Around The Globe In Pet Friendly Hotels

Posted on March 6, 2009
Filed Under Travel | Leave a Comment

People can be very attached to their animals, and want to bring them with wherever they may go. This isn’t hard to understand since many people consider their animals part of their family, and on a family vacation everyone goes along for the ride.

If this is something you’re interested in, you should do some research before confirming any decisions on where you want to go. You will need to make sure the accomodations you select are indeed pet friendly. This can be easily done through one of the many websites that list these lodgings. Many places you may want to visit have hotels like this, though you are more likely to find hotels listed for the more common travel destinations and the bigger cities. If you can’t find a listing for a hotel that will allow your pet on the internet, you can also phone the hotels in the area where you would like to stay in order to find out if they might allow your pet as they might just not have gotten added to the list yet.

You can find animal friendly lodgings around the world, but before making any reservations you should call to double check that they still allow pets, and that they will allow a pet of the type and size of you pet. Rules change from time to time, and websites are not constantlyupdated in a timely manner. Also, you want to find out whether there are additional costs for accomodating pets.

If you are going to be travelling overseas, even if you can find animal friendly lodgings you might want to carefully consider whether or not to bring along your pet as they could be subject to quarantine. Also, you want to make sure that there are safe and comfortable ways to transfer your pet from your house to your destination. Most animals will not enjoy the cargo hold of a plane for a very long plane ride. Some pets also do not like to travel, or are afraid of different places, and these pets also might be better off left at home.

Eco Friendly Frangipani Langkawi Resort & Spa In Malaysia Identified For Its Environmental Practices

Posted on March 5, 2009
Filed Under Travel | Leave a Comment

The Frangipani Langkawi Resort & Spa representing the best in Malaysia tourism, recently received a highly commended award in the Large Hotel Category at the Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards.

Launched in 2004, the awards are run in association with partners World Travel Market, The Daily Telegraph, Geographical Magazine and BBC World News Service. They are the most respected and competitive of their kind in the world. This year a record 1,976 nominations were received from travelers around the world voting for tourism ventures that provide outstanding holidays that also benefit local people and destinations.

At a ceremony hosted at World Travel Mart (WTM) held in Docklands, London, the Awards were handed out to the recipients. The judges commented on Frangipani Langkawi Resort that: “More than 80% of Frangipani’s workforce is from the local community and 40% of its food is produced on the island. The resort also has a large environmental management program designed for improvement, extensively planting native trees and maintaining a wetland in the resort.”

Justin Francis, founder of The Responsible Tourism Awards, said: “In this, the fifth year of the awards, the bar has been raised for responsible tourism yet again. What inspires me is the efforts that businesses and destinations are making in order to ensure that responsible tourism lies at the heart of their strategies and plans. Without a doubt, this is the only way for the future – responsible travel is not a passing fad or a niche travel trend for marketing purposes. It is an entire, holistic approach to tourism operations.”

The award also creates awareness among hotels, resorts and tourism operators that there are greener operational policies that ultimately reduce environmental impacts. Resort owner, Mr Anthony Wong, said after acknowledging the award: “The Frangipani Langkawi Resort & Spa has implemented various greening programs to streamline its daily operations and to minimize environmental impacts. Since the resort’s inception in 2006, we have set out to bring about various policies to reduce our impacts upon the environment. Some 100 initiatives are in place and listed on our website and we hope these will become a model for other resorts to follow.”

Mr Wong remarked that various methods have been introduced at the resort including reducing consumption especially wastage, effectively managing energy usage to reduce wastage, using environmentally-friendly detergents, filtering the resort’s ‘grey water’ through a wetland and working with the local authorities to reduce the amount of rubbish that goes to the island’s limited landfill.

“Everyone in the Frangipani Langkawi Resort community from the owners to management, staff and guests is encouraged to participate in our programs and we find that we have the full support of all. Being an island, Langkawi has many sensitive environmental variables that need to be carefully managed if tourism on the island is to be sustainable,” said Mr Wong.

The Frangipani Langkawi Resort is a secluded and eco-friendly resort established along 400-metres of beautiful golden sands at Pantai Tengah, in Langkawi, a popular island resort in Malaysia. The resort is a 15-minute drive from the Langkawi International Airport and just a short walk to the island’s top restaurants, cafés, bars and shops at Pantai Tengah.

