Hong Kong

Why Hong Kong is a good holiday destination ?

Hong Kong remains as one of Asia's premiere cities and major tourist destination.

Of course, the first place every visitor will see is the airport. And Hong Kong's airport never fails to impress anyone. Opened in July 1998, it took six years and 20 billion dollar to build. It was the most expensive airport project according to Guinness World Records and was named best airport in 2001 and 2002 in a survey conducted by a British-based research company Skytrax Research.

Arriving on the central district, one will be amazed with the modern buildings and skyscrapers. Indeed, Hong Kong's skyline is forever evolving as more and more buildings are constructed over time. Every night, 18 of these buildings in Central give a free show of light and music, making a symphony display of light along the world-famous Victoria Harbor.

The Peak is one of Hong Kong's most-visited tourist attractions, offering a stunning bird-eye's view of the surrounding city. Taking the Peak Tram is an experience itself as it takes you directly to The Peak thru the mountain on an incredible angle. Another transport you should experience is the Star Ferry. It is the most scenic and inexpensive mode of travel across Victoria Harbor.

There is never a lack of place to go and things to do in Hong Kong. Major tourist attractions such as Ocean Park, Giant Buddha Statue, Ngong Ping 360, Wet Land Parks, Avenue of the Stars, Tsing Ma Bridge (the longest road-and-rail suspension bridge), Space Museum, Science Museum and of course Hong Kong Disneyland offers fun and amusement for everyone.

Whenever you choose to go to another country, the real experience comes in immersing yourself in the dynamic energy of the place and its people. Hong Kong is a melting pot of people from all over the world, giving a vast diversity reflected in its way of life. You will be able witness the blend of East and West culture, a unique combination of more than 150 years of colonial influence and 5000 years of Chinese tradition.

Shopping and dining in Hong Kong is a delight one would experience. From the latest, luxurious brand name styles in upscale shopping malls, to the bargains in street markets, Hong Kong is indeed a shopper's paradise. Known as Culinary Capital of Asia, there are plenty of restaurant to choose from to indulge one's taste. From Hong Kong's signature dishes, to regional Chinese delicacies, there are plenty to satisfy one's appetite.

Asia's world city is the experience of a lifetime, filled with moments that make treasured memories. Hong Kong is a fantastic holiday experience that you will cherish forever.

Hong Kong's Kowloon Park

Located in the heart of Hong Kong is a park. A typical picture of a park would include children playing and their parents to the side watching. But it is different at this park. It is a daily ritual for many senior citizens to come down every morning to engage in their exercise of tai chi. Tai chi is a traditional Chinese exercise that consists of taking 108 slow and relaxing body movements to sooth one's mind and body. Under the shining sun, one can typically see a plethora of people working out with their minds patient and flowing with the force. After about thirty minutes, one would see groups of people meandering away from the park and into the seats of a restaurant to enjoy their breakfast of dim-sum. Throughout the afternoon, one would see many elders sitting under the pagodas, playing games of Chinese Chess, tending to their birds and sipping hot tea. It is a pleasant sight in a hustling a bustling city like Hong Kong, a busy financial center as well as one of the most densely populated cities in the world.

Dominica

Great places for exploration and adventure travel

Dominica, an island located in the Eastern Caribbean between Martinique and Guadaloupe, is a little known gem of a travel destination.

The island is not for the faint of heart, its attractions include nature hikes and diving rather than resorts and white sand beaches. But, if you want to experience lush tropical rainforests, mountains, rivers and waterfalls this is the spot for you.

Much of the second installment of Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean was filmed on location in Dominica and many of the island's Carib inhabitants worked as extras in the Cannibal scenes of the movie (no, they aren't "really" Cannibals). The film has brought attention to another fascinating, adventurous aspect of the island buried treasure.

