of great importance is the story of the only island in Lake Orta, San Giulio. Only 140m wide and 275m long and less than 400m from Orta’s main square, piazza Motta. There are signs of communities as far back as the Neolithic era but it was deserted during Roman times.

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Montenegro

Epic Hiking and Unbeatable Beaches – 13 Things To Do In Montenegro; Emma Martell; HostelWorld

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Montenegro – Natural and Culturo-Historical Region of Kotor

Montenegro is the kind of place that just has it all. There’s the promise of the turquoise Adriatic that calls out to the beach bums and the cobbled lanes of historic towns for the more culturally inclined. With endless peaks and canyons, it’s a playground for adventurers while delicious wine and peaceful hideaways make it the perfect escape if you’re just looking to kick-back.

Yep, there are SO many reasons to visit this under-the-radar Balkan gem – just make sure you do it soon, before the rest of the world cottons on! To help you get the most out of this magnificent country, we’ve put together a selection of the best things to do in Montenegro.

1. Find Your Happy Place At Lake Skadar

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Mexico

Mexico City fishermen fight to save Aztec floating gardens; AFP

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Mexico – Historic Centre of Mexico City and Xochimilco

MEXICO CITY (AFP) – Roberto Altamirano has the lake to himself as he casts his glistening net onto the still water in a perfect circle, lets it sink, then slowly pulls it in.

It comes back bearing a large haul of tilapia and carp — and that is exactly the problem.

Altamirano is one of just 20 or so fishermen who remain in the floating gardens of Xochimilco, an idyllic network of lakes, canals and artificial islands improbably tucked into the urban sprawl of Mexico City.

At 42, he has watched the number of fishermen here plunge over the years, leading to booming populations of tilapia and carp — invasive species that are threatening the already strained ecosystem of Xochimilco, a green lung vital to the health of smog-choked Mexico City.

“There’s more Xochimilco than there are fishermen,” says Altamirano.

 

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South Africa

EAT, DRINK & … 24 HOURS IN CAPE TOWN; Sarah Buitendach; Financial Mail

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South Africa – Robben Island

Got a few hours to kill between meetings or sneaking to the Fairest Cape for a weekend getaway? Here are a couple of picks to jazz up your itinerary:

Stay

The Silo Hotel at the V& A Waterfront is part of the brilliantly converted grain silo structure that’s been reimagined by architect Thomas Heatherwick.

Later in the year, the keenly awaited Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa will open its doors in the building. For now though, one can stay in the rather plush hotel and make the most of its creature comforts and the view of the city and Table Mountain.

Head for the Willaston Bar, nab a bottle of Cinsault, settle into a deep-buttoned velvet couch near the 5.5m windows and get cosy.

Eat

Make like the city’s trendy crowd and do the Hokey Poke!

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India

Over 140 animals found dead in flood-hit Kaziranga National Park in Assam; The Hindu

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India – Kaziranga National Park

Water of the Brahmaputra river entered the National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, through river Difloo on August 10.

The second wave of floods in Assam has inundated 80 per cent of the 481 sq km area of the famed Kaziranga National Park (KNP) and claimed the lives of over 140 animals, including seven rhinos.

Since August 10, seven rhinos, 122 swamp deer, two elephants, three wild boars, two hog deer, three sambhar deer, one buffalo and one porcupine died, KNP Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) Rohini Ballav Saikia said here on Thursday. “Carcasses are being recovered daily,” he said.

Out of the seven rhinos, six drowned while the other died of natural causes. Water of the Brahmaputra entered the KNP, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, through river Difloo on August 10, the DFO said.

 

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Thailand

The ‘Dawn of Happiness’ at World Heritage Site – Sukhothai, Si Satchanalai and Kamphaeng Phet; DASTA

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Thailand – Historic Town of Sukhothai and Associated Historic Towns

Twenty-six years after its World Heritage listing, the ‘Historical Town of Sukhothai and Associated Historic Towns’ has become an archaeological site of national significance, frequented by tourists who are drawn by the glorious past of the Sukhothai kingdom and the majestic, eternal beauty and charm of the Siamese arts. Visitors are guaranteed indulgence in the ultimate experience of the first capital city of Siam.

Visiting this gorgeous World Heritage Site, tourists can delve into the past, learn more about the origin of Thai civilisation and gain hands-on experience in, and direct exposure to, historical records, architectural and painting works and the traditional custom, traditions, wisdom and way of life as adopted and possessed by local residents.

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Italy

L’Etto – Naples; Mariëlle van de Kerkhof; The Veggie Blog

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Italy – Historic Centre of Naples

Italy’s third largest city is one of its oldest, most artistic and most appetizing. Naples’ centro storico (historic centre) is a Unesco World Heritage Site. Its archaeological treasures are among the world’s most important, and there are lots of palaces, castles and churches to visit.  Then there’s the food. Blessed with rich volcanic soils, a bountiful sea, and centuries of culinary know-how, the Naples region is known as one of Italy’s best food regions, serving up the country’s best pizza, pasta and coffee, and many street snacks and sweet treats. When we think of Naples we remember our very Italian apartment with a terrace that could have easily been a set in a movie (you can almost see Julia Roberts and George Clooney drinking their coffee in the morning :-)).

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Bangladesh

The 18 least visited countries in the world; Traveller

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Bangladesh – Ruins of the Buddhist Vihara at Paharpur

Not every nation can be a France or a Spain, but which countries see the fewest visitors? Take a look at the world’s least-visited countries below (by region and excluding war-torn nations like Syria and Afghanistan). Are you one of the few travellers who has visited one of these places?

Europe – Liechtenstein: 69,000 (up from 57,000 in 2016)

Europe’s second least visited country, with 69,000 arrivals in 2016, according to the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), is Liechtenstein. That’s a rise of 21 per cent on 2015. So what are we all missing? This German-speaking sliver between Austria and Switzerland has astounding mountain scenery, apt for hiking, mountain biking and winter sports, and Vaduz Castle, a 12th century fortress. The eponymous capital has a fine contemporary art gallery – and a postal museum.

Can I visit? Yes. See liechtenstein.li

Europe – Moldova: 121,000 (up from 94,000)

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