Ultimate Vacation Spots

posted by Travel Cat on Jun 22

This fantastic destination is one of the most popular wedding spots in the States!

With the draw of all those bright lights – it is hard to think that you’re not missing out on some great adventure if you don’t go there!

It is in movies, songs and holiday brochures everywhere – so who can blame you for wanting to be one of the 40 million people who visit Las Vegas every year!

And seemingly – the very fact that it is crammed top to toe with people and runs on 24 hours a day is one of the reasons for that draw.

Why Are They All Here?
People from all over the World travel to Las Vegas day after day – and stay for sometimes just the 1 night!

The culture of the place can be felt in the air as you stroll around the place of an evening – themed restaurants, bars, hotels, wedding chapels and much more. Something from every continent is calling out to you to be tried or tasted.

The Hotels are so big and the choices for food and drink are so extensive that you can see a little bit of the whole World on every street. And it feels great!

photo credit: Stratosphere Hotel & Casino

I only stayed there for 3 nights for a friends wedding and we just ran out of time to see everything. Well, it was hard to rush around trying to check off all the things in the guide book AND trying to enjoy yourself too!

Taking the whole day to go visit the Grand Canyon was great – but it meant 1 day less in this frantic yet almost soothing city. I felt asthough I could just wander around for ever amongst the ornate buildings, shopping centres and streets.

It seemed never-ending – and I didn’t mind ending up back at the same place twice. It was all so enthralling.

Why Aren’t You There?
I can’t believe anyone wouldn’t want to visit Las Vegas at some point anyway – just to see what all the fuss is about.

They must be the same people who say that they ‘would get bored in the Maldives’.

Instead of thinking of a destination in terms of what you presume it must be like from the pictures – you just need to try it out: get online and search for Las Vegas Letsgo2.com and take a look at the inside of some of the properties and hotels. The ambiance may well change the way you think about the place.

I mean if 40 million people think that it is THE destination to visit – then why can’t you believe them? That’s like the whole population of Canada, Jamaica and Costa Rica combined recommending the place!

Imagine the thrill and excitement of getting married in the first place – and then triple that with the thrill and excitment of the Entertainment Capital of the World – and you have got one of the best combinations for your wedding you could have possibly have!

And what guests are going to turn down an invite to THAT wedding?

posted by Travel Cat on Mar 4

Imagine that ‘dream’ yachting adventure you’ve always wanted – then just book it!

You don’t need to wait and see what each yacht can offer and then have to choose between them – you should be able to decide on the things you want your boat to offer and then find your perfect boat!

Whether it’s got to be large enough for 30 guests or small enough for just the family – no worries; whether you need to stay in touch with your business with a large wi-fi office space or you want to get away from it all with plenty of outside space – no worries; whether you want a large crew to supply your needs or if you want a small launch boat available so that you can entertain yourself on land – no worries!

On your hand-picked luxury yacht charter - you’re the boss!

How Do You Find The Perfect Yacht?
You could use a travel agent, ask a friend or trawl the internet looking for that perfect yacht – but I will guarantee that you will hit many dead ends before you do.

They might have the first few things on your list – like availability and enough berths – but then they might not be able to travel to the places you want to see, or they might not have an onboard gym or jacuzzi – so you have to start looking all over again. Or end up settling for something less than you wanted.

So, why not go straight to a website that can do everything for you; only offers the best, and which has the experience to know what you need – and to find it for you.

We are already busy enough these days – without having to waste time checking that everything we expect is included – so why not leave these things to the experts and you know you won’t be able to find fault.

And Fraser Yachts can offer you just this – an expert to find you the boat that suits your exact needs at a time that you want it!

photo credit: emuphoto

The Ultimate Yacht:
Just one look at their website will tell you how much they care about their customers and you can also see examples of their excellent standards with images of the crew and some of the smaller rooms they offer.

They haven’t just shown you a handful of the ‘best bits’ – they have shown you an image of almost every part of their yachts allowing you to get a true picture of all the boats they have to offer.

And they cater for all sizes too – whether you want a compact 26 meter yacht to cruise the South Pacific with a handful of friends or you want a 70 meter mega yacht charter for 30 friends in the Caribbean – it’s all on their website.

With access to a large number of the best boats on the water – your dream vacation could become a reality for you. So all you need to decide is when you want to go – and they will do the rest!

