During the summer season holidaymakers flock to Arno Bay to enjoy the mild climate, the boating and angling and the peaceful, relaxing atmosphere. Arno Bay began as a shipping port servicing the local farming districts, where superphosphate was brought in and cereal crops were sent out. The jetty, an old beacon and the original super shed still stand as a reminder of this era. The scenic shoreline stretching away from Arno Bay is formed by a series of lovely beaches surrounded by unique cliff formations. One of these unique areas, known as Redbanks, was once designated a geological monument by the Geological Society of Australia. A visit to nearby Hincks Conservation Park and pristine Wharminda Soaks is a must for bushwalkers to discover interesting rock formations, abundant wildflowers and flora. Nilka’s Simply Rustic Gallery, a unique 1909 building, once the farm’s shearer’s quarters, is now home to works of art, pottery and craft for sale. Call them on 08 8628 9050 for opening times.
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Cibodas, the next village over the Puncak Pass, is home to billions of pot plants for sale and the beautiful high-altitude extension of the Bogor botanical gardens, the Kebun Raya Cibodas (admission per person/per car 4000/6500Rp; 8am-6pm). It’s surrounded by thick tropical jungle on the slopes of the twin volcanoes of Gunung Gede and Gunung Pangrango. The gardens, which are bigger than Bogor’s, were originally planted in 1860 and now contain 1014 species. Beside the entrance to the gardens is the entrance to the Gede Pangrango National Park.
You might have to pinch yourself upon arriving in Berastagi: the town is too busy with daily life to pounce on tourists. What a blissful relief from the guide overload you’ll find elsewhere in Sumatra.
A steady stream of pilgrims makes the journey to this village, 50km west of Moscow. Their motives are diverse, as they come to worship at the grandiose New Jerusalem Monastery, or to worship the gods of sun and fun at the nearby holiday resorts.
Little more than a gear change and a slow right-hander north from Laem Singh, Hat Surin is on the up and up. Showcasing a trio of top-end resorts, as well as a starburst of cheap imitators, this busy beach is big on variety. Trees line the shore and dozen
Gorakhphur is uniquely placed at the crossroad between where the Buddha was born (Lumbini in Nepal) and died (Kushinagar), although for many travellers it’s merely a waystation on the road between Varanasi and Nepal. As such it’s a busy transport hub and well set up to accommodate travellers. There are no major tourist attractions in the city, although a Buddhist museum is near the lake on the southern outskirts and the Gorakhnath Temple, devoted to Guru Gorakhnath, is 4km west of the station.