9 Airlines You'll Want To Fly

Generally speaking, the Asian and Middle Eastern airlines offer service that far exceeds that of North America and Europe. The stewards actually serve you, the seats are more comfortable, and you might find yourself asking for seconds of the food. In first class there are beds, showers, and pajamas. Um- are we flying or have we arrived?

1. Cathy Pacific: Where passengers can order a bowl of instant noodles at any point during the flight. Better yet, the bathrooms can accommodate eight people and have windows.

2. Qatar Airways: Known as the "World's 5-Star Airline", Qatar has live satellite TV onboard. The food served includes foie gras, caviar, and smoked salmon. Mmmmmm.

3. Singapore Airlines: Singapore is an exceptionally clean and unique place, and their airline is no different. More then just First Class, those aboard Singapore Airlines can fly in Suites, with 35 inch wide, Italian leather seats, and standalone beds.

4. Asiana: This South Korean Airline was recently named the Airline of the Year, at the 2010 annual World Airline Awards in Hamburg, Germany.

5. Air New Zealand: In 2010 alone Air New Zealand won five awards. They include the Conde Nast Traveller vote for Favourite Long-Haul Leisure Airline, and Airline of the Year from Air Transport World.

6. Etihad Airways: Etihad Airways offer such exceptional experience, they have changed the names Economy, Business, and First, to Coral, Pearl, Pearl Business, Diamond First, and Diamond First Class Suites. Clearly they know precious stones are the way to anyone's heart.

7. Emirates: "An exceptional journey from start to finish". Complimentary chauffeur-driven cars are available for first and business class passengers. Book one online when reserving your flight and put your mind at rest. Everything is taken care of.

8. Thai Airways: Those fortunate enough to fly in Royal First class of Thai Airways will experience the privacy of a segregated cabin, and friendly, hospitable service. Choose from a wide selection of vintage wines and champagnes, then close your eyes and dream of where you're heading.

9. Jet Airways: Jet Airways is India's finest international airline and one of the world's fastest growing airlines. Their international staff are taught to go above and beyond to ensure that you are comfortable and happy.

Flying can be such a drag. Between getting the airport, getting through security, and then having to sit through hours of unpleasant, stale-aired flying time, it really has become a chore. But it doesn't have to be. Obviously the option of first class isn't available to all of us, but fly economy on an Asian or Middle Eastern airline and you will feel like you're in first class. The service, the seats, the food- it's all something to write home about.

Luxury Villas in Thailand

Thailand has, over the past few years, seen a large increase in the number of private villas available for holiday rent. Here we investigate the villa market, and make our recommendations as to how to find and book a villa, and where to stay on your next holiday.

These alternatives to hotel or resort accommodation often offer exceptional quality and high standards, but a number of very second rate properties are also broadly advertised on the internet and in some cases offer no more than a room in a tired condominium in a poor location: it is important for the holidaymaker to know how to find an appropriate villa, and to understand the pricing structures generally in place, in order to be sure of securing an enjoyable, clean and properly serviced villa at the right price.

It is perfectly possible to rent your own villa in Thailand for your holiday and to enjoy not only superior accommodation, but also a plethora of services, at rates that in fact make such a holiday the sensible alternative to booking a room - or indeed, for those with friends and family, a number of rooms - in a resort.

Why Thailand?

Thailand is a perfect destination for those who wish to rent their own house or villa, for a number of reasons:

- the Thais are widely recognized as a welcoming, smiling people

- The kingdom's cuisine is world-renowned; whilst most visitors will know the famous dishes such as Tom Yam Kung, the variety of cuisines and regional specialties is great, and even a serious glutton would have trouble trying to experience the exhaustive array of Thai food dishes in just one stay.

- Thailand is a shopper's paradise, offering unique silks, handcrafted furniture and a plethora of exotic items at a fraction of the cost of such goods in the West. Clothes, leather goods and decorative items are often at the top of the visitor's shopping list.

- Thailand offers exceptional value for money: even five Hotel Star cost a fraction of what they are not only in the West but also in other Asian cities like Hong Kong or Singapore.

