Start your day early to make your Sydney vacation last longer and more varied. Visit first Sydney Opera House, the city’s premier attraction, representing a complex of theaters and halls. But what draws the attention of many visitors more is undoubtedly, its splendid, imaginative design (with a roof evocative of a ship at full sail), which is considered a wonder of the modern world. Situated on Sydney Harbor at Bennelong Point, the Opera House is home to the Australian Ballet, Australian Chamber Orchestra, Ensemble Theatre, Musica Viva Australia, Sydney Dance Company, Opera Australia, Sydney Symphony and Sydney Theatre Company.

Sydney Opera House is also where you’ll find four restaurants, six bars and numerous souvenir shops. Being close to all types of accommodation, the Sydney Opera House is an ideal base for exploring the city’s bountiful attractions.

Within walking distance from Sydney Opera House, The Rocks district is a must for visitors to Australia. Often described as ‘Sydney’s outdoors museum,’ The Rocks is the oldest area of the city that has recently undergone an amazing metamorphosis, the old district being transformed into a vibrant spot thriving with five-star hotels and a horde of restaurants, pubs, shops, weekend markets, galleries and museums. Activities in The Rocks mainly center around walking, looking and eating.

In The Rocks District do not miss out the stunning Sydney Observatory – one of the most significant sites in the nation’s scientific history, offering dramatic views across Sydney Harbor; The Rocks Discovery Museum, a free, family-friendly venue, showcasing the story of The Rocks area of Sydney from pre-European days to the present; the Sydney Harbor Bridge, the world’s largest (but not longest) steel arch bridge and the highest viewing point in Sydney, offering a truly wondrous experience.

Bondi Beach is another popular attraction in Sydney that is regarded as one of the most sought after suburbs in Australia with backpackers, board riders and billionaires in search of a slower sun warmed world that somehow stands a little apart from busy lives. The name ‘Bondi’ is an aboriginal onomatopoeic word meaning water breaking over the rocks or noise of water breaking over rocks. Surfing in this modern and trendy coastal resort is an absolute must. But if you do not feel like tackling the waves, Bondi offers enclosed swimming baths at its southern end.

If you are visiting Sydney with your family, one of the best places is the Taronga Park Zoo, best-known for its vast array of exotic and local animals, reptiles and birds in a spectacular setting. Taronga Zoo offers a truly fun filled experience for young and old. The zoo is open daily, from 9 am to 5 pm.

Photo credits to 1,2,3,4,5,6

Of all the cities, Berlin has its unique charms and attractions that grow on a visitor. Spend a week or more here exploring its attractions all the while you learn German in Germany to help you interact with people and understand its culture.  You can join the Prolog language school and go in for a standard course, an intensive course, a super intensive course, combined course, a certificate course or a TELC course. Each German course in Germany is conveniently split into levels from beginner to advanced, with a certificate at the end testifying to your success.  Classes are enjoyable with an immersive style of teaching that enthuses and motivates students to learn more and practice what they have learnt in real life situations either interacting with students they are staying  with or with their host family members. It is much more easy and simple to learn German in a conducive and encouraging environment, where you quickly learn German in Germany in a short time. Since the partner school has well equipped classrooms and computer labs as also cafeteria and recreational facilities complementing the German course in Germany, you never lack for activities. Learning in small groups, each student receives full attention and rate of learning is adjusted to speed of understanding and intake of each group. There is no burden; it is an overall enjoyable experience, a part of your tour.

One can just as well learn German in any other country but when you learn German in Germany, in its place of origin, surrounded by umpteen examples of German culture and living life the German way, it is an altogether different experience. German course in Germany is not only designed to give you the right language skills but also a larger picture of German way of life and its culture. There are organized leisure-time activities promoting this aspect of learning mixed with visits to places of interest and letting you enjoy your stay to the full.

All things considered, the best value for money tourism option is to learn German in Germany in any of the various cities through partner schools that each offers a choice German course in Germany.  In addition to having an easy enrolment and payment process, the schools also offer assistance for travel, visa and insurance.

