Travel-4Less

A Trip to Hamburg
Hamburg is Germany’s freewheeling commercial engine and window on the outside world. The port city, in the country’s north-centre, is the country’s second largest and sits astride the Elbe River that links it to the North Sea about 100km from the Danish border. The city’s business life is dominated by its twin industries of shipping and media. The former gives Hamburg its eclectic cosmopolitan flavour and the latter its creative spark and openness to new ideas.

Hamburg Airport
The Hamburg airport is airport is located 8km (5 miles) north of the city and served by a transfer service that leaves every 15 minutes from 0600-2330 and taxis (around 25 Euros). All the major car hire companies have desks in the terminal. See EasyCar.com for the best deals on Rental cars in Hamburg.

Sightseeing Highlights
With its centuries long procession of sailors pouring out of schooners, destroyers, tankers and frigates it’s hardly surprising that Hamburg is home to the Disneyland of red light districts: Huge in scale, creative minds coming up with a new spin on the central theme all the time and a tourist attraction in its own right. It’s in the St Pauli district (ironically named for the celibate apostle) with the Reeperbahn its main street and cranks up in the late afternoon when up to 40,000 people come to cruise its bars, sex clubs, eateries, shows and cafes. Once a sleazy, crime-ridden ghetto, like Times Square it’s been largely sanitised, with the hookers almost an exotic add-on amongst the neon, boisterous crowds and carnival atmosphere.

The Port of Hamburg makes up 12% of the entire city and while a series of wharves and docks is not a usual tourist destination the history and scale of this one makes it worth a look. You can get a good view of of the sprawling complex at the Stingfang stone balcony above the Landungsbrucken U/S Bahn stop or take a cruise to view the harbour at sea level. Other maritime sights include the museum aboard the Rickmer Rickmers an 1896 windjammer and the immigration and shipping exhibits on the newer and larger vessel, Cap Son Diego.

Although not in the same league as Berlin’s showpiece civic museums, Hamburg has an interesting collection. The best include: The Kunsthalle for art from the middle ages to the 20th Century (Klee, Munch, Kokoschka) as well as a series of 19th Century Germa paintings; The Galerie der Gegenwart for modern pieces (Baselitz, Richter Koons, Hockney). The Museum fur Kunst und Gewerbe (Arts and Crafts Museum) with a huge collection of everything from jewellery, porcelain, musical instruments and sculpture to posters, interior and graphic design and furniture. The Museum fur Volkerkunde (Museum of Ethnology) with objects and displays such as masks, sculptures, canoes, costumes and musical instruments from Africa, Asia and the South Pacific. The Museum der Arbeit (Museum of Work) focussing on the working environment that has evolved in and around Hamburg.

One of the city’s most idiosyncratic features blossoms for a few hours every Sunday morning and then with its frenetic energy expended lies dormant for the rest of the week. The attraction? The Fischmarket in St Pauli which starts around 5:00am (7:00am Oct-Mar) on the banks of the Elbe just south of the Reeperbahn. Of course, its myriad stalls offer all kinds of seafood – prawns, fish fillets, eels and shelfish but also all manner of flora, clothes, fruit and vegetables and hot snacks for the early risers or late finishers still reeking of beer looking for a bratwurst and roll to soak up some of the night’s excesses. The whole atmosphere is enlivened by the cheeky patter of the spruikers hawking their wares or just flirting with the passers by with a wink and a theatrical leer. Live music pumps from the nearby Fischauktionshalle (Fish Auction Hall) where the audience chorus mixes with the pungent aroma of beer and sausage to fill the senses. Around 10:00am it’s all over for another week and the debris is swept up and the city relaxes into its Sunday before the working week begins again.

Daytrips
Hamburg is less than an hour’s drive away from several Baltic and North Sea beaches. The most popular among Germans are Sankt Peter-Ording, a famous surfing destination, and the North Sea island of Sylt, the country’s northernmost point, boasting one of Europe’s longest unbroken beach strips. Another North Sea island, Heligoland, regularly boasts winter temperatures up to 10° different to mainland Hamburg and is virtually free from pollen.

The medieval Baltic city of Luebeck, 60km northeast of Hamburg, is a UNESCO World Heritage site, while the northeastern suburb of Ahrensburg features a Renaissance castle originally built in 1595. The world’s largest sailing event and one of Germany’s biggest festivals takes place each June in the city of Kiel, located an hour’s drive from Hamburg.
The Altes Land region, featuring farmhouses with elaborately decorated gateways, is the world’s northernmost fruit growing area, as well as Central Europe’s largest.

Must-see attractions
Hamburg is a city filled with street parties, parks, theatre, music, and history. Ohlsdorfer Friedhof includes one of the world’s largest graveyards, Planten un Bloomen features beautiful flower displays, and an old water tower converted into a planetarium is located in the middle of the Stadtpark. The city zoo is Hagenbecks Tierpark.

