Jetsettersblog

Investigate the story of the Titanic with a short break to London or Belfast

As Titanic fever hits the UK with the opening of The Titanic Exhibition in London, explore the history of the largest and most luxuriously appointed ship ever to sail the seas in early 20th Century.

The new exhibition features over 300 artefacts from the ship itself and several recreations of rooms on board, so visitors can experience life on board the world’s most notorious ocean liner. And for an authentic taste of London life during your stay, why not rent a holiday home and explore the city from your own London flat or townhouse?

The UK’s largest holiday rentals website, HomeAway Holiday-Rentals, lists over 450 private properties in London, including plenty close to The O2 arena, where the exhibition is being held.

In 2012, it will be 100 years since Titanic sank on her maiden voyage from Southampton, England to New York City.

Investigate its story with a visit to The Titanic Exhibition London, one of the most historically significant exhibitions in the history of the ship or head to Belfast for a Titanic themed short break.

The liner was built in Belfast, so there are several Titanic tours available throughout the year including a tour guided by Susie Millar, the great granddaughter of a crew member who worked on building the ship and then sailed on her maiden voyage in 1912.

For a short break to either London or Belfast to get a glimpse of the past, choose from one of the properties below or browse www.HomeAway.co.uk for more than 450 London holiday rentals and 20 self-catering properties in Belfast.

London

Apartment in Docklands with great views of the River Thames and the Dome

2 Bedrooms, Sleeps 4. From £1,050 per week

This is a modern two bedroom apartment located on the 9th floor of a prestigious development.

This apartment boasts wooden floors throughout with tiled floors in bathrooms, fully fitted kitchen, fitted wardrobes and balcony offering breathtaking views of the River Thames and the Dome. View this property at www.HomeAway.co.uk/p441699.

Mews house part of newly converted carriage factory near Greenwich

3 Bedrooms, Sleeps 7. From £770 per week

Situated on Old Father Thames historic Royal Borough of Greenwich, this is a luxury Grade 2 listed mews house with private front terrace and original brick facade of a carriage factory which provides a contrast to the sleek modern interior. The house is set within a conservation area on the prestigious award winning Royal Arsenal.

Learn more at www.HomeAway.co.uk/p449695

Belfast

Luxuriously appointed townhouse in leafy South Belfast suburbs

3 Bedrooms, Sleeps 5. £495 per week

Balmoral Townhouse is ideally located, close to all amenities and transport links. Situated between the prestigious Malone and Lisburn Roads it makes an ideal base for exploring Belfast city and the surrounding countryside.

The property has been furnished and maintained to a very high standard and provides every comfort for a relaxing and enjoyable break.

View this townhouse at www.HomeAway.co.uk/p423114

Fabulous Belfast City terraced house

3 Bedrooms, Sleeps 5. £350 per week

The property is located in a bustling area close to the city centre offering a great slice of Belfast city life.

It was completely renovated to a very high standard in 2007 and yet retains all the character of a traditional terrace house.

The accommodation downstairs comprises a cosy lounge with gas fire and bay window, a good size dining area for six and a modern fully equipped kitchen with a breakfast area by the French doors leading to a great city garden. Upstairs there are three bedrooms and a newly fitted luxury bathroom.

Learn more at www.HomeAway.co.uk/p448632

Following a successful cinema campaign, and on the occasion of France’s Big Lunch, the Midi Pyrénées Tourist Board is publishing three press packs to launch their “Great Tourist Sites” seal of approval.

The “Great Site of Midi-Pyrénées” seal of approval is awarded to sites that are nationally or internationally famous, offer visitors an enriching experience and are emblematic of the region’s identity, culture or heritage. To date, these include about twenty towns, villages, historical sites, areas of natural beauty and engineering structures. These are based on criteria such as originality, striking scenery and unexpected discoveries.

The Great Site seal of approval was publicised in a successful cinema campaign in March and April this year.

