Wednesday, June 25, 2014

5 Inexpensive Dishes You Should Try on Your Next Trip to Sri Lanka


Step out of your hotel in Dambulla and try to find a restaurant that serves Sri Lankan dishes. Some of the most popular and common culinary treats are:

1. Hoppers
Try a traditional Sri Lankan breakfast on your first day in the country and lookout for the nearest Kandalama resort or restaurant that sells hoppers. Hoppers are a variant of pancakes that come with a fluffy center and crispy border. They are made by fermenting rice flour in toddy or Sri Lankan palm wine, and frying the batter in a round cast iron pan. This dish takes a lot of time to make because it involves preparing a yeast mixture and leaving the dough to rise for 8 hours. Just like regular pancakes, you can customize your hoppers. One variety is the egg hopper, prepared by adding coconut milk and toddy to the batter before it is cooked. Hoppers can be served plain or garnished with fried egg in the middle.

2. Kottu
Kottu, a mix-and-match kind of meal, is another must-try dish when in Sri Lanka. This filling meal is made with a thin flatbread or roti. The roti is finely chopped, mixed, and fried with a combination of vegetables. Aside from vegetables, kottu can also be made with fish, chicken, mutton, and cheese.

3. Lampreis
Lampreis is a combination of rice and any or many kinds of Sri Lankan curry. First, the rice is cooked in stock and spiced with lemon grass, cinnamon, coconut milk, and peppercorns. The rice-and-curry combination is then wrapped and cooked in banana leaves.

4. Puttu
Satisfy your carving for coconuts with puttu, a traditional dish made by mixing grated coconut and rice flour in a bamboo mold. Soft, steamy, and crumbly, puttu is best eaten for breakfast, just like hoppers. The dish has an enticing aroma and is usually paired with fresh coconuts and meat curry.

5. Thosai
While the process involved in making a thosai is relatively simple, finding the right ingredients and can be a bit of a problem. Thosai is primarily made of fermented lentil. The batter is mixed with local spices, left overnight, and cooked in a hot girdle with very little oil. Just like other Sri Lankan dishes, you can personalize your freshly cooked thosai by adding your favorite garnish to it, such as coconut chutney.

Budget travelers can easily find cheap but delicious versions of these dishes in street stalls, but many reputable restaurants and hotels, like Dambulla’s AmayaLake, may offer these Sri Lankan treats in their menu.

Monday, June 23, 2014

Easy Reservations With Instant Confirmation at S Ratchada Leisure Hotel's Website

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Bangkok, THAILAND – A luxurious holiday experience amid Bangkok’s lifestyle and entertainment venues is easily within reach at S Ratchada Leisure Hotel. And this new accommodation in Thailand's bustling capital now offers easy and safe reservation with instant confirmation through a booking engine on its website, which is powered by DirectWithHotels.

Benefits of Booking Directly Online
  • The website and the booking engine are both mobile-adaptive. This feature allows guests to make arrangements using their laptops, tablets, and smartphones.
  • It is equipped with a bookmarking option, currency converter, and print button for easier navigation and referencing.
  • Exclusive promos can be obtained through the website.
  • All transactions made using the reservation system are safeguarded by Trustwave and VeriSign, 2 of the most trusted information security providers on the Internet.

How to Book Direct Online
To start the reservation process, guests must simply select the dates of their stay on the calendar widget found at http://www.sratchadahotel.com and click the "Check Availability and Prices" button. Once they have checked room availability, they should then press "Reserve Now". There is no required prepayment. A confirmation email is then sent to the guests and they only need to settle the total reservation cost upon arrival at the hotel in Bangkok.

About S Ratchada Leisure Hotel
Located 45 minutes away from Suvarnabhumi International Airport, S Ratchada Leisure Hotel stands at the end of Tiamruammit Road, just a kilometer off both Rama IX and Ratchadapisek Roads, near the MCOT Junction. This Bangkok accommodation offers 100 rooms that are identically and elegantly appointed with signature all-Italian designer furnishings. Each lodging is a generous 45-sq-m (484-sq-ft) living space that features comfortable beds with light duvets and a spacious en-suite bathroom with premium fittings.

