10 best exotic places to take an extended holiday

1. Algarve, Portugal

The Algarve on the south coast of Portugal is and has been one of the top exotic extended holiday spots for many United Kingdom and European residents for years. Many Canadian tour operators offer packages. The region offers temperate and mild warm weather, large resort areas surrounded by small villages and four championship golf courses. Besides its 150 beaches, be sure to visit some of the "Pueblos Blancos" or traditional villages such as Monchique, for great views and authentic Portuguese arts and crafts.

2. Southern Spain: Costa del Sol

There's nothing like the Mediterranean beaches of the Spanish Coast to call on all sunbathers, the stylish rich and famous, and party people. In Costa del Sol, you'll find exotic beaches, golf, luxury resorts and Puerto Banus, one of TripAtlas.com's Top 10 Portside Cities of the Western Mediterranean, the most luxurious marina in the world. Honourable mention on the coast also includes Costa Blanca and Costa de Almeria.

3. Morocco

From the magical streets and markets of Marrakech to the little-known beaches of Essaouira, Morocco is no longer a haven just for indulgent artists and poets. As one of the best expressions of North Africa, there's something about Morocco that exudes an alluring and exotic culture that takes an extended holiday or long stay to really appreciate. Visit Morocco before it expands into a resort-overloaded destination.

4. Goa, India

Goa is a hot holiday spot for Indian and South Asian vacationers and is best known for its beaches, festivals and ancient temples. It was once a Portuguese colony and thus offers an eclectic mix of both east and west. Calangute and Candolim are the most popular beach towns, but Goa's capital Panaji (also Panjim) is worth a visit, as is Ponda, a sacred site of Goan temples.

5. Florida

While Florida may not be the most exotic destination on the list, Florida is home to hundreds of thousands Canadian snowbirds each year. Stay in the Florida Panhandle area, which is less crowded, or the attraction-filled Orlando. Perfect your "Captiva Crouch" on Captiva Island or your golf game at the hundreds of golf courses throughout the Sunshine State. Many condo rentals, airlines and tour operators offer great deals.

6. Canary Islands, Grand Canaria, Tenerife and Fuerteventura

Off the northwest coast of Africa between Morocco and Western Sahara, the Canary Islands are a set of volcanic islands that are the perfect hideout for Europeans and other visitors looking to stay away from snow and chilly winds. Destinations include the bigger islands of Grand Canaria and Tenerife, while Fuerteventura is known for its windsurfing and La Gomera is best for its rainforest and walking trails.

7. Bali, Indonesia

Stay for a month in Bali to get the best of enchanting Indonesian culture, cuisine, and beautiful beaches. Popular spots in Bali include Benoa Beach, Legian and Sanur Beach. This region is known for water sports enthusiasts including honeymooners, scuba divers and surfers.

8. Phuket and Pattaya, Thailand
White shores and the most stunning aqua blue waters you'll ever see, Thailand and other coast-side spots in Southeast Asia such as Penang, Malaysia, are popular holiday destinations. They bring together cultural heritage, mountain views, elephant camps, ancient temples and palaces, stunning beaches, water sports, resorts, restaurants and nightclubs -- all in one place. Popular Phuket destinations include Karon, Patong and Kata Beaches. Hotels, resorts, B&Bs, or half/full board accommodation are all available.

9. Mazatlan, Mexico

For fresh seafood and for sports fishing fans, Mazatlan offers exactly what you need for your extended holiday getaway. While it's a great resort area with warm beaches that you could laze on for weeks, Mazatlan also gives its visitors a taste of Mexico from the past as well as today. It's such a nice place, many Canadians, Americans and Europeans now move to Mazatlan to retire.

10. St. Martin, Caribbean

Among the many paradisiacal islands in the Caribbean, TripAtlas picked St. Martin because of its great mix of relaxation, culture and a refined sense of exotic French and European flavours. An extended holiday on St. Martin also allows time for you to explore the Dutch side as well, or island hop to and from other nearby islands such as Anguilla, St. Barts and Saba.

