Top 5 Things To Do in Goa - India

Goa is one of the smallest states of India which is visited by million guests every year. Coming here, you will be definitely attracted by the ambiance of unending lines of swaying palm trees, beautiful beaches and warm seas. The lifestyle and friendliness of local people here are also the interesting things to  the visitors who want to relax and have fun. Below is the top most 5 things you must do on your trip to Goa to enjoy your stay:

1. Hire a Bike or a Scooter

Although considered a small state,  Goa is amazingly spread out.The local buses are always crammed, the taxis & rickshaws charge a bomb ! The best way to go around Goa would be to hire a scooter, a bike or a chuaffer driven car which are available at all places. just ask your hotel reception and they will arrange it for you. If you can drive yourselves, just go anywhere in Goa without a thought .. you will be amazed at where you end up.

2. Discover the beaches

Goa has the finest beaches in India which you do not want to miss ! Whether you are in North or South Goa,go to the beach.Soak in the incredible warmth around you. The warm waters, the multitude of people swimming or just lazing around, the water sports activities & most of all the innumerable shacks where one can get a cool beer, exotic sea food or just snacks. Enjoy the water sports while bargaining for a good rate for a banana boat ride, a bump ride or a jet ski ride for 400bucks!

Goa is full of lovely beaches

Honeymoon on Goa beach

 3. Enjoy the sunsets

Sunset in Goa

As evening draws to a close, watch the spectacular sunset on the horizon at any of the beaches. The shack owners start folding their sunbeds & putting up their colourful lights. The crowd start their slow walk to their hotels and the sea gulls fly past heading to their abodes.
The view is mesmeric with myriad colours reflecting in the clouds with the soft lapping of the waves on the shore.Sitting at the front of a shack, looking out over the beach and sea, watching the sun sinking behind the waves... it couldn't really get any better! Add a meal and a drink, and you have the recipe for a perfect romantic evening.


4. Dudhsagar WaterFalls

Considered to be the 2nd largest waterfall in India. Not to be missed ! This is half a day's trip. First you need to reach Mollem via Ponda. once at Mollem, you need to hire a jeep or a 4 wheeler to go to the base of the waterfalls. This is a bumpy ride through shallow streams & rocks to reach the waterfalls.The waterfalls offer unrivalled beauty, and amazing scenery iike an idyllic Eden cradled luxuriously in the mountains. The waterfall initially appears like streams of milk flowing down the mountain which later culminate into gushing cascades after they come in full view of the awestruck visitors. It is not possible to visit the falls all year round as during the Monsoons, the path becomes very slippery and dangerous. There are lots of people visiting... Get here early to have a chance at a bit of quiet.

Dudhsagar Waterfalls at 2,000 feet high, are the highest falls in India. Dudhsagar means “sea of milk” and the name comes from the white foam created from the force of the water as it drops.

Guests playing below the waterfall

You will have the chance to see and feed the monkeys on your way. A little monkey taken on the trip to Dudhsagar WaterFalls.

 5. Pub Hopping - Fenny & Fun

Goa is famous for fun, music, nightlife and the hangout for bollywood moguls, have beens and page 3 crowd.A standard signboard of any restaurant will state it as a " Bar &  Restaurant ". Every nook & corner in Goa has a bar & restaurant.
Most of the pubs & lounge bars, will have live music or a DJ most of the nights where partying starts by 8.00 in the evening and goes on till the early hours of next morning. The local drink " fenny " which is more like ' Ouzo or saki " is cheap with other booze, so most are in high spirits which makes it even more fun. Cheers! Viva Goa!

Feni drink is one of the most famous and populer drinks in Goa - India

Some Do's & Don'ts

Do's

i.   Bargain for everything ! especially when shopping for trinkets, clothes & Souvenirs. Quote 50% lower than asked for and then get the best deal

ii   Avoid the beach side "lamanis " - these are the hawkers who try to sell anything & everything by pestering the tourists

iii  Wear Cotton clothes but not skimpy clothing. Most single males who visit Goa from other states, tend to ogle or harrass females

iv   order sea food which is fresh & properly cooked. Goan cuisine is famous for its mouthwatering variety

Don'ts

i    If single female, Do not go out alone at night. Try to get some company
 
ii   Do not drink & swim. Quite a lot of beaches in Goa have undercurrents which could be dangerous

iii  Don't accept any drinks or foods from any strangers especially at night clubs or pubs. Goa is known for people spiking your drinks

iv   Don’t use, possess and trade drugs (hard or soft) as it is totally illegal in Goa.

v    Don’t swim in the monsoon season

Source: http://www.goa-hotels.co.in/travel-info/top-5-things-to-do-in-goa

Let's discover the best beaches in Vietnam

1. Mui Ne beach resort

Mui Ne is a Vietnamese beach resort set along the beautiful long white sand beach is best known for its excellent conditions for windsurfing and kiteboarding. This tropical beach resort area is the sunniest place in Vietnam, perfect for beach holidays, and also hosts local market and shops as well as high sand dunes and nearby historical sites.

