It’s 8: 11 PM on day 241 of my journey towards independence and I’ve managed to brush my teeth, feed myself a  chicken hotdog for breakfast, tweet about my Clean Water For All Campaign for a few hours –no luck this morning but Galen – an adoptive mother of TEN kids with special needs – made a donation yesterday evening – I love you Galen you give new meaning to the word SPECTACULAR – feed myself rice and curry for lunch, watch TV, tweet about my campaign some more – still no luck –and brush my teeth once more.

As you may or may not know Table Mountain located in Cape Town, South Africa is one of the twenty-eight contenders vying to be one of the seven natural wonders of the world and although I did my patriotic duty by voting I doubt my vote is all it will take to make Table Mountain the ultimate champion which is why I’m asking you to log on to http://www.votefortablemountain.com/ and vote. Here’s how:

• Step 1: Click on the ‘or vote online now’ tab
• Step 2: Select the seven candidates that you feel are most deserving of the title ‘Natural Wonder of the World’
• Step 3: Fill in the registration form
• Step 4: Click on the link in the confirmation email that is sent to you

Are we connecting on Twitter? If not, say hi at http://www.twitter.com/nisha360

if you’ve given to my cause or you can’t give now, please help me by sharing my cause with others. You can tweet about it like my friend Stan Faryna. This is the tweet he uses: @Nisha360 is a brave, smart young woman trying to make a better world for us all. Please help her do an amazing thing. http://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/nisha-varghese/nishavarghese

Stan’s very sweet for saying so, but feel free to write what reflects you best.

Thanks to all my friends out there who are helping me make my dream come true: to make a better world for all of us!

How to Vote:

1. Click “Vote Now” at…

http://www.new7wonders.com/community/en/new7wonders/new7wonders_of_nature/voting

2. Pick your 7 candidates (DON’T FORGET JEJU ISLAND!!!)

3. Fill in out the registration form.

4. Check your email and confirm

5. Done!

What is the New 7 Wonders?

“Through global voting campaigns, New7Wonders inspires people worldwide. New7Wonders highlights what unites us all—as opposed to what separates us—and also emphasizes the importance of caring for what will be left for future generations.

The Official New 7 Wonders of the World campaign was the first global democratic exercise in mankind’s history. For the first time, we all, millions of people from all over the world, have created “Global Memory”: 7 things for everyone to remember, 7 symbols of unity that respect, honour and celebrate our planet’s cultural diversity.

The Official New7Wonders of Nature campaign highlights and celebrates the beauty of our planet, thus fostering greater respect for the earth’s fragile natural equilibrium. The motto for this campaign is:

“If we want to save anything, we first need to truly appreciate it”
Bernard Weber, Founder New7Wonders

Because we often only act when we are about to lose something precious that has grown dear to us. -The New 7 Wonders site

If there is Hawaii in U.S. and Hainan in China, there is Jeju Island in Korea. Jeju Island is one of the most beautiful places I visited in Korea. There are so many hidden jewels there. I’ve visited there about five times, and I still find something new each time I visit there. Jeju Island has several UNESCO sites, and it’s a must-stop location for tourists in Korea. Jeju Island is now facing some financial troubles because they are receiving less tourists each year. A lot of Koreans now prefer to travel abroad, and Jeju Island is becoming forgotten among the Koreans. So, Jeju Island needs foreign tourists.  Therefore, it must become part of The New 7 Wonders. Not only it will save Jeju Island’s reputation, but also help bring in millions and millions of new tourists to Jeju Island.

What & Where is Jeju Island?

I’ll let the pictures speak for themselves… Most of them are taken by me during this winter break.

Their scenery…

Their icons…

Their must-have Jeju tangerines.

Jeju flowers…

Their infamous Jeju/Korean food (fresh seafood, fish, fresh vegetables, black pig meat, horse meat, etc.)

 
Hope you guys enjoyed the pictures. Please don’t forget to vote!

The third phase of the New7Wonders of Nature is now underway, and you can vote on your choice of seven natural wonders from the selection of 28 Official Finalist Candidates.

The Official New7Wonders of Nature campaign started in 2007, immediately after the successful campaign to elect the man-made Official New 7 Wonders of the World , in which more than 100 million votes were cast and which took democracy to a new global level. From over 440 participants representing over 220 countries – more countries than participate in the Olympic Games – and through a national qualification and race to become one of the Top 77, as well as the Panel of Experts recommendation of the list of 28 Official Finalist Candidates, the Official New7Wonders of Nature is now in its third and final phase in which the wonders themselves will be chosen by an estimated 1 billion votes. The Official Declaration of the New7Wonders of Nature will be on 11.11.11.

