The Many Events in the Atlantic City Entertainment Schedule

Atlantic City is the entertainment hub of the eastern seaboard. The coastline is virtually endless because it has an almost unlimited number of entertainment centers, including events and concert halls, casinos, hotels, etc. The following are the top spots in the city that you should keep an eye on because they offer some of the best shows and concerts that you can find anywhere in the country.

The Borgata is one of the most popular and most widely visited hubs in the city. It is located in the Marina District just 2 miles from the Boardwalk. Its Event Center has a seating capacity for 2,400, while the Music Box can accommodate 1000 individuals. The list of entertainment events for Borgata is one of the longest in the Atlantic City. Some of the leading events that you should keep an eye on this year include Mike Marino, Beach Boys 50th Anniversary Tour, James Taylor, and Jay Leno among hundreds of others.

Showboat is located at Delaware Avenue on the Boardwalk. This casino hotel is not only a gambling hub in the city, but it also offers a long list of entertainment shows. The upcoming shows that you should keep an eye on are Blue October, Kix Brooks, Weird Al Yankovic and Chickenfoot among others. Caesars is among the most popular venues in Atlantic City. It is also on the Boardwalk, near Christopher Columbus Boulevard and Arkansas Avenue. It is located in the middle of the town and is one of the of leading hubs in Atlantic City.
The upcoming Atlantic City entertainment schedule at Caesars include Smokey Robinson, TransSiberian Orchestra, Forum The Bandstand – Live and the witty Bill Maher among others. Trump’s Taj Mahal covers more than 17 acres across the Boardwalk. It is located on Virginia Avenue. It offers more than 1,200 rooms and suits, and is 51 stories tall. The Chairman’s Tower added another set of over 780 rooms and suits in 2008.

The tower offers more than 140,000 sq ft of exhibition and convention space with over 20 meeting halls and 3 ballrooms. The Atlantic City entertainment schedule is nothing without the show and concerts that take place in the Trump’s Taj Mahal. Watch out for upcoming events in the Taj including Frank Sinatra, Jr., Joey Yung, Terry Fator, Three’s Company, Arabian Night with Nancy Ajram and Ayman Abib, La Explosion Salsera, Kevin Hart, Grigory Leps and Irina Allegrova Farewell Tour.

In addition, don’t forget to check what Tropicana has to offer in its Atlantic City shows this year. Some of the leading events are Sinbad, Whitney Cummings, Victor Manuelle, Bret Michaels and Carlos Mencia. So, if you are visiting Atlantic City seeking live shows and lots of varied entertainment, make sure that you check these centers. However, there are dozens of other entertainment hubs that remain lit round the clock and throughout the year to bring the best from the world of music, comedy and different types of shows. So, the next time you visit Atlantic City, you know where to peep in.

Five Beautiful European Destinations That Are Off the Beaten Track

Europe holds many beautiful vacation spots. Unfortunately, many of these destinations are simply overrun by tourists. If you are tired of crowds, then you may want try going off the beaten track on your next vacation. Read on to discover five of the most beautiful and little known European destinations.

Kalymnos, Greece

Kalymnos has only recently opened itself to tourism. Sponge diving was the historical core of the island's economy. Sponge crops are now devastated by a disease, but the customs and traditions of sponge fishing are still very alive. This island has all of the picturesque beauty of the Greek islands and none of the blandness of a tourist trap.

Spectacular rock climbing is one of the strongest attractions of Kalymnos. If you like to climb or watch others climb, then this island may be a paradise for you.

Tallinn, Estonia

The capital city of Estonia is unknown to most foreigners. Tallinn is both a stunningly preserved medieval town and has been named one of the top 10 digital cities in the world. Wander the cobbled streets between castles, churches, and red-tile roofed houses. Visit the Old Town with its intact stone walls.

Tallinn, with its population of 416,000, holds both old merchant houses and a booming information technology sector. It may be wise to pay a visit to the church spires and medieval castles of the Silicon Valley of the Baltic Sea before the tourist hordes arrive.

Siena, Italy

It is easy to miss Siena as a vacation destination. Many other Italian cities have a higher profile. The wise traveler who heads to Siena instead will be amply rewarded.

Siena was once a capital city, as well known as Rome or Venice is today. Well-preserved architecture and living traditions date back to the 13th century. The Palio horse races are held twice every summer. Spectacular palazzos and piazzas are available to the sightseer. It is probably best to plan to visit in the summer to catch the Palio races and see the city in glorious sunlight. Remember to try the Tuscan wine.

Formentera, Spain

Do you want to visit a beautiful Spanish island with a relaxing atmosphere? If Ibiza is a little too heavy on the partying for you then you may prefer Formentera.

Endless white beaches and sparkling blue water will help you relax in the sun. The adventurous may even want to wade to the neighboring small island of Espalmador, which is possible at low tide. Nude sunbathing is allowed on most beaches.

Elba, Italy

Perhaps an Italian island is more to your liking than a Spanish or Greek one? Elba holds an amazing amount of diversity for a small island. Ancient castles, fishing villages, towns, beaches, high cliffs, and of course the blue-green sea are all to be found on Elba. Mount Capanne is a two-hour ascent, from which you can see the mainland and neighboring islands.

Additionaly, Elba has the historical significance of being the location of Napoleon's brief exile in 1814. He escaped less than nine months later.

Traveling to Phuket, The Most Beautiful Thai Beach

Phuket is one of the provinces and the largest island in southern Thailand. It is known as one of the famous travel destinations among tourists. Most of its area is covered with mountains, seas, and white beaches which create the magnificent scenery for people to enjoy their unforgettable holidays. Many tourists visit Phuket many times in their lives, however, it is always a good idea to plan your trip ahead of time. Phuket has two seasons, the rainy season starts from May through October and the summer starts from November through April. Visitors can visit Phuket by air as the most convenient way to get to the island. Nowadays, there are many airlines operating flights to Phuket from Bangkok, Chiang Mai and other provinces in Thailand. Traveling within Phuket is easy as Thailand Hotel normally offers shuttle bus services into town.

