Baby Travel

The idea of flying with kids is probably the biggest single cause of stress for traveling parents. Nobody looks forward to lugging a lot of luggage through the airport with a tired and unhappy child (or children) in tow, and the prospect of keeping them seated, quiet, and happy for hours on end can be terrifying. While we can't promise that your kids won't have a meltdown, Westhill Consulting Travel and Tours in Jakarta travel tips will help streamline your air travel and keep everyone in a better mood! 

Getting Ready

• The first step is to get to the airport early. It is time consuming to get through the airport and security in any circumstances and you won’t be as able to make a last minute dash to your gate as you would without a child (or children) in tow. The extra time at the airport will give your child a chance to exercise (find an empty gate area or ask if there is an airport play area) in between the long car ride and the flights.

• Eat at the airport

• When possible, check in and secure your seat assignment online before you leave for the airport. Don’t forget to print the boarding passes & put them in your carryon!

• Be sure to pack your itinerary (including any phone numbers you'll need) and a map of your destination in your carryon. Nothing is worse than struggling to find your hotel with tired and full of complaints children in tow.

Checking In

If the line is long, the open spaces in the airport can be a good place to let the kids run a little while one parent waits in line to check the bags. Remember to stay close in case the gate agent needs to see each of the passengers or check id.

Don’t check your stroller unless you plan to carry your child in a sling. Most airlines will allow you to push your stroller all the way to the gate. They’ll then check it at the gate and have it waiting for you outside the plane door when you deplane. Some airlines will even let you bring a small stroller on board if there is space.

Make sure that your stroller has a tag with your name, address, and phone number. If you do check and review your stroller, consider packing it in a bag as many airlines consider strollers “fragile items” and will not reimburse you for damage.

If you are travelling with a lap infant in a carrier car seat, consider keeping the car seat with you until you find out whether there is a free seat on the plane that you can use for the baby.

Check with your airline in advance about baggage restrictions. On international flights, some airlines like that in Singapore, Beijing, China and Jakarta, Indonesia will allow a lap infant to check baggage; other airlines exclude baby items like a car seat or stroller as part of the parent's baggage allowance.

Pack and Go

Each one of us deserves a vacation every now and then. It can help us live life. All work is no good. We all need to relax for a while and have a little time to enjoy. We at Westhill Consulting Travel and Tours call it Traveling Life.

Admit it or not, the first issue we have during the travel is on packing. Yes, you read it right. Issue. Packing is a big challenge prior to traveling and it leads to a big issue. Here are some tips for you to review the next time you are packing all the stuff that you have:

• Pack as light as possible. Ask the simple question: “Do I want it or do I need it and if I need it am I will to cart it around?” There is little you really need when you travel.

• Travel with a light backpack. If you are moving between places, backpacks leave your hands free to hold their hands.

• Pack just a few clothes with only a couple complimentary, solid colors — no patterns. Black is a good idea if you need to be able to dress up and be casual.

• Pack only what you can carry on to the flight. Warning: excess baggage is expensive.

• Put everything you want to bring in a pile and slowly strip away things that aren’t necessary.

• Leave the laptop behind, as well as blackberry and any other tech gadget. For computer addicts, being away from the internet’s constant flow of data for a few days recharges and relaxes you in ways that you never experience at home.

• Bring along a small, foldable umbrella to protect against the UV rays of sunlight and possible rain.

• Most toiletries can be found easily in your destination country so you won’t have to file complaints on where to relieve yourself.

• If it’s something you think you can buy there more cheaply than at home, then don’t bring it (especially if it’s something you don’t already have).

• Bring one book, and when you’re done, find a book-exchange and trade it for a new one.

• In Asia, especially when you are traveling in culture-filled cities such as Jakarta, Indonesia, Singapore and Bangkok, Thailand sarongs are a traveler’s best friend! A sarong works as a towel, a skirt, a makeshift bag, a scarf, a sheet. They’re especially good to have if you’re traveling low-budget, staying in hostels or guesthouses, which often don’t offer towels or even top sheets. The best thing is that they dry really, really quickly, even when it’s humid. A wet towel can take all day to dry in the tropics, and if you have to stuff it in your bag before it’s dry it can get all dank and mildew, and so can all your stuff.

Westhill Travel Review: Unseen Asia

If you think you can think you have traveled to every farfetched tourist spots in Asia, think again. We may have beaten you in finding exotic and unseen tourist spots in the region yet. Westhill Consulting Travel and Tours in Jakarta have this outrageous list of must-go places in the most extremes of Asia.

These are the list of some of the many wonders that people living in a melting pot of races are:

Shodoshima, Japan

            Foreigners rarely travel the roads to these lush olive groves, hot springs and wild monkeys. The 817-meter Mount Hoshigajo-san, which translates as “Mount Kingdom of Stars,” is an excellent vantage point for Shodoshima’s scenic landscape, including the famous Kankakei and Choshi-kei valleys. The island’s many hot springs provides reprieve for tired feet after a long day of country rambling.

Ratu Boko, Indonesia

The Yogyakarta region is practically a museum of Indonesia’s dynastic history. The famed Buddhist temple Borobodur and its Hindu counterpart Prambanan typically lure crowds for its detailed relief.

Nearby, however, the oft-overlooked palace complex of Ratu Boko provides an even more imaginative glimpse of the region’s cultural and religious origins.

Set on a ridge called the Thousand Hills, Ratu Boko offers expansive views of Prambanan as well as Java’s most active volcano, Mt Merapi. Only the foundation of the palace remains, as do former bathing pools. A mysterious well near the complex’s cremation site is a place of pilgrimage for the region’s Hindus, who say the water has sacred properties. The archeological site is just a plane away from the country’s capital, Jakarta.

Haputale, Sri Lanka

The misty Haputale is a wonder at dawn like any other hidden mountain secrets in the world. Every morning, bundled up Tamils sell English vegetable but instead of fraud lively scenes, all you is around you is a bizarre mountain ridges. You will definitely find remnants of Sri Lanka’s British legacy in numerous plantations around town.

