Japan Travel

Japan Travel Information | Lonely Planet Destination Guide worldguide | shop | thorn tree forum | travel services | travel ticker | theme guides | on the road | postcards | travel links : Explore Japan Japan Hyperbolic, kitty-cute, switched-on, serene. At a Glance Fast Facts WORLDGUIDE Introduction Background Info See Image Gallery Events Transport Money General RELATED Thorn Tree Forum Postcards Travel Links More Places Check out our other destinations: Within Japan Kyoto Nagoya Osaka Sapporo Tokyo View Map Click here Feature Attraction Iriomote-jima Dense jungle blankets much of Iriomote-jima, an island that could well qualify as Japan's last frontier. Trekking through the interior, you may find ... more Whether you end up taking photos of a reproduction Eiffel Tower, surfing an indoor wave, musing in a Zen temple, shacking up in a love hotel or kipping down in a capsule, you'll do best to come with an open mind and be prepared to be surprised. Somewhere between the elegant formality of Japanese manners and the candid, sometimes boisterous exchanges that take place over a few drinks, between the sanitised shopping malls and the unexpected rural festivals, everyone finds their own vision of Japan. When To Go Spring (March to May), with its clear skies and cherry blossoms, is probably the most celebrated Japanese season, but it's a holiday period for the Japanese and many of the more popular travel destinations tend to be flooded with domestic tourists. Autumn (September to November) is a great time to travel: the temperatures are pleasant, and the autumn colours in the countryside are fantastic. Mid-winter (December to February) can be bitterly cold, while the sticky summer months (June to August) can turn even the briefest excursion out of the air conditioning into a soup bath; on the plus side, major tourist attractions will generally be quieter at these times of the year. It's also worth considering peak holiday seasons when you plan your trip. Moving around and finding accommodation during New Year, Golden Week (late April to early May) and the midsummer O-Bon festival can be a real headache. Factoid Inking the King Japanese tattooing ( irezumi ) is often considered the world's best. The practice was banned under the Emperor Meiji, but revived after Prince George (later King George V) was tattooed, in 1881, by master tattooist Hori Chyo. SPONSORED LINKS Enquire Accomodation Reviews Find Lonely Planet author reviewed places to stay * Required Fields Country * Please select Argentina Australia Austria Belgium Brazil Canada China Cuba Czech Republic Denmark Egypt England Estonia Finland France Germany Hungary Iceland India Ireland Israel & the Palestinian Territories Italy Japan Malaysia Mexico Morocco Netherlands New Zealand Poland Portugal Russia Scotland South Africa South Korea Spain Sweden Taiwan Thailand Turkey USA United Arab Emirates Vietnam City * Please select Travel Services · Flights · Hostels · Hotels · Travel Insurance More Services › Disclaimer: We've tried to make theinformation on this web site as accurate as possible, but it isprovided 'as is' and we accept no responsibility for any loss, injuryor inconvenience sustained by anyone resulting from this information.You should verify critical information (like visas, health and safety,customs and transportation) with the relevant authorities before youtravel. text & images © lonely planet 2005 about us | privacy | feedback | advertising FAQs worldguide | shop | thorn tree forum | travel services | travel ticker | theme guides | on the road | postcards | travel links

