Seychelles Holidays - The Epitome of Luxury

The 115 perennially warm islands of the Seychelles in the Indian Ocean could offer the perfect destination for a luxury holiday.

Boasting huge swatches of sand nestled between imposing rocks, as well as a unique culture influenced by a melting pot of nations and religions and gorgeous natural scenery, the Republic of Seychelles, as it is officially known, is among the contenders for the best holiday location in the world.

Its most popular destinations are the inner islands of Mahe, Praslin and La Digue, although holidaymakers regularly go on excursions to the unspoiled outer islands of the Seychelles too.

Mahe is the largest of the islands and attracts many visitors thanks to the fact that the capital of the Seychelles, Victoria, and 90 per cent of the republic's population are based on the island.

It boasts dramatic mountain scenery and is something of a haven for nature lovers due to its wide array of flora and fauna. Indeed, the 3,045-hectare Morne Seychellois National Park is a popular tourist attraction on Mahe and is a great location for long, scenic walks.

Other Mahe sights include a variety of religious and historical buildings and monuments, such as the Domaine de Val des Pres craft village and the imposing Cathedral of Our Lady of Immaculate Conception.

Praslin, meanwhile, is less busy than Mahe but is no less interesting than the larger island. It hosts the Vallee de Mai nature reserve - a UNESCO World Heritage site - and the Praslin Museum, which lets visitors try out traditional activities such as grilling breadfruit and de-husking coconuts as well as displaying a wealth of intriguing artefacts relating to the long history of the Seychelles.

La Digue is more laidback than Mahe and Praslin and as such is perfect for those in search of a truly relaxing Seychelles holiday. It is home to rare species such as the ultra-rare black paradise flycatcher, the cave swiftlet, the waxbill and two types of terrapin and resolutely holds fast to the traditions of yesteryear, offering a fantastic escape for those weary of the hustle and bustle of modern life.

Top Five Hotels in Koh Samui

Samui, an island lying in the Gulf of Thailand truly deserves the epithet 'the Paradise on Earth'. An island famous for its beaches and natural beauty, Samui occupies a prominent position among the world tourist destinations. Here are the top five hotels Koh Samui to make the vacation even more enjoyable.

1. Amari Palm Reef Resort, Chaweng (5-star)

Located on one of the most beautiful and popular of Samui beaches, Amari Palm Reef Resort is a favorite among hotels Koh Samui. The Thai-style buildings of the resort are set amidst tropical gardens and swaying coconut palms. Crystalline waters, availability of varied water sports and vibrant nightlife makes the resort the ideal base for travelers of all hues.

2. Anantara Koh Samui Resort & Spa, Bophut beach (5-star)

Picturesque beaches, breathtaking sea views, spacious rooms, Thai décor, private balcony and signature Anantara spa facilities are the highlights of this luxury resort located in Fisherman's Cove. Anantara Resort is the last word in luxury and comfort.

3. Centara Grand Beach Resort Samui, Chaweng (5-star)

Located barely 15-minutes drive from Samui Airport, this resort is an established name in the Samui hospitality scene. The Cafe restaurant, Poolside Bar, Beachfront Barbecue Terrace, Pub and Lobby Lounge all are aimed at giving maximum satisfaction to guests.

4. Poppies Samui Resort, Chaweng (5-star)

Poppies Resort is located far away from the regular tourist area of Chaweng beach to give more peace and tranquility to its guests. Swimming pool with natural rock formations, Jacuzzi and open-air beachfront restaurant are its attractions.

5. Renaissance Koh Samui Resort & Spa, Lamai (5-star)

Away from the hustling tourist areas, Renaissance Resort is located close to Lamai fishing village. The calm sea and quiet surroundings are perfect for a peaceful beach holiday. In case guests feel like spending a lively night, Chaweng is just 15 minutes away.

Hotels Koh Samui are designed to be perfect partners to unforgettable beach vacation experiences.

The Six Best Thailand Resorts and Spas

Thailand has always possessed a strong sense of mysticism and natural healing through the variety of available yoga and meditation options. This becomes apparent through the many spas and resorts that can be located throughout the country. Below you will find an array of worthy health spa and vacation resorts, which accommodate a wide range of budgets.

