A West Coast Gem (luxury world cruises)

March 31st, 2010 admin Posted in travel |

By Tonie Lauchaire

One of Malaysia’’s most popular domestic tourist locations is Langkawi Island, located of the north west coast, near Thailand and the Andaman sea. Long ago, Langkawi earned itself a firm place in the hearts of many Malaysian travellers, but now it begins to be discovered by a more international market.

There are already many expatriates living on Langkawi Island, seduced by its long stretches of unspoiled sand, its friendly native population and its convenience. Langkawi is small enough to traverse in a day or two of sightseeing but big enough to have plenty of wonderful restaurants, natural beauty spots, night life attractions and daytime entertainment.

If you”d like to know more about what Langkawi might have to offer you on your vacation, read on for five of the best ways to spend your time on this heavenly island:

1. Indulge in some serious relaxation. Langkawi boasts some of Malaysia’’s most beautiful beaches and staying in one of the many charming beach front resorts or private beach hut villages is a great way to make the most of them. Most of these establishments remain quiet and peaceful, particularly out of the peak international travelling season, from November to March.

2. For the ultimate indulgence book yourself into one of Langkawi’’s many tempting spas and spend a morning or afternoon being pampered. Though this may seem something of an extravagance, you will find the prices very friendly compared to those of western spas. Ishan Spa in particular comes highly recommended.

3. Whilst Langkawi’’s main attraction is clearly its crystalline coast line, it is well worth taking the time to explore the rest of the island’’s natural beauty. As there is no public transport here, a good way to do this is by hiring a motorbike. Whilst Malaysia’’s own motorbiking licensing laws may be lax, however, your travel insurance company is likely to be so, so make sure you check what the situation is with them beforehand.

4. Another great way to get around the island is by boat. Book a place on a nature tour with Dave’’s Eco Tours and you will get boat trip downstream towards the Andaman Sea, complete with an informative guide who will tell you all about the forest life and plant species that may be found here. If you”re lucky, you may even catch a glimpse of one of a pink dolphin.

5. Thanks to Langkawi’’s expat community, you can find any kind of food imaginable on this small and friendly island. From Italian to Indian, Mexican to Malay, whatever your preferences, Langkawi is sure to cater for you.

Tonie Lauchaire never travels without a good annual travel insurance policy.

Going on a Cruise in Hurricane Season

By Luther Oneill

Planning on a Caribbean destination in the late summer or autumn months? You are in luck! Cruise prices are at its lowest that time of the year. However, there is just one little problem: hurricane season!

Cruising all year long is becoming more popular in the Caribbean, so those brave souls who book during the height of hurricane season should be prepared for last minute changes or diversions in their cruise travel plans. Hurricane season is officially from June 1st to November 30th. However, Mother Nature’s fury is often erratic depending on where you are traveling. For instance, mid to late August on through late September tend to be top times for storms on the East Coast of the United States as well as the Eastern Caribbean territories. Other areas of the Caribbean are more storm active in the latter part of the autumn season.

Theoretically, your chances of encountering a hurricane on your cruise are small. But, the likelihood is there, so a traveler must keep that in mind when booking a cruise. Be advised that certain destination ports in your cruise may be skipped because of storm risks. So, if you have your heart set on a certain Caribbean stop, perhaps the best recourse is for you to plan your cruise for a different time of year.

Safety is of utmost importance to cruise lines. After all, they want your repeat business! Their policy is to steer clear of any storms. Because of years of experience sailing in all types of weather, all cruise lines have emergency plans of action in place in the probability of encountering a storm. They also have sophisticated equipment to continually monitor the weather for any possible changes in the forecast.

Since cruise lines make it a point to steer clear of storms, sometimes the cruise ships have to divert to alternate ports of call. This usually happens when their regularly scheduled stops are threatened or bombarded by storms or hurricanes. One problem cruise ships can encounter is that the calmer ports of call may be full with not only the regularly scheduled ships but also other cruises also looking for a temporary safe haven from the storm. In this instance, your cruise ship will just continue to sail, diverting to calmer seas, sometimes adding a few days to your journey.

Unfortunately no refunds are given for any deviations to the cruise itinerary. Cruise lines have the discretion to switch ports of call. Be sure to read the microscopic print in your cruise agreement and paperwork. If you feel that you don’t want anything left to chance, you can always buy an insurance policy for your travels that covers interruptions due to weather conditions. Find out what all the fine print means on that policy before you set sail though!

So what happens if a hurricane shifts suddenly? Your cruise ship can often elude the storm simply because of its speed. However, that does not mean you won’t experience any turbulent seas. You can bet that the ship’s infirmary will be bombarded with travelers seeking seasickness medications!

Basically, when traveling during hurricane season, you have to be flexible. Plan a few extra days of being gone, just in case. Keep track of the weather starting a week or two before you set sail. Pack your Dramamine or whatever seasickness remedies you prefer. Most of all have fun and go with the flow.

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