5 Best Party Beaches In The World
Sunday 30 August 2009Posted by
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The idea of partying on the beach is universally appealing
conjuring up images of dancing from sunset to sunrise on golden sands
with bonfires
great music
crashing waves and cocktails in the mix.
From Ibiza to Miami
there are as many types of beach parties as there are party-people looking for a good time. From down and dirty dancing to celebrity-spotting socializing
read on for the 5 best party beaches in the world!
IBIZA
SPAIN
The name Ibiza has been synonymous with the phrase ‘beach party’ ever since the late ‘80’s when the former hangout of hippies and flower-children
metamorphosized into the party capital of the world. Stars
celebs and models all love to get down at the clubs dotted around this picturesque Spanish isle. The Playa d’en Bossa Beach is the longest stretch of beach on the island with its bars and caf้s. The far end of the beach (away from Ibiza Town) is calmer
with less people and house music. But for the definitive Ibiza beach party
head to Bora Bora
half way along d'en Bossa beach. Ibiza is also known as a gay-friendly beach party destination.
MYKONOS
GREECE
With its welcoming locals and trendy beach bars oceanside
Mykonos is another great place to party on the sands. Head to Paradise Beach Bar
located right on the beach between the palm trees. Here the partying starts early - from 2 pm – and goes on till sunrise the following day. This breathtakingly beautiful island is another favourite destination of the world’s fashionable party-set
so expect to enjoy celebrity-spotting while you dance the night away. Lots of places of historical and cultural interest
plus great tanning opportunities
mean you’ll never be bored while waiting for the fun to begin.
SOUTH BEACH
MIAMI
Where the beautiful people hang out – South Beach offers all the partying you’ll ever need. Although not strictly speaking ON the beach
the numerous fabulous clubs sprinkled along this expensive coastline are so hot that they bring the beach atmosphere right inside. This is where the posh people party
but the good times only get under way from 11 pm
so strolling along the beach
dining out or having a drink in the earlier part of the evening is recommended to avoid arriving too early. Many top model agencies send scouts to South Beach - you never know who might spot you on one of the awesome dance floors. The beach itself is stunning
with white
baby-powder sands caressed by the Atlantic. Not only can you dine here during the day but when the sun goes down you can have fun at the beds on stilts at Nikki Beach.
BLOOMINGDALE AAN ZEE
HOLLAND
This event-venue opened nearly 7 years ago as a beach party for Amsterdam locals. The club has grown to accommodate 2 400 revelers with both in- and out-of-door areas. The setting is one of the most aesthetic on the Netherlands coast. Bloomingdales is renowned for its all-day Sunday parties held regularly throughout the year. The music tends towards chilled
laid-back tunes
perfect for the beach-setting. Top DJ’s are hosted regularly here.
CAMPS BAY
CAPE TOWN
SOUTH AFRICA
The white sands of this beautiful beach are popular throughout summer with both locals and international visitors to the Mother City of Cape Town
South Africa. With bars
cafes and restaurants right along the Camps Bay strip there are always trendy and beautiful people spilling out of these venues on to the beach. While volley ball and tanning are popular by day
sundowners and impromptu beach parties are on from early evening to well past midnight. Enjoy music
fire-jugglers and drumming around the huge bonfires which are lit during the summer holiday season.
So if sun
sand and sea make put you in the mood for some sexy partying – why leave the beach? Head for one of these 5 hot spots and the party need never end!
Read More “5 Best Party Beaches In The World”
conjuring up images of dancing from sunset to sunrise on golden sands
with bonfires
great music
crashing waves and cocktails in the mix.
From Ibiza to Miami
there are as many types of beach parties as there are party-people looking for a good time. From down and dirty dancing to celebrity-spotting socializing
read on for the 5 best party beaches in the world!
IBIZA
SPAIN
The name Ibiza has been synonymous with the phrase ‘beach party’ ever since the late ‘80’s when the former hangout of hippies and flower-children
metamorphosized into the party capital of the world. Stars
celebs and models all love to get down at the clubs dotted around this picturesque Spanish isle. The Playa d’en Bossa Beach is the longest stretch of beach on the island with its bars and caf้s. The far end of the beach (away from Ibiza Town) is calmer
with less people and house music. But for the definitive Ibiza beach party
head to Bora Bora
half way along d'en Bossa beach. Ibiza is also known as a gay-friendly beach party destination.
MYKONOS
GREECE
With its welcoming locals and trendy beach bars oceanside
Mykonos is another great place to party on the sands. Head to Paradise Beach Bar
located right on the beach between the palm trees. Here the partying starts early - from 2 pm – and goes on till sunrise the following day. This breathtakingly beautiful island is another favourite destination of the world’s fashionable party-set
so expect to enjoy celebrity-spotting while you dance the night away. Lots of places of historical and cultural interest
plus great tanning opportunities
mean you’ll never be bored while waiting for the fun to begin.
SOUTH BEACH
MIAMI
Where the beautiful people hang out – South Beach offers all the partying you’ll ever need. Although not strictly speaking ON the beach
the numerous fabulous clubs sprinkled along this expensive coastline are so hot that they bring the beach atmosphere right inside. This is where the posh people party
but the good times only get under way from 11 pm
so strolling along the beach
dining out or having a drink in the earlier part of the evening is recommended to avoid arriving too early. Many top model agencies send scouts to South Beach - you never know who might spot you on one of the awesome dance floors. The beach itself is stunning
with white
baby-powder sands caressed by the Atlantic. Not only can you dine here during the day but when the sun goes down you can have fun at the beds on stilts at Nikki Beach.
BLOOMINGDALE AAN ZEE
HOLLAND
This event-venue opened nearly 7 years ago as a beach party for Amsterdam locals. The club has grown to accommodate 2 400 revelers with both in- and out-of-door areas. The setting is one of the most aesthetic on the Netherlands coast. Bloomingdales is renowned for its all-day Sunday parties held regularly throughout the year. The music tends towards chilled
laid-back tunes
perfect for the beach-setting. Top DJ’s are hosted regularly here.
CAMPS BAY
CAPE TOWN
SOUTH AFRICA
The white sands of this beautiful beach are popular throughout summer with both locals and international visitors to the Mother City of Cape Town
South Africa. With bars
cafes and restaurants right along the Camps Bay strip there are always trendy and beautiful people spilling out of these venues on to the beach. While volley ball and tanning are popular by day
sundowners and impromptu beach parties are on from early evening to well past midnight. Enjoy music
fire-jugglers and drumming around the huge bonfires which are lit during the summer holiday season.
So if sun
sand and sea make put you in the mood for some sexy partying – why leave the beach? Head for one of these 5 hot spots and the party need never end!
4 Ways To Do Sport Also On Holiday
Posted by
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Dynamism and physical activity are the fundamental requirements of a true sporting holiday. Sport lovers are often demanding of an active holiday with plenty of physical activity and well-being for the body and the mind.
Doing physical activity also on holiday is the special mission of the Hotels for sport enthusiasts. From triathlon to bicycle racing
these hotels propose the active holiday and make sure that every sports need is satisfied.
The hotels on the Adriatic Riviera offer four ways of practicing sport while on holiday:
- Cycling holiday
- MTB holiday
- Triathlon holiday (Cycling + Swimming + Racing)
- Holiday in the swimming-pool (swimming)
The Hotels for sport enthusiasts offer targeted services for each type of holiday.
Hotels for riders and bike services for road racing holidays and mountain bike holidays: technical equipment
specialized guides
cycling-tourism tracks
and participation in the various cycling races organized locally.
These are the bike facilities:
- bicycle storeroom
- Pre and post-training buffet
- A minibus
- Cycling itineraries (maps of the itineraries in the inland area) selected and divided according to level of difficulty.
- Technical assistance - Tailor-made bicycle hire
- Fitness and massages
- Laundry service.
For the triathlon enthusiasts
there are special cycling/swimming/racing tracks to train every body part and experience the adrenalin of sport at 360ฐ.
The service for triathlon are:
- bicycle facilities
- bicycle guides
- swimming facilities
- running facilities
The hills over Riccione
for example
are particularly suitable for cycling and the Province of Rimini can provide cycling-tourism maps that will guide bike lovers.
For those who feel like “fishes”
Riccione offers the opportunity of swimming in the heated swimming-pool with swimming instructors.
The swimming services are:
- Large pool:
- Olympic-sized pool
- Packed lunch
- Assistance (for example advanced swimming lessons)
- Towels and bathrobes
- Special agreements
In addition to all this
relax treatments
from massage to sauna
are the best way to relax the muscles after the tiring but enjoyable sports activities.
The Adriatic Riviera and the Hotels in Riccione are the ideal dimension for sports people who
while on holiday
want not only to enjoy the inland
the food
the beaches and the entertainment offered by the local area
but also and
first of all
want to keep in shape through the many chances of doing sport.
To live a special sportive holiday the Sport Hotel in Italy and especially in Riccione propose a lot of event during the evening to relax an to be ready for the next sport activity.
This kind of holiday is very diffused in Italy and every year a lot of cycling lovers choose a bike holiday to live between sport and nature.
Italian Regions offer a lot of bike itineraries
from the mountain to the sea and during their journey the guest could participate to important cycling races in Italy. The Nove Colli for example is one of the most famous race that gives fame to Marco Pantani.
Italy and Italian bike hotel could offer an complete sport holiday full of activity
history and emotion.
To be diffused with Creative Commons license (the article source must be mentioned with a link in html).
Read More “4 Ways To Do Sport Also On Holiday”
Doing physical activity also on holiday is the special mission of the Hotels for sport enthusiasts. From triathlon to bicycle racing
these hotels propose the active holiday and make sure that every sports need is satisfied.
The hotels on the Adriatic Riviera offer four ways of practicing sport while on holiday:
- Cycling holiday
- MTB holiday
- Triathlon holiday (Cycling + Swimming + Racing)
- Holiday in the swimming-pool (swimming)
The Hotels for sport enthusiasts offer targeted services for each type of holiday.
Hotels for riders and bike services for road racing holidays and mountain bike holidays: technical equipment
specialized guides
cycling-tourism tracks
and participation in the various cycling races organized locally.
These are the bike facilities:
- bicycle storeroom
- Pre and post-training buffet
- A minibus
- Cycling itineraries (maps of the itineraries in the inland area) selected and divided according to level of difficulty.
- Technical assistance - Tailor-made bicycle hire
- Fitness and massages
- Laundry service.
For the triathlon enthusiasts
there are special cycling/swimming/racing tracks to train every body part and experience the adrenalin of sport at 360ฐ.
The service for triathlon are:
- bicycle facilities
- bicycle guides
- swimming facilities
- running facilities
The hills over Riccione
for example
are particularly suitable for cycling and the Province of Rimini can provide cycling-tourism maps that will guide bike lovers.
For those who feel like “fishes”
Riccione offers the opportunity of swimming in the heated swimming-pool with swimming instructors.
The swimming services are:
- Large pool:
- Olympic-sized pool
- Packed lunch
- Assistance (for example advanced swimming lessons)
- Towels and bathrobes
- Special agreements
In addition to all this
relax treatments
from massage to sauna
are the best way to relax the muscles after the tiring but enjoyable sports activities.
The Adriatic Riviera and the Hotels in Riccione are the ideal dimension for sports people who
while on holiday
want not only to enjoy the inland
the food
the beaches and the entertainment offered by the local area
but also and
first of all
want to keep in shape through the many chances of doing sport.
To live a special sportive holiday the Sport Hotel in Italy and especially in Riccione propose a lot of event during the evening to relax an to be ready for the next sport activity.
This kind of holiday is very diffused in Italy and every year a lot of cycling lovers choose a bike holiday to live between sport and nature.
Italian Regions offer a lot of bike itineraries
from the mountain to the sea and during their journey the guest could participate to important cycling races in Italy. The Nove Colli for example is one of the most famous race that gives fame to Marco Pantani.
Italy and Italian bike hotel could offer an complete sport holiday full of activity
history and emotion.
To be diffused with Creative Commons license (the article source must be mentioned with a link in html).
4 Tips For Finding A Great Cruise At A Good Price
Saturday 22 August 2009Posted by
Best-Product
One of the most relaxing vacations you can take right now is an ocean cruise. Many people have the belief that a cruise will cost them more than they can afford
but there are some good tips that can help you get the cruise you want at a price that fits your budget.
1
Cruise ships have set itineraries so they want their ships to be at full capacity each time they leave the port. If you schedule your cruise vacation for the off season you can save as much as 50% of the cost during peak season. Keep a close eye on last minute deals too. Many cruise lines will offer much lower prices to sell those remaining spots instead of setting sail with them unsold.
2
Take the time to look at everything a cruise package is offering you. Most of them are all inclusive meaning everything on the ship is included in one price. Yet there are many amenities that you won’t be using you are throwing your money away. Look for a cruise that only offers the items you will be likely to use.
3
When you book your cruise you will be offered many different options for your accommodations. The more room you have and the nicer they are
the more expensive they will be. Yet on a cruise most people only spend time in their room to sleep and shower. You can save a great deal of money going with more basic accommodations.
4
If you can get a large group of people to book the same cruise
you will likely be able to save 15% or 20%. A group in generally considered 20 people or more. The entire group will get the discount on the portion they are responsible to pay. Make sure you find out which cruise line can offer you the best deal before you commit to one.
Read More “4 Tips For Finding A Great Cruise At A Good Price”
but there are some good tips that can help you get the cruise you want at a price that fits your budget.
1
Cruise ships have set itineraries so they want their ships to be at full capacity each time they leave the port. If you schedule your cruise vacation for the off season you can save as much as 50% of the cost during peak season. Keep a close eye on last minute deals too. Many cruise lines will offer much lower prices to sell those remaining spots instead of setting sail with them unsold.
2
Take the time to look at everything a cruise package is offering you. Most of them are all inclusive meaning everything on the ship is included in one price. Yet there are many amenities that you won’t be using you are throwing your money away. Look for a cruise that only offers the items you will be likely to use.
3
When you book your cruise you will be offered many different options for your accommodations. The more room you have and the nicer they are
the more expensive they will be. Yet on a cruise most people only spend time in their room to sleep and shower. You can save a great deal of money going with more basic accommodations.
4
If you can get a large group of people to book the same cruise
you will likely be able to save 15% or 20%. A group in generally considered 20 people or more. The entire group will get the discount on the portion they are responsible to pay. Make sure you find out which cruise line can offer you the best deal before you commit to one.
3 Ways To Make Money From Working At Home With Coastal Vacations And A Blog
Posted by
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Three popular ideas today
and not particularly in this order
are: working from home
running a travel business and blogging on the Internet. It’s no secret that as computers and the Internet grow in popularity
so do the numbers of people who leave their jobs daily round the world to work from home. And it’s also no secret that the travel industry is among those industries earning big bucks
as referenced by Coastal Vacation and others in the trillions of dollars category earners. Plus it’s no secret that blogging is a blockbuster idea
a new concept that took off at the end of the 1990’s.
But look out when you combine all three of these big ideas together. They can sure pack a powerful punch! And here are three ways to turn this punch into profits…
1
Working at home
Coastal Vacation and blogging are all easy to do
quick to set up. No excuses. Just set up - and start selling!
There is no huge learning curve with any of these ideas. You’re probably already online reading this
and at home
so hook up a blog in a jiff at a cheap place like http://GoDaddy.com for roughly $2.99 per month
unless you know how to set up and maintain a Wordpress blog on your own hosting. Learn more about Coastal Vacations and ask how to get started with your own package
even if you go in on one with others in your family or other friends
etc. And voila
you’re up and running!
2
Working at home
Coastal Vacation and blogging are all authentic. Get your ducks in a row
then start selling
start earning.
Who hasn’t had enough with hype
cheap products and services
and down right junk? Well you get none of that with this powerful trio. With more and more people working from home today than ever before
at-home status is no longer taboo in the business world. People have earned the right to work from home
even many trusted travel agents and sales representatives who earn a good living online from home posting to their blogs with helpful articles
full color product brochures
multi-media files like movies and more. Add your authentic materials and other info to your blog; testimonials
product info
personal bio
multi-media files
etc. and stand out from the crowd.
3
Working at home
Coastal Vacation and blogging can all be marketed many ways as one solid package chock-full of benefits to make you more money. Use any number of these ways - - and more - - and start selling
start earning:
-With e-mail marketing. Send out brief e-mail messages to friends
prospects and website visitors with teasers or email sigs (signatures) that link to your blog.
-With autoresponder series and a subscription to your blog. Invite people to subscribe to your blog and to autoresponder messages about your products and services so they’ll learn more and become customers
referring their friends and family
too.
-With surveys
RSS feeds and comments. Invite interaction by submitting your blog’s RSS feeds to RSS directories
and through surveys on your blog. Invite comments on blog posts
too.
So give this powerful trio a try. Working at home
Coastal Vacation and blogging can help you with a powerful option to get ahead today.
Read More “3 Ways To Make Money From Working At Home With Coastal Vacations And A Blog”
and not particularly in this order
are: working from home
running a travel business and blogging on the Internet. It’s no secret that as computers and the Internet grow in popularity
so do the numbers of people who leave their jobs daily round the world to work from home. And it’s also no secret that the travel industry is among those industries earning big bucks
as referenced by Coastal Vacation and others in the trillions of dollars category earners. Plus it’s no secret that blogging is a blockbuster idea
a new concept that took off at the end of the 1990’s.
But look out when you combine all three of these big ideas together. They can sure pack a powerful punch! And here are three ways to turn this punch into profits…
1
Working at home
Coastal Vacation and blogging are all easy to do
quick to set up. No excuses. Just set up - and start selling!
There is no huge learning curve with any of these ideas. You’re probably already online reading this
and at home
so hook up a blog in a jiff at a cheap place like http://GoDaddy.com for roughly $2.99 per month
unless you know how to set up and maintain a Wordpress blog on your own hosting. Learn more about Coastal Vacations and ask how to get started with your own package
even if you go in on one with others in your family or other friends
etc. And voila
you’re up and running!
2
Working at home
Coastal Vacation and blogging are all authentic. Get your ducks in a row
then start selling
start earning.
Who hasn’t had enough with hype
cheap products and services
and down right junk? Well you get none of that with this powerful trio. With more and more people working from home today than ever before
at-home status is no longer taboo in the business world. People have earned the right to work from home
even many trusted travel agents and sales representatives who earn a good living online from home posting to their blogs with helpful articles
full color product brochures
multi-media files like movies and more. Add your authentic materials and other info to your blog; testimonials
product info
personal bio
multi-media files
etc. and stand out from the crowd.
3
Working at home
Coastal Vacation and blogging can all be marketed many ways as one solid package chock-full of benefits to make you more money. Use any number of these ways - - and more - - and start selling
start earning:
-With e-mail marketing. Send out brief e-mail messages to friends
prospects and website visitors with teasers or email sigs (signatures) that link to your blog.
-With autoresponder series and a subscription to your blog. Invite people to subscribe to your blog and to autoresponder messages about your products and services so they’ll learn more and become customers
referring their friends and family
too.
-With surveys
RSS feeds and comments. Invite interaction by submitting your blog’s RSS feeds to RSS directories
and through surveys on your blog. Invite comments on blog posts
too.
So give this powerful trio a try. Working at home
Coastal Vacation and blogging can help you with a powerful option to get ahead today.
3 Ways To Book Your Next Kailua Vacation Rental Which Should You Choose
Thursday 20 August 2009Posted by
Best-Product
Have you recently decided that you would like to take a Hawaii trip
namely a Kailua trip? If you have
you may want to get started with making your reservations. When it comes to making your Kailua vacation reservations
you will find that you have a number of different options.
