Best Easter Holiday Destinations

It's not a good time of year for us Brits. We've been bombarded with rain, snow and generally freezing conditions for what seems like an age and everyone is starting to get a little bit fed up. Luckily, spring is on the way and in turn some slightly warmer weather - but just when you thought you could go back outside - you can put your house on constant showers over the next few months to wipe that little smile off your face. So it makes sense that a large number of us fancy jetting off for a bit around this time of year in order to get away from it all in the rainy limbo between winter and summer. And luckily for us, the Easter holidays fall in April providing a good excuse to leave the country - the first bank holiday of the year. So where are the best holiday destinations for the Easter period?

Well it depends on what you are after. Much of Europe will still be fairly mild around this time so it may still be worth considering somewhere slightly further afield if you're after a tan to show off to your mates. A recent survey suggest the following destinations are among the top choices at this time of year:

Crete - One of the most popular Greek islands, Crete boasts an excellent climate at this time of year meaning you should see some sun. It's beautiful sandy beaches are a huge draw to tourists, as well as the clear blue sea surrounding the island. The notoriously friendly locals, and the fantastic food and drink, help cement Crete as a top holiday destination in Easter. You can also book package holidays to Crete for cheap, especially if you go for last minute deals.

Muscat - Muscat is the capital city of Oman - an Arab country bordering the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, with a good stretch of coastline in the form of the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman. Muscat has experienced a rapid development in its infastructure in the last 30 years or so making it attractive to tourists. The average April highs of 34oC mean your pretty much guaranteed good weather and the area is filled with enchanting beaches. The city itself is great for tourists with some stunning architecture. It is worth researching the customs of Oman however - for example women should be fairly conservative with their clothing, and there are laws regarding drinking alcohol, however drinking in hotel bars etc is usually fine.


Beautiful St Lucia

St Lucia - A beautiful Caribbean island, St Lucia is an exotic choice for the Easter holidays. The island is draped in rainforest, and the mountainous peaks provide really exciting hiking and cycling oppurtunities. For a more relaxing holiday the stunning beaches and gentle seas are exactly what you would come to expect from a Caribbean island. And if you're planning a gorgeous Easter wedding (maybe next year!) then the island is quite simply picture perfect and perfect for couples.

Whale Shark Capital of the World Your Next Vacation Destination in the Philippines

Shark seeing will be among the highlights of that Philippines has to offer when you are planning to take a extreme vacation adventure in the Philippines. If you are intrigue to visit this popular tourist attraction for the whale sharks in the Philippines your destination is in Donsol, Sorsogon- the Whale Shark Capital of the World.

Donsol is a popular tourist destination for the whale sharks that can be seen in the bordering seas. Swimming with whale sharks was featured as the Best Animal Encounter in Asia by Time Magazine in 2004. Since the discovery of hundreds of whale sharks congregating in the town of Donsol, Sorsogon the place became a word of mouth passed on to every tourist exploring the Philippines. Their presence became a major income generator, as thousands arrive each season to swim and witness the friendly behavior of these giant fish, bringing high revenue to an economy initially reliant to fishing and cottage industry alone.


The presence of whale Sharks in the town of Donsol was known to the local residents over 100 years. But the locals believed these gentle giants where sharks and dangerous. This wrong notion changed when in January 1998, a group of scuba divers led by Romir Aglugub – a PADI diving instructor, discovered its presence, and interacted and came in contact with the Whale Sharks. Even the members of the diving group of Romir was having second thought if the fish is docile, until the instructor led the way into the water and came in contact with the whale shark.

Copy of video footage taken by the group was passed on to the media and the WWF-Philippines. The original amateur video is on file by the Instructor as proof of the first video recording of the Discovery. Contrary to the fears and hearsays this large whale shark “butanding” are harmless because it is a filter feeder. It was also discovered by a marine biologist that it is ovoviviparous which simply means that the female butanding produces live offspring from eggs hatched in her uterus. By March 1998, Donsol became world-class tourist destination and now known as the “Whale Shark Capital of the World”.

Whale sharks can be seen between November and June, with presence peaking between February and May. These gentle giants arrive from as early as November but the official season starts from February and runs until end of May, where the sea of Donsol is at its clearest and calmest. Local tourism officials and professional divers have established guidelines on proper whale shark watching intended to maintain safety and to defend the creatures from over exploitation. Iteraction with the whale sharks is regulated by the local Department of Tourism (DOT) office. WWF guidelines are generally observed to protect the sharks. Rules include limiting the number of swimmers per boat to six, no scuba divers and staying further than three meters from the sharks. In practice many of these rules are broken on a daily basis. As many as 14 boats at a time may 'mob' a shark, with up to 30 or 40 swimmers following the shark on the surface. Most sharks are touched at least once during every interaction, accidentally by brushing with the fins, or deliberately

Previous practiced by fishermen of hunting and plundering the stock of whale sharks as extra income because of the shark's high demand for their meat for the delicacies, aphrodisiac and the medicinal by-products was also a headache to the government. As to preserve its number, the Philippine government has banned this practice and declared the whale shark as an endangered species in 1998. In return the fishermen were educated about the value of whale sharks and trained as tour guides as their alternate livelihood especially during the fishing lean season. At the same time the government and the people are working hand in hand to protect the eco tourism of the country.

Already eager to take your shark seeing vacation destination in the Philippines? Surely you can personally see, swim and interact with these gentle giants. So here is a simple tips that might help when you reach the place: hire a boat, a spotter, find a shark and slip in the water along side the creature. No flash cameras are forbidden since flash photography are not allowed so don't bothered in looking for one and be sure you have your Scuba gears (rental is available) and snorkeling gears before going. The town of Donsol, Sorsogon, holds and celebrates Annual Butanding Festival in the month of April so it is also a good idea to visit the place during that period as to enjoy the party within the place.

More on Philippines' best tourist vacation destination.