The advertisement was shown to over 3 million cinema goers in London, the Midlands, Wales, the West Country and Lancashire. See the film at

www.youtube.com/AtoutFranceUKPR#p/u/0/GohxfkzyJSY

Visit the Midi-Pyrénées’ website dedicated to the Great Sites at

www.greatsites-midipyrenees.co.uk

For further information, please contact:
Calum Grant

E: calum.grant@franceguide.com
T: 020 7061 6637

‘We provide Britain’s favourite seaside holidays’ say Haven who have just launched their 2011 holiday brochure.

With a choice of 35 holiday parks around the UK, many with direct access to some of Britain’s most beautiful stretches of coastline and liveliest resorts it’s easy to see why they make this claim.

But it’s not just about families enjoying the sand and surf, buckets and spades and miles of coastal walks – Haven offer a huge choice for a wide range of groups as well. They promise plenty to do with lots of different facilities, a full programme of daytime and evening entertainment and loads included in the cost – plus they offer the advantage of group benefits and discounts for as few as five units of accommodation.

If you’ve never considered a holiday park as a venue before it’s worth thinking about their potential for a whole range of options from providing venues and accommodation for martial arts, dance events, music festivals and celebrations or corporate destinations with space for outdoor launches, indoor conferences or the scope for team building exercises.

And of course their facilities and locations make them perfect for social groups or clubs – whether it’s friends and family getting together or a fishing or rambling club.

2011 at Haven sees an action-packed programme of sports and splash activities – which are great for team building, enjoying with friends and family, or for socialising after a day of focused group activities.

The new B Fit sessions promise you can dance yourself fit – or at least have fun trying. It’s suitable for all ages from three years upwards and is one of several options for younger children including mini archery, mini fencing and mini tennis – all at no extra cost. Bigger kids (and grown ups!) will love the new Laser Combat zones at selected parks or the popular climbing walls and ropes courses, Adventure Golf or roller blading.

Next year Football Coaching is free of charge and available on all parks – or have a stab at fencing or archery. And selected parks offer fishing, golf or tennis coaching as well.

Fancy a swim? All Haven parks have superb indoor heated leisure pools and many have toddler pools and SplashZones perfect for younger visitors.

But if you’re a real water enthusiastic you can work your way through a whole menu that includes Aqua-Jets, Aqua Gliders, Turbo Paddlers, Water Walkerz and Fun Inflatable sessions….enough to make your skin go wrinkly! For a real thrill, check out the Space Bowls at Combe Haven in Hastings, Thorpe Park near Cleethorpes and Marton Mere at Blackpool .

Evenings are a mega-feast of entertainment with resident FunStars, stage-shows, music, dancing and visiting cabaret – all free! And there are Kids’ Clubs, character shows, party dance sessions, cooking in Annabel’s Creative Kitchen (created by child food guru Annabel Karmel), year round pantomimes and Wildlife Detectives.

With their continuing programme of investment there’s always something new, fresh and exciting to look forward to – whether it’s improved accommodation, more attractive landscaping or even better facilities and entertainment.

Great value for money, the cost is per holiday home and not per person – making it easier for groups to budget – especially as they have accommodation available that will sleep up to eight people.

Haven offer a range of self-catering accommodation from the economical ‘Standard’ range through to the more luxurious ‘Prestige’ or super swanky ‘Platinum’ holiday homes.

It’s worth talking to one of Haven’s dedicated Group Booking Advisors to discuss your needs and to take advantage of the best choice of early booking offers and groups discounts – especially as some of the more popular dates and destinations get booked up surprisingly early. Their 50% discount offer on Spring and early Summer breaks; savings of up to £100 on Prestige accommodation and other exclusive deals for groups end on January 31st – giving a significant price advantage if you plan ahead.

Call 0871 230 1911 or click on www.havengroups.co.uk

URBN Hotels & Resorts is collaborating with Vanke, China’s largest residential real estate developer, to construct and operate what will be the most forward-thinking, sustainably-built and green-operated hotel in Asia.