New7Wonders of Nature World Tour
Voting will continue throughout 2010 and into 2011. During this time, the New7Wonders World Tour will aim to visit each of the Finalists to allow them to present themselves to the voters across the globe.

Palawan, the country’s renowned ecotourism site, is once again hailed as among the top 10 best destinations for elite travelers in China. Initiated by Ctrip.com, China’s leading and trusted online travel agency, and popular high-end travel glossy Elite Traveller, the polling for top overseas destinations of 2009 gathered a total of 4,340,122 valid votes through http://www.ctrip.com, emails, fax, and snail mail.

Tourism Secretary Ace Durano noted, “Receiving this recognition for one of our carefully protected eco-tourism sites is indeed a great milestone ushering for more positive news in tourism at the onset of the year.”

Reaffirming the distinction of being a most sought-after destination for the Chinese market, the country continues to pride itself with natural wonders and eco-tourism sites. The Palawan Underground River has also been continually in the top list of the New7Wonders of Nature online poll, and is now officially the country’s bet for the final stage which will be held in 2011.

“More than promoting our destinations to travelers, we aim to raise awareness on the preservation and protection of our natural wonders through responsible travel,” said Undersecretary for Tourism Planning and Promotions Eduardo Jarque Jr.

The list of 10 Top destinations include the Pyramids of Egypt; the Gold Coast of Australia; Masai Mara in Kenya; Lake Wakatipu in New Zealand, the cosmopolitan city of Paris, France; Jungfrau in Switzerland; beach destination Maldives; Disney World in Orlando World, USA, and Bali Island in Indonesia.

Representatives and travel agencies from more than 30 countries and regions were present at the grand awarding ceremonies held in the Radisson Plaza Xing Guo Hotel in Shanghai, China.

Accepting the award was Gerry Panga, Tourism Attaché for DOT Shanghai. “We are pressed to maintain the Philippines’ position as one of the most sought-after travel destinations in the world, through our intensified our marketing programs to promote our country’s treasures to the nature-loving Chinese travelers.”

China remains as the country’s third largest source market for tourists.

Related articles:

• TripAdvisor Buys Up Chinese Travel Site Kuxun; Will Invest $50 Million In China Expansion (paidcontent.org)
• China Gives Obsessive Avatar Fans A Homeworld (cinemablend.com)
• Basecamp Masai Mara – the World’s Best Ecotourism Hotel (prweb.com)

The 28 finalists are as follows (in alphabetical order);

1. Amazon (South America)
2. Angel Falls (Venezuela)
3. Bay of Fundy (Canada)
4. Black Forest (Germany)
5. Bu Tinah Shoals (United Arab Emirates)
6. Cliffs of Moher (Ireland)
7. Dead Sea (Middle East)
8. El Yunque (Puerto Rico)
9. Galapagos (Ecuador)
10. Grand Canyon (USA)
11. Great Barrier Reef (Australia)
12. Halong Bay (Vietnam)
13. Iguazu Falls (South America)
14. Jeita Grotto (Lebanon)
15. Jeju island (South Korea)
16. Kilimanjaro (Tanzania)
17. Komodo (Indonesia)
18. Maldives (Maldives)
19. Masurian Lake District (Poland)
20. Matterhorn (Switzerland/Italy)
21. Milford Sound (new Zealand)
22. Mud Volcanoes (Azerbaijan)
23. Puerto Princessa Underground River (Philippines)
24. Sundarbans (India/Bangladesh)
25. Table Mountain (South Africa)
26. Uluru (Australia)
27. Vesuvius (Italy)
28. Yushan (Taiwan)

Well, only two of the sites I voted for in the first round has made it to the finalists. They are Angel Falls and Milford Sound.

I guess my final 7 choices from the 28 finalists will have to be;

1. Angel Falls
2. Milford Sound
3. Amazon
4. Great Barrier Reef
5. Galapagos
6. Halong Bay
7. Dead Sea

If you would like to VOTE, go HERE.

