Lipa Noi, the area just south of Nathon, which stretches down to Ban Taling Ngam, is for many who live here one of the most beautiful parts of Samui. It combines pure countryside with a wonderful coast land, with little in the way of development. It's also stunningly quiet, and if you have come to Samui to escape the noise of a big city, then Lipa Noi is bound to please you with its laid back lifestyle. The Thais who live here still practice many of their traditional occupations. You'll still see fishing boats going out across the water, and the family buffalo being taken for a gentle stroll by their owners as the sun sets. In the hills behind Lipa Noi, undisturbed jungle reaches up into the highlands, and the only sounds you'll hear are the splashing of one or other of Lipa Noi's waterfalls.

You might be forgiven for thinking that, admirable though Lipa Noi might be, surely it's lagging behind on infrastructure. Oddly this is not the case, and the roads here are undoubtedly some of the best on the island. Thanks to the slower pace of development here, fewer trucks are taking their toll on the highways and the infrastructure isn't under so much threat. You'll also find little in the way of snarl-ups, as there's little traffic around to cause them.

A great way to explore this area is to follow the series of roads that are to be found just a few hundred metres back from the beach and which lead all the way from close to Nathon Hospital and take you down to Le Royal Meridien hotel and beyond. Drive through a beachside temple and meander through some of Samui's finest (and least populated) coastal scenery, allowing for stops on the way, as there's a lot to see. Lipa Noi and the south have escaped the mass-development that characterizes Chaweng and the east coast. You might well think if you visit the west coast that you aren't even on the same island, so different is the feel to it. However, the shops, night life and all the amenities are a short drive away; head south from Lipa Noi and Ban Taling Ngam, and very soon you will find yourself in Lamai. Amenities in the Lipa Noi area do exist, and you will find them amongst the best on the island. For 5-star food and drink, but at reasonable prices, try The Five Islands restaurant, just down the road from Le Royal Meridien. There are also privately run tennis courts and even a fishing resort, one of the first in Thailand.

Those who love Samui come back to Lipa Noi time and time again; they find it unchanged; its pace of life has barely speeded up and its beauty remains intact. It can safely be said that it encapsulates all that is best about Samui, and the reason it became a number one travel destination in the first place: gorgeous beaches and views, a relaxed way of life, and miles and miles of lush, abundant tropical greenery.

While small enough to drive around island in about an hour, Koh Samui is still big enough that you can always find beautiful hidden spots no matter how long you stay. Despite its continuing development, large parts of the island remain covered with coconut groves, rice paddies and forest.

Chaweng boasts the longest and most popular beach on Samui. Accommodation can be found along its entire length, and while there is now a distinct leaning towards more upmarket hotels and resorts you can still find a few budget bungalows left over from the islands days as a backpacker haven. Chaweng is also home to a lot of the islands nightlife as well as featuring the highest concentration of shops and restaurants. The popularity of Chaweng means that residential developments tend to be found off the main strip on the outskirts of the town or in the hills overlooking the beach where land costs are lower.

Lamai is Samui's second-largest and some say most beautiful beach. The water is excellent for swimming and the southern end is studded with elegant boulders. Although slightly less developed than Chaweng, Lamai still has its share of nightlife, restaurants and shops as well as more mid range accommodation options. Similar to Chaweng, the restricted area available on and around the beach means that the majority of housing can be found in the surrounding hills.

Maenam on the North coast still offers a wide selection of budget accommodation however there are now a number of top end luxury resorts located there, with a number of restaurants and shops springing up on the main road to cater to visitors. Maenam is also home to many of the new villa developments on the island, and was one of the first areas to feature such development.

Big Buddha is located on the North coast close to the airport, and Samui's most famous landmark - the Big Buddha itself. Like Maenam it still offers a number of more relaxed and relatively low priced resorts. There are also a surprising number of excellent dining options in the area, and it is also home to the weekly Secret garden music festival.

Bophut is one of Samui's recently developed villages and as such has managed to retain some of its traditional Thai charm and values yet still has a slight Mediterranean feel. The limited traffic along this stretch of road gives the feeling of a more relaxed 'walking street', something which is increasingly difficult to find on Samui. Many of the converted shop-houses offer romantic beachside dining.

There's just so much to see and do on Oahu besides Honolulu and Wakiki! Oahu vacation rentals are your best bet to explore the fascinating attractions which Oahu offers, such as Windward Oahu along the Kamehameha Highway. In Hawaii, windward refers to the eastern side of an island and leeward the western side. The prevailing winds in Hawaii blow east to west as opposed to the mainland where winds tend to blow west to east. Windward Oahu is the part of Oahu north of Makapuu Point all the way to Kahana Bay. The Kalanianaole Highway and Kamehameha Highway are the main roads that will take you close to all of the attractions on Windward Oahu. As you drive north on the Kalanianaole Highway past Makapuu Beach Park on your right and Rabbit and Turtle Islands off the shore, you will first come to Sea Life Park on your left. Much more commercialized than the Waikiki Aquarium, Sea Life Park is, nevertheless, a great place for a family outing. It's 300,000 gallon Hawaiian Reef Tank is filled with more than 2,000 species of fish. Other exhibits feature penguins, sea birds, sea lions, and the Whaler's Cove which is home to the park's dolphins and whales. With ongoing shows throughout the day, Sea Life Park remains one of Oahu's most popular attractions.

