A new year always has us scribbling down resolutions in notepads and discussing our hoped for options amongst friends. Inevitably though time flies by faster that we imagine and suddenly we find ourselves in May, still holding on to the hope of matching those dreams.
Studies have shown that one of the most popular New Year’s resolutions is to travel more, mine certainly is. It seems that 2014 might just be the year to do so, with a number of exciting destinations set to have you packing your travel gear and renewing your travel insurance. However, always wanting to push the envelope and offer intrepid travellers new experiences, many of the more familiar destinations are making their way onto the popularity map due to new facilities and activities that are now available.
Cruise terminal in Dubai
You’ll find many cruises now including Dubai on their itineraries with the development of the Dubai cruise terminal. Like most things in Dubai, there is nothing small scale or simple about this terminal. In-depth research has been done to ensure that all basic boxes and even extravagant ones are ticked.
Probably the most important of these, is its deep basin that allows larger ships to enter. However, from a passenger point of view, the shopping in this new terminal is top-class and so is the service, ground handling, immigration and tourist support. All of these have been described as being “excellent”.
The development of this terminal also allows sea-lovers to travel in the calm waters of Port Rashid and possibly avoid the overcrowded waters of the Caribbean, or provide a change from the Mediterranean and Europe.
Substation Curaco
While some prefer to snorkel in Thailand or float in the Dead Sea, others prefer to see oceanic life without getting wet – in a submarine of course! Head a thousand feet below water in the new mini-submarine for sea-lovers that offers an hour long, jam-packed display for the eyes. You can look forward to seeing the beautiful coral formations found under the Caribbean Sea at Bapor Kibra and get up close to shipwrecks that made their maiden journeys generations ago but never made it to land. Pods of dolphins are also a common site.
Funtasy Island, Riau Islands, Indonesia
It seems that theme park enthusiasts will love this eco-theme park, set to be built just off the coast of Singapore. This is one venue which is a little different as the main focus is on nature and the preservation of this beautiful area.
413 hotel suites and villas await those who choose to partake in unforgettable aqua culture tours and nature trails. Visitors can enjoy the expanse of 810-acres of beautiful land, with 70% of the archipelago left untouched, leaving it as a nature sanctuary.
Funtasy Island’s completion at the end of 2014 will see it become the first gated island community on the planet.
Turkey facelift
In an effort to get more tourists to Turkey, the government and council are revamping many of the city’s oldest attractions, and providing more facilities to make it one of the top travel destinations in the world.
The project, which began a few years ago, hopes to see over 69 new tourism areas in 24 different cities. One of the areas to be focused on is Anatolia – most notable for its architecture and heritage. The restoration and development of the country also helps to place a few more locations at the top of the Turkey tourism list.
Kayakoy is one of these places and the government has hopes that development will improve the welfare in the area, and make it more attractive to tourists.
The list of new and upcoming developments is endless, with an increasing number of destinations vying for each tourist’s attention. Structural developments in particular are on the rise and 2014 sees massive wooden structures and mirrored reflections filling the skies. Although it may be a bit early to be picturing yourself sipping cocktails off the bow of a P&O cruise liner already, it doesn’t hurt to plan ahead and it certainly is fun.
This now has me dreaming of brand new destinations.
