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Archives for Travel

Enjoy the Hawaii Fishing Experience!

16
Feb
posted by Mike               filed under Travel

billfish

I grew up an amateur fisherman. Every year, right around the time before school starts, I would spend the last of my lazy summer days on a rock formation at the local beach, faithfully casting my fishing line and lure into the churning dark recesses of the Atlantic Ocean, hoping that my patience would prove to be fruitful and I would be able to bring home a bountiful catch.  More times than not, I would just lose my bait. One year, though, I remember bringing home over 100 snappers (baby bluefish) from just one day of fishing.

Game fishing is a sport that requires both patience and smarts. Essentially, you’re trying to outsmart the fish that you’re after by simulating an irresistible morsel of food in a seemingly natural and safe environment. A lot of the time, you’re not even after the meat of the fish itself but the thrill of the chase, the camaraderie and relaxing atmosphere you share with fellow fishermen and the natural high you get from making a big catch. And, if you ask any fisherman, no matter how many fish he’s caught in his lifetime, he’ll always be able to wax poetic about the “one that got away”. Fishermen are always looking for bigger, more exotic fish to reel in and boast about.

Game fishing in Hawaii is unlike any other experience in the world. Hawaii fishing is considered to be some of the best fishing available. Striped marlin, blue marlin, black marlin, spearfish, billfish, sailfish, mahi-mahi, ahi tuna are just some of the fish you’ll be able to regularly catch in Hawaii. Just head to Honokohau Marina to charter a fishing boat ranging from a quarter day to a full day and get in on some of the best game fishing Hawaii has to offer! The water here is known for being very calm during fishing season, so a fishing tourist just has to lower his or her bait and be ready to reel in a catch they can brag about the rest of their lives.

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Medical Tourism on the Rise in Thailand

12
Feb
posted by Mike               filed under Travel

Medical Tourism

An important aspect of international travel is a fair understanding of the medical practice of that knowledge. If worst comes to worst and you get seriously injured overseas in a land where you can’t easily speak the language, the urgent care that you require could get mishandled in the mix of things and the situation may even prove to be fatal. What sort of health care options do you have if something does happen wherever you are? Will you have to trust the cultural practice of a medicine man and his hit-or-miss medical methodology?

Once again, knowledge is everything when it comes to international travel. The Tourism Authority of Thailand has seen to it that increasing emphasis on health care in Thailand makes a trip to Thailand not only a world-class tourist experience but a medically safe journey. In fact, medical tourism has seen an annual growth rate of 14%, with an estimate of about two million tourists making the trip to Thailand this year solely to take advantage of Thailand’s health care experience. Health care costs approximately 1/5 of what you would pay for comparable procedures in the United States or Europe, which makes the 2008 revenue of $6 billion USD from foreign patients all the more impressive.

Medical tourists visit Thailand for procedures like general check-ups to anything from dental work to cosmetic surgery or even angioplasty. Usually, procedures can be undergone and recovered from within a 2-week holiday to Thailand. With world-class international hospitals, upgraded medical machinery and luxurious recovery and guest accommodations at a fraction of the U.S. price, Thailand’s health care industry is poised to be the go-to option for Asian medical tourism.

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World’s Tallest Tower in Dubai Closed – Forgot to Pay Electric Bill?

8
Feb
posted by Mr.404               filed under Business, Travel

The world’s tallest skyscraper has unexpectedly closed to the public a month after its lavish opening, disappointing tourists headed for the observation deck and casting doubt over plans to welcome its first permanent occupants in the coming weeks.

Dubai World's Largest BuildingElectrical problems are at least partly to blame for the closure of the Burj Khalifa’s viewing platform – the only part of the half-mile high tower open yet. But a lack of information from the spire’s owner left it unclear whether the rest of the largely empty building – including dozens of elevators meant to whisk visitors to the tower’s more than 160 floors – was affected by the shutdown.

So far only half of the building is truly complete and the total cost was around $1.5 Billion USD. Dubai is having serious money problems and has already told everyone holding debt from Dubai that they will not back any of it.

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Social Media and Travel: The Tourism Authority of Thailand Bridges the Gap

8
Feb
posted by Mike               filed under Travel

Visit Thailand

Ask any well-versed traveler and they’ll tell you that the key to successful travel is easy access to information. You need to understand the country you’re going to if you want to enjoy your stay there. You need to know where the must-see tourist spots are, where the best local cuisine is, where and when the nightlife kicks in and where you can get the most value for your time spent to fully enjoy your experience abroad. You also need to understand the current political climate of the country, relevant news, and anything you might need to avoid so you don’t get in over your head in an unfamiliar place.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand is the forerunner of Thailand travel information since they were established in 1960. Their recent foray into social media (Facebook and Twitter) is helping them increase their informative ability. Relevant news can be sent out instantaneously, allowing travelers in Thailand to change their plans quickly and effectively. Additionally, Facebook and Twitter allows users to interact with other users also traveling through Thailand. Information can be shared for the purpose of helping other travelers through real, unfiltered correspondence via these social media initiatives.