The 118-room resort offers spacious rooms, villas and suites with modern amenities. The Mentari Grill restaurant serves Asian and international cuisine, while the Coco Beach Jam bar offers stunning views of the Langkawi sunset.

Popular among families with young children, the resort’s other facilities include two swimming pools, outdoor jacuzzi, reflexology path, meeting room, recreational activities, room service, babysitting laundry, tour desk, transport services, souvenir shop and internet facilities.

Oak Village – Oakville, Iowa

Posted on February 21, 2009
Filed Under Travel | Leave a Comment

Southeast Iowa has a lot to offer the tourists that visit but not many are as unique as the archeological find that was unearthed by the flood of 2008 in the small community of Oakville.

The site, now called Oak Village, is from the Woodland period which is 300 to 400 AD where the Native Americans made their home. The village was round, kind of a donut-shaped area with houses around the outside and the center being open. Here there were probably 20 to 25 wigwam homes situated with 10 people living in each one.

This is a time when the Native Americans became more sedentary. Previously they moved frequently but at this site, and others like it, they remained for long periods of time.

Peak District Destinations – Ashford On The Water

Posted on February 15, 2009
Filed Under Travel | 1 Comment

Staying in a one of the cottages in Ashford, a town which is located on the banks of a river is a great choice your Peak District holiday. It is located north of Bakewell and is a very unique part of Derbyshire as well as the Peak District so there is plenty to do in easy reach of the village.

If you like to explore, visit The Holy Trinity Church, which like many others in the region, is centuries old. Some parts of the church go back to the 13th century but much of it was rebuilt in the 1800’s as it had collapsed in places. Fortunately some of the original architecture has withstood the test of time.

From the 14th century, the lower section of the west tower, and the south door still has the original Norman tympanum depicting the tree of life, and in the center is a hog and wolf facing each other.

The church also has a number of artefacts that date from the 1600’s which include a chalice, a Jacobean pulpit, as well as a Perp style font.

An ancient custom from the 1700’s was to hang funeral garland made of white paper that had been cut into rosettes and attached to a wooden frame, then carried in front of the coffin in the funeral procession, then hung up on the roof of the church.

The village once was home to a candle-making industry, however there is only one house in the place of the old factory, located on Greaves Lane.

One of the most picturesque things you will find here is the Sheep Wash Bride. Historically this was used as a packhorse bridge, and later on it became popular with sheep herders who were able to wash their flocks here before shearing.

Ashford has long been known for all of the black marble that is produces. Once the marble is polished to a shine, it is used in mosaics, jewellery, table tops, and clocks. You can find black marble tables in the Ashford Church and throughout the U.S., as this type of marble has become very popular.

One of the most fascinating things in Ashford dealing with the culture of the village, is the dressing of the well that happens on Trinity Sunday. On this day, six wells are dressed, which means they are layered with leaves and other natural objects that can be found nearby. The objects are then placed on a bed of clay to create a picture.

Notable properties in the area include Ashford Hall which overlooks a beautiful lake that is part of the River Wye. Built in 1785 by Joseph Pickford, Ashford Hall has a lot of history and today it is privately owned and belongs to the Olivier family.

Just down the road from Ashford, you can also find a Georgian house that is T-shaped which is better known as Thornbridge Hall. Until the middle of the 20th century, the hall continued to be privately owned but has had a succession of roles being a college for teachers in training to an antique shop.

Learn Spanish Faster By Visiting Spain

Posted on February 15, 2009
Filed Under Travel | Leave a Comment

There is no better way to learn the Spanish language than from the people that speak it every day.

One of the greatest advantages to learning Spanish in Spain is that you will be able to enjoy the wonderful sights and sounds of Spain as you learn. What better way to learn a new language than by soaking up the culture of the country where the language originated?

When in country you will not be bogged down with the grammar and mechanics of the Spanish language. You will be exposed to the language, dialect and facial expressions of native speakers day in and day out.

