Celebrate the New Year Down Under

RING in the New Year surrounded by seahorses, penguins and sea stars at Sea Life Melbourne where you can roam from the Coral Caves to the Crocodile Lair with a drink in hand and music pumping through the air.

Revellers have full access to the underwater wonderland and its thousands of marine creatures, as well as panoramic views of the Yarra River and the city’s spectacular fireworks display.

Silver, Gold or Platinum tickets,Platinum ticket holders have exclusive access to Sea Life Melbourne’s outdoor deck, which faces the Yarra River and the sparkling Southbank skyline.



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Angkor Wat is world’s #1 landmark for two years in a row

CAMBODIA'S Angkor Wat has again been named the world’s best-rated landmark, announced by TripAdvisor making it the second year running the historic sight in Asia has topped the list.

Located in Siem Reap, Angkor Wat is a temple complex, which was originally constructed in the early 12th century as a Hindu temple of god Vishnu for the Khmer Empire. Towards the end of the 12th century the temple gradually transformed into the Buddhist temple it is today. #AngkorWat is the largest religious monument in the world, measuring an impressive 402 acres.

Top-rated experience: Private Full-Day Angkor Temple and Sunset Viewing – tickets start from £29.30 per person, dependent on group size.

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Stunning Slovenian landscapes

SLOVENIA'S Julian Alps have been announced as one of the world’s top three must visit regions in Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2018. The Julian Alps feature alongside world leading regions including Alaska, Italy’s Aeolian Islands and Kii Peninsula in Japan.

Beautiful alpine landscapes with over two-thirds of the region protected by the Triglav National Park and one of the best regions in which to see wild flowers in Europe. The Triglav National Park, one of the oldest national parks in Europe, is renowned for its unique natural heritage with hikes taking visitors past sights including the Peričnik waterfall.

Home to some of the country’s most iconic sights including Lake Bled and its medieval castle, adrenalin seekers can explore the area via kayak or raft with the Soca Valley perfect for white water rafting and water sports. 

A haven for winter sports with impeccably maintained slopes and some of the best-value skiing in Europe. On the edge of the Triglav National Park find the picturesque resort of Vogel providing panoramic views over Lake Bohinj. On the outskirts of the National Park is Kranjska Gora, named the best value ski resort in Europe in the Post Office’s annual price survey, a resort perfect for families with a range of slopes.

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Slip sliding away in Brazil

IN the municipality of Estância Turística de Olímpia, 272 miles from the State capital of São Paulo, Brazil, you'll find Thermas dos Laranjais which is the most visited water park in Latin America, with over 2 million visitors in 2017. 

The park offers more than 50 different attractions, many of which are both exclusive and patented, from Water Slides to the Water roller-coaster, which passes 180º through the surf pool and along beaches and the slow flowing river. 

Opened in 1987 by entrepreneur Benito Benatti, the park occupies an area of 75 acres and is fed by the thermal Waters of the Guarani Aquifer – the main subterranean reserve of fresh water in South America, with temperatures ranging from 26ºC to 38ºC.

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British Airways to fly direct to Durban

DURBAN is a year-round destination, with sultry summers and mild, dry winters. It has long been a favourite holiday playground for South Africans but will soon be easier than ever for international visitors to enjoy too.

Travellers hoping to escape the Northern Hemisphere’s shorter days and long, cold nights this winter have a new destination: the South African city of #Durban with the start of British Airways’ new direct service. From October 29 holidaymakers will be able to surf their heart out along the Golden Mile, explore the lush green garden province and enjoy golden sun kissed beaches with three direct flights a week from Heathrow to the spectacular South African city.

Alex Cruz, British Airways’ Chairman and CEO, said: “Durban’s warm water, hot summers and laid-back beachy atmosphere make this coastal city the perfect holiday destination. It is a gateway to many nature reserves, parks and historic sites, and has a thriving food, drink and art scene; defining the city as a must-visit for culture and adventure. “Durban is also home to the busiest port in #SouthAfrica and is a large manufacturing hub, so the new route will secure another important link between the UK and the region that will be a welcome addition for business travellers.”

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Magnificent Mauritius

MAURITIUS was listed in the Top Ten Overseas Travel Destination and Top Ten Island Tour Destinations at the Ctrip Forum in April. Lonely Planet announced the 2018 destination list, commenting that #Mauritius was the destination where crystal sea and lavish beach resorts, coral reef, diving, kayaking, and all kinds of activities offer an exclusive traveling experience to all the tourists.

