Travel Destination Tips Online

Kerala, a minuscule state in the neighborhood of Indian Ocean, is charming, hypnotic and blessed with heavenly beauty. Its lakes, lagoons and rivers set up an unearthly ambience that stupefies the tourists and honeymooners. Kerala tours with your friends, families and loved ones can certainly fill that void which we often experience during our mundane life. With a Kerala tourism package, you get an opportunity to chalk out a proper holiday plan so that you can make the most of your trip without missing out on the must-visit places.

Here are a few interesting things that you should do in Kerala:

1. Houseboat ride on the serene backwaters: Perhaps nothing in the world can beat the serenity and the blissful experience that accompanies a houseboat ride on the lazy lagoons & backwaters of Kerala. It is a great opportunity to witness the river-life and the adjacent hamlets from a close range.

2. A visit to Munnar: Munnar hill station is one of the primary reasons why the tourism in Kerala has become so popular. Munnar is noted for its cool climate, sprawling tea & spice plantations, Anamudi (highest peak of south India), Eravikulam National Park and some rare flora.

3. Visiting Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary: Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary is one of the most popular wildlife sites in the south and a huge draw for the tourists. Chiefly noted for the gigantic Indian elephants, the sanctuary also houses other animals including leopards, tigers, Nilgiri langur, foxes, horse deer and many more.

4. Eperiencing the beaches: Under Kerala tourism package, you can also experience the charm of the sandy, palm-fringed beaches which dot this beautiful state. Kovalam Beach is the most popular beaches followed by beaches in Varkala, Cherai, Cochin, etc.

5. Exploring Kerala: Kerala has a very powerful native culture. Long-flowing sarees, Ayurveda, Elephants, art, dance and handicrafts complete the picture of this enchanting state. There is much to explore in this part of the world. From the charming beaches to the quiet churches to the holy Indian temples to wildlife parks to spice plantations- you will never get bored of your Kerala trip.

6. Watching Kathakali: Kathakali is a traditional dance form that involves art of body paint. During your Kerala tours, you must definitely head for a Kathakali show in a theatre.

7. Elephant ride: Tourism in Kerala takes pride in its elephants and mahouts (elephant trainers). It would be a real sin if you come to Kerala and do not ride an elephant!

8. Go for Ayurveda massage: As stated earlier, Kerala is famed for Ayurveda. There are many Ayurveda parlors that offer relaxation massages. It would be really exhilarating and soothing to your body & mind.

9. Sailing at Alleppey: Allepey has the best backwater in Kerala. Sailing down these backwaters can be an once-in-a-lifetime experience.

10. Trying South Indian food: Kerala's delicious cuisines particularly idly and dosa are world famous. Make sure that you taste them!

With a Kerala tourism package, you can fulfill all your wishes and enjoy sightseeing without any inconvenience!

Hungry Bags has been handling tourism in Kerala for the last many years. If you are planning Kerala tours, the reasonably priced Kerala tourism packages offered by Hungry Bags can be the best way to keep both your spirits and pockets happy.

View the original article here

Rooted in much of the country's history, the Raleigh-Durham area is a nice mix of our past, present and our countries future. The tobacco industry built most of this area. A strong sense of community and entrepreneurial spirit raised it up. Known for being one of the top places for singles, it is also a fine place to raise a family, this part of North Carolina has several identities. Enjoy exploring them all.

Bennett Place

Cite of the largest surrender in the civil war, this historical gem is regarded as where the war ended. Today, the farm house has been restored to lend visitors the opportunity to go back in time and see things as they were in the mid 1800s. Frequently, folks in period garb wander the property playing out recreations and lend information about the past as well as a quick movie at the visitor center. Bennett Place is a significant and fun little pit stop in Durham. Bennett Place is free, but accepts donations and is not open on Sunday's or most holidays, so plan ahead.

Glenwood South District

There's a lot of history here in Durham and it's interesting and great to experience. However, if you want modern and trendy, make your way to the Glenwood South District. It is certainly becoming a bustling part of town because of massive plans to build housing. There are shops, restaurants, and night life options set in a place to welcome guests and residents alike. The district after dark really focuses on adult fun so you can leave the kids behind with the sitter and let your hair down.

Nasher Museum

Located on Duke's central campus, Nasher Museum is a recent addition being built in 2005. Modern art and a fine rotation of collections from around the world make it a must on your day trip schedule. On occasion there is subject matter that might not be suitable for young children but that's art. The admission isn't free but it's cheap at about $5.00 on average. Get a bite and a drink while you're here. They serve better than usual fare.

Museum of Life + Science

In Durham, there's a great place for all ages to explore and interact with science. This museum has indoor and outdoor exhibits that will allow to enjoy on a nice day or to shelter yourself on a bad one. Among the many exhibits are a dinosaur trail, butterfly house, insectariums, and wild life outlook. The list truly goes on and on. The price of admission is a little steeper than Nasher Museum. But, for all you can do and the time you'll want to spend here it's a modest amount. Open seven days a week, but the hours vary so check the link to ensure you don't waste a trip.