1) The Oriental, Bangkok

The Oriental is considered one of the most beautiful spas in the world from the suites all the way down to the standard room. The spa marks a breakthrough in Asia, which is considered one of the first of its kind. Popular options include the Oriental Massage, as well as the Jet Lag Recovery Treatment. The spa also features a Revitalizing Seaweed Treatment, Essential Oil Massage, Oriental Mud Wrap and the Oriental Herbal Wrap. Average Price: $330-$2200

2) Natural Wing Health Spa

Located a couple minutes from the Bang Por Beach, visitors will find themselves situated about a tropical oasis, surrounded by white sands and lovely views. If you are interested in staying at this location, you will find a satisfying selection of deluxe Thai villas. The resort offers access to a refreshing swimming pool, as well as a top-notch health spa with authentic Thai massage. Additional services offered include yoga, meditation, colonic cleansing, as well as acupuncture. Average Price: $40-90 per day

3) St. Carlos Medical Spa

For those who wish to experience the uplifting properties of traditional Thai medicine, this is the place to seek out. The spa treatment and other therapies have earned a reputation for providing a small slice of heaven to visitors. Once you check into deluxe accommodations, you may explore the open terrace, evening cruise, or delicious international cuisine. One of the most popular packages at this location includes the Honeymoon Package, offering five treatments per day (three primary and two mini options). Average Price: $100-$1500

4) Evason Hua Hin Resort & Six Senses Spa

There are close to 150 luxury, lodging options featured at this resort and spa, which places you in the midst of a breathtaking tropical garden. The private pool villas here provide great views of the Gulf of Siam. Many tourists boast of the superb level of service and amenities offered at this resort, from the lotus pool to the romantic balconies. A popular package option to be on the lookout for is called the Exotic Flower Bath, which includes two hours of a full body, face and scalp massage. Average Price: $125-$425

5) Patong Villa Hote

The Chaidee Spa at this hotel offers traditional Thai surroundings, as well as a satisfying location to let all worries float away. Situated on the tropical destination of Phuket, accommodations are located rather close to the beach. At the onsite beauty salon, you may enjoy facial and foot massages, as well as traditional Thai and Swedish massage. Average Price: $27-$40

6)Pimalai Resort & Spa

There are close to 1000 meters of sand-filled beach land to experience when staying at this resort and spa. Placing tourists in the southern part of Thailand, within the province of Kabi, you will be able to enjoy the breathtaking coastline. Available spa selections include the Pimalai Pampering Package (flower bath and massage); Ultimate Detox Package (flower bath, body wrap, massage); "Koo Rak" Package (body scrub and massage); and Royal "Koo Rak" Package (herbal steam, flower bath, body scrub and massage). Average Price: $250-$2000.

As you can tell, in recent years Thailand has emerged as a spa destination with some of the world's best spas in idyllic locations at affordable prices.

Hotels in Cape Town

It is never cheap to travel and while many people are looking for accommodation that is affordable most travelers have specific preferences when it comes to accommodation.

Finding a hotel in Cape Town is easy as there are many hotels available in all the holiday and business areas of Cape Town. Some people prefer large hotel groups that they are familiar with while others are more concerned about the price and area they want to stay in.

If your preference is hotel groups you will find that the Holiday Inn, Southern Sun, Protea and City Lodge groups all have hotels in Cape Town. Formula One is a budget hotel group and they have three different hotels in the Cape Town area. The Formula One hotels are, however, not in the city itself, but the others all have hotels in the city or very close to the city.

The Southern Sun hotels are mostly at the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront of which the One & Only Cape Town is the newest addition. The Protea group has a hotel in Sea Point and the Holiday Inn is at Green Market Square right in the heart of the city.

There are many other hotels available as well, of which many are at the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront. The City Lodge and Breakwater Lodge are the most affordable in the area, but if you are looking for a luxury Cape Town hotel you will have a variety of choices here. The Victoria & Alfred Waterfront is very close to the city and the ideal place to stay if you don't want to be in the city itself. The Cape Grace and Victoria & Alfred hotels are two of the very popular and luxurious hotel at the waterfront. While all the hotels have their own restaurants there are many other dining opportunities within walking distance from all the hotels.

Sea Point is a mere five minutes drive from the city bowl and hosts a variety of hotels with facilities catering for business travelers and holidaymakers. Sea Point is a trendy area and most hotels are very close to the beach area. The Protea Hotel Sea Point and the Cape Town Ritz are two of the larger hotels in the area.

For the ultimate in luxury the Twelve Apostles Hotel on the way to Hout Bay or the Mount Nelson in the heart of the city are two of the best choices. Although they are both very luxurious there are many differences between the two. One of the biggest differences is the areas. If you want to be part of Cape Town's vibrant energy the Mount Nelson is ideally situated. It has an old world charm with every luxury you can dream of, but is within seconds of the bustling hub of the city. The Twelve Apostles, on the other hand, is about fifteen minutes away from the city and a bit away from everything. It is the ideal place to relax without being to far from all the activities.

These are a few of the numerous hotels Cape Town has on offer to ensure you have excellent accommodation available during your stay in the city.