Looking at some of the boats available – this would be so much better than hiring 5 or 6 rooms in a hotel for your family – or conference facilities for that work meeting!

Imagine a week of totally undisturbed bliss in crystal clear waters on your super yacht charter! No interuptions during business, no other ‘tourists’ getting in your way and only having to unpack once – but getting to see as many different destinations as you want.

It puts ordinary vacations to shame!

posted by Travel Cat on Jan 20

When in Rome – do exactly what YOU want to do!

You don’t have to stick to the tourist track when you visit the beautiful city of Rome, you can have the place to yourself and see the sites that interest you – rather than the masses.

Located in central Italy on the River Tiber and close to the country’s Mediterranean coast, Rome has more to offer than the routine tour of the Colosseum or the Pantheon.

Plan your own trip here – maybe staying in your own Rome apartments on the River – and you could find yourself caught up in the swing of things and finding history and hidden architecture right on the very streets that you are your drinking coffee in!

The City Itself:
Rome has been inhabited for over 2 and a half thousand years, through the Roman Empire, the Renaissance and the ruling Papacy – and so it’s great buildings and even common houses reflect styles from all eras.

Used as the setting for many conspiracy theories and the site of many hidden catacombs, underground waterways and even temples, you don’t always see everything in the guide book.

What you need is to wander the streets, go into and look around stores and museum buildings and get a sense of the people who lived and worked there – not just the elite.

photo credit: bensonkua

In Rome accommodation is never hard to find – and you can get a room in almost any part of the city you were hoping to explore! Whether you want to be close to the coast, the big sites, the river or just outside of the bustle – you will be sure to find it.

Vatican City:
Part of Rome that attracts as many vistors as the city itself is the Vatican – a city within a city! Home of the Papacy, the Sistine chapel, St Peter’s Basilica and a whole host of other sights worth seeing – you would be missing half of Rome if you didn’t visit here!

This self ruling walled section of Rome has a host of magnificent and imposing buildings – and book after book after book claim to know it’s secrets. However a few hours spent looking around yourself, you will soon see why it has created so much myth and mystery.

By booking yourself into some Vatican apartments overlooking the City, you can see the staff and visitors around the site throughout the day and late into the evening – maybe inspiring your very own conspiracy theory!

So however long you stay, make sure you choose the best accommodation for your trip. Don’t feel that you have to find 1 place and stay there for your entire vacation. Being able to step out of your apartment and be face to face with an amazing building is a totally different feeling from catching the bus there in the afternoon with 100 other people!

Plan your accommodation just as you would your transport – move around to suit your needs and get the most out of your city vacation.

“Abbia una grande festa” – as they say in Rome!

posted by Travel Cat on Jul 22

Welcome back, and I hope the first 5 beautiful spots tempted you enough to come back for this second part!

So, let’s get straight back into it, and get going on the final 5 – hope you like them…..

6) The Great Rift Valley – East Africa
Needless to say, this huge region is filled with wildlife and absolutely beautiful landscapes!

Surrounded by huge lakes, miles of mountains and plateaus and crammed full of greenery – you will certainly need you camera working on overtime! It contains some of the highest mountains in Africa as well as active and dormant volcanoes and some of the largest lakes in the world!

Witness where man first stepped out into the world and where this massive continent is actually splitting in 2 creating a new ocean!

7) Serengeti/Masai Mara National Park – Tanzania/Kenya
This is one of the largest and most visited National Parks in Africa due to it’s endless landscapes filled with huge game and indigenous tribes.

Famous for its unbelievable migration of around 1.5 million wildebeest and 200,000 zebra every year! As a result it has the largest population of lions of any national park and has the other 4 from the notorious ‘Big Five’.

Be prepared for some endless views of the savanna and the bumpiest car rise you have ever been on!  Alternatively, why not hire a hot air balloon for a champagne ride across the sky and get a panoramic view of this unforgiving landscape.

8.) The Great Dunes – Namibia
Down the southern edge of the continent and bordering the cold southern Atlantic Ocean – this region is one of the driest areas in the region. After years and years of little rain – the dunes have grown and grown into some of the largest dunes in the world!

Although you might think that makes for a bland landscape – you would be wrong. The canyons formed here and the huge wetlands along the coast add to the sheer beauty of the harshness fund here. Spotting a single antelope on an almost endless dune several kilometers in length is something to be admired.

