Thursday 30 December 2010

Chinese New Year 2011

Like any other year, in 2011 also, the Chinese New Year is expected to be celebrated with same vigor and enthusiasm in many parts of the world. The date of this festival varies every year. The New Year, according to the Chinese calendar, starts with the Spring festival and ends with Lantern festival. In 2011, the New Year will begin on 3rd February and festivity will continue till February 17.

Chinese New Year Celebrations

It is celebrated in different parts of the world. Here we provide you brief description how it is celebrated in various parts of the world.

New York

Significant Chinese population reside in Flushing in New York. The Chinese people celebrate the occasion here with traditions and modernity. Parades are held on this occasion. Other features include fireworks, steel drummers and dragon dancers.

Honolulu's Chinatown

The festival in Chinatown of Honolulu is observed with a religious fervor. The festivities include dragon boat races, lion dance and lantern festival. It is expected that this year also in Honolulu this festival is celebrated with same vigor.

Vancouver

This festive occasion in Vancouver is marked with Spring parade. Every year, this is held on the first Sunday of the Lunar New Year. Other features of this festive celebrations are lion dance and the cultural fairs.

China

This is perhaps the biggest festival in China. The festival in the mainland is obverted in a very religious way with orthodox customs, rituals and superstitions. Other features of the festival are fireworks, family reunions, many funny & entertaining events, dinner and presenting gifts to the children. The same kind of festivities and celebrations will be witnessed in China this year too.

Singapore

In this city state, also this festival is celebrated in a big way. Celebrations include dazzling fireworks and night parades. Celebrations of the past years have seen a variety of live performances, events, acrobats and cultural shows. It will not be any different in 2011 also.

Hope the above information on chinese new year help you in understanding chinese culture more clearly.All these holiday destinations would make your festival more memorable.

Tag : leisure,leisure online,travel agency,travel,China

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ameria_Hat

Friday 24 December 2010

Thailand's Top Beaches

Since it became much cheaper to travel by air over the last decade, people have seen Thailand as more of a two-week break holiday destination, rather than merely as a luxury location or a country to travel in the long term. If you're looking for a holiday to Thailand, then take a look at Dialaflight.

Few countries have a coastline as naturally stunning as Thailand's. Both the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand boast some incredible tropical waters, rolling onto some of the world's top beaches. Here are some of the top locations:

Patong Beach, Phuket

Phuket has long been held as a luxury escape, and there are some serious property developments and exceedingly expensive pampering retreats if you've got top dollar. For those of us who aren't seriously rich, then it's also home to Patong Beach ? one of Thailand's most sinful bar resorts.

Apart from the vast majority of people being Thai rather than European, Patong Beach wouldn't look too out of place in the Mediterranean. It's got the same sort of bar scene, with Irish pubs and other expat bars, along with a long stretch of beach. If you're visiting, make sure you go to the colossal Tiger complex ? it's possibly the craziest watering hole in Thailand!

Ko Phi Phi Don, Krabi Province

Huge limestone cliffs soar out of the sea and are adjoined by a lowland of beaches that create the living space of Ko Phi Phi Don. Beach resorts really don't get more idyllic than this sea paradise, and the surrounding area is so perfect that one of the islands was used as the setting of The Beach, starring Leonardo Di Caprio.

Phi Phi is a small island, and although you will be amazed by the cliffs and surrounding islands, you probably won't want to spend longer than three or so days here. Just make sure you take a boat tour and check out the beaches, along with partying hard at night at one of the many beach bars.

Ko Phangan, Surat Thani Province

Ko Phangan is the hedonists dream, and home to the world famous Full Moon Party. The island itself is actually pretty big, with 10,000 inhabitants, so if you want to go to the party, you'll need to head down to the southern tip of the island at Haad Rin Beach.

Unless you book in advance, it can often be difficult to get accommodation in Haad Rin around the Full Moon Party date. However, as the island is quite big, there are plenty of idyllic resorts dotted around, many of which are actually more picturesque than tourist focused Haad Rin.

Get on the phone to DialAFlight to secure your flight to Thailand today. Travel to Thailand with confidence and luxury with an award winning flight service.

Tag : leisure,travel,travel agents,travel inn

Wednesday 15 December 2010

10 Things You May Need For Your Next Holiday

If you're planning a holiday over the coming months, you may need to get a few things sorted before you go. Here are 10 things that you may need to get.

1. Airport parking - If you want to have the convenience of driving to the airport yourself and having your car waiting for you when you return, you may want to consider in airport parking.

