There’s something about a lake that brings a certain calm and serenity that you won’t find from rivers or oceans. We’ve discovered several lake view destinations that will be perfect for your next vacation. A lakeside getaway could just be what the doctor ordered.

LAKE TAHOE (California and Nevada)

The pristine Lake Tahoe is where California and Nevada meet. Being the largest alpine lake in North America, it’s a winter wonderland from November through April and spring, summer, and fall afterwards. Surrounded by the majestic Sierra Nevada Mountains there’s plenty to do from hiking, fishing to snorkeling.

LAKE KONIGSSEE (Germany)

Considered to be Germany’s deepest alpine lake, it’s just a couple of miles south of the town of Berchtesgaden. The crystal clear, emerald green lake is 5 miles long and narrow like a fjord. Popular activities include trips to spas and exploring the nearby mountains.

LAKE WAKATIPU (New Zealand)

Lake Wakatipu has a legendary story behind it coming from the Maori legend. This lightning bolt shaped lake has an unusual rhythmic rise and fall happening at about 12cm every five minutes. It’s said that the rise and fall of the lake is the heartbeat of the monster Matau at the bottom of the lake. The third largest lake bordered by tall mountains is the perfect place to do trout fishing.

HALLSTATT LAKE  (Austria)

A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Hallstatt Lake is a popular tourist destination with pastel-coloured houses nestled in traditional villages. This small but picturesque destination is a year-round draw for tourists. Popular activities include fishing, diving, and boating with a stunning mountain scenery.

BLED LAKE (Slovenia)

The picture perfect postcard Bled in Slovenia is a quaint but interesting place to visit. Lake Bled has a small island in the center with a wishing bell that draws crowds. The thermal springs is an experience to be had as well as riding the traditional wooden boats taking in the peaks of the alps and gorgeous backdrop.

LAKE DISTRICT (England)

The United Kingdom’s most popular national park also has beautiful glittering lakes like Windermere and Coniston Water. From June to August it gets to be a busy season. The best time to visit is in April and May when it’s more sunny.

LAKES OF KILLARNEY (Ireland)

Within Killarney National Park you’ll find the lakes of Killarney. The three main lakes in this calming scenery are Lough Leane, Muckross Lake (also called Middle Lake) and Upper Lake. Aside from the unique landscape you’ll see some indigenous red deer in the surrounding wildlife.

MALIGNE LAKE (Alberta, Canada)

The Canadian Rockies proudly presents Maligne Lake, their largest natural lake. Surrounded by ice capped mountains this lake may not be easy to traverse but it’s definitely worth the trip. Once there you can enjoy fishing tours, canoeing, kayaking and hiking.

 

Saint Patrick’s Day or the feast of Saint Patrick is a famous religious celebration held on March 17 in Ireland. It was made an official Christian feast day in the early 17^th century by the Catholic church. The feast is a commemoration of Saint Patrick and the arrival of Christianity in Ireland and a celebration of the heritage and culture of the Irish people.

Who is Saint Patrick?

Saint Patrick was a Romano-British Christian missionary and bishop in Ireland during the 5^th century. What people know about Saint Patrick nowadays came from the “Declaration,” allegedly written by Saint Patrick himself. It is believed that he was born into a wealthy Romano-British family, his father was a deacon and his grandfather was a priest. According to the Declaration, he was kidnapped at the age of sixteen and taken as a slave. He worked as a shepherd for 6 years and that’s when he found God. According to the Declaration, God told Patrick to flee to the coast where a ship was waiting to take him home. After making his way home, he became a priest and converted the pagan Irish to Christianity. He died on March 17. Over the centuries, he became Ireland’s foremost Saint.

Celebrations and Traditions on Saint Patrick’s Day

Generally, Saint Patrick’s Day is celebrated with public parades, festivals, ceilithe (Irish traditional music sessions), and the wearing of green attire or shamrocks. Formal gatherings such as banquets and dances are also held but is no longer common these days. Famous landmarks lit up in green during the feast. The feast is also declared as the “Irish language week” in Ireland, in promotion of the Irish language. Christians attend church services and the Lenten restrictions on eating and drinking alcohol is lifted for a day.

“Wetting the shamrock” or “drowning the shamrock” is a popular tradition especially in Ireland. After the celebration, a shamrock is put into the bottom of a cup which is then filled with whiskey, beer or cider. It is then drank as a toast. The shamrock would either be swallowed with the drink, or be taken out and tossed over the shoulder for good luck.

