Travel and tips

Shopping In GermanyGermany has a reputation for craftsmanship and this is reflected in the quality of locally-made goods. Traditional German buys include porcelain, handicrafts, toys, timepieces, beer steins, nutcrackers and cutlery, not to mention Mercedes and BMW cars.
Shopping In BerlinBerlin has cast off its image as a drab center of intrigue to emerge as a shopping centre for fashion, antiques, furniture and home accessories. The most august shopping locale is Kurfurstendamm (Ku’damm). Most of the city’s premier clothes shops, boutiques and department stores are located on this famous thoroughfare. A parvenu to the upmarket Berlin shopping scene is the new Friedrichstrasse. It’s a mile long thoroughfare which features a lot of design shops, car shops, coffeehouses (with the inevitable Starbucks) and the Galleries Lafayette. The nearby Unter den Linden features several boutiques, located mainly between Friedrichstrasse and the Brandenburg Gate.
A must-see is a legend from the cold war days, the Kaufhof on Alexander Platz. Once the haunt of communist bigwigs from Moscow and other soviet bloc countries, nowadays it’s just a big old department store.
Kreuzberg with its many shops and flea market is the place to browse junk items, second-hand books, and second-hand clothes. For more offbeat items, the second-hand stores and art boutiques around Hackescher Market are the places to go.
Shopping In MunichThe shopping scene in Munich has revamped recently. Modern Munich is a place where you’ll find celebrated brand names and designer goods alongside traditional Bavarian crafts such as beer steins and Tyrolean hats. Hyper modern shopping malls such as the Fьnf Hцfe have given the city an edgy modern glitter. However the old die hards such as Beck and delicatessen Dallmayr and Kafer still attract legions of faithful customers.
Munich downtown’s pedestrian zones are the best places for a shopping adventure. The major one is the Kaufingerstrasse, a two-kilometer pedestrian zone running from the railway station to Marienplatz and north to Odeonsplatz. All the chain stores are located here. For a more interesting shopping experience, the streets around the Marienplatz offer some small stores, while the pedestrian zone between Marienplatz and Karlsplatz offer the famous brand name clothing and shoe outlets. For international luxury items, head for Maximilianstrasse. Celebrated local fashion designer Rudolph Moshammer also showcases his creations here. If you want to escape the Bavarian chill, head for the Olympia Shopping Center in the Northwest of Munich close to the Olympic Stadium. This is Munich’s biggest mall and it features lots of clothes stores, shoe stores, general department stores, drug stores, music shops and food courts.
Schwabing, north of the university is the place to peruse Bavarian antiques. The small shops around the Viktualienmarkt and at Tьrkenstrasse, Theresienstrasse, and Barerstrasse are very interesting and you may get lucky.
The Sunday flea market at Kunstpark Ost is a great place for second hand bargains.
Most stores in Munich are open from 08:00 – 18:30 from Monday to Friday and from 07:00 to 14:00 on Saturdays.

While shopping in Germany might lack the glamour of France or Italy, it can still a great experience both for imported products and local goods. Traditional German buys include porcelain, handicrafts, toys, timepieces, beer steins, nutcrackers and cutlery.
Shopping In BerlinBerlin has long come in from the cold to become a shopping centre for fashion, antiques, furniture and home accessories. Each of Berlin’s districts feature its own shopping zone. The famous Kurfurstendamm (Ku’damm) is home to the clothes shops, boutiques and department stores. All the grand names of fashion and perfume have their outlets here. Friedrichstrasse is home to many of Berlins more elegant outlets. A large branch of the French Galleries Lafayette department store opened here recently. The Unter den Linden is close by which offers a number of boutiques, mainly located between Friedrichstrasse and the Brandenburg Gate.
For more offbeat wares, head for the second-hand stores and art boutiques around Hackescher Markt. Even more exotic is the Turkish ambiance of the Kreuzberg Tьrkenmarkt. Berlin also offers a bunch of flea and antique marketsShopping In MunichShopping in Munich is not cheap but this is offset by the generally high quality. You’ll discover world-famous brand names and designer goods sitting side-by-side with traditional Bavarian craftsMunich has undergone something of a shopping renaissance in recent years. Such state of the art upscale malls as the Fьnf Hцfe have graced the local shopping scene. Then there are the old die hards such as Beck and delicatessen Dallmayr and Kafer.
