29 June 2009

Hello Philippines, Mabuhay!

The Philippines is made up of 7,107 beautiful islands and its capital is Manila that is located on Luzon Island. The Philippines is mostly a Catholic country but the lower region, Mindanao, is mostly a land for the Muslims.

There are lots of tourist attractions around the Philippines and one of their best tourist attractions is none other than the Boracay beach. It’s located in Panay Island in the Visayas and many tourists come here to enjoy the beach, party and bask in the sun while enjoying their super clear water and powdery white sand.

The Chocolate Hills in Bohol are really a must-see. Over 1,700 small hills are spread in a 20 square mile land and are covered with green grass that during the dry season, it turns brown thus it looks likes chocolate.

The Mayon Volcano is the perfect coned volcano in Luzon. The Taal Volcano in Tagaytay is also quite popular because it’s a volcano within a volcano or a volcanic island. If that is not easy to understand, just visit it and see for yourself what it means. You will love it.

The tropical climate in the Philippines lures lots of tourists especially during winter season. It’s usually warm in the Philippines and tourists just love that.

24 June 2009

The secret of Lima

Lima is the capital of Peru and the centre of almost everything in the country. For that reason, it’s no wonder why the city have a good number of museums, churches and other historical structures that will surely entertain any tourist. The city even has an archeological site which proves the area has been inhabited as early as year 500.

But with all the structural and archeological finds in the city, there is a little known reason among seasoned travellers for visiting this beautiful city: Islas Palomino.

This beautiful island is accessible through Callao which is one of the ports of the city. A quick boat ride from this port will lead you to this enchanted and well protected island. Of course, Islas Palomino has a beautiful golden sanded beach but that’s not really the reason why this island stands out. This island will get you closer to sea lions, Guanay cormorants and other sea creatures. You can walk towards the sea lions and have a closer look on their activities. In fact, you are even allowed to go out and swim with the sea lions – an experience not allowed in other areas in the country.

Take time to visit this small but remarkable island of Lima. It will take you away from civilization and get you closer to nature. You don’t even have to spend too much since the island is very close from the port. A day in the island will ensure lasting memories of the city.

23 June 2009

Spear-fishing in Sicily

Sicily is also known for fishing and they export sardines and tuna and Sicily has lots of fishing ports. To name just a few of its important ports: Messina, Mazara del Vallo or Augusta.

Sicily is really one of the best places to go for spear-fishing. It’s one of the most popular attractions of Sicily and many come here to go spear-fishing but spear-fishing is not for the amateur swimmers and divers. In Sicily, in order to spearfish you need to dive down and pursue these big fish such as the delicious tuna that’s the favourite creature to spearfish here. Unfortunately, with the growing interest in spearfishing and other forms of fishing, the fish population in Sicily is declining.

Spear-fishing is fun and can be very addictive but you must know that this is also a dangerous sport. Yeah, fishing is really exciting especially when there’s danger behind it but you got to be cautious as the danger here is definitely real. Barracudas abound and they can kill you if you’re not careful. Just as what they say, if you get to spear-fish successfully here, you definitely deserve your catch.

18 June 2009

Macau - gambling paradise made in China

Macau is known to be the Asian version of Las Vegas. There are hotels and casinos everywhere! Many Asians come here to gamble and it’s more active at night than during the day time but of course, casinos never close so some casino gamblers stay in the casino for days without ever leaving in the hopes that they’d win big.

Of course Macau is not just a gambling paradise. A matter of fact, Macau was a very peaceful city decades ago and in just a few years everything around it had changed into this gambling paradise. Macau is still rich in different attractions that you’ll love. Make sure you travel around Macau by foot as that’s the best way to explore every inch of the place. You won’t really get lost here as it’s easy to find your way around.

There are lots of churches and temples around Macau as well as some old buildings. Make sure you check out the Bodhisatta Avalokitesvara statue that is just next to the Sands Casino. It looks like a European statue despite resting in a Chinese land. Macau tower also offers you a fantastic view and sports so do check that out as well.

Just like any other Chinese city, in Macau you’d enjoy street foods too. They have exquisite taste and it’s fun to taste their delicacies here. You may not like all of them but for sure you’d find some you’d want. Also, Macau is just a ferry away from Hong Kong so if you want to see Hong Kong you won’t have difficulty going there at all and you can come back whenever you want to.

11 June 2009

Larnaca holiday deals

You’ll not only enjoy the sunny skies of Larnaca but you’ll definitely love the beautiful sandy beaches and the deep sea that’s just perfect for diving (if you are a risk-taker) or just enjoy boating around. This is said to be a favourite destination for tourists or travellers who own yachts.

Enjoy the ocean view as you sip some coffee in the coffee shops near the beaches. Aside from that, Larnaca has several tourist attractions that are really worth checking out such as the ancient city ruins that you can still visit after thousands of years. In The Old Testament Larnaca is known as Kition so it’s just great to come to this place and say you’ve been to a biblical place!

The Ancient Kition is still found in the north western side of Larnaca where some of its ruins are still featured. 5 temples from the 13th century BC are still visible and you can come and have your picture taking there. The Palm Tree Promenade is a perfect place for a walk in the afternoon or for a short coffee break in one of the cafes facing the beach. Take the time to relax and enjoy your holiday.

09 June 2009

Family holiday in Toulouse

Planning a trip with your family? Why not going to Toulouse in France? The place is believed to be the perfect holiday place for kids and adults alike. There are lots of great sites here that will surely make your kids enjoy and learn from at the same time. If you love to take pictures, check out the Canal du Midi which is really breath taking. Kids will enjoy the various adventures that await them in Toulouse while you could teach them how to appreciate and learn from its history.

The St. Sernin’s Basilica is well known for tourists and many come here just to check out this Romanesque church as well as to pray. Many devotees come here each year. It was constructed way back in the 12th century and up until now it enjoys its status being the striking building of Tolouse.

The main attraction in Tolouse is definitely the Capitole. You’d be impressed by its architectural design and pink color! Another cathedral that is frequented by tourists is the La Cathedrale Saint-Etienne that’s been built 5 centuries ago.

It’s best to travel Tolouse with tour guides so you could see everything that Tolouse, France has to offer. You’ll get entertaining, fun yet wholesome activities in Tolouse so you don’t need to worry about your kids.

08 June 2009

Mexico struggles to attract tourists

The travel industry of Mexico would rather forget the year 2009. The country’s first challenge is on recession which led to massive job losses in many countries which has greatly affected travel. As a country that relies on tourism, it’s big blow to their economy if economic troubles prevented people to travel.

But that was just the tip of the iceberg as Influenza A H1N1 (Swine Flu) began in to affect many locals in Mexico. This form of deadly flu began spreading to other countries affecting hundreds and killing a few people in the process. Some countries even issued a travel ban in Mexico to protect its citizens. This is considered worst compared to recession as this has become a fatal condition if the person is not healthy to deal with the deadly virus. Even though its neighbour and main customer (US) has lifted the ban as of May 15, tourists are still scared.

Reservations on resorts, hotels and other properties in Mexico dropped by 25% and the cities that were in the headlines during the outbreak experienced up to 40% drop in reservation.

The Mexican government has already addressed the problems related to this deadly virus. Resorts and hotels are already safe especially on popular beach destinations in the country. But even with the said preventive measures, some tourists are not convinced.

That is why a daring tourist will really enjoy Mexico since air transportation and reservation cost has dropped up to 50% when booked directly. Travel websites have also noted a drop in fees which is a perfect opportunity for an affordable vacation for seasoned travelers.