When it comes to holiday destinations, few places are as overlooked as Wales. While this does mean that you can benefit from peace and quiet, it is a shame because it is such as beautiful part of the UK with a lot to offer and friendly locals.

This makes Wales a real hidden gem and somewhere to consider this summer if you are planning a staycation.

Ideal for a Staycation

Staycations look set to be a huge trend again this summer with the situation unclear surrounding international travel. Major hotspots like Cornwall and the Lake District are likely to be fully booked already throughout summer, so instead you may want to look at a few places in Wales, which can be perfect for a staycation that allows you to enjoy peace and quiet along with breathtaking natural beauty.

Holiday Rentals

Many people have turned to buying holiday rental properties during the last year or so and Wales could certainly be a good place for this as there is so much to discover throughout the country.

This would give you the ability to have a vacation home as well as make money off the back of the staycation boom.

So, where are a few of the best places to visit in Wales on a staycation?

Portmeirion Village

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Located in North Wales, Portmeirion is a stunning and unique village designed in the style of an Italian village which gives the feeling of being abroad.

Located on the coast, you can enjoy being by the sea while exploring this beautiful and welcoming small village filled with cottages, restaurants, cafes and woodland gardens.

Dolgoch Falls

Nature lovers will want to visit the breathtaking Dolgoch Falls in Snowdonia National Park. These are amongst the best waterfalls in the UK accessed by a rewarding walk through the park – be sure to pack a camera!

Brecon Beacons National Park

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Another national park that is a must-visit while in Wales is Brecon Beacons. This is the perfect space for hiking, cycling, mountain biking with paths and routes for all abilities and even stargazing at night.

This is one of the best places for a cycling holiday Wales has to offer, so if you enjoy exploring on two wheels then this should be at the top of your list.

Castell Coch

Located in South Wales, the striking 19th century Gothic Revival Castell Coch (also known as The Red Castle) has a fairytale-esque look arising from the beech woods of Fforest Fawr.

The inside is even more stunning with lavish interiors and rich furnishings which are not to be missed – this is often voted as the public’s favourite building in Wales.

Wales is somewhat of a hidden gem with these being just a few of the great places to explore on a staycation this summer.

The post Hidden Beauty Spots in Wales Worth a Visit appeared first on Earth's Attractions – travel guides by locals, travel itineraries, travel tips, and more.

Are you looking to get away for a few days? Sometimes, we all need a break from the stresses and strains of everyday life and a holiday can prove the perfect tonic, offering the chance to switch off your brain and recharge your batteries.

Of course, not everyone has the same idea of what an enjoyable holiday looks like. For some, it’s a long weekend in a bustling European city.

For others, it’s a week or more spent sunning themselves by a pool with a good book. But what about those who prefer to stay a little closer to home?

The UK is blessed with a wide range of stunning destinations, and with staycations predicted to boom in popularity in 2021, millions are set to experience the joys of what our nation has to offer. At the top of that list is an abundance of beautiful countryside, just waiting to be explored.

Whether you strike out on your own, with a companion or book on one of the several escorted tours around the UK, there are many National Parks that are perfect for walking enthusiasts and those who love to immerse themselves in the natural environment.

Snowdonia

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The go-to destination for those who love an outdoor adventure. Home to Snowdon, the highest mountain in Wales, this is a National Park that offers a wide variety.

During your stay you can enjoy activities such as white water rafting – ideal for the adrenaline junkies out there – or train enthusiasts can revel in a narrow-gauge railway trip.

Of course, if you fancy a challenge then you can always take on the summit of Snowdon itself.

You can find all the information you need about visiting Snowdonia in our travel guide, including not only things to do, but where to stay and where to eat.

The Peak District

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Situated right in the heart of the UK, the Peak District National Park is ideally placed for travellers from all corners of the country. This is actually one of the best destinations for fall colours in Europe!

The Monsal Trail is a must for walking or cycling fanatics, but it’s an area that offers something for everyone.

If you prefer to spend your downtime with your feet up, why not pay a visit to Chatsworth House and revel in a spot of afternoon tea.

Cairngorms

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How about venturing to Scotland and take in the stunning natural beauty that is Cairngorms National Park?

Nature reserves are dotted all around the park, with the rare red squirrel a particular highlight, so it’s the perfect destination for wildlife enthusiasts.

Meanwhile, those who live their life at a slightly faster pace might be tempted by the UK’s first permanent bridge-based bungee jump.

The Yorkshire Dales

For simply spectacular views, look no further than the Yorkshire Dales National Park. For a major challenge, and one that’s not for the faint-hearted, why not take on the Yorkshire Three Peaks.

