On South West end of island is Seapines plantation. Seapines was theisland's first developed area. Seapines is a mixture of residential and resort areas with 3 public golf courses,several tennis courts, beach, two marinas and very popular Harbour Town shopping district.

Shipyard Plantation is best known for it's beautiful beach. Shipyard is a mixture of resorts and private residences. Bicycle and walking paths wind through plantation's 800 acres. Several golf course call Shipyard home,including Galleon, Brigantine and Clipper.

Long Cove is a stricly residential area, with about 570 private homes.

Wexford Plantation is a private community of about 500 acres.

Palmetto Dunes is a mixture of resort and residential communities. Boasting over 3 miles of shoreline, Palmetto Dunes is a popluar renatl area. Shelter Cove harbour and marina is l ocated adjacent to this plantation and is host to numerous fesivals, celebrations and other island events.

Port Royal Plantation features several historical sites. The Island's namesake Captain Willian Hilton first landed here in 1663. The Port Royal resort features a convention center, entertainment and restuarant.

Palmetto Hall Plantation, newest of island's residential developments features two outstanding golf courses.

Located on northern edge of island is Hilton Head Plantation is home to golf course and country clubs. Miles of nature walks and bicycle trails cover plantation which is also home to two nature preserves.

Indigo Run is a resdential plantation located in central area of island.

Spanish Wells is one island's original developments and is a private community.

Windmill Harbour is home to South carolina Yacht Club.

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Tarangire National Park is a one and half hour drive from Arusha making it very popular for day trips. Tarangire is a park of giant baobab trees, rolling savannah and acacia parkland. It is famous for its dense wildlife population, which is most spectacular in dry season between June and September. It is during this period that thousands of animals- wildebeest, zebra, eland, hartebeest, waterbuck, giraffe, impala, gerenuk, buffalo and oryx migrate from dry Maasai steppe to Tarangire River in search of water. The predators -lion, leopard and others- as is custom in savanna follow closely by. If lucky, you will spot peculiar tree-climbing python, kudu and roan antelope, a rare experience in northern safari circuit. Birds are also abundant here and over 550 species have been recorded.

Serengeti National Park is Africa's most famous wildlife sanctuary and Tanzania's largest national park. The park is located 6 hours by road from Arusha or one hour by air. It lies in a high plateau between Ngorongoro highlands and Kenya/Tanzania border and almost touches Lake Victoria in west. Appropriately named "endless plains" by Maasai people, it features short and long grass plains, acacia savanna and woodland in parts of north and east.

Within its 15,000 sq km area, Serengeti hosts 3 million large mammals. More than 35 species of plain animals- zebra, wildebeest, eland, giraffe, and others are found here. And so for big five: elephant, lion, buffalo, leopard and rhino. The park is staging-zone for one most spectacular events in natural world-the annual migration of wildebeest. This commences around June when over 1 million wildebeest, zebra and gazelle head for Maasai Mara in Kenya in search of pasture. Following on their heels are predators of savanna- lion, cheetah, wild dog, jackal, hyena and vultures.

If you can spare money, viewing migration afloat a balloon is an unforgettable experience. The best time to view game is from December to May when grass is short. Avoid late June-October, when most of animals will have evacuated with migration and are best seen in adjacent Maasai Mara in Kenya. The keen ornithologist will have a good time trying to sight 500 species of birds on record.

Camping sites can be found in Ngorongoro Conservation Area and all national parks of northern circuit. Facilities are pretty basic and this is where budget travelers prefer to spend their safari nights. If you can afford it, overnight at luxury safari lodges and tented camps. In this class of accommodation expect to find all creature comforts associated with rated accommodation. You can check online some of Tanzania hotels and lodges available for your safari.

It is generally recommended to take an escorted Tanzania safari package that includes transport, guide, park fees and accommodation. Tour guides have valuable local knowledge about animals, where to find them and how to get where you are going. But if you know country well and have good knowledge of animals, then self-drive car rental in Tanzania is an option.

The relatively high elevation in northern Tanzania means that it never gets too hot. Indeed nights and early mornings can be quite chilly. You are well advised to take along a heavy sweater and a windbreaker or jacket. Expect temperatures to average from 15°C in May to August and 22°C over December to March. The weather is best between June and September, but do not bet on seeing any animals in Serengeti. For a safari covering all parks of northern Tanzania, September to March is a good time. But remember that some of other parks in region offer nearly year round game viewing opportunities. April and May can be a challenging period for doing a safari for it is when weather is at its rainiest.

On safari, bright coloured clothing may get you in trouble with wild animals. If you are wise you will pack brown, beige and khaki clothing. Short sleeve shirts, shorts and trousers for men are adequate. For ladies, short sleeve blouses, slacks and skirts are ideal. Though northern region is well outside predominantly Muslim coast areas and ladies do not have to dress too conservatively, modest attire is still a good idea. Remember to bring along a pair of sunglasses to shield you from sometimes harsh tropical glare. Binoculars will come in very handy for spotting animals.

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