Holidays in Thailand Reviewed From Phuket to Bankok

Holidays in Thailand are holidays about golden Buddhist temples, a bloody history and a frenetic marketplace culture. Holidays in Thailand can also be about luxury resorts or sailing round the islands or discovering the culture, but they are always about friendly smiles and idyllic white beaches whether you go to Phuket or Bangkok.

Most holidays in Thailand begin in Bangkok, both a climate controlled consumer mecca and a hot, humid and colourful market place. No holidays in Thailand should be without an attempt at bargaining, of visits to some of the ancient, golden roofed temples that poke out above the newer buildings, Wat Phra Kaew, Wat Traimit and the Grand Palace come highly recommended. No holidays to Thailand should be without a few meals from street vendors, some cheap pampering and seeing some graceful local dancing. And if you're not a shopper or a dancer, maybe consider ducking off to see some Muay Thai boxing before the end of your holiday in Thailand.

Thailand has hundreds of islands, but the two most popular for island holidays in Thailand are Ko Samui and co. in the Gulf of Thailand near the Ang Thong Marine Park and Ko Phi Phi and co. in the Andaman Sea near Phuket..

For island holidays in Thailand about relaxation, luxury, walking along footprint-less sand and warm waters, Ko Samui and Ko Tao are the best choice. Ko Tao is also a good choice for low budget holidays in Thailand and people who like diving and snorkelling.

On the other side of Thailand, the Andaman Sea Islands are the ones that look like giant limestone daggers with a sprinkling of bright green alfalfa jungle on top, plunging deep into sandy turquoise seas, and these provide the best backdrops for sailing or island hopping holidays in Thailand.

Phuket is another popular destination to add to itineraries of holidays in Thailand. It's the coast's busiest hub, so has some of the heartiest nightlife as well as some spectacular beaches: Katanoi, Surin, and Patong are recommended by World Reviewers. The Ko Phi Phi islands, used as a location for 'The Beach', are some of the best known and still most beautiful and an old favourite for holidays in Thailand. You can only stay on Ko Phi Phi Don, the larger island; Maya Bay, where 'The Beach' was filmed is on smaller Ko Phi Phi Lee. Ko Lon, Ko Lipe, Ko Lanta and rocky Krabi are quieter islands to base your Andaman island break on, all offering a mix of local hospitality, tropical beach vistas and watersports, and there's the choice to stay on one or hop between depending on time restraints. Wherever you choose to stay it's worth factoring in a day trip into your holidays in Thailand, to Phang Nga Bay, and see James Bond island and Koh Pannyi island, which still has its traditional stilt fishing villages built over the water.

The best time for holidays in Thailand is between December and February but as far as the weather goes, Thailand is pretty blessed all year round.

WorldReviewer.com is a travel website; If you are looking for holidays in Thailand from Phuket to Bangkok have a look at independent reviews written by independent travel experts.

Contributions of the Jews to Toledo City in Spain

We must now pass over the influence the Jews exerted on Toledo in different spheres of industry and commerce, as well as culturally, spiritually and socially, and on the appearance of the city. Both they and the Saracens contributed greatly to progress in all fields of public activity.

From Cordova, fleeing from the upheavals and struggles of Arabic Spain, they brought the famous School of Translators, a brilliant centre of encyclopaedic culture which radiated its light, not only upon Toledo, but to the whole of the country.

In the square called the Plaza de la Judería they had one of their celebrated alcanas, a busy market which sold Persian carpets, silks from Damascus, Indian pearls, Arabian perfumes, cloths from Kashmir and spices from Ceylon. if we shut our eyes to the humdrum realities of the present day, we can perhaps visualize this market, near Santa Maria la Blanca and extending into the alleys round about, a clamour of voices of buyers and sellers, haggling over every kind of surprising merchandise; awning covered stalls beneath the mediaeval sun, canvas fluttering in breezes from the Sahara like sails of ships upon the Mare Nostrum... And men with pointed beards, greedy eyes, and skins still tanned by the suns of biblical lands. And women with faces the shape of a hazel-nut, with dead-white skin and deep bright eyes and mysterious gaze, with rhythmical walk and willowy waist, women of whom we seem to have a faithful copy in Dominico Theotocopuli's «Lady in Ermine». She was probably Jerónima de las Cuevas, the Cretan painter's only love, amid the arduous hours of his glorious work. Such types, both male and female, we can still encounter if we walk about the Judería a little and keep our eyes open as we peer into the pretty patios of its narrow alleys, where the Hebrew women, beneath the cool shade of awnings, used to weave linen with their white hands.