Scaling Pen-y-Ghent, Whernside, and Ingleborough on their own are tough enough, so all three back-to-back in one day over the course of 25 miles is a real test. Believe us when we say the stunning scenery makes it all worth it.

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Vacations are the moment where we can finally cut free and feel easier without the weight of our daily lives on our shoulders. Unfortunately, many people go in without any planning.

You should spend the time you usually would looking at Banff homes for sale and turn that energy into figuring out the best vacation plan for yourself.

Go Without A Daily Budget

One of the worst things someone can do is go on a vacation without a solid daily budget. You don’t have to follow this to a tee, but you should attempt to create a budget that will make it to get the most out of your vacation.

Your daily budget should be able to safely handle your food, some excursion or activity, and any transit you need.

If you realize you have money left over at the end of every day: that’s great! Celebrate with it by buying yourself a fun little souvenir!

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Act Like You’re In Your Own Home

Although you should feel free enough to be yourself while on vacation, don’t let that make you feel like you have permission to disrespect the locals or the local lands.

If you go camping, take everything back with you, even if it’s trash. If you’re in a foreign country, be patient if someone doesn’t speak your language, and try to find other ways to communicate.

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Make Yourself An Easy Mark

Many tourist towns get hit hard by pickpockets and petty thieves because they know they can get away with it.  Tourists don’t stay in town long, which means the likelihood of running into the thief again is low: so you have to be careful.

Keep your money in a secure location close to your body, where you would notice if someone grabbed it. Don’t keep your wallet or passport in your back pocket, and if you use a backpack, don’t keep vital documents or money in it.

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Be Too Strict On Yourself

This is your vacation! Don’t be afraid to cut loose and have fun! Although a schedule, a budget, and proper manners are essential, so is the chance you get at enjoying yourself. Instead of stressing about your program or diet, or budget, shed off all of your daily expectations, and try to relax. T

ake time enjoying a local spa treatment or doing something active that will get your heart going. If having fun means deviating from the plans, do it!

Get On Your Phone Every Day

It may be a cliche by now, but if you’re spending every moment of your vacation on your phone, you’re not using it right!  Our vacations are our time to slip away from the world at large and try to find ourselves.

This can be impossible to do for some, so don’t worry, you don’t have to leave your phone behind or forget about it. Instead, focus on only allowing yourself your phone in small bursts that won’t distract you from the trip at large.

The post What Not to Do on Vacation appeared first on Earth's Attractions – travel guides by locals, travel itineraries, travel tips, and more.

Planning to visit Coron, Palawan, and don’t know the best Coron activities to include on your Coron itinerary?

Read this article and discover the top things to do in Coron from an insider. From island hopping to local food, from amazing nature landscapes to interesting Coron tours to take, and beyond this article presents you the best things to do in Coron!

Top things to do in Coron

In paradise, there are endless activities to keep you occupied and intrigued. With so many wonderful beach and dive resorts to choose from, it can be a bit overwhelming.

Luckily there are so many unique attributes at each resort. Use this as a guide to find activities while on vacation and to find some of the best resorts in Coron, Palawan. Here are the 10 best things to do while visiting Coron! 

Island Hopping

Island hopping opens the doors to a myriad of activities you can do when you travel to Coron.

You can visit island Twin Lagoons, Culion Leper Colony, and Banul Beach, which offer varying cultures and historical experiences unique to each location.

Twin Lagoons is one of the must-see destinations in Coron and has a cave and plenty of space for swimming and snorkeling.

The only way to get to this popular destination is via boat. Culion Leper Colony has a rich history with Leprosy.

After nearly eight decades of trauma, this colony now stands tall with a museum where you can enter and learn of all the history that took place on the very sands you’re visiting.

Scuba Diving

The Philippines is very well known for its many scuba diving spots. Your vacation won’t be complete without going scuba diving!

While in Coron, you will not be disappointed with the many diving spots available.

Wherever you choose to go, whether Morazan Maru in Coron or the Kalambuyan Reefs near Coron Bay, there is hardly a bad spot for swimmers and divers alike, diving resorts such as Sangat Island Dive Resort and Club Paradise Palawan are the best beach resorts in Coron.

These exclusive Coron resorts can be reached by boat and offer only the finest of service and leisurely activities.

Hot Springs

How often are you able to find beautiful hot springs to lounge in? The best time to visit any hot springs on this island is when the sun begins to set.

Not only will you have a majestic view, but the physical experience is made that much better.

At night the temperatures begin to drop in the hot spring and acts as a great balance to this light chill.