The premier shopping artery of Munich is Kaufingerstrasse, a two kilometer pedestrian zone extending from the railway station to Marienplatz and north to Odeonsplatz. Here you’ll find every major international chain store but the maze of streets running off Kaufingerstrasse offers a more intriguing selection of shops. For even more colour, explore the Greek and Turkish stores found on Goethestrasse and Schillerstrasse. Maximilianstrasse is the center for international luxury items together with the creations of Rudolph Moshammer, a home-grown fashion designer. Residenzstrasse and Theatinerstrasse also boast fine arrays of stores.
For more offbeat items, head to Schwabing, north of the university. You can peruse Bavarian antiques in the small shops clustered around the Viktualienmarkt and at Tьrkenstrasse, Theresienstrasse, and Barerstrasse.
Then the Sunday flea market at Kunstpark Ost is a great place for used bargains.
Most stores in Munich open from 08:00 – 18:30 from Monday to Friday and from 07:00 to 14:00 on Saturdays.

France offers you an enormous choice of goods, but the quintessential French purchase is clothing, especially designer fashions. If you’re on a budget, window shop at the great fashion houses to get a feel of what you want. Then head for the markets and budget shops to do your actual shopping.
Shopping In Paris Paris is divided into quarters or arrondissements, each with its own shopping opportunities. Marais is the place for elegance, St-Germain for international fashion brands and Montmartre is dripping with romance.
Paris is of course home to the large French department stores, les grands magasins such as Galeries Lafayette and Printemps and you can spend whole days browsing them. But the sheer joy of shopping in Paris comes from visiting the galleries or passages, the 19th-century glass-roofed shopping arcades that just ooze charm and transform rainy days into shopping adventures.
Bear in mind that most stores in Paris close on Sundays which gives you the opportunity to explore one of the city’s many flea markets.
Shopping In Bordeaux Few people outside Europe realise what a shopper’s paradise Bordeaux truly is. There are some of the world’s most popular brand names on parade here: Cartier, Hermes, Louis Vuitton, Mont Blanc, Christian Lacroix, Rolex and Tartine et Chocolat.
The pinnacle of shopping in Bordeaux is the Golden Triangle of the Allйes de Tourny, the Cours de l’Intendance and the Cours Clemenceau. This triangle contains the Place des Grands-Hommes, home to the city’s most prestigious shops vending everything from foodstuffs the latest fashions.
You don’t have to shell out your last dollar on upscale designer shops, however. There are plenty of cheaper French chain stores here for you to choose from along with countless locally-owned boutiques where you can get something special at a reasonable price.
And of course don’t forget the wine. The whole Bordeaux region offer their local vintages for sale by the case and at very favorable prices.

Shopping In FranceFew people give shopping the same energy, enthusiasm and thought as the French. Whether it’s a trip to the market for lunch ingredients or to an elegant boutique for a new evening gown, they give it their all. For you to truly enjoy the French shopping scene have to do the same.
France is home to a multitude of grand department stores, chain stores, small boutiques and flea markets. But a new concept in French shopping is the parapharmacie. It’s a mixture of chemist shop, health-care store, and beauty product vendor. Factory outlets are also becoming very popular selling off discounted items in boutique-like shops. Shopping In ParisIt’s easy to spend all your time in Paris browsing at the boutiques and chain stores but for a real Paris shopping experience, you really have to head to the flea markets of which Paris has three. The former haven of gypsies and hustlers, Paris’s flea markets of Paris are visited by everyone in search of a bargain and a lucky find.
The flea market at Porte de Montreuil is one of the cheaper ones. It specialises in old garments, furniture and other household objects. Porte de Vanves flea market sells a bit of everything. The flea market at Saint-Ouen / Porte de Clignancourt is the most celebrated and is often just referred to as the Paris Flea Market. This is the best place to buy antiques. It’s location in a low-rent area so costs are low. Plus it’s a cash only business. This makes it a great place to pick up a bargain but you really need to know what you’re doing.
Flea markets are best visited in the morning when they’re quieter and have more goods available. Shopping In Nice Nice is a haven for the jet set and the well-heeled tourist, and the shops, boutiques and markets are ready to cater for them. The heart of chic shopping in Nice is rue Paradis is a pedestrianised road running north-south linking Place Magenta with Avenue de Verdun. All the luxury designer and jewellery shops are located here making it a window shoppers’ paradise.
