This is when the newlyweds would actually be able to spend some time enjoying the indisputable fact that they are ultimately husband and wife and all the strains of the wedding has eventually been over and done with. Briefly this is really it.

these are some of the most coveted places when it comes to going on a honeymoon right after the wedding.

- Europe – Where else would it be more romantic to go as well than Europe? If you needed to experience the delights of sweet classic love, Italy and France should definitely on your priority. With the wealthy culture that Italy has as well as the food that’s just too intricately savory, you will find that there’s a lot to experience together in this history rich country. And naturally, the French atmosphere of romance would surely have you and your better half smitten when you stroll through the streets of Paris, marvel at the Eiffel Tower, and enjoy a culture tour right inside the Louvre.

-. Caribbean – everyone fantasises about going to the Caribbean and no, this is not exactly a country or a town. The Caribbean is actually a bunch of small countries and islands which can be discovered right along the seaboard of South America. When that ‘C’ word is spoken, the common places which are tagged along are the Bahamas, Jamaica, to cite a couple. Here you can enjoy many romantic evenings together so there never truly is a moment to spare even if the sun eventually sets.

- Hawaii – nothing trumps the tropical and the rich cultural inheritance that Hawaii has. There are such a lot of activities to get involved in there – from surfing to learning the way to dance the hula or just luxuriating in the wealthy historical background that surrounds the island. Hawaii is the ideal place to chill if you and your significant other are both authorized beach lovers.

- There never is a lifeless second in Florida and it truly lives up to the proven fact that it is one of the holiday maker destinations globally. For one, there’s Disneyland to go to and tons of other historical sites for you to unravel. You would also have a family kind of joyful experiences in Florida because visitors who go there customarily bring the kids along. The weather’s always perfect with its warm and comfy tropical breeze.

- Asia – Discover exotic beaches and cultures, sumptuous meals, and long standing tradition right at the melting pot of civilization – Asia. There are such a lot of states to visit and the smartest thing about it is that the costs here are less as compared with most other honeymoon destinations mentioned. You can also get to meet a lot of unusual folks as you travel in asia and pick up extraordinary languages as you speak with the neighbors.

Planning your honeymooon destination should definitely be your top priority. But, despite all this I preferred a Destination Wedding Planner for Siena. Of course , this is a rare occasion when you can suit yourselves and purely enjoy one another’s companionship before getting back to the usual hum of your lives of everyday events.

Types of Beach Resorts

For a romantic getaway for two, a beach resort may be one of the most romantic options available. Walking along the beach, seeing the sun rise or set over the ocean, riding the waves together, and playing in the sand can all help the romance come alive at your romantic beach resort desination. With the romantic atmosphere of your room and possibly a view of the ocean, all you will have to do is relax and enjoy. A romantic beach resort will sometimes offer entertainment in a lounge area, where you can enjoy dancing, listening, and sometimes even participating in what is going on. You will also have the option of enjoying room service at a beach resort, which will make the relaxation and romance even more enjoyable.

If you are looking for a family vacation where you can enjoy the surf, the sun, and the sand together, a beach resort may be a wonderful option. With the availability of many water and beach related activities, such as scuba diving, whale watching, and surfing, you will have a fun and memorable time together while staying at a beach resort. Some family beach resort vacations offer evening time for the adults with babysitters available for your convenience. When you leave your kids in the care of the people at a family beach resort, they will have fun with activities that are creative and suitable for their ages, while you enjoy some time to do more adult things, such as shopping or sightseeing, or even having an evening on the town. In some cases, you can even enjoy an evening in your room at the beach resort.

Having some time to yourself that will offer you the relaxation you crave, the fun you deserve, and the unforgettable time at the ocean will be yours when you stay at a beach resort. With the pampering that will be available to you at your beach resort, the fresh air of the ocean, and the beauty you will enjoy each day, you will be refreshed and find yourself captive to the surroundings, the sounds and the smells of the ocean. Enjoying the pampering that may be offered at your beach resort, such as massage, room service, the spa, or even the simple experience of having a room and the beach to yourself.

