International Travel

Archive for the ‘Destinations’ Category

Alaska is the biggest state out of all fifty in the USA and consists of five regions: the Southwest, South Central, the Inside Passage, the Interior and the far North.  The Southwest part of the state has a terrain that ranges from volcanoes to the Katmai National Park.

The park was created in 1912 after an eruption of the Novarupta volcano.  The terrain also features the Aleutian Islands that actually stretch around 1,000 miles clear to Asia.  The main town in this region is Kodiak, and it houses the state’s biggest fishing fleet.  The original people of Kodiak were called the Alutiiq people.  Over 7,000 years ago they came to this place and still today they have descendants that live in the town where there is a museum and Repository that provides information on their culture and heritage.

The Alaska Peninsula extends approximately 550 miles towards and into the Pacific Ocean.  In the western part of the peninsula, there is the Lake Clark National Park and Preserve.  which offers miles of seacoast, glaciers, mountains and bodies of water that are filled with rainbow trout.  Hence, this part of the region is literally filled with fishing lodges.  A person can get scheduled air service from Anchorage, the capital, and fly out to place like King Salmon, or Naknek, which hosts two of the finest fishing lodges in Alaska.

Bristol Bay is another place in which has adventurous landscapes to travel through.  It is notably the largest source in the world of Red Salmon.  Lots of visitors come to this part of the region to fish in the summer, ski in the winter time, and host cultural events year round.  There is also a great deal of wildlife to be found and admired.

The economic hub of Bristol Bay is Dillingham which is mostly noted for being the gateway to the popular Togiak National Wildlife Refuge and Walrus Island State Game Sanctuary.

The Aleutians Islands’ East Borough is said to be one of the world’s most beautiful regions with active volcanoes, miles of coastline and untamed landscape being just some of the features.  The Aleut people have lived in these parts since the Second Ice Age.  Right past the top of the Alaska Peninsula, the islands start their 1,000-mile stretch towards Asia.  These islands are also home to numerous wildlife refuges.  Tourists can reach the Unalaska or Port of Dutch Harbor by a scheduled flight from Anchorage and there is also the popular method of taking the ferry ride from Kodiak Island.  It is said that Dutch Harbor lead the nation for quantities and values of fish caught.

Other attractions include the early examples of Russian churches and many World War II military sites which host a network of dug in bunkers and pillboxes that were built to train soldiers back in that era.  Another claim to fame is that this part of the islands was once the site of a nineteen day battle between Japanese and American soldiers back in 1943.

If you’re tempted to “go west” for your vacation, and love the idea of long days full of sunshine, then the Gold State is the one for you.  California has something for everyone and can cater for all manner of vacation dreams; young and old, budget and high-fliers, vibrant or serene, this state has it all!

The first thing you need to do is decide what you’d like to do on your vacation, this will help you locate the right part of the state to begin your holiday.  Do you want to center your vacation in one of the major cities of Los Angeles or San Francisco, and either have a one-center holiday where you explore only that city?  Alternatively, do you want to use that city as your gateway and base for a vacation that allows you to explore the coastal areas such as Santa Barbara, or the desert areas of the Joshua Tree National Park?  Are you hoping to sample some home-grown Californian wines in the Napa Valley?  Is the Yosemite National Park somewhere you’ve always wanted to go?  Are you interested in the anticipation of celebrity spotting?  Are you hoping for a round or two of golf?  Does the idea of taking a short trip into Mexico excite you?  Are you taking children who are hoping to visit theme parks?  All of these factors will help you identify which part of the Gold State is the right one for you.  One things for sure, you’ll be able to do all of those things and a lot more besides in this vibrant state!

Once you know where you’re going, identify what you’ll need.  How will you get there?  If you intend to hire a car whilst you’re there, is there adequate parking around the place you hope to stay?  Would public transport be a better idea for most days with car hire on the days you want to go outside the city?  Do you need to make reservations for any accommodation? Are you going to stay in a hotel, timeshare, bed and breakfast, or maybe a campground? How about attraction tickets?  Do you need to book in advance for any special event at the Rose Bowl?  What about any sporting activities you hope to do – is equipment available locally to hire or do you need to take your own?

There are endless opportunities for a vacation of a lifetime in California, and you’ll be able to pack a number of them into your holiday as long as you plan the right destination, so take a good look at the map and carefully plan out a preliminary itinerary – you can always change it when you get there, but at least you’ll be off to a good start by being in the right part of this beautiful part of America.

There are a number of different hotels around Lisbon so that visitors are sure to find the perfect hotel that meets their requirements. Within the city tourist can choose a hotel based on the price, the design, the location, the view and charm. There are also many apartments in Lisbon that can make your holiday a lot more personal.

