Small, relaxing, intimate islands are probably the best places for a tropical island vacation, rather than the over-commercialized places that doesn’t afford you any privacy or relaxation. Virgin Gorda is the perfect intimate island.

Located in the British Virgin Islands in the Caribbean, Virgin Gorda is only about eight square miles. The people you would ride the boat to the island would most likely be the same people you’re going to meet at dinner or the local bar. The people are friendly and educated, and you will most likely leave with more than a few friends, both local and visitors.

The few things best done in the island, as in any tropical vacation, are scuba diving, snorkeling and sailing. A string of stunning public beaches offer surf, sand, and blue, blue water. They are usually charmingly separated by granite boulders, and you could also see the villas that lay by the beach.

Photo Credit: ScubaBear68

One of the treasures of Virgin Gorda happens to be The Baths, which is a series of hidden caves and pools of water beneath granite boulders. You can access the baths through paths at the south end of Tower Road. Coming down, you can also see Devil’s Bay beach. There’s a fee to get to the Baths but you can also take the Devil’s Bay path through a boulder trail.

Trails can also lead to Gorda Peak (over 1300 feet high) from the North Sound Road for a stunning 360 degree view of the island. The climb is not a daunting task, considering that the view is worth it.

So what are you waiting for? Beaches and a hiking trail, stunning views and quiet intimacy. Virgin Gorda is great for a tropical island vacation.

Photo Credit: mexican 2000
If you’re looking for charming, European cities with a flare for wild fun and maybe, culture too, then you should definitely go see Amsterdam, a beautiful city in the Netherlands.

Legal and licensed prostitution aside, Amsterdam’s reputation for tolerance might give the average tourist the idea that it is a vacation there shouldn’t be a family affair. But if you avoid the red light district, Amsterdam is actually a very good place to visit.

There are a lot of historic places in Amsterdam, the city probably having one of the largest historic city centers in Europe. Even the city streets have not really been changed since the 1800’s. Probably the most noticeable feature is the three concentric circles of the canal ring. By taking canal cruises along the canals, a visitor can can experience the romantic and gorgeous sites in the city.

There are also a number of museums that you should visit. One of which is the Van Gogh Museum dedicated to the famous Dutch painter Vincent Van Gogh. Also visit the Rembrandt House that still looks just as it had since the 17th century, and the Anne Frank House where the Anne Frank wrote her famous diary.

Still unsatisfied? Click on this link for more places to see in Amsterdam. There are too many, one entry is definitely not enough.

Photo Credit: c3lsius_bb
Have you ever wondered what the Philippines is like? You have probably heard of the capital, Manila, the walled city of Intramuros, maybe the beaches of Boracay that are world-famous.

One of the many Filipino travel blogger who has written about most of them is Ivan Henares who writes about his travels in his blog, Ivan About Town, which won Best Travel Blog for 2007 in the Philippine Blog Awards. He believes that traveling shouldn’t be expensive at all, and is an advocate of backpacking as a reasonable way to visit extraordinary places.

In his blog, you can read incredible, first-hand accounts of the beauty the Philippines has to offer. He has been to numerous places in the country including Puerto Prinsesa and the Hugduan Terraces Cluster in Ifugao.

Recently, he has been spotted in Spain, snacking on biscuits known as… well, Filipinos.

He has also been featured in the Manila Bulletin, one of the Philippines’ major broadsheets where he talks about his journeys across the Philippines and in other countries. You can find the interesting article here

He is also very passionate about the Philippines’ cultural and natural heritage. He is right when he said that these sites are what visitors to the Philippines come to the country to see. And that’s not only in the Philippines, but in the rest of the world as well.

Reading his blog made me realize that the traveling expense shouldn’t be inversely proportionate to the enjoyment you must feel while doing it.