How Intimate Cruises Make Relationships Last for Couples

There is nothing better than the feeling of being stress free and relaxing on a romantic cruise holiday for two. A cruise is perfect for couples – whether a newlywed looking to enjoy a honeymoon or a long-time couple looking to rekindle some romance; a cruise holiday has everything imaginable and more. Spend anywhere from two weeks to a month travelling around some of the world’s most amazing countries without worrying about moving hotels.

Where you can go

Some destinations which are perfect for couples to explore include the Mediterranean and Europe; which will span traditionally romantic countries such as France, Greece, Italy and Croatia. Or explore a perfect pacific holiday from the tropics of Hawaii and Tahiti to New Zealand. With so many holiday tours available and endless destinations that can be seen with their own unique experience, this is a holiday experience not to be missed.

What you can do

Being on a cruise holiday has more to offer than one may think. The on-board activities alone is something to look forward to. With swimming pools, concerts, bars and dining areas, movie theatres, health and spa facilities there is nothing that any couple can’t enjoy. Spoil each other with the on-board activities whilst surrounded by the stunning views of the world.

Why it’s an experience never to miss

Forget plane tickets, packing and unpacking your bag or checking in to numerous hotels. Have unlimited entertainment both day and night and only ever repacks a bag once. With some of the most beautiful scenery from various countries around the world, what better than a romantic cruise as a memorable holiday experience to share with your loved one.

Ideal activities for couples for a holiday in Samoa

Samoa’s tropical destination is perfect for a couple’s getaway, with an abundance of relaxing and exciting activities, the beautiful coastline, rainforests and culture make this an incredible trip not to be missed. Samoan holidays have all desires catered for with full day island tours, swimming with turtles, snorkelling in crystal clear water, waterfalls and much more. To make sure the trip is planned visit a local travel agency.

Diving / Snorkelling

Samoa has some of the clearest and most picturesque water in the world. Take advantage of the crystal clear water with snorkelling or diving tours.

Image Source: Samoa Attractions.com

Swimming with Turtles

There are two ways to experience these beautiful creatures. At Savaii Satoalepai village in the wetlands sanctuary, swim and feed the turtles where they have been protected or navigate around the waterways and swim with green turtles in the ocean around Namua Island.   

Image Source: Holiday Samoan Way

Enjoy the Culture

There are so many ways to explore and embrace the traditional Samoan lifestyle. The Apia Markets play host to an amazing shopping experience that just can’t be missed, including fresh local produce and traditional handcrafts. Be sure to get to the produce market, flea market and fish market whilst there.

Image Source:Tripod.com

When looking for the real Samoan lifestyle experience, head to Tranquil Manono. This traditional Island is just off the coast of Upolu. The locals live traditionally in open-air fales and the only sounds heard are of the waves. When visiting on a Sunday activities will be limited as this is a strong religious community. Be sure to check out all that the Island at Manono has to offer.

Exploring the Rainforests & Waterfalls

Image Source: Samoa Travel Authority

Samoa has an abundance of spectacular waterfalls to visit. A few of these waterfalls are too strong for a swim, however many simply feel like a refreshing back and neck massage. The most spectacular waterfalls can be found off the southern coast of Upolu. If this is something that you really want to experience, be sure to do the waterfall crawl that will take ½ a day.

Beach Paradise

If thinking about these activities is tiring, simply head to the pristine beaches that Samoa has to offer. Lalomanu Beach is the number one beach everyone must get to, with the blue lagoon and white sands.  

 

Southeast Asian Holidays That You Should Not Miss

Holidays are always a good time to relax, take in new scenery, experience a change of pace from your usual weeks and spend some quality time with people you love. If you are planning a short trip to experience Asia, you need to visit two very popular neighbouring Southeast Asian countries – Malaysia and Singapore.

Planning for your next Southeast Asia holidays will need to include flights – AirAsia and Scoot Airlines now travel to these two countries and are usually the most cost effective way of travel. AirAsia travels to Kuala Lumpur and Scoot Airlines, to Singapore.

