THE MOST POPULAR VACATIONING PLACES IN THE WORLD

Must see 25 places around the world

2009-12-31T01:25:00.000-08:00

A collection of 25 cool places to visit around the world featuring photographs from National Geographic.

Grand Canyon
Grand Canyon is the steep-sided gorge carved by the Colorado River in Arizona State of United States. The powerful sources that cause an impact on the Grand Canyon is erosion, first is by water and second is by wind.

Nearly 5 million people visit the 1 mile deep Grand Canyon every year. Planning a vacation to the Grand Canyon national park provides a great relief for you and your family.

The best time to visit Grand Canyon is during the summer, fall and mild spring, but most locals agree that winter is the great time to visit. There are various camp grounds both on the top and floor of the Grand Canyon. Camping at the floor of the Grand Canyon needs a permit from the country office.

Great Barrier Reef
This is the world’s largest coral reef ecosystem. It is one of the top travel destinations in Australia. You can see it from the outer space and it is the world’s largest single structure, which is made of living organisms.

The reef supports 10,000 species which consists of 1500 types of fishes and 200 kinds of birds. This beauty inspires many of the travelers to visit the place.

Florida
This state built its entire identity with tourism. This is the south eastern state in the US. It is a most popular winter destination.

Florida is also called as the Sunshine State. Central Florida is conquered by Orlando and it is well known coterie of theme parks, sea world, universal studios, Disney world, and many more attractions to tourists.

New Zealand South Island
The South Island of New Zealand is characterized by grand open landscapes. The island is well known for spectacular fiords, large beach forests, golden sand beaches and broad plains. Everybody can enjoy the travel to south island.

The south island has ten national parks. These parks incorporate world heritage sites, lakes, glaciers, fiords, native forest, coastline, and world class hiking tracks. The fabulous scenery across the south land attracts many people to plan vacation.

Cape Town
Cape Town is situated at the tip of the African Continent. The only way to understand and enjoy Cape Town is by experiencing the unique range of multicultural lifestyles and scenic national surroundings for yourself.

During the summer season, Cape Town is filled with holiday makers enjoying the hot weather, sunny beaches and beautiful scenery. So, if you want to spend your time during holiday season, it is best to make reservations as soon as possible. Before reaching the place, have a rough idea about the places around Cape Town, which you want to visit.

Golden Temple
This temple has a glorious setting and it exists in the middle of the large blue sacred pool. Don’t miss the peaceful and interesting ritual that goes inside the two-story golden temple.

When you take a tour to India, you should visit the golden temple.

Las Vegas
Las Vegas is the largest city in the state of Nevada. This is commonly referred to as entertainment capital of the world. The city has great casino hotels and creates a fantasy like atmosphere. Las Vegas is a great travel destination for honeymooners and travel addicts.

A trip to Vegas is usually a trip to “the strip”, about 20 long blocks of neon lights, public drinking and casinos.

Sydney
Sydney is the economic powerhouse of Australia. The place is full of sun-drenched natural attractions, delicious and daring restaurants, dizzy skyscrapers, friendly folk and wonderful shopping, so most of the travel addicts want to visit the place.

You can take a trip to Sydney at any time of the year.

New York
New York is the USA’s largest metro area. The city is a great center for fashion, culture, finance, research, media, food, art, and trade. The city consists of 5 boroughs and each is differentiated by its own culture.

New York is cinematic. Every year this is a backdrop for about 200 movies.

Taj Mahal
According to most of the travelers, Taj Mahal, most beautiful building, in India is one of the great wonders of the world. This is a hybrid of many artistic styles. Once you visit Taj Mahal, you can enjoy various places near it.

The river side behind Taj Mahal provides a wonderful environment. You can enjoy greatly along with your family.

Canadian Rockies
Canadian Rockies is one of the most spectacular places of the earth. This place has potential outdoor opportunities and world class resorts. Visit the two national parks of Canadian Rockies and find why most of the travelers choose Canadian Rockies as their home away home [Canada Travel].

This place offers you the best of the best. It offers you the hikes that you don’t want to miss, scenic drives and many more natural highlights. You can go for the vacation even along with your children.

Winter is a great time to enjoy the place. During this time, you can try sports like skiing, snowshoeing and then relaxing around a roaring fire on every evening.

Uluru
Uluru or Ayers Rock in Australia is one of the world’s great natural wonders. Planning to visit this place is a great way to explore and experience the cultural and physical significance of this Australian icon.

The rock is at its visual best at sunrise and sunset. Most of the travelers like to climb the rock by using an ancient aboriginal trail.

Chichen Itza
Chichen Itza is a Mayan word. Chichen Itza is one of the largest archeological cities of Mexico and one of the Seven wonders. It is the most visited tourist destination. Travelers like to visit Chichen Itza as a day trip. If you want to enjoy all the activities near by Chichen Itza, it takes 2-3 days stay.

Before entering into the Chichen Itza, you will come across an informative museum, clean rest rooms, a dining room, few vender stands and gift shops. You can visit the site at any time of the year.

Machu Picchu
It is one of the Seven Wonders of the World. This is mystical place and a great spot to divinity. It is the Peru’s most popular place, so most of you like to see the place. People of Machu Picchu feel that they are the creators of god. This place offers you strange forces of nature that permit the individual to attain a contrary cosmic state.

The place is located at 2300 meters above the sea level. So, you can enjoy the vicinity of the place. One day is enough to visit the spots around Machu Picchu.

While planning to visit Machu Picchu, you need to understand a little about the geography of this area, because the location is remote and inaccessible.

Niagara Falls
Niagara Falls can be accessed from both the American and Canadian side, but the best view facing the falls is completely from the Canadian side. When you take a trip to Niagara Falls, don’t forget to take a ride on the famous maid-of-the-mist boats. You won’t get the entire experience of Niagara Falls until you ride one of these boats.

It is the foundation for many interesting places to see and things to do. If you love beautiful landscapes, romantic getaways, family adventures and vibrant nightlife then Niagara Falls is the best place to visit.

Petra
Petra, one of the seven wonders, is fabled rose red city and is a well known earliest Nabataean city in the south Jordan. If you have decided to travel to Jordan, then Petra is at the top of your priority list. The solid red stand stone buildings in Petra are unlike anything that you have ever seen before.

One full day is enough to see everything around Petra. This town offers you a wide variety of hotels to fit your budget.

The Pyramids
Pyramids and wonderful temples are the great things to enjoy in Egypt. Travel to Egypt offers you the nature and desert treks, fishing, golfing, scuba diving and birding groups. You can choose the places like Sinai coasts or red sea to relax.

Winter is the best season to go for a vacation to Egypt. March-May and September-November is the best time to enjoy the warm days of Egypt.

Venice
Venice is one of the Italy’s greatest tourist places. You will be surprised by hearing how the city is built up. The city is built on 317 small islands and has 150 canals which are connected through 409 bridges.

During the spring time, Venice is completely filled with tourists. At that time it is very difficult to find the accommodations.

Maldives
Maldives is a great place for tranquil tropical islands, palm trees, white beaches and brilliant turquoise lagoons. Maldives is a group of 1190 coral islands. This place is a great destination for scuba divers.

Visiting Maldives between December and April can makes you to spend some extra hours of sunshine. Also this is the main season for tourism.

Great Wall of China
The Great Wall of China is one of the Seven Wonders of the World. It is the travel icon of China and is one of the most popular travel vacation destinations in the world.

It took hundreds of years for its construction. When you have decided to travel to China, don’t forget to see the wall.

Victoria Falls
Victoria Falls was also one of the Seven Wonders of the World and is the most beautiful waterfalls in Africa. This is a cheap travel destination and is full of fun. Those who want to try for adventures will find plenty of activities like elephant safaris, bridge swinging, water rafting and so on [Adventure travel].

There are two sides of the falls, one is Zambia and the other is Zimbabwe side. Both sides are awesome and are a year round destination.

Hong Kong
Hong Kong, an oriental pearl, is simply amazing. It will be very hard for you to find a more exciting city other than Hong Kong. The best thing about being in Hong Kong is getting confused and fired by the confluences and contradictions of a Chinese city with multi Asian and western elements.

The best period to take a vacation to Hong Kong is in the months of October, November and most of December.

Yosemite National Park
Yosemite is located on the western slopes of Sierra Nevada Mountains. It is one of the nation’s most famous national parks in US. Yosemite Valley is the most famous destination in Yosemite. Every year more than 4 million people come to visit Yosemite Valley. It is packed with restaurants, shops and campsites.

This has hundreds of miles of hiking trails. You will find a great variety of wildlife along with mule deer, black bears and various bird species. When you plan your vacation to Yosemite, you can enjoy various activities like hiking, skiing, camping, snowshoeing, horse riding and bicycling.

Hawaii
Going for Hawaii vacation will make you feel very happy by the beauty and hospitality. They want to do the things that they would not do at home. The beautiful Hawaii islands offer you to see world famous beaches closely; offer you peace and calmness somewhere off the beaten path.

During winter season, Hawaii is fully packed with tourists. When you visit Hawaii, don’t forget to enjoy the activities like: Seeing Molten lava flow at Kilauea volcano, hiking through Waipio Valley, visiting the largest Hawaiian religious temple Puukohola Heiau and playing in the snow atop Mauna Kea.

Paris
It is the most beautiful place and also the capital of France. Springtime is the best time to visit Paris. Paris is the city of life, love and light.

