Maldives

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Maldives, officially the Republic of Maldives; also known as the The Maldives,  is a sovereign island country and archipelago in the Indian Ocean. It is located southwest of India and Sri Lanka in the Laccadive Sea. The chain of twenty six atolls stretches from Ihavandhippolhu Atoll to the Addu Atoll. The capital and largest city is Malé, traditionally called the "King's Island".
Historically linked with the Indian subcontinent, the Maldives is a Muslim-majority country. From the mid-sixteenth century, it was dominated by colonial powers: Portugal, the Netherlands and Britain. The islands gained independence from the British Empire in 1965, becoming a republic in 1968 and is ruled by a president and authoritarian government. The Maldivian economy is dominated by tourism and fishing.

Hotels &; Resort, Inspiring Tropical Resort In Maldives Including Cottage With Natural Materials And Transparent Glass Wall With Sea View ~ Beautiful Tropical Resorts for Kindly Holiday with Natural Surrounding

Banaue Rice Terraces, Philippines

Banaue Rice Terraces , Philippines

The Banaue Rice Terraces are 2,000-year-old terraces that were carved into the mountains of Ifugao in the Philippines by ancestors of the indigenous people. The Rice Terraces are commonly referred to as the "Eighth Wonder of the World". It is commonly thought that the terraces were built with minimal equipment, largely by hand. The terraces are located approximately 1500 metres (5000 ft) above sea level. They are fed by an ancient irrigation system from the rainforests above the terraces. It is said that if the steps were put end to end, it would encircle half the globe.

Locals to this day still plant rice and vegetables on the terraces, although more and more younger Ifugaos do not find farming appealing, often opting for the more lucrative hospitality industry generated by the terraces[citation needed. The result is the gradual erosion of the characteristic "steps", which need constant reconstruction and care. In 2010, a further problem was drought, with the terraces drying up completely in March of that year.

Longsheng Rice Terraces, China

Longsheng Rice Terraces, China

Longsheng Rice Terraces, China

Honghe Hani Rice Terraces in Southern Yunnan, China,

Hoang Su Phi Rice Terraces, Vietnam

Sapa Rice Terraces, Vietnam

Sapa Rice Terraces, Vietnam

Tegallalang Rice Terraces in Bali, Indonesia

Tegallalang Rice Terraces in Bali, Indonesia

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2015 Philippines Miss Globe, Earth, Universe

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LAS VEGAS RESORT & CASINO

Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach  of  Philippines was crowned the 2015 Miss Universe pageant winner on Sunday, Dec. 20, 2015
Wutzbach beat out 79 other contestants from around the world to win Miss Universe. The event aired live on FOX from Planet Hollywood Las Vegas Resort & Casino, and was hosted by Steve Harvey and Roselyn Sanchez.

The top five contestants of the Miss Universe 2015 have been revealed and they are from left: Miss Universe USA Olivia Jordon, Miss Universe Australia Monika Radulovic, Miss Universe Philippines Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach. Miss Universe Colombia Ariadna Gutierrez, and Miss France Flora Coquerel
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IN VIENNA,  AUSTRIA

BACK-TO-BACK VICTORY FOR THE PHILIPPINES Angelia Ong of Manila receives the 2015 Miss Earth crown from last year’s winner, Jamie Herrell of Cebu, in a back-to-back victory for the Philippines in the pageant’s 15th edition at Marx Halle in Vienna, Austria, on Saturday night. Ong bested contestants from more than 80 countries.

TESTAMENT TO FILIPINA BEAUTY – Filipina Angelia Ong (second from right) poses with her court after she was named Miss Earth 2015 in Vienna, Austria, December 5. Flanking her are (from left): Brazil’s Thiessa Veloso, Miss Earth Fire; the United States’ Brittany Ann Payne, Miss Earth Water; and Australia’s Dayanna Gregeda, Miss Earth Air. Ong was crowned by predecessor and fellow Filipina Jamie Herrell that completed a rare back-to-back feat for the Philippines in the annual beauty pageant.


TORONTO, CANADA


Bb. Pilipinas Tourism 2015 Ann Lorraine Colis, the Philippines’ bet to the Miss Globe 2015 won the title Miss Globae International 2015, October 8, at the Rose Theater Brampton in Toronto, Canada.

TORONTO, Canada (The Adobo Chronicles) – Newly-crowned 2015 Miss Globe Ann Lorraine Maniego Colis from the Philippines was stripped of the title just days after she won the crown at the Rose Theater Brampton in Toronto, Canada.