For holidaymakers, the two countries are connected by roads, rail and air –  if you are up for some scenic routes along the countryside, the train ride will most definitely add a little excitement to your holidays. Renting a car is not a popular option as there are strict rules on vehicle entry for both countries – if you want to experience the highways of Malaysia, your best option is to get on a coach. Alternatively, if you are pressed for time, the 45 minute flight between Kuala Lumpur and Singapore will serve your needs better.

 The two countries are renowned for two things – food and shopping. From the famous Klang Bak Kut Teh and Kajang Sate in Kuala Lumpur to the appetite-whetting Ponggol Choon Seng Singapore Chilli Crab and Eng Ho Hokkien Mee; the culinary experience you will experience is something that is unique to this part of the world. The mixture of cultures from Malay and Indonesian influences combined with past immigrants of South China and India gives an explosion of flavours that is celebrated around the world.

 To escape the heat and humidity during your Southeast Asia holidays – you will find yourself parading through the thoroughfares of places like Orchard Road in Singapore and Bukit Bintang in Kuala Lumpur. The shopping malls are also usually a one-stop shop for food but can get crowded during the weekends.

 Don’t delay on booking your holidays – Singapore and Malaysia awaits you!

Famous Landmarks in Singapore

When people take holidays to Singapore they find a rich environment of landmarks, shopping, great food and fun. Some of the landmarks that are the most popular are:

The Singapore Flyer

The largest giant observation wheel in the world, visitors get a 360 view of the city, Marina Bay and some of the islands of Malaysia and Indonesia. The ride is 30 minutes long and the Flyer is 165 meters tall. Along with the fantastic ride, visitors may order a full butler sky-dining experience.

The Helix Bridge

Another world first is the Helix Bridge that stretches between Marina Bay and Marina Center. It is next to the Benjamin Sheares Bridge and is the first curved bridge in the world. At 280 meters, it is the longest pedestrian bridge in Singapore and is shaped like a double-helix. It has five viewing platforms where visitors can sit in the shade and get panoramic views of the Singapore skyline and events at the Bay.

Raffles Hotel

Home of the Singapore Sling, Raffles Hotel is brimming with history. Considered one of the greatest hotels in the world in the 19th century, it was the home of many celebrities including Charlie Chaplin and writers such as Joseph Conrad, Rudyard Kipling and Somerset Maugham. It has two original billiard tables and original graffiti on the walls from celebrities of the past.

Merlion Park

Holidays to Singapore always include a visit to the iconic fountain of the symbolic Merlion. It represents the Lion of Singapore as well as the historical humble beginnings of the fishing village. It is 8.6 meters high with eyes made from red tea cups.

Esplanade

The Esplanade Theatres on the Bay is a performing arts centre with a huge theatre, concert hall and several outdoor venues where visitors can watch dance, theatre, or listen to music. It can be easily seen from Merlion Park. The structure resembles an enormous durian, a favourite fruit of the locals. It also has many restaurants and shops and art galleries. Visiting the lobby is free and full of fun and interesting displays and exhibits.

Marina Bay Sands Sky Park

The Sands Sky Park is an extravagant building with a boat-like structure on top of three hotel towers. It has landscaped gardens on a curved observation deck with exclusive restaurants and a truly amazing infinity pool that is like swimming on the edge of the world. Visitors are welcome to the observation deck if they purchase a ticket, and it is worth it. Once there, they can get a free tour of the garden and pool. These tours are for a limited number of people, so visitors must register in advance.

Along with these wonders, there are historical monuments that have important significance for the country from British fortifications during World War II to a giant bronze statue of an elephant that was given by the King of Siam in 1871.

Yummy Things You Don’t Know About Thai Street Food

Traveling to Thailand and Southeast Asia is convenient with an Asian travel package. The area is very popular with tourists, and for good reasons, the tropical climate ensures a warm, friendly visit year round, and crystal blue beaches abound. Thai people love to share their culture with visitors, and one of the best and by far the tastiest ways they do this is with the many street food dishes they sell. Taste does not come with a high price in the streets of Thailand,dishes are usually around 30 to 50 baht. With 3.49AUD equating to around 100 baht, it’s no wonder Asian travel packages are so popular.

