Jetsettersblog

Le Boat, a European self-drive boating company, this year opens a new base in Ghent, Belgium, introduces the new Minuetto in Italy and upgrades its Royal Magnifique cruiser.

Situated at the crossroads of the Rivers Lys and Escaut, Ghent makes for a starting point for a canal cruising itinerary of a week or more or a three-day short break.

The Ghent fleet includes a range of boats with accommodations for up to 10 passengers.

The Italian-built Minuetto has been purpose-built for cruising in the Venetian Lagoon and will be available for March charters.

The Minuetto sleeps six passengers and the saloon’s convertible settee creates room for two more. Additionally, the Minuetto can accommodate wheelchairs through an internal lifting platform and specially adapted wheelchair.

For parties of up to 10 passengers, the Royal Magnifique has new interior and exterior upgrades.

The boat has a sundeck and rear bathing platform. Two rear cabins feature en-suite facilities with electric toilets and two forward cabins share a bathroom with electric toilet.

The kitchen is complete with a large fridge and gas oven/range.

Other amenities include a saloon, flat-screen satellite TV/DVD player, multi-format music system, inside steering position and convertible settee to sleep two.

Le Boat operates a fleet of 1,000-plus self-drive cruisers from over 40 departure bases in France, Germany, Italy, Ireland, Belgium, Holland, England, and Scotland. Le Boat is owned by TUI Travel.

For more information, call 800-734-5491 or visit www.leboat.com

This year Wales is the host nation of golf’s premier team event, the Ryder Cup, and several other events as well, such as the Hay Festival of Literature & Art, called the “Woodstock of the Mind” by Bill Clinton;

the venue for Wakestock, Europe’s largest wakeboard music festival;

and the Abergavenny Food Festival, noted by the Guardian as a “food festival so mystically lovely, so unspoiled and evanescent that it’s like a farmers’ market in Brigadoon.”

Wales is also home of the World Bog Snorkeling Championships.

The Ryder Cup Wales 2010 takes place Oct. 1 to 3 at the Celtic Manor Resort.

It is the first time in Ryder Cup history that the host resort created a course specifically for the event. Celtic Manor’s Twenty Ten course and club house is designed to provide a supreme challenge to the world’s best players in match play conditions.

Ryder Cup packages are available and the course is open to the public for play.

For more information, visit www.rydercupwales2010.com  or www.golfasitshouldbe.com

Entering its 22nd year, The Hay Festival of Literature & Art, set for May 27 to June 6, offers a who’s who of the most acclaimed authors as well as philosophers, politicians, poets, actors and rockers. For more information, visit www.hayfestival.com

Abersoch on Cardigan Bay in North Wales hosts Wakestock, Europe’s largest wakeboard and music festival.

This year’s Wakestock Festival takes place from July 2 to 4.

For more information, visit www.wakestock.co.uk

Sept. 18 and 19 are the dates for the 12th annual Abergavenny Food Festival.

For more information, visit www.abergavennyfoodfestival.com

The annual World Bog Snorkeling Championships is held on the last weekend in August. First held 25 years ago, this sport involves a race through a 60-yard peat bog.

Participants come from around the globe to don snorkels and flippers and see who can cut through the bog in record time.

Bog enthusiasts may also enjoy the Bog Snorkeling Triathalon and the World Mountainbike Bog Snorkeling Championships.

For more information, visit www.green-events.co.uk

For general destination information, including more events and happenings in 2010, visit www.travelwales.org

Private Vatican tours led by Official Vatican Tour Guides.

No trip to Italy is complete without a visit to the Vatican and Sistine Chapel. Tour Rome and enjoy Skip the line Vatican private tour.

ROME, ITALY — Nancy Aiello Tours is proud to announce its NEW private guided tours of the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel designed for Rome first time visitors, families traveling to rome with kids and cruise passengers docking at Civitavecchia Port eager to enjoy a rome day tour of Saint Peter’s at a their own pace skipping the Vatican long lines.

