An unforgettable trip to Langkavi

Langkawi, which is officially known as Langkawi the Jewel of Kedah is terra firma of 104 islands located in the Andaman Sea. It is a district of the state of Kedah in Northern Malaysia. With an area of 478.5 kilometers, it is one of the inhabited islands. The beauty and scenic views of the island is the main reason why travelers travelling to Malaysia, plan to extend their trip and visit Langkawi. Replete with numerous highlights, it is surely a worth visiting destination.

Exploring Langkawi

Though the territory is inhabited, still people descend hither to explore the virgin beauty of the area. With lush green surroundings and crystal clear beaches, Langkawi works just perfect to relax and rejuvenate.
Telaga Tujuh Waterfalls aka Seven Wells: A perfect place to loosen up your senses in the lap of nature. The fall got its name from seven natural pools that comes along in the path while reaching Telaga Tujuh. You can have a quality time hither praising the sheer art of god, which makes it a mesmerizing location.

Image Courtesy: www.traveltodaylah.com.my

Gunung Raya: At 881m, Gunung Raya is the tallest mountain on this island. From here you can get the most scenic views of the nearby locations. Many restaurants are located on this mountain from where you can relish some of the famous dishes of Lankawi and have rejuvenating coffee at the summit.

Laman Padi Rice Garden: With beautiful landscapes and green rice fields, this garden can make anybody fall in love with its surroundings. Do not miss out your chance to get a free guided tour of the garden and get the detailed process of cultivating rice.

Underwater World: Does underwater colorful world fascinates you? If yes, then welcome to this indoor  aquarium, where you can even feed the fascinating water creatures.

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Beaches: Here you will get to try out the most adventurous water sports of the world at the amazingly beautiful beaches. Some of the most popular beaches here are- Pantai Cenang, Pantai Tengah, Pantai Kok, Tanjung Rhu, Datai Bay and Pantai Pasir Hitam.

Shopping- a must do

A heaven for Shopoholics, Langkawi is a duty free area. Shop for local artifacts or imported goods, you will get everything at affordable prices. Products like Liquor, leather products, cosmetics, souvenirs, gifts, perfume and cigarettes etc. can be purchased hither at very cheap prices.

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Relive your childhood at Hong Kong Disneyland

Fantasy is something we all grow up with. Remember the days when a huge accident was just a broken vehicle and an ideal place to visit was a lake and mountains made of of chocolates and candy’s. Yes, cartoons have played a very important role in our life and have made us a believer of Happily Ever After. If you miss your childhood and want to meet any of your favorite cartoon characters then you are welcome to Disneyland in Hong Kong!

Located on Penny’s Bay, Lantau Island, Hong Kong Disneyland is owned by Hong Kong International Theme Parks. Opened in the year 2005 for visitors, it is till now visited by millions of travelers from different parts of the globe.

Image courtesy: www.waahhh.com

It comprises of seven different themed areas, namely-
•    Main Street, U.S.A
•    Fantasy Land
•    Adventureland
•    Tomorrowland
•    Grizzly Gulch
•    Mystic Point
•    Toy Story Land

This Disneyland is the smallest among the other four Disneylands and covers only 0.4 square kilometers. It has a capacity of 34,000 visitors, but it does not mean that you have to compromise with the fun and merriment.

Be it a daytime or after sun-set this place gives zillions of reasons to its descenders for entertainment and fun-filled moments. Some must see shows here are- Flights of Fantasy, Disney in the Stars, Tinker Bell Castle Illumination and Celebration in the air. While if you are planning to pay your visit here during the festive season, then you can witness, Disney's Haunted Halloween, A Sparkling Christmas, and Disney's Chinese New Year, which are worth experiencing.

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Timings

The opening time is 10:00 to 19:00 on the regular weekdays.

On holidays and weekends it is from 10:00 to 21:00.

Cost per ticket
•    Tickets for Adults is HK$350
•    For students (12 - 25) HK$ 350
•    Children (3 - 11) HK$ 250
•    For Seniors (65 and above) it is HK$ 170
If your kids are accompanying you during your Hong Kong trip, visiting Disney Land is a must- do for you, because they will love every minute spent hither and so do you.

Thailand- a colorful country

Thailand, officially known as the kingdom of Thailand is one of the most visited holiday destinations in Southeast Asia. With plentiful of attractions and scenic beaches, the country offers something for everyone. A perfect potpourri of cultures and traditions, this enchanting destination will leave you wanting to repeat Thailand holidays. A spell, bind escape from the hustle and bustle of daily life cycle, this nation for sure gives its travelers lots of memories to cherish for a lifetime.

The climate here is mostly tropical thus stays very hot most of the year. People who are planning to spend some quality time here during cooler periods must visit Thailand during November to March. This is the time when the humidity level is lower and travelers can go out and explore the real beauty of Thailand.



Get yourself revitalized with most pristine vacation spots this country has to offer you.

