Popular Vacation Destinations

There are some really exciting vacation destinations throughout the world just waiting to be discovered by you and your family. Here are just a few great ideas for a truly fascinating journey.

The Ice Hotel

Visitors are attracted from all over the world to a small village in Lapland. It is 200 km north of the Arctic Circle in Jukkasjarvi, along the Torne River. It is called the Ice Hotel and is what the name suggests. A hotel built of ice and snow. It apparently is the largest in the world and the first of its kind.

The building must be done each year and much work goes into the making of the Ice Hotel, but it is much more than that. It is an amazing work of art. The process starts as soon as winter begins around the middle of November. Ice blocks are harvested from the Torne River and it takes a team of artists from around the world to design and create this magnificent structure.

The first part of the hotel is open by the middle of December with the opening of the Main Hall, Lobby and the Absolut Icebar. The Ice Church is completed next and the construction is completed by the end of December with a total of 60 rooms.

Thousands will visit the Ice Hotel to sleep in the rooms made of ice and snow, many of those people are couples who used the Ice Church to make wedding vows.

As spring arrives the hotel is closed for another season until the work can begin again and another work of art can be produced.

The Grand Canyon

Grand Canyon National Park is located in north-western Arizona and is considered a Heritage Site. There are so many things to see and do no wonder there are close to five million visitors to the park each year. The park itself covers 1,218,375 acres with a spectacular view of the forces of nature at work through erosion, which has shaped the landscape and continues to do so.

The South Rim of the park is open all year, but the North Rim is closed from late October until May. There are many activities available at the park including hiking, fishing, camping, backpacking, rafting, mule rides and more. There is a visitor's centre with maps and brochures, programs for children and exhibits to view about the history of the park. Only the very adventurous get to the bottom of the Canyon. Those who are backpackers, or hikers or river rafters travelling down the Colorado River get to see what lies below the Rim.

Taj Mahal

The Taj Mahal is considered one of the eight wonders of the world. It's beautiful white marble construction is magnificent and the architectural design is beyond compare. It was built as a monument by Shah Jahan, the Emperor of India, to immortalize his wife the queen who died in childbirth. The name Taj Mahal is a derivation of her name. It was built as a Mausoleum and in the lower chamber lays the grave of the queen as well as her husband.

The construction is a blend of Islamic, Persian and Indian architecture. It took twenty-two years to construct it and thousands of workers. There are five principal elements of the complex, a main gateway, garden, jawab, mosque and mausoleum.

These were designed according to the Mughal building practice, which allows no additions or alterations. There is a central dome flanked by four minarets. The mausoleum has chiselled into it passages from the Qur'an and the entire area is decorated with inlaid flowers and gems. There is an elaborate garden with several reflecting pools to set off the magnificent landscape and buildings.

Niagara Falls

Niagara Falls doesn't just have a spectacular view of the Falls, There are attractions to keep the whole family busy both summer and winter. Considered the honeymoon capital of the world, it is a place where many couples go for a romantic getaway.

There are many attractions on Clifton Hill that can keep a family busy all day. If you are a flower enthusiast you might like to see the Botanical Gardens or the Butterfly Conservatory. See the Niagara Falls and surrounding area from the Skylon Tower or try your luck at the Fallsview Casino. The whole family will enjoy the day at nearby Marineland.

You can have a ride on the Maid of the Mist for those adventurous ones who want to get a close up look at the Falls. The winter is a great time to visit as well to see the Winter Festival of Lights which draws over one million visitors each year. There are three million ground and tree lights as well as over one hundred animated light displays to amaze and dazzle you.

These are just a few of the fun and exciting places you can check out as a couple, family or single person for an experience that is well worth exploring as you search for your own vacation destination.  Valerie Shortt

A Weekend Break in Berlin

As one of Europe's most quickly-changing cities, Berlin has a lot to offer those who are visiting, whether you're stopping in for just a few days for a weekend break or you're staying for week.

Here's what you need to know if you're planning a weekend break in Berlin.

Arriving for your weekend break in Berlin

Weekend hotel deals in Berlin:

Hecker's Hotel Berlin is located on Grolmanstrasse, just steps from the Kurfurstendamm (also known as the Ku'damm), Berlin's upscale and central shopping district. In 2009, the hotel has made a number of improvements to each room, including bathroom renovations and new flat screen LCD televisions. Breakfast buffet is included with many room packages, including the Berlin weekend package, starting at 162 EUR/person, which also includes a bottle of sparkling wine and a Berlin-Welcome-Card for free public transportation and discounts on nearby attractions.