Source:http://www.ottawacitizen.com/best+exotic+places+take+extended+holiday/1185106/story.html

Places to visit during South Indian tours

South India is one of the most visited destinations of the country. The superb sculptures, dance forms and the temples give evidence of the rich cultural heritage of South India. The tours around South India will help you discover the true spirit of this part of the country. You can visit various places, which are rich in scenic beauty, monuments, temples, beaches, wild life, hill stations and Ayurveda centers. You will find several places to visit during your South India tours.

Some of the major places, which you can visit during the South Indian tours are the following:

Bangalore

Bangalore, also known as the garden city of India, is known for its modern architectural edifices and historic buildings. Vidhana Soudh, which is beautiful post independence architecture, is located in Bangalore. This structure now houses the State legislature and Secretariat. The guided tour in Bangalore will take you to the Tipu Sultan Palace, which gives an insight into the Mughal lifestyle. This palace has now turned into a museum. The ISKCON temple is another impressive structure that shows the blend of Dravidian and modern architecture. Another important place which you can cover in Bangalore during the South India tours is Lal Bagh Garden.

Mysore

This city with rich heritage, grand palaces, beautifully laid pout gardens, impressive buildings and sacred temples has a quaint charm around it. Maharaj Palace, the Amba Villas Palace and Chamundi Hill are the major attraction of Mysore. Brindavan Gardens can not be missed during the visit to Mysore. The beautiful lush green garden with musical fountains is sure to enthrall you.

Nagarhole

Another important tourist destination, Nagarhole, is greatly frequented by the travelers. Kabini River is the major attraction. You can go for boating on this river and have a great time. You can book a jeep or van to go on a wildlife tour to the national park.

Conoor

Conoor is a popular getaway for the tourists. This romantic hill station in the Nilgiris, is marked with tea plantations. You can spend some time bird watching and visiting the botanical gardens.

Cochin

Visit this natural harbor city, which happens to be one of the most important places to visit during South Indian tour. Here, you can enjoy the scenic view of the rougher seas and the beauty of the natural harbor. The major attractions include Portuguese churches, Hindu temples and mosques. Chinese fishing nets are the major draw of this place.

Kerala

This city of scenic beauty, absolute serenity and peacefulness is the land of backwaters and swaying coconut trees. You can spend your small trip on the house boats that lay afloat on the waters of the lake. Kerala Ayurveda is also an important aspect of this city. There are various Ayurveda resorts which are worth visiting the tour.

Madurai

This historic city is also marked by the presence of Meenakshi Temple, Alagar Hills and Tirupara Kundran Rock Temple.

Mahabalipuram

This city of 1000 temples was the capital of the Pallavas. These temples have 124 existing shrines, which are dedicated to various deities. The paintings on the walls tell us about the rich cultural past. You can visit the temples of Ekambaswara, Kailasanatha, Sri Kamakshi and Varadarajaswamy. The rock temples and pagodas are tourists´ delight.

There are several other destinations, which are counted as major places to visit during the South Indian tour. Tanjore, Periyar, Kanchipuram are other major tourist destinations that are worth visiting.
Source:http://www.americanchronicle.com

The top five wedding destinations of Rajasthan

There are several regal wedding destinations in the state where every year several couples from all over the world bond in eternal love. Tourists from all over the world visit this state for its magnificent forts, fairy-tale palaces, terrific temples, the rippling and rolling sand dunes, flora, fauna, etc. In fact, these are amongst the numerous reasons to tour this vibrant and colourful state. The following are some important wedding destinations of the state.

Jaipur, the Pink City of India

Jaipur is the capital city of Rajasthan. It has several places of tourist interest. City Palace, Jantar Mantar, Hawa Mahal, etc are amongst the few. The city is one of the most romantic places to bond in eternal love. There are several heritage hotels in and around this city offering the royal ambience appropriate to wedding rituals and ceremonies. Oberoi Raj Vilas, Rambagh Palace, Samode Palace, Jai Mahal Palace, etc are amongst the said hotels. These royal wedding venues of Jaipur city are globally famous among couples. There are several wedding planners who offer wedding packages to these exotic wedding venues. Really an imperial wedding experience!

