Sunshine Coast accommodation or Gold Coast accommodation?

If you’ve got some time to spend in South East Queensland, your two choices are the Sunshine Coast or the Gold Coast. With both destinations being equidistant from Brisbane airport, it can be a tough decision to make.

Depending on the type of holiday you want though, one region may be suitable than the other. Do you want an action-packed holiday with fun and excitement, or do you want to “get back to nature” and relax? Of course, it’s possible to find both in either location, but each has its own specialty.

For example, with a Sunshine Coast holiday, you can visit one of its many individual national parks. In fact, this region boasts more individual national parks than any other Queensland region. In addition, the region is naturally biodiverse, and has been protected by separate parks (five in all) in the hinterland in coastal regions. These include The Great Sandy National Park (including Fraser Island and Cooloola sections near Rainbow Beach), Kondalilla National Park, The Glasshouse Mountains National Park, Mapleton Falls National Park, and Noosa National Park. Read more »

Welcome back!

Tags: beach vacations

Related posts

• Sri Lanka visit information (0)
• Rocky Point Vacations (0)
• Pattaya Tourism for Families (0)

Family Vacations in Hawaii

Hawaii is a great resort for any family vacation. When you have worked hard throughout the year it really is a big move to finally make the decision to go on that perfect beach holiday. Beach vacations are always a perfect option for family holidays and Hawaii is one of the most popular beach resorts around the world. If you are planning a vacation anytime soon you may want to consider all of the options available. You may choose to stay in a hotel or even participate in group tours, but for some of us the best option will simply be finding a rental that is able to accommodate you and your family. Read more »

Tags: beach vacations, USA cheap vacations

Related posts

• Vacation Planning saves time and money (0)
• Vacation homes in Breckenridge Colorado (0)
• Sunshine Coast vs Gold Coast (0)

Day one of our trek on the Lycian Way in Turkey saw us travel by car for 45 minutes to the south of Antalya for the start of the trek. This avoided walking through the sprawl of the city and gave us the chance to enjoy the wooded paths and coastal sections. The dropoff point in Camyuva was unceremonious, at the side of a dual carriageway. The footpath was marked on the other side of the road, and off we went after stopping for a sunblock application. The weather was hot and sunny – about 35 degrees Celsius, and it was to continue that way for the whole week. After five minutes we came to a split in the path and we saw another walker. This did not seem remarkable, but in fact we only encountered six others in five days of trekking. That is a definite plus point: if you are thinking of following this route, go soon before it becomes overpopulated with walkers.

Today the walk was only 6km long. At first we walked through pine forests on level ground to a small deserted bay. At the other side of the bay the path was signposted up the hill, where we reached the lost city of Phaselis. This was an important port right up until the 15th century, with three harbours. Now the harbours are derelict and you can paddle among the fallen stones. Further on there is an amphitheatre, the original main street and the town baths. The site is not very well interpreted but there is plenbty of atmosphere because it has not been beautified.

from Phaselis we could hear loud music coming from the other side of the hill in the next bay. this was to be our destination, but we expected to be going to a very small village. Once we crested the hill we discovered the noise was coming from a Gulet that was moored in the bay so the trippers could swim and sunbathe. These boats are really a nuisance in the way they arrived into idyllic deserted bays making such a din. At least they were not staying all night!

At the other end of the second bay was our second hotel, the Sundance. It is situated on a private beach with no other buildings nearby, in total peace and seclusion – Gulet trips notwithstanding. Tranquility is the name of the game at this hotel, and generally they do a good job. Our room was very basic, with a dodgy looking undermount sink and – shock – no aircon! In these areas at the beginning of June, airconditioning is essential. We were told the hotel was full and a fan was supplied instead. the fan was adequate but took up vital space in the tiny bedroom.

Tags: Lycian Way Trekking, Turkey holidays, walking holidays

Related posts

• Walking Holidays in Turkey (0)
• Antalya, Turkey – Hotels (0)
• Walking in Alta Badia Italian Dolomites (0)

Our first and last nights in Turkey were spent in Antalya, at the Pension Mavi and Ani, which is run by Harun Selcuk. This is a basic Turkish Pansiyon with eight rooms, well situated in the Kaleici (Old Town). Rooms are airconditioned and some have TVs. The breakfast room is an inside/outside area, so you can eat in the beautiful old garden when the weather is good. Harun is a helpful and well-informed host, who is happy to advise you on the attractions in the area.

