For dedicated clubbers, the Electric Elephant Croatia festival taking place from 11th-15th July sounds like a paradise. As the festival is organised in the idyllic area of Garden Tisno, Croatia, music buffs can soak up the sounds from the beautiful beaches and crystal clear waters of the Adriatic Sea.
For five days and five nights like-minded souls from across Europe and beyond unite for the best in summer sunshine and summer tunes. Electric Elephant also offers lots of other events, such as the legendary Argonaughty; sailing out across the glittering deep blue sea by day or simply enjoying nightly after parties at the amazing new outdoor club, Barbarellas.
There are big names playing the festival in 2013, including genre-blending and extended set maestro Mr. Scruff, Kompakt’s Michael Mayer and Tobias Thomas, DJ Prosumer, DJ Nature, Pete Herbert, Andrew Weatherall & Sean Johnston, Optimo, Ivan Smagghe, Ewan Pearson.
If you’re planning on heading over for the festival, visit Purple Travel first for the best in flights and accommodation for any Croatia Festival. Weekend tickets cost £110.00. For more details head on over to ElectricElephant.co.uk.
Stop for a moment to consider the fairytale ‘Finding Nemo’ world of coral reefs. With an astonishing variety of branching, leafy forms and intriguing, unusual sea life, they also play a hugely important role in preserving biodiversity as the home to many cute and amazing sea creatures like fish, jellyfish, anemones and soft corals. Most reefs are formed in long, narrow strips along the edge between shallow and deep water. They aren’t spread across huge areas in the same way rainforests are.
Here at PurpleTravel.co.uk, we’ve found the most impressive coral creations for your eyes only…
Find out more about amazing places around the world, in our Off the Beaten Track series.
Small but perfectly formed, you could call Tavarua Island the best place on earth for romantic holidays. In the shape of a heart, in a paradise like location just to the west coast of exotic Fiji, it’ll make your desert island dreams come true.
The heart-shaped island has an area of 29 acres and is close to the main Fijian island, Viti Levu. Tavarua, part of the Mamanuca islands, is home to perfect, white powder sand beaches, completely clear tropical waters, lush greenery and coral reefs. For such a tiny island there’s also a surprising amount of activity there, if you can drag yourself away from the beaches. Guests can the island can choose from surfing, scuba diving, sport fishing, snorkelling and kayaking. Shell hunting is also popular choice, and trips to the famous Cloudbreak (a surfing haven) or simply chilling in a sunny spot in your hammock are a must. However, the top choice has to be a Fijian massage. We’re serious, don’t even think about operating heavy machinery after one of those! As for cuisine, it might surprise you to learn that as well as seafood, the islands cuisine also includes some Indian dishes that were introduced to the island by Indian labourers. A popular dish is called Kokoda, which is similar to ceviche, consisting of raw fish marinated in lemon juice and coconut milk, sometimes accompanied by pepper onion and tomato. Of course there’ll be plenty of fresh tropical fruit on offer too.
Tavarua, with perfectly-formed beaches, warm climate and relaxing atmosphere make for the ultimate in romantic honeymoon holidays.
Explore, dream, discover, There’s never been a better time to holiday in Greece and on top of the beaches and sunshine, there is plenty to discover. Go home with a tale to tell after visiting one of the huge cave complexes dotted throughout the mainland and the islands.
Cave of Melissani: Found in the beautiful island of Kefalonia, this is an underground masterpiece. Shaped like a ‘B’ a small tunnel brings small tour boats inside the cave where the sun’s rays transform it into a heavenly light show. (Image via @ NikitasPhoto)
Cavern of Perama: Just 5km away from Ioannina city centre in Western Greece, the Cavern of Perama, discovered in the 40s is a real treat. A tour around the imaginatively lightened caves, and awe-inspiring ancient stalactites and stalagmites is well worth the trip.
Diros Cavern: One of the most beautiful lake made caverns in the world, together with Padirac Chasm in Southern France and Jeita in Beirut. Diros Cavern inthe Peloponnese is 14.5 km long, featuring underwater and overland routes.
Cave of the Lakes: In the village of Kastria in Achaia lies the famous Cave of the Lakes, a rare natural creation. Apart from its labyrinth of corridors, its mysterious galleries and its strange stalactite formations, this cave has something exclusively unique that does not exist in other infamous caves. Inside visitors will find a string of cascading lakes forming three different levels that establish its uniqueness in the world.
Cavern of Aggitis River (Maaras): The cave of the springs of the Aggitis River in Drama-Northern Greece features colourful and varied forms of stalactites reflected in the still waters of the underground river. It’s the perfect choice for budding biologists; unique fish species has been found in this cavern, such as Barbus Barbus, Squalius Orpheus and a rare kind of semi-transparent stone crayfish.
Alistrati’s Cave: According to the Greek Mythology, Pluto, master of Hades kidnapped Persephone, daughter of the Goddess Demeter. He led her to what was called the Gates of the Underworld at a ravine. The specific area which is mentioned in these Greek Myths is the same one near Alistratis’ Cave. The cavern lies in a place called Petroto, where Mother Nature decided to demonstrate its power by creating medusa-like shapes. However, what fascinates the most is the huge stalactites forming pure white curtains along the walls.