Nancy Aiello Tours of the Vatican and Sistine Chapel are strictly private and led by qualified official Vatican tourist guide appointed by the Vatican State glad to share their knowledge and experience in an informative and fun way with the well traveled guests visiting the vatican and unveil the secrets of the Vatican Museums and the religious history behind the Holy Masterpieces.

Vatican Highlights include the Egyptian Museum, the Etruscan Museum, the Borgia Apartment and the Raphael rooms, before reaching the breathtaking Sistine Chapel home to Michelangelo masterpiece The Last Judgement and frescoes by the greatest Renaissance artists including Raphael, Bernini and Botticelli.

Since 1997 www.NancyAielloTours.com  offers its valuable guests visiting Rome, Italy the most comprehensive selection of private Rome city tours, walking Rome tours, Rome Museum Tours, Vatican and Sistine Chapel religious Rome tours, Rome by-night Rome tours,

Rome culinary tours and private Rome cookery lessons, and highly customized private Rome tours escorted by dynamic and experienced certified official Rome tour private guides.

To learn more about the Skip the lines Private Vatican City Tours please visit http://www.NancyAielloTours.com  and Travel Italy at Your Own Pace with Nancy Aiello Tours of Rome!

For entertaining and informative private guided tours of Rome and the Vatican contact Nancy Aiello Tours at

info@nancyaiellotours.com

About Nancy AielloTours

Nancy Aiello Tours VIP Italy travel services include air-con fully insured deluxe Mercedes Benz limos, pick-up and drop-off at the doorstep of their Rome accommodation (hotel/apartment), Italy private transfers, Rome airport transfers, Rome transfer to/from Civitavecchia port of call with English speaking licensed drivers.

Professional Italy Tour Planning Company Nancy Aiello Tours provides comprehensive and enjoyable private Vatican and Rome Tours, Rome Day Tours, Rome Excursions with English, Spanish, French, German, Russian and Chinese speaking Licensed Rome Tour Guides.

To learn more about private guided tours of Rome and the Vatican contact Nancy Aiello Tours at

info@nancyaiellotours.com

BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS, Caribbean; January 27, 2010—

Now, adventurous women everywhere can experience a luxury vacation to the British Virgin Islands complete with rest, relaxation, excitement, and plenty of water recreation.

Adventure Women, Inc., a pioneer in active vacations for women over 30, is offering this Caribbean adventure vacation and private cruise, which includes luxurious accommodation on a hand-selected sailboat, the Cuan Law, on the world’s largest trimaran.

Guests stay in a private, en suite stateroom, and can experience the breathtaking tropical scenery, world-famous Caribbean skies, warm turquoise waters and its soft, white-sand beaches.

Also included are leisurely island explorations, beach-side barbeques, and gourmet international cuisine. Guests can choose their level of adventure: sea kayaking, sailing on a Hobie Cat, island hiking, or a little R&R on this one-of-a-kind sailboat. This luxury trip also includes all-inclusive, decadently-prepared gourmet meals. Dates: March 10-16th, 2010. Cost: $2995 ($600 Deposit).

www.adventurewomen.com

Launching a new South African Horse Safari for 2010 (6 weeks from £2,170 and 10 weeks from £3,370) and offering a huge variety of placements throughout the year, The Leap (www.theleap.co.uk  ) cater to all ages and requirements and are committed to providing life changing projects that equally benefit participants, local communities, wildlife and environment – whether you’re planning a gap year or looking for a holiday with a difference.

If you’ve always dreamt of galloping through the African bush and experiencing life at one of South Africa’s most renowned safari lodges, the new horse safari leap is guaranteed to delight. Based at Kwa Madwala, a private 4000 hectare game reserve situated between Swaziland and Mozambique just South of the Kruger National Park, the Manyatta safari lodge is beautifully built with elegant African touches and commanding views from a stunning hilltop location.

Leapers will help the park rangers, reserve grooms and will also volunteer in the local Swazi community.

Mornings will be spent escorting lodge guests out on horse safaris, learning the art of following game and helping with the horses and stable management.

Afternoon activities include reserve management, construction of viewing decks, assistance with the elephant back safari programme including riding the elephants and looking after their diet, enclosures and general welfare, participating in a course covering the basic skills of 4 x 4 driving and even microlighting over the reserve.