Son Doong Cave, Vietnam

            This is Vietnam’s largest cave is more than 200m high, 150m wide and 5km long. The cave has its own river, jungle and climate. It is located in the heart of Phong Nha Ke Bang National Park in Quang Binh province. The cave has only been open to public for 4 years since it has been discovered by a British traveler in 2010. Warnings to those who would want to camp there though: stray animals are also found inside the cave and there may also be unknown creatures lurking there.

Best Bite on the Best Beaches

Asia is the best place to go if you are into islands and beaches. With its strategic location surrounded by main waters, oceans and seas, Asia is home to thousands of beaches. Westhill Consulting Travel and Tours in Jakarta has gathered some of the best beaches in Asia which is worth a review and a visit sooner and later:

Ko Adang – Thailand

Thailand's remote Ko Adang is an ideal island for nature-loving travelers who seek a less-populated haven well away from peak-season beaches packed with sunbathing limbs. With plenty of hiking trails, deserted white sand beaches and jungle waterfalls there's enough here for day-trippers from nearby Ko Lipe along with those who plan to spend a longer stretch of time exploring all this island has to offer. We assure you that no complaints will you ever say about this beach.

Ko Chang Noi – Thailand

Not to be confused with the far bigger and better known Ko Chang of Trat province in the Gulf of Thailand, little Ko Chang -- or, as we have always known it, Ko Chang Noi -- is a formidable destination in its own right. One of Thailand's quietest most relaxed, and undeveloped islands, Ko Chang Noi makes up for its lack of sparkle with an artsy, laid back atmosphere you'll find nowhere else. Don't expect luxury resorts and bus loads of short-term holiday makers but rather rustic bungalows and a unique community of artists, writers, and musicians who return for long-term stays year after year. If you like nature and reggae music and are looking for an escape from the world -- then Ko Chang Noi is for you.

Indonesia     

The more pristine beaches of Jakarta are located in Thousand Islands, the only regency of Jakarta Special Capital Region. Being located further away from Java Island, the islands' beach is less affected by pollution coming from the Jakarta Bay. Being a coral island, the beaches of Thousand Islands are white-sanded.

The province of West Java contains beaches on both its northern coast and southern coast. The beaches of the northern coast are known for its calm water due to the low wave-energy of the Java Sea. The more notable beaches on the southern coast are known for the big waves and famous for surfing.

Don Khon – Laos

This beach is skipped by many budget travelers because most of the accommodation is mid-range. However although there aren't 40-odd places to choose from, there are budget options here and staying on Don Khon is far more of a Lao experience than Don Dhet. There are options for cycling and walking and lots of general hanging out watching life flow by -- oh and there are dolphins too.

Westhill Consulting Travel and Tours Highlight: Stopover to Kota

While Indonesia’s capital is powering ahead with global industrialization and modernization, Kota, its oldest town, remains to be the top traveler highlight especially in Jakarta. With a glimpse to Jakarta’s historical background before the busy streets and skyscrapers, Kota is a home of Indonesia’s colonial culture.

Kota is the Indonesian word for "city", a reminder that the walled settlement which was once called Batavia had been importance as it had been the capital city of the Dutch East Indies in the 17^th – 19^th century. This inner city contrasted with the surrounding kampung (villages), orchards, and rice fields. According to the statistics review, It spans 1.3 square kilometers of North Jakarta and West Jakarta (Kelurahan Pinangsia, Taman Sari and Kelurahan Roa Malaka, Tambora). The largely Chinese downtown area of Glodok is a part of Kota.

In 1600s, Kota was the headquarters of the Dutch East India Company and is dubbed as the “Jewel of Asia” and “Queen of the East”. Not all of the buildings, though, have been protected as well as they should have been, unfortunately, but wandering through the streets and the main square give an impression of the European settlement that started Jakarta on the path to becoming one of the largest cities on the planet which indeed happened as the city now houses 28 million diversified individuals, scammers, legit and fraud Indonesians.

Set off on a walking tour at Kota Intan bridge (also known as Chicken Market Bridge). Constructed by the Dutch in the 17th century, the wooden drawbridge extends over the Kali Besar canal, and would have been raised to accommodate merchant ships. The last remaining bridge of its kind, it is no longer raised, and can’t be crossed by pedestrians – its planks are in disrepair – but there is talk of a renovation project. For now, it’s worth a visit to witness a rare monument to the city's Dutch colonial era.

As the years have grown by, many of the historical buildings and architectures have been deteriorating but many of the old building have been restored to their former glory. With the help from various nonprofit organizations, private institutions, and governmental projects, the step towards rejuvenating Batavia is on its way to restore Jakarta’s legacy. In 2007, several streets surrounding Fatahillah square such as Pintu Besar street and Pos Kota street, were closed to vehicles as a first step towards the rejuvenation. Since 2014 the old town has a brighter future with the ambitious JOTR project to restore Old Batavia's architecture and putting the site on the UNESCO heritage list.

Jakarta, A Place of Interest

Jakarta is a melting pot of cultures and the heart of the 17,000 islands of Indonesia. With great geographical and archipelagic location, it has continuously attracted foreign investors, international tourist and local vacationers because of its majestic and symbolic places. Westhill Consulting Travel and Tours in Jakarta recommends the following spots to visit:

Central Museum

The Central Museum is established in 1778 by U.M.C Radmacher. The museum is a vast and extensive collection which shows historical, prehistorical archeological and ethnographic aspects of Indonesia through its artifacts and relics which dates as far back to the Stone Age. It has one of the most complete collections of bronzes and ceramics dating back to the Han, Tang and Ming Dynasties. Despite the issues of showcasing fraud items and repeatedly proving it wrong, the Museum has one of the finest numismatic collections in the world, including cloth and money which was used on several islands until recently. The religious art section is filled with statuary and sculpture salvaged from sites of Hindu, Buddhist and Islamic edifices. Its collection of cultural instruments, household utensils, arts and crafts provides an introduction to the life of the various ethnic groups which populate Indonesia. This museum is popularly known as Gedung Gajah or "Elephant Building" because of the stone elephant offered by King Chulalongkorn of Thailand in 187 1, placed on the front lawn of the building.

