May
18
2010
Martial arts enthusiasts are regularly drawn to the Far East thanks to the region’s rich history and fascinating culture, and one country in particular is emerging as an inspirational destination for travellers looking to practise their mixed martial arts talent.
Vietnam, which is easily accessible on low cost flights from the UK, has something of a mysterious martial arts history, and the promise of discovering more about the ancient practice is proving enticing for those thinking of fitness-based Vietnam holidays.
Among the nation’s top attractions are Phu Ouoc Island, a mountainous and forested tropical paradise boasting traditional fishing villages and stunning sandy beaches; the Mekong Delta, arguably Vietnam’s most peaceful region and one known as the ‘rice basket’; and Mui Ne Beach, an isolated expanse of glittering white sand.
Many holidaymakers staying in discount hotels prioritise a spot of relaxation during their trip, but getting involved in local traditions and practises is arguably the best way to become immersed in Vietnamese culture.
Mixed martial arts is central to the nation’s social history, and many travellers embarking on holiday to Vietnam use it as an incentive to get in shape before their trip – whether they want to try their hand at Van Vo Dao or Vo Thuat or simply look their best while sunbathing on the beaches of Halong Bay.
One of the best ways of doing this is by embracing Power Plate technology, which allows you to improve your reflex fitness by using vibration technology to tone your muscles and stimulate your nerves. Combining this with Vietnamese martial arts will notably improve your cardiovascular system in next to no time.
If you’re keen to explore more of Vietnam’s intriguing past, you may be tempted by a visit to Hue, the country’s old imperial capital and cultural and intellectual epicentre. Home to a plethora of temples, tombs and pagodas, the city is home to the biennial Festival of Hue, an event hugely popular among both locals and tourists.
No Vietnam holiday can ignore the country’s incredible landscape, and travellers may wish to head north to Sapa to experience some spectacular mountainous scenery. Considered the destination in north-west Vietnam, Sapa is home to mist-surrounded peaks, precariously-placed rice terraces and valley-dwelling tribal people.
With such an array of Vietnam holidays to choose from, you’ll be sure to find your niche – whether it’s a cultural city break, a martial arts-inspired fitness trip or an exploration of the country’s diverse and beautiful landscape.
May
18
2010
A trip to Madrid will sound like the perfect weekend break for many people. There are plenty of attractions to visit in the Spanish capital and the pleasant climate will be to tourists’ liking as well. Added to this there are a number of luxurious and comfortable Madrid hotels for visitors to stay in, which provide an ideal base from which to explore what the city has to offer. There is certainly plenty for tourists to explore and the large amount of attractions on offer will ensure that visitors have an exciting weekend ahead of them.
Madrid has a very strong cultural heritage and culture vultures will be looking to experience as much of this as possible during their visit. Two things that are famously part of Spanish culture are flamenco performances and bullfighting, both of which can be enjoyed in abundance in Madrid.
The Spanish capital’s San Isidro festival is the highlight of the bullfighting season and the entertainment on offer will definitely get the adrenaline flowing. A high-quality flamenco performance is a slightly more relaxing experience, and there is no better place to see this aspect of traditional culture up close than in one of Madrid’s top restaurants.
Seeing a bullfight and watching flamenco are among some of the activities that every visitor to Madrid should try to do. While you are watching flamenco you can indulge yourself in some more Spanish culture by trying tapas. Tapas is quintessentially Spanish and you can tuck into tasty tapas dishes in many restaurants across the city. You can also enjoy the traditional dessert chocolate con churros, which will give you some much-needed energy after a hard day’s sightseeing.
Another aspect of Spanish culture that can be enjoyed in Madrid is football. Going to the Santiago Bernabeu is an experience in itself, and the atmosphere during a Real Madrid match has to be seen and heard to be believed. Watching one of the world’s best football teams is the ideal way to spend an evening and it will really give you a feel for the passion of the city and its people.