At 7 minutes past noon GMT today, at the New7Wonders headquarters in Zurich, the Matterhorn was revealed as one of the 28 Official Finalist Candidates in the global election of the Official New7Wonders of Nature. The announcement was made by Prof. Dr. Federico Mayor, President of the New7Wonders Panel of Experts, and Bernard Weber, Founder and President of New7Wonders. Bernard Weber said ”Congratulations to the supporters of the Matterhorn from around the world for their passionate, inspiring work in bringing it up from over 440 participants into this elite finalist group of just 28. This is an extraordinary achievement and the eyes of the planet will be upon the Matterhorn and Switzerland for the next 2 years. We look forward to an exciting, record-breaking final race, with the whole world coming together to choose the Official New7Wonders of Nature, 7 locations that will become part of Global Memory for ever.”

In addition to Panel President Prof. Dr. Federico Mayor, the members of the N7W Panel of Experts are: Dr. John Francis (U.S.; environmentalist, social activist, author and UN Goodwill Ambassador to the World’s Grassroots Communities), Simon King (Kenya/UK; documentary filmmaker), Ana Paula Tavares (Brazil/U.S.; senior vice president and vice president of development, the Rainforest Alliance), Bernard Weber (Canada/Switzerland; global voting campaign expert, photographer, filmmaker and author), Prof. Jan Zima (Czech Republic; biodiversity scientist) and Rex Weyler (Canada; environmental journalist, activist and founder of Greenpeace).

For the full details of the announcement and the New7Wonders Panel of Experts, as well as to vote in the final stage that will choose the Official New7Wonders of Nature, please visit the website: www.new7wonders.com.

I’m back from Palawan everyone, my first travel via an airplane [would you believe I went to Tugegarao last year and rode a 13-hour straight bus ride?]. Thank you for all the love you’ve sent me even when I was not able to visit your sites, especially on heart’s day! Belated Happy Valentine’s everyone! I will be bloghopping soon, hopefully I would get updates on how you spent your heart’s day.

As for me, well, my Man and I were not together last Saturday because my flight got me back at around 11 PM, too bad it was so late, my Man was hoping he could see me that same night but, it’s okay, maybe we would make this week a week-long valentine celebration. LOL. Palawan was the best, but I still love it here at home of course, with my Jin. LOL.

Speaking of Palawan, OMG it was an amazing place – especially the Puerto Princesa Underground Cave or what is called the Subterranean River that finished first place on the first round of voting for the world’s new7wonders of nature. I am defintely campaigning for it so if you haven’t voted yet, please do! Worth it, worth it, worth it!

Palawan Subterranean Underground Cave Entrance

I have not seen all of the candidates yet but if you have been to the Underground Cave I know you will perfectly agree with me that it is definitely a wonder of nature – it was breathtaking! And when I say something is breathtaking, it truly is because I am not the type of person to go all exaggerated about this things.

Stalactites and stalagmites at the entrance!

The cave is about a two-hour bus ride from the city which is kind of long but definitely worth it. It is amazing how the landscape slowly shifts from commercial establishments into forest lands and huge marble mountains on the way to the cave. After the bus ride, you have to take a boat for about half an hour and that will take you to the shore of the underground cave.

Interestingly, while waiting for our boat ride, I decided to walk along the shores and wet my feet on the cold sea because it was freaking hot. As luck would have it, the stones on the shore were slippery so… PM tripped and landed on her hipbone, wetting her capris and getting them all dirty. LOL. It was not crippling though, thank God.

My mentor and her daughter who made the trip with me

That is an actual tree branch on the shore near the cave. It was so cool since it looked like a swing! From here you will need to walk, maybe a couple of meters or so and the amazing cave entrance will greet you next.

My friends on our way out of the cave

The tour of the cave is via a boat that can carry about 7-10 people and it will take you on a fascinating journey on one of God’s most wonderful creations. It is awfully dark inside the cave but the boat is accompanied by some sort of spot light so you can very well see the beauty of the cave and all the bats and swallows that call it home. The tour closes at around 6 PM because tons and tons and tons of those same bats fly out of there during that time – certainly not a wonderful treat if you are still inside the cave, maybe a good view outside, but inside? Maybe a nightmare.

The cave is completely navigable and has open ends on both sides about 42 kilometers long, claiming to be the world’s longest navigable underground cave, but the tour will only take you to about 1.2 kilometers inside the cave. I have not gotten our pictures inside the cave yet from my friend but I will make sure that I will be able to post it within the week so you will be able to see.