The HafenCity Viewpoint tower offers the most outstanding panoramic view of Hamburg’s skyline, harbour and surrounding Elbe River. The Alter Elbtunnel beneath the river, decorated with engravings of marine life, fishing boats, and other maritime symbols, is an even more unique way to view the city.

Sailing and boat tours of the city’s harbour and large artificial lakes, Binnenalster and Außenalster, are also popular. Zollenbrücke, Hamburg’s oldest existing bridge, was originally built during the 17th century.

One of Hamburg’s more unusual attractions, the Miniaturwunderland, allows visitors to explore the world without leaving the city. The American west, the Alps, and an exhibit of automated sailing ships representing Scandinavia are all represented in the world’s largest model railway layout.

Most of Hamburg’s small beaches are located between Blankenese and Övelgönne on the Elbe River’s north side. The Elbe is safe for swimming, except for the huge waves created by passing container ships. Visitors may also bring their own grills for beachside barbecuing, as long as they clean up afterwards.

Best time to go
Thanks to the North Sea’s breezes, Hamburg’s summers are usually hot and damp, while winter is typically chilly and windy, but rarely cold enough to freeze water. Hamburg is rarely crowded during the summer because many locals spend their holidays in warmer European countries, but showers are frequent, so rain gear is highly recommended for summertime visitors. The drier spring climate, with weather almost as warm as summer, is perhaps the best time to visit Hamburg. Autumn is also fairly mild and sunny.

Rainy day suggestions
A rainy Hamburg summer day provides the perfect opportunity to explore the city’s several churches and museums. Hamburg’s immense and historic city hall offers daily guided tours in English, French, and German. The steeple on top of the ruins of St Nikolai Church, the only one of Hamburg’s five main churches not rebuilt as an anti-war memorial, offers a beautiful view of the city’s skyline. There are also several English theatre and concert presentations throughout Hamburg.

Singapore Airlines Boeing 747-400 landing at Heathrow courtesy Wikipedia

In 2005, Singapore Airlines unveiled the slogan “First to fly the A380 – experience the difference in 2006″, to promote itself as the world’s first airline to take delivery of the A380-800 double-decker super jumbo, which was expected to occur in the 2nd quarter of 2006 but has since been pushed back to later in the year. Singapore Airlines was the first airline to offer free headsets and drinks. Its reputation for service quality has made it the world’s most awarded airline to date. Singapore Airlines has an in-flight entertainment system, KrisWorld, which screens the latest movies and includes Nintendo games. Each seat has it own personal television. Krisworld has recently been upgraded in all classes to feature On-demand video and audio, where each user can select any particular film or television programme from the considerably large in-flight library at any time, and can pause, rewind and fast forward through it from their in seat video controller and personal screen.

Singapore Airlines has been around for 60 years and can trace its roots back to when a Malayan Airways aircraft left Singapore’s Kalang Airport en route to Kuala Lumpur, Ipoh and Penang on 1 May 1947. This thrice-weekly jaunt is how the airline got its wings, acquired more aircraft and subsequently growing to become one of the biggest and most respected airlines in the world. The carrier has gone through a few names to get to the simple moniker of Singapore Airlines. Having begun operations under the title of Malayan Airways Limited Airspeed Consul, when the federation of Malaysia was born on 16 September 1963, the airline was renamed Malaysian Airways Limited. Three years later, to include the city-state of Singapore, the name was again changed to Malaysia-Singapore Airlines.

Up until this point, the airline used a variety of aircraft for its flights. There were Fokker F27s, Vickers Viscount and a DC-4 Skymaster among other aircraft. In 1972, when the company split into two separate entities – Singapore Airlines and the Malaysian Airline System, Singapore Airlines took advantage of the situation and began to purchase Boeing planes. The new face of Singapore Airlines was that of modernity and a fleet of Boeing 747 jets was acquired and a new freight terminal and hangar for the 747s was constructed.

Singapore likes its planes big. In the 1980s, Singapore Airlines became the first airline in the world to use an Airbus A300 Superbus, and also used Boeing 747-300 and B757s. The next decade saw more ambitious purchases of behemoth aircraft and by 2000, with the order of 19 A380s from Airbus, the airline now has one of the largest and most modern fleets in the world. Anyone who has taken a flight with Singapore Airlines knows that there is no corners cut when it comes to service. Whether you’re first class or economy, the in-flight entertainment system is superb and will pass the time of any long-haul flight with ease. The airline boasts decent food and free drinks as well. Singapore Airlines was actually the first airline to start a free drinks service.

Make a flight booking on Singapore Airlines website

A gleaming portal between east and west, Singapore polarises opinion. Praised as a clean, safe, efficient multi-cultural metropolis or derided as a sterile, paternalistic, monotonous temple to mammon. Well, it’s your choice to see it as one or the other – Singapore doesn’t really mind, as long as you spend up big in the city’s emporiums (and don’t chew gum while you’re at it). The city rose from the ashes of World War II – a corrupt, mosquito-ridden colonial outpost eking a living as a trading centre by virtue of its strategic position at the centre of S-E Asia and its natural port.