There is always something that awaits you once you are in Phuket. This island provides a full range of activities for tourists to explore from sunrise to sunset. Phuket is popular for fresh seafood and there are several seafood restaurants that guarantee freshness throughout the year. A variety of cuisines including western and Asian food is also available on the island. Alternatively, you can always enjoy and try the interesting local Thai food which is inexpensive and delicious.

The main purpose of visiting Phuket is because it has some of the finest beaches in the world and the following beaches are highly recommended to tourists:

1. Hat Patong is well known and the largest beach in Phuket, with a wide range of activities. During daytime, swimming, sunbathing, windsurfing and sailing are very popular activities among tourists. At night, many restaurants and bars are ideal places for party.

2. Hat Kamala is a long beach north of Patong. It is a quiet and isolated beach and people usually come to witness sunsets there. It is a perfect beach for sunbathing and swimming. Scuba diving and snorkeling are water sport activities that can be arranged at the northern end of the beach.

3. Hat Karon is a second largest beach, which is known as a beautiful long beach with white sand and is less crowded than Patong. This makes Karon a wonderful beach to spend a quiet holiday on your own or with your loved ones.

4. Hat Nai Han is another beautiful beach with crystal clear water. It borders the most magnificent lagoon on the island. You may find this beach a busy place on weekends but it is still considered to be one of the less crowded beaches than other parts of the island.

5.Hat Rawai is a Thai life beach and is best known for sea gypsies. The sea is shallow and people can enjoy sunbathing or watch fishermen at work. Hat Rawai is a main point for boats heading to surrounding islands and a long tail boat rental services are also available there.

6. Hat Nai Yang is located near the Phuket International Airport. This beach has plenty of pine trees which give large shady area to tourists and local people for picnic. There is a long coral reef at the north end of the beach where you can see sea turtles at night and it is also a good spot for snorkeling during daytime.

Phuket offers a wealth of things to do for everyone. Apart from beautiful beaches, you will be able to explore other interesting places as follows:

1. Old Phuket Town: Most of the buildings are nearly 100 years old and the architectural style is described as Sino-Portuguese. Many tourists spend time on a walking tour of this area which is very enjoyable.

2. Laem Phrom Thep: It is located at the lower end of Phuket and is known as the most beautiful place to see the sunset.

3. Phuket Seashell Museum: It is located not far from Hat Rawai. Adults and children can spend their time in the museum to discover shells from every part of the world. It is open daily from 08.00 a.m. till 07.30 p.m.

4. Wat Phra Yai (Big Buddha Temple): It is situated at the top of Khao Nak Koet. A 25.45-metre wide and 45-metre tall Buddha image in this temple is respected by both local people and visitors.

5. Phuket FantaSea: It is the biggest entertainment show on Hat Kamala. It brings a spectacular cultural theme park to visitors of all ages. There is a village for shopping and also a restaurant which serves both Thai and international cuisine. This place is everything tourists need to spend a perfect night after a day of sightseeing and Thailand Hotel is more than delighted to assist tourists in making reservations to the show.

A large number of visitors come to Phuket especially for golf and there is a great selection of golf courses here:

1. Phuket Country Club: It is the first and one of the best golf courses on the island. It is usually busy early in the morning or late in the afternoon and a 9-hole course is also available there.

2. Phuket Mission Hill Golf Club: This golf course by the sea is a 10-minute drive from the airport. Golfers can always enjoy the water view no matter what time of the day they choose to play.

3. Blue Canyon Country Club: It is known as one of the best golf courses in Asia. It is situated in the northern part of the island and just a 7-minute drive from the airport.

Thailand is known as the "Land of Smiles." Travelling in Thailand is an enjoyable and pleasant experience for every tourist as Thai people are friendly, helpful and always welcome visitors. Phuket is definitely a wonderful destination for your vacation and Thailand Hotel is undoubtedly a great source to assist you in everything you need in Phuket.

The Best Places to See Seals Wild in the UK

The UK is home to two types of seal, the common seal also known as the harbour seal and the grey seal. They populate much of the coastline, particularly around Cornwall and Scotland but also in other parts of the UK. Below are some of the best places to see seals in the wild...

Norfolk:

Blakeney – There are many boat trips available to see the seals at the National Trust site at Blakeney Point in North Norfolk, with boats leaving from Blakeney harbour and Morston quay. The boats pass sandbanks which are covered in basking seals, both common and grey seals, which make up a colony of approximately 500 during the months of April-October. It is likely that visitors will see seal pups here too with common seal pups being born between June-August and grey seal pups between November-January.

The Wash – This East-Anglian estuary and nature reserve runs from Skegness to Hunstanton and has one of the largest breeding colonies of common seal in the UK with over 3,000 seals. Seal watching boat trips are available from Hunstanton from April-October though it's best to visit in June or July if you want to see the seal pups.

Scotland:

Orkney Islands – Both the common seal and grey seal can be seen here with estimated numbers of 25,000 grey seals and 7,000 common seals. Stand on any shore and you are likely to see a seal in the water, and on pleasant days you can see them basking in the sun on the rocks of the smaller uninhabited islands. Some of the very best seal watching places around the Orkney islands include Eynhallow Sound, Stronsay, Finstown and Mull Head.

Moray Firth – In the highlands of Scotland at Chanonry Point you can watch seals as they bob up out of the sea. Common seals haul up on the beaches over the winter months to raise their pups whilst in the summer 500 grey seals come into the Firth so there's always a good chance of seeing seals here.

Cornwall:

Newquay Harbour – Regular boat trips to see Grey seals in the bay run from Newquay harbour but it's also possible to see a group of 6 common (harbour) seals in the harbour itself as they follow the fishing boats in every day.

Grey seals can be seen all year around the Cornish coastline, some other key places for seeing seals include Lizard Point as well as St Ives and Penzance where seal watching boat trips depart from.

Pembrokeshire:

Skomer Island – West Wales is home to about 5,000 grey seals and at Skomer Island they can be seen all year round bobbing in the sea or basking on the rocks at Garland Stone. Seal pups can be seen from September-December with about 160 seal pups born here each year, the best time to see them being October.

Lincolnshire:

Donna Nook – This is one of the most accessible places in the UK to see grey seals during the breeding season. From October-December hundreds of grey seals haul out near the sand dunes at Donna Nook. In 2008 more than 1000 grey seal pups were born here so a winter visit gives you an excellent chance of seeing seal pups up close.