You will find romance and magic when you visit Eiffel tower to Mona Lisa and from the bustling Champs Elysees to the winding streets of Montmartre.

I hope you enjoyed these 25 cool places to visit.

Largest Cave in the World - Hang Son Doong Pictures

2009-12-31T01:19:00.000-08:00

Those who love caves will love these pictures of the world's largest cave recently discovered in Vietnam called Hang Son Doong (Mountain River Cave). It's believed to be almost twice the size of the current record holder. Son Doong has replaced the Deer cave in Malaysia to become the world’s largest cave. It's amazing that there are still places like this still out there waiting to be explored. A British caving team have just recently explored the world’s largest cave passage in the heart of the Vietnamese jungle.

‘It is a truly amazing sized cave and one of the most significant discoveries by a British caving team,’ said Adam Spillane, a member of the 13-man expedition team. Using a laser measuring device known as the LaserRace 300, which measures height and width, the team are now back in the UK analysing their readings.

The cave was originally discovered in 1991 by a Vietnamese Jungle man called Ho Khanh. However Mr Spillane said no-one had entered if before because: ‘it emitted a frightful wind and noise which was due to a large underground river.’ They spent five days exploring the cave in Vietnam’s Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park through mid-April. ‘The cave is 6.5km long at present but the end of the main passage still continues with a calcite wall of over 45m high halting our progress,’ Mr Spillane said.’

‘More work on the next expedition is required to make a complete exploration of Hang Son Doong and obtain a complete photographic record of the cave. ’

The Helicopter Hotel

2009-12-31T01:10:00.000-08:00

Hotelicopter – the world’s first flying hotel made from a huge Soviet-made Mil V-12 helicopter.

Designed with the sophisticated, affluent traveler in mind, the Hotelicopter has 18 lavish rooms for people on the hunt for a truly unique inimitable travel experience. Each soundproofed room comes with a queen-sized bed, fine linens, a mini-bar, coffee machine, wireless internet access, flatscreen TVs and a range of amenities you’d look for in a flying five star hotel.

Other lavish features include private entertainment systems, showers, spa treatments, Jacuzzi, yoga classes, arcade gaming, a tea garden, Babysitting & Kids’ Kamp, blackjack/ping-pong table and playground for kids.

The flying hotel will take its first flight this summer. The Hotelicopter will be also be available for rent for special events and occasions. Check out more shots of the Hotelicopter in the image gallery.

As the date of this blog post suggests...this is a April Fool...unfortunately!

Get foreign currency from Airport, Highstreet or Web

2009-12-28T05:27:00.000-08:00

At the Airport, on the High Street, or Online? Where to get your foreign currency. As you probably know and are tired of hearing, the pound and the euro are at near parity with each other – a fact that is all the more distressing when we remember that one pound was worth about €1.25 just a year ago.

Subsequently, those of us lucky enough to have the savings for a holiday this Easter will no doubt be most inclined to search around for the best deal on their foreign currency. So what are the pros and cons of buying at the airport, on the high street, or online?

At the Airport:
As a general rule, leaving the purchase of your foreign currency until you reach the airport is not considered good practice if you are hoping to find the best deal.

In a recent article at telegraph.co.uk (3rd April), it is highlighted that the reason for the extra charges incurred when purchasing your travel money at the airport is due to a number of factors: such as the cost of rent, the cost of employing staff, and the price of having money in stock.

Logically then, these costs are likely to be much higher within the competitive and 24-hour bustling environment of an airport – and this is reflected in the price. So, whilst airports might be very convenient, if you’re eager to save on you foreign currency it is certainly best to buy before you get there.

On the High Street:
Alternatively, heading into town and purchasing your foreign currency on the high street can be much better for your pocket – leaving you with more to spend once you reach your destination.

The possible benefits of not having to pay as much for property rental, and not having to employ staff around the clock, no doubt contribute to the cheaper costs on the high street.

You might also expect travel money that is available on the high street would be subject to similar forces that affect other products there – and subsequently driving the costs down. However, this isn’t strictly the case – or at least it isn’t advertised as such. Yet, one of the strongest benefits of buying you foreign currency face to face is that you are usually given the opportunity to negotiate a better price if you can prove that there are cheaper deals to be had elsewhere.

Online:
All the costs associated with shop rental, staff employment, and looking after money are instantly reflected in online prices, and so it makes sense that purchasing your travel money via the internet and checking foreign exchange online can get you the best deals.

Those who consider doing so should not be deterred by worries of not receiving your money in time, as some companies allow you to buy your currency online as late as midnight the day before you fly, then you simply pick it up at the airport before you board you plane. Similarly to the high street, more online vendors are allowing negotiations of a better price if you can prove better deals available elsewhere.

Poland Travel in 2009

2009-12-28T05:08:00.000-08:00

With the recession in full swing, many UK tourists will be thinking very carefully about how cost efficient their holidays are this year. Once travel insurance and transport costs are taken into consideration, holiday makers are increasingly looking for destinations that are sterling-friendly when it comes to the cost of necessities once they get there.

Being outside of the Eurozone, and increasing in popularity as a tourist destination, Poland may be a good bet for summer 2009.

Poland’s capital, Warsaw, is located in the East of the country and is home to almost two million people. Due to its wide range of attractions and abundant sights of historical interest, it is also one of the most popular visitor destinations. This is all the more impressive in regards to the destruction the city received during World War 2. Yet, much of the old town quarter has been reconstructed since, including the marketplace and city walls – and the area is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Warsaw

Poland covers over 300,000 square kilometres and thus is home to many impressive natural and geographical sights. Just off the Northwest coast lies the island of Wolin which includes the town of the same name, as well as The Wolin National Park made up of forest, spectacular geology, and the Wisent Sanctuary.

Wolin Island

The Karkonosze mountain range in the Southwest is also a popular destination that borders the country with the Czech Republic and is famous for its breathtaking scenery and ski resorts.

Karkonosze mountain range

The culture of Poland is reflected in many visual forms. Architecture throughout the country has been influenced by many European styles, including German in Wroclav and Gothic/Renaissance in Krakow.

Krakow architecture

Art and literature has flourished in the country throughout history, with painters such as the Historicist, Jan Matejko (who went on to found the School of Historicist Painting in Krakow) and Realist, Stanislav Witkiewicz. Important literary figures include Czeslaw Milosz and Wislawa Szymborska.

There are many historical sights to be explored in Poland. Czestochawa in the Southern heart of the country is home to the spiritual capital of the country, The Jasna Gora Monastery has been tied to the Virgin Mary, most significantly, since a 17th Century siege in which she is considered to have saved the establishment.

The Jasna Gora Monastery

Attractions are also worth visiting in Gdansk, notably the largest brick gothic church in the world, St. Mary’s and the Golden Gate – which was reconstructed fully after the Second World War.

UK Travel Insurance in Holidays

2009-12-28T04:48:00.000-08:00

Much is being written of how the ‘credit crunch’ is affecting the travel plans for UK holidaymakers this year. For many, the Euro zone is a no go area due to the weak pound in relation to the euro, whilst anywhere further a field may well be considered too expensive in terms of flight costs etc and bigger insurance premiums. However, this is potentially good for the UK tourist board who are anticipating that many of us will stick around for the summer. And whilst this is a positive prospect for the country, many companies are quick to remind holidaymakers that travel insurance is as necessary as it would be if travelling abroad.

Depending on where you choose to visit and how you plan to get there, travel insurance can ensure that you are covered should a flight be cancelled, for example. Of course travelling in the UK does mean that options other than travelling by plane are open to you. But travel will be an important factor to consider at this time, i.e. should you want to save time due to booking a shorter break? Then you might be more willing to fly long distances to do so. If this is the case, it seems very wise to take out insurance for any kind of plane travel during this unstable economic time.

Lost luggage is a problem that can occur on any kind of journey, and it is certainly sensible to have it covered. Holidaymakers who are travelling within their own country are typically inclined to pack more luggage, particularly if they are taking their own vehicle. The same goes for expensive equipment and gadgets, such as laptops and iPods which are more likely to be included in luggage for a UK-bound trip, and if so, each policy should be checked to make sure they offer suitable cover for such items.

Finally, the notion of repatriation might seem a little strange considering I am writing about travelling within your own country, however when it comes to travel insurance, it is a factor to consider if visiting other parts of the UK – even if you are staying on the mainland. Specifically, if you are considering skiing on the Scottish Cairngorms due to the recent snow, it is a good idea to insure yourself (and check whether winter sports are included in your policy) just in case you need to fly (or take another method of public transport) home before the end of your stay. This is also important if you fall ill during your holiday.

Travel insurance is certainly not the most fun part of planning your holiday, but making sure the correct insurance is in place is important even if you are staying in your home country. And at least you can be safe in the knowledge that premiums are likely to be cheaper for a UK holiday than they would be for a long-distance trip.

7 Wonders of the World,

2009-12-27T14:14:00.000-08:00

Official new 7 wonders of the world are;

The Pyramid at Chichén Itzá (before 800 A.D.) Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico MEXICO
Christ Redeemer (1931) Rio de Janeiro, Brazil BRAZIL
The Roman Colosseum (70 – 82 A.D.) Rome, Italy ITALY
The Great Wall of China (220 B.C and 1368 – 1644 A.D.) China CHINA
Machu Picchu (1460-1470), Peru PERU
Petra (9 B.C. – 40 A.D.), Jordan JORDAN
The Taj Mahal (1630 A.D.) Agra, India INDIA

Chichen Itza, Mexico:

The sacred city of the Itza, called Chichen-Itza in Maya, is located 75 miles east of Merida, the Capital of the State of Yucatan, Mexico. This archaeological site is known among the most important of the Maya culture. Now most are mounds, but about thirty may still be seen by tourists.