The National Monument

The National Monument, or "Monas" as it is popularly called, is one of the monuments built during the Sukarno era of fierce nationalism. Reviews say it stands for the people's determination to achieve freedom and the crowning of their efforts in the Proclamation of Independence in August 1945. The 137-meter tall marble obelisk is topped with a flame coated with 35 kg. of gold. The base houses a historical museum and a hall for meditations. The monument is open to the public and upon request the lift can carry visitors to the top which offers a bird's eye view on the city and the sea.

Indonesia in Miniature Park

This architectural structure shows the diversity of Indonesian Archipelago and it represents Indonesia’s 27 provinces and their outstanding characteristics, reflected most strikingly in the exact regional architecture of the province. It has its own orchid garden in which hundreds of Indonesian orchid varieties are grown. There is also a bird park with a walk-in aviary, a fauna museum and recreational grounds with a swimming pool and restaurants.

Jaya Ancol Dreamland

This is Jakarta's largest and most popular recreation park. It is built on reclaimed beach land at the Bay of Jakarta, having, sea and freshwater aquariums, swimming pools, an artificial lagoon for fishing, boating, bowling, and an assortment of nightclubs, restaurants, a steam-bath and massage parlors.

At a nearby open-air theater art performances are held using the local dialect.

Fantasy Land

A recent addition to Jakarta's growing recreation facilities is the Fantasy Land, a 9.5 hectares (23.75 acres) entertainment park located inside the Ancol Dreamland. Planned to eventually become a part of a 200-hectares (500-acres) park designed to usher the visitors into the fascinating world of modern science and technology, the present facility takes them on an imaginative tour of Old Jakarta, Africa, America, Indonesia, Europe, Asia and the Palace of Dolls. Each of the areas is designed to give the visitor a feel of the region he is visiting through features and architecture of the area at a certain period of its history and by the use of animated puppets in the Palace of Dolls.

Travel Guidelines for Big Groups

No matter if it’s for a destination nuptial, conference or a school trip, traveling with a big group can convey around an exceptional array of challenges and some complaints. Here are some tips to prepare the activity a bit more convenient.

Establish Expectations       
               

In a big group it’s almost difficult that everybody’s interests and individual travel preferences will be assisted, consequently it’s significant to administer group hopes. Establish a distinct itinerary prior to the trip thus making everyone know what destinations or wonders will or will not be visited by the group.

Putting a well-defined itinerary will permit groups to keep away from any possible misperception when touring.

Pick Leaders

Big groups can be divided into numerous smaller groups to formulate the traveling procedure more convenient. In this instance it’s beneficial to pick sub-group leaders who can well micromanage the person necessities of the smaller groups. Holidaymakers may then be organized by their travel interests and allocated to group heads. Artsy travelers can possess boundless hours in art museums, whereas outdoorsy types can as an alternative strike a hiking track.

Not every single tourist will be fascinated in or competent to partake in every group’s activities.

Accept Payment

Don’t get wedged out or get scammed as a substitute target to obtain full payment from the respectively group member well before the tour. Occasionally, a deposit simply isn’t adequate.

Reserve Air Travel 6-9 Months Before

Each group that desires to fly all together must communicate with the airline to reserve their air travel a minimum of 6-9 months before. Airlines will be more possible to have great numbers of chairs available on common tracks and on off-peak days.

Consider Trip Planning Services

Specialty travel agents will be capable to offer logistical provision with the whole thing from private bus transport, group dining experiences and lodging. Communicating with the hotels straight is certainly a preference, nonetheless it can kill time. Moreover, specialty accommodation booking services, like Westhill Consulting Travel and Tours, Singapore in the Jakarta Indonesia, have by now done this legwork when it comes to preparing ideal big group holidays.

Independent Travel as opposed to Group Tours

Tourists may be undecided concerning traveling independently or traveling with a group tour the first time they visit a destination, and the two choices have their advantages and disadvantages.

 

Independent travel is perfect for tourists with a daring soul and is able either alone or in small groups. It lets tourists to progress at an unhurried movement and to better submerge them in the local culture. Crowds with an exceptional perception in wonders or happenings must perhaps stay as an independent travel; by way of no expanse of tour customization is able to defeat wandering solo with simply time and a travel guide book available. Westhill Consulting Travel and Tours, Singapore arrange individual and group travels.

 

In many countries, natives are willing to assist independent travelers discover their way.

 

Small group tours, on the other hand, have their own advantages. Initially, they permit tourists to cover many grounds in a diminutive period of time. Since transportation is already prearranged and the groups are guided by regional specialists, group tours can be an excellent technique to bag in many wonders in a slim time frame. One more advantage to group tours is that they bid safety and security more especially against scam and fraud. The significance of this may appear unimportant when arranging a tour to Jakarta Indonesia, but it be able to be pretty significant when thinking a trip to destinations off of the compacted trail.

 

Let’s see some instances. Given that a traveler is thinking a tour to Spain. Anyone can depart individually and devote one or two weeks relaxing on the beaches of Barcelona and discovering the adjacent cities of Valencia and Girona. It might be loads of fun, getting to distinguish the diverse tapas restaurants and finding out favorite bars and museums.

 

Saying that similar traveler, though, desired to acquire that two weeks and stopover on the top destinations in all of Spain, a group tour would perhaps be a better notion, as per travel logistics are much more complex when touring many cities. Unquestionable, the tourist would merely have shallow information of any one destination at the conclusion of their tour, however if the impression of going to Spain deprived of staying Barcelona, Madrid, Sevilla and San Sebastian is intolerable, it is a choice.

