Travel Guide | CSTCTD.org

All of April, all across Japan, people give parties under the tress, follow the weather forecast carefully, hunt out the best picnicking spots, and are generally seen to be happy. The reason for this outpouring of national bonhomie: cherry blossom season. The ‘Cherry Blossom Front’ takes acout a month to blow across the Japanese archpelago, from south to north. The peak season, where the trees are in full bloom, is short- for about a week in each place, the flowers open all at once, and the petals all fall soon after. One of the most popular blossom, viewing spots in the Tokyo area is Asukayama Park, where a costume festival is sometimes held to go with the spirit of season. Other famous viewing areas are around the imperial palace, along the palace moat, and in Uneno Park. Good time to go.

Set in the mountainous terrain of South Africa which juts into the Atlantic Ocean, this is one of the most popular towns of South Africa. The Table Mountain which is often covered with clouds is a striking feature which rises up in the middle of the town. The scenic beauty makes it a romantic attraction, where couples would like to spend their honeymoons. The city has vineyards, hiking routes, forests and wilderness and public gardens giving the visitors ample to do and see.

The Tabletop is a vantage point which overlooks the docks and the rest of the countryside. The vineyards and the botanical gardens are a feast for the eyes. The picturesque beauty of Capetown is worth visiting at least once in a life time but people keep coming back for more.

There are many activities that visitors can partake in like sunbathing, picnicking and hiking. There are wild life safaris that are organized by travel agents and hotels for their tourists. Windsurfing is another exciting offer and the brave at heart can jump from the Lion’s Head or paraglide at the Cliff in Beachfront.

The architecture is a conglomeration of all the diverse cultures that have had their effect on Capetown. The English, Dutch and French have left their mark and so have the Muslim slaves who were freed and put up their minarets. All this adds to the beauty of this town.

Monarchy and The Beatles, you can get a taste of various aspects of London and it is a treat for persons with truly varied interests. For those who are interested in historical events the monuments, palaces, fortresses, museums and cathedrals will give them a glimpse into the past of the rich heritage of England. For art lovers and those who would like to shop there are the theatres, galleries, street markets and many other kinds of entertainment to make the day seem too short. There is a lot which any traveler can choose from and there is something of interest for everyone here.

There are several places on the banks of the river Thames like The Globe Theatre of Shakespeare, The Imperial War Museum and the Tate Modern Art Museum. The Tower of London and The Buckingham Palace would obviously top your list of places to visit while in London. Madame Tassaud’s would be another choice which no one who has visited London could possible miss. A popular method of traveling is by the subway or tube.

No matter what your choice of cuisine, London is famous for a variety of eateries. The pub culture which originated here is another not to be missed experience along with the underground train. If you are planning on visiting the Buckingham Palace then don’t forget to visit with watching the changing of the guard. A stones throw from the palace are some other sights in London like the Hard Rock Café and Trafalgar Square, 10 Downing Street, The River Thames, Piccadilly Circus, Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament. A visit to London would not be complete without seeing all these places. London can be reached by air and also by rail and road.

The airport which is easily one at the highest elevation is in Leh which is the Capitol of Ladakh. As the aircraft descends into this beautiful countryside one feels closer to the heavens and truly one with the clouds. The cold air outside grips you and you want to get back into the cozy cocoon of the aircraft for a split second, but then you are here to see this beautiful and amazing country too. Carrying and wearing appropriate clothing is very important if you want to enjoy your stay here.

Leh is 3505 meters above sea level and is neighbor to Jammu and Kashmir. What draws ones interest immediately is the sprawling palace made of mud brick which is almost in ruins. This is the hub of the Tibetan Buddhist culture with its colorful gompas. Apart from the attraction of its scenic beauty, Leh is also a popular hiking locale. Surprisingly there are many tourists visiting right throughout the year and the town is full of Kashmiri craft and Tibetan restaurants. Once affected by the war between India and its neighboring countries this is now a tranquil town and a very calm and pleasant place to relax. The Namgyal Tsemo Gompa and the palace are two of the most popular tourist spots in Leh. The pristine mountains look close enough to stretch out your hand and touch and are a magnificent sight during sunset.

The wonder of being at this small town which is surrounded by dessert on one side and the Indus vegetation on the other surpasses all other things. A short but meaningful stay is definitely the outcome.

like the monks who are clad is saffron robes, the atmosphere in Thailand is of peace and tranquility. The Thai people are gentle and religious and their temples or wats are found all over the country. In fact they number almost 30,000 and are all magnificent in their glory. Every building or house has a small decorative house outside which has garlands and flowers adorning it and candles and incense burning at these shrines. These are spirit houses which are supposed to house the spirits of the territory which have been displaced from their original place of living by the concrete houses.