For a late-night meal:

After arriving, make your way to the chic Mitte area for a meal at Weinbar Rutz, serving food late for post-theatre customers. The weinbar's first floor serves up more traditional German fare a la carte with equally delicious wines upstairs, which is the weinbar's fine dining, Michelin-star experience with set course meals.

Day 1 of your weekend away in Berlin

After breakfast, make your way to either the Kulturforum or Museuminsel district for a morning of learning and inspiration at one of Berlin's famous museums. The Kulturforum features the Art Gallery, the New National Gallery, and the Arts and Crafts Museum while Museminsel, a World Heritage Site, offers five internationally recognized museums: the Altes Museum, the Neues Museum, the Alte Nationalgalier, the Bode Museum, and the Pergamon Museum.

After a morning of culture, make your way to nearby Potsdamer Platz for a late lunch and then spend the rest of the afternoon exploring one of the newest city centers of the city and its historical attractions. Steps from Potsdamer Platz, you'll find the Checkpoint Charlie attraction and museum. Another block or two away, you'll also find a stretch of the Berlin Wall next to the Topography of Terror outdoor museum.

For a late afternoon tea or coffee, or if you're looking to do some shopping during your weekend break in Berlin, be sure to spend some time on the Ku'Damm and in its famous department store, KaDeWe, where the food stalls and shops allow you to relax for the rest of the afternoon.

For dinner, consider taking the train to nearby Wolfsburg to dine at the Ritz Carlton's famous AQUA restaurant: one of the best restaurants in the world.

Day 2 of your weekend away in Berlin

After breakfast at Hecker's, make your way to Gendarmenmarkt for one of the most stunning architectural squares in the city: the Konzerthaus Berlin and the twin cathedrals of the Deutscher Dom and Franzosische Dom. Best enjoyed with a coffee from the steps of one of these gorgeous buildings.

Next, make your way up to Unter den Linden and walk west while enjoying the shops and the Linden trees to finish at the Brandenburg Gate: the symbol of Berlin and Germany. Once you've finished posing with street entertainers and storm troopers, make a final stop at the Reichstag for a panoramic view of the city before you leave.

Hop-on, Hop-off: If it's your first time in Berlin, there's a lot to see and do if you've got 48 hours or less. The best way to see it in a short time is to hop on a double-decker bus like Berolina Sightseeing. For 20 EUR, you get a hop-on hop-off pass that lasts for 24 hours from purchase. From 10am to 6pm, the bus travels through Berlin's top sights with a guided audio tour.  Kristel Van Winkel

Travel From Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport to Pattaya by Bus or Taxi

Many travelers arriving at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport in Thailand for the first time have no idea how to find the bus or taxi's to Pattaya.

This article will help the first time traveler to Thailand find the bus and taxi ranks in Bangkok international airport and how to find the meeting point where friends and private hire drivers wait to collect their friends, family and passengers. The first thing people notice when arriving at Bangkok international airport is how far it is from the plane to the customs control. Luckily Bangkok airport have many long moving walk ways which make the journey from the plane to customs much easier especially when carrying heavy bags.

Once you've collected your baggage and cleared customs then comes the problem of leaving the airport and finding your way to Pattaya. At first the size of the airport can be a little intimidating as with all large modern airports but Bangkok airport is not only modern and clean it is also very well sign posted. Look for the blue information signs they're located by all the main exits and above..

When leaving customs you'll enter the main arrivals hall close to Gate 8 on the second floor. To hire a taxi to take you from the airport to Pattaya go down to the first floor. There are plenty of escalators to take you or use the glass lift. On the first floor head for gate 4. Gate 4 is where the taxi rank is located. Just outside the gate is a taxi ticket booth. Go to the booth and tell the assistant where you want to go. The assistant will tell you the price and hand you a ticket. Give this ticket to the taxi driver who is waiting at the booth. The ticket tells the driver where your going and how much to charge. The average charge by taxi to Pattaya is 1500 Baht.

Also from the airport there is a non stop bus service that takes you straight into Pattaya and stops at the mini mart on Thappraya road Jomtien. The bus will also stop along Sukhumvit road in Pattaya if the driver is requested too. To catch the bus for Pattaya, go down to first floor and head towards gate 8. At gate 8 there are ticket booths offering taxi and bus services. The bus to Pattaya is clearly marked and is close to the Magic restaurant. The price of the bus ticket is 124 Baht.

The journey time from Bangkok airport to Pattaya is now only one and a half hours.