Enjoy Cheap Hotels When Booking Cuba Vacations

Situated between Jamaica and the Bahamas, and a population of 11 million - the largest in the Caribbean - Cuba entices tourists from all over the world each year. With sunshine all year round and its wonderful tropical climate, and its warm crystal clear waters and sun soaked beaches that contains the finest white sand beaches, Cuba is a traveler’s paradise. Fortunately, Cuba vacations are not just for the wealthy. Today, it is to afford to travel to Cuba and enjoy quality cheap hotels when you book a Cuba vacation.

Cuba offers visitors a rich cultural heritage and a colourful history. Havana is the heart of Cuban cultural and political life. When walking through Old Havana, visitors are awe-struck at the colonial buildings, lively music, and vintage cars. One popular hot spot that is located offshore from the Cuban mainland is beautiful Cayo Largo. This islet contains magnificent beaches and it is one of more than 300 islets that make up the Los Canarreos Archipelago. Visitors enjoy diving, snorkelling, and many water sport activities.

Cayo Coco and Cayo Guillermo are two other tourist hot spots. Cayo Coco is composed of tropical vegetation, a coral reef, and gorgeous white sand beaches. To the west of Cayo Coco you will find Gayo Guillermo which was once a favourite hangout of Ernest Hemingway. It boasts the highest sand dune in the Caribbean and there are many beaches and resorts. Another hot spot, Holguin, contains more than 100 beaches and offers incredible waterfalls, magnificent mineral-rich mountains, caves, bays, rivers, and natural springs.

Varadero, another popular tourist destination, is part of a peninsula that extends out into the waters of the Atlantic. Beach lovers enjoy its 21-kilometre strip of fine white sand. The nearby cities of Cárdenas and Matanzas are famous for their history, culture, and art. With so much to see and do in Cuba, it is no wonder why so many people travel to Cuba each year. And when booking a Cuba vacation, visitors save a lot of money, particularly when staying at quality cheap hotels.

You can escape to the magnificent island of Cuba by booking a Cuba vacation package from an online discount travel site. A quality travel discount website will offer a great selection of vacation packages to Cuba. As well, you will find an extensive list of cheap hotels in Cuba's most popular vacation destinations. You will also find last minute vacation packages to Cuba that are very cost-saving.
 
When you book a Cuba vacation package, you will save a lot of time and money on your trip. You can select from family-friendly all inclusive resorts, luxury all inclusive resorts, luxury hotels, and a wide variety of cheap quality hotels in key tourist hot spots. You will be able to advantage of some of the lowest prices. A professional online discount travel website will provide a search tool that will allow you to search for Cuba vacations and Cuba hotels for specific dates and/or specific Cuba destinations.

Cuba offers 5000 miles of amazing coastline with about 500 km of immaculate white sand beaches. Rich in biodiversity, culture, and heritage, Cuba has something to offer every visitor. Cuba vacations and the quality cheap hotels offer so much for visitors that it is no wonder this fabulous Caribbean destination is a favourite of visitors from all over the world.

Travelling to Thailand – 4 Tips For a Convenient Travel

Thailand is a popular tourist destination nowadays. It has caught up with other countries in terms of fame already. This means that just as you are thinking of traveling to Thailand, there are also hundreds of other people planning a trip to the place. Once again, this means that it could be a hassle for you to find a comfortable accommodation or flight if you don’t act earlier.

With this, if you are really decided that Thailand would be your next travel destination, make sure you abide by the following tips for a convenient travel to Thailand.

1. Plan your activities ahead. This refers to thinking about your main reason why you want to go there. If you want to ride an elephant, plan ahead. What are the activities you want to do in Thailand? What are the places you want to go to? Planning ahead is convenient because this allows you to avoid the hassle of planning and thinking where to go and what to do when you are already there. It could be time consuming when you have not yet planned what you want to do and the place where you want to go in Thailand. Plus, planning your activities ahead can also help you book a tour if you want. How are you going to plan your activities earlier? Simple; you just need to create or write it down on a piece of paper. Include time and day schedule on the list. Ask the tour company what places are included in their tours for tourists in Thailand. If all the places on your list are mentioned by the travel agency, you can simply book a tour. But if you want to travel with friends and explore Thailand on your own, it helps when you plan your activities and set your schedule as early as possible.

2. Plan your budget. When it comes to travel, you always want to make it a point that you can save money. After all, travel does not have to be expensive. It does not have to slice a hefty part of your budget. You can always avoid budget surprises by planning your budget well. Ask yourself how much you are willing to spend for a trip to Thailand. Are you on a tight budget? Or is money not a problem? Once you have planned your budget, you can now create or plan your activities in Thailand within the budget range. Choose only the activities that fit into your budget. But even if you have done this, it is still best to have extra money with you just in case unplanned circumstances occur. Planning your budget is highly advantageous because it could help you save a lot of bucks traveling to Thailand. It can also help you create a budget-friendly plan and schedule. It also allows you to know what your limits are and be wary of your budget. Taking extra money with you just in case, also helps you in case of emergencies and unexpected expenses.

3. Book your flight early. Some people make the terrible mistake of booking their flights late. It is good if you have a lot of cash to pay for on-the-spot trips especially when traveling to Thailand. But if you are on a tight budget and you really want to save in your travel to Thailand, it is a must to book your flight earlier than possible. There are already a lot of airline promos and flight discounts you can avail nowadays but they are usually offered weeks and even months before the flight. However, this promos and discounts are your best options if you want a budget-friendly travel to Thailand. Be updated with airline promos and packages. If possible, subscribe to the airline’s mailing list so that whenever there is a new flight promo to Thailand, you will receive an email from them. This way, you will never be outdated and you will be first to book your flight. This will not only save you a lot of money, but this will also save you the hassle and disappointment of running out of seats for the promo flight. Indeed, when you travel, money should be no object and you should really prepare for that, but getting a discount for a flight is even better. You just need to really prepare for that by booking your flight earlier.