Some of the best luxurious hotels include the Hotel Avenida Palace; an enchanting and lavish hotel built in 1892 it is the ideal hotel for a romantic break in the city. The hotel offers air conditioning, private parking, a baby sitting service and room service guaranteeing that your stay is perfect. Another great luxury hotel is the famous Pestana Palace, situated near Balem, the hotel is perfectly located in a quiet area and is often the international choice for many celebrities, it offers air conditioning, internet facilities and 3 exclusive restaurants and bars.

One of the best designed hotels within the city includes the Vincci Baixa, located in the heart of the city. This 4 star hotel is ideal for travellers who wish to explore the famous tourist spots, restaurants and shops in Lisbon. The hotel offers visitors tourist advice, a car rental service, an appetizing breakfast and lounge bar.

For tourists on a budget the Hotel Borges is a fantastic affordable hotel within the city. Placed very close to the most energetic areas of the city such as the Rossio and Praca de Figueira it offers a breakfast buffet and helpful multilingual staff and is ideal for young travellers.

Those looking for a great view should choose the Hotel de Chiado. The four star hotel is in the centre of Lisbon and offers breathtaking views of the city from the hotels terrace. The hotel also provides guests wireless internet, a beautiful roof garden and bar.

A hotel that oozes charm is the Solar do Castelo, this classic accommodation is situated within the walls of the Sao Jorge castle and possess a truly romantic atmosphere. This historic building offers guests a garden, air condition and a laundry service.

With so many hotels to choose from you can be sure that you will find the perfect hotel to make that great holiday stay special.

Sharm el Sheikh is a delightful place to visit any month of the year. Like any other travel destination in the world, there are some unique attributes and differences that may not be found in other places. This city has been renovated with modern amenities and buildings, but there are still a few very important tips that all foreign travellers must keep in mind.

The water in the sea is crystal-clear and dazzling, but it is important to know that there are still bacteria. Although residents are accustomed to them, most tourists who are accustomed to distilled and treated tap water are not. The water may spark a case of what is referred to locally as the “Pharaoh’s Revenge,” which is stomach discomfort and digestive issues. Always drink bottled water and be sure the seal is unbroken. Use bottled water for brushing teeth. Remember not to order any fountain drinks, as these include ice and water from the tap. Be sure to drink plenty of water each day, as the weather is warm and the air is dry.

All major credit cards are accepted in most hotels and larger restaurants. When exchanging money to the Egyptian Pound, which is the local currency, always visit a bank. Hotels charge a larger fee for exchanging currency than banks do. This is one of the best ways to save money. Another money tip to remember in Sharm el Sheikh is to always agree to the cost of a cab fare before getting in the taxi. If this isn’t done, a taxi driver may choose to charge however much he desires. If the cab fare is agreed upon before getting in, the rate will always be lower.

If multiple trips will be taken, tip the cab driver well and ask for future service. Most are happy to oblige and will offer a lower rate for the next trip. Tipping shouldn’t stop after cab rides; all service workers in Egypt are paid low wages and rely on tips for their living expenses. Be sure to tip good workers well, as they will return the favour with good and loyal service. The quality of food, transportation and accommodations is very impressive, so most travellers are eager to hand out tips.

Mosquitoes and other small flying insects also adore Sharm el Sheikh and have a tendency to annoy visitors. This problem is easily solved by bringing DEET spray, a mosquito net treated with insect spray and a small plug-in insect repellent device. There are travel-size DEET bottles available from all travel supply stores that are sized according to TSA’s flight carry-on liquid policy.

After The O.C. hit the airwaves, people everywhere began to associate California with snobs and over-the-top riches, and even though the show has now ended, the obsession with Orange County hasn’t abated.

There’s a good reason for this.  Orange Country is an amazingly beautiful and diverse area, with Mediterranean-like weather year-round.  Residents surf the waves on Christmas, something that people from northern states like Idaho or Wisconsin could only dream about.  Many consider Orange County to be one of the most perfect places on earth because of the juxtaposition of temperate weather, beautiful scenery, high job growth, and of course its ideal proximity to Los Angeles and San Diego.

Of course when all of these factors combine together into one area, you’ll quickly find that another, not-so-perfect aspect comes into play: soaring housing prices and cost of living.   As a place to vacation however, this only affects the average tourist in terms of the cost of accommodation and eating out as this may be higher than in an area where property owners/restaurateurs have less overheads to pay.  The main problem isn’t so much that holidaymakers are faced with higher prices, but rather that Orange County isn’t a vibrant cosmopolitan city with many different cultures woven into its backdrop.  Many tourist attractions, and even stores, are generic with little local color.  This doesn’t apply everywhere however, the world famous surfer’s paradise of Huntington Beach can be found in this area, as can the unique Crystal Cathedral!   For kids there’s Disneyland, Ripley’s Believe It or Not, and even a toy museum to keep them amused.

