Holiday : Merlin Beach Resort, Phuket, Thailand

Are you getting ready to plan your upcoming Caribbean vacation? If so, you will have many choices. Not only are there many Caribbean destinations to choose from, but there are also many staying options. Two of the most popular among travelers just like you include Caribbean hotels and all-inclusive Caribbean resorts. Which is best for you? Continue reading on to find out.

Many first-time travelers wonder what the difference is between resorts and hotels. In fact, some wonder if there even is a difference. There is. Although you will find luxury Caribbean hotels, most are designed to provide you with shelter for the night. It is common to find an onsite swimming pool, laundry room, and a room filled with fitness equipment. Some hotels are home to onsite restaurants, but it varies on the hotel in question. As for all-inclusive resorts in the Caribbean, yes you do get a place to stay for the night. However, you get so much more. Popular resorts have laundry services, multiple restaurants, swimming pools, fitness centers, spas, and much more.

To determine whether you should stay at a traditional Caribbean hotel or an all-inclusive resort, consider a number of factors.

They include:
The reason for your trip. The reason for your trip should have a significant impact on where you stay. Are you planning a relaxing solo trip? If so, you may just want to lounge around your hotel or resort. In this case, an all-inclusive resort is best. Most resorts are beachfront resorts and having multiple swimming pools, meaning you have different points of relaxation. In fact, you could likely find a different spot for each day of your trip! Are you planning a destination wedding? If so, did you know that some resorts include a free standard wedding ceremony with a 3-night, 5-night, or 7-night stay? Many do!

If you want to sightsee. It is rare to travel to a new country without getting out exploring, but how much do you want to sightsee? If you intend to spend nothing but your nights at your hotel or resort, a hotel may be your best choice. Traditional hotels provide you with the basics and for a cheap price. On the other hand, if you want to visit only one or two local attractions, an all-inclusive resort in the Caribbean may be your best option. These resorts are designed so that you never have to leave. There is so much to do right onsite. As previously stated, all-inclusive resorts are home to swimming pools, fitness centers, spas, and much more. Most resorts are also located right along the beach, giving you easy and constant access to many great water activities.

Who you are traveling with. Americans travel to the Caribbean for a wide range of reasons. Hotels rarely have rules and restrictions for guests. Some all-inclusive resorts do. This is most common with ages and themes. For example, adult resorts are ideal for romantic getaways, singles vacations, and honeymoons. The age requirement varies, but children under the age of 14 or 18 are prohibited from staying onsite. However, if your Caribbean vacation doubles as a family vacation, you will be happy to know that the Caribbean is home to family resorts. These resorts have activities for both you and your children. You are likely to find game rooms, playgrounds on the beach, scheduled activities, and childcare services.

Whether you want to get the lowest price or the best value for your money. In terms of lowest price, hotels are your best option. With that said, you just get the lowest price for your hotel. A Caribbean hotel stay includes a room, access to a swimming pool, access to fitness equipment, and possibly a free cold breakfast. In terms of best value for the money, all-inclusive resorts in the Caribbean are best. Your cost includes your room, food, drinks, snacks, tips, qualifying airport transfers, and some forms of onsite entertainment. Yes, you do pay more upfront, but your money is better spent in the end. Remember, if you stay at a hotel, you still need to pay for your activities, food, and transportation costs.

So, which is best? Most travelers will have the best trip by staying at an all-inclusive Caribbean resort. The decision is yours to make, but all-inclusive resorts have many benefits. Not only that, but they also come highly rated and recommended by both travel experts and vacationers just like you.

Panama City Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau Announces First Annual Songwriter’s Festival!

The emerald blue waters and sugar sands of Northwest Florida have inspired musicians to put their thoughts on paper for generations. In celebration of this rich musical tradition the Panama City Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau will kick off the Panama City Beach Songwriter’s Festival September 9 -11, 2010. The three-day Festival will showcase live, original music performed by over 20 top songwriters in intimate venues and outdoor jam sessions throughout Panama City Beach.

