It starts just after I land in Hobart. I am whisked into the airport’s private Saffire Lodge lounge. Quick refresh, an espresso and pick up my snack pack and drink, then fold into a private car to take me to the magical Freycinet Peninsula of Tasmania.

Just two and a half hours away, along Tasmania’s scenic east coast from Hobart (it’s two hours’ drive from Launceston), you turn off the road and cruise towards heaven on earth. (Purely subjective – but hey, I was there.)

Tasmania has to be one o

Parece un mar, pero es un río. El gigantesco Río de la Plata recibe a los turistas que se maravillan con sus vistas y a los ciudadanos de Montevideo que se pasean junto a él mate en mano, la bebida preferida del Cono Sur, pero que en Uruguay bate récords. Después de varios paseos por la ciudad, uno tiene la sensación de que el montevideano siempre anda a mano con su termo y sus yerbas. Y se puede tomar en solitario o en grupo, como los que se ven en el paseo de las Ramblas, que da al río. Ni un

Learn to cook New Orleans cuisine

Take a cooking class at the New Orleans Cooking Experience to learn about the wonders of  the Louisiana food.  It offers cooking vacations, half-day, private and special event classes to visitors and local New Orleanians.  The highly personalized classes focus on authentic Creole cooking.  Regular classes are limited to ten, and include instruction, recipes, wines and conclude with a multi-course dinner party. Special event classes are available for groups of ten

It's that time of the year when you a planning your vacation or weekend,getaway,

And that does not come cheap. With airlines raising the cost of tickets thanks to

the return of business flyers and more people now taking vacations who waited

due to the economic downturn, the cost of travel is now on the rise. However, 

there are still some great deals to find.

Listed below are 5 of my favorite ways I have used to save on travel cost:

1. Plan in advance

Some of the best deals I have come across came when

Puerto Plata is one of the Dominican Republic’s most amazing tourist destinations (if not its most). It has white and golden sandy beaches, Victorian houses, a historic area, the Isabel de Torres mountain and its cable car, but what's more, if adventures are your thing, you can enjoy the 27 waterfalls or cascades of Damajagua.

Damajagua is a geological fault where the waters form a canyon several kilometers in length, with parallel waterfalls above eleven meters. It is located 10 kilometers fr

Green season in Guanacaste, Costa Rica is when the waterfalls at Rincon de la Vieja Volcano really show off.

Near Rincon de la Vieja hotel Hacienda Guachipelin, four waterfalls flow, and all of them have pools where you can swim. Getting to the waterfalls is an adventure on its own – either by hiking or horseback riding. The Hacienda Guachipelin Adventure Center organizes waterfall tours, which last usually two to three hours and are available between 7:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.

Victoria Waterfall

Recently, we had an opportunity to experience Long Beach, California, in depth – the transformation of this city over the decades is nothing less than astonishing.

What was an unremarkable middle-class town has magically morphed into an exciting convention and vacation destination that rivals the best of what other Southern California beach towns have to offer.

Note: Everything you will read about our Long Beach holiday is available for your enjoyment. We have provided links to each topic. Just

Oh yes, it's that time of year again - when a region already one of America's loveliest kicks it up a few Dix Notches and rolls out the flaming reds, yellows, and oranges. Whether it's Indian summer or crisply autumnal, there's nothing more delightful than a ramble through New England's countryside in its glowing glory, the better to appreciate all the historic landmarks, inns, restaurants, eco attractions, and more.  Here's my very personal list of the best mixes of leaves and other allures in

The most amazing  and beautiful building in all of London, Westminster Abbey!

An absolutely beautiful building with an astonishing history.

If you ever go to London, do the Abbey. Even if you are  just there for a day, do the Abbey. Photos are not allowed inside, but most of you have probably seen pictures of the recent Royal Wedding. That is OK because. no camera, no photographer can capture the whole scene inside, let alone the grandeur, the history, the splendor.