Mauritius is an African island located in the southwest of the Indian Ocean, about 800 kilometers from Madagascar and 2,200 kilometers from the African continent. It is surrounded by coral reefs and colorful tropical marine life.

Mauritius has coastal plain and spectacular mountains with quite spectacular scenery. It is one of the countries with the best air quality in the world ranking second in the World Air Quality Ranking released by the World Health Organization.



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From Greece to Africa

GLOBAL luxury travel network Virtuoso, has analyzed its data warehouse of transactions sourced from Virtuoso's U.S. and Canadian travel agencies to reveal the top destinations for upscale travelers this summer, as well as the fastest-growing places of interest. While European countries continue to attract the most visitors, the ranking of the hottest locales displays surprising diversity, showcasing comeback destinations as well as others that may be starting an upward trajectory.

The Virtuoso Top 10:The most popular destinations for summer vacations based on future bookings.

1.   United Kingdom
2.   Italy
3.   Canada
4.   France
5.   South Africa

6.   Greece

7.   Germany

8.   Netherlands

9.   Ireland

10. Spain

The Virtuoso Hot 10: The countries that have seen the largest percentage of growth in year-over-year bookings.

1.   Greece
2.   Poland
3.   Dominican Republic
4.   New Zealand
5.   Zambia

6.   Morocco

7.   Turks and Caicos Islands

8.   St. Lucia 

9.   Vietnam

10. Egypt

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Just a 45 minute boat ride . . .

FITZROY Island Resort will undergo a $2.5 million refurbishment and expand its Great Barrier Reef experiences to include diving and sunset cruises. Rainforest-clad Fitzroy Island is just a 45-minute boat ride from Cairns city and where you will find secluded Nudey Beach, Australian’s Best Beach for 2018. 

A National Park with rainforest walks and a summit hike to the lighthouse, the island is home to the volunteer-run Cairns Turtle Rehabilitation Centre where visitors can meet Jet, an eight-year-old green sea turtle rescued off Fitzroy Island in July 2017. Fitzroy Island Resort is also supporting the Reef Restoration Foundation with the establishment of the Great Barrier Reef’s first offshore coral nursery in the island’s waters. 

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Djibouti: World capital of culture and tourism

THE induction of Djibouti as World Capital of Culture and Tourism will take place on April 18, 2018, on the occasion of the official handover ceremony to be held at Presidential Palace in #Djibouti.

The country encompasses ten world heritage sites on tentative list ranging from natural treasures and natural protected areas such as: Lake Assal and Lake Abbe, National Park Foret du day to the tumulus of Awellos, cave paintings of Abourma.

The capital city: Djibouti is home to a treasure trove of architectural marvels from the historical Haji Hamoudi Mosque, European Quarter (Malik Square) and African Quarter, Djibouti Cathedral and Ethiopian Church Saint Gabriel of the Sun and the cultural blending space of Les Caisses.

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Best place to move to: Portugal

EX-PATS from around the world have named #Portugal as the best country to move to in the world. Portugal won the honor through InterNations’ annual Ex-Pat Insider Survey. InterNations surveys the best destinations for expatriates to live and work abroad each year. Portugal was in 9th place just two years ago but is now on the top of the list, followed by Taiwan and Mexico. 

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Stockholm: A city for all

STOCKHOLM, the Swedish capital situated on 14 small islands, is famous for its closeness to nature, booming tech-scene, gender-fluid fashion, colorful LGBT community and the Nobel prize. The one thing that really makes the city stand out internationally is its progressive values: #Stockholm is a city for all.

In the spirit of openness, the city’s tourism board, Visit Stockholm, has come together with its national counter-part Visit Sweden, to publish an open letter addressed to “lovers, haters and hesitators”. The open letter is the city’s way of welcoming the global public to a city built on the idea of an inclusive and open society with democracy at its core.

The ‘Open Letter’ is published on www.visitstockholm.com/open-letter and on social media, and is accompanied by a https://youtu.be/AyF3rs9Q5ks shot in Stockholm last August. The video features real tourists live casted on the streets of Stockholm, and marks the start of the city’s effort to both show and communicate the values of the Swedish capital.

