Las Vegas Information

Located in a sprawling desert basin, Las Vegas is an oasis of man-made opulence within the arid scrubland hills of southern Nevada.

The area was first populated when Mormons built a fort in the area in 1855. The discovery of rich mineral deposits led to the establishment of a mining industry in the 1880s and this was followed by an inundation of farmers moving in to the area to take advantage of the sale of cheap government farmland.The completion of a train line between Salt Lake City and Los Angeles in 1902 meant Las Vegas became a rest- and refueling stop for travellers, paving the way for further expansion, and the city of Las Vegas was officially inaugurated in 1905. Gambling was finally legalized in 1931, and during World War II Las Vegas became home to Nellis Air Force base and a vast defense industry.

The Las Vegas of today is a culmination of her rapid growth and jaded past. A gaudy, sophisticated, raunchy and extravagant city, she offers a smorgasbord of vices and instant gratification for all the senses. You’ll see ramparts ablaze with neon, harlequin coloured hotels, pillars of water erupting from lagoons, full life-size recreations of Egyptian monuments blazing in artificial sunlight, garish signs bejeweled in strobing lights. All to entice you into the air conditioned opulence of the luxury hotels and casinos where you’ll be seduced by the limitless buffets, never ending flow of free drinks, and non-stop line up of entertainment.

Some of the landmarks of Las Vegas that should not be missed include: the fountain show at the Bellagio Resort where balls of water perform a gravity-defying dance, the fireball spewing volcano of the Mirage hotel, jousting tournaments at the Excalibur Hotel or the terrifying ride at the Stratosphere where you’ll be flung around at up to 3 Gee’s almost 275 metres (900 feet) above the Las Vegas strip.

Once you’ve entered Las Vegas you may come out the other side with a few less dollars in your wallet but you’ll be a great deal richer in spirit.