Colis made history as the first-ever Filipina Miss Globe winner. She succeeds Canada’s Jacqueline Wojciechowski. Fifty-four beauties from around the world competed in the 42nd edition of the pageant.
Miss Globe organizers took back the crown from Colis because they said the Philippines sent the wrong candidate.
Colis was crowned Miss Philippines Tourism — not Miss Philippines Globe — earlier this year during the 2015 Binibining Pilipinas pageant.
“It would be unfair to the other countries if we gave the crown to a contestant who did not win the title in her country’s local pageant.,” the organizers said.
Organizers are expected to give the crown to first runner-up Miss Albania Sara Karaj.
This is the first year that the Philippines sent a representative to Miss Globe.
Binibining Pilipinas Charities, local franchise holder of many international beauty pageants including Miss Universe and Miss International, “appointed” Colis to be the country’s representative to this year’s Miss Globe.
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IN THE PHILIPPINES  Miss Philippines Earth 2015 is the 15th edition of Miss Philippines Earth. The pageant was held on May 31, 2015 at the Mall of Asia Arena. Miss Philippines Earth 2014 and reigning Miss Earth 2014 Jamie Herrell crowned Angelia Gabrena Ong of the City of Manila at the end of the event.



The new Miss Philippines Earth winner will be crowned tonight. The pageant, the15th edition of Miss Philippines Earth, will be held May 31st at the Mall of Asia Arena.
Miss Philippines Earth 2014 and reigning Miss Earth 2014 Jamie Herrell will crown her successor at the end of the event.
Miss Philippines Earth 2015 Final result and winners will be posted below.

MANILA, Philippines – A beauty pageant staple, the swimsuit competition at the Miss Philippines Earth 2015 competition was also one of the evening's many highlights.
MANILA, Philippines – Angelia Ong from Manila was crowned Miss Philippines Earth 2015 at the Mall of Asia Arena, Sunday, May 31.

Angelia beat the other ladies to represent the Philippines in the Miss Earth pageant to be held sometime later this year, where reigning Miss Earth Jamie Herrell will crown her successor.

Take a look back at the highlights of the Miss Philippines Earth 2015 coronation night, where Manila's Angelia Ong emerged triumphant Sunday, May 31, at the Mall of Asia arena.

After a colorful turn around the stage and their brief introductions, hosts Karla Henry, Ginger Conejero, and Robi Domingo were introduced.
Robi said that the design chosen by the panel will be worn by the Philippine representative to the international pageant to be held later in the year.
Best cultural costume was awarded to Lipa City, with the gown designed by Chico Estiva.

A dance number from the ladies followed, featuring G-Force and reigning Miss Earth Jamie Herrell.

Here is the full list of winners:
Miss PH Earth: Manila, Angelia Ong
Miss PH Air: San Antonio, Nueva Ecija, Chanel Thomas
Miss PH Water: Bago City, Catherine Joy Marin
Miss PH Fire: Siniloan, Laguna, Carla Angela Valderrama
Miss Eco Tourism: Iloilo City, Jona Sweett

This is the list of top 15:
City of Manila, Angelia Ong
Baguio, Sofia Deliu
Cabanatuan, Diana Mackey
Dinalupihan, Bataan, Myle Reyes
San Antonio, Nueva Ecija, Chanel Thomas
Guinobatan, Albay Jian Salazar
Lipa City, Paris Silva
Santa Cruz, Laguna, Alyanna Mikaela Cagandahan
Siniloan, Lagunam Carla Angela Valderrama
Bago City, Catherine Joy Marin
Iloilo City, Jona Sweett
Mandaue City, Mhon Theress Menaling
Cagayan De Oro City, Beatrice Alvarez
Iligan City, Jocehl Cristoria
Misamis Oriental, Mitsume Aguilar

Winners of the special awards:
Best cultural costume: Lipa City, gown designed by Chico Estiva
Best eco video: Ipil Zamboanga Sibugay, Maria Loraine Macay Grengia.
Miss SM Markets: Bago City, Catherine Marin
Miss Hana 2015: Manila, Angelia Ong

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Most Amazing Places On Earth

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The Golden Bridge of Vietnam

The 3,000ft-high Golden Bridge in Vietnam, which appears to be held up by two huge hands sticking out the side of a mountain, has become a major tourist destination within a month of opening.
The bridge is reportedly part of a $2billion project to make the area more attractive to tourists and flowers line the walkways where visitors gather.