What is amazing about the underground cave apart from the obvious gigantic stalactites and stalagmites are the interesting rock formations inside. They are many but what I find most amazing is the place they call the ‘cathedral’ inside which houses a group of rock formations that takes statuesque form like that of the Nativity, the three Magi of Jerusalem, the Last Supper, the Virgin Mary, and in the middle of all these is a humongous stalagmite that looks like a melting candle. There was also one that resembled the face of Jesus Christ. OMG it was so amazing!

The trip costs around P1500 per person and you can easily avail of it on your hotels; they usually offer tour packages to their guests, but if there is none there are loads of people who will give you flyers on your way out of the airport and you can choose from there whether it be the Monkey Trail, Honda Bay, Tubattaha Reef or the Subterranean River – your choice.

The main commercial place of Palawan is Puerto Princesa City. It is not a big city, the fact I love most. It is quiet but very accesible, plus they have a very beautiful capitol compound that is made of marble from the outside up to the inside!

My friend Lexy and my mentor's daughter Charisse

I seriously think that Palawan is a very rich province, and I predict theirs will be a mega city way down anytime soon like Cebu and Davao. Foreigners frequent it and that line just to see their cave is unbelievable, so I think it’s all the way up for Palawan.

Tons of shiny marble inside the capitol building!

And oh, I almost forgot to tell you, the most interesting part of this trip to Palawan is that… I almost did not make it! LOL. Of course during that time it was no laughing matter because my friends needed to come to Puerto Princesa on the 11th because they were joining a press congress.

First was the fact that we went to the wrong terminal. LOL. We were at NAIA Centennial Terminal and upon checking-in we realized we were supposed to be at the new Terminal 3!

Next mishap was, our flight was booked on 9:40 AM at Philippine Airlines but it turned out that they overbooked! They told us that they are willing to house us at a hotel then they will give us a plane ride the next day. No way that’s going to happen! So my Mentor arranged for us and ‘aggresively negotiated’ with PAL supervisor that ended up with PAL buying us plane tickets in another airline, Cebu Pacific.

We thought it was going to be okay so we rested and waited at the departure lodge only to find out during boarding time that the plane we were about to ride was not going to Palawan but in Cebu! We all panicked because first of all, our luggages are already on that plane! My Mentor ‘more aggresively negotiated’ with PAL, this time with so much pressure since we wanted to fly so badly because we had a time to catch. It turned out that My Mentor, the people of Cebu Pacific, and PAL had a miscommunication. We really were hopping on that plane to Cebu and from there we will get a connecting flight via Cebu-Palawan. So, PM was also able to go to Cebu. LOL.

In Cebu, it was again another comedy of errors. When we arrived, check-in time for the Palawan trip was over and we were again stranded. So another ‘aggressive negotiations’ transpired and we ended up inside that plane to Palawan.

Whew! That was such a headache! By the time we reached Palawan it was already 5 PM, to think we were supossed to be there at around 11 AM! Oh well, thinking about it just made the trip more itneresting, and a memorable first. But the best part was that my friends won on the press congress the attended! Yey!

OMG. After that Palawan trip I am now convinced tha really, you never forget your first time.

The campaign to choose The Offcial New7Wonders of the World was a resounding success. More than 100 million votes were cast and it took democracy to a new, global level. Since well before the Official Declaration on July 7, 2007 in Lisbon, the campaign has had a signficant impact on local economies involved with the sites participating. In particular, tourism in these places has increased and growing interest continues to be measurable via hotel booking or internet requests. Read some of the reactions of the local press and governments:

“ According to Peru’s National Institute of Culture, the number of daily visitors to Machu Picchu has increased by over 70 percent since its election as a New 7 Wonder of the World.” Living in Peru, August 18, 2008

“Since Machu Picchu was named a world wonder, the value of real estate has doubled and even tripled, says Lily Quispe Charca, President of the Real Estate Agents Assn.” Living in Peru, May 14, 2008

“In 2007, Chichen Itza’s El Castillo was named one of the Official New 7 Wonders of the World after a worldwide vote. The vote was embraced by government and tourism officials in Mexico who project that as a result the number of tourists expected to visit Chichen Itza will double by 2012.” Cancun Info.net, April 19, 2008

“Since being named a wonder of the world, the number of visitors (to Chichen Itza) has increased 75 percent, said Juan Jose Martí Pacheco, secretary of Tourist Promotion of Yucatan.” El Sol de Mexico, 13 February 2008