Jodhpur, the Blue City of India

Popularly described as the Blue City of India, Jodhpur is one of the most popular travel destinations of the state. Crowned by the majestic Mehrangarh Fort, this city is also globally famous as a regal wedding destination of India. There are several palace hotels offering perfect regal settings for arranging wedding rituals and ceremonies. Ajit Bhawan, Umaid Bhawan Palace, Taj Hari Mahal, etc are a few of them. Arranging wedding rituals and ceremonies at royal venues of the city are truly a regal wedding experience that will last a lifetime.

Jaisalmer, the Golden City of India

Popularly described as the golden city of India, Jaisalmer is also one of the most preferred regal wedding destinations of the state. There are several heritage and palace hotels in the city that offer regal wedding settings and banquet facilities which are admirable venues for a dream wedding in Rajasthan. Fort Rajwada, Taj Rawalkot, Gorbandh Palace, etc are some of the few.

Neemrana Fort and Palace

Situated 122 km on the Delhi – Jaipur Highway, it is one of India’s oldest heritage hotels. It is a place where the past comes alive in the present. It offers excellent regal experience from traditional wedding rituals to private parties. It is a perfect wedding destination for a royal wedding in Rajasthan.

Udaipur, the Romantic City of India

The city of lakes and fairy-tale palaces, Udaipur is one of the best and most charming wedding destinations of Rajasthan. Couples from all over the world prefer to get married in this romantic city of India. There are several regal wedding venues and heritagehotels in this city that offer the perfect setting for royal wedding. Lake Palace, Fateh Prakash Palace, Shiv Niwas Palace, Udai Vilas Palace, etc are amongst these hotels. Getting married in these fairy-tale palaces provides a truly royal Rajasthanweddingexperience.

Some other important wedding destinations in Rajasthan are the Gajner Palace in Bikaner, Devigarh Palace, Mandawa, etc. Uniting in eternal love in the backdrop of Rajasthan’s rich customs and traditions is an experience. Wedding rituals like Mehndi, Sangit, fireworks and procession of decorated elephants, camels, etc, are really a regal and memorable experience for anyone.

source:http://www.merinews.com/catFull.jsp?articleID=143901

Travel to Malaysia

Malaysia has a multi-ethnic and multi-cultural society and is one of the most pleasant, hassle-free countries to visit in Southeast Asia. Contemporary Malaysian society is mainly dominated by the Malay (local) people, but there is a substantial Chinese, Indian and European minority. The official religion is Islam.

Its year round sunshine ensures Malaysia’s growing tourism and it is fast becoming one of the most popular travel destinations in the world. While it does get torrential seasonal rain, this should not turn you off this paradise. Its rainfall is very seasonal and typical of any equatorial climate.

Travelling by air to Malaysia can be very inexpensive with one of the world’s leading low cost carrier, Air Asia, based there. Once you arrive in Malaysia your luxury holiday immediately begins. The high-speed express will get you into Kuala Lumpur in less than thirty minutes.

Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia, or also known as KL, is an expansive beautiful city with soaring skyscrapers. One hundred years ago Kuala Lumpur was a small furniture cleaning services town attracting workers from China and India. Now it’s fast becoming one of the most sought after holiday destinations in the world.

Kuala Lumpur is now well known as a great shopping destination as well as a great night time spot and entertainment hub. Food in Malaysia varies from the different ethnic regions, rice is the most common food source in Malaysia and is often eaten for breakfast.

The landscape of Malaysia ranges from lush rainforests to towering rocky hills. Its rainforests are full of all types of flora and fauna with over 450 species of birds carpet and upholstery cleaning are native to the islands of Malaysia. There are also over 160 different species of snake. Other wildlife of Malaysia includes bears, crocodiles, elephants, leopards, monkeys, panthers and rhinoceroses. The Orang-utan, which is one of the world's most endangered animals is also unique to this part of the world.

Malaysia has over 200 tropical islands making it a refuge for all sorts of water sports. Its tropical resorts are full of white sandy beaches and provide a vast paradise, while beneath the warm tropical waters, a unique world awaits to be explored.

Well worth a visit, and located just outside of the capital city are the Batu Caves. These are huge cathedral-like caves accessible by steps. The caves have a one hundred meter tall chamber and have been used as a Hindu temple for more than a hundred years.

There are many reasons for travelling to Malaysia but a few things that you can always count on are: the excellent climate that you get all year round, the peaceful surroundings that you get all year round, and the great value that Malaysia has to offer.

