Hot Air Balloon Tours in Boulder

by Pushpitha Wijesinghe February 20, 2012 November 13, 2019

Located in the American state of Colorado, the city of Boulder lies at the foothills of the breathtaking Rocky Mountains and offers visitors countless hours of exploration amidst stunning natural landscapes. This charming city is home to a variety of recreational spaces and nature preserves which are ideal for such activities as hiking and rock climbing. Those wanting a unique outdoor pursuit that can be enjoyed by the entire family can take part in hot air balloon tours in Boulder.

Due to the awe inspiring scenery that surrounds the city, hot air ballooning affords an ideal opportunity to take in magnificent panoramic views of the landscape. Offering the perfect backdrop for your aerial adventure are the Rocky Mountains which is one of the country’s main mountain ranges.

The history of ballooning goes back to the late 18th century when the Montgolfier brothers of France launched the first unmanned paper balloon. The manner in which this fascinating contraption works is due to the fact that the heated air inside the balloon has less density than the air outside and it is this difference that causes the balloon to rise.

Those embarking on a balloon ride can take in not only views of the nearby stunning mountain range, but also the area’s wildlife. The flight is on the whole a quiet one and it is common to heard bird calls while on this smooth ride above the tree tops and beyond. Flights usually take place early morning when wind conditions are gentle and ideally suited for such an activity. Certain companies also offer beverages and snacks and even champagne.

Since the balloon reaches high altitudes, the weather can get quite cool and it is recommended to wear warm clothing and bring along such items as sunscreen, windbreakers and a raincoat in case it rains. Hot air balloon tours in Boulder are not only ideal for a family outing, but also for such romantic occasions as a marriage proposal!

Those heading to the city and in search of a centrally located Boulder hotel can stay at Millennium Harvest House Boulder. Ideal for business and leisure travellers, this modern property also offers a variety of Boulder hotel deals on accommodation and more.

Uncategorized

Romantic Beaches in Qingdao

by Pushpitha Wijesinghe February 19, 2012 February 19, 2012

During the summer months there is no better romantic destination than the beaches of Qingdao. In the summer extended hours of sunshine, pleasant temperatures, delightful sea breezes and azure skies combine to create a truly enthralling ambience. The couple seeking romance will be delighted by the atmosphere at Qingdao’s beaches. Some of the most attractive of these are Shilaoren Beach, Jinshatan Beach and the Number One Bathing Beach.
Discerning travellers who seek a fine Qingdao hotel will be pleased by the Copthorne Hotel Qingdao. This attractive hotel in Qingdao offers well-appointed rooms and gracious hospitality.

Uncategorized

Dubai Flower Centre, a specialized floriculture facility

by Pushpitha Wijesinghe February 13, 2012 February 13, 2012

Conveniently located within Dubai International Airport, the well known Dubai Flower Centre has in recent times consolidated its position as a new focus of development for the floriculture sector. With tremendous growth in the international trade in flowers and other perishables, an ever increasing demand exists for specialized commercial solutions and logistics to enable industry players to improve standards of quality, minimize transit times and create sizable profits.

Accordingly the Dubai Flower Centre has specifically been created to meet these particular needs of the floriculture industry. The state of the art centre is focused on satisfying these requirements by providing increased storage capacity as well as shipment links to significant international trading hubs; brisk trans-shipment and consolidation; the finest cool-chain management on the globe; facilities and resources to make possible advantageous value addition; and the support facilities needed for effective commercial dealings.

The centre which exploits advanced technologies for automation and efficient functioning boasts a floor area of approximately 100,000 sqm. This includes offices and export chambers in addition to product build up and break down stations as well as automated areas for sorting. The centre’s handling capacity exceeds 300,000 metric tonnes of products a year, with temperatures being maintained at a steady 2-4 degrees Celsius.

The centre has been developed as a hub for transshipment, with the principal product handling functions for export, import and transit being conducted on the facility’s ground floor. Efficient and rapid handling is supported by a fully automated system which assures the preservation of quality while maximizing shelf life.
The centre operates as a commercial free zone with many attractions for clients, such as nil personal income tax, 100% foreign based ownership, customs inspection, quality control capabilities, and an excellent transportation network to nations within the Middle East and other regions of the world.

The establishment has also put into practice an array of technological solutions to enhance visibility within the supply chain. To handle the monitoring and management of perishable items, a warehouse operation system with cargo handling is available.

Visitors to the Emirate may avail themselves of Dubai hotel offers from a quality Dubai airport hotel such as the Millennium Airport Hotel Dubai, a fine rest which offers excellent accommodations and impeccable service.

