The Purple Passport

Seasoned advice for British Travellers

Asia

Best Hotels To Spend Your Holiday At Mahabaleshwar

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Mahabaleshwar is a small town in the Indian state of Maharashtra and is an important pilgrimage center for Hindus. The Krishna river originates here and the British Colonel rulers developed this town as a beautiful hill station. Mahabaleshwar also developed as the summer capital of the Bombay presidency during the British rule. This city is located at a height of about 1353 meters above sea level and is covered with beautiful sceneries and picturesque landscapes.

Holiday in Mahabaleshwar

If you desire to enjoy a holiday with difference and admiration then plan your trip to the Indian City Mahabaleshwar. To explore the beauty of olden monuments and fell in love with the mountains this is the right place. For those who are fond of traveling and hunting for the best place to spend a vacation then Mahabaleshwar would be the right option.

If you’re an extremely enthusiast person for food, then you can ease your palate in Mahabaleshwar, where you are found with the rich practice of Mughal cookeries. The flavor of chicken dishes such as chicken kebab, chicken korma, Shammi kebab, and korma place Mahabaleshwar as a favored place for non-veg dishes.

If you’ve planned a trip to Mahabaleshwar officially, then you can take a halt at Mahabaleshwar hotel to check what they offer you. The hotels in Mahabaleshwar are of various categories from five stars deluxe to economic grouping classes. When you focus upon the deluxe hotels of Mahabaleshwar, they offer almost all facilities from the accommodation, business facilities, gym, swimming pool, bar, and many more to meet the requirements of the traveler. When you step into four-star or three-star hotels in Mahabaleshwar more advanced and modern facilities can be experienced.

What to expect from Mahabaleshwar vacation?

On visiting, Mahabaleshwar you can spend a full day by visiting the Elephant’s head point, which is one of the most picturesque viewpoints in Mahabaleshwar. You can also gain a glimpse of the Sahyadri ranges from here. This is an apt place for a family outing, honeymoon couples, for the party, and many more. Hotels in Mahabaleshwar look forward to travelers to provide them with all facilities and make their trip rememberable one. Plan your trip for this vacation to this city of India, Mahabaleshwar, and make your trip a cherishable one.

Presently this place stands as a cosmopolitan city and a lively entertainment spot for various travelers who flock in each year for the gorgeous monuments, temples, falls viewpoints, and most attractive sites. With an amalgamation of varied people in the city, the environment is friendly and pleasant for any new tourist who steps into the city. Their delicious dishes are tried all over India which talks about the fame of Mahabaleshwar dishes and makes their cuisines proud enough.

Places to visit in Mahabaleshwar:

There are several places to visit in the city of Mahabaleshwar and at least three days are required to enjoy all these places comfortably. Following are the important tourist destinations in Mahabaleshwar.

  • Elephant’s head point
  • Chinaman’s falls
  • Dhobi waterfall
  • Arthur’s seat
  • Vienna lake
  • Wilson point
  • Mahabaleshwar temple
  • Panchgani
  • Tapola
  • Elphinstone point etc.

Hotels in Mahabaleshwar:

Most of the luxurious 5-star hotels in Mahabaleshwar are positioned in the central region which makes the tourist comfortable in accessing the bus terminus and railway station. The room is spacious and comes in with all facilities such as a car park, swimming pool, bar, restaurant, sightseeing travels, a gym which makes tourists comfy and ease their trip.

For tourists and business travelers who desire to take a halt in 3-star hotels, a big list is available with almost all facilities to make them feel at home. These hotels come with spacious clean rooms with attached bathrooms also equipped with essentials like television and telephone. Hotel Minerva, hotel Ashoka, Maples inn are a few that fall under the category of 3-star hotels.

There is a wide number of budget hotels for a pleasant stay and sociable customer service for budget travelers. These Mahabaleshwar hotels provide you with an enjoyable stay with drinking and eating facilities. Low-priced tourists can opt for budget hotels that offer you simple but traditional and comforting facilities. Mahabaleshwar hotels welcome all categories of people of all classes to enjoy and have a pleasant stay.

Best hotels in Mahabaleshwar:

Some of the best hotels in Mahabaleshwar are Brightland resort and spa, the grand legacy, JK hotels, etc. Some of the best resorts in this city are Bella Vista resort, Le meridian Mahabaleshwar resort and spa, Evershine resort. There are also several hotels near man viewpoints in Mahabaleshwar such as,

  • Vienna lake: The canopy, Treebo trend winter town, ever shine resort
  • Arthur’s seat: Ramsukh resorts and spa, Honeywood holiday homes hotels, canopy.
  • Hotels close to Mumbai airport: The Leela Mumbai, Niranta Airport transit hotel and lounge, Akshara residency.
  • Cheap hotels: Bella vista resort, west hill, hotel Shreyas.
  • Hotels good for families: Bella vista resort, Evershine resort
  • Romantic hotels: Evershine resort, Bella vista resort, Saj on.

