Travel Ideas

by: Simon Harris

Travelers to destinations in the Bahamas, in addition to enjoying the many fascinating activities offered by the islands, ranging from the traditional attractions of sun, sand and surf to the culture attractions of museums and historical sight to the simply amazing zoos and aquariums, have the opportunity to enjoy a vibrant nightlife in the company of an international mix of tourists and residence. There?s always something interesting to do or to see in the nightlife scene of the Bahamas.
The Wyndham Nassau Resort and Crystal Palace Casino is one of the largest casinos in the Bahamas. It features all of the casino favorites, including more than 700 slot machines and 51 blackjack tables. Visitors can also try their luck at the roulette wheels and the craps tables, and there is even a baccarat table for those so inclined. There?s a theater with an 800-person capacity, with a variety of entertainment offered through the week.
There are two other major casinos in the Bahamas. These are the Atlantis Paradise Island Resort and Casino and the Crowne Plaza Golf Resort and Casino at the Royal Oasis in Freeport While opinion varies as to which of the three are the best, most people do manage to try out all three.
However, nightlife in the Bahamas isn?t just about gambling the night away in the glitter and gleam of the casinos. There are a variety of nightclubs, discos and bars, some open all night long.
One of the all-nighters is Club Waterloo, located on East Bay Street on New Providence Island. Housed in what was once a grand colonial mansion, there is one main bar, and five smaller bars. Each of the smaller bars has its own specialty and style. Among these smaller bars is Shooters Sports Bar, a Bicardi Bar, which is self-explanatory, and an outdoor, poolside bar. The cover charge is high, up to $30 on weekend nights, but in reality, you?ll rarely pay that much. Many taxi drivers sell what are called visitors? passes that reduce the cover charge to a much smaller $5. This spot attracts a mixed crowd that typically includes locals and vacationers from Europe and the Americas.
Club 601 is another all-night spot on new Providence Island. It is a disco, and the music is usually of an international flavor, just like the crowd it attracts nightly. Other nightlife favorites in the Bahamas include the Blue Bee Bar on Great Abaco Island and Senor Frog?s at the British Colonial Hilton, at 1 Bay Street in Nassau, New Providence Island. Senor Frog?s tends to attract a young and energetic crown, though people of all ages enjoy the karaoke nights.
As in most of the most popular vacation destination, the nightlife scene in the Bahamas is interesting, exciting and active. You are sure to have a good time if you exercise a bit of common sense, caution and courtesy. Whether you choose a quiet bar tucked away in a lovely island corner, or dance all night at one of the discos or gamble until the dawn in one of the fabulous casinos, the Bahamas will offer you a memorable nightlife experience.

About The Author

Simon Harris
This article provided courtesy of http://www.cheap-travel-guide.net
support@arundel.net