One of the many ways that you can go about booking your next Kailua vacation involves visiting one of your local travel agencies. Using a travel agent to book your vacation is a nice option to have. Many individuals who are pressed for time or those who do not have the desire to research all of their Kailua vacation options turn to travel agents. Professional travel agents have experience with planning quality and relatively affordable vacations
including Hawaiian vacations.
Another one of your options
when looking to book a stay at a Kailua vacation rental
involves making your reservations directly through the vacation home owner. This approach is one that is nice
as you are likely get each and every one of your questions answered and accurately. There are a number of different ways that you can go about making direct contact with Kailua vacation rental owners.
Finally
your third option
when looking to book a stay at a Kailua vacation home or when looking to plan your Kailua vacation in general
involves using online travel websites. Online travel websites are websites that list a number of vacation rentals and many also allow you to book your airline reservations as well.
Now that you know what your options are
when looking to plan your next Kailua vacation
you may be wondering which options is best for you. It is important to note that each of the above mentioned options have their plus sides
as well as their downsides. As for using the services of a professional travel agent
you will find that they are convenient
but there are no guarantees that you will like the results. If you are looking for something in particular
you will want to assist your travel agent along every step of the way. When doing so
it may be within your best interest to just make your own Kailua travel arrangements.
Speaking of making your own Kailua vacation travel arrangements
it was outlined above how you can make reservations at a Kailua vacation rental directly through the owner. While this option is nice
as you will be in contact with the individual who knows the rental property inside and out
there are also a few downsides to making your reservations directly and independently. One of those downsides is the time you can spend researching each of your options. Many vacation homeowners have their own websites or advertise their rentals locally. It may be difficult and time consuming for you to find other vacation rentals to compare.
As for using an online travel website to book your next Kailua vacation
you will find that there are an unlimited number of benefits to using this approach. In fact
online travel websites are increasing in popularity. One of the many reasons why you should look into booking your next Kailua vacation through an online travel website is because of saved time. Online travel websites
especially those that deal specifically with Hawaii vacations
have multiple vacation rentals to choose from. This makes comparing size
price
and location as easy as possible. You may be surprised how many vacation rentals you can examine in just a few minutes with an online travel website.
As previously stated
online travel websites often allow you to do more than just make reservations for a Kailua vacation rental. Many online travel websites also allow you to make other travel arrangements
such as those for airline reservations. Even if you are unable to book your travel arrangements in the form of a vacation package
there are still a number of benefits to making your Kailua vacation reservations all at the same place
as well as at the same time.
As outlined above
making your next Kailua vacation rental reservations through an online travel website
especially one that deals specifically with Hawaiian vacations
has a number of benefits. While you do have a number of travel websites to choose from
you will want to take the time to examine HawaiianBeachRentals.com.
Read More “3 Ways To Book Your Next Kailua Vacation Rental Which Should You Choose”
namely a Kailua trip? If you have
you may want to get started with making your reservations. When it comes to making your Kailua vacation reservations
you will find that you have a number of different options.
One of the many ways that you can go about booking your next Kailua vacation involves visiting one of your local travel agencies. Using a travel agent to book your vacation is a nice option to have. Many individuals who are pressed for time or those who do not have the desire to research all of their Kailua vacation options turn to travel agents. Professional travel agents have experience with planning quality and relatively affordable vacations
including Hawaiian vacations.
Another one of your options
when looking to book a stay at a Kailua vacation rental
involves making your reservations directly through the vacation home owner. This approach is one that is nice
as you are likely get each and every one of your questions answered and accurately. There are a number of different ways that you can go about making direct contact with Kailua vacation rental owners.
Finally
your third option
when looking to book a stay at a Kailua vacation home or when looking to plan your Kailua vacation in general
involves using online travel websites. Online travel websites are websites that list a number of vacation rentals and many also allow you to book your airline reservations as well.
Now that you know what your options are
when looking to plan your next Kailua vacation
you may be wondering which options is best for you. It is important to note that each of the above mentioned options have their plus sides
as well as their downsides. As for using the services of a professional travel agent
you will find that they are convenient
but there are no guarantees that you will like the results. If you are looking for something in particular
you will want to assist your travel agent along every step of the way. When doing so
it may be within your best interest to just make your own Kailua travel arrangements.
Speaking of making your own Kailua vacation travel arrangements
it was outlined above how you can make reservations at a Kailua vacation rental directly through the owner. While this option is nice
as you will be in contact with the individual who knows the rental property inside and out
there are also a few downsides to making your reservations directly and independently. One of those downsides is the time you can spend researching each of your options. Many vacation homeowners have their own websites or advertise their rentals locally. It may be difficult and time consuming for you to find other vacation rentals to compare.
As for using an online travel website to book your next Kailua vacation
you will find that there are an unlimited number of benefits to using this approach. In fact
online travel websites are increasing in popularity. One of the many reasons why you should look into booking your next Kailua vacation through an online travel website is because of saved time. Online travel websites
especially those that deal specifically with Hawaii vacations
have multiple vacation rentals to choose from. This makes comparing size
price
and location as easy as possible. You may be surprised how many vacation rentals you can examine in just a few minutes with an online travel website.
As previously stated
online travel websites often allow you to do more than just make reservations for a Kailua vacation rental. Many online travel websites also allow you to make other travel arrangements
such as those for airline reservations. Even if you are unable to book your travel arrangements in the form of a vacation package
there are still a number of benefits to making your Kailua vacation reservations all at the same place
as well as at the same time.
As outlined above
making your next Kailua vacation rental reservations through an online travel website
especially one that deals specifically with Hawaiian vacations
has a number of benefits. While you do have a number of travel websites to choose from
you will want to take the time to examine HawaiianBeachRentals.com.
3 Hot Philippines Travel Tips
Posted by
Best-Product
When traveling to any other country
may it be the Philippines or Holland or Zimbabwe
you’re sure to come across all kinds of hassles and obstacles that could give you a pressing headache and make you wish that you’re back at home sweet home. But it’s really not necessary to go all through that with the right amount of preparation and research. When traveling to another country
you should always expect the unexpected and make sure you have a contingency plan for each situation you might find yourself in. And in your trip to the Philippines
here are a few suggestions you could take to make your trip to the Philippines hassle free.
Philippine Travel Tip #1 – Weather This
Weather That
When you’re in Dubai
you’re sure to expect extreme heat during the day and extreme cold during the night. In the Philippines
however
there are no extremities in temperature to watch out for. If you’re going to travel to the Philippines between the months of March till May
be sure to bring lots of light clothes because it’s the hot and dry season. During the months of June till October
it’s the rainy season that would greet you on your Philippine travel. Lastly
the months of November till February are possibly the best times of the year to travel in the Philippines because it’s cool but dry. But to be more specific
if you want your trip to the Philippines unmarred by the occasional typhoon
set your travel date between the middle of December till mid-May.
Philippine Travel Tip #2 – Everything’s Within A Call Away?
Manila
the capital city of the Philippines
is also dubbed as the texting capital of the world because everyone
and I do mean everyone
has got a cellphone – or two! – in their name. That’s why if you’re lost
you need not worry about looking for the nearest public phone because cellphones are able to work in almost all places in the Philippines. Quite a convenient thing for anyone traveling
isn’t it?
Philippine Travel Tip #3 – Party Time!
One of the most unique and enjoyable experiences you could have when you travel to the Philippines is being part of the fiesta season. The whole town or city usually participates in a fiesta and each and every house is open to all
natives and foreigners alike. Filipino delicacies are prepared in each household and colorful banners are hung everywhere so that you’d know when there’s a fiesta going on. You could also try participating in one of the native games that’s usually played like climbing a tree slick with oil or being blindfolded and try hitting the “palayok” or pot filled with candies and coins for children.
Read More “3 Hot Philippines Travel Tips”
may it be the Philippines or Holland or Zimbabwe
you’re sure to come across all kinds of hassles and obstacles that could give you a pressing headache and make you wish that you’re back at home sweet home. But it’s really not necessary to go all through that with the right amount of preparation and research. When traveling to another country
you should always expect the unexpected and make sure you have a contingency plan for each situation you might find yourself in. And in your trip to the Philippines
here are a few suggestions you could take to make your trip to the Philippines hassle free.
Philippine Travel Tip #1 – Weather This
Weather That
When you’re in Dubai
you’re sure to expect extreme heat during the day and extreme cold during the night. In the Philippines
however
there are no extremities in temperature to watch out for. If you’re going to travel to the Philippines between the months of March till May
be sure to bring lots of light clothes because it’s the hot and dry season. During the months of June till October
it’s the rainy season that would greet you on your Philippine travel. Lastly
the months of November till February are possibly the best times of the year to travel in the Philippines because it’s cool but dry. But to be more specific
if you want your trip to the Philippines unmarred by the occasional typhoon
set your travel date between the middle of December till mid-May.
Philippine Travel Tip #2 – Everything’s Within A Call Away?
Manila
the capital city of the Philippines
is also dubbed as the texting capital of the world because everyone
and I do mean everyone
has got a cellphone – or two! – in their name. That’s why if you’re lost
you need not worry about looking for the nearest public phone because cellphones are able to work in almost all places in the Philippines. Quite a convenient thing for anyone traveling
isn’t it?
Philippine Travel Tip #3 – Party Time!
One of the most unique and enjoyable experiences you could have when you travel to the Philippines is being part of the fiesta season. The whole town or city usually participates in a fiesta and each and every house is open to all
natives and foreigners alike. Filipino delicacies are prepared in each household and colorful banners are hung everywhere so that you’d know when there’s a fiesta going on. You could also try participating in one of the native games that’s usually played like climbing a tree slick with oil or being blindfolded and try hitting the “palayok” or pot filled with candies and coins for children.
3 Highlights Of Kvarner
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Thanks to its mild winters and hot summers
Kvarner has slowly become an extremely popular destination for travelers. Located in the Mediterranean
Kvarner has been able to expand its tourism base while maintaining a solid industry to support the economy. If you plan on taking a trip to Kvarner
here are three places that you should make sure you don’t miss out on:
Krk: Krk is an island located in Kvarner bay. It is one of the biggest islands in this area
being at a size of approximately four hundred and nine square kilometers. One interesting fact about Krk is that it receives over twenty-five hundred hours of sun every year. If you are able to make it to Krk
make sure to visit Cave Biserujka
Bay Soline and Kosljun. Popular activities on the island of Krk include diving
walking
various sports and a variety of adventure activities including mountain biking
sea kayaking and trekking.
Rab: Rab features an extremely unique landscape. On the northeastern side of the island
the landscape is mostly bare. However
on the southwestern side of the island
the landscape is covered with green pine forests. Rab has become an extremely popular location for travelers because of its breathtaking beaches and many events
which include the Rab Medieval festival and Rab arbalest tournament.
Opatija: Opatija
which is known as the Pearl of the Adriatic Sea
is located below a mountain and next to a nature park. Regardless of whether you want to vacation in the summer or winter
Opatija has a lot of excellent things to offer. Opatija is well-known for its parks
beaches
rustic Austrian villas
seaside promenade and of course
its natural beauty. If you enjoy cultural activities
Opatija offers many one of a kind cultural events like exhibits
festivals and indoor & outdoor concerts.
Read More “3 Highlights Of Kvarner”
Kvarner has slowly become an extremely popular destination for travelers. Located in the Mediterranean
Kvarner has been able to expand its tourism base while maintaining a solid industry to support the economy. If you plan on taking a trip to Kvarner
here are three places that you should make sure you don’t miss out on:
Krk: Krk is an island located in Kvarner bay. It is one of the biggest islands in this area
being at a size of approximately four hundred and nine square kilometers. One interesting fact about Krk is that it receives over twenty-five hundred hours of sun every year. If you are able to make it to Krk
make sure to visit Cave Biserujka
Bay Soline and Kosljun. Popular activities on the island of Krk include diving
walking
various sports and a variety of adventure activities including mountain biking
sea kayaking and trekking.
Rab: Rab features an extremely unique landscape. On the northeastern side of the island
the landscape is mostly bare. However
on the southwestern side of the island
the landscape is covered with green pine forests. Rab has become an extremely popular location for travelers because of its breathtaking beaches and many events
which include the Rab Medieval festival and Rab arbalest tournament.
Opatija: Opatija
which is known as the Pearl of the Adriatic Sea
is located below a mountain and next to a nature park. Regardless of whether you want to vacation in the summer or winter
Opatija has a lot of excellent things to offer. Opatija is well-known for its parks
beaches
rustic Austrian villas
seaside promenade and of course
its natural beauty. If you enjoy cultural activities
Opatija offers many one of a kind cultural events like exhibits
festivals and indoor & outdoor concerts.
26 Lanzarote Attractions Guinate Tropical Park
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The Parque Tropical is open every day of the year including bank holidays from 10:00 to 17:00 hours. Admission is 14 Euros per adult and 5 Euros per child and I’d recommend allowing a half day to go around the Park
although some visitors have been know to spend the whole day there.
Parque Tropical is located in the north of the the island at the foot of Mount Corona
an extinct volcano which is the highest point of the island
close to the Famara Cliffs and 400 meters above sea level
with spectacular views to the islands of La Graciosa
Alegranza and Monta๑a Clara.
We arrived via the most scenic route which took us through Teguise
the old capital of Lanzarote
up through Los Valles to some stunning views of the island and down into the beautiful province of Haria (the valley of a thousand palms). From Haria we took the road past the Mirador del Rio (Article 22 of mine covers a separate day trip there). You will see the signs for Guinate and the Park from this point in the journey.
The park covers 11 acres of land (45
0
square feet) and includes gardens
waterfalls and lakes. The park has many species of bird (around 300 species in total)
including Ostriches
Flamingos
Cranes
Hornbills
Toucans
Cockatoos
Macaws
Pheasants
Ibis
Ducks
Pigeons & Doves. There are also many species of the smaller birds like Finches
Cardinals and Love Birds. There is also a large walk-through aviary
some 3/4 of an acre (about 3200 sq. meters) with six species of Weaver Birds that breed naturally in the area. It is quite fascinating to watch them building their hanging nests within the aviary.
In the same area you’ll find Parrots and many other small birds that fly free in a this almost natural habitat. Within this aviary there is a lake of some 70metres by 7metres full of Koi Carp
some measuring a length of nearly a meter. You will also see Mandarin and Carolina Ducks swimming around between the fountains. A fascinating area of the park which must not be missed.
The Parque is known to have a successful breeding program of macaws
cockatoos
african greys and other species of parrots. Also with various doves
finches
pheasants
ornamental ducks
ostriches
rheas
trumpeter hornbills and many other small birds.
In the gardens you’ll find many different varieties of plants
shrubs and trees in the park
many of which have been labelled with interesting information about their particular uses and countries of origin. There is a cactus walk on the hillside with a large variety of cacti and where a waterfall drops down into the flamingo
duck and swan pool below.
Every day
there are six bird
at no extra charge. These take place at 11.30
12.3
13.3
14.3
15.3
and 16.30 where macaws and cockatoos can be seen riding their bicycles on the high wire
driving cars and scooters
adding and taking away numbers and many other tricks. The theatre where the show is performed seats 200 people and hot and cold snacks can be served to you as you watch the show or you can relax on the bar terrace which overlooks a large area of the park. There is a children's play area here where the children can let off a bit of steam whilst the parents enjoy a quiet drink.
There is a well stocked shop in the Park
many items of which are exclusive to the Park and will not be found in any other shop on the island. There are two toilet areas in the park. The first is situated near the entrance and exit and has baby change facilities in the ladies. The other is near the bar and show theatre. There are ramps for wheelchairs
around the park and into the theatre. No dogs are allowed in the park.
Read More “26 Lanzarote Attractions Guinate Tropical Park”
although some visitors have been know to spend the whole day there.
Parque Tropical is located in the north of the the island at the foot of Mount Corona
an extinct volcano which is the highest point of the island
close to the Famara Cliffs and 400 meters above sea level
with spectacular views to the islands of La Graciosa
Alegranza and Monta๑a Clara.
We arrived via the most scenic route which took us through Teguise
the old capital of Lanzarote
up through Los Valles to some stunning views of the island and down into the beautiful province of Haria (the valley of a thousand palms). From Haria we took the road past the Mirador del Rio (Article 22 of mine covers a separate day trip there). You will see the signs for Guinate and the Park from this point in the journey.
The park covers 11 acres of land (45
0
square feet) and includes gardens
waterfalls and lakes. The park has many species of bird (around 300 species in total)
including Ostriches
Flamingos
Cranes
Hornbills
Toucans
Cockatoos
Macaws
Pheasants
Ibis
Ducks
Pigeons & Doves. There are also many species of the smaller birds like Finches
Cardinals and Love Birds. There is also a large walk-through aviary
some 3/4 of an acre (about 3200 sq. meters) with six species of Weaver Birds that breed naturally in the area. It is quite fascinating to watch them building their hanging nests within the aviary.
In the same area you’ll find Parrots and many other small birds that fly free in a this almost natural habitat. Within this aviary there is a lake of some 70metres by 7metres full of Koi Carp
some measuring a length of nearly a meter. You will also see Mandarin and Carolina Ducks swimming around between the fountains. A fascinating area of the park which must not be missed.
The Parque is known to have a successful breeding program of macaws
cockatoos
african greys and other species of parrots. Also with various doves
finches
pheasants
ornamental ducks
ostriches
rheas
trumpeter hornbills and many other small birds.
In the gardens you’ll find many different varieties of plants
shrubs and trees in the park
many of which have been labelled with interesting information about their particular uses and countries of origin. There is a cactus walk on the hillside with a large variety of cacti and where a waterfall drops down into the flamingo
duck and swan pool below.
Every day
there are six bird
at no extra charge. These take place at 11.30
12.3
13.3
14.3
15.3
and 16.30 where macaws and cockatoos can be seen riding their bicycles on the high wire
driving cars and scooters
adding and taking away numbers and many other tricks. The theatre where the show is performed seats 200 people and hot and cold snacks can be served to you as you watch the show or you can relax on the bar terrace which overlooks a large area of the park. There is a children's play area here where the children can let off a bit of steam whilst the parents enjoy a quiet drink.
There is a well stocked shop in the Park
many items of which are exclusive to the Park and will not be found in any other shop on the island. There are two toilet areas in the park. The first is situated near the entrance and exit and has baby change facilities in the ladies. The other is near the bar and show theatre. There are ramps for wheelchairs
around the park and into the theatre. No dogs are allowed in the park.
25 Lanzarote Attractions - Teguise Golf
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Before telling you about my particular day out at Teguise Golf
the more avid golfers amongst you will probably want to know what views they can expect to see and the technical stuff that goes with playing golf. For me it was simply a great opportunity to spend a morning with a former work colleague (Colin) and his son (David) as they were staying in a neighbouring villa on La Goleta
part of the wider Faro Park Development.
The course runs along the side of an old volcano (no surprise there given Lanzarote’s landscape) and has inspirational views of volcanic lava
cacti and over includes over 3
0
palm trees and has superb views of the Atlantic Ocean throughout. A Golf course such as this one
is quite simply
in my opinion
nature at its best. C้sar Manrique
the man who taught the people of Lanzarote to care for their natural habitat has clearly left his influence everywhere. If you are a Golf ‘anorak’
you might also want to read the next paragraph of technical data ? If you’re not
simply skip over it.