We also checked out some other places to stay in case we ever return to Antalya. There are several Boutique Hotels in the Old Town, we looked at a few of them. Villa Perla is a mid-priced hotel, in a 300-year-old building with a delightful small swimming pool in the courtyard. There are also some elderly resident tortoises who wander around munching on their favourite leaves – see the picture, taken with compact flash.

Another beautiful hotel in Antalya is the Ninova Pension. It has 19 bedrooms with private bathrooms, direct phone and hairdryer. Rooms are air-conditioned. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are available i the restaurant. This hotel has been lovingly restored by the owners fgrom two historic houses and has an exceptional courtyard.

The Otantik Hotel is immaculate, with six luxury airconditioned rooms above the courtyard restaurant/wine bar. Three of the rooms have jacuzzis and balconies and there is free Wifi Internet access.

Tags: Lycian Way Trekking, Turkey holidays

Related posts

• Hotel in Tekirova, Turkey (0)
• Walking Holidays in Turkey (0)
• Turkish Barber in Antalya (0)

Cruise holidays for young people

According to statistics the average age of cruise ship passengers is fifty, yet thirty percent are under forty, and it is becoming more and more the in thing for young people looking for nightlife. Taking a cruise was once only for the rich but now there are some excellent cruise lines that are budget as well as comfortable, yet another reason making cruise holidays a more attractive package for young people.

One of the best-known companies is Carnival, who sails around Europe from the UK and also to the exotic east and west Caribbean, Bahamas, Mexican Riviera and Baja Mexico to more than sixty destinations, via numerous routes.

They were the pioneers of budget shorter cruises and offer non stop entertainment in a party like environment, which has made them one of the most popular cruise lines in the world especially with the younger generation.

The Carnival Conquest caters extensively for the younger generation, operating caribbean cruises with countless discos, dance clubs, bars and various types of music, including reggae, jazz and rock and roll. So what ever your choice there will be music all the way.

However, the younger generation expect more than just nightlife but thankfuly the Carnival Conquest doesn’t fall short in anyway, providing thirteen decks, four swimming pools, a water slide, sports courts, a running track, a golf centre, as well as a wide range of spa facilities. Although there are two formal restaurants, there are also casual options and a café, sushi restaurant and twenty-four hour pizza station, as well as a choice of bars. Read more »

Tags: cruise vacations

Related posts

• Yacht party cruise in Baja Mexico (0)
• Make the most of your cruise holiday (0)
• Cruise Line Guide (0)

Barcelona City Breaks can be cheap, if you look carefully for cheaper ways to get to Barcelona and things to do while you are there. Like any major city, there are plenty of Cheap flights to Barcelona as long as you can book in advance. Budget Airlines flying to barcelona airport include Air Europa, Alitalia, British Airways (BA), easyJet and Virgin Express. For travellers from the UK there may sometimes be a cheaper flight through British Airways, avoiding the lesss pleaseant easyJet. Remember, BA include the luggage allowance in the ticket price and they still serve inclusive drinks and snakcs. Ona return flight for two this can save you £40 over easyjet’s supplements.

Cheap Hotels in Barcelona
The cost of hotel rooms in Barcelona can be high, but you can save money on your Barcelona hotel by checking out a top hotel price comparison website like Expedia, who have rooms on offer in Barcelona for less than €100. Do make sure that your hotel is centrally located in a busy area, and always keep your wits about you. Muggings are a big problem in Barcelona, although the authorities play this down. It would be a false economy to stay far from the centre as there is less of a police presence.

Getting around cheaply in Barcelona

One of the best things to do on a Barcelona city break is to get a hop on hop off bus pass. The Barcelona City Card is a cheap way to travel around to most of the important sites while you are in Barcelona. Prices start from €25 for two days’ unlimited travel in the city, and the card gets you discounts at lots of museums and restaurants.

