Cage Diving

For those who can’t pull themselves away from the TV during ‘Shark Week’, cage diving is the perfect adventure for them. Cage Diving gives shark enthusiasts the opportunity to view their favorite predators in their natural environment.

The main way to experience shark diving is in a cage attached to the side of a boat. Divers are dressed in wetsuits and masks, and air is supplied either through hoses connected to the boat or with snorkels. To encourage the arrival of the sharks, boating crews throw chum out into the water to lure them near the cages.

There are also a few cage diving operators that have submersible cages that lower you down to around 25’ deep so the sharks can be seen from all angles.

Some of the species of sharks that can be viewed during cage diving are the Black Tip, White Tip Reef, Gray Nurse, Tiger, and the most feared Great White Sharks.

The most popular locations for cage diving:

· Shark Alley, South Africa
· Farralon Islands, near San Francisco, United States
· Isla Guadalupe, off the Baja Peninsula, Mexico
· Tiger Island, Bahamas
· The Neptune Islands, off the Eyre Peninsula in Australia
· The Great Barrier Reef, off the Northeastern coast of Australia

Hiking - What To Pack

Ordinary plain plastic garbage bags have many uses when hiking and trekking.

1. Slit one down the side seams, and open it up for an impovised ground cloth.
2. If you´re hiking and get caught without raingear, cut a hole for your head in the bottom or a garbage bag, and slits in the side seams near the bottom for your arms and wear it like a pullover.
3. Trash recepticle
4. Holds wet towels, cloths or bathing suits after a mid day swim.

Caving Lights

A key to safe adventure caving is lighting. Some lighting tips for your spelunking adventure:

* Carbide lamps may be getting old fashioned for caving equipment, but they´re a great source of light when caving underground that could last for hours and provide heat to warm you up during a caving trip.
* During a break, give your electric lights and batteries a rest and snack by the warm glow of candle light. You can even heat up your beef jerky on it.
* Having a light attached to your helmet will free up both of your hands when caving. Duct tape will hold any flashlight on in an emergency.
* Make sure to bring at least three good sources of light when caving. You don't want to end up in the dark when your main caving light loses power!

Participating In An Archaeological Dig

Some archeology travel tours offer you the chance to participate in an actual archaeological dig. This is a great way for tourists to get up close and personal with some unusual archaeology sites and participate in the actual process.

However, be warned. Archaeology has been defined as "the science of moving mountains with a toothbrush". It´s hard, dusty work, and often very dull unless you´re really into archaeology. Your hotel accommodations are unlikely to be first-class; you might even find yourself staying in a tent.

If you live to watch history emerge from the dust, consider one of the many opportunities to do hands-on archaeology for real. Enjoy the archeology and the roots of ancient Kosrae Island at The Kosrae Village Dive and Eco Resort on Kosrae Island, Micronesia for instance, or look into the many archeological tours available throughout Mexico and South America. By choosing a tour or resort that is water accessible, the dry and dusty work of archeology won't have the opportunity to get tedious.

Keeping A Bird Watching Journal

Many bird watchers like to keep a "life list" of the birds they have seen on bird watching holidays. But if you´re serious about bird watching, a checkmark on a list is almost useless for scientific purposes.

Instead, keep a field notebook or bird watching journal. When you go birding, write down which birds you see, where and when you see them, and what the birds are doing. Many years from now, your vacation memories could become scientific treasure.

Cruises - Onboard Programs

To complement the spirit of discovery that cruising expeditions evoke, many cruises feature programs of on-board enrichment seminars hosted by distinguished guest experts.

In addition to lectures highlighting the history and sights of ports your cruise ship will be visiting, there may also be special in-depth presentations ranging from Renaissance art and strategic financial planning to epicurean secrets of classic French cuisine.

Find an expedition cruise that caters to your interests and your adventure travel will do more than elevate your heartrate - it will teach you something too!

Adventure Travel Australia

Enjoy the exotic, friendly, laid back tourism "down under". The inverted seasons make Australia adventure travel the perfect winter travel getaway.