In the 16th century, Spanish ships loaded with booty from their other colonies were wrecked in a hurricane, and the treasure has never been found. Historical documents indicate that there is a pile of silver bars and golden artifacts hidden in a cave in the northern mountainous region of the Carib Territory. Although there are many modern day treasure hunters, the lore of the island and its beauty will make the trip worthwhile for those of you seeking adventure. There is also a mock Carib Village, modeled on the traditional Carib way of life. Waterfalls, rivers, coral reefs, dolphin and whale watching a trip off the beaten path!

Getting there is a bit of an adventure in itself, there is no international airport so you will need to get a "hop" on LIAT from another island Puerto Rico or Antigua and fly in a rather small plane for the last leg of your trip. There are plenty of decent places to stay, and the people are friendly and warm. The climate is tropical hot with a fair bit of rain, the food is Creole style with plenty of fresh fish and fruit.

Even if you don't go seeking the piles of silver, this location is a treasure in itself, with rich history, culture and unsurpassed beauty.

Jamaica

Jamaica is one of the most beautiful islands in the Caribbean and is a very popular tourist destination. Kingston is the capital and largest city in Jamaica and is located on the southeastern coast of the island.

Jamaica is one of the most desirable spring break destinations in the Caribbean offering the unique activities, restaurants and nightlife of both Negril and Montego Bay. Visitors come from near and far to soak up the sun on what have been recognized as some of the world’s finest beaches, cliff dive into the warm sparkling Caribbean, sample some of the areas spicy cuisine and experience the even spicier nightlife.

On the western corner of Jamaica is Negril which for the longest time had been Jamaica’s best kept secret. Boasting seven miles of unspoiled beaches and naturally beautiful cliffs Negril is a tropical paradise overflowing with Jamaica’s vibrant culture, exciting activities and festive nightlife. As the sun sets Negril’s beaches and cliffs come alive with the upbeat sounds of reggae music, theme parties and impressive bonfires. Negril is home to a number of all-inclusive resorts which provide convenience and value by offering one flat rate for accommodations, daily activities, nightly entertainment, fine dining options, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages and even taxes and gratuities. All-inclusive resorts let visitors relax and enjoy their spring break without worrying about where they’re going to eat, what they’re going to do and how much it’s all going to cost. The Sunset Jamaica Grande Resort & Spa and the Sunset Beach Resort and Spa are two of Jamaica’s beautiful all inclusive resorts. Surrounding you with non-stop spring break action as well as unlimited food and drinks, activities and entertainment throughout the day and into the night and much more these two all inclusive resorts offer intense fun and great value to its guests.

East of Negril is Montego Bay, or Mo Bay, as the locals call it. Montego Bay is well known as Jamaica’s Spring Break capital and is home to the “Hip Strip”, which is an area full of elegant shopping, wild nightlife, beautiful accommodations and miles of pristine beaches. One of the most popular places on Mo Bay’s Hip Strip is Margaritaville. Offering a lively atmosphere, delicious food and exciting entertainment, Margaritaville is the place to see and be seen in Montego Bay. During the day guests can enjoy all the latest sporting events on big screen televisions and listen to the laid back sounds of the island. At night, Margaritaville kicks it up a notch with fun and exciting theme parties, contests and some of the island’s greatest DJ’s spinning the soundtrack to your unforgettable Spring Break in Jamaica.

The official drinking age in Jamaica is 18 years old so to ensure a safe and memorable spring break be sure to drink responsibly. Stay hydrated under the warm Jamaican sun by enjoying some ice cold non-alcoholic beverages in between alcoholic ones. A great way to guarantee your tropical nights are full of fun and excitement is to eat a hearty meal before going out drinking. Jamaica is filled with delicious dining options that offer a variety of culinary styles. Dine on traditional Jamaican cuisine which includes distinctive spices and flavors or enjoy familiar international dishes. The Pork Pit is a favorite Montego Bay restaurant that serves huge portions of Jamaican specialties including the famous Jamaican jerk pork and jerk chicken. The Pork Pit is a friendly and relaxed restaurant with reasonably priced meals that will leave some extra cash in your pocket to check out some of Jamaica’s great shopping areas to find the perfect souvenir from your 2007 Jamaica Spring Break.