The ruins are divided into two groups.One group belongs to the classic Maya Period and the other group belongs to Maya-Toltec period. Chichen Itza is the centre of political, religious and military power in Yucatán.

The Mayas who lived in Chichén-Itzá built many palaces, temples, and monuments. The Mayas were great artists, they painted them with many colors and decorated them with beautiful sculptures. In many of them you can see a feathered snake. It was its main god named Kukulcan. The Chichén Itzá ruins are amazing.You will experience most enjoyable vacation in this area.

Christ Redeemer, Brazil:

It is a statue made by a French sculptor Paul Landowski. The original design of the Christ the Redeemer statue was born by a man named Oswald. The statue stands 40 meters and weighs 700 tons. It is the tallest of its kind in the world.It is made of reinforced concrete and soapstone.

It has become a symbol of the city and of the friendly of the Brazilian people, who embrace visitors with open arms. The statue take apart at the top of the Corcovado mountain.The statue can be accessed by road or by the Corcovado Rack Railway.

Colosseum, Italy:

The Colosseum or Coliseum is one of the most spectacular tourist attractions in Rome, Italy. Its name is believed to come from Nero’s enormous statue of Colossus that stood close by.Its originally name is Flavian Amphitheatre. The construction of Colosseum was started by Emperor Vespasian in 72 AD and was completed by his son Titus in 80 AD.

Originally capable of seating around 50,000 spectators, the Colosseum was used for gladiatorial contests and public spectacles. It is ruined because of earthquakes and stone-robbers. Its is also described on the Italian version of the five-cent euro coin.

Taj Mahal, India:

Young Shahzadeh and Ercümend Banu married with fascinating ceremony in 1612. He was a governor who was educated as well. When he was 34 he was head ıf India Turkish Empire. Then he was called as Shah Jahan Ercümend Banu was called as Mümtaz Mahal.

They had 14 children. While the birth of their fourteenth child she died.He didnt emerge from his room for a long time. When he emerged, he ordered the building of the most beautiful mouseloum which Taj Mahal in honour of his beloved wife Mümtaz Mahal.

The Taj Mahal is located at the city of Agra in India.It stands of bank of the river Yamuna. Its construction works began period of 22 years employing 2000 workers.Their sarcophaguses are at upstairs under the dome. The dome has an acustic which echoes 7 times any voice of human. The tomb has 4 minarets made of white marble.There are 42 emerald, 142 ruby,625 diamond and 50 very big pearl on Taj Mahals wall.

Great Wall of China:

It was first built in the 7th century B.C. All of the walls were built for the purpose of military defence. Great Wall of China: The 4,160-mile barrier running from east to west is the world’s longest man-made structure. Its a symbol of Chinese strenght and determination.

It is made with local materials mostly soil and stones. Its total length will exceed 50,000 kilometers. While some portions north of Beijing and near tourist centers have been preserved and even reconstructed, in many locations the wall is in disrepair.

Some parts of wall exposed to graffiti and vandalism. Contrary to popular belief, it is not visible from the moon. But if you go there,you will not regret for this,because view is magnificient.

Petra, Jordan:

Petra was built around the 6th B.C by the Nabataean Arabs. It was discovered by Swiss explorer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt. Petra, the legendary lost city carved into the walls of a hidden desert canyon.It is the most famous sites of Jordan.

Petra’s antiquities, natural beauty is feeling at different times of the day,so you can stay there 1 to 3 nights or more. If you’re staying at one of the luxury resort hotels near Petra, you can plan for a relaxing, exotic desert holiday amid fantastic environs, enjoying local foods, fun and the chance to search shops to buy crafts belong to this region. If you want to trip around the city,the best time is early morning for this.Don’t try to walk around because of heat.

Machu Picchu, Peru:

Machu Picchu is a city located high in the Andres Mountains in modern Peru. Machu Picchu was rediscovered in 1911 by Hiram Bingham. Machu Picchu is comprised of approximately 200 buildings.

The city of Machu Picchu itself was built at the top of a granite mountain. The Incas, using ingenious engineering techniques, were able to transport heavy stone blocks up the mountain side, and once there, they used their excellent masonry skills to produce amazingly polished stones that fit together perfectly.

The citadel is divided into two sectors: the agricultural and the urban, where there are main squares, temples, palaces, storehouses, workshops, stairways, cables and water fountains which run through both sectors, which measure 20 and 10 hectares respectively. Ideal months for visiting Machu Picchu are from June to October as the weather is mild during this time of the year.

United Kingdom Theme Parks

2009-12-27T13:59:00.000-08:00

Number one theme park in United Kingdom welcomes its visitors from all age. At whichever age you are, you will find something for yourself in Alton Towers. Alton Towers offers adventure and fun for everyone.

You can be a family with toddlers. Alton Towers offers a kid spotter for its little visitors. Or, you can be the group of families with older children. Aside from families, here is a fun park for thrill seekers. If you are searching a place for special occasions, Alton Park is an ideal place for your birthday celebrations, anniversaries, or for your romantic weekend. Alton Towers greet visitors as a groups from schools, teams etc. To put it bluntly, Alton tower is the park of all choices and all ages.

What does Alton Towers Theme Park offer for its visitors? First of all, its best point is thrill. Thrill recreations are Air, Nemesis, Oblivion, and Rita-queen of speed-, Ripsaw, Submission, Enterprise, and The Blade. Also, you can take a laughs & fun frights if you like fear. You can take a walk through Haunted Wood and The Haunted House. There are also Runaway Mine Train, Congo River Rapids, and Hex, Spin ball Whizzer, The Flume, Corkscrew, and UG Swinger. Another activity type that is for families with little children is magic and young fun activities. It is safe and includes The Beastie, Cred Street Playground, Bouncing Bugs, Frog Hopper, Gallopers Carousel, Old MacDonald’s, Dung Heap, Riverbank Eye Spy, Doodle Doo Derby, Old MacDonald’s Singing Barn, Berry Bish Bash, and Peugeot 207 Driving School. Finally, in Alton Towers, here is Mutiny Bay themed pirates. It includes Battle Galleons, Marauder’s Mayhem, Heave Ho, Pirates of Mutiny Bay Show.

Alton Tower considers your break times. So, it designed places for relaxation. If you want t take a breath, you can visit Alton Towers Hotels and Splash Landing Hotels. Also, here is Extraordinary Golf place for golf lovers. To add, Alton Park has even Spa for its visitors.

All in all, if you are planning an entertainment vacation, why don’t you prefer the number one of United Kingdom? All you experience in Alton Towers Theme Park will be a memory of an excellent day. It is worth of choosing for getting rid of the tiring days.

Top Destinations in Spain, Best Island Vacations in Spain

2009-12-27T13:38:00.000-08:00

The small Canary Island of Lanzarote is one of the most popular vacation destinations in Spain. Attracting over 1.5 million foreign tourists every year. The bulk of them from Britain and Eire – who account for well over 60% of all tourist visits made to the island.

The key to Lanzarote´s popularity as a holiday destination lies in the fact that this island located just seventy miles off the coast of Africa enjoys a great climate all year round. So even in the depths of winter when Northern Europe is shivering, visitors are able to enjoy a beach holiday in the sun here. As temperatures average 20 Celsius all year round – even during December and January.

Lanzarote was first conquered by the Spanish in the early 1400´s – and rapidly became an important strategic trading post between the New World and the Old. As Spanish galleons crossed the Atlantic with Inca silver and returned with African slaves. Stopping off at Lanzarote and the other Canary Islands to refuel and restock.

During the 1730´s Lanzarote was subjected to one of the modern world’s longest ever volcanic eruptions. Which buried around a third of the island in a sea of molten lava. Destroying some of the best farming land on the island and forcing many Lanzaroteños to flee and start a new life elsewhere.

Today Lanzarote´s volcanic landscape is one of its chief attractions for visitors. With the Timanfaya Volcano Park drawing in around one million visitors every year. Drawn to the eerie landscape which is often likened to the surface of the moon. Indeed NASA astronauts were apparently shown photos of the volcano park in order to prepare them for their Apollo moon landing missions.

Tourism first took off on the island back in the 1970´s – when Lanzarote became established as a unique new destination, attracting VIP visitors and international plaudits for the architectural achievements of a locally born artist called Cesar Manrique. Who fused art with nature to create a unique series of tourist attractions around the island. Whilst also campaigning for the sensitive evolution of tourism on the island.

Thanks to Manrique the island today remains largely unspoiled – despite it’s popularity as a holiday destination. As high rise buildings are banned and the island´s three main tourist resorts are all well contained.

Accommodation on the island is also of a high standard. There are hundreds of hotels in Lanzarote for visitors to select from – with the best concentrated in the southern resort of Playa Blanca.

A Trip to Scintillating Sydney, Sydney Best Destinations

2009-12-27T13:32:00.000-08:00

Alanya is not only heaven for your summer vacation with its natural beauty, long summer time, historical and cultural background, and sport, entertainment activities but also faster developing tourism centre with its accommodation and transportation facilities in Mediterranean Sea. The eight month between April and November is warm enough for tourists to feel the sunlight.