When you look for the most convenience, the best deal, and the best in what is offered for you with a beach resort, you may want to look for an all inclusive beach resort. This will cover your room, your meals, parking, and possibly some of the amenities that are offered as extras. Taking a good look at what is offered at the beach resort you are interested in and what is included in the price, then comparing it to what you desire in a vacation and how much it would all cost if paid for individually, you will see the true value that is offered at an all inclusive beach resort.

If you are looking for a beach resort that offers you many options of things to do, eating in or out, and paying for your meals separately, you may want a beach resort that is not all inclusive. The key to finding what you want in a beach resort is to know what you want in a vacation before you book your stay.

A beach resort may offer the best in a beach vacation, alone, as a couple, or with your family.

Taman Ayun Temple Taman Ayun (beautiful garden) is a magnificent tourist spot built over a high table enclosed and bordered by ponds. The whole pond surrounding gives this temple a floating look, which attracts many tourist and visitors holidaying in Bali. The inside of the temple has merus, shrines and bales.

Bali Bird Park

When on a holiday in Bali with family you can always visit this tourist spot and have a great family time together. This bird park is stretched across an area of 2 hectares and has amazing variety to offer to tourist and visitors. When on a holiday in Bali, you can always check out the superb collection of over 1000 of species from across the world and some being the rarest ones.

Pura Besakih – Mother Temple

Situated high on the top of mount Agung, Pura Besakih is a collection of shrines with the core temple being the Mother temple. Spread across huge hectares of area, the temple acts as a major tourist spot and brings out the spiritual and cultural side of this Indonesian island to tourist and visitors. A must to visit place, Pura Besaikh is known to be the largest Hindu temple and witness huge amount of visitors and devotes. Ubud Monkey Forest

Rich with greenery, Ubud is a forest sanctuary which has a magnificent walking pavement surrounded by thick foliage. When holidaying in Bali, you can always enjoy this green tourist spot adding to the beauty of this Indonesian island. The forest is known for the huge presence of monkeys, Balinese macaques.

Goa Gajah

This tourist spot is an elephant cave situated in the valley on the outskirt of Ubud next to Bedulu. This 700 years old cave was revived in year 1920 and 30 years later it was unearthed completely. When holidaying in Bali you must not miss this ancient tourist spot with beautifully carved striking entrance, the place is surrounded by bathing pools like most of the Bali temples.

Beaches

Apart from various tourist spots available to cherish a holiday in Bali the major attraction comes in form of its beaches. This Indonesian island is known for it water and beach activities, resorts and fun. Some of the stunning beaches found in Bali are Sanur beach, Soka beach, Lovina beach, Medewi beach, Kuta beaches, Legian beach, Jimbaran and Nusa Dua.

Best time to visit or holiday in Bali

Known to have only two seasons, dry and wet, Bali can be visited any time of the year for a great holiday. But the best time to visit Bali is usually the months from April to September. If you are holidaying in Bali only for the beaches, then the best months to visit are June to August.

Yes, I want my own exotic car. How about you? While many of us can not afford the high price of an exotic car, there are alternative ways to owning one. We can own the spirit of the car. If we surround ourselves with the spirit of the car it should provide us with a great way to own the cars spirit. We can do this through a couple of ways.

We can die cast replica’s of the car. Place it on our desk and enjoy it. Find as many exotic car photos as you can, and surround yourself with them. Build a shrine dedicated to this masterpiece of modern machinery. This in many ways can help you enjoy the spirit of the car.

One of my favorite things to do is to find the best exotic car wallpaper that I can find and dress up my desktop with it. If I find the right car wallpaper for it, it will literally jump off the screen. This way no matter what I am doing on my computer I am always reminded of what a beautiful masterpiece it is. I can enjoy it at any hour of any day.