From experiencing the wonder of the historic Garden Island, brimming with character and Australian Naval Heritage, to stopping for lunch at the world-renowned Doyle’s for a serving of their delicious fish and chips next to Watsons Bay Wharf, to hiking in the Blue Mountains and discovering some of Australia’s best nature, to unwinding and relaxing in the city’s best hotel club Sydney will leave you with unforgettable memories and the desire to return again and again!

When it comes to accommodation, Sydney will again amaze you with its bountiful variety of hotels to suit any budget and requirement. Providing the perfect base for visitors to explore this magical city and enjoy cultural attractions and outdoor pursuits, Sydney hotels offer everything from simple clean rooms to multiple and flexible conference and meeting venues to well-equipped fitness centers and luxurious health facilities.

If luxury, attention to detail, top-notch customer service and good quality are what you are looking for in your accommodation when traveling to Sydney, why not treat yourself by staying in one of the stunning 5 star hotels? Luxury hotels are found all over the city with some of the most expensive located in the Central Business District.

Four Seasons Hotel Sydney

Stunningly situated on Sydney Harbor, the luxurious Four Season Hotel Sydney is a breathtaking ‘hideaway,’ promising a truly Sydney atmosphere for business and leisure travellers looking for a relaxing stay. The hotel’s 531 spacious, air-conditioned guestrooms are simply amazing, outfitted with LCD flat screen TVs, marble bathrooms, king beds, high speed Internet access, mini bars, tea/coffee making facilities, and other amenities to make guests’ stay pleasant and comfortable.

To enjoy fine and distinctive dining, the hotel’s Kabel restaurant is an ideal choice, serving fresh seafood and Australian regional specialties. Here visitors will also find a cellar amply stocked with the country’s finest boutique wines. Do not miss out duck foie gras with crisp pastille and spiced pear chutney and risotto with butternut squash, walnuts and sage.

Local attractions close to Four Seasons Hotel Sydney include: Sydney Harbor Bridge with its recent renovation of Bridge Climb – a three hour adventure to the top of the bridge; the historic Rocks District; the spectacular Sydney opera House, named one of the modern wonders of the world, and the impressive Royal Botanic Gardens, — an oasis of green and quiet at the harbor’s edge.

Wednesday through Saturday nights, live jazz performers play in the cozy hotel bar, so if you appreciate jazz, be prepared for a relaxing experience. An even greater chance to indulge and rejuvenate in an intimate, enchanting setting is the hotel’s Spa, featuring a sauna and heated outdoor pool, plus a large menu of treatments and massages. Stay and enjoy!!!

Sydney Harbor Marriott Hotel at Circular Quay

This is a newly refurbished luxury hotel in Sydney, overlooking the sparkling Sydney Harbor and the magnificent Sydney Opera House. Found at the doorstep of a shopping Mecca and just a stone’s throw from the vibrant Rocks district and some 20 minutes’ drive from Sydney’s International and Domestic Airports, the stunning Sydney Harbor Marriott Hotel is a glass-and-concrete skyscraper with much to offer its visitors.

The hotel is surrounded with spectacular waterside views of the Sydney Bridge and offers a wide range of facilities and services sure to delight. The hotel has 550 luxurious guestrooms, all fully equipped and furnished, 20 technologically enabled meeting rooms, an on-site restaurant serving modern Australian Cuisine in a friendly atmosphere, bar and lounge area, offering casual ambience and fast paced service as well as a state-of-the-art Spa, where you can indulge in a vast array of treatments, relaxing at your heart’s content.

The hotel provides guests with an elegantly designed outdoor swimming pool, sauna, solarium, concierge, as well as baby sitting service, valet parking, disabled facilities, secretarial services, currency exchange services and high speed Internet Access. Keep in mind that Sydney Harbor Marriott Hotel is a place to be seen to be believed.