The course measures 6041m (White) ; 5582m (Yellow) ; 5289m (Blue) ; and 4938m (Red). Generally
visitors play off the blue tees. The Slope Rating of the course is 127 (White) ; 127 (Yellow) ; 130 (Blue) ; and 124 (Red)
We played off Blue Tees. The course measures 5289 Metres (5791 Yards for the non converts) and is a Par 72 course.
I’ve since found out that the course was designed by British landscape architect John Harris and built in 1978. It is a truly a fantastic course
not only because of its design but also thanks to the excellent condition in which it is kept all year round and at Easter (April 2006)
it was in superb condition. Given its location
it benefits from a warm and pleasant climate all year round
tempered only by sea breezes from the island’s almost constant trade winds. The course is designed to be smooth yet varied. It has more than your average number of doglegs
designed to test your ability (or lack of it) and allows you to bring all your clubs into play. It will test everyone from scratch players to those of us with more modest ability.
Address : Avenida del Golf
s/n. 35509 Costa Teguise (Lanzarote).
Telephone : (00 34) 928 59 05 12
Fax : (00 34) 928 59 23 37
Email info@lanzarote-golf.com
Webiste :www.lanzarote-golf.com
The Following services can be found at the Club - Club hire
trolleys
buggies
driving range
pro-shop and club storage. There are separate male and female changing rooms and you can hire lockers. There is a Bar and Restaurant. The restaurant offers a varied menu
based on Mediterranean cuisine.
The prices vary according to season. In the “Summer” months (1st June to 30th September) it costs 53 Euros (for 18 Holes) and 36 Euros (for 9 Holes after 4pm). In the “Winter” (we played in Winter and it was scorching !)
it costs 65 Euros (18 Holes) and 52 Euros (9 Holes after 3pm). The Course has discount agreements with most of the hotels on the island
so check at your hotel
or check out a nearby hotel if you’re in private accommodation as you can often get a better deal than this by doing so.
And so
to our day out. We planned to set off at 7am from our ‘home’ in Playa Blanca (the idea being not to spoil the day for others and ‘Brownie Points’ for everyone !.
There was to be four of playing
but that quickly became three when Gary (“The Rainman”) decided he was on holiday and was not coming to Golf at 7am (given that he left the British Open on Faro Park at midnight the night before (to prepare for golf)
I was very surprised to get the “Dear John “ text first thing in the morning. Gary’s nickname is a long story
but basically when its cold he wants it hot and when it’s hot he prays for rain (and usually gets it
so I’m not that keen on going on holiday with him !)
The three of us (Colin
a work colleague
his son David and yours truly) set off around 7:30am and we drove along the LZ-2 and then headed towards San Bartholme and then into Costa Teguise (avoiding Arrecife !)
When we arrived we were told it was members day (Saturday !) and that they had no tee times for 3 hours. A quick bit of lateral thinking later
we asked if we could play 10-18 and then get a Tee time for 1-9 which they agreed to (something you’d almost expect them to suggest in the UK
so ask if you need to)
We decided we’d have a ‘friendly’ game of singles (if there is such a thing) - Loser buys the beers at the 19th hole.
We played stableford
off full handicaps (you’ll need them). To cut along story short (ish)
Colin was ‘flying’
I was struggling to even stay in touch and David
well David was having a bad day (it’s just as well he hired his clubs !). Colin was five points in front with five to play before he decided to show us his impression of “Devon Loch” (he’s the horse that collapsed of exhaustion 50 yards from the finishing line in the 1956 Grand National when leading by 20 lengths !)
Going up the 18th Colin was one behind (but I did not rub it in
honest) !
Colin tells me his wife Jackie really enjoyed her first trip to the island and that they may return. I’m sure if we ever go ‘into combat’ again
David will have been the range beforehand to shake off the cobwebs and Colin will make sure that he does not sprint when it’s a marathon.
Me
well I had my day !
Read More “25 Lanzarote Attractions - Teguise Golf”
the more avid golfers amongst you will probably want to know what views they can expect to see and the technical stuff that goes with playing golf. For me it was simply a great opportunity to spend a morning with a former work colleague (Colin) and his son (David) as they were staying in a neighbouring villa on La Goleta
part of the wider Faro Park Development.
The course runs along the side of an old volcano (no surprise there given Lanzarote’s landscape) and has inspirational views of volcanic lava
cacti and over includes over 3
0
palm trees and has superb views of the Atlantic Ocean throughout. A Golf course such as this one
is quite simply
in my opinion
nature at its best. C้sar Manrique
the man who taught the people of Lanzarote to care for their natural habitat has clearly left his influence everywhere. If you are a Golf ‘anorak’
you might also want to read the next paragraph of technical data ? If you’re not
simply skip over it.
The course measures 6041m (White) ; 5582m (Yellow) ; 5289m (Blue) ; and 4938m (Red). Generally
visitors play off the blue tees. The Slope Rating of the course is 127 (White) ; 127 (Yellow) ; 130 (Blue) ; and 124 (Red)
We played off Blue Tees. The course measures 5289 Metres (5791 Yards for the non converts) and is a Par 72 course.
I’ve since found out that the course was designed by British landscape architect John Harris and built in 1978. It is a truly a fantastic course
not only because of its design but also thanks to the excellent condition in which it is kept all year round and at Easter (April 2006)
it was in superb condition. Given its location
it benefits from a warm and pleasant climate all year round
tempered only by sea breezes from the island’s almost constant trade winds. The course is designed to be smooth yet varied. It has more than your average number of doglegs
designed to test your ability (or lack of it) and allows you to bring all your clubs into play. It will test everyone from scratch players to those of us with more modest ability.
Address : Avenida del Golf
s/n. 35509 Costa Teguise (Lanzarote).
Telephone : (00 34) 928 59 05 12
Fax : (00 34) 928 59 23 37
Email info@lanzarote-golf.com
Webiste :www.lanzarote-golf.com
The Following services can be found at the Club - Club hire
trolleys
buggies
driving range
pro-shop and club storage. There are separate male and female changing rooms and you can hire lockers. There is a Bar and Restaurant. The restaurant offers a varied menu
based on Mediterranean cuisine.
The prices vary according to season. In the “Summer” months (1st June to 30th September) it costs 53 Euros (for 18 Holes) and 36 Euros (for 9 Holes after 4pm). In the “Winter” (we played in Winter and it was scorching !)
it costs 65 Euros (18 Holes) and 52 Euros (9 Holes after 3pm). The Course has discount agreements with most of the hotels on the island
so check at your hotel
or check out a nearby hotel if you’re in private accommodation as you can often get a better deal than this by doing so.
And so
to our day out. We planned to set off at 7am from our ‘home’ in Playa Blanca (the idea being not to spoil the day for others and ‘Brownie Points’ for everyone !.
There was to be four of playing
but that quickly became three when Gary (“The Rainman”) decided he was on holiday and was not coming to Golf at 7am (given that he left the British Open on Faro Park at midnight the night before (to prepare for golf)
I was very surprised to get the “Dear John “ text first thing in the morning. Gary’s nickname is a long story
but basically when its cold he wants it hot and when it’s hot he prays for rain (and usually gets it
so I’m not that keen on going on holiday with him !)
The three of us (Colin
a work colleague
his son David and yours truly) set off around 7:30am and we drove along the LZ-2 and then headed towards San Bartholme and then into Costa Teguise (avoiding Arrecife !)
When we arrived we were told it was members day (Saturday !) and that they had no tee times for 3 hours. A quick bit of lateral thinking later
we asked if we could play 10-18 and then get a Tee time for 1-9 which they agreed to (something you’d almost expect them to suggest in the UK
so ask if you need to)
We decided we’d have a ‘friendly’ game of singles (if there is such a thing) - Loser buys the beers at the 19th hole.
We played stableford
off full handicaps (you’ll need them). To cut along story short (ish)
Colin was ‘flying’
I was struggling to even stay in touch and David
well David was having a bad day (it’s just as well he hired his clubs !). Colin was five points in front with five to play before he decided to show us his impression of “Devon Loch” (he’s the horse that collapsed of exhaustion 50 yards from the finishing line in the 1956 Grand National when leading by 20 lengths !)
Going up the 18th Colin was one behind (but I did not rub it in
honest) !
Colin tells me his wife Jackie really enjoyed her first trip to the island and that they may return. I’m sure if we ever go ‘into combat’ again
David will have been the range beforehand to shake off the cobwebs and Colin will make sure that he does not sprint when it’s a marathon.
Me
well I had my day !
25 Lanzarote Attractions - Teguise Golf
Posted by
Best-Product
Before telling you about my particular day out at Teguise Golf
the more avid golfers amongst you will probably want to know what views they can expect to see and the technical stuff that goes with playing golf. For me it was simply a great opportunity to spend a morning with a former work colleague (Colin) and his son (David) as they were staying in a neighbouring villa on La Goleta
part of the wider Faro Park Development.
The course runs along the side of an old volcano (no surprise there given Lanzarote’s landscape) and has inspirational views of volcanic lava
cacti and over includes over 3
0
palm trees and has superb views of the Atlantic Ocean throughout. A Golf course such as this one
is quite simply
in my opinion
nature at its best. C้sar Manrique
the man who taught the people of Lanzarote to care for their natural habitat has clearly left his influence everywhere. If you are a Golf ‘anorak’
you might also want to read the next paragraph of technical data ? If you’re not
simply skip over it.
The course measures 6041m (White) ; 5582m (Yellow) ; 5289m (Blue) ; and 4938m (Red). Generally
visitors play off the blue tees. The Slope Rating of the course is 127 (White) ; 127 (Yellow) ; 130 (Blue) ; and 124 (Red)
We played off Blue Tees. The course measures 5289 Metres (5791 Yards for the non converts) and is a Par 72 course.
I’ve since found out that the course was designed by British landscape architect John Harris and built in 1978. It is a truly a fantastic course
not only because of its design but also thanks to the excellent condition in which it is kept all year round and at Easter (April 2006)
it was in superb condition. Given its location
it benefits from a warm and pleasant climate all year round
tempered only by sea breezes from the island’s almost constant trade winds. The course is designed to be smooth yet varied. It has more than your average number of doglegs
designed to test your ability (or lack of it) and allows you to bring all your clubs into play. It will test everyone from scratch players to those of us with more modest ability.
Address : Avenida del Golf
s/n. 35509 Costa Teguise (Lanzarote).
Telephone : (00 34) 928 59 05 12
Fax : (00 34) 928 59 23 37
Email info@lanzarote-golf.com
Webiste :www.lanzarote-golf.com
The Following services can be found at the Club - Club hire
trolleys
buggies
driving range
pro-shop and club storage. There are separate male and female changing rooms and you can hire lockers. There is a Bar and Restaurant. The restaurant offers a varied menu
based on Mediterranean cuisine.
The prices vary according to season. In the “Summer” months (1st June to 30th September) it costs 53 Euros (for 18 Holes) and 36 Euros (for 9 Holes after 4pm). In the “Winter” (we played in Winter and it was scorching !)
it costs 65 Euros (18 Holes) and 52 Euros (9 Holes after 3pm). The Course has discount agreements with most of the hotels on the island
so check at your hotel
or check out a nearby hotel if you’re in private accommodation as you can often get a better deal than this by doing so.
And so
to our day out. We planned to set off at 7am from our ‘home’ in Playa Blanca (the idea being not to spoil the day for others and ‘Brownie Points’ for everyone !.
There was to be four of playing
but that quickly became three when Gary (“The Rainman”) decided he was on holiday and was not coming to Golf at 7am (given that he left the British Open on Faro Park at midnight the night before (to prepare for golf)
I was very surprised to get the “Dear John “ text first thing in the morning. Gary’s nickname is a long story
but basically when its cold he wants it hot and when it’s hot he prays for rain (and usually gets it
so I’m not that keen on going on holiday with him !)
The three of us (Colin
a work colleague
his son David and yours truly) set off around 7:30am and we drove along the LZ-2 and then headed towards San Bartholme and then into Costa Teguise (avoiding Arrecife !)
When we arrived we were told it was members day (Saturday !) and that they had no tee times for 3 hours. A quick bit of lateral thinking later
we asked if we could play 10-18 and then get a Tee time for 1-9 which they agreed to (something you’d almost expect them to suggest in the UK
so ask if you need to)
We decided we’d have a ‘friendly’ game of singles (if there is such a thing) - Loser buys the beers at the 19th hole.
We played stableford
off full handicaps (you’ll need them). To cut along story short (ish)
Colin was ‘flying’
I was struggling to even stay in touch and David
well David was having a bad day (it’s just as well he hired his clubs !). Colin was five points in front with five to play before he decided to show us his impression of “Devon Loch” (he’s the horse that collapsed of exhaustion 50 yards from the finishing line in the 1956 Grand National when leading by 20 lengths !)
Going up the 18th Colin was one behind (but I did not rub it in
honest) !
Colin tells me his wife Jackie really enjoyed her first trip to the island and that they may return. I’m sure if we ever go ‘into combat’ again
David will have been the range beforehand to shake off the cobwebs and Colin will make sure that he does not sprint when it’s a marathon.
Me
well I had my day !
Read More “25 Lanzarote Attractions - Teguise Golf”
the more avid golfers amongst you will probably want to know what views they can expect to see and the technical stuff that goes with playing golf. For me it was simply a great opportunity to spend a morning with a former work colleague (Colin) and his son (David) as they were staying in a neighbouring villa on La Goleta
part of the wider Faro Park Development.
The course runs along the side of an old volcano (no surprise there given Lanzarote’s landscape) and has inspirational views of volcanic lava
cacti and over includes over 3
0
palm trees and has superb views of the Atlantic Ocean throughout. A Golf course such as this one
is quite simply
in my opinion
nature at its best. C้sar Manrique
the man who taught the people of Lanzarote to care for their natural habitat has clearly left his influence everywhere. If you are a Golf ‘anorak’
you might also want to read the next paragraph of technical data ? If you’re not
simply skip over it.
The course measures 6041m (White) ; 5582m (Yellow) ; 5289m (Blue) ; and 4938m (Red). Generally
visitors play off the blue tees. The Slope Rating of the course is 127 (White) ; 127 (Yellow) ; 130 (Blue) ; and 124 (Red)
We played off Blue Tees. The course measures 5289 Metres (5791 Yards for the non converts) and is a Par 72 course.
I’ve since found out that the course was designed by British landscape architect John Harris and built in 1978. It is a truly a fantastic course
not only because of its design but also thanks to the excellent condition in which it is kept all year round and at Easter (April 2006)
it was in superb condition. Given its location
it benefits from a warm and pleasant climate all year round
tempered only by sea breezes from the island’s almost constant trade winds. The course is designed to be smooth yet varied. It has more than your average number of doglegs
designed to test your ability (or lack of it) and allows you to bring all your clubs into play. It will test everyone from scratch players to those of us with more modest ability.
Address : Avenida del Golf
s/n. 35509 Costa Teguise (Lanzarote).
Telephone : (00 34) 928 59 05 12
Fax : (00 34) 928 59 23 37
Email info@lanzarote-golf.com
Webiste :www.lanzarote-golf.com
The Following services can be found at the Club - Club hire
trolleys
buggies
driving range
pro-shop and club storage. There are separate male and female changing rooms and you can hire lockers. There is a Bar and Restaurant. The restaurant offers a varied menu
based on Mediterranean cuisine.
The prices vary according to season. In the “Summer” months (1st June to 30th September) it costs 53 Euros (for 18 Holes) and 36 Euros (for 9 Holes after 4pm). In the “Winter” (we played in Winter and it was scorching !)
it costs 65 Euros (18 Holes) and 52 Euros (9 Holes after 3pm). The Course has discount agreements with most of the hotels on the island
so check at your hotel
or check out a nearby hotel if you’re in private accommodation as you can often get a better deal than this by doing so.
And so
to our day out. We planned to set off at 7am from our ‘home’ in Playa Blanca (the idea being not to spoil the day for others and ‘Brownie Points’ for everyone !.
There was to be four of playing
but that quickly became three when Gary (“The Rainman”) decided he was on holiday and was not coming to Golf at 7am (given that he left the British Open on Faro Park at midnight the night before (to prepare for golf)
I was very surprised to get the “Dear John “ text first thing in the morning. Gary’s nickname is a long story
but basically when its cold he wants it hot and when it’s hot he prays for rain (and usually gets it
so I’m not that keen on going on holiday with him !)
The three of us (Colin
a work colleague
his son David and yours truly) set off around 7:30am and we drove along the LZ-2 and then headed towards San Bartholme and then into Costa Teguise (avoiding Arrecife !)
When we arrived we were told it was members day (Saturday !) and that they had no tee times for 3 hours. A quick bit of lateral thinking later
we asked if we could play 10-18 and then get a Tee time for 1-9 which they agreed to (something you’d almost expect them to suggest in the UK
so ask if you need to)
We decided we’d have a ‘friendly’ game of singles (if there is such a thing) - Loser buys the beers at the 19th hole.
We played stableford
off full handicaps (you’ll need them). To cut along story short (ish)
Colin was ‘flying’
I was struggling to even stay in touch and David
well David was having a bad day (it’s just as well he hired his clubs !). Colin was five points in front with five to play before he decided to show us his impression of “Devon Loch” (he’s the horse that collapsed of exhaustion 50 yards from the finishing line in the 1956 Grand National when leading by 20 lengths !)
Going up the 18th Colin was one behind (but I did not rub it in
honest) !
Colin tells me his wife Jackie really enjoyed her first trip to the island and that they may return. I’m sure if we ever go ‘into combat’ again
David will have been the range beforehand to shake off the cobwebs and Colin will make sure that he does not sprint when it’s a marathon.
Me
well I had my day !
24 Lanzarote Attractions - Aqua Park Costa Teguise
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Located next to the Golf course in Costa Teguise
you will find Lanzarote’s one and only Aqua Park
which is open every day from 10.00 to 18:00. Most hotels offer excursions to the Aquapark (with Ticket prices including coach transfers). If you are staying in a private villa and have hired a car
it’s relatively easy to find. Even though there are no sign posts as such
the slides can be seen from a distance due to the low lying land in the area. We were 2 adults and 2 children. Admission cost €20 per adult + €15 per child. €2 Euros per locker
€2.50 for a sunbed
it was not the cheapest excursion
so be prepared.
The Aquapark offers a wide range of slides and pools and is an ideal day out for families of all ages. It's fun for all the family and makes for an unforgettable day out
but go prepared.
My two boys were 6 and 11 respectively when we went there and age/size can be a problem
so make sure you check the rules on each ride before joining the queues as they will not let small children ride on the white knuckle slides (eg ‘kamikaze’ and perhaps ‘spiral’ depending on height). Both my lads enjoyed the ‘fast-river’ and the eldest was brave enough to try the kamikaze (but only once !). The youngest will have to wait a few years. There were gentler options like the children's pool
and play area (free) and on the day we went there was a bouncy castle
trampolines and paddle boats (extra charges apply for these).
There is also a shop and a restaurant. We had packed lunches
but having inspected the menu
we found the prices reasonable
so will probably eat there next time.
None of the pools are heated
so again choose your day. If its cloudy or overcast
it will probably be be cold in the water too. We were fortunate as the weather turned in the afternoon and it was very hot
so we were pleased the water was cold.
The life-guards were fewer than I had expected but they did seem to be very aware an at least as good as anything I’ve seen in the uk. There were also limited inflatable rings on some of the rides
perhaps because people had taken them into the pool or kept them by their sunbeds !.
