Accommodation Areas in Ho Chi Minh City...

Accommodation in Ho Chi Minh City ranges from the budget to classy hotels, which tend to be grouped in areas like Dong Khoi, Ben Thanh Market and the backpacker area of Pham Ngu Lao.  Each area has unique characteristics.  Most hotels in Vietnam quote their rates in American Dollars and they usually include breakfast.

Dong Khoi Area

Dong Khoi is actually just a street, but hotel booking sites often refer to it as an area.  Dong Khoi Street runs right down to the busy Saigon River.  This area is home to the more expensive hotels.  It is also crammed with boutique shops and many restaurants serving traditional Vietnamese food and Western favourites.  It is a relatively safe area for walking as there are traffic restrictions, so crossing the road is easier than in the rest of Vietnam.  Popular hotels in this area include the Sheraton Hotel, Hotel Majestic Saigon, the Caravelle, The Rex and Duxton Hotel Saigon.

Ben Thanh Market Area

Busy during the day, the area around the Ben Thanh market is quieter in the evening.  Small family run cafes and coffee shops are plentiful and so are the street food vendors.  It is close to many of the key Ho Chi Minh City attractions and within walking distance to Dong Khoi Street and the shopping centres.  Some hotels in this area include Lan Lan 1 Hotel, A&EM Le Prince Hotel with cheaper options such as Hoang Lien Hotel, Hong Hac Hotel.

Pham Ngu Lao Area

Pham Ngu Lao Street and surrounding areas is commonly known as the backpacker district because of the number of backpackers who choose to stay there.  Hotels are generally inexpensive here.  This area has numerous cafes, popular bars, dozens of shops and several places to book tours.  The hotels are generally on the cheap side, but prices can go up to mid-range.  Some hotels include Saigon Backpackers Hostel, Duna Hotel and Halo Guesthouse.

A Beijing Break...

A holiday to the Chinese capital, Beijing, offers a fascinating insight into the history of this ancient country, as well as supplying all the comforts of a large modern city.

A number of operators run direct flights from London, which takes around 11 hours to reach Beijing.  Once there, an excellent bus service runs regularly into the city itself.  Alternatively, take a taxi, remembering to ask the driver to use the meter.

Top of many people’s must see list will be the Forbidden City, the ancient Chinese Imperial Palace, which lies at the heart of Beijing.  Built mainly in the 15th century, the complex of 980 buildings surrounded by a high wall offers an unparalleled view into the life of the Chinese Royal Dynasties until the early 20th Century.  Very close by is  BeiHai Park, one of the oldest and best preserved Imperial Gardens, parts of which date back 1,000 years.

Beijing cuisine often features a number of small dishes, such as rice balls and spare ribs, with a local speciality being Beijing Duck, which is slow roasted and served with pancakes.  The dish remains popular with locals and tourists alike; QuanJude, the largest roast duck restaurant in Beijing, can feed 5,000 people a day.

Accommodation is plentiful and varied, with all the major hotel chains present as well as short-term apartments and budget options such as youth hostels.  Tourists will need to arrange a visa to enter China before they travel, but these are easily obtainable.

Win The Race to Book Olympic Accommodation...

The Olympic and Paralympic Games will take place in London between 27th July and 12th August 2012. If you are planning a visit to the city of London, what better time than to coincide with this exciting global sporting event?

Many of the sporting events will be taking place in the Olympic Village which is located south of the river Thames in the Stratford area of London. Specially constructed stadiums and arenas have been erected.

Other areas of London will be hosting certain sports, such as the beach volleyball competition which will take place on Horse Guards Parade in Whitehall and marathon athletics events which will run through Hyde Park. Various sporting events are scattered over the capital and wider areas of the United Kingdom.

Accommodation will be in great demand during the Olympic Games so visitors planning a visit to London during this time should plan well in advance. London bed and breakfast deals during the Olympics will be widely available but make sure you reserve your room early. Olympic organisers stress that London boasts over 100,000 hotel beds, so everyone should be sure of a warm welcome.

A City Break in Sofia...

Sofia is fast becoming a captivating new European city destination, carrying influences from nearby Macedonia, Greece, Hungary and Romania.  Entirely different from other Bulgarian destinations, famous for cheap booze and visited mainly by British tourists, Sofia has more culture and a distinct cosmopolitan feel, where Bulgarians themselves come to holiday away from the quiet countryside.

The city has an impressive backdrop of the Vitosha Mountain range that can be reached by a stair lift a short drive away or simply be admired from a distance.  Alexander Nevsky Cathedral is another beautiful sight, as are the freshwater spring baths, or the beautiful Borisofa Gardens.  The architecture around the town certainly has a Soviet look, but the neo-classical influences cannot be denied, with cobbled stones, lion statues and great stone plinths.