For a more relaxed outdoor shopping atmosphere head for the Cours Soleya market in the old town of Nice. This colourful pedestrian district is a favourite meeting place for locals. The streets are lined with stalls and terraced cafes and restaurants. Tuesday to Sunday sees the flower market and fruit and vegetable market, and there’s an antiques fair on Mondays. On summer evenings there’s a nightly arts and crafts market catering mainly for tourists. Other markets worth visiting in Nice include the Marchй aux Fleurs flower market and Marchй а la Brocante, the main flea market. Another flea market at place Robilante on the port opens from Tuesday to Saturday from 9am to 6pm.

France is renowned as a shopping city but you have to choose your times well. Shop hours are Monday to Saturday from 10am to 7pm. Many small shops close for a two-hour lunch break. Thursday is the best time for late-night shopping. Many stores stay open until 9 or 10pm. Sunday shopping is generally limited to tourist areas and flea markets.
Shopping In Paris If you want an authentic Paris shopping experience, you need to get away from the elegant outlets on the grand boulevards and to head to the flea markets. Paris has three main flea markets. Once haunted mainly by rogues and gypsies, the flea markets of Paris are now popular with everyone and a good place to look for bargains and serendipitous finds.
The first of the three main Paris flea markets is in Porte de Montreuil. This is one of the cheaper flea markets. It mainly hawks old clothes, furniture and other household items. The second is in Porte de Vanves which sells a wide range of bric-a-brac. The last one is located in Saint-Ouen / Porte de Clignancourt. This is the most famous and often simply known as the Paris Flea Market.
It’s best to visit flea markets in the morning. They’re quieter and there’s more to buy. The Paris Flea Market is the place to buy antiques. It is located in a working-class district so rents are low and also is a cash-driven business. So costs are low and so are the prices. Shopping In Nice Nice has its share of the affluent, both residents and visitors. So there’s no shortage of shops catering for the jet set.
Nice is a delightful city for a shopping stroll. You can browse the boutiques along pedestrianised rue Massena, place Magenta, avenue Jean-Mйdecin, rue de Verdun, and rue Paradis. This is mainly the preserve of high-end chain stores along with a few shoe shops, boutiques and restaurants. Pick up your Sonia Rykiel, Giorgio Armani and Louis Vuitton items here.
When you have over indulged with designer fashions, and in the mood for some arts and crafts, Atelier Contre-Jour at 3 rue du Pont Vieux is the place to go. It offers painted-wood handicraft items such as picture frames, painted furniture, and silk lampshades. Plus, many artists have their studios and galleries in the side streets of the old town near the cathedral.
Nice is also famed for street markets. There’s the Marchй aux Fleurs flower market, Marchй а la Brocante, the main flea market. Another flea market at place Robilante on the port opens Tuesday to Saturday between 9am and 6pm. The summer months sees a nightly arts and crafts market on cours Saleya catering mainly for tourists.

Most of the time, I really hate shopping. I don’t even like to shop for a bottle of milk. But, in Bangkok, I find myself shopping almost every day.
When I first arrive in Bangkok, I go shopping to fill up my refrigerator. Even though it is fully stocked, I tell the concierge to empty it. I like to stock it with cheaper items from the local 7-11. I have the hotel remove everything except the two free bottles of water and pick up some beer, soda, red bull, and a couple of extra bottles of water I also get some chips and candy.
Since I travel light, I usually go out the first or second day and pick up some shorts and T-shirts. I will also get a few DVD movies to watch back in the hotel room. I have some preferred local toiletries and pick these up too. I really enjoy using Lux shower soap. I usually pick up these few items at one of the many street vendors on Sukhumvit Road. Never accept the first price. Always bargain and don’t be afraid to walk away if they don’t meet your price. Walking away may drop the price drastically. If not, walk 10 feet and you will see the same items.
I make it a point to go to Pantip Plaza to check out the latest in electronics. This is a five-story electronics heaven. I may or may not pick up an unlocked, tri-band cell phone that I can use in Thailand and also back in America. I will also take a look at the latest in pirated software and Thai movies. I enjoy Thai music so I will buy some CD’s, MP3’s and videos. Hardware is not really a bargain in Thailand, so I don’t bother looking at PCs or laptops.
My favorite place to shop is at the flea market. In Thai, this is called talat naht. It is open daily and may be in the Guinness Book as largest open air market in the world. It is called Chatuchak or JJ market and it is open at about eight in the morning and I try to get there by nine. If I am early, I will just grab a bite to eat at one of the many street vendors.