Think about this. When you were a baby, you learned to talk by repeating what you heard other people say. You had no idea how to spell the words you were saying and you were not concerned with what was a noun or a pronoun. You just enjoyed hearing yourself talk.

First let me tell you the one thing – don’t be afraid of it being hard, because the Spanish language is extremely similar to English. The sentence structure, and word pronunciation is just like English.

The simplicity behind it, makes reading Spanish a breeze, which will be particularly helpful as you are trying to read Spanish signs during your vacation. The main challenge is the large vocabulary list that you will need to learn.

Once you get the basics of Spanish words, then you will be able to figure out almost any sentence. There are thousands of Spanish words that you will be able to figure out, simply because you already know English. Another reason that makes Spanish easier to learn, is that all of the vowels have a constant sound. 

You should surround yourself with many Spanish speakers as you can, before your travels. It will be great practice to start conversing in real life conversations with your friends because you won’t feel any pressure if you get something wrong, plus they’ll give you great help in correcting your mistakes.

Real Spanish speakers speak a bit faster than English speakers so its important to have enough practice to understand the faster paced style of speech.

Markets & Shopping Spots In London

Posted on February 15, 2009
Filed Under Travel | Leave a Comment

The capital city of England, London, is nearly as famous for its incredible shopping opportunities as it is for its interesting history and fascinating culture Folk from all ’round the globe take city breaks in London to take advantage of the immense selection of specialist markets, boutique stores and department stores. With the weak Pound and strong Dollar visitors from America will discover goods are nowhere near as costly as they can be, the same can be said for those visitors traveling from other countries in Europe because the UK £ is also finding it difficult against the Euro.

Famous Stores In London

Possibly the most well known of London’s department stores is Harrods of Knightsbridge the largest department store on the planet having about 18,000 m2 of floor space. The motto of Harrods department store is “all things for all people, everywhere” or ‘Omnia Omnibus Ubique’. Most folk associate Harrods with exclusivity and luxury and their food hall and toy department are world renowned

Selfridges is another department store worthy of a mention. situated on Oxford Street, the department store opened for business in 1909. Named after, and constructed by the businessman Gordon Selfridge Selfridges was especially designed so that the goods were more easily accessible to the buyers which was a drastic departure from the common practices of the day.

London Shopping – The Best Places To Go

Covent Garden has become very well known for its unusual and specialist shops and is generally accepted as a trendy place to frequent. As well as the fantastic shops you will also find a small number of restaurants and eating places in Covent Garden.

Another London market place which is well worth a mention is Camden Market. Although there have been a variety of markets in Camden at various times the present market only appeared in 1974. The market is actually a number of various adjoining markets altogether providing an amazing variety of wares.

Famous Shopping Streets In London

The main high street in Chelsea is the Kings Road which is one of London’s most chic and stylish streets on which to shop. The Kings Road was popular for clothes in the Sixties and Seventies and is closely associated with the Punk movement, these days the Kings Road is more subdued but still well worth visiting.

Sloane Street is another London road with a strong association with shopping which is named after Sir Hans Sloane who owned much of the surrounding land in the eighteenth century.

Staying In London

Getting to London is incredibly easy, being the nation’s capital transport links are superb and the London underground rail network makes everywhere very easy to get to.

London accommodation appears everywhere and is very easy to find but annoyingly it can be a bit expensive. It is usually best to book your London Hotel online where you will discover a broad range of accomodations.

The Whales At Los Cabos

Posted on February 12, 2009
Filed Under Travel | Leave a Comment

I find it fulfilling to go up the mountains or maybe spend time by beach. I’ve traveled to many places just to see beaches from all over the world. Last January, my good friends Ardie and Kyle invited me to join them for their trip to Los Cabos. Being a frequent traveler, I thought it was just another normal beach to go to. Of course I still wanted to enjoy a good vacation but there wasn’t really much excitement on my part. But that perception changed upon reaching Los Cabos Mexico.

Instead of checking in our hotel upon arrival, we headed somewhere else first. Our contact and guide Julio, insisted that we go straight to the beach. Upon reaching the beach, there were a lot of people on the shore and several boats on the waters. I tried my best to get through the crowd to have a look, and I what I saw was just remarkable. There was a group or family of gray whales just roaming around near the shore unafraid of humans. Some of the boats were so near to them but they seem unbothered. Having seen whales for the first time, I was in awe.