Photo credits to 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10

If you appreciate modern art and are looking for a wonderful experience, do not miss out the impressive René Magritte Museum – an intimate memory to Belgium’s most influential artist of the 20th century. Painter, engraver, craftsman, sculptor, photographer and film-maker, René Magritte counts among the eminent artists of the surrealist movement.

Located in the heart of Brussels at the Place Royale, the museum is housed in the neo-classical landmark Altenloh Hotel, superbly restored on 1984, which Magritte and his wife rented between 1930 and 1954, and operates as part of the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium.

The museum not only showcases an exclusive collection of the Surrealist master’s paintings, but also unveils the personal life of the man behind it all. There are over 30 drawings and paintings by the artist, as well as more than 400 original documents retracing his artistic evolution from surrealistic magazines to advertising campaigns that he worked on. Visitors will also find an audio guide, which includes recordings of the artist, his wife, his friends and colleagues. The museum has also developed an online research center that provides access to archieves about the painter’s life and works.

The museum has a permanent exhibition, which is spread on two-floors. The works on display, among which his most important masterpieces, are mainly from the legacies of Irène Scutenaire-Hamoir and Georgette Magritte and from purchases made by the Royal Museums for Fine Arts of Belgium, completed with works on loan from private persons.

Besides the rare items as an original painting of his youth, the original manuscript ‘Book of Thoughts,’ the advertising works and letters to his clients, the museum displays continuously other masterpieces, like Les Amants, Le Témoin (1939) and, Lola de Valence (1948), La Lampe d’Aladin (1954) or, Olympia (1947), and others.

The museum is open every week from Wednesday to Sunday between 10:00am and 6:00pm.  Guests can also take advantage of guided tours. An entrance ticket to the museum includes a short explanation of 15 min about Magritte’s life in this house.

‘I can stay at home as the world offers me ideas’
René Magritte

Photo credits to 1,2,3,4,5

It was on 29 January 1942 that the series claimed its first castaway. Since then the show has broadcast almost 2,800 episodes with guests ranging from Kenneth Williams and Princess Margaret to George Clooney and David Cameron.

The format was the brainchild of original presenter/host Roy Plomley. The premise was deceptive in its simplicity – choose eight pieces of music to accompany you through hours of solitary. Inevitably guests selected pieces of music which had sound tracked various points in their own lives, which then permitted some kind of personal discussion of their private affairs. By fictitiously taking every comfort that was dear to his guests away and leaving them with only the emotional attachment of music, Plomley often drew more out of his guests than he could have expected.

But what comes across in the format’s longevity is the attachment of music when away from home and how it can be relied upon to keep you company during your travels. Through long flights, sleepless nights when jet lagged, or perhaps especially if you are travelling alone, music can be your best companion.

Some songs seem to have been written to be played on holiday; indeed some songs can only be listened to on a summer break. I personally wouldn’t dream of listening to the music of Bob Marley or Jack Johnson on a rainy afternoon in the UK, but when I’m sipping on a fruit shake in a beach hut, at that moment it’s the only type of music I want to hear.

Equally, how many songs now take you straight back to where you first heard them? From the clubs of Ibiza to the youth hostel that seemed to have a certain song on a loop. Just the first two bars of one song can take you straight back to a particular holiday memory.

Which brings us to the big question, which songs would you chose? Over the years certain trends have emerged with some songs coming up again and again. Here are the favourites:

The classics

• Beethoven’s Choral Symphony in D minor
• Rachmaninoff’s Concerto in C minor
• Schubert’s String Quintet in C major
• Beethoven’s Pastoral
• Elgar’s Pomp & Circumstance
• Beethoven’s Symphony No 7 in A major

The Pop

• Edith Paf – Non, Je Ne Regrette Bien
• Frank Sinatra – I Did It My Way
• Noel Coward – Mad Dogs and Englishmen
• Edith Piaf – La Vie En Rose
• Flanagan and Allen – Underneath the Arches
• Judy Garland – Over the Rainbow
• Louis Armstrong – What a Wonderful World
• John Lennon – Imagine

But how about you, dear reader? Would you opt for songs that sound great in the sun? Or the tracks you grew up with you just can’t live without? Would you greedily go for quantity over quality and select nothing less than ten minutes?