Jamaica is known for its tropical beauty, reggae music and flavorful cuisine which all come together to create one of the most popular spring break destinations in the world. Offering two amazing spring break options, Jamaica lets you choose between the relaxing and casual atmosphere of Negril or the faster paced Montego Bay. Both locations offer amazing beaches, restaurants and night clubs letting you choose how you want to spend your spring

Things To Do In Jamaica

Exciting Activities For The Whole Family

Jamaica is a traveler's dream come true. Whether you are an active traveler, looking for rugged outdoor activities, or want to relax and get away from it all on a secluded beach, Jamaica has what you need. From whitewater rafting to waterfall climbing, horseback riding to jungle tours, Jamica offers plenty for the adventurous traveler. For those that like to take it easy on vacation, relax on long, luxurious stretches of peaceful beaches, or take a leisurely swim with a friendly dolphin at a marine park. Perhaps take in a tour of one of Jamaica’s historic Great Houses or estates. The choices are plentiful in this Caribbean wonderland.

Jamaica’s biggest attraction, by far, are the beaches. Jamaica has an amazing assortment of spectacular, world famous beaches for you to discover. The most popular are found along the north coast, stretching 150 miles from 7 Mile Beach in Negril over to Port Antonio in the Northeast. Doctor's Cave Beach in Montego Bay boasts a beautiful white sand beach with a well-maintained beach club atmosphere, complete with changing facilities, restaurants, snack bars and watersports. There are also some shopping areas, and the appearance of a live reggae band is not uncommon. Seven Mile Beach is one of the most famous and scenic beaches in the world. This perfect spot for sunset watching has long sandy beaches, along with caves and sea cliffs that people dive from all day long. This area is also great for snorkeling. Negril has that "Beach Party-No Worries Mon"- type of atmosphere that visitors look for when coming to Jamaica. Ocho Rios offers amazing beaches, as well. Turtle beach and Mallard Beach are the two most popular beaches in Jamaica. There is also a beach at Dunn’s River Falls where visitors can climb the famous falls, soak in whirlpools, or just relax on the sand. Nearby James Bond Beach was the filming location for the James Bond move “Dr. No”, and offers exciting watersports rides that transform imaginative visitors into the famous 007, if only for a few hours. The Montego Bay Marine Park is a conservation area with water sports and snorkeling tours of the immense coral reefs just off the coast. For those that prefer to stay dry, the park offers undersea tours of the reefs, as well. If you want fun in fresh water, a river rafting trip should be on your itinerary. These guided trips are available across the island, and offer a relaxed journey down one of Jamaica’s beautiful rivers.

Many visitors opt for more land-based activities, and they have plenty to choose from. See living history in the legendary Great Houses that dot the countryside. The most famous of these former plantation homes is Rose Hall, said to be haunted by the ghost of a former owner. Greenwood Great House, built by a cousin of poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning, is another immaculately restored reminder of the days when sugar was king, and features one of the world’s finest collections of rare musical instruments. Other historic tours depart for almost every place on the island--including the uncharted limestone hills of Cockpit Country, where the fabled Maroons (descendants of slaves who escaped from the Spanish) still live in the town of Accompong. Falmouth, an 18th-century port town on the coast near Ocho Rios, is also well worth a visit. In Ocho Rios, one of the most popular sites is Firefly, the English-style cottage that was the home of novelist Noel Coward.

For honeymooners looking for a romantic spot, a one hour drive from Negril takes you to Lover’s Leap, near Treasure Beach on the southern coast, where legend has it that two slaves leapt to their death, rather than remain in captivity. The view from this 1,700 foot cliff is breathtaking, allowing such a magnificent vista that one can see the curvature of the Earth, showcasing the natural beauty of the island. Jamaica offers many man-made attractions, as well. Aquasol Waterpark in Montego Bay offers a splashing good time for the whole family, with water slides, rides and much more. Take a tour of the Appleton Estate to see a working sugar cane plantation, and take the tour of the world-famous rum distillery. Anancy Fun Park in Negril has go-karts, rides and other family activities to keep even the most adventurous kids entertained. There are numerous historic forts and colonial sites scattered throughout the island, most dating back to the time of Columbus, attesting to the historical richness of the island.