2. Airport hotels - If you have an early morning flight and don't want the hassle of battling through traffic, you may see the benefit in a hotel stay. Likewise, if your return flight arrives in the early hours, an airport hotel could offer convenience.

3. Taxis - If, however, you prefer to leave your car at home, you may want to book taxis to take and collect you,.

4. Travel insurance - This is a must, but you have a number of options with regards to where you buy it from.

5. Transfers - Unless you're hiring a car, chances are you'll require a transfer from the destination airport to your hotel. You could ask the hotel to hire a taxi on your behalf, otherwise you may want to order a transfer as part of the package.

6. New suitcase - If your suitcase has seen better days or you've traditionally borrowed someone else's, you may want to shop for a new one. Consider tying coloured string to the handle to help identify it on the conveyor belt.

7. New clothes - If you're going somewhere sunny and your summer wardrobe is lacking, you may want to buy some new items for the beach or poolside. Likewise, for cold destinations, you may need some warm-wearing items.

8. New passport - Before you book, it's a good idea to check that your passport is in date. If not, you may need to move quickly for a replacement.

9. Foreign currency - Depending on where you're going on holiday, you may need to exchange money for some foreign currency.

10. Plug adapters - If you're travelling overseas, particularly to Europe or the US, you may need a few plug adapters to ensure all your electrical products can be used.

If you are planning on flying from Sheffield, then Sheffield airport hotels or parking could be worth researching.

Why not visit RobinHoodAirport.com today to book your holiday, including extras like Sheffield airport parking, transfers, insurance and hotels?

Tag : leisure,leisure link,travel,travel agancies

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Robert_Berry-Smith

Friday 10 December 2010

Six Benefits of Booking Coach/Bus Ticket Online Travelling Between Malaysia and Singapore

There are thousands of people travelling between Malaysia (like Kuala Lumpur, Malacca) and Singapore every day. How are these people buy their express bus ticket? Most of the current practice is they will go to the bus companies counter and purchase their ticket. During peak season, most of the tickets are sold out within hours and for those who miss this period, will likely to end up with no ticket.

Most of the counters in Singapore is located at Golden Mile Complex, while in Malaysia for example in the state of Kuala Lumpur, most of the counters will be located at temporary bus station at Bukit Jalil Sports Complex. However, nowadays, most of the customer prefer to purchase the ticket online rather than going down to the counters and purchase their ticket. Hence, many coach/bus companies has started selling their coach/bus ticket online because of this trend of customer buying their tickets online has already started to increase in recent years. Below are the six benefits to the customer who buy their ticket online.

1. Saving your time of travelling to the counter twice (to avoid the traffic jam especially in the city like Kuala Lumpur)
2. Saving your money (transportation cost) from travelling to the counter twice
3. Real time booking where you can choose the seat that you want on the spot. (where you can avoid being assigned to sit on the last row of the bus)
4. No queue for buying bus ticket
5. Convenient of using credit card
6. Buy your ticket now, pay your ticket money later by using credit card

These six benefits listed above has actually gained a lot of recognition from the customer. So, for all travellers who wish to go to the counter and purchase ticket, you are encouraged to read this article and think twice before you go down to the counter to buy your ticket. With this, I wish all the travellers between Singapore and Malaysia taking express buses to have an enjoyable trip.

Friday 3 December 2010

Cutting The Cost Of Your Trip To Pattaya

Pattaya is a popular tourist destination in Eastern Thailand. 150 km south of Bangkok, it is a popular destination for those travelling from the capital too. Although a renowned party spot, with plenty of bars and nightclubs, in recent years efforts have been made to create a more family-friendly atmosphere.

When planning a holiday to Pattaya, it is your flight costs that will make up the bulk of your travel expenses. As it entails a long haul flight, your plane travel will never be incredibly cheap but there are good deals available throughout the year, especially if you use comparison sites to search for special offers.

Airfare rates vary from day-to-day, so if you keep an open travel schedule and are wiling to fly out a day or so before or after your ideal travel date, then you could pick up a far cheaper flight. Use comparison sites with flexible date search options to spot which days the cheapest flights land on.

Look out for package deals to Pattaya, which can offer great value. You pay for your accommodation, flights and transfers in one, and sometimes car hire and day trips are included in the package price too. These are great for saving money on family trips, and if you keep an eye out for last minute package deals you can often find incredible bargains too.

During the high season, holidays to Pattaya are in high demand and as a result flights and accommodation during this period are at their highest. If you can avoid travelling in high season, you can make big savings. The year round warm weather in Pattaya means you can have an enjoyable holiday here at any time of year, and travelling outwith high season means you avoid the often-stifling high temperatures too.