You will want to arrive early and complete your shopping by about eleven o’clock. Otherwise it will be way too hot. Shopping under all those canvas tarps in close quarters can be extremely hot. Make sure you bring a bottle of water or buy when at the market.
Most of the items are 99 or 199 Baht. This works out to about three US dollars or six US dollars. This is the place I buy most of the clothes I want for me and for my family and friends. You can also find clothes for less than that. I have gotten many outfits for my 1-year old granddaughter for about $1.25 per set.
I also pick up some additional Thai music and videos. The vendors will have stereos and TV’s set up so that you can hear and see what they are selling. You can also the items to make sure they work. Prices for videos and music are about 3 dollars per CD.
It seems like you are always buying something just walking around Bangkok. I can be out going to dinner or to a bar, and I will see something that catches my eye and I buy it. Vendors also sell their wares while you are eating or drinking. They can be pests but every once in a while I will see something that I want to buy.
Bangkok seems like it is one giant flea market. Shops are everywhere, vendors are located every 10 feet, and malls are popping up all over the city. Large outlets are also available in Bangkok, but I prefer the smaller places where I can still use my bargaining skills.
So, even if you are like me and absolutely hate shopping, you will find that you will be shopping daily in Bangkok and actually enjoying yourself. Maybe it is because of how cheap all the goodies are.

Shopping in Australia is a laid back experience as you’d expect from a country whose unofficial motto is ‘no worries’. Except for markets and some smaller shops, prices in Australia are fixed so there’s no need to bargain. You’ll find most items labeled with a price tag. A 10% Goods and Services Tax applies to any purchase made in Australia. Shopping In Sydney Sydney’s shopping outlets run the gamut from international icons such as Tiffany’s to street markets and homegrown, uniquely-Australian entities such as those showcasing Aboriginal arts and crafts.
Most downtown department stores, arcades, malls and boutiques lie on George Street and around Pitt Street Mall, Castlereagh Street and King Street. Especially noteworthy is the huge, historic Queen Victoria Building (QVB) which offers many floors of shopping delights. The suburbs have their own shopping enclaves such as Warringah Mall. Meanwhile in Newtown and Glebe you’ll find intriguing shops selling an amazing range of knick knacks.
One pointer, if you’re buying Aussie knick knacks, check the label. You may well find that your stuffed koala is imported from China and your authentic didgeridoo was made in Taiwan.
Shopping In Melbourne Melbourne is now firmly ensconced as Australia’s capital of fashion. Boutiques on High Street and Toorak Road among others showcase the latest collections from up and coming Aussie designers. But for that unique experience, you should head for the markets. Melbourne offers a host of markets, the most prestigious being the Queen Victoria Market on Victoria Street. Once reserved for sales of foodstuffs, nowadays you can get almost anything there. Shopping In Perth With its pedestrian-friendly center, traffic-free malls, and many quaint arcades, Perth is a real shopper’s delight. Downtown Perth is home to the chain stores. They’re mainly in the malls located on the parallel Hay and Murray Streets and in the labyrinth of arcades that link them. For the latest offerings by young Aussie designers, visit the Colonnade shopping center on Hay Street. If you’re looking for the more main stream designer brands, head to nearby King Street.
For a more ’boutique’ experience, spend some time at Subiaco, affectionately known as Subi. Here you can spend a pleasant time browsing the chic boutiques, antiques shops, art galleries, cafes and markets. Perth’s jewelers showcase creations crafted from opals, Argyle diamonds, and pearls farmed from Broome.
Perth is also a great place to pick up Aboriginal arts and crafts. King Street and Subiaco are home to some fine crafts shops such as Creative Native and Indegenart.

The Australian shopping experience offers a vast range of both imported and locally-made goods.
Local products include the inevitable toy koalas, kangaroos and wombats. But many local fashion designers are making names for themselves. In tune with the laid back ‘Down Under’ lifestyle, Aussie designs tend to be more casual and comfortable than those from Europe. Notable local brands include Sass and Bide, Carla Zampatti, Jag, and Adele Palmer.
Locally-mined opals are one of the best buys in Australia but you really need to know what you’re doing when shopping for any kind of gemstone.
And of course if you’re after serious Aboriginal art or just a boomerang or didgeridoo, Australia’s the place to go.