Changi International Airport
The city is served by Changi Airport (IATA: SIN) is the major aviation hub in South East Asia. It is located in Changi, approximately 20 km (12 miles) northeast of the centre of Singapore. Operated by the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS), Changi Airport is the home base of Singapore Airlines and is served by 78 other airlines. The airport hosts roughly four thousand flights per week to 177 cities around the world.

Sightseeing Highlights
Since then it has morphed into a wealthy, modern city-state that takes pride in its achievements and doesn’t care if it doesn’t meet western stereotypes of the inscrutable orient.So why visit it? Well you probably wouldn’t if you’re a twenty-something backpacker with a thirst for adventure and a taste for Asian mystique. But if you want a secure air-lock between back-home familiarity and a gentle oriental breeze then Singapore is a great way to acclimatise yourself to the rest of the region.
So, what to do? Singapore provides you with lots to see and do on an island just 42km wide by 23 km long. It all starts at the modern shopping mall that doubles as Changi Airport. A quick ride into town sees you at Singapore’s nerve-centre, Orchard Rd. The fruit trees have long gone, replaced with a wall-to-wall strip of department stores, malls, food courts, coffee shops, hotels and restaurants. Peak times will see you part of the thick but smoothly flowing stream of Singaporeans – an espresso mix of ethnic Chinese, Malays and Indians with a shot of steamed milk in the form of European expats and tourists. There are enough “highlight” spots to keep you on the go for a few days before you plunge into the exotica of Asia proper or scamper back to the familiarity of the west.

Singapore Zoo – Perhaps the best tropical zoo in the world, Singapore’s is more a taste of Eden where the visitor feels more a natural part of the environment rather than a consumer in an animal shopping mall. Spend an afternoon at the zoo, have some dinner, then at 7:30pm head for the Night Safari – a unique wildlife park given over specifically to nocturnal creatures such as leopards, tigers, bats and hippos.

The city has four or five museums worth a few hours apiece. There are two Asian Civilizations Museums known (efficiently enough) as One and Two. One is in the museum district at the southern end of Orchard Rd. It houses a range of artefacts and relics from the ancestors of Singapore’s ethnic cultures including textiles, lacquerware, jewellery, porcelain and jade. Two is on the Singapore River and has a series of themed galleries showing highlights from the region’s key cultures – Chinese, Islamic, Malay, Indian, Indonesian, Filipino etc. The Art Museum has a collection of paintings, sculpture and installations with a focus on Asian artists supplemented by travelling exhibitions from the US and Europe. The Singapore History Museum has a collection that focuses on the history of the city itself. It includes dioramas of key events in its evolution from Raffles’ landing to parliamentary independence.

Raffles
As London has The Ritz and New York the Waldorf-Astoria, Singapore’s grand, history-infused hotel is Raffles. More a secular cathedral to the faded glories of colonial grandeur, it is much, much more than just a place to stay. Home to fine restaurants, a culinary school, souvenir shops, a deli, cafes, a bakery and even its own museum. The casual visitor can soak up the atmosphere for the price of a Singapore Sling in the Long Bar or take high tea in the Tiffin Room.
ChijmesDiagonally opposite Raffles is a unique city block called Chijmes. Dominated by a glorious needle-spired chapel, once a convent, it is now a collection of hip restaurants, exhibition spaces and art and craft shops. Wander in for a peek during the afternoon and it will entice you to linger through the evening and into the night as the clubs start to fill with energised locals and the music of the region’s ubiquitous Filipino pop bands.

Sentosa
As Singapore is to the Malay Peninsula, so Sentosa is to Singapore: a small island off its southern tip. You can get there by ferry, over a causeway or, best of all, a cable car that affords a breathtaking view of the city and its lifeblood – the wharves and docks that are in perpetual motion. Sentosa has been developed into a daytrippers’ diversion replete with an aquarium, butterfly park, resort hotels, a diorama museum and a volcano show. It also has easily accessible beaches (though the sight of dozens of oil and cargo ships just offshore might make think twice before taking a dip).

“Little” Singapores
In an echo of its ethnically-ghettoed past Singapore has a well-preserved Chinatown, Little India and Old Malaya. The former, with its narrow warrens of streets and shophouses filled with cafes bars, shops and temples, gives you a sense of what life was like for Chinese coolies. But don’t glance up or your reverie will be popped by the skyscrapers of the city’s financial district a stone’s throw away. Highlights of Little India include an arcade of the same name with shops selling saris, Hindu religious paraphernalia, Ayurvedic medicines and Indian sweets and snacks; several Hindu temples; and the Tekka Centre markets with a bewildering array of spices, cooked food and household essentials. Kampong Glam is the centre of Muslim Singapore. Arab Street is full of shops selling cane & rattan goods, leather goods and Islamic religious effects; Istana Kampong Glam is the old sultan’s palace currently being redeveloped but worth a look from outside; and Sultan Mosque is a grand piece of Arabesque architecture.