You may not be able to relive the highlife from the TV show – unless you are part of that scene, but you will have a great holiday because the natural beauty of Orange County can’t fail to charm you.

Known worldwide as polar aurora/lights or more commonly the Northern Lights, they are absolutely breathtaking and must be included in your at least once-in-a-lifetime to-do list. If you have been planning to experience these beautiful aurora borealis, then it is high time that you should pay a visit to Baltic Travel Company. The entire process of the aurora is fantastic and that is why, if you can access this holiday but are not picking the tour for any reason, then you are missing the ultimate fun.

One of the most beautiful ways of planning short holidays or vacations is to do something that you always wanted to do. If Norway northern lights holiday was your plan, then execute it right away. If it was not, then make one immediately. You can decide the date as per your convenience too. The reason is that these lights can be seen at anytime between October and April. Of course when you opt for some professionalized service, you can see the benefits during your tour. The entire plan would be more beautiful only if you know whom you should reach for first class vacations.

Holidays to Norway are commonly most sought after because of the northern lights and the amazing show nature puts up for us all. When you see the list of activities you can perform or enjoy at Norway, you can surely not overlook or miss these natural lights shows. The entire safari is properly planned and secured by guides who are well-versed with the surrounding environment.

You can further enjoy the northern lights holidays by choosing the right package as per the number of days you wish to spend on the tour. Before you jump on any package, you must always collect relevant information about each and then make the wise decision. The lights are not the only specialty about Holidays to Norway, but you can check other spectacles too. Depending on the number of days in a package, there are various other activities that you can enjoy like, fresh fish dishes at local restaurants, ice kick sledding, polar walk or just the Sami life. It is all in the store for those who are always looking for adventure and fun and more adventure and more fun.

Hence, Norway is absolutely a must-visited vacation spot, if you want to feel closer to the nature and its priceless beauty. The moment you set you foot for the tour, you will feel the heavenly and divine energy of the aurora enlightening you from within.

For anyone who is visiting the Peak District from abroad, you could not have chosen a more appropriate place in which to get a good gist of England. In many ways, the Peak District is the quintessential England. It combines stately home grandeur with simple working class towns, along with historic medieval stone circles and Roman spa towns.

The area in itself is a National Park, and covers as much as five hundred and forty square miles, and throughout this area there are hundreds of different walks you can tackle. The countryside walk is another English institution and here in the peak District there are more walks than you could fit into a year of walking! Another British institution is the Public House, and again, whilst on your walks you will find many great examples of these, with a remarkable amount in this area regularly preparing wonderful food cooked and made on the premises.

If you really want to see something that will remind you of the England that you have heard and read about you will take in a visit of the great Chatsworth House, a stately home, which his large enough to spend all day looking round. The gardens have won national awards and you will find this to be as British as anything you have ever seem!

To find some lovely English cottages for rent you should search online for peak district holidays to see what sort of deals you can find for when you come to England.

Museum pass

An ideal way to see the best museums in Paris is by purchasing the Carte Musees et Monuments museum pass which allows you entrance into sixty museums and monuments including the Musée du Louvre, Arc de Triomphe and the Panthéon. The card costs €15 for one day, €30 for three days and €45 for five days. You can buy the card at any of the museums or monuments it covers – a great way to save some Euros while not cutting back on your experience.

Notre Dame

The famous gothic cathedral of Notre Dame meaning ‘Our Lady’ was started in 1163 and finally completed 182 years later. And best of all, admission is free! You can join a free English guided tour of Notre Dame at noon on Wednesdays and Thursdays or on Saturdays at 2:30 pm. You can also climb the cathedral’s North Tower by climbing its long spiral steps seeing the cathedral’s many scary gargoyles in the walls along the way.

Panthéon

The Pantheon is a landmark located in the Latin Quarter of Paris at the eastern end of the rue Sufflot. It was specially made as an abbey church in the mid 1700’s before it was converted to a mausoleum for the era’s famous men in 1791.

Luxembourg Gardens

A trip to the elegant Luxembourg Gardens otherwise known as Jardin du Luxembourg is not to be missed. Within the Gardens there are art galleries a miniture theatre and not to mention lots of activities including a carousel, minature sailboat racing at the Grand Bassin or Shetland pony rides.

