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Check Out Stewart Island During Your New Zealand Vacation

Travellers heading to New Zealand for a short holiday or as part of their OE usually make plans to visit the North Island, the South Island or both before they head off home again but, what many don’t think about and what some don’t even realise is, there’s a third island even further south! Stewart Island is just thirty kilometres across Foveaux Strait, south off the coast of the South Island and the city of Invercargill. Only four hundred inhabitants live there and the island is only.23 square kms; there might be a bit of a drop off after second place, but Stewart Island is still the third largest in the country!

Make sure you check it out while you’re here. Learn a bit about this little piece of paradise and some of the great reasons to visit during your OE or New Zealand holiday.

The History of Stewart Island

First found by European explorer Captain James Cook in 1770, it was initially thought to be part of the South Island that it sits adjacent to. Originally known as South Cape, it was William. W. Stewart on the ship Pegasus from Sydney, Australia who first proved it was a separate island.

1841 was the year that the island became its own province and was given the name New Leinster for a short five years before the province was abolished. It then became part of New Munster before it was part of Otago and then finally Southland before the provinces were abolished in 1876.

The island became known as Stewart Island by most New Zealander’s in the 20th century, a name that stuck after so many name changes by governments and officials.

What to do there?

It might be small, but there’s plenty to do once you’re here.

Depart Invercargill and take a flight over the island with Stewart Island Flights. Spend the day exploring the bays and forests before returning back to the mainland to get another gorgeous view down below.

Get in the water and go diving during your stay. Explore the sea between Stewart and the South Island to find fish and underwater forests.

Go fishing for the popular local Blue Cod, crayfish and paua on a charter. Book before you arrive for the best experience on the water during your stay.

See it all during your time in New Zealand – book a visit down south to Stewart Island with your touring company and have the complete experience.…

Nature at Its Finest – Thailand

Situated in the South East Asia, Thailand is one of the exotic tourist destinations attracting tourists and travel enthusiasts from all over the world not just for its natural serenity but also for other business purposes. This is a country that is filled with culture and natural beauty offering the peace of mind that the tourists look for. Known for hospitality, stunning natural beauty, beaches and islands and also the many sacred temples the country is something that everyone should visit at least once.

There are a number of Thailand vacation packages all inclusive of expenses that are being offered by the many travel guides and companies that are present all over the globe targeting this country. There is the super saver package which is by far the best deal offering 4 nights and 5 days which is just adequate for looking at the important destinations in the country like Bangkok, Phuket and Pattaya which are also the main cities here. The package also takes you to the Coral Island tour and a half day city tour. Accommodation is offered in some of the best start hotels.

Another of the premium package is available which covers 5 nights and 6 days that covers only Bangkok and Phuket. This package aims at delivering Thailand’s night life to you. It gives you’re a 5 star hotel stay in Bangkok for 2 nights and 3 nights in Phuket. This package usually comes with a return ticket too. The Thailand Magic package is a total of 4 nights and 5 days. The advantage is that this is customizable. You can choose what you want in the package and where you want to go. However, the price of the packages vary with each travel agency. So you should be ready to do enough background research and homework before deciding on who your travel agent will be. Make sure you check out the other customer feedbacks too.

Being in Thailand, you should not miss the brilliance of the Seas cruises. Surrounded by water, the country has a number of excellent cruises that take tourists for both short and long trips from the main land. You can choose to stop at a nearby island or just sail in one of the cruise ships for a few days. Make sure to inquire about this to your travel agent so that they include this in your travel package.

Make sure your cameras are fully charged with enough back up as you will never stop clicking pictures once you are in the country!…

China Holiday Tours Make Your Journey Unforgettable With Awesome and Eye-Appealing Locations

It is quite interesting for you to make out a trip for China Holiday tours as the country is enriched with the diverse culture, spectacular scenery, colorful folklore and rich history. If you are among the vacationers who enjoy capturing the images of beautiful locations then the visit of this place can make your journey little interesting. Without any doubt, the country includes a plethora of wonderful attractions. Apart from it, tourists can also find here a wide range of fantastic sights and a huge assortment of luxury hotels. This culturally rich country has a presence of a plenty of major cities and small villages with age-old traditions and the colorful dresses. These all things are enough to compel anyone to make a trip for China in his vacant period.

This most populated country in the world encompasses a huge assortment of tourist’s destinations which are decorated with the cultural intrigue and exceptional beauty. The country’s popular and highly visited locations start from beautiful lakes to the beautifully crafted Great Wall of China. As a holiday-maker you always have a dream of exploring your imaginations whenever you get a chance to do it. Your dream can come true once you have a visit of China’s beautiful and great looking attractions. Some famous locations are as follows:

Tianchi Lake – A Piece of Heaven

This beautiful lake, which was formerly known as Yaochi, maintains its presence in the east of the Tian Shan Mountain range, north of Bagda Peak. This place is considered to be one of the country’s main tourist destinations depicting numerous China holiday tours. As a tourist, you can give your eyes a pleasant experience when you avail with an opportunity to have a sight of grassland alpine lakes and glaciated forests standing at the bank of the lake.