Shopping In SydneyDowntown Sydney is home to the standard retails outlets. For department stores, the two major names are David Jones and Myer. David Jones is the largest, selling goods ranging from the latest fashions to designer furniture.
For more individual wares you have to head to Paddington, Glebe and Newtown, home to distinctive boutiques showcasing the threads of local designers, along with jumble shops and markets for penny-pinchers. Oxford Street is the domain of myriad fashionable clothing outlets featuring the creations of the city’s most avant-garde designers. A must visit is the Queen Victoria Building which houses a delightful Victorian shopping arcade offering four levels of male and female fashion items in 200 boutiques.
Shopping In MelbourneMelbourne is acknowledged to be Australia’s shopping capital. It is home to grand fashion houses, department stores, fascinating souvenir shops, and glorious arcades.
The arcades are one of Melbourne’s treasures. The finest is the Block Arcade home to over 30 businesses such as the historic Hopetoun Tearooms. Another gem is the Royal Arcade and don’t miss the massive Melbourne Central shopping complex between Latrobe and Lonsdale streets.
Other Melbourne shopping attractions include South Yarra featuring Australian fashions, and Toorak Road for high-priced, brand names such as Gucci.
For the more thrifty shopper, head to one of the thousands of retail shops and factory outlets. They’re spread around Melbourne especially on Bridge Road and Swan Street. Here you can pick up designer clothes, perhaps last season’s top picks, for just pennies on the dollar. Shopping In BrisbaneAustralia’s third-largest city boasts a broad array of shopping outlets gracing its tropical landscape. Brisbane’s shopping scene is centered on Queen Street Mall which houses around 500 retail outlets. Queensland’s own fashion creations are on sale at the Brisbane Arcade. The nearby Broadway on the Mall and MacArthur Central offer a wide range of gifts and accessories and designer labels and Swiss watches.
But for an authentic Brisbane shopping scene, you have to head to one of the city’s many markets. Valley Markets is the place for alternative and retro fashion. It’s open on weekends from 8 am to 4 pm On Friday nights, the South Bank Art and Craft Markets come to life with its stocks of handicrafts.

Have your sit on a chair of a street portraits artist and get your fun profile in just seconds!! Close by Campo de Fiori will entertain your evening with outside cafй and bars where you can enjoy fresh beers, cool drinks and meet a lot of young people!If you feel like shopping we do not recommend Piazza di Spagna and the adjacent streets running off. Shopping there could be frustrating if you do not have much money to spend and also why spending so much for any top fashion pocket or key holder while you can buy a load of things with the same amount of money?? Think better and consider these places also: Piazza Navona, Campo de Fiori, Trastevere and surrounding streets are full of very nice and original shops ( from book shop –see the Almost corner book shop located in Trastevere, Via del Moro, 45; ph: 06 583 6942 or The Lion Bookshop and cafи in Via dei Greci, 33/36-; clothing shops, gourmet shops, toy shops, etc..) or, close to Piazza di Spagna, Via del Corso offers a variety of megastores that sell everything from leather goods to athletic wear and casual clothing.
For antiques see Via Margutta. For chocolate specialties try the tiny Neopolitan chocolate shop that sells delicious chocolates in a charming interior. We would also recommend some open air markets or flee markets in Rome. For example, in Piazza Campo de’ Fiori every morning you can enjoy one of the most picturesque market made up of fruit, vegetable and flower stalls.. There you can ask a ‘caffи al vetro’ (served on a tiny glass) just to fell like a local (any time of the day is fine) and ask for some ‘panna’ on top . You will be ready to sit and cherish some time looking at the people passing by.
Another authentic flee market is in Via Sannio, 8-13 (Mon-Fri; 8-1pm; 8-6pm on Sat): there you can still find seventies and eighties hippy clothes.
Another market is in Piazza Testaccio where you can find excellent objects on sale at reasonable prices. At Porta Portese market every Sunday is a tresure hunt: they sell just about everything in a stylish organised disorder from clothes to shoes, furniture, bijoux, plants, piece of furniture, Russian cameras, posters.. Watch out fro your oods while there. Many rubber are just waiting for innocent tourist So, every Sunday in Via Portuense and Via Nievo from 6.30-2pm!!If you have a passion for antiques a market fro you is held at Ponte Milvio along the banks of the river Tiber on the first weekend of every month. Myriad of stands specialized in antiques and collectors items. How to reach Rome? Well, beside the 2 airports (now served by Ryanair) the cheapest way would probably be by train especially if you are a backpacker minding his budget, right?Most trains travelling to Rome from other Italian cities and Europe terminate in Termini Station (ph:06 4775). It is right in the middle of the city centre. (National train tickets: ph: 06 47306250). If you arrive by night, do not worry: the area has plenty of youth accommodation to offer as hostels for backpackers, youth hostels for students and families and so on. If you travel with a laptop, or you are in a internet cafй the better thing (instead of knocking several doors for a hostel bed night) would probably booking directly online with a credit card. There are many bookers that provide cheap accommodation in hostels in Rome: among the others we mention Flashbooking.com.