The wats or temples are worth seeing and the best amongst them is Wat Phra Kaeo. This temple is a part of the Grand Palace and is one of the oldest places in Bangkok and is on the banks of the river Chao Phraya. On the other hand is the vibrant night life in Bangkok. The tourist can see a diverse culture here and enjoy it all during his stay.

The city of Bangkok is quite unlike other cities of Thailand, and is abuzz with traffic and the streets are full of vendors and selling barbequed chickens and water melons. The floating markets and spas which rejuvenate you are some of the specialties of Bangkok. The best way to travel in this traffic is by tuk-tuk which is a three wheeler that can carry passengers.

Shopping is any tourists delight here and they can shop in the most elegant malls or in the streets markets. From designer wear to imitation jewelry, everything is available here. It is good to be able to bargain here as you can bet down the prices quite a bit. So from the ancient charm to the modern hustle and bustle, you can find it all here in Bangkok.

Goa lies on the South West Coast of India on the Arabian Sea. The 105 km coastline of Goa has some of the loveliest beaches in the world. These Beaches have become a tourist’s haven and people from all over the world flock to them for vacations and even long jaunts. Some of these world famous beaches are Palolem, Betul, Colva, Harmal, Baga, Calangute, Anjuna and Vagator.

This was Portuguese territory for over 4 centuries, and now, though it is more than 4 decades since they have left, Goa is still very westernized and more so than all the modern major towns in India. The lifestyle of the Goan’s is very bohemian and they are very easy going in their daily routine. Most of them have a siesta time in the afternoon and the evenings are filled with fun. Some of the things that they are very enthusiastic about are food, music and dance. The Goan cuisine is extremely tasty and most Goans are excellent cooks. Their favorite drink is a locally brewed one called Feni which is made from cashew nuts or coconuts. Most locals are used to it but the outsider has to cultivate a taste for it.

Goa is a land of 5 languages and many cultures. It is famous for its wonderful churches and the most famous in the St. Francis Xavier Church which has the body of the saint in a glass casket. There are Christians, Hindus and Muslims living in peace and harmony in this city. Most people are very religious and also respect other religions. The staple food of Goa is fish and rice.

Goa can be reached by air, train, boat and road.

It is an understatement to say Dubai is a tourist’s paradise because it is also a shopper’s paradise. The two cities of Dubai and Deira are combined to form Dubai. Visitors to Dubai or even those who have come to stay will be spell bound by the beauty of the architecture and the planning of the town, Every care has been taken to make it as aesthetic as possible with no unsightly areas to mar the beauty of this princely town. The culture and the architecture ranges from the traditional Arabian style to the extremely modern glass and steel structures.

The sight seeing spots will take your breath away and the opulence of the lifestyle of those who live here with their villas that cover acres is equally breathtaking. Some of the places which are a must to visit are Al Boom tourist Village, Archeological Sites, Bait Al Wakeel, Bastakiya, Bedouin Village, Burj Nahar, Deira Covered Souk, Dubai Creek and Museum, The World Trade Center of Dubai, Gold Souk, The Grand Mosque to name a few of the places of interest. Apart from these you could also visit the Grand Mosque, Hatta Mountains, Heritage and Diving Village, June rah Mosque, Sheikh Saeed Al Makhtoum House which is a museum, Port Rashid in Dubai, Shindagha and Spice Souk. Once you have had the opportunity to visit these places it will be like returning to earth after being to heaven and will not be easy for anyone to come back to plant their feet firmly on ground again. The malls and the shops for jewellery are the most popular haunts for visitors.

Traveling in Dubai is pretty easy even for visitors as they can hire a taxi or one which they can drive by themselves provided they have an international license.

A town of many cultures and colors, Singapore is a mixture of hi-tech sky scrapers and business and trade and also “the other side of the coin.” This city which is an island and also a country is situated on the Singapore River which flows through the heart of Singapore. This is where all the business and trade takes place and also where all the entertainment and dining places are. The Little India commune and the Arab Street are separated from Chinatown by the Fort Canning and Hotel Raffles.

Apart from the places of entertainment which are always brimming over with people, shopping is a major past time for all those who visit Singapore. People from all over have settled here and more come pouring in to shop at the fancy stores that are a never ending source of temptation. Orchard Road is a place where you will never tire of shopping and if you have run out of all your money you could still take a stroll around and window shop till you drop. Other areas where it is great fun to shop and look around are the backstreets of Arab Street, Little India and China town.

All major airlines have flights to Singapore and land at the busy Changi International Airport. The airport itself is a haven for shoppers where you can spend half a day without even realizing how the time flew by. So you can fly into Singapore or take a train on the Malaysian rail system, use a luxury bus or get a ferry or taxi.