Alanya is a beautiful holiday centre of modern hotels and motels, numerous fish restaurants and cafes and bars. In the old town you find many old houses, towers and mosques, as well as a nice small harbour. But of course Alanya’s big attraction is its beaches, long swaths of sand to west and east. Beautiful sandy Cleopatra beach lies to the west of the resort while the fine sands of Alanya beach stretch to the east. If you like nightlife, it has a wide choice of night-spots located at the edge of town. Take a walk from lively bars to late-night discos.

As it is mentioned, Alanya has many historical areas for the ones who like discovering new wonders. Alanya castle with its 83 towers and length of 6.5 km was constructed by the sultan of Seljuk Empire Alaaddin Keykubat. The surviving castle reflects the importance of the city in Seljuk times. Formed with red stones, Red Tower (Kızıl Kule) is the other ancient structure. You can also visit Seljuk shipyard, Alara castle, Hasbahce Koskü. Apart from these, Alanya has a famous cave named Damlatas. If you enjoy exploring you should visit the Damlatas Cave to see the eerie misshapen rock formations.

Its hotel facilities make you feel the comfort of your home. With its 5 stars Utopia World offers you that comfort. The hotel is decorated in the style of the historic glitter of the ancient city and is located in Kargicak, offering a number of facilities. Hotel Justiniano Sunrise Katya is able to entertain you thanks to its capacity of 182 rooms and 400 beds. Delphin De Luxe Resort settled in the middle of palm trees and a colourful garden. Delphin De Luxe will be your permanent address for the perfect high class holiday. The Sara Hotel is directly at the beautiful and historical Kleoptara beach in Alanya. To the city centre it is only a few minutes and to the airport Antalya 125 km.

In the end, the descriptions are not enough to understand Alanya. Alanya is a city should be visited when words can not tell you the legend of Alanya. You just not be satisfied with what you hear, go and tell it with your own words.

A Trip to Scintillating Sydney, Sydney Best Destinations

2009-12-27T13:13:00.000-08:00

Sydney, the Harbor City, is one of the oldest cities in Australia. Its population mainly comprises of migrants and students from different parts of the world. The Chinese, Portuguese, Sri Lankans and Brazilians live in this city harmoniously. Many people use this city as the main entrance to Australia. It is a beautiful city and an attraction to all the tourists of Australia.

For those, who visit the city for the first time, the Centre Power Point is an important place of attraction. It gives a 360 degree view of the entire city of Sydney. Next, you can visit Circular Quay, which is situated just in front of downtown. You can see the Opera House here. The Opera House, the great iconic building, is a huge structure with a remarkable roof. It is a famous performing arts centre in the world. Here, you can plan to watch ballet, symphony, opera or anything of your choice. It is situated at the Bennelong Point in Sydney Harbor, which is close to the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

So, your next destination would surely be the Harbour Bridge. You can get a feel of Australia from here. You would get to see the beauty of nature combined with the creations of mankind. You should also know how to get to these places. You can take a hop-on and hop-off bus tour of Sydney. Or else, you can also take a stroll and visit places like the Rocks precinct. You might be interested to know that this is the place where Captain Cook landed. You can also take a helicopter ride of the city of Sydney to get a bird’s eye view of it.

The Beach of Bondi is another beautiful place. It is one of the most well-known beaches in Australia. Here you can have fun and frolic by playing volleyball, kayaking and windsurfing. There are also cafes all along the streets of Bondi, where you can get some rest.

Darling Harbor is another tourist spot. You get to see salt water aquariums here. You should also visit the Powerhouse, which is a museum where machines and technology related staff are displayed.

You can travel around beyond the city limits too to discover an Australia with a difference. You would see the amazing Blue Mountains. You can also indulge yourself in visiting the Hunter Valley, Sydney’s Wine country.

While traveling, you also need to enjoy some good food. There are many restaurants offering delicious dishes. You can taste varieties of seafood and some good wine here.

In brief, Sydney is a beautiful place to visit. The climate is mild and it gets rainfall throughout the year. So, you can visit the city anytime. Its cultural life is also very entertaining. You can also visit the city during the festive season. Go ahead and plan a trip to Sydney according to your convenient time. The trip would surely be all fun.

Liberty of the Seas - An Awesome Cruise Ship!

2009-12-27T02:49:00.000-08:00

If you’re a big fan of luxury sea travel then take a look at the world’s biggest and most imaginative maritime marvels, the Royal Caribbean International cruise ship 'Liberty of the Seas'. This is truly an awesome ship boasting more amenities than some land resorts I have been too!

Liberty of the Seas is a Royal Caribbean International cruise ship of the Freedom class which entered regular service in May 2007. It was initially announced that she would be called Endeavour of the Seas, however this name was later substituted.

The 15-deck ship accommodates 4,370 passengers served by 1,360 crew. She was built in 18 months at the Aker Finnyards drydock in Turku, Finland, where her sister ship, Freedom of the Seas, was also built. At 154,407 gross register tons, she joins her sister ship, Freedom of the Seas, as the largest cruise ships and passenger vessels ever built.

She is 1,111.9 ft (338.91 m) long,184 ft (56.08 m) wide, and cruises at 21.6-knot (40 km/h; 25 mph). Liberty of the Seas features extensive sports facilities including the FlowRider onboard wave generator for surfing, an interactive water park, a full-sized volleyball / basketball court, an ice skating rink, a boxing ring, and a large fitness center.

Other amenities include two whirlpools that extend out over the sea, Wi-Fi capabilities throughout the ship, a modular conference center for business meetings, flat screen televisions in all staterooms, and full cell phone connectivity.

Restaurants include a three-level formal dining room, Jade Cafe Asian-themed casual dining, Windjammer Cafe traditional casual dining, Sorrento's Pizzeria, Promenade Cafe, Ben & Jerry's Ice cream shop, Johnny Rocket's diner, Chop's Steakhouse and Portofino Italian restaurant.

Here is a video of the Liberty of the seas in all her glory:

Merry Christmas, All.

2009-12-21T13:05:00.000-08:00

Redneck Christmas Tree

2009-12-21T12:59:00.000-08:00

which is quite upscale compared to last year's Christmas tree...

Bubba's Christmas Tree made out of Mountain Dew cans!

Light Christmas Tree

Beach vacations to please the entire family

2009-12-12T13:51:00.000-08:00

When Judi Silverman's children were young, she used to take them to Half Moon Resort in Jamaica's Montego Bay on holiday.

Forty years later, the New Jersey-based travel agent happily sends young families there because, she says, she knows firsthand that "when they say they are a family resort, they mean it.

A lot of times resorts will call themselves 'family friendly' but you can tell right away if it's just in the brochures but not in the attitude of the staff."At Half Moon, for example, kids are welcome in all of the restaurants, yet there is also a restaurant with special children's menus should parents prefer that option.

There's a reasonably priced Kid's Club for younger children ages 3 to 12 and one for 'tweens and teens that the resort offers, as well as tennis clinics, a riding stable and a game room, in addition to myriad water sports. The resort even recently added a Dolphin Experience in which kids can nuzzle up to a dolphin and even ride its dorsal fin.

What's in it for Mom and Dad? The largest spa in the Caribbean, for starters. And the elegant resort now offers all-inclusive packages, which is helpful in a time when even luxury travelers are tightening the belts on their terrycloth robes.According to the Travel Industry Association, leisure travel is expected to decline only slightly in 2009 (by 1.3 percent), despite the economic downturn.

However, people surveyed by the TIA say they will vacation differently, with 76 percent expecting to book a packaged vacation to save money."All-inclusive used to get a bad rap because it meant a lesser experience,'' says Edmundo Roa, manager of Let's Take the Kids Travel Agency in Ottawa, Canada, which specializes in booking family travel.

But now that luxury resorts have gotten into the family-travel niche, "It just means you're getting more for your money," says Roa. "It also means an easy, no-brainer vacation, which, sometimes, is exactly what's needed."

Expert opinion-To find 10 great family-friendly beach destinations, we asked a panel of family-travel experts to name their favorite vacation spots where kids will have a ball and parents can get some much-needed respite and relaxation. But there's even more to it than that when it comes to finding the perfect vacation spot, experts say.

Suzanne Rowan Kelleher, editor of the tell-it-like-it-is family travel Web site WeJustGotBack.com, says so many resorts have gotten into the family act, it's important to "find the resort that's right for your particular family." She therefore shies away from the broad term "family resort" on her Web site because, she says, "what's right for a couple with a baby (great nanny service, for example) may not be right for a family with 'tweens or teens."

One resort that seems to have all the bases covered, our travel experts agree, is Club Med's Ixtapa resort in Mexico. Between the Baby Med program which means your room will be stocked with everything from a stylish crib to bottle warmers and diapers and the Circus Camp where older children learn to juggle and swing on a flying trapeze, the resort caters to every member of the family. From January through April 2009, the resort is offering seven nights for the price of three, starting at $965 a person, all-inclusive.

"It's really great when your children can come home from a beach vacation having done something they've never done before like flying through the air or canopy climbing," says Kelleher.Canopy climbing, literally gliding through the treetops, is one of the activities offered at the Los Suenos Marriott in Guanacaste, Costa Rica, another resort that made our list. Family packages there start at $339 to $579 per night, all inclusive, for a family of two adults and two children under six.