Travel

History of Travel

by Pushpitha Wijesinghe February 12, 2012 November 13, 2019

Wuxi is a city crisscrossed by many canals, most built during the Ming Dynasty, and even a more recent one built after 1949. Emperor Qin built the first canal 2,000 years ago to link northern China to its southern part. Known as the Grand or Imperial Canal the 1,720 mile waterway from Beijing to Hangzou is reputedly the world’s oldest and longest and passes through many cities including a 14.6 km very scenic stretch that runs through Wuxi starting from the south gate of the old city to the north gate, bisecting the city. The canal was considered Wuxi’s cultural lifeline. It linked the city with the outside world for centuries. Visitors privileged to take a trip on the canal will be taken back in time when most of the commerce in the area took place on this canal and now old houses looming on the sides and ancient bridges arching overhead are what remain of the past. One of these typical Chinese bridges, the subject of many paintings and postcards and one in a reasonable state of preservation is the 16th century Qingming Bridge built during the Ming Dynasty. Parts of the canal are presently under a major renovation programme to preserve the ancient buildings lining the banks. While several spanking new modern developments are visible all along the canal, some of the more interesting may be the older attractions. These include the 7 storied 10th century Miaoguang pagoda standing next to the Nanchan Buddhist Monastery built during the Tang Dynasty, Longguang pagoda a 105 foot brick and wood structure built during the Ming Dynasty, the second highest of its kind in China, and the many examples of houses built during the Ming and Qing Dynasties down Yaochewan, Sibaoqiao and Xiaoluo lanes and the narrow cobblestone lanes of the old town.

While the canal is now one the city’s main tourist attractions, it is still an important trade route clogged at all times with everything from wooden boats carrying local freight to row boats and all kinds of tourist and leisure craft.

Wuxi is said to have been founded 3,000 years ago on the shores of Lake Taihu, the third largest freshwater lake in China and famous for its natural beauty.

In a busy new area of an ancient city, Millennium Wuxi is close to business, transport and commercial hubs of the city and is not far off from its many attractions. It offers a series of spacious, contemporary rooms and suites with facilities and amenities suited to a five star Wuxi hotel. These include a selection of restaurants serving, Chinese, Japanese and Western cuisine, up to date leisure and fitness facilities and elegant spaces to host receptions and business gatherings. As a key hotel in Wuxi guests are made to feel special and every effort is made to ensure that they have a memorable stay here.

Destinations

A Sun Worshippers Paradise

by Pushpitha Wijesinghe February 10, 2012 November 13, 2019

Visit beautiful Unawatuna which is one of the best beaches in the world. Just south of Galle and a three hour drive from Colombo it is a sun drenched, palm fringed, crescent shaped, golden stretch of sand curving along the calm waters of a cerulean bay, with headlands on either end. The relatively unspoilt nature of the area makes it a popular destination for holidaymakers. Protected by a double reef, the calm seas attract swimmers, surfers and snorkelers who spend their days revelling in the warm ocean, lazing on the golden sands working on their tan, playing beach volleyball or simply taking in the stunning views including red tinted tropical sunsets.

Some great diving sites are only a short boat ride away including a reef teeming with tropical fish and more interestingly three wrecks; one a hundred year old wreck known as the Rangoon still intact for the most part, another called the Tango lying close by and Lord Nelson a more recent wreck are all excellent dive sites. Excellent PADI certified dive schools nearby provide guidance and the latest equipment to intrepid divers. The best months for diving at Unawatuna are from October to April.

Stay at one of the quirkily named guest houses or hotels and home stays in the village of Yaddehimulla in Unawatuna. Visitors will find that it caters to their every want with restaurants and cafes, internet cafes, tuk tuk (three-wheeler vehicles) stands and village shops stocked with visitor necessities. Sample seafood and local dishes at beach cafes and enjoy partying all night. The laidback atmosphere and the lack of big hotels and crowds are amongst Unawatuna’s many charms.

Rumassala the headland to the north west of Unawatuna beach has its own legend as to how it came to be. This legend has its roots in the Ramayana epic and is a way of explaining the abundance of medicinal plants found on the hill, a rare phenomenon in the area. Visit the temple on the hill, from which there are uninterrupted views of the adjacent areas and of fiery sunsets. Some sixty species of endemic birds such as egrets, herons, sandpipers, kingfishers, whistling ducks and more can also be spied from Rumassala.