Sarah P. Duke Gardens

This is a great place to go even if you don't travel the country looking for gardens. Pick a nice day if you can and get lost for a few hours. Sarah P. Duke Gardens offers an abundance of plant life as well as a coy pond. The garden brings 300,000 visitors in annually partly due to its reputation as one of the premier public gardens in the U.S. The gardens serve as an outdoor classroom and a great place to practice photography. Located on Duke Campus you can easily plan this along with several other sightseeing activities.

Bull City Carriage

The ride is only 30 minutes long but well worth it. Only operating on Friday and Saturday nights, it's a nice way to see the Bright leaf district and part of the campus at night. Kids are free and there are discounts for couples. Not much more to say. Just jump in with your sweetheart or the kids. Kick back and enjoy the town.

Duke Homestead

Also named from the namesake of many monuments and buildings in the area, the Duke Homestead is a national landmark which has tours and your history lesson in toe. Surprisingly interesting, the history of a tobacco mega power may be overshadowed by the beautifully restored piece of American history. Huge trees and bright green grass settle the senses while you are never too far from the downtown area for some thrills not too far away.

Frankie's Fun Park

This could be just the break from monotony that you and your family need. Bumper boats, go carts, laser tag, and more. Adults out on a date can enjoy Frankie's as much as your teenagers will. Well planned to cater to all ages. This is no Chuckie Cheese's. An Amusement park of sorts, the Raleigh location has plenty of reasons to make your way to Frankie's on your trip to the area. The park is open until 10:00 pm during the week and 12:00 am on the weekends.

Taking a trip? Visit http://mhnsaves.com/ for more articles about different and fun things to do while on your trip. Also, while on the site, enjoy the benefits of free membership to get the best prices on hotel stays and car rentals.

View the original article here

Before the flight across to Switzerland and ensuing Geneva airport transfers you might want to have a read about your chosen holiday destination. This article contains a good deal of information about the second most populated city in Switzerland, which is bound to be of some help to anyone planning a visit.

Geography
The city is situated in the south east of Switzerland and shares a border with France. It is within easy driving distance of other major cities such as Luasanne, Lyon and Dijon. During the process of Geneva airport transfers you may take in the inspirational sights of the Jura Ridges and Savoy Alps. You might also be interested in the famous lake, which flows through the Rhone and the Canton of Valais.

Transport
A large proportion of the local citizens make their way around the city using trams and buses on the well-organised Transports Publics Genevois network. Visitors who have been through Geneva airport transfers will have noticed that there is no shortage of taxi operators, and it is also possible to hire a car from one of the many specialist companies in Switzerland.

Weather
There is a fair degree of variation in the weather during different seasons in the city. During summer visits you can expect plenty of sunny days and it may even be warm enough to take a dip in the lake! However, the average temperatures decrease considerably during the autumn and in winter you can expect to encounter snowfall and perhaps even ice storms. You are advised to pack accordingly.

Language
Even before you board your Geneva airport transfers you will probably know that the local people speak French. You may want to bring a phrase book for help when it comes to the arrangement of transport and purchase of basic food and drink. The local people are generally quite friendly and willing to communicate with tourists to their city.

Money
Visitors to Geneva may well be shocked at the prices charged for local produce and services. Thankfully, there are means of escaping the worst money traps. Budget conscious travellers are advised to buy goods from the Denner grocery store, where local beverages and delicious Swiss chocolate is stocked. There are a number of local bars selling reasonably priced cocktails and beers. However, you should restrict the number of nightclub visits if you don't want to return home with a big hole in your wallet.

Activities
The city acts as the base for adrenaline junkies from across the world. Some of them make their way out to the Swiss Alps for snowboarding and skiing adventures during the day, others have a go at sailing and kayaking on the lake. Then, after a fun filled afternoon there's nothing better than a traditional meal at one of the many fantastic local restaurants.

Lukas Johannes is a driver for Shuttle Direct. If you're looking for Geneva airport transfers, Shuttle Direct provide pre-booked shuttles to major destinations all over Europe. Wherever you travel, Shuttle Direct can make sure that you don't miss your car on your holiday abroad.

View the original article here

Discover the multifaceted and multicultural history of Recife, a destination rich with culture and history and an attraction for any Brazil travel. There are sites that have been restored to their former glory in Recife Antigo, where the Portuguese originally settled. The buildings there have been beautifully renovated making this area a pleasure to visit. Recife is the fourth largest metropolitan city with more than 4 million inhabitants. Recife is a must see destination for your Brazil tours. The main attractions in Recife include their white sandy beaches, the cultural and historical sites in Recife, and visiting nearby Olinda.

