A major tourist attraction has been unearthed by archaeologists in Guatemala, who have uncovered the tomb of a very early Mayan ruler, complete with surviving rich jewellery and decoration.
Flights including suitable airport transfers are available to the region and experts say the find at Guatemala’s Tak’alik Ab’aj temple site could potentially shed light on the early years of the Mayan culture.
Carbon dating undertaken by government archaeologist Miguel Orrego indicated that the tomb was built between 700 and 400 BC, which is actually several hundred years before the Mayan culture reached its height. It is the oldest tomb so far found at the site in southern Guatemala.
The tomb’s occupant has been identified as an “ajaw” or ruler, through a necklace depicting a vulture-headed human figure, as Mr Orrego claimed: “This symbol gives this burial greater importance, this glyph says he … is one of the earliest rulers of Tak’alik Ab’aj.”
It is thought that any bones that were present have now decayed, and so none were found at the site when it was excavated in September. But experts claimed the rich array of jade articles in the tomb could provide important cultural clues about production and trade patterns.
Older tombs have been found from ruling circles at the Mayan site of Copan in Honduras, as well as another in southern Mexico, according to Susan Gillespie, an archaeologist at the University of Florida who was not involved in the excavation. The Olmec culture, a predecessor to the Mayan culture is thought to have flourished in southern Mexico. It is considered that there are possible links to the Olmec influence in areas around the Tak’alik Ab’aj site.
Ms Gillespie also noted that the find could shed light on early technique and trade in stone, because it is near a jadeite production centre. The stone was considered by the Maya to have sacred properties.
Copyright Press Association 2012
Virgin Atlantic has started a new seasonal route between London and Cape Town in South Africa for the summer season in the southern hemisphere.
The airline will run three flights during the course of the next week before increasing the frequency to one flight per day from the beginning of November until April 2013, with economy, premium economy and first class options available.
The flights will leave from Heathrow and, despite other airlines scrapping direct services from London to Cape Town, Virgin Atlantic’s South Africa manager Simon Newton-Smith says the demand is there.
“Cape Town is one of the key tourist destinations in South Africa, with its beautiful beaches and surrounding wine estates. We want to make it easier for international travellers to visit the city,” he said.
South Africa is an increasingly popular tourist destination in general and Cape Town is among the country’s highlights, with attractions like Table Mountain and Robben Island luring visitors in from all corners of the world. But the chief executive officer of South African Tourism, Thulani Nzima, says the UK is the country’s largest source market by quite a considerable distance with in excess of 420,400 visitors travelling there from these shores in 2011.
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People taking holidays in China will soon be able to remain in Beijing for 72 hours without the need for a visa while in transit through the city.
The move to extend the length of time that visitors can stay without a visa is believed to have been triggered by news of an increase in travellers taking advantage of the 48-hour visa-free stay that is currently allowed in the city. Approval for the policy has been confirmed, although details are yet to be announced, with speculation suggesting Beijing will follow on from Shanghai and admit travellers from 32 countries around the world.
It may come as a welcome proposition for tourists planning their journeys to and from China as they look to fill in their time with as many valuable experiences as possible between flights.
There is a wide range of things to do in Beijing before and after airport transfers, with a short ride on the metro to the Old Summer Palace likely to be near the top of many visitors’ plans.
Alternatively, stunning views await at Jingshan Park via an adrenalin-fuelled bike ride – or there is even the option of a visit to the Unesco World Heritage Site of Mutianyu as an uncrowded location in which to see the Great Wall itself.
The extended visa-free period represents a great chance to experience a unique city either side of airport transfers, as Beijing is a common stop-off for long-haul flights passing through Asia.
The China National Tourism Office has indicated that further information will be released over the coming weeks and said the visa-free policy will also be rolled out to a selection of ports and railways in the new year.
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Britons hoping to escape the dreary weather at home with a well-earned holiday in India might want to make their trip extra special with a visit to the Navratri festival.
