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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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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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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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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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