by: David Leonhardt

It takes a special person to travel with kids ? a parent. Children have their own needs. Their idea of a vacation is more “adventurous” than a parent’s. They need constant stimulation and they can get as tired as they are tiring.
There are many top ten type lists of tips for traveling with children: how to ensure they eat well and drink enough, how to dress them for weather variances, how to provide the stimulation they need, how to make sure they don’t drive off with the family car and leave you stranded in the Mojave Desert, etc.
This list is how to travel in comfort ? without tying the children to the roof rack — which hopefully will reduce your stress.
Make sure you have plenty of room while traveling.
This is easier said than done. On a plane, everybody is cramped. On a train, everybody is cramped, although a little less so. On a bicycle… don’t even try it.
If you are driving, get a mini-van. Sure, you might be more of a “car” type, and you might have resisted buying a mini-van so far. But pick up a rental van for the vacation just to give the kids a little more room for fighting. (Make sure it has a roof rack, just in case.)
Reality check: Cram enough people into a tiny space and watch everybody get stressed and enraged. See my humorous but true article on hippo rage: http://www.thehappyguy.com/hippo-rage.html .
Accommodations along the way can be tricky. Usually it involves a cramped motel for just long enough to sleep, then back in the cramped car (or somewhat cramped mini-van). This is not anybody’s idea of a home away from home.
An accommodation alternative is to camp. When not sleeping, you have all the space in the world (unless you have to huddle under the tarp while the storm passes through). I love camping, but not everyone enjoys a good early morning wake-up wrestle with a grizzly as much as I do, so a motel might be required.
Make sure you have plenty of room when you “get there”.
My childhood vacations, often involved wandering around lost. Assuming you are actually heading for a destination, make sure to have lots of room when you get there. This part is easy. But it requires thinking outside the box. Forget hotels, motels, and inns. Look for private rental homes.
Probably the biggest destination for families is Walt Disney World in Florida. Good news ? Orlando, Kissimmee and the surrounding area is just teeming with private vacation homes for rent. In Florida they call them vacation villas, and they offer all the space of home (without having to fix a leaky sink or oil the door hinges or mow the lawn.) Here are some examples of vacation home rentals in the Disney area: http://www.lastminutevillas.net/Disney-vacation.html.
Sharon Baillie is a private villa owner in the Kissimmee area outside Orlando, just a few miles from Disney World. “Our guests enjoy the spaciousness of our 6-bedroom home ( http://www.lastminutevillas.net/new5beda1pg1.html ). They love the private pool and the private yard in which they can relax,” she says. “Parents love the space for children to run around outside, and we leave a box of toys in the garage. So while the parents rest, the children play ? and let their parents rest!”
Be prepared for “children being children” events.
Sometimes, stress hits you from behind when the unexpected happens. Like a cut or a scrape … or a child getting sick. Sharon Baillie told me that is why she tells all her villa rental guests where the first aid kit can be found, and exactly where to go for medical attention. This is particularly helpful for her many guests from abroad who are unfamiliar with the US healthcare system.
She also makes sure her guests are informed about local pollen and viruses in Florida, so that parents can be prepared. Stress is so much more enjoyable when you are prepared for it, don’t you think?
Booking tickets to theme parks and making reservations for just about everything in advance, makes the trip less stressful. There is little more difficult than managing young children while trying to get into a theme park or show that requires prior booking.
And to prevent wandering around lost, pick up a AAA Triptik in advance ? not that it ever helped us.
Try having your children baby-sat. This might mean bringing along a nanny, such as a grand parent (It’s a tough job, but somebody has to do it.). The car might be more crowded, but if you’ve rented a spacious home for the week, it could just be doable. The other option is to hire a local baby-sitter once or twice. Vacation Home owners can set this up for you, and some hotels might be willing to, too.
When you are single, you can go on adventure vacations. When you are a parent, you get vacation adventures. Here are three of mine: http://www.thehappyguy.com/family-vacation-adventure.html
So there you have it. Three ways to reduce the stress of traveling with kids, so you can actually relax on vacation. After all, isn’t that what vacations are supposed to be about?

About The Author

David Leonhardt is a freelance writer, and an online and offline publicity specialist. Contact him at:

mailto:info@thehappyguy.com

or visit his website at:

http://www.thehappyguy.com

For Florida vacation villa rentals:

http://www.lastminutevillas.net

For Orlando vacation home rentals:

http://www.orlandovillaowners.com

Info@TheHappyGuy.com

by: Simon Harris

The Exuma Islands, a collection of 365 tiny islands collected under one name, which are part of the many islands that make up the legendary vacation destination known as the Bahamas, offers a prime example of what an out of the ordinary Bahamas vacation can be. It shows off the very best of the Bahamas, that parts that are often outshined by the glitter and gleam of its luxurious casinos and tourist centers. The Exuma Islands have history, culture, a deep regard for nature and a splash of adventure.
Great Exuma Island is the largest of the Exuma Islands and the location Exuma?s capital city, George Town. Great Exuma Island is home to some of the island group?s most interesting historical sights.
Patience House and the Shark Lady of the Exumas is an unusual museum and shop located in the home of Gloria Patience. Past 80 years old, she once met the Queen of England, barefoot with shell bead around her ankles. It?s easy to imagine that she held her head just as high then, barefoot before the Queen, as she does now. Rumored to have caught more than 1,500 sharks, she is a formidable character, and presides over the amazing items she has collected through the years with a regal bearing quite her own. Her guided tours through her museum home provide a wealth of historical information and she is a fascinating and warm person.
Another historic site on Great Exuma Island is the Bowe Family Plantation. Today, this former cotton plantation lies in ruins, though in its remains, one can achieve a clear picture of the structural arrangement of the house, including the kitchen and the slave quarters.
Also on Great Exuma Island are two cemeteries of historical importance. One is the Rolle Town Tombs. An overseer and his wife, from the time of slavery, are buried here. There are a couple of interesting bits of island history associated with the surname Rolle. The name arrived on the island in 1783, carried by the slaves that plantation owner Denys Rolle sent from Florida for the cotton plantation he owned, but chose not to reside at. Because slaves were known by the surname of their master and after the Emancipation, many people kept the surnames they?d grown accustomed to, the Rolle name now belongs to more than half of the native population.
The other cemetery, called the Hermitage, dates back to the 1800?s. Located 8 miles away from the capital city of George Town, using a guide will help to get the full effect of this marvelous site.
The vast Exuma Cays Land and Sea Park expands over 176 miles. This nature reserve is a fun and fascinating place, with fine beaches and a wide variety of wildlife. It has also played an important role in local nature conservation efforts.
The islands are wonderful for exploring underwater, with many caves and reefs for snorkeling and diving and there are many day tour packages available for these activities. Chartered boats for fishing excursions are also available, and at reasonable rates.
The Exuma Islands are an excellent vacation destination. This area truly demonstrates the very best of Bahaman qualities.

About The Author

Simon Harris
This article provided courtesy of http://www.cheap-airfare-guide.net
support@arundel.net

Scenic Train Rides

by: Steve Gillman

I’m not sure why on scenic train rides you can have a beer, but you can’t on a bus. In any case, this is one of the reasons to take a train ride. Another reason is that they go where the roads don’t, so you’ll see scenery you miss when driving. Trains don’t have to stop at traffic lights, and you can get up and walk around. Finally, trains are relaxing for all the reasons above AND the rythym of the rails.
Amtrak has scenic sections, and there are also numerous dinner trains operating around the United States now. However, the most scenic train rides are the classics. Below are a few to whet your appetite.
The Silverton-Durango Narrow Gage
I first caught this train far from any road. I was in the Weminuche Wilderness Area, next to a footbridge over the Animas river, where they stop if backpackers there flag them down. More recently, my wife and I took the train from Silverton to Durango. Wherever you catch this train, it will be an experience you won’t forget.
It is a classic steam locomotive that goes through Colorado’s San Juan Mountains, along the Animas river. At times you’ll look out the window, over the edge, to the water hundreds of feet below. In Silverton you can eat good food, buy souvenirs, and see an old-west mining town that hasn’t much with time.
La Nariz Del Diablo
Train rides on this line, which goes from Riobamba to Alausi, Ecuador, are scenic and adventurous. On our recent trip, my wife stayed inside, but I rode on the roof for the first half of the ride. Despite the occasional rain, there were twenty other travelers up there. I highly recommend you pay the dollar to rent a pillow to sit on. Your final destination is a valley with a view of a rock formation high above, called “La Nariz Del Diablo,” or “The Devil’s Nose.”
Be careful of tree branches if you’re on the roof, and be prepared for a five-hour ride. It starts in downtown Riobamba, in the highlands of the central Andes Mountains. You’ll travel through “cloud forests” and finally down to a much warmer climate. Interestingly, the train descends some streches of track caboose-first. There’s a lunch stop in one of the small mountain towns. When we took the train (May 2004), it was limited to 40 passengers, and tickets sold out quickly.
Agawa Canyon Railroad
One of the more scenic train rides in the north, starts and ends in Sault Saint Marie, Ontario, Canada, just over the border from Sault Saint Marie, Michigan. It’s an all-day trip that goes through a rocky and heavily-wooded wilderness, along the Agawa River, to Agawa Canyon. At the canyon, you can have a picnic in a beautiful meadow, or just relax and enjoy the scenery, before reboarding for the return trip.
Autumn, when the maples have all changed color, is the most beautiful time to take the train. It’s also the most difficult time to get tickets, so plan far ahead. The route is also run as the scenic “Snow Train,” in winter.
The Thunder Mountain Line
Thunder Mountain Line has scenic train rides that take several routes in Idaho, starting from Horseshoe Bend and Cascade. Depending on the route you choose, you’ll travel through dramatic narrow canyons, sagebrush-covered hills, mountain meadows, or pristine evergreen forests. The tracks follow the mountain trails settlers used a hundred years before. You may see deer, fox, elk, blue herons, osprey, and bald eagles. Rides vary from three to five hours, depending on the route.
Amtrak’s Scenic Train Rides
The California Zephyr, Amtrak’s train from Chicago to San Francisco, passes through the Rocky Mountains and the more beautiful (in my opinion) Sierra Nevadas. The Coast Starlight goes from Seattle to Los Angeles, with views of snow-covered mountains, thick forests, and long stretches of Pacific Ocean shoreline. Amtrak’s Auto Train is a unique scenic train ride that allows you to take your car with you from Lorton, Viginia, to Florida.