Ok, so let’s ignore the fact that we now live in an age where you could just take an iPod that holds 40,000 tracks and live happily ever after.

Original rules apply what eight tracks would you choose to be stranded with?

Designed to be ‘in harmony with nature,’ Amphibious 1000 is a unique, $500 million semi-submerged project that is meant to be located in the protected marine area on the coast of Qatar.

As its name suggests, the resort will have two sections: land and sea, accommodating residential buildings, offices, a marine park center, floating bridges and underwater galleries. On land, there will be a museum, floating walkaways, a fine giant restaurant with panoramic views, a huge aquarium, exhibition galleries and a glass tunnel that will lead to the underwater observatory in the center of the marine park.

The sea area will include four semi-submerged hotels with diagonal glass windows, each with 75 luxury suites located on the perimeter of the building.

Amphibious will also host 80 floating suites called ‘Jelly-fish,’ which come equipped with underwater viewing decks looking out to an artificial reef bed. Each suite accommodates up to six guests and will have five floors connected by spiral staircase with a relaxation room, sleeping quarters, kitchen and bathrooms, as well as a private aquarium lounge. On the lower level, some 3 meters below sea level, you can enjoy a submersed panoramic room, overlooking the sea.

Guests can zip around the resort on foot or electric vehicles. A fleet of hydrogen-powered, glass-bottomed yachts are also available for charter.
The unusual idea is just one of the projects underway in Qatar, which aims to promote itself as a dreamscape, go-to tourist destination in a similar way to Dubai and Abu Dhabi. The hotel development has been approved and work on the project is set to start soon.

Gosh…how do they come up with these ideas? It’s simply amazing and the only thing we should do is to save money with a hope that one day we will surely have the luck to experience a truly spectacular and scenic ‘hideaway’ as the luxurious Amphibious 1000 in Qatar.

Photo credits to

http://architectism.com/amphibious-1000-qatars-floating-island-resort/amphibious-1000-qatar-1/

Koen Olthuis, an architect of Dutch firm Waterstudio.NL that specializes in building in wet areas, has developed a water-based floating park – a safe haven for wildlife that is sure to bring positive green effects to urban environments.

Designed for use in cities with large waterways, such is New York, Tokyo or London, the Sea Tree is a multi-tiered structure comprising layered green habitats that provide valuable living grounds for birds, bees, bats and other small animals and even for artificial coral reefs, if the climate allows for it. Given enough time to grow, the Sea Tree will eventually resemble a sort of hanging garden, both above and below water, with branches and vines hanging from the different levels.

Mr. Olthuis came up with the concept because it is so difficult to add extra park zones to a city on land. And on the other hand, open spaces, like rivers, lakes, seas and harbors should instead be utilized. So, he proposes using offshore technology similar to oil rigs to construct the Sea Trees and he has even suggested that oil companies donate them to cities to show ‘their concern for a better city environment.’

You see, Olthuis approaches aquatic architecture from a different point unlike other architects. Usually, when people want to build some sort of floating city, man-made island, or flashy submerged structure, it’s because they want to attract tourists, and according to the Dutch architect this kind of thinking leads to utterly absurd designs, like an ice hotel in the middle of the desert.

Being from the Netherlands, Olthuis takes the ‘ocean’ very seriously, (as it’s slowly swallowing the entire country), creating floating structures because he must and because they are very practical, simple and functional. He imagines entire cities being built in water and in The Hague’s hinterland; this vision will soon become a reality. ‘Floating is not dogma,’ Olthuis says. ‘We only use it where it makes sense economically and practically.’ ‘Save the world, built on water,’ this is Koen Olthuis’ core business in a nutshell.

Olthuis and his crew have been developing a number of floating buildings and from the water villa in the Netherlands down to the floating city in Dubai, his projects have attracted and continue to attract attention worldwide. A BBC journalist was probably right in calling Koen Olthuis the “Floating Dutchman”.

