Advice and Information for the World Traveller on Many Destinations

Archive for the ‘Worldwide Travel’ Category

There is no doubt that the Caribbean is a beautiful and tempting area of the world to visit.  And what better way could there be to arrive in style than to take one of the many Caribbean cruises that are available?

You will find you have lots of options to choose from as well, so you may want to consider taking a two week cruise (or longer if you can) to really make the most of it.  Imagine an itinerary which benefits from stops in San Juan, Grenada, Dominica and many more exotic and exciting locations.  These are the kinds of destinations that regularly pop up on Caribbean cruises, so if you can afford to go on one you should definitely make a booking.

Of course there are other more familiar destinations on offer as well.  If you like the sound of visiting St Lucia or Jamaica, for example, you can make these dreams come true on board Caribbean cruises as well.  The best way of visiting such places is to approach them from the sea, because you can sit back and watch as your next stop gradually comes into view as you sail towards it.

There is no doubt that Caribbean cruises offer an amazing degree of luxury, both in their destinations and the surroundings on the cruise ship.  All the cruise ships that visit this part of the world offer sensational facilities to enjoy as you prepare to see your first slice of the Caribbean.  Which port will you call into first?

Australia is the perfect holiday destination for those who love the great outdoors of course, but it is also a country that offers plenty for visitors interested in history, art and culture. With numerous museums and galleries, Australia provides its visitors with the opportunity to explore the country’s history. Melbourne, the country’s capital city, offers a great deal in the world of culture and is a popular tourist destination.

Australia is home to the Sydney Opera House, which is one of the most popular performing art centres in the world. The centre consists of several theatres, a studio, playhouse, a concert hall and rooms that are suitable for small and large events. The centre is worth a visit for those looking for an attraction that offers a variety of entertainment. Visitors can also enjoy a light snack or main meal in one of the centre’s cafes or restaurants. Those who are unable to attend one of the performances at the Sydney Opera House may wish to catch a glimpse of the centre’s stunning architecture, which looks particularly impressive at night.

For those looking for a place to relax, it is worth visiting Western Australia, which has wonderful sandy beaches. The area also offers stunning scenery and is home to Karijini National Park, which is known for its beautiful waterfalls. There are also a variety of restaurants and cafes located in the area.

Australia is also the perfect holiday destination for those who love wildlife. There are many opportunities to see the local wildlife in Western Australia, particularly in Albany. Albany is a popular tourist destination and is known for its stunning coastline, which has a variety of beautiful beaches that are ideal for those looking for a relaxing location in the area.

Holiday travel to Syria requires a few more steps in obtaining proper visas and paperwork. If you have a flight to Damascus in your itinerary, here is what you need to know to have a safe and enjoyable trip.

Flights to Damascus land at the Damascus International Airport, which is located 35 km south east of the capital city. The airports are served by Syrian Arab Airlines, with British Airways and bmi being the two major airlines from European countries.

Citizens of Arab countries are not required to have visas; however, almost every other traveller must have an entry visa. The process of obtaining a visa can be expensive and time-consuming. The most efficient way is to visit the Syrian embassy in your home country. Some individuals may wait and hope that they can get a valid visa by travelling first to Turkey and applying for one there.

To enter Syria, you will need a letter from your consulate stating that your home country has no objection to your travel to Syria. This correspondence is referred to as a “letter of recommendation”. Your visa must have a signature and two stamps, or else it will be declared invalid and the traveller will not be allowed to disembark.  It must also be in its original blue arrival form.

There can be no evidence of travel to Israel, whether it is a passport stamp, packaging with Hebrew labelling, or if the flight to Damascus comes from any country bordering Israel. These travellers are denied entry into Syria.

If you are looking for a good reason to book cheap flights to Israel, look no further than Tel Aviv. The White City section, designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2003, combines a unique concentration of modern buildings blended in with the old, and as the richest city in the entire country and home to the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange, there is really no reason to book cheap flights to any other major city in the Middle East, because there is more than enough going on in Tel Aviv to keep you busy for weeks; if you can spare the time of course.