- Thailand welcomes millions of visitors annually to its shores, and the security staff is generally very good. Each reported crime fell, in general, smaller, with decorative, fraud and the like, but the experienced traveler is unlikely for them. Most visitors feel infinitely safer in Thailand than they ever in comparable cities such asLondon, Paris, New York etc.

Which Thai region should I visit?

The visitor to Thailand today is spoiled for choice, with villas available throughout the kingdom.For shorter stays, we would recommend a single destination stay, so that you can avoid the hassles of travelling and fully explore your chosen location. For longer stays, why not combine a stay in two very different locations, allowing you a greater exposure to the country and its diversity, whilst taking advantage of its inexpensive domestic travel networks? (see below)

Thailand is generally divided into four main regions.

Bangkok and the central Plains

Bangkok is a sprawling metropolis which, despite its famous gridlocked traffic and teeming streets, offers a great variety of things to do and to discover, to those with patience and a will to explore. The restaurants in Bangkok are second to none, whether you seek Thai or foreign cuisines, and its weekend and other Markets are waiting to be discovered, like many of his lesser-known temples. A cruise on the Chao Phraya river - perhaps by private chartered boat long tail - is an excellent way to see most of the city's reduced to tears by the market.

The North

The north is home to cities such as Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai and Mae Hong Son with tropical jungle and mountains to the north attracts those looking for trekking and places of natural beauty. You try to avoidthe larger cities, as tourism is so developed here that you run the risk of simply being "processed" through a number of popular elephant camps and well-trodden hill tribe treks...

The Northeast

The Northeast is the largest region of the kingdom, yet has been largely untouched by tourism. The Northeast (or isan) is the rice-bowl of the country, and is predominantly agricultural, producing rice, sugarcane, tapioca, eucalyptus and, increasingly, rubber. Major centres include Khon Kaen and Udon Thani, and the mighty Mekong river twists along this region's borders. The people here are perhaps the most open and fun-loving in the country, perhaps because their lives are based on village traditions where overt consumerism has been much slower to advance than in the other booming parts of the nation. Travel to the Northeast is recommended for those looking for a unique experience, to get away from the tourist crowds, and to immerse themselves in something new.

The South

The south of Thailand is renowned for its famous beaches and seaside resorts, such as Phuket, Krabi and Koh Samui. Some of the country's most expensive holiday villas are found here. Travellers should be aware of the security issues in the south of the country and avoid journeys to the southernmost provinces: your local government's website will post updated advisories with travel recommendations and warnings.

The vacation villa market

Holiday villas in Thailand tend to fall into one of two categories. They are either privately owned, self-contained homes, or villa units forming part of a resort complex. These are quite different propositions!

Resort Villas

The resort-centred villa essentially comprises a resort's superior room inventory, and will be priced accordingly. In many cases, these villas will have been professionally designed by the hotel designer itself, and then sold to a third party buyer, who in turn joins the letting pool operated by the developer to provide a return on investment on the villa buyer's acquisition.

The advantage here is that the villa occupants will generally be able to avail themselves of the additional facilities or services provided by the resort, albeit at resort prices. The disadvantage is that, for those seeking a more genuine experience, they will find themselves simply a guests within a resort complex, and considered as additional - if well-paying "keys".

Private stand-alone villas

Private villas are generally second homes owned by individuals, located on an individually-held land plot.

These may be rented "as is", with the guests picking up the keys at the start of the trip and returning them at the end, either with or without a cleaning or security deposit. Alternatively, the villa may have its own staff, generally living off property but available throughout your stay to take care of cleaning, laundry, cooking or local visits etc.

Whether you Select a resort villa or hotel suite, you should expect a partial payment at the time of booking to pay either by credit card or to ensure a transfer from a wire.

Tested

We tried a number of holiday villa in Thailand, and the bottom mark a resort villa and a private villa - each with a great vacation, but very different experience.

Green Gecko, Northeast Thailand

Green Gecko is a privately owned house on alarge estate, surrounded by forests, plantations and rice fields in the heart of rural north-east of Thailand, near a town called Udon Thani. Free airport transfer was arranged by 'airport, Asia, Air, Internet via a 50-minute flight from Bangkok with Thai Airways and budget airlines and Nok Air.

In contrast to mainstream sites, our stay here we were able to discover and experience the real Thailand, off the beaten track.