Thus, there is a wide number of budget hotels for a pleasant stay and sociable customer service for budget travelers. These Hyderabad hotels provide you with an enjoyable stay with drinking and eating facilities. Low-priced tourists can opt for budget hotels that offer you simple but traditional and comforting facilities.

Final words:

Couples and families wishing to spend their holiday in Mahabaleshwar can choose to stay in Mahabaleshwar hotels from Goibibo. Travelers can choose their hotels from goibibo as this portal has several low-cost budget hotels as well as high-quality luxury hotels, to help people choose their place of stay according to their wish and budget.

With the help of this online portal, people can easily book their hotels online within a few simple clicks. They can also check the reviews, images, amenities, and ratings of the hotels before choosing to book them. Most of all, people can avail a range of discounts from goibibo while choosing to book their stay from this online portal. In the current pandemic situation, they ensure that they list only safe and sanitized hotels for their clients.

Thailand Travel Destination – Koh Bulon Lae

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Thailand is without doubt a beautiful and diverse country, ever popular as a holiday destination. Its better known tourist locations are well documented and have been enjoyed by millions of people for many, many years. But the wants, needs and desires of the tourist evolve, and this evolution has found visitors looking for something that differs from the well-trodden tourist hotspots.

There is now a great deal more focus on the kingdom’s islands. Of course some are already well known, Phuket and Krabi to name just two. But Thailand has 1430 islands that sit in its coastal waters. Many of these islands are unspoilt, uncommercialized and epitomize Thailand’s natural beauty.

Lapped by the blue waters of the Andaman Sea, to the Southwest of Phuket and part of Surat Province, lies Koh Bulon Lae. A visitor is unlikely to find a more natural location, one which is almost entirely untouched by modernity or the commercial giants that view each visitor as part of their ledger’s bottom line.

If you enjoy glitzy shopping malls, beer swilling on a bar crawl, beach parties or the thumping music spewing from neon lit nightclubs, then give Koh Bulon Lae a wide birth. Wild hedonism is not to be found here, nor are cars, there are no cars on the island, no ATMs and definitely no 7-11s. With everything that the island doesn’t have, it has become much loved by singles, couples and families as a rare gem of a place to be enjoyed and cherished simply for what it is. Paradise!

The island is tiny, you can walk from one side to the other in around 20 minutes, and in taking such a walk you will go from pristine beaches, to mangrove, swamp and dense jungle, such diversity in a small area is astonishing. When visiting the island, a walk from coast to coast is a must.

Meander along the trail that cuts across the island to see and feel the diversity of the island. The one thing that is striking is the noise, with every decibel being given by nature. Shrieking bird calls are endless, the millions of cicadas create a cacophony of noise that most people never experience. You are also likely to encounter the large, but harmless, monitor lizards that lounge around the mangroves.

Getting to Koh Bulon Lae

Traveling to Surat Province is straight forward. There are many bus and minivan services to the area, many of which can be booked to take you straight to Pakbara pier. There are flight services to Hat Yai and Trang from where transfers can be taken to Pakbara. It is from Pakbara pier that the power boats make the short crossing to Koh Bulon Lae. The power boats are met just off the beach by longtail boats to ferry visitors ashore.

There are also inter-island boat services that connect the many islands that lie off the West coast of the Kra Isthmus. Island hopping has become a popular way to explore the kingdom away from its mainland, thus, from the mainland or any of the Andaman Sea islands, getting to Koh Bulon Lae is without problem.

Where to stay on Koh Bulon Lae

Many of the island’s visitors are backpackers on a budget, and they are well accommodated. Between Panka Yai Bay and Mango Bay, set on the forested trail are the Jungle Huts. Basic but entirely adequate, these homely residences are the bargain stay option on the island. Yes, staying here does require a walk to the beach, but on Koh Bulon Lae there is no such thing as a long walk!

School Beach is the islands best beach, and one of the most beautiful in the whole of Thailand, not surprisingly the cost of accommodation here tends to be higher. Although, close by is Panka Noi Bay, which offers excellent accommodation at very reasonable rates. Go just a little further North to Panka Yai Bay and visitors can enjoy the cheapest bungalows on the island. Visitors planning a trip to the island should be aware that many places close up between June or July, through to October.

Koh Bulon Lae, What to Do

Koh Bulon Lae is not about expelling boundless levels of energy, quite the contrary in fact. The most energetic activity you are likely to indulge in will be swimming and snorkeling in the island’s silky blue waters. Visitors can hire a kayak and paddle around the island with ease and explore its quiet coves, above and below the water.

