Switzerland - Interlaken, Zurich, St. Moritz and Geneva

Switzerland is the land of skiing, chocolate and very private banking. Ah, but there is so much more to experience in the land of neutrality. 

Interlaken  
Interlaken gets its highly creative name from sitting on the split of land between two lakes. If you’re looking for a little extreme sporting, this is place. You can backpack, horseback ride, parasail and so on. To really take in the majesty of the alps, I highly recommend you cough up the money for a go at skydiving. You may have gone ski diving before, but I guarantee you nothing compares to free falling down through the mountains of Switzerland. This is how God must feel looking down at the earth. While God gets the view for free, you will have to pay…a lot. Still, the view and experience is something you will never forget.  

Zurich
Zurich is the cleanest city in Switzerland, Europe and maybe the world. There place simply sparkles. Various guide books challenge readers to find a cigarette butt or piece of trash on the sparkling streets. Personally, I find the cleanliness of the city a bit of a negative. Stop rolling your eyes. The place is simply so clean that it seems to lack any real character. One keeps getting the feeling you are walking around a Disneyland Park. The budget traveler should be aware that Zurich is more expensive than even Disneyland.


St. Moritz
If you’re looking for the arrogant rich, over the top luxury and incredibly expensive prices, St. Moritz is for you. Not really my crowd, so on to the next city…

Geneva
Geneva is not “just another” clean city in Switzerland. Okay, it looks like it at first and second glance, but the third glance may prove a delight. With cobble stone streets, the city reminds one of the stereotypical Swiss images in the media. In reality, Geneva has a bustling underground of live music, art and general fun. Four aspirin and two bottles of water later, I can certainly attest to it. The only way to let your hair down in Geneva is to buddy up to a local and follow their lead. Trust me, you’ll have a blast.
Switzerland often seems a bit too good to be true. Perhaps it truly is a mountain mirage. Guess you’ll just have to visit to do your own investigation! 

Extreme Crowds at Badaling Great Wall of China

Each section of the Great Wall is different, has a unique character and appeals to different types of tourists. Badaling is the most famous, popular and easy to visit section of the wall. It is also the most crowded, the best maintained and over developed section of the wall.
I have been hearing stories from fellow travellers about the Badaling section of the wall for years and the theme of these stories invariably were crowds, voracious hawkers, hordes of tour groups, rampant commercialization and more crowds.

Going to Badaling
Not being keen on crowds and preferring to enjoy the majesty and beauty of the Great Wall in relative solitude, I had always avoided Badaling like the plague. Morbid curiosity gradually got the better of me and I finally broke down and took a trip to Badaling.
The Badaling section of the Great Wall of China was everything I had heard it to be and so much more!!!

Getting there
Badaling is by far the easiest section of the Great Wall to visit and you can get there by train, multiple bus lines, taxis, private cars and with tour groups. After many trips to different sections of the wall that involved multiple buses, taxis and hiking, the luxury of taking a train was irresistible.
There is a train that runs from Beijing North train station that drops you off at the Badaling train station. Yes. This section of the wall has its very own train station. The asiest way to reach Beijing North train station to catch the subway to Xizhimen on subway line 2 and use exit A which is right in front of the train station. A quick subway ride, a few minutes queuing for a 6rmb ticket and I was on the train and on the way to the famous (infamous) Badaling section of the Great Wall of China.

After a very comfortable 78 minute train ride, I disembarked at Badaling train station and followed the crowds of other tourist to the Badaling village where the Badaling Great Wall experience began.
On the wall
The first part of the wall complex is a moden retail center cum village that has gift shops, restaurants such as Subways, KFC and California Beef noodles, a lot of ATM's and an empty tourist information center. About the only useful thing I could see there were toilets.
After the village was a large walled compound and square where tickets are sold and the crowds began. Tickets were only 45rmb which was surprising after hearing how expensive Badaling was to visit. After buying a ticket, you start the climbing the wall and you have a choice of turning to the left and going south or turning to the right and going north. The crowds were going north so I took north.
 
Crowds
To say the Badaling section of the Great Wall is crowded is a massive understatement. From the moment you turn right until you pass the North Eighth Tower which is the highest and most northern point of the wall at Badaling, the wall is crowded. The higher you go, the more dense the crowds are. At the top of the Eighth Tower where people slow down to take photos, recover and enjoy the view, the wall is so crowded that people are packed in and the only way to make progress is to push and squeeze.
For some sections of the wall, getting into shape and packing a food and drink for one or two days is essential preparation. For preparation to climb Badaling, I recommend you take a ride on the Beijing subway during peak hour.
 
