When you think of holiday travel, what comes to your mind first? When thinking of holiday travel, many individuals automatically think of traveling to visit with family and friends for Christmas, Thanksgiving, or Easter. While these may be the most well-known holidays, they are not the only ones. In the summer months, many individuals and families make the decision to vacation on or around Labor Day or the Forth of July.

If you are interested in vacationing on or around Labor Day weekend or the Forth of July weekend, there are a number of important factors that you should first consider. Perhaps, the most important factor is number of other travelers on the road. As previously mentioned, a large number of individuals and families make the decision to travel on a summer holiday weekend. If you are interested in vacationing at a popular destination, you may want to take this into consideration.

In most of the world, summer is associated with sun, sand, and beaches. The majority of families that travel on Labor Day weekend or the Forth of July weekend are heading to the beach. There are a number of popular beaches that can be found in the United States and Europe. Popular beaches in the United States include Daytona Beach, Virginia Beach, and South Beach. St. Tropez, Cannes, Costa Smeralda, and Marbella are popular summer beach destinations in Europe.

When selecting a summer holiday vacation destination, it is important to keep what you need and want out of your vacation in mind. If you are looking for a romantic, but private getaway, you may want to avoid the above mentioned beaches. If large crowds and a lack of privacy will not have a negative impact on your vacation then you select just about any destination in the world.

Beaches can easily be considered the most popular summer vacation destinations, but they are not your only options when vacationing during a summer holiday. To many, Labor Day and the Forth of July mean outdoor barbeques and picnics. For this reason, public campgrounds and parks are popular summer vacation destinations. If you are interested in camping outdoors, grilling, and participating in outdoor activities, camping may be a great vacation for you and your family.

Outdoor camping is enjoyed by many. Its allure is privacy. Most campgrounds are founded in largely landscaped areas. Trees and large bushes often create private retreats. In addition to being found in wooded areas, public campgrounds can also be found along secluded beaches and in the mountains. State or national parks, which allow camping, and public campgrounds are often filled with a number of facilities. These facilities often include onsite laundromats, general stores, and game rooms.

Outdoor camping is most often perceived as sleeping outdoors in a tent. Tents are often the most used piece of camping equipment, but RVs are gaining popularity. If you do not own an RV, you can easily rent one from a number of locations. There are many individuals and families who enjoy taking a road trip throughout the United States or Europe.

Beaches and campgrounds are popular vacation destinations for summer holiday travelers. However, it is important to note that you should not limit yourself to the vacationing at the beach or camping. Additional fun-filled activities may include visiting a museum, zoo, or amusement park. When it comes to summer holiday travel, just about anything is possible.

Bali is to everyone not only known for it’s indigenous culture, people, but also known for it’s nature, i.e.: magnificent mountain, alluring sea, beaches, pristine forest, waterfall, hot spring, rice fields, flora, fauna, traditional villages, etc are the great asset that Bali has to offer. It attracts the tourists to come to Bali especially to those who are fond of travelling. They like to go to the places where they can recharge their souls, unwind, release the tension from work, and simply enjoy what life has to offer.

While enjoying the great view, you may thoroughly enjoy the adventures in Bali through joining adventure activities that available in Bali, such as: horse riding, elephant ride, quad & buggy ride, bungy jumping, buggy drive, village trekking, forest & mountain trekking, cycling, hiking, rafting, sea cruise, land cruise, scuba/diving, snorkelling, water sports, land tours, golf, and so on.

Here’s a list of tips for adventure travellers, whether they want adventures that are more inclined to wilderness or just the typical family adventure most people would love to experience: (more…)

Known as “London by the Sea”, Brighton is one of the UK’s largest and most famous seaside resorts.

Brighton’s  heyday came in the 18th Century when the town’s favour with the party-loving Prince of Wales (later George VI) gave it an immediate cachet. The London elite flocked to Brighton in the royal wake and traces of this old gentility remains in the fashionable town houses, squares and crescents in the Victorian mode. The most marked royal touch is seen in the the fantastic Brighton Royal Pavilion with its eastern domes and spires.