Finding the right photo is probably the most important aspect. You can spend hours and hours looking for a good car wallpaper and end up with nothing but a poor pixilated image. It is very important to find a high resolution car wallpaper. If you don’t, you will end up seeing nothing but squares as opposed to smooth lines. This will never help you capture the essence of your dream car. It would not do it justice.

There are a few locations online that you can locate just such quality car wallpapers. Conducting a simple search on Google can usually produce some decent results. If you type in the name of your dream car plus the word wallpaper you might be able to find the right combination of resolution and imagery that you are looking for.

I know this is no consolation to owning the real thing, but for some people it will be as close as we are going to get. With prices of cars rising rapidly, it might be very difficult to ever enjoy our dream car. So why not own the next best thing, the car’s spirit.

If you are looking for places to find good car photos or quality exotic car wallpaper click here.

Turkey is an incredible country, with amazing weather, a huge range of perfect beaches and interesting, ancient ruins for you to explore. You can visit them on land if you want, but that involves long hours of road travel, and you may well end up spending half of your holiday in Turkey in the car. No one likes using precious holiday time just travelling from one place to another and not enjoying it. So why not take the effort, bother and discomfort out of it by taking a gulet cruising holiday in Turkey instead?

What is gulet cruising?

Gulets and gulet cruising have been traditional in the eastern Mediterranean for hundreds of years. Gulets are a specific type of two-masted sailing ships, usually about 14 to 36 meters in length. They are known for their smooth passage through the water because of the shape of their hulls and in the warm, placid waters often found around Turkey, cruising in a gulet is the perfect way to see the coast.

Most gulet cruising holidays are run under diesel power, meaning you experience all of the relaxing aspects of sailing without the stress of having the crew running all over the place tacking or watching out for a swinging boom as you sunbathe. In fact, most of the ships are designed with gulet cruising holidays in mind, and are tailored to your every need. The berths aren’t slung hammocks and a canvas pillow. They include luxury single or double beds (depending on your choice and needs) and en suite facilities. Most of the ships have in and outdoor saloons where you can sit and relax, sun bathe and watch the scenery glide past.

Why go gulet cruising?

Going on a gulet cruising holiday is a great way to see the coast of Turkey and find undisturbed areas, coves and inlets. It also means that travelling from site to site is relaxed and enjoyable rather than the long haul it would be by road. As well as being more relaxing, you don’t have to steer yourself around either. Maintaining and steering the boat is taken care of by the expert crew, who also have separate quarters to guarantee your privacy.

Different itineraries are available, meaning you can choose the length of your trip and the amount of activities you want to take part in. You can go on a short cruise with a few stops, or a longer more expansive one with more variety. Destinations vary from Marmaris on the Turkish mainland to trips to Kos and Rhodes. There are varied activities involved as well, from visiting 18th century monasteries to swimming in the warm clear water of Turkey’s beautiful coves.

Gulet cruising is an excellent way of experiencing Turkey’s coast. It blends the best aspects of sailing with a relaxed, un-hurried holiday and some of the most exceptional weather and scenery Turkey has to offer; Gulet cruising is a wonderful experience, and makes any holiday to turkey incredibly memorable.

Luxury Travel Company offers Vietnam visa arrangement for free if travelers book service on the company website.

Most visitors to Vietnam need a visa to enter the country. Visas are exempted for the citizens of the countries, which have signed a bilateral or unilateral visa exemption agreement with Vietnam, tourist visa may be valid for 15 to 30 days.

Visa exemption:
Vietnamese people that hold foreign passports and foreigners who are their husbands, wives and children are exempt from visa requirements to enter Vietnam and are allowed to stay for not more than 90 days. In order to be granted visa exemption certificates at Vietnamese representative offices abroad, overseas Vietnamese need conditions:
Foreign-issued permanent residence certificate (PRC) with the validity of at least six months since the date of entrance.
Visa exemption paper (VEP) is granted by Vietnamese appropriate authorities.
Those who expect to stay more than 90 days must apply for visa according to current stipulations before their entrance.