About The Author

Steve Gillman hit the road at sixteen, and traveled the U.S. and Mexico alone at 17. Now 40, he travels with his wife Ana, whom he met in Ecuador. To read their stories, tips and travel information, visit: http://www.EverythingAboutTravel.com.

by: Steve Gillman

What is RV boondocking? It is simply camping in your recreatinal vehicle in an area with limited or no facilities. In many areas of the west, you can just drive into the desert, and stay free for up to two weeks. This is the case on most BLM (Bureau Of Land Management) and national forest lands. How far you have to move to stay another two weeks is open to interpretation, but is probably isn’t far.
Long Term RV Boondocking on BLM Land
With the growing popularity of boondocking, the BLM has begun to establish areas for longer stays, particularly in Arizona. The permit fee is around $140 now, but this allows you to stay up to six months, and you’ll have pump stations, dumpsters and water available. That’s cheaper than paying property taxes or rent for a lot to park on.
Boondocking Communities
Ask around when you are in the desert southwest, and you’ll find there are whole RV communities that form every winter. There are temporary towns like “Slab City” in California, complete with bookstores, grocery vendors, and other businesses run by RVers. When summer returns, these boondock communities disappear, and reappear again the following winter.
Perhaps the largest gathering of RV boondockers is in Quartzite, Arizona. Up to several hundred thousand people spend at least part of the year boondocking here. Quartzite is near the California border, on Interstate 10, only 20 miles from the Colorado River. It’s surrounded by BLM lands, and it’s famous for gem shows and swap meets, and the multiplying of its population each winter.
Other RV Boondocking Opportunities
Look, and you’ll find “hidden” places where you can park your RV for a week or a month in the desert southwest. Some are free, and others just inexpensive. For example, the Hot Well Dunes Recreation Area, north of Bowie, Arizona, costs $3 per night, but has nice hotsprings and plenty of wildlife. You can get an annual permit for $30, but you’re limited to two weeks per month (permits are sold at the BLM office in Safford). Outside of the fenced area you can stay free, but then you don’t get the hotsprings and shaded picnic tables.
There are many other areas like the Hot Well Dunes for cheap or free RV boondocking. The Bureau of Land Management can tell you what’s available under their jurisdiction. The Woodall’s campground guide lists campgrounds that are free. Also, just keep your eyes open for other RVs parked out in the desert or forest, and ask around.