One of the greatest aspects of life in Malaysia, and especially Kuala Lumpur, is that so many people with different ethnic backgrounds live together in perfect harmony with no racial problems.
source:http://www.corsavoo.com

Japan's most popular tourist attractions

When foreigners go to Japan, Tokyo tops their list of places to see. Seven of the 10 most-visited destinations in the country are in the capital, according to the Japan National Tourist Organization.

This makes it easy for visitors to check the top spots off their must-see lists without leaving Tokyo, a sprawling city encompassing nearly every important aspect of Japanese life (except nature; "man-made" is the buzzword here). To get to the other spots on the top-10 list, a quick shinkansen (bullet train) ride is all that's required, and that's an experience itself, as the trains run at speeds of about 200 miles per hour.

Whether you choose to stay inside Tokyo's city limits or leave them, however, the complete tourism experience in Japan involves an equal mix of modern and traditional — easy to accomplish in the city and beyond.

Wherever you go, you can expect the locals to be friendly due to a government tourism-promotion campaign, Yokoso Japan (Welcome to Japan), through which the Japanese government is aiming to increase the number of international visitors to 10 million by 2010 (the country had 6 million foreign tourists in 2007). The tourism agency has spent the last five years trying to convince foreigners that the famously closed society is welcoming.

Tokyo sights
The No. 1 place tourists visit is Shinjuku, a massive, crowded skyscraper district within Tokyo. Built beginning in the '70s, Shinjuku keeps adding new and bigger towers, and its commuter rail station is the transit system's busiest, with nearly 2 million passengers a day.

Shinjuku has three main components: offices, shopping and nightlife. The shopping consists of a flotilla of chic department stores, mainly branches of the stores you'll find in Ginza or elsewhere. At night, many tourists head for Shinjuku's Park Hyatt, the hotel made famous in the film "Lost in Translation", to have a drink at the penthouse New York Bar and take in the city-wide views. The Kabukicho district is also a popular hangout, thanks to its many bars and lounges.

Tokyo's next most-visited area is the famous Ginza neighborhood, a shopping mecca that's home to the fanciest stores, Japanese and foreign alike. Weighing in at No. 4 on the most-visited list, Ginza is where you'll find all the luxury brands from around the world, many in custom-designed boutiques.

Shoppers throng the streets as they meander from Chanel to Mikimoto (for world-renowned pearls); you'll also find them stopping for lunch in the department store cafés. When you're done at Fendi and Gucci, follow their example and stop at the basement food halls in one of the department stores (every department store, all over town, has one). It's fun to pick up a picnic lunch from the myriad prepared-food vendors, but remember, it's considered rude to eat standing up in Japan.

Also on the top-destination list, within Tokyo are Shibuya and Harajuku, the twin centers of teen culture and the places to see what the hip kids are wearing these days. But there are also more traditional attractions that shouldn't be skipped, such as the museums, zoo and Asakusa, an old-style temple district.
source:http://www.msnbc.msn.com/

Bali Island Tourist Attraction

Tourists who have visited this South East Asian island will tell you that Bali exudes a certain magical charm and that is why, some people call Bali, the Island of Gods. After all, gods live in paradise don't they?

You will be pleasantly impressed by the many stunningly beautiful tourist attractions and the charming local people. If you are a scuba diver, you will be pleased to know that Bali is one of the top scuba diving destinations in the world.

Bali presents itself as a modern paradox because its ancient and traditional culture is still very much alive amidst modern living. While and upholstery cleaning inc basic conservatism of the Balinese people has enabled them to preserve many of their ancient customs, culture and religion, it has never hindered the acceptance of the new and innovative modern technological advancement.

The island is indeed a feast for the eye for tourists on holiday vacation in Indonesia. As the island is situated near the equator, it has almost equal amount of time for stain removal and sunshine making its environment very suitable for human inhabitation and as a result, Bali has been inhabited and civilized since ancient times.

Bali is also the only island in "middle Indonesia" that has more or less uninterrupted cultural continuity for hundreds of years. It is of this reason, furniture cleaning service is the only part of Indonesia that remains "Hindu" and is still retaining elements of fusion of ethnic and Hindu cultures of more than a thousand years of cultural tradition.