After that brief moment by the beach, we headed off to a hotel in Los Cabos where we unpacked our things and settled for awhile. All I wanted to do was go back to the beach and find a small boat to rent. Kyle looked at me with a grin thinking how I quickly had a change of heart. We quickly got a boat and set off to sea. And there I was, a few feet from these large amazing animals. The splashes the whales made on the waters got us all wet and enormous as they may seem, you could feel that they are actually gentle creatures. I was asking myself why I never bothered to visit the place before although I’ve heard so much about it from others.

Now, I’m planning to go back to Los Cabos. There are several places to see the whales up close including Cabo Pulmo, Puerto San Carlos, and Lovers Beach.

Peru Surf And The Beautiful Peruvian Country

Posted on January 25, 2009
Filed Under Travel | Leave a Comment

Do you love to surf? Then you know that there is simply nothing better than experiencing the thrill of the best, the strongest, and the longest waves out there. So strong is the pull of great waves that most surfers are willing to travel significant distances just to have the opportunity to catch waves they would never find at home. A great way to find these waves is to go surf in Chicama Peru. Why? Because Chicama has the longest waves in the world (seriously, they go on for miles). This surf paradise also boasts amazing weather for surfers; it’s never too hot or too cold off the coast of Peru, and you’ll find that it’s rarely rainy.

Interested in a surf spot that’s a bit more specific? This one is popular for good reason. Close to Tujillo, you can find some of the most perfect waves in Chicama. You’ll definitely find that there is a solid selection of great hotels and resorts to stay in at the surfing “mecca” of Chicama. You may want to make sure that you are booking your reservations well in advance though as this is a location that can get a little busy. So far as surfing goes, the early bird catches the worm, so try to get up early and catch some amazing waves while beating the crowd. Your Peru surf trip in Chicama will undoubtedly become an adventure that you’ll remember for the rest of your life.

This surf spot is rarely crowded, which is a boon for surfers who just want to relax and enjoy themselves on some beautiful waves. If you’re more inclined to hang around the surf spots at Lima or a similarly large tourist city, the time and effort involved in getting there might be worth it but expect some crowds. There can be problems with overall safety and access depending on where you want to surf so it is certainly in your best interests to do some online research beforehand. This is a chicama surf resort that you want to have well thought out and planned so that you will be able to make the most of every minute there.

When it comes to surfing, it doesn’t matter so much where you end up going so long as you stay safe and continue to enjoy the outstanding surf. Whenever you’re abroad, whether touring in Europe or surfing in Peru, be friendly to the locals and they will be friendly in turn. Allow yourself a few days so that you don’t feel rushed and you will not forget the trip. It will be money and time well spent. But be careful not to get carried away by those notoriously strong Chicama winds; at up to 20 miles per hour, Chicama winds make windsurfing easy and very fun, if that’s something you’d like to try.

If you are looking for the perfect vacation spots that are meant for those with hearts set on surfing then Peru is the place to be. With Chicama having such incredible conditions, you will soon learn why it is a popular place for surfers. Enjoy the surf or simply relax on the beach, Peru is a place you do not want to pass up. Start booking your own peru surf trip today.

Why You Ought To Tour Malaysia

Posted on January 25, 2009
Filed Under Travel | Leave a Comment

Malaysia, located just above the Equator, is a country in South-East Asia. It is divided into West and East Malaysia separated by the South China Sea.

It’s a very tourist-friendly with delicious food and exciting places to visit all over the country. Malaysians are among the warmest people you will find anywhere. In Malaysia, you can experience diverse cultures of the various people groups. The main ethnic groups are Malays, Chinese and Indians in West Malaysia and Kadazans and Ibans in East Malaysia.

For example, it is a custom for Malays to point at someone with the thumb instead of the index finger. Pointing with the index finger is deemed impolite.

