The Caribbean is one of the premier tourist destinations in the world. It has a lot of small islands and other attractive boat destinations. There are hundreds of ship harbours in the region. Almost all Caribbean travel destinations have wonderful white sandy beaches with tropical vegetation and an ever present sun. They have all facilities for swimming, sailing, snorkelling, scuba-diving, water-skiing, surfing, etc.

Some of the most popular Caribbean travel destinations are following. Anguilla is a relatively flat island famous for its spectacular beaches. Eco tourists will find there a myriad of bird and reptile species. In Antigua there are marvelous beaches, natural bays and harbors. It is also famous for the Nelson dockyard.

Aruba is fifteen miles away from the coast of Venezuela. Its wind ward slide is wild and windy, while the leeward side has honey colored sand beaches which are excellent for swimming. It is a popular destination for wind and kite surfers. Navigating around Aruba is easy and the roads are good. Barbados enjoys a breezy and good climate year round. Beautiful beaches surround the island with conceivable water sport available.

Belize is known as an eco tourists’ paradise. It has many parks and natural reserves. Bonaire is best known for scuba diving, snorkeling and windsurfing. Navigating around Bonaire is easy. A four wheel drive vehicle is recommended.

Dominica is the largest and most mountainous of the Windward Islands. Due to the island’s topography and vegetation, the climate and temperatures can vary drastically. It is a perfect destination for adventure. It is famous for hiking, river bathing, bird watching, whale watching, scuba diving, and botany expeditions.

Guyana is known as land of many waters. Kaiteur, one of the world’s tallest waterfalls, is situated here. Most of the region is untouched rainforest. There is gold and bauxite mining. Georgetown also has many buildings of great historical significance, including the world’s largest wooden structure in the form of an Anglican cathedral. Jamaica is an island of international array of legends, cultures and customs, coming together against the background of beautiful mountains and valleys.

Saba is a small island ideal for relaxation and rejuvenation. The island is well known for its scuba diving, hiking and natural beauty. The Saba Marine Park is one of the best in the world. The island of Trinidad is known for its annual carnival. Tobago has the oldest protected rainforest. Pitch Lake in Trinidad is another world famous tourist destination.

Every country is beautiful in its own manner and is really worth visiting, but there are some countries that attract much more tourists than others.

There is the list of the 5 of the most visited countries of the last several years:

1) France (76.7 million visitors a year)

2) Spain (51.7 million visitors)

3) U.S. (41.9 million visitors)

4) Italy (39.8 million visitors)

5) China (36.8 million visitors)

This is the data of 1998:

1) France (70 million visitors)

2) Spain (47,7 million visitors)

3) United States (47 million visitors)

4) Italy (34,8 million visitors)

5) United Kingdom (25,4 million visitors)

The top 4 has remained the same since the end of the last century, but fast developing and becoming more and more popular China replaced the United Kingdom on the fifth place. You can also see that china is going to overcome Italy in amount of tourists. You can also see that the total amount of tourists has increased – people became to travel more.

So, the most popular country with a big odds given is France. Without any doubt the most famous and popular city in France is Paris. It receives a huge amount of visitors any season. In summer the whole Cote d’Azur with Nice and Cannes becomes the most fashionable and prestigious beach resort.
Spain, mostly visited in summer is also very popular beach destination with its resorts of Costa Brave, Costa Dorada, Costa del Sol. Spanish islands – Canaries and Balearics also attract millions. Barcelona and Madrid are on the top of the list of the most visited Spanish cities.

United States have the third place with the significant number of tourists, but mostly they are Americans. New York is the most visited by tourists city and Florida and California are known for their beach resorts.
Italy, full of ancient attractions and sea resorts is also among the leaders. Rome, Milan, Venice, Florence – everybody knows these symbols of Italian bloom and the tourist stream never exhausts.

Among other popular travel destinations we can name Thailand, although after tsunami it suffered a lot of problems. Now it begins to rise again. According to some questionings it is named the best place for swimming and beach rest.

These are the destinations popular worldwide. However every country has its own favorites. For example, it’s known that Americans prefer to spend their holidays in Mexico, many French like to visit Martinique and so on.
In conclusion I can say that nothing threatens France’s leadership in the list of the most popular countries but people open new, exotic destinations which popularity is growing up.

