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Archives for Travel

Flying to Hawaii is Simple and Easy

30
Mar
posted by Mike               filed under Travel

Hit up Hawaii year-round. Regardless of what season you decide to make your trip to the Aloha state, you’ll find tons of stuff to do and you’ll have the best weather to do it in (average temperatures range from 70s to 80s (°F) year-round.

It’s easy to plan a trip to Hawaii because it’s connected domestically and internationally. The Honolulu International Airport on Oahu, Kona International Airport on Kona, Lihue Airport on Kauai, Hilo International Airport on the Big Island, Kaunakakai Airport on Molokai and Kahului Airport on Maui are the major airports in Hawaii. With a feasible flight time between 5 to 11 hours from most major U.S. cities, a trip to Hawaii should definitely be on your vacation itinerary.

Some typical Hawaii flights from major U.S. cities with their times and distances are:

  1. Queens, NY to Hawaii. JFK is approximately 4,968 miles away with a flight time of 10 hours 35 minutes.
  2. Chicago, IL to Hawaii. ORD is approximately 4,254 miles away with a flight time of 8 hours 52 minutes.
  3. Houston, TX to Hawaii. IAH is approximately 3,901 miles away with a flight time of 7 hours 48 minutes.
  4. Phoenix, AZ to Hawaii. PHX is approximately 2,911 miles away with a flight time of 5 hours 49 minutes.
  5. Los Angeles, CA to Hawaii. LAX is approximately 2,563 miles away with a flight time of 5 hours 8 minutes.

The cultural diversity of Hawaii, the connectivity to the rest of the world, and the tropical climate unlike anything else in the world makes Hawaii one of the premier vacation spots in the world.

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Visit Hanauma Bay in Hawaii

29
Mar
posted by Mike               filed under Travel

If you ever travel to Hawaii, specifically the island of Oahu, you must see the Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve. It’s located 10 miles east of Waikiki and formed within a volcanic cone. Now a marine ecosystem teeming with life after a plan was set out in 1990 to restore the bay after years of misuse and abuse from visitors. New visitors are required to screen a video before entering the park to learn about the intricate balance of the ecosystem inclusive of the marine life, preservation and conservation methods and general safety rules of the preserve.

Hanauma Bay is known for the abundant marine life, including sea turtles, parrotfish, sturgeon fish, living coral, trumpet fish and Hawaii’s state fish, the humuhumunukunukuapua’a’. The bay has a wide rang of species and the clear and calm waters to enjoy them in. It’s pretty much a perfect spot for tropical snorkeling and swimming for both beginners and experienced. Start planning your trip now because accessibility is limited to help preserve the beautiful ecosystem. Hanauma Bay is a hot spot year-round so make sure you visit at least once during your stay in Hawaii.

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Bunco World Championship coming to Destin, Florida in April

24
Mar
posted by Mike               filed under Travel

Have you ever heard of the game of bunco? It’s a dice game that has become a worldwide phenomenon. The Wall Street Journal reports an estimated 17.4 million active bunco players. Bunco is especially popular amongst suburban women, as the luck based game isn’t as involved or filled with pressure like poker.

Bunco is typically played in groups of 12. The team are of four people seated three tables. The players toss three dice and try to roll the pre-selected number unique to that round. Every time the number is rolled, the team earns 1 point. The goal is to reach 21 points. If all three dice display that round’s particular number, the players yells, “Bunco!” and automatically wins that round.

The 2010 World Bunco® Championship will be held in beautiful Destin, Florida at the Sandestin Florida Vacation Resort from April 30-May 2, 2010. The event is expected to draw hundreds of participants for a weekend of Bunco, games and prizes. Those new to the game can easily join in and understand why such a simple dice game has found such a dedicated following. Sandestin is offering special rates for the tournament date and the option for an extended stay if attendees want to take advantage of the awesome amenities and unforgettable resort experience that Sandestin has to offer.

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Travel Without Fear with MedjetAssist

19
Mar
posted by Mike               filed under Travel

If you’re any sort of traveler at all, you already know that when you go to an unfamiliar place, things that you took for granted at home become vividly apparent. Part of the allure of travel is that everything you do, from choosing where to eat and or where to fill up your gas tank, is an adventure and can be either hit or miss. In the event of a medical emergency in an unfamiliar place, MedjetAssist has recently come out with a couple products that could very well save you.

