1. Cost-effective Holidays

Spending your holidays in the UK is cost-effective as you won’t need to buy a plane ticket, or even if you have to buy one it won’t be as expensive as a ticket to Spain or France. In fact, you’ll be able to drive to your destination or if you don’t want to bring your car with you, you can still book a train ticket or take the coach. So spending your holidays in the UK will help you save some money, and we all know how saving money has become difficult in this atmosphere of economic crisis.   

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2. Many Places to Discover

In addition, there are many great places to explore, in fact most of us want to go abroad to see and discover new things when we don’t even know about all the great things that we have in our own country. If you’re interested in history you can go and visits ancient castles and museums in Scotland or in Wales. If you like mountain climbing you one of the best places to do it is Scotland. There are even many people who come from different European country to do mountain climbing in Scotland.

3. Self-catering Holiday Accommodations

In addition, it’s been a time when hotels were the only accommodation for holidaymakers but now time has changed, as there are different accommodation solutions for your holidays. In fact you don’t need to stay in a hotel anymore for your holidays. In fact, if you spend your holidays in the UK then you can book a self-catering accommodation such as a holiday cottage to spend your holidays. In fact, holiday cottages have become extremely fashionable in the UK as holidaymakers feel more independent as they have their own place and they    can do whatever they like. 

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4. Great Locations For Group and Family Holidays

In addition, if you’d like to enjoy the sun then you might want to go to the south in places such as Dartmouth. As Dartmouth is a place where you can enjoy both the city life and the countryside, which means that you’ll have a lot of activities to do ranging from shopping to having a picnic in the countryside or having more exciting activities such as having a boat ride on the Dart. So you’ll have different activities to do whether you’re with your family or friends. In addition, if you book a Dartmouth cottage, you can enjoy some lovely private terraces where you can have a barbecue, or you can go fishing in your private fishing spot.

5. Take Your Pet with You

In addition, if you have a dog and want to go and spend your holidays abroad you might need someone to keep it during your absence. But if you have kids they might find it hard to leave their four legged friend behind, but if you spend your holidays in a self-catering holidays you can bring your dog with you. Think about all those reasons and you’ll see that there’s no place like home.

Nadine Ryans writes about different subjects such as wedding venues, Dartmouth cottages and orthodontic practices.

Hiking in Kaeng Krachan National Park
Thailand has no shortage of national parks, but the largest and one of the most beautiful is Kaen Krachan. You can tromp your way down paths circling lakes, waterfalls, and mountains, depending on your level of physical fitness and the amount of time you have. If you’ve taken cheap flights to Thailand with the mind to see Asian elephants in the wild, this is one of the few places to do it. A dizzying array of colourful birds and 57 mammals can also be found. Hikers who want to set up camp in the mountains may have to charter vehicles from the park headquarters, but many other sites can be reached on a day trip from Phetburi.

Scuba Diving
The Gulf of Thailand and Andaman Sea are teeming with sea life and rainbow-tinted coral reefs. Those wanting to get down in the water to make friends with the spritely fish can do so with scuba diving day trips and tours. Most of these originate in Phuket, but once you are you will find no shortage of scuba diving excursions. If you’re feeling bold, you can even swim with sharks.

Exploring Caves
Visitors with a hankering to get underground can take advantage of cave exploration opportunities. Some of these serve as Buddhist monasteries, such as the area around Tiger Cave Temple near Krabi, or the Mountain Cave Temple International Meditation Center. The Chiang Dao Nature Resort is home to some of the most notable and easily accessible caves, including the 2 km long Tham Ki Mi. To get to most of these it’s best to hire a guide or sign up for a caving tour, unless you have spelunking experience under your belt already.

Elephant Trek
If you weren’t lucky enough to spot elephants in the wild in Kaen Krachan, you can take a prearranged elephant ride. These may vary from short half hour tours around the elephant pen, to treks through the forest lasting several days. There are several options near Chiang Mai in particular, including the Maesa and Chiang Dao Elephant Camps.