While on the first floor you can take advantage of the Magic restaurant. This is the coupon restaurant that mainly Thai's and those in the know use. It's a lot cheaper than the food emporiums found on the third floor. The magic restaurant is clean and cheap and serves a mix of Thai, Muslim and Vietnamese dishes. A meal will cost between 35 and 60 Baht. If you've never used a coupon restaurant before it's very straight forward. Go to the counter and ask for coupons to the value you want to spend in the restaurant. With the coupons go to one of the many food stations inside and order your meal. When finished, any coupons you have not spent are returned at the counter where you bought them from and change to the value of the coupons is returned to you.

So far this article has covered how to find the taxi rank and the bus to Pattaya and along the way somewhere cheap to eat. However! Some who arrive at the airport have a private car waiting to collect them or a friend to meet. To meet friends and relatives and pre arranged private hire cars go to gate 3. Gate 3 is also called the meeting point. All the exits have round numbers above them. As you leave customs control you will be on the second floor near gate 8. At gate 8 there are large blue signs giving important information such as where to find the meeting point. These signs clearly point to gate 3 and the meeting point. Here friends and pre arranged private hire drivers will be waiting to meet you holding up their white boards with their customer names written on them.

A quick re-cap. When leaving customs on the second floor go to gate 3 if your meeting friends or have someone waiting to collect you. Also to be found on the second floor are the Thai tourist police and the lost luggage office. Go down to the first floor to catch a taxi or bus to Pattaya. Also on the first floor is the coupon restaurant. Clean and cheap Thai food.: On all floors there are telephone cum internet stations which cost 10 baht a minute. A little expensive but if you need to make a phone call or use the internet there invaluable

What about the other floors? Well located on the third floor are the restaurants and drink vendors and up on the fourth is the international departures and check in control. This article has dealt with international arrivals and the various ways of traveling to Pattaya. This article has been written through many years of experience of meeting people at Bangkok international airport and listening to the problems they have had finding transport to Pattaya and locating the meeting point at gate 3.

Inside the the airport the floors are marked as Floor 1, Floor 2 and so on  James Lamborn

Travel Tips for Your Honeymoon

Congratulations on getting married! Once the wedding ceremony and reception ends, the real celebrating begins as you and your new spouse embark on your honeymoon getaway! You have chosen a destination far from home, in a country you have always dreamed your honeymoon would be. Here is some advice you should take for planning your honeymoon:

• Find out if there are any newlywed discounts anywhere you plan to go. Do research on any special honeymoon packages for newlyweds. Some hotels cater especially to newlyweds. Oftentimes, hotels and restaurants partner with each other to offer honeymooners a free breakfast or dinner. Take advantage of discounts for newlyweds. Do not be afraid to ask if discounts exist at places you plan to visit. You just got married; you should now be wise about your money and not ashamed of it!

• Plan for the weather. Depending on the season, it might not be wise to choose a tropical destination that has a high average of rainfall in certain months. Find out when hurricane season is and try to avoid going to a place that is affected by it. June 1st to November 30th is hurricane season for the Bahamas. If you are interested in going to an Asian location in the western part of the Pacific Ocean, know that the most typhoons in 2011 will occur between May and November. If you cannot avoid bad weather because your wedding is on a specific date for a sentimental reason, then plan your activities according to the kind of weather you might have to face. For instance, if it is probably going to rain the majority of the time you are going to be on your honeymoon, then you obviously should not plan to go hiking or mountain biking. Also, hurricane season obviously means surfing lessons are out of question.

• Get visitor health insurance. Not many people think about travel insurance for their honeymoon, but you should know that the healthcare coverage you might have will probably not cover you if you are in a different country. Many people do not realize that, while they are on vacation abroad, they are actually uninsured. If by any chance you become sick or injured during your honeymoon, medical bills could be extremely expensive without visitor health insurance. While planning for your honeymoon, you might not even factor in the chance of you or your husband becoming ill or getting hurt. However, the possibility exists and it is best to be prepared. The insurance plan does not have to cost a lot and could cover as little or as much as you choose.

Whichever country you plan on going to for your honeymoon, remember to have a wonderful time with your spouse. The honeymoon marks the beginning of a lifetime of memories, and it will be the first of many happy vacations as a married couple, and possibly eventually as a family if you plan on having any children!  William C Gabriel

Visa Run From Pattaya Thailand to Ban Laem and Ban Pakard on the Cambodian Border

Cambodia visa run From Pattaya to Ban Laem and Ban Pakard border crossing control

For many who choose to live in Thailand and Pattaya and who are not over 50 nor have work permits the visa run is a necessary part of life, unless you want to run the risk of being caught by the immigration police for over stay.