When the Jews were finally expelled from Spain by the Catholic Sovereigns, they carried with them to countries in the south-east of Europe (where the sweet Old Castilian speech can still be heard) the keys of their houses as a token of the ownership which their descendants have for centuries dreamed of recovering some future day.

The Toledo Jews, in various ages, experienced periods of privilege and of persecution. If they obtained advantages in the reigns of some sovereigns -such as Alfonso the Seventh, the Eighth and the Tenth-, they also felt the weight of implacable persecutions, especially at the hands of the common people, who always regarded them with aversion and handed down fearful legends in which the Jew was the cruel protagonist.

More information: http://www.toledo-travelguide.com

Luis Arenas

http://www.toledo-travelguide.com

Ray Elbe Trains Mixed Martial Arts Elite in Thailand

Mixed Martial arts is one of the fastest growing sports both in the United States and across the globe. With the recent popularity explosion in the sport, many fighters and students are in search of the most experienced and reputable training camps.

Phuket, Thailand has slowly became the mecca of Muay Thai and mixed martial art training. The MMA program at Tiger Muay Thai dubbed "MMA Phuket" is the leading MMA training facility in Thailand. Led by professional MMA fighter "Magical" Ray Elbe, MMA Phuket trains Mixed Martial arts, Submission Grappling, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and wrestling combined with Muay Thai for stand-up striking.

Head Instructor Ray Elbe, a professional MMA fighter and full time trainer, is one of the most respected and well known figures in the MMA world. Elbe has honed his skills as a mixed martial artist into a teaching career in Thailand. With a brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt under Junior Prado, Elbe also carries a impressive 24-11 professional record having won 6 out of his last 7 fights with his last loss in 2006 to WEC veteran Erik Apple.

"Magical" Ray Elbe is ranked 6th all-time on the popular MMA website Sherdog for submission wins by arm-bar and is a multiple belt Champion in the United States and Mexico. Elbe has been featured in many of the worlds top MMA and grappling magazines, developing a huge following in both Thailand and the US and landing sponsorships from Full Tilt Poker, Waterhouse Management, and Lojak Religion. Elbe is actively training in Phuket focusing on his Muay Thai striking skills to compliment his top notch ground game on the road to becoming a truly complete fighter.

Recently promoted to a BJJ black belt under Juliano Prado, winning a Martial Combat 6 Super fight Championship belt, and landing a guest appearance on ESPN STAR Sports Reality TV show "GAME", 2010 is sure to continue to be a huge year for Ray Elbe. Elbe hopes to continue to progress and is looking clear one of the few blemishes from his record in his next fight on October 15th at Martial Combat 8 where he will faces PRIDE FC and K-1 Veteran Shannon "The Cannon" Ritch, who defeated Elbe in 2004.

D. Ferris

http://www.mensnow.com

Patong Beach

Patong beach is the most popular beach area of Phuket. Most of the travelers that spend their holiday on this popular Island in Thailand will end up staying at a resort or hotel which is located in Patong. We would like explain why this resort area is so popular compared to other beach resort areas such as Kamala beach, Karon beach, Kata beach and Surin beach.

Patong beach is where the largest variety of activities, restaurants, nightlife venues and tourism infrastructure can be found. Travelers can also select from an overwhelming range of hotels and resorts.  Tourists who enjoy shopping will also most certainly enjoy spending their holiday as there are a number of excellent shopping venues such as the Jungceylon shopping mall and the Bangla Ocean Plaza.

Attractions

There are plenty of fun and interesting tourist attractions for travelers to choose from in Patong beach. Obviously there is the beautiful white sandy beach and all the water sport activities which are organized there. Another very popular tourist attraction is Simons Cabaret. This Thai ladyboy cabaret show is one of the most popular attractions of Phuket and their shows are suitable for visitors of all ages. Another popular attraction is the elephant rides which are organized opposite the Safari Club.

Hotels

There are plenty of excellent Patong beach hotels and resorts for travelers to choose from. This popular destination is also home to a large variety of guesthouses which are an interesting option for those tourists who are traveling on a budget. The main differences between a guesthouse and regular hotel or resort lies in the amount of facilities offered at each type of accommodation. Guesthouses generally offer spacious guest rooms however do not have facilities such as swimming pools and fitness areas.

Nightlife

The nightlife of Phuket is well known around the globe and Patong beach is where travelers can find the best that the nightlife has to offer. There are a number of really great discos in on the island and these include the Tiger Disco, Safari Club, Seduction Discotheque and the Banana Disco. Other popular nightlife venues include the many beer bars found along Bangla Road as well as the Go Go bars found in Soi Sea Dragon.

