Salar de Uyuni & Isla del Pescado

There are tons of articles and blogs on the internet extolling the wonders of Salar de Uyuni, and why not? The surreal-ness of the largest salt flat in the world is indeed a wonder. And within the salt flat itself sits another wonder - an island of giant cactii - Isla del Pescado.

Imagine driving through an expanse of land that is the reflection of the heavens. And as you emerge out of this reflection, a rocky outcrop of land materializes which tears your attention from the unending white around. The wonder would hit you when you draw closer to the island and realized that the "trees" on the island are giant cactii!!

The island is named Isla del Pescado or Fish Island, as it was supposed to take the shape of a fish when viewed from a distance. I must have been too mesmerized by everything around to have noticed then. On the island, there is a short trail through the cactus forest that leads you to a high point which gives you a fantastic view of the surrounding salt flats. And watching the setting sun slowly withdrawing its golden light off the white salt flats is also quite a wonder!

Staying overnight on the island may be an issue and special arrangements with your travel agency is probably necessary to facilitate that. There is no tourist rooms, and we had to sleep on the floor of a small office building of some kind! But the experience is definitely worth it, as the scene of the giant cactii rising towards the star-studded skies is just one-of-a-kind!!

The Salar de Uyuni and Isla del Pescado is a definite highlight of any trip to Bolivia!

Tai O (大澳)

Tai O, a fishing village on Lantau island, is really quite a nice getaway from the bustle and hustle of the city streets of Hong Kong. A perfect day trip after all the shopping....



Known as the "Venice of Hong Kong", one of the features of the village is that the houses are built on stilts. Being a fishing village, you might be asked by some of the locals to have a tour of the village by boat. During low tide, you can actually walk around the houses via walkway planks that are also on stilts! The houses are actually all still very old, and it is really quite interesting exploring the place.
Tai O is also famous for its salted fish, and if you do walk around the village on stilts, you can see lots of families drying the fishes in basket trays. In the village centre on land, old shophouses lined the streets, and a walk through it is literally like walking in a street of a bygone era! Of course, you also have your fair share of products being hawkered.



Being just a bus ride away from Hong Kong itself, Tai O is easily reached, and thus, it is a recommended day trip for those who have some extra time in Hong Kong. Check it out!