2. Con Dao beach 

Con Dao archipelago consists a chain of 15 islands in which Con Son is the main with some charming beaches that very peaceful and tranquil. Some can be reached on foot, but the better locations will be involved by a long hike or taking motorbike. Even though there are more and more daily direct flights from Ho Chi Minh City, the archipelago is still somehow rather isolated and, as a result, its beaches are keeping virgin and untouched. The main island also offers some of qualified accommodations such as in Saigon-Con Dao hotel and special restaurants with delicious seafood that enable any comfortable visit of traveler.

3. Phu Quoc island

Phu Quoc is a stunningly beautiful island in the far south of Vietnam, the country's largest. 99 forested mountains dominate the northern part of the island while the southern part is better known for its beaches.
The Vietnamese government has big plans for tourism on the island, a new airport is planned and many larger resorts will be opening over the next few years. Many consider it paradise with aquamarine water, idyllic beaches, romantic sunsets and a serene island-style atmosphere.

4. Lang Co beach

With its 10 km in length, Lang Co beach bordered a section of the 1A National Highway, nearly Hai Van pass, and 24 km from Bach Ma area. With its gradually slopping, white sand beach, the average depth of under 1m and the average temperature in the bathing season of 25°C, Lang Co is an ideal beach for tourists.

5. My Khe beach

My Khe Beach is recognised as one of the most ideal beach of Da Nang City, international tourists came here for convalescence and relaxation... It is an ideal and huge beach with smooth sand and a slight slope. Behind the beach is a dark green poplar forest, and beside, the Kinh River carries crystal water to the sea. The beach has coral, abundant plants and creatures along bankside and under sea. Especially, the beach is next to the city centre, in roads easy to come and by various means of transport.

Traveling alone? It's interesting. And here are 10 tips for women traveling alone. Hope they are helpful to you :)

For many women, solo travel brings them the most exciting and enjoyable experiences. They can go everywhere they want and meet friendly local people along the way in different destinations. Many women who have traveled alone said that they had spent the incredible scenes of freedom and responsibility. But there are also many challenges of loneliness and safety which they might encounter.  

To help you get the most out of a trip, here are ten tips compiled from the advice of women who have traveled alone and will do it again.

 

1. Exercise hotel safety

There are many ways you can make a solo stay at a hotel safer. At check-in, you might consider asking for a room near the elevator so you won't need to walk down long, potentially ill-lit hallways to reach your room. When filling out guest registration forms, consider using your first initial instead of your name, and skip the "Mrs/Miss/Mr" check box. Additionally, make sure the clerk writes down your room number instead of saying it out loud. This will prevent anyone in the vicinity from knowing where to find you later.
If you're at a hotel that requires you to leave your keys at the front desk, make sure that a desk clerk is there to put your key in a safe place; never just leave it on the counter. SmarterTravel.com's Executive Editor Anne Banas cautions to never hang a filled-out breakfast card on your door; doing so lets people know you're alone in the room, and means there's a situation already set in which you'll be expecting someone at the door. If I'm not sure about my accommodations, I bring along a rubber door stop to wedge under the door in case the lock is unreliable.

2. Arrive during the day

Arrive in new cities during the day. Areas around bus and train stations can be scary and/or deserted, and small towns tend to shut down early. Veteran solo traveler Mara Rothman of San Francisco notes that plenty of beautiful towns can appear eerie at night, and locals who are genuinely trying to help you can appear unnecessarily threatening. Arriving during the day means you'll be able to find a place to stay and get your bearings before dark.

 

3. Keep your documents safe

If you choose to wear a money belt, use it for storage and not as a purse. Constantly reaching under your shirt for money draws attention to it, and tends to defeat the purpose. Instead, keep your passport, extra stores of money, and other important documents tucked away, and use a bag or purse for carrying daily spending money.
Keep copies of your passport and credit cards in a separate and secure location. Rothman suggests slipping copies of such documents under the insoles of shoes. They may not smell great, but they'll be there if you need them.