After a night of entertainment you will be after a good night’s sleep so that you are refreshed and ready to go again the next day. There are many hotels in Madrid that will give you a comfortable base for your trip and provide you with a great location from which to explore the city at your own pace.
One Madrid hotel that is ideally located is the Hotel Regina. This 3-star accommodation is situated in the city’s main shopping and tourist area on Alcala Street. There are some great deals available online for a night’s accommodation in this hotel and with many places of interest nearby, tourists will not have to venture too far.
A more luxurious accommodation option is the 5-star Hotel Wellington. This hotel provides a feel of exclusivity for guests and even features an English-style pub. Hotel Wellington is situated in the Salamanca district of Madrid, and many attractions such as the Art Triangle area and Retiro Park are within walking distance.
A walk in Retiro Park is a relaxing way to spend an afternoon in Madrid and will be particularly enjoyable if the sun is shining. This beautiful park is ideal for people looking for stunning scenery in which to walk and the boating lake is also very popular. There is even more Spanish culture to consume in the park, and the street theatre is a worth a visit to the park alone.
Retiro Park is beautiful to look at, but Madrid’s attractiveness doesn’t stop there. The Spanish capital is home to a number of architectural sights that are just as stunning. The Royal Palace is arguably the city’s most beautiful building and the Plaza de Oriente located in front of the palace is also easy on the eye. Unsurprisingly, the plaza is a popular place for tourists to visit and is an ideal place to enjoy a coffee, with the Cafe de Oriente offering spectacular views of the square from its roof terrace.
Madrid is home to a number of other squares that draw in visitors. The Puerta del Sol is one of the city’s most famous and fortunately, it has a very central location. There are hundreds of shops nearby that are perfect for finding a souvenir to take home and the vibrant area is also home to some of Madrid’s best nightlife.
There are many landmarks in the Spanish capital that are worth visiting if you get the chance. The Puerta de Alcala is a Madrid icon and the old city gate has even had a song written about it. The city’s cathedral is architecturally stunning, and compared to much of the Spanish capital is relatively modern. The same cannot be said about the Templo de Debod. The Egyptian temple dates back to the 2nd century BC, but was dismantled stone by stone and shipped from the Nile Valley to Spain in the 20th century.
There are so many landmarks in Madrid that are worth getting a glimpse of that it makes sense to embark on a bus tour of the city. Madrid’s greatest sights can all be seen on a two hour open-top bus journey that promises to provide a whistle-stop of the Spanish capital.
The Spanish capital certainly offers visitors plenty of things to do and a sightseeing weekend in Madrid promises to be a very busy one for tourists. The parks give visitors an opportunity to relax in beautiful surroundings, and when it comes to the evening there is some great food to tuck into and vibrant nightlife to enjoy.
Apr
27
2010
Cannes is one glorious city. Inextricably linked with the Cannes Film Festival, which was first staged back in 1946, this is the biggest and most famous film festival in the world. Held in the Palais des Festivals, most of the events are by invitation only.
However, there are a number of screenings that the public can attend. And of course, anyone can walk La Croisette in search of a star or starlet who happens to be staying at one of the many exclusive hotels in the area.
But Cannes has much, much more to offer and reasons to entice you from your luxurious hotel! It is the city of Festivals.
Cannes International Advertising Festival is held in mid-June, this is where thousands of the world’s advertising, creative, direct marketing, interactive, media and marketing communities get together once a year. During the festival, commercials, ads, websites, media solutions and direct marketing entries compete.
But there is a whole host of attractions in Cannes just waiting to be explored by you. For something dynamic on the eye, you might try the Firework Festival – during the summer, Cannes stages six spectacular firework displays, including a special Bastille Day celebration. Some 200,000 spectators come to watch.
The Nuits Musicales du Suquet – is where classical musicians play in a series of evening concerts outside the Eglise Notre Dame de l’Esperance.
Or perhaps try the Festival of Russian Art held annually around mid August, this festival includes works of Russian art as well as performances of work by Russian classical composers.