Trekking is popular, and you don’t need to be an experienced hiker to trek across the island. Trek at your own pace and enjoy being enveloped by unspoilt natural beauty. You may even hear the island spirits that are said to whisper in the gentle breeze.

Undoubtedly, most visitors love the pristine beaches and pure white sand. Lap up the sun, loose yourself in quiet contemplation, meditate and be at peace with the world. For any explorer coming to the Kingdom of Thailand that is seeking natural tranquility, it is Koh Bulon Lae.

Bali Travel Tips – What to Know About Visiting with a Family

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If you’ve had a trip to Bali on your bucket list and finally want to make it happen, then you’ve got plenty of excitement in store. Bali is one of the world’s most beautiful countries, packed with incredible culture and natural beauty, and visiting with your family can be a hugely rewarding experience.

To make the most of your holiday on the Indonesian island, it’s important to be aware of a few practical family-friendly tips. Read on to find out more.

Beach-side stays will always have plenty to offer

Bali attracts a diverse crowd of people, and there’s a lot to experience and do all over, but when you’re visiting with children, you probably want to prioritise activities that the whole family will enjoy.

Staying by a beach, such as some of the beautiful villas in Seminyak, can be a great choice, as you are conveniently close to all of the fun activities in the ocean and on the sand, as well as a good variety of restaurants and cafes to eat out in.  It’s also much nicer to explore the area on foot with ease.

Balinese people love kids

People in Bali generally adore children, and kids are regarded as an important part of the community in Balinese culture, so families generally experience a very positive and welcoming stay.

Don’t be surprised if strangers pay your kids’ compliments on how cute they are or offer them gifts. It’s also polite to respond with a friendly comment about their children.

While some parents can occasionally find this behaviour a little surprising or intrusive, you’ll generally find a friendly and warm environment. A great way to help children understand Balinese culture is by taking part in local dance lessons or craft activities, which can be a wonderful way to learn something new.

Safety standards are very different

While Bali is a fantastic place, it does have a very different attitude to health and safety than what you might be used to, and one of the biggest factors to be aware of is basic travel safety.

If you are planning to drive in Bali, make sure that you are familiar with all the rules, and it can be helpful to bring your own child seat, if you need one, as you may not be provided with one from your car rental service. It is also wise to have some help from a local guide, especially if you’re planning to travel around on your own extensively, as they may be able to help you familiarise yourself with the roads more quickly.

As well as travelling safely, it is also important to check on basic safety issues, such as child seats or highchairs in restaurants, or when on any ride or activity. While local guides and instructors can be warm and inviting, they may not be fully aware or trained with all safety procedures, so it’s worth keeping an extra eye on this.

The 4 Best Destinations in Asia for a Family Vacation

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Looking for a place to take the kids over their next school holiday? Traveling with your children is a great way to educate them about different cultures and customs, broadening their horizons in the process. There’s no place better to do it than multicultural Asia, which offers plenty of wholesome amusements for the entire family to enjoy. Below are the best countries to take your kids to when school lets out for the year.

Vietnam

For a family vacation in Vietnam, stick to historical Hanoi or on Phu Quoc island. An easy and convenient way of setting it up would be to search online for Vietnam travel packages, which will also allow you to save money on flights and accommodations. If you go with booking with travel agents, many of them are even able to suggest family-friendly itineraries for the location of your preference, saving you the hassle of looking up which sites are worth the effort of seeing.

In Hanoi, the city itself is a living piece of history. A cyclo ride into the narrow streets of the Old Quarter is sure to be a novel experience for the little ones. Take them to the Thang Long Water Puppet Show for an audiovisual retelling of some of Hanoi’s classic folk tales, and then bring them to Hoan Kiem Lake to show them the shrine dedicated to the magical turtle featured in Vietnam’s centuries-old stories.

On the island of Phu Quoc, your kids can go up close and personal with rare wildlife at the Phu Quoc Safari or learn more about the environment by trekking through Phu Quoc National Park. You may also want to visit Vinpearl Land Phu Quoc, an amusement park and water park combo filled with thrilling rides, slides, and other attractions.

Singapore

Singapore is one of the best Asia destinations for a holiday with kids if convenience is what you’re after. It’s a very walkable city, and going from one attraction to the other is made that much easier because of the city-state’s phenomenal public transport network.

Your little animal lovers will remember you taking them to the open-air Singapore Zoo, where they can view their favorite creatures in their close-to-natural habitats. Same goes for a visit to Jurong Bird Park and the S.E.A. Aquarium on Sentosa Island.

Speaking of Sentosa Island, your children may never want to leave this place! After all, it’s a hub of wholesome and family-friendly activities. Here, they can do go-karting at Skyline Luge, go swimming in the man-made Rainbow Reef over at Adventure Cove Waterpark, and go on all their favorite rides at Universal Studios Singapore.