When it comes to your Pattaya holiday costs, the main expense really is your airfare. Once you land you will find everything else here incredibly affordable, from accommodation to clothing, food to entertainment. The abundance of street markets make things even cheaper too, and you can pick up bargains on food, crafts, clothing and more here.

Instead of opting for hotel accommodation, renting an apartment for the duration of your stay can be far cheaper. Renting an apartment for a month can often be far cheaper than hotel costs for a week, so have a look online for self-catering apartments and you can make big savings.

Our guide to cutting the cost of your holiday to Pattaya was written by Lenita Carpinello, an experienced travel guide. They recommend checking the Octopus Travel website for the latest Pattaya hotels and accommodation deals all year round.

Tag : leisure,travel,pattaya hotel

Sunday 28 November 2010

Cheap Italian Souvenirs

If you're going to Italy for a vacation, one of the things that you're planning to do would be to shop for Italian souvenirs. After all, you would want to take home a piece of Italy with you as a reminder for a wonderful vacation that you've had in the country. However, with your shoestring budget, you're worried that you may not be able to buy the things that you want during the trip.

The good news is, there are lots of cheap souvenirs available in Italy that will not cause for you to break the bank. In Venice, Limoncello bottles, sparkling wines, peach puree cocktails, and colorful bracelets as souvenirs. Prices for these souvenirs range from $9 to $20 apiece.

In Florence, there are lots of purses, wallets, and scarves that you can buy as a souvenir. However, if you want something cheaper, you can buy the Small Tacky David, available in most Florence markets. This would only cost you $4.50.

If you are also going to Rome, you would want to check out Coliseum statuettes, Catholic calendars, and keychains that bear the face of the pope. Now, if you want something less expensive, you might want to check out the wooden bead bracelets that feature popes, Catholic saints, and the Virgin Mary. Each bracelet only costs $6. You may also get the terracotta cross for $12 or the mini desk calendar of Pope Benedict XVI for $1.50. If you want to buy something edible, try the Castroni Funghi Rositi or the Oscar '78 Pesto alla Genovese, which are both less than $20.

Monday 22 November 2010

10 Key Ingredients Of A Holiday

Are you planning on booking a holiday soon? If so, here are 10 things you'll have to consider.

1. Destination - Deciding what part of the world you want to go on holiday will be your first challenge. You may have a country, city or island in mind, even if you've not decided on a resort.

2. Flights - You'll also need to make sure you can fly there from the airports in your region, so check out flights and flight times before you make a decision.

3. Resort - Now it's a case of choosing which resort you're going to go for. This decision could be based on proximity from your destination's airport, family-friendliness, cleanliness, how lively it is, the beaches, etc.

4. Accommodation - Now it's a case of finding the right hotel, apartment or bed and breakfast house. You may want somewhere close to the beach or resort amenities, somewhere ideal for a couple, or somewhere that has entertainment for children.

5. Board basis - You'll also need to decide whether you want room only, self catering, B&B, half board or all-inclusive, so think about the type of holiday you want and what fits into your budget.

6. Transfers or Hire Car - When you land on holiday, you will need to find a way of getting from the airport to your accommodation. If you're not hiring a car, then booking transfers with your package holiday may be needed.

7. Hotel Parking - At the other end, your departure airport, you may want to leave your car for the duration of your trip, so it's there upon your return.

8. Taxis - Alternatively, you may prefer to have a taxi take you to and from the airport. If so, booking a reliable taxi firm that's willing to do both journeys will be helpful.

9. Clothes - Depending on the type of holiday you want and what the weather is doing in the place where you're heading, you may need to add a few new clothing items to your suitcase.

10. Currency - Lastly, before you depart, you'll need to make sure you have some money exchanged into the relevant currency and possibly some traveller's cheques.

Monday 15 November 2010

Santa Monica You're Not That Far

Santa Monica was once a town in itself. It was built as a seaside retreat for Los Angeles residents way back at the turn of the last century. Now however, it has been gobbled up by the ever-growing city limits of LA. However, it still maintains a character of its own, that is much more appealing than its big sister up the coast.

This chic, city-by-the-sea is less try hard than LA. It doesn't have to puff up is feathers to get people's attention; it's natural appeal does it automatically. This is probably why property prices here are some of the highest in the entire world.

So what should you get up to in Santa Monica? The beach is the first port of call. It is long, wide and sandy. The surf is great and the water is surprisingly clean. You simply must rent roller blades and cruise along 'The Strand' to Venice beach. But be warned, you may feel a bit self-conscious as everyone else will be honed, toned and golden. This is where the beautiful people live.

