Top 10 Countries to Visit in 2011

Japan has an ill-deserved reputation as an expensive destination.
Photo: Brent Winebrenner/Lonely Planet

Lonely Planet has drawn on the knowledge, passion and kilometres travelled by its staff, authors and online community to present the Top 10 Countries to visit in 2011.
From the new book, Lonely Planet's Best in Travel 2011: the best trends, destinations, journeys and experiences for the upcoming year.

1. ALBANIA
Not so long ago, when the Balkans were considered an 'only for the brave' travel destination, only the bravest of the brave trickled into Albania. Since backpackers started coming to elusive Albania in the 1990s, tales have been told in 'keep it to yourself' whispers of azure beaches, confrontingly good cuisine, heritage sites, nightlife, affordable adventures and the possibility of old-style unplanned journeys complete with open-armed locals for whom travellers are still a novelty. Sick to death of being dismissed with blinged-up crime-boss clichés, Albania has announced 'A New Mediterranean Love' via its tourist board. The jig is almost up – Albania won't be off the beaten track for much longer.

The Top 10 Countries for 2010

Fans of El Salvador prepare for their World Cup 2010
qualifying match...guardian.co.uk

Want a sneak peek into the future?
We’ve just released our newest edition of Best in Travel. We’re delighted at the attention it’s getting, so we’ll share some of the hot lists inside - and get your thoughts.
To start with a bang, here’s our list of the ten hottest countries for  2010 - and why.

El Salvador
El Salvador sneaks up on you: in lefty lounge bars in San Salvador, at sobering war memorials and museums, and along lush cloud-forest trails; it’s a place of remarkable warmth and intelligence, made all the more appealing for being so unexpected. Travellers tend to skip El Salvador, wooed by marquee destinations such as Guatemala and Costa Rica, and unnerved by stories of civil war and gang violence. But the war ended almost 20 years ago, and crime, while serious, is almost exclusively played out between rival gangs; tourists are virtually never involved. And though El Salvador has fewer protected areas than its neighbours, you get them practically to yourself – including pristine forests, active volcanoes and alpine lakes.

Top 10 Honeymoon Destinations In-demand These Days

Bora Bora island Tahiti. Bora Bora is an ideal place for honeymoon couples
travellingboard.net

The honeymoon is a very important part of a newlywed married couple’s life. Both of them want to make the event memorable so it requires careful planning and considerable time to plan it.
There are many honeymoon themes available for couples like romantic honeymoon, dream, exotic, island, luxury, beach, mountain, tropical, adventure, winter, safari, and exclusive honeymoons. If you want to decide on the theme of your honeymoon, and to help you with that task, you can find the top ten list of honeymoon destinations here.
Before checking out the list, there are certain things to consider before choosing your honeymoon destination like -
- in planning for your honeymoon, make a listing of different places that both of you would want to visit, and the activities that you want to be involved in
- the honeymoon budget
- how long do you plan to spend on your honeymoon
- get as much information of your chosen destination
- shock each other with surprise plans

Top 10 Exotic Destinations in Indonesia

KELIMUTU LAKE or THREE COLOUR LAKE (at NUSA TENGGARA ISLAND)
majim16.blogspot.com

Adventure looms large in this vast and steamy archipelago, where the best of Southeast Asia’s spicy melange simmers tantalisingly. Heady scents, vivid colours, dramatic vistas and diverse cultures spin and multiply to the point of exhaustion, their potent brew leaving your senses reeling.
Rippling across the equator for nearly 5000km, Indonesia encompasses more than 17,000 islands, two-thirds of which are inhabited and richly layered with character. On Sulawesi, the elaborate funeral ceremonies and timeless traditions of Tana Toraja are light years from the surfing culture of Lombok. But so too are the mighty saddle-backed Batak mansions of Danua Toba and the volcanic lakes of Sumatra from the mummies and deeply etched gorges of Papua’s Baliem Valley. The resorts and restaurants of Bali pamper precocious style cats, while at the same moment threadbare backpackers are adopted by homestays in Kalimantan.

How to Get to Lake Toba

Since it is located in North Sumatra, the only way there is through the city of Medan – North Sumatra Indonesia. Lake Toba is about 4 hours drive by car from Medan City. You can travel by public bus which may take longer to about 6 hours. The usual stop is the town of ” Pematang Siantar ” halfway to Lake Toba for a toilet break.

Local town is known as Prapat / Parapat.
Local transportation around the lake takes the form of boats. You can also hire a motorcycle for a day or two and get out and about ( Rp.50,0000 per day inclusive of 4 litres of petrol ). There are no police checking licenses and there is not much traffic – just watch out for the big trucks, buses and diabolical bridge.