The Great Wall of China

Being credited with the achievement of known as the world’s best known ancient construction, the Great Wall of China is one of the most popular cultural tourist sites. China holiday tours are one of the best alternatives to experience the beauty of this historical symbol.…

Money Saving Travel Tips For Your Road Trip Vacation

Take a Road Trip

No matter how high gas gets, it’s still cheaper to drive. Driving your own car to your destination does take longer but will save you a lot of cash. Cutting out airline tickets, and rental cars can save thousands of dollars not to mention giving you the freedom to stay where you want and travel on your timetable not the airline’s.

Gas

Don’t just fill up your car and plan on refilling when you get close to empty. Stopping more frequently can save money by finding the best prices and taking advantage of them. Use internet sites like to seek out the best bargains on your route. A steady foot on the gas will give the best gas mileage, so avoid heavy acceleration.

Remember to not exceed posted speed limits, which vary from state to state, by more than 10%. Most police and highway patrol will give you that leeway to account for speedometer discrepancies. A speeding ticket can really put a damper on your expenses.

Food

Aside from gas and lodging this will be your biggest expense, especially if you have a car full of kids. Before leaving on your trip, pack as much food as you can depending on the length of your trip. Stopping for fast food is the most expensive and unhealthy meal possible. I don’t use freezer packs, I freeze a lot of small plastic bottles of water which I use to keep perishables fresh, as well, these frozen bottles in a cooler bag, defrost slowly so there is always some cold water on the properly frozen, a dozen or so small bottles of water in a good insulated cooler will stay frozen for 2 days. Bring along packets of your family’s favorite powdered drink, like Kool Aid or sugar free no calorie Crystal Lite. These are easily poured into the bottles of water and slake your kids desire for pop. Fresh veggies like carrots and celery replace the need for snack stops. Tofu based dips keep well in cooler bags.

Bread, peanut butter, bagged snacks and even canned goods like tuna ( don’t forget the can opener ) are very easy to prep and keep well in a cooler. Deli meats on the other hand are high in salt and can go bad easily. For trips lasting more than 1 day I don’t recommend deli meats, the salt only serves to retain water causing more bathroom stops along the way.

For every dollar in food you pack yourself, you save 3 dollars on junk you would buy on the road. You would be surprised how much money and time you can save by bringing along healthy food.

Hotels / Motels

Lodging can be the most expensive part of the trip if not researched properly. Thanks to the internet, you can plan where you want to stay and reserve ahead of time. Reserving your room ahead of time, even as far as a few months, can save you money. Most major hotel chains offer promotion codes, they don’t tell you that on their web sites, you have to search the web for these codes. Promo codes can save you a fair amount of money so take the time to search the coupon sites.

I like to pick hotels with locations not more than a mile off my route, but not right on the highway. That way I can get a good night sleep without the drone of traffic disturbing me. If you have experience with a specific chain of hotels, don’t take for granted that they are all alike. You might have had a great stay in one location, but have a horrible stay in another.

I have found, over time, that all hotels are pretty much the same. The rooms are never as clean as you would like. The beds, pillows and especially the blankets and bedspreads are filthy so I don’t let that factor into my choice. To alleviate the stress of sketchy bedding, allergens and bedbugs, I pack a few travel sheets, that way I know my family are sleeping on clean sheets with no contact with the hotel bedding.

Don’t be swayed by the ” free breakfast ” claims, most of the food at these freebies is laden with fat and sugar, the eggs aren’t real and the coffee is usually bad. Choose the healthier items like bread, peanut butter and fruit.

Travel Gadgets

Anything that will save you money and time, and lessen stress levels is a good thing.

Cell phones allow you to communicate with hotels and other members of your group and, if you have a data package, can give you the flexibility to change reservations, and hunt for the best gas and restaurant prices.…

Things to See When You Travel to Venice

Whether you want to see all the historic buildings, watch a glass-blowing presentation, go hiking, or you want to just sit and people watch at one of the sidewalk caf?�s, Venice can accommodate you. This city is full of exciting things to see and do, no matter what time of year you go. Here are some ‘must-see’ attractions you should include in your itinerary.

A� St. Mark’s Basilica: This remains one of the most popular tourist attractions, partly because it’s free. Once you’re there you’ll want to visit the three museums, which do charge a small fee. It is well worth it to learn about the history of this amazing building.

A� Grand Canal: You cannot visit Venice without touring the Grand Canal; it’s part of what this city is famous for.