Sofia is a great place to have cheap holidays, and once you are there you will not need much spending money either, especially if you consume the local beers, the delicious Bulgarian wines or the rather potent rakia.  Dishes to try include Shopska salad made with feta cheese, or a sach, which is a baked casserole, or if you are on the run, a banitsa – filo pastry filled with feta cheese.  Ice-cream parlours and cake shops are also popular features.

There is a great pick of clubs, whether you enjoy pop music, rock, or the sound of Bulgarian pop-folk, Chalga.  Sofia is also home to theatres and concert halls, so ask at the local information centre to see what is on offer in your preferred language.

Accommodation is varied and you can rent a simple room in the centre with a shared bathroom for as little as 20 pounds.  Finding your way about can be tricky, as most of the street signs and maps are in Cyrillic but if you approach a friendly-looking local then you are sure to get pointed in the right direction.  Try to avoid taxi-drivers since it is much easier and cheaper to stick to the tram, but be sure to buy then stamp your ticket before you travel.

New York: Art and History Sites...

No holiday to the United States is truly complete without a few days spent in New York City. Located along the Atlantic coast, New York is the biggest city in the country in terms of population as well as being the financial capital of the nation.

A City of Art and Architecture

Originally named after James, Duke of York in the 1660s, New York is today home to several world-famous museums that house some of the greatest art treasures in the world. The Metropolitan Museum of Art is the foremost of these. Like major museums in Europe, it can take several full days to even begin to appreciate the vast collection at the Met, which includes an entire Egyptian temple rescued from the rising waters of the Nile.

Many tourists also make time to see the noted architecture of the Empire State Building, the site of King Kong’s famous skyscraper scenes. The Guggenheim Museum, housed in a building designed by noted American architect Frank Lloyd Wright, is also very popular.

Attractions in New York Harbour

Most people associate New York with the island of Manhattan, though that is just one of the five boroughs making up the city. From Manhattan, tourists can easily catch a boat to tour the famous harbour. Popular destinations out on the water include the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. The statue site includes a ground-floor museum explaining its history and construction, but the largest attraction for most people is the staircase that traces the interior. The climb to reach the viewing platform located in Lady Liberty’s head is not strenuous, mainly because the line moves at a moderate pace that allows people to rest as much as they move.

Ellis Island was the location where most immigrants to the United States entered the country during the late 1800s and early 1900s. Guided tours are available to showcase the facilities and their role in shaping U.S. culture and society.

Visiting London by District...

Visiting a large conurbation like London can be overwhelming.  Understanding the districts and knowing which are best for tourists is a huge help when exploring this fantastic city.

Bloomsbury

This is a quiet district that contains the two important train and underground stations King’s Cross and St. Pancras.  At the former, one can get a train to other points in the UK and from the latter, visitors can travel through the Channel Tunnel to the Continent.  This makes Kings Cross hotels an excellent choice for the London tourist.

Covent Garden and Leicester Square

For the famous theatres of London, visitors should make a stop in Covent Garden.  It is also home to many shopping centres.  Leicester Square is a famous tourist stop for its restaurants, pubs, theatres and certain famous landmarks, such as Trafalgar Square and Piccadilly Circus.

Westminster

Westminster is actually a city in its own right.  Visitors come here to see Parliament, Westminster Palace, Westminster Abbey, Big Ben, and Buckingham Palace.

South Bank

The South Bank district is on the south side of the River Thames and is an excellent place to have a drink and a bite to eat while sitting by the river and enjoying the views.  It is also where the Globe Theatre is located; the replica of the theatre used by William Shakespeare.  Tickets are inexpensive and viewers get to experience what theatre was like in the sixteenth century.

Free Magazines in Barcelona...

Every major city will have a wide range of tourist guides available, often catering to a particular type of visitor.  The growth of tourist websites has only added to the vast array of information available, so is there still space for the free magazines that can still be found in many cities?  It certainly seems to be the case in Barcelona.

Like most major tourist destinations, the Spanish city has various publications produced by the local government to assist the tourist trade.  It also has well-established magazines like Time Out on sale, but sitting in-between are the free magazines, which aim to attract tourists, long-term visitors and locals alike.  Their mix of event listings, suggestions and recommendations, and articles about city life can often be a good source of information for those looking for something off the beaten track, and lower advertising costs can make them attractive to independent businesses.

Barcelona has four English language monthly publications in this genre.  Barcelona Miniguide is a pocket-sized, colourful magazine with a strong emphasis on bars, restaurants, music and clubs, and interesting shops.  Its small size makes it easy to carry around, and it includes decent street maps of popular areas.  Barcelona Metropolitan, meanwhile, is an A4 magazine with longer features and interviews, and advertising is aimed at long-term visitors to the city.