The nine-day extravaganza will lend a dramatic splash of colour to Indore – the largest city and commercial capital of Madhya Pradesh – with celebrations going on well into the night.
Locals and visitors can soak in the festivities to welcome the Goddess Durga, with local restaurants and hotels also set to get in on the act with special dishes to accompany the celebrations.
Structures set up especially for the festival – known as pandals – will adorn the city, enabling girls to perform aarti, or worship rituals, as well as housing other special events to embellish the celebrations.
“We have the largest space for a pandal in the whole of Indore that is big enough for 4,000 people to play garba,” said Virendra Vyas, member of the organising committee for a pandal in Vijaynagar that claims to be one of the biggest in the state.
“We also plan on distributing some goodies to all the participants on the last day,” the committee member added.
Tourists who are finalising the last details of their holidays to India – purchasing travel insurance, arranging airport transfers and buying holiday money – may just be tempted to experience this fascinating event by taking a trip to the city of Indore.
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A Chinese county known as the “hometown of longevity” thanks to its reputation for having the most centenarians, is attracting thousands of tourists.
Bama county in the Guangxi Zhuang region is famous for having the most residents of 100-years-old or over in the country.
According to figures there are 73 centenarians in the county at a ratio of 30.8 per 100,000 people, exceeding the international standard of 25 per 100,000.
The county also boasts 252 people over the age of 90, figures show. This “local longevity culture” has attracted more than 180,000 tourists to the county, according to the Xinhua news agency. Officials are now hoping to use the phenomenon to increase tourism and help to tackle poverty in the region.
The boost in the region’s popularity has been linked to travellers’ changing tastes, according to Li Meixiao, director of a tourism group. He said that many people come “with a wish to see the centenarians in person, taste what these centenarians have every day and breath in the fresh air we have”.
Wang Jun, a 60-year-old tourist, said: “The germ-killing negative oxygen ions in the air here are much more than that in scenic spots where it is jam-packed with people. Staying here is much healthier.”
And those hoping to follow in other tourists’ footsteps should book ahead to ensure their airport transfers or bus connections run smoothly ahead of their travels.
Copyright © Press Association 2012
Ancient Mayan structures are being restored to allow tourists to experience an age-old Mexican phenomenon.
Experts say they have discovered that the Mayan people used watchtower-style structures at the temple complex of Chichen Itza to observe the equinoxes and solstices.
Remains of the stone-roofed structures were found on the walls of the long ceremonial court, which archaeologists rebuilt in order to determine their use.
Each watchtower has a narrow slit running through it, which, according to government archaeologist Jose Huchim, captured the sun’s rays at the winter solstice, and from another angle on the equinoxes. The sun was a crucial part of Mayan culture for both religious and agricultural reasons, and equinoxes and solstices were key dates in the calendar for corn cultivation.
Archaeologists believe that a ritual ball game played by the Mayans was an analogy for the sun’s journey through the sky.
“The sun’s course — that is, rising from the east, reaching the zenith and being hidden in the west — is at a given time reproduced through the movement of the ball during the practice of ritual,” Huchim said.
The temple complex of Chichén Itzá, the largest archaeological city of the pre-Columbian Maya civilization in Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, is one of the country’s most popular tourist destinations.
It became a Unesco World Heritage Site in 1988.
Copyright Press Association 2012
Tourism chiefs in Cape Town have devised a unique Facebook app which will allow virtual visitors to experience the delights of the Cape before actually travelling there.
The world-first Facebook-based travel app – the brainchild of Cape Town Tourism and its agencies, Ogilvy Cape Town and Flow Communication – is viewed as a key strategy to keep the South African city as a top destination to visit.
Cape Town has won numerous accolades over the past year, including most recently a Top Beach Destination award at 2012 World Travel Awards in September.
Mariëtte du Toit-Helmbold, Cape Town Tourism CEO, believes social media, in particular Facebook, is very important in helping people make travel decisions.
