Posts Tagged ‘tours’

Vacations are something that everyone takes in order to get themselves out of the hustle and bustle of the real world for a little bit of relaxation and rejuvenation. This time away is very important to both our physical and mental health. There are many different types of vacations that one can take in order to fill these needs.

You can vacation alone, with friends or family, or you can travel with a group. You can also choose to travel with a group of people that have similar backgrounds and interests. Spiritual travel is one choice for gay people.

On gay vacations, our gayness is one thing we all have in common. This shared life experience can only add to our vacation experience. Bonds are quickly formed in the group due to our shared experiences in life.

People we have just met can quickly become friends and confidants. This makes gay vacations all the more special and meaningful. We’re able to share our gay vacations experience with others that we know understand us.

Being understood allows us to open up, relax more and let our guard down. This vulnerability lets more of the vacation into our hearts and minds. The more we feel the vacation, the more we recover from the strains of life at home.

Taking it to an even deeper level, we can take gay vacations with people of similar intentions. Travelling with men and women that want to grow spiritually is one way to do this. Then not only do we share our gayness, we share goals for the vacation.

Exploring our spirituality while on gay tours visiting special places throughout the world is a wonderful combination. With the other group members by our side, we are encouraged to step outside our box and live free. Living freer is the main goal of all vacations, is it not?

Recommendations for gay travel. This essay is by Howie Holben. Spirit Journeys offers gay folks gay vacations and gay trips that are really unique.

Gay and straight travelers alike flock to Brazil in droves to enjoy the pristine beaches, beautiful people, exciting nightlife, diverse culture and lavish annual celebrations, such as Carnival. As one of the most welcoming and accepting gay vacation destinations in South America, Brazil is a popular choice for both gay men and lesbians looking for fun in the sun or a relaxing respite in a tropical paradise. From luxury gay vacations in exclusive beachfront resorts, to exotic excursions into remote Brazilian jungles, Brazil has much to offer to every type of traveler and is an ideal setting for international gay travel.

Rio de Janeiro is among the most popular gay travel destinations in Brazil and offers gay beaches, gay and lesbian bars and clubs, drag shows, circuit parties, bathhouses and a vast array of dining, shopping, recreation and cultural activities that attract travelers from around the world. While the establishments and gay culture in Rio de Janeiro are geared more towards gay men, lesbians will find a welcoming atmosphere at most gay establishments and events and can enjoy womens nights at several locations throughout the city, as well as a lesbian club that is open nightly. Of course, Rio is also home to Carnival and world-famous New Years festivities, both of which provide plentiful parties, parades and festivals for gay and lesbian revelers.

Although Rio de Janeiro may be the most popular gay vacation destination in Brazil, there are many other options throughout the country. Many cities in Brazil, such as Sao Paolo and Belo Horizonte, host annual gay pride festivals and parades and the majority of urban areas have a thriving gay community. For those who may be looking for gay vacations outside of the pride and party scene, gay travel opportunities in Brazil also include organized tours of cultural and historical landmarks and luxury all-inclusive Amazon cruises provided by tour companies dedicated to providing exceptional gay vacations to gay and lesbian travelers.

Brazilian gay vacations provide ample opportunities to partake in once in a lifetime adventures and experience this cosmopolitan culture to the fullest. To ensure a safe, enjoyable vacation, keep in mind that gay travel in Brazil is not unlike gay travel within the United States when it comes to being aware and using your best judgment. Just as gay travelers in the U.S. know that some areas are more accepting and welcoming than others, gay travelers in Brazil should also keep this in mind as they explore Brazil. And, for travelers who may wish to enjoy some of Brazils well-known bathhouses, taking the necessary precautions to play safely is just as necessary as it is back home.

To ensure a fun-filled, relaxing Brazilian gay vacation, your best bet is to work with a travel agency that is familiar with vacation packages, optimal travel dates for your vacation goals, local attractions and the particular information that is of interest to gay and lesbian travelers. Whether your ideal vacation is an adventure into the jungle, a relaxing week at the beach or a wild time in Rio, working with a travel agency dedicated to gay tours will allow you to sit back and relax and have the Brazilian vacation you have always dreamed of.

The author of this article about gay holidays to Brazil is Howie Holben. He has traveled the world for over 30 years and owns and runs Spirit Journeys, a spiritually based gay travel firm. Spirit Journeys has offered gay adventure travel with a difference since 1992. You can learn more at www.spiritjourneys.com.

As the weather starts to cool off in the States, many may be looking for a vacation escape. The Gold Coast in Australia may be the answer to your prayers. With warm weather and white sandy beaches, it is the perfect retreat from the winter blues.