Botanic Gardens
A verdant oasis that serves as the city’s lungs, the Botanic Gardens providesa respite from the grime and breakneck pace just a few streets away. It’s easy to become entranced by the lakes, waterfalls and landscaped fountains set amongst a mix of manicured lawns, primal jungle and orchid stands. The Gardens are complemented by a restaurant, a concert stage set on an island and a well-equipped visitors’ centre.

The Quays
Singapore makes good use of its river and there are two strips in particular where you can choose from a plethora of bars and restaurants. Boat Quay is closer to the bay and is lined with waterfront eateries of every description. Not sure what you might get? Don’t worry; there are full colour photos of most dishes on the menu and touts eager to extol the virtues of their particular cuisine. For the curious, the famous Harry’s Bar is at one end of the Quay where you can down an ale at the place where Nick Leeson, lived it up before he brought down Barings. Clark Quay is a mile or so upriver and while deserted during the day, comes alive when the sun goes down and the revellers come out. The usual range of drinking outlets is complemented by a micro-brewery and a gaggle of food stalls known collectively as the Satay Club (guess what the speciality is?).

Hawker Markets
Renowned for its range of and passion for food, a trip to Singapore would be missing something if you didn’t plunge into its communal kitchen-cum-dining-rooms – the hawker food markets. Once just places wherever mobile carts congregated, many (but not all) are now permanent fixtures replete with refrigerators, plumbing and regular health inspections. Great just to wander around for their colour, energy and sense of theatre, you can browse the displays of seafood, the satay braziers or the fruit juice stalls before settling on something that takes your fancy. It will invariably be prepared fresh to order, lip-smacking good and inexpensive. In walking distance of (or a short cab trip from) Orchard Rd, try Newton Circus Food Centre but there are lots of others around the city.

The Colonial Core
For those interested in neo-classical, colonial architecture there is a portfolio of historic artefacts that stand as a forlorn echo of England’s stamp of authority on its far-flung possessions. They are all clustered around Raffle’s landing site on a bend in the Singapore River and include the Supreme Court, Old Parliament House, the City Hall and the Victoria Theatre and Concert Hall. It can be vaguely satisfying to stroll around the district, admire the British appropriation of the stylistic ideas of ancient Greece and Rome and reflect on the transience of all once invincible empires.

Daytrips
Daytrips for visitors holidaying in Singapore can be made by hire car to destinations on the island itself or can be made by boat to neighbouring islands. The former option involves some personal planning, while the latter can be left in the hands of tour companies.

Popular excursions by boat include those to the Kusu and St John’s islands, the first reachable in about 20 minutes and the second in around 30 minutes. On Kusu Island, be sure to check out the Chinese temple and the Malay shrine, while on St John’s Island, you’ll find a small urban development with a mosque, bungalows and sporting facilities.

Also well worth a visit is Palau Ubin, an island where life still follows old traditions and visitors can observe authentic kampong villages while exploring the scenic rural landscape. Boats leave throughout the day for the island from the pier at Changi Village.

Must-see attractions
Singapore’s Chinatown is famed as one of its most significant attractions and for being one of the most authentic oriental districts in Asia away from mainland China. Visitors will find a wealth of great Chinese eateries as well as numerous traditional retail outlets selling everything from old-fashioned herbal medicines to Chinese artworks.

The Botanic Gardens are worth a trip if you enjoy viewing interesting tropical flora. This pretty nature centre is home to stunning landscaped areas with lakes and fountains. If you’re keen to see important Singaporean landmarks, then make the Parliament House your next stop. Dating back to 1827, this is the island’s oldest government building.

Next up, head for the Cenotaph, 10-metre high monument located in Esplanade Park. The statue was erected in honour of the 124 Singaporean soldiers who died during WWI. For something a little more light hearted, a trip to the thrill-packed water theme park Fantasy Island is a must. The park has numerous pools, slides and water rides and is the country’s most popular family attraction.

Best time to go
The climate is sub-tropical, bringing Singapore hot and humid weather for the greater part of the year. From a visitor’s perspective, the dry season from February through April or May is the best time to take a holiday in Singapore. Before that (November to January), there’s a high probability of rain and after that (June to August), temperatures can be stiflingly hot and high levels of humidity can make things uncomfortable.

Rainy day suggestions
On rainy days, consider spending your time in Singapore’s fascinating museums, of which there is a good selection covering a variety of themes and subject matter. The Asian Civilisations Museum is a popular choice for anyone interested in the history and heritage of Asian cultures while the Republic of Singapore Navy Museum will appeal to anyone with maritime interests.

If museums are not your thing, then head for any of the island’s 250 shopping malls where you can enjoy hours of air-conditioned retail therapy.

Brussels Airlines Avro RJ85 landing at Birmingham International Airport
Image courtesy Wikipedia

Brussels Airlines offers excellent choices for low-cost and flexible one-way trips from the UK to Brussels and to 50 other destinations in Europe. As the leading airline company that flies from the UK to Belgium, it aims to provide customers with services that are reliable, safe and friendly.

