Travel World Network

It’s hard to believe that a short 30-mile bus ride from the Spring-break haven of Cancun is one of the top-ranked hotels in Central America and an exotic, unrivaled tropical paradise. While it sounds like typical romance copy, we’re not just giving lip service …the Mayan Riviera is not your standard Mexican vacation destination nor is Maroma Resort a regular lodging establishment, having recently received the Conde Nast Travel Magazine Reader’s Choice Award as the #3 hotel in all of Central America. The local culture and natural resources are just some of the attractions that separate Riviera Maya from other popular destinations in Central America. For starters, the second largest barrier reef in the world is located here, providing unsurpassed water activities like snorkeling, wind-surfing, kayaking, sailing, diving, bottom fishing, deep sea and fly fishing. The unspoiled beach offers guests the utmost in privacy and unparalleled natural beauty.

Maroma Resort is a showcase for unique arts and crafts produced in each region of Mexico, including statues, hand-painted bathroom tiles, hand-loomed natural cotton bedspreads, and decorative pillows and throws and soft wool rugs. The rooms and public areas feature original art by Mexican and International artists and each room also has its own special objects. Maroma has 58 rooms and suites situated among lush gardens, cooled and shaded by coconut palms on one side, open to the warmth of the sun and sea on the other.

Relax in a king-sized bed, luxury bath with sunken tub, sparkling pool, or beachfront Jacuzzi-you decide what to do indulge in first. Afterward, let any remaining troubles melt away in the spa, where you can choose between massage, reflexology, Reiki, craniofacial, facials, whole-body treatments, mud, aromas, Ajurveda, yoga, meditation, rebirthing, crystal therapy, and the ancient art of the temazcal-the purifying and healing ritual of the Mayan steam bath.

While you’ll feel a world away from unnatural office lighting, congested freeways and the demands of everyday life, you have the choice of staying connected to the modern world. Maroma?s multi-media theater features a state-of-the-art sound and projection system with over 380 movies to choose from.

Deserts are arid regions, generally receiving less than ten inches of precipitation a year, or regions where the potential evaporation rate is twice as great as the precipitation.

The world’s deserts are divided into four categories. Subtropical deserts which are the hottest, with parched terrain and rapid evaporation. Although cool coastal deserts are located within the same latitudes as subtropical deserts, the average temperature is much cooler because of frigid offshore ocean currents. Cold winter deserts are marked by stark temperature differences from season to season, ranging from 100 F (38 C) in the summer to 10 F (12 C) in the winter. Polar Regions are also considered to be deserts because nearly all moisture in these areas is locked up in the form of ice.

ATACAMA DESERT: North of Chile

The Atacama Desert, in the north of Chile, is the driest place on earth. It stretches from the highlands of the Andean Altiplano over the golden sands of the Atacama Desert as far as the shores of the Pacific Ocean. This is the place for those in search of adventure with its breathtaking salt flats, geysers and Andean volcanos,

The desert is so dramatic that, at first sight, it appears never to have sustained any life. However, pink flamingoes together with Alpacas, Llamas, Vicunas and many other species of fauna and flora can be found living in perfect harmony in the many oases and lakes located in the area.

Travelling north, view the Atacama Salar, with its 300.000 hectares of territory, the oasis-town of San Pedro de Atacama, which is the tourist capital of the Chilean north, due to its natural wonders. The Moon Valley, with its geological rocks formations, the geysers of Tatio, altiplanic valleys and lakes (at 4.000 meters of altitude), canyons and the historic towns like Toconao that has all the houses constructed out of the local linarite stone. On the way is the breathtaking Atacama Salt Lake, which is over 1,000 kilometers long.

Besides, there is an argueological museum that was built by a Belgian priest, who gathered numerous arqueological vestiges, such as pottery and mummies, which are witnesses of the history in this region.These are museums which record mans presence over the last 10,000 years besides this there is sea and long sandy beaches, relaxation and entertainment in casinos, restaurants and hotels, and above all the friendly hospitality of the Chilean people.

Weather:
It gets cold once the sun goes down and during the day it can be extremely very hot.