Of course the weather is only one reason to travel to Australia, which provides beautiful scenery and gorgeous sites year round. The temperature in Australia is moderate all year, which means no matter when you visit you will have great beach weather. There is an added benefit of going to Australia during our winter, since you get to experience the great summer climate in Australia, and you also get to avoid the cold here, but really any time of year is a great time to visit.

No more tanning booths in the winter time just plan a vacation to the Gold Coast, and you will enter paradise. Surf or snorkel the days away and party all night long, in Surfers Paradise you will find some of the most incredible nightlife and sun and surfing by day. These regions of Australia contain perhaps some of the most incredible beaches in the entire world.

Australia is more then just beaches, and fun in the sun, though. There is also the Outback, the rainforests, rural areas and of course gorgeous cities to see. You can lay in bed listening to the sound of the ocean, or head to theme parks that are fun for the whole family. There are so many things to see and do in Australia, that after your first visit you will absolutely want to keep coming back.

Whether you would prefer the popular tourist areas, with their modern resorts and landmarks, to something more secluded and scenic, Australia offers it all to you. You can do everything from visiting art museums, to visiting amusement parks with rides and games, from shopping in the major cities, to exploring the rain forests. And for you golfers, Australia has some of the most gorgeous golf courses you will ever see in your life. Remember, no trip to Australia is complete without visiting the countrys Gold Coast region. This tropical region is the perfect place to escape the approaching cold weather.

Many people go for holidays to Cuba to enjoy its rich cultural values and the work of its musicians, artists and dancers; to explore its cities and heritage sites; to savour its cuisine; to participate in the many international conferences, congresses and summits; to get marry or spend a honeymoon or simply because they want to share in the Cuban people’s obvious enjoyment of life.

Cuba has around 3534 miles(5700 kilometres) of coastline, with lovely scenery featuring beautiful beaches and over 400 cays with fascinating Flora and Fauna – a great drawing card for visitors who want to enjoy the wild life.

Cuba counts more than 300 natural beaches which are unique for the different hues of their clear, calm water; the beauty of its pristine cays; and their fascinating seabed.

The seabed of Cuba’s insular shelf, which is 27,027 square miles (70,000 square kilometres) in size, contains areas which Jacques-Yves Cousteau (participant of the 1992 World Underwater Photography Championship) described as the most spectacular and varied on earth.

Cuba has a network of Scuba-diving centres with all the equipment you need for exploring its seabed and underwater caves in areas of singular natural beauty and speleological importance.

Cuba counts 236 protected areas, which cover 22 percent-around 10,328 square miles of the country’s territory. They include the Valley of Viales in Pinar del Rio (a world heritage site by UNESCO) and several other areas that have been awarded the category of World Biosphere Preserves.

Some of Cuba’s cities are like living museums of tremendous enchantment; UNESCO has declared Trinidad, Cienfuegos and Havana to be part of the World Cultural Heritage.

These are just some reasons why Cuba can be a perfect destination for your next holidays. There is a universe of options that you can go for. If you fancy swimming with dolphins, relaxing on a beach or simple soak up the atmosphere of its vibrant cities you have that for granted.

The Gold Coast is stretches for 70km over the Australian land and is made up of the rolling waters of the Pacific Ocean and breath taking white sandy beaches. Gold Coast is the most beautiful place that you will ever witness, in all the world.

Nestled along the shoreline are some incredible towns that can make for a fun day trip down the coast. A trip down the coast is great fun and with the moderate temperatures of this region you will find that any time of year is a good time to visit. The following are just a few of the towns you can visit as you make your way down the Gold Coast.

Coolangatta: Perhaps the area with the most incredible beaches on the entire coast, Coolangatta is located at the south end of the coast at the mouth of the Tweed River . There are a few other towns in this region as well, such as Tugun, Bilinga, and Currumbin, but Coolangatta is a must see.

Surfers Paradise is known for some of it’s major tourist attractions. These attraction include internationally renowned surf beaches, World Heritage listed hinterland national parks, and many theme parks. It is the perfect Gold Coast region for families and surfers.

Main Beach is just north of the bustle of Surfers Paradise, yet offers a peaceful and tranquil environment, while keeping you close to many Gold Coast attractions. Tedder Avenue,has wonderful cafes, fabulous international restaurants and local shopping boutiques.

Southport is known as the central business district of the Gold Coast. It is an up and coming tourist area that is full of places for original boutiques and shopping malls. This area also offers many delicious meals at their incredible cafes and restaurants.

Gold Coast Hinterlands is the remnant of an ancient volcano. There is a spectacular waterfall that cascades through the roof of a cave, which is home to Australia’s largest glow worm colony. Become one with nature by exploring walking trails, lookouts, sparkling rock pools, or bird watching in the subtropical rainforest.

