Uji (宇治) is a small city situated between Kyoto and Nara, two of Japan’s most famous historical and cultural centers. Its proximity to these two former capitals resulted in Uji’s early development as a cultural center in its own right. Byodoin Temple Uji is home to the UNESCO Heritage Site of Byodoin Temple, a striking example of Buddhist Pure …
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Monday 9 Dec 2019 Volaris Costa Rica Depart GUA 22:12 Arrive SJO 23:57 Class: Economy Volaris Costa Rica is a low-cost airline based at Juan Santamaría International Airport in Alajuela, Costa Rica. It is a subsidiary of Mexican airline Volaris. Announced in March 2016, the airline began operations in November with flights to Guatemala City. …
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Bus Travel Bus is the most common way to enter Belize from Guatemala or vice versa. Travel from Guatemala to the border by bus or minibus and cross the border on foot to pick up a Belize bus on the other side, or travel through the border on Guatemalan transport to San Ignacio or Belize City. …
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As a geographer, I am excited by political boundaries. Being in UAE for one week allowed me to explore the country on a deeper level. Seeing that there is a segment of Oman inside the UAE, without the need for passport control, I decided to drive to the mountainous village to have a look. Here …
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It was my first time trying out the Premium Economy (PE) product on SQ and I was really excited. I managed to use miles to redeem a return trip from Singapore (SIN) to Dubai (DXB). SQ 494 depart SIN 15:10 arrive DXB 18:25 SQ 495 depart DXB 20:00 arrive SIN 07:30 (+1) It was really …
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Surrounded by the Hajar Mountains, Ras Al Khaimah (RAK) is the UAE’s northernmost emirate. Both beach-sloths and outdoor enthusiasts love it here, thanks to its sandy shores, sprawling oases and sun-baked desert, all on the emirate’s doorstep. While the call of the beach still attracts domestic and international visitors, who rarely move from the confines …
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The tiny emirate of Umm Al Quwain (pronounced ‘oom-al-ku-wayn‘) (UAQ), wrapped around an island-dotted lagoon, is in many ways the ‘anti-Dubai’. Its retro feel – without a flashy international resort or mega-mall to call its own – stands in sharp contrast to the glitz going on to the south. Much of the emirate’s 12km-long narrow …
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While Dubai is all about flashy tall buildings and shop-till-you-drop malls, neighbouring Sharjah takes a more subtle approach, forgoing glitz to concentrate on culture and history. Some travellers are put off by its conservative reputation (the emirate is ‘dry’; no alcohol is available anywhere), but if you can handle a day or two without a …
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Proudly modern and cosmopolitan, Abu Dhabi is the UAE’s forward-thinking cultural heart where nothing stands still. Driving for 1.5 hours from Dubai, it felt like I arrived in yet another modern city in Abu Dhabi. Towering skyscrapers dominate the landscape and the expressway had 4 lanes across, with a maximum speed limit of 140km/h which …
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Some of the best diving (and snorkelling) experiences in the world can be had in Belize. From the Blue Hole, a 124m deep sinkhole that has to be seen to be believed, to one of the best preserved (and biggest) coral reefs systems on the planet — with plenty of sharks, turtles and rays — divers …
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Tikal is an expansive jungle setting featuring Mayan temples & ceremonial ruins dating to 900 BCE. The most striking feature of Tikal is its towering, steep-sided temples, rising to heights of more than 44m, but what distinguishes it is its jungle setting. Its many plazas have been cleared of trees and vines, its temples uncovered and partially …
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Cancun is a tale of two cities, with the Zona Hotelera offering majestic Caribbean beaches and Maya culture and Cancún Centro providing the local flavour. One look at Cancún’s aquamarine Caribbean waters and it makes perfect sense why planners back in the 1970s were so eager to develop the area as Mexico’s next big resort …
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Tulum’s spectacular coastline – with all its confectioner-sugar sands, cobalt water and balmy breezes – makes it one of the top beaches in Mexico. Where else can you get all that and a dramatically situated Mayan ruin? There’s also excellent cave and cavern diving, fun cenotes and a variety of lodgings and restaurants to fit every budget. …
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Chichén Itzá is an ancient ruined Maya city occupying an area of 10 square km in south-central Yucatán state, Mexico. It is located some 150 km east-northeast of Uxmal and 120 km east-southeast of the modern city of Mérida. The only source of water in the arid region around the site is from wells (cenotes) formed by sinkholes in limestone formations. Two big cenotes on …
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Disclaimer: I wish I had photos to show you of the process but I had lost my phone and the photos were gone as well. From Tulum to Chetumal, we took the ADO bus. It was comfortable and on time. In order to catch the Belize water taxi, we left Tulum early at 8am, and …
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In the 1970s, underwater pioneer Jacques Cousteau explored the sinkhole and declared the dive site one of the world’s best. Since then the Blue Hole’s image – a deep azure pupil with an aquamarine border surrounded by the lighter shades of the reef – has become a logo for tourist publicity and a symbol of …
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While everyone else is heading to the Dominican Republic for the big city feels of Santo Domingo or the beaches of Puerto Plata, you’re off for an off the beaten path in the Dominican Republic vacation. With dozens of universities, including the Pontificia Universidad Catolica Madre y Maestra, tons of galleries and art centers, history museums galore, and plenty of …
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After Costa Rica declared its independence in 1821, the newly established government saw the big potential of coffee as means for economic and social development. The central authorities provided many financial incentives to coffee farmers and gradually became one of the main crops produced in the Central Valley, and often referred as “el grano de oro”, in English the …
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Depending on who you talk to, Guatemala City (or Guate as it’s also known) is either big, dirty, dangerous and utterly forgettable, or big, dirty, dangerous and utterly fascinating. Either way, there’s no doubt there’s an energy here unlike anywhere else in Guatemala. It’s a place where dilapidated buses belch fumes next to BMWs and …
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Consisting of three humid caverns with dark blue lagoons connected by stalactite-filled passages, this site is lovely if you show up early to beat the crowds. Upon entrance, a long stairway takes visitors down a narrow tunnel in the rock, and a cement path at the bottom leads through the caves. This is the name …
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Mention Punta Cana and images of white, sandy beaches, tropical sunshine, pina colada in hand and all-inclusive resorts would come to mind. In the past few years, many resorts have sprung up along the southeastern coast of the Dominican Republic. A Caribbean workhorse of sun and sand, the southeast is synonymous with go-big-or-go-home tourism and …
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Whether you approach from the west or from the east, the drive into the Arenal area is spectacular. Coming from Tilarán in the west, the road hugs the northern bank of Laguna de Arenal. The lake and forest vistas are riveting. On either side lovely inns, hip coffeehouses and eccentric galleries appear like pictures in …
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The Indian Nose (Nariz del Indio) is one of the most visited and hiked mountain on the shores of Lake Atitlan. From that point it is possible to catch the sunrise and the volcanic mountain chain of Guatemala. This mountain is also known as The Mayan Face. Hiking tours at Lake Atitlan don’t get much …
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Santo Domingo, or ‘La Capital’ as it’s typically called, is a collage of cultures and neighborhoods. It’s where the sounds of life – domino pieces slapped on tables, backfiring mufflers and horns from chaotic traffic, merengue blasting from corner stores – are most intense. At the heart of the city is the Zona Colonial, where …
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