Island Maui belongs to the Hawaiian Islands, a preferred destination for many tourists around the world. The majority of the resorts on this island are located in the west and south of the island, regions where people can enjoy the sun and the clear waters. The landmark of the island is Haleakala Volcano, 3,000 feet high which can be easily located in the southeastern region of Maui. This is one of the several volcanoes located in the Hawaii Islands. The crater is an active one, although not erupting at the moment. Transportation is available for tourists that want to get on top of the volcano.

When it comes to weather in Maui, it is good to know the island boasts with several microclimates. The drier side f the island is the region where the most popular beaches and resorts are located: Kapalua, Lahaina, Kaanapali, Kihei, to name just few of them. There is also a wetter region in Maui and there tourists can visit the lush Iao valley. In the Upcountry Maui the weather is about 10 degrees cooler. When tourists go up the Haleakala volcano, to the Haleakala Visitor Center they need to bring warmer clothes with them. Tourists have already learned that there are two seasons in Maui: winter which usually lasts from November till April, when temperatures vary around 70 degrees and summer when temperatures vary around the low 90 degrees. This surely means people come to Maui all year long as the weather is nice all the time.

Among major tourist attractions, people choose to go whale watching. Specialists say that during winter months, in the channel between Lanai, Maui and Molokai, you will find the best place in the world for whale watching. Then, people come to Maui for its exquisite beaches and resorts. There are more than 80 wonderful beaches to choose from and the shoreline is 120 mile long.

Haleakala National Park is another important tourist attraction and for many tourists watching the sunrise from higher spots on that volcano is the best holiday experience.  The road to Hana, characterized by 600 road hairpins and more than 50 bridges is a trip to take no matter how short the stay in Maui is. The road will take tourists through the rainforest located in the northeast and this is a unique occasion to see several waterfalls, admire jungle landscapes, buy and eat fresh coconuts and banana bread.

Close to Hana tourists visit also the Seven Sacred Pools that belong to the Haleakala National Park. The natural pools are linked by waterfalls and represent a wonderful place to find relaxation and peace of mind.

Lahaina is nowadays the place where tourists find dining places, shopping areas. The small town which is located close to the seaside was once the capital of the Hawaiian Islands and at present is is a magnet attracting tourists from all over. Tourists marvel at the sight of the Banyon Tree, with a canopy an acre large. Tourists that want to visit old Lahaina Courthouse, the jail Hale Paahao can go on a self guided tour.

Kaanapali Beach is a landmark of the island, boasting with clear waters and several miles of sand. Tourists enjoy spending day after day on the hot sand, in the shadow of palm trees. Located in the west, the beach is the place where several resorts are crowded. Black Rock is the perfect place to go snorkeling and specialists advise it is the place where one can admire sea turtles, orange garibaldi and many other wonderful and colorful sea creatures.

France is proud to be the first country that has ever offered tourists the possibility to ski as it was there that the first skiing resorts have been raised. The earliest ski resorts were Chamonix, Megeve and Val d’Isere. These are wonderful places, popular resorts where thousands of tourists go every winter season. Booking a ski holiday is not cheap however with a little bit of planning on your own, prices can be cut down. If you make your own accommodation arrangements, rent the equipment, choose the proper ski instructor, it is very possible you will have an end price that you and your family can afford.

Ski in France

If France is on your next ski itinerary than you should keep in mind that the majority of its resorts are extremely populated during Christmas and the New Year. In February and March the prices are 50% smaller and thus an excellent and relaxing holiday becomes something you can easily attain. If March is still OK considering the price, getting closer to Easter will again increase them a lot. The cheapest periods are those before Christmas and the interval between Christmas and New Year’s Eve.

If you plan to go to ski to France and take also your family members with you, than you might consider driving the best alternative to get to the chosen destination. When you drive a suitable car you will have enough space for the family members and all the equipment necessary for the winter sports.

