Thai Lady

Thinking about traveling to Asia?  Now is the best time to book as prices are the lowest they’ve been in years.

In order to compete with the popular destination choices of North American visitors, package prices to Asia that include both airfare and hotel have been dramatically reduce in cost.

All-inclusive packages to China that also include meals are available from the U.S. for as little as $1,251 per person while packages to Thailand start at $1,043 USD per person.

From Vancouver, packages are available to Bali, Indonesia, that include air, 12 nights hotel accommodation, daily breakfast, and five tours, starting from only $1,449 CAD per person.

Until August 31, 2009, China Airlines is offering flights from Los Angeles to Manila, Philippines, for $660 USD plus taxes and from San Francisco to Taipei, Taiwan, from $632 USD, both for travel this fall.  As a bonus, one free extra check-in bag is allowed with the flight to Manila.

The newest destinations to visit in Asia are Vietnam and Cambodia, both offering stunning natural beauty and include such highlights as Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Halong Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.  Flights are also available with China Airlines from Los Angeles to Hanoi starting at $718 USD return.

For more information, visit Ritz Tours & Travel and China Airlines.

Manta - SeaWorld Orlando

Known as the theme park capital of the world, Orlando, FL, has just unveiled some new attractions at three of its most popular parks.

Walt Disney World’s Characters in Flight offers guests the chance to soar 400’ above Downtown Disney in the “world’s largest tethered gas balloon.”  The character portion of the ride is the silhouettes of famous Disney characters displayed on the balloon.  The uplifting ride last for about 10 minutes and costs $16 per adult or $10 per child ages 3 – 9.

The Hollywood Rip Ride Rocket roller coaster recently opened at Universal Studios Orlando.  Hailed as the “world’s most technologically-advanced” coaster, this baby will take you on a vertical lift of 17 stories and then drop you like a rock into a 65 mph plunge.  With unique twists and turns, the Hollywood Rip Ride Rocket coaster is almost guaranteed to leave you saying “I’ve never done that before.”

At SeaWorld Orlando, the line queue for the new Manta roller coaster ride is amidst a huge 250,000 gallon aquarium filled with fish, octopus, and the namesake Manta rays.  Manta itself is a ‘flying’ coaster whereby the brave passengers are rotated into a horizontal face down position, as if to fly.  At 56 mph with a 113 foot drop, that is.

For more information, visit Walt Disney World, Universal Studios, and SeaWorld Orlando.

Enjoy a Rejuvinating Swedish Massage

With cruising remaining as one of best vacation values for your dollar, you’ll save more than enough to indulge in a few pampering spa treatments for yourself.  Let’s take a look at what some cruise ships offer!

Based in Paris, the chic Carita Spa is featured on Regent Seven Seas Cruises.  Specializing in skin care, they offer a pro-lift treatment that can revitalize your skin for that romantic dinner for two in your cabin.

The Greenhouse Spa is offered on Holland America Line featuring effervescent sea water thalassotherapy which relaxes the body and eases aches and pains – perfect after a lively day in port.

For adults only, Princess Cruises is offering a romantic side-by-side couples massage at the Lotus Spa.  Continue the relaxation you felt while lounging beside the pool by treating yourself to a spa ocean wrap to detoxify your body.

Pamper yourself when you stay in an AquaClass cabin while sailing onboard a Celebrity Cruise ship.  Here you can have complimentary access to the thermal relaxation room plus the added bonus of being able to experience spa treatments in the privacy of your own cabin.

Famous for acupuncture and massage, the prestigious Canyon Ranch spa is ready to make a fuss over you onboard the Cunard ship, Queen Mary 2, which also features a co-ed therapy pool.

All You Can Jet with JetBlue

JetBlue Airways has introduced a limited time offer promotional pass allowing unlimited travel on JetBlue for a one month time period.

Known as ‘All You Can Jet with JetBlue,’ the pass allows travel “anywhere you like, as often as you like” from September 8 to October 8, 2009. With over 600 daily flights to 57 cities, the JetBlue pass offers up tremendous value for the dollar.

Retailing at $599USD, the All You Can Jet with JetBlue pass can only be purchased by calling JetBlue Airways at 1-800-JetBlue, option 4. While the pass cost does include domestic fees and taxes, it does not include international or Puerto Rico fees & taxes.