At the nearby children’s orphanage at Thembalethu School, a centre for victims of AIDS, leapers will teach and play with the children, painting murals, assisting with seedling projects and generating micro enterprises including making gifts from local materials.

If you have a little time on your hands, the horse safari leap at Kwa Madwala will allow you to experience life on a big five game reserve and to contribute to the ongoing sustainability of conserving this patch of African wilderness.

This truly is a safari experience with a difference.

For more information please visit www.theleap.co.uk

or call +44(0)1672 519922

Kensington Tours launched a luxurious new tour of Egypt featuring privately guided experiences of the country’s attractions with a trained Egyptologist and five-star accommodations from Oberoi Hotels & Resorts, including an opulent Nile cruise and pampering at a Red Sea resort.

This private-guided 12-day itinerary is priced from $4,985 per person double occupancy. As with all of Kensington’s programs, the itinerary is completely customizable to an individual customer’s travel schedule, budget and preferences. The Oberoi-Egypt tour costs, on average, 30 percent less than identical itineraries from premium operators.

Kensington’s Oberoi-Egypt program includes accommodations for four nights at the palatial 18th century Oberoi Mena House in Cairo and three nights at the lavish Oberoi Sahl Hasheesh on the coast of the Red Sea, plus daily breakfast at the hotels;

a four-day cruise down the Nile aboard the opulent Oberoi Philae, including three meals per day (all cabins feature private balconies with sun loungers and floor-to-ceiling river views);

exploration in Cairo of the Pyramids of Giza, Sakkara, the Sphinx, the Egyptian Museum, and the city’s vibrant bustling markets and bazaars;

tours of Kitchener Island and the High Dam/Philae in Aswan, the ancient monuments of Edfu and Kom Ombo, the Valleys of Kings & Queens, Temple of Karnak and Luxor Temple;

several days of leisure at the secluded paradise of Hurghada where travelers can dive, snorkel and swim in the Red Sea;

complete private guided itinerary with a trained Egyptologist;

ground transport in comfortable air-conditioned vehicles with an English-speaking driver; all internal Egypt flights; all monument/entrance fees;

and VIP visa service and airport assistance.

Roundtrip international airfare, drinks, vacation insurance, laundry, tips and other optional itinerary activities are not included in the price.

Kensington Tours offers custom private guided tours to more than 80 countries around the world. The flexibility of Kensington’s offerings allows for personalization of every tour at a wide range of price points.

The company’s private tours are regularly benchmarked at 30 percent less than identical tours from premium group operators. Kensington Tours was named one of the “Best Adventure Travel Companies on Earth” in 2008 and 2009 by the editors of National Geographic Adventure magazine.

For more information, call 888-903-2001, email info@kensingtontours.com  or visit www.KensingtonTours.com

Townsville’s Reef HQ Aquarium has begun a behind-the-scenes tour of its new turtle hospital so visitors can learn more about the plight of endangered sea turtles.

The daily tours include a short movie presentation about turtles and a tour through the hospital itself where a Reef Guide explains how each turtle came into Reef HQ’s care and what sort of treatment they are receiving.

The hospital’s key role is to rehabilitate turtles so they can be released back into the ocean.

Since officially opening at the end of August last year they have already cared for 14 sick and injured turtles.

Departing daily at 12 noon, the informative and educational tours are included in the entry cost to Reef HQ, the world’s largest living coral reef aquarium.

Other popular exhibits include the coral reef and predator exhibits, daily talks about the creatures and corals of the Great Barrier Reef and feeding tours of sharks and other marine life.

www.reefhq.com.au

Captain Cook Cruises is celebrating its 40th Birthday in 2010 with a massive sale offering up to 40% off Sydney Harbour, Murray River and Fiji Islands discovery cruises. The sale is valid to 28 February 2010 and valid for travel to 31 March 2011.

Cruising is the fastest growing form of travel in Australia and the 2 night Sydney Weekender Cruise is a great way for passengers to try out their sea legs and experience a side of Sydney they’ve never seen before.

