It’s not uncommon to visit a hotel that wasn’t here last year. It’s less common, though, to visit a hotel that wasn’t here last year … and won’t be here next year. That’s how it is with Scandinavia’s ‘ice hotels’; they’re actually dug out of a snow bank at the beginning of winter, and are gone with the first thaws of spring. And, usually, they’re completely rebuilt the following winter.

The concept isn’t new, of course. For generations, the Inuit of North America have been building their igloos f

Like the lion or the tiger, the jaguar is the “king of the jungle” in the Americas. It is the largest feline in the Americas and the third largest in the world, notes Wikipedia. With a range extending from Southwestern United States and Mexico across much of Central America and south to Paraguay and northern Argentina, there are only an estimated 15,000 jaguars left in the wild, according to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).

“The jaguar is still an abundant species, but is threatened by habitat loss

Ta’er Monastery, Kumbum Monastery in the Tibetan language, is the birthplace of Tsong Kha-pa, the founder of the yellow sect, is one of the six major lamaseries of yellow sect in Tibetan Buddhism. It is 26km away from Xining, the capital city of Qinghai Province and it was built in 1379.

Ta'er is a garden-like architectural complex of blending Han and Tibetan architecture. Its main buildings include eight pagodas; the great golden-tiled hall; a small golden-tiled hall; the grand scripture hall;

Approximately one hour south of Agadir, Morocco, lies the Souss-Massa National Park. The park is one of the final green enclaves before reaching the Moroccan desert, and it has become an important nature reserve protecting endangered species, forming an ideal ecosystem for pink flamingos, cranes and the bald ibis.

In Sous Massa visitors can get close to endless species of wildlife, both flora and fauna.  There is also an interesting swamp and some beautiful beaches in the park; the perfect places

One of the biggest economic drivers of 18th-century Brazil was coffee, and in the same way that Ouro Preto was the backbone of the gold and diamond trade, so was Vassouras the financial and commercial heart of the coffee trade during the 19th century, Brazil's imperial period.

Vassouras didn’t start out that way, however. Its name refers to “vassoura” which is Portuguese for “broom”. Before becoming the most important coffee producing region of Brazil, the hills around Vassouras were covered with

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Ah, Christmas – for many people, there’s no more magical time of the year. But celebrating this holiday extravagantly goes back only to the 19th century, and in many countries the festivities didn’t take place on December 25 at all, but rather today, on the Epiphany, January 6 (the twelfth day of Christmas, with 12 drummers drumming, as the song goes). In fact, though Spanish-speaking countries have largely jumped on the Yuletide bandwagon with Santa Claus, Christmas trees, and all the

Are you a ski enthusiast and want to get the best ever ski experience? Well, Big Sky, Montana is the place to be!

For every ski enthusiast who has not yet skied in the Big Sky Montana, he is definitely missing out an experience of a lifetime. Big Sky Montana is the final frontier with magnificent 11, 000 foot mountains, mesmerizing scenery and adventure around every corner. Located at the south of the Gallatin Valley, everything in Montana is larger than life in big sky country. 

The area has th

Traveling as a vegetarian or vegan is never easy, but it isn’t as hard as many people think. It takes a little effort, but if you’re open to tasting new and interesting food and up for a challenge, you’ll be amazed at the variety of exciting things you’ll get to try when traveling. The 10 countries below are known for their various cuisine and always helpful locals.

#1. China

Thanks to the historical influence of Buddhism, China has a 2000 year tradition of pure vegetarian food. There are vegetari

A veces el turista necesita un descanso. En Roma, con tanta cúpula y tanto monumento grandioso, se agradece un parón más que en ningún otro sitio. El Trastevere, el único barrio medieval que queda en la ciudad eterna, es el lugar perfecto. En cuanto uno accede a él por cualquiera de los puentes de entrada (Garibaldi, Cestio o Palatino), se empapa de la auténticavida romana. Fuera guiris y fuera colas interminables. Al Trastevere se viene a darse un baño de realidad. A mirar las fachadas desconch

Wanted: Someone to push heavy carts along a narrow aisle dispensing drinks, cookies and conversation, with a smile.

Applicant must be able to evacuate a plane, determine, behind closed curtains, what passengers are most likely to help in an emergency and wonder about the little girl flying alone, sitting next to that suspicious man.