MedjetAssist is the premier emergency evacuation and repatriation membership program for travelers. If a member is hospitalized more than 150 miles from home, MedjetAssist reviews the member’s condition both with the member’s own physicians and their own attending medical staff, and provides medical transport to the member’s hospital of choice. MedjetAssist has recently developed new technologies to deliver the latest travel safety tips to travelers through RSS feeds, iPhone apps and other tools.

Medjet’s new RSS-feed widgets allows members and travelers to access the latest travel assistance tips posted on the Medjet blog directly tot their Chumby, Mac dashboard, Windows Vista or Google homepage.

The new iMedjet app for the iPhone and iTouch, available for free download from iTunes, allows users to travel with emergency medical care right at their very fingertips. The app provides a comprehensive guide to first aid for travelers, inclusive of technical drawings and tips on what to do when in the midst of various medical scenarios. It’s also mobile medical information storage, granting vital medical information to both the user, EMTs and doctors in the event of a medical emergency. The mobile Medjet part of the app stores membership information, emergency contacts and access to Medjet.com. Rest assured in your health in the event of a medical emergency when traveling with these innovations from MedjetAssist.

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Consider the World-Class Regent Cruise Experience

18
Mar
posted by Mike               filed under Travel

Radisson Seven Sea Cruises has recently been re-named to Regent Seven Sea Cruises. This is its latest step in the re-branding process of the luxury brand. Originally a cruise line that came out of the hospitality entrepreneurship of Curtis L. Carlson in his purchasing of the Radisson Hotels in 1962, the Radisson Diamond ship took its maiden voyage in 1992.

Two years later, the Radisson Diamond Cruise merged with the Seven Seas Cruise Line to form the Radisson Seven Sea Cruises. With Carlson acquiring the Regent International Hotel Brand in 1996 and the expansion of the Radisson Seven Seas Cruise line over the years following, Regent Hotels and Radisson Seven Sea Cruises merged in 2006 to form a global Regent cruise brand now known as the Regent Seven Seas Cruises.

Since the rebranding, Regent Seven Seas Cruises has expanded to offer voyages to more than 300 ports available on all seven continents, with their most popular being the Alaska and Mediterranean cruises. Regent has become synonymous with a world-class, 6-star luxury experience and now that it has found its niche in the cruise tourism business, you can expect Regent Cruises to be the very best the world has to offer.

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Destin, Florida’s Wine Festival in Paradise

16
Mar
posted by Mike               filed under Travel

Sandestin Florida Golf Resort in beautiful Destin, Florida offers one of the best vacation experiences money can buy. Championship golf courses, miles and miles of white sand beaches and a year-round vacation climate, Destin is also home to an annual wine festival held during the spring that draws thousands of visitors worldwide.

The newly redesigned wine festival website, found at www.sandestinwinefestival.com, provides visitors with user-friendly navigation to help them find information about the upcoming 24th Annual Sandestin Wine Festival (April 22-25). On the site, you can find everything from the event line-up to accommodation information. Visitors can now book rooms, purchase tickets and browse wine festival merchandise all from one convenient location.

The site features sections for wine novices to get their feet wet with Wine Tasting 101 and other basic tips to maximize their first tasting experience. Another section features a compilation of popular iPhone applications for wine aficionados. The apps are designed to help pair wine, food or cheese all at the touch of a button. Another app logs the brand, vintage and even pictures for future reference if you find a wine you enjoy, which could be especially helpful if you make it out to the festival. All in all, a wine lover will get the vacation of a lifetime at the Sandestin Florida Golf Resort.

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Nothing Beats a Hawaiian Cruise Vacation

15
Mar
posted by Mike               filed under Travel

There’s nothing quite like vacationing on a cruise and when your destination is Hawaii, the added experience of arriving at one of the most desirable tropical island vacation spots in the world is the best that the world has to offer. The cruise to Hawaii will take you to all of the popular islands and give you ample time on the beaches, go sightseeing and then return to the luxury accommodations aboard the cruise.

The cruise experience is something that can’t really be found elsewhere. Food is available 24 hours a day and there are movies, shows, casinos, clubs and bars strewn throughout the ship. There are pools, spas and tons of people you can meet on board. The whole family will have something to do for the whole duration of your trip and there will be no complaints. Cruises are very convenient because you don’t have to go very far to begin your trip, with easily accessible ports most likely near your hometown. And after you’re thoroughly relaxed from the cruise, you arrive in Hawaii and a whole new vacation experience presents itself. You can travel the main islands, sightseeing and shopping to your hearts content. You can laze your days away on Hawaiian beaches. You can attend luaus and eat the native cuisine. You can take helicopter trips around the volcanoes. You can go snorkeling or surfing in the clear waters.