The 20,000 square metre boutique hotel is part of a larger project which will become a 200,000 square metre commercial, retail and residential development in the Sanlin district of Pudong in Shanghai, China.

URBN’s RMB 312 million project will include 55 unique hotel rooms, 50 URBN serviced residences, and 4,500 square metres of dining, wellness and art spaces.

Vanke has engaged URBN Hotels & Resorts to bring its philosophy of inspiration, sustainability and connection to Vanke’s first hotel project. “We are delighted to be cooperating with such an experienced and forward-thinking developer”, says Amina Belouizdad, Director of URBN Hotels & Resorts.

URBN Hotels & Resorts is renowned for its award-winning first property in Shanghai’s Jingan district.

The boutique hotel brand has been recognized as one of China’s leading edge hotels.

In addition to being China’s first carbon-neutral hotel, the property has won numerous accolades for its commitment to environmentally-friendly operational practices, use of recycled and reclaimed materials in construction, and support of the green movement through events such as the annual Eco Fair.

Vanke and URBN are working together with Fumihiko Maki, the world-acclaimed Japanese architect currently working on the United Nations building and World Trade Centre Tower 4 in New York City, to design an innovative project with a strong commitment to sustainability throughout.

“The aim is to make this hotel go beyond sustainability … it will be the first positive-impact hotel in China”, says Jules Kwan, Managing Director of URBN Hotels & Resorts.

There are several ideas being developed which will be revealed over the course of the 18-month construction period.

“The hotel will increase the biodiversity of the site, and will discharge water that is cleaner than the water from the city’s water supply”, says Jules Kwan.

The hotel will also be carbon-neutral, and will aim for LEED and China Green Star certifications. In addition, URBN Hotel Pudong will continue its green operations legacy by aiming to surpass the 35% energy savings target hit by the first URBN Hotel.

URBN Hotel Pudong will open in Spring 2012.

About Vanke:

Established in May 1984, China Vanke Co., Ltd. is currently the largest residential property developer in the People’s Republic of China (“PRC”). Since the Company’s listing on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange in 1991, the compound annual growth rate of its revenue from core operations was 28.3% and that of its net profit was 34.1%.

China Vanke also enjoyed the longest period of sustained profit growth after listing in the PRC.

Named twice as one of the “International Best Small Companies” by Forbes, the Company received the awards of “Best Corporate Governance” and “Best Investor Relations” from internationally renowned media such as Investor Relations Magazine, and Asiamoney. Thanks to its excellent corporate governance and high ethics codes, the Company was selected as one of “China’s Most Respected Enterprises” for five consecutive years and received the award of “China’s Best Corporate Citizen” for three consecutive years.

www.vanke.com/docs/Portal/_vanke_master_linggongli.aspx

About Fumihiko Maki:

Maki and Associates was established in 1965 by Fumihiko Maki, upon his return from a ten year period of study, teaching, and practice in the United States. The office has been based in Tokyo throughout its 42 year history, and is currently staffed by forty architects, urban designers, and administrative personnel. Currently, the firm’s overseas work includes the Delegation of the Ismaili Imamat in Ottawa, Canada (2008), the Media Arts and Sciences Building at MIT (2008), the Annenberg Public Policy Center at the University of Pennsylvania (2008), Novartis Office Building, Basel (2009), the Redevelopment of Taipei Main Station Area (2012), and Tower 4 of the World Trade Center Redevelopment (2012). Visit www.maki-and-associates.co.jp/e/index.shtml.

URBN Hotels Shanghai:
- China’s First Carbon-Neutral Hotel
- Fodor’s Choice, 2010
- That’s Shanghai, Best Hotel 2009 & 2010
- Time Out Shanghai Best Boutique Hotel 2010
- Travel + Leisure Magazine Top 10 Greater China Boutique/Design Hotels 2009
- Conde Nast Traveler “Hot List” 2009
- CNBC Asia Pacific Property Awards “Best Small Hotel” 2009
- Partners of Shanghai Roots & Shoots, Million Tree Project

Scotland’s gardens become a magical winter wonderland during the colder months and with so much on offer, details of a magical winter gardens can now be viewed at www.visitscotland.com to make sure you don’t miss out.