A� Doge’s Palace: Located right next to St. Mark’s this palace is rich with history and you will learn how this city came to be. A walk on the Bridge of Sighs will give you an excellent view of the city.

A� Teatro La Fenice: One of the most important Opera Houses, and one of the most prestigious. It dates back to 1789. If you have a group of 10 or more, you can take a guided tour with cocktails and learn about the history.

A� San Rocco: If you are a fan of Tintoretto’s paintings, you will see them at this Art Museum. There are also concerts that you can enjoy if you happen to come when one is scheduled. Pictures are prohibited, so leave your camera at the hotel.

A� Rialto Bridge: This is one of Venice’s most famous bridges, and is lined with shops and flea markets.

A� Ca Rezzonico: A three-story museum full of paintings, sculptures and carvings. Don’t bring your camera here: pictures are strictly prohibited.

A� Clock Tower: Take a guided tour to the top of the tower for a unique experience. You’ll go up a narrow pathway of stairs, and pass the clock’s mechanism on the way.

Talk to your travel agent about getting some of these included in your travel package. You can also look online for special deals or discounts. Just make sure you are buying from a reputable source if you do purchase anything online. Be sure to get in as many of these sights as you can, in the time that you have; you won’t be disappointed. Also, don’t forget to bring a camera, Venice is so beautiful, you will want to take pictures non-stop.…

Choosing Your Luxury Travel Package to an Exotic Destination

There are many luxury travel packages to exotic destinations around the world. For lovers of the very best in life packages such as these are the ideal solution when looking for your vacation. If you want to enjoy one of the very best vacations of your life then you may wish to bear the following in mind.

When choosing your luxury destination you may wish to be careful. While there are numerous resorts out there some are more popular than others and may be crowded. If you want relaxation you need to look around for a resort that is exotic yet secluded and there are many of them if you take the time to look.

Some destinations more than others are classed as luxury resorts, Gstaad and Monaco for instance both offer luxury vacations, yet offer very different things. However if you take a look at a map of the world you may find that there are many resorts that may not be as well known, that offer just as much luxury.

When looking to book your vacation you may wish to consider what the resort offers. For instance if you love sitting on the beach by the sea then of course you have to find a beach side resort. If your ideal holiday is winter sports then you typically need to look for resorts offering the sports and activities that you love.

There are different standards of luxury so be careful when choosing a resort for your vacation. Some resorts typically offer a much better level of service than others. If you want to take a vacation that caters to your every need then choose a hotel that is well known for its service such as the Gstaad Palace Hotel or the Grand Hotel Park if taking a vacation in Gstaad. Alternatively if your ideal vacation is sunny Monaco then consider booking into the Monte Carlo Bay Hotel or the Hotel de Paris. All of these hotels are well known for their exceptional luxury and are among the very best in the world.

When booking your ideal luxury holiday and there are days out included you may wish to check that you are able to tailor the vacation to your needs. For instance there may be an excursion to the Glacier if taking your holiday in such as Gstaad or you may be expected to take a trip to one of the gardens in Monaco. However you may not want to be tied in to going to such places and wish to do your own thing, so check you are able to do so.…

20 Tips For A Lousy Vacation

Successful travel plans require a certain amount of effort. Save yourself the bother, and just follow these 20 simple tips for a miserable trip:

Don’t shop around. Accept the first travel package offered. Cheap airline tickets are always best.

Don’t check out the resort. Those glossy brochures are always accurate.

Travel insurance is a waste of money. Nothing can go wrong.

Skip the vaccinations. No one ever gets sick traveling in foreign countries.

Planning ahead is never necessary. Pack at the last moment.

Don’t worry about your checked luggage being overweight. It won’t cost that much.

Put prohibited items in your carry-on. They are tolerant, and won’t object.

Arriving three hours ahead of time for an international flight is nonsense. Show up at the last-minute.

Be uncooperative at the security screening. It’s only there to annoy you.

Board the plane with no plans for passing the time. Sixteen hours isn’t that long.

Start worrying about what you have to do on arrival as soon as the plane takes off.

Check your watch every two minutes, and listen carefully for strange noises.

Drink plenty of alcohol. Your fellow passengers love a party animal.

Bother the flight attendants as often as you want. They have little to do, and it helps them pass the time.

Arrive at your destination with no clear idea of where the resort is, or how to get there.

As soon as you reach the resort, remind them that you expect good service, and don’t believe in tipping.

Frequently remind the locals that nothing in their country is as good as it is back home.

Complain loudly about what poor English the staff speak.

The day you arrive, assure everyone that you are dissatisfied and won’t return in the future.

Drink lots of tap water. It will help cleanse your system, and keep you confined to you room, where you can sulk about what a lousy vacation this is.…