Sea Kayaking
With the warm waters of the Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman Sea lapping at the shore, you may be tempted to get out there and explore the water from the surface. Sea kayaking expeditions allow you to see a different side of Thailand, from the point of view of a vessel, while enjoying the warm sun and placid turquoise waves. There are numerous kayaking companies located in Phuket and around Krabi, which offer day trips as well as longer excursions. Some of these will take you to the fascinating sea caves at Ban Bho Tho and Phang Nga, which feature ancient cave paintings.

James writes for Skyscanner.net, a flight comparison site who compare flights to Bangkok and all over Asia. For more information about Skyscanner check out the Skyscanner flight search app for Facebook.

Going on holiday you’ll be no doubt sure to have tonnes of fun, experience loads of new things and generally have the ability to focus on just fun for one time in your life without having to worry about work or keeping your house tidy.

As such holidays are home to some of the best nights out, and also evenings in ever. This way you can just enjoy hanging out with friends, enjoying drinks, and enjoying the warm evening air without the spectre of an early hung over morning the next day.

But the question that remains is, how to make the most of these great nights out? Here we will look at how you should get the most from your night out or evening around the pool by playing some great drinking games. These will get everyone having fun, ensure a healthy flow of booze and generally set the mood perfectly.

I Have Never: The game I have never is one of those great games that will help you all get to know each other – but it’s only suitable for groups of close friends who have no secrets. The idea here is that you say ‘I have never…’ and follow it up with a statement. For anyone to whom the statement does not apply, a finger of alcohol is downed. The strategy is of course to say things that you haven’t done, but that you know people in the group have – and if you can embarrass them in the process then that’s just an added bonus.

Alphabet Game: The alphabet game is a very simple game in which you choose a category and then each take it in turns to name something from that category beginning with the next letter in the alphabet. So you might start with actors and go around ‘Adam Sandler, Billy Bob Thornton, Charlie Sheen’ etc. If someone takes too long, they drink, and predictably this is a game that gets more and more difficult as the night carries on.

21: This has nothing to do with the 21 card game. Instead you take it in turns to count up to 21 – so that the first person says ‘1′, and the next person ‘2′ etc. That might be a difficult enough game at the end of the night, but of course it’s more complicated than that. If someone says two numbers for instance rather than one then the game changes direction, whereas if someone says three numbers it skips someone. Once you reach 21 someone has to drink, and each time someone does drink a new rule is introduced which could be that you have to say number ‘4′ in a foreign accent, or that you can’t say yes or no.

Thumbs: Thumbs is a fun little game that you can play while playing other games (it’s a rule to introduce above too if you like). Here if anyone puts their thumb on the table, everyone else has to copy. The last person to notice of course ends up drinking.

Nick Ball is a writer and blogger who loves travelling to beach islands and uses sites like www.whitebeachholidays.com to get you the perfect deal for your stay in Lanzarote.

(1) Start at the top of the Nob Hill Area and then wander downhill (much better than going the other way around!) Make your way over to the intersection of California and Mason Street where you can go in and enjoy the stunning Grace Cathedral and a moment of quiet contemplation. From there, stroll along Mason Street taking in the gorgeous architecture of the townhouses (worth a picture or two with your camera) before finally arriving in the world-famous Chinatown area.

(2) Spend a couple of hours wandering around Chinatown itself, one of the most famous downtown Chinatown areas in the USA and packed with all the incredible sights and sounds (not to mention smells) you would expect. Try to do this around lunch or dinner time and to work up an appetite – then stop in for a meal. You will be amazed by the food which is known to be the best Chinese food in the world outside of China.

(3) Walk the Golden Gate Bridge. To enjoy a walk across the fabled Golden Gate you should probably start in Marin over on the North Side where you will find free parking (or a bus top that will drop you there). It takes an hour to walk across the bridge (and an hour to walk back to your car) but it is a thrilling walk and guaranteed to offer changing views as the microclimate of the bay area offers ever-changing weather. Whatever you do, remember your camera!

(4) Take the air in the Botanical Gardens. These offer over 50 acres of gorgeous plant life, topiary, bird watching and other delights. Put an afternoon aside for this and try to take advantage of the free guided walk.

