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Archive for July, 2011

Playa del Carmen is a vibrant part of the Mundo Maya located on the shores of beautiful Mexican Caribbean. Beach, as is commonly known, is the perfect starting point for those who want to explore the fascinating places exist along the Cancun-Tulum corridor, now called Mayan Riviera. Playa del Carmen is blessed with extensive white sand beaches bathed by the crystal clear waters of the Caribbean. Viva a vacation in Playa del Carmen and the countless adventures Mundo Maya has to offer. The capital of the Riviera Maya, Playa del Carmen, evolved from having been a villa pequea descendant of Maya, a vibrant and cosmopolitan city with the highest urban growth in the country. Its Aspects natural beauty and great beaches, its enviable geographical location and its mix of sea and jungle make this destination in the Mexican Caribbean, a magnet for visitors from Mexico and elsewhere in the world.

Beach is a great place for a vacation, spend a day or live. The town has grown along the beach, as far as anywhere you go, feel the closeness with the sea. The main street is called Fifth Avenue, is a pedestrian passage and very common point of reference. Here you will find most hotels, restaurants, bars and shops. Life in Playa del Carmen is characterized by its variety and diversity.

To the south of the pier is an area called Playacar, is a development which is all big hotels with all inclusive plans; here also find the golf course, some houses and condominiums particular, the aviary and some interesting Mayan ruins. The deep waters that separate Playa del Carmen, Cozumel are ideal for sport fishing, jungle invited to explore their magical exuberance is approaching while archaeological sites. The experience will be rewarding. In your vacation in Playa del Carmen you can find a huge variety of water sports ranging from swimming at the beach until more vigorous sports such as windsurfing, sailing or diving in the nearby reef, or go on a journey by boat or other vessel .

The extreme sports lovers will enjoy diving into the open sea in the crystalline waters of Playa del Carmen. You can dive and snorkel in the Great Mayan Reef located less than 100 meters from the beach. You can also dive in the caves, which you can be sure will be a great experience.

Playa del Carmen is also an ideal starting point for visiting one of the most beautiful ecological parks in Mexico: Xcaret, where they also get the ferry to the island of Cozumel. It is also near the area of natural springs in Puerto Aventuras and the largest natural aquarium in the world, Xel-Ha.

The evenings offer a number of options, places to dance and combat insomnia caused by the Carib nights; festivals on the beaches and bars with an excellent atmosphere.

Paris city has the innate quality to attract people from all over the world. Popularly known as “The City of Lights”, Paris is also synonymous with beauty and romance. Being one of the hot tourist destinations, Paris is also one of the most expensive cities in the world. However, it does not mean that you cannot afford to go there. If you are thinking how to manage your money so that you do not miss on other things such as sumptuous dinner, incredible shopping, and visiting local sights and attractions, then staying in Paris budget hotels is the best option.

Paris boasts of some high-quality budget hotels. These Paris budget hotels are ideally located near tube stations, shopping complexes, entertainment area, business districts, and local museums, galleries and attractions. Select from the list of best budget hotels and enjoy your stay to the fullest:

o Hotel Langlois
Hotel Langlois is one of the most popular budget hotels in Paris. This hotel is in a building dating back to 1800s and had been renovated recently. You can choose this hotel if you want to stay close to the Metro and RER which are just few steps away. You will find modest accommodation and facilities in just $100 in this expensive city.

o Hotel Britannique
Located right in the heart of Paris, just a few steps from the River Seine, Les Halles, the historic Place du Chatelet,the hip Le Marais neighborhood, Notre Dame Cathedral and Le Louvre, Hotel Britannique is ideal accommodation. The superb location of the hotel is its asset. Rooms in this hotel are airy. In the past, it was a popular stopover for jazz performers.

o Hotel Chopin
Guests in Hotel Chopin are welcomed by smiling and friendly staffs which is enough to win your heart. Located inside an old building, the charm and quaintness of the hotel is very endearing. This budget hotel continues to attract budget travels because of its great location with Metro only few steps away. Rooms are clean and comfortable. You will get value for your money.

o Hotel de Notre Dame
If you want to be left alone with your solitude, then Hotel de Notre Dame is ideal accommodation for you. Located in a quiet side street, near Notre Dame Cathedral, the quaint Ile Saint Louis, the Louvre, the hip Latin Quarter, this hotel has retro decor featuring exposed beams. Though rooms of the hotel are small, it offers bang for the euro. Overall, it is a good and decent place to stay.