If you are already flying with JetBlue during the same time period, you can pay the difference and upgrade to the pass. Flights must be booked with JetBlue at least 3 days in advance and are subject to availability; cancellation and no-shows are charged a $100 fee plus additional restrictions apply.

The All You Can Jet with JetBlue pass must be purchased by August 21, 2009, and is subject to limited availability so purchase early. 35 TrueBlue points are earned by purchasing the pass but no additional points are obtaining by actually flying with the pass.

JetBlue was voted “the number one low cost airline” and provides excellent customer satisfaction by offering free amenities onboard including unlimited snacks, DIRECTV and XM Radio.

For complete details, visit JetBlue.

The Quaint & Charming San Dune Inn

Located on the northern coastline of Oregon and with only 800 residents, lies the sleepy town of Manzanita, Oregon.   But don’t let that fool you, as this is actually what makes Manzanita a little piece of paradise.

Manzanita, Spanish for ‘little apple,’ is located about 2 hours west of Portland and lies to the north of Tillamook.  With seven miles of spectacular sandy beaches, it’s no wonder Manzanita has “the third most photographed scenery in Oregon,” according to VisittheOregonCoast.com.

One of the great places to stay while visiting Manzanita is the charming San Dune Inn owned by the ever-so-friendly and knowledgable, Brian & Billie Hines.  Only a few blocks away from those gorgeous beaches, and with only a handful of rooms, this unassuming motel offers a ton of fun for guests, with their compliments, of course.

There are beach chairs, board games, videos, and bicycles, which are great for exploring the town at your leisure.  The San Dune Inn is extremely dog-friendly as well and so the Hines happily provide dog treats, pooper scooper bags, and even doggie beach towels.

As an added bonus, each room offers free broadband wireless, and for added luxury, all of the bed linens are individually hand ironed.  In addition, this smoke-free motel features full kitchens with a microwave, in-room coffee, a VCR, hairdryer, and a BBQ area for guests.

For more information, visit the San Dune Inn or VisittheOregonCoast.

Burj Al Arab

One of the most intriguing destinations in the world, Dubai, United Arab Emirates, offers some of the best, biggest, and most lavish of almost everything.

According to archaeological finds, Dubai’s history can be traced back as far as the third millennium B.C.  In more recent times, as an important fishing port on the Persian Gulf, Dubai has grown from a population in 1975 of only 180,000 people, to a high-tech city of 1.5 million residents in 2008.

Let’s take a look at what makes exotic Dubai so extraordinary:

• Burj Al Arab Hotel – the billowing sail of the tallest tower in the world reaches 1,053 feet (see Nakheel Tower below)
• The World – the largest man-made islands, the first 7-star hotel ever, where you can even own your own piece of the world
• Palm Island – to solve the shortage of beaches,  the city of Dubai built three residential communities of man-made islands each forming the shape of palm tree (only one of three Palms has been completed to date)
• Bur Dubai-Deira Bridge – world’s largest arch bridge spans 672 ft tall & 5,249 long in total
• Dubai Mall - the world’s largest mall with 440,000 square feet of shopping
• Dubai Marina – a city within a city and the largest man-made marina in the world
• Nakheel Tower – which now soars over the Burj al Arab Hotel at 3,280 feet
• Ski Dubai – the Middle East’s first ski resort plus tobogganing, boarding & an ice bar
• Dubai Festival City – a  self-contained vibrant waterfront lifestyle community with homes, schools, offices, hotels, entertainment, dining and of course, more shopping

And to think this is only a partial list!  Dubai’s hospitality, ambition, and shear wealth alone, continues to astound and amaze people in all countries of the world.

To learn more, visit Dubai Tourism.

Imagine. Experience. Share.

Travel planning is easy when you use the trip planning tool available from TravelMuse.

This cool informational travel website gets you to your destination in four easy steps.  First, pick your destination.  Second, decide what you’d like to do at your destination whether it is sightseeing, water sports or simple relaxation.

Next, you can share your trip ideas with others who may be going on the trip to get their input and suggestions.  And finally, you can print a guide that is customized to your trip as you’ve planned it.