(5) Go for an Organized Nature Walk. If you plan ahead you can go on guided walks around Golden Gate National Park. Simply look them up on the Golden Gate Parks website and make a note of the place and time of day that they start.

(6) Take a self-guided nature walk. Head over to the magnificent Presidio Park area which is packed with all kinds of trails that will lead you to museums, old houses and some of the city’s best views of the Golden Gate Bridge. Start out at the Presidio Visitors Center where you will be given a walking trails map.

(7) Shoppers Delight! Take a long walk around the city’s fantastic shopping districts. Start out in Union Square, San Francisco’s beating heart, and from the Union Square Plaza take some time to explore all of the world-famous department stores as well as the hundreds of eclectic smaller shops, boutiques, galleries and cafes. Should it start to rain down on you duck into the impressive Westfield Shopping Mall for some indoor shopping and a bite to eat.

(8) The most famous street in San Francisco. Everybody who goes to the movies knows Lombard Street, the wonderfully photogenic crooked street. It is no coincidence that it is famous for car chases as it is very much for cars rather than walker, so be careful. Head to the top via Filbert Street and take photos from there as the cars zig-zag below you.

(9) Wander around San Francisco Zoo. This is a massive zoo, so you’ll need to put aside a whole afternoon and be prepared for a lot of walking. The exhibits and animals in the zoo are world-class.

(10) Fisherman’s Wharf. You could spend hours strolling around Fisherman’s Wharf, with its wonderful views of the bay and the restaurants, cafes and shops that are buzzing and brimming with activity and noise. Grab a hot dog and watch the sea lions lounging in the sun, or walk around the seafront and take in a bay. If you’ve got the time jump on a boat and take a trip to Alcatraz.

Esther is a travel blogger and writer who loves to explore the world’s best cities. She writes about everything from hitching around Europe, to backpacking in Asia. She also writes a blog for www.kefalonia.co.uk.

Cleveland Cultural Gardens

Between University Circle and Lake Erie on a fifty acre strip along MLK and East Blvds. are twenty-four gardens that represent each of the ethnic cultures of Cleveland’s vast, diverse communities. Built between the 1920′s and 1930′s the gardens contain over sixty sculptures, decorative ironwork and a variety of fountains.

Rock-n-Roll Hall of Fame

Ranked in 2011 as the 17th most walkable city in the country, downtown Cleveland is home to a cluster of iconic cultural centers along the North Coast Harbor on the Lake Erie waterfront. One of the most famous is the Rock-n-Roll Hall of Fame. Here one can see instruments, photos and other paraphernalia that belonged to the likes of such artists as Elvis Presley, The Beatles, The Grateful Dead and more.

Cleveland Browns Stadium

Nothing exudes culture than a city’s love for its renowned sports team. The Cleveland Browns Stadium, also located downtown, holds just over 73,000 people and hosts NFL football, concerts, soccer games and more.

Steamship Mather Museum

Walking over to the Steamship William G. Mather Maritime museum after an afternoon game at the stadium will open your eyes to the wonders of “The Ship that Built Cleveland”. It is a floating exhibit that displays the authentic, very first automated boiler system, preserved living quarters and documented history of this impressive historic vessel.

Cleveland Museum of Natural History

Another downtown city jewel is the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. This museum holds over four million artifacts and specimens representing zoology, mineralogy, archeology, paleontology and more. Some notable exhibits include nine hundred monkey and ape skeletons, the remains of Balto the sled dog and the Fanny Shafran Planetarium displaying planetary and Solar System exploration along with historical navigational instruments.

Cleveland Metroparks Zoo

The seventh oldest American zoo, the Cleveland Metroparks zoo was founded in 1882 and today offers attractions such as a working rainforest with a 25 ft. waterfall, Australian Adventure, interactive 11,000 gallon saltwater pool exhibit and African elephant crossing.

Cleveland’s Great Lakes Science Center

This Science Center is unique inasmuch that it offers over 400 interactive exhibits that allow full “hands-on” activity. It too sits in downtown Cleveland, is open every day except Christmas and Thanksgiving and from December through March offers a skating rink at the front entrance.

