Tax Return Travel Ideas
Aren't you happy you're done with your taxes? No more adding, subtracting, printing tax statements, reviewing bank statements, and general stressing out! Tax season is finally over and you couldn't be happier.
Now the question is - where to go and what to see? Do you feel like a beach vacation to de-stress from a long cold winter? The legendary beaches of Thailand are waiting for you to sink your toes into the sand.
History buffs - perhaps it's time to finally visit the largest Hindu temple in the world - Cambodia's exquisite Angkor Wat. Lose yourself in the myriad of walkways and tunnels, while you marvel at the hand-carved stone idols of Lord Vishnu, among other Hindu gods.
Are you an animal lover? Then PKT has just your ticket - a safari through the heart of Africa. Watch as elephants, rhinos, and magnificent creatures wander free through the savannas. Witness untouched beauty in Kenya and Tanzania. And of course, visit beautiful South Africa, where Cape Town just got voted the most beautiful city in the world.
Is nature more your thing? We've got you covered there too. Experience the thundering Iguassu Falls - water falls so massive that they sprawl across both Argentina and Brazil. Peru is waiting right next door - with the mystical and breathtaking Machu Picchu tucked into the mountains.
You worked hard for your money - now it's time to enjoy it.
Queenstown, New Zealand
A city that is truly fit for royalty... and the adventure
freak... and the nature lover... and the, well you get the picture. With
the most picturesque back-drop you can possibly hope for in a vacation photo,
Queenstown is New Zealand's crown jewel.
Where to begin? The pristine blue waters, numerous lakes,
and tons of activities for both family and friends, Queenstown is a can't miss
destination. Ride the gondola to the top of the hill for gorgeous views.
Stroll around the quaint downtown area and eat to your stomach's content.
And if you feel like a thrill, take a jetboat ride and scream through
the canyons of this amazingly beautiful town. There is certainly no
shortage of fun things to do in the adventure capital of the world.
Angkor Wat, Cambodia
Discover this once lost city and immerse yourself in the
history, sculptures, and sheer magnitude of the largest Hindu temple in the
world.
Originally built as a Hindu temple dedicated to
the god Vishnu, it was converted into a Buddhist temple in the 14th century,
and statues of Buddha were added to its already rich artwork.
Its
213-foot-tall (65 meters) central tower is surrounded by four smaller towers
and a series of enclosure walls, a layout that recreates the image of Mount
Meru, a legendary place in Hindu mythology that is said to lie beyond the
Himalayas and be the home of the gods.
Cape Town, South Africa
Every country in the world displays some
diversity, but South Africa, stretching from the hippos in the Limpopo
River to the penguins waddling on the Cape, takes some beating. It befits its
position at the southern end of the world's most epic continent, with more
types of terrain than photographers can shake their zoom lens at. There's the
deserted Kalahari, Namakwa's springtime symphony of wildflowers, iconic Table
Mountain and Cape Point, Kruger National Park's wildlife-stalked
savannah (scene of the famous lion-buffalo-crocodile battle watched more than
40 million times on YouTube) and, running through the east of the country and
into Lesotho, the Drakensberg. KwaZulu-Natal's iSimangaliso
Wetland Park alone has five distinct ecosystems, attracting both zebras and
dolphins.
Canadian Rockies
While Italy has Venice and Florence, Canada
has Banff and Jasper, legendary natural marvels that are as
spectacular and vital as anything the ancient Romans ever built. But, don't
think these protected areas have no history. Of the thousands of national parks
scattered around the world today, Banff, created in 1885, is the third oldest
while adjacent Jasper was only 22 years behind. Situated on the eastern side of
the Canadian Rockies, the two bordering parks were designated Unesco World
Heritage sites in 1984, along with BC's Yoho and Kootenay, for their exceptional
natural beauty coupled with their manifestation of important glacial and
alluvial geological processes. In contrast to some of North
America's wilder parks, they both support small towns that lure between 2
to 5 million visitors each year. Despite all this, the precious balance between
humans and nature continues to be delicately maintained - just.
Machu Picchu, Peru
A visit to South America isn't
complete without a pilgrimage to the glorious Inca citadel of Machu Picchu,
but, the truth is, this feted site is just a flash in a 5000-year history of
peoples. Walk through the dusted remnants of a vast ancient city at Chan Chan,
the largest pre-Columbian ruins in all the Americas. Fly over the puzzling
geoglyphs etched into the arid earth at Nazca. Or venture into the rugged wilds
that hem the stalwart fortress of Kuelap. Lima's great museums, with priceless
ceramics, gold and some of the finest textiles in the world, reveal in full
detail the sophistication, skill and passion of these lost civilizations. Visit
remote communities and see how old ways live on. Immerse yourself, and you will
leave Peru a little closer to the past.
Russia
Negative
news headlines aside, Russia is a magnificent country that should be seen up
close and personal. Home to the largest
city in Europe, and also the largest country in the world by size, Russia is a
country that is guaranteed to intrigue and amaze, for all the right
reasons. Moscow will captivate you with
the legendary St. Basil’s Cathedral and its beautiful onion domes and
candy-shop colors. Peter the Great was
the founder of St. Petersburg and its history is haunting. In its heyday, St. Petersburg was hailed as
the “Venice of the North,” and its architectural beauty will leave you
awestruck. Peter’s successors continued
to improve upon their base (which was once nothing more than swampland) by
importing famous European architects to impose their visions of palaces and
cathedrals to the city. For art lovers,
the Hermitage is waiting for you. Home
to Picassos, Da Vincis, and Egyptian mummies, it can easily be explored for
days on end. Go ahead, take a look
behind the once-called “Iron Curtain” – we think you’ll love what you see.