The Ferris wheel and wooden planks of support are just a couple of the instantly recognizable elements on the Santa Monica pier, which houses a fun old-fashioned amusement park. It also has some great restaurants and bars, where you can get hold of some excellent local produce and enjoy it while watching the nightly street dance on the pier from 7.30pm.

The town of Santa Monica doesn't let the States down in terms of its reputation as a great place to go shopping, and the widely-renowned Third Street Mall hosts stores supplying both tourists and locals with all sorts of things, from high fashion to practical surfer gear.

If you are into art, as many of the local residents of Santa Monica are, head over to Bergamot Station Arts Centre. There's over thirty private galleries in this part of the world, not to mention the wonderful (and free) Santa Monica Museum of Art.

It's not just indoors that you'll find art here, though, as the town is famous for hosting little bits and pieces, from sculptures to murals, all over the place. Santa Monica has art installations everywhere, whether it's a finely-crafted piece of sculpture or one of the publicly-recognised spaces for mural painting.

Saturday 6 November 2010

Shopping and Transport In Lagos

The city main airport named Murtala Muhammad International Airport entertains the flights to Lagos from national as well as international destinations. The airport is owned and administered by Nigerian Airports Company Limited. Thousands of passengers pass through the terminals of the airport each year, apart from that there are several projects under consideration to raise the passengers figure by growing the airport infrastructure and facilities. Lagos being a main air transportation center in Nigeria has a number of direct flights to various international destinations executing from its international airport. Furthermore, many international branded airlines like Nigerian International Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Lufthansa, Emirates, British Airways, Kenya Airways, Arik Air, Alitalia, Ethiopian Airlines, Afriqiyah Airways operate from this airport to run several flights to Lagos from all over the globe.

There are several markets all around Lagos for buying paintings, sculptures, day to day commodities, vegetables market, fish market, departmental stores and many more. Several markets are also situated besides the coast. The shoppers will find mass of stalls and mini shops which sell all types of artisan goods, decorative from all over the Nigeria. You will also locate several wood figures, masquerades, beads, brass arts, leather accessories, fabrics; barrels along with African musical instruments crafted by local skilled artists. Thousands of tourists traveling to Nigeria book their cheap flights to Lagos

Furthermore you may also move to the Alaba market on the western side of the city which is well recognized for both foods and spices buying. Foodstuffs and household items is the specialty of these markets and several other items like fashion accessories like beads, spas, footwear, handbags, and cosmetic products are also easily available and lots of buyers buy several products of their need especially those who travel to Nigeria by their cheap flights to Lagos.

Even if it's not enough, you may head to Palms shopping center which is a huge shopping compound with abundant stores, shopping sheds, antique stalls, chops bars, restaurants and so on. Additionally, there are many fine sites for arts and culture shopping with several stalls selling arts and crafts works. The visitors, who spend their holiday in Lagos by cheap flight to Lagos frequently stop at the big shopping complex to shop many of the famous and well known items for which the city is famous.

Saturday 5 June 2010

Paris With A View

The Paris underground system resembles London’s ‘fine’ service and provides transport that can show you the sights of romance in a rush. But why miss the charming bits in-between for the crazy, crammed rush of underground transport, when you can see all the same places on a hop on hop off bus with a more pleasant view as you travel and without the ruckus of asking directions with only what you remember from your high school French class. After all, we don’t arrive at a holiday destination to slip back into our home discomforts. The Parisian streets offer a tranquil sense of culture that London often fast forwards in its constant state of rush and with the audio commentary of the Paris hop on hop off bus Paris hop on hop off bus you won't miss a minute of anything and wont be caught in the wave of commuters, far under the ground that carpets the splendor of the city.

Paris proves to be the classier version of our beloved London. In Paris, Oxford Street transforms into the upscale Champs Elysees, Big Ben becomes the spectacular Eiffel Tower and St. Paul’s Cathedral turns into the mystical Cathedral of Notre Dame. All of which, and more, Paris’s hop on hop off bus tours can take you to, with a one or two day tour plan and all of which you can book before you leave London, leaving you with peace of mind while you travel.

The sights and sounds of Paris should not be missed by underground transport around the city. Apart from missing the atmosphere you would be missing a culture that the tour bus would not let you miss. Paris offers pleasantness wherever you go. You are more likely to breath in the scent of freshly baked bread and hear a poetic native tongue, compared to the polluting fumes of London and aggressive tone that strangers often take to one another. The Paris public transport service does not compare to the comfort and surety of a hop on hop off Paris bus tour for the real French experience.

By: M Rippy

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com