Exploring Cleveland’s amazing cultural attractions is a trip worth taking. These are only a small example of this city’s unique display of extraordinary desirability for everyone from singles and seniors to families and educational outings.

About the Author: Ali Twelves used to go to school in Cleveland. She’s now looking at different Cleveland hotels for potential management positions and hopes to move back to the city she has grown to love.

Know What You Want

Asking yourself a few questions when considering an Italian tour group is essential to receiving the best experience possible. You are the only one who knows what you like and dislike so once you figure that out your choice will be much more successful. Things to consider are:

• Do I mind being with large tour groups of strangers or would I rather join an intimate, small group experience?
• Does the age range of my group matter or would I rather be with people closer to my own age?
• Do I want to be with families with children or should I avoid this type of group?
• Does a luxury group fit into my budget or am I okay with simple lodging and food?
• Do I have a particular interest in Italy such as archeology, art, cultural influences or historical sites or would I rather a hodgepodge of everything?

Picking the Group

Once you have figured out what works for your specific needs then you will want to choose the best company that fits. Depending on your budget, you can select an all inclusive package that offers everything from transportation, lodging and meals to something that is more under your control such as a group you might meet up with each day and then leave to go on your own after that particular tour. Ask the tour groups you are considering what types of packages they offer. Make sure you get them to give you as many details as possible such as: Will there be a lot of walking? Do you offer any detailed tours such as cooking classes or hands-on art courses? Are there wine tasting excursions? Can I mix urban and rural tours to experience both cultures?

Budget Considerations

Getting the most for your money is always a plus no matter how much you decide to spend. It is important to receive all the fine print information before committing. You want to make sure of every expense including taxes, tariffs, fuel surcharge, baggage handling and tip expectations.

Preparation is key on how to choose an Italian tour group. Covering as much as possible before you step out your front door will give you the peace of mind you deserve to enjoy a memorable, stress-free vacation.

About the Author: Tari Donate loves exploring different Italy tours and has seen a great deal of the country and met a number of wonderful people. Do your homework and you’re bound to find a tour group you’ll really love traveling with!

Location, location, location. This one is worth saying three times. Of course, you want to choose a rental property in the area you plan on vacationing. But even more than the general locale, you need to be very finicky about exactly where the property sits – street and everything. Don’t let your beach vacation be ruined by the fact that your rental property is actually ten houses away from the beach, down a dirt road, and surrounded by view-blocking trees.

Sleeping space. Sure, the ad may claim that a property can sleep ten . . . but that doesn’t mean everyone is going to be comfortable. Find out beforehand what, exactly, the designated sleeping arrangements are. A fold-away cot is not the same as a bed, and you should know what you are getting into before you arrive at your rental.

Conveniences. Take some time to think about how you want to spend your time while on vacation, and which conveniences you need in order to make your time away from home as comfortable and easy-going as possible. For example, unless you plan on hanging out at the laundry mat during your vacation, your vacation rental property should have a washer and dryer. Also, your rental should be near a store of some sort, so you can purchase groceries while you are there.

Neighbors. Of course, you can’t exactly ask to meet all of your neighbors in person . . . but you can ask the property manager for references, and then ask those references about their experiences with the neighbors. Some locals resent vacationers, while others welcome them. Your neighbors can go a long way in making your vacation more enjoyable, or making it miserable.

Pictures. Before you commit to anything, get plenty of pictures – that is, if you can’t view the property in person. If a property manager sends you only a couple of pictures, that’s a bad sign. You should be able to view pictures of all the interior spaces, as well as the property outside, before you make your choice.

Planning a vacation takes a lot of work, and choosing the right accommodations is one of the toughest parts of the job. Follow these suggestions to ensure that you end up in a vacation rental property that you can be happy with.

About the Author: Ophelia Okino loves to travel with her family and finds that vacation rentals are the most affordable way to get her family anywhere special for any length of time. They give her the ability to better plan meals, sleeping arrangements, and outings – something that can be difficult with a toddler, tween, and teen in tow!