Bilateral visa exemption agreement
Citizens of Thailand, Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and Laos holding valid ordinary passports are exempt from visa requirements and are allowed to stay for not more than 30 days.
Citizens of China, Bulgaria, Kyrgyzstan, North Korea, and Rumania holding valid ordinary passports for official mission and citizens of 52 countries holding valid diplomatic or official passports are exempt from visa requirements. The duration of staying is stipulated in certain cases. For more information, please visit le website of Ministry of Foreign Affaires.

Unilateral visa exemption
Visa with 30-day validity is exempted for officials from ASEAN secretariat holding different kinds of passports.
Citizens of Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Japan and South Korea holding different kinds of passports are exempt from visa requirements and are allowed to stay for not more than 15 days.
Others who want to enter Vietnam must be provided with a visa.
Tourist visa is valid in 30 days.

Visa is issued at the Vietnamese diplomatic offices or consulates in foreign countries. Visa is possibly issued at the border gates to those who have written invitations by a Vietnamese competent agencies or tourists in the tours organized by Vietnamese international travel companies.

Application files for visa: the entrance application (printed form); two 4×6 cm photos; passport and fee for the visa issuance.

Visa extension: Served by all international travel companies. Check it out at http://www.luxurytravelvietnam.com/EN/GE/visatovietnam.htm

Luxury Travel Company offers Vietnam visa arrangement for free if travelers book service on the company website.

Sports injuries are inevitable when indulging in physically demanding or contact sports. So much so that there is an altogether separate branch of medicine dedicated to the treatment of sports injuries and is called sports medicine. While minor wounds can heal in a few days or weeks, major ones may require surgical attention. However, just like any other surgery, surgical treatment of sports injuries may be expensive in the United States and other Western countries. But thanks to medical tourism, now these treatments can be obtained for cheap.

Injuries are an inevitable part of playing any sport, be it tennis, squash, football, baseball, hockey, cycling, golf or any other. Just like defeats don’t stop an athlete from moving on, physical injuries should not prevent you from playing sports because there almost always is a way to treat the injury and even major injuries can now be treated affordably through medical tourism.

TYPES OF INJURIES

Sports injuries may range from bruises and muscle strains, to fractures and head injuries. The most common sports injuries are:

Ligament sprains and muscle strains

Swollen muscles

Knee injuries (torn meniscus, runner’s knee or patellofemoral pain syndrome, jumper’s knee, articular surface problems, problems with the kneecap)

Knee ligament injuries (torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), torn posterior cruciate ligament (PCL), torn medial collateral ligament (MCL))

Shoulder injuries (rotator cuff tears, glenoid labrum tear)

Tendon injuries (Achilles tendon injuries, DeQuervain’s syndrome or washerwoman’s sprain or mother’s wrist)

Pain along the shin bone (shin splints)

Bone fractures (scaphoid fracture, hip fracture)

Dislocations (shoulders, fingers, knees, wrists, elbows)

Spine injuries (herniated disk, sciatica, lumbar spinal stenosis)

TREATMENT OPTIONS

To accelerate the overall healing process it’s important that the initial phase (inflammatory phase) of the injury be minimized with the initial treatments. Treatment often begins with the RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation) regime to relieve pain, reduce swelling and speed healing. Other possible treatments include pain relievers, keeping the injured area from moving, rehabilitation and sometimes surgery.

SURGICAL TREATMENT OF INJURIES

Surgery is recommended when the more conservative methods of healing and physical therapy have failed to relieve pain and restore normal function. Based on the site and extent of injury and evaluation by your doctor, the surgical approach used could be traditional or laparoscopic (keyhole).

