20 October 2014

Thailand is truly amazing and as they say ‘it begins with the People.’ I honestly believe that the service you receive in Thailand is up there with the best in the World; but the Thai’s do it with a genuine smile which makes it even better! My most recent trip was to Chiang Rai in the North and Hua Hin on the South eastern coast. Our first stop was to Chang Rai and to get there we flew with Thai Airways to Bangkok via Heathrow (Terminal 2 is ideal as Aer Lingus now fly into this terminal, so no change needed at Heathrow. From Bangkok we flew 1 hour and 10 minutes to Chang Rai. Chiang Rai markets itself as offering the more authentic experience over its busier neighbour Chiang Mai. I found Chiang Rai to be laid back and offers the visitor amazing scenery, fascinating History, spectacular Temples, jungle trekking and even remote traditional Hill Tribes. It is situated in the middle of the ‘Golden Triangle’ where Thailand, Laos and Myanmar (Burma) meet. We stayed at the 5 star Anantara Golden Triangle, Elephant Camp and Resort. The property is everything its name suggests! It is situated on a hill overlooking the Golden Triangle, it has its own Elephant Camp located adjacent to the Hotel and it has every facility of a 5 star Resort including an amazing Spa. The morning after we arrived we were up at 0630hrs to go Elephant trekking which is a great experience and one I would highly recommended You are instructed on how to get on and off the Elephant and how to direct him. It’s a bit daunting at the start when you see the size of the animal and especially when there’s no saddle!! However each Elephant has its own “Mahout” who walks along beside at all times, so that was reassuring! Chiang Rai and the Golden Triangle was once the centre of the Opium Trade and while we were there we visited the Opium Interactive Museum. I would strongly suggest that anyone visiting the area would visit here. It is an excellent modern exhibition that gives an informative insight to the horrific and brutal History attached to the Opium trade. I would also suggest a visit up to Doi Tung to see the Princess Mother’s (King’s Mother) Royal Villa. The King’s Mother lived for a period in Switzerland and fell in love with the Country. When she returned to Thailand, this part of Chiang Rai reminded her of Switzerland so she built a Villa here. She also helped the local Farmers develop the land for agriculture after the growing of Opium was banned. She is much loved in this area and her image is seen everywhere. From here we visited the Golden Triangle where the 3 Countries meet. We went on a long tail boat trip up the Mekong River to Myanmar and down to Don Sao Island in Laos. Don Sao is a ‘copy’ shopper’s mecca where you can negotiate great bargains! Chiang Rai is also famous for its Temples notably the White Temple (Wat Rong Khun). You will be amazed by the workmanship and architecture here. Chiang Rai also has a great night market which is well worth a visit. After Chiang Rai we hopped on a plane and flew to Bangkok. From Bangkok we were transferred the 3 hours to the Resort of Hua Hin situated on the south eastern coast of mainland Thailand. We stayed at the 5 star Sheraton Hua Hin in a lagoon (pool access) rooms. These room were great as you could basically just jump into the pool from your terrace!! Hua Hin has everything a beach resort has to offer. Great Hotels, a great beach, great restaurants and even the Vana Nava Hua Hin Water Jungle theme park due to open on the 01 November 2014. This will be the biggest theme park in Thailand and will make Hua Hin an ideal resort for families and fun lovers alike. The surrounding area also has many attractions and excursions on offer. A good excursion I would recommend is to Hua Hin Hills Vineyard… Yes, a Vineyard in Thailand! And it also does a very good Rose wine as well! The Tour includes wine tasting lunch and a Jeep Tour. If I had more time I would have liked a few days at the end of the tour in Bangkok which is a great bustling city. Thailand is so diverse, it has something for everybody so please do not hesitate to contact me if you need any further information. It would be my pleasure to help you!