1. Break Down the Language Barrier:

While most cities make an effort to have English directions and street names signposted whenever possible, many smaller towns do not. Without a command of Putonghua, the official language of China, it can be a struggle to be understood while travelling. Even those who speak the local language without a problem will encounter difficulties with the drastically different dialects like Wu Shanghaiese or Cantonese. Taking a tour means that the leader can easily translate whenever necessary.

2. Worry Less About Transportation:

Since China is nearly 10 million square kilometres in size, it should come as no surprise to learn that extensive travel is usually required when touring the top destinations in China. If you don’t feel comfortable taking local transport on your own, a comfortable tour shuttle might be a more attractive alternative. Don’t worry about making the next bus or train but instead relax and enjoy the scenery out the window.

3. Wait Less and See More:

Travelling on your own might mean spending hours waiting in lines for big attractions like the Forbidden City or the museums in Tiananmen Square. A guided tour will typically lead you to the front of the line with advance tickets and allow you to see more in a shorter period of time.

4. Learn About Local Culture and Language:

A great benefit to taking a tour of China is having a local tour guide leading your group. Their knowledge on local customs, traditions, culture and language can be a great resource for visitors from around the world. Ask for local phrases that will come in handy while shopping, or learn about the proper way to serve yourself with chopsticks while dining in a Chinese restaurant.

5. Feel Safe While Travelling:

Although China is a relatively safe place to travel, not all visitors exploring the country on their own will feel comfortable. Having a tour group with you means that you can feel safe at all times. Guides can give you instructions on which areas of a city are safest and which might be best to avoid. Plus, with a guide you can reduce your chances of getting lost in an unfamiliar destination.

If you’re interested in finding out where to go in China then check out what Virgin Holidays Worldwide Journeys tours has to offer.

Nessie: A touch of history

Nessie’s stories date back as far as the 7^th Century, but they became an instant global phenomenon when The Loch Ness Monster was spotted by a London man in 1933 who took the stories home with him and started the Nessie Mania. Since then, formal investigations such as those conducted by the Loch Ness Phenomena Investigation Board have identified that the Loch is the ideal environment for habitation by large sea-dwelling mammals with its startling depth of 230m (deeper than the North Sea) and its smooth sedimentary rock floor. In addition, the many inlets and eddies create a dynamic and ever-evolving environment that constantly introduce rich nutrients and sea life to provide a sustainable environment.

What to see at Loch Ness

There have 4,000 recorded sightings of Nessie since the 1930s, but they’re getting fewer and further between with around three being reported a year. Don’t despair: if you don’t spot Nessie on your sightseeing trip, there’s plenty of local attractions to make up for it such as Urquhart Castle (as legend has it, this ruined 13^th century castle is Nessie’s ‘home base’), the Loch Ness Exhibition Centre which is filled with all of the stories and interesting facts a Nessie Seeker needs to know to be well-equipped, and the Original Loch Ness Monster Centre which is alive with archives and fascinating artefacts and sighting information. If you’re a real Nessie supporter, you might even want to move nearby and set up home in the Highlands!

Nessie-spotting Hot Spots

With fewer recorded sightings in the last few years, Nessie fans and supporters are doing extensive research into the Nessie Sightings to isolate the best areas for hopefuls to sight the legendary lass. They’ve identified a number of preferred hot spots, with the primary point being the ruined Urquhart Castle which boasts four extended turrets and some great viewing positions. In addition, visitors and locals often enjoy a variety of passenger cruises, including those such as cruises aboard the Nessie Hunter which has been specially equipped with sonar and underwater cameras. You can also prepare for your visit by watching the live web cams permanently trained on the loch and the floodlit castle.

The myth and mystery

Surrounded by myth and mystery – ca’ canny, your cellphone signal will drop out unexpectedly, and the rippling surface of the Loch will distract you in an instant. With more than 4,000 recorded sightings and experiences, and many in addition authenticated and verified, there’s no telling what your trip to Loch Ness will hold!