A new airline, Brussels Airlines was established on the 7th of November 2006 as a result of the merger between Virgin Expres – one of the first low cost European airlines – and SN Brussels Airlines – the biggest Belgian airline that offered full service to its passengers. Both airlines were reputed for their reliability, punctuality, and for their low cost flights. Brussels Airlines aims to continue to live by those criteria.

With their new name, the airline embarked its inaugural flight on the 25th of March the following year. Although Brussels Airlines is relatively new to the industry, its accumulated knowledge and experience in aviation in the new era has helped to earn it the trust of its customers. Along with its team of crew members, the airline takes pride in its respect to everyone working and contributing to the reputation and performance of the company. In order to achieve this, Brussels Airlines has established core its brand values that they are continuing to uphold.

Brussels Airlines puts itself in its customer’s shoes while focusing on things that can make a difference. They do this to be able to deliver the best value for their customer’s money. The airline is also takes pride in meeting the requirements of highly discerning customers and those with special requirements.

Today, Brussels Airlines flies a variety of different aircraft that depend on the destination and the length of the flight within the American, Europaen, and African continents. Every aeroplane is equipped with leather seats that are comfortable along with all the mod-cons its customers could desire. Brussels Airlines is currently offering long-haul and medium-haul flights daily to Brussels, Helsinki, , Moscow, Tel Aviv, several destinations in Africa. Its key departure points in the UK are at London Gatwick, Manchester, Birmingham, London Heathrow, Newcastle, and Bristol.

Make a Flight Booking on the Brussels Airlines Website

Balkan Holidays has been in the holiday business for 43 years as an independent tour operator. As part of arranging and planning holidays in the sun or snow, Balkan Holidays also offers value-for-money flights to Serbia, Romania, Slovenia, Croatia, and Bulgaria. In addition to that, customers can also enjoy several other properties and resorts affiliated with Balkan Holidays. The elderly can avail of the Spice of Life program that includes great accommodation, special events, travels extras, and hard-to-match prices. Summer Extras allows early bookings to obtain savings of as much as £160 for every couple and free child places as well as free travel insurance for the kids.

Customers who book online also enjoy additional savings of £125 per person, which apply to overall package costs. Adriatic cruises, Dalmations cruises, and Black Sea cruises are also available. All prices include non-optional extras such as duty charges for passengers and fuel supplements. Balkan Holidays earned a place in the Sunday Times Virgin Atlantic Fastrack 100 which lists the fastest growing privately-owned companies in Britain in 2004. Balkan Holidays also won the British Travel Awards for Best Tour Operator to Other European Destinations in 2005 as well as the BMI Travel Award for Best Tour Operator to Central and Eastern Europe.

For their customer’s peace of mind, Balkan Holidays is a fully bonded member of ABTA (Association of British Travel Agents) as well as an accredited agent under the IATA (International Air Transport Association). All flights issued by the company also have ATOL (Air Travel Organizer’s License) protection as issued by the Civil Aviation Authority. The company is registered as Balkan Holidays Ltd in Wales and England.

Visit the Balkan Holidays Website

A Trip to Boracay
The butterfly-shaped island of Boracay is seven kilometres long and about one kilometre wide. It’s famous for its white, sandy beaches, tropical flora and fauna, large caves, and turquoise waters which are plentifully endowed with live coral and tropical fish species. Boracay island is surrounded by coral reefs and is ideal for people who like lazying about on beach resorts as well as those who enjoy more active pursuits such as diving, water skiing, fishing, jet skiing and wind surfing. Boracay sits at the northern tip of the much larger Panay Island in the Phillipines. Transport is available to Panay Island by air from Manila via Asian Spirit, Cebu Pacific Air or Seair. It will take about an hour to fly there by turbo prop and then transfer by speedboat about 30 minutes.

Cebu Pacific Air Landing at Kalibo Airport, Panay Island.
The island’s main tourist thoroughfare is White Beach where the sand is – yes you guessed it – as white as flour and and is surrounded with coconut trees from one end to the other. There is a great variety of hotels on the White Beach from five star luxury to the cheap backpacker haunts. Cars are banned on the island and so everyone must move about on foot, motorcycle or tricycles which can be hired for daily use inexpensively. On the beaches there are several restaurants where a variety of cuisine is served from many parts of the world. In close proximity to the sea, the beach restaurants often enable travellers to enjoy an amazing view of the sunset over dinner. Meals are prepared from fresh seafood and there is a large variety of eastern cuisine: Filipino, Chinese, Japanese, Thai, Indian and Korean dishes, as well as European and even Mexican and Brazilian and many restaurants have “happy hour”. Prices in restaurants and cafes are generally very reasonable. There are many small shops, currency exchange and pharmacy in the White Beach district. For those keen to work up a sweat there are several sports available such as tennis, golf, bowling, mini golf, sailing and horse riding.