The English aristocracy later neglected Brighton in favour of resorts in continental Europe. However, the opening of the railway in 1841 brought in a regular flood of day trippers and weekend trysters that continues to this day. The addition of piers and amusements parks served to attract a more general visitor in search of fairground rides, candy floss and jaw breaking rock. (more…)

About the Country

The summers are cool here but the winters are severe with some chances of snowfall. Rainfall can be expected in any month of the year. Dutch is the official language here. English, French and German are the other languages that are spoken, out of which English is widely spoken. Incase of emergency call 112.

Culture

Handshake is the commonly practiced form of greeting. Although tipping is not mandatory, but it’s better to pay rounds figure in restaurants and taxis. A humble gift should be taken to the host’s house always when invited for a meal. Informal clothes are worn on a daily basis, but people are expected to turn up in formals at social functions and smart restaurants.

Shopping

Pottery of Delft, Makkum and Workum is a must buy. Silverware from Schoonhoven, crystals from Leerdam and diamonds from Amsterdam are highly recommended.

Site Seeing

Apenheul Primate Park is a place to visit which is a home to more than thirty species of mammals. It remains closed during the winter. De Hoge Veluwe is the oldest and largest park of Holland. Bicycles can be used to explore the 5,500 hectares of the park. Paleis Het Loo is a magnificent Palace surrounded by gardens and remains open year round except on public holidays.

Electricity

230 V and 50 Hz

Travel

The national airline that operates in Holland is KLM-Royal Dutch Airlines. It connects to almost all the major cities of Europe, North America and Asia. Amsterdam Airport is the hub for many international and local flights. It is located at 15 km away from the city and it takes 20 minutes to reach there by train. The Airline, KLM, provides bus service every 15-30 minutes which takes passengers to some of the famous hotels of the city. Public buses can be availed too, to reach destination. Trains connect to Amsterdam’s Central Station and Zuid Station. Taxis take tourists to almost any location. The Airport features duty free shops, banks, showers, business center, baby rooms, and car hire.

Rotterdam airport and Eindhoven airport are 8km away from the city. Trains and buses operate every 15 minutes to transport passengers to their hotels. Facilities such as duty free shops, eateries, car rental, and internet can be availed at these airports. No departure tax is implemented on passengers at any of these airports.

The main sea ports are Hook of Holland, Vlissingen and Rotteradm. Stena Line, P&O ferries and DFDS seaways provide ferry service to get to Holland.

If traveling by railway, Eurostar provides the best service and connects to all the major cities of Europe. It provides high grade services. Good offers are provided on regular basis and to utilize them they should be monitored from time to time. Unused tickets are easily refunded. The Inter-Rail pass can be bought to avail the unlimited second class train travel within 29 European countries.

Top class road network connects Holland to majority of cities in Europe. They are well maintained and signs are posted every where for safe driving. 120kph is the speed limit while driving on highways. Many car dealing agents exist if opting for car-rental. Some of them are Avis, Europcar and Budget.

Cycling is also a major means of transportation in Holland and is part and parcel of daily life. Tourists can hire cycles from the airport or other service providers with some money-deposit.

Duty Free Items

1. 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 100 cigarillos or 250g of tobacco
2. 50g of perfume and 250ml of eau de toilette
3. 1liter of liquor or 2liter of sparkling wine or liquor wines and 2liter of non-sparkling wine
4. 100g of tea or 40g of tea extract
5. 500g of coffee or 200g of coffee extract

About the county

Portugal was a world power in 15th and 16th century but was reduced to rubbles during an earthquake in 1755, Napoleon’s Invasion and Brazil’s Independence. Sharing the Iberian Peninsula with Spain and bordering Atlantic Ocean by both west and south coast it is popular for its long and varied coastline, sunny climate and the charming towns makes it a traveler’s paradise. Lisbon is the capital of Portugal.

The best thing about Portugal is that despite being a part of modern Europe one can still find the rural dwellings which has stood by time and has preserved its traditions. While modern architectural marvels like high-rise resorts dot the coast in the Southern province of the Algarve, Lisbon on the west coast on the other hand is a crowded city home to many fine tourist resorts. If you want to go back in time you have to just travel few miles north or east where you will see scenic countryside still resemble medieval villages and towns of earlier centuries.