Climate:
The climate is magnificent throughout the year. During winter (June, July and August) the average daytime temperature varies between 9C (48F) and 24C (75F); days are very pleasant, inviting you to lay in the suns corridors. In summer (January, February and March) the average daytime temperature fluctuates between 13C (55F) and 25C (77F), reaching maximums of 32C (90F): a warmer climate inviting you to a good “siesta” before the evening explorations begin. Between January and March, the so called Altiplanic Winter comes with occasional showers.

Few places around the world lend a friendlier hand than Dublin. The Emerald Isle offers wonderful hospitality, complemented by its warm and friendly hosts. A cosmopolitan city, Dublin is rightly proud of its rich heritage, but also presents a modern face in keeping with contemporary culture.

1. Trinity College

Housing the Book of Kells, a near two century old manuscript written by monks, Trinity College is Dublins oldest university, built in 1592.

2. Christ Church Cathedral

Dublins oldest building dates back nearly one thousand years to 1038. It was built courtesy of the invading Vikings, a monument to serve a powerful army.

3. Dublin Castle

Dating back to the Norman invasion, this wonderful example of medieval architecture captures the artistic influence of the time. Magnificent painted ceilings and crystal chandeliers portray the Ireland of one thousand years ago.

4. National Gallery of Ireland

Monet and Picasso are just two of the influential artists on display in the citys largest gallery. Some 2,500 paintings give a flavour of a historic past and present.

5. Guinness Storehouse

Irelands most famous export was once brewed in this famous old building. Since relocated, the Guinness Storehouse now delights in telling its visitors how one of the worlds favourite beverages came to be.

6. Temple Bar

Contrasting Dublins historic ancestry, Temple Bar brings the city right up to modern day with its cosmopolitan mix of bars, restaurants, shops and art galleries.

7. Smithfield Village

More eating, drinking and shopping can be found at Smithfield Village, a newly renovated development. A walk to the top of the Chimney presents magnificent, panoramic views of Dublin.

8. Grafton Street

Big name department stores trade alongside local craft shops in the busiest shopping area of Dublin. Traditional Irish gifts and souvenirs can be found more easily in the adjacent Nassau Street.

9. Pint of Guinness

No visit to Ireland would be complete without a tipple of the world famous Irish Guinness. Locals say it tastes better in its home city. Well, theres only one way to find out!

10. Irish Grand National

You can smell the money amongst the punters present at one of the great sporting events of the calendar. Join the runners and riders during the month of April to witness the Irish Grand National.

Introduction:

Edinburgh is one of the most famous cities in the world. It is the fastest growing place on the planet and there are a lot of reasons as to why this festival city is one of the most sought-after places for tourists to visit. The city is abuzz with activities the whole year round, be it the fireworks and stranger-hugging frenzy of the world famous New Year Hogmanay street party or the spell of arts shows that appear with delightful pomp during the Edinburgh Festival in August.

This bohemian city is also home to one of Europes most dynamic and successful financial centres. For the last decade or so, Edinburgh has achieved with resounding success the status as one of the leading centres in the world for finance, education and business. It is second only to London as the most important financial centre in Britain. Edinburgh has four universities. The oldest, the University of Edinburgh, was established in 1583. The city of Edinburgh epitomises a land that appreciates culture, history, heritage, beauty and, of course, life. Tourists love to flock to the city in the summer for the period between July and September. They would simply refuse to leave Edinburgh during the world famous Edinburgh International Festival, when the city is showered with exciting cultural activity.

Places of interest:

Edinburgh castle: Every tourist worth his or her salt would essentially visit the famous Edinburgh castle, which is easily the most famous tourist attraction in the city. It was built on the core of an extinct volcano. Edinburgh Castle presently houses the Stone of Destiny, Mons Meg (massive 15th-century cannon) Scottish Crown Jewels, and the army headquarters of the Scottish Division. The view from the fortification provides a marvellous view of the city.

National Gallery of Scotland This world famous gallery houses the best art work, paintings and sculpture dating from the Renaissance to the 19th century. The works include craftsmanship of legends like Van Dyck, Tiepolo, Pisarro, Monet, Czanne, Botticelli and Titian. You can also visit the Scottish National Portrait Gallery, located nearby.

Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art: This gallery was inaugurated in 1960 and then relocated to a new location which is presently called the William Burn building, west of the city centre, in 1984. The gallery has paintings by 20th century masters like Lucien Freud and Adrian Wiszniewski. Also worth visiting is the Dean Gallery which has a large collection of works by sculptor Eduardo Palazzo and Picasso.

Our Dynamic Earth: This is one exciting venture for the tourists as well as the natives alike. You can travel back in time with the help of special effects and state of the art technology and see how the earth evolved, and you could witness volcanic eruptions, tropical rainforest etc. A visit to the Dynamic Earth would last for 90 minutes.

Things to do:

Public Transport: There is a transport system called Traveline which provides information on all bus, coach and train routes within the city. People largely use the bus services in the city. The bus service flows fairly freely 0600-2400, after which the night bus service comes into operation.

The taxis are black hackney cabs and are a convenient mode of transport after the buses. Rates are expensive at about 1.80 per kilometre (2.30 per mile). A tip of 10% is also usual given to the cabbie. The city wears a congested look during the peak hours, so the visitors are advised to walk, cycle or utilize the public transport.

Eating: The restaurants could be divided into five types: Gastronomic, Business, Trendy, Budget and Personal Recommendations. The restaurants are listed alphabetically within these different categories, which serve as guidelines for the tourist or the visitor of the restaurant to know the kind of food and prices he would be offered. The Restaurant prices generally comprise of VAT, which is presently 17.5%, although, they, do not include a tip or service charge.

Shopping: Edinburgh has the best that has to be with relation to shopping department stores, friendly little boutiques, the traditional, the upmarket, the nostalgic and the unexpected. The main shopping area in Edinburgh is Princes Street, an architectural wonder of chain stores, department stores and shopping establishments. Filled with hustle-bustle of activity a certain section of people would prefer the calmer George Street which though expensive, caters to an exclusive crowd.

Nightlife: Nightlife is abuzz in various areas of the city George Street in the New Town, the High Street area of the Old Town, the university sector and the Grassmarket are some of the popular haunts. Broughton Street is filled with a mixed clientele, while the seaside quarter of Leith is a favourite with the youthful crowd.

Events: There is no need to mention about Edinburgh being the heart of Scottish culture, during the annual Edinburgh International Festival. Come August, and the world has its eyes directed towards the city. The DanceBase and the Royal Lyceum Theatre Company is famous for plays, dances and other theatrical events.

Food & Drink:

The Atrium: This is famous for sophisticated and tastiest of Scottish cuisine with a French flavour. The honey roasted quail with stronoway black pudding is quite a favourite here.

Le Caf St.Honore: you get the tastiest traditional French food here. The aprs-cinq fixed menu, served between 1700 and 1845, is of good value with dishes which include venison wild berries and mushrooms.

The Witchery by the Castle: Situated in a medieval building next to the castle, you can relieve the opulence of dining in a castle with an awesome ambience with luxurious patterns and fanlight windows to name a few. You can feed among the Aberdeen Angus beef and tempting sea-food among the other culinary delights.

Britannia Spice: This has an Asian flavour to its dishes. Situated in Leith, this restaurant has the best Indian and Sri-lankan delicacies like roast aubergine masala and mach torkari.

Stac Polly: This serves modern Scottish food which has a distinct aroma of home made delicacy.

Hotels & Accommodation:

The hotels and accommodation prices usually comprise of VAT which is currently 17.5 of the regular prices. There could be some exceptions where VAT may be quoted separately. Most of the accommodations are quite hospitable for the tourists with roomy, spacious and bright interiors which could give the overview of the city.