4. Book your hotel reservations early. Your flight is not the only thing that matters when traveling to Thailand. Remember, after you arrive from the airport, the next destination is your hotel. Now, if you have not yet booked a hotel reservation, you will have the hassle of exploring Thailand and finding a hotel to stay. You can do this exploring thing but this gives you higher chances of finding an expensive hotel. Whereas, if you book your hotel reservation earlier, you can save time and effort looking for a place to stay and you can also save a lot because early hotel reservations are usually discounted like flights. So; before the trip to Thailand, research ahead as to what the best hotels to stay in Thailand are. Find a convenient hotel near the airport.

Then, you can book your hotel reservations online. Just as you can book your flight online; book your accommodations as well. It won’t not only save you time, money and effort, but it will also give you higher chances of choosing or selecting the best hotel accommodation there is. In other words, you won’t be forced to choose a hotel just because you have no other options.

Traveling to Thailand can indeed relieve you from the stress of everyday life. However, the trip can also be stressful and inconvenient. It could be a hassle and could frustrate you too. But, you can totally avoid the stress of travel and you can make sure that you will have a convenient travel to Thailand if you follow the above mentioned tips when traveling to Thailand.

Don’t let stress hinder you to enjoy. And, there is no other way to beat stress when traveling than to be prepared with everything you need before your most awaited travel date.

Visiting Mayan Ruins in Belize

Vacations mean different things to different people. The daily grind of work stops, and some folk just need peace and quiet, a good book, a pool and a supply of cold drinks. For others it is a bit of adventure, perhaps scuba diving, or a walking safari in Africa. However exploration broadens the mind enormously and new knowledge can help the unwind process enormously. So this article suggests it might be fun to do a bit of exploring in Belize. We begin in a small boat moving slowly across the water in inland Belize.

Most people will say it looks fake, when you see the reptilian hump in the distance. As your boat glides closer nosing marshy reeds the boat captain will cut the engines and water will ripple gently over the rigid torso which stays completely still. To the ignorant it just looks like a piece of driftwood, and many will simply look away

And with that, the baby crocodile pushes off with a muscular thrust of its tail, leaving a solitary, expanding water ring in its wake. A prescient sign as you're floating down the New River to the Maya site of Lamanai, whose name comes from "submerged crocodile".

Like many of Belize's splendid Maya ruins, Lamanai lies deep in the jungle, but it also overlooks the New River Lagoon, so most visitors journey here on a riverboat from Orange Walk, just as we are imagining and getting here really is half the fun. Though the river waters are eerily placid, the steamy jungle along its banks are not, with howler monkeys scampering overhead, emitting guttural howls, while a great blue heron extends its long neck, and flaps regally into the sky, As you float near a strange black cluster quivering on a tree branch, the swarm disbands, and hundreds of bats fly off every which way.

An old barge, heavy in the water with its load of molasses, slowly drifts past. On the deck sit three sun-browned beefy locals in sunglasses who raise their hands in unison. Around a bend, in the distance, lies the Mennonite settlement of Shipyard - the men in wide-brimmed hats and women in ankle-length dresses an arresting image, particularly against the tropical backdrop of Belize.

Your boat pulls up to the wooden dock at the Lamanai entrance, and it begins to rain, with big fat, heavy drops as you clomp single-file, stumbling over muddy roots. You will be sweating in your windbreakers, mosquitoes are biting and it all seems like a lot of effort, and then the first majestic temple looms into view.

Once the sun comes out, you start on the thigh aching slog up the thirty-five-metre "High Temple", which was the largest structure in the Maya world when it was first constructed in 100 BC. You pull on a slippery rope, heaving up one massive step, then another. At the top, panting, you gaze out at the jungle canopy, a magnificent 360-degree panorama of dewy, tangled green stretching into the horizon. From up here, anything seems possible. Until you look at the climb down.

Blancaneaux, Francis Ford Coppola And Belize

Francis Ford Coppola is a legend of the cinema, but not all that many people know that he was also into fine Italian Food and Wine as a producer. Movies like The Godfather, Patton, Apocalypse Now, and many others have assured him of his place near the top of the Movies Hall of Fame. However now here’s a thing.

The story goes that Francis Ford Coppola built Blancaneaux as a place to write, and it's hard to imagine a more inspiring base than this luxuriously rustic resort in Belize's Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve. Just two or three hours' drive from the airport - or a short hop in your private plane - and you're poised for an idyllic few days where nature comes with all mod cons. Everything here seems designed to showcase the natural environment. Thatched cabanas scattered through the lush gardens, furnished with Central American textiles and artworks, feature decks and bathrooms half-open to the elements; thankfully, bedrooms are secured against mosquitoes and other nasties.

Twice a day, honeymooners and hikers alike troop up to the restaurant for tasty American breakfasts and Italian dinners, cooked using ingredients from the on-site organic garden. Staff will happily make you a packed lunch to enjoy while out exploring. Several of Belize's sights are within easy reach by 4WD, chief among them the ancient Maya city of Caracol – still under excavation - where you might find yourself wanderin the overgrown ruins alone but for your driver-guide. Armed with every fact there is to know about Belizean history and wildlife he'll regularly stop the car en route to point out a king vulture perhaps, or to let you sniff the fragrant bark of a tree used i traditional medicines.

With so many activities to choose from, you'll need to set asid time to enjoy Blancaneaux for its own sake: lazing in a hammock overlooking the jungle, taking a dip in the natural pools formed by the Privassion Creek as it runs through the grounds, or hanging out in the bar, chatting with the guides about whether to go horse-riding, hiking or mountain-biking tomorrow.

However you spend your days, be sure to get up one morning while it's still dark. As the sky lightens and a misty scene comes into focus, parrots fly past, screeching an alarm over the sound of the rushing river. Sitting snuggled in a fleece on your deck, watching the jungle awaken before you in all its cawing, chirruping and whirring glory, is worth getting out of bed for.

It is then, but perhaps before that you will begin to realise why Coppola built this idyllic place. Indeed you might even feel you could write a best seller here, however one thing is absolutely certain and it is this. You will not want to leave. Belize isn’t all about the Cayes, and the Reef, and The Blue Hole. The true Belize is up country away from the bronzed and bejewelled tourists, where you can begin to get the idea of what life could be like away from the rat race of 21st century life. If you take a vacation in Belize, go inland experience Blancaneaux and lots more besides.

