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A different kind of paradise
Fiji is often described as a tropical paradise with hundreds of perfectly picturesque islands to escape to, but it's on the mainland of Viti Levu where the real interest in Fijian culture lies.
Deliberately choosing to avoid the popular tourist spots of Castaway Island, Beachcomber Island and the Yasawas can give visitors a much better insight into how the country works.
Arriving at Nadi airport, I was greeted in the arrival lounge by a group of four Fijian men in flowery shirts and grass hula skirts, singing perfectly in tune and strumming ukuleles.
This kind of welcome would surely be unheard of in most Westernised countries, but as it was, each and every arrival at the airport walked past with a smile on their face – this was not going to be your average holiday.
The Fijians are a friendly bunch. Most of them are very happy to be approached, and listen with interest when you tell them where you are from and what it is like. They are even more animated when selling the lifestyle of their own country, and take great pride in their nation. A slogan from one local which stuck throughout my stay was: 'Fiji – the way the world should be.'
There is of course the issue of over-friendliness in some cases. If you have something they want – your money – be prepared for a little hassle. Fiji is generally non-threatening though, and tourists can expect the same treatment in many popular areas around the world which might be deemed 'poorer' than the western world.
As a white westerner walking down a street, your difference is obviously noted. While some simply stare, others will pull you towards their market stalls, offer you a 'good price' on somewhere to stay, or tell you they can get you the best 'marawana' the island has to offer.
Haggling is a way of life. Never pay the first price quoted for anything at a market stall or even for a taxi (it is always best to arrange a price before you travel to avoid an unfair deal). The variety of food on offer in Fiji is vast, with a plethora of fresh fruit and vegetables, and of course fish. Prices are pittance when compared to British supermarkets.
Travelling around Fiji has to be viewed as an adventure, otherwise it is easy to get frustrated. Local buses can be cramped and slow - it took over 5 hours to do a 200 km journey along the south coast between Nadi and the capital Suva. However, they did show the a film of Harry Potter on the bus.
Some backpackers choose to hitch hike in small vans that also carry locals between towns. Although this may at first seem dangerous, it is actually a method of transport that many locals use to travel between work and home.
The number of hostels and hotels are growing in Fiji. While relatively built up areas such as Suva, Lautoka and Nadi do have some pristine accommodation, real luxuries can be found in hidden beach resorts on the mainland, such as the Korolevu (Coral Coast). In this way visitors can enjoy a beach getaway without having to pay the comparatively extortionate prices of the more popular 'paradise' islands.
If you happen to stumble on a church services, my advice would be to stop and listen for a while. In Lautoka, I happened to walk past an evening service on a Sunday, where literally hundreds of locals were spilling out on to the streets because the church had reached full capacity. The hymns they sang were some of the most powerful I've ever had the pleasure of hearing.
In short, travelling round the mainland of Fiji gives you a much better insight into the country than staying for a week on a luxurious island. You get a chance to see first hand how the local population work and live in a more 'real' environment, and this is what I found so appealing.
Copenhagen Cool and cultural
Copenhagen, in Denmark, is the most popular capital city in Scandinavia.
It is the vibrant, young and confident atmosphere in a setting of fantastic architecture from both past and present that makes a visit to this city an unforgettable experience.
Sumptuous palaces, a new Opera House and the famous Tivoli Gardens blend in well with trendy bars, cool designs, fashion, Michelin starred restaurants and modern art. The result is a unique buzz unlike any other city in Europe.
Getting there has just become even easier with the addition of new flights from London City Airport with Scandinavian Airlines, adding to the airline's existing routes from Dublin, Heathrow, Birmingham, Manchester, Newcastle and Aberdeen.
For a taste of the past visitors should make sure they take in the Amalienborg Palace, the National Gallery, National Museum, Little Mermaid Statue and the Round Tower. A visit to the fairytale amusement park, Tivoli Gardens, in the heart of the city is still a must, but for something alternative to the classic sights, try the Carlsberg Brewery or a mini-cruise to Copenhagen's sea forts. You can even borrow a free bike and explore the city.
Contrast this with a visit to Arken, the museum of modern art featuring 20th century paintings, architecture, sculptures and collages, or Louisana, Denmark's most visited museum, which houses an extensive collection of modern art from 1945 onwards. On the design front the city boasts a new 5-story Danish Design Centre in an impressive glass-fronted building on HC Andersens Boulevard. The centre hosts regularly changing exhibitions on a diverse range of design-related themes.
Meanwhile, Kunstindustrimuseet (The Danish Museum of Decorative Art) charts the progress of Danish and international decorative design over the centuries.