4. Dress appropriately

To avoid attracting unwanted attention, dress as conservatively as the women you see around you. This doesn't necessarily mean donning the traditional dress, as that can sometimes backfire. When she arrived in India to travel on her own for six months, Eva Winter of London purchased the traditional Salwar kameez long tunic and pants. But as she traveled around the country, she noticed that she was actually attracting more attention from men who were curious about the six-foot-tall blonde in the customary cultural dress. Suspecting she might be giving the impression of attempting to appear traditional to attract an Indian suitor, Winter switched back to conservative Western dress and was hassled far less often.

 

5. Know when to buddy up

Traveling alone doesn't always mean being alone. There are plenty of situations in which seeking out company can make for a safer and more enjoyable experience. On vacation in Jamaica, Banas wasn't comfortable walking alone from her resort into town for dinner and a reggae show, so she invited a couple she'd met earlier in the day at the pool to join her. By doing so, she got to try out a new restaurant, dance the night away, and make new friends.

Smaller hotels and hostels are great places to find like-minded travelers to explore new places with. And even when you can't find someone to buddy up with, there are often ways to associate yourself with others so you'll be less likely to be bothered. In some countries, there are women-only sections in trains and women's waiting rooms at train stations. Sticking close to families on public transportation and in unfamiliar public markets and bazaars is another technique some women use.

6. Combat harassment

A few might argue that it's just a well-developed appreciation of women, but unsolicited stares, calls, and attention feel more like harassment when you're alone in unfamiliar territory. Having a repertoire of harassment deterrents can be as important to women travelers as a sturdy pair of shoes and a passport.
SmarterTravel.com Contributing Editor RaeJean Stokes, who lived in Eastern Europe for two years, found that the combination of a basic understanding of the local language and the ability to feign total ignorance was a useful deterrent. After all, she said, "it's not as fun to harass someone who can't play back." As an extension, not engaging with people who are bothering you can make you a less interesting target.
If you want to avoid being approached during lulls in activity, such as while waiting for or while traveling on trains, it can be a good idea to carry a novel or paper for writing to friends (they miss you, you know, and want to hear how your trip is going). That way, you've got a prop that makes you look busy and involved.
If a situation of harassment escalates, making a scene can sometimes be effective. Many societies place a high premium on respecting social norms, so drawing attention to harassment in a loud and clear manner may solve the problem. The sentence for "leave me alone" is a handy one to learn.

7. Research body language and culture

Depending on the country, seemingly innocuous gestures such as eye contact, shaking hands, smiling, and small talk can be construed as come-ons. Learning the subtleties of body language and local culture before you arrive can prevent awkward or misleading situations.
Reading up on the culture before you go can also make your trip more enlightening and enjoyable. When in doubt, spend some time observing those around you, and then follow suit. And if you're someone who likes to people watch or study faces, a dark pair of sunglasses can come in handy to avoid any confusion about eye contact.

8. Exude confidence

Whether you're on a street at home or 7,000 miles away, walking confidently and with direction is an effective technique for deterring unwanted attention, since appearing lost or confused can make you vulnerable. If you are lost, walk into a shop or restaurant and ask for directions there. Try to avoid obviously looking at maps while you're in the street. Study your route before you go, or find one of those wallet-sized maps that you can discreetly palm and refer to on the sly.

 

9. Keep in touch

If you're traveling alone, it will be important to have a few regular contacts who can keep tabs on you. Leave a general itinerary behind with family and friends, and send regular emails so that people at home know about where you are. You can also register your trip with the Department of State online. Registering a trip means that the embassy knows of your presence in a country; this can be especially helpful when traveling in dangerous areas or in the event of a natural disaster.

 

10. Use common sense

Using common sense is perhaps the single best tip for staying safe and having a good time while you're traveling alone. This category includes the usual recommendations: don't walk around late at night, don't drink with strange men, don't ride in empty compartments on trains, don't compromise safety to save a few bucks on a hotel or transportation, and know how to use a pay phone.
Though these tips have been compiled for solo women travelers, they're good ones for general travel as well. Awareness and a bit of street-smarts are the keys to safe and happy travels.