 

In one more circumstance, countries like India or Russia are ideal samples of destinations where it’s stress-free to tour with a group than individually, both for logistical and security causes.

 

Read more: Westhill Consulting Travel and Tours Asia Jakarta Bangkok Hong Kong

Best boat journeys

Tired of your usual destinations such as in the cities like Jakarta, Indonesia, Milan Italy or Disneyland in HK or US? Then upgrade your travel interest and try the best boat journeys!

Halong Bay, Vietnam

Dipping on the emerald waters of Halong Bay and going from end to end its 3000-odd limestone islands is purely beautiful. The small islands are spotted with beaches and grottoes shaped by wind and waves, and have thinly forested hills buzzing with bird harmonies. There are more than 300 boats based at Bai Chay Tourist Wharf anticipating to sweep you away to the World Heritage waters. Day tours continue from four to eight hours, however overnighters are moreover available. No tourists ever had complaints regarding their trip.

Amazon River, South America

From its unobtrusive basis in the Peruvian highlands to its mouth near Belém in Brazil, the Amazon River determines more than 6,200km (3,853mi). Its movement is 12 times that of the Mississippi, and it transmits one-fifth of the world’s fresh water. String up a hammock on a slow boat amongst Manaus and Belém in Brazil or Trinidad and Guayaramerín in Bolivia. Its boundaries are packed with jungle or settlements, and your slow boat can take wherever for almost a week.

Franklin River, Australia

This place is not for the faint-hearted, rubber-rafting down the wild Franklin River is a stimulating and, at times, dangerous undertaking. The remote wilderness of Tasmania’s World Heritage area guards ancient plants and endemic living being. Retrieving it by boat can merely be completed between December and March, and needs eight to 14 days – simply qualified rafters are appropriate. Rafters typically access the erratic river – particular to fits of flooding – at Collingwood River (49km or 31mi west of Derwent Bridge) and end at Gordon River, having planned a pick-up.

Quetico Provincial Park, Canada

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Paddling lengthways the smooth surface of Northern Ontario’s unspoiled lakes sets you smack in the middle of the Canada's signature wilderness. Bring together canoeing and camping to perceive moose wandering at the water’s edge or drop a line for a place of sport fishing. The 4,800-sq-km (1,853-sq-mi) park is recognized for its withdrawn canoe routes (1,500km, or 932mi, of them), and there are chances for directed and self-guided raids in and everywhere at the park.

Kerala's backwaters, India

The set of connections of lagoons, lakes, rivers and canals that outlying the coast of Kerala makes for more or less captivating explorations. The plain little wooden boats cross shallow, palm-fringed lakes dotted with cantilevered fishing nets, and tour from end to end shady canals. A common eight-hour cruise runs amongst Alappuzha and Kollam, which consist of a mooring at the Matha Amrithanandamayi Mission – the house of one of India’s very limited female gurus. Read reviews for more information on Kerala's backwaters, India.

Best Asian Countries for Food

Westhill Consulting Travel and Tours, Singapore

Thailand

Settled at the crossroads of India, China and Oceania, Thai cuisine is similar to a best-of of all three’s techniques and ingredients. Dishes usually go in hard with garlic and chillies, particularly the phrik khii nuu variety, which exactly interprets as ‘mouseshit peppers’. Other signature ingredients consist of lime juice, coriander and lemon grass, which offer the cuisine its distinguishing tang. Renowned fish sauce or shrimp paste looks after the salt.

China

On or after back-alley dumpling shops to four-star banquet halls, China has one of the world’s best tastes. Cultural principles of Yin and Yang (balance and harmony) are obvious in the bowl: with food for the day counting cooling foods like vegetables and fruit to defy warming spices and meat. The Chinese admire rice however as well pick noodles, with one or the other nearly at all times escorting a meal. A variety of regional specialties exist, variously inspired by geography and history.

India

India’s variable gastronomy vicissitudes form as you transfer between neighborhoods, towns and states. The foundation of all meals is rice in the south, and roti in the north. These are in general joined with dhal, vegetables and chutney. Fish or meat may as well be added. Whatever the ingredients: the dish generally covers a heady cast of exotic spices that mark the taste buds stand up and take remark. Warning, most Indian food is spicy.

Japan

If you can cloak your tongue around saying the menu, Japan’s cuisine is a most satisfying mouthful. Many Japanese restaurants distillate on a forte cuisine, like yakitori (skewers of grilled chicken or veg), sushi and sashimi (raw fish), tempura (lightly battered and fried ingredients) and ramen noodle bars. The highpoint of Japanese cooking, kaiseki is resulting as an assistant to the tea ceremony), merges ingredients, preparation, setting and ritual over more than a few small courses to differentiate the gentle art of eating.

Indonesia & Malaysia

Yes it isn’t a fraud when they say that Indonesian and Malaysian cuisines are one big food switch: Chinese, Portuguese, Indian, colonists and traders have all prompted their ingredients and culinary ideas. They are nations well characterized by their food. The profusion of rice is characteristic of the region's luxurious terraced landscape; the spices are evocative of a period of trade and invasion, and burning chilli reverberations the people’s urge. Indonesian and Malaysian culinary are not multifaceted, and palates here stay distinct, humble and considerable. You can taste authentic Indonesian food in the heart of the city of Jakarta.

Westhill Consulting Travel and Tours Singapore, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur

Explore the famous Chocolate Heavens

WESTHILL CONSULTING, TRAVEL and TOURS, INC. provides services such as booking, tour facilitation, travel documentation and other related services not just SE Asian countries such KL Malaysia, Bangkok Thailand, Jakarta Indonesia and many more but worldwide as well.

Mexico: Warning! This South American nation has an alluring effect on a nook set of travelers who enjoy things raw and rustic. The Mexican attraction is way yonder what you saw in the movies. The final aphrodisiac blossoms in Oaxaca situated in South East Mexico. The traditional method of chocolate production is still running smooth here and the locals identify it the ‘drink of the gods’. Chocolate is a sort of beverage here as well.