If you love food be prepared to leave Copenhagen feeling a few pounds heavier. In the last few years a breathtaking array of inventive, modern and stylish new restaurants have opened in the city, many of them with French, fusion or modern Italian influence, transforming Copenhagen into a major gourmet destination. The city boasts no less than ten Michelin starred restaurants, but you can also enjoy cosy cafes along the side streets and waterfronts. From marinated reindeer to freshly caught lobster, from red hot Thai curries to traditional 'frikadeller' (Danish meat balls), from sushi to smorrebrod to Copenhagen's famous hot-dog stands - it's all here.
Copenhageners know how to enjoy themselves and the city hosts an astonishing selection of large and small music venues and night clubs. Discos and clubs tend to come alive after midnight, so many clubbers choose to spend time in the city's super-hip pre-club bars. The city is also becoming a top destination for gay travellers. The Copenhagen jazz scene has an enviable international reputation, and there are also several excellent blues and rock clubs in the city.
Shopping in the city's main pedestrian street, Stroget is a must, but so too is browsing the small neighbourhood shops located in beautiful old buildings and medieval streets. The best thing about shopping in Copenhagen is that most shops are within walking distance, whether you are looking for traditional department stores, haute couture, bric-a-brac or antiques.
World's most luxurious hotels
Forbes has selected world's most luxurious hotels.Top spots Down-Under, cool American and Canadian lodges, sublime hotel stays in Asia, Europe's remarkable retreats.
Petrol prices are rising, home sales have stalled and the stock market is more volatile than Great Adventure's Kingda Ka roller coaster.
The perfect escape?
A visit to one of the globe's most lavish hotels.
Whether you're traveling to Big Sur or British Columbia, and in search of an innovative inn or a more posh place, one of these luxe lodgings is sure to please.
* Luxury is finding its way to even the most out-of-the-way places in the Australian outback, as well as Bora Bora and the Fiji Islands.
* The Great White North is wooing international travelers with earth-friendly inns, rustic retreats and high-tech hotels.
* Places such as Beijing, Tokyo, Singapore and Hong Kong are experiencing big booms in the luxury hotel sector.
* The region's decadent digs lure luxury seekers in the mood for everything from fine dining to upscale urban living in Europe.
* At US ten spots, guests enjoy once-in-a-lifetime experiences from butler-drawn baths to oyster-stocked après ski hours.
* India, once a cheap travel destination, has morphed in recent years into a chief player in the global luxury-hotel market.
Forbes
World's impressive beauties
Grand Canyon, Colorado USA:
The Grand Canyon is spectacular! It is not just a simple canyon but rather a whole maze of canyons, fissures and gorges worn into the rock with unusual buttes, mesas and rock spires standing between them. The exposed multicolored sedimentary layers take on varying hues as the angle of the sun and shadow change throughout the day.
The Grand Canyon is immense. It is almost 200 miles long and about 10 to 15 miles wide. Its deepest parts along the Colorado River channel lie over one vertical mile (1.6 km) below the plateau at its rims.
Andes Mountains, Argentina
The Andes Mountains is a natural playground for anyone with an interest in the outdoors and the equipment for fun, satisfying and successful journeys. Breathe in the fresh air and marvel at what you have climbed or hiked. At the summit your muscles may be aching, but you mind will be as free as a bird.
Uluru, Australia
Uluru (formerly known as Ayers Rock) is a large rock formation in central Australia, in the Northern Territory. Uluru, which means 'great pebble' in the Aboriginal language. Uluru is a 3.6km-long rising 348 metres above the surrounding countryside. It has an area of 3.33 sq. km and a circumference of 9.4 km.
Uluru is notable for its quality of changing colour as the different light strikes it at different times of the day and year, with sunset a particularly remarkable sight.
Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
Victoria Falls is one of the most impressive waterfalls in the world, located on the Zambia-Zimbabwe border in south central Africa. The falls are about 1 mile wide and plunge as much as 428 feet. Niagara Falls, by comparison, drop about 175 feet. The loud roar produced by the falls is perceptible from a distance of about 25 miles.
Victoria Falls is said to be the world's largest sheet of falling water. The spray falls back as a permanent mist, which nourishes the luxuriant vegetation at the base of the falls.
Niagara Falls, Canada
Niagara Falls, city in the Regional Municipality of Niagara, southeastern Ontario, Canada, a port on the Niagara River opposite Niagara Falls, New York. The city overlooks the Horseshoe, or Canadian, Falls cataract of Niagara Falls; the crescent-shaped cataract is 54 M (177 ft) high and carries nine times more water than its United States counterpart.
Niagara Falls is an enormously popular tourist destination, and it also serves as a major source of electricity for Ontario.
Black Forest, Germany
The name of what is arguably the greatest forests of Germany--the Black Forest--often conjures up images of a dark, sinister place. Don't let the name fool you.