The pedestrian walkway, designed by TA Landscape Architecture in Ho Chi Minh City, sits at over 1,000 meters above sea level and extends over the treetops from the edge of a leafy cliff face, offering.
"The bridge is designed to evoke the image of the giant hands of Gods, pulling a strip of gold out of the land," said Vu Viet Anh, Design Principal at TA Landscape Architecture. "It creates a walkway

Tianzi Mountains
Located in the northwest of Wulingyuan Scenic Area, Tianzi Mountain makes up a ''golden triangle'' along with Zhangjiajie Forest Park and Suoxiyu Valley. The range undulates 40 kilometers and covers an area of 5400 hectares. The main peak of Tianzi Mountain dwarfs others and rises 1262.5 meters above sea level. What makes the distinct contrast is the Si Nan Yu, which is only 534 meters above sea level. Thanks to the advent of cable car, we are able to admire its fairy-tale landscape with the minimum effort. Besides, Tianzi Mountain provides us with some 100 natural viewing platforms.

Tianzi Mountain is a geological smoking gun that illustrates how fantastic the Earth can be. The range’s formation is surprising: there were once sedimentary rocks growing beneath the waters of an ancient ocean, which ultimately became quartz sandstones. Today, the layer of quartz rocks as old as 380 million years old, as thick as 500 or 600 meters, caps the Tianzi Mountain.

The Tianzi Mountain was named as ''Qing Yan Mountain'' before Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) for green stones. It was not until the year of 1353 when Xiang Dakun, the leader of Tujia ethnic group, started a revolt, established kindom on Tianzi Mountain, and called himself ''King Xiang'' - son of heaven. In the year of 1385, they encountered the fierce siege of ten thousand soldiers commanded by Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang (1328-1398), the first emperor of Ming Dynasty. Unfortunately, King Xiang died in the battle and fell into the Sheng Tang Wan Gulf. To show their respect and support to Xiang Dakun, people set up villages along the Tianzi Mountain. The mounatin was renamed as ''Tianzi Mountain''.

Eye of the Sahara
The Richat Structure, also known as the Eye of the Sahara or blue eye of Africa, is a prominent geological circular feature in the Sahara desert in Mauritania near Ouadane. It is nearly 50 kilometers across and very visible from space. Initially interpreted as an asteroid impact structure because of its high degree of circularity, and then as a structure formed by a volcanic eruption that also seems improbable because of the lack of a dome of igneous or volcanic rock, it is now argued to be a highly symmetrical and deeply eroded geologic dome that collapsed. So it is now thought by many to have been caused by uplifted rock sculpted by erosion. But the fact that the "rings", are equidistant to the centre and that the Richat Structure is nearly circular remains a mystery.

And new questions arise. Some people are amazed by the resemblance of this structure with the representation we have of Atlantis by Plato. According to Plato, the island was circular, divided into concentric circles of land and water: "There were 2 of land and 3 of water... Atlantis when sunk by the earthquake became an impossible barrier of mud to voyagers sailing from hence to any part of the ocean..." And he spoke about a mount sheltering the city by North and "and encompassing a great plain of an oblong shape in the south "...etc... Atlantis in Greek means Atlantis, nesos : the island of Atlas. And we get near the geologic eye at the North the Mount Atlas. According to Plato, Atlantis was lying "in front of the Pillars of Hercule", and we are there just in front from South and not beside from East or West as many authors are searching...

Crystal Cave
Cave of the Crystals or Giant Crystal Cave (Spanish: Cueva de los Cristales) is a cave connected to the Naica Mine 300 metres (980 ft) below the surface in Naica, Chihuahua, Mexico.

The main chamber contains giant selenite crystals (gypsum, CaSO4·2 H2O), some of the largest natural crystals ever found. The cave's largest crystal found to date is 12 m (39 ft) in length, 4 m (13 ft) in diameter and 55 tons in weight. The cave is extremely hot, with air temperatures reaching up to 58 °C (136 °F) with 90 to 99 percent humidity. The cave is relatively unexplored due to these factors. Without proper protection, people can only endure approximately ten minutes of exposure at a time.
A group of scientists known as the Naica Project have been heavily involved in researching these caverns.
Naica lies on an ancient fault above an underground magma chamber below the cave. The magma heated the ground water which was saturated with sulfide ions (S2−). Cool oxygenated surface water contacted the mineral saturated heated water, but the two did not mix due to the difference in their densities. The oxygen slowly diffused into the heated water and oxidized the sulfides (S2−) into sulfates (SO42−). The hydrated sulfate gypsum crystallized at an extremely slow rate of over the course of at least 500,000 years forming the enormous crystals found today. The key to this process is the slow diffusion of oxygen from the cool, low density surface water into the hot, high density ground water. 