If it is the right time of year, lucky visitors can see turtles come up on the beach to lay their eggs. However, visitors can also visit turtle hatcheries located about a fifteen minute bus ride away. Unawatuna is also a convenient location from which to visit Galle and the other coastal cities nearby. Take a tuk tuk to these sights and enjoy a very special experience.

With a modern fleet of vehicles to suit any occasion, Malkey Rent A Car, has been a well known Sri Lanka car rental company for over thirty years. With its emphasis on customer care and safety coupled with its fair pricing policy, the company is a natural choice among Sri Lanka travel options for visitors and locals alike.

Destinations

A Sun Worshippers Paradise

by Pushpitha Wijesinghe January 17, 2012 November 13, 2019

Providing convenience in reaching many of the island’s attractions, Malkey Travel & Tours is a Sri Lanka car rental company offering customer service of the highest quality. With one of the most modern and largest fleets in Sri Lanka, the company presents sri lanka car hire options for self driven or chauffer driven car rentals. Contributing to the development of the Sri Lanka travel industry, they offer a range of vehicles from luxury, premium and general cars to buses and vans.

Weddings

Dream Weddings in Island Paradise Maldives

by Pushpitha Wijesinghe January 11, 2012 April 4, 2017

A wedding is not just a joining of souls but the event of a lifetime and where better to celebrate one’s I do’s than in the paradise isles of the Maldives. Renowned as one of the world’s favorite honeymoon locations the island collective has also become the dream destination for one of a kind, unique weddings in the recent past. Laden with azure water and white, powdery beaches it is difficult to conceive of a more perfect location to start a new life together and the world’s affianced have most definitely taken notice.

Offering potential husbands and wives a wide range of special wedding packages to choose from the island archipelago specializes in unique and one of a kind wedding celebrations that are available nowhere else in the region. One of the hot pick Maldivian wedding experiences is of course the underwater wedding ceremony. Taking place in the heart of a vibrant coral reef this beneath the surface nuptials offer couples the once in a lifetime opportunity of saying “I do” in a wedding celebration attended by stunning schools of marine inhabitants beneath the crystal clear waters of the Maldives. Those who wish to remain dry during the ceremony can opt for a slightly less unusual underwater wedding inside a chapel submerged 5 meters beneath the surface.

Couples can also choose to celebrate their vows the way Maldivians do in a traditional ceremony complete with costumes, drums and age old customs which includes a tree planting ritual. Sunset weddings are also very popular among engaged couples as this particular ceremony takes place in the orange hued sunset hours on board a Maldivian boat called a Dhoni and is followed by an exquisite beachfront dinner party under the stars. Alfresco beach weddings are another alternative option for duos who wish to capitalize on the stunning surroundings of their exotic wedding location.

The most enticing reason to select the island collection as one’s wedding destination is of course the fact that it doubles as a fantastic honeymoon location as well. Eliminating the need to plan an exotic, relaxing honeymoon the Maldives provides an all in one wedding experience complete with an idyllic honeymoon in one of the most romantic places on earth.

Couples in search of luxury Maldives island resorts should look no further than the Naladhu, Maldives. Ideally located on the shores of a stunning beachfront this exquisite Maldives hotel offers breathtaking villas with private pool facilities facing the Indian Ocean.

Travel

Traditional Thai Massage

by Pushpitha Wijesinghe January 7, 2012 November 13, 2019

With traditional healing methods which have been used for more than 2,500 years, world renowned massage treatments, a range of medicinal herbs and natural settings that complement these therapies, the traditional healing methods of Thailand makes the country a much sought after holiday destination.

Also known as the ‘Kingdom of beauty and health’, Thailand is referred to by some as the ‘wellness’ capital of Asia. With health centres and spas located all over the country there are plenty of options here for treating and healing one’s mind, body and spirit.

Most of the wellness options in Thailand come with the widely acclaimed traditional Thai massage techniques known for its rejuvenating and healing benefits. Thai massage and spa treatments are also complemented by their traditional herbal remedies. Formulas used in herbal medicines and the methods used in massage treatments have been well tested for centuries for effectiveness and safety.

Like various other aspects of Thailand’s culture, the traditional massage methods also originated in India and became part of Thai culture along with the faith of Buddhism. The techniques, mainly used to relieve tension and body aches, originated in the Buddhist missionaries in India. This style of massage uses the energy lines of the body and focuses on ten of the key lines. It also uses yoga postures and pressure applying methods to release the tensions and energy blocked along these invisible lines. There is also a spiritual element to this type of treatment where it is believed that part of the healing process involves the therapist invoking a sense of wellbeing.