Waterstudio claims the Sea Tree will be fully realized just within two years and that an undisclosed client has already expressed a keen interest!

Photo credits to 1,2,3,4,5

Curtain Bluff, Antigua

Here you will see the most beautiful beaches, excellent hospitality and wonderful opportunities for divers and those who like to spend their time fishing. This resort was created some 48 years ago and some families still have the habit of going there. A wonderful stay is guaranteed, the chief cook will amaze you with a variety of dishes you have never tried before. Alcohol lovers will be amazed, as there are about 25.000 bottles of alcoholic beverages.

Almond Beach Village, Barbados

The Almond Beach Village is a friendly Barbados Resort with plenty to offer its visitors from fabulous restaurants serving superb cuisine to a range of land and water sports. You can play golf, go water-skiing or visit Bridgetown-all these expenses are paid together with the tour. Besides, you will be able to learn how to cook in a Caribbean way! With over 32 acres of colorful tropical gardens, the hotel comes with fantastic facilities ideal for singles, couples and families with kids and is sure to satisfy the needs of even the most demanding travelers.

Bitter End Yacht Club, British Isles

This is the Caribbean’s premier luxury water sports resort that hosts family fun vacations and idyllic escapes for all. The hotel boasts a unique location, a mile-long beachline fully furnished with teak deck chairs and tastefully decorated spacious guestrooms, featuring modern conveniences and a vast number of services to make your stay most enjoyable.

Pirates Point Resort, Cayman Isles

Pirates Point Resort is a small, dive-oriented getaway, perfect for those who want to have some rest from the noisy surroundings and the hustle and bustle of everyday life. The resort is secluded on 7 acres of fine, white sandy beach and offers all the amenities to ensure your pleasant and relaxing vacation. The hotel boasts a fine restaurant and a bar, an elegantly-designed swimming pool, Jacuzzi, Hammocks, where you can relax to your heart’s content and a plethora of fantastic activities that include great snorkeling, fishing, world-class diving, guided nature trail hikes, bird watching and, of course, lots of relaxation.

Excellence Punta Cana, Dominican Republic

Situated on a perfect 30-mile stretch of palm-fringed coastline, the stunning Punta Cana is an adult’s only luxury resort, known for stunning beaches that rank among the best in the world, excellent dining options, and all manner of activities to keep visitors busy all day long. This quaint, colonial-style  all inclusive resort is an ideal destination for weddings or honeymoons, and here everything is taken care of to create a majestic atmosphere and memorable moments you have only seen in your dreams. The hotel features a SPA salon, where you can get massages whenever you wish and a cozy bar, perfect for relaxing and unwinding. In the evenings, the hotel guests can take advantage of the casinos or take part in the lively discos that never fail to amaze.

Spice Island Beach resort, Grenada

If swimming, playing tennis, watching DVD attracts you, then this place is just for you. Here everything is for those who want to make their family stay as comfortable as it is possible. There are special programs for the kids, meanwhile adults can enjoy their time swimming or just walking in the beautiful gardens. Setting a new level of luxury and award-winning personal service in the Caribbean at a convenient “prepaid price,” Spice Island Beach Resort continues to provide the elegant and high-end Caribbean holiday that has become its trademark.

Meridian club, Pin-Kay

A marvelous place especially for those who want to be ‘out of the time’ as there are no TVs  and cell phones over here. The resort was created in 1970s, and since then not so much has been changed, and the owners are very proud of this fact. Simplicity is the main attraction here.  And that’s it.

Goldeneye, Jamaica

Surrounded by an emerald lagoon with sheltered beaches and secluded coves, Goldeneye is a magical sliver of Jamaica’s north shore, nestled between coral reefs and tropical forests. Goldeneye is nothing if not inspiring. It has five villas, each offering magnificent luxury and unique design. The Fleming House is the main attraction and the author’s beloved home, where he wrote 14 of his famous 007 novels. A cluster of individual villas are also offered, all featuring high-standard accommodation and top-notch service.