The wall itself
Badaling has been completely restored and I doubt very much if any of the original wall remains. One advantage of this is that the wall is in excellent condition, safe and very easy to walk. About the only tricky part of the wall to walk is where the walking surfaces are flat (no stairs) but very steep. These areas are extremely slippery and it is very easy to fall over or slide all the way to the bottom. Most people haul themselves up and down the wall by the hand rail at these areas.
The Badaling section of the Great Wall is shaped like an inverted "U". The starting point with the ticket office is in the South West area. The wall heads north to the "North Eighth Tower" which is the highest and most northern point of Badaling then the wall continues to the South East where it finishes.
Most people only do the first section of the wall and either catch the chair lift down from the Eighth tower, take a ride on the trolley/slide that starts near the Eighth tower or turn around and walk back to the main entrance. The second section of Badaling after the Eighth tower is MUCH less crowded. Once you reach the Eighth Tower and start walking the second section of Badaling, you can easily relax and really start to enjoy your time on the wall.
The second section of the wall provides even better views than the first second, is longer, steeper in some parts and a lot of fun to walk. Walking the first section takes one to two hours depending on crowds. Walking the second section takes around an hour.
The wall itself continues and joins the Juyongguan section of the wall that you can see in the distance. You can't reach the Juyongguan section because the Badaling section ends at a blocked watch tower. You can't jump of the wall, walk around the blocked tower and continue walking the wall because the wall is too high above the ground and there is a metal barrier to stop people who do manage to climb off the wall.
 
Tricky hawkers
The entire Badaling section of the wall only had two hawkers who had set up stands on the second section (first section was too crowded for stands) and there were no hawkers harassing people or being aggressive and obnoxious.
I was standing near one of the hawkers admiring the view when I overheard a Chinese female tourist ask about the price of one of his wares. 40rmb. I waited a few minutes then asked him in English how much the same product was. 85rmb. I then had the satisfaction of watching him squirm when I asked in Chinese why he just offered it to the lady for a much lower price.
Difficulty - The Badaling section of the Great Wall is very easy and safe to climb and suitable for people of any age or fitness level. For people who have trouble walking, the entire section of the wall has very secure hand rails on either side and you can easily take regular rests.
Leaving the Wall & Going Home
The South East exit at the end of the second section of the wall is like an amusement park with a two bear enclosures, horse rides, camel rides, food stores and gift shops. Once you lease the amusement park there are toilets, a major bus stop and another train station.
When I reached the exit, there was not another train due for over an hour so I jumped on the 919 bus and was back in Beijing in 70 to 80 minutes. The final bus stop in Beijing where I got off is only around 500 meters from the A exit of the Jishuitan subway station on the number two line so getting back to my hotel was quick and easy.
 
Was it worth it?
Surprisingly, yes. Absolutely. I really enjoyed walking Badaling and it was a great day out. Compared to every other section of the wall, Badaling is very easy to get to and the ease of transport is a refreshing luxury. No hiking for hours just to reach the wall, no haggling with taxi drivers, no getting lost in the wilderness and no marathon bus trips. The restored wall is extremely easy to walk and the views are magnificent.
That said, I would only recommend Badaling if you have very limited time in Beijing, if you have problems walking or if you have already seen other less crowded parts of the wall such as Simatai or Mutianyu.

5 Tips That Will Make Family Trips to Penang Safe and Stress-Free

Choosing a good hotel in Penang, Malaysia is just start of the few but critical problems you may encounter when planning a family trip. Kids, especially, are the ones that are harder to please during your vacation. But with these tips in mind, you'll surely make your family holiday safe and stress-free.
Plan ahead. Nothing beats a carefully planned and streamlined travel itinerary. While researching about Penang's top tourist spots before flying out is important, jotting down the things that need to be packed and done is equally significant. By creating lists, you have a visual representation of your thoughts that help keep you organized and avoid leaving out certain items in your luggage


Delegate. On average, families consist of 4 members. Instead of taking all the responsibility, segregate tasks to each individual. For example, someone should be assigned to keep an eye on the luggage bags. Another should be in charge of the travel budget. Tasks assigned to each member—big or small—can make a huge difference on your vacation.
Stick to the budget. Spending money should be strictly monitored and ever so carefully handled. Allot a separate budget for accommodation, food, and shopping expenses to keep your funds at bay. When faced with an enticing item that is way out of budget, ask yourself this: Will this do me any good in the future? If possible, think about your decision overnight. Remember that an impulsive move almost always leads to bad results.
Take care of your passport. If it's you and family's first time to travel to Penang, have someone to keep all passports and other important documents needed at the airport. Carry it everywhere you go and place it somewhere where you can easily reach it. Passports are your identity when outside the country so make sure to guard it well at all costs.