Many gardens, great houses and country parks are hosting Christmas fairs, carol concerts, dazzling festive light shows along with winter walks, storytelling and much more. And for gardeners looking for inspiration or keen wildlife spotters, various gardens across the country offer winter opening hours and free admission.

Ardanaiseig Hotel on Loch Awe in Argyll offers a fantastic winter getaway package with their Glorious Gardens Tours which will take you round the winter gardens of Argyll and back to the sumptuous surroundings of the hotel with its own awe-inspiring winter garden. Three nights tours including dinner, bed and breakfast start at £580 per person. www.ardanaiseig.com

Winter wonder gardens include:

Glasgow Botanic Gardens www.greatbritishgardens.co.uk

The Glasgow Botanic Garden is famous for its range of Glass Houses including the Kibble Palace, an iron glass house of international importance. The Glass Houses contain a collection of orchids, begonias and ferns from China, South Africa, and South America. There is also a collection of more unusual plants. A good time out even on a winter’s day will be had at Glasgow Botanic Garden.

University of Dundee Botanic Gardens, Dundee, www.perthshire.co.uk.

A wide range of plants, with fine collections of conifers and broad-leafed trees and shrubs, tropical and temperate glasshouses, water-garden and herb garden.

Located in 9.5 hectares of south facing, gently sloping land near the banks of the River Tay, the University of Dundee Botanic Garden features many species of indigenous British plants as well as representative collections of important plants from all continents of the world.

Beatrice Potter Gardens, Dunkeld, Perthshire, Beatrix Potter Garden

This beautiful landscaped garden celebrates some of the woodland characters made famous by the English author and illustrator Beatrix Potter. Peter Rabbit, Mr Toad and Mrs Tiggywinkle are recreated as bronze sculptures throughout the garden.

Hercules Garden, Blair Castle, Perthshire, www.perthshire.co.uk

The grounds at Blair Castle were laid out by the 2nd Duke of Atholl in the 18th century. In the hollow east of the castle, he made a magnificent 9 acre walled garden.

The Sculpture Trail incorporates existing contemporary and 18th century sculpture as well as eight new works, letter-carving on stone, from the Memorial Arts Charity’s Art and Memory Collection.

Scone Palace, Perth. View Scone Palace at www.perthshire.co.uk.

The 100 acres of Scone Palace Grounds was landscaped by the Third Earl of Mansfield in 1805.

The magnificent pinetum was established in 1848 and includes many western hemlock and noble fir positioned in avenues, as well as four Sitka spruce noted for their sheer size and uniformity.

Drumlanrig Castle Gardens, Dumfries & Galloway, www.drumlanrig.com.

Drumlanrig Castle Gardens date back to the time of William Douglas the 1st Duke of Queensberry. Work began on the gardens around 1689 creating a grand formal terrace garden.

The garden today has undergone major restoration in recent years with the newly restored Victorian Greenhouse, vegetable garden and plant centre, selling a wide range of quality plants, many of them raised in the gardens.

Threave Castle Gardens, Dumfries & Galloway. See these gardens at www.nts.org.uk

Enjoy a day out at Threave. Visit the renowned garden, see the interiors of Threave House, explore the wider estate with its waymarked trails and bird hides, then take in the delights of the restaurant before some retail therapy in the shop.

Achamore Gardens, Isle of Gigha, Hebrides. www.gigha.org.uk/gardens

These 50 acres of beautiful woodland gardens including exotic plants and trees, walled garden and greenhouses are open all year.

The gardens are owned and managed by the Isle of Gigha Heritage Trust on behalf of the islanders. Gigha can be easily reached by ferry on a day trip from the Kintyre peninsula

Speyside Heather Garden, Caringorms

Halfway between Grantown-on-Spey and the Boat of Garten is the multi-award winning Speyside Heather Garden and Visitor Centre at Skye of Curr, Dulnain Bridge.