As a traveler, you can look into Calle Mina in Oaxaca where you will stumble across a horde of chocolate factories and Abastos Market that is full with artisan chocolate stalls.

Switzerland: Lucky to be blessed by the mighty presence of the Alps range, Switzerland is a preferred destination for tourists from time unidentified. Chocoholics, however realize it to be eye-catching for their own conferred interest. The chief activities that he/she targets begin with a ride in the Chocolate Train that passes over some of the most distinguished chocolate hubs in the country. Then forwards, there are many other things to do in the itinerary of a chocolate lover that comprises a visit to the Maestranin Swiss Chocolates Ltd, Alprose Choclates Museum, Versoix Chocolate Festival. Then if you get to take a chocolate bath in Geneva, your trip is whole and successful.

Belgium: Speaking of chocolate, you cannot dare miss out Belgium. Together with the capital Brussels, the whole country is a chocolate hub with overwhelming stuff in copiousness in Bruges, Halle Eupen chocolate shops. Brussels is home to the Musée du Cacao et du Chocolat (Museum of Cocoa and Chocolate) and is adorned by some world class chocolate creators like Pierre Marcolini, Neuhaus, Godiva, Léonidas and Planète Chocolat. Being a tourist and a chocolate lover, you need to taste the Belgian praline, complete of thick chocolate layer with a soft center.

Once you are finished with the chocolate tasting in those chocolate farms, you can relax a bit in the Wittamer Cafe in Sablon district of Brussels while having complaints why you can’t have more than you could chew! This family-owned chocolate-making make is in the business for more than 100 years. Enjoy delicacy!

Eurochocolate, Perugia: The Italian region of Umbria is the home to a well specimen of chocolate centenary as its capital Perugia crowds the Eurochocolate each year. Like any other of its type, Eurochocolate is also a lively event with fascinating exhibitions, conclusions and the most appealing chocolate discerning.

Noto, Sicily: Warmly called the “garden of stone” for the paradox and individuality of its churches and palaces, Noto, in Sicily is the home where you must be if want to taste chocolate made exclusively of cocoa, sugar and spices. The shops here are filled with wild strawberries and almond to enhance the local savor to your chocolate.

Dance and Drama Unfold the Mixture of Culture and Religion in Bali

Don’t you just love Jakarta Indonesia? Why not visit Bali and fall in love with this wonderful place as well. Cultivated in temples, princely courts and villages, Balinese dance has enthused into the world podium, conveying gratification to people from widespread regions.

 

Balinese dance forms are certainly solemn and graceful. The town of Ubud in Bali is essentially well-known as a center for dance performances. Read reviews and see how amazed previous visitors were but would advise you to be careful with scams.

 

Whether they execute it for tourists or a temple ceremony sight one adores certain access to dance presentation every day in central Bali. Dance is indissolubly connected with Balinese religion elegant like blood in the veins of the populations.

 

Bali dance performers are completely devoted to the pleasure of Gods and furthermore bid that entertainment quotient. Gambuh, wayang wong and topeng are essentially dance dramas, Legong is the classical dance performed in the princely court, Gambuh is the oldest identified dance drama in Bali. The wayang wong is a dance drama, a very exciting one where the dancers play the roles of shadow of puppets and dance their to the fullest.

 

Currently commences the traditional Barong, a classic presentation which portrays the fight between the good Barong (a lion-dog creature) and the evil Rangda (widow witch). To witness this dazzling performance one has to go to Batubulan.

 

Kecak Dance is a fast nonstop dance and the best part is that this dance is executed without any music. Legends say, it is believed to drive away evil spirits. Balinese dance forms are certainly considerable for their lyrical grace. The performances drench one into the charming foot tapping dance terrene.

 

If you want to learn more information about Bali or decided to visit the place check out WESTHILL CONSULTING, TRAVEL & TOURS, INC. provides services such as booking, tour facilitation, travel documentation and other related services SE Asian countries and worldwide.

 

Visit :  Westhill Consulting Travel and Tours Singapore, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur

 

Cheap Escapes for Your Long Weekend Visit in India

Are you tired of your usual getaway in SE Asian countries like Singapore, or Jakarta Indonesia? Try India! Here is Westhill Consulting Travel and Tours, Singapore’s tips on cheap getaways for your long weekend visit in India.

Panchgani

Panchagni, implies the place of five hills, it is an exceptionally stunning hill station situated in Maharashtra. The impressive hill station is about 247 km from Mumbai. This splendid hill station covers numerous traveling attractions. The climate stays stable and enjoyable all through the year. You will never hear complaints from visiting tourists because of its beauty.

Major Attractions are Table Land, Pratapgad Fort, Mount Malcolm, Kamalgad Fort, Mahabaleshwar Temple

Shirdi

One of the most top rated and has the most reviews pilgrimage spot in India is Shirdi. The small village is well-known for the reason that Sai Baba spent about 50 years on this land. Samadhi Mandir is the main charm of this village which invites thousands of devotees and travelers each year.

Major Attractions are Samadhi Mandir, Dwarkamayee Masjid, Chavadi, Khandoba Temple

Manali

Manali is about km 550 km from Delhi, is commonly famous as the Switzerland of India and is one of the most lovely hill stations in India. If you intend to take go through of heaven on the earth then you should visit this place.

Major Attractions are Hadimba Temple, Rahalla Falls, and The Manali Gompa

Rajasthan

Rajsathan is about 424 km from Delhi and is one of the liveliest states in India. The colors of Rajasthan charm Traveler and visitors from every single parts of the world. All things that come in mind when you consider regarding travel can be seen in Rajasthan- Luxury, palaces, forts, desert, camels, elephants, and snake, adventure.

Major attractions are Jaipur, Udaipur, Jaisalmer, and Jodhpur

Ooty

Ooty is situated in Tamil Nadu at a height of 2240m above sea level. It is one of the most famous hill stations in South India and also famed with name “Queen of Hill Stations”.