31 October 2013

If you are interested in sun, amazing beaches, great standard hotels and with a bit of culture and eco-tourism thrown in then Borneo has everything you are looking for. Borneo is divided between three Nations. Indonesian Borneo to the South a smaller portion is ruled by Brunei to the west and Malaysian Borneo to the North. The part I visited was the province of Sabah in Malaysian Borneo. The best way of getting there is with Malaysian Airlines from Ireland via Heathrow and Kuala Lumpur and I have fabulous fares to here. Kota Kinabalu is the Airport we flew into in Borneo and it is a 2.5 hour flight from Kuala Lumpur. I stayed at the Shangri-La Hotel Rasa Ria which is situated 1 hour from Kota Kinabalu a 5 star hotel situated on an amazing Beach and surrounded by the rainforest. The Hotel caters for both couples and families offering a wide range of facilities including 2 award winning Restaurants. What’s unique about the Hotel is that it has its own Orang Utan Sanctuary where young Orang Utans are rehabilitated before they are reintroduced to the wild. There is also another Shangri-La called Shangri_La Tanjung Aru situated in Kota Kinabalu. This is also 5 star and situated on the Beach and has its own Marine Park where you can organise diving trips or Island hopping. This Hotel would be more suitable for those looking for a livelier Holiday. After my stay in Kota Kinabalu I flew to Sandakan (40 minutes) which is the second largest City in Borneo and the gateway to Borneo’s Nature and wildlife. Here I visited Sepilok which is the World’s oldest Orang Utan Sanctuary. We also visited the Sun Bear Conservatory Centre and I was amazed to see that Sun Bears are miniature big Bears!! After seeing all that and along with walking on a canopy walk high above the Rainforest we made our way up river, deep into the Rainforest to The Sakau Rainforest Lodge. This Lodge is situated on the Kinabatangan River which sustains one of the Worlds riches ecosystems. The Lodge has twenty well -furnished and equipped rooms with all the mod cons except TV, well I suppose you are trying to get back to Nature!! Here we went on Night and Dawn River Safari’s where we got an opportunity to see the wildlife. After doing a City tour of Sandakan we made our way to the Airport to fly the 2 hours to Kuala Lumpur. Kuala Lumpur is an amazingly beautiful City. The modern architecture including the famous twin towers is breath-taking. It is such a modern City and has something to offer everyone from monuments to modern shopping Malls, to picking up bargains ‘copy’ shopping in China Town to fantastic restaurants and Hotels. I really enjoyed my time in Borneo and Kuala Lumpur and can’t wait to return. I would be delighted to share my knowledge of the area with you and give arrange the best holiday to suit your own preferences.

20 November 2012

I had been to Zimbabwe in 1997 and fell in love with Africa. Ever since then I have always wanted to return. As I have never been to South Africa, and receive a good number of enquiries for there, I felt it was essential I get there, so off I went on a short ten day tour of the main tourist areas. I flew with South African Airlines as when I visit a country for the first time I like to fly the national carrier to get a feeling for the country. They were also the cheapest on the route! I have to say they are probably one of the best airlines I have flown with. Modern planes, great leg room, friendly staff and service and excellent food (as much as airline food can be excellent). We landed in Johannesburg after our 11 hour flight from London. I was immediately taken by how big and modern the airport is. Our transfer was waiting to bring us to the four ways area of the suburb of Santon. Santon is one of the more upmarket areas of Johannesburg. It has an amazing entertainment complex called Montecasino, which is built in the style of an Italian medieval town and would rival anything in Las Vegas. It actually reminded me of Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. It is full of award winning Italian, steakhouse and Asian restaurants at amazing prices. One thing about South Africa is that the standard of food is excellent and very reasonable. There are also two 5* hotels, a casino, a cinema and concert venues all in one complex. While in Johannesburg we took in some tours and this is the place to do your shopping if you like to. I did the tour of downtown Johannesburg, which is a very impressive city centre area with beautiful architecture showing its former glory. Tourists are not advised to walk around here unaccompanied. We also took in Constitutional Hill where the Constitutional Court is built on the site of Johannesburg’s notorious prison. Most of the prison is still standing and a tour here is well recommended where you can learn about the appalling treatment prisoners received under apartheid. You will also see the cell where Nelson Mandela and Ghandi before him were interred. The best tour of all for me was Soweto. Here you can see how people have transformed their lives since the end of apartheid. The once small huts have now been extended and some of them are quite lavish. You can also visit Nelson Mandela’s house. The history here is very interesting and it really is a ‘must’. As I had already experienced South African airlines I decided to fly with Kulula to Cape Town, to experience a different airline within South Africa. They were also very efficient and good and I would have no problem recommending them. Nothing could have prepared me for how fantastic Cape Town is. I never realised how trendy, modern and cosmopolitan it actually is. The scenery and standard of hotels and restaurants is great - I just couldn't find a fault. We stayed in a two bedroom apartment in the 4* Mandela Rhodes Apart Hotel which is centrally located and just a five euro taxi ride from the famous V&A (Victoria and Albert) waterfront. It is a huge pristine shopping mall with every type of restaurant you could think of. It is a great place to visit at night but it can grow thin after a few nights. Our hotel was near Long Street where there are clubs to suit all ages. The day after we arrived, the weather was excellent so we decided to visit Table Mountain which is a must when in Cape Town. The only problem was that every other tourist was there too! I suggest you purchase the tickets online before you go. This way you can skip the queues (we had to queue for two and a half hours!) It is worth it as you will never experience views like it. The wine land tours are also a must. We did a private tour with the taxi driver we met on the first night and he basically made himself available to us for the duration of our visit. The tour cost us the equivalent of €90 per person but that included visits to four vineyards. In each vineyard you are asked to select five wines from a menu. If there is one you particularly like you can buy it there. The cost of wine tasting varies from €3 to €8 per person for all the wines! It’s a good fun day out! To make a visit to South Africa, I would suggest to clients to take in a safari and a visit to Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe, for the ultimate experience.