Population & Languages

The population of Portugal is roughly 10.6 million and the official language being spoken is Portuguese. Mirandese is also second officially language spoken in some parts of Portugal.

Electricity

The voltage is 230 V and the frequency is 50 Hz. The types of plug used are round pin with attachment and “Schuko” plug and receptacle with side grounding contacts.

Geographic Location

It is located in Southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. It shares the Iberian Peninsula with Spain in north and east and borders Atlantic Ocean by both west and south coast.

Climate

The climate of Portugal can be classified into two. It is oceanic in the north and Mediterranean in the south. It is also one of the warmest countries of Europe. The average temperatures in the mainland are 13°C (55°F) in the north and 18°C (64°F) in the south. Summers are hot and dry. Winters are cold and wet. Spring and autumn are the best seasons to visit Portugal.

Local Customs
Casual dressing is acceptable. But keep in mind not to wear beachwear in towns. Smoking is allowed after meals in Restaurants. Smoking is prohibited in theatres, cinemas and buses. Tipping is 10 to 15 percent in restaurant and hotels and 10 percent to taxis.

Attractions

Castelo de Sao Jorge ? Castle of St. George
Alfama – The oldest part of Lisbon
Sé (Cathedral) – first church in Lisbon
Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation Museum
The Bairro Alto – The Bairro Alto district, an historic enclave dating back to 1513
Monument to the Discoveries – One of the popular attractions in Lisbon is the monument, situated on the riverbank in the Avenida de Brasilia in the district of Belem, which was designed to commemorate the Portuguese Age of Discovery
Tower of Belem – This is a UNESCO World Heritage Site
Parque das Nacoes
Fatima
Museu Nacional de Soares dos Reis – dedicated to Soares dos Reis, the famous sculptor born and bred in Porto
Igreja de Sao Francisco
Solar Vinho do Porto
Vila Nova de Gaia
Frederico de Freitas Museum
Sao Vicente Caves
Cable Car
Cathedral
Whale Museum
Porto Santo
Setubal
Coimbra
Coimbra University
Guimaraes
Guimaraes church and palace
Braganca

Travel

By Air ? The national airline of Portugal is TAP Air Portugal (TP). The airlines operates direct flights to many destinations like Faro, Lisbon and Porto from a number of countries, including Canada, France, Spain, the UK and USA. Portugalia Airlines (NI) operates flights from Europe. Many popular airlines that fly to Poland from UK are British Airways, GB Airways and Monarch Airlines, Easyjet, bmibaby, Jet 2, MyTravelLite, Flybe, Flyglobespan and SATA.The biggest airport is Lisbon International Airport which is located like 4.5 miles north of the city.

By Sea ? The main ports for international passengers are Lisbon, Leixes (Oporto), Funchal (Madeira) and Portimão (Algarve), served by Cunard, Italia, Linea C, Olympia, P&O and Union Cas

By Rail ? If coming from UK, the fastest way is to get on Eurostar train to Paris and from Paris to Portugal by Sud-Express.

Road ? Spain is the only country sharing border with Portugal. The major border posts are open most of the time now.

Duty Free Items
1. Up to 200 cigarettes or 100 cigarillos or 50 cigars or 250g smoking tobacco for Non-European union countries.
2. 1 liter spirits with alcohol greater than 22%, or 2 liter spirits or aperitifs made of wine less than 22% or sparkling wines or liqueurs, or a proportionate mix of these, and 2 liters of wine
3. perfume up to 50g and 250ml eau de toilette
4. Gifts up to ?175
5. 500g coffee or 100g tea or 40g of tea extract
6. Medicines for personal use

Prohibited Items

Birds and poultry arriving from countries infected with Avian influenza, Un-canned goods, meat or dairy products, Narcotics, firearms, ammunition, weapons, eggs, plants, endangered species, fireworks and alcoholic beverages that contain more than sixty per cent alcohol.