For the ultimate European holidays it is often advised that tourists stay away from the most common attractions and instead seek out unforgettable and unusual destinations throughout Europe. This guide lists one incredible and unusual European festival for each month of the year.

January

On the first or second weekend of January each year the residents of Ronse, Belgium take turn taking down their Christmas trees and decorations into an unusual and fascinating festival. Over ninety percent of the population dresses up in elaborate costumes and tries to smack one another in the head as a tradition whose origin has long since been forgotten. Drinks throughout the day and hilarious costumes only add to the appeal of the Bommel Festival.

February

The city of Ivrea, in Northern Italy becomes the battleground for a huge food fight each February. The festival known as the Battle of the Oranges is rooted in the legend of a medieval uprising but today is about nothing more than having a good time, dividing up into large teams that separate the city and pelting one another with fruit. Those who want to watch rather than play can just wear a red hat which is symbolic and means you are merely a bystander.

The photo above shows a scene from the “battle of the oranges” and was taken in 2007.

March

Each year in Valencia, Spain the city celebrates Fallas de Valencia by eating drink, celebrating and exploring fireworks for a full five days. To signify the end of the festival every light in the entire city goes out while paper statues full of fireworks are lit and explode at the same time.

April

On the years when Easter falls in April the island of Chios in Greece becomes a strange battlefield. The festival of Rouketopolemos starts at sunset on the night before Easter Sunday when two rival churches on Chios Island fire rockets at one another than explode into beautiful and breathtaking fireworks. A victor is decided and the whole island celebrates with Easter festivities.

May

Every year some serious cheese lovers gather at Cooper Hill in England for a truly strange festival. The annual cheese rolling consists of adults chasing wheels of cheese down the side of Cooper Hill in an effort to beat the cheese to the bottom or catch it and carry it across the finish. The festival continues by having participants and onlookers devour the English cheeses with bread and wine.

June

The El Colacho Festival might not even seem real to anyone who hasn’t seen it with their own eyes. Each June the residents of Burgos, Spain get dressed up to honour the babies born in the last year and cleanse them of sin. The babies are placed one or two at a time on a mattress which men will jump over while wearing formal outfits.

July

The city of Matera, Italy is home to the unique Festa della Madonna Bruna. To visitors who don’t know better the whole procession and parade would be strange. It begins with well dressed characters in carriages and beautiful float made up paper maché. A gang of ruffians arrive from a surprise location and tears apart the float and fights with the characters in what is supposed to commemorate a significant uprising in Matera’s history.

August

Each August the annual festival called La Tomatina takes place in the Spanish town of Buñol. The festival consists of residents throwing soft local tomatoes at one another for an entire afternoon. The streets get covered in red and the whole town comes out to participate in this amazing and truly unusual festival.

The photo above shows scenes from the “La Tomatina” event in 2006.

September

In the Basque town of Lekeitio, Spain there is an annual San Antolin festival which involves plenty of great food and cheer. What sets the festival apart is the culminating event on the last day. A plastic goose is hung by the neck and each of the residents and visitors attempts to pull it down in a truly odd but symbolic tradition.

October

For a delicious festival there is clearly no better choice than the Paris Salon du Chocalat. The entire event is devoted to chocolate but it involves more than just tasting chocolate samples or selling products. At the event chocolate makers go to lengths to out-create their competitors with zany products like chocolate pens that can write in chocolate ink or even chocolate underwear. Festival attendees get to vote on the amazing results of the festival to select the winners.

November

To get visitors into the Christmas spirit there can be nothing better than Switzerland’s annual Santa Claus Word Championships. In this zany festival Santa Claus impersonators from around the world gather to compete for the honour of the most authentic Santa Claus.

December

New Year’s Eve is an exciting event no matter where in the world you happen to be. In Barcelona, Spain it is not unusual to see thousands of citizens running through the streets on New Year’s Eve wearing fake noses. The Cursa del Nassos festival is celebrated with fake noses and a popular footrace through the streets of the city before the strike of midnight.

For truly unusual holidays throughout Europe try to include one or more of the unique and bizarre festivals into your travel itinerary.