The Black Forest in Germany is one of the best places you can go to explore some of the natural beauty the country has to offer. Sitting in the south west corner of the state of Baden-Württemberg, the Black Forest borders France, Switzerland, and the Neckar River. The forest itself straddles the continental divide, with the Atlantic watershed which is drained by the Rhine to one side and the Black Sea watershed which is drained by the Danube to the other.
The Great Barrier Reef, Australia
The Great Barrier Reef is the only biological living community visible from space. Stretching for over 2000km along the Queensland Coast, it is the most extensive and complex coral reef system in the world.
Belize
Situated in the heart of Central America, and bordering Guatemala and Mexico, Belize offers some of the best diving in the Caribbean, and is home to the world’s second largest barrier reef after Australia. Belize itself is a relatively small country, covering approximately 9,000 square miles, and has a population of only 280,000 people.
Rainforests and swamps tend to cover regions of Belize although there are some smaller, mountainous regions towards the south.
Kruger National Park, South Africa
It is South Africa's premier game viewing destination: the oldest, largest and most famous national park covering over 19,000 sq km (7,335 sq miles) - making it almost as big as Wales - with in excess of 2,500 km (1,560 miles) of well-maintained roads. It is around 350 km (217 miles) long and up to 60 km (37 miles) wide. It is home to a total of 147 mammal species plus over 500 bird species and more than 100 types of reptile.
The Igua Falls, Brazil-Argentina
The Igua Falls are located in the Igua National Park, at the border of Brazil and Argentina. In a horseshoe form, 2,700 meters wide between the two countries, the Igua Falls fill the visitors's view with the spray of 72 meter-high falls - the number of them varies between 150 and 300, depending on the flow of the Igua River.
The panorama overwhelms the onlooker with a sensation of fright, fascination and respect for the perfection of nature.
The Canadian Rockies, Canada
The Canadian Rockies comprise the Canadian segment of the North American Rocky Mountains range. The southern end in Alberta and British Columbia borders Idaho and Montana of the USA. The northern end is at the Liard Plain in British Columbia.
Contrary to popular misconception, the Rockies do not extend into the Yukon or Alaska, or into central British Columbia. North of the Liard River, the Mackenzie Mountains, which are not part of the Rockies, form a portion of the border between the Yukon and the Northwest Territories.
The mountain ranges to the west of the Rocky Mountain Trench in southern British Columbia are called the Columbia Mountains and are not considered to be part of the Rockies
Lugano, Monte San Salvatore, Switzerland
Lugano is situated in the south east area of Switzerland called Ticino, The view at the summit of Mount San Salvatore is reached by a cable-car. Lugano with it's more than 70 hotels is the perfect place for a vacation where you can combine excursions to other parts of Switzerland with day tours to Venice or Milan which is reached within a couple of hours by car.
World's Best Beach Resorts
| Hotel Name : | Burj Al Arab |
| Address: | Po Box 74147 |
| City: | Dubai / United Arab Emirates |
| Phone: | +971 4 3017777 |
| Web Site : | http://www.burj-al-arab.com |
- Banthai Beach Resort - Located in the center of Patong on 5 acres of tropical garden.
- Amora Beach Resort - 255 room resort on Bang Tao Beach.
- Silver Shells Beach Resort - Sales and rentals of beachfront condos.
World's Best City Center Hotels
| Hotel Name : | The Langham Hotel |
| Address: | 1C Portland Place, Regent Street |
| City: | London / United Kingdom |
| Phone: | 44 (0) 20 7636 1000 |
| Web Site : | http://www.langhamhotels.com |
World's Most Romantic Hotels
| Hotel Name : | Hotel de Crillon |
| Address: | 10,place de la Concorde,75008 |
| City: | Paris / France |
| Phone: | +33(0)144711500 |
| Web Site : | http://www.crillon.com |
- Hotels of St. Lucia - Accommodations of St. Lucia: medium-sized hotels, romantic inns and all-inclusive resorts.
World's Best Business Hotels
| Hotel Name : | The New York Palace |
| Address: | 455 Madison Avenue at 50th Street, |
| City: | New York / United States |
| Phone: | (1-212) 888-7000 |
| Web Site : | http://www.newyorkpalace.com |
Cheap Hotels
| Hotel Name : | The Metropolitan New York Hotel |
| Address: | 569 Lexington Avenue |
| City: | New York / United States |
| Phone: | (212) 752- 7000 |
| Web Site : | http://www.metropolitanhotelnyc.com |
- Hotel Hortus - A small, cheap budget hotel, a 15 minute walk from Central Railway.
- Fairway Hotel - Comfortable clean and cheap family run hotel in Central London.