Chocolate Hills

The Chocolate Hills form a rolling terrain of haycock hills – mounds of a generally conical and almost symmetrical shape. Estimated to be from 1,268 to about 1,776 individual mounds, these cone-shaped or dome-shaped hills are actually made of grass-covered limestone. The domes vary in sizes from 30 to 50 metres (98 to 164 ft) high with the largest being 120 metres (390 ft) in height. Bohol's "main attraction", these unique mound-shaped hills are scattered by the hundreds throughout the towns of Carmen, Batuan and Sagbayan in Bohol.

During the dry season, the grass-covered hills dry up and turn chocolate brown. This transforms the area into seemingly endless rows of "chocolate kisses". The branded confection is the inspiration behind the name, Chocolate Hills.
The Chocolate Hills (Filipino: Tsokolateng Burol) are a geological formation in the Bohol province of the Philippines. There are at least 1,260 hills but there may be as many as 1,776 hills spread over an area of more than 50 square kilometres (20 sq mi). They are covered in green grass that turns brown (like chocolate) during the dry season, hence the name.

The Chocolate Hills are a famous tourist attraction of Bohol. They are featured in the provincial flag and seal to symbolize the abundance of natural attractions in the province. They are in the Philippine Tourism Authority's list of tourist destinations in the Philippines; they have been declared the country's third National Geological Monument and proposed for inclusion in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Lake Baikal

Lake Baikal, located in the southern part of eastern Siberia in Russia, is an incredible natural wonder of the world that one can only hope to visit at least once in their lifetime. It's not just the oldest freshwater lake on Earth, at 20 to 25 million years old, it's also one of the largest and deepest, holding an astounding one-fifth of the world's freshwater.

In the winter, for about five months or from January to May, the lake freezes over but the water is so clear that, from the surface, you can see an astounding 130 feet below you. A photographic worthy natural phenomenon occurs around a very specific time of year, March. Wind, temperature differences, frost and sun in the ice crust cause cracks and ice hummocks to form. Transparent and shining in a turquoise color, these masses of broken ice look like shards of glass rising into the sky. They are caused by the slow and unequal pressure in the main body of the packed ice as well as by the unequal structure and temperature. Now that's one for the bucket list.

Mount Roraima

Mount Roraima (Spanish: Monte Roraima, also known as Tepuy Roraima and Cerro Roraima; Portuguese: Monte Roraima is the highest of the Pakaraima chain of tepui plateaus in South America.:156 First described by the English explorer Sir Walter Raleigh in 1596, its 31 km2 summit area:156 is bounded on all sides by cliffs rising 400 metres (1,300 ft). The mountain also serves as the triple border point of Venezuela (85% of its territory), Brazil (5%) and Guyana (10%).:156

Mount Roraima lies on the Guiana Shield in the southeastern corner of Venezuela's 30,000-square-kilometre (12,000 sq mi) Canaima National Park forming the highest peak of Guyana's Highland Range. The tabletop mountains of the park are considered some of the oldest geological formations on Earth, dating back to some two billion years ago in the Precambrian.

The highest point in Guyana and the highest point of the Brazilian state of Roraima lie on the plateau, but Venezuela and Brazil have higher mountains elsewhere. The triple border point is at 5°12′08″N 60°44′07″W, but the mountain's highest point is Maverick Rock, 2,810 metres (9,219 ft), at the south end of the plateau and wholly within Venezuela.