o Abotel Prince Albert Louvre
If you want to stay in prime first arrondissement, then Abotel Prince Albert Louvre is recommended. This hotel is best bet with prices starting from 69 little euros for a single room. You will find clean rooms ad friendly staffs who will make your stay homely. It is also ideally located near the Louvre, the Metro and shopping area.

o Ideal Hotel
For just 50-euro range, Ideal Hotel is the best bargain you can ever get. It is wonderfully located within walking distance to the Louvre and public transportation, thus making it easy and convenient for you to access to any part of the city. Hotel rooms are small but are great considering its rock-bottom price. Read the rest of this entry »

If you are on your way to confirm your flight tickets to Phuket, you could do with some education about this famous Asian island. Remember, it is a Thai-speaking nation and being a Westerner, you should be apt enough to get your way with the locals. Sure enough you will be finding yourself surrounded by all sorts of tourism support and guide, the moment you land at the spot. Nevertheless, you can get all the help you need from these local tourist guides. However, if you are on the island for the first time, then you better be equipped with some important facts and figures pertaining to this land and its landmarks. I am saying this because the culture and the local lingo in here is something too typical for this part of the country.

Your first concern should naturally be finding a good stay. Now, there are different methods to proceed. Surfing online can act as a good primary source of info in this context. As you know well, Phuket and its famous beaches have always been the best Asian attractions. So, you would not find it too hard to get a good glimpse about the island’s tourism sector, if you know where to search for the same. There are many independent tourism sites on Thailand and similar Asian hotspots. Search about interesting destinations like Patong. You would surely come across numerous websites listing Phuket hotel deals and various tourism attractions in and around the island.

It would be much better if you make all your bookings before landing at your destination. This would be far economical, besides advanced bookings can earn you good discounts too. You would not find much difficulty in fishing out the right deal for you. Visit the official tourism website for Thailand and you will find some of the best packages listed in there. What you get depends on what you are looking for. Make your budget plans and arrive at a decision as to what kind of accommodation you would settle in for. If you are looking for a budget friendly Thai holiday in Phuket, Patong hotels can be your place. It is great for surfing, partying or simply sightseeing. Truly, a paradise of a place, Patong beach can keep you engaged and entertained for days. You might not even feel the need of traveling to another location before winding up your holiday.

There are many Patong hotels and resorts that accommodate tourists at incredibly low rates. Besides stay, cheap shopping and dinning is yet another specialty of Patong. In this region of the island you would find everything you need at great prices. Search online for hotel deals in Patong and you will find luxury stay, deluxe rooms, private villas and single rooms at great discounted prices. Spa services are the hallmark of Thai hospitality. So, remember to try out a few spas before leaving the island. It can be surprisingly relaxing and even psychologically rejuvenating.

There are over 60 cruise lines and 300 cruise ships currently competing in today’s travel market. This makes choosing the right cruise ship line for your next family vacation a bit of a challenge. Listed below are the top 3 cruise ship companies when traveling with kids.

Disney Cruise Line – For a family vacation, you cannot go wrong with the name Disney. All of your child’s favorite Disney characters are on board the ship. It is like Disneyland or Disney World, only at sea. All of the ships in the Disney fleet offer supervised children’s programs for children of all ages. This gives adults their chance at more adult style fun.

Carnival Cruise Line – Known as the “fun ships”, Carnival offers onboard programs for children aged 2-14. While shore excursion on most cruise lines are more adult focused, Carnival offers special teen shore excursions that are more exciting than a bus trip around an island. There are even babysitting services for a nominal fee.

Celebrity Cruise Line – Celebrity has often been known as an adult cruise. However, it is great for kids of all ages. They have their Celebrity X-Club youth program, which has activities for Read the rest of this entry »

Fuel prices are up and the economy is down this year. That makes getting the most bang out of your travel buck important. Thailand represents a fascinating and excellent travel destination that is also an incredible deal.

Known as the land of smiles, Thailand is one of those truly unique Southeast Asian countries that boogle the mind. From the warm beaches of the southern coast to the mountain palace of the King in Chang Mai in the north, there is a lot to see and do. Best of all, you can do it all for one of the lowest travel costs in the world.

In the late 1990s, the Asian economies were absolutely crushed over a one year period. Part and parcel to this disaster was the loss of currency value. Much like the dollar is falling now, the Thai “Baht” suffered. Instead of a down period, however, it fell like a rock dropped from a plane and hasn’t really come back.

Put simply, this currency issue has made Thailand a cheap, cheap place. Your biggest expense will be the flight. It can run $650 round trip at a minimum. It should also be noted that the flight is very long if you are coming from North America. A flight from Los Angeles can easily take 24 hours or more.