Eiffel Tower

A trip to Paris would not be complete without a visit to the iconic Eiffel Tower. With amazing all round panorama views over Paris, you can see why over 250 million people have reached the top of the tower to date. If you plan to travel to the Eiffel Tower by metro, you need to look out for Champ de Mars-Tour Eiffel. An elevator entrance ticket to the top floor costs €13.

Ice Skating

Get your skates on and try your best Torvill and Dean impression on the free outdoor ice-skating rink in front of Paris’ town hall (skate hire extra). The ice rink lasts from early December to early March.

Remember your cheap holiday insurance!

So that you can really enjoy your holiday in Paris, don’t forget to take out your cheap holiday insurance as soon as you book your trip. It is important that you remember to check that your cheap holiday insurance policy offers you the level of cover that you need for your break before you buy it.

Many changes took place across the face of earth, since the globalization began to propel the world by the late 1980s. The emerging new world order had many fast growing economies and several new regional powers to be content with. New players in the world tourism were on rise too. While Greece had always been a preferred choice for holiday making, suddenly new players began to fill up this spot as well. Egypt and Turkey in particular had their tourism infrastructure upgraded and were now drawing away a substantial amount of the Greek bound tourism inflow. A majority of these drop outs hailed from the UK and Germany, two of Greece’s most influential neighbors. The two aforementioned countries were dragging them away by offering leisure and fun at slashed rates. A less occupancy rate in the rooms across Crete hotels told about this unfolding saga.

However, the same trend also saw new markets emerging from the erstwhile communist states like Russia, Lithuania and Slovenia. The fall of Soviet era and the emergence of a new middle class after the initial lull had seen them sending travelers across the world. The Cypriots were also not behind and were more than willing to travel to Greece during the same period. It should be noted down that the contribution of the Cretan tourism to the nation’s GDP is substantial, and it employs tens of thousands of Greeks throughout the year. Crete hotels, touring agencies, banking, maritime, airline operations and the ground support for all touring parties make up these jobs.

Figures for the period between 2002 and 2007 showed a 20% hike in the number of arrivals from Russia, an earlier non-entity in the annals of Greek tourism. The same stood at 64% for the Cypriots and 55% for the Slovenians, once again a pleasant surprise, keeping in mind their meager past contributions. However, the largest shot came from the Lithuanians, with an increase of 74%. According to the data available from the Crete hotels, the number of the UK and German arrivals, two of the largest Greek bound travelers, have slid down during the same period, but the East Europeans have balanced this slide – to some extent if not fully – by upping their interest for Greece.

It is widely known by now, that tour operators play a key role in diverting the flow of worldwide tourism. So for example, if they saw more profits, they might get some of the Greek bound flights canceled; sell cheaper holiday packages to Egypt and Turkey to see packed up flights and hotels there. Even the Middle Eastern hotels would play a key role in charting out these events, since their tour packages, though comparable to those found in Greece, would be maneuvered to favor them. A German tourist may have to pay up to 500 Euros in Crete hotels, compared to 300-400 Euros for an all-inclusive week long stay in the four star Egyptian hotels.

The role of foreign tour operators is now being debated in Greece at length and some measures may be taken to reduce their future impact. In the meanwhile though, the Cretan tourism and the Crete hotels in particular can continue basking in the background of the help extended by their East European friends.

If you plan for a Caribbean vacation, I am sure you would have multiple choices. But it would be a great pretermission if you fail to consider the “Cayman Islands” in your travel itinerary. Cayman Islands is an overseas territory of the Great Britain and a favorite Carribean Tourist Spot. It is located 480 miles off of Miami, FL (US). For the Scuba Diving Junkies – I am sure you would be impressed if I say that Cayman Islands is the World’s leading Tourist Scuba Diving Spot.

Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac and Little Caymen form the primary Islands of Caymand Islands and are located towards the Western part of Caribbean Sea. The primary Revenue for these Islands comes off of Tourism. The Cayman Islands are composed of large coral heads and exotic birds, fish and land animals, including several blue Iguana (endangered species of lizard), and Grand Cayman and Cayman Brac parrot, the parrot, found only in these islands are home to it.

The Clear Blue Water, exceptional coral reefs and proximity to Cayman Wall have made this place as the Leading Scuba Diving Spot. The other areas of Interest include Museums, Lighthouses, Hiking Trails and Limestone. Cayman Islands also tops the World in Offshore Financial Centers. No wonder why many Entrepreneurs visit this part of the World very often. It is also one of the richest Islands in the World.

Before you prepare your trip to the Caymand Islands make sure you have secured the requisite docs and permit. Educate yourself about the local laws, Do’s and Do Not’s. You might be little frustrated if I say that Camping is illegal in these Islands. However with the Great Beaches, food and Luxurious Resorts you could be assured of a Great and fun-filled Vacation with your Family.