The Pantiero Festival is also mid August, an outdoor electronic music festival held on the terrace of the Palais des Festivals in Cannes. When the concerts finish, the parties begin!
For car enthusiasts there is the Salon de l’Automobile, held in the open air by the Vieux Port in Cannes, this event features a vast display of cars from all over the world as well as many other attractions for the whole family.
If boats and ships are your thing then the Regates Royales in late-September may interest you. This sailing competition is a spectacular sight, featuring both the Royal class, including vintage sailing ships, as well as the Dragon class.
Cannes is also a sheer heaven for shopaholics with a penchant for spending lots of money. Upmarket shops can be found on La Croisette, the most famous of shopping districts in Cannes, as well as throughout the city and on Rue d’Antibes and Rue Meynadier.
The most famous French and international brands can be found in Cannes, including the likes of Gucci, Lacroix and Armani. Perfumes, cosmetics and fashion are all popular purchases, with many visiting tourists enjoying duty-free shopping.
Within central Cannes convenient to all the best hotels and restaurants is the elegant Rue d’Antibes well known for its trendy international fashion boutiques, perfumeries and florist shops. Nearby Rue Meynadier has the benefit of being pedestrianised and, as such, makes a pleasant place for a spot of window shopping. Less expensive than the shops on the Rue d’Antibes, this is the place to look for delicatessens, shops selling regional specialties, and fashion clothing that costs considerably less than its haute couture counterparts.
Just to the west of Cannes, close to the motorway and the Cannes Mandelieu Airport, the Cannes-La Bocca district has a large number of superstores and shopping complexes, selling sports gear, furniture and the like.
Cannes boasts a large covered market, Marché Forville, which opens every morning and is a great place to experience traditional day to day shopping. Stalls sell vegetables, fruit, freshly caught fish, oysters, paté and olives. A flower market lies at the western end of the covered area. On a Monday, Forville is transformed into a popular flea market, selling all manner of bric-a-brac.
Getting around couldn’t be easier. The best way to travel around Cannes is to use local bus transport or taxis. Alternatively, many of Cannes’ major attractions can be reached on foot.
Buses are the main form of public transport in Cannes. Services are operated by several bus companies, such as Bus Azurm, stopping at destinations throughout the two, including Cannes’ two bus stations at the ‘gare routiere’ by the train station and the old Port.
Single fare tickets can be purchased on boarding the bus, although it’s more economical to buy multiple journey books of tickets or passes. Electric bus transport operates around central Cannes and this service goes by the name of ‘É-lo’.
If you’re planning to travel further a field, then Cannes also has good transport links to nearby towns and cities, as well as most major cities throughout Europe. Bus transport from Cannes regularly provides a cheap way to travel to neighbouring locations
The nearest airport, Aeroport Cannes Mandelieu, is only 6 km / 3 miles from the centre of Cannes, this is reserved for small, mostly private planes. Most visitors to the Côte d’ Azur choose to arrive at the main airport in nearby Nice.
This international airport offers two passenger terminals at Nice Airport with many travel facilities, including banks, restaurants, gift shops, cafes and bars. A number of train and bus services operate cheap and efficient services from the airport to Cannes centre. In addition, many hotels around Cannes provide free shuttle transport from the airport to their own establishments.
Cannes is visited by large numbers of business travellers, as well as tourists and of course, Festival visitors. Accommodation is therefore available in abundance, ranging from budget hotels and hostels through to ‘palais-hotels’ frequented by the rich and famous. There is also plenty of alternative accommodation on offer around Cannes, including studios, apartments and villas.
Hotel availability and prices can vary a great deal throughout the year. The busiest period in Cannes is undoubtedly in the mid part of May when the world’s spotlight shines on the Cannes Film Festival. During the festival, prices for hotel rooms can rise quite steeply, advance reservations are absolutely essential, and it’s worth noting that many hotel owners may impose a minimum stay.