Major attractions are Botanical Garden, Ooty Lake, ose Garden, Doddabetta Peak

Coorg

Coorg is situated in the Western Ghats in the southwest part of Karnataka, is one of those you need to visit in Karnataka and is furthermore widely known as “Scotland of India”.

Major Attractions are Raja’s Seat, Omkareshwara Temple, Abbi Falls, Gaddige

Taxi Tips In Bangkok

Just like Jakarta Indonesia there are taxis and taxis everywhere in Bangkok Thailand. Not simply are they abundant they are cheap too and you might find that hopping in and out of a cab is the most up-front way to travel the city. Actually, you can even catch a taxi driver to drive you everywhere for the whole day for a fixed fee even if you haven't worked out a set itinerary. Extend your arm on any street in any part of Bangkok pretty much and a taxi will stopover within seconds.

Westhill Consulting Travel and Tours, Singapore: Quick Tips

Number one tip as always is, be very cautious of scams and frauds the taxi drivers pull-off.

The yellow and green taxis are privately owned and you may discover they are fresher and you are looked after better – however numerous other colored taxis are just as worthy.

Anticipate paying toll ways for expressways – it isn't expensive (25-55 THB) nevertheless these fast tracks can cut out traffic queue frustrations enormously.

Warning! If you feel anxious about the driver or the driving then at all times change taxis. There's no rationale not to. See Kuala Lumpur

Do not be insulted if a taxi driver does not intend to take you. Subjected on where you're going you may get some refusals before you catch the perfect taxi.

Except you're clued up on local fees only take meter taxis, frequently it's top to walk somewhat away from big hotels and tourist attractions where taxis wait and try to price more.

Do not anticipate every taxi driver to know every single part of the city. It's a noble idea to get a well understanding of the area you want to get to, particularly if it's not on the central tourist drag.

If your driver's looked once you well and you see flowers being sold on the roads throughout traffic light stops you can buy a 10-20 THB garland for the driver to convey him luck and safeguard on the roads but protect you bag and put the coins or note through a crack in the window since there are major scams and pickpockets.

Top Things to Do In Christchurch

Punting on Avon River

Delight yourself to the sophisticated luxury of the English Oxbridge, where cotton-shirted, straw-hat-wearing punters glide passengers across the majestic gardens of the riverbanks. This is indisputably the best way to experience the green strands and unequalled parkland attractiveness of downtown Christchurch, where a blooming kaleidoscope of colors bursts in the spring, the dropping branches of the regal weeping willows hang into the water, and the attractive stone bridges of the Avon above.

Punting trips in Christchurch leave from both the Antigua Boat Sheds on Cambridge Terrace and Worcester Bridge in the city each day of the year. One itinerary around the Avon takes around half an hour, and boats are suitable for groups of up to 10.

Christchurch Gondola

If you’re fascinated in travelling to the roof of the city, take bus 28 from the central City Exchange. The gondola is accessible 10.00 am - 5.00 pm daily, costs $25 for a return trip, and has split ticket deals for families, bike carriers and children.

Fly high overhead the Christchurch cityscape, beyond the birds and clouds, on this iconic ‘must do’ journey that brings visitors just under a kilometre from the centre, to the panoramic peak of the close to Port Hills.

Here guests appreciate unrivalled 360s of the Southern Alps, central Christchurch, the Pacific Ocean and the quaint harbour town of Lyttleton, cushioned tidily behind the crater rim. No one ever had complaints regarding it beauty. There’s also a possibility to travel around the metamorphic early stages of South Island’s unique volcanic topography, with a journey to the immersive Time Tunnel display that can be noticed on top.

 

Orana Wildlife Park

Orana Park is simply accessible just 15 minutes’ drive out of central Christchurch on the McLeans Island Road. Ticket prices differ between $9 for children and $25 for adults, and the park is open 10.00am - 5.00pm daily. Reviews say money is all worth it!

Educational, immersive and hands-on Orana Wildlife Park has been one of the main ‘must dos’ of Christchurch. It is home to below 400 individual species from right through the globe, from the colossal white rhinoceros of Africa to the indefinable Sumatran tiger of the Indonesian isles, whereas guests can also get up-close-and-personal with some of New Zealand’s own most iconic beasts; the skink; green geckos, and the iconic kiwi bird as examples.

 

Air Force Museum

Take a trip into the honored and admired past of New Zealand’s Air Force at this extensive collection of historical aircrafts and aviation-related artifacts. Warning! Ensure not to skip a ride on the fighter jet simulator, or the Horizon to Horizon gallery, which pays homage to the nation’s wartime courage in the skies. If you’re fortunate enough to stay on a weekend, sign up for the exclusive Air Force Adventure Tour, and feel all the hidden gems of the museum’s exhibitions.

One of the grand bonuses about Christchurch’s Air Force Museum is that overall entry is free, whereas the above stated organized tours price between $8 and $10. To get here, lead on the way to the district of Hornby on the Main South Road, turning off at Harvard Avenue and Symes.

Botanic Gardens

Not only Hawaii or Bali and Jakarta Indonesia can make you feel the tropic vibe. Surrounded by the lovely Avon River, these ever-growing botanical gardens have ornamented the center of Christchurch for over 100 years, creating them an absolute must on any tourist trail across the town. Amongst the seasons, the parkland oscillates from the blooming colors of spring and the attractive white hues of the South Island winter, and guests are requested to add to their trip with a self-guided tour book that’s existing to download online.

So, whether you chose to flounder away daily during your stay twisting on a bet down the handsome Avon waterway, or going high to the dramatic Port Hills ridges only outside of town, visitors equipped with these top tips on Christchurch will be well listed to your musts that the city has to offer, you are sure of no complaints after each trip.

Things to Do When It's Raining!