Conclusion : The waterpark was a great day out. Yes
the water is cool
perhaps even too cold
but so is the water everywhere (unless you’ve got a heated pool of course). There were not too many people in the waterpark on the day we went
which meant few queues
but I’d guess this changes in the six weeks school holidays !
Read More “24 Lanzarote Attractions - Aqua Park Costa Teguise”
you will find Lanzarote’s one and only Aqua Park
which is open every day from 10.00 to 18:00. Most hotels offer excursions to the Aquapark (with Ticket prices including coach transfers). If you are staying in a private villa and have hired a car
it’s relatively easy to find. Even though there are no sign posts as such
the slides can be seen from a distance due to the low lying land in the area. We were 2 adults and 2 children. Admission cost €20 per adult + €15 per child. €2 Euros per locker
€2.50 for a sunbed
it was not the cheapest excursion
so be prepared.
The Aquapark offers a wide range of slides and pools and is an ideal day out for families of all ages. It's fun for all the family and makes for an unforgettable day out
but go prepared.
My two boys were 6 and 11 respectively when we went there and age/size can be a problem
so make sure you check the rules on each ride before joining the queues as they will not let small children ride on the white knuckle slides (eg ‘kamikaze’ and perhaps ‘spiral’ depending on height). Both my lads enjoyed the ‘fast-river’ and the eldest was brave enough to try the kamikaze (but only once !). The youngest will have to wait a few years. There were gentler options like the children's pool
and play area (free) and on the day we went there was a bouncy castle
trampolines and paddle boats (extra charges apply for these).
There is also a shop and a restaurant. We had packed lunches
but having inspected the menu
we found the prices reasonable
so will probably eat there next time.
None of the pools are heated
so again choose your day. If its cloudy or overcast
it will probably be be cold in the water too. We were fortunate as the weather turned in the afternoon and it was very hot
so we were pleased the water was cold.
The life-guards were fewer than I had expected but they did seem to be very aware an at least as good as anything I’ve seen in the uk. There were also limited inflatable rings on some of the rides
perhaps because people had taken them into the pool or kept them by their sunbeds !.
Conclusion : The waterpark was a great day out. Yes
the water is cool
perhaps even too cold
but so is the water everywhere (unless you’ve got a heated pool of course). There were not too many people in the waterpark on the day we went
which meant few queues
but I’d guess this changes in the six weeks school holidays !
24 Hours In Panama A Travel Guide To Panama City
Tuesday 18 August 2009Posted by
Best-Product
Panama is an adventure wonderland just waiting to be discovered. The country’s expansive rainforests are among the richest and most complex on the planet. It’s the only country where jaguars and pumas prowl just a short drive from the capital. Its vast
roadless jungles are home to over 940 recorded bird species and 105 endangered species
including the spectacled bear
the Central American tapir
the American crocodile
the scarlet macaw
as well as several eagle species.
This small
untapped country offers some of the finest diving
birdwatching
and deep-sea fishing in all of the Americas—yet only the most avid adventurers are aware of it. Panama boasts scores of deserted palm-lined beaches
miles of lush rainforests
great national parks
mysterious mangroves (where you’ll feel like you’ve been transported back to a time when dinosaurs walked the earth)
steamy cloud forests
mountains
waterfalls
raging rivers
abandoned forts
as well as desert.
In Panama you can spend the morning diving in the Caribbean and the afternoon swimming in the Pacific. You can explore historic ruins of the colonial era…dive for Sir Francis Drake’s lead coffin (supposedly buried at sea near Portobello Bay)…see the rainforest in an aerial tram…ride a dug-out canoe to a native Indian village…discover the remote and mysterious forests of the Dari้n region right on the border of Colombia (where the roads end a few miles before the border
leaving you with the feeling you’ve reached the end of civilization)…come nose-to-nose with a red-napped tamarind monkey or a trio of colorful toucans…
Conde Nast Traveler
in an article from its February 2005 issue said "Panama has temperate rain forests
great surf and beaches
and more birdlife than any other country in Central America. Now…it also has a newly elected administration that wants travelers to enjoy every bit of it."
Fortunately
Panama is a small country. In a short one- or two-week trip
you can see much of what this diverse country has to offer.
In this special report
the IL team proposes a plan to get the most out of 24 hours in Panama. From a traditional Panamanian breakfast to a trip to the Miraflores Locks to evening drinks in a little boutique hotel overlooking the Bay of Panama…we have it all thought out.
Breakfast in El Trapiche
Exploring the best Panama has to offer is hungry work. Start your day on a full stomach and head for breakfast in El Trapiche
a busy diner in El Cangrejo (Vํa Argentina
tel. (507)269-4353). Here you can enjoy breakfast Panama style and indulge in a hearty feed of carima๑ol—a yummy roll made of mashed yucca and stuffed with ground beef and boiled eggs—and a side of corn tortillas
that more resemble silverdollar pancakes than taco shells. The bill should be less than $8
even with that second caf้ con leche.
Trip to the Miraflores Locks
No trip to Panama is complete without seeing the "Eighth Wonder of the World
the Panama Canal. According to the Panama Canal Authority
The history of the construction of the Panama Canal is the saga of human ingenuity and courage: years of sacrifice
crushing defeat
and final victory." This statement
while true
doesn’t go far enough to describe the mighty toll taken by the building of the Panama Canal. Construction began in 1904 and took 10 years to complete. It remains one of the greatest engineering achievements of all time
completed despite landslides
disease
setbacks
and the loss of 75
0
lives in total. Engineers directed most of the actual construction
which cost $375 million
and involved the excavation of 240 million cubic yards of earth.
The Canal
51
miles long
opened to shipping in August 1914 and was formally dedicated on July 12
1920
In 1921
the U.S. paid Colombia $25 million as redress for the loss of Panama; in exchange
Colombia formally recognized Panama’s independence.
On average it takes a vessel eight hours to travel from one ocean to the other
passing through three sets of locks. The best place to see the Canal is from the Miraflores Locks (open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
admission free). Make sure to get to the Miraflores Locks for 9 a.m. as this is when you are most likely to see large ships passing through.
Tamales in Casco Viejo
By now you’re probably feeling a tad peckish… Time to hop on a bus or hail a taxi and make your way toward Casco Viejo for tamales. If you’re in luck
you’ll bump into Luis Antonio Visuette on the streets of Casco Viejo
where he has been selling delicious homemade tamales
wrapped in plaintain leaves
for more than 10 years. With his Yankee cap and five-gallon bucket of hot and spicy tameles calientitos
Luis is hard to miss. These lunchtime treats are available in both large (50 cents)
and small (25 cents)
and are a real hit when washed down with an ice-cold drink. International Living’s local office is located in the Casco Viejo area
in the Cathedral Plaza
next to the Panama Canal Museum and just in front of the stunning Metropolitan Cathedral
so if you want to enjoy your tamales in our office (Luis will be making the rounds) call in for a Panamanian style "power lunch."
Explore Casco Viejo
Located at the mouth of the Panama Canal
Casco Viejo is the oldest city on the Pacific Coast of the Americas…although it was there long before the Canal was built.
In fairness to history
the original Panama City (now known as Old Panama or Panama La Vieja) was founded in 1519
about two miles from the center of Panama City as we know it today. From here
expeditions were mounted to conquer the Inca Empire of South America and all of the wealth pillaged from Peru
Chile
and California flowed to Spain through Old Panama. It is no surprise that this booty attracted pirates like Henry Morgan
who looted the city in 1671.
During Morgan’s attack
this original Panama City was burned to the ground. Two years later
in 1673
the capital was moved two miles to the west
and present-day Panama City was founded. This is the area now known as Casco Viejo.
As the city was being rebuilt by the Spanish settlers
they decided to build a massive surrounding wall and a stronger fortress for its protection and to ensure that the enormous wealth in gold and silver that passed through it would never again be susceptible to the likes of Henry Morgan.
The new city boasted a cross-sectioned design of 38 blocks
with three main streets running from east to west and seven streets running from north to south. Unfortunately
this urban development was interrupted by various fires that devastated its streets. In 1737
the "big fire" destroyed two thirds of the city
and the "small fire" of 1756 destroyed more than 90 houses. These and other catastrophic fires help explain why so few true examples of Spanish colonial architecture exist today.
The fortress still survives
though
and today houses several important
cultural
and historic buildings and monuments. But it is the architecture of Casco Viejo that makes it so special. The old Spanish colonial style is overlaid with French balconies and architecture
remnants of the French inhabitants who made the initial attempt to build the Panama Canal in 1881. Over the years
a Caribbean influence also took hold and
today
Casco Viejo is a melting pot of architectural inspiration and style
with some buildings dating as far back as 300 years.
Museums
shopping
and fortune telling
Up until the early parts of this century
Casco Viejo remained a thriving cultural center. But as Panama City modernized
and as the automotive age made transportation easier
it spread outward
leaving Casco Viejo behind. The old city’s narrow labyrinth streets were difficult for cars to maneuver and its buildings were obsolete in comparison to modern skyscrapers being built. By the mid 1900s
Casco Viejo had gone the way of most city centers of that century. No longer the center of Panama City
it was too oppressed for the upper class and quickly became a poor area of tenement-style housing.
The area is currently undergoing a complete transformation
however. Restaurants and bars are opening with gusto
tourists are coming in growing numbers
and people from all over now want to make their homes in Casco Viejo.
In 1997
UNESCO declared Casco Viejo a Patrimony of Humanity. Today
it is revered as the historic center of Panama City. Two- and three-story houses with flower-adorned balconies overlook narrow streets. At its tip is French Park
where you will find the French Embassy and a monument to the hardy French builders who began the Panama Canal. On one side is an historical Spanish building called Las Bovedas
now housing an art gallery and French restaurant. Panama’s Supreme Court was once housed here. A walkway around the monument offers a nice view of the Amador Causeway
Bridge of the Americas
and Panama City’s skyscraper skyline to the east. A plaque commemorates the firing of canon shots to ward off a Colombian warship and solidify Panama’s independence from Colombia in 1903.
There are excellent museums in the Casco Viejo area
including the Museo de Canal. Here
you can learn about Panama’s history as the connector between the Atlantic and the Pacific from pre-Hispanic to modern times. Next door is the Museum of National History and across the way is the National Cathedral. Nearby is a small museum dedicated to religious art
found in the old Santo Domingo monastery. This is where you will find the famous Flat Arch
which reportedly helped convince engineers that Panama was earthquake-proof and a geologically stable area for building the Canal. A few blocks away is the old San Jose Cathedral
with gleaming spires inlaid with mother-of-pearl and its beautiful gold altar
intricately carved of wood and gilded with gold. This is a must-see when you visit Casco Viejo.
Casco Viejo is home to the Presidential House. If you want to see this
be sure to come on a Sunday as it is closed to the public for the rest of the week. Famous sons and daughters of Panama also make their homes here
including actor/singer (and now Panama’s minister of tourism) Ruben Blades
and boxer Roberto Duran.
Bargain hunters can take a break from the historical sights at Salsipuedes
which roughly translates to "get out if you can." Located just before the entrance to Casco Viejo
it is Panama’s bizarre bazaar
a street so narrow and filled with vendors that it is dark at noon. A few steps away is Santa Ana’s Plaza
where you can have your fortune told for just $5.
Dine at The Bristol
To finish off your day in style
make your way to The Bristol Hotel
just a short taxi journey from Casco Viejo. Dining at the Barandas Restaurant at The Bristol Hotel is an event to savor. The Panamanian-inspired gourmet cuisine
restful ambiance
stunning presentation
elegant settings
and attentive service combine to create an unforgettable dining experience.
A Trip To Panama Caught Your Fancy?
Hopefully
this special report has given you a few ideas on how to spend your time in Panama
but don’t forget that this amazing country has much more to offer. Pacific Coast beaches near the city; Coiba Island National Marine Park; and the Dari้n Province to name just a few.
Read More “24 Hours In Panama A Travel Guide To Panama City”
roadless jungles are home to over 940 recorded bird species and 105 endangered species
including the spectacled bear
the Central American tapir
the American crocodile
the scarlet macaw
as well as several eagle species.
This small
untapped country offers some of the finest diving
birdwatching
and deep-sea fishing in all of the Americas—yet only the most avid adventurers are aware of it. Panama boasts scores of deserted palm-lined beaches
miles of lush rainforests
great national parks
mysterious mangroves (where you’ll feel like you’ve been transported back to a time when dinosaurs walked the earth)
steamy cloud forests
mountains
waterfalls
raging rivers
abandoned forts
as well as desert.
In Panama you can spend the morning diving in the Caribbean and the afternoon swimming in the Pacific. You can explore historic ruins of the colonial era…dive for Sir Francis Drake’s lead coffin (supposedly buried at sea near Portobello Bay)…see the rainforest in an aerial tram…ride a dug-out canoe to a native Indian village…discover the remote and mysterious forests of the Dari้n region right on the border of Colombia (where the roads end a few miles before the border
leaving you with the feeling you’ve reached the end of civilization)…come nose-to-nose with a red-napped tamarind monkey or a trio of colorful toucans…
Conde Nast Traveler
in an article from its February 2005 issue said "Panama has temperate rain forests
great surf and beaches
and more birdlife than any other country in Central America. Now…it also has a newly elected administration that wants travelers to enjoy every bit of it."
Fortunately
Panama is a small country. In a short one- or two-week trip
you can see much of what this diverse country has to offer.
In this special report
the IL team proposes a plan to get the most out of 24 hours in Panama. From a traditional Panamanian breakfast to a trip to the Miraflores Locks to evening drinks in a little boutique hotel overlooking the Bay of Panama…we have it all thought out.
Breakfast in El Trapiche
Exploring the best Panama has to offer is hungry work. Start your day on a full stomach and head for breakfast in El Trapiche
a busy diner in El Cangrejo (Vํa Argentina
tel. (507)269-4353). Here you can enjoy breakfast Panama style and indulge in a hearty feed of carima๑ol—a yummy roll made of mashed yucca and stuffed with ground beef and boiled eggs—and a side of corn tortillas
that more resemble silverdollar pancakes than taco shells. The bill should be less than $8
even with that second caf้ con leche.
Trip to the Miraflores Locks
No trip to Panama is complete without seeing the "Eighth Wonder of the World
the Panama Canal. According to the Panama Canal Authority
The history of the construction of the Panama Canal is the saga of human ingenuity and courage: years of sacrifice
crushing defeat
and final victory." This statement
while true
doesn’t go far enough to describe the mighty toll taken by the building of the Panama Canal. Construction began in 1904 and took 10 years to complete. It remains one of the greatest engineering achievements of all time
completed despite landslides
disease
setbacks
and the loss of 75
0
lives in total. Engineers directed most of the actual construction
which cost $375 million
and involved the excavation of 240 million cubic yards of earth.
The Canal
51
miles long
opened to shipping in August 1914 and was formally dedicated on July 12
1920
In 1921
the U.S. paid Colombia $25 million as redress for the loss of Panama; in exchange
Colombia formally recognized Panama’s independence.
On average it takes a vessel eight hours to travel from one ocean to the other
passing through three sets of locks. The best place to see the Canal is from the Miraflores Locks (open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
admission free). Make sure to get to the Miraflores Locks for 9 a.m. as this is when you are most likely to see large ships passing through.
Tamales in Casco Viejo
By now you’re probably feeling a tad peckish… Time to hop on a bus or hail a taxi and make your way toward Casco Viejo for tamales. If you’re in luck
you’ll bump into Luis Antonio Visuette on the streets of Casco Viejo
where he has been selling delicious homemade tamales
wrapped in plaintain leaves
for more than 10 years. With his Yankee cap and five-gallon bucket of hot and spicy tameles calientitos
Luis is hard to miss. These lunchtime treats are available in both large (50 cents)
and small (25 cents)
and are a real hit when washed down with an ice-cold drink. International Living’s local office is located in the Casco Viejo area
in the Cathedral Plaza
next to the Panama Canal Museum and just in front of the stunning Metropolitan Cathedral
so if you want to enjoy your tamales in our office (Luis will be making the rounds) call in for a Panamanian style "power lunch."
Explore Casco Viejo
Located at the mouth of the Panama Canal
Casco Viejo is the oldest city on the Pacific Coast of the Americas…although it was there long before the Canal was built.
In fairness to history
the original Panama City (now known as Old Panama or Panama La Vieja) was founded in 1519
about two miles from the center of Panama City as we know it today. From here
expeditions were mounted to conquer the Inca Empire of South America and all of the wealth pillaged from Peru
Chile
and California flowed to Spain through Old Panama. It is no surprise that this booty attracted pirates like Henry Morgan
who looted the city in 1671.
During Morgan’s attack
this original Panama City was burned to the ground. Two years later
in 1673
the capital was moved two miles to the west
and present-day Panama City was founded. This is the area now known as Casco Viejo.
As the city was being rebuilt by the Spanish settlers
they decided to build a massive surrounding wall and a stronger fortress for its protection and to ensure that the enormous wealth in gold and silver that passed through it would never again be susceptible to the likes of Henry Morgan.
The new city boasted a cross-sectioned design of 38 blocks
with three main streets running from east to west and seven streets running from north to south. Unfortunately
this urban development was interrupted by various fires that devastated its streets. In 1737
the "big fire" destroyed two thirds of the city
and the "small fire" of 1756 destroyed more than 90 houses. These and other catastrophic fires help explain why so few true examples of Spanish colonial architecture exist today.
The fortress still survives
though
and today houses several important
cultural
and historic buildings and monuments. But it is the architecture of Casco Viejo that makes it so special. The old Spanish colonial style is overlaid with French balconies and architecture
remnants of the French inhabitants who made the initial attempt to build the Panama Canal in 1881. Over the years
a Caribbean influence also took hold and
today
Casco Viejo is a melting pot of architectural inspiration and style
with some buildings dating as far back as 300 years.
Museums
shopping
and fortune telling
Up until the early parts of this century
Casco Viejo remained a thriving cultural center. But as Panama City modernized
and as the automotive age made transportation easier
it spread outward
leaving Casco Viejo behind. The old city’s narrow labyrinth streets were difficult for cars to maneuver and its buildings were obsolete in comparison to modern skyscrapers being built. By the mid 1900s
Casco Viejo had gone the way of most city centers of that century. No longer the center of Panama City
it was too oppressed for the upper class and quickly became a poor area of tenement-style housing.
The area is currently undergoing a complete transformation
however. Restaurants and bars are opening with gusto
tourists are coming in growing numbers
and people from all over now want to make their homes in Casco Viejo.
In 1997
UNESCO declared Casco Viejo a Patrimony of Humanity. Today
it is revered as the historic center of Panama City. Two- and three-story houses with flower-adorned balconies overlook narrow streets. At its tip is French Park
where you will find the French Embassy and a monument to the hardy French builders who began the Panama Canal. On one side is an historical Spanish building called Las Bovedas
now housing an art gallery and French restaurant. Panama’s Supreme Court was once housed here. A walkway around the monument offers a nice view of the Amador Causeway
Bridge of the Americas
and Panama City’s skyscraper skyline to the east. A plaque commemorates the firing of canon shots to ward off a Colombian warship and solidify Panama’s independence from Colombia in 1903.
There are excellent museums in the Casco Viejo area
including the Museo de Canal. Here
you can learn about Panama’s history as the connector between the Atlantic and the Pacific from pre-Hispanic to modern times. Next door is the Museum of National History and across the way is the National Cathedral. Nearby is a small museum dedicated to religious art
found in the old Santo Domingo monastery. This is where you will find the famous Flat Arch
which reportedly helped convince engineers that Panama was earthquake-proof and a geologically stable area for building the Canal. A few blocks away is the old San Jose Cathedral
with gleaming spires inlaid with mother-of-pearl and its beautiful gold altar
intricately carved of wood and gilded with gold. This is a must-see when you visit Casco Viejo.