If you plan to fly to get to France and you also have your own ski equipment, choosing a low cost company will be a wrong decision as any suitcase, bag, etc will cost you extra. Save some time in order to look for the cheapest and suitable flight to take you close to the chosen French resort.

If you take your kids with you, they will have the time of their life in many of the French resorts because a lot of activities and entertainment events are usually organized for children. The ski classes destined to kids are very well done and many of the guesthouses, villas and hotels provide different activities in which kids might want to get involved in their free time, while they are not practicing on the slopes.

France has a multitude of ski resorts that offer a multitude of choices when it comes to accommodation. You can choose one of the numerous starts hotels, an elegant and cozy villa or a guest house where you will quickly feel relaxed. The prices vary also and you could choose between many all inclusive offers and simply paying the room. If you have a limited budget there are numerous affordable chalet in France; you pay the room and you eat what you cook in the kitchen that is at your disposal. Self catering is a lot cheaper when compared to the price of an abundant restaurant lunch. However France is a country that is worldwide known for its cuisine so, save some money in order to taste some of the delicious French dishes.

Tourists in every skiing resort pay a considerable amount of money on the lift passes. Yet, there are some resorts where they offer a higher upper age limit so you will be able to save a lot of money this way. If you have a preferred resort and you plan to go there again, keeping the last year lift pass will get you a discount on the new one.

Louis Kraml, the author of this article, is the owner of http://louiskraml.net, a website that offers free travel articles and destination guides.

Havana Cuba is strange mix of old and new and this can be easily noticed when you look at the buildings, the hotels, people or simply on the streets of the city. The old streets, with colonial architecture will charm you in the same way as the 21st century new look given to some of the buildings. Havana deserves few days of your holiday: numerous of its streets will tell you the revolution story. Cities like Holguin or Trinidad will display their Spanish past history and will display a wide variety of buildings with a magnificent colonial architecture.

While most people know a few things about Cuba because of its unique history and political aspects, few of them are aware of the fact that the country is filled with a great variety of wildlife animals and plants, including fierce crocodiles which live their lives into the ever-growing swamps (over 1 million acres!) and delicate orchids that will attract you with their perfume.

Cuban Wildlife Tourist Attractions

The Tocororo is Cuba’s national bird because its feather colors match the ones on the Cuban flag – a wise choice; we’ll have to agree on that. This place also houses the smallest frog in the entire world, which has a length of less than half an inch. Among the hummingbird species, Cuba is the proud gatherer of the smallest bird – the bee hummingbird, which is only about 2.5 inches long.

There are more than 500 fish species in the area, with over 300 different bird species and hundreds of wild life refuges. The number of crocodiles in the country is estimated at about 7000 now.

Old Havana is a place you should visit if you are a history lover as you will have the chance to admire five century old buildings. Entering the old city will be like traveling in a time machine indeed as the favors of the past will overwhelm you offering a powerful and unforgettable experience. Go to Plaza de Armas, the oldest square in Havana and also the place where the city has started to develop. El Temple is the old neo-classical building in Cuba and Casa de la Obra Pia will charm you with its curvaceous baroque portico, carved back in 1686. Nowadays a museum is located in the building: you will see 18th century goods and pieces of furniture, Covento de Santa Clara is a pre-baroque nunnery that you could also visit while in the old part of Havana.

The Cuban capital will also provide curious a unique religious experence. The most common religion in Cuba is santeria, known also as Yoruba religion after the gods from Nigeria. Some of the believers of this religion will appear like possessed and display a peculiar personality and behavior in front of others, a fact that is considered to be a superior stage in getting more like the god’s personality. If you happen to be there in mid December you will probably see numerous pilgrims  going to the sanctuary at El Rincon, in the South of Havana.