Palm Island Resort, Grenadines

Welcome to the exclusive Palm Island, a private-island resort, hemmed by hundreds of coconut palms and five soft white sandy beaches. This all inclusive getaway is a traveler’s paradise, providing a complete break from the schedules and commitments of everyday life. From lazing on a hammock to hiking any of the three nature trails for intriguing glimpses of indigenous wildlife, to having a boat trip to the world-famous Tobago Cays, your vacation will turn into cherished memories you’ll not soon forget.

Wyndham Sugar Bay Resort and Spa, Saint Thomas

The first floor of the hotel is covered with tropical  grass  and  from the upper floors there is a marvelous view to the ocean. Recently, the hotel has been reconstructed and new equipments, special soft carpets , and cute stuff for bathroom have been added. The beach is not a large one, but   there is a wonderful pool surrounded with a park. One of the advantages of the hotel is the existence of SPA procedures, which are included in the payment for the stay.

Photo credits to 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10

In our previous posts we have already described the oh-so-beautiful Corfu Island and now it’s high time to speak about its all inclusive hotels and resorts that are sure to make your all inclusive holidays a great and a memorable experience!

Hotel Messonghi Beach

Situated some 22 km from Corfu Town, the stunning Messonghi Beach Hotel is a truly fascinating all inclusive complex, surrounded by lush beautiful gardens and crystal-clear azure waters. Ideal for family holidaymakers, the resort also appeals to couples and leisure travelers looking for a good choice of land and water adventures to enjoy and experience. In short, the hotel creates the balance of rich culture and modern convenience to ensure your pleasant and unforgettable stay.

The hotel’s 920 rooms come in different types and sizes, from simple rooms at low budgets to upgraded, luxurious superior rooms that will leave you breathless. All rooms are air-conditioned, with balconies, modern furnishings and room amenities.

Messonghi Beach’s restaurant serves breakfast and lunch. Guests will also find 3 cafeterias, offering soft drinks, cakes, donuts as well as pizza, cheese pies and sandwiches and more; and a poolside bar, perfect for relaxing and unwinding. Recreational amenities include 4 elegantly designed pools, catering for kids and adults alike, an Aquapark in the hotel grounds, built in 2008, a fitness facility, tennis courts and a children’s club. The complex also offers wedding services, free parking, nightclub, currency exchange, hair salon and high-speed Internet access in public areas for a surcharge.

Sunshine Corfu Hotel & Spa

Amongst hundreds of Corfu hotel accommodations, the stylish Sunshine Corfu Hotel & Spa stands out like a real gem! This four-star premium hotel is a perfect getaway for a restful, relaxing and entertaining holiday, as it boasts a fantastic array of facilities, comfortable accommodations and phenomenal, top-notching service that is sure to tend to all guests’ needs.

Perfectly positioned to discover marvelous beaches nearby and explore delightful tiny villages with a range of fine restaurants and bars, the all-inclusive Sunshine Corfu Hotel & Spa offers the best in terms of accommodation, services and quality. Each of the 313 spacious guestrooms at Sunshine Corfu Hotel & Spa features premium bedding, marble bathrooms with bathtubs, phones, bidets and makeup/shaving mirrors, TV with satellite channels, you can even request wake-up calls.

Facilities at Sunshine Corfu Hotel include garden, aerobics, canoes, gym, sauna, private beach, children’s mini club, cafeteria, restaurants, indoor entertainment room, spa/wellness center, (pool) bar, gift shop, conference room, billiards and 2 pools. Health club, play area and this is just the beginning. The hotel has a little something for everyone and is sure to exceed all expectations.

Corfu Sea Gardens Hotel

Another fantastic all inclusive choice is the Corfu Sea Gardens hotel, ideally nestled on the edge of lively Kavos and overlooking the sea. This sophisticated hotel is built in village style and features low-rise buildings arranged around majestic green gardens. Guestrooms in this four-star hideaway come equipped with a selection of modern conveniences, including a fridge, en-suite bathroom and air-conditioning.