The Rail Journey of a Lifetime in Mexico

How many of us so called travellers have taken a railway journey in a foreign land. It is probably reasonable to say not many. This article is about a very specific rail journey in Mexico, that anyone with an interest in trains should take. More than that anyone with any sense of adventure who enjoys incredible views and experiences really must make this train journey.

As the countryside flashes past the windows of the Chihuahua-Pacific Express, Mexico reveals a side of itself that is both spectacular and unexpected. You will find it by turns savage, pristine, and lush.

"El Chepe", as the train is known, traverses the country's most remote landscape, a region of rugged splendour called the Copper Canyon. Spanning six prodigious canyons and a labyrinth of some two hundred gorges, this natural wonder is four times the size of the Grand Canyon. Harsh, inaccessible and thoroughly untamed, the canyons are sparsely populated only by the Raramuri, an indigenous agrarian people.

El Chepe's journey commences on Mexico's Pacific coast, in Los Mochis, then trundles through 75km of arid, cactus-strewn wasteland to placid El Fuerte, the gateway to the canyons. From here, the track climbs, the air cools and the scenery shifts, and for the next six hours you roll past one incredible vista after another. In a continual skyward ascent, El Chepe plunges in and out of tunnels, rattles over bridges and makes hair-pin turns.

Colossa! stone cliffs, folds of rock and serpentine rivers flicker by. Above you, mountains rise like fortified cities, while gaping chasms open on either side. Then, all at once, the stone corridor yields to a sweeping plateau of pine-scattered towers and stratified monoliths.

At Divisadero, 300km from Los Mochis and 2000m above sea level, three canyons converge to form an astonishing panorama. The train makes a brief stop here, giving you time to snap some pictures and breathe in the ozone and pine. Creel, another 60km along, is the place to stop for extended excursions, where forests, gorges, waterfalls and hot springs all lie within easy reach.

The 655 kilometre expedition concludes on the desert plains of Chihuahua, though it feels as if you've travelled further. Stepping off the train, you're as likely to feel as humbled as you are exhilarated.

In terms of rail journeys this is one you will never forget. It isn’t just the trip, it’s the people, the sights and sounds, and the sheer scale of the achievement to build this railway line in the first place.

Of course there are many more things to do in Mexico and you trip on El Chepe can of course be incorporated in a much wider vacation. Looked at another way of course, if you want to book a holiday on the coast and you are looking for a big adventure as well then here is your answer. On the other hand you can add on logical extensions to this trip visiting places, or stopping over and rejoining the train after doing some local exploring. The choice is yours, just don't go to this part of Mexico and miss this opportunity.

Cruises on the Caribbean

Caribbean cruises are much popular than any cruise destinations in the world. It is because there are stunning views that will certainly catch your eyes. Such factors including world’s beautiful beaches, array of influences like French and other European countries, wide choices of cruise companies, clear sea with full marine life, best duty-free shopping, and warm climate throughout the cruise are just the several options why Caribbean cruises are famous among cruise destinations.

Caribbean cruising area is quite general and it’s divided into 3 areas including Eastern Caribbean, Western Caribbean, and Southern Caribbean. Southern Caribbean includes Aruba, Margarita, Barbados, Netherlands Antilles, Grenada, Trinidad and Tobago, St.Lucia, and many more. The said islands on Caribbean cruises are very near. So, cruise ships can make more stop for one day. However, this option is not preferred by first time passengers as they seek for more exciting cruises.

Western Caribbean routes in Cayman Islands, Cuba, Haiti, the Bahamas, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica, and Dominican Republic. Caribbean cruises depart from different ports particularly Tampa, Miami, Port Canaveral, and Fort Lauderdale. Some ports used such as Galveston, Alabama, and New Orleans are mobile. When compared to some cruises on the Caribbean, cruises in Western Caribbean takes two days at sea which can be more relaxing and highly recommended to first timers, Sites like cruisedealership.com make searching for cruises easy with there advanced search booking tools.

Cruises on eastern Caribbean typically depart from various ports in Florida or in San Juan. It offers more options unlike cruises on Caribbean because islands are very close from each other which can allow cruise ships to make stop for 4 or 3 ports in one day. If your cruise ship departs from Florida, there’s a possibility that you may end and start the day at sea. Cruises on eastern Caribbean are best suited for experienced passengers and active cruise passengers.

There are numerous activities you can enjoy while cruising. You may just relax your feet. Apart from shore excursions, you will be satisfied with the services and attention offered by cruise ship’s crews and staffs. From surfing to rock climbing, there would always be some activities that you will enjoy while you are on-board in a cruise ship. Active cruisers are familiar to the activities, but for first time passengers, they will be stunned with the facilities given by cruise ships.

Caribbean cruises may take 2 to 14 days and even more. It is important that you should take consideration of the type of Caribbean cruises. For example, decide what cruise is suitable for your needs so that you can fully enjoy the benefits of cruising.

If you want to feel the freshness of the deep blue sea, then, choose Caribbean cruises. This cruise will change your perspectives and can refresh your stressful mind. For convenience, book for Caribbean cruises now and explore the other side of the world. There are several cruise companies out there. Find the best company that would benefit you and can provide you various services for a perfect cruise. If you will choose Caribbean cruises, you will have satisfaction, not regrets.

Hottest-Selling Grand Canyon River Rafting Daytrips

A Grand Canyon float tour is probably the best way to take in this majestic National Park. As you meander down the smooth Colorado River, you'll come to appreciate the immensity of this natural wonder. The best float tours start out just south of Grand Canyon Village with the most popular trip being the one that includes an airplane ride and a 4x4 Jeep trip to Antelope Canyon followed by deluxe bus transportation back to your point of origination.

There is an airport in Tusayan, Arizona that flies tourists in and out of the Grand Canyon that is located just outside the main gates of the park. A flight east will take you to Page, Arizona, and on the way you will get to see Navajo country and the beautiful Painted Desert.

From there a Jeep with four wheel drive will take you to Antelope Canyon, where you can get a close look at the wonders of nature. There you will find channels cut into the rocks of the canyon wall that are big enough to walk through. Finally, the Jeep will take you through a two mile long tunnel to the base of Glen Canyon Dam. The dam itself is a spectacular sight, towering more than 70 stories high. Grand Canyon smooth-water rafting tours launch from this awe-inspiring spot.