You know what the guidebooks tell you when you visit Paris – you must see The Louvre, The Eiffel Tower, The Arc de Triomphe… and yet there are many of us who need something a little less clichéd to see. For people who fit that description, I’ve made this list of 5 more obscure – but just as memorable – things to do having booked a hotel in France’s city of culture.

Catacombs of Paris

This one isn’t for the faint of heart, but offers a fascinating, if macabre, trip through history. Not one for a family holiday in France – the catacombs were created in the 18th century when the local cemeteries became overcrowded and disease due to improper burial was on the increase. This section of abandoned quarry became used, and now the centuries old piles of human bone that make up the catacombs are quite the tourist attraction. Although this may sound plain disturbing as a tourist draw, it’s actually been the scene of many events throughout the city’s history – including the deaths of monarchists at the hands of communards in 1871 and members of the French Resistance using the tunnels secretly during the Second World War. On top of this, the sinister nature of the construction has given it a good representation in popular culture, being referred to in literature by authors such as Umberto Eco, Edgar Allan Poe and Victor Hugo.

Musée du Quai Branly

While The Louvre is undoubtedly the most famous art gallery in Paris, the Musée du Quai Branly offers a more niche proposition: focusing on indigenous art, culture and civilisation from Africa, Asia, Oceania and the Americas. Only opened 2 years ago, the museum has absorbed the collections of Musée national des Arts d’Afrique et d’Océanie and the ethnographic department of the Musée de l’Homme to contain 267,000 objects – of which 3,500 are on display. This is a fascinating day out for those who have exhausted The Louvre’s offerings on their luxury holiday in France.

The Marais

If you wanted to be tempted into spending all your France holiday money in one go, the Marais is a good bet. It’s a chic shopping area where charming boutiques of original clothing, accessories and home wares cohabit with intriguing artists’ galleries. It’s very easy to spend a whole day – and a whole lot of cash – here, so be sure to put aside the time it deserves.

Hotel de Sully

Despite the name, this isn’t actually a hotel in France, but a “petit hotel” stately home. The reason it makes this list? Because of its wonderful hidden gardens! One of Paris’ best guarded secrets and a brilliant way to spend a romantic afternoon with a partner, the 17^th century grounds boast ivy covered walls, historic buildings and a violinist playing live classical music. If you’re in a couple, it’s a must – if you’re on your own or taking a family holiday in France, you may be better served elsewhere.

Canal St Martin

One of the greatest pleasures in Paris is watching the world go by, but as you’ll have plenty of opportunities to do this in cafes and restaurants in your luxury holiday in France, this is something a little different. The Canal St Martin is a delightfully tranquil place to spend a Sunday when the quays are traffic free and pedestrianised. It’s a splendid place to people watch, and many of the old warehouses have been bought by up and coming artists – no surprise, as any who spend some time here may find the creative muse grabbing them.

A hotel in France’s glamorous capital needn’t mean the traditional sights. All of these offer a unique insight into the city’s culture, history and lifestyle and provide a splendid way to spend a luxury holiday in France.

These fees for standard and optional services eat into the cost of traveling, and include such fees as carry-on bag fee, first checked bag fee, second checked bag fee, headphones, movies, alcohol, meals or snacks, beverage and the list goes on. The most surprising of all the fees is the infant on the lap fee. Using flying as the mode of transportation on family vacations will eat into your traveling budget because of the cost of airfare along with the additional fees for standard or optional services.

When you are comparison shopping for the lowest airfare, not only will you be asking about the price of the ticket itself, but you will also need to inquire about any of the additional fees you might be required to pay. You will be weighting the cost of certain services. If you are flying “red eye” and intend to sleep during the flight, you might want to know if there will be a charge for the use of a pillow and blanket. The same goes for a flight to the Orient, which can usually take close to 24 hours if not more; you, will know about the cost of meals or snacks plus the cost of beverages during the flight.

It might interest you to find out the additional charges will not be included with the price of your ticket, however additional fees are payable at the time of use. You will have no idea which of the additional charges you need to be prepared for. All airlines do not charge for all of the standard or optional services however when they do charge an additional fee, the fee will differ with each airline. Take for example on a flight out of Dallas, TX to Phoenix, AZ, only a few of the airlines charged for the first check-in baggage. On the second checked-in bag all the airlines charged a price. When it came to the meal/snack or beverages, only a few charged a price the majority did not. So the prices may not only vary by airline, but also by the flight. A longer flight may have more charges.