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All lit up . . .

WITH less than ten weeks until Queenstown’s award-winning light festival illuminates the night sky, the countdown is officially on. The LUMA Southern Light Project returns to Queenstown, #NewZealand on the Queen’s Birthday Weekend (June 1 – 4) featuring a world light festival ‘first’ with four evenings of illuminated art, light sculptures and entertainment. 

The free public event focuses on the transformation of space, public interaction, art, culture and education, made possible by curated collections of stunning light sculptures and thought-provoking installations. Visitors can expect to be dazzled by an array of interactive and unique light displays, each one designed to encourage them to engage with the art and the surrounding Queenstown landscape. 

Set within the picturesque Queenstown Gardens and waterfront, visitors can explore the illuminated winter wonderland with hot food in hand warming their fingers, as the art captivates their minds. The ‘world festival first’ will see local and international artists collaborating on an instillation using over 90,000 individual light sources to turn trees in the Queenstown Gardens into an enchanted forest.

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Follow the footprints

WHEN dinosaurs walked the earth, they left big footprints wherever they trod. Physical evidence of this is prevalent around Isan in #Thailand, with massive #dinosaur footprints at the Phu Faek Forest Park in Kalasin. 

As the story goes, a family noticed strange footprints in the middle of a rock terrace back in November 1996. They later informed Thai geologists who came to survey the site. They discovered 21 footprints in total, belonging to carnivorous dinosaurs, believed to have lived in the area 140 million years ago. At present, only four footprints can be clearly accessed by the public.

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More in Dubai . . .

DUBAI is a place of incredible contrasts. Humble homes and dirt roads are juxtaposed with out of this world luxurious resorts and plush ocean view pads. But #Dubai has always been a place of extremes. A place where more is more. A whole lot more.

Luxury homes here all share certain things: abundant space, stunning design, and, of course, privacy. That’s certainly the case with the XXII Carat ultra-luxury villas that are just about to welcome their first ever occupants. Located right at the end of the Palm Jumeirah’s West Crescent, this is where things get rather fancy. For today's new generation of well -heeled travelers, the bar for luxe hideaways has reached dizzying heights.

All the villas are furnished with high end finishing materials and equipment imported from France and Italy such as La Cornue, Baldi, La Cuisine Française, Devon&Devon, Schuco and Miele, to name just a few. Built using only the finest materials, XXII Carat is where all the determinants of uber luxury can be found.

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An arresting museum to visit

WE live in a society where there is a strong fascination of crime, this is apparent by its prevalence in pop-culture. The subject of crime and serial killers is often the topic of books, TV shows and movies. Those who want to learn more about some of the most infamous killers in America should plan a visit to Alcatraz East Crime Museum. 

Visitors of Alcatraz East Crime Museum can expect to see many crime-related artifacts on display, and learn about ways to help prevent crime. Here are 5 infamous killers’ artifacts that are on display at the museum: 

1. Charles Manson Guitar & Beach Boys single “Never Learn Not to Love” – This guitar was recently added to the museum’s collect. It was taken into custody in Inyo County California, during a raid on the Barker Ranch when Charles Manson was also arrested. 

2. Ted Bundy’s 1968 Volkswagen Beetle – The Beetle that was integral in both of his murders and conviction, containing important DNA evidence, is on display for visitors to view. 

3. John Wayne Gacy’s clown suits- “Pogo” and “Patches” – The serial killer was arrested in 1978. He had confessed to killing 30 people. Despite him being a serial killer, he would dress up in clown suits to entertain children. 

4. Judy Buenoano’s last photograph and prison blanket – Convicted of murdering her husband and son, she was also suspected in several other deaths. 

5. Jeffrey Dahmer handcuffs– An American serial killer, he was convicted of the murder of 17 males, which included rape, dismemberment, and cannibalism. His handcuffs are on display at the museum for visitors to view.

  
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Celebrate the cultural heritage of Vietnam

HELD every other year since 2000, the Hue Festival is Vietnam's most ambitious cultural extravaganza. The festival celebrates the cultural heritage of Vietnam with ceremonies that illuminate the imperial splendors of #Vietnam, that trumpet the music of the country's most renowned pop musicians, that explore the charm of the country's traditional villages.