If you'd rather skip the flight, you can take a motor coach tour to Glen Canyon Dam. Along the way, you'll have a stopover at Glen Canyon Recreational Area. The tour guides are very knowledgeable about the history and geology of the area, and they love to explain the amazing scenery you will encounter.

Your float tour of the Grand Canyon will cover about 15 miles of the Colorado River, and you will experience some of the most awesome scenery on the planet. At Horseshoe Bend, you can get off the float and take a short walk to see some Native American rock drawings called petroglyphs. You can also enjoy a relaxing lunch under the majestic cliffs that tower above you.

Then, your trip will continue down river to an historic trading post and fort known as Lee's Ferry. At this point, the smooth waters end, so you will board a bus and be transported to the South Rim of the canyon. Before you get there, you can do some shopping for authentic Native American crafts during a stop at Cameron Trading Post.

Wear a wide-brimmed hat and sunscreen, because you'll be spending several hours in the hot sun. Long-sleeved shirts are recommended, but wear your swimsuit under your regular clothes, because you'll be stopping at places where you can enjoy a cool, relaxing dip in the river. Your tour may provide drinking water, but if it doesn't, plan to bring plenty along.

A float tour is one of the most memorable of all Grand Canyon adventures. The water is very calm and there are no rapids to worry about so these trips are ideal for kids and grandma and grandpa too. Book your tour in advance, because seats fill up fast. Find a reputable, dependable tour company and then make your reservations as soon as you can.

Two Caribbean Vacation Spots Suggestions

In this article we will look at an unmissable festival in the Dominican Republic and sea kayaking in the Bahamas.

The last week of July every summer since 1967, the three-million-plus inhabitants of Santo Domingo have converged on the Malecon, a seven-kilometre strand of palm-lined Caribbean boulevard that runs along the southern side of the Zona Colonial, for the Dominican Republic's biggest event of the year. The Fiesta de Merengue is the ultimate rum-drenched tropical blast-out, with twenty different bandstands belting out live music from local stars past, present and future, including the city's former mayor, hip-swivelling singing legend Johnny Ventura. The atmosphere and location are unbeatable with an expansive ribbon of turquoise sea stretching out into the distance, and headline acts playing under the spectacular limestone palace of Christopher Columbus and the ruins of the walled city he built five centuries ago.

The Fiesta fills the beachfront Malecon, a labyrinth of jam-packed venues that has been dubbed the world's largest disco. As always at such events, the crowd is more than half the fun. Phalanxes of drunken youths bump up against white-haired old folks cutting quick, graceful moves across the asphalt; beaming teenage girls in formal, powder-pink dresses couple off together at the fringes and giggle in rhythm as they bob up and down. Candy striped vendors weave through the masses hawking everything from sugar cane and boiled corn to condoms and Clorets; and Mayor Ventura ploughs across the promenade at midnight in a horse and carriage, rocking and rolling in a tailored three-piece suit as he waves to his fans. Local politicians get in on the act, too, as pickup trucks driven by blatantly tipsy party members slowly cruise the major city streets, blaring out meringue jingles as they go.

Wilderness is not the first word that springs to mind when someone mentions the Bahamas for rum cocktails, high-rise hotels and limbo contests are the ready images. Yet a short hop from the wall to wall cruise ship carnival in Nassau lie the Exuma Cays, a chain of a couple of hundred mainly uninhabited islands stretching for more than 65km along the edge of the Great Bahama Bank. Separated by a tranquil sea, the low-lying chunks of honeycombed limestone rimmed by powdery white sand and covered in dense vegetation have seemingly been designed with one mode of exploration in mind: the sea kayak.

The Exuma Land and Sea Park, in the middle section of the cays, makes for an excellent starting point, though this could be said of almost anywhere in the chain. Your ride begins at dawn, when the mirror-smooth sea takes on a delicate shade of pink. The languid morning hours are spent blissfully dipping your paddle into turquoise waters lit from beneath by sunlight reflected off a brilliant white sandy bottom and brimming with lush undersea gardens, coral reefs and a profusion of tropical fish.
 
At midday, beach your kayak on an inviting swath of sand and picnic under a palm tree. Snorkel over bright-hued clumps of coral, marvelling at the dazzling colours and patterns of the fish as they dart among the waving purple sea fans. Visit the colonies of metre-long iguanas sunning themselves on beaches scattered throughout the islands. Hike the footpath to the summit of Boo Boo Hill on Warderick Wells Cay and enjoy a commanding view down the length of the island chain as it trails off over the horizon. Watch the sunset through its operatic gradations of red, pink and purple.

At night, a bright moon looms overhead and an opulent canopy of stars appears close enough to pluck. Lying on the sand, you'll fall asleep to nothing, aside from the periodic muffled thump of a coconut falling from a tree but the gentle lapping of the waves.

Two Different Vacation Suggestions

This article is about two distinctly different trips. The first to Costa Rica, and the second to Mexico.

It's a clear, moonless night when we assemble for our pilgrimage to the beach. I can't understand how we are going to see anything in the blackness, but the guide's eyes seem to penetrate even the darkest shadows. We begin walking, our vision adjusting slowly.

We've come to Tortuguero National Park, in northeast Costa Rica, to witness sea turtles nesting. Once the domain of only biologists and locals, turtle-watching is now one of the more popular activities in ecotourism friendly Costa Rica. As the most important nesting site in the western Caribbean, Tortuguero sees more than its fair share of visitors. In fact since 1980, the annual number of observers has gone from 240 to 50,000.

The guide stops, points out two deep furrows in the sand - the sign of a turtle's presence - and places a finger to his lips, making the "shhh" gesture. The nesting females can be spooked by the slightest noise or light. He gathers us around a crater in the beach; inside it is an enormous creature. We hear her rasp and sigh as she brushes aside sand for her nest.

In whispers, we comment on her plight and the solitude of her task, the low survival rate of her hatchlings because only one of every 5000 will make it past the birds, crabs, sharks, seaweed and human pollution to adulthood.

