After my first night in Nadi I caught a bus and then a boat to one of the outlying islands, where I was to spend four days doing essentially nothing.  I brought a couple of books and my pack-able hammock, but when I made it to the island I found that the hammocks were already set up for me.  The island was small, but gorgeous.  It only housed two resorts, which were essentially right next to each other, and it took three or four hours to walk all the way around the island.  Fresh water was somewhat scarce, and rain water collectors made up for the majority of it.  The whole island ran on a large generator, so the lights went off at 10pm and didn’t turn on again until morning. 

I had heard about Fiji’s great diving, but since I was there for such a short period of time and didn’t have a dive license, I opted to snorkel instead.  On my second day on the island I hired a snorkel and a set of fins and set off to explore the coral reef right in front of our resort.

When I plunged into the warm water I felt like I was in a different world.  My doctor used to have this big elaborate fish tank filled with fish of all different colors, large and small.  Gliding over the coral reef made me feel like I was in a life-sized mock-up of the same tank.  Big fish patrolled the shelf of the coral reef while little neon-colored ones flitted in and out of the coral heads.  Sea cucumbers loafed about the bottom, while parrot fish nibbled and ground at the coral.  I snorkeled all day, checking out the coral reef all around the island.  By the end of the day I had a terribly sunburned back and salty hair, but I knew that I was going back in the water the next morning.

Technorati Tags: Coral Reef, fiji, great diving, snorkel

We flew in from Tokyo and got into Kowloon, which is just across the water from the central part of the city. When you visit Hong Kong, you need to walk the narrow streets and give yourself time to acclimatize. Several buildings were covered in scaffolding. This is noteworthy because they use bamboo scaffolding in this part of the world. It looks somewhat fragile but it seems to do the job. We found a small, cheap hotel to stay in run by a man with the unlikely name of Charlie Chan. Next morning, we woke fresh and eager to explore but first we needed breakfast. If you visit Hong Kong, anything is possible and we found a welcoming Irish bar that served a full English fry up.

We then took in some of the sights and smells, the very English looking buses, the food stalls full of seafood and vegetables we didn’t know the name of, and the advertising hoardings and giant video screens. We had to go to the Foreign Affairs Office to apply for our visas to allow us into China for the next stage of our trip. Thankfully, this was done speedily and efficiently. The next stop was to visit friends who live at the top of a gated complex up in the hills. They used to visit Hong Kong and then decided to stay.  The view from their balcony is amazing. That evening, we all went bar hopping, enjoyed some live music, and met some other residents. To visit Hong Kong is to have a cosmopolitan experience, as lots of British, American, and Australian people live and work there.

Next day, we went into the New Territories and the Monastery of Ten Thousand Buddhas. This is one of the places when you visit Hong Kong where you can take a breather from the city and enjoy some tranquility. The Monastery is high up in the hills near the town of Sha Tin, and you have to climb up four hundred steps to get to it. Life-size Buddha statues line the way. It’s worth the climb, when you see the giant pagoda at the top and the temple. The interior of the temple is truly breathtaking with small statues of Buddhas lining the walls numbering not 10,000 but actually 13,000.

After this, we went back to Kowloon and looked round a very exclusive shop selling items made from mammoth ivory. No one should visit Hong Kong without spending time on the Waterfront, so we went down after dark and marveled at the skyscrapers. These buildings contain some of the most expensive office spaces in the world. Our last night in our visit to Hong Kong was spent looking at the twinkling lights from the boats in the harbor, reflected in the water. Next morning, we flew to Beijing but that’s another story!

Technorati Tags: Visit Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong, Ten Thousand Buddhas

If you know you are going to fly across the country to get home for a holiday, look into holiday flights as early as you can. It is recommended that you book in spring or summer if at all possible. If you don’t book your holiday flights early, you may find that there are none available.

You can save money on holiday flights by agreeing to split your flight into stopovers or layovers. When you agree to this, you should know that it will take you longer to get home and back, but you will have a better chance of securing holiday flights at a cheaper price. Look online, talk to a travel agent, and call the airlines directly. Tell them your destination, date of arrival and departure, and how many seats you need. Ask them to find the best deal they can for your holiday flights.

Don’t forget to search through every online travel site for the best deal. Take some time to find the best deal by not buying the first fare you see. Holiday flights are hard to get at a good price, but it is possible. Always remember to read the fine print. Many discount sites offer great deals, but if something happens and you can’t go, these particular holiday flights will be non refundable.