On Saint Patrick’s Day, it is also customary to wear shamrocks and/or green clothing or accessories. It is believed that Saint Patrick used a shamrock, a three-leaved plant, to explain the Holy Trinity to the pagan Irish that is why shamrock and the color green has long been associated with the celebration.

Nowadays, Saint Patrick’s Day is observed around the globe – Great Britain, Canada, the United States of America, Argentina, Montserrat, Russia, Switzerland and Asian countries like Japan, Malaysia and South Korea, have had their own ways of honoring Saint Patrick.

Summer’s the best time to enjoy the outdoors and one of the most popular activities during summer is surfing. Over the decades, surfing has become more and more popular, and the number of best spots in the world known for great waves has grown as well. Novice and pros are always looking for that best spot  where wind, swell, direction, tides, and seafloor meet. Here is a rundown of some of the best surfing spots in the world.

Asia

Kuta Beach, Bali Indonesia

Kuta Beach has famous, fine-grained beach that has been surfer’s favorite spot since the 1930’s. It has a  beautiful 3 km long sandy beach with waves for surfers of all levels, from beginners to the more experienced.

Kalim Beach Phuket Thailand

Kalim Beach is one of the best beaches and one of the better surf breaks in Phuket. It is rocky and not very attractive for swimmers that’s why surfing has become its highlight. Waves in Kalim reach a length of 50 – 100 meters and that is considered as any surfer’s dream.

Siargao Island Philippines

Siargao, a tear-shaped island, is the surfing capital of the Philippines. During surf season, Siargao is a surfer’s paradise with waves averaging 7ft. This blue water paradise is ranked top 8 best surf spots in the world by CNN Go, and is home to one of the well-known surfing waves “Cloud 9.”

Australia

Northern Beaches, Sydney, New South Wales

While the Northern Beaches in Sydney offers a relaxed beachside ambiance at the restaurants, cafes, pubs and the likes scattered along it, it is also the city’s prime surfing spots for its wealthy points, reefs and beach breaks.

South Cape Bay, Tasmania

Tasmania’s immaculate beaches offer surfers the opportunity to catch waves in an uncrowded place. Australia’s southernmost surf beach, South Cape Bay, features big, clean waves, but take note the weather in this part is inconsistent and fast-changing.

Noosa, Queensland

Noosa offers a surfing spot that stretches to 12 kilometers. Noosa is popular for the first timers because the swell here is ideal for beginners. They can paddle alongside experienced riders who can enjoy riding a long, easy-rolling wave just as much.

North and South America

Honolua North Shore, Maui

The dreamy right-breaking pointbreak in Maui Hawaii is often described as “the ultimate wave, the best wave in the world,” and Honolua as one of the most magical waves of the world despite having a smaller swell window than most other spots. The crowd may be dense, but the joy of one ride makes it all worth it.

Malibu, Los Angeles

Malibu, known to have the “original perfect wave,” breaks best from late summer to early fall and creates waves that are between 2 and 4 feet. The long, evenly breaking wave that made Malibu famous is almost exclusively ridden by longboarders while shortboarders dominate the point that produces bigger, faster less predictable surf.

Galapagos Islands

The Galapagos, famous for the breathtaking wildlife like the giant tortoise, is the best spot for novice rider. The place can be advantageous for those beginners looking for some time and space to practice, far away from the often crowded beaches of the mainland. The island chain receives its waves from both the north and south Pacific and island surfing here can be done year round.

Africa

Jeffreys Bay South Africa

Jeffreys Bay, which has grown from a sleepy little fishing town is now one of the most famous surfing destinations in the world. It hosted the annual Billabong pro surfing challenge at Supertubes. The surf break, which was found to be not only a faster, more powerful, and hollower wave, but also much more consistent, is said to be the most perfectly formed waves in the world, making Jeffrey’s Bay no. 2 in the surfing list.

Hout Bay, Cape Town South Africa

Hout Bay Dungeons is only suitable for experienced surfers thus dubbed as the “legendary surf spot for the brave.” The surf here hits 10 feet and peaks at 18 feet and can hold waves up to 40 feet or bigger. A surf writer once wrote that the thunderous big wave here is “a deadly primadonna of a wave.”

Morocco North Africa

Morocco’s geographical boarders make it a great platform for surfers. It is best surfed in late autumn through March. A coastline of surf spots invites beginner, intermediate and elite surfers. There’s a wave for every surfer in Morocco and surfing here is year round.