Here are a selection of hotels in Edinburgh:

Linton Court
The George Hotel
Christopher North House Hotel
Ramada Mount Royal
Herald House Hotel
Royal Ettrick Hotel
Best Western Bruntsfield Hotel
Mardale Guest House
Cruachan Guest House
Averon
Hawthorne House
Channings
Corstorphine Lodge Hotel
Glenora Hotel
Greens Hotel
Murrayfield Hotel & Lodge
Eglinton Hotel
Dunstane House Hotel
Ellersly House Hotel
Boreland Lodge Hotel
The Learmonth Hotel
Carlton Hotel
Best Western Braid Hills Hotel
Harvest Guest House
The Parliament House Hotel
Holyrood ApartHotel
Best Western Edinburgh Capital Hotel
The Corstorphine House
Macdonald Holyrood Hotel
The Osbourne Hotel
Royal Scots Club
Old Waverley Hotel
Royal British Hotel
Lyncliff Hotel
Bank Hotel
Royal Terrace Hotel
The Broughton Hotel
The Knight Residence
Royal Garden Apartments
Ben Craig House
Gifford House
Kingsway Guest House
The Ben Doran
Southside Guest House
Macdonald Houstoun House
Frederick House Hotel
Links Hotel & Bar
Tailors Hall Hotel
Express by Holiday Inn Edinburgh Waterfront
Menzies Belford Hotel
Cairn Hotel
Hanover Hotel
Merith House Hotel
The Macdonald Roxburghe Hotel
Malmaison Edinburgh
The Scotsman Hotel
International Guest House
Best Western Edinburgh City Hotel
Orwell Lodge Hotel
Thistle Edinburgh
The Glasshouse, Edinburgh’s Boutique Hotel
The Chester Residence
Novotel Edinburgh Centre
Thrums Hotel
Maple Leaf Guest House
Royal Mile Residence
Express by Holiday Inn Edinburgh City Centre
Walton Hotel
Apex City Hotel
Apex European Hotel
Apex International Hotel
Point Hotel
Tron Apartments-Royal Mile
Maple Leaf Apartments
Northumberland Hotel
Park View House Hotel
St Andrews House
Number Ten
Castle Apartments
Grassmarket Hotel
Dreamhouse Seviced Apartments, Edinburgh
Haymarket Hotel
Scottish Apartments

Entertainment:

The Film House, the Cameo Cinema and the Odeon are some of the best movie houses in the city. Edinburgh itself as a place is quite picturesque for movie shoots. Also, the International Edinburgh which takes place for three weeks towards the end of summer is also quite famous and has tremendous entertainment value.

No matter how busy Edinburgh gets, there are still a peaceful retreats to be found such as the green oasis of parkland with its own botanical garden. There is truly something of interest for every tourist here. Without doubt, the city of Edinburgh is truly a site to behold for the visitor.

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Many changes took place across the face of earth, since the globalization began to propel the world by the late 1980s. The emerging new world order had many fast growing economies and several new regional powers to be content with. New players in the world tourism were on rise too. While Greece had always been a preferred choice for holiday making, suddenly new players began to fill up this spot as well. Egypt and Turkey in particular had their tourism infrastructure upgraded and were now drawing away a substantial amount of the Greek bound tourism inflow. A majority of these drop outs hailed from the UK and Germany, two of Greece’s most influential neighbors. The two aforementioned countries were dragging them away by offering leisure and fun at slashed rates. A less occupancy rate in the rooms across Crete hotels told about this unfolding saga.

However, the same trend also saw new markets emerging from the erstwhile communist states like Russia, Lithuania and Slovenia. The fall of Soviet era and the emergence of a new middle class after the initial lull had seen them sending travelers across the world. The Cypriots were also not behind and were more than willing to travel to Greece during the same period. It should be noted down that the contribution of the Cretan tourism to the nation’s GDP is substantial, and it employs tens of thousands of Greeks throughout the year. Crete hotels, touring agencies, banking, maritime, airline operations and the ground support for all touring parties make up these jobs.

Figures for the period between 2002 and 2007 showed a 20% hike in the number of arrivals from Russia, an earlier non-entity in the annals of Greek tourism. The same stood at 64% for the Cypriots and 55% for the Slovenians, once again a pleasant surprise, keeping in mind their meager past contributions. However, the largest shot came from the Lithuanians, with an increase of 74%. According to the data available from the Crete hotels, the number of the UK and German arrivals, two of the largest Greek bound travelers, have slid down during the same period, but the East Europeans have balanced this slide – to some extent if not fully – by upping their interest for Greece.