If you fancy a taste of life in the belle époque, then the opulence of Cannes’ grandest hotels won’t disappoint. The most exclusive hotels in Cannes can be found along Boulevard de la Croisette.
Apr
17
2010
Low-cost airlines have certainly changed the way budget travellers operate. The airline operations – some of which charge significantly less than competing bus and train services – can move travellers from point A to B for as little as £20. However, a number of travellers are finding that low-cost operators aren’t quite worth the savings.
European low-cost carrier Ryanair are certainly well-known for their thrifty corporate policies. The Irish budget airline has considered charging passengers to use on-plane toilets, and has generated a reputation for slightly courageous approaches to cutting costs and increasing revenue simultaneously.
Still, millions of travellers celebrate Ryanair’s thriftiness and cheap nature. The flights are far from luxurious and service is regarded as one step above ‘abysmal’, but the flights do what they’re supposed to: move passengers from point A to point B.
However, a number of passengers find that they’re not always moves all the way to point B. Ryanair, alongside a host of other low-cost airlines, have received criticism for their slightly deceptive ‘destination’ listings. Flights billed as going to Frankfurt, for example, may actually arrive at a small regional airport near Frankfurt, with guests expected to foot the bill for a lengthy bus ride to their planned destination.
While these annoyances can catch first-time travellers off guard, they’re far from surprising for frequent budget airline users. With low-cost travel becoming increasingly popular due to the recession, a number of travellers are planning ahead and incorporating these forced detours into their travel itineraries.
The value of low-cost airlines is, like many other travel related expenses, determined by two factors: time and money. It’s unlikely that many travelling businesspeople could see the value in a low-cost airline, especially when pressed with busy schedules and must-do appointments. However, for truly frugal travellers, budget airlines represent an option that wasn’t available before: the option to travel at all.
Apr
16
2010
Thanks to the internet’s traveller-friendly websites, services, and business options, a number of holidayers and frequent travellers are choosing to bypass the standard agency booking route and plan their holidays independently. With a range of tools available, the time and financial advantages of a travel agent are disappearing, and occasionally even becoming hindrances.
Want to speed up your bookings, cut down on travel costs, and book a holiday that you’re responsible for? If you’re aiming to make your holiday more independent, these four tools will undoubtedly help:
Expedia is an all-purpose hotel, flight, and travel activity booking service. An international website, it can help you save money and cut down on annoyances when booking accommodation, finding location-based services, and securing airplane tickets for your next weekend or long-term getaway.
If Wikipedia launched an official travel industry spin-off, it’d likely resemble Wikitravel. A community wiki designed to provide travel information, inform tourists of potential scams and setbacks, and eliminate holiday concerns, Wikitravel is one of the best websites available for tourists looking for free, simple, and usable travel advice.
A US-only travel website backed up by science fiction’s most enduring presence, Priceline is a hotel and flight booking service that can help travellers secure some serious discounts and special deals. If you’re the risk-taking type, try securing cheap flights and hotels by negotiating with the company’s standard deals.
Trip Advisor is one of the most well-known and widely used online travel review services. While lacking in features when compared to its booking-backed alternatives, it’s difficult to find a website that offers more honest travel opinions, unbiased reviews, and solid information. Before you make a booking at that unknown hotel, search Trip Advisor to ensure you’re not paying for a lemon.
Apr
15
2010
Travel can be expensive. Flights, hotels, and entertainment quickly suck up hard earned income, and souvenirs can become a drain on funds that’s as devastating as fixing up an ageing car. While long-term holidays are becoming increasingly possible due to work arrangements and mandatory holiday time, a number of families just aren’t able to take them due to income and savings shortages.
The ‘expensive’ reputation that travel’s gained isn’t so much grounded in fact as it is grounded in habit. The vast majority of vacations aren’t geared towards expense through necessity, but because most travellers think that going away, whether for a week, a month, or an entire season, requires long-term savings and a hefty cost.
