White-sand beaches, beautiful and magnificent coral reef formation, breath-taking and dazzling islands and landscapes, and fair tropical climate. These are just few of the facts that the Caribbean is proud about. Undoubtedly, the Caribbean is indisputably a perfect and more relaxing holiday destination. Countries like Jamaica, Bahamas, and Puerto Rico in the realm of Caribbean enjoys a profitable tourism industry, with a large flock or visit of tourists from the different parts of the globe.

In consideration of the high tide of the tourism industry, the region’s hotel sector has also seen huge development and expansion, a notable increase also in the economic development. Guest houses and quaint inns, private villas and holiday cottages which are designed to suit every taste and budget are waiting for travelers. Travelers during holidays who seek suitable accommodation can also find best 3, 4 and 5 star Caribbean hotels and resorts sprawling over city centers and beach fronts.

In choosing or selecting a hotel accommodation that perfectly meets one’s needs and expectations really takes time and careful planning, especially when the prospective destination is an exciting tourism hot spot, like the Caribbean. With this type of travel destination that is often visited by travelers from around the globe, one should expect that hotel rates could be costly and are usually higher during the peak season. However, this does not mean that budget travelers should settle with the cheapest hotel they can find. The following is Travel+Leisure’s 2007 top 25 hotels in the Caribbean, Jamaica and the Bahamas that guaranties great amenities, beautiful views, excellent service and best value for your money.

The following lists of hotels are those which that would suit best your budget. Not necessarily a cheap hotel accomodation, but something that is justifiable and appropriate.

One and Only Ocean Club, Paradise Island, Bahamas

• Four Seasons Resort, Nevis, St. Kitts and Nevis
• The Reefs, Southampton, Bermuda
• CuisinArt Resort & Spa, Anguilla
• Couples Swept Away, Negril, Jamaica
• Rosewood Little Dix Bay, Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands
• Ritz-Carlton, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands
• Couples Negril, Negril, Jamaica
• Parrot Cay, Providenciales, Turks and Caicos
• Cap Juluca, Anguilla
• Peter Island Resort, Peter Island, British Virgin Islands
• Caneel Bay, a Rosewood Resort, St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands
• Half Moon, Montego Bay, Jamaica
• Ritz-Carlton, St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands
• The Buccaneer, St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands
• Casa de Campo, La Romana, Dominican Republic
• Ritz-Carlton, San Juan Hotel, Spa & Casino, San Juan, Puerto Rico
• Elbow Beach, Paget, Bermuda
• Radisson Aruba Resort, Casino & Spa, Palm Beach, Aruba
• 2 Hotel El Convento, San Juan, Puerto Rico
• Hyatt Regency Aruba Resort & Casino, Palm Beach, Aruba
• Sandals Grande St. Lucian Spa & Beach Resort, St. Lucia
• Sandals Whitehouse European Village & Spa, Whitehouse, Jamaica
• Grand Lido Negril Resort & Spa, Negril, Jamaica
• Sandals Grande Antigua Resort & Spa, Antigua, Antigua and Barbuda
  

So what are you waiting for? Plan your trip now!

Luxor in Southern Egypt is now a premier travel destination. From temples, royal tombs, deserts, beaches, museums, hotels, restaurants, it’s all here. In fact, the main purpose of this article is to tell you the six reasons why visit Luxor.

• History Unfold. As you go into the Luxor Museum, you’ll see the best displays of antiques such as furniture, pottery, jewelry, statues, tombs and stelae.

• Great Architecture. Luxor is the home of some of the finest Egyptian styles. The Luxor Temple, which is situated two kilometers long the Avenue of Sphinxes, is the beautiful holy place that signifies Opet Festival. Get here and you’ll be amazed by the intricate hieroglyphics.
  

• Hot Air Balloon. Experience the great feeling and see the fantastic views of Luxor in aerial view. If your destination is going east, you’ll see the Karnak temple while on the west, you’ll witness the Hatshepsut Temple. Flight schedules vary depending on the weather conditions and weight limits.
  

• Cruising. Take part on a 5-Day Cruise in Nile River. Sightseeing is never been this great once you get into the luxurious amenities of the cruise ship. All services (onboard restaurant, lounges, pool parties, laundry services etc.) and events (dinner parties, entertainments, music, etc.) are conducted in English. What’s great about it is; the itinerary route is based upon your preferences and demands.
  

• Private Tours. For a span of ten hours, you can explore the great whereabouts of Luxor by hiring a private tour guide. Basically, this is a group excursion and pickup time is advised on confirmation. Physically-challenged people are allowed to travel but be prepared with some uneven surfaces in the site.
  

• Vacation Packages. Getting to Luxor is not complicated once you find the vacation deals you seek for. You can find these deals and packages using the Internet. It’s also reserve hotels, apartments or rooms-for-rent in advance. Just make sure, find a 24-hour Customer Services upon the booking time to avoid fraudulent transactions.