Kelleher says while many "family resorts" tout kids' clubs where parents can drop off their kids for the day, then play a round of golf or learn to hula or surf, it behooves parents to inquire about the activities offered at these clubs. Many of tem are more appropriate for toddlers and are nothing more than glorified — and pricey — baby-sitting centers, she says.

"The real litmus test is whether or not your kids want to go the next day," says Kelleher. "You're not going to get much hammock time in if your kid is bored with the club activities."No boredom is likely at the Hilton Hawaiian Village on Waikiki, where creative club activities also teach about Hawaiian culture. Alternatively, take the family to the newly revamped Ritz-Carlton Naples, for budding marine biologists.

The resort boasts 11 aquariums, including touch tanks where kids can get up close and personal with turtles and starfish. Older children can hang out in the hotel's laboratory, playing with Petri dishes and microscopes."The hotel really gives kids a sense of place because they learn all about the Floridian eco-system," says Kelleher. And because it's a Ritz-Carlton property, parents know their needs will be met, too.

Oh, and there's that postcard-perfect beach. All this will set you back about $675 a night for a coastal room that would accommodate two adults and two children.In safe hands-When evaluating kid-friendly resorts, Kelleher says, there's always a concern about the staff that will be looking after your children, what Kelleher refers to as "the X factor."

In that department, it's hard to top The Winnetu Inn & Resort on Martha's Vineyard, where kids' camp comes free with the room, and activities include combing for seashells, agility ladder courses and putting contests. The young and eager counselors — 22 for 100 children — are, for the most part, college students and aspiring teachers who grew up on the Vineyard and know what a special place it is, says Kelleher, so they have a great rapport with the kids.

"They're the kind of counselors who'll take the time to hold a child's hand or dust the sand off their toes," says Kelleher.That, she says, is priceless. But whatever resort you choose, Kelleher says it's important to sit down with your kids and talk about things they'd like to do before you board the plane. The ideal vacation is when both parents and children come home having done exactly what they wanted to do."This ensures that, come the next family vacation, they'll definitely want to come along."

5 Hard-Core Hiking Vacations

2009-12-12T13:38:00.000-08:00

There’s no need to spend your vacation cooped up in a car or tied to a specific camp site. Hundreds upon thousands of people are discovering the genuinely incredible experience that can be had on a hiking vacation.

Break in your walking shoes and bring your backpack. These hikes are not for beginners or those who are out of shape. Each of our five favorite hiking vacations is guaranteed to lead you to some of the most beautiful destinations in the world while allowing you the freedom to explore, exercise, and set your own schedule.

1. Skeleton Gorge, South Africa

Your trip begins in Table Mountain National Park, located towards the south-west tip of Africa. The north end of the park begins in Signal Hill and ends at the southern Cape Point. It is here that you’ll be exposed to some incredible wildlife, plant life, and historic scenery. The park is filled with incredible attractions, so your time will be packed with day-trips to some of the most memorable sights in Cape Town.

One of the most popular trails on Table Mountain itself is the one that takes visitors to Skeleton Gorge. The trail is not for the weak at heart. It starts out flat and slowly begins to climb as you enter the gorge. You will not keep your feet on solid ground, as the trail later includes at least two ladders and a trek through the river! Once you’ve explored the stop of the summit you can descend by following the Nursery Valley trail back to the bottom, but it’s likely your legs will be screaming for reprieve by then. If so, take the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway back to the bottom!

2. Via Ferrata, Italy

In the Dolmites, otherwise known as the Italian Alps, you’ll find yourself partaking in a truly unique hiking and mountain climbing experience. While most of Italy’s tourists are visiting wine vineyards and strolling through major tourist attractions, you’ll have the opportunity to ascend a little further above sea level to the Via Ferrata trails.

The most popular trail is the Via Ferrata Ivano Dibona. It takes around 8 hours to follow the trail that begins at the Rio Gere lift system and carry’s you along the Monte Cristallo ridge. The other popular trail, taking about six hours to complete, is the Via Ferrata Lagazuio Tunnels. The trail takes you deep into the tunnels inside Mount Lagazuio. Both trails are rich with history dating back to World War 1.

3. Inca Trail, Peru

The astounding Inca Trail through Peru begins in the town of Ollantaytambo and takes you over 27 miles of landscape and thru the Andes Mountains. After about four days the trail will end in beautiful city of Machu Picchu.

The Incas built the trail, which now allows visitors to pass through dozens of archaeological locations that paint an incredible picture of life before the Spanish Inquisition. Only 500 people are allowed on the trails lining the Urubamba River each day and most participate in guided tours. Tours usually include tents, three-course meals, and a train ride back to the beginning of the trail after you’ve completed your time in Machu Picchu.

Find discount Machu Picchu hotels when you return.

4. Larapinta Trail, Australia

The Larapinta Trail carries hikers through the Northern Territory of Australia and spans over 130 miles. The trail is divided into 12 sections, so hikers do not have to worry about making the entire 130 mile trek before hitting the end. Each section is designed to be hiked over the course of one or two days, and off-road vehicles are allowed to carry hikers from section to section as well. You’ll need to bring your own tent, a sleeping bag, and your own food.

Most of the trail crosses over desert land, but part of it crosses West MacDonnell National Park. The park is known as one of the most secluded in the entire world. Be sure to watch out for some of the most breathtaking natural attractions you’ll ever see, including Ellery Creek Big Hole, Glen Helen, and Simpsons Gap.

5. Cape Scott Trail, British Columbia

The five-day hike through Vancouver Island in Canada’s British Columbia may be new, but it’s one of the most challenging in North America, to say the least. Find your way to Cape Scott Provincial Park, where you’ll start out with a wet 4-mile hike through a bog – and that’s only the beginning.

You’ll hike across some of the most beautiful rock-strewn beaches in existence and pull yourself across the river in cable-cars. If you make it through without twisting an ankle or pulling a muscle in your arms or back, you’re in good shape. It’s not an easy trail at all, but the satisfaction you’ll feel at the end makes it well worth the effort.

None of these trips are for casual walkers or amateur hikers. If you are new to the hiking game, you’ll want to go with a group of more experienced friends or find a guided tour to ensure your safety each step of the way. In the end, each of these hikes guarantees an experience you’ll remember for the rest of your life!

Book the Ideal Vacation Rental in Four Easy-to-Follow Steps

2009-12-12T13:17:00.000-08:00

With the increasing popularity of the travel rental industry, it’s easy to get confused by the multitude vacation rental from various hosts and management agencies. Fortunately, you can easily book the perfect rental property for your vacation by following simple and easy steps.

1. Plan your pre-booking necessities Before searching for the ideal vacation rental, you must first set your pre-booking needs beforehand. First, choose the destination. Vacations should be planned carefully and by knowing where you plan to go before booking the travel accommodation, you’ll save yourself and those you bring with you some expenses and avert troubles.

Make sure you research everything you can about the destination and make sure that the place is safe and tourist-friendly. Next, settle everything you need for the travel. If you want to save money, travel during off-peak seasons. Not only will this slash a bit from the travel expenses but provide you with a lot of vacation rental choices, which naturally comes next.

2. Browse for travel accommodations There are several ways to look for the perfect rental. You can either ask for referrals from friends and relatives or read the latest travel magazines. But the most functional way, which will never even require you to leave your home, is to go online. There are simply several websites that host holiday rentals. But don’t put all your eggs in one basket; collect several choices from various websites.

3. Double-check on everything

Once you’ve a list of rentals, double-check the information associated with them. Make sure you have everything, from bathroom and bedroom to rules and regulations, settled. And speaking of rules and regulations, you should ask the property manager or owner for a set of rules that will indicate what you can and cannot do while using the property. This is critically important to avoid any future problems.

You should also remember to check the payment procedure of both the utilities and the rental. For the utilities, confirm to the owner whether you're obligated to pay for them while using the property. As for the rental itself, always use your credit card as the payment option.

4. Book early, if possible If you're planning to visit a travel hotspot during peak season, to avoid shortage of travel accommodations, book your rental months early. But before you do this, make sure you ask the manager or property owner for any money-back policy on the event of cancellation. This will give you ample time to get things settled before you leave. It is even also advised to book the vacation rental early to avoid ending up with foreclosure

How to Go on a Cheap Vacation

2009-12-04T14:52:00.000-08:00

You do not have much money set aside and yet you want to take a vacation. If you are dying to take a vacation, there is probably a reason for it: your body needs it. Studies have shown that taking a break from work, often in the form of vacations, is the best way to reduce the stress in your life, which can actually help to extend the years you have left on earth. But your money situation is tight, and even though you want to go on a vacation, you are not sure if you can afford one. A cheap vacation is exactly what you need.

What Constitutes a Cheap Vacation

A cheap vacation is a vacation that is anything lower than the amount you have budgeted for your vacation. When you are thinking about going on a cheap vacation, you need to set a budget. If you only have $500 to work with, spending under $500, for you, constitutes a cheap vacation. If you only have $200 to spend, then anything under that is a cheap vacation for you. The less money you can spend, the better off you are. There are, fortunately, many ways that you can enjoy a cheap vacation without spending tons of money.

Look Around Your Town

Have you ever taken the time to look around your town? If you live in a larger city, or even a smaller one, you may not have noticed many things. You wonder why tourists come to visit and never take the time to see the beauty and interesting things in your own city. For a cheap vacation, grab a tour book and take a vacation in your own town! You can book a hotel, or stay home, and can find a lot of things to do that you never knew existed.

