We wander for distraction, but we travel for fulfillment.
Asking someone to marry you is a big deal. It makes sense that some (or even most) people are super nervous to pop the big question. You want the moment to be memorable, and you want the proposal to turn into a lifetime of memories with your special someone.
If your brain is scattered on the details of your destination proposal, take some time to straighten things out. Read through a few helpful pointers, and calm your nerves with some proper preparation.
[Read more…]Italy has so much to offer to tourists in terms of culture and wonderful attractions. The City of Venice is definitely a must-visit.
It is here where a uniquely relaxing and romantic holiday can be experienced by visitors. No sounds of cars driving by, only a smooth ride via the gondola along canals and under the bridges to see the sights around the place.
For married couples on a honeymoon or those still engaged, they can surely savor their romance while here. We share five spots worth exploring for some quality and romantic time.
The waterways of Venice are magnetic. Calm and inviting, they always attract couples looking to spend a relaxing time sightseeing or simply having a heart-to-heart conversation on board a gondola. They can even arrange for some live music while cruising courtesy of a gondolier skilled at serenading.
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February is still several months away, but who says you can’t have a romantic vacation any time of the year? If you are looking for a destination that will ensure you of the most romantic time of your life, you can’t do any better than the Maldives. This popular travel destination was recently hailed as the most romantic place you can visit for a vacation by the World Travel Awards.
The World Travel Awards started 17 years ago, and has since then become a leader in acknowledging the best in the travel and hospitality industry. Their mission is summarized as:
Separating the good from the outstanding.
Identifying companies that consistently excel beyond expectation.
Taking customer expectations to a new, unparalleled high.
This year, the Maldives have impressed the guys behind the Awards. More than being listed as the destination of choice for a romantic getaway, it also received the distinction of being the Leading Cruise Destination and Honeymoon Destination in the Indian Ocean.
The Maldives has a lot to offer its visitors, not the least of which are the astounding beaches. The crystal clear water and powder soft sand that can be found in the beaches never fail to capture the hearts of travelers, not to mention the beauty that the underwater world offers.
More important for many travelers, though, is the level of service that one can expect in many of the resorts and hotels in the area. This is exactly why the WTA presented the award.
Come to think of it, even if you aren’t in for a romantic destination, the beaches alone are enough incentive to pack your bags and pamper yourself for a week or so!
Galle Fort is often called the gem of South Asia, and after a 2-week holiday there, I cannot agree more. Upon entering the fort’s walls, one is transported to another world – one that existed centuries ago. Old merchants villas line the streets where a quiet street-life prevails and just recently, a handful of “boutique hotels” and specialty shops have sprouted around, all keeping in line with the romantic architecture of old Asia.
We rented the most charming “Emma Villa” through the Galle Fort Hotel, and it came with two very sweet houseboys, Sanjay and Nissanka as well as a nanny Harmony (who we later discovered was actually called Ramani) who although didn’t speak a word of English, was a dream with our two energetic toddlers. The house was beautifully furnished (with a tiny swimming pool no less) but the best part was the terrace which overlooked the ramparts and the sea beyond. It was a joy sitting there with a steaming cup of Ceylon tea, watching the locals play cricket at all hours of the day, fly kites or just stroll hand in hand.
For the best meals in the Fort, look no further than the Galle Fort Hotel which serves the most delicious modern Asian cuisine prepared by the hotel’s Malaysian owner Chris. Along with his Australian partner Karl, the two came to Fort over 3 years ago with the dream to restore it to its former glory and more. Just talking to them about the Fort over a glass of the hotel’s signature cocktail ( a ginger-lime concoction – sublime!) is enough to make you want to move there and bag one of the old villas for yourself.
Like the Aman-junkies (devoted Aman resort followers who langorously troupe from one luxury Aman resort to another), Banyan-junkies are now flocking to the latest Banyan Tree hotel high up in the mountains of Yunnan, China which opened this month.
Amid a Tibetan-style atmosphere of meditative Buddhist temples, prayer flags and gorgeous mountain views, the hotel is located a gasping (literally) 10,500 feet above sea level in a beautiful part of Sothwestern China in between Tibet, Myanmar and China’s Sichuan province.
The rooms are massive and decorated rather somberly with dark woods and large splashes of Chinese red lacquer and quilted curtains teeming with Tibetan flavour. The smallest room of the hotel, the Tibetan suite sprawls at 2,200 square feet and all the other rooms of the hotel are likewise on two floors.
The bathrooms are equally grand and spa-like in size, with more lacquer and tubs so large that one guest reported that his actually took over an hour to fill. To be expected are the mod cons easily found in most top hotels and resorts these days – the dvd and cd players, satellite television and high-speed internet to perhaps keep up with your blogging away from home.
There are two restaurants and a tea house to choose from, serving Chinese, Tibetan and Western cuisine. Of course, you could also choose the in-room dining option which is served until late in your room or in the romantic privacy of your courtyard garden.
The reason why this resort is so special (and near the top of my list of hotels to visit) is not its opulent comforts, but in its location, location, location. For the Banyan Tree Ringha is set in what James Hilton so wonderfully described in one of my favourite novels, “Lost Horizon” – reportedly Shangri La itself.
And after a hard day’s trekking and exploring (by four-wheel-drive) with one of the hotel’s expert guides, you can then treat yourself to a gloriously exotic-sounding treatment at the resort spa – perhaps a rice wine bath followed by a black sesame scrub to prepare you for another day in the Himalayan paradise.