Be on the lookout for the best hotel in Penang. Hotels can make or break your vacation, so make sure you thoroughly research before reserving a room online. Read reviews about the hotel of your choice and check whether they have ongoing promotions that you can take advantage of. The Northam All Suites Penang, for example, has the Studio Suite Best Buy package, which you can get for an incredibly low rate. With this deal, guests like you can enjoy an accommodation in the Studio Suite, buffet breakfast for 2, free daily newspaper, and complimentary upgrade to Junior Suite (subject to availability). You also get 15% off at The Coffee House, 50% off on Chinese Dim Sum at Taipan Fins Restaurant, and 15% off on a spa treatment at The Suite Spa.
Family trips can truly be an enjoyable endeavor if planned carefully. And with these guidelines locked down—and a good deal at a hotel in Penang, Malaysia under your belt—you'll surely be able to create lots of fun and meaningful memories.

USA- Where the Name Says it All

The United States of America is little bit more then what you have seen in television and movies. It is far more beautiful, has friendly people, life moves with the speed of roller coaster ride and world renowned sights are in abundance. Presence of multi cultural people makes it a more beautiful and colorful experience. Tourists who descend here for vacations get magnetize towards the theme parks, gardens, historical monuments, nightlife, globally renowned buildings, art galleries and exuberant green rain forests and tend to board a flight to USA again in their next vacations. Every single state of USA has something to spell bind the visitants, but here we are giving you a quick journal of basic cognition about some of the most descended places. 

New York - New York or NYC is the city that never sleeps. Always partying, enjoying and celebrating, this city is the loved destination when it comes to fun filled holidays. Located on the mouth of the Hudson River, this metropolis of states has something for every age group and taste, so if you are looking out for some city for sheer enjoyment, then New York is ready to welcome you with open hands.

Los Angeles - Which Hollywood fan in the world doesn’t know about this city, this city of Angels- Los Angeles? Home to famous movie studios, Hollywood, this metropolis is a dwelling to many well known faces of the industry. LA is all about snow covered mountains, forests, deserts, beaches, cinema and deep valleys. If you want to descend to this metropolis then, book your flights to Los Angeles.

Washington D.C - Washington D.C is the capital of United States of America. If your next trip is culture focused, then no other city in states can beat Washington D.C. Legion of cultural monuments, museums, national library and many more are awaiting you here. Famous president house of U.S.A, the White House is also settled in D.C 

Miami - Miami plays a very important role in culture, media, finance, commerce, arts and international trade of United States. Its pristine beaches are something that shouldn’t be missed on your confrontation with the city. Miami is also known as ‘America's Cleanest City’ and ‘Cruise Capital of the World’. With this little bit yet adequate knowledge, now plan up your trip to any of the City of United States of America and avail the fun that the country serves to its visitors.
Martin Nobel is a travel consultant and advisor for cheap flights and travel package deals from UK. He is interested in writing on flights to USA like: Miami, Los Angeles and New York flights. If you want to know about Cheap Flights then you must visit www.flightcatchers.com

Innsbruck - Europe's Oldest City

The oldest city in Europe and unarguably also one of the most beautiful, Innsbruck, Austria is far more than just another Austrian ski destination. The capital of Tyrol state, Innsbruck is located on the Western side of Austria, close to the country’s borders with Germany and Italy, and its picturesque location among snow-capped mountains has made it a favourite destination for skiers and winter sports enthusiasts, and this Alpine city has twice been the venue for the Winter Olympics. Tiny by city standards, with a population of less than 150,000, it remains the feel of an Alpine town, and if you are looking for a cosy hotel Innsbruck has plenty of comfortable choices in all price ranges. The city attracts tourists throughout the year, but the winter ski season is when it becomes seriously flooded with tourists, whose presence makes for a lively apres-ski scene at the bars and restaurants that are dotted around the town. Aside from drinking and dining, Innsbruck offers many unique attractions that combine to make this far more than your average ski destination. Many of these attractions, such as the largest zoo in Europe, are suitable for families, and Innsbruck is a great place for a family holiday at any time of year. Many Innsbruck hotels are extremely family friendly, and some are able to arrange babysitting services and creches in addition to providing the necessary extras such as high chairs and cots. While the slopes surrounding Innsbruck are the city’s principle attractions during the winter months, but there are festivals and events held throughout the year, and Innsbruck’s beautiful landscape really comes to life in the spring and throughout the summer, when flowers bloom on the hillsides and visitors can enjoy mountain walks, swimming in mountain springs and natural waterfalls, and enjoy al-fresco dining and drinking at the city’s picturesque public squares. Bear in mind that hotels tend to be fully booked during the ski season, so it’s advisable to make reservations well in advance of your visit if you intend to be in Innsbruck during the months of December through to February.