See over 300 varieties of heather in the garden, visit the exhibition on the many uses of the plant, buy some to take home, shop for crafts, jewellery, clothes, garden produce. Restaurant (the famous Scottish Clootie Dumpling pudding is a speciality here).

The People’s Palace & Winter Gardens, Glasgow

The People’s Palace was built in 1898 on historic Glasgow Green for the benefit of the working class inhabitants of the east end of the city.

It’s a delightful social history museum where you can find out how the people of Glasgow lived from 1750 until the present day.

In the elegant Winter Gardens conservatory you can relax amid tropical trees and plants or have a bite to eat in the café.

Duthie Park & Winter Garden, Aberdeen. www.aberdeencity.gov.uk

Aberdeen’s Winter Garden located at the Duthie Park is the city’s most visited tourist attraction. It houses a beautiful floral paradise from January to December, with rare and exotic plants on show from all over the world. Under its impressive glass dome you can see no less than 600 different species of cacti.

Glorious Gardens of Argyll & Bute

Choose from a range of beautiful gardens. The group comprises 20 gardens varying in size, style and maturity, dating from the 13th to the 20th century.

They are spread throughout the mainland of Argyll, often in dramatic scenery, and to the islands of Bute, Colonsay, Gigha, Jura, Mull and Seil. www.gardens-of-argyll.co.uk

To plan your winter break in Scotland, visit www.visitscotland.com/whiteinvite

Loggos, the smallest of the three coastal villages on tiny Paxos in the Ionian Sea, is almost the place that time forgot.

Before tourists first discovered Paxos in the early 1970s, Loggos, consisting of 30 or so stone-built village houses around a pretty natural harbour, lived mainly from olives.

The old factory, which pressed olives and turned the residue, coarser oil, skins and stones, into usable by-products such as soap and fuel, supplied work for the villagers and wealth for the family which owned it. The work is long gone, supplanted these days by the hospitality industry, from which most of the villagers now earn their living, but the old factory, now a ruin, still occupies its old site at the northwestern edge of the harbour, its tall chimney still an unmistakeable Loggos – and Paxos – landmark.

Has Loggos been changed by the tourism which has provided the locals with their living for the past 40 years?

Hardly. The bread is still baked by a solitary tradesman in the old bakehouse behind the church – one of the pleasures of a Paxos holiday being to collect the warm, crusty loaves from the baker’s shop first thing in the morning (before it all goes).

Over the years more and more of the buildings around the harbour have been restored, becoming tavernas, mini-markets, cafes and offices, but these have not altered the character of Loggos as a village, merely provided amenities for the enthusiastic and loyal holidaymakers who seek out this their favourite Greek island destination year after year, and sometimes twice or more in the same year!

None of the restoration has been out of character, and the handful of newly built houses in the village precincts have been designed in tasteful and traditional style.

The people of Paxos in general, and Loggos in particular, have been very careful not to kill the goose that lays their golden egg. They clearly understand what the visitors from other countries love about their home, and have no desire to ruin it.

This applies no less to the holiday accommodation in Loggos and the most recent addition to it: a group of brand new, state-of-the-art, luxury villas on the southeastern side of the village. The first development is a group of three two-bedroom properties standing on the fringe of land still owned by the family who used to have the olive factory.

As you would expect from a family with such long associations with Loggos, these villas have been positioned very discreetly but in a location which offers the most spectacular sea views of any property on the island.

Screened from the village by trees and land, and invisible except to swimmers returning from Marmari and Levrechio beaches, these stunning new villas will provide their guests with the most private, peaceful and commanding location imaginable, all within the easiest of walking distances from Loggos village in one direction and the beach in the other.

Some combination!

The second development is also a small private project of two up-to-the-minute villas with private pools, in a beautifully tranquil location on the way to Marmari beach.

Marmari is about a ten-minute walk from Loggos, so at these new villas, too, life could not be more convenient. One of the great attractions of Loggos for its many regular visitors over the years has been the simplicity of life there.