As you wind your way north from where you rent house Oahu and eventually come to the Kamehameha Highway, watch for the Kahekili Highway. The Kahekili Highway parallels the Kamehameha Highway but is a bit inland. If you take this road you will come to the Valley of Temples and the Byodo-In Temple. This temple is a precise replica in concrete of a 900 year old temple in Uji, Japan. The grounds of the temple are lovely. Chances are you'll see a wedding either going on or about to begin. After you rejoin the Kamehameha Highway you'll come to the intersection of Pulama Road. Up the road to the left you'll find the plantation and gardens of Senator Hiram Fong, which was opened to the public in 1988. Proceeding north on the Kamehameha Highway you will pass Mokolii Island, more popularly known as Chinaman's Hat, for obvious reasons. Before you reach the town of Laie and the North Shore of Oahu, you'll come to Kualoa Ranch. Most famous for the scene in Jurassic Park where actor Sam Neill runs for his life to escape a stampede of dinosaurs, Kualoa Ranch is not well known to most visitors. The ranch offers over 15 outdoor activities including ATVs, target shooting, helicopter rides and a ranch and movie set tour. Many choose just to relax at Secret Island, the ranch's secluded beach.

On Oahu's North Shore, apart from the amazing beaches where some of the world's largest surfing competitions are held annually, the area from Laie to Haleiwa is best known for two major attractions, the Polynesian Cultural Center and Waimea Valley Adventure Park. In Laie you will find the Polynesian Cultural Center, Hawaii's most popular privately owned attraction. Here you will find re-created villages of seven Polynesian cultures, Fiji, the Marquesas, New Zealand, Samoa, Tahiti, Tonga and Hawaii. Representatives of these island cultures share their culture, their art and their dance. Activities abound at the Polynesian Cultural Center. The afternoon canoe pageant is a popular attraction as is the evening luau and show. If a drive to Laie is too far for you, there are many tour companies offering round trip bus transportation and admission from your hotel in Waikiki. After rounding the northern tip of Oahu, the Kamehameha Highway eventually makes its way to the town of Waimea, home to Waimea Valley Adventure Park. Owned the same company that runs Sea Life Park, Waimea Valley Adventure Park offers displays of cliff diving, hula, Hawaiian music as well as a nature center and adventure center including paintball and mountain biking. When planning your Oahu vacation, whether seeking a Hawaii villa, condo, or beachfront rental, call on the Hawaii experts - us! - for the latest information on the most popular Oahu attractions.

A critter friendly capital

Animals have their place in the French capital too. 1,475 unobtrusive wild animal species share the city with Paris residents: crayfish, pike, hedgehogs, lizards, dragonflies, tawny owls etc... In the Bois de Vincennes, there's a real farm, with calves, cows, pigs, sheep, goats and chickens, open all year round. Two ornithological reserves in the woods of Paris are also open to people interested in observing protected bird species.
La ferme de Paris bois de Vincennes route du Pesage, Paris 12th.
Bois de Vincennes ornithological reserve, allée Royale, Paris 12th.
Bois de Boulogne ornithological reserve, carrefour de Longchamp route piétonne de la Grande-Cascade, Paris 16th.

Man's best friend.

Paris has a dog population of 150,000, while over 500 cats roam free in the city's cemeteries and green spaces. The Salon de l'Agriculture, is a popular agricultural show held in March. It features 3,000 animals and draws more than 500,000 visitors every year.
Paris-Expo porte de Versailles, Paris 15th.

Angling in Paris

The French capital is criss-crossed by a network of canals, which are well-stocked with fish! The Canal Saint-Martin contains a profusion of pikeperch, some more than a metre long, as well as siluroids and some perch. In the Bassin de la Villette, the carp population is thriving, to the delight of Sunday fishermen.
Canal Saint-Martin, Paris 10th.
Bassin de la Villette, Paris 19th.

Horse-riding

Historically, Paris is an equestrian city. The clatter of horseshoes long resounded through the streets of the capital, a fact reflected in many of the city's statues. These days, equestrian possibilities include pony rides, for the younger ones, and horses in Paris parks.
Bois de Vincennes equestrian centre, Paris 12th.
Bois de Boulogne equestrian centre, route de la Muette, Paris 16th.

Dog attitude

Man's best friend is welcome in Paris. The city numbers 150,000 dogs and showers them with attention: our canine companions can have their portraits painted at the Atelier du Génie gallery, crunch biscuits in their preferred flavor, available on order at the Mon Bon Chien bakery, or take a seat on their own Marie-Antoinette armchair at Les Cadors.
Warf et Miaou 14 av de l'Opéra, Paris 1st.
Les Cadors 11 rue Princesse, Paris 6th.
Atelier du Génie 28 passage du Génie, Paris 12th.
Mon bon chien 12 rue Mademoiselle, Paris 15th.

Paris zoos

Always a popular choice for kids and grown-ups alike, zoos are sure to fascinate visitors. The Parc zoologique de Paris, one of the most renowned zoos in France, is situated in a wooded park of 15 hectares, within the Bois de Vincennes. An excursion to a real change of scene, it offers close encounters with some 600 animals. As for the menagerie of the Jardin des Plantes, it is simply the oldest zoo in the world.
Ménagerie du Jardin des Plantes 57 rue Cuvier, Paris 5th.
Parc zoologique de Paris 53 av de Saint-Maurice, Paris 12th.

Aquariums

The legendary aquarium at the Palais de la porte Dorée and its huge collection of tropical fish has been a major draw for the past forty years: it attracts nearly 260,000 visitors each year. The Aquarium du Trocadéro has gone through a complete makeover and reopened as CinéAqua, a new audiovisual aquarium concept: the discovery of various species of fish in immense tanks is enlivened by screenings of multimedia cartoon strips all along the visit.
Palais de la porte Dorée - Aquarium tropical 293 av Daumesnil, Paris 12th.
CinéAqua 2 av des Nations-Unies, Paris 16th.