“Nothing says Real.Fun.Beach like watching the sun set over the Gulf of Mexico, listening to live music at a local restaurant or bar with family and friends,” states Dan Rowe, president and CEO of Panama City Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau. “We look forward to welcoming a who’s who of talented songwriters for a weekend full of memorable musical moments.”

Part of the seaside community’s SUMMER OF FUN, the Panama City Beach Songwriter’s Festival will feature such performers as Thom Shepherd, whose number one hits include “Redneck Yacht Club,” “Riding with Private Malone,” and “Beer Season;” and Danny Wells, who penned the hit “Check Yes or No,” for country music icon George Strait. Songwriter Will Rambeaux launched his career with Faith Hill’s “Wild One” and will join many other artists taking the stage for what promises to be a special weekend entertaining visitors and residents alike.

The stages of Boatyard Restaurant, Breakers on the Beach, Schooners, and The Cantina will host concerts each evening followed by “one for the road” at Firefly before calling it a night. A special Saturday night jam session will take place at Aaron Bessant Park on September 11 recognizing Wounded Warriors and their families as honored guests. For more information on Panama City Beach Songwriter’s Festival, visit www.visitpanamacitybeach.com.

Vacation ideas for low cost holiday

There are many different types of leave. Time-sharing is really one of the most profitable thoughts about holidays. You’ll feel like you are the owner of a house without the bill. There are also many other money saving thoughts for the modern holiday. With the high cost of gasoline these days, and the rising cost of air travel, many people abandon their travel plans altogether, or sticking much closer to home. But, in reality, there are many things you can do around where you live now, especially if you live near a huge city.

Some thoughts for vacation at a lower cost that could work for your family include taking a historical tour of their city and its environs. Many cities have at least one museum or a park dedicated to historical figures and the founding of the city. The investigation of this part of town is a plot a fantastic vacation at low cost. Another plot to reduce expenditure on leisure is to take a lake or a beach trip in a place much closer to home. Go ahead and off the field, just be as localized as possible.

Another thought is to go on a trip with another family and share the cost of buy or vacation timeshares. Another fantastic way to save money to go on your dream vacation through timeshare. With a timeshare, you buy a small piece of property on vacation with other families and to divide the time spent on them according to the calendar year. But, if you can not really afford even that much a year for a vacation condo, you can still be part of sharing time with a rental of timeshares.

In many cases, the owners of timeshares are unable, for whatever reason, to keep your appointment time-share for the year. In this case, they often rent their time to others, so that at least the property is used at the time. Of course, they usually charge for the use of your timeshare, but, in many cases, a much slower pace. In addition to sharing time, there are also companies that revolve around the sale of vacation packages at reduced prices to those who want to take luxury vacations for less.

These holiday thoughts are just a few options for a vacation at a lower cost. You must choose the trip that best fits your family. Vacation Thoughts cheap vacation should not be hard to achieve. You can save money to go on holiday. The use of the property and timeshare exchanges are fantastic ways to save money while obtaining the high cost of holiday feel. As with anything, you should take a vacation package that fits your family, and try to get the best possible. A stay is stressful is not a holiday for everyone.

Holiday tips: 7 Step Guide to a Walt Disney World Vacation

If you're planning a Walt Disney World vacation this Summer or Fall you'll need to start planning and preparing like no other vacation before. Walt Disney World covers 47 square miles (think twice as large as Manhattan and you'll get the idea!) and has so many things to do that even those who live in Orlando struggle to keep up with it all.

In short, here's just SOME of the available offerings at Walt Disney World:

• 4 major theme parks: Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Animal Kingdom and Disney's Hollywood Studios
• 2 water parks: Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon
• Over 20 large resorts
• 5 golf courses
• 2 mini-golf courses
• Numerous lakes offering water sports, boating and fishing
• 2 dinner shows
• BoardWalk entertainment district
• DisneyQuest "virtual theme park"
• Downtown Disney shopping and dining district

So with all this choice, just where do you begin?