You can also save on holiday flights by keeping your flight dates open. If you are willing to take off a day early or later than you planned, it may be possible to find cheaper holiday flights. Flexibility is always the key to saving money when it comes to airfare.

Remember that holiday flights are often over booked, so confirm your flight with the airline twenty-four hours in advance, and arrive early for your flight, and check-in immediately. If someone needs to be bumped from an overbooked flight, they will look to see who has yet to arrive and check-in. You don’t want this to be you.

The airport will be busy and stressful around holiday flights, so bring your patience with you when you arrive. Give yourself enough time to get through the airport, get through security, and arrive at your gate as early as possible. If you have children, you may be asked to board the plane first.

Search around, remain flexible, and you will take the financial sting and stress out of holiday flights. The important thing is that you get home, even if it takes you a little longer and you have to take a detour.

Technorati Tags: Holiday Flights, flights, air ticket, air tickets, cheap, budget, low cost, holiday, travel

Weekend trips can do wonders for a marriage and for family life. It is a chance to connect with your loved ones while away from home and the everyday stresses that go along with being at home. I don’t think it matters where your weekend trips take you, as long as you are all together. Whether it happens to be an outing to the mountains or the beach, it is quality time that you are spending together. Several times a year, if the finances allow, my husband and I look into some more remote weekend trips. Perhaps we’ll look at a weekend cruise or whirlwind trip to another city. Last year, we decided to leave on a Thursday night and spend the 3 day weekend in Hollywood. Why? Simply because it sounded like fun and was spontaneous.

Could we afford it? Yes, but only because it was one of those last minute weekend trips that airlines and hotels offer excellent discounts on. We certainly aren’t a family that is made of money but more often than not we find weekend trips that we can afford simply because they are great bargains. That doesn’t mean that everyone should wait until the last moment to plan a weekend escape. However, sometimes weekend trips can turn out to be a real bargain if you do decide until the last moment to travel.

Some of the best weekend trips and getaways can be to someplace in your own city. Pick a fancy bed and breakfast you’ve always admired and spend one or two nights there. Camp out at a local campground if you love the outdoors. You don’t have to travel very far from home to enjoy being with your friends or family. There are times when you want to be out of your house but just don’t want to travel very far. With the gas prices nowadays, local weekend trips make the most sense. Every once in a while, you just may discover something that you’ve never noticed before. It’s even better if you discover that with your loved ones.

Technorati Tags: Weekend Trips, Weekend, Trip, family, getaway

I’m referring to discounted travel. Have you heard of it? Of course you have. In this magnificent age of knowledge and technology, I would think it’s rather difficult to stay in the dark. After all, we punch away on our laptops everyday. With that wonderful high-speed connection to net-land, we can go and learn anything we choose.

Want to know what I love about discounted travel? That would be the discounts. I know what you’re thinking; that was a no-brainer. However, it still seems that so many people have trouble finding the best deals around. Just the other day I listened to my wife’s co-worker gripe about his expensive trip to Disney World. What is the deal here? Did the guy even do his research on discounted travel first? My guess is no. Now I realize that he has a wife and two children, and that a week long trip to the magical kingdom can stick you with one gargantuan, and not so magical bill.

However, if you just hop on the World-Wide-Web, you can get a number of options going with discounted travel sites. That is the key here. You see, with cyberspace comes an entire slew of contemporary options. There are literally hundreds or even thousands of websites out there vying for your attention. Yeah, that’s right. They all want your business. You know what this means. They better have the absolute best discounted travel options and deals available; because you’re going to go with the lowest rates. Heck, that’s what we all do. All you have to do is pop open your Google.com search engine and start browsing. Punch in the keywords “discounted travel,” or you can even punch in your preferred destination. Soon you will be sorting through deals and specials galore. That choice discounted travel plan is out there if you do your research first. Make that summer vacation, a relaxing one by not breaking the bank.

Technorati Tags: Discounted Travel, budget, cheap, discount, discounted travel sites, discounted travel deals

There are many activities to do while on a Caribbean cruise. A cruise ship is much like a floating city. With entertainment, sports, shopping, dining, casinos all onboard. Many Caribbean cruises offer entertainment from Broadway style shows to the latest comedy acts to many styles of music. Some cruises are even themed for certain crowds. There are family cruises, singles cruises, and even religious cruises.