Book Far Ahead

For a really cheap vacation, book far in advance. Hotels and airlines are much less expensive when you book them months in advance. If you want to head to Florida for the holidays, for instance, booking in January of that year is not a bad idea, and can make it possible to turn your Florida trip into a very cheap vacation. Also, the more ahead you plan, the less expensive your trip can become. If you know that your airline fares will be expensive and are in relative close driving distance, meaning less than a full day worth of driving, try driving down, or even carpooling with another friend or family member! This will truly give you a cheap vacation.

Go Abroad

Often going overseas is the best way to get a truly unique cheap vacation. The value of a dollar is different everywhere, and where a person who is a native to the country may have to pay thousands of their own dollars for something, you may only have to pay hundreds, saving you tons of money and giving you a very unique cheap vacation at the same time.

A cheap vacation can be found almost anywhere, as long as you look around and are vigilant.

How to take better vacation photos

2009-12-04T14:47:00.000-08:00

Image stabilization, automated scene modes, and face, smile, or blink detection can only take you so far. To get the best photos, you need to know when and how to use all those fancy features of your digital camera, and you need to know a thing or two about composition and light. In a recent post on his New York Times Gadgetwise blog, Rik Fairlie shared 13 great tips for shooting better vacation photos. [Full disclosure: the photographer he interviewed for the Q&A is my husband, Dan Lipow, who teaches digital photography classes in exotic locales.] Here are a few tips that I found most useful:

How to make photos of landscapes more interesting

Change your perspective by getting very low or as high as you can. Most people don’t go that far: they stand there, frame the photo and click. Instead, try climbing up on a wall or getting down on the ground.

Also, look for ways to add perspective, include a foreground element — a tree or a bush — that is not in focus. If you have something that is on the edge of the image, it helps to frame what you’re looking at. This will help you get a more interesting shot.

How to take the best sunset shot
Underexpose it a lot. That will help you capture the incredible reds, rich oranges and yellows. I use the manual mode to underexpose, usually about two to four stops. The exposure compensation features on most cameras have only three stops, and some have only two stops. Manual mode provides the best way to reduce the light level.

How to get better photos in the bright mid-day sun
First, you can utilize your camera’s ability for exposure compensation. If you underexpose a very bright scene, by one-third or two-thirds of a stop, that adds richness to it. I also set my camera’s white balance to a cloudy setting or an open shade setting. These settings will help warm up the image, and that can add a lot more dimension to the photo.

Another thing, in planning your trip you should remember that there are places that are better or worse to be, depending on the time of day. If you are in a European city and want to go to the old quarter, which may be a warren of little alleyways, midday is a good time to be there. But if you’re next to an open area, a riverfront for instance, in the middle of a bright day, the afternoon is a bad time to be there. Go to river late in the day, and visit the old town in the middle of the day. It will be cooler there then, and the light will be right

Ciputih, Ujung Kulon

2009-12-04T14:36:00.000-08:00

Found this place from searching the net – googling, not much information found except few personal blogs in multiply that try to tell how beautiful it is. Curiosity, yes that’s the exact word that drive me to search little deeper.

Start with very little information got from the net, and equip with the only map got from “Pulau Umang” website, we decided to go there just to have a look on that site, who knows we may bring our family or friends here.

It’s a medium distance drive from Jakarta, about 5 hours drive. Depart on 4.30 in the morning, we took Jakarta-Serang Tol then Exit in Serang Timur then facing to Pandeglang trough inland route. It is not an easy road actually, since it is a primary economic route from Serang to Pandegelang, we have to struggle against large trucks and Intercity Buses. Many people said that taking this road is the shortest path to go to pandegelang, but for me, it is unpleasant drive compare with another route if we took Anyer-Carita-Pandegelang, at least there lot of Sceneries to see. For the one who like easy drive, I strongly suggest to take Anyer-Carita road rather than this one.

Passing Tanjung Lesing junction, the road was getting worse, it’s not too bad actually, if you have sedan car, then you may got some trouble, it will slow you down up to 10-20km/h, but if you have higher ground clearance car like MPV or SUV, it should not be a problem, except you’ll have much bumpy journey. This road condition will continue for next 1-2hours drive, up to a small town called Cijulang, before it getting better. You’ll find lot of “Pulau Umang” signboard that you may use it as navigation point up to another small village called Sumur, there’s a junction that you have to take a straight choice, rather than the right one (which lead you to Pulau Umang harbor front). Start from this junction, you still has to drive about 6km further before you reach the resorts.

First impression, the resorts complex is huge, but build “as is” with letting the original environment grow like they should be. No fancy artificial garden or water fountain or whatever that you may find on several resorts. It just a bunch of trees grow on top of white sands ……… yes! It is real white sand!

The beach it self is very wide sand beach, white sands, blue and clear seawater, it reminds me to Dreamland or Nusadua Beach in Bali, and it has almost no sea waves. Very calm beach. Very beautiful ………………. According to local people there, this is the only one beach that has such kind of sands. We are lucky, since the weather is very clear so that you may watch the blue sky, blue sea and white sands very clearly.

Next to the beach, there’s a large swimming pool in front of the main building which is a restaurant, well, it is not a well managed restaurant, they serve very minimum level of food choice, but at least you may have “Udang goring a’la Ciputih” or “Ayam Masak Kecap”, but the unique thing about the place is, you may enter up to the kitchen to talk with the cook even you may borrow their equipments to mess with your stuff.

Facing the beach, there are unpopulated isle called pulau mangir, you may have to go there by renting a boat from “Sumur”, if you like snorkeling this isle is a good spot for you. It has a wide white sand beach, mixed with very clear water with lot of live corals beneath. It’s about 1m deep and you may have very fun snorkeling there, but have to be cautious since you will find difficulties to step on it.

One thing that you should prepare is about food, since the place is very remote, they do not have proper logistic, more over the room rate is not include breakfast, the best way for you is to bring your own logistic, instant-noodle, preserve food is very recommended, otherwise, you may go to sumur in the morning to go to “Fish Market”, you may buy some fresh-fish just landed from “Bagan” and ask the kitchen to cook it, they will charge you Rp. 15.000/kg, fried or BBQ. But no prawn and crabs, just fish and Squid. If you may want to have prawn, you have to buy it once you enter panimbang long the way before you reach Sumur.

In Overall, this place is marvelous! It has been our favorite destination recently; we’ve been here three times just in less than 6 months, even though we have to take 6 hour drive from Jakarta, it doesn’t matter!

A little tips: do not go there during Nov – Mar since it has west wind seasons, you’ll find larger sea waves that usual and (off course) rain, not recommended!

Six Keys to Really Enjoying Your Vacation

2009-12-04T14:23:00.000-08:00

If you start with your briefcase and triple check that you have the power cords for your Blackberry and your laptop when you begin to pack for your vacation, you definitely need to read this article.

If you make a to-do list of the things you need to get done for work while you are gone, you better read on.

Even if you only plan to call in for your messages “a couple times a day,” you’ll want to continue reading.

The urge to work while on vacation has never been stronger. Our busy schedules and the constant availability of technology adds to the pressure we all feel. With contact so easy, and with the lines between work and home so blurred during the rest of our lives, it is easy to see why vacation can be a struggle for any of us.

If you want to put more balance in your life and vacation, read on. These practical tips will help you (and your family) enjoy your vacation more, guaranteed.

Choice

If you want to have a vacation that is more vacation and less work, it all starts with a choice. Am I willing to, and will I, leave the Blackberry off and not check my voice mail? While it is easy to make this statement, making the choice might be very hard. Hard or easy, in the end, it is as simple as a choice. If you choose not to work or be distracted by work-related items while on your vacation, you won’t be.

Urgent vs. Important

The ease of contact that technology brings us makes this choice even more clear. 30 years ago if you went on vacation it was harder to be sucked back into work because there weren’t so many easy ways to be in touch. With the cell phone, laptop, and internet everywhere, it is easy to assume that everything back at work is urgent.

Most of it isn’t.

The decision or mental "tug" to work while on vacation is about the urgent things in life. Your family (or your vacation in general) is quite likely more important to you, but it is the perceived urgency of the work that draws us back in. Remember what is really important to you. During a vacation is an especially good time to remain focused on the important; and not the merely urgent things in our lives.

Remove the Distractions

Leave your phone in the room; your Blackberry will be just fine in the drawer. If you leave the gadgets in your room all day instead of carrying them with you everywhere you go, you’ll be far less likely to check your messages while you’re in line for the ride or sitting by the beach.

Communicate Clearly

If you do have to work at all while on vacation, set boundaries and gain agreement with your traveling companions. If there is a particular thing that you have to do, let everyone know what it is - they will more likely support you if they know about it and how important and/or time critical it is. Then do only that thing! Don't use that as an "opening" to work as much as you feel you need to.

Segment Your Time

I am writing this as the rest of my family sleeps. This allows me to be fully engaged in my vacation, and still finish something that truly needs to be done. If you must work, budget the time tightly, and do it when it least impacts those important people with you.

Have a Plan

Have a plan at work before you leave. Change your voice mail and email announcement to let people know you aren't in touch for several days. This will leave you with fewer urgent items on your return, and lower your anxiety level while you are gone.

Keeping these six things in mind will give you greater balance and help make your next vacation as refreshing and rejuvenating as it can be. Take these actions and you’ll have you best vacation ever, and you will return better equipped both mentally and physically to be highly effective back at work.

Potential Principle – When you are on vacation, you need to be on vacation! Recognize that while your work may be urgent, your vacation and the people you are spending it with are truly important. Keeping this in mind will help you have the vacation you deserve.