Vacation Rental

New Zealand Travel, Accommodation, Tours, Vacation, Rental Car - Experience New Zealand Travel Agent NZ Time: Thu 29 Dec 2005, 11:50AM » EXPERIENCE NEW ZEALAND TRAVEL LTD since 1999 NEW ZEALAND ACCOMMODATION New Zealand Vacation Services Need help to plan or book your: New Zealand Vacation New Zealand Tour New Zealand Accommodation New Zealand Motorhome Or prefer to arrange your own: New Zealand Rental Car New Zealand Ferry Bookings New Zealand Flights New Zealand Travel Insurance New Zealand Information New Zealand Activities New Zealand Restaurants New Zealand Books New Zealand Photo Gallery New Zealand Maps More Information: New Zealand Statistics New Zealand Climate Guide New Zealand Driving Guide Currency and Shopping Telephones and Language Important Dates Company Information About Experience New Zealand Meet the ENZ Team Feedback Forms Customer Comments More Information: FAQs ENZTL Internships Travel Links Experience NZ Travel Ltd travel@experiencenz.com Level 8, AMP Chambers 187 Featherston St Wellington 6001 New Zealand PO Box 23049 Cable Car Lane Wellington Tel. +64 (4) 473 4470* Fax. +64 (4) 473 4471 *Office hours are 9:00a.m. to 5:30p.m. NZ time is currently: 11:50AM (Thursday) Site Search experiencenz.com www How better to plan your New Zealand vacation than with a New Zealand travel agent who can create a personalised itinerary tailored to your needs? Whether it be a Luxury New Zealand vacation or an all out New Zealand adventure, we can create the perfect holiday for you. Alternatively, you may like to travel as part of a guided New Zealand tour , or if you are seeking the independence that a New Zealand motorhome or New Zealand rental car provides, we can find the best match for you. Three GREAT ways to experience one GREAT country. Which travel style suits you best? 1. A Personalised New Zealand Itinerary We're matchmakers. We will work with you to put together a personalised itinerary that meets your individual travel needs. From luxurious seclusion to all out adventure, we have the first-hand knowledge to recommend the best of what New Zealand has to offer. » Contact Us -- 2. A Guided New Zealand Tour We recognise that some people prefer to travel in a group, or to be personally guided. The New Zealand tours and personal guides we recommend each strive to offer exciting and unique experiences not always available to the casual visitor. We also organise personalised group tours and special interest tours for groups of ten or more. Important Note: December Specials — discounts available now 3. A New Zealand Motorhome or Campervan A motorhome or campervan holiday provides you with the opportunity to freely explore the wonders of New Zealand with your transport and accomodation all-in-one. We recommend three quality New Zealand Campervan companies : Britz , Pacific Horizon , Maui and Kea . WHAT OUR CUSTOMERS SAY ABOUT THEIR NEW ZEALAND VACATION Helen,You are absolutely marvelous, and I will send all our friends to you in the future. I can't thank you enough for all the work you have done for us. You are obviously swamped, ... more Liz Schilling, USA, December 2004 Denise, Well, we have finally settled back here in the UK. Its time to put pen to paper and try to sum up our experience. We are absolutely sure that had we tried to organise a ... more Jon and Yvonne Ham, UK, September 2005 Denise was exceptional in the planning and execution of our trip to the South Island of New Zealand. Her recommendations were intelligent and well thought out to reflect our objectives ... more Ron and Susan, USA, November 2005 » Customer comments WHAT OUR CUSTOMERS COME TO NEW ZEALAND TO SEE » New Zealand photo gallery Planning to travel to New Zealand? Please make use of our unique New Zealand Accommodation Guide . This is not an advertising directory but is instead a current list of the properties that consistently exceed the expectations of our clients . Feature property Name: Okareka Lake House Region: Rotorua Tariff: NZ$2,227.00 per night Search by region for recommended accommodation Northland — Bay of Islands Auckland — Waiheke Island Coromandel Rotorua Waikato — Waitomo Caves Taupo Gisborne Hawkes Bay — Napier Wairarapa — Martinborough — Greytown Wellington Nelson — Abel Tasman — Golden Bay Marlborough — Picton — Blenheim — Kaikoura West Coast — Fox and Franz Josef Glaciers — Hokitika Canterbury — Akaroa — Hanmer Springs Christchurch Mt Cook — Lake Tekapo Queenstown Wanaka Fiordland — Milford Sounds — Te Anau Dunedin Southland — Invercargill Travel Affiliations Great journeys are created from great experiences - our mission is to provide you with a complete itinerary of wonderful experiences within our beautiful country - Aotearoa New Zealand TourWriter | New Zealand Luxury Accommodation | New Zealand Accommodation | New Zealand Travel Insurance North Island | Auckland Accommodation | Coromandel Accommodation | Rotorua Accommodation | Wellington Accommodation | Northland Accommodation | Bay of Plenty Accommodation | Waikato Accommodation | Gisborne Accommodation | Ruapehu Accommodation | Taupo Accommodation | Hawkes Bay Accommodation | Horowhenua Accommodation | Wairarapa Accommodation South Island | Fiordland Accommodation | West Coast Accommodation | Canterbury Accommodation | Christchurch Accommodation | Nelson Accommodation | Marlborough Accommodation | Wanaka Accommodation | Mt Cook Accommodation | Queenstown Accommodation | Central Otago Accommodation | Southland Accommodation | Dunedin Accommodation ©1999-2005 Experience New Zealand Travel Ltd Scenic photographs © Focus New Zealand Photo Library Designed by Kudos web design There is a Javascript error. » More information