Enchanted Well

Poco Encantado or Enchanted Well is located in the Chapada Diamantina National Park in Bahia state, approximately 400 kilometers inland from Salvador, and the capital city of Bahia. The park was established in 1985 and played a major role in Brazil’s diamond boom history. The Chapada’s landscape is a creation of the erosion process that the region suffered in the beginning of the pre-Cambrian period, forming towers of minerals known as ‘tepuy’ and the name was given by the local Indians that dominated the area. The main beauty of Chapada Diamantina National Park is that it present great scenery and is a jewel of eco-tourism. This giant sunken pool is 120 feet deep and its water is so transparent that you can even see the ancient rocks and tree trunks on the bottom. When the sun is just right, light comes through a gap and creates a blue reflection on the water, which is really worth watch view.
Access to this beautiful pond is highly controlled for the environmental protection of its rare and delicate ecosystem. This land of gold and diamond is dynamic from the rest of the world’s natural parks for two main reasons: its prodigious caverns with their pools of magical colors (although the most outstanding ones are not technically included within the boundaries of the park), and second, the hundreds of wonderful waterfalls splashed across its territory.

Zhangye Danxia Landform

Zhangye Danxia Landform is a special area, which attracts fans of unusual beauty of the landscape and history of the Earth. Such parks are protected by the state and demonstrate the history and stages of relief process. It’s very popular now to lay the routes through geological parks for tourists, excursion groups, cyclists to see the beauty of nature. Today China has the biggest number of such areas. Danxia Geopark is one of the most unusual and beautiful of them.
The park is located 40 kilometres far from Zhangye. The reason for such interest of travellers is the colour relief of this place. In many guidebooks you can see another name of the park “Multi-coloured mountains.”
The area is relatively small according to Chinese standards, but large for Europe. It is 510 square kilometers, this exceeds, for example, the area of the Principality of Andorra.
According to geological studies, in the Cretaceous period of the Mesozoic era (about 100 million years ago), there was a huge interior basin on its territory where water flows from the surrounding mountains accumulated. Due to extremely high temperature the basin dried up and sediments remaining after the reservoir underwent oxidation. Gradually, under the influence of physical processes the top layer began to take its present form.
Danxia geological park consists mainly of sandstone. Colourful and bizarre rocks – this is a result of work of wind and water with sedimentary rocks. Each layer has its own colour, which can be clearly seen on the rocks. Gradually the layers transformed into a sandstone. The rocks were further raised by water and wind erosion, which formed amazing sharp peaks and deepenings in the rocks.
Today Danxia became a popular tourist attraction. Quiet and calm Zhangye became popular among tourists from all over the world. The government took effective measures for travellers to enjoy views of the landscape.
Deadvlei

Deadvlei is a white clay pan located near the more famous salt pan of Sossusvlei, inside the Namib-Naukluft Park in Namibia. Also written DeadVlei or Dead Vlei, its name means "dead marsh" (from English dead, and Afrikaans vlei, a lake or marsh in a valley between the dunes). The pan also is referred to as "Dooie Vlei" which is the (presumably original) fully Afrikaans name. In Google there are many references to the site, its name often being translated erroneously in terms such as "dead valley"; a vlei is not a valley (which in Afrikaans is "vallei"). Nor is the site a valley; the pan is a desiccated vlei.

Dead Vlei has been claimed to be surrounded by the highest sand dunes in the world, the highest reaching 300-400 meters (350m on average, named "Big Daddy" or "Crazy Dune"), which rest on a sandstone terrace.
The clay pan was formed after rainfall, when the Tsauchab river flooded, creating temporary shallow pools where the abundance of water allowed camel thorn trees to grow. When the climate changed, drought hit the area, and sand dunes encroached on the pan, which blocked the river from the area.

The trees died, as there no longer was enough water to survive. There are some species of plants remaining, such as salsola and clumps of !nara, adapted to surviving off the morning mist and very rare rainfall. The remaining skeletons of the trees, which are believed to have died 600-700 years ago (AD 1340- 1430), are now black because the intense sun has scorched them.Though not petrified, the wood does not decompose because it is so dry.Lake Hillier

Lake Hillier is a saline lake on the edge of Middle Island, the largest of the islands and islets that make up the Recherche Archipelago in the Goldfields-Esperance region, off the south coast of Western Australia. It is particularly notable for its pink colour. A long and thin shore divides the Southern Ocean from the lake. Lake Hillier is about 600 metres (2,000 ft) in length by about 250 metres (820 ft) in width. The lake is surrounded by a rim of sand and a dense woodland of paperbark and eucalyptus trees with a narrow strip of sand dunes covered by vegetation separating its northern edge from the northern coast of Middle Island. The most notable feature of the lake is its pink colour. The vibrant colour is permanent, and does not alter when the water is taken in a container. The source of the pink colour is considered to be due to the presence of the organism Dunaliella salina. Air is the best mode of transportation for viewing the lake.

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