Jamaica has it all. Outdoor activities, natural beauty, and lots of family fun combine to make it one of the top destinations in the Caribbean. Go and see for yourself why this emerald isle has enchanted visitors for centuries.

Amusement Parks

Anancy Fun Park
Norman Manley Blvd., Negril, Jamaica
A family-friendly amusement park guranteed to provide a good time

Anancy Park welcomes families with an 18-hole miniature golf course, go-kart racetrack, train ride, carousel and power wheels for the youngest visitors. Families can also take a WaterSkeeter pontoon paddleboat for a spin in the small lake and youngsters can borrow a fishing pole to try their luck in the well-stocked pond. Open from "sunup to sundown", no admission fee, but most rides require tickets.

Dolphin Cove
North Coast, Ocho Rios, Jamaica

Swim with dolphins on one of the most beautiful beaches in the world.
Dolphin Cove is the Caribbean's newest and Jamaica's only dolphin attraction. Interact with a family of Bottlenose dolphins in an idyllic tropical retreat on Jamaica's North Coast. Adjacent to the famous Dunn's River Falls, Dolphin Cove also offers snorkeling, kayaking and shark petting in lush tropical surroundings with a beach, waterfall and jungle trail. Reservations recommended for dolphin encounter.


AquaSol Theme Park
Gloucester Avenue, Montego Bay, Jamaica
A family-friendly theme park with an emphasis on triliing watersports

AquaSol Theme Park is a one of a kind beach park located at the Walter Fletcher Beach on Montego Bay's "Hip Strip" featuring the Voyage Sports Bar and Grill, with 42 Televisions and all your favorite Jamaican and American food items. Other facilities include tennis courts, kid's games, table tennis, water sports and the MoBay 500 go-cart racing course. There is a white sand beach for splashing fun, and even a disco at night.

Dunn's River Falls & Park
Ocho Rios, Jamaica, Caribbean

Dunn’s river Falls & Park is a mix of modern facilities with the rustic charm of a nature park. The falls have been inspiring and impressing visitors for thousands of years. Modern visitors can climb the falls in a human chain led by experienced Falls Guides or visit "the massage parlour" and experience the soothing effect of the water as it cascades to the sea. Sun lovers also can enjoy the beach on the golden sands lapped by the aquamarine waters of the Caribbean Sea.

Jamaica's Lively Nightlife

Although Jamaica is renowned for its sunny beaches and relaxed attitude, at night Jamaica is also the spot for wild parties, late night dancing and wonderful live music and entertainment. Jamaica's Nightlife is full of exciting and eclectic activities showcasing its rich and vibrant native culture flavored by the international blend of visitors that flock to this beautiful island nation. Whether your taste runs towards the quiet and secluded spot or towards wild, youth oriented clubs, towards tourist hot spots or the hang-outs favored by locals, you’re sure to find a nightlife scene that will leave you with lasting memories of your Jamaica's wonderful nightlife. Naturally, in a nation that has left its mark on the international music scene with reggae, music is an important part of the nightlife of Jamaica. Island favorites including reggae, ska, calypso and soca can be heard throughout the bars, restaurants and clubs on the island.

Alfred’s Ocean Palace, located in Negril, regularly features live music, with reggae bands three times per week. Situated on a beautiful seven-mile long white sand beach, the atmosphere is a delight, complemented by the fine food served at the restaurant and the eclectic blend of locals and vacationers in the bar. A more rowdy crowd can be found at Risky Business, a Negril favorite among the college set, attracting spring breakers from all over the world. Risky Business features live music nightly, with some of the best known reggae musicians in the area taking the stage. Rick’s Cafe, internationally acclaimed party spot, is known for live entertainment a fabulous view of the sunset, and cliff diving for its more adventurous clientele. At the Little Pub, in Ocho Rios, visitors can enjoy a variety of Caribbean flavored performances throughout the week. Ocho Rios is also home to BiBiBips, which features live reggae and sometimes rap performances on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights.