Another highlight of the TravelMuse website is the Tripfolio feature that gives you the ability to save trip planning content to your folio from anywhere on the web.  This is great when you’re researching a destination and collecting information but don’t really have just one place to put it all – and now you do.

TravelMuse also has the added ability to let you search the web directly from the TravelMuse website using their embedded web search.  This is also great so you don’t have to open multiple web pages looking for information, you can simply do it all from TravelMuse.

TravelMuse also offers a community forum where users can add reviews, ask questions about specific destinations, and generally communicate with other travelers.

For more information, visit TravelMuse, or read my articles that appear on TravelMuse here.

But Wait, There's More!

JetBlue Airways has just announced a fall seat sale with prices as low as $29 each way!

Sample one-way fares include Fort Lauderdale, FL, to Nassau, Bahamas for $29; New York, NY, to Boston, MA, for $29; New York to Montego Bay, Jamaica, for $119; Houston, TX, to New York for $129; and Chicago, IL, to Long Beach, CA, for $109.

Tickets must be purchased by August 5, 2009, and require a 14-day advance purchase.  Fares are valid for travel between September 8, 2009, and December 16, 2009; all travel must be completed by December 16, 2009.

All prices shown are one-way based on a round trip purchase and are subject to availability and change.  Day of the week restrictions apply; surcharges, taxes, and/or fees are not included.

JetBlue Airways was recently ranked as the number one low cost airline with the highest overall customer satisfaction according to JD Power & Associates.

JetBlue gives customers more by offering a number of free services including no charge for the first checked bag, 36 channels of DIRECTV, 100 channels of XM Radio, complimentary unlimited brand name snacks, and more leg room than the average airline.

But Wait, There’s More! If you book a hotel for 3 or more nights, you will get $30 off your stay using the promotion code provided on the JetBlue Airways website.

Take advantage of the ‘But Wait, There’s More’ sale by visiting JetBlue Airways.

Bali is only one of the 17,500 islands that make up the archipelago known as Indonesia.  This gorgeous island offers white sand beaches, tourist shopping, and amazing secluded destinations.

What makes the of Bali island so special is its people as they are friendly, welcoming, and very down to earth.  The predominantly Hindu population has woven their faith into everyday activities by leaving offerings on the streets, in what they eat, through their prayers & religious ceremonies, and in their general lust and love of life.

The Balinese are known for their artistic abilities in producing fabric, jewelry, and interpreting their unique culture through dance and gamelan music.  This mysterious island is home to stunning temples, lakes, volcanoes, and row upon row of lush rice patty fields set amongst tropical foliage.

Accommodations and meals are very inexpensive in comparison to North America and travelers are welcome to sit back, relax, and truly enjoy the slower paced Bali experience.  Eco-tourism is very popular on the island as well as water sports including scuba diving and surfing.

Flights are available from Los Angeles, San Francisco, and New York, with direct flights to Bali only available from Singapore, Hong Kong, Perth and Sydney, Australia.

For more information, visit the Bali Tourism Board.

Emirates Palace

That’s right, a cool $1 Million USD.  What does that buy you?  Just about everything except the kitchen sink – but if you really wanted a sink, I’m sure they’d throw that in, too.

Designed mainly for high-finance business men, sports figures and celebrities, this all-inclusive vacation includes return airfare from any international airport serviced by Etihad Airlines to Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

Here you’ll spend 7 luxurious nights in the Palace Suite at the Emirates Palace, which, of course, includes the services of a 24-hour butler and bed turn down service.  Not to forget the chauffer driven limousine for your use anytime during the day.

Or the day trip in your own private jet to Iran to create your own Persian carpet, or the other day trip in your own private jet to the Dead Sea to experience an Anantara spa treatment.  Or the other other day trip in your own private jet to Bahrain to dive for pearls of which your own jewelry will be created.  Wow.

As if that wasn’t enough, other amenities include a Royal Golf Experience at the Abu Dhabi Golf Club, making your own perfume, and going on a deep sea fishing trip.

If you act now, you’ll also receive gifts from the Emirates Palace that include rare Robert Wang Pearls, a selection of your choice from Holland & Holland Sporting Guns (yes, a gun), oh, and a champagne sunset and island tour.

Ready to sign up?  Visit Emirates Palace for more information.