When the island was colonized by the Dutch at the beginning of last century, the Dutch colonial masters were so impressed by the traditions of the Balinese that a concerted effort was made to preserve the island's mystical culture.

The Balinese society is a strong and cohesive one because the local people promote communal and family values. Feelings of alienation from parents and friends which are common in the western world are almost unheard of in Bali.

Children are carried everywhere or strapped to their mother's back until they are at least three months old. Religious rituals are and upholstery cleaners in regularly to keep the children safe, healthy and to protect them from harmful spirits. Every aspect of village life is organized in such detail that the individual's responsibilities and rights are meticulously defined by the Balinese tradition.
source:http://www.corsavoo.com/

Tips to ensure a happy, healthy, summer holiday

A change is as good as a rest' and over the coming months hundreds of thousands will take to the roads, to the skies and even to the rail tracks in pursuit of their change.

While very few people go on holiday anticipating that they won't enjoy it, there are things that make it more or less enjoyable.

Surprisingly, even the tourism industry now scientifically studies the aspects of holidays that make them enjoyable.

However, I could only identify one study that measured the impact on psychological well-being. The study, published in the Journal Of Travel Medicine in 2005, was conducted by Austrian researchers and identified characteristics that predicted the psychological health outcomes of the annual holiday.

One hundred and ninety one, mainly white-collar workers, were administered a questionnaire one week after completion of their annual vacation, evaluating five broad areas, including: physical characteristics of the holiday (eg, duration, distance travelled to reach destination, time zone, temperature, etc), structuring of the day (eg, number of meals provided, planning of the day, etc), health and social activity (eg, amount of sleep, physical activity, making new acquaintances, etc), stress during the vacation (eg, rows, health problems, etc) and, finally, the physical and mental strain of work and basic characteristics, such as age.

Subjects were asked to rate their subjective feelings of recuperation and exhaustion in comparison to before the holiday. Some of the results were unexpected and counter-intuitive. A proportion of the outcome (27pc) could be predicted by measuring the variables.

The higher the mental strain of work, the greater the feeling of recuperation. In addition, a warm temperature at vacation site, the amount of time vacationers had for themselves and for their needs, engaging in physical activity, good quality of sleep and making new acquaintances all had a positive effect.

Interpersonal conflict was negatively associated with recuperation, but only to a very small extent (two per cent), while health problems during the vacation, number of hours slept and number of meals provided had no impact.

Turning to the predictors of improvement in levels of exhaustion, only 15pc of the variance could be explained. Time-zone differences, temperature and health problems during the holiday predicted improvement but, surprisingly, the duration of the holiday and the travel time to the destination did not impact on this.

The finding that the duration of the holiday did not effect exhaustion levels might seem surprising, since it is assumed that the longer the vacation, the greater the time to sleep and unwind.

However, other leisure research has shown that the greatest improvement occurs in the first three days of holiday and peaks by seven.

On the other hand, the extent to which leisure time predicts recuperation is proof of our intuition that freedom from obligations is central to a holidays restorative value.

Surprisingly, self-determination of daily activities or some scheduling of daily activities was not related to recuperation as other studies found, but the mood-enhancing effects of physical activity and also of social interaction were clearly demonstrated in this study.
source:http://www.independent.ie/health/tips-to-ensure-a-happy-healthy-summer-holiday-1402382.html

Kerala Tourism: The Culture and The Curry

Kerala is a gateway to paradise. The state offers an enthralling experience with its captivating landscapes, mind blowing backwaters, majestic hills, wildlife parks and sanctuaries, tea plantations, and last but not the least, its stunning sun-kissed beaches. With the hordes of tourists and travelers visiting Kerala for spending holidays, Kerala tourism is rising at great strides. Apart from an excellent getaway to nature, Kerala tourism is also redefined as Kerala Health Tourism, Kerala Backwater Tourism, Kerala Culture Tourism, Kerala Beach Tourism, and many more.