The hotel also affords a range of facilities catering to its guests' convenience at all hours. Here, visitors can dine in a classy restaurant or have a drink at a lobby bar. They can also utilize 3 open-air geometric saltwater pools, a fitness center, concierge, and free parking space. From 10 am to 8 pm, S Ratchada Leisure Hotel also provides free hourly shuttle service to Central Plaza Grand Rama 9 shopping complex and Fortune Tower.


S Ratchada Leisure Hotel
52 Tiamruammit Road
Ratchadapisek, Huaykwang
Bangkok, 10310, Thailand

Phone Number: +66-02-2460796


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About DirectWithHotels
DirectWithHotels is in the business of making selling online simple and more profitable for hotels. Since 2005, we’ve helped over 1000 Hotel Partners (and counting) in 50 countries worldwide increase their direct bookings online. We attract visitors and drive traffic direct to their hotel websites with tactical online marketing, convert these visitors into bookers with a top-performing booking engine, and manage increasing reservations with an easy-to-use web interface. All this at a fixed, performance-based fee of just 10% for every direct booking.

Sunday, June 22, 2014

3 Activities to Kick-Start Your Leisurely Holiday in Cartagena, Colombia

Still deciding on what to do after you've checked in at your hotel in Cartagena, Colombia? With these activities on your holiday checklist, you'll be sure to make the most of your stay in this Caribbean city.

1. See attractions
With its port, fortresses, and group of monuments declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Cartagena has a lot of historically relevant and visually appealing destinations to offer first-time visitors. South America's most extensive military fortifications were built in the city between the 16th and 18th century. Religious sites, such as the church and convent of San Pedro Claver, church of Santo Domingo, and what was once the monastery of San Diego give wonderfully preserved samples of architecture from the colonial period. You can also visit the former Palace of Inquisition, which is now being used as a historical and archeological museum and Palace of the Government, and Plaza de las Coches, an open area where slave auctions were previously held.

2. Hit the beach
Bocagrande can't claim to have the best beach in the city but an afternoon spent here will give one enough insight as to why it deserves to be called the Copacabana of Cartagena. The beach is a busy place during high season and weekends mainly because of the influx of people on their way to luxury hotels and entertainment establishments in the area, such as Hotel Almirante Cartagena. Aside from people-watching and dancing to electronic music in the clubs, this beach is also a perfect spot for indulging in a soothing massage and witnessing a spectacular sunset. If you find Bocagrande a little too crowded, you can try the beaches of Bocachica, La Boquilla, Islas del Rosario, Isla Baru, Tierrabomba, and Playa Blanca.

3. Sample the local cuisine
Cartagena's confluence of cultures can be best experienced by tasting the its cuisine. Start your day with a hearty breakfast of arepa, a dish made of ground corn flour and topped with cheese, sour cream, hot sauce, or guacamole. The best varieties of this tasty treat can be bought near Calle del Pozo, Getsemani, and Exito Supermarket. For lunch, you can head to Cartagena en la Olla where you can eat your fill of traditional dishes. You can cap an exciting day by taking a trip to Plaza de la Santisima Trinidad and sampling the street food sold there around midnight. Should you wish for familiar tastes during your stay at an accommodation in Cartagena, Colombia, you'll be happy to know that there is no shortage of restaurants that specialize in international dishes in the city.

Thursday, June 19, 2014

Five Amazing Dive Sites in Bohol for Beginners

Dive sites in Bohol, particularly near Panglao Island where many resorts are located, are perfect for beginners because of their shallow depths, beautiful coral walls, and gentle slopes. Here are 5 spots where newbies can practice their diving skills and experience plunging down a wreckage, fish sanctuaries, and a site known as the "Hole in the Wall".