“A record breaking 3,200,000 tourists visited to adore the beauty of monument of love Taj Mahal in 2007. According to the Archeological Department sources, ‘no sooner the Taj Mahal was included in the ‘new Seven Wonders’ last year, it observed a hike in the number of tourists, both national and international, visiting the place.’ The figure is much higher than that recorded in the preceding year. The mushrooming number of tourists had also drawn good returns to the hotels and created employment opportunities.” Taj Mahal Online, April 15, 2008 “

A record number of tourists visited Petra last year, encouraging the industry to introduce a range of development schemes to sustain the flow. Official figures showed a 62 percent increase in visitors last year, generating JD9.5 million in tourism receipts for the country. Suleiman Farajat, head of the Petra Archaeological Park (PAP), said the increase in arrivals reflected the importance of Petra as a key historical attraction and its popularity as one of the Official New 7 Wonders of the World.” The Jordan Times, Jan. 10, 2008

The increase in the number of visitors to the kingdom is also borne out by some impressive figures released by national flag carrier, Royal Jordanian. The airline registered the highest monthly total of passengers in its 44 year history .” AME Info fn, The Ultimate Middle East Business Resource, Sept. 5, 2007

“(Easter Island Mayor Pedro) Edmunds said (tourists visiting in 2007) were up 20 per cent from 2006 and nearly 10 times 1990 levels. Easter Island has been an UNESCO World Heritage site since 1995, but officials attribute the recent spike to last year’s New Seven Wonders of the World contest.” The Canadian Press, June 23, 2008

“(New 7 Wonders of the World participant) Neuschwanstein Castle hit new record in attracting visitors, as 1.36 million people (an increase of 8.4 percent> came last year. According to Bavarian Finance Minister Erwin Huber.”Augsburger Allgemeine Zeitung, Germany, Feb. 22, 2008

Natural treasures

The New7Wonders of Nature campaign will significantly raise awareness of the incredible variety and beauty of nature around us. As our slogan says, “If we want to save anything, we first need to truly appreciate it!” More awareness and more tourism income means that these natural treasures can be better preserved for future generations. Some of the recent reactions to the newly started campaign:

“Thanks to (the New7Wonders of Nature campaign), Djavolja Varos and the whole Kursumlija region have gained an opportunity for development that we have been awaiting for decades.” Zlatko Veljovic, director of “Prolom Banja”, 13 August 2008

“With four of the country’s tourism destinations (participating in) the Seven Wonders of Nature campaign, more foreign tourists are now coming to the Philippines. Tourism Secretary Joseph Ace Durano said the online search has generated the interest of the international community in the Philippines in the past few months (and is) increasing the revenue of tourism-related industries.” Philippine Star, June 18, 2008 “

A campaign is underway to encourage people to vote for Ha Long Bay as one of New 7 Wonders of Nature and as a result the number of visitors increased by almost 60 per cent in the first quarter of this year against last year’s first three months.” Viet Nam News, May 2, 2008

The New7Wonders of Nature: Read more about the new campaign of the New7Wonders!

Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park is currently ranked no. 1 among the 77 candidates of the New 7Wonders of Nature Nominees. Other nominees from the Philippines are now ranked as follows: Tubbataha Reef, Chocolate Hills and Mayon Volcano,ranked 4, 5 and 11, respectively.

Here’s the latest report from the New7Wonder of Nature’s website.

“… Voting for nominees will continue through July 7, 2009. Then the New7Wonders of Nature Panel of Experts, under the leadership of Prof. Federico Mayor, former Director-General of UNESCO, will review the top 77 nominees and choose the 21 finalists, to be announced on 21 July 2009. These finalists will then be put to popular vote.”