For a relaxing holiday where you can revive and renew your body, mind and soul, the best option would be Thailand. Most of the luxury accommodation options in the country boast their own spas providing traditional Thai massages and thus staying at a luxury hotel Bangkok affords the perfect opportunity to truly unwind. For those seeking a 5 star Bangkok hotel with luxury amenities and facilities Anantara Bangkok Sathorn provides a range of accommodation options and has its own spa which offers traditional Thai massages that lets one enjoy true relaxation.

Travel

Sightseeing

by Pushpitha Wijesinghe December 18, 2011 November 13, 2019

The Golden Triangle, a name as inviting as the destination itself, is the point where three countries intersect, namely Myanmar, Thailand and Laos. A scenic location where the mighty Mekong merges with the Ruak River, this makes the most significant tourist attraction in northern Thailand.

The Ruak River, forming a natural border separating the three nations and the hilly landscape surrounding it make the Golden Triangle a definite place to marvel at. Take on a 40 minute boat ride along the Mekong River and experience the beautiful landscape displayed by lands from the 3 countries surrounding it. Sightseeing is indeed an interesting activity to experience in the Golden Triangle. With an array of historical and educative areas, sightseeing consists of touring the Golden Triangle for the most part. There are a number of interesting constructions lined up on the riverside which include the huge golden Buddha placed on a ship, extravagant shrines to the royal family and elephant statues with palanquins which can be climbed on for pictures.

Apart from the monuments there are a number of famous destinations. The Phra That Doi Pu Khao is one of them. A hill located just in front of the triangle has an interesting history that dates back to the middle of the 8th century and here remnants of antiquities can be found in the Viham with its dilapidated Chedis. But the most popular attraction of the region is none other than the Hall of Opium and House of Opium. Primarily educating the visitor on opium, its production and its negative effects this museum is very interesting and fascinating and has a diminutive opium estate within its walls. More like an opium oriented theme park, there are plenty of educative multimedia exhibitions that describe the consequences of opium addiction.

Conclude your tour of the Golden Triangle by indulging in a relaxing boat ride to Don Sao that belongs to Laos. Take in the scenery and relax in the serenity before you wind down properly in one of the Chiang Rai hotels. A popular choice among many is the Anantara Golden Triangle, Thailand. Boasting luxury, fantastic cuisine and unmatched comfort, this is your very own classy comfortable niche that makes the finest of Chiang Rai resorts.

Adventures

Bird Watching in Negombo

by Pushpitha Wijesinghe December 4, 2011 November 13, 2019

Located along the seaside, Negombo is an idyllic town on Sri Lanka’s West coast that offers travellers a laidback holiday getaway. Known for its picturesque natural scenery, the area provides nature lovers plenty of opportunities to experience the rich biodiversity of the Island. Among the many possible outdoor pursuits in the region, bird watching in Negombo is a popular activity and one that offers plenty of opportunities to take a look at a wide range of avifauna in their natural habitat.

One of the best spots for bird watching is at the Muthurajawela Marsh which is the island’s largest peat bog and where one can see migratory species as well. With its origins believed to date back to around 5000 B.C, this ecologically diverse marsh and wetlands which includes the Negombo lagoon covers an area of approximately 6,000 hectares.

Home to a variety of reptiles, insects and fish, the Muthurajawela Marsh has recorded around 102 bird species which include 19 migratory ones. Due to its diverse wetland eco system, the marsh attracts various types of birds including those who depend on the aquatic life as a food source. Egrets, little and Indian cormorants, kingfishers and purple herons, black-crowned night herons, black bitterns, chestnut bitterns, little grebe and the white-breasted water hen are some of the species one can come across while exploring the wetlands.

The country also attracts a considerable number of migratory birds, some of which can be seen here. Among these are the whiskered tern, Eurasian curlew, curlew sandpiper and the Whimbrel which are classified as ‘waders’, while migrant forest birds include the brown shrike, grey wagtail, Asian paradise flycatcher and the greenish warbler. Resident forest birds like the little minivet, white-bellied drongo, rose-ringed parakeet and Sri Lanka green pigeon can be also spotted along with such birds of prey as the Brahminy kite, palled harrier and shikra.

Those planning to indulge in some bird watching when on holiday will find many Hotels in Sri Lanka within easy reach of Negombo. Offering some of the best rates among the many Negombo Hotels, Jetwing Beach is ideally located along the coast and makes a great base from which to explore the region.

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