By going the route of social media, the Tourism Authority of Thailand is spearheading a more social travel experience. It’s easy to feel alone and uninformed when traveling abroad but the Tourism Authority of Thailand is seeking to change that sentiment one user at a time.

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“Destiny Calls” Program a Perfect Beginning to the Final Season of “LOST”

2
Feb
posted by Miss. 404               filed under Travel

Hawaii_Aloha_LostABC’s hit show “LOST” certainly has no shortage of die-hard fans, me included. I’ve been a late-adopter of the show but “LOST” has been one of the shows I watch on a weekly basis in recent years. That’s why when I heard about Hawaii-Aloha.com’s recent “Destiny Calls” program, I immediately felt a surge of jealousy for those lucky enough to take part in the program. I’m lucky enough to have been to Hawaii before. I’ve even taken a helicopter tour of the island of Kauai, but nothing short of a lengthy Hawaii cruise with all of the amenities could compare to a weekend of rabid, unabashed “LOST” fanboyism.

Ryan and Jennifer Ozawa, two hardcore “LOST” fans, bloggers, and podcasters, partnered with Hawaii-Aloha.com and Island Adventures Tours & Travel to create the “Destiny Calls” program. In addition to the regular “Sunset on the Beach” advance screening of the first hour of the premiere on Saturday, January 30, there was a travel itinerary designed to make this pilgrimage to Hawaii truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

On Friday, there was a “Aha Aina” kickoff dinner held poolside at the Park Shore Waikiki Hotel. On Saturday, a family-friendly brunch at Lulu’s in Waikiki before the beach premiere, beginning with entertainment and food at 4 PM. The trip culminated with a unique island-spanning tour of “LOST” filming locations on Sunday, January 31.

With “LOST” concluding in this sixth and final season, it’s no wonder that hardcore fans worldwide cleared their schedules to finally make that trip to Hawaii. Ryan and Jennifer Ozawa run a blog and podcast based on the show, so when they saw fellow fans planning their trips, they knew that a program like “Destiny Calls” would be helpful. Bruce Fisher, founder of Hawaii-Aloha.com, helped “LOST” fans find flights, hotels and put together the gala kickoff dinner. The brunch and tour sold out quickly, leaving those of us that missed out on this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity in a state of “loss” premiere weekend. Looks like I’ll have to settle for watching the premiere this Wednesday from the comfort of my own home. Maybe I’ll pick up some Hawaiian BBQ and drink a piña colada to get myself in the mood.

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Cruising to All Four Corners of the World & Beyond

28
Jan
posted by Miss. 404               filed under Travel

All-Travel_Celebrity_CruisesCelebrity Cruises Exclusives, All-Travel’s newest partner site in the All-Travel Network, offers a fully functioning standalone site designed to reflect Celebrity Cruises’s upscale cruising experience and unparalleled onboard service. Voted the World’s Best Large Ships by Condé Nast Traveler for six consecutive years, Celebrity Cruises is truly recognized all over the world.

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Winning Team Chosen for the Ultimate Thailand Explorers

26
Jan
posted by Miss. 404               filed under Travel

The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) welcomed applications from adventurous and energetic couples worldwide, to participate in “The Ultimate Thailand Explorers” social networking competition.

The ultimate travel competition’s winning couple received a cash prize of $10,000 USD, a holiday package valued at $3,000 USD, round trip airfare from Bangkok to Chiang Mai, two Blackberry Flip Pearl phones, and a voucher for two spa treatments at Oasis Spa in Bangkok and Chiida Spa in Chiang Mai. Due to the current economic climate, many couples took advantage of the possibility of participating in this travel competition in Thailand and winning the extravagant prizes.

The five selected couples had the opportunity to travel to Thailand’s top five tourist destinations; Phuket, Chiang Mai, Bangkok, Pattaya, and Koh Samui. Throughout the exciting 5-night, six-day tour, the contestants were required to share their experiences with Thailand culture, cuisine, scenery, etc. via social networking, including filing daily online reports, micro-blogging on Twitter, communicating across sites such as Facebook and MySpace, and sending e-cards to friends. The couples were also responsible for creating the most traffic to their postings so that digital citizens would vote for their story.

Interested contestants were required to apply online as a couple, regardless of their relationship. The vacation adventure was perfect for couples who are digitally savvy, familiar with blogging, and have outgoing personalities. Couples were to submit a one-minute video clip in English, which states which of the five Thailand destinations they would like to visit most and how they plan to narrate their adventure. Video clips were then judged by a panel of TAT judges on the basis of entertainment value and creativity. The five couples who were chosen to participate in the ultimate travel competition received “The Ultimate Thailand Explorer” T-shirts and a fully-paid Thailand itinerary, including air travel to and from their country of residence.

The participating couples brought awareness to Thailand travel and increased its presence across chat rooms, social-networking sites, blogs, and websites. Online viewers voted for their favorite couple, the winning couple received the most votes. Individuals who participated in voting were also eligible to win a prize package valued at $2,000 USD.

The contest brought the Tourism Authority of Thailand an abundance of knowledge about digital habits, lifestyle, and consumer trends for individuals all around the globe. For more details visit the mini-site www.ultimatethailandexplorers.com.

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