Last update 22-SEP-2008 06:25 GMT

1. Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park,PHILIPPINES-Asia
2. Cox’s Bazar, Beach,BANGLADESH-Asia
3. Ha Long Bay,VIETNAM-Asia
4. Tubbataha Reef,PHILIPPINES-Asia
5. Chocolate Hills,PHILIPPINES-Asia
6. Al-hasa Oasis,SAUDI ARABIA-Asia
7. Ganges, River,BANGLADESH/INDIA-Asia
8. Ali Sadr Cave,IRAN,ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF-Asia
9. Sundarbans, Forest, BANGLADESH/INDIA-Asia
10.Lake Saiful Maluk,PAKISTAN-Asia
11.Mayon Volcano,PHILIPPINES-Asia
12.Mount Everest, Mountain CHINA/NEPAL-Asia
13.Liwa Oasis and Empty Quarter OMAN/SAUDI ARABIA/UNITED ARAB EMIRATES/YEMEN-Asia
14.Mount Damavand IRAN,ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF-Asia
15.Phong Nha-Ke Bang,National Park VIET NAM-Asia
16.Fansipan,Mountain VIET NAM-Asia
17.Red Sea Reef EGYPT/ISRAEL/JORDAN/OMAN/SAUDI ARABIA/SUDAN/UNITED ARAB
EMIRATES/YEMEN-Africa
18.Dead Sea,Lake ISRAEL/JORDAN/PALESTINIAN TERRITORY,OCCUPIED-Asia
19.Amazon,River/Forest BOLIVIA/BRAZIL/COLOMBIA/ECUADOR/FRENCH GUIANA/GUYANA/PERU
SURINAME/VENEZUELA-South America
20.Mount Fuji JAPAN-Asia
21.K2, Mountain CHINA/PAKISTAN-Asia

I recently discovered that there is now an attempt to identify the New Seven Wonders of Nature through the same global internet voting process. In this preliminary stage, you are allowed to nominate up to seven candidate sites or vote for seven candidate sites already nominated or any combination in between. The top 77 sites from this voting process will then be shortlisted and then the final round of voting will allow voters to select the top seven from that list. Those with the most votes at the end of that round will be declared the New Seven Wonders of Nature.

Currently as of 5th July 2008, the top 10 on the list are;

1. Cox’s Bazar Beach (Bangladesh)
2. Ha Long Bay (Vietnam)
3. Ganges River (Bangladesh/India)
4. Tubbataha Reef (Philippines)
5. Chocolate Hills (Philippines)
6. Mount Everest (Nepal)
7. Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park (Philippines)
8. Mayon Volcano (Philippines)
9. Amazon River/Forest (South America)
10. Mount Fuji (Japan)

It is early days yet but the top runners are surprisingly almost all from Asia with the Philippines having a high number or percentage of nominees. If you disagree, do please join in and vote.

Below are my seven choices;

1. Banff National Park (Canada)

My personal vision of paradise is closely represented by Banff with its forests rich in wildlife, stunning turquoise lakes, glaciers and mountains. I have visited Banff and it was beyond my expectation. I could live there quite happily. It’s a pity about the seasonal hordes of tourists but there is still sufficient wilderness to get lost in.

2. Auyantepui Mountain (Venezuela)

The Devil’s Mountain, in the native tongue of the Pemon peoples, it rises like other tepuis, almost vertically from the jungle floor and has a flat plateau like top. Tepuis are often referred to as islands in the clouds. Auyantepui rises to a height of almost 3,000 m and the world’s highest waterfall, Angel Falls, cascades off its plateau. It is rich in rare and unusual plant life. A wet and wold place.

3. Hardangerfjiord (Norway)

I have always been fascinated by the scenery of fjords and the geological power of the glaciers that it often represents. I visited here more than 25 years ago but was blown away by the grandeur even then. I would love to revisit this place of haunting and reflective beauty.

4. Milford Sound (New Zealand)

This is the Antipodean reply to the Norwegian fjords and beautiful and lush with its own wealth of flora and fauna. I have been on the cruise and have seen the unusual darkwater corals but would one day like to hike the spectacularly wet Milford Track.

5. Plitvice Lakes (Croatia)

Another place that I have visited that has captured my imagination ever since. This rates very high on my personal list because of its fairly unique nature and because I just love the landscape of waterfalls and crystal clear lakes linked by cascades and streams. It was just beautiful water everywhere and i just love water. The limestone outcrops and caves are added attractions.

6. Mulu Caves (Malaysia)

I know that this is in my own backyard but I have not visited it (relatively costly for me). However, I could not leave out from this list the world’s largest cave system and largest single cave chamber. Other special caves are also found in this system with individual characteristics. The large bat population is an attraction too as is the rich forest life surrounding the caves.

7. Pamukkale Springs (Turkey)

I have never been here but the thought of its rather special and delicate attractions gives me goosebumps. I would love to soak in its hot-springs.

Don’t miss out on casting a vote for your picks for the new Seven Wonders of Nature.