Guests can take advantage of the day’s program of sports and activities, like basketball, 5-a-side football, tennis, darts and table tennis. The fun extends to the evening, when games and shows begin. Regular evening entertainment includes themed nights, live Greek dancing/music for instance and disco. If you are visiting with kids, the hotel again has much to offer, from kids outdoor pool to playground to kids animation team to organized games that can vary season to season.

Standard all inclusive package consists of breakfast, lunch and dinner, all served in the main buffet restaurant. Snacks (savory pastries) are available at the pool bar at selected times between meals, including ice-cream and a coffee break, while local beer, wine and non-alcoholic drinks are included for a minimum of 12 hours per day. Keep in mind that the atmosphere at Corfu Sea Gardens Hotel is simply amazing and you’ll leave the hotel with great impressions and the desire to return again and again!

Photo credits to 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8

Erawan Falls

If you want to experience some of the country’s natural beauty, waterfalls found deep in the land are always a classic choice. The Kanchanaburi Province of Thailand is home to the fascinating Erawan National Park characterized by amazing mountains, caves, cliffs and extensive wildlife and is best-known for its striking seven-tiered Erawan Falls, dropping from an aggregate 1,500 meters, with many being dispersed within the topography of the forest. The seventh tier is said to resemble the shape of ‘Erawan,’ the holy three-headed white elephant referred in Hindu mythology and is said to be the most striking natural scenery of the country. Accommodation is available in the Park’s bungalows or you can pitch a tent nearby.

Getting to the top of the falls can be a bit of a hike, nevertheless, it’s well worth it with many opportunities to stop and swim in one of the many majestic cool blue pools the fall creates and feeds into. To beat the heat and the crowds, you’d better go on a week day and as early in the morning as possible.

Wat Rong Khun

Another wonderful getaway, where you will find peace, purity and wisdom is the white, incredibly ornate temple of Rong Khun, located in the spiritual city of Chiang Rai, Northern Thailand. The work of Thai artist Chalermchai Kositpipat, Wat Rong Khun is created as the ‘replica of the magnificent and resplendent heaven.’ The temple is still largely in construction and upon completion it is expected to have 9 buildings with different shapes and characters.

To reach the main building you have to cross a bridge symbolizing the ‘cycle of rebirth.’ The small half-circle in front of it stands for the tourists and the big circle for the mouth of ‘Rahu’ (Challenges of terrestrial life). The striking white ordination hall – Phra Ubosot features plenty of silver glittering pieces of mirrors and large mural paintings of the Lord Buddha in different gestures. The hall is surrounded by viharn (small halls for recitation), museum and reception pavilion. Wat Rong Khun is open from 6:00am to 5:00pm and there’s no entrance fee though donations are welcome.

Visit Thailand National Parks

Thailand is flowing with nature and wildlife. With over hundred national parks, including over 20 marine parks, each with its own unique attractions, Thailand offers great opportunities for those interested in trekking, mountain biking, photography birding, scuba diving or getting up close to exotic animals. A visit to a Thailand National Park is a real chance to explore the wonders of nature, discover unique flora and fauna and distinct ecological zones and simply relax in a charming, tranquil environment.

Khao Yai National Park, since being declared the Kingdom’s first national park in 1962, has been and remains a popular getaway, where many nature lovers go for various outdoor pursuits, ranging from education, camping, biking and even river rafting.

Koh Tao and Koh Nang Yuan

Perfect for those looking for peace, the isolated islands of Koh Tao and Koh Nang Yuan are simply amazing. Koh Tao is a premier place for diving and boasts of the most beautiful and fertile coral reefs in Thailand. Koh Nang Yuan is a place of profound beauty and serenity and life here is all about relaxing and being with the ones you love. The climate in these islands is tropical and usually rather pleasant all year round, but it might rain more between September and December.

Photo credits to 1,2,3,4,5,6,7