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Friday, 20 January 2012 17:05 |
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What could be a more perfect holiday for the chocoholics amongst us than to stay at Hotel Chocolat in St Lucia!? Set in the grounds of a beautiful 18th Century cocoa estate, the luxurious Hotel Chocolat is Saint Lucia’s newest boutique hotel and a must-visit for all lovers of chocolate. The 140-acre Rabot Estate, dating back to 1745, is the oldest on Saint Lucia, but the accommodation is stylish and contemporary, and the hotel’s Engaged Ethics Programme is helping to revitalise the island’s cocoa industry. |
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Wednesday, 18 May 2011 07:51 |
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Dubai is already world renowned for its fantastic shopping. The emirate is attracting a growing host of international retailers and there are now more global brands in Dubai than in Paris or New York! (source: CB Richard Ellis).
Dubai’s popularity as a shopping destination is particularly increasing with British visitors who were the number one spenders at this year’s Dubai Shopping Festival.
There is a huge range of retail outlets to choose from. Dubai now has more than 50 modern shopping malls selling tax free goods including the world’s largest, The Dubai Mall. For an authentic local experience shoppers should visit the traditional souks where they can bag some fantastic gold and clothing bargains or fragrant spices. Modern souks can also be explored such as those at Souk Madinat Jumeirah and Souk Al Bahar.
An ideal time for the discerning shopper and families alike to visit is between 17 June and 7 August, when the Dubai Summer Surprises festival takes place. During the event Dubai’s shopping malls are transformed into live entertainment, music and dance venues. Best of all, the mall’s vendors collaborate to offer major discounts across a large range of products including high street clothing, couture fashion and traditional Arabian crafts and furniture. There are also special activities and competitions for kids that will keep the little ones entertained
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Wednesday, 06 April 2011 16:26 |
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Walk three times around a stupa and, following Tibetan traditions, place a stone on its ridge to represent your prayer
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Hiking or trekking by horse around May, June amid flowering rhododendrons and azaleas
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Sitting by the stove in a villager's home and enjoying yak butter tea with tsampa (Tibetan roasted barley wheat flour pancake)
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Thursday, 17 March 2011 18:07 |
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When snorkeling, look out for the "Vabbinfaru Lotus" which will mesmerise you with its vivid corals and lively schools of fish swimming amongst them. This 10-year-old coral restoration project uses low voltage electrical currents to grow corals on its metal structure.
Sounds complicated? Fret not.
Guests can approach the resort's Marine Biology Lab team to find out more. Guests can join organised activities like coral transplantation and reef cleaning; or learn about green sea turtle and reef shark conservation.
Banyan Tree Vabbinfaru's Five Star Golden Palm PADI Dive Centre offers the full range of PADI and Nitrox diving courses. Other water sports and recreational options include water-skiing, windsurfing, canoeing, and night fishing.
Every day, around 5pm, a family of stingrays swims to the beach where the Marine Biology Lab team is waiting to feed them. Don't miss it!
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Friday, 04 March 2011 17:51 |
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The Kerala Spice Trail Tour (As shown on BBC) - 13 Nts & 14 Days |
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Sunday, 23 January 2011 21:05 |
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Banyan Tree at Lijiang China - call us to book this hotel as part of a tour of China
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The series of courtyards - starting with the driveway - at the front of house was deliberately laid out to culminate in a "wow" effect for our guests when they finally arrive before the handcrafted pagoda in the lake. On a clear day, this would be a picture-perfect moment with the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain as a dramatic backdrop!
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A focal point within the resort, the wooden pagoda is sometimes used for conducting wedding ceremonies. It is also the venue for "Moonlight Pagoda", a destination dining experience which features authentic Yunnan delicacies like flat rice noodle with yak meat and barbecued matsutake mushrooms. Advanced bookings are recommended as only one booking is available each night.
For a more private dining affair, try the Imperial Feast, where you will be served a six-course degustation menu by a personal butler in the Presidential Villa. After which, the villa is all yours for the night, complete with a scented bath and petal-strewn bed.
Other dining options at the resort include Cantonese and Yunnan cuisine at Bai Yun, all-day dining at Ming Yue, finger food and drinks at Wen Hai bar, as well as in-villa dining (including hotpot and barbecue).
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Admiring the view from the top of the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain which marks the southernmost section of the Himalayas.
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"Impression Lijiang", a cultural spectacle choreographed by China's renowned director, Zhang Yimou, it takes place in an outdoor theatre with the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain as a backdrop.
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Trekking through Tiger Leaping Gorge, which is considered to be one of the most spectacular gorges in the world.
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Exploring the ancient towns. Don't be afraid to bargain when shopping for locally-made silver or leather products.
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Sipping Pu-erh tea in a quiet corner. Did you know that for some 1,000 years Lijiang was a key trading point along the Ancient Tea-Horse Road, which first started in the Tang Dynasty and ended just after the 1950s
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Wednesday, 30 September 2009 16:17 |
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 As the lucky winner of the “Best Job in the World” enjoys a top salary soaking up the Australian sun, we’ve teamed up with Qantas Holidays so you too can go down under. With a variety of exciting itineraries including flights and accommodation from just £999pp it just might be the Best Deal in the World!
Visiting Australia is a dream of many people around the world, so when Tourism officials in the country launched a global search for candidates for the “Best Job in the World” - earning a top salary for lazing around on a beautiful tropical island for six months - it seemed too good to be true..
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Wednesday, 16 September 2009 12:32 |
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 Due to the poor economic climate and declining value of the Euro, many people are looking for alternative holiday destinations to the usual European favourites. For scorching sunshine and great value for money mixed with a healthy dose of luxury, you can't get better than Egypt's Sharm el Sheikh...
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