Kerala takes pride in being one of the oldest civilizations on the face of the earth. Historians suggest that Kerala culture is a blend of numerous civilizations, varied customs, practices and beliefs as a result of interaction of Indian as well as overseas cultures. A variety of performing arts such as Koodiyattom, a type of drama or theater and UNESCO-listed human heritage art; Kathakali, a dance drama that depicts ancient epics; Kerala natanam, a popular offshoot of Kathakali; Koothu, a light-hearted comedy performance similar to modern-day stand-up comedy; Mihiniyattam, the dance of the enchantress which is a choreographed performance by women accompanied by music and vocalizations, and many more art performances are unique to Kerala.

The Kerala culture is reflected in its festivals, pilgrimages, literature, music, traditional performances, customs, practices and cuisine. Variety and uniqueness of Kerala's culture may be experienced by being a part of its annual ten-day festival known as Onam. During Onam, a host of colorful sports, cultural programs and rituals are organized. Celebrated at the end of August or beginning of September, the festival is a complete reflection of the rich culture that Kerala boasts of.

The Kerala food is unusual which offers some of the most sumptuous tastes on earth. Keralites are gourmets with a difference. The cuisine is usually hot, spicy, aromatic and flavored. Use of coconut is an integral part of the cuisine. It is used either chopped or grated to garnish the dishes. Coconut milk or paste is used to thicken gravies and its oil is used for cooking. Rice is the staple diet. A typical lunch or dinner may consist of rice, seasonal vegetables cooked in coconut oil with different spices for flavor, dal, seafood curry and a sweet dish as dessert. Seafood is taken almost with every meal. Fish like sardines, tuna, rays, and crabs, mussels and oysters are taken with unique preparations. Apart from meals, different snacks such as banana chips, murku, shakaruperi and many types of halwa are consumed any time during the day.

Sorce:http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/62158

Rajasthan Train Tour: The Palace on Wheels

The state of Rajasthan, which is a major international and domestic crowd puller, also has a good railway network that connects to major cities like Udaipur, Jodhpur, Bikaner, Jaipur and more. However, the best of Rajasthan Train Tour can be experienced on board the Palace on Wheels- one of the premium luxury trains in India.

The inception of the Palace on Wheels has been an important step in the promotion of Indian tourism industry. The Palace on Wheels starts from Delhi and visits Jaipur, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Sawai Madhopur, Chittorgarh, Udaipur, Bharatpur, Agra before returning to Delhi. Palace on Wheels is thus by far one of the best cost effective means of traveling to Rajasthan. Easily the most recognized name among luxury trains in India,

The Palace on Wheels is truly in no way less than a luxury heritage hotel. The Palace on Wheels is thus a very important aspect of luxury Rajasthan tourism and has their customer base mainly in the foreign tourists and the leisure tourists. In fact, travel in Rajasthan these days carries tremendous scope for luxury tourism. Thanks to the large number of palace turned hotels and the traditions of luxury prevalent due to the existence of the royalty, Rajasthan is now a haven of pleasure tourism and the Palace on Wheels is just another feather in the cap of Rajasthan Tourism.

Going on a summer holiday

It’s that time of the year when the majority of people will start scouting for options to take advantage of their children’s school holidays and exhaust their pending leave from the previous year as well.

Though the planning for these trips is done well in advance, if you are one of those who is still working out the nitty-gritties, take a look at some of these planning tips.

WHAT IS POPULAR?
Kashmir has been a popular destination historically. But over the years, it had lost its sheen because of apprehensions about terrorism. However, this summer, Kashmir has made a comeback.

“The problems of targeting tourists have come down as tourism is a source of income in many parts of the state,” says Sandeep Srivastava, head, domestic travel, Thomas Cook.

The other preferred destinations include Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttaranchal, Leh and Ladakh, Ooty and Munnar.

Travel companies have come up with aggressively-priced packages for this season. For instance, Thomas Cook is offering a 5-day package at Rs 8,000 per person for Kashmir.

This includes accommodation, meals and sightseeing, but does not include train or flight costs. In Uttaranchal, one can visit the four pilgrimage sites or take a multiple tour of Corbett National Park, Mussoorie and Nainital. The basic package per person for this multiple location tours starts at Rs 13,000 per person, excluding the airfare.

Other areas where aggressively priced packages are available include multiple destination packages for Himachal Pradesh that includes the hill stations, Manali, Shimla, Dharamshala and Dalhousie.