Besides live music, Jamaica is also a great place to hit late-night dance clubs. Drawing on tourists from all around the globe, Jamaica has a thriving dance club scene. Whether you are looking to groove to local sounds or dance to the hottest tracks, Jamaican clubs offer a wild night of drinking and dancing. In Ocho Rios, Amnesia is a dance club where local beats bring the party to the dance floor with a distinctive Jamaican flair. In contrast, Jamaica’N Me Crazy, on Main Street, uses high tech sound and light systems to create an international club atmosphere. Usually crowded, it tends to attract more visitors than locals as does Hedonism II, found in Negril and counted among the wildest clubs attracting a rather uninhibited crowd of revelers who are definitely there to party.

If a quiet Caribbean evening is what you’re looking for, Jamaica has the answer. The island’s laid-back persona is seen in many small beachfront bars and neighborhood hangouts. The quaint Time ‘n’ Place near Montego bay, is the quintessential beach bar. Irie Vibes, on Seven Mile beach in Negril, is a real locals hangout, with cheap Red Stripes and good island music. They also have a cyber-café, where you can check your email or browse the web. Aquasol Water Park throws beach parties on weekends, for those that want a Jamaican island experience. Almost any night of the week, one can find an impromptu street party, with either a DJ or live band. Another favorite nighttime activity is, of course, the fabulous Jamaican sunset itself. Many bars and restaurants have sunset parties for those who come to witness this marvel of nature. Jamaica certainly offers a wide variety of nightlife options and adventures.

Whether you are looking for a hopping club atmosphere or a laid-back tropical drink on a deserted beach, Jamaica has what you are looking for. Jamaicans are a free-sprited, fun-loving people, and that is reflected in the many types of nightlife available on the island. With that in mind, it is easy to relax and enjoy the best of the Jamaica’s nightlife scene.

Barbados

Barbados is a coral stone island in the eastern Caribbean island chain. Sitting in the Atlantic Ocean at 13.10 north and 59.32 west Barbados is wide open to receive swells from all directions. No matter whether a swell approaches the island from the North, West, East or South Barbados is guaranteed to have surf anywhere along its shores at almost any given day of the year. The result…World Class surf at all the various breaks at one time or another. When it all comes together, the correct swell direction and offshore winds, It is easy to have the “Wave of your life” during your surf trip to Barbados.

Barbados offers surfers of all abilities year round waves and warm water. Beautiful beaches, cool breezes, crystal clear water, endless sunshine, friendly locals, and good partying makes Barbados one of the leading surf destinations of the world.

Barbados is a friendly island with many personalities. It is laid back and rugged, enticing you to do nothing but walk on the beach, swing in a hammock reading a good book, or gaze at the star filled night. On the other hand you can speed up the coast on a power boat at speeds of 65 mph, dine with the rich and famous, and party all night to the Calypso beats. There is also everything in between.

History: The Great Wall of China

The Great Chinese Wall is one of the wonders of the world so that UNESCO has included it in the World Heritage to better protect it for the future generations. It's a series of defensive walls built in all the Northern part of China from the Yalu River, on the border with North Korea, to Kansu, in the Western part of the Gobi Desert, for a lenght of more than 6000 Km and a thickness of less than 10 metres, to protect the Chinese Empire from the Mongolian nomadic populations coming from the North. Its systematic building started about 230 B.C. (although there're traces of walls built even some centuries before in China), under the great and very cruel Emperor QIN SHI HUANG, the same who reunified the whole China for the first time and made build the famous terracotta army for his immense grave.