1. When.
Deciding when to go will be top of your list. Much will depend on your budget, kids' school schedules and other factors such as what you like to do individually and as a family, will heavily influence your decision.
Tip #1: Visit Disney when the kids are in school to enjoy the quieter theme parks more. Lines will be shorter and more comfortable

2. What.
This is a critical step in the planning. There is so much to do that you'll want to plan out what everyone wants to see and do.
Tip #2: List the "Must Do's" and then do a secondary list of "Maybe's". Involve everyone in this process and you'll have a more enjoyable trip.

3. How Long?
There's never enough time to see it all, so armed with your list in #2 you can now chart out how long it will take you to visit the "Must Do's" and how long it will take you to do the "Maybe's." Be warned, even if you visit for a month, you simply can't see it all.
Tip #3: If you want to visit all four theme parks and actually experience the majority of the attractions, parades and shows, you will need at least 5 full days! (Epcot can easily take 2 days all by itself as it is split into two sections; Future World and World Showcase. You might also find you need a day and a half at Magic Kingdom to enjoy everything there is on offer.)
If you then find you would like to do some of the "extras," like Blizzard Beach or Typhoon Lagoon water parks or a trip to DisneyQuest you will need to allow more days. If you are visiting for a first time, I believe you need at least 7 to 10 days to do all the major theme parks and sample some of the other delights.

4. Transportation.
Depending where you live you'll need to decide whether to travel by plane or automobile. If you're flying, do you then want to rent a vehicle so you can see other things in the Orlando area?
Tip #4: Hire a car and stay off site to save money. There are some great places to stay that will help you save way more than the cost of vehicle hire.

5. Theme Park Tickets.
A big expense when visiting Walt Disney World is the cost of entry to the parks. It is important to look over your itinerary, get out the calculator, take a look at all the prices and available deals to figure out which tickets make most sense for your situation.
Tip #5: There are many ticket companies offering great deals. Check each one out and don't be tempted by the deal that seems to be too good. Go with a reputable and approved Disney ticket agency.

6. Where To Stay.
Here's another big decision. Stay on Disney property or stay off site? If you take the advice in Tip #4 you'll stay off site and save $$$'s but if you are seriously considering an on site resort stay then make sure you check out all of Disney's resorts by searching for photo's and details on the internet. Each resort is themed differently and some are very expensive.
Tip #6: Rent a Vacation Home. Renting a vacation home off site makes a lot of sense for most families. A fully equipped vacation home has 3 to 7 bedrooms (enough room for all the family at one nightly rate rather than multiple rooms at a hotel), a fully equipped kitchen (prepare meals at home rather than eat in expensive restaurants), large lounge and living areas (with flat screen TV's, DVD's VCR's, games machines) and your own private heated swimming pool.
You'll not only save money but you can keep all the family together and create some great memories.

7. Relax and Enjoy.
Don't forgetto take some time out to do absolutely nothing. The temptation with a Disney vacation is to always be on the go. It's important to allow time to recharge your batteries and to go home refreshed.
Tip #7: Allow one rest day for every two days of theme parks.
That's it! Everything else is "gravy." You can make reservations for meals, book special events and do all kinds of other planning but these are the seven basic steps to enjoy a great Disney vacation. Have fun!

About Nigel Worrall:
Nigel Worrall is President / CEO of Florida Leisure Vacation Homes & Total Real Estate Solutions. He is regularly sought by the media as a vacation home and real estate expert and has featured on NBC, ABC, Fox, CBS. He has also featured in The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, New York Times, Newsweek, Chicago Sun Times, Washington Post, Orlando Sentinel, Orlando Business Journal and several other leading publications. Nigel is also the best selling author of "Big Ideas For Your Business" (Advantage Media)
Nigel serves many clients around the world as a Realtor, Real Estate Broker, Real Estate Investor, Mortgage Broker and Real Estate Trainer.