Strangely enough, it doesn’t. While the recession has been said to have caused numerous holiday cancellations, smart travellers and cost-savvy families are finding ways to turn their extra holiday time into a money-saving activity. By using developing countries as overseas bases, a number of frequent travellers are actually spending less when they travel than they would at home.
With the UK often topping global cost-of-living charts, the opportunity for savings while overseas are quite remarkable. Even destinations considered ‘expensive’ by most can be excellent locations for saving money. New Zealand, Spain, and Singapore – all destinations deemed expensive by most – are in fact significantly cheaper for long-term living than most of the UK, giving employees and contractors an innovative way to save money.
Of course, travel as a cost-cutting exercise isn’t for everyone. Luxury travel will always attract expenses, even when moved to low-income countries and competitive destinations. However, the option is there for travellers looking to try something different, and a little more affordable. With the right combination of planning and strategy, your holiday can be less of a drain on funds, and much more of a financial liberator.
Apr
14
2010
There are hundreds of travel annoyances out there. Scams, overpriced services, and downright unethical marketing tactics cause stress and financial pain for millions of travellers annually, and with internet advertising tricks making even the shadiest business a ‘worldwide’ presence, things don’t appear to be getting any better.
One travel industry business practice that’s drawn a large amount of disdain is the single-person supplement often assigned to single travellers booking hotel rooms and other forms of lodging. A phenomenon seemingly limited to European travel destinations, the single-person room charges and extra fees have been a burden for solo travellers for decades.
Unfortunately, things don’t appear to be improving. Despite a range of specialist travel agents offering ‘improved’ pricing and special deals for solo travellers, it appears that rates and added fees still exist in most European hotels. While occasionally disguised as added room fees or costs built into the room rate, single-person fees are still an expense that many travellers are forced to deal with.
Fortunately, the phenomenon appears to be limited to European hotels. Accommodation throughout Asia, North America, and Oceania – at least at relatively high-end levels – has long been without excessive service charges and per-person room rates. The vast majority of international hotels offer lodging on a per-room rate, statistics show, rather than the per-person rates often advertised throughout continental Europe.
While many travel-related annoyances have disappeared with the arrival of greater technology, old fashioned habits certainly don’t appear to be dying out. If you’re hit by unethical excess fees or deceptive hotel marketing practices, don’t let it slide. New technology can and will be used for bad, but it also gives you a chance to voice your story. Let others know exactly how per-person rates and hidden charges have affected you, and ensure that other solo travellers can avoid them.
Apr
13
2010
It’s not uncommon to hear stories of minor inconveniences – overcharging, closed attractions, and poorly scheduled trips – ruining what could have been a great holiday. It’s also quite common to hear how these annoyances could have been prevented, normally information that’s discovered and pondered in hindsight.
Of course, it’s easy to correct mistakes after they’ve happened, and quite difficult to do so before. These five strategies can help you avoid travel inconveniences and annoyances, all before they ruin a weekend getaway, lengthy holiday, or international trip.
Book Ahead
Book your flights, accommodation, and activities ahead of time and you’ll end up paying less, stressing less about booking times, and enjoying a more exclusive and personal holiday. From flights to hotels, daytime activities to popular restaurant dinners, the vast majority of travel activities and services can be booked and paid for ahead of time.
Read the Local News
If you’re travelling to a politically, economically, or socially active part of the world, reading through the destination’s local newspapers (or websites) ahead of time can help you avoid inconveniences and unwanted events.
Buy Travel Insurance
Travel insurance isn’t an option for travellers, it’s a necessity. If you’re concerned about lost baggage, on-the-road injuries, or missed flights, a travel insurance plan is an essential purchase for your holiday.
Use a Fare Comparison Service
It’s always frustrating to book what you thought was a good deal only to find out that it certainly wasn’t. By using an online fare or rate comparison service, you’ll be able to avoid paying inflated rates or standard per-room or per-flight costs.