Restaurants

There are hundreds of restaurants in Patong beach and you can basically find food from all corners of the world. As this resort area is such as popular place for expats to live and for tourists to visit, many foreigners wishing to live there  have opened a restaurant serving food from their home countries. If you enjoy fresh seafood then you will also be more than happy as some of the finest seafood restaurants of Thailand are located there.

James is travel consultant living on Phuket and is working on a number of projects. If you are looking for information about Phuket then be sure to visit his Phuket guide which includes an excellent section with Patong beach information.

Phuket Villa Rentals - Simple Tips To Enjoy A Phuket Getaway More

The province of Phuket in Thailand has truly been one of the most visited and frequented tourist destinations in Asia. That is why the sector for tourist inns and properties has really enjoyed a rise. These days, there is a good and significant market for Phuket villa rentals. And as a vacationer, you would generate more savings if you would rent a place to stay in as you enjoy your Phuket getaway.

As a regular traveler, you surely have been well acquainted and familiarized with the services of hotels. You should be noticing that hotel accommodations all over the world are getting similar to each other that you could hardly distinguish the difference between staying in a US hotel and in an Asian hotel. In that way, Phuket villa rentals are more advisable if you want to know more about the culture of the area in your vacation.

Practical tips

It is important to note that there are simple and practical guidelines that would surely help you make villa rental in Phuket more noteworthy and advantageous. In the planning process, you should first weigh the pros and cons of taking Phuket villa rentals especially in consideration with your budget and other factors.

Take note that on the first glimpse, villa rentals are generally looking more costly than hotel accommodations. But what is good about Phuket villa rentals is that you would be able to generate greater savings especially if you re going in a group and if you intend to stay for a few weeks or even months.

Why villa rentals?

As mentioned, villa rentals in Phuket would help you get to know more and experience the culture not just of the province but also of the whole of Thailand. That is because villas are taking the traditional and genuine Thai home designs. Such structures and homes are also made of the usual and some native Thai home materials.

Villa rentals in Phuket are designed to cater more to vacationers who are in groups or who are intending to stay longer than usual. While hotels could be practical for staying in a just a few days, maybe a day or two, villas are more practical to lease if you are staying for weeks or months. It is just like renting a town home in the area.

When to go

You have the privilege to schedule your vacation as you please. If you are planning to go on a splendid getaway and you want to go to Phuket, you should plan to go there any month except for November to April. That is because in such months, there are practically more tourists going to the area as everyone seems to be going there on the Christmas, New Year and Easter holidays.

Phuket villa rentals would be costlier on such months. That is because as the demand rises up, surely, prices go along. And besides, it would be harder to book villa and even hotel accommodations. All other months are definitely good times to go and take a much needed break in Phuket's beaches.

Get more out of your Tuscan vacation by staying in a Tuscany villa rental by visiting http://www.vacationhomerentalsguide.com, a popular vacation rental website that specializes in finding inexpensive Orlando, Florida condo rentals so you can enjoy your trip to Disney world.

Romantic Valentine Getaway For Couples - Tips

If you intend to take a vacation out of your country on this Valentine's Day, I have some romantic ideas and tips what you can do besides looking for a destination, hotel and booked a plane ticket. You can make a romantic valentine even a magical valentine with a few surprises and surely will make your partner more in love with you.

Giving a Vacation's tickets will be one of the gift options for Valentine's day this year because fortunately, Valentine will be on Sunday this year. If you are planning to give a surprise by giving vacation's ticket, you can do it on Friday or Saturday. Also if you can not get out of town or out of the country, you can still book a room at the hotel and celebrate Valentine's Day together with your lover.

Some tips to make your vacation to be romantic:

1. Do not bring the kids, Leave them with your family that you trust for a few days.


2. Do not bring your works, tell your sweetheart "I'm All Yours", try to finish your work before valentine.


3. Prepare for some important things like maps, and list the places you want to visit. Look for any Valentine events, also Chinese New Year happens to be the same date as Valentine's day and Some shopping places like in Paris have winter sale on February.


4. Find out the weather forecast for your destination, Some countries are experiencing winter on February, prepare water resistant shoes, jacket, gloves and ear protectors.


5. Book a hotel's room from now, not until you have to walk to find hotels available.


6. Book a plane from now, you'll get a cheaper price and also it happens to be a low season this February.

Some things you can do to make it more romantic:

1. Call the hotel where you are going to stay, ask if they can prepare a candle light dinner in the rooms and beds filled with roses, say that you will pay in advance, perhaps they would be willing to do it. If not, contact a flower delivery shop about a week before Valentine's Day, ask them to send flowers to the hotel where you stay on Valentine's Day.