As the second largest city in Egypt, the place is regularly called the Pearl of the Mediterranean because of its industrial harbor for natural gas and oils. It’s also the home of at least 3.5 millions Egyptians. This can almost be the city of glory, none other than the Alexandria.

Yet, are you also aware Alexandria provides great attractions you must witness? Yes, get in here and be ready for an escapade. Truth is; flying to Alexandria is easy once you find the best rates and allows you to save more money. Try exploring Expedia online and you can get lowest travel rates and cheaper deals on hotel stay. It’s also possible to book your flight weeks or months before your departure. Just make sure you compare airfare rates and ask for any vacation packages and discounts, if possible.

Where to Stay

Different classes of hotels exist in Alexandria. The Four Seasons is a 5-star hotel that scored “Excellent” to many reviewers. Guest rooms and suites vary in prices depending on your budget and preferences. Whether you choose a superior room or a sea-view room, you’ll surely feel the classiness at its fullest. There are also ranges of exciting activities inside the hotel. There is a fitness center that’s open for 24 hours, weight training facilities, studio classes and cardiovascular and strength machines. Whatever the event, your wedding or your business meeting, staying at the Four Seasons is a luxurious experience never to compare.

Where to Eat

Next stop is the restaurants. There are ten top-rated restaurants in the city and Roastry Coffee gets the highest remark. Some people call the place as the leading contemporary spot for Italian food. Steaks, burgers, pancakes, and salads- these are all here. These are served in huge portions no matter what dish you order. The Roastry Coffee is not the cheapest restaurant in the city but certainly not the most expensive. But please, don’t yourself into this place; try visiting Chili’s, Cook Door, Balba3 Village and Fuddruckers and have some great time.

What to Do

Tired Staying inside your hotel or Inn? Consider visiting the ancient museums like Pompey’s Pillar, Catacombs and Graeco-Roman Museum. If you go near Shallalat Gardens on Fouad Street, you’ll find Alexandria National Museum. This museum is small but it’s the home of some of the most important artifacts and all these items are labeled in English and Arabic for easy comprehension.

Why Visit Dahab?

In 1980, there is a remote and coastal village in Egypt that is changed into a hippie hangout. The city is called Dahab and because it offers a relaxed and great atmosphere, cheap accommodation and endless exciting activities are up for grabs. Spend a vacation in Dahab and you’ll not feel sorry when you go for a dip in their crystal-clear beaches.

How to get in Dahab?

A bus ride is probably the easiest form of travel preference to Dahab. If you live in Sharm or nearby, you might choose to contact the Dahab Bus Office. Oftentimes, a jeepney takes you to the hotel upon your arrival at the station. The services are not for free and some operators may ask you higher rates. If this situation sounds strange to you, you better rent a minibus that costs 200 pounds.

What to Do in Dahab?

Diving

Diving is a popular sport in Dahab. There are numerous diving sites all over the place. If you are an enthusiast in the field, you might want to visit Abu Hetal, The Bells, Blue Hole, Coral Garden, Canyon, Lighthouse, Eel Garden, Three Pools, Mooray Garden and Ras Abu Gallum. The Bedouin Divers is a familiar dive center located inside the Bedouin Lodge Hotel. Book your schedule at this place and they can arrange everything for you. Perhaps, you may want to learn yoga diving, your destination must be Zen Sea.

Kayaking

Exploring the reefs through kayaking is great. For 50 EGP an hour, you can already rent kayaks in Sheikh Salem House. Try kayaking and allow yourself to experience delight even in summer nights.

Kite surfing

Kite surfing becomes popular in Dahab because you can perform this activity around the Lagoona Area.

Yoga

Come to Dahab and you can observe yoga is performed during the holidays, especially during Christmas. Whether you want to perform Ashtanga, Kundalini or Hatha, yoga is a good activity that protects your immune system from diseases.

Shisha

Smoking is bad for your health but for Duban people, smoking on a shisha water pipe with flavored tobacco is a favorite pastime.

Apart from these five activities, Dahab is also popular in:

1. Windsurfing
2. Quad-bike Trips
3. Horse and Camel Riding
4. Bedouin Safari Dahab

Another postscript to my posts of a couple of weeks ago on blogging and Blogspot in Syria (see my last post and the postscript before it): after uploading the posts below, I received loads of emails and tweets from around the world, from Syrians asking everything from why I couldn't go to an internet cafe where it's often possible to access Blogspot (sorry, we were working 16-hour days so the only time I had to email was early morning or late at night at our hotels) to foreign and local censorship/IT experts wanting me to provide them with a list of every hotel we stayed at and the hotel's proxy info (apologies again, but one of the things we were doing in Syria was reviewing hotels, so we were moving hotels every second day, and I had enough to do as it was). Based on my recent experience ('recent', because I've never had time to blog on previous trips to Syria), my advice to you is if you're planning to travel to Syria and blog regularly, do your research first but research widely: there are plenty of experts eager to share their opinions (indeed, some rather aggressively) and there is a lot of contradictory advice around (even among the self-proclaimed "experts") about blogging and Blogspot in Syria, from people both outside and within Syria. I found that rarely did opinions align and every expert was able to cite a wealth of research on the subject. Once again, I apologise for not having time to test out your theories and suggestions, but I'm a travel writer who also blogs, rather than a travel blogger who also publishes - and that's likely to stay that way until someone pays me as much to blog as I earn writing. The paid work - which one charming "expert" referred to as "travel fluff" (rest assured, I took her as seriously as she took me) has to take priority, I'm afraid. So, back to work... or writing nonsense?