Source: Lake Toba Largest Volcanic Lake in the World | Medan Indonesia Pride http://www.medanku.com/lake-toba-north-sumatra/#ixzz190FcCWnO
Copyright: www.MedanKu.com

Lake Toba North Sumatra Indonesia

The Pride of Medan Indonesia

Lake Toba also known as Danau Toba in Indonesia is the largest volcanic lake ( crater lake ) in the world.
At 100 km long and 30 km wide, measuring 505 m at its deepest point, it is situated in the middle of the northern part of the Indonesian island of Sumatra.
Surrounded by tall mountains, it cradles the large island of Samosir in its middle.

Uniqueness of Lake Toba:
Unlike any other lake, if you think about the location — close to the equator — and look at the picture, you will realize that there is something strange about the lake. Most large lakes were formed by glaciers; large lakes close to the equator are sometimes formed by the damming of a large river. But there is no large river flowing into Lake Toba. The lake has a different and more dramatic origin.

Travel Destination Hawaii - Lava Tour

Sunrise Lava Tour - Hawaii Volcano Kilauea




Sunset Lava Tour

Indonesian Masks Festival 2010 in Cirebon

A big celebration called "Festival Topeng Nusantara 2010" or the Indonesian Masks Festival 2010 will be held in Cirebon  - West Java, Indonesia, October 2010. Festival participants come from various regions in Indonesia. Centers of mask  arts and crafts in Indonesia, such as Bali, Malang, Indramayu, Cirebon, Surakarta, Yogyakarta, Jakarta, West Nusa Tenggara, Kalimantan (Borneo), North Sumatra and other cities will not miss this rare opportunity.
For spectators from outside Indonesia who are interested in the event can stop journey through Jakarta. From Jakarta to Cirebon can be reached via car or train with a long journey of

Balinese Art, From Majapahit Kingdom to Recent History

Image via Wikipedia

Balinese art is art of Hindu-Javanese origin that grew from the work of artisans of the Majapahit Kingdom, with their expansion to Bali in the late 13th century. From the sixteenth until the twentieth centuries, the village of Kamasan, Klungkung (East Bali), was the centre of classical Balinese art. During the first part of the twentieth century, new varieties of Balinese art developed. Since the late twentieth century, Ubud and its neighboring villages established a reputation as the center of Balinese art. Ubud and Batuan are known for their paintings, Mas for their woodcarvings, Celuk for gold and silver smiths, and Batubulan for their stone carvings. Covarrubias describes Balinese art as, "... a highly developed, although informal Baroque folk art that combines the peasant liveliness with the refinement of classicism of Hinduistic Java, but free of the conservative prejudice and with a new vitality fired by the exuberance of the demonic spirit of the tropical primitive." Eiseman correctly pointed out that Balinese art is actually carved, painted, woven, and prepared into objects intended for everyday use rather than as object d 'art.

Bali - Paradise Isle 1946

A tour of Bali and its religious traditions in 1946.

Cowboys in Paradise Bali

Pros And Cons About This Film!

Bali on The Brink of Destroying The Dream

If the threatened re-introduction of fingerprinting for visitors to Bali goes ahead, it may be the final straw for many who have kept faith with a destination that has tested our loyalty.

Australian visitors have returned to Bali in record numbers following the Bali bombings of 2002 and 2005 despite warnings from the Australian government that it continues to “receive credible information that terrorists could be planning attacks in Indonesia and that Bali remains an attractive target for terrorists”.

We have suffered the long immigration queues at Ngurah Rai airport - which Travel and Leisure magazine has named as one of the “12 Ugliest Airports in the World” - waiting to fork out US$25 for a visa, our patience sustained by the thought that beyond immigration lie fabulous hotels and resorts, and an unmatched value-for-money destination.
Our patience has been further tested by the knowledge that the move by Indonesian authorities to scrap the US$10 7-day visa-on-arrival fee, and charge all visitors for a 30-day US$25 visa, is being linked to efforts to stamp out corruption among Bali’s immigration officers.

What Is Going On Bali?

Lombok is Actually Busy

Global economic crisis may have held back massive investment plan to build Lombok into a world class holiday destination on its own and cut away any dependencies to its more popular sister island of Bali. But its charm remains an attractive magnet to holiday makers seeking for sea, sand, and sun and get a bit bored with what Bali has to offer.
In our last business trip to Lombok a few days back we found that flights between Bali and Lombok are almost full. The small airport of Mataram is quite busy. During the night we spent in Senggigi, the most popular beach resort town in Lombok, we saw a lot of tourists around. We even rejected by a restaurant because whilst there was still a few tables empty, they thought they would not be able to serve as in reasonable speed.

Bali Culture

Bali is truly a unique isle; from its timeless traditions, colourful pageantry to rites of passage. The people possess a genuine sense inner happiness that is perhaps attributed to the strong Hindu faith. There is a fundamental belief in the spiritual world which should always be in balance and harmonize with the physical world to attain peace and prosperity.