Barcelona Connect is A5 in size and listings-based, while BCN Mes is newspaper-style and dedicated to alternative lifestyles with articles in Spanish and Catalan as well as English.  Most of these magazines also have websites and email newsletters, and use Facebook and Twitter to help boost their readerships.

London on a Budget...

London is one of the most exciting and vibrant cities in the world.  Tourists flock to the capital of the United Kingdom to experience the English culture, theatre, museums, and shopping.  It is not, however, the cheapest city to visit.  With the right planning, however, a trip to London need not break the bank.

Whether travelling to London via plane, train, or car, often the most expensive part of the trip is the hotel.  London is home to many extravagant and excellent hotels, but the cost of staying at one can be a bit shocking.  To save money on the holiday, consider staying at a London bed and breakfast.

Not only are bed and breakfasts less expensive than hotels, they offer many bonuses that travellers staying elsewhere do not receive.  Bed and breakfasts tend to be small with fewer residents at any one time than most hotels.  This gives travellers a chance to chat and get to know each other.  The owners of the bed and breakfast often take time to speak with their customers and lend advice on how to get around the city and what sites are best.  The friendly atmosphere of a bed and breakfast is not the only advantage over staying in a large hotel.  They often provide meals, at least breakfast, handmade by the owner or the resident cook.

By staying at a bed and breakfast London becomes smaller and friendlier.  Travellers get to know the best spots to eat, how to get around the city, and where the best shopping is through their welcoming hosts.  Staying at a bed and breakfast when visiting London is an excellent option for travellers hoping to tour the city on a budget.

Edinburgh on New Year’s Eve...

Edinburgh’s chilly winter ends in a celebration of light, fire and fantastic fun as the old year draws to a close. Against the stunning architecture of Edinburgh’s Royal Mile and Prince’s Street hub, the glittering, snow-covered celebrations are a trip into another world; the perfect end to the old year and start to the new!

Starting on the 29th of December, the Edinburgh world-famous Hogmonay celebrations greet the New Year in a flurry of light and fun. The traditional Torchlight Procession opens the festival in a parade of radiating light and fireworks. As the festivities kick off, dancing groups, theatre groups and the public join in, carrying lighted torches through the streets. The torches, which can become sold out during the celebrations, raise money for charity, as well as allowing the public to join in the celebrations.

The ‘night afore’, that is, the 31st of December and the night before Hogmonay (New Year’s Day) sees leading theatre groups take to the streets, providing wonderful, magical entertainment. This world famous street party includes over 100,000 participants taking to the streets to dance and be merry. Five stages accommodate live music and well known bands and singers. Traditional Ceilidh dancing and one of the world’s most fantastic firework displays takes place as the old year ticks away.

Edinburgh’s four day Hogmonay celebration is the perfect way to greet the New Year, filled with fun, festivity and celebrations suitable for all ages. Say goodbye to the old times in style, and make your New Year Resolutions in the shadow of Edinburgh’s stunning surrounds.

The Modern Ancient City of Tunis...

The African country of Tunisia makes for a splendid holiday. Choosing Africa as your destination will always bring something unique and undeniably different to your time away. A visit to the city of Tunis will surely be an enlightening experience. Often thought to be Arabic, Tunis is a city caught between the old and the new. One of the first things visitors notice about Tunis is its impeccable cleanliness.

The streets are completely void of garbage and beggars – two things most visitors expect to see when they arrive. Instead, this capital city is one of modern, contemporary clothing, yet a city of age old bartering and customs. It is not typically seen as a tourist destination but for those who do make the journey, it is a city worth visiting.

Many arrive to see the traditional capital city as well as experience its surrounding villages. Some places outside Tunis that are worth the trek include Hammamet, and Sosse. Check out Bardo, one of the museums offering a great display of local mosaic art which is very native to this part of Africa.

There is almost no greater shopping experience that those of an African souk. Wear your best walking shoes as you head out into the bartering world of Tunis. This is an extremely common way to spend a day. Enjoy the experience as the most skilled shopper will feel challenged. Souks, (which means ‘market’ in Arabic), are well known for their social interaction and variety of products. All souks vary in size and some are so large it is near impossible to tell where they truly begin and end. Traditionally souks occupied only a small part of a local town or village but have grown to immeasurable limits. Now they are sometimes referred to as medinas, which is town in Arabic.

Any sightseeing to this area should include a visit to Zitouna, the Olive Tree Mosque. This mosque is the main mosque in Tunis to which the entire city has been built around. It was named after its founder, a man once known for his teachings under the olive tree.