Artists from dozens of foreign countries will perform alongside traditional Vietnamese artists and include traditional musicians from Korea, lion dancers from Okinawa, folk dancers from Poland, contortionists from Mongolia, French rockers, Colombian drummers and a singer-songwriter from Israel among others.

About 250,000 visitors attended the 2016 Festival, increasing from the 192,500 who attended in 2014. Tickets range in price from 50,000 VND (US $2.50) to 2 million VND (US $100).





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Four Seasons announces plans for luxury resort in Belize

SCHEDULED to open in 2021, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts has announced plans for the development of Caye Chapel, a private island in #Belize featuring magnificent oceanfront estates, private residences and overwater bungalows. 

The 280-acre (113 hectare) island is outlined by 6 miles (9.7 kilometres) of white sand beaches and turquoise waters, and is located 16 miles (26 kilometres) from Belize City, either 30 minutes by boat or 10 minutes by flight. The island’s marina and airstrip can accommodate private boats and planes for easy access by owners and guests arriving from further afield. A destination in its own right, the island also acts as a convenient base to explore the nearby cultural and natural sites of mainland Belize and surrounding cayes.

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Dinosaur adventure off the beaten track

PHU WIANG National Park is like many other dinosaur-related travel sites around #Thailand. It is weird, wonderful and wacky, located well and truly off-the-beaten track, or the so-called ‘tourist trail’, and is hundreds of miles away from Bangkok, in Thailand’s Northeast region of Isan. 

All around Isan, visitors are most likely to find huge #dinosaur statues towering over a park, at a zoo or alongside a temple. Dinosaurs eve decorate the tops of some public lamp posts as a shout out to the region’s big lizardry claim to fame. 

Khon Kaen province is famous for dinosaurs, and this yarn is all about travelling to the heart of dinosaur country in the Phu Wiang mountains where several important paleontological discoveries were made, including two previously unknown species: ‘Phuwiangosaurus Sirindhornae’, a 15-metre (49 feet) long sauropod named after Thailand’s beloved Princess, Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, and ‘Siamotyrannus Isanensis’, an ancestor of Tyrannosaurus Rex (T-Rex) named after Thailand and Isan.

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Modern Mexico's must visit destinations

MEXICO has a wealth of popular tourism features from the sun and the beach to cuisine, architecture, cultural, and historic experiences. Take a look at modern #Mexico tourism's most thrilling #destinations.

Huasteca - This secret oasis is green, mountainous, and full of waterfalls, forest, and ancient ruins. Ciudad Valles is the second largest town and has a wonderful choice of hotels and restaurants. You can spend your time canoeing, hiking, and visiting the Tamul falls. You’ll be able to organise a trip with locals to navigate up the river, and the Cave of Swallows attracts over a million birds in the early morning and late evening.

Templo Mayor and Teotihuacan - Situated just off the main square at Templo Mayor are the newest pyramids to explore. The excavation site displays stone-carved snakes, and other Aztec artifacts. An hour outside the city is Teotihuacan which hosts two giant pyramids with the Pyramid of the Sun measuring 213 feet tall – you can climb to the tops of both. This area is an archaeological heaven with digs and research still going on.

MUSA - This monumental underwater museum of art was formed in the waters surrounding Cancun. It consists of 500 permanent life-sized sculptures and is one of the largest and most ambitious underwater artificial attractions in the world. All of the sculptures are fixed to the sea bed and made from specialised materials to promote coral life.

Yucatan and Tulum - The Yucatan peninsula is well known for ocean front hotspots Tulum and Holbox, as well as for its Mayan culture, colourful colonial architecture, and local flavours. 

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Bournemouth rated best beach in UK

BOURNEMOUTH Beach in Dorset is named the best-rated beach in the UK in the Travellers’ Choice awards for Beaches, announced today by TripAdvisor, the site that helps you find the latest reviews and lowest prices.

Not just a favourite in the UK, #Bournemouth #beach also celebrates the title of fifth best-rated in Europe and 14th in the world, ranking above beaches in locations world famous for their miles of golden sands and crystal clear waters, including the Seychelles, Australia, Turkey and Sicily. 

Bournemouth’s seven mile stretch of sandy beach has something to offer everyone with its traditional seaside attractions, famous beach huts for hire, water sports and stunning views of the Isle of Wight and the Purbecks. The bay also boasts its own micro-climate, giving it some of the warmest sea temperatures in the UK.

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