If you aren’t taking in a show, you can enjoy fine dining, bars and lounges while on this floating city.  After you have indulged, you can exercise in gyms and go swimming in a pool. Some Caribbean cruise lines offer rock climbing walls, golf and other specialty sports.

On board the ship, you may find shops, casinos, spas and more. The ways to pamper yourself may seem endless while you are on a Caribbean cruise. Most popular cruise lines offer programs for the children as well so that the whole family can enjoy the vacation.

A cruise is not just a floating adventure. The cruise ship will stop at various ports of call. While on shore, you will have the opportunity to explore some very exotic destinations. Your Caribbean cruise may stop in Jamaica, Mexico, the Bahamas, Puerto Rico, Barbados, Belize, Aruba and more. Perhaps you will try scuba diving, or para-sailing. Maybe you will travel to the markets and shop for local crafts and try some of the local foods. Perhaps you will travel off the beaten trail and go sightseeing. Most Caribbean cruise lines will offer you many choices to suit you own tastes and sense of adventure.

The cost for a Caribbean cruise will vary. Many times there are special offers available. Cruises are available for short durations (a three or four day weekend) to longer vacations – even up to 14 nights. There are also many room options available which will also affect the cost of your Caribbean cruise. Some rooms will give you a view of the ocean, while other rooms are in the interior of the cruise ship. Just as in first class hotels, cruise ships also offer special suites as well as more traditional rooms.

A Caribbean cruise may be just the vacation you have been looking for. It will certainly be a vacation that you will not soon forget. I never forget the Caribbean cruise we went on for our honeymoon. It was most memorable.

Technorati Tags: Caribbean Cruise, family, cruise, cruise, Caribbean

Research vacations on the internet and tons of sites jump out at you. Everyone wants you to check out their vacation deals. Travel sites are my personal favorite, as they compete for your business. I’ve booked a few flights and hotels through various sites but am still a big fan of using a travel agent. Call me old-fashioned, but I suppose if something gets messed up, I have someone else to blame. Many hotels offer discounted rates on their direct sites or all-inclusive vacation deals if you book directly. I encourage people to take advantage of those. As long as you get an exact itinerary and exact rates, you aren’t left guessing and possibly being misled. Always make sure you look into what those amazing vacation deals are offering. You may end up spending more on taxes and meals than what you were budgeting for.

For those people who enjoy doing their own research and planning their own trips, there are so many vacation deals to be found, but proceed with caution. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not against travel websites, I’m actually a huge fan of them. I frequently check months ahead of time just to have a general idea of how much my vacation just may end up costing. My travel agent is a huge help to me. She knows what types of vacation deals I seek and goes out of her way to make sure I get exactly what I want. When using an agent, there are no surprises. If I consistently used the internet to book all of my travels, I may find a few things that I had not planned for. A spontaneous person will have no problem with that occurrence.

I however, am the type of person who likes to know exactly what I’m getting for my money. Those advertised vacation deals are easy to fall for and a pleasure to take advantage of, so long as I get exactly what I’m hoping for. Next winter, my husband and I are planning a wonderful Caribbean getaway. I’ve already done plenty of research on all-inclusive vacation deals that are all over the internet. There are some very appealing packages. I’m torn between using my travel agent once again, or allowing myself to be lured into a romantic and adventure filled vacation deal. Who knows, maybe the spontaneous vacation deal purchase could be the best decision of my life. 

Technorati Tags: Vacation Deals, Vacation Deal, advertised, advantages, Research vacations, cheap vacation deal, cheap vacation deals

Did you know there are mountain cabins for rent in the Smokey’s? How ideal would it be to drop everything and load up the family for a trip down into the Carolina Mountains? I can honestly tell you from experience that they’re amazing. As you cruise up those curvaceous county roads, you’ll not only notice a decrease in chaos, but you’ll also notice an increase in clean air. There’s plain and simply nothing like fresh mountain air.

You will notice what I’m raving about the first time you soak it up and take it in. It’s much healthier for the lungs and body. Fortunately this is one of the places we have left to retreat, away from the smog. I am jealous of my brother who actually had an old-school cabin built on his own land. Of course he had a slight advantage since his mother-in-law owns thousands of acres. When the land comes for free, the building costs no longer seem so bad. Now days he enjoys his personal home away from home whenever he likes. Be it winter or summer, the hand crafted cabin is a blast.

