Tag: Travel

Top 5 New Zealand Fishing Destinations

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New Zealand has always been a hotspot for outdoor adventurers catering to both tourists and locals alike. It is the perfect place for people looking to enjoy their time outdoors. Whether you’re looking for an ecotourism backpacking excursion, a leisurely hike along Hollyford Track or diving into the deep of Marlborough Sounds, you’ll be able to enjoy and experience a delightful vacation in this part of the world. With all of its rivers, lakes and famed coastal destinations, New Zealand is also a top choice for adventurous fisherman from around the world.

Hawke’s Bay
Hawke’s Bay

Fishermen consider New Zealand to be one of the top sporting destinations to test their skills against some of the more wily species. From offshore big game fishing and chartered fishing trips to sight casting dry flies for trout in the famed inland rivers, this country offers every conceivable variety of sportfishing.

If you’re planning a fishing trip to New Zealand, you’re probably well aware of (or have at least heard of) the best fishing destinations scattered throughout the country. In this article, we’ve tried to cover the most important destinations across both North and South Island.

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4 Exotic Locales to Land Your First Blue Marlin

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In order to determine the best location to hook up with your first blue marlin, you need to understand these magnificent fish and identify where they live and what they feed on. There are numerous resources across the internet to help the novice big game fisherman. Blue marlin represent real oceanic creatures (pelagic fish) that spend most of their lives in the deep blue waters well beyond the continental shelf. Most of them thrive thousands of miles from the mainland where they can only be found using large ocean-going fishing vessels. The best places to fish for them are the islands and capes of continents projecting out into deep waters that come closest to the edge of the continental shelf.

The Bahamas

The Bahamas was initially an English colony but now is an independent Commonwealth. This group of islands, cays and islets are spread out across hundreds of square miles of the Atlantic Ocean. They consist of two major sections that fall into the deep ocean water with strong currents and large numbers of amazing creatures. Bimini is the island closest to the U.S mainland as it lies less than fifty miles from Miami. It represents one of the genuine treasure troves of sport fishing destinations. The deep water on the eastern side of the Bahamas is where you’ll have your best shot at a larger fish, 700 lbs and up. Most local billfish tourneys take place during the spring and early summer. During most tournaments, a 500 lb blue marlin will place in the money. The Bahamas host many eager fishermen every year and offer friendly experienced fishing boat captains and easy access from most U.S. airports.

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Backpacking For Cheapskates: How To Travel On A Shoestring Budget

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The whole point of backpacking is to allow travelers to see and experience more of a place, while keeping costs down to a bare minimum. It’s more than just an alternative mode of travel; it’s a lifestyle.

But while some people can readily adapt to backpack travel, others may find the whole low cost thing a bit discomforting. They would often spend way more money than what is necessary, thus throwing the real essence of backpacking out the window.

Going on a budget trip does not mean putting up with shady hotel rooms and crappy meals. For the backpackers out there who have trouble sticking to their travel budget, the tips below should make your every penny count for that dream trip.

Invest in a High Quality Backpack

Nothing is worse than owning a bad backpack: your belongings could easily get drenched in a thunderstorm, your clothes could spill out at the most inopportune moments or you could get sore from having ill-fitted straps digging into your shoulders all day.

When it comes to backpacks, bigger does not always mean better. Make sure what you choose is proportional to your size; the thing here is that the weight should be balanced evenly on your back so that you won’t experience backaches when you lug your backpack around for the duration of your trips. Most sports/camping supply stores will allow you to try on their backpacks with weights so you can see if it’s a comfortable fit for you before purchasing.

A good backpack is one that can withstand the rough-and-tumble of backpacking trips. It should be water-resistant, multi-compartmented, have a sturdy internal frame and padded shoulder straps. But don’t go for those that are priced over $250 – these are unnecessarily expensive. There are decent backpacks that will only cost you anywhere from $100 to $200.

Travel Off-season

This is a no-brainer. The rule of supply and demand is always at work when it comes to airfare and transportation costs. The summer season can be a great time to travel, but it’s also the most expensive compared to other seasons throughout the year. If you must travel during a lean season, book flights early to save yourself from the skyrocketing prices later on. Also, you might want to travel during weekdays, when flights are priced cheaper.

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Mastering the Appalachian Trail

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The Appalachian Trail, also known as the A.T., runs approximately 2,200 miles, from Georgia’s Springer Mountain to Mount Katahdin in Maine. Managed by the National Park Service and the Appalachian Trail Conservancy, this trail meanders through wilderness, across rivers and through some towns. The greatest challenge associated with the A.T. is the “thru-hike,” or an attempt to hike the whole way during just one season. If you are looking for an adventure that will let you see a great deal of the beauty of America, and you have a period of months to dedicate, then check out these tips about making it all the way from northern New England to the Old South.

Appalachian Trail

Supplies

There are some people who ship packages to themselves containing supplies, picking them up at small post offices along the way. However, the A.T. gives you access to quite a few towns with stores as you go, so you don’t need to worry about figuring out mailings. This way you can shop as you go, for most of the route. The only places where you might think about shipping packages is to the post office in Fontana Village, North Carolina (which also offers a place to stay and do your laundry), and to the Kincora Hostel, in Dennis Cove, Tennessee.

Shelters

You’ll find almost 300 shelters along the trail, but they can get loud and crowded; the most seasoned thru-hikers recommend putting up tents instead. They are good places to stop and get the news about conditions up the trail, mooch some provisions from the short-term hikers, who are usually glad to dump the weight, and check out the shelter’s log to read the adventures of others.

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