We are all mesmerized by the turtle's bulk. Though we are not allowed to get too close, we can catch the glint of her eyes. She doesn't seem to register our presence at all. The whirring sound of discharged sand continues. After a bit the guide moves us away. My eyes have adapted to the darkness now, and I can make out other gigantic oblong forms labouring slowly up the beach in a silent, purposeful armada.

Secondly we go to Mexico and touring the Zapatista heartland

As the chanting reached a crescendo and the incense thickened to a fog, the chicken's neck snapped like a pencil. The seemingly ageless executioner sat on a carpet of pine needles, surrounded by hundreds of candles, his eyes fixed upon a brightly painted saintly icon, The man took a swig from a Coca-Cola bottle, a sign not of globalization, but of the expurgating power of soda because the Tzotzil people believe that evil spirits can be expulsed through a robust burp. Here, inside the church of San Juan de Chamula, such faith doesn't seern all that far-fetched.

This is the Zapatista heartland of Chiapas, a lost world of dense jungle and indigenous villages where descendants of the Maya cling to the rituals of their ancestors. Throughout the region, the iconography of Subcomandante Marcos, guerrilla leader and poster child of the struggle for indigenous rights, reveals a continuing undercurrent of rebellion. San Cristobal : de las Casas, one of Mexico's most alluring towns, was the site of an armed Zapatista revolt in 1994.

Outside San Cristobal, the village of San Juan de Chamula is literally a law unto itself, with its own judges, jail and council. Timeless rituals are revealed here, where women sell brightly coloured, hand-woven garments in the main square, returning home at midday to prepare a meal for their husbands, many of whom are shared. Men can have up to three wives at a time, and I’m not certain to be envious or not!! Every year during the pre Lenten festival, perhaps the most exciting time to visit, the village's men run barefoot through blazing wheat.

Four kilometres from Chamula, San Lorenzo Zinacantan is equally fascinating. Here, the men, in red-and-white ponchos and flat hats strewn with ribbons, which are tied if they are married, loose if not, launch rockets skyward to stir the gods into sending rain. The women pummel tortillas and weave textiles, always with a watchful eye on the sky because many houses have gone up in smoke as a result of rogue fireworks.

A Rome, Italy Tour: Discovering the Baths of Diocletian

If you want to go off the beaten paths, Rome has always something to offer: beautiful building, ancient architectures, a world of history and culture. A trip on the trail of the Baths of Diocletian is one of the most interesting Rome, Italy tours.

The Baths of Diocletian were the most magnificent public baths, or thermae, ever built in Rome. Erected between 298 and 306 AD, they covered more than thirteen acres and could accommodate up to 3,000 people at a time. They featured gyms, libraries, a pool of more than 3,500 square feet, and the quarters that formed the heart of every public bath: the frigidarium, the tepidarium, and the caldarium.

The frigidarium (that originates from the Latin word frigeo, which means "to be cold") was mainly used as a swimming pool, after using the hot-water baths or after exercising in the palaestra. The tepidarium, a word that means "to be hot" in Latin, was instead used for hot-water baths, for saunas or steam rooms. Finally, the tepidarium ("to be warm") was the warm bathroom of the Roman baths heated by a underfloor heating system. Its main feature was the pleasant feeling of radiant heat which directly enveloped the bodies from the walls and floor.

Michelangelo transformed these spacious rooms for the construction of Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels and the Martyrs. Other rooms of the Baths were replaced by the Convent of the Carthusians, designed by the artist himself.

The area occupied by the complex is now between the via del Viminale, Piazza della Repubblica, Via Torino, Via Cernaia, Via Volturno, Piazza dei Cinquecento, and Via XX Settembre.

The main entrance was located in the Via Volturno, while the other entrance had a huge exedra with steps and was perhaps used as a theater. This building was traced out in the realization of Republic Square, which is also known indeed as Piazza Esedra.

This private tour of Rome must include, in fact, Republic Square itself to see how the two twin buildings with porticoes that line the square echo the perimeter of the Baths.

Another visible sign of the Thermae is the church of San Bernardo alle Terme. The church was built in 1589 within a spheristerium of the Baths of Diocletian, which was a room for ball games. Similar to the Pantheon, St. Bernard also has a cylindrical shape with a dome and oculus. Statues of saints sculpted in the mannerist style can be found in a series of niches in the walls.

Finally, a must-see for this Rome tour is the National Roman Museum, which houses one of the most important archaeological collections in the world, featuring funerary inscriptions, statues, and reliefs and altars from the Baths themselves as well as from other parts of ancient Rome. Besides the exhibition, you can also enjoy, the sumptuous Aula Decima, where are exhibited the big tomb of the Platorini and two chamber tombs, decorated with frescoes and stuccoes, originally from the Necropolis of the Via Portuensis.

Visiting Punta Cana? There Are Plenty Of Things To Do

Punta Cana is on the east coast of the Dominican Republic. It is considered one of the top 100 places to visit in the world, and there is good reason for this. The pristine beaches are the most popular attraction in Punta Cana along with surfing, and golf is not far behind. One of the most fun things to do in Punta Cana is ziplining. It offers an adrenalin rush for adventure tourists, as they fly over trees from platform to platform while they are secure in their safety equipment.

The most popular zipline tour in Punta Cana is Canopy Adventure Zipline tour, which boasts over 700 meters of cables with spectacular jungle views. There are expert guides and every step is explained clearly, so participants are sure to have a great time. Everyone says there is nothing like the thrill, and it is one of the things to do in Punta Cana that should not be missed.

Canopy Adventure runs one of the longest and safest zipline excursions in the Caribbean. They have 8 double lines of cables and 15 platforms located in the Anamuya rainforest of Bavaro, Punta Cana. Their safety measures are complemented with their exceptional staff. After safety comes fun, and they make sure you have a good time.

Another popular tour in Punta Cana are Segways, which are offered all over the world, but in Punta Cana it’s even more fun than in a city. After learning to ride the Segway, you can discover the beach, see the local multi-million dollar estates first hand and ride around the many golf courses. You can even take a break at the Ecological Reserve where there are 15 lagoons of natural spring water for you to take a swim.