The most common surgeries to treat sports-related injuries are:

Knee replacement (total or partial)

ACL repair or reconstruction

Meniscectomy

Arthroscopic surgery (knee arthroscopy, shoulder arthroscopy, spinal arthroscopy, wrist arthroscopy, ankle arthroscopy, hip arthroscopy)

Tendon repair surgery

Laminectomy or laminotomy

Discectomy or microdiscectomy

Bone fracture repair surgery

Hip replacement

Hip hemiarthroplasty

Birmingham hip resurfacing

Spinal decompression surgery

MEDICAL TOURISM AND SURGERY

If you are insured, your insurance may cover the cost of surgery. But if you have to pay for the surgery out of pocket it may cost you a fortune to have the surgery in the US. Therefore, Americans are increasingly shopping for surgical care in other countries – medical tourism – where the cost of surgery is much less while at the same time the quality offered is superior to what is available in the US.

When William Nilsson, an uninsured American, sustained knee injuries while playing football and tore his knee ligaments while playing golf, he resorted to an Indian hospital to get a total knee replacement surgery so he could return to his sports hobbies. Assisted by Healthbase, a medical tourism facilitator based in Boston, he managed to have his surgery for $6,500. The same surgery in the US would have cost him between $30,000 and $40,000.

Similarly, Daniel Biggs broke a tendon in his hand when playing golf. He had his tendon repair surgery coordinated by Healthbase in Panama for which he paid $5,500 – a price that was a mere 20% of what he was quoted in the United States.

These are just two examples of the hundreds and thousands of people traveling overseas to seek affordable health care for sports-related injuries as well as non-sports related conditions. Countries such as Mexico, Panama, Costa Rica and India are popular medical tourism destinations for such treatments.

Price differential is the leading factor for the popularity of medical tourism. Other benefits of using medical tourism are access to high quality and immediate care. You may find more information about affordable medical tourism on the Healthbase website.

The global economic downturn is hitting business travel where it hurts: According to a new survey by the Association of Corporate Travel Executives (ACTE), more than 70 percent of U.S. travel managers plan to spend less on corporate travel in 2009. The results represent a sharp shift from an earlier ACTE poll (Sept. 2008), which found that only 33 percent of U.S. travel managers were planning on cutting travel spend in the year to come.

While the ACTE survey may have focused on the U.S., the challenges faced by travel buyers and travel managers cut across all sectors of the globe. From reducing travel to tightening travel policy, and from renegotiating with suppliers to adjusting travel behavior, travel program stakeholders are intent on cutting trips and curbing expenses.

The silver lining to the financial storm clouds, says Kathy Jackson, executive vice president.

Story highlights:

* Travel buyers and managers now able to make changes that were impossible in the past

* New role for account managers in understanding and supporting client business drivers

* Changes to travel policy, approval process, traveler behavior are leading savings mechanisms for cost-conscious companies

* Demand management and online technologies are key supports

For Global Client Management at BCD Travel, is that the economy is enabling travel buyers and their respective teams to make changes that, quite frankly, have never been achievable in the past.

The challenge, adds Jackson, is to save on travel spend without compromising on business objectives: “As hard as it may be to foresee, the recession will not last forever. Companies will need to emerge from the downturn with plans for growth and solid business relationships in place- and travel is a crucial element in supporting growth and retention initiatives.”

Teri Miller, senior vice president for Global Client Management in the Americas for BCD Travel, sees a major opportunity for travel management company account managers in the current situation: “Account managers need a deep understanding of the customer’s business drivers to enable them to anticipate and add value, rather than react. As an example, if a client is closing manufacturing plants in three countries, our account manager will explain how travel patterns will shift as a result, illustrate what effect that may have on supplier contracts and provide a plan for optimizing potential impact.”

What steps are BCD Corporate Travel clients taking to combat the recession?

Companies need to look beyond the big-ticket items, says Jackson, and filter adjustments through every component of a trip. “It may be tempting to focus exclusively on air ticket costs, but for some programs, air may make up only as much as 20 percent of total T&E expenditure. Our account managers, often with the support of a consultative engagement from Advito [the independent consulting branch of BCD Travel], help clients focus on the total cost of trip, including hotel, ground transportation and even restaurant costs.”