In their effort to compensate for the rising cost of fuel, the airlines have made traveling by air more difficult that it has been since 9/11. As you are making your travel plans, you will need to be aware of the standard and optional services the airline could charge addition fees for. If you normally check in a curbside, you might want to rethink that luxury because there could be an addition fee for curbside check in. You may want to make do with one large bag, however considering there is probably an addition fee for the overweight bag; two bags might be more economical. So how does the traveler find the best airfare for their money?

You will be happy to know there are services popping up on the Internet to help you sort through the mêlée of the standard and optional services fees. These websites like Compare Airline Fees will let you know what additional charges the airline is charging for your specific flight. Then when you go to someone like Priceline or Orbitz to look for an airline ticket price, you will know the additional charges you will be required to pay. This will help you get the best value for your traveling dollar.

Here are 2 choices that you won’t regret choosing:

Amsterdam, Holland

Being the capital of the Netherlands, you’re almost sure to find whatever you desire – culture, entertainment, nightlife, food and even some pleasures that are forbidden in other countries.

One of the best tips you’ll ever get for moving around Amsterdam is to rent a bike as soon as you get there. Amsterdam is the bike capital of the world, with a whopping 40% of all traffic being created by bicycles. You’ll be a lot happier and healthier just using a bike everywhere (besides, parking is very difficult and expensive anywhere in the city).

Amsterdam attractions:

Coffee shops : in Amsterdam coffee shops are places where marijuana, or cannabis, is sold and smoked. Don’t confuse these with caf� shops, where coffee and tea is served. You can buy up to 5 grams of cannabis, as well as other accessories for smoking, as well as cakes, pastries and different beverages. Only a few coffee shops have a liquor license and agressive people (drunk or not) are not tolerated.

Canals: seeing as a quarter of Amsterdam’s surface is made up of waterways, one of it’s nicknames is “The Venice Of The North“. The Canal Cruise is the most popular tourist attraction in the country, with some 3 million passengers every year. You can have a romantic candle light dinner, theatre shows and even dance parties on the vast array of boats. You can even rent your own boats, with 2 options: pedal boats or electric boats, both rented by the Canal Company.

The Red Light District: there are a lot of rumors about the RLD, and depending on what you heard, it’s probably all true. But, just to be sure, you might want to visit it and form your own opinion. The brothels are not all that you can see in this charming 14th century part of the city – sex shops and interesting museums will give you a lot of sightseeing opportunities.

Salzburg, Austria

When in Austria, you would be wise to not avoid visiting Salzburg. Although it’s best known for the making of “The Sound of Music”, you’ll find that there is a lot more to Salzburg than this.

Salzburg attractions:

Getreidegasse Street: this is the most visited street in all of Salzburg, and where you’ll find luxury boutiques next to fine restaurants, pizzerias, gift shops and even Mozart’s birth house, the Hagenauerhaus.

The Festung (Fortress): without a doubt one of the first thing you’ll notice when you get to Salzburg will be the Fortress. It’s one of the most powerful fortifications in Europe, sitting on a peak watching over Salzburg and the Salzach river. The first castle was built in 1060 by Archbishop Eberhard, being continuoally expanded by his successors. It is now a museum where you can view different displays: puppets (yes, really), guns, medieval weaponry and luxury furniture. After visiting all this you really should visit the top platform and use the telescope to get a birds’ eye view of the city.

The Salzburg Cathedral: one of the main landmarks of Salzburg, this is really a sight to be seen. If you have a bit of luck you can catch a small line of admission to get to the dome overlooking the surroundings, but if not you still can look at a 200 year old organ and incredible wall and ceiling paintings inside the cathedral. A quick tip if you can’t find your way: while standing in front Mozart’s birth house (facing it), take the first street to your left and then a second left and you’ll get to the Cathedral Square. If you’re in a romantic mood you might want to take a carriage ride from the rear of the cathedral.

Hellbrunn Palace: it’s only a quick ten minute bike ride from Salzburg’s center, and it’s totally worth it! To be truthful, you can enjoy the full beauty of Hellbrunn you should visit it in the summer time. This small palace is beautiful, but most people enjoy the waterworks a lot more. These were built at the command of the Prince Archbishop of Salzburg, solely for his and his guests’ entertainment. Wells, fountains, ponds, grottos, they all combine to form a delightful experience, even if a little slippery.