Travel » Beyond The Brochure

This year you can take off for some wonderful adventure travel anywhere around the world. Not a long trip from Australia is Thailand and a place where you can find all kinds of adventure is Hua Hin

Literally fit for royalty, Hua Hin is the summer getaway for Thailand’s ruling monarchy. About two to three hours away from Bangkok by coach, many locals also now use the beach side resort town for their weekend holidays.

Hua Hin adventure Image via Wikipedia

With development throttled by Royal Decree, and no building to go up beyond three stories unless it has special permission, Hua Hin has managed to retain its traditional laid-back, seaside character

TIP! If you are heading on a hiking trip, consider wearing the boots or walking shoes that you will be bringing on your trip for an hour a day for a few weeks before you head on your adventure. The purpose of this is so that you will not have to break the shoes in once you reach your destination.

The ‘oldest’ resort town in Thailand, it still only sees around 90,000 residents calling the area home, and without an airport connection, there’s a tranquility to the area not seen in more built up regions like Phuket.

Hua Hin’s idyllic white-sand beaches are a sight to behold, running 5kms long, it is rumoured to be one of the reasons why King Prajadhipok (Rama VII) built his summer palace, Wang Klai Kang Won “Far from Worries”, in 1928.

Hua Hin, can not only boast to be the holiday town of the Royals, but also has another claim to fame. The township and surrounds is home to the highest density of world class golf courses anywhere in Thailand.

In this backdrop of relaxation, the ‘spa culture’ in Hua Hin is worth a mention. Whilst Thailand is renowned for its wellness tourism, the spa experience is forefront in a complete Hua Hin itinerary.

Home to arguably the world’s best spa, consistently named in Condé Nast’s top three and awarded Luxury Travel’s Best Spa in the World in 2008, Chiva-som has seen a whole slew of the rich of famous step through their doors. Said to be Hollywood’s favourite spa property, Chiva-som doesn’t come without a price tag.

Of course, unwinding in Hua Hin doesn’t have to bankrupt a travellers account, with most hotels and resorts offering either an in-house spa or access to spa facilities – or travellers can be a little more adventurous and try out the array of massage parlours in the township.

To ensure that your travel adventure is as exciting as you want it to be, you should plan ahead. Go to visitor centers in the area and pick up brochures for attractions that interest you. Of course, one of the best ways to research and plan your trip is the internet.

TIP! If you are looking for an adventure, travel is the way to do it. There are ways to travel for relatively cheap, that can end up making your experience so much better and less expensive over time.

The Hua Hin night markets are worth a look as well, while not as bountiful as Bangkok’s block-wide sprawls, they have a character of their own – and many locals believe that souvenirs such as silk and carvings can be purchased here cheaper than in the capital – of course, bargaining is essential.

From relaxed three-star beach front properties, to the decked-out five-star locations that are almost a township in themselves, Hua Hin has a property to suit every budget – with even the higher end of town ‘cheap’ compared to average global rates.

For business travel, Hua Hin can cater for small to medium sized events without a hitch. With bigger properties able to room guests in the hundreds, have plenty of meeting space, and outdoor and wellness activities galore.

With spectacular sunrises over the water, and the steep backdrops of the Prachuap Khiri Khan in the distance, Hua Hin is the perfect traditional Thai beach side experience away from the modern day Rat Race and just the place to ease yourself into adventure and the travel challenges for 2012.

Travel - Value world travel beyond the brochure

Is Santa Clause aka Father Christmas The worlds’ Greatest Traveler?

Anne — Sun, 23 Oct 2011 21:51:42 +0000

: Image via Wikipedia

Here is a little bit of Christmas Trivia!

Santa commenced his current career when he was Bishop Nicholas of Smyrna (Izmir) in what is now Turkey during the 4th century AD. The tradition started when in order to give joy to poor children he would throw gifts in through their windows. Since then business has grown substantially and the territory has expanded to cover the whole world.

Based for a while at the North Pole, Santa moved in 1925 to Korvatunturi in the Finnish Lapland, where there is better feed for his eight reindeer. He travels on a daily basis to Napapiiri, near Rovaniemi, where he has his main office, and spends the day listening to what children want for Christmas.

The internet has impacted on the way Santa receives the requests from children for gifts with a lot more request by email and less by regular mail now. This has assisted the elves with their processing of the requests, and the mass production of the most popular toys.

The current economic climate has had an affect on the demand for some of the more expensive gifts, however Santa believes that over a period of time this will change. “I have seen it all before, and these economic times tend to be cyclical,” he said.

Despite the advent of jet aircraft, Santa – the worlds’ greatest traveler, has not had any change in his mode of transport. It is still the same eight reindeer that haul him and his sleigh full of gifts around every country in the world every year on the night of the 24th December. It is more in the nature of the gifts that Santa has noticed the big changes having gone from simple hand-made wooden toys early in his career to far more sophisticated electronic toys now. That, and the decline in the number of new houses that are being built with a chimney, his traditional means of access to the home. One change that he has enjoyed however has been the variety of different beers that are left out for him. They help to keep his nose nice and red, although he thinks that Rudolph may also have been sampling some of the treats left.

Travel - Value world travel beyond the brochure

Experience A Mexican Riviera Cruise On Board A DAM Ship

Anne — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 01:00:24 +0000

Image via Wikipedia

I guess the above and anything else DAM was the catch cry for our Mexican Riviera cruise on Holland America Line’s the Oosterdam.

Classic, cultured, sophisticated and wonderful service probably sums up the Oosterdam. From the subdued navy and white on the outside to the elegant decorations and jaw dropping Waterford crystal globe centrepiece in the Atrium, and roomy comfortable staterooms on the inside, the Oosterdam is class all the way.