Australia is more than kangaroos and wallabies. Explore the Great Barrier reef with snorkeling tours or scuba diving tours, take a wildlife photography tour to see the unique wildlife of Tasmania, or explore the amazing outback, World Heritage Rainforest and the Aussie beach culture.

Professional Safari Tours

It is far better, especially if your wildlife tour will be your first time on an African Safari, to be part of a professionally led safari tour. Let the tour guides do the hard work by finding out where the best place is to stay, and which safaris are the best to undertake.

Safari tours are slick operations and you will be placed in the care of competent people who know the region and the game reserves. You will receive ample advice from them on what to take with on a safari and what not to do.

Choosing A Canoe Paddle

Before you go canoeing on your adventure travel vacation, you need to choose a canoe paddle of the correct length before you head off into the wilderness.

Kneel down on the ground, keeping your bottom 6 inches off the floor. Take the paddle you are considering, flip it over and hold it upright, with the grip on the floor - the blade should start about even with your nose. If you´re buying a bent-shaft paddle, deduct about 2 inches from the length you´ve determined.

As you become more experienced, you might also develop a preference for a longer or shorter paddle, depending on your style of paddling and the type of canoe you have.

Adventure Travel Fiji

Fiji has over 300 islands in its South Pacific archipelago, each fringed with coral reefs and lapped by warm azure waters; the scuba diving tours and snorkeling tours are superb.

These islands are a favorite honeymoon spot, resort location and adventure travel destination. Amid its wealth of natural beauty, Fiji´s true magic lies in its indigenous people and the fascinating blend of their diverse cultures.

Fiji is an interesting blend of influences including:

* Melanesian
* Polynesian
* Micronesian
* Indian
* Chinese
* European

Adventure Travel Botswana

Botswana and Botswana Resorts are an Africa success story. It received independence from Britain in 1966 and immediately thereafter discovered three of the world´s richest diamond mines. Today to ensure the country´s wildlife assets are preserved, Botswana´s government has embraced a policy of courting low-impact tourism; safaris, wildlife photography tours, bird watching tours, Africa wildlife tours, and a growing number of options for independent, budget-minded travelers.

Adventure Travel Russia

Most outsiders have only a hazy idea of Russia´s realities. This is a land of snow and deadly winters, but also of rich history, vibrant culture, rivers that meander across meadows and a midsummer sun that never sets. Its people, in the words of a Russian proverb, ´love to suffer´, yet they also love to party and can be disarmingly generous and hospitable. Find that hospitality in excellent international hotels and adventure tours at Russian resorts. A composite of the extravagant history of old Russia and the drab legacies of the Soviet era, it´s a country that both befuddles and beguiles.

Haleakala Mountain Bike Ride

For an exciting adventure away from the relaxing Hawaiian vacation resorts, and a great way to enjoy the views Maui has to offer, a bike ride down Haleakala Mountain is the way to go.

Guided tours pick up bikers at resorts and bring them up to the Haleakala (Ha-Lay-Ah-Ka-La) Crater. The summit of the crater is 10, 023 feet above sea level, offering a spectacular view of the island, and three other islands as well on a clear day. Early risers have the choice of arriving at the peak to witness the sunrise, while the more relaxed bikers can begin their adventure at a more reasonable hour. After admiring the view of the crater, riders mount their bikes at 6,500 above sea level and begin the long coast down the mountain.

Bikers can expect to do very little pedaling during the 28-mile ride, as little as 200 yards, making the ride both relaxing and exhilarating. Feel the wind and enjoy the sites and sounds of Maui as the road takes you through spectacular scenery, and some of Maui’s quaint small towns. At the end of the road, bikers arrive at a pristine white beach where vans are waiting to take them back to their resorts.

A few helpful tips:

* There are several tour companies offering a variety of biking packages to suit your needs, so be sure to compare prices and packages.
* The weather at the top can be cold and unpredictable, so dress in layers so you can remove clothing as you descend the mountain.
* Enjoy the views, but don’t forget to practice bike safety.