A list of some of the decisions in which BCD Travel is supporting its clients’ recession-management travel strategies is below.

The choices and decisions being made represent a major opportunity for companies to make lasting beneficial changes to their travel programs, says Jackson: “As with any diet, success is incumbent on making change a way of life, not a 30-day wonder regime.”

Changes in travel policy

Growing corporate cost-consciousness is manifesting itself most prominently in the refinement and enactment of more stringent travel policies. Among the common cost-cutting elements BCD Travel is seeing: shifting from business class to coach class (variations include mandating coach class for all travelers regardless of hierarchical level and increasing the business-class flight-time threshold); down-tiering hotels (i.e., three-star instead of four-star); mandating the use of public transport rather than taxis; and retaining frequent flyer miles for business travel rather than personal travel.

BCD Travel is also seeing an increase in the use of rail and low-cost carriers within EMEA, says Felix Vezjak, senior vice president for Global Client Management in EMEA: “Companies are much more likely to accept what were formerly seen as inconveniences (i.e., secondary airports) in exchange for savings. However, particularly in the case of low-cost carriers, companies need to ensure that their travelers always use the preferred booking channels (online booking tool and agency) of choice to ensure adequate reporting and security tracking.”

For further suggestions on refining and enforcing travel policy, see our Feb. 2009 article “Reliance on compliance.” Changes to travel approval process

Whether it’s instituting an official approval process where one might not have existed or – as is more common – making existing processes more restrictive, this cost-cutting method is winning wide-spread support among BCD Corporate Travel clients as an easy “quick win.”

As part of a concerted travel-cost reduction effort, one of BCD Travel’s global clients, which has over US$450 million in annual travel spend and more than 325,000 employees worldwide, changed its travel approval process radically to incorporate the following:

# No travel unless approved by a vice president on a single trip basis (<150 VPs in the company)

# No last-minute travel (under seven days’ advance purchase) unless approved by an executive vice president (<15 EVPs in the company)

Demand management (travel reduction or travel freeze)

More and more companies today view demand management as one of the biggest opportunities they have to control or reduce costs without compromising their overall business goals and requirements.

Among the possible steps companies can take to reduce travel demand:

# Eliminate all non-client-related travel

# Freeze attendance at industry conventions and conferences

One BCD Travel client refers to internal meetings as the “mother of all travel,” and has implemented the following methods to reduce the travel they generate:

# Prioritize video/web-conferencing for internal meetings

# Reduce number of meeting participants (all participants must be on agenda)

# Require meetings to be planned around travel, rather than vice versa

# Eliminate hotel nights before and after the meetings

# Choose meeting venues based on total cost, including travel and employee time spend

Travel management company as educational and staffing resource

BCD Travel has played an important role for several major clients in helping educate travelers and travel arrangers on a range of subjects in order to improve their ability to support the companies’ savings initiatives. For some clients, BCD Travel account management has provided workshop sessions for travel bookers; for others, the company has created “Tips and Tricks” documents for cost-savvy travel that clients have made available to all travelers.

Some clients have also had to face internal downsizing, resulting in the loss of key travel personnel. In one recent case, following the departure of the travel manager, BCD Travel has been able to dedicate a resource to that role. The account manager has also supported the client by conducting analyses to forecast further headcount reduction ahead of online adoption drive. This headcount reduction has been written into the budget for 2009.

Increased use of online booking tools

In order to save on transaction costs and streamline processes, companies are increasingly mandating that all domestic or point-to-point travel be booked online. Online tools can also play an important role in supporting changes to the travel policy and to traveler behavior, says Miller: “Companies can modify booking tools to ask travelers about the necessity of a trip or offer alternatives to the journey before proceeding to booking.”