Here is a guide of delicious Thai street foods to look for:

Ba Mee Kew

(Photo Credit: Roosh V Forum)

Ba Mee means egg noodle and Kew is won-ton soup. This dish is considered a comfort food to the Thais, and is often fed to the sick. On street carts, tanks of propane provide heat to warm the won-ton soup. The noodles are placed in a wire basket and cooked in the hot broth, then a bit of sliced pork and green vegetables are added.

Ausuan

(Photo credit: Huahin Bangkok)

There is no need to go to an expensive sit down restaurant for great seafood in Thailand. Eat seafood with the locals on the street at a fraction of the price. Ausun is a tasty stir fried combination of oysters and mussels. It can be found in Bangkok’s Thong Lor area. The seafood is coated with tapioca flour and fried in sesame oil. Preserved cabbage and eggs are added to the stir fry. Some of the ingredients added for seasoning include fried garlic, spring onions and ground Thai chili.

Kao NeeoKeoNgoo(Sticky Rice) with Mango

(Photo credit: Dash Feast)

Kao NeeoKeoNgoo means ‘snake fang sticky rice’ and is a rice used for desserts. The street vendor is likely to have a variety of fresh mangoes:choose one or let the vendor pick one to slice and serve with the sticky rice and a delicious coconut sauce -it makes a healthy and delicious dessert!

Khao Man Gai

(Photo credit: Temple of Thai)

Street vendors traditionally cook this dish right in front of customers using the very freshest chicken. A standard order of chicken on the streets of Thailand is very cheap, about 25 baht. Khao Man Gai consists of soup, rice and sauce . This dish is a bit more complicated to make and requires more equipment:the chicken is steamed and served on a bed of jasmine rice that is fried in oil with chopped garlic and chicken stock. A side soup made of boiling water, winter squash and a few other simple ingredients is served alongside the dish. A tasty sauce made of yellow bean and soy sauces with spices compliments the dish.

Things to Remember During a Pacific Cruise

Going on a cruise with your loved ones is definitely a great experience that anyone can treasure and pacific cruising is considered to be one of the best cruises one can experience. When going on a cruise, it is essential to have all the necessary items.

Bora Bora Island (Photo Credit: TheCruiseLines)

Packing is an important part of any cruise; the things that one brings or doesn’t bring have a big impact on their enjoyment. While most people who cruise are packing light so as to avoid checked or perhaps excess bag fees, packing necessary Items is important.

There are several tips that one must remember before going on a pacific cruise. Here are some helpful tips:

• Bring all necessary documents: it is essential to make sure that all necessary documents like IDs and passports are packed in a separate bag or a carry-on bag. One should never pack these documents in the checked luggage.

• Packing one’s carry-on bags wisely: it is very important to pack carry-on bags wisely, with clothes, toiletries, and important medication that you need on the plane. The reason for this is that luggage can be lost by the airline on the way to the cruise and bringing essential things in the carry-on bag will downsize the hassle of finding lost luggage.

• Dress codes: there are cruises that offer formal and fine dining, while others offer buffet style dining or dinner via room service. Depending on one’s choice, it is very important to know the dress code for different dining styles.

Family Holiday Cruise (Photo Credit: Cruise-Dude)

• Doing laundry on board: not all cruise ships offer laundry services. Basically, if one is considering doing laundry on board, it is best to determine the possible fees for such a service since it can get quite expensive. One can save on such expenses by bringing travel detergents to wash clothes in the cabin’s bathroom.

• Bring toiletries: while cruise ships offer the basic toiletries on board, not all the toiletries you need may be available. For picky travelers, it is ideal for them to bring their favorite toiletries. The same goes for hair dryer because most cruise ships have only weak hair dryers.

• Dressing for the destination: it is very important to dress up for the cruise’s destination. There are some destinations that require casual resort wear, while other destinations require more casual attire. Thongs and flip flops are fine for any beach cruise, but it is also essential to pack a comfortable pair of shoes for outdoor activities like biking or hiking.

These are only some of the things are needed for a pacific cruise. Making a cruise enjoyable can be achieved by packing the right things and following these tips.