However, for those of us who cannot afford building our very own cabin, there are mountain cabins for rent. Therefore we might as well take advantage of all they have to offer. It’s fairly simple to get online and see what it is I’m taking about. You can choose from a variety of mountain cabins for rent, all differing in price range. If you do find one you like, I recommend booking it as soon as possible. This will ensure that you do get the country dwelling of your dreams. Jump into cyberspace and check it out. Sometimes it’s fun and exciting to just get away from it all.

Technorati Tags: Mountain Cabins for Rent, Mountain Cabins, Mountain Cabin, Mountain Cabin for Rent, rent, hand crafted cabin, smokey, carolina mountains

Most airlines will offer discounts to people who purchase their tickets at least fourteen days in advance. Anyone who does a significant amount of traveling knows this. However, what many people don’t realize is that you can find an even better deal within days of your departure. This is one of the reasons that a late holiday deal may be worth considering.

You can also find some great last minute price breaks with hotels as well. Many hotels will accept a reduced rate for a room if they realize that it’s going to sit empty. Although you may not get the chance to stay in your first choice of hotel, you may be able to find an even nicer hotel for less money.

There are several ways to find these types of last minute travel deals. The first is through the Internet. Many of the discount travel sites will have a late holiday deal to the destination of your choice. You simply fill in the details on the dates and destination and the search engine will scan all available deals. It may even ask if your travel dates are flexible as a late holiday deal may be available that leaves either the day before or the day after your original scheduled date.

If you are unsure of where you want to spend your vacation you can search all of the available destinations that fall within your budget. This can be a wonderful way to visit somewhere that you’ve always wanted to but never imagined you could afford. If you’re lucky there may even be a late holiday deal to Cuba or Hawaii.

What about a cruise? Imagine escaping the winter cold for the sun and fun aboard a luxury cruise liner. Most of the major cruise lines over a late holiday deal to those individuals who want to take a cruise during late December and early January. This is an ideal time to getaway and with the savings you’ll enjoy with a late holiday deal on a cruise you can treat yourself to an extra holiday gift.

Technorati Tags: Late Holiday Deal, Late Holiday, Holiday Deal, airlines, discount, hotel, price breaks, available holiday deal

Location is prime for Vacation Village at Bonaventure, which is situated in the South Florida Bonaventure Spa, Tennis, and Gold community—twenty-five miles from Fort Lauderdale…and the ocean, for boating, fishing, water-skiing, wind surfing, and scuba diving.  Closer are medical facilities and entertainment sites, within two miles; and even closer are shopping centers/malls, a grocery store, and other shops—within a mile of the community.

Immediately in the vicinity—on the premises of Vacation Village at Bonaventure—are numerous facilities and amenities, from handicap accessibility, outdoor pool, beautiful man-made lake, a golf course, tennis courts, and car rental services to indoor conference rooms and facilities, laundry facilities, a hairdresser salon and a spa, racquetball courts, and a restaurant.

The costs to stay at Vacation Village at Bonaventure range from $390 a week for a one-bedroom studio to $1,800 a week for a two-bedroom/two-bath suite.  The reviews are reflective of the relative prices and vacation fun, comfort, and relaxation levels such prices afford—earning Vacation Village at Bonaventure an overall rating of four out of five stars.  For example, one super-satisfied visitor, giving Vacation Village at Bonaventure five stars, praises the service as “nothing but excellent;” the room they stayed in, overlooking the spacious pool and waterfall as “magnificent;” the poolside as undercrowded and a great place to relax, read, and enjoy complimentary coffee; and suggesting the best sporting facilities as the tennis and racquetball, with the ideal travel arrangements made either for “the definite plus” of car renting or using the free shuttle, which, the reviewer reports, “will run you anywhere around Weston for free.”

Another satisfied client at Vacation Village at Bonaventure gave it four stars and describes how their stay in the “smaller ‘B’ room” was “perfect” for the two of them, and explaining that had they brought their three kids would have been upgraded to the ‘A’ rooms.  This reviewer’s emphasis was on the rooms, which she/he found were clean and fully stocked; and his/her discussion further reveals a warning to others…that Vacation Village at Bonaventure is NOT a typical hotel with maid service/room service, etc., but is rather a do-it-yourself vacation site that may or may not have the room service—for extra charges.  Like others who give pleasing reports, this reviewer closes with the recommendation to others for making long-term visits and needing a good long-term stay facility.

Technorati Tags: Vacation Village at Bonaventure, Vacation Village, Bonaventure