Program consolidation

Finally, says Jackson, the economic downturn may present a significant “carrot” for companies that had been looking into consolidating their travel services regionally or globally: “Consolidation of multiple country services into a multinational service center, for example, can represent considerable savings in resource and process costs. However, companies must be sure that their organization is prepared to fully support consolidation in order to fully achieve the benefits. That means asking questions like, ‘Do we have a consistent travel policy in place that spans the markets involved? Are there language constraints that would be met by the service center?’”

It also promotes sites that can help you to find the perfect hotel or other accommodation when on vacation. Another frustrating part about planning a holiday can be the aircraft service you go with. Sometimes it can be worrying when booking a flight as so many current providers are going in and out of business so quickly, that it can be difficult choosing a provider that you know you’re going to go on vacation with and come back from the vacation too.

This site also promotes sites to help you decide which aircraft provider is the best to go with. It also promotes sites that can help you to distinguish which providers are going to be striking at some point in the near future too, which can also be a worrying factor when booking flights especially for first time vacation planners.The site has a live feed on the homepage which works with Twitter. These show recent articles and reviews that have been written for the website, helping you to stay in touch with the latest information about vacation destinations.

The site also promotes cruise companies for the people who literally do want to have a 10 minute country time World travel. A cruise can be perfect for people who want to see a lot of different cultures and customs from all over the world. Cruises can be more for young couples or people with no children as they are often more sophisticated and leisurely vacations. Overall, this site provides anything anyone could ever want when it comes down to book a vacation. This is such an important topic and the site appears to have checked every single box.

I had heard that Bali was an island of temples, dances, and age-old rituals; with over 95 per cent of the 3 million people practice a form of Hinduism. But nothing prepared me for the spot-on recital of ‘Gayatri Mantra’ by my taxi driver, followed by a song from Kuch Kuch Hota Hai in the same breath. I was amazed by the Bollywood craze in this Far East city, so much so, that I was instantly labelled ‘from Shah Rukh Khan’s country’ by every taxi driver and local I met!

Arriving at the airport, most tourists head straight for the beach areas of Kuta, Sanur, Jimbaran or Nusa Dua, I chose Kuta simply because it is still arguably the centre of night life activities along with an array of shops, boutiques, and galleries- what more could I ask for!

Bali offers a vast section of hotels for all budgets, right from simple and cheap accommodation for backpackers to five star hotels with indulgent spas for those seeking pure luxury. I stayed at the Hard Rock Hotel, a stone’s throw away from the Kuta beach.

At sunset, the Kuta beach comes alive, with people wanting to enjoy the stunning panorama. Teeming tourist, locals selling the colourful sarongs and batiks and a Balinese dance performance somewhere on endless stretch of the beach…and if you want to dance away into the wee hours of the morning, you wont be disappointed- pubbing is amazing in Kuta, with a wide choice of with pubs and discos that offer a vibrant nightlife.

The best way to enjoy Kuta is by simply asking the locals, who are very friendly an always ready to help you. I was lucky to have a very successful Indian friend in Indonesia- Kishore Pridhnani, who along with his wife Radha took me for a night tour of all the chic places in Kuta. The one that left a lasting impression on my mind was Ku De Ta, a fancy restaurant overlooking the beach. I absolutely loved the ambience in the night and would recommend this restaurant to anyone.

However, if your kind of vacation is to relax and chill out, head to the southern peninsula, with world-class, self-contained luxury hotels set on quiet stretches of beach of Sanur and Nusa Dua, as well as in Jimbaran Bay. (which is also very popular for very reasonable Sea food) These white sand beaches dotted by thousands of mangrove and coconut trees and sheltered by coral reefs, create an ideal haven for honeymooners or those preferring solitude.

To take a break from the hustle and bustle of Kuta, I headed for Ubud, which I must say has retained the feel of a cosy village retreat, despite of the growing tourism industry. Ubud is the arts and crafts capital of Bali, so in addition to streets lined with lined with shops and workshops specialising in traditional crafts, there are a number of different art galleries and museums to visit.