Source: smartertravel.com

Local Events in Bangkok

Festivals, cultural celebrations and events play a big role in Thai life, and are usually a lot of fun. Apart from the annual and religious celebrations, all sorts of other Bangkok events happen regularly throughout the year that will help fill up your Bangkok travel plans. No matter what time or month you are heading to Bangkok, you are most likely to find something is going on.

Songkran

Place: Bangkok (13 Apr 2012 - 15 Apr 2012) Songkran is a festival held to celebrate the Thai New Year which falls in mid-April. The Bangkok Songkran celebrations are very popular as there are plenty of fun activities integrated with several religious rituals.

Buddha's Birthday

Place: Bangkok (15 May 2012) On May 15th, local Buddhist Temples celebrate this day by holding candlelit processions. A tourist can take part in these parades and it can prove great fun, although proper respect should be shown.

Loy Krathong

Place: Bangkok (8 Nov 2012 - 10 Nov 2012) Some of the most beautiful sights are the festivities relating to the Loy Kratong, held on the night of November's full moon. All over the country, little floats (kratong) are made from banana trunks, flowers and candles and set afloat on the water.

King's Birthday

Place: Bangkok (5 Dec 2012) The King's Birthday is on the 5th December. The King is much revered throughout Thailand, and all Thais celebrate his birthday, with government buildings, private homes, businesses and the palace especially illuminated.

Source: http://www.bangkok-hotels-link.com/bangkok-events

Diwali fetival in October and November in India

Diwali is a five day festival that represents the start of the Hindu New Year. It honors the victory of good over evil, and brightness over darkness. It also marks the start of winter. Diwali is one of the most popular Indian festivals. It is celebrated 20 days after Dussehra, on Amavasya - the 15th day of the dark fortnight of the Hindu month of Ashwin (Aasho) in (Oct/ Nov) every year. This occasion is mentioned in the religious books as stating its origin, when Lord Rama returned to this kingdom Ayodhya after 14 years of exile.
The whole kingdom was lit up with divas (earthen lamps) to celebrate his return. To this day houses all over India glow with the twinkle of innumerable divas, candles and lights on Diwali day.

 

 Throughout the whole of India. However, the festival isn't widely celebrated in the state of Kerala, as it's not part of their culture. This is because Diwali has traditionally been a festival of wealth for merchants, and being a Communist-ruled state, the Hindus of Kerala have never freely engaged in trade.

One of the best places to experience Diwali is in the "pink city" of Jaipur, in Rajasthan. Each year there's a competition for the best decorated and most brilliantly lit up market. It's a dazzling display that attracts visitors from all over India.

Festival of Light

 

 

Preaparing for Festival

 On the third day, lots of small clay lamps (called diyas) and candles are lit and placed in houses, and fireworks are let off everywhere, giving Diwali its name of “Festival of Lights”. People also clean and decorate their homes with Rangoli (Hindu folk art), buy new clothes, gamble, and give each other gifts and sweets during the festival.

The candlelight makes Diwali a very warm and atmospheric festival, and it's observed with much joy and happiness. However, be prepared for lots of loud noise from the fireworks and firecrackers going off. The air also becomes filled with smoke from the firecrackers, which can add to breathing difficulties.

It's a good idea to protect your hearing with ear plugs during Diwali, especially if your ears are sensitive. Some crackers are extremely loud, and sound more like explosions. The noise is very damaging to hearing.

Candles for Diwali

 

Have you ever come to Sikkim - India?

Sikkim is simply enchanting. Whether you're gazing upon the white-gold peaks of mighty Khangchendzong (the world's third highest mountain) or responding to the shy smile of a Lepcha tea stall owner, it's not hard to understand why Buddhism, the gentle faith, remains rooted in this hard, but tranquil land. The Buddha is everywhere, in the exhilarating purity of the mountain air, the blue-green waters of the Teesta River and the dignified friendliness of Sikkim's people.

Crows Lake in North Sikkim

 
 Coming here, you will be welcomed by friendly local people.

 Nepali festival is one of the interesting festivals in Sikkim. Maghe Sankranti (January): It corresponds to the Indian festival of Makara 
Sankranti and is marked by people bathing in holy rivers.

Dasain (September-October): This is the Nepali version of the nine-day long Durga Puja. The first day of festival, called Ghatasthapana, sees the installation of the kalash or sacred vassel in the family Puja room. Prayers are chanted to invoke the Goddess Durga and persuade her to alight on the rim of the kalash, even if it be for as long as a mustard seed can balance on the horn of cow.