A cruise to Hawaii is hard to beat so consider book early so you can understand the unbeatable value of a Hawaiian cruise vacation!

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The Awesome Beauty of Active Hawaiian Volcanoes

5
Mar
posted by Mike               filed under Travel

There is a beauty to be found in the violence of a raging volcano. The raw destructive power of a mountain spitting out the molten-hot innards of the Earth is a sight to behold and few ever see in person. Even just visiting a dormant volcano is an exciting experience as the influences a volcano can have on an ecosystem is numerous and interesting. To be in the presence of something so powerful and unpredictable is an experience that you and your family will never, ever forget.

Millions of tourists visit Hawaii to get a glimpse of the world-renowned Hawaii volcanoes. Kilauea on The Big Island is home to an active volcano. Hawaii’s volcanoes are classified as shield volcanoes because they produce lava flows that form sloping shield-like mountains. There are three active volcanoes in Hawaii (Mauna Loa, Kilauea and Loihi). Kilauea and Mauna Loa are situated within the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park while Loihi is underwater.

Gain a firsthand understanding of the unique Hawaiian volcano experience. At the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, witness two of the most active volcanoes in the area. Learn about how volcanoes birthed the island and see the native plants and animals of the islands in one convenient location.

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Longest Reigning Monarch Celebrates in Chiang Mai

1
Mar
posted by Mike               filed under Travel

The celebration of the birthday of the world’s longest reigning monarch is quite a spectacular event and momentous occasion, especially in his homeland of Thailand. King Bhumibol Adulyadej, reigning king of Thailand since 1946, recently celebrated his 82nd birthday in grand fashion on December 5th of last year. The Tourism Authority of Thailand, in conjunction with the Chiang Mai Provincial Administration and Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, organized the Ratchaphruek Festival coinciding with his birthday from November 30 to December 10 at the Ratchaphruek 2006 Garden of Chiang Mai.

The festival comprised of a welcoming parade from each of the four regions of Thailand, an opening address from the Prime Minister, the releasing of 999 sky lanterns and an unforgettable performance of traditional Thai dance by 99 performers spanning the four regions of Thailand. The 200,000 or so visitors at the time enjoyed many different musical performances in the days leading up to the birthday celebration, from traditional drums to the King’s choice of jazz music. The culmination of the festival on his birthday consisted of prayers and blessings for the continuance of his good health, a candle lighting ceremony with congratulatory songs and a brilliant visual stimulus of fireworks amidst an exciting light and sound show.

The Chiang Mai region hosting the festival is considered the tourism hub of Northern Thailand. The combination of historical heritage with the economic development makes Chiang Mai the perfect spot for a relaxing and culturally-rich vacation in Thailand. The region is famous for the traditional Thai massage and the luxurious wellness and meditation spas, a relaxing amenity you won’t be able to pass up if you’re visiting the region.

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Thailand Golf is More Bang for the Buck!

17
Feb
posted by Mike               filed under Travel

Thailand golf

Golf is the ultimate gentlemen’s sport. It requires patience, a cool head, reproducible results and most importantly, a deep wallet. I grew up taking golf lessons during the summertime and feel like I have a fair understanding of the game but I was never able to enjoy it as fully as I wanted to mainly because of the high cost of the game. A good set of clubs can cost thousands of dollars and paying for tee times certainly adds up in the long run. I could never justify the cost of playing golf in my life so my golf experience is limited to that of the local driving range.

Golf doesn’t necessarily have to cost an arm and a leg though. The Tourism Authority of Thailand has teamed up with Golfasian and eight of Thailand’s first-class golf courses and nine luxury resorts to create the ‘Golf in a Kingdom: The Thailand Golf Experience’. This program is designed to provide a high quality golf experience at an affordable price to tourists unaware of the great value of Thailand golf. Unbeknownst to many, Thailand offers many professionally-designed and competitive courses with amazing views such as white sand beaches, peaceful temples and dense highlands, all of which are available year-round due to the enjoyable climate of the entire region. The Banyan Golf Club in Hua Hin, the Plantation Course at Siam Country Club in Pattaya, and the Thai Country Club in Bangkok were recently awarded the coveted “Best New Course” award, “Best Maintained Course” award, and “Best Clubhouse” award respectively, in the Asia-Pacific categories in the region’s top golf publication, Asian Golf Monthly. This top-notch golf experience coupled with the accommodations of five star luxury resorts makes golfing in Thailand an altogether unforgettable experience.

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