While in Rome consider travelling by public transports as metro andBuses (ATAC; Ph:06 4695 4444):easy to use and quite cheap. There are 200 different bus routes that criss-cross Rome from 5.30 am to midnight. Fast or express lines, electrical buses, night buses, disabled buses. Buy single, 75-minute multi-journey ticket (1Ђ) or a day pass (4Ђ) from automatic ATAC machines or tabacchi. Stamp upon boarding. All bus routes state clearly on the front where they are going.

Sharm-El-Sheikh, popularly only “Sharm”, is located at the southern tip of Sinai Peninsula, Egypt. It is situated on a narrow coastal strip between the Red Sea and Mount Sinai where the Reef meets the mountains and Desert compliments the Red Sea. Sharm-El-Sheikh enjoys year round dry and bracing climate; the average temperature ranges from 80˚F high to 69˚F low. Due to its enchanting landscape, temperate climate and stretches of long natural beaches along the clear, calm water, Sharm-El-Sheikh has become a very popular tourist destination. The 250 different coral reefs and 1000 species of fish among other marine life are unmatched anywhere in the world and they offer a thrilling and challenging time to divers. Various watersports, particularly recreational scuba diving and snorkeling available here are considered to be among the best in the world. Sharm-El-Sheikh, is easily approached from the Sharm-El-Sheikh International Airport, has become one of the most famous, yet expensive tourist destinations. There are many tourist attractions here.
Na’ama Bay is the most popular resort in Sharm-El-Sheikh and offers numerous activities, live entertainment, restaurants, cafйs, bars, dive shops, casinos, shopping, underwater photography and other attractions. From here make a visit to the Sinai Desert and enjoy excellent Bedouin cuisine. Om El Seed Hill has a spectacular beach with sea reefs ideal for relaxing and swimming.
Ras Mohammed, located south of Sharm-El-Sheikh, is an underwater National park. Experienced divers find delight in the amazing reefs. The Red Sea offers opportunities for snorkeling and if you don’t snorkel or dive, take a tour in a glass-bottomed boat to get a glimpse of the Red Sea coral reefs & marine life. There are beautiful reefs in Shark’s Bay and Ras Um Sid, located next to the lighthouse and the beach here attracts a lot of crowd. A visit to the Aqualand waterpark, built as a replica of the famous Abu Simble Temple with pharonic statues, is an experience you must not miss. From the resort, approximately a 3-hour drive away, is Mt. Saint Catherine Monastery built in 542 AD. You must visit Mt. Moses, “Moses’ Well” and the burning bush. You can book a full-day excursion of 157 km drive to discover the awe-inspiring Colored Canyons.
Nightlife here is quite attractive with numerous bars, restaurants, nightclubs and discos that remain open year-round. If you love shopping, Sharm-El-Sheikh mall offers both local and foreign products. The Bedouin Market or “Souk” offers handmade items including garments, jewelry, embroidered bags, camel leather shoes and pottery. Most tourists pay 5-10 inflated prices; however, Old Market can be cheaper, if you bargain. The resort is dotted with many small and 5-star hotels. The well known Hilton Sharks Bay Resort is only a 10 minutes drive from Sharm-El-Sheikh Airport. It provides excellent air-conditioned well appointed accommodation and in-house facilities such as poolside bar, swimming pool, fitness centre, playground and games centre, hair salon, concierge assistance, valet laundry service, and onsite shopping. Separate children’s pool and childcare centre are provided to take care of the children. Since it is set on a private beach in Sharks Bay, guests can enjoy snorkeling, scuba diving and an Arabian experience in the Bedouin tent with shisha pipes, Oriental tea and authentic cuisines. All the surrounding excursion sites are easily accessible from here and the friendly hotel staff willingly makes all necessary arrangements for the excursions.