Casco Viejo is home to the Presidential House. If you want to see this
be sure to come on a Sunday as it is closed to the public for the rest of the week. Famous sons and daughters of Panama also make their homes here
including actor/singer (and now Panama’s minister of tourism) Ruben Blades
and boxer Roberto Duran.
Bargain hunters can take a break from the historical sights at Salsipuedes
which roughly translates to "get out if you can." Located just before the entrance to Casco Viejo
it is Panama’s bizarre bazaar
a street so narrow and filled with vendors that it is dark at noon. A few steps away is Santa Ana’s Plaza
where you can have your fortune told for just $5.
Dine at The Bristol
To finish off your day in style
make your way to The Bristol Hotel
just a short taxi journey from Casco Viejo. Dining at the Barandas Restaurant at The Bristol Hotel is an event to savor. The Panamanian-inspired gourmet cuisine
restful ambiance
stunning presentation
elegant settings
and attentive service combine to create an unforgettable dining experience.
A Trip To Panama Caught Your Fancy?
Hopefully
this special report has given you a few ideas on how to spend your time in Panama
but don’t forget that this amazing country has much more to offer. Pacific Coast beaches near the city; Coiba Island National Marine Park; and the Dari้n Province to name just a few.
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23 Lanzarote Attractions - Rancho Texas Western Theme Park
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Rancho Texas is located on the outskirts of Puerto del Carmen and on one of our many trips recently
we decided to spend a day out their with the children. Rancho Texas features amongst its attractions
an Indian amphitheatre where we witnessed a stunning display in falconry
a Nature Park where our children watched and even played with some of the animals
a Goldmine Where the big water-wheel runs water to gold-bearing sands and where the children can try to find hidden treasure and an Indian Village where they took a ride in an Indian canoes and visited the Tepees.
If you’re looking for somewhere for the adults
then why return when they host one of the now legendary Rancho Texas Country and Western Nights.
We started our visit in the Nature Park
host to a wide variety of Animals and Birds. This area includes ‘The Opera’- A round enclosure with a great variety of singing birds where you can experience amazing sounds
‘The Promenade of colour’ – with its sensational variety of birds and colours
‘Liliput Farm’
where the children held the worlds smallest farm animals and saw much larger ones in the form of Turtles
Iguanas
Armadillos and Prairie dogs.
Before we could finish
we were attracted to crowd gathering in the Indian Amphitheatre (one of three live shows we would witness on the day). Once we settled down
the guide entertained us with a fantastic falconry demonstration
part of which involves the falcons flapping people on the head with thweir huge wings as they swoop from high gantries to the central ‘stage’.
After this
we took the children to the Indian Village to calm them down a bit. Our youngest (4 at the time) played in the Tepees
paddled a Canoes and found ‘Treasure’ having followed the water from the big water-wheel to the gold-bearing sands. Our eldest (9 at the time) thought it was too young for him but agreed to ‘look after his brother’ and clearly enjoyed himself
although he denied it at the time.
Next we were attracted to the restaurant area as we were informed that a second show would start in 15 minutes time. Like everyone else
we decided this would be a good time to have something to eat and drink and were surprised to see our Falconry ‘expert’ helping out behind the food counter (we assumed he had washed his hands !). This would not be our last meeting
as he hosted the Parrot show whilst we had lunch. Another good show and some great pictures for the family.
Our two boys wanted to let off some steam
so we let them play for a short while in the adventure play area
before going back to complete out tour of the animals.
Our third show of the day
was to be the best. Our ‘expert’ returned (clearly multi-talented) and decided he’d jump into a pit with the Alligators. He then crept up behind one of them and played with it (in case you’re wondering
he has very quick reflexes). Toward the end of the show he decided to jump on the Alligator and sis finale involved holding the Alligators mouth closed between his chin and his chest – some show !
The children were as amazed as we were and it just about rounded off a great day out and fantastic value at 14 Euros per adult and 9 Euros for the children (under twos are free).
One of the most modern of Lanzarote’s attractions
Rancho Texas
still has an element of the Manrique influence
with 60
0
mฒ of theme park
designed with the utmost respect to the ambience and everything built with natural materials such as stones and wood.
At night the place comes alive with the Rancho Texas Country and Western Night
legendary in these parts. A party night for the whole family and the entertainments team (yes… he was back)
kept everyone entertained with Live Music and Line Dancing and special entertainment for the Kids. You can eat as much of the American Food
BBQ and Desserts as you like and enjoy free-flowing Beer
Sangria and Soft Drinks.
Adults: 44
0
€ Children 2-12 years : half price Children to 2 years: free
and… finally
if you want to Discover Lanzarote on horseback
Rancho Texas also has riding stables. Why not plan your day to include a trek on this wonderful island (three hour trek to the beach
for experienced riders only @ 54€ or a One hour trek
no experience needed @ 21€).
Read More “23 Lanzarote Attractions - Rancho Texas Western Theme Park”
we decided to spend a day out their with the children. Rancho Texas features amongst its attractions
an Indian amphitheatre where we witnessed a stunning display in falconry
a Nature Park where our children watched and even played with some of the animals
a Goldmine Where the big water-wheel runs water to gold-bearing sands and where the children can try to find hidden treasure and an Indian Village where they took a ride in an Indian canoes and visited the Tepees.
If you’re looking for somewhere for the adults
then why return when they host one of the now legendary Rancho Texas Country and Western Nights.
We started our visit in the Nature Park
host to a wide variety of Animals and Birds. This area includes ‘The Opera’- A round enclosure with a great variety of singing birds where you can experience amazing sounds
‘The Promenade of colour’ – with its sensational variety of birds and colours
‘Liliput Farm’
where the children held the worlds smallest farm animals and saw much larger ones in the form of Turtles
Iguanas
Armadillos and Prairie dogs.
Before we could finish
we were attracted to crowd gathering in the Indian Amphitheatre (one of three live shows we would witness on the day). Once we settled down
the guide entertained us with a fantastic falconry demonstration
part of which involves the falcons flapping people on the head with thweir huge wings as they swoop from high gantries to the central ‘stage’.
After this
we took the children to the Indian Village to calm them down a bit. Our youngest (4 at the time) played in the Tepees
paddled a Canoes and found ‘Treasure’ having followed the water from the big water-wheel to the gold-bearing sands. Our eldest (9 at the time) thought it was too young for him but agreed to ‘look after his brother’ and clearly enjoyed himself
although he denied it at the time.
Next we were attracted to the restaurant area as we were informed that a second show would start in 15 minutes time. Like everyone else
we decided this would be a good time to have something to eat and drink and were surprised to see our Falconry ‘expert’ helping out behind the food counter (we assumed he had washed his hands !). This would not be our last meeting
as he hosted the Parrot show whilst we had lunch. Another good show and some great pictures for the family.
Our two boys wanted to let off some steam
so we let them play for a short while in the adventure play area
before going back to complete out tour of the animals.
Our third show of the day
was to be the best. Our ‘expert’ returned (clearly multi-talented) and decided he’d jump into a pit with the Alligators. He then crept up behind one of them and played with it (in case you’re wondering
he has very quick reflexes). Toward the end of the show he decided to jump on the Alligator and sis finale involved holding the Alligators mouth closed between his chin and his chest – some show !
The children were as amazed as we were and it just about rounded off a great day out and fantastic value at 14 Euros per adult and 9 Euros for the children (under twos are free).
One of the most modern of Lanzarote’s attractions
Rancho Texas
still has an element of the Manrique influence
with 60
0
mฒ of theme park
designed with the utmost respect to the ambience and everything built with natural materials such as stones and wood.
At night the place comes alive with the Rancho Texas Country and Western Night
legendary in these parts. A party night for the whole family and the entertainments team (yes… he was back)
kept everyone entertained with Live Music and Line Dancing and special entertainment for the Kids. You can eat as much of the American Food
BBQ and Desserts as you like and enjoy free-flowing Beer
Sangria and Soft Drinks.
Adults: 44
0
€ Children 2-12 years : half price Children to 2 years: free
and… finally
if you want to Discover Lanzarote on horseback
Rancho Texas also has riding stables. Why not plan your day to include a trek on this wonderful island (three hour trek to the beach
for experienced riders only @ 54€ or a One hour trek
no experience needed @ 21€).
2008 The Year Of Niche Travel
Posted by
Best-Product
I have good news and bad news. Let’s start with the bad news
so this article can proceed in the positive manner readers will have become accustomed to: Travel bookings are down in the USA
both online and offline for 2007. Now
the flip side: travel expenditure is on the up. Usually one would expect these two figures to move in largely the same direction
but as there is a drop in the number of people buying
the larger revenues can only mean that people are willing to spend more for a holiday. This is good news but what does it mean?
In a recent article
Forrester analyst Henry Hartveldt states that “Customers are tired of spending two or three hours trying to find the airline or hotel or vacation package that meets their needs.” In the same article
Jeffery Grau
Emarketer’s senior analyst
states that “Online travel distributors’ booking tools were made for mass consumption of uniform goods. They have yet to switch to an era of individual consumption of unique goods.” Jeffrey goes on to say that holidays should not be designed through some kind of one-size-fits-all brief. Increasingly people want the personalisation that offline travel agencies are often better at providing.
To me
from an online marketing point of view
this is a huge opportunity for niche operators. Not only are people prepared to spend more on their holidays but they are increasing looking for more individual holidays. These niche holiday makers lean towards those experts who have the knowledge to create interesting holiday experiences for them. Often the brick and mortar holiday providers offer customers a better experience in this regard – they can talk to a sales rep
who will be able to understand their experiences and help them to make their ideal holiday.
We carried out some of our own keyword research on a variety of phrases related to tailor made holidays and found that there are a nice selection of these being used on UK search engines with fairly good numbers.
So
we know the market is there
but how can niche operators capitalise on the demand? The answer is
of course
by providing everything that can be found in the high street online. You need to allow customers to mix and match hotels
flights and itineraries to create their own unique experience. By all means offer itinerary suggestions
but always remember that your customers are unique and will like certain bits while disliking others
so give them the option to make the changes THEY want. You will likely find a large proportion of your visitors will consider paying just a little more for their own holiday experience
rather than having to make do with an inflexible package that is sold to the mass market.
Of course this could create a dilemma in the programming of your site – as Jeffery Grau said earlier – most websites are designed for the old world where consumer choice meant selecting the country
city and hotel. If you have the time and resources to make your site offer the functionality
then excellent
but it isn’t always necessary: You can create a similar effect by listing a few sample itineraries online
and then offering your customers a chance to have their dream package made for them in person: Provide phone numbers
with calls to action
letting the customer know that they can have their dream vacation tailored to their needs
and that your staff are prepared to bend over backwards to structure a package just for them.
It may seem that changing the way your company offers holidays is excessive for the niche market which is
by definition
limited
but the trends in the US (which Europe usually catches up with sooner or later) suggest to us that the market is going to exert greater influence in the future. 2008 could well be the year of niche travel
and if you get the groundwork right
you may find a nice increase in traffic from those disillusioned by the paint-by-numbers nature of the UK package holiday market.
Read More “2008 The Year Of Niche Travel”
so this article can proceed in the positive manner readers will have become accustomed to: Travel bookings are down in the USA
both online and offline for 2007. Now
the flip side: travel expenditure is on the up. Usually one would expect these two figures to move in largely the same direction
but as there is a drop in the number of people buying
the larger revenues can only mean that people are willing to spend more for a holiday. This is good news but what does it mean?
In a recent article
Forrester analyst Henry Hartveldt states that “Customers are tired of spending two or three hours trying to find the airline or hotel or vacation package that meets their needs.” In the same article
Jeffery Grau
Emarketer’s senior analyst
states that “Online travel distributors’ booking tools were made for mass consumption of uniform goods. They have yet to switch to an era of individual consumption of unique goods.” Jeffrey goes on to say that holidays should not be designed through some kind of one-size-fits-all brief. Increasingly people want the personalisation that offline travel agencies are often better at providing.
To me
from an online marketing point of view
this is a huge opportunity for niche operators. Not only are people prepared to spend more on their holidays but they are increasing looking for more individual holidays. These niche holiday makers lean towards those experts who have the knowledge to create interesting holiday experiences for them. Often the brick and mortar holiday providers offer customers a better experience in this regard – they can talk to a sales rep
who will be able to understand their experiences and help them to make their ideal holiday.
We carried out some of our own keyword research on a variety of phrases related to tailor made holidays and found that there are a nice selection of these being used on UK search engines with fairly good numbers.
So
we know the market is there
but how can niche operators capitalise on the demand? The answer is
of course
by providing everything that can be found in the high street online. You need to allow customers to mix and match hotels
flights and itineraries to create their own unique experience. By all means offer itinerary suggestions
but always remember that your customers are unique and will like certain bits while disliking others
so give them the option to make the changes THEY want. You will likely find a large proportion of your visitors will consider paying just a little more for their own holiday experience
rather than having to make do with an inflexible package that is sold to the mass market.
Of course this could create a dilemma in the programming of your site – as Jeffery Grau said earlier – most websites are designed for the old world where consumer choice meant selecting the country
city and hotel. If you have the time and resources to make your site offer the functionality
then excellent
but it isn’t always necessary: You can create a similar effect by listing a few sample itineraries online
and then offering your customers a chance to have their dream package made for them in person: Provide phone numbers
with calls to action
letting the customer know that they can have their dream vacation tailored to their needs
and that your staff are prepared to bend over backwards to structure a package just for them.
It may seem that changing the way your company offers holidays is excessive for the niche market which is
by definition
limited
but the trends in the US (which Europe usually catches up with sooner or later) suggest to us that the market is going to exert greater influence in the future. 2008 could well be the year of niche travel
and if you get the groundwork right
you may find a nice increase in traffic from those disillusioned by the paint-by-numbers nature of the UK package holiday market.
2007 Malta Air Show Scheduled For Autumn
Posted by
Best-Product
The skies of Malta will welcome the Malta Air Show 2007 later this year
with display teams from across Europe
the US and possibly Canada participating.
The air show traditionally comes late in the Malta holidays season
and is a welcome late boost for the island's tourist industry with aviation enthusiasts descending for the weekend.
Despite some complaints from residents about noise and safety levels
the air show does produce publicity and income for the holiday and Malta hotels industry
which in previous years has been a welcome addition to the island's fortunes as visitor numbers have slipped away.
The 2006 event was a truly international one
as well as the Armed Forces of Malta participating
the French
Italian
Dutch Swiss and Spanish all had planes and crew in attendance
plus the British Royal Air Force and US Air Force.
Among the planes taking part were two Alpha jets from France
one of which performed an aerial display
six F-16's with two Dutch F-16's flying
and from the RAF two Harriers and two Tornados
with one of the Harriers undertaking an aerial demonstration.
Pick up points from around the island are available for spectators wishing to attend the show
and on previous occasions this has led to heavy traffic in and around the event
again making some local residents none too happy about the event.
While the organisers might have been able to justifiably claim in the past that the air show formed an important event in the calendar of tourist events drawing extra visitors to the Malta hotels
more conventional aircraft have reduced the value of this for 2007.
Malta Flight
After some years of a declining tourist market
Malta has been boosted by the arrival of low cost flights from London and Dublin
traditionally important markets for the island.
Before the new cheap Malta flight passengers started arriving in November from London Luton
and in February from Dublin
the depressed Malta holidays market was in danger of being relegated from a mainstream travel destination to niche status
but the Ryanair flights have helped to start a turnaround.
Estimates suggest that an extra 80
0
visitors could visit Malta in 2007
bringing a real boost to the hotels in Malta and the island's economy overall.
'When Malta is accessible
' comment local destination guide YourMalta.com
'Then holidaymakers will come. It's not just the Malta weather
but the history and a friendly people that draws people.'
The increase in visitor numbers could see property price rises
with two international estate agents who deal with Malta properties predicting a ten per cent rise in property values for 2007.
As with most popular holiday destinations
a percentage of tourists decide to buy a property in an area they like
and Malta is no exception.
The advantage Malta has for UK and Irish visitors is that they drive on the same side of the road and English is spoken
and for non British Isles visitors Malta has well known language schools where they can learn English.
A 2 bedroom apartment in the popular Malta holiday resort of Qawra is currently on the market for LM 72
0
and a three bedroom two bathroom apartment in equally popular Mellieha for LM 138
0
Read More “2007 Malta Air Show Scheduled For Autumn”
with display teams from across Europe
the US and possibly Canada participating.
The air show traditionally comes late in the Malta holidays season
and is a welcome late boost for the island's tourist industry with aviation enthusiasts descending for the weekend.
Despite some complaints from residents about noise and safety levels
the air show does produce publicity and income for the holiday and Malta hotels industry
which in previous years has been a welcome addition to the island's fortunes as visitor numbers have slipped away.
The 2006 event was a truly international one
as well as the Armed Forces of Malta participating
the French
Italian
Dutch Swiss and Spanish all had planes and crew in attendance
plus the British Royal Air Force and US Air Force.
Among the planes taking part were two Alpha jets from France
one of which performed an aerial display
six F-16's with two Dutch F-16's flying
and from the RAF two Harriers and two Tornados
with one of the Harriers undertaking an aerial demonstration.
Pick up points from around the island are available for spectators wishing to attend the show
and on previous occasions this has led to heavy traffic in and around the event
again making some local residents none too happy about the event.
While the organisers might have been able to justifiably claim in the past that the air show formed an important event in the calendar of tourist events drawing extra visitors to the Malta hotels
more conventional aircraft have reduced the value of this for 2007.
Malta Flight
After some years of a declining tourist market
Malta has been boosted by the arrival of low cost flights from London and Dublin
traditionally important markets for the island.
Before the new cheap Malta flight passengers started arriving in November from London Luton
and in February from Dublin
the depressed Malta holidays market was in danger of being relegated from a mainstream travel destination to niche status
but the Ryanair flights have helped to start a turnaround.
Estimates suggest that an extra 80
0
visitors could visit Malta in 2007
bringing a real boost to the hotels in Malta and the island's economy overall.
'When Malta is accessible
' comment local destination guide YourMalta.com
'Then holidaymakers will come. It's not just the Malta weather
but the history and a friendly people that draws people.'
The increase in visitor numbers could see property price rises
with two international estate agents who deal with Malta properties predicting a ten per cent rise in property values for 2007.
As with most popular holiday destinations
a percentage of tourists decide to buy a property in an area they like
and Malta is no exception.
The advantage Malta has for UK and Irish visitors is that they drive on the same side of the road and English is spoken
and for non British Isles visitors Malta has well known language schools where they can learn English.
A 2 bedroom apartment in the popular Malta holiday resort of Qawra is currently on the market for LM 72
0
and a three bedroom two bathroom apartment in equally popular Mellieha for LM 138
0
2007 Critical For Malta Holidays Future
Posted by
Best-Product
Visitor numbers have been in decline on the Mediterranean island of Malta
but the hope is that 2007 will see new life breathed into her hotel and holidays industry.
The Malta hotels and holiday industry are major players in the island's economy
and with unemployment already high
a further drop in the number of visitors next year could have a negative impact not just in tourism but for Malta as a whole.