It is widely known by now, that tour operators play a key role in diverting the flow of worldwide tourism. So for example, if they saw more profits, they might get some of the Greek bound flights canceled; sell cheaper holiday packages to Egypt and Turkey to see packed up flights and hotels there. Even the Middle Eastern hotels would play a key role in charting out these events, since their tour packages, though comparable to those found in Greece, would be maneuvered to favor them. A German tourist may have to pay up to 500 Euros in Crete hotels, compared to 300-400 Euros for an all-inclusive week long stay in the four star Egyptian hotels.

The role of foreign tour operators is now being debated in Greece at length and some measures may be taken to reduce their future impact. In the meanwhile though, the Cretan tourism and the Crete hotels in particular can continue basking in the background of the help extended by their East European friends.

Mexico… The place to party. It’s the perfect destination to relax on the beach, barter with locals, drink tequila, and get a tan. For the most part, Mexico is considered a fairly safe place to visit if you will be in the safety of an all inclusive resort. This was the attitude of Pamela Woods, just 3 months ago, on her trip to Mexico which was drastically different than she expected.

I dont want to be costing the resort all kinds of money and give them a bad reputation, so I will keep the name of the resort confidential. But what I will tell you is the story of Pamela Woods.

Pam is a family girl, as she is married to a nice doctor, and has 2 wonderful daughters. Her life went in a spin 3 months ago, during her visit to an all inclusive resort in mexico. One of her daughers, and her husband, drove down from canada, to meet the other daughter and herself at the resort. All was well when the family was together again, but the second evening of mexico wasn’t so spectacular.

Pamela Woods, mother of 2, was beaten and raped on the shores of the resort, by a local mexican around 7:30pm. She left her sandals at the beach that afternoon, and remembered to go and get them after dinner. When she didn’t come back to the room, the kids and husband began to panic.

The threesome set out in search for her, and found her lying on the beach, bloody, bruised, and naked. This was a devistating trip for the Woods family.

This story is not supposed to be a scary or disgusting, it is intended to inform you tourists of the threats that are there, even in a 5 star resort. I’m not saying “Stay away from mexico”, because it can be a fun time just take into consideration that the worst CAN happen, and it did to Pam Woods. Travel together, and never go out alone.

A timeless spectacle, Bruges is a charming city full of medieval flavour. Its architectural treasures lure the eye, revealing a city of rich history. Serene canals and tight cobbled streets seize your imagination, enticing you to explore more and more.

1. Markt Square
Watch the world go by in one of the Markt Squares multitude of cafes and restaurants. A vibrant open area, relax with a coffee as the rat race scuttles around you.

2. Basilica of the Holy Blood
Upon homecoming from the Crusades, the count of Flanders returned with what was believed to be the blood of Christ. Unopened to this day, the relic remains in this 12th century chapel.

3. Groeningen Museum
Bruges is blessed with many fine art museums, in particular the Groeningen, with Belgian and Dutch paintings including the works of Jan Van Eyck and Hieronymous Bosch.

4. Church of Our Lady
Believed to be the only sculpture to have left Italy in his lifetime, Michelangelos Madonna is a beautiful marble figure brought to Bruges in 1506 and housed ever since in the Church of Our Lady.

5. Memling Museum
Originally built as a medieval hospital, the Memling Museum offers a fascinating insight into Bruges ancient history. Today, the museum is part of the St Johns Hospital complex.

6. Zand Feasts
July, August and September are host to these ever popular flea markets. Crowds flock to inspect the arts, crafts and souvenirs on offer at the lively bazaars.

7. The Belfry
One of the great landmarks of the city, the 83 meter high Belfry tower dominates the main city square. Dating back to 1240, the original tower was destroyed by fire and subsequently rebuilt. Climb the 366 steps for a magnificent view of the city.

8. The Canals
Sometimes referred to as The Venice of the North, Bruges is a myriad of canal networks. Originally an important trade route, nowadays the canals are used solely for tourism and are a great way of seeing the town from a different perspective.

