Aug/100
A Guide To Accommodation In South Africa
When traveling these days accommodation is not just a place to sleep for the night. There are many types to choose from and South Africa offers a vast range of accommodation options.
One of the most unique places to spend a night is at a 'game lodge' which can be anything from a basic 'rondawel' (round building with thatch roof) to a superbly appointed luxury suite. A game lodge is generally situated in a wildlife reserve or national park with close proximity to game viewing.
With a little homework you can enjoy exceptional value for money in some of South Africa's prime game reserves and national parks. Visit Sabi Sand Game Reserve that borders the famous Kruger National Park. This 'Big 5' game reserve offers some of the best game viewing available anywhere on the continent and is associated with very expenses luxury lodges. With a little research you'll find gems like Elephant Plains Game Lodge and Notten's Bush Camp, both offering great family offers as well as privacy and luxury at affordable rates.
Another amazing experience is found in a KwaZulu Natal game reserve called Phinda. It is one of the most fascinating regions in South Africa combining 7 distinctly different habitats that shelters an abundance of wildlife including Africa's Big 5 (lion, leopard, elephant, rhino, buffalo). The reserve has some of the most exclusive accommodation options, but it also offers an affordable experience not to be missed - a walking safari where you stay in spacious safari tents with ensuite bathrooms (flush w.c. & hot water!). It is one of the best ways to experience Africa and doesn't break the bank.
Ever stayed on a farm where the cows get milked in the morning and the rooster wakes you up to the smell of freshly baked bread and fresh coffee? South Africa offers exceptional accommodation known as farm stays where you enjoy life on a working farm. It is a great option as part of a road trip or a family holiday. The kids love the outdoors and enjoy the farm lifestyle, be it only for a day or two. It is an affordable way to see South Africa and to experience some local culture and cuisine. These 'farm stays' are found all over South Africa from the Drakensberg Mountains to the Great Karoo as well as the popular Garden Route and Winelands of the Western Cape.
Beach accommodation offers anything from relaxed and comfortable to luxury and exclusivity - the choice is yours. A good place to find accommodation close to the beach is renting a beach cottage. South Africa's coastline offers incredible diversity from remote villages to popular seaside town and city beaches. It is advised to book way in advance as these beach cottages fill up fast especially over the holiday seasons of April & December/January.
The 'old faithful' B&B (bed & breakfast) accommodation is still an all time favorite with more and more business travelers making use of this versatile and affordable option. It's high levels of customer service makes bed and breakfasts an excellent choice. More and more B&B owners cater for the sophisticated traveler that needs a reliable, affordable accommodation option. A new trend in the B&B circles is a 'boutique' feel with hip decorations and modern furnishings. This trend is blending studio living, boutique hotels and the B&B lifestyle to offer great options for both casual and business travelers.
Nowadays accommodation is more than just a bed and a place to have a meal. It's about what you feel like and how much you want to pay to experience it. The choice is there, just do a little homework and you'll find exactly what you're looking for.
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Jun/100
Mexico Yoga Retreat – Paradise Found
When you plan a yoga retreat in Mexico, you have several options. Either design your own shoestring yoga vacation, join an organized group, or visit a Mexico yoga retreat center.
Mexico is easily reachable from the United States and Canada, and for that reason it has long been a popular place to take a vacation. So it is no surprise that now that yoga is more popular, there are plenty of options for yoga-specific travel in Mexico.
Even in winter, most of Mexico has plenty of warm, cloudless days and comfortable evenings. Whether you want to stroll the streets of a colonial city, explore Mayan ruins, or simply relax on the beach, you can get away from the winter chill and unwind with a yoga vacation.
Golf, snorkeling, whale watching, city tours, and jungle walks can keep you or your non-yogi travel partner occupied when you're not in a yoga class or workshop.
Book a Trip to One of Mexico's Many Yoga Retreats
Many retreat centers now target the yoga crowd almost exclusively. There are retreat centers outside historic colonial towns like Cuernavaca and San Miguel de Allende. There are also many retreats along the Pacific Coast, including Baja California. Or stay in a center in Chiapas, where Mayan culture is alive, or secluded in the jungles of Veracruz.
Yucatan is a popular retreat location, as there are retreat centers from Isla Holbox and Isla Mujeres all the way down the coast through Tulum to Lake Bacalar.
Retreat centers are usually open to guests year-round, and you can visit any time of year, either for a long weekend or for a week or more. Some offer yoga teacher training. The more popular centers are located near airports with direct traffic from the U.S. Some are simple, others luxurious. Prices range from $50 to more than $200 a night.
Join a Yoga Tour
Yoga teachers and studios often host group vacations in Mexico. A teacher in your local area may promote one, or you can easily find one with a web search. Transportation, some meals, accommodations, and yoga classes are provided as part of the trip.