Most people who visit Singapore club in a trip to Malaysia also across the Straits of Johor. Bus fares are not too expensive and it is very easy to travel this stretch. While in Singapore there are many ways of getting around and you could use taxis or the rickshaws while you are checking out the backstreets.

This immaculately clean city with its stringent laws does not forget the less fortunate and there are a lot of helpful ways of making it easier for those who are confined to wheel chairs or have any other physical disorder.

If you’re looking for hotel reservations in spanish, you can try SeBuscaHotel (they also provide an English and other versions). They present you with multiple offers from over 25,000 hotels worldwide in over 100 countries. SeBuscaHotel can save you money on your hotel reservations by getting you a discounted rate by working with a large network of hotels. You’re effectively getting a ‘group’ rate by ordered through SeBuscaHotel. They claim to be able to save you upwards of 60% on your hotel reservations. So if you have the change, check out SeBuscaHotel for discounted hotel reservations.

For newly established or expanding small businesses, being able to finance the high costs of business travel can be difficult, especially if cash flow is tight. You may have considered turning to the bank for a loan, but a bank may be reluctant to approve financing with bad credit, a poor sales history, or no collateral. If you own a new or growing small business, you can finance your business travel expenses with a business cash advance. 

Business travel is expensive, and it doesn’t look like it is going to get any cheaper. According to recent industry projections, travel costs are expected to rise an additional 6-7% this coming year. This increase shows up in every area of travel, including airfare, lodging, and car rental.

We also cannot forget all the technological business traveler “must-haves,” such as a laptop computer and a smartphone sporting a range of options including, internet access, a digital camera, video, MP3, GPS, and  PDA capabilities. All of which come with a heavy price tag.

Without the numbers needed to negotiate better travel or purchase rates, small businesses can really struggle to get the financing necessary to support business travel.

A business cash advance is a financing tool used to improve cash flow. With it a new or growing small business can get the financing it needs to send out employees to meet with current and prospective clients or scope out new business opportunities.

There was a time when the costs of business travel centered around airfare, lodging, and a rental car. Not any more. For today’s business traveler, productivity means being well-equipped, and for the business that must send out its employees, this means a heavy price tag. Newly established or growing small businesses with a tight cash flow can better manage the cost of business travel through equipment leasing.

The list of standard hardware that today’s business traveler must have in order to be productive on the road is quite extensive. It includes a notebook computer, a smartphone supporting a range of features including internet access, a digital camera, video, MP3, a GPS navigational system, and PDA capabilities. Most of this must also be backed up by security software and equipment.

Not only is all of this equipment expensive, but rapid advances in technology will leave it outdated or obsolete in a few years.

Coming up with the capital to purchase such equipment can be difficult for the new or expanding small business. Many small business owners have successfully financed their technological equipment through equipment leasing. Moreover, by leasing their equipment, instead of purchasing it, businesses can choose to upgrade a device when the term of the lease comes to an end. This ensures that they will keep up with any advances in technology.

With over 22 miles of powder-soft coastline and iridescent aqua water, Grand Cayman Island is unquestionably one the most cosmopolitan and picturesque islands in the Caribbean.

This slice of heaven attracts tourists from every inch of the globe. And wherever you stay, you are sure to receive a warm welcome.

Some of the more discerning vacationers, who are seeking an elegant and unforgettable experience, are choosing to rent private villas and condos that are fully-equipped with every facility imaginable.

The Cayman Island condos are perfect for the individual who is looking for a more private vacation experience, whether you are on your romantic honeymoon, taking your family on a relaxing vacation or on a hectic business trip.

The Coral Stone Club, in particular, boasts the “best of the best” in the way of Grand Cayman condo facilities. Each individually designed three bedroom condo is elegantly decorated, featuring stunning views of the water and private terraces.

Perfectly positioned on the famous Seven Mile beach, you are guaranteed a vacation that will be the envy of your friends.

Each of us is travelers within and the free spirit beckons us all. When it comes to traveling far and wide, many foreign tourists have traveled all the way to Thailand, visited its many islands and gone on to hail it as a vacationer’s paradise. Apart from the regular holidays where you make prior reservations, Backpacking Thailand seems to be a popular choice here. The backpacking trend began in the generation of the great hippies and baby boomers who went all out to redefine travel, and we’re still aspiring to do the same here.

What makes it even more interesting is the fact that there are still many locales, beaches and forest areas that aren’t visited by mainstream tourists and they in turn are an attraction for the adventurous lot. It’s fascinating and exciting and it’s not so difficult. Once here, you just need to get equipped and set off. You’re sure to sight many a spot that’s going to remain afresh forever.