History
Although there are no artifacts or records dating back to the Stone Age, it is believed that the first settlers on Bali migrated from China around 2500 BC. By the Bronze era, around 300 B.C. quite an evolved culture existed in Bali. The complex system of irrigation and rice production, still in use today, was established around this time.

Why People Do Not be Bored Go to Bali?

 Neka Art Museum Collection

  
Thousands of people from all over the world, come and take vacation in Bali. What exactly are they looking for? Are they looking for the beautiful scenery? The wide and clean beaches -- which became the target of the surfers of the world? Or the all corners of the city, villages and mountains sprinkled with artistic atmosphere? Or the other reason such as: the friendly attitude of local residents? No one knows exactly. Several of them said that they like to go to Bali because they like to do that. It's possible that each one must have reasons that are not always the same with another. But, as you know, the beautiful scenery and others became part of the very impressive for the tourists.

Experience An Excellent Holiday In The Cradle of Liberty by Will Schoonhoven

Have A Great Romantic Vacation In Boston - Follow Our Guide
If you were one of those that shared the feeling of Boston being all about historical charms and sports stadiums, then you’re in for a treat!The Hub is a wonderful place for a romantic tryst with your partner; there’s the history and Bostonian charm to make it special. So book two Boston cheap flights and let us take you on a wonderful romantic tour for two. How about walking under a starry sky in Boston Common while you hold the hands of your loved one or some seriously fun ice-skating experience at the Frog Pond?Is there any better way to ignite the romantic sparks than by going on a yummy chocolate tour?

Wanting to Take A Perfect Trip? By Locadio Broome

Travel Packages
Millions of tourists each year take advantage of the many travel deals available. Once you find a destination, you will have other important considerations to make. Airfare is one of the important things to secure. Using the internet is a crucial way to find travel deals. These deals provide wonderful savings to areas like New York City and Los Angeles. Destinations such as these offer travelers many options for exploring the city. There is much to do and to see in either of these options. You will also want to consider the fine lodgings in your location of choice.

Temples of India - Part 1 by CD Mohatta

India is a multi-cultural and multi-religious country. There are thousands of temples in India. In every nook and corner of India, there are temples. A temple is the place of worship of Hindus. Each temple is dedicated to different Gods like Krishna, Ram, Shiva, Hanuman, Durga, etc. Some temples are not only known as places of worship but are also very famous for their architecture and stories. Some temples are hundreds of years old and have lots of historic significance. Because of these reasons, many temples have become the famous destinations for tourists. Lets read about some of the famous places of pilgrimage in this article series.

Coming To Terms With Chess by David Powers

Over the past 1500 years, the board game chess underwent many modifications prior to ultimately becoming the game we recognize today. To some, chess is an uninteresting past time. Yet to chess enthusiasts, the game is a source of excitement. You will not see them tire from the game at all!  To understand their enthusiasm, you’ve got to understand how chess works.

Horse-riding for Beginners - Mongolian Style by Peter Tapsell

In a fit of eccentricity my wife and I decided to go on a vacation to Mongolia. After all, it is the place that produced Ghengis Khan, Kublai Khan and Tamerlaine, as well as having been the centre of one of the largest empires that the world has seen. After the initial three weeks of festivals, mountains, lakes and open plains, we left our group and went off to see the remote and nomadic Tsaartan people, who live in the extreme north of the country with their herds of reindeer. This required a significant horse trek, and I had done next to no horse riding. I looked forward with some excitement to the 60 kilometres of travel that awaited us.

5 Methods to Wait Out the Ash Cloud

As the Icelandic volcano persists to spew ash and lava coming from an eruption which has gone on for many days, most flights across Europe happen to be grounded, stranding air travellers in some twenty three locations. According to CNN.com, just about 6,000 flights will probably be taking off today, in comparison to a usual Saturday when 22,000 planes would normally be departing from European places.

If you're one of several unlucky people stuck in international airport chaos, you might be thinking of suicide at the moment. Unfortunately, if a problem attacks, there is very little we could do but wait it out. Yet there are a few options for passengers who sadly are eager to go to their destinations, or simply desperately bored.

May Day Holiday Trip to Eurodisney Paris

 From an airport to the destination! (Photo: st)

Euro Disney represents amazing great value for cash. Coach trip operators are reporting a surge in popularity for coach trips to Europe like a direct result of recent disruptions to air travel flight caused by the Icelandic volcano ash wafting more than European airspace and a lot of UK based holiday goers unable to have away whatsoever. Coach trips can offer a cheap Holiday to Paris Disney Land

May Day Bank Holiday trips to Disneyland in luxurious comfort by coach and boat is on deliver for four days, departing Friday, 30th April and returning Monday, 3rd May perhaps, including a stay in a smart 3-star French hotel, from as little as £195 from Phoenix Coach Tours all inclusive.