Maquinit Hot Springs in Coron will leave you feeling refreshed and tranquil. It is one of the few saltwater hot springs in the world.

Tall, lush Mangrove trees surround the area, which allows you to hang in the shade while soaking in the tranquil springs.

Visit Culion Island

As previously mentioned, you can take a beach tour to Culion Island and engage in the fascinating history lessons of Culion Island.

Declared a leprosy-free area as recently as the eighties, this Island holds plenty of historical prominences. While most activities in Coron focus around the glistening seas, this enticing adventure takes plenty of action on land.

Take a walk to Culion Church, whose walls were previously part of an old fortress. Every square foot of this island, holds a historical significance.

The cobblestone, the homes, the churches all have a story to tell. It is a perfect place to tour on foot as there is always something interesting to find while passing by.

Visit a WWII Shipwreck Site

Perfect for those history buffs who enjoy being able to touch a piece of history physically. Visiting the shipwreck site is only half the intrigue; the closer, the better, which means that you will be able to snorkel in the clear blue water to get to the sites.

Wreck diving is a major tourist attraction in Coron. Check out Irako, which has not only plenty of shipwreck sites but also amazing biodiversity, including sea turtles, scorpionfish, and yellowfin.

Try the Cuisine

While visiting this beautiful paradise, you’re going to have to try the food in Coron!

Because of the agriculture in the many fresh fruits, vegetables, and seafood, a lot of Coron’s best dishes are fresh and locally made. Rabbitfish is the popular local fish widely populated in Coron.

Don’t miss out on giving this popular fish a try. Try Levine’s for a menu that caters to meat-eaters as well as vegans and vegetarians on this trip.

The menu is extensive and gives you an option to taste a piece of Filipino cuisine. You can also enjoy a fantasizing Seaview while dining at this homestyle Filipino restaurant.

Take a Hike!

Mt Tapyas will have you feeling superior as you see the classic Hollywood-esque sign that reads “Coron” in all caps. Get a closer look at the sign by hiking up the mountain and also get a panoramic view of the city.

As intimidating as this trek may sound, the walk is only about a 15-minute walk. Perfect for an after-lunch activity! Or maybe if you would rather break a sweat, you can climb Humphreys Peak at about nearly 13,000 feet high!

Once you reach your destination, maybe relax for a while and watch the sunset or stargaze in the clear skies.

Visit Kayangan Lake

A popular Coron Island-hopping tour destination is Kayangan Lake. Famously known as one of the cleanest water bodies in not only the Philippines but also in all of Asia.

This fascinating body of water can be visited with a group tour or by private boat. Once you arrive at this famed body of water, you will have to take a walk through nature. As you stroll past the limestone foundations, you will be incomplete and utter awe without a doubt.

The journey to the bay adds to the iconic reputation of this turquoise body of water. A now internet-famous location, don’t forget to take a few pictures to capture the moment forever.

Firefly Waiting Tour

All you need to experience an unforgettable night is to take part in this firefly watching experience. Coron offers the “Coron Glittering Fireflies and Bioluminescence Night Tour.”

Once you purchase a ticket, you purchase an unforgettable night. This tour takes place in Mangrove Forest Park in Coron. Included in the tour is also a serene boat ride on wooden boats along the sparkling Iwahig River.

After the boat portion of the tour ends, patrons are provided dinner at Pange’t Firefly Floating Restaurant.

The fireflies won’t be the only things lighting up the sky: you will also get a chance to stargaze as all the vibrant lights reflect in the river—most ideal for couples who are looking for a romantic date night while on vacation.

Stay at the Best Resorts in Coron, Palawan!

Staying at resorts while visiting around the Philippines opens the doors to many of the activities on this list, such as snorkeling, scuba diving, island hopping tours, etc. Many resorts offer exclusive memberships and opportunities that your average visitor wouldn’t experience.

Some of the best resorts in Coron include Cashew Grove Beach Resort and Pirates Diving Resort. When you’re not at the beach or hiking trails, you can relax by the pool or in the suites’ unique setting in these resorts.

The resorts in Coron make it their mission to make their guests feel like royalty while they are on vacation. They enhance the paradise experience.

 

There you have it: a list of destinations and activities that would be perfect for any first-time visitor or even a well-established Coron Island goer! 

About the author:

Catalin Geangos is the Founder and Editor of TravelTrained and a travel blogger who mainly focuses on nightlife, pub crawls and party experiences while travelling in Southeast Asia. He moved from Romania to the UK 6 years ago and since then he travelled in over 30 countries.

Photo sources: 1, 2, 3

The post Top things to do in Coron appeared first on Earth's Attractions – travel guides by locals, travel itineraries, travel tips, and more.