9) Underneath The Red Sea – Egypt

Take yourself to another world underneath the crystal clear waters of the Red Sea Riviera! 

Filled to the brim with tropical and colourful fish, huge shallow-water reefs and marine mammals.  Whether you stay close to the shore or snorkel from the beaches of Sharm el-Sheikh or Hurghada – or you charter a boat out into deeper water and spend the day in this underwater world!

10) Marrakech – Morocco
If you love bright colours, the hustle and bustle of lively markets and a whole host of adobe buildings and materials painted in the brightest of hues – them this is the place for you.

This vibrant city – close to the entrance to the Mediterranean – is a hagglers heaven! With different cultures plying different trades on every corner, and different kitchens offering an endless array of foods and cooked meals – plus the influence of different religions on the architecture: this offers a whole different kind a beauty from the natural landscape surrounding it.

Send in your pictures!

posted by Travel Cat on Jul 16

There are thousands of amazing locations in Africa, but I have narrowed it down to my Top 10.

Spread across this huge continent and all showing off the varied cultures and landscapes that can be found from the very north to the southern tip of this diverse and colourful continent!

Africa is  the second largest continent in the World – and there is plenty here to prove it.  From the glorious Mediterranean Sea way north of the Tropic of Cancer, to within miles of Antarctica in the south; from the roaring Atlantic Ocean on the West Coast to the gentle azure water to the Indian Ocean to the East.  And everything in-between!

Currently known as the birthplace of human evolution, this country is still filled with indigenous people and new-comers alike.  There are over a billion people living here, with over 2000 languages spoken by those living here. 

But it’s not just about the people – the places are breath-taking too, with every known habitat type found here.  From mountains and volcanoes to deserts and valleys; from tropical cloud forest to barren Savannah – and all the different wildlife that offers.

So, imagine you are planning your next vacation here – and choose your ideal location!

1) Okavango Delta – Botswana
The most lush and verdant wetland – that doesn’t empty in to the sea!  This inland ‘estuary’ fills with water during the wet season – leaving you totally surrounded by endless wildlife and plants.

Miles and miles or canals and waterways to travel along, attracting huge numbers of elephants, hippos and giraffes.  Not to mention flowers, insects and birds galore!  Hotels are on the main rivers and tributaries – so you can share breakfast with a herd of elephants!

2) Garden Route – South Africa
Famed for it’s ocean views and mountain backgrounds – this coastal stretch is crammed full of flowers in the peak season – crammed full!

Not only are there whales to see in the warm Indian Ocean where it meets the cooler Atlantic, but our own history right before us.  The shells on the beaches weren’t brought here and dumped – they are thousands of years worth of human waste; from when we first became humans and discovered seafood!

3) Victoria Falls – Zimbabwe & Zambia
This huge slice through the middle of 2 countries is just jaw-dropping.  The nearly 2000 metres wide Zambezi river falls over the top – and has cut back into the rocks over thousands of years to engulf 7 different gorges – and now looks like a great big gash in the landscape that seems to swallow up the river into the ground beneath it!

Needless to say there are different locations from which to view it – and there are hotels along it’s banks – but the best view must be from a helicopter flying into the heart of the gorge!  Nothing would be more amazing than getting inside this amazing natural feature!

4) The Seychelles – Indian Ocean
Needless to say that these tiny islands are totally beautiful!  Surrounded by the Indian Ocean and dotted with tropical jungles and exotic species – you can’t go wrong here!

There are 115 islands to choose from for your visit – although some are more populated than others!  Some have those amazing giant granite ‘pebbles’ resting at the waters edge, and others are a haven for tropical birds and insects.  Whichever you choose – I doubt you will be disappointed!

5) Madagascar – Indian Ocean
Another island nation – altogether larger than any in the Seychelles – but is unique for it’s lemurs, chameleons, baobab trees and the Dodo!

With miles of exotic coastline edged up to by dense tropical jungles – this is a haven for wildlife lovers!  The island was under colonial control for thousands of years so there is a lot of European influence in language, culture and architecture.  Quite a interesting mix!

These are just the first 5 beautiful places in Africa that I would recommend – so join me in a few days for the remaining 5 spots – if these aren’t enough for starters!