Nothing is more than a few minutes away on foot: the sea, the beach, the cafes, the restaurants, the accommodation, the shops, the bakery, the bus stop, the motor boats to hire.

This is all true of these luxury new villas, as well.

The two properties at Marmari, close to the sea and with fine sea views, are under five minutes’ walk to the beach and only double that to the village. Life could hardly be more relaxing.

For anyone anxious to know when these stunning new villas can be rented, the news from Travel à la carte holidays – the company the owners of these wonderful properties have chosen to rent them through – is that two are already nearing completion and the other three will be ready to occupy from April 2011.

Travel à la carte is taking bookings at the villas now and photographs illustrating these fabulous new additions to the range of self-catering accommodation in Loggos are regularly updated on their website.

There are plenty of examples in the Greek islands of how insensitive design and cheap materials can ruin the magic of ravishingly beautiful locations. Here in Loggos, Paxos, there is an example of the exact opposite: sensitive design and the best materials coming together to add something quite new to a traditional holiday destination, without altering its unique charm and beauty one iota. Loggos, Paxos: this is what the future of Greek tourism should be like.

For details of Travel à la carte’s villas and apartments in Paxos , visit www.travelalacarte.co.uk or contact Chris Griffiths (email chris@travelalacarte.co.uk  or tel 0030 26620 31207) or Tony Wells (email tony@travelalacarte.co.uk  or tel 020 7316 1867).

Ever wonder how there got to be more than a billion Chinese? Maybe a visit to the China Sex Museum will enlighten you in more ways than one.

Hidden away in the water town of Tongli after being exiled from Shanghai, the tasteful museum delivers honest to goodness sexual history.

Sculptures, carvings, pottery, paintings and numerous other artifacts document that people have been interested in sex for a very long time. Of the 1400 objects in the collection, the oldest dates back 9000 years.

The exhibition has made previous world tours including New York, Berlin, Melbourne, Singapore and Yokohama.

Tongli is a charming water town one hour outside Shanghai.

A visit to the China Sex Museum can be combined with a walk through the canals of Tongli, a boat ride and a good local lunch. Located close to Suzhou, it can be see while on the road to or from Shanghai.

“The China Sex Museum is not pornographic, its very legitimate and is something which should appeal to anyone interested in Chinese history, archaeology, sociology or sex” comments Peter Danford, General Manager of The China Guide travel agency in Beijing.

The China Guide can arrange private no shopping tours to the China Sex Museum as part of a complete China wide itinerary or as a single trip.

For more information and photographs of the exhibits, please visit

www.thechinaguide.com.

About The China Guide

A western owned and managed travel agency, The China Guide aims to treat its guests like family.

There are no factory shopping stops, meals are in quality local restaurants, guides are carefully screened and client satisfaction is the priority.

To find out more about The China Guide’s private tours as well as other offerings, please visit www.TheChinaGuide.com

The TUXI!

Gone are the days of Londoners crying ‘taxi’! The new word on the street is ‘Tuxi’, the Tourism Authority of Thailand’s brand new London Taxi branding campaign.

Taking to the streets of London from Monday 8th November 2010 is the ‘Tuxi’. 50 taxis in total have been cleverly wrapped to look like a traditional Thai tuk-tuk, one of Thailand’s most famous modes of transport. The new eye catching design and strap line ‘See something amazing every day’ is sure to make city commuters and tourists alike smile.

Each November the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) launches a new taxi design and for 2010-11 they are very excited about this different approach to promoting the Thailand brand ‘amazing Thailand, always amazes you’.

In tradition, the new London taxis officially launched at The Royal Thai Embassy in Kensington and amongst the first passengers to travel in the ‘Tuxis’ were H.E Ambassador of Thailand, Minister of Tourism & Sport and Governor of Tourism Authority of Thailand. In convoy, the ‘Tuxis’ traveled across London to ExCel for the 1st day of the World Travel Market show led by a traditional tuk-tuk.