Cheap Package deals to Barcelona

At the moment there is an amazing offer from Expedia for short breaks to Barcelona – they are offering Flights plus two Nights in a hotel from £166. This is a really amazing budget offer, and makes barcelona much more affordable at a time when UK visitors are being hit by the Euro exchange rate.

Read more »

Tags: barcelona, Spain

Related posts

• Marbella Spain lifestyle vacations (0)
• Five ways to get cheap flights to Spain (0)
• Festivals in vacation destinations (0)

When you are looking for holiday activities in Turkey, you want to be sure that you have sampled the best the country has to offer.  For men, this means going to the barber for an authentic Turkish shave.  Turkey is renowned as the world capital of shaving, and the barbers are experts in the use of a cut throat razor.  During our visit my husband had two shaves – one was in Cirali, and it was nothing out of the ordinary.  When we stayed in Antalya we asked our Hotel owner for advice. He sent us to Ikisler Erker, which is run by the lovely Saban and Recep Unal.  Their salon was clean and airy, in contrast to the barber’s in Cirali.  We negotiated a price of 5TL, and they Saban set to work.  A good Turkish shave includes trimming nose an ear hair, as well as the hairs on the back of the neck. It often incorporates a shoulder and upper back massage, so this can take up to half an hour.  I was invited to sit in one of the barber’s chairs as we were the only customers.  I noticed a large bottle of Lavender Eau de Cologne, which is used for the massage. The second brother, Recep, decided to give me a head and shoulder massage as he was not occupied with customers.  This was an utterly relaxing experience.  Recep also massaged my hands and wrists.  As he was not using oil, I still looked quite presentable at the end of the process.  Several times he stopped so that I could sip the Chai that he had served me – life can hardly get better than this! With admirable timing, the brothers completed my massage and John’s at the same time.    I recommend this holiday experience highly – here is the address of Izikler Eklek Kuafor: Genclik Mah, Fevzi Cakmak Cad. No 29 Stad Apt Alti, Antalya (Stadyum Acik tribun Yani).  The salon is close to the Football Stadium: if you stand at the stadium entrance, the barber is practically opposite. the phone number is  0 242 67 15, however they do not speak English.

I was really pleased that I tagged along for the ride, otherwise I could have spent an hour reading about nuphedra reviews instead of enjoying such a relaxing vacation experience – and it was very cheap.

Tags: Antalya, Turkey holidays

Related posts

• Antalya Turkey – restaurants (0)
• Walking Holidays in Turkey (0)
• Turkey cheap holiday guide (0)

Eating out in a busy old town centre like Antalya is difficult. Most restaurants use outside sales guys, who accost every passer by with entreaties to eat there, or just stop for a drink. This practice is most widespread in the harbour area and it is pretty irritating. It’s only common sense that these guys have to be paid, so an element of your bill goes towards their commission. On our second night in Antalya we sought the advice of our Hotel Pansyion owner, Harun, for a restaurant recommendation. He sent us to Pasa Bey Kebapçisi, which is actually outside the walls of the old town near the football stadium. This was a great place to eat – not aimed at tourists at all. In fact, we were the only non Turkish diners in the restaurant. You will be served a starter automatically, with accompanying dips and salad. Order a main course only, and do not over-order! I asked for a meat Pide (Turkish Pizza) with extra cheese, and the Chef simply made two Pides. These were served before my husband’s Kebab so that we could share each order. Knowing that a meat course was on the way we could not finish the pizzas and we made little headway on the kebab either. Not wishing to use a diet pill, we left the rest and the stray dogs of Antalya benefited from the excess! The only drawback at Pasa Bey is that wine was priced at 65TL. So we drank Efes beer again. A pudding was brought automatically with coffee, and the whole bill came to 55TL for two.
The postal address is – Gençlik Mah.Isiklar Cad.1319 Sok. NO:4 Merkez / Antalya.
Phone : 242 244 96 90

Tags: Antalya, eat out vacation, Turkey holidays

Related posts

• Turkish Barber in Antalya (0)
• Walking Holidays in Turkey (0)
• Turkey cheap holiday guide (0)