From Pattaya the two most common border crossing points into Cambodia are Ban Laem and Ban Pakard. Both are only 20 Kilometers or so apart. Of course there is Aranyaprathet which is further up the Cambodian border. This article deals with Ban Laem and Ban Pakard. These are the Thailand border crossing names. Most Farang (Westerners) make the visa run to renew their Thai tourist visa, non immigrant "O" or "B" Visa and to extend their stay in Thailand legally by 15 days. Long gone are the days when you could get a 30 day visa from crossing the Cambodian border and returning the same day. It's and early start in Pattaya. Some visa companies tell you meet at a collection point while others will pick you up from where your staying. Either way it's an early start. You'll need to be ready by 6:00AM or before. Once you've been collected by the visa company you will be asked for your passport, a copy of your passport, copy of your visa and entry card and finally two passport size photos. At this point some companies ask you for payment while others will take payment in advance. The cost of a visa run from Pattaya to Cambodia will vary from 2000 Baht with lunch to 2800 Baht. It all depends whom you book with. Don't think you'll get the best service from the more expensive company. As with everything in Pattaya it's hit and miss. You need to try a few companies before you find one that your happy with, unless your first time lucky of course. The most common mini bus used for the border run is the Toyota Commuter, 11 seat. Comfortable, although not too roomy but normally with good air con. Most of these buses also have DVD players installed in them.

At 6 in the morning everyone is still a little sleepy so for the next two and half hours or so until the first stop everyone catching up on their sleep. Very quite and peaceful! There is normally one stop before reaching the border crossing at Ban Laem or Ban Pakard. Here you can get something to eat and drink and use the bathroom if needs be. It's also good time to say hello to your fellow travelers. A point worth mentioning! Etiquette on the bus. The trip is fairly relaxed and easy going but once you have chosen your seat in Pattaya then that's where you'll stay until you return to Pattaya unless you agree with another passenger to swap. Ask first! The break lasts about 15 minutes and then after it's back on the bus to the Cambodian border. As the border gets closer there is a small chance of being stopped by the Thai Army and being searched but this is very rare. Most times the mini bus is waved through the Army check points.

Once you arrive at the border crossing at about 10:00 You'll be directed by your visa guide leave the mini bus and head towards Thai customs control and immigration. Here as in an airport you hand over your passport to be checked and stamped. If all is OK you'll be waved through. However! If you've over stayed and your visa is out of date you'll be asked to go to another counter to pay a fine. At the moment the cost per day for over staying your visa in Thailand is 500 Baht.

Assuming you make it through customs this is where Ban Laem and Ban Pakard differ. At Ban Laem you cross the newly built concrete bridge into Cambodia and make your way to a casino where you can have lunch. The cost of the lunch should be included in the visa run as is the cost of the 30 Day Cambodian visa. Now in Cambodia you are in a small town called Daun Lem. The lunch here is a buffet of Thai Khmer food and American breakfast. Very good, sometimes a little cold but still none the less good. After lunch you can shop at the duty free where you can buy: Alcohol, cigarettes, perfume and male sexual enhancement medication at prices much cheaper than Pattaya. After the shopping is finished, you head back to the Cambodian border control to collect your passport ready to return to Thailand.

Lunch and shopping takes about 1 hour. During this time your visa guide will have filled in your passport details and all your immigration forms for Cambodia and Thailand. You have no forms at all to complete. All you will be asked to do is sign your name on various forms. It's easy.

At Ban Pakard it's the same except once you have gone through Thai immigration you do not have to cross the border into Cambodia. All your passport and visa forms are completed for you by your guide by the border crossing. If you want to do some duty free shopping then a mini bus will collect you and take you to the duty free shops just across the border in Cambodia.

From meeting your mini bus in Pattaya to returning from Cambodia you'll be escorted the whole way by a guide who will complete your immigration forms and help you with any questions or problems you may have.

Once through Thai immigration at Ban Laem and Ban Pakard, it's back on the bus to Pattaya. Again there is normally one stop. If you're coming from Ban Pakard then this is where you'll have your lunch and from Ban Laem it's a chance to have a break, something to drink and stretch the legs. After the stop it's straight back to Pattaya. The whole trip takes no more than 9 hours. After your visa run, your left feeling quite relieved.  James Lamborn