There are more than 20 diving schools on the island which offer instructions in several languages and there are dozens of places for scuba diving which are suitable for beginners as well as for experienced divers. Borcay has great night life and they often stage free concerts and parties featuring local rock bands and DJs. The bars, discos, restaurants, and karaoke clubs do a roaring trade. The most popular pub is “Cocomangas” where it’s possible to purchase exotic cocktails. If you can drink 15 “shooters” – a small glasswith a strong mixture of whisky, tequila, rum, gin you receive a gift, and your name will be engraved on the table alognside those of other winners.

Sightseeing
The so-called “dead wood” forest is situated near Bulabog Beach. Many decades ago the small dam near the beach collapsed and flooded the forest destroying the local flora. A local legend emerged about supernatural forces in the dead wood forest at night during the full moon. You’re unlikely to see evil spirits there but you can certainly take some amazing pictures. Kagban Beach in the eastern part of the island and is a perfect spot for diving and treasure hunting. According to a legend there are pirates’ chests with treasure that are hidden in many caves off the coast. The highest place in the island is Laho mountain which is 100 meters above sea level. There is a small café on the top of the mountain where you can purchase soft drinks and have a quip kip in a hammock. It’s easiest to get there by motorcycle or motorised tricycle. At Ilig-Iligan there is a private museum which exhibits a rich collection of sea shells of varying shapes and sizes.

Located on the rocky coastline on the eastern part of the island there are caves which are inhabited by fruit bats with wingspans often reaching more than a metre in length. They are nocturnal creatures and leave their caves to dine on fruit morselsa at night. The Gloria and Robert Tirol Heritage Museum is a free private museum located on White Beach which exhibits artefacts from the island’s historical heritage and is open from 9:00 AM to 9 PM . The world famous Puka Shell Beach is about 800 meters in length and is renowned for its small white cockleshells. which became popular in the 70s when Elizabeth Taylor appeared in public in a bead necklace that were made from them. Over at the “Talipapa” bazaar you can purchase ornaments and keepsakes that were made from local trees and cockleshells as well as figurines and other kitch souvenirs.

Climate and weather
Boracay has a classic tropical climate so it’s always hot and humid. The dry season is from March to May) and the the rainy season from June to November. From May to October the southwest monsoon – known as the “habakat” occursand from November and April there are the drier winds known as the “amihan”.
In October-November the weather is often windy, rainy and cloudy. The best time to travel from a weather perspective is from November to April. The largest influxes of tourists occur during the December- February holiday season as well as the Easter period which is known as “Holy Week” in the Phillipines.

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Daytrips
Boracay is small enough to theoretically walk to every attraction on the island, but renting a scooter is a fun alternative to hoofing it, especially when you consider the cool breeze created by cruising. Some of the finest beaches are located on the deserted north and south ends of the island, and a scooter will ensure an easy day trip spent lounging or snorkelling in sublime isolation.

The roads on Boracay are works in progress to put it politely, but still in good enough shape to handle easily on a scooter. Baling Hai’s pristine little cove, and end-of-the road Puka Beach are two destinations worth the drive. Alternatively, hire your own traditional outrigger boat for a cruise around Boracay. For pennies you can see the whole island from the unique offshore perspective.

Horseback riding is another superb way to get off the beaten track and check out local villages tucked into the island’s interior. Boracay Horse Riding Stables will ensure scenery only possible by horseback. There are also around 20 scuba diving shops around White Beach, offering countless day trips into Boracay’s surreal underwater realm.

Must-see attractions
The beaches of Boracay are what lure most travellers to this isolated Philippine destination, and White Beach is the epitome of tropical splendour. Powdery white sand, azure water and shady palms create a postcard ambience, despite the large range of tourist amenities along the beach. Rent a reclining chair and spend the day soaking in memories for when you’re back at home.

The Bat Cave is an interesting site offering a change of scenery from the sea and sand. This popular tour will take you on a short hike to a hidden cave in the jungle where fruit bats with wingspans over a metre swarm out every evening. This is an adventurous excursion best done at dusk, but you won’t forget the image of thousands of bats exiting their cave for the dinner hunt.

To get a better perspective on the layout of Boracay Island, make the trek up to Mount Luho, the highest point on the island. It takes a bit of effort to climb 100m above sea level but the panorama is worth every step and drop of sweat. Snorkelling and diving options are fantastic around Boracay. Ilig-Iligan Beach has some world-class snorkelling right off the beach, while the dive sites are just too numerous to mention.

Best time to go
Boracay has two seasons dominated by its two monsoons known as the Amihan and the Habagat. From November through March the Amihan weather is cooler and typically drier, with average temperatures between 25C and 32C. April through June is the hot season, with temperatures staying well into the upper 30sC. This is the prime season for diving due to high visibility. June to October brings the rainy Habagat season, with frequent heavy rain and high humidity.