One versus a thousand

You might think that that phrase can be interpreted in multiple ways: a philosophical mindset, a mental state, or a frame of mind. You would be forgiven if you overlooked the literal meaning behind the phrase: One person versus a lot of other people. Samurai Warriors 5 is a game that pits you against entire armies and spoiler alert: the armies do not do well. This type of game has the moniker of “Musou” and if you have not experienced this before, now would be a perfect time. Koei Tecmo has rebooted the ‘Warriors’ series into a “fresh re-imagining”; complete with a more compact storyline, new gameplay additions, and a new visual style. Will newcomers to the series be drawn into this historical hack-and-slash? Will returning fans be happy with the roster of changes? Let’s find out. 

Samurai Warriors 5 focuses on the Sengoku period of Japan, a 150-year period of almost neverending civil war that saw clan leaders and warlords fighting for power until the 3 “Great Unifiers” restored a central government in the region. The main storyline in the game focuses on a condensed timeframe of the Sengoku period where the story is told through the viewpoint of two primary characters: Nobunaga Oda and Akechi Mitsuhide. Whilst the game boasts an impressive roster of 37 playable characters, you will mainly be playing through the story as Nobunaga Oda (with smatterings of Akechi Mitsuhide). This main-character-centered focus helps to bring a level of continuity to the story and also adds a refreshing change of pace when a side-character steps into the story and you can carve up the battlefield with a fresh pair of blades. I will say, this forms more of a double-edged sword as I found myself falling in love with the playstyle of a side character (the legendary Lady Nō) and subsequently thereafter, falling out of love with Nobunaga’s playstyle throughout the story. This creeping feeling of boredom started to become worryingly apparent when the real enemy of the game started rearing its ugly head: repetition. 

With such an ugly beast on the horizon, surely the game can now turn to its biggest champion: the gameplay. I will say that the core idea behind the Muso playstyle is incredible. You stand alone in front of hundreds of (apparently brainless) soldiers who all fall victim to your blade. You can string together simple combos that play off variants of Square and Triangle and you have a “Hyper” attack that propels you forward whilst still attacking enemies (and knocking them along with you). Combine this with customisable ultimate attacks and a devastating Muso finisher and you have the ability to chain combos that reach into the thousands. To me, there is nothing better than carving through the battlefield whilst sending hundreds of enemies flying away with each arcing slash. It really helps to de-stress after a long day at work. The visual style complements this beautifully and the revamped musical score adds a layer of speed and aggression to the game. 

Are all of these positives enough to ward off the beast of boredom? Sadly, no.

The story and gameplay are the two worst casualties of this beast. The game does well to inform you of the story through in-game cutscenes and beautifully rendered artistic showcases and the voice acting on the characters is stellar but the game really can be boiled down to a simple “Move from A to B and kill everything along the way.” The historical elements add a level of intrigue and awe as you find yourself immersed in famous battles but the repetitive nature of the level structure and gameplay makes the game hard to stay passionate about. The “One versus a thousand” element is exhilarating and it is hard to complete a level without a smile on your face but once you have completed a few levels, you find that the details start to get lost in the wind. I love intense gaming experiences but there needs to be more respite and variance to break up the repetition. There is an impressive amount of weapon customisation available but this almost seems redundant when you are sending whole armies back to the stone age with each sword-swing. The AI also seems inconsistent to the point where the difficulty between the filler soldiers and the end of level bosses is too great. I found myself blindly massacring hordes of soldiers who seemed to struggle to even tie their laces, only to run head-first into a boss who made me feel like a 5 year-old armed with a butterknife. There is also a citadel mode which acts as a pseudo-tower defence mode where you can train characters for EXP and additional weapons but the appeal wears thin after a few hours of slaughter. 

Overall, Samurai Warriors 5 is an impressive reboot of an already well-loved series. The repetition was a huge issue for me but I must confess that I am relatively new to the Musou style of gameplay. I was immediately hooked with the beautiful visuals and the voice acting (and of course, the gameplay) but I did not find myself wanting to play longer than a level or two at a time. The game is also relatively smooth-running (except for the PS1-grade camera AI which threatens to get stuck behind anything and everything on the battlefield).

 If you are happy with a solid story, an absurdly destructive combat system, and an artistic rendition of a bloody time in Japan’s history then you will love Samurai Warriors 5. If you are like me and new to the series then you might want to take it slowly to avoid the danger of burnout but don’t worry, there is enough meat there to satisfy your bloodlust until the end credits roll. 

I give this 7.5 Demon Kings out of 10 

GameRev was provided with a digital download of the game for the purpose of this review.