Archive for February, 2010

Hats off to Panama

Embera Drua Indians, 2 hours from Panama City

Panama City is an eclectic mix of the old and new.  It has some great restaurants and nightclubs.  KLM now fly direct to Panama City from Amsterdam.

The 17th-century Casco Viejo or Casco Antiguo (the old quarter) of Panama City is as ravishing as any colonial cityscape in the Americas – with the same gracious, glorious shades of Old San Juan or Old Havana.   There are numerous old churches, including the Iglesia San José with its gold altar and great museums full of religious art.    The area was made a UNESCO World Heritage Site some ten years ago, and with its maze of streets mixing everything from neo-Moorish to French neoclassical to Art Deco, it has, like Old Havana, spent more than a couple of decades slowly decaying and is today festooned in tropical rot, which lends it…

Head for The Chocolate Hills !

The beautiful Chocolate Hills are located in Bohol, the Philippines. There is a Legend that says the hills came into existence when two giants threw stones at one other. The hills are entirely natural and during the dry season, the grass turns brown, looking like chocolate. It is both a beautiful and peculiar view of one of Nature’s strangest creations.

The Philippines is a lovely holiday destination so if you decide to head there for your next vacation, make sure you fit in a tour to the Chocolate Hills in the Dry Season to see them at their “chocolately best”.

Plan your whole vacation through Expedia and get great deals.

Where is the Perfect Valentine’s Day Destination?

Readers have sent in emails asking for advice on the most romantic destination in the world ready for Valentine’s Day. Paris, Venice, Marrakech, Istanbul or Copenhagen immediately spring to mind as places imbued with romance.

A favourite is Puerto Vallarta (pronounced ‘vay-art-ah’), on the Pacific coast of Mexico. The oldest part of town, called Villa Romantica, has cobbled streets, centuries-old churches painted pink, and steep, green jungles tumbling down to the green shoals of the Pacific.

The town is redolent with romance and natural beauty – the old cathedral looks like a work of art,

there are quirky, ocean-themed sculptures on the malecon,

the sea is at its most breathtaking at Playa de los Muertos or Los Arcos.

Not many British travellers visit Puerto Vallarta. It’s easy to get there from London on Continental via Houston.

Contributed by Escapism Travel…

Create a Location Independent Business, the Practical Way

 
Coconuts for sale. Photo by Michael Burm

Editor’s Introduction: Anyone who enjoys traveling, or has had their dreams haunted by picturesque places, has most likely thought to themselves, “If I worked for myself, I could just hop a plane for destinations unknown”. Sadly, and all too often, the alarm clock rings or the boss walks in or something snaps us back into reality. Honestly, there are those out there enjoying the fruits of location independent business opportunities and Jason Batansky is one of the fortunate. Here, he shares his beginnings, his dream business idea and what he has learned about making location independent business ventures successful.

Location Independence in Seven “Easy” Steps

1) Real Motivation

Why do you want to start a business? As a small business consultant for my state’s office, I met with one lady who invested US$20,000 into producing her salad dressing on a large…