L 'villa's architecture was traditionally Thai: an impressive wooden staircase led up to the raised and enclosed wooden deck, where our delightful private swimming pool was located, with bucolic views of the surrounding countryside and the evening sunsets. The steeply pitched roofs made of terracotta tiles gave the house an almost temple like appearance. A raised and covered "sala" here offered protection from the strong midday sun and became our favourite spot, with its views over the pool.

Accessible from the deck in two separate buildings were the two bedrooms (each air-conditioned), as well as the living and dining room and kitchens. The master bedroom had a sturdy teak four-poster, king sized bed, with a cotton duvet and feather pillows, a large adjoining bathroom and WC and an outside garden shower. The second bedroom had a queen sized four poster, again with a spacious adjoining bathroom / WC.

The main air-conditioned building housed a dining room with a dining table and seating for six, a living room with comfortable sofas and views onto the pool deck, and a sunken area decorated with futons for lounging in front of the large screen LCD television (complete with a separate high-end home theatre system and international satellite channels). Leading off from this area (behind sliding wooden panels) was an additional WC, and a fully equipped Western kitchen (with built in microwave, oven etc), that in turn led out to a stainless steel

Top Long Haul Destinations For the Ultimate Holiday

Travellers are increasingly discovering the joys of flying to far away locations and holidaying outside of mainstream Europe. There was once a time when most holiday makers would be perfectly happy in classic European destinations such as France, Spain or even UK resorts such as Blackpool. But recent years have seen a boom in the availability of reasonably priced flights to all kinds of destinations, giving travellers more options when booking their annual break.

Generally better currency exchange rates can found outside of the eurozone and improved access to information about long haul destinations through television, travel books and the internet has meant that holidaymakers now have a thirst for the exotic.

USA & Canada

Of course many holiday makers are likely to settle for where they feel most comfortable. So destinations such as USA, Canada, Australia and the Caribbean are much safer options because they are mostly English-speaking countries and the culture is similar to the United Kingdom. As you would expect, each of these destinations have their own unique features that make them especially exciting, but if you want to jump out of your comfort zone completely it might be better to head to somewhere like the Middle East.

Africa

This region offers lush beaches, ancient landmarks and sites of historical importance as well as plenty of religious and cosmopolitan festivals and events. The biggest draws in the Middle East at the moment are probably the big cities such as Dubai and the resorts of Sharm El Sheikh. However alternative African destinations such as Jordan or Yemen offer a combination of stunning scenery, majestic palaces and age-old temples. Flights to Sharm El Sheikh in particular are very competitive at the moment.

South Africa is also fast becoming a favourite for those looking to travel even further afield. The vibrant atmosphere of Cape Town is infectious and the rest of the country has much to offer animal and nature lovers with national parks, reserves and safari trips. The country is also hosting the 2010 Fifa World Cup which will offer a unique trip of a lifetime for football fans.

Asia

Asia on the other hand offers a truly exotic experience. The food, languages, architecture and people are vastly different to life in the western hemisphere and offers a truly unique long haul holiday. Places you'll want in Asia include the Goa region of India, where the weather is at its best between November and February, Singapore for its complex mixture of the old and the new in its buildings and festivals, Malaysia for its melting pot of Malay, Indian and Chinese elements, and of course the backpackers' favourite, Thailand.

Australia

Australasia is another popular choice for UK holidaymakers, thanks in large part to its amazing sunshine, breathtaking scenery, cosmopolitan cities and vast outback. However New Zealand is experiencing a spike in visits from overseas due to the massive amount of publicity generated by the incredible scenery in the Lord of the Rings film trilogy Cities such as Sydney, Perth and Adelaide are hugely popular but undoubtedly Australia's main draw is its immense natural landscape encompassing rainforests, sandy beaches, deserts and snow-capped mountains.

Cheap Flights

Luckily for travellers, flight costs are coming down all the time and major airlines like British Airways and Virgin Atlantic have announcing the expansion of their long-haul fleets so the choice for travellers is improving all the time. The strength of the pound against currencies such as the Thai baht means that travellers will be able to get by on much. This is backed up by research last year by The Royal Bank of Scotland which that found distant destinations tend to have a much more favourable rate against the British pound than the euro.

