Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Travel Deals to India

Travel Deals to India
by: Mandy Chagger

So you want to visit India? Well, good choice: you'll need to access cheap flight India opportunities. Wild tigers, Buddhist Monasteries, the Lotus Temple and the Taj Mahal ' India is a country rich in beauty, culture, color, and sound. The problem, of course, is getting there ' and finding travel tips to India can be done with just a little thought and preparation.

As always when looking for cheap flight India offers, there are a few things to keep in mind. The biggest key to getting discounted airfare is flexibility: off-season, weekday, or after-hours flights will always be cheaper than a Friday afternoon 4:00 flight to Paris. Enter multiple dates when searching for tickets; Monday and Wednesday may be the same to you, but have a hundred-dollar difference to the airline carrier. Flying right around holidays can be difficult, but flying on a holiday ' such as Thanksgiving ' can be a major steal, since the day itself is a slow one for airlines. Being flexible with your route ' for example, stopovers in Bangkok or Taipei ' may also save you money; instead of looking at it as an extra long flight, see it as an opportunity to experience even more places!

Another tactic for saving money and finding a cheap flight India offer is flying in to a major city in India even if it's not where you're ultimately trying to go. Big airports in Bengal or Calcutta will cost a lot less than a private charter plane to Mynokaleesh, and public transport ' such as train, taxi, or jeep ' is relatively cheap. With this method, of course, you have the added benefit of seeing even more of the country ' something no smart traveler would say no to.

India is a fascinating and vibrant country, with a huge span of culture and diversity. Start in the south, perhaps in Calcutta, and make sure you take a guided tour into the heart of the lush jungles. One of the last places where wild tigers, wolves, and elephants still exist, these vine-entangled forests set the scene for Rudyard Kipling's Jungle Book, an author well worth reading
if you are going to his beloved country.

From the south you will want to work up ' and the north is as different from the south as the east is from the west, so much different. Where on one end you find tropical flowers and exotic spices, on the other you are immersed in towering mountains, Himalayan peaks and steaming cups of fresh-picked Darjeeling Tea. The tea, of course, is a facet in itself of Indian culture; everywhere you go vendors selling hot pots of creamy chai will meet you.

India is chosen as a destination by thousands every year, coming for reasons as varied and complex as the country itself. Student backpackers flock to the country for the rich, delicious and inexpensive food, as well as cheap lodging and amazing sights. Older tourists may come for the history, beauty, and architecture, admiring the stunning expanse of the Taj Mahal and Indian Palaces, while others may come for spiritual reasons, giving honour to the ancient traditions of Buddhism and Hinduism that have made India a Mecca for many spiritual seekers. Hikers and Bikers also come, eager to tackle those royal peaks, scaling the Himalayas and looking across to neighbouring Mount Everest.

India is a country of sharp and striking colours; destitute poverty alongside riches and wealth, dirt and grime against silk and beauty, delicious spices mingling their scents with the smell of elephant manure. Not for the weak stomach, India will explode on your palate, your vision, your ears, and your soul. As always when traveling, there are a few things to be careful of: always keep copies of your passport and important documents somewhere other than your wallet, and keep money or valuables strapped close to your body, not on a loose-strung purse or hanging from a backpack. With a few precautions, however, India is both a warm and friendly place, and one of the safest places on the continent to visit.

The food is an experience in itself ' thick breaded naan, spicy mushroom masala, lentil dal, and rich potato somalas will leave you with cravings you may never get rid of. India is unique in its cuisine, specialising of course in heavily spiced dishes fairly exploding with flavor. The exotic quality of the food mingles well with the sights and sounds ' a scitar player sings loudly as he walks down the street, the monkeys screech from the temple, pots and pans jangle noisily on the back of a water buffalo. No matter what your reasons for coming, your experience in India is bound to be more than you expected. Finding a cheap flight to India is more than a quick trip ' it is a discount ticket to a once in a lifetime adventure.

About The Author
Mandy Chagger
Travel deals to India Tel: 08700 490002 or +44 (0)1780 484824 Mon - Fri 9am - 5pm or Sat - Sun 10am - 4pm or visit http://www.jigsawconferences.co.uk/travel/india/cheap-flights-to-india.aspx or for general travel enquiries visit http://www.jigsawconferences.co.uk/travel Our staff are multilingual and very friendly with many years of experience.

Visit Sri Lanka

Ten Spectacular Things To Do When You Visit Sri Lanka
by: Jonathan Williams

Sri Lanka is an intriguing city to visit with its rich history and culture. Like all other countries, it would be a site to behold when one compares it to what you have been used to. There are several things you can see and do in this place to make this an enriching experience.

1.) Yala National Park
This park is also referred to as Ruhunu National Park and can be located in the southeast region of Sri Lanka. One can start enjoying the refreshing sight of the park. You can also stroll in the area while seeing leopards here from a safe distance.

2.) Temple of the Tooth
Here is the temple which houses the tooth believed to have been one of the Buddha’s teeth and is a relic that they guard in the temple. It is a most sacred site to believers which you may care to visit and view. They even have a website for this in case you’re interested to know more about it.

3.) Colombo
The country’s capital is a nice place to be in where you can visit a few museums for a little trip to history. What you can find are the National Museum, Natural History Museum, Dutch Period Museum, and the Bandaranaike Museum. All attest to several aspects of Sri Lankan history that visitors can view and be amazed at.

4.) Art Galleries
Art lovers will find something to talk about when they go and visit the National Art Gallery. You may also find similar viewing pleasure by visiting the Sapumal Foundation and the Lionel Wendt Center. It is good to see and compare some things that may be different from your own culture with those of others and appreciate the things that we see.

5.) Zoo
The Colombo zoo is a delight for the children and their parents, and this can be found on the southern area of the city. It is indeed a fine place to be in with an aquarium and night house to view, and there are also elephant shows you can watch. Are you fond of butterflies? Then, come on and see their butterfly park and a few more animal exhibits, and it’s quite large so give it at least two hours to make the entire rounds.

6.) Festivals in Jaffna
It will not surprise you to see some more temples to visit in this place. It has the Nallur, Selva Sannithi and Ninatheevu temples. Festivals that are religious in nature is something you would also expect from this place, and there’s the Chariot Festival which is a considered a big event in Sri Lanka as well as the Harvest festival obseved every January.

7.) Kinchigune Nature Trail
This trail starts at the Sabaragamuwa University which runs along a forest and river. By following this trail, you can get to see paddy fields, village houses and vegetables, and this is a way to get a tutorial on their agricultural system and sample simple living the Sri Lankan way. You may also come across waterfalls, a few more birds and butterflies to enjoy the hike.

8.) Canoeing
If canoeing happens to be your favorite pastime, then indulge in the Samanalawewa reservoir with its still waters that make this a good activity to try. You can even paddle to the river of Belihul Oya for more adventure. Or you can simply explore the entire reservoir for a relaxing ride in the water.

9.) Bambarakada Falls
This waterfall is a sight to watch because it is found inside a basin-like valley and surrounded by steep rocks and forest filled with tropic and pine tress. It is the highest known waterfalls in Sri Lanka which tumbles down to a height of 240 meters. Waterfalls will remain a favorite spot for tourists because of its sheer beauty.

10.) Galle
You should not miss the temple Kalutara located in this city. It is considered good luck if you come over to the Seenigama temple and offer a donation after murmuring a little prayer. There’s also the Fort where you can walk through especially to view the majestic sunset.

About The Author
Jonathan Williams is the travel writer for Destination Guide TV - the place to share travel videos. Visit http://www.destinationguide.tv/srilanka to view or share Sri Lanka travel videos.