How to Choose a Florida Vacation Rental ?

2009-12-04T14:14:00.000-08:00

Is a vacation rental villa right for me?

Whether you are seeking a magical Disney World Vacation or an active family holiday, a Florida vacation rental villa is one of the most flexible options available to you. Many visitors decide on a hotel or motel room. This can appear to be the cheapest option but has several disadvantages. As I'm sure you know if you wanted a suit of rooms in a hotel that offered all the facilities of a vacation rental villas, you would spend many hundreds of dollars per night! Limited space, limited bathrooms, neighbor noise etc - we've all been there! The convenience and space of a vacation rental villa not only make for a much more enjoyable vacation for everyone but when things go wrong these were an important factor for one of our guests when 3 of her 4 children became ill shortly after arriving. She was so pleased to have chosen a luxury vacation rental villa with the space and convenience of 5 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms as it meant that the whole family was not wakened when one member had to get up frequently during the night!

Convenience: Probably the biggest advantage of your vacation rental - you can come and go as you please and do what you like, when you like. You might feel like a day by the pool on your own when the rest of the family go out, and that's exactly what you can have - moreover, its you by the pool and no one else to share it with - bliss!

Location:

This is the another important one factor in choosing your vacation rental! Its important to choose a luxury vacation rental villa that is close to the attractions that you will be visiting frequently. First time visitors have little idea of the scale of the Orlando area and the whole thing can be more than a little daunting. Its made even more confusing by the vast choice of vacation rental villas available and the lack of clear details on their location. We know that this has resulted in some families traveling long distances to get from their chosen location - not ideal. That's why we have clear links to maps from our vacation rental villa details pages. We want you to be able to plan your vacation and spend as little time as possible in the car!

Quality:

We spent some time recently viewing and inspecting Florida vacation rental villas. The pictures on their web sites presented the villa very well in most cases but it soon became clear that they had been taken a very long time ago. Many of the villas were very tired, showed heavy wear and little attention to maintaining a comfortable environment for their guests. They were certainly far form the luxury vacation rental villas they were being marketed as!

These problems showed up much more in the properties where the owners had clearly taken little interest and were managed by property management agencies (Large or small, and who, in turn rent them to the large holiday companies). This is one reason why we update the pictures of our properties each year (several times a year in fact!). This gives our guests the confidence to know that what they see is what they will get. Whilst booking direct with the owner does not guarantee quality, it does give you the opportunity to ask if the photos on the site truly represent the condition of a particular vacation rental villa today.

Check in/out:

This is often overlooked as one of these things that has to be done but be careful. Check in and out is not usually at the villa! Its normally at the management company office where you have to wait in line with everyone else that booked through the same company. This means that you have to drive to and find the office from the airport. We know of offices that are over 15 miles from the vacation rental. Check the driving distances and times from airport to office and from office to your villa. (Be aware that if the office is in Kissimmee, it can be very busy and take a long time especially in the early evening). Note: We have an electronic access system so our guests can drive direct to their chosen luxury villa and let themselves in. The benefit of this system is clear - and you have no keys to lose or hand back.

Locality:

What we mean here is the area surrounding the villa. Careful examination of the photos of some villas will show where they have been doctored to hide undesirable features. One of the favorites is to block out the lower areas of screened pool enclosures to hide the fact that there are many others very close to the villa. We do not enhance our photos. Check carefully or ask if the pool area is overlooked.

Games rooms:

Some vacation rental villas advertise a games room with all kinds of entertainments. If this is something that you want to have in your villa, be sure to inquire whether it is properly air conditioned. The reason for this is that some owners have simply locked the garage door and installed a carpet and a pool table or foosball table and called it a games room. Its fine in December but impossible to use comfortably for much of the year.

Equipment:

Check whether the equipment you need is 'included' or 'available' and know the difference between these terms. Included usually means that the item is included in the rent for the villa. Its important to know that 'available' usually means that the item is available but you will be expected to pay an extra charge for it. For example, a gas barbecue will cost you between $35 and $50 per week to hire (+ sales tax). A cot, baby seat or stroller can be the same each! That can make a significant unexpected dent in your pocket - check unless the information is explicit!

Summary:

We hope that this guide helps you make your choice of vacation rental villa much easier. We think that vacation rental villas are exceptional value for money but there are some traps which we have highlighted. Whilst we realize that checking all these details might be a pain, we hope that it will help you have a much better vacation!

John and Julie Macrae have been involved in real estate investment in the UK and the USA for many years. Julie owns a chain of Estate Agents and property management agencies in the UK, John is involved in property management and overseas real estate sales.

Summer Vacation - Booking Options For Your Summer Vacation

2009-12-04T13:59:00.000-08:00

We continue to see a large number of individuals, couples and families wishing to take the ever popular summer vacation. We also see the same trends, ranging from some people wishing to return to their favorite resort to travelers who wish to try something exciting and new (to them).

Another perhaps obvious trend is the increase in accessing the internet. Again, this varies from searching for more information on a summer vacation destination to using online travel and vacation services to make actual vacation bookings. Certainly, for some types of summer vacation this can be beneficial due to the online discounts that can be available.

So, when it comes to booking a summer vacation, what are the booking options to consider?

I know this is going to sound 'stupid' but before making summer vacation reservations, you will have to select the actual summer vacation destination. Without a destination in mind, it is impossible to make any bookings. When selecting a summer vacation, however, what are the important factors we need to keep in mind?

Whenever possible, I like to encourage people to think of their summer vacation as starting from the minute they leave their home to the minute they return and, in doing so, consider...

traveling with children
the age of the children
traveling with senior citizens
traveling with disabled family members
likes and dislikes
absolute needs and 'nice to haves'
total cost of travel
the 7 out of 10 principle

The 7 out of 10 principle simply means that if we cannot match 100% of our needs to a summer vacation choice, the more 'boxes' we tick, the greater the chance that we can select the summer vacation destination that will best fit your needs, thus ensuring we can have the best summer vacation possible.

Now, we can think about actual bookings and reservations.

I suppose the one option is to not to book anything at all. Exciting and fun - maybe. Yes, there are parks, motels, hotels, camping sites where it is not always necessary to book in advance. Despite the fact that reservations may not be required, I would always encourage travelers to make their reservations. Highly popular summer vacation destinations fill up fast. Apart from that, whereas it may be fun dealing with the uncertainty when we are on our own or a couple, imagine looking after three young children or elderly family members and not finding a place to stay.

At the other end of the booking option choices, some people prefer to use professional services such as travel agents especially if they are known to cater for certain summer vacation destinations or specialize in catering for certain groups. Others will use them purely from the viewpoint of convenience - make a decision, book the vacation, now let's get back to work!

The downside of this option is that these services can come at a price. So, for the budget conscious or for those looking for that something a bit different, this may not be the best option to take. If you have time, read some of the other 'summer vacation' articles which may help in deciding the best option for you.

With the availability of information online and the summer vacation booking facilities also available for anything from car hire and flights to bed and breakfast and five star hotels, more people are making their own reservations. For many it is a lot of fun doing the research, finding the best deals and developing their own unique summer vacation.

As mentioned earlier, as long as most of the boxes are ticked, it can then take no more than a few minutes to have the whole vacation from flights to accommodation booked within a few minutes.

Let's have a recap...

With overnight stays, most families may prefer the convenience and services provided by hotels and motels. Others prefer the outdoors staying in parks, camping sites. Although reservations may not be required, booking your preferred accommodation in advance, ensures that you are guaranteed a place to rest your family or set up your tent.

Researching online provides the opportunity to either develop your own unique summer vacation or to book a popular vacation destination at a discounted price. (You may want to weigh up this option against package deals where 'extras' may be included as part of the deal. These 'extras' may only be available to you at a price if organizing the vacation yourself). It's always worth checking these things first before making a booking commitment.

So, whether you choose to use the services of a discount travel company online, a professional travel agent, or you intend you make your own vacation reservations, you are encouraged to take the necessary and appropriate steps. Please don't assume that everything will just work out and run the risk of ruining your much deserved summer vacation. Book it!

Are you bored with the same summer vacation routine? Struggling to find that vacation of a lifetime? Then open your mind to the unique possibilities by visiting our link below. You will be delighted by the choice and the great comments made by clients from North America and other countries.

With 10 years experience in customized tours and vacations I can guarantee that you can enjoy a lifetime of free vacations and unlimited travel worldwide AND earn a phenominal income that will keep you smiling every time you look in your bank account.

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Why not vacation your way to wealth!

What You Need to Know about Vacation Rentals before You Go

2009-12-04T13:51:00.000-08:00

That time of the year is finally here. You know what I'm talking about, the one or two weeks you get every year to escape from "real life" and just be you. Relax, eat and drink well, enjoy your family, catch up on some much needed sleep. But, before you pack up and head out, rethink the all-too-normal hotel stay. Believe it or not, you have options, one of which is the vacation rental.

Wouldn't it be nice to leave your own home, arrive in your destination city and settle into a "home away from home" for your next vacation? That's what vacation rentals are all about. These are homes waiting to be rented out by people on vacation. Each vacation rental owner will have different criteria in what type of renter they are looking for, each vacation rental house will vary in amenities, and each price will be dependant on the time of year and the length of stay. So, it sounds like a great idea, but how do you figure out how to make it all happen? Not a problem. Below you will find answers to frequently asked questions regarding vacation rentals. Read on, my friend, your next "home away from home" vacation rental is right around the corner.