2. Prepare your "war equipments", I mean your night activities tools, if you're a woman, bring or buy the most attractive lingerie and prepare for your first night at the hotel.


3. Prepare some surprise gifts such as rings, necklaces, etc. wrap them nicely and ask the hotel whether they can arrange to put the gift on the room before you come or not. If not, ask for shipping packages to deliver your gift on Valentine's Day to the hotel where you stay.

Some of the Romantic destinations you can visit:

1. Paris, Favorite couples destination, you can visit the Eiffel tower and have a dinner there. Or walk down the Champs Elysees, go to the Arc de Triomphe, visiting the Louvre Museum, saw the painting in Montmartre and even just sitting in the cafe that are common in Paris.


2. Caribbean Island, Enjoy the warm atmosphere, relaxing, and If you like the natural landscape, the Caribbean island was a must to visit. Visit the island of Barbuda, a beautiful island with lots of wild and natural spaces.


3. Swiss Mountains, There's nothing more beautiful to see the alpine mountine, nothing is more romantic than sitting in front of the fireplace only both of you, while drinking wine and no activity is more fun than skiing with your partner. You can visit St. Moritz, the most famous resorts in the Swiss.


4. Bahamas, relax in front of both the beach, a quiet place and feel like the world belongs to both of you.


5. Venice, known as the most romantic city in the world, you'll see the architectural beauty of Venice, visiting Venice will make you want to go back next year. Many romantic cafes in Venice, enjoy musics in the main square is one of the activities you should do.


6. Amsterdam, Many events will be held in Amsterdam on Valentine's Day and make sure you visit those if you're there. You can relax at the bar jazz and don't forget to see the sex museum.

In addition, some places in Asia are very interesting to visit, such as Phuket, Bali, Lombok, etc. I suggest you who want to travel on Valentine's Day is to determine your destination from now and buy the tickets. Prepare everything you need and i believe you will experience the most romantic Valentine's Day ever. Have Fun and Happy Valentine's Day.

My name is Erick and I'm a professional magician, IT Consultant and learning to be a writer. I'm currently doing my valentine web project at http://www.magicalvalentine.com and if you need more tips on how to make your valentine getaway more memorable, please visit Valentine's Romantic Getaway Ideas.

What You Need to Know About Overstaying in Thailand

Thailand is well-known around the world as one of the most sought-after tourist destinations, owing to its rich cultural and ecological diversity. During your unforgettable visit to the Land of Smiles, you may find yourself craving for more of the Thai experience, thus opting for an even more extended stay in the country.

However, it is very important for you to keep in mind the basic guidelines for overstaying in Thailand so that you can avoid having problems with Thai immigration and enjoy the rest of your trip.

What is Overstaying?

Overstaying is the defined as the act of exceeding your allowable stay in Thailand beyond the validity of the immigration stamp or visa granted to you. As a foreigner, it is your duty to keep in mind the date of expiration of your stay in the country, and you are advised to leave Thailand prior before your permit of stay expires. Overstaying is an offense where only foreign citizens are held liable.

Consequences of Overstaying

Overstaying is penalized by Thai Immigration law. Technically this is a violation that is punishable even on the first day of overstay, but generally if you overstay for only one day, you need not pay a fine. A fine of 500 baht per day is charged beginning on the second day of overstay. The maximum fine for overstaying in Thailand is 20,000 baht and children can also be charged with overstaying if they are over the age of seven.

You can pay your fines for overstaying at the airport or at the nearest Thai Immigration office. The process takes less than ten minutes, and you can even pay your overstay fines in advance. While this is a very convenient option for tourists, keep in mind that overstaying is still a violation of Thai Immigration rules. The Immigration Police can still detain you until you can book your flight out of Thailand and it can be a very uncomfortable experience for you, so it will be best to avoid overstaying in Thailand unless very urgent situations call for this option.

Why You Need a Thai Visa

If you are really interested in taking a longer trip and explore more of the Land of Smiles, and even possibly explore employment and business opportunities in the country, it will be best for you to apply for a Thai Visa prior to your arrival in Thailand so as to avoid problems with Thai Immigration. It is recommended that you seek the assistance of a reputable Thai law firm, who may be able to discuss with you your options in your application for a Thai Visa. They may also be able to be a valuable resource of legal advice throughout your stay in Thailand.

Belle Baldoza works as a Business Correspondent for Siam Legal International, Thailand's largest legal service network with offices in Bangkok, Phuket, Pattaya, Hua Hin, Chiang Mai and Samui. The firm has international locations in London and Los Angeles. Siam Legal is a full-service law firm and provides a wide range of legal and visa services. Visit Siam Legal on the web at http://www.siam-legal.com