“The Facebook app is a creative user experience that utilises the latest technology and Facebook’s immense global reach to raise awareness of one of Africa’s most beautiful and inspiring cities,” she said.
“From October 2, Facebook users around the world will be able to send their Facebook profile on a holiday to Cape Town and stand the chance of winning a trip to the city for real.”
People have until the end of December 2012 to go on a virtual tour of Cape Town without having to fly there for real from airports such as Heathrow and Gatwick.
Copyright Press Association 2012
Dishes including guinea pig, chilli pepper and goat have helped Peru to claim the title of South America’s top culinary destination, beating off stiff competition from its neighbours.
The accolade was presented at the Caribbean and The Americas ceremony at the World Travel Awards, ahead of the worldwide title which is set to be announced in December. The awards were established to ‘acknowledge, reward and celebrate excellence across all sectors of the tourism industry’. Peru’s dramatic geography, which includes jungle, coastal regions and the Andes Mountains, means there is huge gastronomic variety in its cuisine. The nation has a long culinary history, dating back to the time of the Incas. Cultural changes have also helped shape the cooking, thanks to a fusion of Spanish, Arab, African, Chinese and Italian influences.
“We’re delighted and honoured to have been recognised with such an accolade,” said Maria del Carmen de Reparaz, director of tourism promotion for Peru.
“Peruvian food combines authentic ingredients from the nation’s highlands, jungles and coastline together with culinary influences from Europe, the Far East and Africa, and fully deserves its reputation as a gastronomic superpower.”
Peru, which has always been one of the world’s most popular tourist destinations, is now more accessible than ever, thanks to frequent direct flights from major UK airports and regular airport transfers.
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A special event is to be held in London in an effort to inspire people to take holidays in Malaysia and appreciate the culture of the south-east Asian destination.
The week of entertainment on the South Bank, which begins on Saturday, will kick off with a VIP party for 200 specially invited guests, and will be followed by a day of cultural performances complete with traditional dress and music to give people the opportunity to sample what life in Malaysia is like. The event is likely to inspire many people to take holidays in Malaysia, but when arranging flights and choosing destinations they shouldn’t forget to also sort some airport transfers. One of the highlights of Malaysia Week will be a performance by Istana Budaya’s traditional Malaysian Orchestra, while dances will depict the Malay, Chinese, Indian, Ethnic Sabah and Sarawak cultures – and guests can even strut their stuff on the dance floor themselves.
Demonstrations will also be held at craft markets, and Malaysia’s decorative batik fabric, which is used in traditional dresses and interior design, will also be on show.
As for culinary offerings, Malaysian chefs will create local cuisines for visitors. Tastings of Teh Tarik, Roti Canai, Ice Kacang and traditional fruits will be held to display the diverse cuisine of the country.
Malaysia Week London runs from October 6 until October 10.
Copyright Press Association 2012
Archaeologists in Mexico are exploring an ancient royal tomb for the first time in a bid to know more about the country’s fascinating past.
Evocative Mayan ruins have long attracted tourists to the popular holiday destination and now archaeologists are venturing into the 1,500-year-old tomb of K’uk Bahlam I, Palenque’s first king.
Palenque, in southern Mexico, was an important Mayan city state in ancient times. On previous occasions compact cameras were lowered into the mysterious tomb, which is hidden within a 60 foot tall temple. But this is the first time that archaeologists have been able to enter.
Arnoldo Gonzalez, who is leading the project together with restoration expert Rogelio Rivero Chong, said it is most likely that the tomb belongs to K’uk Bahlam I, although this cannot be ascertained without further exploration of the site.
“Even though we could be talking about the mortuary chambers of the founder of this dynasty, this doesn’t stop being mere speculation until we commence the archaeological exploration – this chamber could even be an antechamber since we don’t know if there is more below the ground,” he said.
King K’uk Bahlam I is an ancestor of the great seventh century Mayan governor Pakal, who was responsible for building some of the region’s most iconic monuments.
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