About The Author

Steve Gillman hit the road at sixteen, and traveled the U.S. and Mexico alone at 17. Now 40, he travels with his wife Ana, whom he met in Ecuador. To read their stories, tips and travel information, visit: http://www.EverythingAboutTravel.com.

by: Steve Gillman

The pros and cons of hitchhiking? Pro: cheap. Con: dangerous. It’s convenient, but unpredictable. No car repair hassles, but the hassle of standing in the rain, waiting hours for a ride. I hitchiked 20,000 miles when I was young, sleeping under bridges from Canada to Mexico. I loved it, but I wouldn’t consider hitchhiking as a primary mode of travel ever again.
There are still times when I put out my thumb. The most recent was in the mountains of Ecuador. My wife and I were visiting Las Cajas National Park, hiking along ancient Incan rock walls. We missed the bus back to Cuenca. There may have been another one coming, but we didn’t want to wait until dark to find out. Out went the thumb.
To hitchhike is “Ir a dedo” in Ecuador; to “go by finger.” The third vehicle to pass, stopped for us. It was a meat delivery truck, and we were in Cuenca in an hour. When the driver refused to take any money, we left him with a large avacado.
If you ever consider hitchhiking in other countries, ask the locals about it. In Ecuador, for example, I’ve been told you can’t get a ride in the southern part of the country. Also, in some areas it’s customary to at least offer something for the ride.
Hitchiking In The United States
The pros and cons of hitchhiking are obvious, and the balance is on the side of the “cons.” It’s difficult to get a ride now. However, it’s still legal in most places in the U.S., except on freeways. The point on the entrance ramp where you cross the legal line is decided by the police officer that tickets you.
At sixteen, I was stuck for hours on a Montana highway. A nice old lady picked me up and explained why I couldn’t get a ride. On that same stretch of highway, a few years before, the police found a hitchhiker cooking a driver’s heart over a campfire.
Ten years later I caught an item on the news: They were releasing the canibal hitchhiker, now that he was sane. You can see why drivers may be hesitant to pick up hitchhikers. The lesson? Try not to look like a Psycho killer when you hitchhike.
One circumstance it may be useful to hitchhike, even if you never have, is when you need to return to your car after backpacking. Trails often come out of the wilderness in a different location than where they start. Since there probably won’t be taxis there, hitchhiking could be your only way back to your car.
This is relatively safe and easy, in these circumstances. National Parks like Yellowstone are almost the only places we’ve even seen hitchhikers lately, and drivers are comfortable picking up people that are obviously backpackers.
Hitchhiking Safely
Follow some basic safety guidelines. Be prepared for many possible circumstances. Have rainwear, in case you can’t get out of the rain. Have food and water, since you never know how long you’ll wait for a ride. Bring warm clothing if cold weather is possible. Also, always have a highway map with you.
Use intuition and common sense when hitchhiking, and don’t be afraid to say no to a ride. Maybe I shouldn’t have taken a ride with that cocaine-snorting guy in Idaho when I was sixteen. Then again, maybe my intuition wasn’t so bad. He turned out to be a decent guy, and brought me hundreds of miles closer to home.

About The Author

Steve Gillman hit the road at sixteen, and traveled the U.S. and Mexico alone at 17. Now 40, he travels with his wife Ana, whom he met in Ecuador. To read their stories, tips and travel information, visit: http://www.EverythingAboutTravel.com