Cairo is the most populous city in Egypt and the largest in the Arab World. It has 214 kilometers squared and currently a developing country in the world. Cairo is marked by wide boulevards, public gardens and open spaces. It’s also the home of multiple famous attractions such as Pyramids of Giza, the Sphinx, Citadel, Ibn Tlun and Al-Azhar Park.

The Lifestyle

Visiting Cairo is going to the city of the thousand Minarets. It’s a vibrant modern society where men and women dress in modern clothing. One is not allowed if you walk around and reveal your thighs, upper arms, backs and cleavage. Especially inside the mosques, it’s truly a disrespectful demeanor once you wear shoes.

Activities and Attractions

There are numerous interesting activities you can do once you’re in Cairo. Apart from its rich and abundant form of lifestyle, you can walk around the city’s recreational places, the most popular being the Al-Azhar Park. This park is a good placeto relax. It has a landscape garden that overlooks the grand castle known as Citadel.

Other great attractions to explore in Cairo are:

1. Giza Zoo
2. Cairo Botanical Gardens
3. Mena House Golf Course (famous place for golfing, overlooking pyramids)
4. The Media Production City (Egyptian Drama Sets and Studios)
5. Riding a Felucca along the Nile River (available across the Four Seasons Hotel in Garden City)
6. Wadi Digla Protected Area (ideal for trekking, cycling, rock climbing, jogging and other exciting activities)

What and Where to Eat

A-Class restaurants are mostly found in Hotels and Nile boats. Get in here and you’ll enjoy Egyptian delicacies and special list of options. Staple food can be bought everywhere and these include kushari (macaroni with lentils and chick peas), fuul (bean paste), taa’miya (falafel) and fetyeer (pancakes).

Western and Asian food are also available. Fast food outlets such as McDonalds, Pizza Hut and KFC are all over the place and the trendiest places to hang out. Yet, to those who want to relax while reading daily newspaper, traditional coffee houses are nearby.

Who can imagine that a tear-drop shaped island in the Philippines is perfect for your surfing adventure? Siargao is an unspoiled and isolated location blessed with unharmed rain forests, islets and lagoons. Plus, the weather is stable all-throughout the year, mostly clocks at thirty degrees Celsius.

Now, can you now feel the intensity of excitement when you get there? If not, let me tell you the ten reasons why Siargao is your destination for your next summer vacation.

1. The Cloud 9.With the name itself, you can already associate it with greatness. Cloud 9 is named as one of the best surfing capitals in the world due to its thick and hollow tubes. Local and international surfers visit the place and take pleasure in their affordable accommodation and amenities.
2. Little creatures live there. Siargao is the home of several wildlife creatures. The moment you get here, you can’t help but ask for the tarsier, the green turtle and the Philippine Macaque.
3. Island Hopping. You can’t ignore the beauty and elegance of Siargao. This small island provides six great islands to explore. Visit and see what the magic in stores for you in Bucas Grande, Twin, Daku, Guyam, Naked and Caub.
4. Welcoming People. Most people in Siargao earn living through fishing and copra farming. Talk to them and they talk to you in English and Tagalog. Siargao people are hospitable. Meeting them is a pleasure.
5. See the largest mangrove. The largest mangrove forest in Mindanao is found in Siargao. If you want to ace your vacation, try visiting the place and enjoy the long stretches of wetlands, mineral reserves and the fourth largest lake in the country.
6. Getting there is easy. To those people living in Cebu, you can take a forty-five minute flight and overnight boat trip that lasts twelve hours. From there, allow those motors to take you on islands and islets.
7. Get Wet and Tanned. Siargao is also the home of white sand beaches. Hop in here and take the plunge. If you are done swimming, kayaking, snorkeling and diving, get pleasure from staying in one place and get chill under the hot sun.
8. Shopping is good. Fresh fruits, fresh vegetables, fresh fishes- all the seafood you crave for are in their wet market and bay walk. You can also buy souvenirs everywhere.
9. Cliffs and Caves. Tired of surfing and getting wet? Give your vacation an extra delight by journeying the cliffs and caves of Siargao. Asking for a tour guide is also possible.
10. Easy Reservation. Research online and you’ll find numerous sites that provide you contact information about Siargao. Some sites even give you emails and mobile numbers for easy dealings.