Travel and tips

And in fact not only Ibiza, but also Majorca, Minorca together with the pine-covered Formentera are very hot destinations during summer.

Although the official language of the Balearic Islands is mainly Catalan, the Castellan Spanish is spoken by the major of the inhabitants and residents. In any case, whether you do not know any word in Spanish nor Catalan, English is very widely understood throughout the Balearic islands.

In Ibiza there are plenty of things to see and to do, whereas cherishing the see and the warm weather is the widely beloved activity. For a nice daily trip there is Es Vedra, a mystical island rock off Ibiza’s west coast, or yo can take the chance to visit nearby Formentera by boat or indulge with your friends in a treasure hunting of new isolated beaches all a long the coast.

If you prefer go shopping there’s a famous Hippy Market held only on Wednesdays on the east coast of the island ( it’s only 42 km at its maximum length). If you rather miss some cultural venues or spots for sure a walk in San Antonio village is a must especially along its renown Passeig de ses Fonts or a visit to Ibiza Town itself. Ibiza is famous for its nightlife but do not expect to find people in pubs and clubs in Ibiza town or San Antonio before 7pm. All people is still indulging in the beach soaking up even the last rays or sleeping off the past night’s drinks. There’s to say that Ibiza’s hotels offer a lot of water sports and activities in their gardens and beaches.

There are many standard hotels along the beaches with green gardens. You will certainly see them with a nice walk along the beach exhibiting their fancy exotic names related to the sea and sun as: Mare nostrum hotel, Lux Mar Hotel, Playa Sol hotel, Sol Bay hotel, Playa Grande hotel, Maritimo hotel, Nautilus hotel, Bossa park hotel or to some Latin male figures from Poseidon hotel, Don Juan hotel to Marco Polo hotel.

As long as tour operators know the clientele of the Balearic, and especially of Ibiza Island, where usually group of friends book their vacation, the hotels have reconsider their accommodation and lodging typology. In fact, they do not only offer standard private rooms but also and more often, family apartments, residence formula with all inclusive or the access to a private kitchen.

They are family friendly and accept children providing families with a lot of services for kids form baby sitting, to mini club , to sport activities with instructors and so on. On last tasty note, we can’t forget to mention some of the typical dishes of Balearic Islands. Usually hotels offer an international cuisine, but don’t forget that part of the travel is also to discover new dishes, to taste a new culture that passes also through some local specialties; ensaimada, a sort of flat, soft pastry coil something like a doughnut – and flao, a sweet cheese and mint flan. Most pastelerias and many bars sell ensaimada whilst flao is a bit more difficult to track down. But you may ask your hotel chef!

They say that travel is about the journey, not just the destination. But if you’ve ever arrived at your destination only to find out that your hotel room is dingy, dirty, and miles from all the action, it’s time to take matters into your own hands.

An increasing number of hotels are positioning themselves to be more than just a place to sleep—they are the action.

You may have heard of the ice hotel in Sweden or even funky spots like the Dog Bark Park in Cottonwood, Idaho … but here are few more unusual hotels to inspire your next trip.

1. To the Lighthouse

Love all things nautical? Then try sleeping in a lighthouse.

 There are actually dozens of lighthouses around the world that welcome overnight guests, but at Brown’s Point Lighthouse in Tacoma, Washington, you get to be the lighthouse keeper.

This 30-foot concrete structure is perched by Commencement Bay and the keeper’s dwelling (at right) was recently restored for overnight stays. Guest participate in the “keeper program,” in which they maintain the lighthouse and hold public tours. This job is designed for at least two people, and six maximum, making it a great educational experience for families. Rates range from $500-$700 per week. 253-927-2536, www.pointsnortheast.org

2. Go Climb a Tree

If it seems like the days of kids clambering up trees and running around outdoors are a thing of the past, skip the sedentary vacations and force them out – and up.

The Cedar Creek Treehouse is a private mountain retreat in the woods of Mt. Rainier, located 50 feet up in a 200-year-old Western Red Cedar tree.

Owner Bill Compher built the treehouse himself, making it large enough to accommodate up to five people.

There’s a bathroom, kitchen and dining area, not to mention skylights and an observatory 100 feet up that offers great views from all around.