The northern section of the city is the wealthiest district and sites such as Hayarkon Park and Israel’s Museum can easily keep a visitor occupied for quite some time. The city centre is described as the heart of Tel Aviv and contains most of the major tourist attractions and shopping areas. This is the modern Tel Aviv that everyone can appreciate, regardless of which country they have taken a cheap flight from.

The southern section is the original district that contains the first neighbourhoods built in the early 20th century and while it is considered the poorer district it is continually evolving. The Jaffa section contains one of the oldest ports in the world, detailed in various religious manuscripts over the years as the place where Jonah started his journey. Andromeda was tied to the rock as a sacrifice to the sea monster and this is where Peter the Apostle received his famous vision.

A certain kind of inverted snobbery has emerged in response to the growing popularity of cruise holidays. Once thought to be the exclusive preserve of the wealthy they’ve more recently been derided by travel writers like Arthur Frommer, somewhat dyspeptically, as an inauthentic way to travel. But if you’re looking for some serious fun as well as some serious relaxation, and you’d like to see some glorious sights that a standard resort holiday just can’t deliver, it’s time to start exploring the many cruise deals on offer perennially from big operators like Thomson Cruises, Princess Cruises, Costa Cruises and Carnival Cruises (to name but a few).

If your inner killjoy tells you that you’ll be bored or sea-sick (or both), ignore it and take a serious look at what’s on offer. For example, on board Royal Caribbean Cruises’ gargantuan ‘Oasis of the Seas’, as with many of the larger vessels, you can relax with a spa treatment after working out in the gym, ride a carousel with the kids, climb a rock wall, have a round of golf and take a whirl on a superb surf simulator. Then you could go shopping in an onboard high street – all before you take in a live Broadway musical or comedy show, watch or take part in a karaoke evening and dine in a range of restaurants to suit every taste (and budget).

Sea sickness is largely a myth – modern ships, from the modest to the extravagantly huge, are equipped with very effective stabilisers. And if you really worry about this, why not begin your cruise experience with one of the many river cruises now available?

The city of Amman, which is the capital of Jordan’s Hashemite kingdom, now stretches over 19 hills (known as jabals). In its settlement days, the city originally unfolded over the landscape of seven hills.

Almost half of Jordan’s population lives in Amman, dotting the hills with pastel coloured houses made of stone. The houses are all uniformly shaped like boxes, with the flat roofs of desert dwellings. Pavement markets, ancient minarets, and the crumbling remains of ancient civilizations mix in harmonious contrast to the international restaurants, fashion houses and contemporary office buildings.

The downtown district is the heartbeat of Amman. In the centre is the Ottoman style King Hussein Mosque. The area around the Mosque is busy at all times, but is especially a beehive of activity during the prayer times. The streets are filled with the sound of worship, scented by the exotic smells of Arabia and surrounded by rows of jewel-like treasures in the marketplace, with the haggling of bartering voices.

Amman dates back over 5,500 years and was the capital city of the Ammonites. Overlooking the city, the Citadel is the site of the ancient Rabbath-Ammon of the Old Testament. At its feet lays the Roman amphitheatre, a relic of the city of Rome’s Philadelphia.

Amman is one of the oldest cities in the world, and has been continuously inhabited since it was first settled. Today, it is also a thriving administrative and commercial centre of notable hospitality, modern facilities and historical attractions. Many of the other attractions in the region are no more than a five hour drive away.

Flights to Amman are available from most international airports.

The Caribbean has become one of the world’s premier holiday destinations, with its diverse cultural traditions, gorgeous islands with their palm-fringed beaches and aqua blue seas and, of course, fabulous tropical warmth and colour.  But why opt for just one island when you can experience several? Caribbean cruises provide a surprisingly economic way of getting the best (and most) out of this lovely corner of the world.

For instance, Princess Cruises offers a 9 night Caribbean Fly-cruise aboard its family-friendly Emerald Princess for just £959 per person. The itinerary includes Fort Lauderdale, Princes Quays, St Maarten, St Thomas and Grand Turk (that’s under £100 a head per night, for accommodation, travel, meals and plenty of onboard activities and facilities). Or, if you’d prefer to drive to your first port, you could opt for P&O Cruises 15 night Caribbean cruise aboard the lovely Ventura from just £1,215 per head. From Southampton, you’ll head off to Tenerife, Tortola, St Maarten, St Lucia, St Vincent and Barbados. The ship combines traditional and modern facilities, boasts celebrity chef Marco Pierre White’s first onboard eatery, and is crammed with a huge array of kids’ activities.

