Jaipur, Rajasthan, India

Posted on February 23, 2010 by Beautiful Places to Visit

Popularly know as the Pink City, Jaipur is the capital of the state of Rajasthan in Northwest India. The Pink City nickname dates to 1876 when the entire city was painted pink to to commemorate the visit of the Prince of Wales. Jaipur has a myriad of attractions, including the Hawa Mahal (Palace of Winds), the Jal Mahal (Water Palace), the City Palace, the Rambagh Palace, the Nahargarh Fort, the Amber Fort, the Jantar Mantar observatory, Mansagar Lake, and a large variety of temples and gardens. Once the capital for the Indian Royalty, the Pink City is now a bustling metropolis with over 4 million residents. The city has an international airport and accommodations for any budget.

Palace of Winds, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India

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Rambagh Palace, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India

Credit: Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces

Credit: Ran Chakrabarti

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Credit: Rajesh

View from Palace of Winds, Jaipur, Rajasthan, India

Credit: Alison

Dolomites, Italy

Posted on February 16, 2010 by Beautiful Places to Visit

The Dolomites are a section of the Alps mountain range in Italy. Besides the spectacular views, visitors to the Dolomites can enjoy skiing, snowshoeing, snowboarding, ice skating and sledding in the winter months, and hiking, mountaineering, mountain biking, base jumping, paragliding and hang-gliding in the summer. The Dolomites were recently declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in August, 2009. Marmolada, the Dolomites’ largest peak, stands 3,344 meters (10,972 feet) tall. The Dolomites span three Northeastern Italian provinces: Belluno, Bolzano-Bozen and Trento. Accommodation can be found in any of the many cities and villages in the area.

Credit: Roberto Ferrari

Marmolada Westgrat, Dolomites, Italy - Panorama

Credit: Marco Klüber

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Credit: 5348 Franco

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Credit: 5348 Franco

Whitehaven Beach, Whitsunday Island, Australia

Posted on February 9, 2010 by Beautiful Places to Visit

Credit: Jeremy Vandel

Whitehaven Beach on Whitsunday Island off the Eastern coast of Australia is said to be the whitest beach in the world. The sand is made almost entirely of silica which provides the incredibly white color. The sand is so pure, NASA has used it to make special telescope lenses. Whitehaven beach stretches for over 7 km (4 miles) along the largest of the Whitsunday Islands. Trips leaving from mainland Australia to visit the beach leave multiple times a day, and there is a variety of accommodation on Whitsunday Island. Visitors shouldn’t miss a trip to the nearby outer Great Barrier Reef, one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World.

Credit: Ben Mallon

Credit: Pikiwyn

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Credit: Alexandra Dye

Credit: Paul Lawston

Havasu Falls, Arizona, USA

Posted on February 2, 2010 by Beautiful Places to Visit

Havasu Falls, Havasupai Reservation, Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona, USA

On the Havasupai Indian Reservation within Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona you will find the gorgeous Havasu Falls. The picture perfect falls features a blue-green pool below which is excellent for swimming. Havasu Falls is fairly difficult to reach by foot, requiring a drive to Hualapai Hilltop and then a 16 km (10 mile) hike to the Falls via the tiny village of Supai which is 3 km (2 miles) from the falls. For those not up to the long hike, a helicopter ride to Supai can be had, followed up by a horseback ride to the falls. Visitors can camp near the falls, and the village of Supai has one lodge and one cafe. Otherwise the best options for accommodation can be found 177 km (110 miles) away in the town of Seligman. The area also features four other waterfalls: Navajo Falls, Supai Falls, Mooney Falls, and Beaver Falls.