Though it’s a safe climb up, kids under 10 are not allowed inside the treehouse. Rates are $250 for two people, and $25 for each additional guest. 360-569-2991, www.cedarcreektreehouse.com

3. All Aboard the Romance Train

To conjure up the romantic days of train travel, why not cozy up inside an actual train car for the night? The Northern Rail Traincar B&B in Two Harbors, Minnesota, is made up of connected rail cars with 18 guest rooms.

The Porter Suite sleeps two and includes a dinette and a private bath for $109-$139.

Located on 160 acres of forested land (about 25 minutes outside of Duluth), you have access to Lake Superior and Gooseberry Falls, plus outdoor activities like hiking and golfing. 877-834-0955; www.northernrail.net

4. Were You Raised in a Barn?

Located on the Puget Sound, just a ferry ride away from Seattle, is a quirky little spot designed for two. The Big Red Barn Getaway is a real barn built in the 1890s which has been renovated into a tiny inn.

You’ll be surrounded by miles of unspoiled nature (and may even catch sight of a Bald Eagle). The historic Victorian seaport of Port Townsend is a 10-minute walk away, and Fort Worden State Park is only two minutes away, with gorgeous beaches and plenty of hiking trails. 360-301-1271, www.BigRedBarnGetaway.com

5. How About a Yurt?

Ever slept in a yurt? Even know what a yurt is?

These round, canvas dwellings were created by Mongolian nomads more than 2,000 years ago; it’s an ingenious structure that sits sturdily on the ground and often can fit several people at once.

Treebones Resort in Big Sur, California, has 16 yurts along the ridge above the Pacific Ocean, four of which can fit families. You’ll have the best ocean-view room in town. Rates are $170-$270 for two to four people, including a waffle breakfast. 877-424-4787, www.treebonesresort.com

6. Batting Around in a Cave

You may not know that there are several underground hotels in Cappadocia, Turkey (a region in the middle of Turkey not too far from Ankara), but the most highly touted one of all is the Gamirasu Cave Hotel, which is located inside a restored, thousand-year-old Byzantine monastic retreat. There are 18 exquisitely adorned rooms, some of which were actually monk cells, which are carved into the cave or built with volcanic rock.

Don’t worry, there is running water. Room rates range from about $110 for a double room to about $500 for a deluxe suite. www.gamirasu.com

7. Digging the Dug-Out

The Australian outback is filled with opal mines and dugouts galore—so dive in and experience one first-hand at the Desert Cave Hotel located within the sandstone of Coober Pedy.

The hotel boasts 19 underground rooms, and about 30 rooms above ground for those who prefer not to live troglodyte-style. Also underground are casinos, shops featuring locally mined opals and Aboriginal arts and crafts. Rooms are about $150 a night, not including meals or a cave tour. www.desertcave.com.au

8. Sleeping in the Pipelines

If you ever wanted to brag that you slept in a drainpipe, read on … Daspark Hotel in Lintz, Austria consists of three concrete drainpipes in the middle of a park.

Inside each one is a teensy room built for two, with a double bed, a lamp, a small storage space, and even power outlets. Food, toilets and showers are all located nearby.

If you’re concerned about sleeping in a public park, rest assured that the drainpipes are all locked with a safety code. And best of all, you get to determine your own rates. www.dasparkhotel.net

9. Sleeping with the Fishes

With both China and Dubai building underwater hotels called the Hydropolis, sleeping under water seems to the wave of the future. China is hoping to have its land-based HydroTower component open by the Olympics, but if you can’t wait until then, visit the Jules Verne Undersea Lodge.

This underwater hotel is actually a research lab in Key Largo, Florida, but regular landlubbers are invited to spend the night. You’ll actually have to scuba dive your way into the hotel, but they’ll give you all the necessary training. An overnight visit costs about $475 and includes diving gear and unlimited dives if you’re certified. 305-451-2353, www.jul.com

10. Doing Time

The new Liberty Hotel in Boston has been making headlines as a former jail-turned-luxury-hotel. After a five-year renovation program that cost upward of $150 million, the Charles Street jail has maintained some precious features that pay homage to its history—such as a restaurant called Clink, and a bar called Alibi housed in the former “drunk tank.”

But if you’re looking for a more, well, authentic prison experience, you’ll have to jet yourself over to Latvia to the Karosta Prison. Located in Liepaja (about three hours west of Riga), this former Soviet detention facility was once known as the “prison that nobody escaped from.”