Frequently Asked Questions on Vacation Rentals

What are the advantages of a vacation rental?

Do you ever wish your hotel room had just a little more personality? Yeah, I thought so. Well, renting someone else's home for your vacation might just be the thing you're looking for. Usually offering larger living spaces than hotel rooms, these vacation rentals are all about living like you were in your own home. They offer greater privacy than hotel rooms and most rentals have a kitchen area for cooking, which in the end will save you money if you prepare some of your own meals.

You'll enjoy several rooms, and maybe even different levels, instead of one big room where the whole family sleeps. Many owners will leave information on things to do and see in the local area. Vacation rental homes are clean, friendly, comfortable and inviting. This is because many of them aren't just rental homes, but also function as the owner's own residence for part of the year.

A majority of vacation rentals tend to be cheaper on a per night basis than their hotel counterpart. By renting directly from the owner you will avoid taxes, tips and other extraneous charges. However, there is a wide variation among costs based on a number of factors (see How Much Should I Expect to Pay below)

What are the drawbacks of a vacation rental?

Of course, there's always the other side of the coin. As vacation rentals are not usually monitored by a central managing company, you'll only know what you're getting yourself into when you actually arrive to your rental. Many owners require pre-payment, or at least a large deposit fee, before arriving. Therefore, if things aren't the way you anticipated after arriving, or if you find your dwelling unacceptable and decide to head to a local hotel, you may lose any money you prepaid. This is also true for last minute cancellations. There isn't usually a refund. You always run the risk of getting less than you expected, but, it's rare.

Most times, vacation rentals tend to be cheaper than an average hotel room per night. But, not always, so make sure you are comfortable with the price you will be asked to pay.

Another disadvantage to vacation rentals is the lack of a managing member on site to deal with any problems that you may encounter with the home or during your stay in general. Most owners get around this by having a list of emergency numbers, utility companies and other such items available to the renter should they need anything.

What amenities are included in a vacation rental?

Since every rental is owned by a different owner, each will include different amenities. Some come with swimming pools, hot tubs, others with golf packages, and horse stable privileges. In cities with tourist attractions, some owners include tickets to local attractions.

Most vacation rentals come with the essentials: TV, equipped kitchen, towels, linen, and everyday appliances, but it never hurts to ask these questions when searching for the perfect place. Be sure to understand exactly what you are paying for before sending in the payment.

What types of rentals are available?

Pretty much any type of dwelling that you would want to live in during your vacation is available somewhere. From studios in downtown Manhattan to a villa in the south of Spain, you'll be able to find what you're looking for. The range of available options is mind boggling. Additionally, each week, month and year there are new possibilities as owners put their homes up for only certain weeks or months of the year, the choices are constantly changing.

Are vacation rentals only available in the US?

Vacation rentals are available worldwide. They can be found in every state of the US and almost every country in the world. Don't be fooled by their different names, though. Vacation rentals are also known as holiday cottages, tourist rentals and holiday rentals. If you are looking for one in Europe, the Italians call them agriturismi, while the French say gites. If you are in Germany you will be looking for ferienwohnungen (yep, try to say that three times fast with a bratwurst in your mouth!)

Regardless of what you call it, though, a vacation rental is a great option for those getting ready to take a few weeks off from reality and enjoy the good life a bit.

How do I find a property?

There are several ways to go about finding the perfect vacation rental for your next trip. Check with your local travel agent to find someone in your area that specializes in finding owners and renters and getting them together. Another option is the yellow pages. Finally, there is a wealth of information on the Internet. Type in a search for "vacation rentals" and over 13,300,000 websites can be found just on http://www.google.com alone. Some websites only list vacation rentals in the United States while others specialize in vacation rentals worldwide. There are some sites that will allow the potential renter to look for a residence by specific search criteria such as a particular destination, certain number of bedrooms and types of amenities that are included in the property.

Most of the vacation rental services on the internet are only the "go-between" or the "classified" section of the newspaper. They take no responsibility for the truth or correctness of the ads that are listed on their sites. So, do your homework by making phone calls, speaking with the owner and asking specific questions. Make sure you feel comfortable with the answers, if not, move on to the next rental, there are plenty.

If you're not comfortable with the whole renter/owner thing, there is another way to rent a vacation home. Some companies exist that strictly buy and rent out homes to vacationers. They offer a bit more security so that you feel you are truly getting what you bargained for (although nothing is ever 100% fool proof). Additionally, sometimes these agencies will give you cancellation insurance. In other words, if you cancel before arriving, they may be able to refund a portion of your deposit or payment instead of keeping it as most owners do if a cancellation occurs. With some agencies you'll find that you pay a higher price than going directly to an owner. This is how the agencies make their profits. There are always pros and cons to each scenario. Ensure you know which one works best for you.

How much should I expect to pay?

This is a tough question to answer. The amount you pay will depend on what country or state you are visiting, number of days you are staying, and type of house you are renting. Some owners offer package deals including tickets or sightseeing events along with the rental, others include bonus days if you stay for a certain length of time. There are other owners who may offer free or add-on house cleaning service with your stay while some go to great efforts to ensure you have everything you need, even additional items such as a crib, highchair or wheelchair. Each vacation rental will be entirely different than the next. Your best bet after deciding on your destination is to review multiple rentals to determine which is better suited to your needs and overall budget.

Are there any hidden fees?

Hidden fees usually only emerge after you have arrived. These may include extra for phone calls, house cleaning service, extra person fees, excess heat and air-conditioning bills, pet deposit, computer access... etc. Again, be extremely thorough when interviewing the owner of your prospective vacation rental. Ask about any "extra" fees, or if the house is "all-inclusive". Do you have free access to all the pantry and food items? How about the laundry supplies? All utilities? It never hurts to ask!

Vacation Rentals

In summary, cover all bases by asking lots of questions. Getting your agreement in writing is also a very smart idea. After these basics are out of the way you will be ready to take off for your home-away-from-home vacation rental. Try one this year and see for yourself that vacation rentals can be a fantastic means to really getting the full enjoyment out of your next vacation.

Elephants March Through Hotel

2009-11-29T00:11:00.000-08:00

Elephants march through hotel lobby after it was built on their migration trail. These amazing pictures show why you shouldn't get between an African elephant and its favorite food.

The animals came in two-by-two: Hotel staff and visitors have got
used to the elephants' impromptu strolls through reception

Let the porter grab your trunk: An elephant wanders through Mfuwe Lodge,
in the South Luangwa National Park, Zambia

Mfuwe Lodge in Zambia happens to have been built next to a mango tree that one family of pachyderms have always visited when the fruit ripens. When they returned one year and found the luxury accommodation in the way, they simply walked through reception.

Now the family group, headed by matriarch Wonky Tusk, return every November to gorge on mangos - up to four times a day. Andy Hogg, 44, director at the Bushcamp Company that runs the Lodge, has lived in South Luangwa National Park since 1982. But in all his years of dealing with wild animals he has never seen such intimate interaction between man and beast.

'This is the only place in the world where elephants freely get so close to humans,' says the 44-year-old.

'The elephants start coming through base camp in late November of each year to eat the mangos from our trees.

'When they are ripe they come through and they stand about for four to six weeks coming back each day or second day to eat the mangos.'

Living in the 5,000 square mile national park, the ten-strong elephant herd are led to the lodge each day by Wonky Tusk.

Migration route: The hotel was built directly in the path of the elephants'
route to one of their favorite foods - mangos

'The most interesting thing about this is that they are wild animals and are certainly not tame,' explains Andy. 'They come through the lodge to eat the fruit.

'There are ten in that herd and it is only that herd that comes through. It is a strange thing.

'The matriarchal in the herd is Wonky Tusk, and she brings the nine others through and they come and go as they please.'

Mfuwe Lodge consists of seven camps and the base camp where the elephants come through.

Employing 150 staff, the management of the lodge are happy to report that there have been no incidents involving the elephants to date.

'The elephants do get reasonably close to the staff as you can see with the pictures of the elephants near the reception,' he explains.

'But we do not allow the guests to get too close.'

Check-in: But it's unlikely the lodge has a room big enough for its elephant guests

'Guests can stand in the lounge are but as long as there is a barrier between the elephants and the guests that is okay,' he added.

'The elephants are not aggressive but you don't want to tempt anything as they are wild animals.

'It is the elephants choice to come into base camp and they have been doing it for the last ten years.

'There are other wild mango trees around and they seem to prefer this one.'

And even thought the lodge was unwittingly built upon the path, Andy says they had no idea the elephants would insist on returning.

'It wasn't a design mistake - no-one really knew they were going to come through,' he says.

'The lodge was built and then the elephants started coming through afterwards.

'We keep people at a safe distance. They are obviously close enough to see what is going on from pretty close quarters but we also make sure we have staff around to make sure the elephants don't get too close.

'But as I said they are still wild and still dangerous. They are huge beasts and untamed.

'We have bricks and walls between the elephants and the guests such as the counter and other barriers to stop them getting to people and if they try to there is enough time for people to get away.'

Naturally, the lodge becomes a busier attraction for both elephants and guests during November time.

'We find that we get more people visiting us during the elephant migration because of the unique experience of being so close to wild animals in an unusual environment,' says Andy.

'But as I said this is a totally natural phenomenon, the elephants come here of their own accord and it is certainly a rare but magnificent sight.