Beaches

Take a stroll down the popular upscale neighborhood of Boa Viahem, known for its white sandy beaches stretching more than 5 miles (8 kilometers). It features coral reefs that helps keep the water calm and warm which is also a great place to go snorkeling. Go to Shopping Center Recife which boasts an area of more than 2 million square feet of shopping, a staggering 465 stores. The nightlife in Boa Viagem is great too with many cafés, restaurants, and nightclubs. The beach stays warm all through the night making it an attractive place for young people to go for night swims. Indeed, the beach stays let well into the evening. The climate in Recife is tropical year-round so going there is good any time of the year.

Tour Recife

Admire the art, culture, and history of Recife by visiting one of its many museums. Take a stroll towards local landmarks such as the Camaragibe Sugar Estate or the Ponte Mauricio de Nassau. Learn about the region of Pernambuco and its unique Jewish history. Go for a ride on one of the many catamaran tours which includes trips through down the Beberibe River or Capibaribe River. Learn about the Porto de Galinhas and its connection to the slave trade.

Tour Olinda

Walk around the neighboring community of Olinda, which translates to "Oh Beautiful!" It's located just north of Recife and boasts a number of tourist attractions such as its historic downtown area deemed a World Heritage Site by UNESCO with colonial churches and their own special kind of Carnival heavily influenced by the African culture. The draw to Olinda is its rich culture and history. The area was inhabited by indigenous tribes of Brazil before the French mercenaries settled into the area.

There are many more things to do within Recife and Olinda. These tourist attractions are great alternatives to Rio and Salvador de Bahia because they do not charge people to attend. The festivities are unique in that the streets are not roped off.

This article about Recife was written by a travel expert at Brazil For Less, a specialist in Brazil travel who can help you organize a fully customizable trip for your Brazil tours.

View the original article here

Throughout the bustle of its cities, where monks are part of the daily crowds and the expanses of lush countryside are interspersed with golden temples, those who decide to travel to Burmaare often struck by images of Buddhism. As the country's predominant religion, it is woven through the fabric of life - but in such an ethnically and culturally diverse country as Burma, that same fabric of life is made up of many other traditions and religions. One that is not much written about is the role of Islam, which has had a significant presence in Burmese history and continues to do so today. To learn a little more about the history and traditions of Burmese Islam, read on.

The Beginnings of Islam in Burma

The Ayeyarwady River delta is known to historians of the region as the cradle of the first Burmese empire, which was established in 1055 by King Anawrahta. Alongside the unification of the country as a Buddhist kingdom, there were well-established Muslim communities in the same area, comprising settlers who intermarried with the Bamar and other local ethnic groups. These first settlers came from Persia and, while trying to reach China, began to travel to Burma, with some opting to settle there; their numbers were added to over the centuries by seamen and merchants, soldiers, refugees, and prisoners of war. The chronicles of the Bagan period record stories of certain Muslim individuals playing important roles in the history of that period. Most notable are the Shwe Byin brothers, who served the king as warriors and secret agents. Despite being later executed they were believed to have become Nats or deity-like spirits after their deaths - the spirit palace built in their honour, Taung Byone, is still the site of an annual festival.

Development of Modern Burmese Islam

In the 17th century and onwards, Burmese Muslims played an important role in the trading ports along the country's coast, controlling trade and building mosques that also served as temples for local Buddhist, Hindu and Chinese communities. These coastal towns and villages continue to this day. Elsewhere in the country, Muslims - who had long made up portions of the various armies that had been warring over parts of the country - became part of the social makeup of new communities and cities; in 1857, several quarters of the newly-founded Mandalay, and space to build mosques, were provided for Muslim citizens. Later still, the Indian diaspora under British rule meant a significant increase in the numbers of Muslims who would travel to Burma and settle there.

Islam Here Today

The official government figure for Muslims in the population is 4%, while Muslim leaders put the figure as high as 20%. As with the country in general, the cultural and ethnic makeup of the Muslim population is very diverse, made up of many different communities with different roots, and different ways of connecting to other local religions and customs. Those who travel to Burma with open eyes and mind will see a variety of ways in which these communities contribute to this fascinating country's social and cultural life.

Jude Limburn Turner is the Marketing Manager for Mountain Kingdoms, an adventure tour company who run tours enabling people to enjoy travel in Burma. Operating in Asia for over 20 years, they now offer treks and tours worldwide, including destinations in North and South America, Europe, Africa, and Central and South East Asia.