All Inclusive Thailand Holidays

Centara Villas Samui, Koh Samui

On a quiet hillside overlooking Natien Beach in southern Samui, the property will spread throughout the tropical plant up to a perfect long white sand beach, surrounded by a coral reef. The setting is naturally beautiful and abundance of plants and foliage creates a fantastic atmosphere throughout the resort. The resort offers a luxury in exotic form of 99 private villas in traditional Thai style, isoverlooking the amazing gardens or turquoise sea. Around 40 per cent of the rooms now include Jacuzzis and private pools after a refurbishment meaning even more luxury. The hotel features 3 restaurants, 2 bars, 3 pools, a spa, dive centre as well as a huge choice of activities from mountain biking to fishing.

Centara Grand Beach Resort & Villas, Krabi

Situated in its own private bay named Pai Plong, just one bay away from the major resort of Ao Nang, the Centara Grand Beach Resort offers untold luxury. The bay on which this residence sits is fronted by an idyllic white sandy beach and backed by sheer limestone cliffs. The accommodation consists of a cluster of low-rise, 3 storey buildings and separate individual villas, all of which have ocean views and large terraces with relaxing and dining areas. On top of the in-room dining options there are 4 restaurants serving international, Asian, Thai and Japanese cuisine as well as seafood. There are also 2 bars, a spa kids club and many water sports and activities available.

Centara Karon Resort, Phuket

Situated on the magnificent Karon Beach this resort is made up of 4 residential zones named The Terraces, The Lagoon, Tropicale and The Cabanas. All 316 rooms are surrounded by amazing landscaped gardens with a further 19 independent villas placed throughout the grounds. The Terraces offer superior sea view rooms and 4 deluxe honeymoon suites with enormous terrace and private outdoor Jacuzzi. The Lagoon rooms offer a lot of space and and many have 2 double beds, perfect for families. Tropicale rooms are designed for pure luxury and the Cabanas are spread throughout the tropical gardens offering almost total privacy and personalised service. There are 3 restaurants, 4 bars, 3 pools, a spa, fitness centre and tennis courts meaning the Centara Karon has everything covered.

Essential Tips to Buying a Home in Thailand Part 2

The best lesson I learned about buying a home in Thailand is that it really pays big time to think through exactly what you're doing before you go do it. This may sound common sense, but believe me, it's easy to get big headed about spending a lot of money in Thailand - especially when you have a substantial income from a western country!

It's easy to get ambitious when your dollar is worth many times the Thai baht! Overnight you're a millionaire (in Thailand at least), and you can build a huge home with no expenses spared, using all the best materials money can buy. But wait a second - before you go do it, here's a few things to keep in mind...

The first thing is that you should be careful about over-spending, and keep to some sort of budget. Sometimes materials and prices of things (builders, carpenters, wall tiles, cement and furnishings for example) can fluctuate wildly. One day you're paying $300 for those beautiful doors, and tomorrow you're charged $700 for the same thing. Ouch. You ordered, they delivered.

The other thing that can catch you out is falling into the trap of impressing everyone around you with your wealth, and beautiful new home. Sometimes it's better to stick to the budget, and just build your home to lockup stage - and do the interior essentials (like painting and furniture buying, and that essential hot tub) down the track a little, or at a later date.

Ultimately it's better to get the home completed (albeit in a simple style), so at least you can move in and start living the great Thai life, rather than stressing out over building and material costs because you blew out your budget. The point is to crunch your numbers carefully. Don't be tempted by the emotional 'got to have the best home in the street' side of things and you'll do well with your new Thai home!

Cheap Hotels in Bangkok, Thailand apartment the ideal value for money

Bangkok is one of the most affordable cosmopolitan city to visit in Southeast Asia. And even though Bangkok has some of the best luxury accommodations in the world, it's the very good quality budget hotels that has attracted the attention of frugal holiday makers from all over the world.

There are many budget hotels in Bangkok and usually the best ones are found in the center of the city, in popular districts such as Silom and Sukhumvit. Another area with affordable lodgings is in the old district called Banglampoo, where Khao San Road has been drawing young backpackers in for years, though the area is seeing an increase on better quality hotels.

Even though Banglampoo is near many of the city's old historical attractions some may find it too far and not so easy to get to central Bangkok, which is the heart of the city's activity. So for most it's better to stay in central Bangkok, where visitors can benefit from the city's efficient train systems that run along Silom and Sukhumvit districts.

And though most would think that staying in a hotel in the center of the city will cost a lot that's not always the case. For example Sawasdee Langsuan Inn is one of the most affordable budget hotels close to the poshest luxury stores and expensive 5 star hotels. A standard room there during the low season only cost 900 baht and the room rate includes a simple breakfast.

Another budget hotel to consider is the City Lodge 19 right on Sukhumvit Road, near BTS Sky Train station. The position is very comfortable, surrounded by many companies catering to foreigners. In addition, two nightlife districts of Bangkok and naughty the best bars and clubs.

There are many cheap hotels in Bangkok are available. Although keep in mind that the best prices are, if you book in low season, from April to October. And where a local agency that can book hotels in Bangkokhelp you locate the best hotel deals.