9. The Minnewater
Known locally as The Lake of Love, this enchanting lake stands at the entrance to the city. Elegant swans adorn the lake which affords commanding panoramic views across the city. During the summer, pop concerts play in the adjacent park, luring the crowds from near and afar.

10. The Beguinage
If the busy and overcrowded city centre streets become too much, tranquillity can be yours in the garden of the Beguinage, a monastery for the Benedictine sisters who still live there today.

Dubai’s skyline has grown in the recent years by an amount, which took over a century for the developed nations to achieve in their own backyard. In Dubai’s case, it was the oil exploration at first, and then the commerce of free trade zones, which made it be counted at par with the developed nations. The desire to see its tourism sector flourish and the gains of a thriving economy, were the two major reasons why Dubai’s skyline grew so frantically in the last two decades. In the course of events, the city also became the new residing place for world class hotels. Gone were the heydays of Sydney, London, New York and Tokyo. Dubai hotels were also standing at par, shoulder-to-shoulder, eyeball-to-eyeball with them. Today’s Dubai offers several dozen of world class hotels to make your stay comfortable. Apart from Dubai hotels (United Arab Emirates) one can choose from many other options, like furnished villas and beach side apartments, to make one’s stay at ease.

Let us examine the following data to learn more about Dubai hotels. Until the early 90s, they were not to be found in so many numbers out there. By the start of 2000 however, this ground reality had dramatically transformed. One s gets awed by looking at their numbers these days. This author counted on just one site and found more than three dozen entries for the five-star facility alone. The count for the four, three and two star hotels will be even more awesome, one reckons. There were a total of 414 hotels in Dubai in the year 2006. They were the mainstay for accommodating the 6.5 million visitors who visited the city that year. The revenues earned by these hotels stood at Dh10.8b in the same period. This however grew by 15.74 percent to be at Dh12.5b in the year 2007. This also discloses the stress on Dubai hotels (United Arab Emirates), furnished villas and Dubai hotel apartments in their attempts to cope with the level of demand they face from the industry.

This is why Dubai’s government has nodded to too many new plans that promised to construct newer furnished villas, furnished apartments and Dubai hotels (United Arab Emirates) on its territory. The total number of rooms stood at 40,862 in all these segments, in the year 2006. This will have to be further raised by a handsome margin to meet with the set official target of receiving 15 million visitors by the year 2010. Two key events, one of which was recently held, and the other still on, are expected to help Dubai in meeting out with its 2010 target. The first was Dubai’s 1st Tourism Development Projects and Investment Market (TDIM) exhibition, which was to be held from January 20-22, 2008. Major real estate companies from all over the world were expected to showcase projects worth over $190 billion. The idea behind it was to get various components of Dubai’s urban growth together, namely real estate firms, private companies, investors and government bodies, and frame out the future course of action.

The other event, which is taking place across Dubai right now, is the 13th Dubai Shopping Festival (DSF). This will coincide with many recreational programs at places like shopping malls, Dubai hotels and elsewhere, apart from the shopping mania that the festival was all about. The show to be held from January 24 to February 24 (2008), is expected to attract 3.5 million visitors from all over the globe.

For those who would like a destination for eco-tourism, Costa Rica is hard to beat. For a little country in Central America thats only 19,730 square miles, theres definitely a lot to see and do there. Costa Rica means rich coast in Spanish, which is the countrys official language. Located between Nicaragua to the north and Panama to the south, Costa Rica is one of the most stable and prosperous of all Latin American countries. There are tropical beach resorts on both the Pacific and Atlantic coasts of the country for sun vacationers but the main attraction of Costa Rica is the eco-tourism. For example, there is a wider variety of bird species in Costa Rica alone than in all of Europe and North America.

Surprisingly, there are diverse eco-systems and microclimates within Costa Rica. In addition to the coastal beaches, there are dense jungles and rain forests with a wide variety of fauna. Some of these forests are referred to as cloud forests because of the moisture of the mists that linger among the trees in some parts. One forest has a cable car set up so that tourists can observe the plant and animal life at the treetop levels. For the more adventurous types, there is a place where one can swing from tree to tree using a network of rope attachments. There are also dry forests as well as colder barren volcanic tundras. Quite extreme changes in microclimate can be observed even within 30 minutes of travel. Some parts of the country have canal systems similar to those found in the Amazon and a few rivers offer excellent white water rafting.

