New Year’s Eve in Dubai or What to do in Dubai with 3 days
When I think of Dubai I think of adventure. I imagine it to be Las Vegas, Marrakesh, and Doha all wrapped in one. I’ve studied the city extensively, planned a dozen itineraries for clients, and this year I’m excited to say I will get to check Dubai off my wanderlist!For many of us who have been responsibly climbing the walls at […]
Off the Beaten Path: Nan, Thailand
The little-known town of Nan stands on the western side of the Nan River. Rooted deep in the history of Thailand, for centuries Nan was a separate, autonomous kingdom with very few relationships with the rest of the world. At the end of the 14th century Nan was one of the nine northern Thai-Lao […]
Cinque Terre Italy
In Northwest Italy in the region of Liguria you will find five colorful fishing villages linked by an ancient system of footpaths. These villages perched on steeply terraced cliffs are collectively referred to as The Cinque Terre, which means five lands or five towns.As cars were banned many years ago you can reach the five […]
Off the Beaten Path: Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand
Thailand is filled with amazingly beautiful areas not yet touched by mass tourism. In Northeast Thailand, just over 300 miles from Bangkok in the province of Ubon lies the city Ubon Ratchathani. Ubon province is known for its ancient Buddhist temples and forest-dwelling monks. Among the city’s 2 dozen temples you’ll find Wat [,,,]
A TALE OF 4 CITIES (continued)
After our trip to Warsaw we understand why some of the polish people have unofficially adopted Krakow as their capital city. Since most of Warsaw was rebuilt after WWII you’d expect it to be a very modern, progressive city, but that was not our experience at all. Even though the buildings are […]
Exotic Morocco and Group Traveling
After consulting with Enlighten Excursions travel advisor- Stacey Goodale, good friends Karen and Susan took their first small group tour to exotic Morocco. Both women are experienced solo and independent travelers, but in consultation with their advisor they decided on a little more guidance and structure for this North African adventure. […]
The Real Scoop: Cuba
The Real Scoop: Cuba Because we field a number of questions regarding whether US Citizens can travel to Cuba we thought we’d lend a little clarification. In 2014, an executive order loosened the restrictions on traveling to Cuba. This order made it legal for Americans to travel to Cuba without having to go on an escorted group tour. In 2017, the current administration announced they were going to roll back all the regulation changes, but as yet nothing has been put in place and no details have been confirmed. This means that right now you have a number of options for visiting this culturally intriguing Caribbean island including traveling independently. However, as Cuba has been isolated from much of the world for centuries, its tourist infrastructure is still developing. If you’re planning your trip independently you may find that many hotel and dining standards fall short of ordinary expectations. Consequently, escorted tours and cruises still provide some of the best options today for an amazing travel experience in Cuba. However, for those who prefer independent travel, your travel adviser can help plan an itinerary tailored to your specific tastes and interests with first class accommodations. Your customized vacation might include unique experiences such as artist studio visits, dance and/or music performances, community project visits, festivals, and dining, cooking and cultural exchange experiences with local Cubans.Whether you go independently or with a group, consult a travel adviser and don’t miss the opportunity to explore and discover this colorful island nation. With extremely friendly and welcoming locals, great food, amazing music, stunning art and lively neighborhoods, Cuba should definitely find a place near the top of your wanderlist. Schedule a Consultation More Travel Advice
Happy Client Travel Diaries: A Tale of 4 Cities