Throughout the year the monthly statistics for the number of tourists visiting Malta have made depressing reading for the Malta hotels
and the next twelve months will be pivotal as to whether the island can stay in the mainstream of holiday destinations
or be relegated to niche travel status.
The island was rife with rumours earlier in the year that a UK tour operator was going to withdraw the island from their 2007 brochures
and a survey in the island's biggest market showed that Malta would be more expensive for British tourists than the Canary and Balearic Islands for equivalent holidays next year.
But more recent news has brought hope to the Malta holidays market that 2007 will see an arrest in the decline of visitor numbers seen this year
with MyTravel surprising the holidays in Malta market by announcing an increase in the number of winter visitors it will be taking from the UK to Malta.
But the most positive news has come from low cost carrier RyanAir
who have started flights to Malta from London and Dublin.
Between announcing the Dublin and London routes and the maiden flight to Malta
Ryanair sold 30
0
tickets. And the new competition has spurred Air Malta
the island's national airline
to make offers of its own. A successful campaign saw two tickets a minute being sold recently.
'This is all good news
' say Malta hotels and holidays guide http://www.yourmalta.com
'Earlier in the year it looked like there was only one way that the visitor figures for Malta were going for the future
and that was in a continuing downward spiral.'
At one stage earlier in the year there were real doubts cast upon whether the Malta Government would approve the new low cost flights at all. Air Malta is a major employer and some in the tourist sector felt that too much of a protectionist attitude was being taken at the expense of a possible upswing in new visitors.
'Unfortunately
' continue YourMalta
'The Malta Tourist Authority and The Malta government seem to to make life as difficult as possible for the island's hotel owners and those involved in the holiday industry. A privately run company like Ryanair will achieve more and bring more money on to the island than the Tourist Authority can ever dream of. And Ryanair will probably make a profit out of it while the Tourist Authority is using taxpayers money. We're just waiting for the first set of figures where tourism has risen
and for the Malta Tourist Authority to claim part or all of the credit. In reality if tourist figures do rise it's despite the Tourist Authority
and not because of it'.
Travel To Malta
Speaking on a visit to Malta recently
Ryanair's Chief Executive Michael O'Leary declared himself pleased with their new Luton route
and predicted that their Dublin route
due to start operating in February
would be even more successful. He believes that Ryanair could take some 85
0
visitors to the island in 2007.
'If Ryanair do deliver 85
0
visitors to Malta in 2007 it will stop the perpetual decline in overall tourist numbers
' say YourMalta
'It depends of course on whether a large number will be new visitors or simply those who would have visited Malta anyway. We believe the likelihood is that a good deal of the 85
0
will be new visitors who hadn't considered a Malta holiday before. With Air Malta fighting back and having successful promotions too there is every reason to feel confident that 2007 will prove to be a good year for Malta tourism. Hopefully it will prove to be a turning point and not a delay in the downward spiral of the last few years'.
The real estate industry in Malta also produces a good deal of inward investment for the Malta economy
and increased visitor numbers often correlate to an increase in Malta property prices.
According to Tribune Properties
a UK based company who specialise in Malta properties for sale
property inflation could be in double digits next year.
'Malta property buyers from overseas start as tourists
and with new tourists arriving next year in increased numbers we do expect this to have some impact on the market overall. The Malta weather is always a plus point when potential buyers are considering where to buy a holiday home. But ease of access is a critical factor
and with the new flights at reduced prices it makes spending a few long weekends on Malta as well as the traditional week and fortnight holiday a realistic possibility for more people.'
Travel guide YourMalta do offer a cautionary note
urging the Malta authorities to invest in better roads and other infrastructure.
'It's important that holidaymakers want to return to the island in future years
and not just visit once - never to look at a holiday brochure and a map of Malta with good memories and return. The Malta hotels are on a par with the rest of Europe
but if they step outside to dangerous pavements
unclean beaches and a timeshare tout around every corner ready with a high pressure sales pitch they won't return. Hopefully the Malta Tourist Authority will be doing as much as they can ensure a pleasant Malta holiday experience'.
Read More “2007 Critical For Malta Holidays Future”
but the hope is that 2007 will see new life breathed into her hotel and holidays industry.
The Malta hotels and holiday industry are major players in the island's economy
and with unemployment already high
a further drop in the number of visitors next year could have a negative impact not just in tourism but for Malta as a whole.
Throughout the year the monthly statistics for the number of tourists visiting Malta have made depressing reading for the Malta hotels
and the next twelve months will be pivotal as to whether the island can stay in the mainstream of holiday destinations
or be relegated to niche travel status.
The island was rife with rumours earlier in the year that a UK tour operator was going to withdraw the island from their 2007 brochures
and a survey in the island's biggest market showed that Malta would be more expensive for British tourists than the Canary and Balearic Islands for equivalent holidays next year.
But more recent news has brought hope to the Malta holidays market that 2007 will see an arrest in the decline of visitor numbers seen this year
with MyTravel surprising the holidays in Malta market by announcing an increase in the number of winter visitors it will be taking from the UK to Malta.
But the most positive news has come from low cost carrier RyanAir
who have started flights to Malta from London and Dublin.
Between announcing the Dublin and London routes and the maiden flight to Malta
Ryanair sold 30
0
tickets. And the new competition has spurred Air Malta
the island's national airline
to make offers of its own. A successful campaign saw two tickets a minute being sold recently.
'This is all good news
' say Malta hotels and holidays guide http://www.yourmalta.com
'Earlier in the year it looked like there was only one way that the visitor figures for Malta were going for the future
and that was in a continuing downward spiral.'
At one stage earlier in the year there were real doubts cast upon whether the Malta Government would approve the new low cost flights at all. Air Malta is a major employer and some in the tourist sector felt that too much of a protectionist attitude was being taken at the expense of a possible upswing in new visitors.
'Unfortunately
' continue YourMalta
'The Malta Tourist Authority and The Malta government seem to to make life as difficult as possible for the island's hotel owners and those involved in the holiday industry. A privately run company like Ryanair will achieve more and bring more money on to the island than the Tourist Authority can ever dream of. And Ryanair will probably make a profit out of it while the Tourist Authority is using taxpayers money. We're just waiting for the first set of figures where tourism has risen
and for the Malta Tourist Authority to claim part or all of the credit. In reality if tourist figures do rise it's despite the Tourist Authority
and not because of it'.
Travel To Malta
Speaking on a visit to Malta recently
Ryanair's Chief Executive Michael O'Leary declared himself pleased with their new Luton route
and predicted that their Dublin route
due to start operating in February
would be even more successful. He believes that Ryanair could take some 85
0
visitors to the island in 2007.
'If Ryanair do deliver 85
0
visitors to Malta in 2007 it will stop the perpetual decline in overall tourist numbers
' say YourMalta
'It depends of course on whether a large number will be new visitors or simply those who would have visited Malta anyway. We believe the likelihood is that a good deal of the 85
0
will be new visitors who hadn't considered a Malta holiday before. With Air Malta fighting back and having successful promotions too there is every reason to feel confident that 2007 will prove to be a good year for Malta tourism. Hopefully it will prove to be a turning point and not a delay in the downward spiral of the last few years'.
The real estate industry in Malta also produces a good deal of inward investment for the Malta economy
and increased visitor numbers often correlate to an increase in Malta property prices.
According to Tribune Properties
a UK based company who specialise in Malta properties for sale
property inflation could be in double digits next year.
'Malta property buyers from overseas start as tourists
and with new tourists arriving next year in increased numbers we do expect this to have some impact on the market overall. The Malta weather is always a plus point when potential buyers are considering where to buy a holiday home. But ease of access is a critical factor
and with the new flights at reduced prices it makes spending a few long weekends on Malta as well as the traditional week and fortnight holiday a realistic possibility for more people.'
Travel guide YourMalta do offer a cautionary note
urging the Malta authorities to invest in better roads and other infrastructure.
'It's important that holidaymakers want to return to the island in future years
and not just visit once - never to look at a holiday brochure and a map of Malta with good memories and return. The Malta hotels are on a par with the rest of Europe
but if they step outside to dangerous pavements
unclean beaches and a timeshare tout around every corner ready with a high pressure sales pitch they won't return. Hopefully the Malta Tourist Authority will be doing as much as they can ensure a pleasant Malta holiday experience'.
2 Way Ticket To Ibiza Travel Resorts
Posted by
Best-Product
Ibiza is the ultimate destination for tourists looking for a good travel
the place is loaded with young party people
music and beach lovers
lively nightlife
and friendly locals all fused into its culture. Everyone who loves music especially trance
house
and electronic
the beach
and a good time all together can be found in Ibiza. It is practically sunny all year round
so any time of the year is ideal for this ultimate destination in Spain. Ibiza travel is known for its nightlife and party events.
Here are some Ibiza resorts and hotels:
• Pacha Hotel: The famed Pacha Hotel is a luxurious boutique Ibiza hotel with 57 rooms. It has a clean crisp design
with white as the dominant color and simple lines. Its recent renovation has made it one of the best hotels in Ibiza
contemporary
and modern. It is famous for the Pacha nightclub
and it has a Jacuzzi
valet service
and other high class accommodations to make your stay in Ibiza truly unforgettable.
• Talamanca Hostel: Situated right by the beach
this hotel is in the quieter area of Ibiza. Almost all of its 44 rooms have balconies overlooking the blue ocean while enjoying your fantastic Mediterranean cuisine. The hotel also has its own bar where you can quietly sip your drink while enjoying the great view and atmosphere. You can choose to take part of the exotic nightlife as you stroll down the beach.
• Can Pere: A 19th century colonial house restored to what is now a contemporary cottage. It is located near enough to the beach and just near to the city as well
perfect ultimate destination. Each of these hotel rooms are uniquely designed with a touch of the old world tradition
particularly on the materials. There are a limited number of rooms
a total of 12
which will make your stay in Can Pere more exclusive
memorable and unique
far from the crowds.
• Rocamar Hostel: A family owned charming Ibiza hotel. The rooms offer a great view of the Marina and the beaches
with the party scene of Ibiza just a stone’s throw away. The Rocamar terraces also offer a breathtaking view that you can take in along with the fantastic cuisine being offered. Its perfect location allows you to enjoy you Ibiza travel to the beaches
shops
nightclubs
cafes
and harbors in the town; ideal for romantic ultimate destination.
So the next time you choose Ibiza resorts and hotels
make sure to pick the best because you have so many options to begin with.
Read More “2 Way Ticket To Ibiza Travel Resorts”
the place is loaded with young party people
music and beach lovers
lively nightlife
and friendly locals all fused into its culture. Everyone who loves music especially trance
house
and electronic
the beach
and a good time all together can be found in Ibiza. It is practically sunny all year round
so any time of the year is ideal for this ultimate destination in Spain. Ibiza travel is known for its nightlife and party events.
Here are some Ibiza resorts and hotels:
• Pacha Hotel: The famed Pacha Hotel is a luxurious boutique Ibiza hotel with 57 rooms. It has a clean crisp design
with white as the dominant color and simple lines. Its recent renovation has made it one of the best hotels in Ibiza
contemporary
and modern. It is famous for the Pacha nightclub
and it has a Jacuzzi
valet service
and other high class accommodations to make your stay in Ibiza truly unforgettable.
• Talamanca Hostel: Situated right by the beach
this hotel is in the quieter area of Ibiza. Almost all of its 44 rooms have balconies overlooking the blue ocean while enjoying your fantastic Mediterranean cuisine. The hotel also has its own bar where you can quietly sip your drink while enjoying the great view and atmosphere. You can choose to take part of the exotic nightlife as you stroll down the beach.
• Can Pere: A 19th century colonial house restored to what is now a contemporary cottage. It is located near enough to the beach and just near to the city as well
perfect ultimate destination. Each of these hotel rooms are uniquely designed with a touch of the old world tradition
particularly on the materials. There are a limited number of rooms
a total of 12
which will make your stay in Can Pere more exclusive
memorable and unique
far from the crowds.
• Rocamar Hostel: A family owned charming Ibiza hotel. The rooms offer a great view of the Marina and the beaches
with the party scene of Ibiza just a stone’s throw away. The Rocamar terraces also offer a breathtaking view that you can take in along with the fantastic cuisine being offered. Its perfect location allows you to enjoy you Ibiza travel to the beaches
shops
nightclubs
cafes
and harbors in the town; ideal for romantic ultimate destination.
So the next time you choose Ibiza resorts and hotels
make sure to pick the best because you have so many options to begin with.
2 Great Ways To Discover Florida
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For fun and adventure and culture
yes culture! Read on…
Here are Some Great Ways to Discover Florida.
# 1. Fun and Adventure
With over 34 million visitors each year
Orlando is the undisputed theme park capital of the world. But if you are after more fun and adventure after visiting the theme parks at Disneyworld
Universal Orlando Resort and Seaworld
you should try the sensational Busch Gardens in Tampa
the world famous Daytona International Speedway and exploring the Everglades national park.
Don’t Miss a Space Shuttle launch…
Cape Canaveral on Florida’s ‘Space Coast’ is the only place in the West where people are launched into space. Being there when the Space Shuttle blasts into space is a truly incredible experience.
Don’t Miss Florida’s largest and fastest roller coaster…
Is Busch Gardens
Tampa
Prepare for the thrill of your life on Sheikra
Florida’s tallest roller coaster and the world’s tallest dive coaster. 70mph of pure adrenaline-pumping excitement. Travel 200 feet up and then plunge to the depths of an underground tunnel
with water!
Don’t Miss Bush Gardens Zoo…
With over 2600 animals
the zoo at Busch Gardens is one of America’s top zoos
# 2. Culture
Look beyond the more obvious tourist attractions and you will be surprised at what you find.
There is an abundance of architecture
museums
forts
art galleries.
Don’t Miss Historic Wrecks…
Pensacola has fascinating wrecks to explore. This includes the 500-foot World War 1 battleship USS Massachusetts
the Russian freighter San Pablo and an A-7 Corsair aircraft that fell off the deck of the USS Lexington.
Don’t Miss Art Deco Buildings…
Take a stroll down Ocean Drive
Miami
and enjoy South Beach’s Art deco buildings. Painted pink
lavender and turquoise
they line the palm-fringed walkway.
Don’t Miss a Driving Tour…
If you have a car whilst visiting Miami
do yourself a favour
and take a driving tour of Coral gables. Coral Gables Driving Tour isn’t just one of the country’s richest neighbourhoods
it’s a separate city within Greater Miami. Known as ‘The City Beautiful’ for good reason
its elegant homes line winding avenues shaded by banyans and live oaks. This driving tour winds its way along the lush peaceful lanes and is both relaxing and cultural.
Along the tour are these beautiful sights:
1
The Granada Entrance – a replica of the gate to Granada in Spain.
2
The Country Club Prado Entrance – complete with ornamental pillars.
3
Alhambra water Tower – built in 1925.
4
Coral Way – lined by live oaks and Spanish-style houses.
5
Venetian Pool – a beautiful public swimming pool.
6
Coral Gables Congregational Church – built in Spanish Baroque style.
7
Biltmore Hotel – one of the most stunning hotels in the country
beautifully restored to its 1920s century grandeur.
8
The Lowe Art Museum – contains European and Native American Art.
9
French City Village – one of several international villages built to add variety to the city.
10
Dutch South African Village.
11
French Country Village.
12
Chinese Village.
13
French Normandy Village.
14
Coral Gables City Hall
15
Miracle Mile – the district’s most important shopping street.
Other Bits of Culture:
- Hemingway’s House in Key West
where the novelist lived from 1931-1940.
- Little Havana in Miami – 3.5 square miles of Cuban culture and life.
- The Ringling Museum of Art and Ringling Museum (Sarasota).
- Fernandina Beach on Amelia Island – a charming Victorian resort.
- Salvador Dali Museum
St Petersburg.
Where To Stay
Choose your home away from home. If you are after home comforts
fully equipped Orlando and Gulf Coast homes can be rented directed from the owners at http://www.milkriver.co.uk and http://www.worldwidevillas.net They have their own separate pools and are set in private communities and offer you and your family the freedom to do what you want and the space to do it in.
Read More “2 Great Ways To Discover Florida”
yes culture! Read on…
Here are Some Great Ways to Discover Florida.
# 1. Fun and Adventure
With over 34 million visitors each year
Orlando is the undisputed theme park capital of the world. But if you are after more fun and adventure after visiting the theme parks at Disneyworld
Universal Orlando Resort and Seaworld
you should try the sensational Busch Gardens in Tampa
the world famous Daytona International Speedway and exploring the Everglades national park.
Don’t Miss a Space Shuttle launch…
Cape Canaveral on Florida’s ‘Space Coast’ is the only place in the West where people are launched into space. Being there when the Space Shuttle blasts into space is a truly incredible experience.
Don’t Miss Florida’s largest and fastest roller coaster…
Is Busch Gardens
Tampa
Prepare for the thrill of your life on Sheikra
Florida’s tallest roller coaster and the world’s tallest dive coaster. 70mph of pure adrenaline-pumping excitement. Travel 200 feet up and then plunge to the depths of an underground tunnel
with water!
Don’t Miss Bush Gardens Zoo…
With over 2600 animals
the zoo at Busch Gardens is one of America’s top zoos
# 2. Culture
Look beyond the more obvious tourist attractions and you will be surprised at what you find.
There is an abundance of architecture
museums
forts
art galleries.
Don’t Miss Historic Wrecks…
Pensacola has fascinating wrecks to explore. This includes the 500-foot World War 1 battleship USS Massachusetts
the Russian freighter San Pablo and an A-7 Corsair aircraft that fell off the deck of the USS Lexington.
Don’t Miss Art Deco Buildings…
Take a stroll down Ocean Drive
Miami
and enjoy South Beach’s Art deco buildings. Painted pink
lavender and turquoise
they line the palm-fringed walkway.
Don’t Miss a Driving Tour…
If you have a car whilst visiting Miami
do yourself a favour
and take a driving tour of Coral gables. Coral Gables Driving Tour isn’t just one of the country’s richest neighbourhoods
it’s a separate city within Greater Miami. Known as ‘The City Beautiful’ for good reason
its elegant homes line winding avenues shaded by banyans and live oaks. This driving tour winds its way along the lush peaceful lanes and is both relaxing and cultural.
Along the tour are these beautiful sights:
1
The Granada Entrance – a replica of the gate to Granada in Spain.
2
The Country Club Prado Entrance – complete with ornamental pillars.
3
Alhambra water Tower – built in 1925.
4
Coral Way – lined by live oaks and Spanish-style houses.
5
Venetian Pool – a beautiful public swimming pool.
6
Coral Gables Congregational Church – built in Spanish Baroque style.
7
Biltmore Hotel – one of the most stunning hotels in the country
beautifully restored to its 1920s century grandeur.
8
The Lowe Art Museum – contains European and Native American Art.
9
French City Village – one of several international villages built to add variety to the city.
10
Dutch South African Village.
11
French Country Village.
12
Chinese Village.
13
French Normandy Village.
14
Coral Gables City Hall
15
Miracle Mile – the district’s most important shopping street.
Other Bits of Culture:
- Hemingway’s House in Key West
where the novelist lived from 1931-1940.
- Little Havana in Miami – 3.5 square miles of Cuban culture and life.
- The Ringling Museum of Art and Ringling Museum (Sarasota).
- Fernandina Beach on Amelia Island – a charming Victorian resort.
- Salvador Dali Museum
St Petersburg.
Where To Stay
Choose your home away from home. If you are after home comforts
fully equipped Orlando and Gulf Coast homes can be rented directed from the owners at http://www.milkriver.co.uk and http://www.worldwidevillas.net They have their own separate pools and are set in private communities and offer you and your family the freedom to do what you want and the space to do it in.