Tourism in Islamic Republic

Tourism in Islamic republic of Pakistan is very popular for the serene natural beauty of the country as well as the cultural heritage that dates back to many centuries. International tourists come to this year round tourist's destination and a number of international airlines fly to Pakistan. According to a recent statistics more than 25 international airlines fly to Pakistan from over 40 countries. Most of the international Pakistan flights reach at its major aviation hub i.e. Karachi. But some airlines also operate direct flights to Capital city of Islamabad such as; PIA, British Airways, Saudia and China Xingjian Airlines. PIA, Indian Airlines, Saudia and Thai Airways fly direct to Lahore. Although the country has recently seen many crises but now it is moving towards betterment and the social and economic situation of the country is getting much better day by day. Not only holiday makers but also business travelers like to consider cheap Pakistan flights.

Natural Features: Northern areas of Pakistan are most popular feature of tourism in Asia as well as in the country. Some of the most naturally blessed regions are Swat, Kalam, Malam Jeba, Kaghan, Naran, Kashmir, Chitral, Muree, and many others. Foreign travelers come to these areas especially during summer season when they offer a cool weather and pleasant atmosphere. If you want to have a tour to these awesome places then consider taking flights to Pakistan in the peak summer months i.e. May through September. In summer months the temperature is below freezing point, roads are blocked and snow falling is common. These areas also provide you opportunity of having adventure sports there.

Historical and Cultural Features: Indus Valley Civilization, Gandhara Heritage, Mughal and early Muslim Heritage are most prominent cultural and historical features of Pakistan. Architecture lovers are just crazy to take flights to Pakistan and take a glance at marvelous shrines, mosques and forts located in and around Multan, Lahore, Islamabad and Bahawalpur such as; Shaikh Bahauddin Zakaria, Shah Rukan-e-Alam, Hazrat Shams Tabrezi, Lahore Fort, Shahi Mosque, and Faisal Mosque that are master pieces of Muslim architecture. The archaeological remains found in Taxila, Herapa and Mohingodoro are unique and matchless.

Modern Age Features: Pakistan started its journey as an independent nation in 1947 but with the passage of time the country has seen many developments. The country has now too many attractions to lure all types of travelers. These attractions make tourists taken flights to Pakistan feel pleasure and they include; Theatres, Art galleries, Cinemas, entertainment complexes, Music clubs, sports clubs, domestic and international airports, hotels and restaurants, and many more.

Discount Flights To Bangkok

Bangkok is the capital and the largest city and capital of Thailand. Popularly known as Krung Thep or "City of Angels". It is one of the biggest city in the world and perhaps the biggest on with a population of around 10 million. Bangkok as a destination is ranked high by the travel and tourism department of most of the countries. Thus most of the airlines now provides, cheap flights to Bangkok with discounted air fares.

Earlier Bangkok was connected with an elaborated networks of canals, and thus given the name - "Venice of the East". At that time most of the transportation was carried out on boats. Now, most of the canals are converted into streets. Bangkok International Airport, popularly known as "Don Muang" is the busiest airport in South East Asia. This airport host many international and domestic flights from all over the world. There are many travel agents offering cheap flights to Bangkok various destinations. Bangkok has a network of sky-trains which were introduces to ease the notorious traffic jams in the city. The sky-train was introduced in 1999 and was also known as BTS system and rot-fai-fah in Thai. There are two more metro used in Bangkok for commencement by the people, viz. the underground MRTA subway and another elevated line known as BERTS.

Bangkok's nightlife has an attitude of being tempestuous and noisy. But at the same time, it's calm, comfortable and pleasurable. Bangkok's assorted nightlife happening attribute everything from brilliant live music, to delightful jazz clubs, ultra cool bars, energetic and spirited dance spot and enormous restaurants. It is rapidly establishing itself as Asia's capital of cool nightlife. The best thing about shopping in Bangkok is that even after the malls are closed you can shop in bunch of small markets that gets opened with the first shine of sun and stay opened till the midnight. Bangkok and Thailand has become a good shopping centre in Asia because of low prices offered with high quality and lots of variety. Duty Free shopping can be done at the Thailand Duty Free Shops Company branch in the World Trade Center on Ratchadamri road.