Today, it welcomes (if that’s the right word) visitors to spend a night for about $16.

Guests play the role of a prisoner, complete with ex-Soviet military guards berating and ordering you around, cold iron beds, and toilets that remain uncomfortably close to their original state. http://www.karostascietums.lv/1/EN/news

By Managing Editor Sarika Chawla for Peter Greenberg.com.

Australia is not just about the city of Sydney and the grandiose Opera House. More than the famous kangaroos, koalas, trackers and the outback, the continent down under actually tops the list of every nature lover’s favorite escape to paradise.

Lismore

Lismore is perfect for those looking for the chance to commune with nature. Because forests are all around and even within the city, avid hikers, trekkers and campers alike would love to immerse in the beauty of nature that is just a few minutes away from the city center.

Credited as the birthplace of ecotourism, Lismore boasts of breathtaking waterfalls and national parks of World Heritage rainforests. Aside from the usual nature adventure, tourists should not miss Organic Tuesday which is a showcase of everything that grows on the fertile volcanic soil that is officially certified organic.

Kununurra

Kununurra is a city no only for a rendezvous with nature but also for inspiration and motivation when everything else seems to go another way. When all else fails and the moral is so down and low, Kununurra and its story is sure to bring back the smile and the determination to make things work.

Literally meaning Meeting of the Big Waters, Kununurra is a relatively new town in Australia. Contrary to most places which grew from small communities that gradually evolved into towns and cities and on the process developed a rich backdrop of culture and tradition, the city traces its history only a few decades back to the creation of the Great Ord River Irrigation. The town was created, in the truest sense of the word, with the purpose of being the service town for laborers and farmers that were implanted to the area during the construction of the dam and the irrigation system.

Sitting on arid lands, Australian government did not just resign to the fact that agriculture would not be feasible in the Western region. They then determined to challenge the adversities offered by nature. Aside from the dam, they also factually created two man-made lakes to ensure that farmlands they aim to develop would never go dry. True enough, what used to be hot and warm landscape of barren lands, Kununurra now features croplands and greeneries as far as the eyes could see.

Indeed, Australia never fails to keep surprising her visitors. Lismore and Kununurra are delightful desserts after a hearty serving of a taste of life in the outback.

Yellowstone was made as national park in March of 1872. Yellowstone is mainly located in Wyoming though parts of the park are in Montana and Idaho. The park is widely known for the geothermal activity and the wildlife that use the park as their homes. Yellowstone Park is made up approximately 80% forest and the rest of the land area is grassland. The park is larger than Rhode Island and Delaware combined together.

Yellowstone National Park covers an area of about 3,472 square miles. This area is made up of lakes, canyons, mountain ranges, and rivers. Yellowstone Lake is one of the highest altitude lakes. The lake’s elevation is 7,733 above sea level. The lake is approximately 87,040 acres in all and is close to 400 hundred feet deep. It also has around 110 miles of shore line for vacationers and wild life to enjoy. It’s centered on top of the largest super volcano on the continent called the Yellowstone Caldera. The volcano is considered to be active because of the several eruptions over the last two million years. Approximately half of the world’s geothermal energy is located in Yellowstone because of the ongoing volcanic activity. Yellowstone is covered with lava rock from lava flows that happened hundreds of year ago.

The Continental Divide runs through the southwestern part of the park. This is a topographic feature that separates the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans water drainage. Some of the rivers origins such as Yellowstone and Snake rivers are near each other but due to the divide the Snake River drains into the Pacific Ocean while the Yellowstone River drains into the Atlantic Ocean thru the Gulf of Mexico.

Yellowstone National Park sits in the Yellowstone Plateau region and it surrounded by mountain ranges on all four sides. The altitude of the park is around 8,000 feet above sea level. The surrounding mountain ranges elevation is anywhere from 9,000 feet to 11,000 feet above sea level. The most visited and prominent mountain peak in the park is Mount Washburn that sits at 10, 243 feet above sea level.

Yellowstone National park is thought to be one of the few remaining intact eco systems other than in the state of Alaska. The land is virtually untouched by commercialization and with pristine land for the animals to thrive on is a perfect habitat. There are still inhabitants that lived in the region when first explored by white exploration teams.