02 March 2012

I have always been fascinated with India, its culture, colours, food and of course its amazing history. So you can imagine how excited I was when I got the opportunity to travel there a few years ago. I flew from London with Jet Airways who I have to say are excellent to fly with and a great introduction to your Indian experience. One has to keep an open mind when travelling to India. It’s a Country of contrasts. There are the extremely rich to the growing middle class but then you have the extremely poor. It also has one of the largest populations in the World so expect crowds! On arrival in Delhi I was met by my guide and driver (essential when travelling in India). I was taken to the amazing Imperial Hotel which is a high-end Heritage Hotel located just a step away from Connaught Place, (designed by Edwin Lutyens with a very ‘Hyde Park’ feel). It is steps away from the renowned shopping district and major city attractions and a half-hour drive from the international airport. The Imperial has a real colonial feel about it. With amazing photographs portraying the past glory of the British Raj on every wall. The standard of accommodation and food and general facilities are excellent. I stayed in Delhi for 3 nights, taking in many tours such as the Red Fort; visit Old Delhi with its narrow streets and bustling markets. My next City to visit was Agra, home of the world famous Taj Mahal. The road journey was somewhat harrowing as the rainy season had just finished and most of the roads had been washed away!! It’s a journey of approximately 2 hours. Agra itself is not a very nice city but once you go through the gates of the Taj Mahal it’s like going into a different World. The Tour tells you everything there is to know about the complex with an explanation of each building and an account of the mausoleum's urban setting, its design and construction, its symbolic meaning, and its history up to the present day. The next day I travelled by road again on to the City of Jaipur in Rajasthan, known as the Pink City. As it was painted all in pink to commemorate the visit of the Prince of Wales in 1876. No one is quite sure why they settled on the colour pink, but since that day, all buildings in Jaipur must be painted that colour. One of the favourite sites of Jaipur was The Hawa Mahal, or Palace of Winds. It is not a palace at all, but merely a facade, much like a Hollywood set. It was built in 1799 for the ladies of the royal household to enjoy the breeze and to look out on Jaipur without disobeying the laws of Purdah. Unlike other Indian Cities Jaipur is laid out in wide streets and planned very well more like a ‘European style’.. I stayed in the 5 star Rambagh Palace. This is a Taj Hotel and must be one of the most amazing Hotels I have ever stayed in. It was a firm favourite with the likes of Lord Louis Mountbatten, Charles and Diana and Jacqueline Kennedy. Next it was on to the Lake City of Udaipur. Whereas Jaipur is known as the pink city, Udaipur is known as the White city. I stayed here at the Lake Palace, which is the centrepiece of the city better known for being made famous in the Bond film Octopussy. It was an amazing experience. There is a boat at your disposal at all times to bring you ashore. While here we went for dinner in a restaurant that overlooked the entire lake and city, an experience I will never forget. My trip was so involved and fantastic I would not have enough space on here to write all about it. I love speaking about it though so if you want to know anything at all just contact me. In short India is amazing and probably the last place on Earth with such diversity where the modern and old live side by side. Do not be afraid of standards. If you stay in a 4 or 5 star Hotel you will experience excellent standards even better than here. All companies provide you with a registered Guide and Driver which I feel are essential. Of course there are rules to follow like you don’t eat fruit without peeling it and you don’t eat food prepared by street food vendors other than that you will have an amazing experience.