The next I headed for a day-trip cruise from Benoa Harbor that took me to the Lembongan Island, a popular spot for surfers and scuba divers. (at approx. USD 60 onwards for the day-cruise inclusive of lunch, I think it’s a worth a visit). Arriving on the white sandy beaches of Lembongan Bay, you can take the guided snorkelling trips and glass-bottom boat cruise or simply walk amidst the native Balinese villages

If you want to take a break from the beach scenario, I suggest a trip into the cool mountains of Kintamani with its green rice fields, the placid Lake Batur that rests in a huge crater and the impressive Gunung Batur volcano that dominates the landscape. The evenings tend to get cooler, so carry a warm pullover or a shawl and make sure you have camera with you to capture the spectacular view of Mt Batur.

Bali is one of the Spa Capitals of the world where you can indulge yourself in a spa treatment at very reasonable prices. If you want to spoil yourself then you can sample from an elaborate menu of lulur massages, rice-paste exfoliations, flower petal aroma baths and indulgent cream baths. I would suggest you check some of the local spas that work spa therapies into your holiday schedule on a daily basis. And don’t forget the traditional drinks made of herbs and roots- ‘jamu’, a local Balinese remedy for fatigue, headaches, aching bones or chills.

For the adventurous and sporty, Bali offers a host of adrenaline-pumping water-sports, both below and above water. Surfing, scuba diving, banana boats, snorkelling, parasailing, Jet Ski, Bungee Jumping, Bali offers it all.

Do try the river rafting on the Ayung River amidst a wild tropical forest. Ride the fast-flowing Ayung river as it carves its way with numerous hairpin curves and swirling rapids. A full day programme would only cost you about USD 35 onwards and I found the experience thoroughly stimulating.

For those who love underwater world and always wanted to dive, there is spectacular scuba diving and snorkelling off the unspoiled coral reefs around the island, with the most amazing and colourful underwater life. There are even learner’s courses by qualified professional instructors for the amateurs (you can take a day’s course for less than USD 100)

And while you are on the beach enjoying the water sports, do indulge in the locals who cajole you into trying hair braiding, getting tattoo done or even have a relaxing massage.

If you are travelling with your kids, be sure to take them to the Waterboom Park. My kids and I enjoyed a day of waterslides and pools in all sizes with restaurants and snack bars within arms reach…good family fun for kids of all ages!

When you feel like venturing outside for a meal, there are lots of breezy open sided bamboo cafes serving authentic Balinese food as well as an array of sumptuous international cuisine. But for those who miss Indian food, I suggest you try out a delicious meal at the Queen’s Tandoor in Seminyak, where the owners Puneet and Neeta Malhotra go out of the way to pamper you with personal attention.

Another big pastime here is shopping!

For those who do not want to wander too far from the beach, Sanur, Kuta and Ubud have more than enough to appease any shopper, from sarongs and sandals to wooden statues, stone carvings and iron and bronze works. But if you are keen on shopping, you can buy branded stuff from malls like Mahatari or also look for Factory Sales of branded clothes.

You’ll find the ultimate in open-air market browsing in southern Bali, where traditional Asian-style shopping still thrives. Do check out the local painting styles. I suggest, you always go in at less than a third of the price and even walk away, until you get the price you want. .

And before you leave Bali don’t forget to buy their chilly sauce called Sambal (its one of it’s kind and you can even pick it up at the duty free at Bali Airport.)

From the locals raving over Shah Rukh Khan to the colourful Balinese-Hindu culture, this tropical paradise lures Indians, not just by its natural exquisiteness but more importantly by its culture and the warmth of the Balinese people.

With Bali becoming more accessible and affordable, with cheap extension packages from Kuala Lumpur or Singapore and great deals from Garuda Indonesia Airlines that have daily flights connecting the Island for as little as USD 160 for a round trip ticket, I would defiantly recommend this island getaway as your next travel itinerary!