Besides hill stations, another destination that is witnessing rising interest is the Sundarbans in West Bengal that is only accessible through waterways. Only a private cruise operator and government ships take visitors to the forests. “One of lures in this delta is that there is a weather change every three hours,” says a tour operator.

If you looking for adventure, there are difficult Himalayan treks that can be pursued. These treks last for about 11 days and there are a large number of travel packages that are offered by tour operators. These packages start at Rs 14,000 per person.

For the super rich, there are options of travelling to resorts such as Ananda in the Himalayas, where a range of spas and meditation packages are available. These tours are typically for three days and start from Rs 15,000 per person per day.

Other similar luxury areas include Udayvilas, Ram Bagh and Shiv Vilas in Rajasthan and Amanbagh and Brunton Boatyard in Kerala. The packages to these places could go up to Rs 50,000 a night per person.

PLANNING THE VACATION
Okay, enough of luring you to luxurious places, but the business end of it requires you to have the funds and take a call on the different packages on offer. Here’s a “how to do it” guide for the newbies

Budget: For starters, you need to create a budget for travelling. This would imply savings for that cause. “Typically, a tourist should be able to manage his stay within a budget of Rs 2,000 – 3,000 per person per night in a three-star category package. This expense would include meals, local transport and sight seeing,” says an industry expert. As a result, most of the week-long packages start from Rs 13,000 – 15,000.

For you, the important part is to figure out the money you will be able to spend. This would help in choosing the destinations, transportation, and accommodation. Try to control the urge to over spend on your vacation.

Cost optimisation: Now that the budgeting and the destination have been decided, you need to carefully gauge other costs. For instance, though the travel person might want to sell you a hotel room with a view for that little extra, if you are planning to do a lot of sight seeing, there is no need to go for it.

Shop around: Vacation packages are often good because they offer attractive discounts. Also, booking everything separately could lead to a lot of headaches. If you belong to a frequent-flyer programme, vacations are the perfect time to cash-in. Look into how many frequent-flyer miles you've earned and when they expire.

Choose payment method carefully: If you can afford to pay for the entire trip at once, exercise that option. For travellers on a budget, paying in instalments helps to ease the financial burden. Travel companies do offer various financing options to their customers.

For instance, Kuoni India has a finance scheme. Kesari, another tour operator, arranges personal loan with Bank of India. Thomas cook, who were offering financing options, have withdrawn it from this year. Instead, it has a co-branded credit card with ICICI Bank.

The payments made through the cards can be converted into equated monthly instalments (EMIs). Using a credit card is another option, but make sure you can pay it off promptly. Of course, financial planners would always advise that when you do not have the money, there is no need to spend.

When to book: Ideally in order to go through least amount of hassles, you should do all the work well in advance. However, travel operators say that in metros, since most of the family members are unsure of their schedules, they process requests even 10 days in advance.

Source:http://www.business-standard.com/common/news_article.php?leftnm=lmnu6&subLeft=2&autono=319899&tab=r

Summer cottage near Paragliding in Bhimtal

Bhimtal has many tourist attraction,Para-gliding, Island restaurent in Bhimtal lake, Nakuchiatal and seven lakes cluster in Sat Tal, a picturesque picnic spot

Visit to Nainital-Bhimtal-Nakuckhiatal

Lakes has always been tourist attraction for children at their tender age as it is life experience to see water between the hills in form of springs.Colorful peddle , rowing-boats plying on the lakes make the place look more beauitful as the children and tourist take nice long drive with various boats peddling mannually .

This facilities are well managed in Northern State of India, Uttarakhand tourist towns Nainital,Bhimtal, and Nakuchiatal the trio cities within radius of 30Km, but is not given due publicity at national or International tourist maps.Trio towns attarct thousands of tourist round the year especially in Summers when the entire hotels are booked and children along with parents and tourist making beeline to these cities.

Bhimtal has many tourist spots like Island restaurent in Bhimtal lake, Para-gliding, Nauchiatal and seven lakes cluster in Sat Tal, a picturesque picnic spot where Ghatokach of Mahabharat fame lived in these hills with his mother.Bhimtal is very approachable as from road and rail it is hardly five hours journey approximately 250Km from Delhi and highway is extremely safe and well maintain except some short patches.Near Bhimtal is another mid way city on route to Nainital is Bhowaili which has cantonment plus shppers market with various temples famous as Ghanti temples.Wishes of the devotees gets fullfiled as one comes to these temples.

