The beautiful southern Caribbean Costa Rica region has received its share of media love this year as Costa Rica surges in the international news with new flights to the country, better travel opportunities, and newsworthy events happening.

IKEA Films Caribbean Costa Rica Jungle Wildlife

Costa Rican howler, white-faced capuchin, and spider monkeys became famous starring in a new IKEA commercial filmed at the Jaguar Rescue Center in Puerto Viejo. The ad campaign launched on July 11, 2015, and pro

Amsterdam is justly celebrated for, among other things, its canals. But if any Netherlands canal city (and there are quite a few) can lay claim to being even more picture-postcard-perfect, it’s Delft, about an hour’s drive away.

The city’s canal heritage, dating back to its rural-village origins in the early 12th century, is embedded in its very name (derived from delven, Dutch for “digging”), and visitors to its historic center are invariably charmed by the mix of waterways, bridges across

Today we hit the tarmac to learn more about the important role played by the ladies and gents you see outside your aircraft window gesticulating up a storm. They’re called marshallers(known as señaleros in Spanish), and besides guiding planes whilst they’re on the ground, these individuals perform other less well known functions as well, such as cooperating with other airport authorities to monitor various vital technical procedures, and providing assistance in case of an unusual incident of an

Some of the 18-hole golf links in Dallas, Texas feature 6,630 yards of great courses where golfers can play par 71 championship games. These links will give you a tough challenge, but are extremely fun to play. In the Dallas area, golf courses have continued to delight patrons with elevated greens, exciting games and a verdant mix of towering trees, lakes and marshlands. If you think that only physical strength will do the trick, then you are wrong.  You may have exceptional physical skills, but

Who doesn’t dream of tasting some of the best wines in the world in the very vineyards where the grapes are grown? Whether you’re a wine connoisseur, a wine lover or simply wine-curious, you’ll find that there’s something for everyone in these European wine regions.

Loire Valley, France

The Loire Valley, with its magnificent châteaux and gardens, is one of the most beautiful parts of France. It is also one of the country’s most diverse wine regions, producing all types of wine: red, white, ros

This Indian Ocean architepelago is a destination beyond compare that has been drawing visitors from all over the world, and when it comes to accommodation, it also boasts a plethora of resorts for various preferences, needs and budgets. Here are our top five choices:

One and Only Reethi Rah 

A complex of huge overwater decks, villas, and swimming pools sprawling out across the beautiful, crystal-clear ocean, each villa comes with wide-screen LCD TV, DVD/CD player with surround-sound system, iPod

An island off central Cuba's north coast, Cayo Coco has since 1993 joined Varadero as one of Cuba's premier resort destinations. With an area of 370 square kilometer, the onetime refuge of corsairs, pirates, and assorted ruffians is a holiday mecca thanks to luxuriant vegetation and 22 kilometers of spectacular beaches. The name Cayo Coco comes not from Spanish for coconut but from the presence in the area the white ibis, popularly called the coco bird. The geography is made of a limestone plai

We’d been waiting for five minutes for our last passengers."What’s the betting they’re Americans, with white ankle socks and their belongings in carrier bags?" asked Carl, a fellow passenger. Guess what! He was right!

Impatiently, I looked at my watch. Only a quarter to six. And, for the first time, I realised the significance of the date. 6th May 2005 … and a year to the day since I got carted off to hospital.

My doctor said to call it a "cerebro-vascular accident". ‘Tell people you had a str

Bhutan, A Mesmerizing Country with Many Sacred Sights

Are you looking for a destination to get rid of the daily hustle and bustle? If so, a pilgrimage tour to Bhutan can be an excellent way to explore its religious sites. In fact, here life for most revolves around ancient Buddhist religious rituals. Bhutan has hundreds of holy monasteries, sacred monuments and religious sites.