There are several volcanoes within the country and the extinct ones are easily accessible since they are tourist attractions. A few have beautiful turquoise color lakes that have formed in the craters at the top of such volcanoes. One of the more famous active volcanoes is Arenal where visitors can safely watch the eruptions from a nearby facility that has outdoor hot springs naturally heated by the mountain.

In addition to the many different birds that can be sighted, there is a wide number of other exotic wildlife including monkeys, sloths, jaguars, bats and reptiles that can be seen during one of the many available nature tours. Every year, there are sea turtles that come to certain beaches to nest and this event attracts many nature lovers. The wildlife in Costa Rica is not only rich on land or the air but also in the surrounding oceans. For scuba divers, Costa Rica offers excellent diving opportunities and they are quite different from the waters in the Caribbean. The higher amounts of plankton in the local seas attract more numbers of large marine animals than can be found in the Caribbean.

Coffee and bananas are some of the main exports for Costa Rica. For coffee lovers, this is the place to sample some of the best in the world although it should be warned that the locals like their coffee quite strong. Tours in the valleys will often go past numerous coffee plantations.

Most tourists will fly into the capital city of San Jose. Although there is some nice colonial architecture to see in San Jose, its not one of the nicer places to stay in Costa Rica. The city is noisy and polluted but relatively safe. One can use San Jose as a base for many day trips to the various rain forests, volcanoes and beaches. Travelers can also fly into Liberia which is a town in the north part of the country. This is a much quieter region and close to many of the northern resorts. One option that many travelers take is to rent a vehicle and tour the country on their own. However, the roads of Costa Rica are not the best with lots of potholes and mudslides are common during the wet season from June to November. If renting a vehicle, a 4×4 is definitely recommended.

There is so much to see and do in Costa Rica that many visitors return to see parts of the country that they missed before. The country is easily the most popular destination to visit in Central America. Costa Rica now has tourist offices set up in North America for those who want further information.

You’ve finally made that big decision on where you want to go for your next vacation! Mexico? Caribbean? Europe? Nope…you’ve decided to visit the number one rated vacation island in the world. Look out Maui, here we come!

Now that you have made that big decision to take a Maui vacation, it is time to decide where you are going to stay. Is there really a difference in the quality of resorts on Maui? Actually, there is a BIG difference between Maui resorts but it’s not necessarily the quality of the resorts. Actually, the decision on which Maui resort you pick should be based more on what type of experience you want to have during your Maui vacation!

You need to ask yourself several important questions regarding the type of Maui resort where you want to stay. They are…

Do you want to stay in a hotel or a condo. If you are planning on doing some cooking while you are on your Maui vacation, you will probably want to rent a condo.

Are you going to spend all your time away from the condo and you just, basically, want a place to sleep or do you plan to spend time relaxing at the resort and taking it easy?

Do you want the Maui resort to be right on the ocean or is a short walk to the beach okay?

Do you want the Maui resort to be in a specific location such as Napili, Kahana, Lahaina, Kihei or Wailea?

What kind of view do you want from your Maui resort condo? Do you want ocean front, ocean view, garden view or mountain view?

What is your budget?

Those are just a few of the questions you need to ask yourself before you go on your Maui vacation. Each one of those questions will have an effect how much you pay for your condo! There are other factors to be considered but that will give you somewhere to start.

Most people don’t understand that careful planning prior to their Maui vacation can save them quite a bit of money. Depending on the length of time you are planning on staying on Maui, you could save $1,000 or more!

Which Maui resort is the best place to stay? I have been asked that question thousands of times and my answer is always the same. Tell me what kind of experience you want from your Maui vacation and I will tell you which resort would be the best!

Remember, careful planning can ensure you bring back wonderful memories from your Maui vacation. Take the time and effort to plan in advance and you certainly won’t regret it!