Cave of the Elephants: The Cave of the Elephants in Chania, Crete is a refuge for the protected species of Mediterranean Seal, one of the most endangered mammals of Europe. Diving in this cavern is a truly magnificent experience as visitors can admire the beautiful décor of stalactites and stalagmites (underwater and above the water surface) and see fossilized bones, which are embedded in the rocks of the cave.
Dragon’s Cave: Sshhh!Located in Kastoria-Northern Greece, this impressive cave with underground lakes was once believed to be a gold mine guarded by a sleepless dragon.
Find out more about amazing places around the world, in our Off the Beaten Track series.
When you arrive in Patagonia, you will soon realise that your travelling experiences are over, as you’ve already reached the end of the world.
The South Pole is just a stone’s throw away and the wild landscapes, along with the (sometimes) unnerving isolation of the Patagonian land really will make you feel like you are somewhere completely different. Shared by Argentina and Chile, it is a place like no other, where rivers rage, glaciers drift and the coastline snakes the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans.
It is an endless landscape: a mainly flat area of 1,000,000 km² on the very southern edge of the American continent.
Absolute uniqueness:Patagonia isaby-word for one of the last virgin areas on the planet, with utterly stunning scenery that creates a peaceful and quiet atmosphere.
Absolutely off the beaten track: We don’t like to put it too bluntly, but this really is the place to go to escape form civilisation. It’s one of the most sparsely inhabited places on earth, and home to only 1.9 people/km².
Total freedom: that’s the prevailing feeling when travelling in this remote piece of earth.
Find out more about amazing places around the world, in our Off the Beaten Track series.
If you’re looking for a holiday that’s totally “off the beaten track” and disconnected from your usual hustle and bustle, you’d be pushed to find a nicer experience than at the Enagron Ecotourism Village in beautiful Crete.
High up on a mountain, slap, bang in the middle of the island, you’ll find a throwback to a simpler life, where olive trees grow and the air is filled with the scent of herbs and plants. Not exactly a hotel, but more a place to really get in touch with nature, Enagron is a working farm, where you can do as little or as much as you like.
If you’re on a foodie adventure, you couldn’t ask for a better voyage of discovery, it’s a great opportunity to head to the kitchen and find out the tricks for preparing the best in Cretan dishes like dolmades, or the difference between kefalotiri or graviera. (They are cheeses!) Our favourite part is to try a flaky bougatsa pastry in the morning as we soak up the sunshine.
If you’re feeling a bit more energetic, there are plenty of events and day trips to try out, from nature walks to sightseeing, either on foot or by donkey. Of course there’s always a ‘driver’ on hand to keep you on the straight and narrow around the Psiloritis mountain, and take you to the stone houses, where you can try out cheese making and indulge in a ‘herder’s meal.’
Something a little more laidback tickles your fancy? Then there are a whole heap of chilled out options; like reading on the terrace, snoozing under a tree, grabbing an chilled coffee, or lounging in the pool, with the company of the birds and the wind.
And it being a traditional Greek getaway, there’s always room for a little bit of letting your hair down. The owners are renowned for their raki dixies, or raki nights, with love music and dancing until the wee small hours.
Fast, furious, thrills and spills, if there is one park that is the epitome of thrill seeking then it has to be Ferrari World in Abu Dhabi. The first of its kind in the world, it tells the story of Ferrari on a series of exhilaration rides and educational journeys.
Image via @ Ferrari World
The iconic red roofed park houses over 30 vintage and modern Ferraris, the world’s fastest roller coaster, the Formula Rossa, which hits speeds of 240 kmph and its own G-Force experience that blasts you to a height of 62 metres. Not for the faint hearted that one.
Image via @ Ferrari World
For kids there is the chance to get behind the wheel of a scaled down 430 GT Spider as well as Speed of Magic, a 4-D adventure through jungles and volcanoes. Definitely a must see on any holiday in Abu Dhabi.
Where the ground stars and the sky begins, you might never be able to tell in the Bolivian Salt Flats. Near the famous Tunupa Volcano, it’s the largest salt desert in the world, and 3,600 m above sea low. So why venture there? The spooky and stunning scenery will create some of the most envy inducing photos amongst your friends, while for just $15 per day, you can bunk with locals, getting a truly one off experience. Image via @ psyberartist
The whopping Victoria Falls and its surrounding area is a once-in-a-lifetime place to visit. Also known as the Devil’s Pool, September to December provides the ultimate in swimming at the edge of the world. The current at Victoria Falls between Zambia and Zimbabwe forms a small pool, where visitors can watch over the 355 foot waterfall. But, would you be brave enough?
The Kenya Lake System in the Great Rift Valley has to be seen to be believed. It’s made up of three shallow lakes– Bogoria, Nakuru and Elmenteita. Each of the alkaline lakes is a a protected area and is home to different ecosystems filled with flowers, fauna, birds and animals. The best bit, (we think!) is the huge influx of flamingos that arrive en masse every year. The lesser flamingos arrive in their millions to breed creating one of the world’s most spectacular displays.
This pink bird loves to eat the blue-green algae found at the lakes and it is virtually alone in its taste for this rich harvest. And it’s not just flamingos, the lakes are home to 13 endangered bird species, and larger animals, like the black rhino, wild dogs, lions and cheetahs who wander the shores of the lake.
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The Salt Flats as seen from space 