22 November 2011

Los Angeles Beaches are as much of an attraction as Disneyland or Hollywood are. I have recently returned from a holiday in Los Angeles. I am in the lucky situation that friends of mine have moved there recently and settled in Hermosa Beach. To be honest with you I would have never thought of staying at a beach for a Los Angeles ‘City’ break but as I learned this is the correct way of doing it. Accommodation is cheaper and you are a short distance from all the attractions Los Angeles has to offer. The Beaches stretch from Malibu to Long Beach with Santa Monica, Venice, Manhattan, Hermosa, Redondo and many other Beaches in between. The famous PCH (Pacific Coast Highway) connects all of these and a trip down the PCH is also a very popular holiday idea to keep in mind in southern California. On this trip I visited Redondo, Hermosa (where I stayed) and Manhattan beaches. They are all very different in what they have to offer. Redondo is probably the smallest of them. It has a large traditional wooden pier with many small speciality shops and some great seafood restaurants. Hermosa Beach on the other hand is way more developed but still has a relaxed and casual atmosphere. This is where you can see the California lifestyle being enjoyed at its best, from surfing to beach parties to boardwalks to volleyball. The beachfront sidewalk called The Strand is the Hermosa Beach thoroughfare for the active, filled with bicyclers, runners and walkers. Hermosa also has a great boardwalk that stretches for miles and a large modern pier where you can sit and read a book or just watch the world go by. It also has great themed restaurants from Mexican to Irish. Its shops and galleries are also great. Manhattan Beach is where all the ‘beautiful’ people hang out. Just walk down to the beachside sidewalk and take a stroll. You can walk for miles in either direction and never run out of things to see. Manhattan Avenue and Manhattan Beach Boulevard are lined with lots of fun shops and places to eat. I rate Manhattan Beach 4 stars out of 4 for the prettiest pier, most active beach area and best shopping of the South Bay beach towns. Twenty five minutes will take you to Rodeo Drive and Beverley hills area. Take a Tour of the Stars homes in Beverley Hills and a walk down the famous Rodeo Drive is a must. I always wanted to find the Hollywood sign but never did on previous visits to Los Angeles. But this time I did and it is well worth it, You will have to drive up the Hollywood Hills which is a harrowing enough drive as the narrow road twists for miles but well worth it at the end. So the next time you are thinking of a trip to Los Angeles, stay at one of the beach cities and have the best of both worlds.

15 July 2011

Welcome to Miami!!! Let’s face it, America is an amazing destination. It has something for everyone. Whether you are looking for the glam and glitz of LA, the sophisticated modern city life of New York and Chicago, to wide open spaces of the mid-west and of course the amazing beaches. I could go on and on but for me the ‘Jewel in America’s Crown’ has to be Miami Beach, Florida. There’s always so much going on in Miami that you would nearly need an extra hour in the day to enjoy all that’s on offer. Outside of its outstanding surf and beach, Miami has a rich entertainment and cultural history. Its amazing Art Deco architecture and great nightlife are renowned throughout the world. What I love about it is its Hispanic influences. For me there is nothing better than strolling along the sidewalk at night and feeling the vibe and listening to the different music from ‘south of the border’ exuding from each and every bar and restaurant. We stayed in an Art Deco apartment just across from the beach and near all the nightlife. The beach is 7 miles of white sand and is spotlessly clean. Other than just soaking up the sun, you can also avail of all the water sports available from jet skiing to beach volleyball. When the sun gets too hot for you, there is every type of shop conceivable to visit. From craft shops to beach shops where you can buy great beach wear and accessories to the famous boulevards of Lincoln Road, Collins Avenue and Ocean Drive where you can visit shops the likes of Armani and Ralf Lauren and see how the other side live!!! Then of course my favourite time of the day comes and the sun sets and Miami Beach comes into its own. We ate ‘al fresco’ in many of the sidewalk restraunts. One of our favourites was Lairos on the Beach (a Bongos Cuban Café). Lairos has a great Cuban atmosphere with delicious food and the Mojitios are worth a visit alone (you get to keep the glass!). Afterwards you should visit Mangos Tropical Café which is well worth a visit. It’s located in the middle of South Beach across from the beach. I loved this place and we spent every night here dancing the night away to Reggae, Latin and Caribbean music. The staff are all professional dancers and models and put on amazing dance shows throughout the night. Miami has also one of the largest Cruise Terminals in the World and all the major Cruise Lines depart from here. For anyone taking a Cruise out of Miami I would strongly suggest that they take in South Beach as a pre Cruise stay. I cannot wait until my next visit!!