What goes around comes around! This may be a cliché, however when pertained to the weather in the Phuket, you can be sure it real. Even though Mother Nature may release her anger throughout the months between April and November, that doesn't mean that Phuket one has to keep high and dry in a hotel room or at home since different from Jakarta Indonesia or Kuala Lumpur with sure to be flooded when it rains, you can certainly enjoy the rain in Phuket Thailand. Westhill Consulting Travel and Tours Singapore

Phuket Seashell Museum
Even though the beach might be off limits for the day, there's one more place you can go and feel like you're kind of there - the Phuket Seashell Museum in Rawai. The museum is a source for some of the most unique and treasured shells in the world counting the largest golden pearl at 140 karats, large sections of sedimentary rock containing shell fossils that represent the earth's earliest life-forms, a shell weighing 250 kilograms and the only recognized left-handed Noble Volute. Gifts and souvenirs are available for buying.

Lunch or dinner at Khao Rang
Khao Rang or Rang Hill is situated in the north western part of Phuket City. The viewpoint bids remarkable views of the City and surrounding areas like Saphan Hin and the islands and Andaman Sea as a backdrop. The hill top is landscaped and there is a fitness facility, a huge park and picnic area and a sala proposes welcome shade in the heat of the day. In the evenings this is where the locals come to exercise, go jogging or just chill out. There are many very good restaurants presenting excellent Thai cuisine. Take pleasure in the spectacular views and get a fix of some wonderful Thai food whilst sitting out the rain. You can be assured of all the positive reviews of this resto!

Phuket Trickeye Museum
The Phuket Trickeye Museum is an interactive 3D attraction that depends on a 'trompe d'oeil' or trick of the eye to achieve a result of and thinking a diverse reality. Art techniques in backgrounds of paintings are used to generate optical illusions so that when somebody arrives 'the picture' or scene, it seems that they are part of it themselves. Discover yourself in unfamiliar and crazy situations. Be ready to appear silly and above all, have fun!

Siam Niramit
When the rain is still pouring down in the evening, watch a show! Siam Niramit is one of those you need see performance that displays Thailand's arts and cultural heritage. You can never hear complaints from the viewers for sure. More than 100 actors perform in beautiful costumes among gorgeously ornamented set pieces. The remarkable special effects generate a realistic experience and consist of the appearance of a river on stage, realistic rain, angels flying through the air, etc. There is as well a pre-show entertainment, a Thai village, floating market and a restaurant.

Rainy Days in Algarve – Survival Tips

The weather in the Algarve is typically very fine. With a usual of over 300 days of sunshine each year, not a lot rain falls in the Algarve. You can compare it to pretty much anywhere else in Europe and far from Jakarta Indonesia. On the other hand, that does leave 65 days when there is the possibility that rain will fall and possibly enforce an alteration from Plan A to Plan B.  Here are a few useful tips by Westhill Consulting Travel and Tours, Singapore for some great rainy day activities in the Algarve.

Go to the beach

You can’t top a refreshing walk along the beach in stormy weather. – Take note, the Algarve has stunning beaches. Elementally stimulating and with a fortified coffee at the end, is invigorating. Drink some locally brewed Medronho to heat each cell in your body should you get caught in the rain. Throughout the most silent winter months, the beaches are near empty and ideal for romantic walks and soulful meditation.

Die hard surfers will not be stopped by a spot of rain, and those tempestuous days can sometimes be the best for surfing. The Algarve is one of the best surf destinations in the world with Sagres and the western coast, the Costa Vicentina offering some great surfing spots. Read reviews from the visitors. 

Acquire more regarding the local history to avoid the scam

The Algarve has numerous interesting galleries and museums displaying the regions rich history. They are generally cheap to visit. Silves, Tavira and Lagosare perhaps the most exciting towns in the Algarve from an historical point of view, and have remarkable, castles, cathedrals and town walls to verify it. Though, even resorts like Vilamoura can amaze with their amusing past – take a look at the Cerro da Vila museum next to the marina and witness the fabulous roman remains there. Or visit the magnificent Estoi palace, the Sardine Museum in Portimão or the megalithic remains at Alcalar, just outside Portimão. Artcatto art gallery in Loulé constantly has interesting exhibitions, and you can fuse a visit there with a trip to the Loulé produce market – at all times a great experience, bursting with noise, smells and strange sights.

Family Time

Warning! Family holidays and rain can be a difficult combination. Fortunately in the Algarve you have the Centros de Ciencias Vivas – Living Science Centres – in Faro and Lagos. These are astonishingly good value sites for educational and interactive family fun whereas kids can acquire all sorts of bizarre and superb things.

Karting is great for entertainment, but then again not in the rain. Enter the Hot Wheels Indoor Karting track at Albufeira marina - 400m of speedy track, tricky corners and inviting stretches, all indoors so ideal in any weather. There are 200cc karts for the adults and 160cc karts for juniors.

Indulge in some local food 

Portuguese food is scrumptious no matter the weather. The rain that does fall in the Algarve typically does so throughout the winter months, in perfect synch with local restaurant menus that offer hearty stews at this time of year. Begin with a homemade soup, next with a tasty lamb stew, or some wild boar, hare or rabbit. Complement with some good Algarve and Portuguese wine and the rain will quickly diminish to the background.

Visit Us: Westhill Consulting Travel and Tours Singapore, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur

Tips for the Ideal Berlin Weekend

Review and make some research

Proceed online or take a guidebook and do a little research to discover what the city can provide. If you enjoy museums look online and pick which ones you want to go to. If you are into a specific music style, ensure you catch on venues that play the material you prefer. Some attractions such as the Reichstag or the Sammlung Boros will require advanced booking so ensure if they are on your want to do list, that you book your ticket. You must know that most shops are shut on Sundays if you want to go shopping (but there are great selections of Sunday flea markets).

Make a tour but avoid scams!