Hotel Discounts Are Easy To Find and Save You Money

Heading on vacation is among the few delights that almost everybody wants to take pleasure from. Many people cannot go on vacation because of the financial investment that is required. Someone must pay to arrive at their destination, somewhere to rest their head and food you can eat while they are there. Vacation costs quickly accumulate when someone considers the average necessities. 

It's possible for somebody to go on vacation without having to worry about breaking her or his bank. It's possible to get hotel discounts in about any area. This means that someone should be able to save on their hotel stay and will then make use of the money they save someplace else such as dining out or gas money to visit places of interest. 

 

 In order to get the hotel discounts someone first needs to decide where they're interested in vacationing. It is very important ensure that you look for a hotel that's a reasonable distance from the attractions they are looking to visit. It will help them save money in the long run since they won't have to invest a lot of cash to get to and from the attractions. 

 

 After someone has decided where they would like to visit on their own vacation they'll need to decide when they need to vacation in the area. Some destinations are ideal to visit during winter months such as ski resorts and others are ideal to visit during warmer, summer months for example beach resorts. When someone knows once they will be curious about the destinations, they'll be able to make reservations early and obtain great hotel discounts.

  In order to get the hotel discounts someone should take time to make reservations ahead of time. They will want to make sure that they provide themselves many opportunities to find the hotel that can accommodate them best and make the reservations as quickly as they can. Some hotels offer package deals where someone will get their drinks, food and room lumped together in one discount package.

A vacationer should look at more than one hotel when they are considering a holiday. They may be capable of getting a better package deal at one hotel but could get lower nightly rates at a different hotel. It is important to choose which option is the best deal for them.

When booking the space it is important for your vacationer to check on to make sure all of the details are correct before they create the reservation. If someone chooses to create a reservation and is later unhappy with their decision, it can be tough to get a refund. A few of the hotel discounts are virtually set in stone and could not be changed regardless of what so it is essential to read the fine print when booking a room.

If a person finds that they must change their reservation they need to make sure to give ample time to the hotel. A hotel may not be able to immediately accommodate a change but if they have enough advanced notice, they might be able to help the vacationer out.
If you are on the lookout for hotels for your next vacation, you of course want to find discount hotels at cheap rates. Discount hotels.com has everything you need in order to start planning on a budget. Whether you are looking for las vegas hotels.com or new york hotel discounts, make sure to check out hotels.com.

 

India Tour Packages - Excellent Ways to Explore Incredible India Tourism

India is a great country with great tourism potential. It has been one of the most sought after countries for tourism in South Asia. Tourists from all over the world embark on India tour to explore different tourism options available. The country has varied tourism options to offer its visitors coming from different parts of the world. Tourism in this country reminds us for many cultural & heritage sites, historical places, pilgrimage sites, religious shrines, medieval temples, magnificent forts & palaces, verdant hill stations, beautiful beaches, lofty mountains, colorful fairs & festivals, wildlife sanctuaries & national parks and lots of indoor and outdoor activities. Thus tourism in India would be a wonderful experience to relish it for lifetime. 

 One of the best ways to explore the incredible India tourism in tour packages offered various tour operators and travel agencies. There are many tour operators in and across the country that offer exciting range of all-inclusive India tourism packages. Tourists can choose a right package that caters perfectly their needs, preferences and budgets. Packages are designed with keeping in mind needs of tourists and vacationers so that they can enjoy best charm of their travel.

Almost all regions of India are fascinating and appealing. Whatever part of this country you will travel in you, you will find something new, something extra and something exciting. Tourism here will always make you happy and you will treasure the charm that will last in your memories forever.

Delhi (the capital city of India, Jaipur – the Pink City of India in Rajasthan state, Varanasi – the City of Temples in Uttar Pradesh State, Agra – the City of Taj Mahal in Uttar Pradesh, Jim Corbett National Park in Uttarakhand, Ranthambore National Park in Rajasthan, Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary in Rajasthan, Shimla (the Queen of Hills Stations) in Himachal Pradesh, Manali Hill Station in Himachal Pradesh, Kashmir Valley in Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh in Jammu & Kashmir, etc are some of the most popular tourist destinations in northern India which attract the tourists. These places are key attractions for many north India tour packages offered by various tour operators and travel agencies. 

Ajanta & Ellora Caves, Taj Mahal, Khajuraho Temple, Mahabalipuram Monuments, Kanchipuram Temples, Varanasi Temples, Mahabodhi Temple, etc are attractions for India Tourism Packages designed for cultural tourism in the country. Indeed, tour packages are best ways to explore the incredible charm of tourism in this country.

Author Bio:-

Khushboo Singh is an eminent analyst and writer in Travel & Tourism related topics. She has authored many books on tour guide for India Tour Packages and North India Packages.