Once in Thailand, the good news is you’ll be getting a lot for your dollar. Yes, even now. You can always go nuts in any location, but I’ll assume you are going to be reasonable. A good, fresh meal will set you back $2 to $5 and be a lot less if you avoid the touristy areas.

There is one meal item that is expensive – beer. You can expect to pay $2 to $3 per bottle. It isn’t outrageous, but it seems like it after you are conditioned to the cheap food.

Getting around is also incredibly cheap. Trains are popular, but also packed. One of the secrets of Thailand is the domestic airline industry. Simply put, it is excellent and cheap. I’ve splurged on flights from Bangkok to Chang Mai in the north of the country and spend a whopping $38 for a one way ticket. Traveling on trains is great, but you also lose a lot of time. Cheap domestic flights are a good way to avoid this.

Thailand is definitely a great destination for those that want to maximize their experience on a minimum of expense. There are the usual high priced tourist areas, but even a small effort to avoid them can result in a trip that is cheaper than you could ever imagine.

Mae Sai is a border town in Thailand, right smack dab in the middle of the infamous Golden Triangle. While that might sound quite adventurous to some, it should be remembered that the Golden Triangle only came into being during the Vietnam War, and that drug trafficking there, while still active, has definitely passed its peak and moved on to other hot spots such as Afghanistan.

In any case Mae Sai was one the loveliest, most relaxing spots I have ever visited. I’m tempted to say that it reminded me of the Ozarks, but that of course would not be true. Chiang Mai is in the highlands though, and aside from the many exotic varieties of Read the rest of this entry »

1. Heron Hotel Nairobi

Talk of a hotel that has gone a complete turn around. The former buffalo bills that took its cue from the Wild West has now been transformed into one of the classy mid range hotels in Nairobi. Located in Nairobi Hill area the management has put a keen eye to eradicate the notoriety associated with the former- a brothel of repute in those days.

It is now a model of respectability changed beyond imagination. It has kitchenettes that easily confused to suites and are an absolute bargain. The Nairobi hotel prices are Kshs 3295/4490/5780 for s/d/tr.

2. High Point Hotel-Nairobi Hill

The high point Nairobi hotel is a world-bank-affiliated facility next to the bank. The Nairobi Hotel is a suite and apartment complexes and has ample views from the top of the hill. Supposedly, you can both Mt. Kilimanjaro and Mt. Kenya from the pent house balcony. You would however need the elements on your side for this fit.

The hotels split level rooms come with a kitchenette and living room including another range of on-site facilities. The Nairobi hotel prices are up to Kshs 5000 for a suite and 7000 for an apartment.

3. Palacina Hotel-Boutique Nairobi Hotel

This is possibly the first boutique hotel in Nairobi. This is a fabulous collection of highly stylish suites. It is one of the country’s top addresses for well healed sophisticates who still insist on personal touch. The Palacina Nairobi Hotel provides DVDs and private Jacuzzis. There is also a separate apartment block for the long term renters. The prices for this Nairobi hotel are usd190 per person for a suite and 490 for the penthouse.

4. Fairview Hotel-Nairobi’s Most Secure Hotel

This is a unique Nairobi hotel well removed from the city business district. The winding pathways and the well manicured and flowery gardens make this Nairobi hotel exude a refined atmosphere. The captivating greens are around the courtyard restaurant.

The rooms are helpfully classified like airline seats ranging from economy to first. There are also flexible family rooms charged at Kshs 8900 basic rate plus 2000 to 2900 per child (under fives free) it’s near the scarily well guarded Israeli Embassy

5. Hotel Salama Annex-Nairobi

Salama annex has a budget feel to it. The generously furnished ‘deluxe’ rooms especially. They have camping grounds if you are light in the pocket end.

Rates include breakfast in the popular but shy nyama choma (barbecued meat) bar and restaurant. Rates are at kshs1500/2500-3000 for s/d.

6. Lenana Mount Hotel

The Lenana Mount Nairobi Hotel is a quiet three star hotel with its own health club and sauna. The rooms are a good size. They have also provided balconies for some of the rooms. The rates of this Nairobi hotel are Kshs 3000/4500.

7. Milimani Hotel-Nairobi Kenya

The Milimani Nairobi hotel is next door to the heron hotel. The hotel is a decent but plain facility for business people. The Nairobi hotel has a rather confusing layout and tucked in between a profusion of apartment buildings. Rates and the standards here have been is a serious confrontation though the swimming pool fees try to arbitrate on the impasse. Prices in this Nairobi hotel range from kshs3500/5000 for a s/d rooms.