Depending on where you go, eight-day retreats with a group may cost anywhere from $800 to $2,000 or more, not including your flight.
The real advantage of taking part in a group Mexico yoga retreat is that all you need to do is reserve your space, get a flight, and pack. All the logistics are handled by someone else, quite possibly your favorite yoga teacher.
Design a Do-It-Yourself Yoga Retreat in Mexico
To design your own yoga retreat, all you really need is a place to sleep, a place to eat, and a place to practice. Many resorts, hotels, and bed and breakfasts have rooftops or gardens ideal for self-guided practice. Some may actually offer yoga classes for guests.
Like your own hometown, many Mexican cities and beach areas have yoga studios that cater to locals and visitors. You may even find donation-based classes in a community center, public park, or on the beach.
Designing your own Mexico yoga retreat is the least costly option that gives you the most flexibility, but it also requires the most planning. The good news is that lodging can be incredibly inexpensive -- you can sleep in a thatched-roof hut on the beach for $20 a night in some places. Meals in Mexico are also extremely affordable, though explaining vegetarianism can be difficult if you don't speak Spanish.
Whether you design your own trip, join a group, or visit a retreat center, your Mexico yoga retreat will be a time to remember, far away from the winter cold.
Before you plan a yoga vacation in Mexico, make sure you see David Morgan's Mexico yoga retreat site. There you will also find a list of Mexico retreat centers.
Sep/090
The Savvy Way To Compare Hotels
When you're planning your next trip for business or pleasure, do some research and compare hotels before you book. The world is in a hurry to get everything done and travel arrangements are typically made on the fly. Find a few minutes for yourself and do some comparison shopping. You'll be much happier when you know you will be staying in a quality establishment that saves you money!
Many components go into a solid hotel comparison. Forget about the big name hotel commercials you see on TV and hear on the radio. Their gimmicks may not be as sound as your own judgment. Big name hotels are great, but they're not always the winner. Be open to looking into smaller, lesser known hotels as well as the brand name establishments.
Your first consideration should be the location of the hotel. Proximity to the spot you'll be spending most of your time is very important. Typically, travelers want to stay as close to their destination as possible. It's easy to find distance from your hotel to the place you'll be visiting and compare.
You also want to consider the actual location of the hotel, not in comparison to your destination but related to safety. Is the hotel in a good part of town or is on the shadier side where you may not feel so safe? Is there decent lighting in the parking lot? Does the hotel have a security guard on duty at all hours?
Decide what you want and need out of your hotel experience. Will you just be crashing there in between trips to theme parks or will you be doing some work in your room, also? Find out what amenities are offered and don't be afraid to call and ask if you don't see what you're looking for on the list. Find out about swimming pools, exercise rooms and in room amenities, as well.
Regardless of where you're doing your research, make sure you get to find out what others have to say about the hotel. Hotels like to use big words and fancy names and star ratings to get business. They aren't always exactly forthright with details. They may say they're a 5 star hotel but when you get there, you're wondering where the 1. In front of that 5 is. Don't be left out in the cold. Visit other sites or blogs to get actual reports from other travelers.
While price isn't everything, you don't want to end up over paying or under staying. Big named chains offer discounts sometimes but they're really not doing you any favors. Rack rates should only be charged when the hotel is at capacity. If a price seems way too low, investigate further. It may be that the service or conditions are so poor; no one is staying at the hotel. You'll pay more for bigger names, just keep that in mind.
There are all kinds of ways to compare hotels online. Figure out what you're looking for and what you're willing to pay for it. Then, don't budge on either. Odds are you will find a great place at a great price. Sign up for the hotel's reward program, too. You can get great deals on future stays but only if you're a member!
Compare Hotels and find out all the best travel sites at one go. Get your travel tips for bargain accommodation, discount accommodation and the best accommodation deals at Search Your Hotel.
Sep/090
Arenal Costa Rica Luxury Hotel – Enjoy the Best!
Located at the heart of Arenal, the volcanic area of Costa Rica, the Hotel Arenal Kioro is one of the best choices in the Arenal Costa Rica area, if you are looking for a luxury hotel offering with state of art services, whether you are a leisure or a business traveler. So, why Kioro:
Once entering the hotel you will feel instantly the difference that makes this Arenal Costa Rica Luxury Hotel so special, standing out from all others in the same category. Set amidst an imposing natural setting, with an impressively spacious open lobby the Arenal Hotel gives you right away the impression of a luxurious resort hotel, where you can enjoy stunning springs as well as a wide variety of greenery.
You can take a pleasurable stroll around the place and the hot springs or pools, or simply unwind by the swimming pool or the garden bars and restaurants; everything at the Arenal Costa Rica Luxury Hotel is a really memorable experience.