Thus Bangkok is now becoming a most sort out destination for tourism and business. With such growing importance of Bangkok, Etihad Airways are offering cheap flights to Bangkok from London. At Etihadairways.myvacation.co.uk, you can find fairly discounted air tickets for Bangkok from London Heathrow. Etihadairways.myvacations.co.uk is an UK based travel agent appointed by Etihad Airways. Log on http://etihadairways.myvacations.co.uk and book cheap flights to Bangkok and get heavy discount per person on all Bangkok flights.

The Chinese Japanese Relations Have Evolved

There has been a long Chinese Japanese historical relationship. China has been very influential throughout history regarding Japanese culture. Once the relationship began, the Japanese people learned many customs from China, including their different architectural methods, their philosophies and even religious beliefs. While there had been aspects of China that had been introduced to the Japanese people before, when an open trading system was brought to its country in the 19th century, even more aspects were assimilated from the Chinese culture.

It was during the Sui and Tang Dynasties that many Japanese people found themselves making Imperial embassies to China. These individuals were students and the purpose of these diplomatic missions was to help establish Japan as a sovereign nation in the Northeast part of Asia and to put a good foot forward in the relations between China and Japan. These students brought back many different important elements from China. Those included Chinese customs and many elements of the Chinese culture, including religion.

Over the years there have been times when Chinese Japanese relations have been strained. There have also been times in which the country has lent economic assistance to China. In recent years the Japanese government has considered not providing such assistance any longer, as China is able to offer assistance to others. They have also considered dropping assistance to China because part of the money funds their military and they do not want to help fund a military that might be used against them at some point.

There has long been a reoccurring Chinese Japanese relationship in many ways. In years past, Japan has received many different cultural elements from China. Some of these elements have appeared through trades between China and the Japan. Some of the elements have also been brought to its country through students who visited the Chinese Imperial Embassy over the years.

The relationship between China and Japan has become strained because Japan has been active in offering assistance to China when they felt that there was a need. However, due to the factor that China is able to offer assistance to other countries and the fact that much of the assistance is used to fund their military, Japan now feels that their assistance is no long needed. Regardless, it is safe to say that a lot of China Japan cultural exchanges have been made, leading to cultural growth in both countries.

Best Airlines in World Recognized For Their Brilliant Services

Air trip is one of the best travel choices. There are many flight service providers in world well known for their superior services. If you want to travel by flight to your destination than there are many options available due to increasing number of flight services. Which one to prefer is a tough question however all of them provide amazing services? Here are some of the best airlines in world.

1. Singapore Airlines:

Singapore flight services are known for its best economy and premium class services. Superior food quality to friendly flight attendants everything is elite. Singapore airlines carry more passengers than total population of Singapore each year.

2. Cathay Pacific Airlines:

Cathay Pacific is chosen as one of the best airlines in world in every section of their services. It is the flagship carrier of Hong Kong. It is one of those six flight services that have 5-star rating of Skytrax.

3. Thai Airways:

Thai Airways got fourth place in 2006 and since then they have jumped to 2nd place in overall airlines rating of world. Thai airline is also known for outstanding first class lounge at Bangkok airport.

4. Qatar Airways:

Qatar Airways is one more high class flight service provider based at Doha. Although it is a newcomer, but in a little time Qatar airlines have earned a great name in air service industry.

5. Qantas Airways:

Qantas is known mainly for its safety records. Qantas is an Australia based air service and is a consistence player of this field. It also operates Jet Star which is known as the best low cost services of world.

6. Malaysia Airlines:

Malaysia Airlines is recognized for best cabin staff. It is based in Kuala Lumpur and is another airline having 5 star rating by Skytrax.

7. China Airlines:

China Airlines has made a mark in aviation industry in a short time. It is based in Taiwan instead of China due to the politic tensions.

8. Air New Zealand:

Flagship carrier of New Zealand, Air New Zealand is other excellent airlines of world know for its great passenger services.

9. Emirates Airlines:

Emirates airline services are one of the major flight services of Middle East region. It is known for its indispensible services and comfortable journey.

10. British Airways:

British Airways is an experienced player of aviation industry, but it is facing high competition from its counterparts. Even though it is providing high class services and can be placed in this list.