Author: Hali Wallach A little bit about me to give you a perspective of where these reviews are coming from:Proud Native New Yorker – I was born and raised in Brooklyn, currently living in Manhattan…the COOLEST city in the world. New York is a walking city and I stay extremely active on a daily basis between catching the train, walking home or taking a spin class at the gym.Work in Corporate America – I try hard to find a nice balance between the uptight world of Corporate America and my Brooklyn rootsAvid Traveler – Show me what you got world! Always interested in seeing how the rest of the world lives. I’ve already been to 32 countries (including the 3 listed below) and will finish out 2107 with (minimally) another 2. When NYC is your benchmark, this is quiet the feat. One must have when I travel – Breakfast must be included with hotel. This way, I can fill up (and sometimes stock up) on breakfast in the morning and go all day until dinner. This also helps lower my daily spending on meals. (*Breakfast was really good in all 4 cities)One nice to have when I travel – A guided tour of the city to get my bearings and see what the city has to offer and then decide on what I want to go and see more in depth. My must have on this trip – Aside from breakfast at the hotel…Pirogies and Blintzes in Poland and Schnitzel in Vienna.Write something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. Why we chose Croatia, Poland and Austria – I was invited to a wedding in Vienna. My travel partner was interested in going to Poland to trace his roots because his grandmother was from a town outside of Krakow. Since we were going to Krakow, we figured we would also go to Warsaw since it is the capital and the other “major city” in Poland. We also wanted to go to the beach for some R&R. We were thinking of adding Romania, but Deirdre recommended Croatia which is known to have amazing sun, scenery and beaches. Ultimately the wedding in Vienna was called off but we still decided to go anyway since we had already started planning the trip. CITY 1: Dubrovnik, Croatia (Middleclass Europe / Currency = Kuna) The town of Dubrovnik is located on the Adriatic Sea and is definitely a nautical town. Their claim to fame is that Game of Thrones is filmed there and they have tons of GOT paraphernalia all over the shops. I wouldn’t say Dubrovnik is super expensive (nothing like Vienna), but is it certainly NOT cheap (like Poland).We stayed at the Ariston, Dubrovnik, Croatia and I thought the place was GREAT! You walk in to the lobby and it is overlooking the Adriatic Sea. It is clean, modern and nicely located in the Babin Kuk district in Dubrovnik, at the tip of a long walkway that connects all the resorts/hotels. The city bus is right outside the front door and is just a 10-15 bus ride to downtown.Downtown initially appears to be very small and concentrated, but once you go through all the shops and main streets of the shopping district, you will find many more little streets that veer off and take you through streets lined with a small apartments, hostels, B&Bs, art galleries and even little bars overlooking the Sea. The views are beautiful and it is very easy to randomly wander around for hours and find little surprises all along the way. Although somewhat pricey, the cable car up to the Panorama Restaurant is an experience. The view of Dubrovnik from that far up is pretty special and without a doubt not something you get to see every day (unless you work there). We didn’t do much else as we were both really set on getting in some real R&R on this leg of our trip. We thoroughly enjoyed Dubrovnik and could have easily stayed there a lot longer.If you want to share stories of your Enlighten Excursions Travels just email us at enlightenexcursions@gmail.com.
Dreaming of a Villa in Tuscany?
At the National Gallery of Art you will find a painting of the idyllic valley of la Paiola, by Camille Corot, titled “A view from Volterra”. But why not enjoy this amazing view in person? If you’re dreaming of a Villa in Tuscany, we know a lovely 12th-century farmhouse built on the pre-Roman ruins of an Etruscan villa that sits in a valley above 70 acres of olive groves with its own burbling stream. [,,,]
The Real Scoop: The Barcelo Maya Palace, Mexico
One of the biggest benefits of using a travel agent is industry-insider knowledge including knowing the real scoop on resorts and hotels in the hottest destinations. Armed with this information, and often first-hand experience at these properties through educational trips, a travel agent is able to make recommendations about […]
Koh Samui, Thailand
Looking for a unique beach vacation that is both exotic and captivating? Consider Koh Samui, Thailand. Also known as Samui Island, Koh Samui is located in the Gulf of Thailand and appeals to both luxury and budget travelers. This archipelago of 42 islands with dense forests, white sand beaches, limestone mountains, and waterfalls is quickly becoming Thailand’s preeminent […]
Tokyo, Japan
Last week we discussed traveling to Washington, DC in the spring and taking in the beautiful cherry blossoms. But Japan is one of the best places in the world to see cherry blossoms in April. In Tokyo and Kyoto there are literally millions of cherry trees. If you visit Tokyo in late March or early April you will generally [;…]