Take a tuxi anywhere in London and you could be off to amazing Thailand!

This taxi can take you to Thailand! For the 1st three months of the campaign there is a competition running to win an unforgettable holiday to Thailand with THAI Airways and Centara Hotels & Resorts.

Passengers who take the ‘Tuxi’ can enter the competition for free at either the tourism board’s website

www.tourismthailand.co.uk

or via Facebook when they become a fan of Thailand.

The competition is also open to Thailand Facebook Fans

‘Thailand Fan Club UK & Ireland’ and @fanclubthailand followers on Twitter.

So it’s well worth becoming a fan/follower today!

Demonstrating Gorilla Tourism’s Positive Impact

Volcanoes Safaris
WEB: www.volcanoessafaris.com

KAMPALA, Uganda— A recent statement from the wildlife agencies of Uganda, Rwanda, and Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) stated that the current gorilla populations in all three countries have increased significantly, by 26.3% over the last seven years. This is exciting news for conservationists and tourism organizations like Volcanoes Safaris, who have worked to protect the gorillas and their habitat while providing travelers with life-changing close encounters with the endangered gorillas.

The gorillas, which can be found in Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda, Parc National des Virunga in the DRC, and Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda, are estimated to have a population increase of 3.7%, which, according to the census, matches that of the human population increase in Uganda.

The growth in the gorilla population demonstrates the positive impact gorilla tourism is having on gorilla conservation.

Volcanoes Safaris, one such gorilla tourism organization, is widely recognized for their integrated, unique eco-tourism model which is centered on protecting the threatened gorilla and chimpanzee populations of the Western Rift Valley in Africa.

Using a truly grassroots method of promoting tourism, the Volcanoes Safaris eco-lodges, which are the only lodges near Africa’s gorilla parks, were created to use environmental resources in a sustainable way while empowering local communities by employing only local people to manage them.

Because of their highly successful model of tourism, Volcanoes Safaris has taken over 6000 clients on gorilla safaris, and currently employs over 100 people globally.

This exciting news bodes well for the future of gorilla tourism, and for travelers who dream of seeing the mountain gorillas in their natural habitat.

To learn more about gorilla safaris or Volcanoes Safaris, visit www.volcanoessafaris.com

Outdoor Research Bug Bucket Hat Khaki, L – With no-see-um netting to hold off the bugs, the Outdoor Research Bug Bucket Hat is an ideal choice for mosquito protection when you’re camping in buggy environments. The netting on the Bug Bucket Hat seals around your neck with a drawcord and stuffs into the crown when not in use. Made with UPF 30+ SolarSheild fabric, this Outdoor Research hat also keeps the sun from burning your head and neck. The Bug Bucket hat stuffs into a hidden pocket, allowing it to stow easily when not in use.

BAR HARBOR, Maine— Acadia National Park has many distinctions; America’s first National Park, the only National Park in New England, and sharing Mount Desert Island with the village of Bar Harbor, one of the country’s first resort communities.

Many prominent American families like the Rockefeller’s and Pulitzer’s built magnificent summer “cottages” in Bar Harbor. Cadillac Mountain of Acadia was in the news as the dreamy location where Henry Hager proposed marriage to former President Bush’s daughter Jenna.

Today, magnificent inns and hotels overlooking Frenchman’s Bay make ideal choices for honeymooners or couples seeking a romantic getaway.

The waterfront’s old-world elegance, lively village pace, and spectacular natural beauty of the Park make Bar Harbor a romantic setting. Previously selected as one of the top 500 hotels in the world by editors of Travel + Leisure Magazine Bar Harbor Inn and Spa’s Reading Room Restaurant comes with a panoramic ocean view and fine cuisine served to the tinkle of ivories.

Just steps away newlyweds may indulge in warm popovers on the spacious lawn of Jordan Pond House or stroll the eclectic mix of pubs, coffee bars, trendy boutiques, art galleries, and bookstores in Maine’s first and arguably loveliest resort village.

www.barharborinfo.com