A honeymoon is a wonderful thing: you can save a lot of money for it and enjoy it as a reward for a wedding well organized; you can get it as a gift from a generous wedding guest and enjoy it as newlyweds who don’t need to care about the world just yet; or you could simply go somewhere on a whim and head off to a secluded beach, romantic castle, or into the mountains at the last minute. No matter where you are going, if you are going off on a honeymoon at the last minute, you will need to take note of the following tips.

- Make sure that you pack everything that you need even before the wedding begins – in fact, if you have off time in your wedding preparations, you will need to start packing for your honeymoon! Pack what you think you might need, and go light – you will never know when you need to unpack things because of last minute changes in your trip! The key is not to get on each other’s nerves simply because your bags were not packed or you forgot your toothbrush. This is your honeymoon, and you both need to be in love, not storming out because of a few poorly folded clothes!

- Avoid getting discount tours or buying tours that look cheap. You need to read between the lines for these tours even if you are going off on last minute travel plans. First, you might be stuck on a tour that will not allow you to enjoy some time on your own as a couple, and simply because you will be ferried and pushed around by a tour guide who needs to complete his or her duties. Second, you may be paying for something that you don’t really want. You may do well to wait until you get to your destination before you start planning out tours.

Ask always about any fees that might be hidden and there is possibiliy of it with a discount travel package, or with a honeymoon package, if you are making the payment for your trip. You might be saddled with a lot of fees and taxes if you are not careful, and it may make paying for your honeymoon all the more difficult when all is over and you have to return to real life.

- Don’t forget the camera! This might be a last minute trip, but you will want to remember it.

- Be flexible. There is nothing that can spoil a honeymoon faster than an uptight wife or husband who gets nervous when things do not turm out as planned. Keep in mind that you are on this honeymoon planned at the last minute, and when the things are not planned, things do not always go the way you wish them to. You are required to be prepared and to expect the unexpected.

Always be patient. You may both get meltdowns once in a while, especially if you have to spend another cent on an outrageous meal, or if you have to suddenly spend more on your hotel or tours.

- If you need to splurge on something outrageous but romantic, such as a kayaking trip for two, or paragliding for two, or massages for two, or anything that will make your honeymoon all the more memorable, then by all means, splurge! You want to make your honeymoon fun and enjoyable, so don’t hold back.

This does not happen all the time that you have the love of your life spending a big vacation with you!

When it comes to cultural diversity, probably nothing beats Asia. In fact, many of the places you can visit here offer such a wide variety of culture, beliefs, traditions, language and even cuisine that you will be left wondering whether its still the same place. There is one thing that holds true, though. A visit to Asia can be filled with adventure and learning. Are you planning for last minute travel soon? Here are tips you can use:

Get familiar with your location.
Either you are waiting to board or on your way to the airport, it would help you if you seek information regarding the region you are going for travelling purposes. You could, for example, find out about the local cuisine – a good idea if you have a sensitive stomach and need to locate a local McDonald’s for a meal your stomach is more used to. Or you could try to look for places of interest – parks, museums, famous landmarks, beaches, etc. so once your plane has landed, you know exactly where to go and what to do.

Always book accommodations in advance.
Yes, you could go on an adventure tour and just walk around asking some locals for advice on accommodations but there is a risk that you could fall into tourist traps that can afflict major cities at times. If you prefer to have a nice, safe hotel or inn to go to after you land at the airport, best seek it out prior to the trip. 

This is especially important especially during tourist season, when all the major (and even not so popular) hotels, inns and hostels are fully booked. If you go on a last minute trip to Asia without having a hotel reservation, you might have a bit of trouble finding a place to stay.

Another reason why you should book accommodations in advance even if you’re traveling last minute to Asia is that during certain times of the year, especially on holidays, hotels in some countries close. This is common in Singapore, South Korea and Japan. 

Get packaged deal type tours.
If you will be making last minute travel plans to Asia and it’s your first time, consider booking a bundled travel tour. These can prove to be great deals if you want to save on cost (bundled tours include airfare and accommodation) and if you don’t want any surprises. 

Trips often include guided tours, which can be good if you want to see the most popular tourist spots only. Even if you like to explore on your own, most guided package tours still allow you some time off to go on your own. 

Some seasons mean heavy traffic… as in heavy traffic.
Many parts of Asia celebrate certain times of the year as national holidays and festivals. These are also popular tourist attractions and as can be expected, many people – both foreign and local – flock to these areas. If one of these happens to be your destination during that particular time of the year, be ready. The influx of visitors means fully booked hotels, crowded streets, packed shops and traffic jams.

Watch out for the weather.
Last minute travel to Asia can sometimes be affected by local weather. You could probably be forewarned regarding climate – and it can differ drastically depending on your current location – but there are times when the weather can get nasty. In some places, weather can sometimes dictate business.