130 Acre Amusement Park In France
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The unique visual theme park
aptly named Parc du Futuroscope
spans over 130 acres of land devoted to entertaining
and inadvertently educating
the millions of tourists that visit each year. Built five miles north to the city of Poitiers
in France
Futuroscope was opened to public in 1987 and the park is celebrating 20 years of its existence in 2007. With new exciting attractions added to the park’s already impressive range of visual themes
tourists are bound to have an enjoyable day when they visit.
Being a French theme park
most of the attractions are in French but those unable to understand the language are catered through infrared translation headsets which are provided for free if you leave your ID at the desk as a guarantee. There are
however
some attractions that can only be enjoyed in French; one is The Forest of Dreams
which
in fact
is a laser show so being in French only is not a problem
as dreams are understandable in all languages alike.
The attractions use visual and audio affects to make you a part of the scene; the powerful hydraulic jacks used in The Race for Atlantis take you through the lost city at a high speed and you are sucked into the experience with the dome shaped screen around you
producing a 3D world that is made even more believable with the use of liquid crystal glasses that give the feel of an enchanting underwater setting.
That is just one attraction though
Futuroscope holds at least 20 mind boggling
yet glorious shows that give you the sensation of movement while you experience different worlds
whether it is your Peril on Akryls or the story of the Dance with Robots
you will leave the ride feeling you’ve lived the sensations without having left your seat. The educational side of Futuroscope not only aims at entertaining but also gives us a greater insight into lives we have not experienced and creates empathy as well; A Journey into the Dark is one such attraction that lets you briefly live the life of the visually impaired who concentrate more on the other senses than visual
to gather a sense of direction.
Set right beside the Futuroscope is The Quality Alteora Hotel which
incidentally
is a great place for those visiting the park to stay at during their visit. At about 15 minutes drive from the Poitiers Airport
and a short walk from the Futuroscope TGV train station
communing to the hotel as well as the theme park is easy and convenient. The 100 rooms are spacious and offer all modern amenities with the added pleasure of a swimming pool. Your food will be served besides the pool as well
by the La Piscine Resturant. You can also enjoy a game of golf at The Saint Cyr Golf Course which is not far either.
Read More “130 Acre Amusement Park In France”
aptly named Parc du Futuroscope
spans over 130 acres of land devoted to entertaining
and inadvertently educating
the millions of tourists that visit each year. Built five miles north to the city of Poitiers
in France
Futuroscope was opened to public in 1987 and the park is celebrating 20 years of its existence in 2007. With new exciting attractions added to the park’s already impressive range of visual themes
tourists are bound to have an enjoyable day when they visit.
Being a French theme park
most of the attractions are in French but those unable to understand the language are catered through infrared translation headsets which are provided for free if you leave your ID at the desk as a guarantee. There are
however
some attractions that can only be enjoyed in French; one is The Forest of Dreams
which
in fact
is a laser show so being in French only is not a problem
as dreams are understandable in all languages alike.
The attractions use visual and audio affects to make you a part of the scene; the powerful hydraulic jacks used in The Race for Atlantis take you through the lost city at a high speed and you are sucked into the experience with the dome shaped screen around you
producing a 3D world that is made even more believable with the use of liquid crystal glasses that give the feel of an enchanting underwater setting.
That is just one attraction though
Futuroscope holds at least 20 mind boggling
yet glorious shows that give you the sensation of movement while you experience different worlds
whether it is your Peril on Akryls or the story of the Dance with Robots
you will leave the ride feeling you’ve lived the sensations without having left your seat. The educational side of Futuroscope not only aims at entertaining but also gives us a greater insight into lives we have not experienced and creates empathy as well; A Journey into the Dark is one such attraction that lets you briefly live the life of the visually impaired who concentrate more on the other senses than visual
to gather a sense of direction.
Set right beside the Futuroscope is The Quality Alteora Hotel which
incidentally
is a great place for those visiting the park to stay at during their visit. At about 15 minutes drive from the Poitiers Airport
and a short walk from the Futuroscope TGV train station
communing to the hotel as well as the theme park is easy and convenient. The 100 rooms are spacious and offer all modern amenities with the added pleasure of a swimming pool. Your food will be served besides the pool as well
by the La Piscine Resturant. You can also enjoy a game of golf at The Saint Cyr Golf Course which is not far either.
12 Easy Tips To Guarantee Stress Free Group Travel
Monday 17 August 2009Posted by
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If you are planning to go on a group tour
there are lots of things you can do to make the trip fun and enjoyable for yourself and for your fellow travelers. Here is a great checklist to get you started.
1
Pack a small bag to carry along on the bus.
While your main luggage will go in the designated area of the bus
you should pack a small carry on the bus. This will be handy for snacks
books to read
and other accessories you may want easy and quick access to.
2
Don’t’ forget your camera. And once you have packed your camera
don’t forget to take pictures! I know that sounds obvious
but I always get so caught up with the sights and sounds that I actually forget to take pictures! (Duh!)
3
Get a collection of great jokes
riddles
and experiences to share with the group! And it only takes one joke to get the rest of the group going! We had a great time sharing riddles
and jokes and laughing all the way to the next rest area.
4
Take along some great movies. Many tour busses have DVD players. At least ours did. Find out in advance and if it does
rent some great movies for “en route” entertainment” . Be sure to pick a variety of movies
such as cartoons if you have kids in your group
action movies to keep the teenagers engaged
and perhaps documentaries or family drama’s for the adult crowd.
5
Take along some great music CD’s. Many group tour busses also have CD players. We played our favorite and enjoyed group singing. Perhaps you can organize an “on the road” karaoke contest for your group.
6
Don’t’ forget your medicines. This is essential. Perhaps this should be at the top of the list
but be sure to keep all necessary medications close to you in the carry on bag you take on the bus.
7
Pack A small pillow for sleeping comfort. If you are like me
a moving vehicle and a well cooled environment is an open invitation for a good snooze! To boost sleeping comfort I took along a small pillow
and had a good nap between rest stops! The group leader has the photo’s to prove it! His “hobby” was collecting photo’s of sleeping travelers! Maybe I will post that picture here! (Not)
8
A blanket may be necessary. Those tour buses can get COLD!!! My blanket came in very handy.
9
Binoculars. If your tour involves outdoor sightseeing
a pair of binoculars is a must.
10
Bathing suites. Most hotels have swimming pools. This is a wonderful “treat” for kids who behaved nicely while traveling all day! And if you will be anywhere near a beach…you’ve got to take a dip!
11
Don’t forget your passport. If you are traveling internationally
you will most likely need a passport. Be sure to make copies of the passport and other important travel documents and keep them in a safe place!
12
Don’t forget you Airline tickets. This may seem obvious
but it has happened before. Thank goodness most airlines are switching to e-tickets
so this may soon be thing of the past. After all
there are enough other things we have to remember.
13
BRING A BIG SMILE! Smiles are contagious! And most of all… they are FREE!
Read More “12 Easy Tips To Guarantee Stress Free Group Travel”
there are lots of things you can do to make the trip fun and enjoyable for yourself and for your fellow travelers. Here is a great checklist to get you started.
1
Pack a small bag to carry along on the bus.
While your main luggage will go in the designated area of the bus
you should pack a small carry on the bus. This will be handy for snacks
books to read
and other accessories you may want easy and quick access to.
2
Don’t’ forget your camera. And once you have packed your camera
don’t forget to take pictures! I know that sounds obvious
but I always get so caught up with the sights and sounds that I actually forget to take pictures! (Duh!)
3
Get a collection of great jokes
riddles
and experiences to share with the group! And it only takes one joke to get the rest of the group going! We had a great time sharing riddles
and jokes and laughing all the way to the next rest area.
4
Take along some great movies. Many tour busses have DVD players. At least ours did. Find out in advance and if it does
rent some great movies for “en route” entertainment” . Be sure to pick a variety of movies
such as cartoons if you have kids in your group
action movies to keep the teenagers engaged
and perhaps documentaries or family drama’s for the adult crowd.
5
Take along some great music CD’s. Many group tour busses also have CD players. We played our favorite and enjoyed group singing. Perhaps you can organize an “on the road” karaoke contest for your group.
6
Don’t’ forget your medicines. This is essential. Perhaps this should be at the top of the list
but be sure to keep all necessary medications close to you in the carry on bag you take on the bus.
7
Pack A small pillow for sleeping comfort. If you are like me
a moving vehicle and a well cooled environment is an open invitation for a good snooze! To boost sleeping comfort I took along a small pillow
and had a good nap between rest stops! The group leader has the photo’s to prove it! His “hobby” was collecting photo’s of sleeping travelers! Maybe I will post that picture here! (Not)
8
A blanket may be necessary. Those tour buses can get COLD!!! My blanket came in very handy.
9
Binoculars. If your tour involves outdoor sightseeing
a pair of binoculars is a must.
10
Bathing suites. Most hotels have swimming pools. This is a wonderful “treat” for kids who behaved nicely while traveling all day! And if you will be anywhere near a beach…you’ve got to take a dip!
11
Don’t forget your passport. If you are traveling internationally
you will most likely need a passport. Be sure to make copies of the passport and other important travel documents and keep them in a safe place!
12
Don’t forget you Airline tickets. This may seem obvious
but it has happened before. Thank goodness most airlines are switching to e-tickets
so this may soon be thing of the past. After all
there are enough other things we have to remember.
13
BRING A BIG SMILE! Smiles are contagious! And most of all… they are FREE!
100 Grand Resort Travel In Florida
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Beachside promenades
lively people laid back lifestyles and sunny weather
Florida is a grand resort travel idea. Take a walk at the famous Miami Beach and enjoy a great meal by the sea or choose from the many popular tourist and travel resort spots in Florida such as Palm Beach
Daytona Beach
Tampa Bay and Jacksonville. Here are some of best resorts in Florida to suit various budgets and maximize your stay in the sunny state.
Palm Beach: Perfect travel resort
The Breakers is a luxurious resort and hotel with all the best services you could ask for. All rooms offer spectacular views and each designed with classy d้cor and lavish facilities. Visit and take some time to detoxify and relax at the hotel spa.
Sundy House is a historic cottage originally built in the 1902. It has 11 designed rooms
all with artwork and luxurious decor. The house is located within lush
beautiful gardens
lovely balconies
and just a stone’s throw away from the beach. It’s an ideal escape from the hustle that you could spend with family and friends.
Miami
Double Tree Ocean Point Resort & Spa has this luxurious hotel fuses together the best of American amenities and European spas for you travel. Its amenities include a beachside pool
world class fitness center
lounges and umbrellas facing the ocean
and fine cuisine to give you the most luxurious
and relaxing trip
both inside and out
in Florida.
Marriott South Beach
a beachfront boutique hotel located in South Beach has 11 rooms and is perfectly situated in Miami. You can easily walk to the beach and the nearby shopping areas and nightclubs. With a very friendly and accommodating staff
well designed rooms
your stay in Miami will be unforgettable.
Visit Jacksonville
Suburban Extended Stay Hotel Baymeadows is for the budget traveler
an ideal way to enjoy a travel economically. It is also a pet-friendly hotel hence
you can bring along your furry friends to Florida. Feel right at home with kitchen amenities
a television set
and everything you need without breaking your wallet.
Courtyard Jacksonville Mayo Clinic/Beaches is a well-decorated room
a garden gazebo
fine dining
amenities including a swimming pool
patio
and fitness room. This hotel is located within the Mayo Clinic area and sure to satisfy your needs. Fast service from the well trained staff will guarantee that your choice is filled with maximum enjoyment.
Read More “100 Grand Resort Travel In Florida”
lively people laid back lifestyles and sunny weather
Florida is a grand resort travel idea. Take a walk at the famous Miami Beach and enjoy a great meal by the sea or choose from the many popular tourist and travel resort spots in Florida such as Palm Beach
Daytona Beach
Tampa Bay and Jacksonville. Here are some of best resorts in Florida to suit various budgets and maximize your stay in the sunny state.
Palm Beach: Perfect travel resort
The Breakers is a luxurious resort and hotel with all the best services you could ask for. All rooms offer spectacular views and each designed with classy d้cor and lavish facilities. Visit and take some time to detoxify and relax at the hotel spa.
Sundy House is a historic cottage originally built in the 1902. It has 11 designed rooms
all with artwork and luxurious decor. The house is located within lush
beautiful gardens
lovely balconies
and just a stone’s throw away from the beach. It’s an ideal escape from the hustle that you could spend with family and friends.
Miami
Double Tree Ocean Point Resort & Spa has this luxurious hotel fuses together the best of American amenities and European spas for you travel. Its amenities include a beachside pool
world class fitness center
lounges and umbrellas facing the ocean
and fine cuisine to give you the most luxurious
and relaxing trip
both inside and out
in Florida.
Marriott South Beach
a beachfront boutique hotel located in South Beach has 11 rooms and is perfectly situated in Miami. You can easily walk to the beach and the nearby shopping areas and nightclubs. With a very friendly and accommodating staff
well designed rooms
your stay in Miami will be unforgettable.
Visit Jacksonville
Suburban Extended Stay Hotel Baymeadows is for the budget traveler
an ideal way to enjoy a travel economically. It is also a pet-friendly hotel hence
you can bring along your furry friends to Florida. Feel right at home with kitchen amenities
a television set
and everything you need without breaking your wallet.
Courtyard Jacksonville Mayo Clinic/Beaches is a well-decorated room
a garden gazebo
fine dining
amenities including a swimming pool
patio
and fitness room. This hotel is located within the Mayo Clinic area and sure to satisfy your needs. Fast service from the well trained staff will guarantee that your choice is filled with maximum enjoyment.
10 Ways To Make The Most Your Time At Bangkok s New Airport. Suvarnabhumi
Sunday 16 August 2009Posted by
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1
Make some new friends. People from all over the world are commuting though the same point as you; why not strike up a conversation?
2
If it’s your first time at the new airport
whip out your digital camera and take a video clip. This is the world biggest airport
and as we all know it’s taken the longest to build
so take advantage.
3
Using the moving sidewalk like a treadmill. Why bother paying for a pricey fitness center?
4
Don’t forget to call your honey before taking off.
5
If you have some time to kill
pickup a box of playing cards. Since gambling is illegal
we advise playing without money up front.
6
Network-ether on the airport bartender. A beer is B50 but the entertainments are free.
7
Plan your future. There’s no time like present.
8
First with the beautiful-and helpful-Suvarnabhumi “ambassadors.”
9
If you are a film buff
don’t miss out on the airport’s cinema.
10
Pray for good luck in the air and on the ground.- Peemsinee Khaothong.
HOW TO: have a successful day of shopping in bangkok.
1
Make a list with to categories: “Thing you need” and “Thing you want.” Research the approximate price of the desired items to make sure you are getting a good deal
and also locate the stores where these items are being sold.
2
Where comfortable shoes and sensible and versatile clothing to ensure a pleasant experience. Ladies
this is not the time to wear those cute new six-inch stiletto heels
3
Bring a sensible friend who will reign you in and prevent any madcap
unnecessary or useless purchases.
4
Make a list of place to visit plot out your plan of action. Colors code the items (Things you need and don’t need and coordinate the day to accommodate these things. Figure out the most efficient course and stick to it.
5
Bring a large tote with you to put all your purchases in. This way you will not accidentally leave a small bag some where.
6
Set a budget for your-self. Set a limit on your credit card or only bring a certain amount of cash to prevent unnecessary splurging.
7
Reward yourself with a nice long drink at the end. You’ve had a long and busy day and you deserve it.
Read More “10 Ways To Make The Most Your Time At Bangkok s New Airport. Suvarnabhumi”
Make some new friends. People from all over the world are commuting though the same point as you; why not strike up a conversation?
2
If it’s your first time at the new airport
whip out your digital camera and take a video clip. This is the world biggest airport
and as we all know it’s taken the longest to build
so take advantage.
3
Using the moving sidewalk like a treadmill. Why bother paying for a pricey fitness center?
4
Don’t forget to call your honey before taking off.
5
If you have some time to kill
pickup a box of playing cards. Since gambling is illegal
we advise playing without money up front.
6
Network-ether on the airport bartender. A beer is B50 but the entertainments are free.
7
Plan your future. There’s no time like present.
8
First with the beautiful-and helpful-Suvarnabhumi “ambassadors.”
9
If you are a film buff
don’t miss out on the airport’s cinema.
10
Pray for good luck in the air and on the ground.- Peemsinee Khaothong.
HOW TO: have a successful day of shopping in bangkok.
1
Make a list with to categories: “Thing you need” and “Thing you want.” Research the approximate price of the desired items to make sure you are getting a good deal
and also locate the stores where these items are being sold.
2
Where comfortable shoes and sensible and versatile clothing to ensure a pleasant experience. Ladies
this is not the time to wear those cute new six-inch stiletto heels
3
Bring a sensible friend who will reign you in and prevent any madcap
unnecessary or useless purchases.
4
Make a list of place to visit plot out your plan of action. Colors code the items (Things you need and don’t need and coordinate the day to accommodate these things. Figure out the most efficient course and stick to it.
5
Bring a large tote with you to put all your purchases in. This way you will not accidentally leave a small bag some where.
6
Set a budget for your-self. Set a limit on your credit card or only bring a certain amount of cash to prevent unnecessary splurging.
7
Reward yourself with a nice long drink at the end. You’ve had a long and busy day and you deserve it.
10 Ways To Fix Spoiled Family Trips
Posted by
Best-Product
1
Have a family meeting to decide where you will go. Try to pick a destination which offers something for everyone from Dad who only wants to lie in a hammock and drink something alcoholic while listening to the games of his favorite sports team; to the teenagers who want to be any where except where their parents are; to the toddlers who are more interested in the ground level attractions like insects and discarded chewing gum
than they are in any sort of scenery.
2
When you realize no such destination exists
draw straws. Shortest straw gets to spin the family globe while blindfolded and point to a destination. If it’s in the middle of an ocean
the nearest land mass will do.
3
No matter how unlikely the selected destination is
come together in a family spirit of “making the best of it.” Being a family
after all
means growing together as a family and a bit of planning will help overcome whatever challenges lie ahead.
4
If your fated destination decrees that you will be vacationing near relatives
insist on a visit to let the kids know where they came from. If the relatives happen to be considerably older
with a home full of treasured mementos from years gone by
even better. The toddlers will have plenty with which to entertain themselves
and the teens will have plenty to ask their elders about!
5
If your fated destination decrees that you all end up in a totally foreign part of the world
insist to the kids that it will be an educational experience they’ll treasure for the rest of their lives. That is sure to have them dizzy with anticipation as they throw themselves into the task of planning what to see and do.
6
Plan each day’s itinerary down to the second
because you don’t want the kids to miss a minute their once-in-a-lifetime vacation experience. To make sure they are enjoying themselves to the fullest
see that the family stays together at all times
and thoroughly discusses the importance of what they’ve learned each evening.
7
Teach the kids to be savvy travelers by packing a minimum of clothes which they can wash as needed the hotel bathroom sink
or if you’ve managed to track down those distant relatives
wait until you get to their house and ask your hostess to do a batch of laundry.
8
If your family trip requires you to travel by car
let Dad set the pace. When he announces that everyone had better eat hearty and do his or her personal business before leaving home
because there will be no food or relief stops
explain to the children that the real family fun won’t begin until you get to your destination. That’s why Dad is in such a hurry.