1. Balicasag Fish Sanctuary
Located southeast of Bohol is Balicasag Island, home to a stretch of great dive sites that include Balicasag Fish Sanctuary. Established by the local community as a protected marine area, the sanctuary features a number of various fish species such as silver jack, bigeye trevally, midnight snappers, and sweetlips. Here, beginners can measure their buoyancy control for wall diving, since the site has a depth of 3 to 35 meters. The area is also ideal for snorkeling since the reefs are shallow.

2. Arco Point
Another easy dive site for newbies is Arco Point, which is situated just 12 minutes by boat from the southern portion of Panglao Island. This amazing dive site is called by many as “Hole in the Wall” because it features a small cave composed of soft and hard corals. Surrounding the cave are snake eels, cuttlefish, mantis shrimps, mackerels, and the giant frogfish. Since the wall is made up of fragile coral, passing through the hole is discouraged especially for inexperienced divers. The better way is to dive around it since the depth of the site is only from 4 to 27 meters.

3. Habagat Wreck
Also located south of Panglao Island is Habagat Wreck. This dive site ranging from 8- to 35-meters deep is an exciting spot for beginners because they can easily reach the wreck that sunk around year 2000. To put their fundamental diving skills to the test, there's an S-shaped wall and a slope a few feet from the wreckage. The area is also great for underwater photography, since the S-shaped wall has an overhang of colorful corals.

4. Doljo Point
Just minutes from various Panglao Island accommodations like the Bohol Bee Farm, Doljo Point offers a range of beautiful marine life such as big sea fans, bucket sponges, leather corals, manta rays, and barracudas. This dive spot is ideal for beginners learning to control diving into deeper depths because it can go as far as 40 meters. On some occasions, whale sharks may appear at lower levels.

5. Crystal Sanctuary
If there's one diving spot in Bohol advisable for newbies, it has to be Crystal Sanctuary. Its shallow depth of 3 to 25 meters makes it easy for those divers feeling out their equipment for the first time. In addition, the sanctuary has imposed restrictions to keep them on the safe distance. The Crystal Sanctuary is the closest dive spot from Alona Beach and other Panglao Island resorts.

Journey to Wellness is Just a Click Away at Nurture Wellness Village in Tagaytay

Tagaytay City, PHILIPPINES – Nurture Wellness Village, an eco-tourism resort in Tagaytay City, has integrated a direct online booking engine that will make securing its accommodations more convenient for guests. Featuring a quick reservation process, this easy-to-use booking system, which yields instant confirmation, makes the journey to wellness just a click away.

Visitors can do the reservation themselves on http://www.nurturewellnessvillage.com by clicking the 'BOOK WEEKDAYS for Instant Confirmation' button. This will launch the booking engine that is powered by DirectWithHotels. The process only takes 4 simple steps and a few minutes to complete, eliminating the hassle of constant communication with third parties.

After a minimal 10% prepayment payable via credit card, instant confirmation is guaranteed, complete with an email notification. This amount will be deducted from the total cost of stay, which is settled upon check-in at the Tagaytay eco-tourism resort.

Nurture Wellness Village's online system warrants a worry-free booking experience with the following benefits:

Transparent details – Guests will get to check and book available rooms at the best rates. Nightly rates of each accommodation and the total cost per room, already inclusive of taxes and fees, are shown.

User-friendly interface – For easier navigation and referencing, the booking engine is equipped with a bookmarking button, modification option, print feature, and an up-to-date currency converter. These enhancements permit guests to enjoy a smooth and intuitive reservation process.

Safe and secure booking – All transactions made using this channel are protected by Trustwave and VeriSign, 2 of the most trusted information security providers on the Internet. This feature protects individuals from fraud and safeguards the privacy of all information shared within the system.

Promo access – By using the resort's online system, guests will enjoy exclusive access to special promos, deals, and packages.