Cultural attractions- - Bangkok being the capital city of Thailand is a hub for tourists who wish to explore the beautiful temples and culturally inclined monuments. The Grand Place and Wat Phra Kaew are the must visit places of the city. Apart from Bangkok, you can also visit Ayutthaya and Sukhothai- the former capitals of Siam, as these cities make an excellent stop for those who are interested in Thai history.

Chinatown

Heaven for food lovers, this place is must visit for foodies. At night the street looks vibrant, colorful and lively but that does not mean it makes it less crowded during the day. Ideal time to visit Chinatown is during festive seasons like Chinese New Year and Christmas when it looks at its best.

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Floating Market and Night Markets

Shopping is anytime activity in Thailand. You can go out and shop anytime you are free. From huge malls to traditional floating markets, choose any place to shop at and take home beautifully made art crafts. Night Markets in Bangkok are open until sunrise, so if you do not get time during the day to shop gifts for your family and friends you can always opt to shop at night.

Steal a deal, book a flight to Thailand and leave for the most memorable trip of your lifetime.

Crossing Europe Film Festival 25th-30th April 2014

It is time to book the flights to Linz, Austria for all the avid cinema lovers, as the Crossing Europe Film Festival opens in the city, in the last week of April 2014. Linz, the third-largest city of Austria and capital of the state of Upper Austria, will be hosting the 11th year of this enigmatic festival from 25th April to 30th April 2014.

Ursulinen Saal, the ostentatiously magnificent auditorium in the Upper Austrian Culture Quarter is posing as headquarter to the festival along with the two recognized film festival cinemas, Moviemento and City Kino.

The cinematic geniuses to be displayed on big screens include all four exceptional Austrian premieres along with two world premieres. The glimpses are as under:

• Visually Spectacular Sci-Fi thriller “Under the Skin” by Jonathan Glazer starring Scarlett Johanson in lead role
• The delightful tragic-comedy “Un Chateau en Italie/A Castle in Italy” by Valeria Bruni Tedeshi
• The documentary about the replica of Hallstatt built in China “Double Happiness” by two time “Local Artist Award” winner Ella Raidel

• The influential documentary “L’escale/Stop – Over” by Swiss Director of Iranian origin, Kaveh Bakhtiari

Image Courtsey blogs.indiewire.com

Other attractions include: 

• Diwter Strauch’s “Texta- In & Out”. A film portrait of the legendary Linz hip-hop formation, Texta. 

• Night section will see its opening by the Spanish horror-comedy “Las Brujas de Zugarramurdi /Witching and Bitching” by none other than Alex de la Iglesia.

Known for its devotion towards intractable, contemporary and socio-political distinctive cinema from Europe, this festival is not to be missed by all who are passionate about cinema. It offers its international guests from all across the globe and the local audiences, a good mix of 150 extraordinary feature films, documentaries and short-films in an assortment of genres such as Animation, Art-house, Drama, Experimental, Independent and Thriller.

Image courtsey : shortfilmfestival.com

The festival also invites competition for the Central Tracks of the program, Europe Panorama and Europe Cinema Competition, with the prize money amounting to 10,000 Euros. Nights are dedicated to horror flicks and some unconventional musical live acts.

This year, in 2014, the audiences will get a chance to choose the winner for a special category called “Audience Prize”. Another distinction will be presented to an outstanding regional film or video work and it is known as “Crossing Europe Award Local Artist”. Both the recognitions will get a total prize amount of 7,000 Euros. 

 Award Categories are as under:

• CROSSING EUROPE AWARD European Competition (EURO 10,000)

• AUDIENCE AWARD

• CROSSING EUROPE AWARD Local Artist (EURO 7,000)

• FEDEORA Award for European Documentaries

• CROSSING EUROPE Award Local Artist Atelierpreis powered by Atelierhaus Salzamt

• CREATIVE REGION Music Video Award

• CREATIVE REGION Music Video Award – Residency

Crossing Europe Film Festival is a remarkable attempt to bring together the creative potential of filmmakers and music creators from the all over the world. The accomplices of the event will have a prospect to present themselves and their work to a plethora of film goers, critiques and filmmakers. They will also get ample opportunity to create one-to-one connections with an objective to develop some innovative cinema projects together. 

Wachau Gourmet Festival

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If you are in Austria, and you are enjoying a quaint view from the terrace of Stift Goettweig Monastery Complex, your eyes are definitely relishing the view of Wachau Valley spread like a land of lush green dreams. As the mesmerizing Danube River wends its way through the valley, the eyes meet the celebrated wine-producing hills, standing tall. Just an hour’s drive from Vienna, Wachau is a peaceful arena that offers absolute rejuvenation to the senses, away from the chaos of the modern world.

