Dear hammo,
I collected to you several of my best researched destinations. That
means, that the word of other researchers is almost as good as mine
(why almost: only because I made also a research on the destinations.
However, sometimes an advice or an idea could be good than any
research done, and therefore I invite other researchers to share their
experiences in the comments section).
February is a great month to travel to destination in the Southern
Hemisphere, as well as to some other usually warm places, which might
be intolerable in summer. I actually wanted to start off with autumn
in Sydney, but since you’ll already there, I recommend the following:
Oceania
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1. New Zealand – As a resident of Australia you might know what this
country has to offer: from nature to culture. In Otago & Southland you
could see Maori culture alongside the beautiful scenery. There are
marked tracks you could take, marked by the level of difficulty.
February is after the school holidays but still in summer, so you
might get good prices. Several festive events take place in February:
a food festival in Marlborough; an cultural festival in Wellington;
and more. There are many comfortable lodging opportunities in New
Zealand’s outback, including farm houses and cheap pensions.
Pure NZ - http://www.purenz.com/
Tourism New Zealand http://www.tourism.net.nz/
New Zealand Escape - http://www.newzealand-escape.com/ - mostly on the
South Island.
2. Micronesia – a bit off the tourist trail, and certainly “exotic”.
February is a bit drier , and temperatures are normally 27C. This is
one of the last 0places on earth where you could see yellow sand and
deep blue ocean, swim in lagoons, and see completely unspoiled nature.
Naturally, there is also local culture as well as history – from the
Middle Ages to WWII, when the archipelago was a Japanese stronghold.
Visit FSM - http://www.visit-fsm.org/
South Pacific Organiser - http://www.southpacific.org/micro.html
Escape Artist - http://www.escapeartist.com/micronesia/travel.html
Africa
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3. Cape Town and the rest of South Africa - "Autumn (or fall) runs
from February to April and offers probably the best weather. Very
little rain falls over the whole country, and it is warm but not too
hot, obviously getting colder as the season progresses. In Cape Town,
autumn is fantastic, with hot sunny days and warm, balmy nights which
most people spend at outdoor cafés."
(http://www.safrica.info/plan_trip/travel_tips/questions/climate.htm)
. Between Safari, city culture and beaches, you will have a great
time.
South Africa attaractions are here -
http://www.zuji.com.au/dest/guide/0,1277,ZUJIAU|656|2906|1,00.html
http://www.southafrica.net/ - Welcome to South Africa.
http://tourism.org.za/ - Tourism South Africa
4. Tanzania and especially Zanzibar – The spices island is a very
interesting place to visit, culturally, and the dry season in February
is the best. Except for Zanzibar, you could also see the Kilimanjaro,
although it might not be the best season for Safaris. See more about
nature and exotica:
http://www.zuji.com.au/dest/guide/0,1277,ZUJIAU|717|3094|1,00.html
http://www.tanzania-web.com/home2.htm - Tanzania Tourist Board
Official Website
http://www.zanzibartourism.net/ - Karibu Zanzibar
Europe/Mediterranean
==================
5. Valetta, Malta and the rest of the island – First of all, this is
not your regular tourist destination. I could count on one hand the
people I know who were there – and I live in Europe, Malta is 2-3
hours away from me. Malta is a combination between Arabic/North
African culture and Southern European culture. It is rich in history
and places – such as convents – to visit. February is considered the
best time of the year to visit the island – between winter (rainy) and
summer (very warm), but also because there are many feasts – like The
Feast of St Paul's Shipwreck, on 10 February, and the Carnival (third
week of February) you could experience. Lonely Planet (2002) writes,
that “Despite its rocky coastline, Malta has some good beaches. Gnejna
and Golden Bays, on the northwest coast, and St George's Bay have
warm, calm waters and good sandy strands. Ramla Bay has Gozo's best
beach; All the islands in the archipelago are excellent for walking.
Gozo and Comino are small enough to be covered by foot in a day or
less, and nothing is really very far from anything else on Malta. “
The Maltese drive on the left side of the road.
http://www.zuji.com.au/dest/guide/0,1277,ZUJIAU|2186|1931|1,00.html –
Maltese attractions
http://www.visitmalta.com/ - Visit Malta.com
http://www.maltatourismauthority.com/ - Malta Tourism Authority
6. Italy – and especially two places: Venice (you are with your
wife!), with its carnival in February ; and the southwards coastline
for the view. Italy has much to offer – if you haven’t been there yet
– Rome, Naples, Florence, and much more.
ITALY - Tourism in Italy - www.italiantourism.com/
Italy hotels reservation and travel information - www.itwg.com/
Doge of Venice - www.doge.it/
North America
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7. New Orleans, Louisiana – February is the time of Mardi Gras
(February 8 in 2005), and is one of the more recommended months to
visit the town. If you’re a Jazz lover, I shouldn’t probably explain
the attractions of Louis Armstrong’s birth place. If you hire a car,
you could also take a time to travel northwards in the Bayou Parishes,
and view beautiful nature, as well as enjoy agreeable weather.
See also the following sites:
http://www.neworleanstophotels.com/mardigras.html - New Orleans hotels
(this section on the Mardi Gras, but there are sections on
accommodation)
New Orleans online http://www.neworleansonline.com/
http://www.neworleanscvb.com/ - New Orleans information
http://www.crt.state.la.us/crt/tourism.htm - Louisiana tourism
8. The Keys, Florida – The Keys are known a beach holiday destination,
as well as for Hemingway and other free spirits who wandered down
south. On the way: Miami, Orlando (where even 70 year old will feel
like a child) Palm Beach.
The Official Tourism Council www.fla-keys.com/ -
Florida Keys Attractions and Tourism Sites -
www.oceanquestdivecenter.com/touristy.htm
Florida Keys tourism - Florida Keys vacation reviews -
www.tripadvisor.com/
Tourism-g34340-Florida_Keys_Florida-Vacations.html
9. Cuba – If you have nothing against the way things being run there ,
it might be very enjoyable: there are beaches, and nature to hike;
there is carnival in February as well as two other festivals: The
Jornadas de la Cultura Camagneyana is scheduled for the first two
weeks of February, and the Havana International Jazz Festival happens
every second year in February.; and on top of all of it – it one of
the least commercialised or expensive holiday destinations in the
world.
Cubatravel.cu - The Cuban Portal of Tourism - www.cubatravel.cu/
Cuba tourism - Cuba vacation reviews - Cuba vacations -
www.tripadvisor.com/ Tourism-g147270-Cuba-Vacations.html
South America
============
10. Costa Rica is great for nature and tranquillity lovers with one
reservation: it is February that happens to be the peak of the tourist
season – prices likewise.
The Official Site of the Costa Rica www.tourism-costarica.com/
Costa Rica Naturally – http://costarica.tourism.co.cr/
Asia
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11. Tailand – and especially Chiangmai "One of Chiangmai's great
tourist attractions takes place in February every year. This is the
annual flower carnival which attracts visitors from overseas along
many Thai citizens."
http://welcome-to.chiangmai-chiangrai.com/cmflwrfs.htm
"Generally, the best time to visit Thailand is between November to
February which is the cool season."
Thai attractions - http://www.zuji.com.au/dest/guide/0,1277,ZUJIAU|5942|3113|1,00.html
Tourism Authority of Thailand - www.tat.or.th/
SAWADEE.com Thailand Tourism portal www.sawadee.com/
I hope this answers your question. I used search terms for each
destination, as well as search terms that would help me find out
what’s up in February. If you need any further clarifications on my
answer, please let me know – I’d be pleased to answer your
clarification requests before you rate the answer. |