Rainy day suggestions
If you have the bad luck of a rainy day on Boracay, check out the Kar-Tir Shell Museum on Iligan Beach, which features seashells as well as local handicrafts and impressive woven textiles. A massage is also a great way to unwind, especially from the professional blind masseurs at Fausto’s Shiatsu Massage. If you’re willing to don a rain jacket, check out the Talipapa central market, which will probably be pleasantly uncrowded on a rainy day.

A Trip to Rotterdam
Rotterdam is in the south-west of The Netherlands about 50km from the Belgian border and about 60 from Amsterdam. It’s linked by a channel to the North Sea and its fortunes have been tied to maritime trade and adventure for centuries seeing off Dutch East Indies galleons, the Pilgrim Fathers, trans-Atlantic clippers and today the cargo ships and tankers that are the lifeblood of international trade. Its obvious claim to fame is its role as Europe’s busiest port which alone would make it a worthwhile destination but the city offers much more to the visitor. If Amsterdam is Holland’s Venice, then Rotterdam is its Hamburg – a modern, vibrant and dynamic showpiece for innovation and culture that still retains at its core a sense of its national identity while welcoming the world. In a way it’s the world’s architectural incubator having a zest for forward-looking buildings that project a city with its roots in the Middle-Ages into the 21st century. Its cultural leanings are also apparent with some first class galleries and museums, an energetic nightlife and as befits one of the cross-roads of Europe, it is a melting-pot of nationalities, ideas and has a trader’s sense for seizing opportunities.

Rotterdam Airport
Rotterdam Airport is 8km north-west of the city with a bus service (No 33) running a 20 minute shuttle to Central Station every 12 minutes. Taxis are around €20. All the major car hire companies have desks in the terminal. See EasyCar for the best deals on Rental cars in Rotterdam.

Flights to Rotterdam
For the cheapest flights to Rotterdam, try KLM – Royal Dutch Airlines and Transavia. The Belgian airline VLM also has a large fleet of Fokker F50 turboprops which fly non-stop to Rotterdam daily from London City Airport and can be booked online. Flights also depart from Jersey, Isle of Man, Liverpool and Manchester airports. KLM flies from several British airports to Rotterdam via Amsterdam (Schipol). VLM flies the Fokker F50 which is a twin engine turboprop carrying up to 58 passengers, but you will actually arrive in Rotterdam sooner because the aircraft does not fly via Amsterdam’s Schipol Airport. It flies non-stop from London City Airport to Rotterdam. This reduces the flying time from 90 to 60 minutes.

Sightseeing Highlights
Like a modern-day Venice, Rotterdam is bisected by a grand canal called the Nieuwe Maas although given its raison d’etre as a port, Rotterdam’s is not a quaint tourist trap but a vast shipping channel. The channel is criss-crossed by a series of bridges and tunnels with the waterfront itself being a 15 minute walk from Central Station. It’s a great place to get a feel for the heart and soul of the city and the enormous Port of Rotterdam has several interesting focal points for the visitor. The Scheepvaartkwartier (Shipping Quarter) is between the Euromast and the Erasmus Bridge around the Veerhaven Dock. The buildings in the district bear the marks of their nautical associations like tattoos on a sailor with their decorations of ships and other maritime scenes. The Westelijk Handelsterrein, once a commercial district made up of warehouses is now home to trendy galleries, restaurants and cafes. The Oude Haven (Old Harbour) is near the Blaak station and you can see some harbour remnants dating from the 14th century and some wonderfully preserved historic boats.

As interesting as it is to stroll around the hyperactive port itself, there are several maritime-themed museums that pay homage to the city’s lifeblood. The Maritiem Museum Rotterdam dates from 1874 and showcases the art and craft of shipbuilding, marine equipment and paraphernalia such as steam engines, cranes and navigational instruments, models of sea-going craft. There is also an entire floor dedicated to interactive exhibits for children called Professor Plons (Splash) including periscopes, unloading oil tankers and cargo ships and sailing simulators. The beautifully restored warship De Buffel built in 1868 is moored in the harbour right outside. The Rotterdam Historical Museum explains how the city developed into the dynamic port of today. The Openlucht Binnenvaart Museum is dedicated to inland water transport and has a good collection of barges in a basin some still undergoing restoration. Focussing on Dutch naval history is the Mariniers Museum (Naval Museum) which provides displays on the lives of the seamen and officers who served in the navy as well its history and ships. For those with more specialised tastes the Tax and Customs Museum provides an insight into the creativity of smugglers.