Cruise deals are on offer all the year round from big operators like this, as well as from other top names like Costa Cruises, Royal Caribbean Cruises and Carnival Cruises. You stand to pick up even better deals with last minute cruises, but beware: once you’ve tried cruise holidays in the Caribbean, you’re likely to want to take them more than once.

If you desire to get away from the hustle and bustle of modern life for a month, try the Pacific. There you will find your idea of personal heaven when you consider a villa rental in the paradise of the French Polynesian Islands. Situated in the middle of the cool blue Pacific Ocean is a collection of friendly, relaxed and tranquil resorts that promise perfect peace.

With over 130 islands and atolls from which to choose there is bound to be one that suits everyone’s taste. Bora Bora, Tahiti and Moorea are the more famous large commercial centres, famous for their diving, surfing and game fishing. If you still crave the action of a large urban area Tahiti’s capital of Papetee is a clash of colour, smells and action. Bustling with nightlife, full of shops and bazaars, a blend of French and traditional Polynesian cuisine awaits the traveller.

There are also some elegant and stylishly furnished villa rentals to be found on some of the smaller, more remote islands where all you will have for company is the mangroves, tropical rainforests and miles of golden sand to walk along. These hidden places are the idyllic destination in which to loose yourself amid nature’s wonderful delights.

Villas range from the traditional wooden constructed bungalow to old styled colonial houses and modern holiday villas. All are fully self-catered and guaranteed to look out onto mountainous landscapes, palm fringed beaches and azure blues seas.

Carnival Cruises are slightly different from some other cruises you may already be considering.  This is the cruise company with a difference, because the emphasis with their ships is on the word fun. Every one of the Carnival Cruises on offer takes place aboard a ship with a different name.  And with names like Inspiration, Elation, Paradise and Freedom you can see what kind of experience you will be in for here.

A typical example lies on board the Carnival Inspiration. This is a nice introduction to Carnival Cruises because it has water chutes as well as swimming pools to enjoy.  As you can see this is an ideal ship if you have small children to think about. Indeed it might change the minds of some people who still think that cruises are only for older adults.

As for destinations, Carnival Cruises head out to all kinds of places all over the world.  Why not visit Alaska or head over to New England and Canada? Alternatively you could try the Caribbean, which is always popular, or stay in Europe and see various countries and destinations there instead.  Wherever you head to with Carnival Cruises, you will find that there is plenty to see and do on board, before you even arrive at your destination.

The staterooms are always comfortable and spacious as well, so you will be able to relax in comfort whenever you want to. In short, Carnival Cruises offers everything you could possibly want from a cruise.

Aruba is known for being one of the few destinations in the Caribbean that offers a slightly drier climate than most of its neighbours, with an arid and cactus-strewn landscape on the northern half of the island. It is a Dutch territory, part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, and enjoys year-round tourism due to its location outside of the main hurricane belt. Cruise ships dock in the capital city of Oranjestad, and visitors have first-hand access to snorkelling, parasailing and fishing as soon as they disembark.

The northern coast is fairly open and exposed to the Atlantic, and is generally not a good place for waterfront activities due to the treacherous currents and rocky coastline, but the southern section of the island, particularly the southwest area, is well-known for its miles of white sandy beaches and turquoise seas. Visitors have access to a variety of beaches, including Eagle Beach, which is considered to be one of the top 10 beaches of the world, as well as Hadikurari Beach, which is where the High Winds Pro AM wind-surfing world championship is held every June. Accommodation ranges from all-inclusive stays at one of the many resorts, to renting apartments and villas both on and near the beaches themselves, perfect for a more intimate experience. 

Aside from the beaches, the Arikok National Park is of major importance to the people of Aruba, with 18% of the entire island designated to the park, and it showcases a wide variety of indigenous plant and animal life, perfect for exploring on foot in between visits to the beach.