A Punta Cana favorite is Manati Park, a theme park located in a tropical garden of orchids and other tropical plants. It offers several shows about the Dominican Republic including a reconstructed village where there are performances of dance rituals as well as authentic paintings, clothing and gift shops. Visitors can get up close with all types of animals including snakes, crabs, sea lions, dolphins, birds, iguanas and flamingos among many more. Visitors can even swim with dolphins.

Snorkeling and scuba diving are two of the things to do in Punta Cana underwater. There are designated snorkeling sites because of the heavy boat traffic. Punta Cana is a good place for beginners to learn how to scuba dive. The water is shallow with reefs and many species of fish as well as wrecks, tunnels and channels.
Big game fishing is very good in Punta Cana. It is considered one of the top five places in the world for white marlin fishing during the peak season, which is the end of March to June. The full season is until September. There is also blue marlin, mahi, yellowfin tuna, barracuda, bonitos and wahoo.

Whether you are looking for the high adventure of ziplining, relaxing days on one of the 12 professional golf courses or plan to spend all your time at the beach, you will find a lot of things to do in Punta Cana.

Finding 5-Star Grand Canyon Helicopter Tours at the Lowest Rates

Las Vegas is famous for five-star accommodations. So it's not surprising to find a number of tour operators who service this market with first-class helicopter tours to the Grand Canyon.

What defines a luxury chopper trip? How about being picked up in a stretch limousine? It's a touch of class that tells you from the outset that this is going to be a special day. Drop off is in front of the operator's private terminal. There's no cutting corners on these facilities. They are spacious, new, and inviting. The passenger lounge, for example, features over-stuffed chairs, plush couches, and tinted picture windows that overlook the helipads.

The quality of customer service is extraordinary. The front lobby is both inviting and friendly. The check-in staff are efficient and trained to meet your every need. Even the gift shop personnel are there to make sure you take home the memorabilia that you'll cherish the most.

The pilot-guides are absolute gentlemen and have received the highest level of flight training. I've flown a number of these top-end heli trips and the pilots continue to blow me away with their knowledge of the area.
The walk from terminal to helicopter is a matter of feet. Quite literally, your chopper is right out the door. This is a perk you'll quickly appreciate if you've ever flown a budget trip, wherein transfers and boardings have devolved into an adventure in and of itself.

Fleets are newer and totally customized from tail to nose for sightseeing. The thing you'll notice first is that most of the choppers are EcoStar 130's. These aircraft come with 25 percent more cabin space and are configured with theater style seats and 180-degree wraparound windshields. They're also equipped with Fenestron rotors, which guarantee your flight will be quiet and smooth.

Tours are more comprehensive than their low-budget cousins. For instance, there are more sunset and sunrise trips, and many include Las Vegas Strip and Valley of Fire flyovers (usually upgrades on the bargain trips). Pilots also have more leeway to deviate from their flight plan in order to fulfill special client requests and interests.

Las Vegas luxury helicopter tours to the canyon include air-only and landing tours. The most popular trips are sunset air tours, helicopter descents to the base of the West Rim with rafting tour, and the VIP Grand Canyon Skywalk total access pass.

The adage "You get what you pay for" rings so true for these first-class trips. But don't let this deter you from shopping the Internet for the best deal. I know for a fact that you can save up to 20% on these flights if you book on the web. Further, buy in advance and lock in your price. Prices do fluctuate, especially during high season (April through October).

If you are coming to Vegas for a special occasion and want to celebrate with a helicopter tour, I highly recommend you go with the top-shelf flights. The quality is immediate, starting with the door-to-door limousine pick up. Then there's the food, the expertise of the pilots, and the modernity of the equipment and facilities. Don't get hooked by a promo offer that screams cheap: You'll end up disappointed. To ensure you book the trip of a lifetime, go with a luxury Vegas helicopter ride. It's truly the way to go if want to capture that special moment.

Visit London in Style With a VIP London Tour

London is the capital of England and attracts millions of tourists each year. If your planning on visiting this great city, there are lots of ways you can see all of what London has to offer. You could go on some of the London tours and see all the main attractions, but you could be that bit different and go on a VIP tour of London.

The difference between a VIP tour of London compared to normal tours is that VIP tours can be customised uniquely for you. So if you’re not interested in seeing the Tower of London or Big Ben, Perhaps you have been there done that.. Well a VIP tour can be tailored to suite you completely. You can create your own list of buildings or places you want to see and put a time scale on each. Perhaps you want to spend a good couple of hours at one location. This isn’t a problem with VIP tours. With general tours you will be following a set route, seeing a set number of locations and you will all be on a tight time scale. This is fine and will suite many people but a VIP tour is more personal to you which will make you visit to London a much more memorable one.

Very few of us experience what it is like to be a VIP. Unless you become rich or famous and join our celebrity culture the only other way to feel a bit special travelling around London is with a VIP tour. You will be travelling in style, perhaps in a classic Rolls Royce, and with a dedicated chauffeur at your beck and call. You can still visit all the top London attractions but with a twist. You decide what you see and when. Perhaps your an avid fan of the Beatles or Shakespeare.. Well with a VIP tour you can be visiting the London eye in the morning and then visiting Abbey Road in the afternoon. Whatever YOU want to see and do is possible on a VIP tour.

If you have never been to London then a visit Buckingham Palace and watching the changing of the guard is a must. You can take a tour inside the palace these days and see the state rooms with all their exquisite artwork including works from Rembrandt, Canaletto and Rubens.

A trip to London is not complete without a trip to Trafalgar Square. It has a long history and today you can see public demonstrations and performances. One of the famous statues in the square is Nelson’s Column with the four bronze lions on the base.

Piccadilly Circus, Hyde Park, London Bridge, Kensington Palace and the London Eye are all top locations to visit. One location that you might not have thought about is London Zoo. It is one of the oldest zoos in the world an houses hundreds of animal species including reptiles and insects and marine life in the Aquarium. This is a great place for all the family.

Whatever you want can be had with bespoke VIP tours. There are only a few companies that offer these special types of tour, where as bus tours of London seeing all the usual sites are very common. Some companies will offer the full 'shebang' and pick you up from the airport and treat you like a VIP from the moment you set food in England. So if you think you would like the special treatment on your next trip to London why not do a bit of research, find a company that offer these types of chauffeured tours and plan the holiday of a lifetime.