Business travel carries with it its own special set of needs compared to traveling, for example, on a family vacation. The business traveler is going to not need to being a pop-tent and a portable stove, if you know what I mean.

Typical gear that a business man or woman may bring with them include a nice set of clothes–comfortable enough for travel and for sitting on airplanes for hours at a time, but yet also professional enough to meet with clients at airports for pickup, etc., before being able to visit a hotel and get changed.

When it comes to packing for a stay in a hotel room, many business executives will choose to travel with some kind of workout device that they can use to help stay in shape when on the road. This might include a set of water-fillable weights that are used like dumbbells. Other options include workout tools like the ‘Perfect Pushup’ – a small device that aids in completing more strenuous push-ups, but very nicely fits into a small carry-on suitcase or duffel bag. These small workout aids can be a great encouragement to the traveler who finds it more challenging to stay in shape while on the road.

A good bathroom set for shaving and teeth-brushing and showering is always a welcomed addition to any traveler’s gear as there is no better feeling than getting in the warm shower after sitting on cramped airplanes for hours at a time. When traveling on business, first and foremost, make sure to plan with the end in mind. What are you going to be doing on your travel? How much downtime will you have and how you will occupy it? These are a couple of the most relevant questions that can be asked when preparing to travel for business. Pack and plan accordingly.

We have millions of choices when it comes to travel destinations. Some are more interesting that others and some are rather unusual. There are travel destinations that are easy to get to and others that are quite complicated.

Try a travel destination that will lead to the other side of the world. If you want to travel to a beautiful beach and the best place to dive in Asia consider Sipadan, Malaysia. This island is east of Borneo and has a fantastic underwater
life.

There is a lovely small village in the northern part of Palawan Island. El Nido has access to many islands and a secret lagoon. This travel destination is located in the Phillippines. Explore the islands and feast on the scrumptious fish dishes.

If you are interested in monuments you might travel to the Angkor Temples in Cambodia. It is one of the most famous archeological sites in the world and also one of the best. The Great Wall in China is a fascinating travel destination. An authentic part of the wall remains in Simatai and you will be delighted by the grandeur of the Chinese Empire.

Those who enjoy travel destinations that involve mountains and deserts are in luck. In Algeria you will find one of the best views of the Sahara Desert. Visit France and gaze at the Alps. Be sure to visit Chamonix which is a very popular tourist attraction. If you go to India you can see the Himalayan Mountains in all their grandeur. You can hike through beautifully landscaped areas and meet the friendly folks who live in the area.

Make your next travel destination a truly interesting one.

Source: http://www.aroundtheworlds.com/

Playa Las Perlas
The Playa Las Perlas or the Pearl Beach is a family beach 4km off the Kukulcan Boulevard. It is in the centre of the Hotel Zone and is one of the first beaches in the Hotel Zone. Warm turquoise water and the white sand is the most attracting factor of the beach. Some of the beaches in Cancun have strong tides and currents making them somewhat dangerous.

However, the Playa Las Perlas is a safe family beach and ideal for swimming. The beach runs along the Caribbean Sea giving a perfect view with the pristine white sand. Apart from swimming and relaxing, there are many hotels and resorts near the beach so the tourists can relax and enjoy themselves all together.

Playas Las Tortugas
The Playas Las Tortugas is a beach resort that is ideal for couples and honeymooners. This beach is ideal to portray the calm, beauty and peace that Mexico has to offer. It is a warm sandy beach with coconut palm trees, exotic birds and sea turtles. The tranquility, starry nights, beautiful sunsets and the natural beauty attracts visitors for a calm and relaxing time.

There many activities that this beach has to offer from Horse back riding to fishing, surfing, kayaking and much more. The spas have excellent massages and tourists can also take part in yoga and other retreats for relaxing. The best part still about this beach is the excursions such as tours to El Cora waterfalls, coastal sight seeing or perhaps a visit to the artisan communities of Tlaquepaque and Tonala.

Playa Delfines
Playa Delfines or the Dolphin Beach is a white sand beautiful beach some 18km from the Kukulcan Boulevard near the Punta Nizuc. It is the ideal tropical beach with cool waters and the perfect white warm sand. It is located a little out of the Hotel Zone and is therefore less crowded than other beaches within the zone.

It is a good place to relax and work on a tan. This beach is not a good place for swimming due to the string currents and high tides and is best for snorkeling and surfing.