by: Rhiannon Williamson

Dubai is one of the seven states making up the United Arab Emirates and it is located in the Middle East at the crossroads of Asia, Europe and Africa.
Dubai is a city of striking contrasts; it is an exciting destination both for travelers seeking thrills and adventure and for expatriates seeking a healthy employment climate and a tax free lifestyle.
Those expatriates planning on moving to the UAE or who are seeking the latest job opportunities in Dubai are certainly not alone. The population of Dubai is one of the fastest growing in the world and over the past twenty five years it has quadrupled.
Employment prospects in the city rise annually by an average of 8.3% and the increasing availability of quality jobs has attracted record numbers of expatriates to the region. The appeal of Dubai lies in the fact that it is a liberal and moderate emirate and it has attracted major players from every single significant business sector of note because of the tax free trade zones Dubai is famous for. These industry giants from the media, IT, engineering and financial sectors for example can recruit internationally and many offer their staff a tax free salary with attractive relocation benefits on top meaning they attract the best, most dynamic employees from around the world.
The expatriate population in the entire UAE makes up 91.5% of the working population so you can see how popular a destination Dubai is with international executives from around the world. To work in Dubai it is necessary to obtain an employment visa, if you secure a job offer before you fly out your employer will sponsor your visa for you. Alternatively you can travel to the country on a 30 day temporary visa, seek work and as soon as you secure a job offer you can apply for your employment visa.
In terms of those who holiday in Dubai they are divided into a number of categories ? you have shopoholics who come for the tax free prices on luxury goods and jewellery, you have those who want an adventure in and around the ancient and fascinating heart of Dubai, you have families keen to hit the theme parks and adventure centres and those who come for the sporting highlights of Dubai such as the world class golf, polo, diving and desert safaris.
Visitors to the city of Dubai require a visa unless they herald from Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman or Saudi Arabia. Those visitors who are staying in one of the amazing and luxurious hotels Dubai is famous for will be provided with a visa by the hotel for the duration of their stay. The process to obtain a visa is very simple, in fact most travel agents or hotels will fill in the necessary paper work for you and you can either apply for a 14 day ?transit visa? or a 30 day ?visit visa? and then enter the country and be free to enjoy your time exploring this dynamic and breathtaking city of contrasts.

About The Author

Rhiannon Williamson is a freelance writer whose articles about living and working abroad have appeared in many major lifestyle publications throughout the world.
You can find more of her articles at:- http://www.shelteroffshore.com/.

by: James Klee

WWW.roadjunky.com gives you all the expert tips and advice that you need to travel around the world on almost no money at all.
I recently stumbled upon the interactive satellite-photo maps on Google Earth and came to the conclusion that the days of original discovery are long, long dead. Intrepid souls, Captain Cook and Richard Burton, fearlessly left their own cultures to make contact with utterly different ones for the first time. Although you won’t be making first contact anymore, you can still find yourself face-to-face with a crowd of curious people in a strange land asking you why your own culture does inconceivable things like sunbathe and, if you are in France, shower daily. Do you fancy being an adventurer, gathering stories and fighting off exotic men and women who find you irresistible? Roadjunky.com tells you how.
If you ask a bunch of people what they would do with the money if they won the lottery many would say, travel around the world. Why wait? Buy airfare and hit the road now, with or without money. Need somewhere to stay? Sleep in a cemetary for free. Hungry? Play a guitar for tips or get your food from a dumpster. Need to get somewhere? Stick out a thumb and get a lift. Okay, I admit this all might be a little too much for most people. No worries - Roadjunky.com tells you how to get around, find cheap places to stay, delicious cheap market food and find work abroad to support longer journies.

About The Author

Jim Klee is editor of Roadjunky.com and has traveled dozens of countries living on next to nothing other than the kindness of strangers. He gives a lot to charity.
jim_klee@yahoo.com

by: Remy Jacobchick

America is full of hard-working people. We work our hardest and try to accomplish what we can to support our families with food, shelter, transportation, entertainment, and everything else a family requires in today’s America.
We are always a bit reluctant to take a vacation because of the money and time off work, but sometimes we NEED it. Here are some great reasons to go take a vacation:

It may be mandatory. Companies make more money when they have happier, well-balanced employees.
You deserve it. Life isn’t about work always You need to give yourself a reward for your hard work.
Your family deserves it. On your vacation, you can really have that quality time with them that you sometimes miss out on when you work so much.
It just plain fun. The planning, the packing and then the going is just good healthy fun. And speaking of healthy, that brings us to the best reason of all for taking a good long vacation, which is . . .
It’s healthy to go on a vacation. You will be mentally refreshed when you return to work.