Europe Travel Guide Travel

Travel to Europe. European travel and tourism guide. Destination information. Travel Europe European travel and tourism destination guide. Home Destinations Europe Travel Guide Travel Directory Search Travel Directory Notes From the Editor Travel Blog Travel Photography Travel Photos Destination Guides • Africa • Asia • Europe • Latin America • Middle East • North America • Oceania TRAVEL EUROPE DESTINATION GUIDES Europe Destinations Directory. Find travel information for every country in Europe. Click on a country below to find official and independent websites for each country. Albania Andorra Armenia Austria Belarus Belgium Bosnia-Herzegovina Bulgaria Croatia Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Estonia Finland France Georgia Germany Greece Hungary Iceland Ireland Italy Latvia Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Macedonia Malta Moldova Monaco Netherlands Norway Poland Portugal Romania Russia San Marino Serbia and Montenegro Slovakia Slovenia Spain Sweden Switzerland Turkey Ukraine United Kingdom Vatican City ALL EUROPE SITES backpackeurope.com Backpack Europe bugeurope.com BUG Europe e-traveleurope.com Travel to Europe - Find information to travel in Europe. e-traveleurope.com eurfirst.com Planning your first trip to Europe, destinations, camping and driving in Europe, when and where to go, clothing and safety, family travel. Europe, the First Time europe-today.com Europe Today eurotrip.com Eurotrip guideforeurope.com Guide for Europe hotels-europe.com Travel Info. Hotels Europe Travel Info traveltowesterneurope.com Western Europe Travel - Search for books at TravelToWesternEurope.com. Travel To Western Europe tte.ch TTE Tourismus Team Europe. Tourismus Team Europe visiteurope.com Visit Europe Airfares | Car Rental | Hotels | Rail Europe | Travel Insurance Home | About us | Contact us | Disclaimer | Privacy Policy | Add a travel site

Austria Travel Guide, climate:

Austria Travel Guide - Information and Advice Austria Travel Guide Information and Advice Austria Map | Austria Pictures Vienna Pictures | Vienna Travel Guide exodus specialises in “The different holiday”, offering the widest selection of walking, adventure, cycling, mountain biking, wildlife, cultural and winter holidays, and overland journeys across all seven continents! exodus: Homepage | Austria Tours | Brochure Request Austria Travel Guide, climate: Best: May - June, September for summer activities with less crowds and less heat than July/Aug, or Dec - March for a deep white winter. Worst: The country is rarely over hot or hideously overcrowded but July, August and Christmas are very busy times, while Oct/November can be miserable - dark, wet and grey. Length of stay: Minimum worthwhile stay, not incl. flights: Vienna and Salzburg - 4 days Recommended: At least 2 weeks to take in Vienna, Salzburg and some country/mountain activities. Main Festivals in Austria : mid May- June: Vienna Festival - wide range of arts, especially music, naturally, but also dance and theatre, sometimes challenging pieces, all set in magnificent buildings. mid July-Aug: ImPulsTanz - a dynamic and diverse dance festival across the whole of lovely Vienna. End July - end August: Salzburg Festival - opera and concerts. 'Europe's most prestigious summer musical event.' Very large, very expensive. Every year in Mozart's pretty home town. Dec 31st, Kaiserball - waltzing into Vienna's glamorous ball season is this, the ultimate in smart dances, set in the magnificent Hofburg Palace. No expense spared. For some precise dates, more suggestions and information see European Festivals or Arts Festivals Austria activities guide: Hiking: The Alps in summertime offer a zillion stunning, well-marked walking routes, open along with the spring flowers in late May. The Zillertal Alps are particularly scenic and leg friendly, and Zell am Ziller is a good starting point. Lifts help the less fit. Climbing: Plenty of challenging climbs available, with northern Tyrol being especially popular . Skiing: With all those mountains and snow Austria is a great downhill and cross-country ski destination, tho' not cheap. Tyrol and Vorarlberg are most popular. Hangliding & paragliding: Due to the excess of high places and affluence of the country, gliding is commonplace and kit can be rented easily from ski resorts. Rafting /canoeing: Land Salzburg [Salzburg Alps] has superb locations for watersports from quiet canoeing to wild white water rafting. Speed boats are restricted. Biking: This country is extremely bike friendly, with rental machines available from most railway stations and dedicated tracks everywhere. The best long route is the Lower Danube Cycle Track, running beside the river from Vienna to Naarn and passing many gorgeous medieval towns on the way. River Cruises: Lengthy and a bit slow on sights . If your travel time is limited don't bother with the Danube. Night life: Austria is culturally more about classical music than techno raves, tho' the natives do know how to have a good time. Austria Star Guide: Monuments *** Shopping and souvenirs ** Walkability ***** Food Quality and Variety *** Value for Money *** Hotel Prices and Value *** Beaches no sea! Wildlife ** Landscape ***** Local People **** Architecture ***** Safety ***** Nightlife and Clubbing **** Health Problems none Museums ***** Why Travel to Austria? It's efficient, safe, uncrowded [by locals - total population is about 8m], and has stunning towns and magnificent mountains . The rise and fall of the Hapsburg dynasty [1278- 1914] and the Austrian Empire is a monumental story, gone but not forgotten by tourists gaping at the mass of gothic, baroque and rococo royal relics or listening to present day concerts by long-dead Vienna inhabitants - Mozart, Strauss, Brahms and Beethoven to name but a few. Museums offer a lot more than Hapsburg lifestyle samples and cover many topics in great depth and style. The climate offers a comfortable heat in the summer and acceptable cold in winter, encouraging year-round outdoor activities, particularly summer hiking and winter skiing. Transport systems are brilliant and road access to other European cities is easy. Locals are friendly and many speak English. Downside: -Food is heavy and dedicated to carnivores. Vegetarians may have a hard time finding suitable body fuel. -German is more a language of command than conversation. Where to travel in Austria: 1] ***Vienna, a superbly walkable, beautiful, interesting city. Vienna page 2] **Salzburg. Mozart's home is a pretty little town - well, the old bit is - but heavily travelled and without much space to permit tourists to relax and enjoy its rampant baroquery properly. The castle towering over Salzburg is sturdily interesting, as is the cathedral, the Residenz [palace] and the nearby graveyard/catacombs, but the focus is more on where Wolfie the Wonder Boy grew up or Sound of Music locations. It's a very long day trip from Vienna so stay over and visit the 16thC town of Krems , magnificent Melk Abbey and Hellbrunn Palace on the way. Also worth a look, 48km from Salzburg, are the ice caves of Eisriesenwelt , near Werfen. Dramatic, elaborate shapes and frozen waterfalls line the 42km of explored caverns, tho' not all is open and guides may be necessary. Fascinating but cold and slippery so not suited to very young or old travellers. 3] ***Salzkammergut is a vista-overload resort area of mountains, lakes and charming towns just east of Salzburg. In the summer it offers walks and water sports, in winter skiing. Key towns are Bad Ischl [fashionable spa resort], St. Wolfgang [on Wolfgangsee Lake] and Hallstatt . 4] ***Grossglockner Road. If you have wheels and it's May-November then this stunning 50km mountain/glacier route will really honk your horn. Start the tortuous tour from Zell am See. 5] *** Innsbruck [Tyrol] A lovely, partly medieval city surrounded by spectacular peaks, it functions perfectly as a summer resort or winter sports base, though it doesn't have immediate access to slopes. Nearby is Seefeld, a prime ski resort that offers more than just slopes and Mutters , 'the most beautiful village in Tyrol' and romantic in any weather. 6 ] ** St Anton am Arlsberg [Tyrol] Near Switzerland this is another picturesque Tyrolean town with some of Europe's best skiing at reasonable prices. The Blue Danube? Not likely, muddy green at best. There is an explanation for the name however... Napoleon had never lost a battle when he came across the white coated Austrian army at Aspern, around the Danube, in 1809. The French, in blue coats, lost, and their bodies were thrown into the Danube. Due to poor dye quality the colour ran into the water, turning it temporarily blue. Strauss remembered the great victory in 1867 by calling his latest waltz, 'The Blue Danube.' Austria Tours Tour operators offering tours to Austria can be found in our listings here: Austria Tours For links to Tourist Offices, Embassies, Cheap Air Tickets, Currency Converter, Climate, Language advice, other online Travel Guides and more, visit Bugbog Travel Directory Map of Europe Visas: EU citizens and nationals of USA, Australia and New Zealand do not need visas for visits up to 90 days. Electricity: Electric sockets are 230v and take 2 round pin plugs. Safety: Crime is rare and more likely to be opportunistic theft by transient East Europeans rather than locals. Language: German is the native language but most Austrians under 50 speak excellent English. Cuisine Guide: This is not good weight-loss country . National dishes tend to be heavy, saucy and meat oriented - hardly surprising for a place with no coastline - while local cheeses, pastries, beers and wines are excellent and too tempting by half. Street snacks tend to be of the sausage, pickles and chunky bread variety. About the only thing that will not pile on the pounds is the superb coffee. Money: The currency is the Euro and prices are fairly high. ATMs are plentiful and most Traveller's Cheques accepted. If you plan to travel Austria you may find these other Bugbog guides to Europe useful: Germany Travel Guide Hungary Travel Guide Czech Republic Travel Guide Belgium Travel Guide Italy Travel Guide France Travel Guide Greece Travel Guide UK Travel Guide Travel Pictures | Destination Finder | Exotic Places | World Festivals | World Wonders | Safari Wildlife | Beaches | Top of Page European Places | Walking Tours | Travel Health | Travel Safety | Travel Directory | English Speaking Places | Tours Gap Year | Site Map | Travel Guide Homepage | Contact | Press | Advertising | Legal | Maps | Travelogue © 2000-2005 Bugbog