As far as food is concerned, Malaysia is a haven. All sorts of dishes are easily found. Rice is the staple diet for Malaysians but each people group has its own styles of cooking. The Malays and Indians love spicy food so much of their cooking has curry and chilli. Some examples of fine Malay dishes are Nasi Kandar and Satay. The Indians are famous for their Tosai and Roti Canai. On the other hand, the Chinese like their soup and noodles besides rice so their cooking is more bland compared to the Malays and Indians. Some of the favorite Chinese dishes include Koay Teow soup and Bak Kut Teh.

Malaysia has many interesting places to visit. If you love the city attractions, big Malaysian cities like Kuala Lumpur, Petaling Jaya, Penang, Kota Kinabalu and Kuching offer shopping and dining comparative to any other city in the world. Kuala Lumpur is famous for the Petronas Towers, the tallest building in the world up to 2002. Attached to the Petronas Towers is the elegant Suria KLCC shopping mall, one of the many top-class shopping centers in Kuala Lumpur. Petaling Jaya, another city just 7 miles away from Kuala Lumpur, has many shopping destinations, too. One of them is Sunway Pyramid that houses Malaysia’s only ice skating ring and the popular Sunway Lagoon Theme Park.

For recreation, you can head up to the cool atmosphere of Genting Highlands.

This is the site of Malaysia’s only casino and another huge theme park. The Genting City of Entertainment hosts many international artistes. Among those that have performed there recently include Celine Dion, Tony Orlando and The Osmonds. Kuala Lumpur is home to the world’s largest free-flight walk-in aviary at the KL Bird Park. The Park has over 3,000 of the most interesting birds. You will also find the Aquaria and Petrosains Center in Suria KLCC.

As the names suggest, these are KL’s aquarium and science center respectively.

For those who like to rough it out under more rugged conditions, try Sarawak’s homestay program where you can spend 2 or 3 days living in a tribal longhouse.

Alternatively, try climbing Mount Kinabalu in Sabah which is the highest mountain in South-East Asia. Wildlife enthusiasts can head up to Sabah’s Sepilok Orang Utan Sanctuary to see the endangered Oran Utans in their natural environment. If you wish to stay in 5-star conditions in the middle of the tropical rainforest, then go to Sabah’s Sukau Lodge and take a river cruise down the Kinabatangan River. You get to see live monkeys and other small mammals living in their natural environment. The experience is like no other.

Wiltshire Events

Posted on January 25, 2009
Filed Under Travel | Leave a Comment

Having lived in Salisbury for some time I feel I am extremely lucky that I have so many fantastic walks and ancient sites to look at whether its Stonehenge, the fantastic walkways ways that crisscross huge tracts of Wiltshire’s gorgeous countryside, or the beautiful Sarum castle which hosts jousting and re-enactments at different times of year.

Wiltshire is also place of the Salisbury International Arts Festival at the end of May through to the beginning of June which always has some fantastic performances and activities lined up for anyone needing to take part. If you are able to travel however and can’t wait until then I know there is the Budapest Spring Festival approaching at the end of March first week in April that would be of worth a look at an equally dramatic historical city.

Wiltshire is known for its walks and biking tracks with some fantastic scenery to travel through. One of the roman roads carries you most of the way down to Devon which lets anyone on a shoe string to get on their cycle and ride. As we steadily move towards spring time the number of gorgeous hot air balloons flying through the sky grows, with most offering the ability of people hiring a place for a ride.

There are many picturesque villages around Wiltshire with village community life taking a hand in how the areas develop, this makes sure that there is always something going on in the area. Its worth checking local newspapers to discover Whats on in Wiltshire, or going on the net and checking one of the many community information sites online.

The historical side of Salisbury and the surrounding area has been even more enhanced by the efforts of the fantastic archaeological team that is based on the outskirts of Salisbury. With one of its people on the team of the well known “Time Team” from channel 4, they are slowly stripping back the layers hiding what has been before us. several of their finds can be seen in the Salisbury Museum which has a brilliant collection of historical items.

You can find facts about the area by popping into the Salisbury Visitor Information centre and speaking to the people there, they will provide you with information on things that are occurring at the time, or put you in the right direction if you want to see certain items in the area. As I said in the beginning of this article I am very lucky to be in Wiltshire and only advise that you discover what is accessible before you come so that you can give yourself enough time.

keep looking »

Categories



Recently