All 52 guestrooms and suites of the hotel feature private balconies overlooking the mountain or the volcano and well appointed amenities; they are decorated in traditional but modern Costa Rican themes, with rich local materials and a quite refreshing style in furnishing and finishes.
The hotel houses numerous dining outlets, serving local American and a variety of international cuisines. Among the vast array of services offered in the Hotel Arenal Kioro , you can find several outdoor activity reservations, restaurants and spa information and reservation, Wi-Fi at the lobby, pool area, flight reservations, personalized check in and out, private parties and wedding arrangements. Arenal Kioro Hotel is a perfect place to get married or spend your honeymoon.
First class services, wonderful dining outlets where you can taste the renowned local cuisine and the legendary local hospitality are to be expected in Hotel Arenal Kioro It is the ideal choice all year long, since Costa Rican climate is mild and inviting all seasons.
The hotel in Arenal features spa facilities that offer, as expected, body and mind treatments following the healing approach of the volcanic landscape and the mountains and using natural and local products. Peace and equilibrium of both mind and body are the main themes here. If you are traveling with your better half, you can enjoy pampering and exclusive treatments for two, enhancing your romantic and loving atmosphere during your stay in this luxurious Arenal volcano hotel.
The experienced personnel of the Hotel Arenal Kioro will make your stay pleasant and memorable.
For more information about Arenal Kioro Hotel, feel free to check out their website by clicking on the following link: Arenal Costa Rica Luxury Hotel Kioro
Aug/090
Shoppers Are Amazed By Excellent Thangkas In Beijing
With a history of over 1,000 years, thangkas are one of the most well-known Tibetan art forms. The influence of Nepalese art is obvious in their early development, and later the ornate style of traditional Chinese paintings became very influential. Used by traveling monks and ordinary people as a tool for communicating with the gods, it is highly admired not only for its practical function but also its unique beauty and craftsmanship. Shoppers in Beijing have a unique opportunity to check out some exquisite thangkas the amazing shops in the city. So get on board with a Beijing China tour!
Much like a scroll painting, thangkas can be easily rolled up for storage and unrolled for display. Travelers and monks like to carry a thangka when they travel to other places because it is very lightweight. Home-dwelling Tibetans also like to use thangkas in their homes because they are beautiful and can be easily be put on a wall.
Serving as an object for worship and meditation, thangkas often have images that depict prominent figures of Buddism, like the Buddha, bodhisattvas, and other gods. These figures, along with the depictions of their life stories that usually appear in the background, are intended to educate, enlighten, or enhance the contemplative experience of the people who study them.
On a thangka, no detail is too small to ignore. Everything, like the color, the clothes, and the positions or postures of the people, contains bits of information that contribute to the profound symbolism of the overall image. For a Buddhist, the teachings of Buddhism can be learned by memorizing these details and imaging the image in their minds.
Thangkas are also used by traveling monks as an educational tool. Even nowadays, there are monks who carry thangkas to remote regions to teach the locals the stories of Buddhism. On important dates, Tibetan monks will bring out precious thangkas kept in their monasteries for public display and carry them in ceremonial processions.
Thangkas are either painted by hand or embroidered with high-quality threads. Some extremely valuable thangkas are made of precious pearls and gold. Making a thangka is not an easy task. Usually it takes five properly trained artists to finish one thangka. Paint made of natural minerals is commonly used, as it gives a touch of vividness to the picture. Painting a thangka requires a mastery over a variety of drawing skills and an in-depth understanding of Tibetan Buddhism. Subtle hints are incorporated into every detail on the image.
Thangkas are divided into two major types: "Bris-Tang" and "Go-Tang." The differences between these two are the materials used and the methods of manufacture.
"Bris-Tang": Thangkas that are painted are called "Bris-Tang." The five specific types belonging to this category are: Multi-Colored, Gold Background, Vermilion Background, Black Background, and Block Printing "Bris-Tang."
"Go-Tang": "Go-Tang" thangkas are thangkas that are embroidered or made of silk. There are also five specific types in this category: Embroidery, Applique, Glued Applique, Hand-Woven, and Block Printing "Go-Tang."
There is a strict rule concerning the use of colors on thangka. Different colors are used to denote different themes or different characters. Red is often the main color for thangkas depicting the life stories of the Buddha. Black is mostly used to depict gods whose main duty is subjugating evils. Blue is employed when the emphasis is on joyous events. Green is used to represent activity. And white symbolizes peace and compassion.
When in Beijing, check out the beautiful, authentic thangkas in many of the city's shops. For shoppers unfamiliar with the local business, it's best to find a Beijing tour guide to help with the shopping.