A pioneer in the Philippine spa industry, Nurture Wellness Village takes pride in its distinctive brand of eco-therapy. Here, guests can expect a delightful selection of local and foreign holistic services provided by trained therapists and wellness butlers. The resort offers accommodations that are cradled in a lush tropical garden. Among these is the Ifugao Spa Suite that is inspired by “ulog” or native huts in the Mountain Province. To get even closer to nature, guests can try Glamping — a more glamorous take on camping.

To know more about this eco-tourism resort in Tagaytay and experience firsthand an efficient booking process, interested parties may visit Nurture Wellness Village's website at http://www.nurturewellnessvillage.com.


Nurture Wellness Village
Pulong Sagingan, Barangay Maitim II
West Tagaytay City, Philippines

Phone Numbers: +63 2 7109786; +63 46 5126273

About DirectWithHotels
DirectWithHotels is in the business of making selling online simple and more profitable for hotels. Since 2005, we’ve helped over 1000 Hotel Partners (and counting) in 50 countries worldwide increase their direct bookings online. We attract visitors and drive traffic direct to their hotel websites with tactical online marketing, convert these visitors into bookers with a top-performing booking engine, and manage increasing reservations with an easy-to-use web interface. All this at a fixed, performance-based fee of just 10% for every direct booking.

Monday, June 16, 2014

4 Budget-Conscious Tips for Travelers Staying in Astoria Plaza, Ortigas, Pasig



Without a doubt, the best travel experiences are not determined solely by budget. For instance, a successful budget-friendly vacation in Astoria Plaza Hotel in Ortigas Center, Pasig City is definitely possible and manageable for anyone. It is all about planning. The better you organize your stay, the more value you enjoy, and the less expenses you incur. To start the savings from rolling in, just follow these tips:

1. Look at available promos first. Before making a reservation, check for current deals that you can grab for better value. There is no shortage of bargains offered by the hotel to guests, so make sure you visit the promo page first to see what deals are available. Depending on the time of the year, you are likely to find packages with high-value inclusions and rooms at discounted rates.

2. Pick a room rate plan with breakfast included. You might think you are saving up by choosing to get accommodation on a room-only rate, but if you really look at it, a rate plan with breakfast proves to be more money-savvy. A complimentary breakfast can get you a long way. You savor a big meal in the morning, which leaves you fuller for a longer time. This means you can enjoy a smaller lunch, and because you did not have to pay extra for breakfast, maybe you can even afford to splurge a little for dinner.

3. Check out prices ahead of time. For many travelers, comparing Ortigas hotel rates is a common practice, but most forget checking out the prices of everything else. To save the most money on a destination, take the time to research all relevant costs before deciding to go there. The expenses do not end with booking a hotel. There are restaurants to eat at, admission fees to pay for at the gates of attractions, transportation costs, and other essentials to complete a fun vacation.

4. Shop off the beaten path. Naturally, no vacation is complete without getting souvenirs. It gets trickier if you also have to buy a lot for your family, friends, and officemates. But don't worry. This is perfectly manageable, even on a budget. The secret is in buying trinkets at local street markets instead of the bigger malls and on the entrance of big tourist spots. Walk around and look at the small stalls and shops near your Ortigas hotel to score cheaper but definitely more authentic finds. Have fun!

Thursday, June 5, 2014

Where to Go for a Day Tour in Beautiful Nuwara Eliya, Sri Lanka


On a bright and sunny day, spend some time outside of your resort accommodation in Nuwara Eliya, Sri Lanka, and go out and about exploring the beautiful spots the city offers. There is so much to see to add more fun to your getaway. Additionally, coming to these sites allow you to learn more about the local culture and people, which definitely enriches you as a traveler. So, if you are ready, put on some sunscreen and make your way to these destinations for a lovely day tour:

1. Pedro Tea Estate – Do you love your cup of tea? Discover where your morning cup comes from by paying a visit to the Pedro Tea Estate. It is located 3.5 km east of Nuwara Eliya on the way to Kandapola. You can reach it either by hopping on a three-wheeler that costs around Rs 350, or taking a Ragalla-bound bus from the main station. In the tea estate, visitors can go to a pleasant tea house that overlooks the plantation, or take the half-hour guided tour of the factory.