One word of warning, if you have

One of the safest things you could be doing right now is flying. According to solid research, 3 miles on an Interstate highway puts you at the same risk of fatality as does a coast-to-coast flight. Every time you drive 3 miles on an Interstate highway (or about 1.5 miles urban) you have placed yourself at the same risk as taking a flight.

This statistical analysis was developed when traffic deaths rose sharply after 9/11, as people switched from flying to driving. Researchers Michael Sivak and Mi

The Alps have the world’s best skiing and there are some resorts that really have it all – from large ski areas to a vibrant nightlife. Here we present the top five.

#1. Verbier, Switzerland

Near the Italian border in southwestern Switzerland, this luxury mountain village gives skier access to the fantastic lift system of the Four Valleys – large and efficient and offers something for everyone. You can find all types of skiers – from billionaires in the Prada to the silver taped ski bum. Here you

por Javier Pedreira


Aún a pesar de las señales e indicaciones que hay en las carreteras todos nos hemos perdido alguna vez circulando en coche. Por eso puede parecer que perderse volando de un lugar a otro tiene que ser extremadamente sencillo, pues en el aire no hay señales que seguir. Pero no es del todo cierto que estas señales no existan.


Sí es cierto que en los primeros tiempos de la aviación los intrépidos pilotos de la época iban de un lugar a otro literalmente mirando por donde iban

A city and surrounds full of history and natural wonders, Cape Town offers up a special pocket of colour that’s a standout 

Cape Town in South Arica is everything and more you could ever learn about it. The city spreads across the bottom of the mountain range that is topped by the protective shadow of Table Mountain; it leans towards the sea and is a hodgepodge of various architecture from the gated elegant McMansions and villa communities to simple suburban beauties. There are shanty houses, ol

Savvy travelers know that the Costa Rica Caribbean Summer is in October. While the rest of Costa Rica is covered under a gray umbrella of rain, the Costa Rica Caribbean Coast shines beneath a radiant Caribbean summer sun.

The Caribbean Coast varies from the standard weather patterns of Costa Rica. October is when Limon holds its annual carnival celebration, and is a perfect time to visit the beautiful beaches of Cahuita, Puerto Viejo and Manzanillo.

The Costa Rica Caribbean Coast is very differe

Staying at truly unique hotels and inns transports you to a different time and place, allowing you to forget the real world for a bit. Mirbeau Inn & Spa at The Pinehills in Plymouth, Massachusetts is a great coastal escape 45 minutes south of Boston without the hassle of battling Cape Cod traffic.

Ensconced by thick pine forest buffeted by salty ocean breezes, Plymouth's Pine Hills are a unique topographical feature as well as the name of an ever growing planned community. Stunningly rural despit

Looking to the South from Remarkable Rocks, there was nothing between me and the southern ice cap but cold water. I had gone about as far as I could go… finally. From this point near the bottom of the world, I would go North, across the continent and transition from penguins to crocodiles. I was soon to board The Ghan, but fortunately it was no longer a camel ride in the Outback. This luxury train ride will take me from the bottom, up to the top of Australia.

Sou

Just 6 kilometers in length, this island, unusually shaped like a 5-pointed star, has all the ingredients for a perfect tropical location.  The Ilha dos Frades (Island of the Friars) is a mosaic of white sandy beaches, fresh water lakes, small waterfalls of surprising beauty, hills which offer spectacular views of the bay, and a forest wealth which combines the palm trees traditionally found in this type of setting with trees native to the Brazilian Atlantic coast (including the famous “Pau Bra

You could:

• bike the wine trails from town to town, among 400 villages, In the Moravian foothills of the White Carpathians, stopping along the way to chat with individual winemakers who might offer you a taste of their wine. 
• Visit the Wine Salon in Valtice for tastes of over 100 award-winning wines.   
• Go to one of the wine festivals around the harvest, usually around September. 
  
• (And if you are lucky enough to taste Czech wine in situ, you won’t want to miss the Kroměříž Gardens.  Visit thi