Its building was slow, with several partial destructions and rebuildings, a faithful witness of the various periods of prosperity and weakness of the Chinese Empire during its long history. It has been considered complete only in the XVI century. It runs today along hills and mountains crests, gorges and rivers and it's made of local materials, like cooked earth and stones, but not only; infact, ancient records report that at least 1 million of slaves and prisoners had worked hard and often died from starvation or exaustion and their bones were added to the materials used for the building.

Then, for centuries, this wall was known as "the longest cemetery of the world". It's protection and maintenance is not easy today and it has recently denounced that, in many points, far from Beijing, the wall is in bad conditions, even tearing down, also because many "barbaric" tourists try to take away with them a piece or brick of it as a souvenir. I hope that the Chinese government will make more to protect this unmatched symbol of China, despite the today advanced destruction of many historic centres of Chinese towns, like Shangai, Canton, Beijin and others to build infinite series of skyscrapers, without any bit of soul and identity anymore.
Surely, nobody will come in China to visit its skyscrapers, but millions of tourists come and WILL come to see the Chinese Wall, paying for this all the services available.

The Cheapest Airlines of UK

In the UK the cheapest airline must be Ryan Air. You can purchase tickets online for sometimes as little as 1p (single) excluding airport taxes. Naturally you have to time your purchase and the dates you travel very carefully to be able to access the best deals.

The best way to get one of these deals is to keep an eye on their website to see when these amazing offers go up. The best thing to do is to catch the site when the promotion has just opened, which will give you more options for when you would like to travel. As more and more people snap up the deals the flight prices will rise. You also need to be flexible about when you can travel and as you are booking the tickets be sure to try several days and times around the time you wish to travel.

They often open promotions like this on a Thursday evening for example which will run over the week end and close on Monday morning.

The flights do take you to smaller lesser known airports in the cities of your destination which might result in you having to take a bus (or the more expensive option of a taxi) to your destination city. There are always the transport options provided so really the only issue is that it might add more time onto your journey. For example if you want to fly to Barcelona you could land at Girona Airport. The bus ride into town will take approximately an hour.
Bear this in mind when you disembark from the plane. If you need to, go and buy your ticket for the onward bus transport as quickly as possible and go straight to the bus. The bus waits until it is full and then heads into town. The first bus usually fills up fairly quickly and therefore you are not waiting too long to start your trip. If you take too long you might only catch the second bus, which can take a lot longer to fill up and could add a further 30 minute or more wait onto your journey.

The other cheap airlines available tend to offer decent discounts too but nothing quite like the Ryan Air deals. Perfect to suit a tight budget if you are willing to reap the benefits of flexible travel.

Why people love America ?

Why do people love America? Its an interesting, multi faceted question. Presumably, the reason anyone 'loves' the country they choose to live in is because they embrace and feel at home with the composite elements of its culture. Its political system, its social mores and customs, its indiginous world view, all of the myriad and complex elements which combine to weave the matrix of what we call 'Culture.' Of course, the caveat implicit in a country with a free floating, non static economy such as ours is that it must by design go through cycles of feast and famine. Yet an important and notable facet of the American ethos seems to be its tenacity in times of famine, coupled with enough inner consistancy of vision to be able to continually recreate and restabalise itself. Indeed, the history of America is one of volatile and tempestuous social changes and waves of upheaval, compacted into a dramatically short period of Historical time. A Revolution, a Civil War, two major World Wars and multiple post war social crises have brought Americans to a modern day climate in which traditional values seem less defined and substantive than before. Yet these watershed periods have arisen many times in this country’s past, and will arise again in the future. And for its own part, the American national character seems to welcome seed change as opportunity for self evaluation and positive redefinition. After all America is, and was from its inception a self defined 'social experiment.' The exiles who chose to separate themselves from their countries of birth to participate in her newly founded vision did so out of a commitment to the future, rather than accepting the inequitable status quo of the past. In times of lesser certainty it is important to reflect upon and learn from their spirit of resolve, and of positive resolution, in order to forge an America worthy of the love of our own children.