Near the capital city, Thimpu, are plenty of well known, peaceful, and all around stunning dzongs and monasteries. The

The lands which were to become the United States and Canada were largely settled by the English, but not everyone is aware that the continental USA’s oldest continuously occupied city, St. Augustine in northeast Florida, was founded by explorers from Spain 450 years ago this month. And in returning to attend the big birthday bash it's been throwing for itself (above), I was smitten once again with what is one of this country's most fascinating historic visits (with great St. Augustine beaches 

The most challenging aspect of travelling is packing. Forget about language barrier, cultural differences or anything else. Packing is where the real struggle lies. If you're like me and you can never get a suitcase to close however much you try, here are some invaluable tips to help you through one of life's greatest challenges: how to pack a suitcase.

1. Don't over-pack. I cannot stress this enough. Make a list of all the essential things you'll need during your journey. Then revise that list a

You fall in love and get married with the best of intentions. You dream of spending your lives together and often you begin to do so by having children.

But somewhere in the near distance, there are constant reminders, concerns, indifference's and issues that continue to play on your subconscious and tell you that something isn't right and never will be.

You fight it off and continue with your every day life and then it happens. One of you decides that they can no longer exist as part of this coup

Most of us have a fairly clear picture of the procedures passengers go through when they arrive at an airport: check-in, security, boarding, and so forth. And of course we know about many of the various services available at airports, aid to unaccompanied minors and travellers with mobility issues; VIP lounges; customer service desk; transfers; and the like. But today our topic is “handling,” which is basically the servicing that aircraft receive on the tarmac between landing and taking off aga

There are lots of reasons why La Jolla is San Diego, California’s favorite coastal community. One of these is the fact that our community offers so many things to do – including looking at beautiful houses and gardens.

Sometimes this can be a frustrating experience because many beautiful houses and gardens are surrounded by walls and high hedges. However, once a year visitors can find out what lies beyond the entrances by going on the Secret Garden Tour of La Jolla.

That garden tour will take plac

Travelling alone can be the best thing in the world. You get to set your own pace, decide your own destinations, the things you want to see, and you don't have to please anyone else but yourself. It may be true that some things in life are better shared, but there's also much to be said for the pleasure of being on your own every now and then. Here are some things you should keep in mind when travelling on your own.

1. Give a copy of your planned itinerary to a friend of family member. Include fl

Shanghai is an amazing city with more skyscrapers than New York City and many more being built. Also amazing is the luxurious The Peninsula Hotel. The Peninsula Hotels are considered some of the world’s best hotels. They have a program called The Academy whereby people can learn about the local culture and food. When it is scheduled guests can participate in private cooking class with the hotel’s chefs, take a master class in preparing dim sum at Yi Long Court or attend a tasting session of Chin

Sadko

In the Republic of Montenegro you will find Durmitor National Park, a vast natural protected area of 39,000 hectares which was declared Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 1980. Shaped by the action of glaciers and with rivers and underground waters cutting through it, its beauty goes beyond what can be captured in a photo. Dense forests of conifers with important endemic flora and lakes of crystal waters stretch out along Tara River, which possesses one of the most profound gorges in Europ

The USA's national parks are indeed a treasure. But we may not always be within a short drive of one. State parks, on the other hand, are more plentiful, often found within shorter distances and can provide a satisfying alternative for a decent "nature fix." A recent invitation to join a group of friends for a weekend at Turkey Run State Park in Indiana was just the ticket.

As many state parks do, Turkey Run offers a variety of lodging options  - in this case, an inn, cabins, and

High above the 
Rhone Valley, I tried not to look as the bus driver deftly navigated the monstrosity around hairpin turns ever climbing. But there’s a thing about precipices where only a 2 foot high metal guardrail separates you from a vertical drop hundreds of feet into a rock encrusted ravine…it’s terrifying but ever so scenic! In this way, terror and enthrallment propelled my journey ever upward…how far was anybody’s guess…through the clouds? At 4593 feet, I reached 
Leukerbad, a Swiss villag