cruise vacation news and

CLIA | Cruise Line International Association | Cruise Vacation Travel Packages For 160 years, Cunard has worked to make the art of cruising indistinguishable from the art of living well. Travel the world on the Queen Elizabeth 2 and the Queen Mary 2 and experience British elegance while recalling the golden age of sea travel. Lush tropical rain forests, exotic wildlife, exciting places to visit and the transit from the Caribbean Sea to the Pacific Ocean through one of the world's historic marvels add up to a unique cruise destination. STRONG 3RD QUARTER PASSENGER GROWTH EXTENDS 2005 TREND FOR CLIA-MEMBER CRUISE LINES read more Register to receive the latest cruise vacation news and information on special offers Click here to sign up PASSPORTS REQUIRED TO ENTER THE UNITED STATES Read further -- Search for any city or US zip code Search by Destinations All Destinations Africa - Southern Alaska Antarctica Australia/New Zealand Bahamas Baltic/Russia Bermuda Black Sea British Isles/Ireland Canary Islands/North Africa Caribbean Costa Rica Cruises to Nowhere East Coast Europe - Western Far East/Orient Greek Isles/Aegean Hawaii India Israel/Egypt Mediterranean - West Mexico New England/Canada Panama Canal Red Sea/Suez Canal River - Amazon River - China River - Europe Scandinavia, North Cape South America South Pacific/Tahiti Southeast Asia Trans-Atlantic Trans-Pacific West Coast World Cruises Search by Cruise Lines All Cruise Lines Carnival Cruise Line Celebrity Cruises Costa Cruises Crystal Cruises Cunard Line Disney Cruise Line Holland America Line MSC Cruises Norwegian Coastal Voyage Norwegian Cruise Line Oceania Cruises Orient Lines Princess Cruises Radisson Seven Seas Cruises Royal Caribbean International Seabourn Cruise Line Silversea Cruises Swan Hellenic Windstar Cruises Search by Length of Cruise All Cruise Lengths 3-7 days 8-14 days 15-21 days 22+ days Why choose a CLIA Certified Cruise Counsellor? Find a CLIA affiliated travel agent in your area Search Tips Site designed by RampageInteractive / Web Services by TheDestination Group Digital Site Map