Just as your body needs rest at night and some time away from work as you spend time with your family, friends, church or social organizations, we need a week away each year to recharge our batteries and get our energies back to go after the work world again.
In addition to the mental aspect, you will have a vast physical transformation. You will be healthier and you will exude well-being.
Sometimes a vacation is the best thing you can do for yourself. You’ll be more creative and mentally sharp. You’ll have a higher capacity for learning after relaxing and sight-seeing for a week.
The new, refreshed, post-vacation you will be more productive at work and home. You’ll be mentally and physically refreshed. You’ll be able to concentrate better and have more overall well-being.
Just starting the planning for a vacation is so much part of the fun. Let the whole family work out the details. You will experience a little preliminary feel of the vacation in the preparations. The variety of vacation experiences is truly amazing. Just to list a few you could. . .

Exotic cruises to Jamaica or the Caribbean
Camping
Theme parks in Florida and California
Beaches for swimming and relaxing
Go to a big city for shopping, cultural reasons, and exploration.

The important thing is to have fun! We all expect different things from a vacation - relaxing, shopping, golf, whatever the case may be. Do what you feel like doing for a week, you deserve it!
In closing, vacationing is a must for most everyone who can afford it. If nothing else, taking time off of work to enjoy some rest and relaxation keeps us in top mental readiness. Overall, vacationing probably increases ones ability to function in a working environment more than just working the extra week or two would.

About The Author

Remy Jacobchick loves to go on vacation. He designed Remy Vacation, a premier resource for cheap vacation information. For more information, go to http://www.remyvacation.com/.

by: Furia Andress

Animals of the Tropical Rainforest
The tropical rainforest is a unique ecosystem that is home to many plants and animals, in fact more plants and animals than we even know about. The plants found in the tropical rainforest produce much of the oxygen that is essential for our planet. In addition, many of the plants have unique healing properties against illness and disease.
Tropical rainforest is home to many rare animal species such as the Brazilian Tapir, found only in some areas of South America. Brazilian Tapir is a mammal which likes to live near water swimming and diving, feeding on leaves and small branches. Being naturally afraid of anything larger than itself it is harmless to man. It likes to live mainly near the lakes and ponds that are present in the tropical rainforest. Besides this there are many other unique animals that have made this beautiful rainforest their home.
Besides the animals this tropical rainforest is also the abode of many different and rare bird species such as the Crested Guan. This bird is found mainly on the northern tip of South America. It feeds on the fruit and seeds and prefers to live mainly on the trees, walking between the branches. It comes down on the ground only in search of water. It also feeds itself by collecting fallen fruits and seeds from the forest floor.
Many reptiles can be found in the tropical rainforest. One of the reptiles that can be found living in the forests of Indonesia and the Philippines is the Flying Dragon. This reptile is called the “flying dragon” because he seems to fly from one tree to another using his skin flaps. You’ll find this reptile eating ants and other insects. When it comes time to breed they’ll bury their eggs in the fertile soil of the rainforest.
The Slow Loris is another animal that is unique to the tropical rainforest. This animal will spend most of his day in the tops of trees sleeping quietly. At night you’ll find him feeding on shoots and leaves, small birds, bird’s eggs, and insects that he finds on the ground. The Loris is a very slow mover but you’ll rarely see him stumble as he makes his way from tree top to the forest floor. You might even see him hanging upside down from his feet.
There are many different types of snakes that can only be found in the tropical rainforest. One of these snakes is the Vine Snake, which lives in central and northern South America. This snake eats small birds which it steals from nests, as well as lizards that it finds on the ground and in the trees of the forest. This snake is called a “vine snake’ because it very thin, approximately a half inch in diameter. When frightened by a predator the Vine Snake will stop what it is doing and swing gently from side to side, much like a vine in the wind.
There are many other animals that are indigenous to the tropical rainforests. Many of these animals have unique and different features that help them to survive in this beautiful, though sometimes harsh, environment. The wonders of the tropical rainforest continue to amaze us as more is learned about the plants and animals that live there.

About The Author

Furia Andress is the chief editor for Furia Tropical, the best place on the internet for information about all things tropical. For more articles on all things tropical why not visit:

http://www.furiatropical.com/articles

http://www.furiatropical.com