The Captain Cook’s Explorer sails every Friday night, for a leisurely weekend packed full of fine food and wine, spectacular views, sightseeing, excellent service, exciting shore excursions, music, dancing and relaxation.

The 2 night Sydney Weekender Cruise starts from only $399 per person, normally $470 and includes $40 onboard bar credit per adult. The cruise departs every Friday at 6.00pm from Wharf 1, King Street Wharf and returns on Sunday at 3.00pm.

Discover the secrets of the South Australian outback aboard the Murray River’s only paddlewheeler, the PS Murray Princess with special 4, 5 and 8 night cruise and accommodation packages.

Passengers will cruises past towering limestone cliffs, through picturesque gorges, go on guided nature walks and eco-tours, learn about the ecology of the river and visit historic ports, sacred Aboriginal sites, a sheep station and woolshed and a native wildlife shelter, while enjoying all the delicious food and wine the region has to offer.

The 4 night package starts from $699 per person, normally $855, the 5 night package from $899 per person, normally from $1113 and the 8 night package from $1359, normally $1676 per person. All prices include one night’s accommodation in Adelaide before or after your cruise.

Visit the remote villages of the ‘real’ Fiji, secluded tropical islands and pristine beaches on Captain Cook Cruises 4, 5 and 8 night Fiji cruise and accommodation packages.

Offering a truly cultural experience passenger will visit unspoilt Fijian villages, churches, schools and handicraft markets, take part in a traditional village sevusevu ceremony and Meke and Lovo feast, discover secluded islands, snorkel over amazing coral reefs, laze on warm white sandy beaches and swim in crystal clear waters.

The 4 night package starts from $769 per person, normally $1270, the 5-night package from $969 per person, normally from $1670 and the 8-night package from $1569 per person, normally $2730. All prices include one night’s accommodation in Nadi pre or post cruise.

The seven night Northern Fijian Dateline Cruise is an amazing cruise that reveals the unique history, art and culture of the Northern Fiji Islands and allows passengers the ultimate experience of standing’ on the International Dateline.

2010 departure dates are: 4th May, 1st June, 3rd August, 7th September, 5th October and
2nd November.

The 8-night Northern Fijian Dateline Cruise package including one night’s accommodation in Nadi pre or post cruise is priced from $1569 per person, normally $2730.

All cruises include meals, accommodation, most tours and all onboard facilities and entertainment.

For further information and bookings, please contact Captain Cook Cruises toll free from Australia on 1800 804 843; Int +61-2-9206 1111, Email: cruise@captaincook.com.au  or visit www.captaincook.com.au

Peddle, paddle, and plod your way through Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia with Southeast Asia specialists, Journeys Within.

This is Adventure Asia tour is ideal for people on their first trip to Southeast Asia that don’t want to just see the highlights, but want to get out, get active, and immerse themselves in other cultures. From cooking classes to bike rides to elephant adventures, and kayaking and trekking, this is a truly amazing and physically active way to see Thailand, Laos and Cambodia.

Prices starting at $6675.

www.journeys-within.com

HANOI, VIETNAM – One of the most popular events on the Vietnamese religious calendar is the Chu Dong Tu Festival, which takes place from March 10th to 12th.

Chu Dong Tu is one of the four immortal gods of the Vietnamese pantheon and the annual celebration in his name is a joyful occasion in the country, with banquets, music and dancing accompanying the religious ceremonies.

The festival is traditionally focused on the temples of Da Hoa and Da Trach, which are both situated close to Hanoi hotels.

On the morning of March 10th, a procession of pilgrims travelling to Da Hoa can be seen walking along the banks of the Red River.

According to the Vietnam Tourism website, others complete a ceremonial walk from the Da Trach temple to the river, where they collect water.

The procession from Da Trach is preceded by a 20-metre long dragon, which is carried by 30 men who dance in time to drumbeats.

Upon arriving at the river, the procession is met by a fleet of boats sailing downstream from Khoai Chau District.

The whole procession then returns to the temple with the water and the formal opening ceremony begins, with the dragon dancing group arriving at the temple door.