As we move from Delhi by road we cross philkhua , Moradabad, Rampur, Rudrapur, Haldwani,Kathgodam then the first hill town enroute is Bhimtal which is about 20Km from Kathgodam and it is about 4250 ft above sea level,three to four Km south of Bhimtal is Naukuchiatal.

The twin city of Bhimtal -Nakuchiatal has nice arragments of boats peddling and Lakes are quite bigs where one enjoys the fresh air and cold environment .Two city has enough tourist accomodation as it has many hotels on the periphery of the two lakes.The hotels are not very costly and moderately priced for stay and in lean seasons the rates are too economical specially for senior citizen cateogory.Just 20 Km from Bhimtal lies the most beautiful city of Naini Hills called Nainital which has its beauty of its own withs hotels line-up in one side of the lakes and on the other side -the Grand Hill which gives a majestic view for the tourist with city downtown and uptown markets for daily needs.

NainiTal is about 6000ft above sea level and is cooler than Bhimtal and Naukchiatal.The Naintal which has main source of income from hospitality or hotel industry is busy round the years as tourist come from all part of the country to see the queen of Hills Nainital.Nainital is mid town to go to other tourist spots like Rani Khet,Almora, Kausani and other places of religious fervour.Experience to these cities makes you believe that India lives in hills with a quite,serene, life, with peoples worshipping and leading a pious life.Their houses are well kept with flowers and kindergarden well suited for their daily supply of vegetables,fruits and lush green lawns make their living more posh.

Cold breeze round the year,fresh uncontaminated environment and frugal traffic makes the city nice place to recharge ones energy.Bowali,the city on the midway has Lodge of International theosophical society,which has Library and spiritual meeting are held by the local theosophist,but this society is under the federation of Delhi region.Kathgodam to Naini hills many small towns like Rampura,sat Tal,Bowali,Naukchiatal,having hundred years old churchs and temples give its majestic look with natural scenes adds to its beauty.
During the month of April,May and June,july when the plains in Delhi are getting too much hot then the best weather to enjoy during summers are the Nainihills close to capital 280 Km with five hours drive to these cities with most economical lodging and foods, a paradise for health conscious people.
source:http://www.pr-inside.com/summer-cottage-near-paragliding-in-r550068.htm

Fewer tourists visit Britain

One million fewer tourists visited Britain during the three months to September, compared with the same period last year, as sky-high prices, poor airports and bad weather deterred people, official figures showed.

Overseas visitor numbers fell by 10 per cent to 9.25 million – the largest quarterly fall since the fall out of September 11, 2001, when American tourists numbers ground to a halt. This time, the weak dollar, rather than terrorism, is behind the fall in numbers.

Added to this, is Britain’s increasing reputation as an unexciting, troublesome destination, compared to more exotic places in Asia.

Elliott Frisby at VisitBritain, the Government-backed agency that promotes the country to tourists, said: “The exchange rate is seriously starting to bite for many North Americans. Visits from that region are predominantly driven by price, and many Americans are choosing to stay at home.”

Americans are the most important visitors to the UK as they tend to spend the most and stay the longest, frequently travelling outside London to the Lake district and other areas that are very reliant on the tourist dollar.

Tour operators and analysts also cite “Heathrow hassle” and the increase in air passenger duty as contributors to the fall, with this summer’s airport delays and dire weather all helping to persuade visitors to travel elsewhere.

The emergence of China, Turkey, India and other exciting locations competing for international visitors is another factor.

“Competition is hotting up and people want to go to new destinations that have got the 'brag factor’ – where you can take the photos and come back home and tell all your friends. Britain just doesn’t have that,” said Mr Frisby.

David Else, the author of Lonely Planet’s guide to Great Britain, said he was sad that tourist numbers had fallen after a resurgent few years.

“My view is that Britain is not boring at all. Yes, it is expensive compared to many other countries, but it is a great place and the tourist facilities have all improved enormously in recent years – the cafes, restaurants, attractions, the transport links. Everything is getting better.”

Source:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/main.jhtml?xml=/travel/2007/11/14/et-tourism-114.xml