Japan

Just like Singapore, Japan is a popular choice with families for its orderliness and for its many theme parks. There are two big ones: Tokyo Disneyland in Tokyo, and Universal Studios Japan in Osaka. You don’t even have to pick just one to go to. Travel between the major prefectures of Kanto (where Tokyo is in) and Kansai (where Osaka is in) is fast and easy, since they are both served by the Shinkansen or bullet train.

Japan is also a great place to introduce your kids to arguably one of the best cuisines in the world. They’ll always remember their first bite of onigiri or their first bowl of ramen. They’re also likely to be amused with the variety of foodstuff that one can buy from any one of the country’s ubiquitous vending machines!

After introducing your kids to some of Japan’s temples and pagodas, also make sure to visit some of country’s well-known kid-friendly  museum. For example, consider dropping by the cutting-edge MORI Building Digital Art Museum in Tokyo, which is guaranteed to be a full-on sensory experience your little ones will love. If you can score tickets, a visit to the Ghibli Museum in Mitaka is also both delightful and educational. It’s specifically geared towards younger audiences, so they’ll learn how animated films are made and produced in a manner that’s easy for them to absorb and understand.

Indonesia

Bali tops the list when it comes to kid-friendly provinces in Indonesia. Sure, the island is famous for being a haven for honeymooners, but it’s great for families with children, too!

Many resorts in Bali offer activities that are geared towards kids, and these include those that don’t involve swimming. Look for resorts with dedicated kids’ clubs that will keep the young ones engaged with arts and crafts, sports lessons, or cultural experiences. Of course, it’s also important to venture outside for more unforgettable experiences, like meeting the elephants at Elephant Safari Park Bali, whitewater rafting in the Ayung River, or ziplining from tree to tree at the Bali Treetop Adventure Park.

There’s no need to go halfway across the world for a memorable family vacation; the trick is in making it meaningful. Visit any of the destinations on our list, and we guarantee that you’ll have a family vacation your children will be talking about for years to come.

First Time in Asia: 5 Savvy Travel Tips for Your First Trip to Southeast Asia

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How many times have you returned from a vacation only to wish you’d done some things differently while you were there?

That’s okay if your adventures were just around the corner. It’s another thing altogether if you’re planning to join the ranks of the 323 million tourists who visited Asia in recent times.

If you’re heading off to spend time in Asia, take note of these tips so you don’t have any regrets after your trip.

1. Make the Most of Your Time in Asia

This doesn’t mean try to cram as much of the place into your travels as possible. Sure, it’s a wonderful idea to take in all the famous sights and activities on offer, but try to keep it simple.

You’ll get far more out of the experience if you focus on a few destinations and explore them thoroughly. Rushing from place to place is hardly enjoyable or relaxing.

2. Pack Light

Seriously, Southeast Asia is pretty advanced. You’ll find great hotels and shops in all the main centers.

You don’t need to bring all the comforts of home along with you. If you need something, you’ll probably be able to buy it.

Plan to do doing laundry every chance you get. That way, you can get away with packing fewer clothes.

3. Prepare Thoroughly

Before you leave, make sure that you’ve gotten all the necessary vaccines for Southeast Asia. While you can get your inoculations in Bangkok on arrival, you don’t want to waste precious time searching for a clinic when you get there.

Anti-malarial medication will spare you the agonies of this tropical disease. However, there’s nothing like a good insect repellant to save you from buzzing annoyances throughout your stay.

If you do need a visa for Southeast Asian travel, you can get one on arrival. The trick is to come prepared.

Make sure you have US dollars and passport photos handy at the time. You can also save time by printing out the necessary online forms and filling them in beforehand.

4. Travel Differently

Don’t confine yourself to using standard public transport like planes, trains, and buses. Hire a bike, hop on board a tuk-tuk, or take the ferry.

When you try something new, the journey can be as exciting as the destination.

That said, hiring a scooter can be fraught with risk. The crowded urban roads are daunting and everyone drives on the left. Mastering these two aspects at once may prove a little much, even for experienced scooter drivers.

5. Change Money on Arrival

Hotels and airports aren’t the best choices if you’re after a good exchange rate. Rather, opt for a local bank when exchanging your currency.

Be sure to keep plenty of cash on hand as you travel. You’ll need it for tips, fares, and attractions. If you want to use a credit card for some purchases, make sure you have one that doesn’t charge a fee for foreign transactions.

Keep Exploring

One of the best ways to prepare for a trip abroad is to research destinations before you leave. Travel bloggers and tourist sites are filled with helpful information for incident-free journeys.

Whether it’s some time in Asia or you’re after or other lifestyle tips, you can rely on us for the latest information. Keep browsing our website for more.