The check in was smooth and efficient. Greeted by staff at the ship’s entrance you were immediately made to feel at home and after a quick guided tour we settled into a great buffet lunch at the Lido restaurant – the start of many gastronomic delights during the week.

The combination of 3 days sailing and 3 days in port was great, giving the best of both worlds – plenty of time to experience Mexico and its culture and to make the most of the ship and all it had to offer whilst cruising.

Booking of shore excursions was our first piece of ‘work’ the hardest part was deciding what to do in our 3 ports of call. I opted for going out of town in Cabo San Lucas to Todos Santos, a charming oasis town and mission. A bonus was an authentic Mexican lunch at the Hotel California (the inspiration for the Eagles’ well known song).

Second port of call Mazatlan, my favourite! Again I experienced the genuine Mexico visiting the Sierra Madre mountains and the villages of Concordia and Copala (very unique with its cobble stone streets and colonial lamp posts). This tour also gives you the chance to see local artisans working and of course to purchase some of their wonderful offerings.

Puerto Vallarta our third port and the most well known to tourists had a wonderful ‘old town’ area and here I decided to try my hand at some Mexican cooking on the ‘Taste of Mexico’ tour. Our tour took us firstly on a walk through the town itself and then to a restaurant where we made and then ate our lunch – very good I must say!

On board ship you could either find a corner all by yourself or otherwise occupy your whole day with the many activities on offer. I became a bit of a bingo fanatic (I had not been to a bingo game in about 40 years) urged on by my fellow cruisers who on one occasion actually were calling out BINGO for me when all my numbers came up. Another of the favourite activities were the Trivia sessions, we made up a team – Team Oz, but struggled a bit when it came to questions like “name the running back who was MVP for the finals in 1983?” Our first question was “what is a running back? They did however in one session ask questions about cricket and New Zealand so we scored 2 points there.

For the more serious gamblers there is a casino, there are also many bars to sit and savour the view, have a drink, or listen to a great tune. There is a library and games room, a huge internet café so you can keep in touch with family and friends, a gymnasium with an awesome view for the fitness fanatics ( I stuck to the walking track on the promenade deck). There were art auctions and art history talks, tours of the ship’s kitchen and cooking demonstrations – amazing, and the 2 indulgence areas, the Green House Day Spa – bliss, and the Dam Signature shops – bliss for me but not for the credit card.

Children are not forgotten with Club HAL. The club caters for 3 – 12 year olds and offers all sorts of wonderful entertainment. The kids absolutely love it and it also gives Mums and Dads a chance to have some time out as well.

The highlights on the Oosterdam included:

The wonderful staterooms – large and cheerful with excellent furnishings and extremely comfortable beds and a room attendant who delighted us with his animals made using bath and hand towels.

Dinner in the Vista Dining room, with exceptional staff who really ‘made’ the cruise with their friendly interaction and magician’s tricks.

Dining in the 5* Pinnacle Grill again with fabulous staff.

Top class entertainers in the Vista Lounge including the Oosterdam’s show cast, Las Vegas magicians, comedienne and Australia’s very own virtuoso piano and vocal entertainer Shelly White ( we became Shelly’s very own cheer squad, Aussie style).

Holland America Line definitely has the wow factor. I found the Oosterdam to be one of the best cruise ships I have sailed on, and knowing that all the HAL fleet are very similar in style and fit out and offer the same wonderful experience, there are obviously lots of places around the world still left to cruise to.

Want to take your own Mexican Riviera cruise? To book just email info@bbtravel.com.au

Travel - Value world travel beyond the brochure

72 Hour Hotel Sale – Tropical North Queensland

Anne — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 04:52:06 +0000

Tropical North Queensland 72 hour hotel sale – Stay 2 nights, Save 50% – Expires 22/04/10

Travel - Value world travel beyond the brochure

Beyond The Brochure

Anne — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 09:09:33 +0000

: Image by Kenzoka [Insearch for a new cam] via Flickr

Welcome to BB Travel! On our site you will find the very best airfares, cruises, packaged holidays, tours, car hire and everything else associated with travel.

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The following sums up how we also look at travel. This quote is from a remarkable young man, Chris Guillebeau. Chris has set himself the task of visiting every country by his 35th birthday. He has 3 years to go and another 65 countries to explore. If you want to learn how to live and travel in an unconventional manner you can pick up one of his Unconventional Guides

“Well. The way I think about travel is that it is not so much about packing something away into a learning box, like a teapot or pack of matches from every country. Oh! There’s my Namibia box. And over there! It’s my Romania box. That’s not how it works, at least not for me. It’s about being open to possibility wherever you go. It’s about walking around without an agenda, allowing yourself to laugh at things you might not laugh at elsewhere.” Chris Guillebeau

Travel - Value world travel beyond the brochure

Travel » Beyond The Brochure

Value World Travel Before 15 February 2012

Super value world travel specials for you to snap up before 15 February 2012. If you are looking for a great getaway this year now is the time to book!

Stunning Samoa! Flights from $651 and packages from $891

Europe 2012 Early bird Flight Sale. Return fares from $1611pp!

Uncover Melbourne’s Secrets!

Las Vegas Madness Sale!

For more information just email info@bbtravel.com.au

Adventure – Are You Up For The Challenge In 2012?

Is Santa Clause aka Father Christmas The worlds’ Greatest Traveler?

Experience A Mexican Riviera Cruise On Board A DAM Ship

Want to take your own Mexican Riviera cruise? To book just email info@bbtravel.com.au

72 Hour Hotel Sale – Tropical North Queensland

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