Tihar (November): A five-day festival, its third day corresponds to the Indian festival of Diwali. The first day is celebrated as kag tihar or the festival of crows, when delicacies are prepared and fed to the crows; then comes kukoor tihar or the festival of dogs; then gai tihar, whose evening is devoted to the celebration of the Goddess Lakshmi and houses are decorated with lights; the following day is goru (ox) tihar. The last day is Bhai Tika, when sisters mark their brothers foreheads with tikas 

Momos are the most popular dishes that have made it big outside Sikkim. Today, you will get a Momo in any part of the country, at any eating joint. They are flour dough in the shape of dumblings and are stuffed generally with minced meat. Though there are varieties in which vegetables or cheese used as a filling. They flour dough is steamed for 30 minutes in a peculiar utensil which has three compartments. In the lowest compartment, soup is boiled. The steam which rises from the soup, cooks the dumblings. Momos are eaten hot with the soup, chilly sauce or tomato pickle.

Thukpa - the delicious food in Sikkim

 Red panda is the state animal of Sikkim, it is also the mascot of the International Tea Festival in Darjeeling. They are mostly herbivorous mammals, specialised as bamboo-feeders; they cannot digest cellulose as their guts are not specialised to handle plant matter like that of cows, horses and other herbivorous mammals. They eat berries, fruit, mushrooms, roots, acorns, lichen, grass and are known to supplement their with the occasional young birds, fish, eggs, small rodents and insects when the weather is warm enough. In captivity they will readily eat meat.

Red panda

Source: Internet

Los Cabos - the perfect holiday trip with the enormous attraction and the ultimate fun in the sun experience

For the perfect holiday where you can forget the hustle and bustle of everyday pressures and let your hair down, Los Cabos is ideal with something to offer for everyone. Located at the place where the Pacific Ocean meets the Sea of Cortés, Los Cabos is a popular vacation spot in Mexico that is fast gaining international renown as a superlative tourist destination. Los Cabos' flourishing tourism industry offers something for everyone. There are many Los Cabos hotels in both Cabo San Lucas and San Jose del Cabo not to mention some great accommodation options in the little towns along the tourist corridor.

Another great activity or Los Cabos tours option is the ATV ride that takes you through mountains and gives you glimpses of nature, up close and personal, while acquainting you with the local flora and fauna. Or a thrilling ride in a Hummer H2 or a Chenoweth racer for those who love speed - Los Cabos ensures that you can experience adventure in just the way you want and keep coming back for more!

Los Cabos is a haven for enthusiastic fishermen looking for big game with numerous varieties of game fish available in the waters, while small inlets and coves along the coastline tempt scuba enthusiasts and snorkelers with their limpid clear waters that teem with marine life. Keen golfers will love Cabo, taking up an energetic round of golf at one of the first-rate golf courses in Cabo. If you prefer you can set out along with the sun at dawn for game fishing. Every day has something new to offer, and there are many great things to see and do in Los Cabos - an indulgent day at the spa where you can pamper your senses with a soothing mixture of Baja herbs, kayaking, surfing, diving or snorkelling at one of the numerous locations at Los Cabos.

 At Los Cabos, the ocean stretches away endlessly into the horizon and the sunset lights up the sand at the edge of lapping waves - a place of infinite beauty and bliss. Land's End marks the start of an unforgettable holiday that allows you to experience the wonder of Los Cabos and its unsurpassed beauty. It's impossible to think that something as mundane as the setting up of a cannery led to the evolution of Los Cabos into a world-class vacation spot. Even up to about a hundred years ago, Los Cabos and its natural wonders were unknown on the Baja coast. Now, visitors from all over the world throng Los Cabos to sample its justly famous natural beauty and the bounty of the Sea of Cortés - both above and below. Los Cabos is now one of Mexico's best known travel destinations.

Los Cabos boasts of some of the world's best known resorts and as a luxury vacation spot, attracts the crème de la crème of Hollywood's stars and business tycoons, offering them amenities suitable to their privileged lifestyles. Legends of the silver screen, such as John Wayne and Bing Crosby, have transformed this sleepy little fishing area along the Baja California coast into the playground for the rich and famous. But even before these famous men visited Los Cabos, and the film stars and music icons headed out here, the legend of Los Cabos was familiar to the who's who of the world.

Los Cabos, with its fabulous and magnificent natural beauty, is frequented by prominent personalities and is the vacation spot of choice for the very rich and the very famous.

Source: http://www.experienceloscabos.travel/