View the original article here

About 700 flat islands form an archipelago that is commonly known as the Bahamas. These islands are located in the Atlantic Ocean. These low- lying islands are sprawled about 80 kilometers east to Florida and 80 kilometers northeast to Cuba. Haiti and the Turks are the close neighbors of this awesome destination. The Tropic of Cancer passes through the center of the destination. The Great Exuma Island's lower part and Long Island's upper part also give way to the Tropic of Cancer. This area of the archipelago is about 13,934 sq kms. The nature in all its glory keeps revealing to the visitors coming here. The sky exhibit rich russet browns, terracotta bleeding with apricot, pink and peach that is balanced by brilliant blues and greens. In order to enjoy nature's bounty, leading carriers offer promising flight deals. Visitors simply need to buy airline tickets and catch any one of the several flights to Bahamas. International airlines like Air Canada, Air France and many others ply their services to this beautiful destination.

There are two oceanic belts, the Great Bahama Bank and the little Bahama Bank in the region. The destination itself is a surface extension of these belts. About 63 m above the level of the sea, the highest point of this destination are located on Cat Island. This is a New Providence Island where Nassau, the capital of Bahamas is located. Fossil coral foundation can be witnessed in this region. The major bulk of the land is oolitic limestone rock. This rock is formed when coral reefs and seashells disintegrate. The land is either mangrove swamp or rocky in disposition. Soil is fertile and tropical hardwood is abundantly available in the southern islands whereas timber is found in islands like Great Abaco, Andros, Grand Bahama and New Providence. Only one river is located in this destination, besides several freshwater lakes.

Semitropical climate is experienced by this archipelago. Summer and winter are the two seasons. From May to November, summer season and from December to April, winter seasons is experienced. During summers, the climate is warm and humid. Air coming through the Caribbean region is warm and moist. The temperature at this time ranges from 21 degree to 34 degree centigrade. The humidity at this time is 60% to 100%. During winters, chilly air because of the cold air movement of polar masses from N. America is experienced by the destination. There are many cheap flights to Bahamas that allow visitors to enjoy a perfect vacation in this destination.

132 cm rainfall is experienced by this place in the months of May-June and September-October. Showers occur for a brief period clearing the skies. If cheap tickets to Bahamas have saved money, visitors can go and splurge at flea markets dotting the landscape of the city.

Joel Jensen is an associate editor with Farebuzz.com. The website offers exclusive information related to business class to and flights to Bahamas.

View the original article here

There are two very different Spains as far as I am concerned. You have the Spain on the coast where the holiday makers congregate, known so well as the 'Costas'. The other Spain is everywhere else. The first is truly terrible, the rest completely interesting and quite entrancing.

To be fair I know little about areas like the Costa Blanca, the Costa Brava, and the Costa del Sol, and long may that continue. There have however in times past been occasions where my journey south had to be made on the coast of the Mediterranean. To make things worse it was in August, and the traffic was literally bumper to fender, at less than 10 miles an hour all the way. All I saw of Barcelona was concrete tower blocks, although I am sure it must have attractive area. Much further south on the Costa del Sol, places like Torremolinos is just my idea of hell on earth with lest than lovely beaches packed with holiday-makers. Behind them are miles of nearly identical restaurants offering virtually identical food catering to tastes from all over Europe with not a real Spanish dish to be seen. As for the old original town, it lies just about submerged under acres and acres of high rise concrete.

The real Spain can be found not so far away. Thanks to some superb roads it is possible to journey from north to south in Spain in around 10 hours, with not a car in sight even in Aug. Just stay clear of the coast, and do your analysis. Find a Spain where life still stops at lunchtime and does not begin again until dusk, as the afternoon siesta still commands. No shops open, just one or two cafes, no hustle, no bustle, just peace and tranquility. Add to this no Sun. megastore opening, barely even a tiny shop unless you are lucky enough to come upon one in one of the masses of unspoiled minuscule whitewashed villages you may very well be staying near.

A life in fact unchanged over the past thirty years. Yes there might be 1 or 2 UK expatriates enjoying the climate and the relaxed surroundings, happy in the knowledge that they selected the right spot to put down roots. No appalling urbanisations where you live cheek by jowl with others you share a typical language with. What is the point in being English in Spain and living next to other English folks. It becomes like suburbia in a better climate, and you almost certainly don't learn Spanish because you do not have to.

How much more fun it is to rent a finca in the country, than a villa on a little plot. It's challenging to make yourself accepted in a local shop that has fruit and vegetables to die for, and succeeed in making a transaction and then discovering that Spain inland away from the crowds is still inexpensive. Buy a enormous bag of shell on gambas and pay only little change, then if you've got to visit a town on the coast discover you are paying less than 1/2 of the holiday makers there are paying.

The other Spain is beautiful, and is just waiting to be discovered. I adore my Caribbean Holiday Spots but inland Spain runs it a close second.

Ian has been researching and rewriting another travel website. Come and visit his revamped website over at Caribbean Vacation Spots, his most recent article is on Halcyon Cove in Antigua and information about the best prices. Ian does however still love Spain and is working on a website on the best unknown Spanish holiday spots.

View the original article here