2. Lovers Leap – After spending a few hours at the Pedro Tea Estate, proceed to Lovers Leap to enjoy a spectacular viewpoint and waterfall. It takes a 5 km round-trip walk to reach it from the plantation, but getting there is enjoyable because of the scenery. From the factory cross the main road. Find the manager's bungalow and take the left branch at the fork. From here, just head straight and you will reach Lovers Leap after about a 15-minute walk.

3. Victoria Park – Compared to all town parks in South Asia, Victoria Park is one of the nicest and best maintained. It is located in the town center, with manicured lawns presenting the loveliest opportunity for a splendid walk on a leisurely afternoon. During March to May and August to September, beautiful flowers adorn the park, giving you the chance to take the most wonderful photos. Additionally, several hill-country bird species call it home, like the Kashmir Flycatcher, Indian pitta and Grey tit.

4. Hakgala Gardens – According to legend, the Hakgala Gardens resulted from the forgetfulness of Hanuman, the monkey god. He was ordered by Rama to the Himalayas in search of a medicinal herb. Unfortunately, Hanuman forgot which particular herb, so he decided to scoop a chunk of the Himalayas and brought it back in his jaw, in hopes that the herb grows somewhere on it. And from a rock called Hakgala, meaning jaw-rock, the gardens grew.

These are only 4 of the many beautiful places in the city for you to explore. If you are staying in a lovely accommodation in Nuwara Eliya, such as Langdale by Amaya, ask the front desk staff for more details regarding tours and other off-site activities. Enjoy!

Sunday, June 1, 2014

The Best Possible Venue for Business-Slash-Leisure Travelers in Boracay

Crown Regency Resort & Convention Center is one of the best destinations for a comfortable and carefree time in Boracay Island, Philippines. This accommodation presents travelers with all the features for work-related affairs as well as the needs for pleasure and amusement. Whether you're a businessman trying to squeeze in some family time, or friends seeking awareness for a start-up brand through partying, staying here will make these goals easier to achieve.

A comfort-filled experience

After a long day meeting up with prospective partners or a night out with colleagues, you have the luxury of 400 guestrooms that offer a city vibe and modern comforts. These are all equipped with essential, top-of-the-line amenities that will create the feeling of a personal safe haven throughout. Each room has a flat-screen TV, mini-bar, and shower to help you get in the mood for a good night's sleep.

Giving all you need and more
Everything you wish to fulfill during your time here will never be too challenging thanks to an array of premier facilities. This resort in Boracay boasts of a well-equipped convention center that can seat up to 1,200 persons, perfect for conferences and summits. There's also an adventure park with team-building facilities for corporate attendees, buddies, and families. If traveling with kids, they will definitely enjoy the Boracay Oceanarium, 1,800 sq m wave pool, kiddie pool, marine aquarium, and mermaid performances. For your dining pleasure, Wang Shan Lo Chinese Restaurant offers buffet meals from 11 am to 9 pm, while Fabulous Fifties Cafe serves a pleasant setting for your caffeine and snack fix. There is also a lobby lounge, spa, garden, and aviary. Hotel services includeround-trip transfers, 24-hour room service, wake-up calls, foreign currency exchange, plus laundry and pressing.

Easy access to the island's finest spots
The resort in Boracay is located in Station 2, the island's main commercial area, which is just a 5-minute walk from White Beach, where most events and happenings take place. This holiday retreat's accessible address puts you within just minutes from D'Mall, Boracay's main entertainment and shopping area. Sites like Balabag Lake, Bulabog Beach, Ilig-Iligan Beach, Puka Shell Beach, Boracay Butterfly Gardens, Crocodile Island, and Holy Rosary Parish, are just some of the notable places you can check out with great assistance from Crown Regency Resort and Convention Center.