About Florida Leisure:
Florida Leisure Vacation Homes is the leading vacation home company in the Orlando, Fla. - Disney area, offering 3-7 bedroom private vacation homes near to all the Orlando area attractions. Each home has it's own fully equipped kitchen, 3-7 bedrooms, lounge, dining room, laundry, 2 car garage and best of all, private swimming pool

Holiday tips: How To Pick The Perfect Honeymoon Destination

Planning a wedding can be stressful. One of the most enjoyable parts of wedding planning can be choosing a Honeymoon destination. Picking a Honeymoon destination may seem easy but when you are suddenly confronted with the choices in location and accommodations you may find that suddenly you have a much harder time deciding where you want to go.

Here are a few tips on choosing a great Honeymoon destination.

Think about how private you want your Honeymoon destination to be. Some people do not mind staying at a large resort that has hundreds if not thousands of rooms. Other people want a more intimate Honeymoon destination where they may be sharing accommodations with only a handful of other guests. For example, a Vacation, Maldives may mean that you are staying at a large, five star resort that has one or two main buildings where you interact with many other couples and families. Or, another Vacation, Maldives may involve a small, intimate resort with separate buildings for each guest. The last thing you want is to be surrounded by many other people when you and your new spouse want to be alone together.

You may also want to think about staying at a hotel or resort that is reserved for adults or couples only. There are options to choose from in many tropical locations. This can be fantastic. If you do not want to spend your Vacation, Maldives surrounded by other peoples children you may want to look for this information when booking the hotel or resort you will be staying at.

If you have decided on a Vacation, Maldives or a vacation at any of the other tropical resorts and hotels you should make sure that you read up on the country that you are planning to visit before you book your holiday. Find out when the best time of the year would be to visit and whether there are any weather considerations that may make it undesirable for you to travel there. If, for example, you are getting married during a time when your preferred destination would normally be experiencing the rainy or hurricane season you may want to think about either delaying your vacation or picking another location to visit.

For example, if you are planning a Vacation, Maldives you should be aware that there is a wet season that stretches from May to November. Although a Vacation, Maldives can still be fun and exciting during this time you may want to ensure that you bring clothing that is appropriate for the weather. There are other popular places that a couple may choose as their Honeymoon destination so doing your research can be very helpful when it comes to packing and for choosing which items you will bring with you.

Once you know where you want to travel you can begin to search for discounts in order to make your honeymoon more affordable. One way to do this easily is to look online. You may be able to get deals on hotels and airfare that may not be available through a conventional travel agent. This is because online travel agents may be able to book a larger volume of rooms and therefore get a better price than would be available anywhere else.

Holiday: Perhentian Island (Malaysia)

An island of white sandy beaches, splendid coral coves and color full marine life, Pulau Perhentian provide days of endless exploration and excitement.  Discover new sights, sounds and sensations of this beautiful island in East Coast with the Perhentian Island Resort.

The journey begins with a 1 1/2 hours boat ride from Besut, sailing across blue seas and away from the coast of Terengganu, behold the panoramic view of Pulau Perhentian ahead. 

The Perhentian Island Resort is situated on a quiet, enchanting island retreat, a total escape with complete seclusion from the city. Designed to cater to your convenience and comfort the resort is perfect for both the business traveler and holiday maker. The Resort consists of beautifully designed detached Chalet to choose from, all equipped with air-conditioned and hot shower.

Did you know Perhentian means stop over in Malay.

Seasons The tourist season in Perhentian are limited to April to October. The sea in Perhentian can be rough during the rest of the year, due to eastern monsoon. The peak tourist season is July & August.

Beware of jellyfish. They are not deadly but they can sting!

Official website http://www.perhentian-island.com