The big question, considering the multiple roles an attendant has to fulfill, is whether fluffing pillows and handing out pretzels compromise the authority flight at

Over the past year, I've visited 8 different countries, half of which I paid for my flights using airmiles. Here are a few useful tips for building up your air mileage for free.

There are many ways to earn air miles for free, and some of the best ways don’t require you to change your buying habits at all. So let’s start off with the most lucrative option, credit cards.

#1 Airline credit cards

The quickest way to build a massive portfolio of air miles is to open credit cards that offer an airmiles b

Whether you are planning your annual employee or shareholder meeting, want to motivate your sales forces, or reward your staff or clients for a great year, Costa Rica is a travel destination that offers limitless possibilities.

With many regular and direct flights, Costa Rica is easy to get to from Canada and the United States. The country offers good value and a large range of hotels, services and activities for group, meeting and incentive travel. Many different climates, destinations, places t

My family lived in Japan for three years while my husband served aboard the USS Kitty Hawk out of Yokosuka, Japan. During those three years we lived on the economy in Mabori Kaigan for some time. It gave us a unique opportunity to view and take part of the local Japanese culture. One of the most interesting traditions is on New Year’s Day.

Before 1873 the Japanese New Year was based on the Chinese lunar calendar but following the Meiji Restoration Japan adopted the Gregorian calendar and it is n

Fireworks in Madrid, Spain ring in the New Year

New Year's Eve in Rio de Janeiro on the Copacabana

In London see the fireworks over Ben Ben and Parlament

New York City, Time Square is the place to be

Paris is the City of Light, and on New Year's Eve, Fireworks fly high over the Eiffel Tower

Sydney, the first major city firework show over the Harbor Bridge and Opera House

Happy New Year to all.

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Each and every one of the 7 islands that make up the Canaries are an irresistible temptation for travellers at any time of year, but in winter in Europe, they’re in a league all of their own. The average annual temperature is more than 20ºC (in fact, UNESCO has classified the microclimate in Morgan, on Gran Canaria, as the best in the world). And it’s precisely for this reason that each year, large numbers of Europeans choose this archipelago as their winter holiday destination.

The Canary Isla

Chris Oakley

If you find should yourself spending New Year’s Eve in a Spanish-speaking country, you may notice that the locals have an interesting tradition of their own for this special night. As the big moment nears, participants will suspend clusters of grapes over their mouths (or have a loose handful of them) and eat one with each clock strike of midnight. These are “las doce uvas de la suerte” (the twelve grapes of fortune), which of course is what everyone wishes themselves and others f

As we drove up into the clouds, it began to look not like Costa Rica anymore. Mist swirled around us. Large-leafed Prehistoric-looking vegetation lurked in the gloom. All windows were up; I was wearing a big fleece jacket, and I was contemplating turning on my car’s heater for the first time ever.

When I told friends and family we were going to the “Cerro de la Muerte” (Mountain of Death) for Thanksgiving at the end of November, the overwhelming response was: “Sounds like fun. Not.” The Mountain

A young girl dancing at the Sunday Night market in Chiang Mai

This is my third trip to the second biggest city in Thailand. In a small way I have become a local. The baristas at Starbucks remember my name. They also remember not to ask me if I want yak milk when I order a black coffee. The owner of my favorite haunt for breakfast asked me if I really needed a menu “you know it by heart” he said. The ENT doctor at the Chiang Mia Ram hospital was gracious and said “nice to see you again, time to va

The opening of Harbor View Hotel in 1891 was a major turning point for Martha's Vineyard. This island, 5 miles off the Massachusetts coast, was definitively transforming from whaling port to idyllic vacation destination.

Today, the Vineyard’s 122-year old Victorian “Grand Dame” is a coveted member of Historic Hotels of America featuring 3 distinct yet closely clustered lodging options. You have classic hotel rooms, many with private porches; the Governor Mayhew Building featuring balconies with e

In nearly every corner of the world, you can find a local, traditional beverage that’s worth to taste. In many of those destinations you could easily arrange an organized beverage trail, but very often it’s best to simply head to the nearest pub and enjoy a drink with the locals – a perfect chance to get a bot of taste of the culture! Here are 5 must-try beverages to get you started.

1. Guinness, Ireland

The first pint of dark-bodied stout with roasted barley and caramel flavour, comes from the br