9
Leave the cell phones at home
so that the teenagers won’t spend all their time running up roaming charges talking to friends who aren’t sharing their horizon-broadening vacation. It should be no problem figuring out what to do if the hotel phone service gets shut off for climactic or political reasons.
10
If the only camera your family has is a camera cell phone
bring it along
but keep it out of sight by restricting yourself to shooting photos either when none of your family is looking
or when all of them are asleep. Catching them in their unguarded moments is sure to make them love you forever.
Read More “10 Ways To Fix Spoiled Family Trips”
Have a family meeting to decide where you will go. Try to pick a destination which offers something for everyone from Dad who only wants to lie in a hammock and drink something alcoholic while listening to the games of his favorite sports team; to the teenagers who want to be any where except where their parents are; to the toddlers who are more interested in the ground level attractions like insects and discarded chewing gum
than they are in any sort of scenery.
2
When you realize no such destination exists
draw straws. Shortest straw gets to spin the family globe while blindfolded and point to a destination. If it’s in the middle of an ocean
the nearest land mass will do.
3
No matter how unlikely the selected destination is
come together in a family spirit of “making the best of it.” Being a family
after all
means growing together as a family and a bit of planning will help overcome whatever challenges lie ahead.
4
If your fated destination decrees that you will be vacationing near relatives
insist on a visit to let the kids know where they came from. If the relatives happen to be considerably older
with a home full of treasured mementos from years gone by
even better. The toddlers will have plenty with which to entertain themselves
and the teens will have plenty to ask their elders about!
5
If your fated destination decrees that you all end up in a totally foreign part of the world
insist to the kids that it will be an educational experience they’ll treasure for the rest of their lives. That is sure to have them dizzy with anticipation as they throw themselves into the task of planning what to see and do.
6
Plan each day’s itinerary down to the second
because you don’t want the kids to miss a minute their once-in-a-lifetime vacation experience. To make sure they are enjoying themselves to the fullest
see that the family stays together at all times
and thoroughly discusses the importance of what they’ve learned each evening.
7
Teach the kids to be savvy travelers by packing a minimum of clothes which they can wash as needed the hotel bathroom sink
or if you’ve managed to track down those distant relatives
wait until you get to their house and ask your hostess to do a batch of laundry.
8
If your family trip requires you to travel by car
let Dad set the pace. When he announces that everyone had better eat hearty and do his or her personal business before leaving home
because there will be no food or relief stops
explain to the children that the real family fun won’t begin until you get to your destination. That’s why Dad is in such a hurry.
9
Leave the cell phones at home
so that the teenagers won’t spend all their time running up roaming charges talking to friends who aren’t sharing their horizon-broadening vacation. It should be no problem figuring out what to do if the hotel phone service gets shut off for climactic or political reasons.
10
If the only camera your family has is a camera cell phone
bring it along
but keep it out of sight by restricting yourself to shooting photos either when none of your family is looking
or when all of them are asleep. Catching them in their unguarded moments is sure to make them love you forever.
10 Travel Adventures That Won t Break The Bank
Saturday 15 August 2009Posted by
Best-Product
Dreaming of taking a Big Trip in 2007? Finances a bit tight? Well
take a look at the following destinations.
Magic
thrills and adventure
yes. But for the budget-conscious globe-trotter
what’s equally important is that these are places where your dollars will stretch a long
long way. As a travel writer
I’m lucky enough to have experienced all 10--but I’d love to revisit every single one as a vacationer.
Vietnam
Vietnam packs a lot into its borders. Highlights include misty Halong Bay with its fairytale seascapes of limestone outcrops and islands; the Mekong delta with its floating markets; the old Vietcong tunnels at Cu-Chi near Saigon--now officially known as Ho Chi Minh City. (Don’t worry about getting stuck: one tunnel has been specially widened for westerners.) Backpacker beds are exceptionally cheap
but decent hotels often cost less than $40. A filling bowl of pho bo beef noodle soup or six seafood spring rolls is less than a dollar. In local hangouts
Saigon Export beer costs 40 cents a bottle.
For the ultimate traffic tale to tell the folks back home
head for Hanoi’s old quarter. Any attempt to cross the road turns into a heart-racing adventure. Not only are you contending with psycho-cyclos (rickshaw bicycles)
there are thousands of motorbikes and scooters whose riders regard a red traffic signal as a suggestion rather than an instruction. Best place to experience the utter chaos is from within a cyclo rickshaw.
Lithuania
Eastern Europe
The southernmost of the Baltic States
visitors usually couple Lithuania together with Latvia and Estonia. However
you can easily spend a week in Lithuania alone. Quirky cities like Vilnius and Kaunas are steeped in art
music and historical curiosities...mushroom-scented woods and farmers riding on haycarts...mysterious sites steeped in pagan traditions…the windswept sands of the Curonian Spit where you can beach-comb for amber.
Mid-June would be a great time to go. A national holiday in Lithuania
the old pagan festival of Rasos marks the summer solstice. It’s an all-night affair with singing
dancing
bonfire-leaping
hunting for "magic" ferns
and floating garlands down rivers. Despite some serious alcoholic partying
most people manage to stay awake to greet the sunrise. As for prices
how about $2.54 for three potato pancakes with smoked salmon and sour cream and $1 for a glass of Svyturnys beer?
Granada
Nicaragua
From the laid-back colonial city of Granada
you can do a lot in a week in Nicaragua: tackle volcanoes...take Spanish lessons...visit Masaya craft market and also the villages where rocking chairs
hammocks
and pottery are made...explore the Selva Negra’s cloud forests and coffee plantations...chat with expats in the beach surfing town of San Juan del Sur...go to colonial Leon
where you might get to meet indigenous Indians.
Settling into a rocking chair with a cold Victoria beer is a pleasure that generally costs under $1 and spending more than $7 on a meal is difficult. The Alhambra Hotel on Granada’s main square costs a mere $30 a night.
Goa
Southern India
India is beyond fascinating
beyond anything you’ll ever experience elsewhere. The easiest introduction to this teeming country is the seaside state of Goa. Baking below a tropical canopy of banana
coconut and mango trees
this drowsy world of Arabian Sea beaches
backwaters
and spice-laden breezes is stamped with more than a few reminders of Old Portugal. You’ll find sunrise yoga on the beach
full massages for $8
dolphin trips for about $6
and colorful hippie markets.
Including four beers
two people can eat in a beach shack for under $10. And if you want to cut your expenses to the bone
there’s accommodation in simple beach chalets for as little as $8 a night.
Porto and Northern Portugal
Famed for its port wine lodges (yes
they do offer free samples)
Porto is Portugal’s second city. An historic Atlantic trading port
its warren of laundry-hung alleys plunges down to a waterfront of boats
nets and fish restaurants. Sheets of cod (bacalhau) hang outside grocery stores with original art nouveau tiled facades; the church of Sao Francisco has a gold leaf interior that would make King Midas salivate. Don’t miss the Bolhau food market or the Torre dos Clerigos
Portugal’s highest belfry tower. From the top
you’ll get great views over the jumbled cityscape of churches
bridges and red-roofed houses.
By EU standards
the price of dining
accommodation
and public transport throughout the region is astounding. Trains and buses are an affordable way to make exploratory day-trips along the coast and into the interior of terraced vineyards and green river valleys. Don’t miss Braga and the thousand-stepped stairway of Bom Jesus church. On holy days
some pilgrims tackle these steps on their knees.
Montenegro
After its split from Serbia
Montenegro is Europe’s latest holiday hot spot--and also the world’s newest independent nation. Along with three-course meals for $7 and rooms in private houses for $10
you’ll find a land of craggy mountains with a switch-backed Adriatic coastline of bays
beaches and villages of pale gray stone. The sea sparkles like blue topaz and medieval walled towns with crumbling fortresses and palaces are often emblazoned with the winged lion emblem of the Venetian Republic.
Now paint in monasteries slotted into mountain crevices and fishing villages of red-tiled roofs and deep-green shutters. Roman mosaics...olive groves...water-lilied lakes...deep canyons and the mighty Boka Kotorska
Europe’s southernmost fjord...the border town of Ulcinj with its minarets and tales of pirate slave-trading.
Austria
The Alps? There’s no denying that Switzerland is one of the most scenically gorgeous countries on earth. But unless you’re armed with an expense account
I can promise you that exploring its mountains
lakes and medieval towns will wreak havoc on your finances.
Winter or summer
neighboring Austria has just as much of the alpine wow factor...plus the city splendors of Vienna and Salzburg. And it’s a lot less expensive than you may think. For example
in the Tyrolean village of Fendels
you could rent a furnished apartment for two in a chalet next spring for as little as 175 euro ($230) per week. Surrounded by hiking trails
Fendels village makes an excellent base--the Tyrolean Oberland is close to the borders of Switzerland and Italy. (Go to the Austrian Tourist Board’s web site at http://www.tiscover.at and you’ll find plenty more self-catering accommodation at similar prices.)
Penang
Malaysia
A melting-pot of Malay
Chinese and Indian culture
Malaysia offers up powder white beaches and virgin rainforest teeming with wildlife; the bustling capital of Kuala Lumpur and the historic port city of Malacca; inexpensive seafood and inexpensive spa pampering; sailing
snorkeling
diving
fishing
golf and island-hopping.
With a distinct Chinese flavor
one of Malaysia’s star turns is Georgetown
capital of Penang island. You come across snake temples
arcaded shophouses and tiny workshops specializing in mahjong tiles and dice; kong-teik craftsmen who make funerary paper artifacts; fish getting dried like laundry in the open air. On the Weld Quay waterfront
around 2
0
fishing families live in rickety wooden dwellings on the Clan Quay jetties.
Chania
Crete
On the Greek island of Crete
Chania is one town that it would be criminal to miss. Crete’s former capital
its history goes back 5
0
years. In the Old Town’s skinny alleyways you’ll find icon workshops...lyres hanging in dusty musical instrument repair-shops...bursts of white jasmine cascading from archways...cats snoozing on balconies...the unlikely sights of a pencil-thin minaret above church towers and a mosque squatting on the waterfront.
Strung with garlands of colored light-bulbs
Chania’s old Venetian harbor at dusk truly is the stuff of romance. The water shimmers in waves of crimson
sapphire and emerald
the Venetian lighthouse sends out its beady wink
and stalls do a steady trade in pistachio nuts. Alleys that were afternoon-silent become thronged with locals taking the volta--the evening stroll. Even in July and August
you’ll find studio apartments here for under $40 a night...plus you can eat well for $10.
Bohemia
the Czech Republic
Prague teems with tourists but few people realize what the rest of the Czech Republic offers. One of its regions is Bohemia
blessed with a spellbinding mosaic of castles
frescoed houses and Rapunzel-style turrets straight from a sword-and-sorcery tale. At Cesky Krumlov you can peer into a medieval bear pit complete with bears. Sedlec
a suburb of Kutna Hora has a chapel entirely decorated with human bones
right down to its chandelier.
Many towns have stoupas...lofty "plague pillars" adorned with chained devils. They commemorate deliverance from the plagues
which swept Europe during the Middle Ages. Then there’s Karlovy Vary
the oldest of Bohemia’s grand spa towns. With spa water bubbling up all over town which visitors can collect for free
it’s a gorgeous place of baroque buildings in sugar-plum colors
flowery parks
and shops glittering with Bohemian crystal.
Read More “10 Travel Adventures That Won t Break The Bank”
take a look at the following destinations.
Magic
thrills and adventure
yes. But for the budget-conscious globe-trotter
what’s equally important is that these are places where your dollars will stretch a long
long way. As a travel writer
I’m lucky enough to have experienced all 10--but I’d love to revisit every single one as a vacationer.
Vietnam
Vietnam packs a lot into its borders. Highlights include misty Halong Bay with its fairytale seascapes of limestone outcrops and islands; the Mekong delta with its floating markets; the old Vietcong tunnels at Cu-Chi near Saigon--now officially known as Ho Chi Minh City. (Don’t worry about getting stuck: one tunnel has been specially widened for westerners.) Backpacker beds are exceptionally cheap
but decent hotels often cost less than $40. A filling bowl of pho bo beef noodle soup or six seafood spring rolls is less than a dollar. In local hangouts
Saigon Export beer costs 40 cents a bottle.
For the ultimate traffic tale to tell the folks back home
head for Hanoi’s old quarter. Any attempt to cross the road turns into a heart-racing adventure. Not only are you contending with psycho-cyclos (rickshaw bicycles)
there are thousands of motorbikes and scooters whose riders regard a red traffic signal as a suggestion rather than an instruction. Best place to experience the utter chaos is from within a cyclo rickshaw.
Lithuania
Eastern Europe
The southernmost of the Baltic States
visitors usually couple Lithuania together with Latvia and Estonia. However
you can easily spend a week in Lithuania alone. Quirky cities like Vilnius and Kaunas are steeped in art
music and historical curiosities...mushroom-scented woods and farmers riding on haycarts...mysterious sites steeped in pagan traditions…the windswept sands of the Curonian Spit where you can beach-comb for amber.
Mid-June would be a great time to go. A national holiday in Lithuania
the old pagan festival of Rasos marks the summer solstice. It’s an all-night affair with singing
dancing
bonfire-leaping
hunting for "magic" ferns
and floating garlands down rivers. Despite some serious alcoholic partying
most people manage to stay awake to greet the sunrise. As for prices
how about $2.54 for three potato pancakes with smoked salmon and sour cream and $1 for a glass of Svyturnys beer?
Granada
Nicaragua
From the laid-back colonial city of Granada
you can do a lot in a week in Nicaragua: tackle volcanoes...take Spanish lessons...visit Masaya craft market and also the villages where rocking chairs
hammocks
and pottery are made...explore the Selva Negra’s cloud forests and coffee plantations...chat with expats in the beach surfing town of San Juan del Sur...go to colonial Leon
where you might get to meet indigenous Indians.
Settling into a rocking chair with a cold Victoria beer is a pleasure that generally costs under $1 and spending more than $7 on a meal is difficult. The Alhambra Hotel on Granada’s main square costs a mere $30 a night.
Goa
Southern India
India is beyond fascinating
beyond anything you’ll ever experience elsewhere. The easiest introduction to this teeming country is the seaside state of Goa. Baking below a tropical canopy of banana
coconut and mango trees
this drowsy world of Arabian Sea beaches
backwaters
and spice-laden breezes is stamped with more than a few reminders of Old Portugal. You’ll find sunrise yoga on the beach
full massages for $8
dolphin trips for about $6
and colorful hippie markets.
Including four beers
two people can eat in a beach shack for under $10. And if you want to cut your expenses to the bone
there’s accommodation in simple beach chalets for as little as $8 a night.
Porto and Northern Portugal
Famed for its port wine lodges (yes
they do offer free samples)
Porto is Portugal’s second city. An historic Atlantic trading port
its warren of laundry-hung alleys plunges down to a waterfront of boats
nets and fish restaurants. Sheets of cod (bacalhau) hang outside grocery stores with original art nouveau tiled facades; the church of Sao Francisco has a gold leaf interior that would make King Midas salivate. Don’t miss the Bolhau food market or the Torre dos Clerigos
Portugal’s highest belfry tower. From the top
you’ll get great views over the jumbled cityscape of churches
bridges and red-roofed houses.
By EU standards
the price of dining
accommodation
and public transport throughout the region is astounding. Trains and buses are an affordable way to make exploratory day-trips along the coast and into the interior of terraced vineyards and green river valleys. Don’t miss Braga and the thousand-stepped stairway of Bom Jesus church. On holy days
some pilgrims tackle these steps on their knees.
Montenegro
After its split from Serbia
Montenegro is Europe’s latest holiday hot spot--and also the world’s newest independent nation. Along with three-course meals for $7 and rooms in private houses for $10
you’ll find a land of craggy mountains with a switch-backed Adriatic coastline of bays
beaches and villages of pale gray stone. The sea sparkles like blue topaz and medieval walled towns with crumbling fortresses and palaces are often emblazoned with the winged lion emblem of the Venetian Republic.
Now paint in monasteries slotted into mountain crevices and fishing villages of red-tiled roofs and deep-green shutters. Roman mosaics...olive groves...water-lilied lakes...deep canyons and the mighty Boka Kotorska
Europe’s southernmost fjord...the border town of Ulcinj with its minarets and tales of pirate slave-trading.
Austria
The Alps? There’s no denying that Switzerland is one of the most scenically gorgeous countries on earth. But unless you’re armed with an expense account
I can promise you that exploring its mountains
lakes and medieval towns will wreak havoc on your finances.
Winter or summer
neighboring Austria has just as much of the alpine wow factor...plus the city splendors of Vienna and Salzburg. And it’s a lot less expensive than you may think. For example
in the Tyrolean village of Fendels
you could rent a furnished apartment for two in a chalet next spring for as little as 175 euro ($230) per week. Surrounded by hiking trails
Fendels village makes an excellent base--the Tyrolean Oberland is close to the borders of Switzerland and Italy. (Go to the Austrian Tourist Board’s web site at http://www.tiscover.at and you’ll find plenty more self-catering accommodation at similar prices.)
Penang
Malaysia
A melting-pot of Malay
Chinese and Indian culture
Malaysia offers up powder white beaches and virgin rainforest teeming with wildlife; the bustling capital of Kuala Lumpur and the historic port city of Malacca; inexpensive seafood and inexpensive spa pampering; sailing
snorkeling
diving
fishing
golf and island-hopping.
With a distinct Chinese flavor
one of Malaysia’s star turns is Georgetown
capital of Penang island. You come across snake temples
arcaded shophouses and tiny workshops specializing in mahjong tiles and dice; kong-teik craftsmen who make funerary paper artifacts; fish getting dried like laundry in the open air. On the Weld Quay waterfront
around 2
0
fishing families live in rickety wooden dwellings on the Clan Quay jetties.
Chania
Crete
On the Greek island of Crete
Chania is one town that it would be criminal to miss. Crete’s former capital
its history goes back 5
0
years. In the Old Town’s skinny alleyways you’ll find icon workshops...lyres hanging in dusty musical instrument repair-shops...bursts of white jasmine cascading from archways...cats snoozing on balconies...the unlikely sights of a pencil-thin minaret above church towers and a mosque squatting on the waterfront.
Strung with garlands of colored light-bulbs
Chania’s old Venetian harbor at dusk truly is the stuff of romance. The water shimmers in waves of crimson
sapphire and emerald
the Venetian lighthouse sends out its beady wink
and stalls do a steady trade in pistachio nuts. Alleys that were afternoon-silent become thronged with locals taking the volta--the evening stroll. Even in July and August
you’ll find studio apartments here for under $40 a night...plus you can eat well for $10.
Bohemia
the Czech Republic
Prague teems with tourists but few people realize what the rest of the Czech Republic offers. One of its regions is Bohemia
blessed with a spellbinding mosaic of castles
frescoed houses and Rapunzel-style turrets straight from a sword-and-sorcery tale. At Cesky Krumlov you can peer into a medieval bear pit complete with bears. Sedlec
a suburb of Kutna Hora has a chapel entirely decorated with human bones
right down to its chandelier.
Many towns have stoupas...lofty "plague pillars" adorned with chained devils. They commemorate deliverance from the plagues
which swept Europe during the Middle Ages. Then there’s Karlovy Vary
the oldest of Bohemia’s grand spa towns. With spa water bubbling up all over town which visitors can collect for free
it’s a gorgeous place of baroque buildings in sugar-plum colors
flowery parks
and shops glittering with Bohemian crystal.
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