Havana will welcome you with its nice hotels but if you really want to experience real Cuban life, you can choose to stay in one of the Casas Particulares, private homes, which are all licensed and will provide you a 100% taste of real Cuban life. Some of these casas have gained experience receiving foreign tourists and they do know how to help them feel great while lodging there. Some of the casasa are elegant, spacious, nicely decorated and have a wonderful sea view. These are the perfect places to taste the outstanding Cuban cuisine, where numerous flavors and spices meet in a unique way.

Cuba is well known for its cigars and the best tobacco in the world. The Cuban cigars are sought after by millions all over the world. Cuba has large surfaces where tobacco is cultivated. In Havana the cigars are rolled, meaning that the tobacco leaves are transformed into habano cigars. Some of the factories can be visited; Partagas factory is just an example.

Havana has a lot of interesting things to impress its tourists and you can tour the city using a 50’s car. This will let you have enough time to see, admire and visit all the touristic attractions of the city. These tours are legally organized and you will get a car and the driver to take you to the most visited and popular places in the capital.

The Bermudas belong to the British and they are located in the North Atlantic Ocean, close to North Carolina and its capital city is Hamilton. Tourism on the islands has developed and it represents one of the major activities that sustain the economy.

The climate on Bermuda is tropical humid. The average temperature during winter is around 20 degrees Celsius while during summer temperatures easily reach 29 degrees Celsius. The weather is never too cold or too hot so, it is perfect for a wonderful vacation no matter the time of the year. The hottest period lasts from May till October.

Bermuda Wildlife

When the first island was discovered, it was not at all populated and it was covered with cedar forests. This Jewel of the Atlantic, as it is also called consists of 181 smaller islands, islets and rocks. Most of them are not populated but eight of them, the bigger ones, are linked by bridges. The beaches on these islands have pink sand, a result of crushed corals, calcium carbonate and shells of a tiny single celled animal called Foraminifera.

The city of Hamilton was named after the governor of Bermuda who served between 1788 and 1794. He was responsible for starting the project of building a new town. Hamilton developed quickly and in 1815 it became the capital of the islands. A lot of historic buildings, churches, school, houses, can be visited and admired while on the islands.

No matter the weather outside, the Bermudas have something to offer the tourists. The main attraction is the ocean which provides numerous ways of spending wonderful days on the beach. There are scuba diving school where one can learn to dive, you can parasail, fish from a glass bottom boat or simply relax on the pink sand beaches.

The island has over 1,000 plant species, and many of them can only be found here. As an example, the Bermuda Cedar is a tree that grows in large numbers along the coast. Most of the animals in Bermuda were introduced by humans, being able to adapt quite fast. We are talking about various species of amphibians, reptiles, mammals and birds here.

As an example, the Bermuda Rock Lizards can only be found on the island; these shouldn’t be mistaken for the Caribbean Lizards, which are also common in the area. The national bird of Bermuda named Petrel is a beautiful nocturnal bird that likes to fly over the open ocean all night long.

If you are a golf lover you probably know by now that the Bermudas have more golf courses per square mile than any place on the planet. The golf courses are also offering worldwide known beautiful landscapes and views of the ocean. Swimming with the dolphins is an activity that will create life long memories both for you and your kids. There are professional teachers ready to help you learn how to interact with the dolphins. After that you are allowed to swim with them, touch them, play and even sing with them. Dolphin Quest Bermuda is offering numerous activities, ranging from five minutes activities to one hour long activities. The one hour program is the most rewarding as tourists have the chance to spend this time close to them, seeing, feeding and caressing them.

Another luxury activity that will offer the relaxation you deserve is to sail one of the small and elegant yachts docked in the harbors, prepared to take you on an unforgettable trip on the sea. The trips can be short ones, half a day long or longer, lasting a day or even more than that, depending on your preferences.

If you prefer touring and not just sticking with one place, there is always the possibility of taking islands’ tours that will be of great fun, helping you see the beautiful landscapes, vegetation and faun specific to the area and the way locals live their lives.

Irina Kirilov, the author of this article, is a wildlife lover that works as a blogger for Thrifty Romania, a car rental agency in Bucharest, Romania.