During monsoon season, for example, some hotels in Malaysia are closed. It would be good for your own safety to be informed.

For some years now a number of the airlines labelled “low-cost airlines in Europe have been taking part in a price war trying to offer the cheapest fares to a host of European cities. It’s quite normal to read that one of the leading low cost airlines for example Ryanair or Easyjet is offering return flights from the UK to Spain, Germany or France for £1 (approx $1.45). There are airport landing fees and taxes to be added to that, but it remains a real bargain if you’re keen to visit a number of cities throughout Europe. One of the biggest disadvantages of flying with the budget airlines is that they often fly to the smaller municipal airports instead of the better known biginternational ones. This can mean that a flight that is advertised to a major European city actually lands up to 50 miles away. There can be some plus-points with this arrangement, the smaller airports often offer a much faster turnround on luggage and check-in because they’re catering for far fewer flights. The disadvantage is that transportation serving these airfields can be patchy at best and an extremely popular alternative is to hire a car from the airport. The following are some of the wonderful cities that we have visited whilst making use of cheap floghts from the low cost airlines. We are sure that you would enjoy visiting any of these great, without doubt they have plenty to offer to visitors to their shores.

Glasgow, Scotland

Glasgow was once an extremely ugly industrial monster but it has undergone a Renaissance and has become a wonderful, architecturally diverse city welcoming a huge number of tourists throughout the year. The trendy West side of the city is home to one of the oldest universities in the U.K.. Perched on a hill in the middle of the Medieval district of Glasgow, its students add a great deal to the fun loving and vibrant atmosphere of the area. The budget carriers utilise Prestwick Airport which is approximately 51 km (35 miles) to the north east of the city centre and there is a good road between the airport and the city centre. It’s a popular area for sightseeing, so the best idea is to rent a car at Glasgow Airport before setting out on your journey. A congestion free 30 minute drive from the airport on the M77 motorway takes you to the centre of the city. Glasgow is a perfect base for a journey to the Trossachs National Park. Just 13 mile (20 km) journey out of Glasgow and you might discover sensational countryside aback a pony, whilst a 50 km (30 mile) drive eastwards using another excellent motorway will find you in Edinburgh together with its ever popular festivals, Princes Street shopping, the historic Castle and Holyrood Palace.

Florence, Italy

Without doubt one of the most hauntingly beautiful locations in Europe, Florence is served by Pisa Airport, which is 84 km (50 miles) west of Florence. Hire a car at Pisa airport and you will be perfectly positioned to explore Pisa’s leaning tower, the wonders of historic Florence and a selection of some of the most picturesque countryside in the whole of Europe, that of the majestically beautiful Tuscany. Thus it is hardly surprising that Florence is high in the popularity stakes when looking at European cities. When you visit Florence you will find that most of the centre is pedestrianized protecting its many ancient statues and architectural treasures from the vibrations and pollution associated with hectic traffic. The complete lack of traffic brings a sense of peace and quiet as you wander from one fragment of history to the next. You don’t have to walk too far before experiencing the ghastly, ear splitting roar of Florence’s legion of scooter riders. Apart from the Ponte Vecchio the remainder of the bridges into the centre of the city are noisy, polluted places, thus giving us an added incentive to keep to the ancient alleyways and peaceful inner sanctums of Florence’s beautiful piazzas.

Tours, France

Tours, the centre of the famed Loire Valley chateaux but without a solitary chateau to its name! The perfect centre for discovering the Loire Valley renowned for its serious array of palatial residences, Tours has a number of charms of its own. Although the little airport is but a few miles out of town, you really need to rent a car at Tours airport to fully explore some of the most picturesque towns and villages in the whole of France. Along the banks of the River Loire between Sully-sur-Loire and Chalonnes, a host of cultural treasures are presented for the visitor to feast their eyes on. A UNESCO site, the Loire Valley offers scenic countryside, heaps of flamboyant castles plus a good scattering of historic villages. Originally the “Retreat of Kings” back in the days of the Renaissance and the middle ages, the Loire Valley was a firm savourite of the French monarchy. Former working fortified castles were converted into elegant palatial trophy residences and these are now the region’s main tourist attractions. Tourists from all over the world are attracted to the historic towns that are situated along the banks of the Loire. Towns such as Tours, Blois and Chinon have so much to see and do whilst the most popular chateau is probably that on the Chambord Estate. Throughout the area you will discover small, family owned vineyards offering a variety of great wines at budget prices. Look out for the word “degustation”, which means sampling I guess, and provided that ‘Le Patron’ is not in the middle of a long leisurely lunch you will be offered a warm welcome and he will be delighted to lead you through a tasting of all his wines. Naturally, it is vital that you take a non-drinker as your chauffer, some of these tasting sessions can get very serious!.