Short on Time? Use a Travel Agent
Juggling a holiday and a job can get frustrating. If you’re uninterested in saving a few quid by booking your holiday independently, the small commission a travel agent charges is often well worth it. Consider what’s more important – time, stress, or spending money – and plan your holiday accordingly.
Apr
13
2010
London is famous for its luxury hotels, iconic attractions and rich history, but the British city is just as well-renowned around the world for one particular form of transport. The London black cab is a symbolic image of the British city in the same way that the yellow taxis of New York are part and parcel of the American city, and the black cab is most definitely a London institution. The black cab has travelled on London’s roads since the 17th century and continues to be an important part of the personality and character of the city.
Known in London as Hackney Carriages, the traditional all-black taxis can be seen in their hundreds on the roads of London every day and are the transport of choice for many locals as well as tourists who are looking to experience a part of the city’s history. A ride in a black cab has become as much of a tourist attraction as that of many actual attractions. A ride in a black cab in London is often at the top of many tourists’ to do lists alongside visiting famous landmarks such as the Houses of Parliament and more recently the London Eye.
The black cab remains one of the most popular forms of transport in London and is a good value and quick way to get around the city. London’s famous taxis can be booked in advance or hailed on the street from the various designated taxi ranks that are scattered across London. The London Underground is another form of transport that is incredibly cheap and efficient, and walking around the city is a great way to see the various sights that can be found, but a trip in a black cab is still a not to be missed experience for many tourists.
Most of the London hotels that can be booked online for great value prices will be relatively near a taxi rank or will be well within the range of locations that black cab drivers will travel to. After a day exploring London and the sights that are on offer or a night on the town in one of London’s top restaurants or many lively nightclubs, a ride in a black cab is the easiest and quickest way to return to your accommodation to relax for the night.
Whichever form of transport you are making use of to travel to London, whether you’re travelling by plane or train, you will be able to get a taxi from the airport or train station to the hotel that you have booked previously. All Hackney Carriage drivers also have an extensive knowledge of the London area, so no location will be a problem for them and you are bound to have an interesting chat as well.
London is incredibly well-known for its black cabs, and while the British city may not be so renowned for its cheap hotels, there is plenty of discount accommodation available in London so you can enjoy a trip to the capital on a budget. A London institution, a ride in a black cab means that travelling to and from attractions is just as much of a memorable experience as visiting the attractions of London themselves.
Apr
12
2010
Short on conversation at a cocktail party? Bring up holiday nightmares and you’ll have an hours-long conversation, with each visitor able to chime in with a different, equally frightening, holiday story. Annoyances, on-the-road setbacks, and patently enraging holiday hiccups have affected us all at one point, often to the point where an otherwise great holiday is remembered as a disaster from the get-go.
Delayed flights, lengthy airport layovers, and lost luggage are some of the most common travel complaints – frequent occurrences made worse by the fact that they’re almost always linked with missed appointments or lost possessions. While most airlines make up for their shortfalls, at least in travel vouchers or replaced, relocated, or reimbursed luggage, there’s always that one story that makes things seem as far from just as possible.
For foreign correspondent Michael J. Totten, that ultimate travel disaster was a delayed flight on Italian national carrier Alitalia. The planned two-hour layover left passengers stranded in Rome for over a week, with accommodation unpaid and possessions locked in airline security areas. Michael sums up his experiences in the first paragraph of the lengthy airline horror story:
“After spending several weeks each in Iraq and Lebanon at the end of 2008, I bought a plane ticket to the U.S. from Beirut on December 22 and figured I had plenty of time to get home for Christmas. I had no idea, though, that I had purchased my ticket from the worst airline company in the world – Italy’s national carrier Alitalia – and that a two-hour layover in Rome would turn into an ordeal that lasted longer than a week.”
If you’ve ever felt truly enraged by airline, travel agent, or airport service, the lengthy report is worth a read. Don’t say we didn’t warn you though – let this experience serve as a warning not to book flights on Alitalia.