This probably serves as one of the bigger reasons for Wachau to host Gourmet Festival every year. During this festival, one of the prominent senses, the taste, is celebrated with festivities and vigor. This terrain of mineral-driven white wines turns into the land of feasts, every year in the month of March-April. This year too, from 27th March to 10th April, Wachau Gourmet Festival is welcoming the internationally renowned chefs, enthusiast cooks, and fine food & wine lovers from all across the globe, to be a part of the merriment.



This year, the most coveted food festival opened in grand fashion at Kloster UND, a fine dinner in Krems, which is also serving as one of the hotspots for the year. The presenter of the festival, famous Austrian wine magazine, Vinaria is covering all the highlights of the event, including the crazy indulgence displayed by the participants. Vinaria is also the name behind the wine tasting event “Wein Genuss Krems”, to be held on April 4th and 5th, this year.

Overflowing wines, aroma of freshly cooked culinary delights, the mouth-watering deserts that look like pieces of impeccable art, the splendor in the air and the lush-green country surroundings; all come together to make Wachau the perfect destination for this celebration of food.

Hosted by the homeland of famous and original white wines, picturesque scenery and meticulously preserved pre-historic architecture, Wachau Gourmet Festival is a chance to experience culinary aristocracy up close and personal.

IPL 7 in UAE

This time get something extra apart from Cricket, get some real taste of shopping, luxury and world-class architecture. Come, and explore the ‘UAE’ this time!!

Indian Premier League (IPL) 7 fever is up and the buzz is all around. Tickets are booked, schedules are made, and feels like all cricket lovers are all set to experience the new chapter of IPL. Though it is always fun for cricket lovers across the globe, this time IPL has something extra to offer, as IPL 7 would be hosted in the luxurious land of deserts – The United Arab Emirates (UAE)!

Starting from April 16, the UAE will host 20 matches of IPL’s first leg in three different cities. While 7 matches have been scheduled to be played each in Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi and International Cricket Stadium in Dubai, remaining 6 will be played in Sharjah CA Stadium. The tournament will wind up on April 30 in Dubai with Mumbai Indians facing Sunrisers Hyderabad.
So if you are one of those who are planning to watch all the matches live in stadium, you surely need to check out some exciting options that you can explore in the leisure time too. Discover the UAE and capture some memories to be cherished forever.

Dubai: Best known for it’s exquisitely designed buildings and plush shopping malls, Dubai is one of the most popular travel destinations around the world today. Growing at remarkable pace, Dubai has earned itself a great reputation in both tourist and trade sector. The towers and buildings of Dubai are sheer masterpieces that reflect great thought and intelligence. Every creation has a unique story to tell. Burj Al Arab, Burj Khalifa, Hydropolis Underwater Hotel, Atlantis Resort & Hotel and the World Islands are some to name a few. Also known as shopper’s paradise, Dubai is the hub of lavish shopping malls. Each shopping mall here is theme oriented that provides a unique shopping experience. On the other hand, deserts in Dubai offer great adventurous activities too. From dune driving to sand skiing, camel riding to exploring the wadis, you get a huge variety to choose from. And yes, belly dance in the deserts with sumptuous desert feast is something not to be missed when you are in Dubai.

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Abu Dhabi: Deeply rooted with Islamic culture, the capital of the UAE, Abu Dhabi is a perfect mix of modern and traditional ethics. You come here for holiday or business, this city has something that will entice you and call back for more visits. The more you explore this majestic land, the more you will fall in love with it. Over the period, Abu Dhabi has grown to be a cosmopolitan metropolis. A true example of luxury, class and elegance, this city has a lot to explore. Indulge yourself into a most memorable journey of exploration in Abu Dhabi. For keen lovers of culture and traditions, Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is a must visit. The beautiful Emirates Palace, the serene Oasis City of Al Ain, the exquisitely manicured waterfront The Corniche Road, the super electrifying Ferrari World, the most technologically advanced Yas Marina Circuits, or the most splurging Al Ain Camel Market, you have got endless options to experience the best of Abu Dhabi.

Image Courtsey: www.interiordesign2014.com

Sharjah: Having being announced by UNESCO as ‘The Cultural Capital of the Arab World', Sharjah is the third largest of the seven emirates of the UAE. It is the only emirate of the UAE to have land on both the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf. Perhaps that’s the reason it has sandy beaches on one side and high mountain range towards the east. Just 20 kms away from Dubai, Sharjah is historically rich and is known to have preserved its heritage with archeological sites dating back to 2nd millennium. Sandy beaches, rolling sand dunes, majestic mosques, forts, museums and much more – Sharjah has too much to capture your mind. To name a few, Al Majaz Waterfront, Aljazeera Park, Sharjah Art Museum, Al Noor Mosque, Armenian Church and of course the Traditional Jewellery Museum are some of the most visited places in Sharjah.

Image Courtsey: whitepages-uae.com

So plan your IPL schedule and take out some time to witness the real beauty, luxury, and culture of the UAE. You will be enticed for sure.