Do a tour if it is your first time visiting Berlin. A tour will help you know the geography along with the culture and history of the city. There are many great companies offering a diversity of several tours. Westhill Consulting Travel and Tours, Singapore bid a range of best walking tours from their general Berlin tour to more precise ones on topics like Third Reich History, Cold War, or Berlin Today. If you are considering something less mainstream, they also offer numerous walking tours which dig into Berlin's different scene where you'll get to see many of Berlin's street art and hear regarding their unique subcultures which make up Berlin. There are bike, bus, and boat tours on offer too if you do not like walking. Ensure you ask your guide for their hot tips for bars, clubs or usual restaurants you'll get some great local recommendations.

Determine what kind of weekend you crave

What do you want to do, is it a weekend of partying or do you want to hit the shops or markets, maybe it is a day of relaxing on the river with a cocktail your impression of perfection or are you enthusiastic to spend every waking hour plunging yourself in Berlin's rich history? To a certain extent you can mix a bit of everything, however you must have knowledge of whatever you like to get out of the weekend so you can slim down your choices.

Be flexible

If you are having a remarkable time in a bar, and your just met friends recommend a new cool bar or club go for it! Many have discovered some remarkable places this way, and providing you show some common sense as far as safety goes, there is not a lot that can go wrong. Make sure that this newly found friend isn’t a fraud first; we do not want to risk your security.

If terrible weather puts the kibosh on your outdoor schedules, use the chance to check out one of Berlin's museums or locate a local bar to spend some time in.

Think about where you are going to stay

Every locality has a diverse style and feel and will interest various kinds of visitor so make certain you do a bit of research. If you are considering to party hard you will want to stay in Kreuzberg or Friedrichshain. If you like Boutique shopping, try Charlottenburg, Mitte, or Prenzlauer Berg. Pick where you will stay centered on what you are typically planning to do. This will lessen your travel time/cost and you will be able to spend more time enjoying your weekend.

Discover where the locals go

You can have an excellent weekend hanging out with other travelers and getting drunk in the hostel bar or the German themed tourist restaurant. Inquire around, though, and you are about to find some gems that are out of your plan. Chat with hotel staff, shop keepers, and tour guides. If you ask politely, that they will have some favorite spots they will be delighted to share. Berliners are much honored of their city, and even though can be a bit abrupt or dry, they are normally very accommodating and warm hearted.

Warning! Keep your expectations realistic

Yes, Berlin is wonderful, and yes, everybody is frenzied about how incredible it is, however Berlin is a city which can sometimes take a little time to fall in love with as well. It is big, not remarkably beautiful, and the locals can sometimes come across as rude. And can be compared to Jakarta Indonesia regarding business and traffic. A weekend is a little time and if one plan goes crooked or the weather is bad it could expect disaster except you are prepared to go with the flow and turn things upside down.

Heathrow introduces world’s first ‘on-board picnic’ service

Travelers can take hampers arranged by Heathrow restaurants on flights, counting pizzas and meals by Heston Blumenthal and Gordon Ramsay.

Heathrow Airport is presenting passengers an “on-board picnic” dining selection where they can be able to convey a “bespoke hamper” with them on their flight. The service is offered from today at all of Heathrow's 118 restaurants thru its five terminals. The 49 varieties included diversity from chain cafés, like Pret a Manger and EAT, to restaurants counting Heston Blumenthal’s The Perfectionist Café and Gordon Ramsay’s Plane Food, plus Caviar House and The Gorgeous Kitchen.

The hampers differ in price and size agreeing to venue, however usually cost between £5 and £50 and are around 40 x 20 x 10cm. All are collapsible and intended to be effortlessly stuffed away under the seat or in the overhead locker. Some hampers are insulated bags aimed to “ensure the food retains maximum taste and freshness at 35,000 feet”, maintaining hot food warm and cold food cool, like the ones from Caviar House which features an ice compartment. Passengers who give back their insulated bags to Caviar House are presented a 15 per cent discount on their next on-board picnic acquisition.

Hampers can be custom-made to meet any dietary necessities upon demand at each of the restaurants and can be ready-to-go or ready in about 15 minutes, liable on the type of meal chosen. The Perfectionists’ Café is believed to offer pizzas to go in about a minute.

Travellers can taster the offerings of the on-board picnics offered in Terminal 2 at a pop-up “park” which launches at the terminal to mark the fresh service.

The park space, set up in partnership with the Royal Parks Foundation, features the “scents of freshly cut grass and plants, the sounds of birds chirping” and sunlight-type lighting in addition to a park bench, a lamp post and even street signs to help generate a urban park-like feel.

Passenger can get into the "park" and the food tasters from this month between 7am-8am, 12pm-1pm and 7pm-8pm every day until September 24.

British Airways (BA) said it welcomes the new picnic service, and doesn't envisage it affecting cabin space usage or creating too much extra rubbish to be cleared from passengers who bring a hamper on board.

"If customers wish to bring their own food on board, they are very welcome to," said a spokesperson for BA.

Beginning at £5, the new picnics might even be a more within your means in-flight dining option for travellers when matched to budget airline food prices.

Passengers on an easy Jet flight can anticipate paying about £6.20 for a meal that contains a sandwich, a snack and a soft drink, or £6.90 when ordered with either a hot drink or soup as a substitute.

Ryanair's in-flight food prices array from about £3.57 (€4.50) for a sandwich and between £1.19-£4.76 (€1.50-€6) for snacks, to £1.59-£2.78 (€2-€3.50) for a soft or hot drink.

According to research by Travelsupermarket.com, last year, airlines were found to charge up to 2,600 per cent more than supermarkets for in-flight food and drink.

Budget carriers like easy Jet and Ryanair were singled out for harnessing the major mark-ups while the largest price upsurges were discovered on hot drinks.

Westhill Consulting Travel and Tours, Singapore is more than happy for their customers to announce this news above. The company is not only servicing SE Asian Countries such as KL Malaysia, Bangkok Thailand, Jakarta Indonesia and many more but all in whichever part of the country you may wish, even Europe perhaps.