Apart from its marine-themed museums, Rotterdam has a wonderful collection of art-related and general museums. Ranking among the country’s, if not Europe’s, best art galleries is the Museum Boijmans van Breuningen. It covers an enormous span of art history and holds a continuing cycle of well-curated temporary exhibitions. The permanent collection ranges across all major schools of Dutch and continental art from old masters (Bosch, Bruegel, Rembrandt) to the Impressionists (Van Gogh, Monet, Gaugin, Degas) to the modernists (Duchamp, Magritte, Dali). There’s a lovely sculpture garden attached (featuring Oldenburg’s Bent Screw) and a user-friendly highlight is the “holographic projection portal” that helps visitors locate any piece in the collection instantly. With around 25 different temporary collections each year the Kunsthal can be fascinating or tedious depending on what happens to be installed at the time but is often experimental and covers a range of media including installations, design and photography. The Wereldmuseum (World Arts Museum) showcases international culture both historic and contemporary. The museum’s prize pieces are in The Treasury including pre-Columbian pottery, African sculpture, Buddhist carvings from Asia and Iranian lacquer. For a look at everyday Dutch life through the ages visit the Historisch Museum Het Schielandhuis situated in one of the city’s few preserved 17th century buildings. Photography aficionados will love the Nederlands Fotomuseum which, although small, has a superb collection of photographic art and also acts as an archive and information centre for photographers. Natural history is documented in the Natuurhistorisch Museum Rotterdam with a fairly standard collection of fossils, skeletons, insect displays and various stuffed animals.

As well as being inextricably linked to the sea, Rotterdam is also justifiably proud of its status as one the world’s cutting edge showcases of modern architecture. While its often spectacular built environment is immediately apparent to the visitor an excellent place to learn more about the art is the Nederlands Architectuur Instituut. As well as playing a role as an architectural archive it also has fascinating exhibitions about building design and has numerous models including those depicting urban planning, houses and public buildings. Of course, for the best architectural experience you simply have to wander (or cycle) the city from intriguing sight to intriguing site. Some you might find spectacular, others ugly and still others downright weird. But there are few places in the world that have such an enormous mix of the art in such a small area. Some of the highlights are: the Erasmusburg, an 800m bridge across the Nieuwe Maas; the Willemsbrug, the city’s other iconic bridge; the KPN Telekom building, Renzo Piano’s precarious-looking piece, the three Boompjestorens which are apartment blocks; the Huis Sonnenfeld, a 1930’s modernist house next to the Architectuur Instituut, Willemswerf used by shipping giant Nedlloyd as its global HQ; the Witte Huis, at 12 stories and dating from 1897, one of Europe’s first skyscrapers, the Kubuswoningen, an amazing tumble of cube-shaped apartments with a slender tower; the Groothandelsgebouw, literally “large business building” a post-war design; and the Euromast Space Tower, a 184m spire affording spectacular views over the city.

Daytrips
Because the city of Rotterdam is completely surrounded by water, boat excursions are common daytrips for visitors to the city. Kinderdijk is one of the United Nation’s
World Heritage monuments and visitors who embark on the cruise ship Nehalennia are transported to the historical site from Rotterdam and may roam around for over an hour.

Although many believe that Rotterdam gives tourists a real feel for Dutch life and traditions, a trip to Holland would not be complete without visiting the vibrant city of Amsterdam. Trains usually leave from the Rotterdam Central every hour and it’s best to purchase a roundtrip ticket. Explore the canals and popular tourist attractions like the Red Light District and Van Gogh Museum and make it back to Rotterdam by the end of the day.

For an international excursion, board the Rotterdam to Antwerp train at Rotterdam’s Central Station and arrive in Belgium’s diamond capital and largest port city. If sampling chocolate and hopping around from one diamond museum to the next sounds like a great way to spend a day, then the one hour trip to Antwerp will be well worth it.

Must-see attractions
The White House or ‘Witte Huis’ is one of the last standing buildings in Rotterdam’s city centre that survived the WWII bombings. For days where the weather is a bit more temperate, Rotterdam Zoo is a great venue to explore as it is full of entertainment for the entire family. Be sure to stop by the Aquarium as it is definitely one of the major highlights.

If weather permits, spend the day roaming around the Delfshaven walking area and enjoy many historic and scenic sights. If you are not claustrophobic and have ever wondered what it was like to live inside a cube, the Kijk Kubus Houses will give you the opportunity. This unique group of cubed-shaped show houses are located in the centre of Rotterdam and open for tourist visits.

The Waterstad is a historic walking site that is full of museums, boutiques, street performances and a number of other daytime and evening entertainments. Located in the harbour area, Waterstad is considered to be Rotterdam’s maritime heart. A tour up or down the New Meuse and Rhine rivers is a must-do activity as tourists can choose from sailboats, motorboats or paddle-steamers to complete the journey.

Best time to go
The summertime is an excellent time to visit Rotterdam. During the summer months, the weather is not as hot or uncomfortable as in many of the other countries in continental Europe. The middle of June until the middle of August is usually drier and warmer than the other months, which can be quite wet and dreary. Be aware that there will definitely be more tourists during this time of the year as the moderate weather attracts many.

Rainy day suggestions
Another family friendly venue is the Tropicana Theme Park. Escape to this indoor water park for a summertime feel in the middle of a rainy winter. Between the waterslides and wave pools, everyone is guaranteed to a have a thrilling adventure. For a cosier and more secluded experience, escape the city and head to the Thermen Holiday Sauna. Guests will enjoy a European spa experience and a full day of relaxation and pampering. It is highly recommended for couples and honeymooners on romantic retreats.