Phuket is Thailand’s largest island, and is approximately the size of Singapore. Phuket nestles in balmy Andaman Sea waters on Thailand’s Indian Ocean coast-line 867 kilometers south of Bangkok.

Phuket is an island connected by bridges to southern Thailand’s Andaman Sea coast, in the Indian Ocean, lying between 7′ 45 and 8′ 15 north latitude, and from 98′ 15 to 98′ 40 west longitude on the map. Thailand’s largest island, Phuket is surrounded by 32 smaller islands that form part of the same administration, with a total area of 570 square kilometers. Measured at its widest point, Phuket is 21.3 kilometers; at its longest, 48.7 kilometers. It is bounded thus:

About 70 percent of Phuket is mountainous; a western range runs from north to south from which smaller branches derive. The highest peak is Mai Tao Sip Song, or Twelve Canes, at 529 meters, which lies within the boundaries of Tambon Patong, Kathu District (no roads go there yet). The remaining 30 percent of the island, mainly in the center and south, is formed by low plains. Streams include the Klong Bang Yai, Klong Ta Jin, Klong Ta Rua, and Klong Bang Rohng, none of which is large.

History of Phuket

Phuket Island has a long recorded history, and remanins dating back to A.D.1025 indicate that the island’s present day name derives in meaning from the Tamil manikram, or crystal mountain. For most of history, however, it was known as Junk Ceylon, which, with variations, is the name found on old maps. The name is thought to have its roots in Ptolemy’s Geographia, written by the Alexadrian geographer in the Third Century A.D. He mentioned that in making a trip from Suwannapum to the Malay Peninsula it was necessary to pass the cape of Jang Si Lang.

Phuket was a way station on the route between India and China where seafarers stopped to shelter. The island appears to have been part of the Shivite empire (called in Thai the Tam Porn Ling) that established itself on the Malay Peninsula during the first Millenium A.D. Later, as Muang Takua-Talang, it was part of the Srivichai and Siri Tahm empires. Governed as the eleventh in a constellation of twelve cities, Phuket’s emblem, by which it was known to others in those largely pre-literate times, was the dog.

During the Sukothai Period Phuket was associated with Takua Pah in what is now Phang-nga Province, another area with vast tin reserves. The Dutch established a trading post during the Ayuthaya Period in the 16th Cent. The island’s northern and central regions then were governed by the Thais, and the southern and western parts were given over to the tin trade, a concession in the hands of foreigners.

After Ayuthaya was sacked by the Burmese in 1767 there was a short interregnum in Thailand, ended by King Taksin, who drove out the Burmese and re-unified the country. The Burmese, however, were anxious to return to the offensive. They outfitted a fleet to raid the southern provinces, and carry off the populations to slavery in Burma. This led to Phuket’s most memorable historic event. A passing sea captain, Francis Light, sent word that the Burmese were en route to attack. Forces in Phuket were assembled led by the two heroines, Kunying Jan, wife of Phuket’s recently deceased governor, and her sister Mook. After a month’s siege the Burmese were forced to depart on 13 March, 1785. Kunying Jan and her sister were credited with the successful defense.

In recognition King Rama I bestowed upon Kunying Jan the honorific Thao Thep Kasatri, a title of nobility usually reserved for royalty, by which she is known today. Her sister became Thao Sri Suntorn.

During the Nineteenth Century Chinese immigrants arrived in such numbers to work the tin mines that the ethnic character of the island’s interior became predominantly Chinese, while the coastal settlements remained populated chiefly by Muslim fishermen.

In Rama V’s reign, Phuket became the administration center of a group of tin mining provinces called Monton Phuket, and in 1933 with the change in government from absolute monarchy to a parliamentary system, the island was established as a province by itself.

Boundaries

On the North Is the Pak Prah Strait, spanned by two bridges running side-by-side, the older Sarasin Bridge, and the newer Thao Thep Krasatri Bridge. On the South Is the Andaman Sea. On the East Is Ao Phang-nga Bay (In the Jurisdiction mainly of Phang-nga Province). On the West Is the Andaman Sea.

Climate

Phuket’s weather conditions are dominated by monsoon winds that blow year round. It is therefore always and humid. There are two distinct seasons, rainy and dry. The rainy season begins in May and lasts till October, during which the monsoon blows from the southwest. The dry season is from November through April, when the monsoon comes from the northeast. Highest average temperatures, at 33.4 degrees Celsius, prevail during March. Lowest averages occur in January, when nightly lows dip to 22 degrees Celsius.

Transportation

By Car

Take Route 4 from Bangkok south. Along the way pass the provinces of Nakorn Pathom, Ratchburi, Petchburi, Prajuab-Kirikan, and at Chumporn go right to Ranong, From Ranong, go south through Kraburi and Kah-Perr districts to Phang-nga Province. In Phang-nga the road passes through Kuraburi, Takua Pa, and Takua Tung districts before reaching the town of Kok Kloy, just beyond which is the Tao Thep Krasatri Bridge and Phuket. Distance is 867 kilometers.

Both air-conditioned and non-air-conditioned buses leave the Southern Bus Terminal in Bangkok daily. For details call the individual bus companies: Borisat Kohn Sohng Jumkat Phuket Transport Co, Ltd., in Bangkok tel. (02) 4351200, or in Phuket (076) 211480

By Air

Details about flights to and from Phuket International Airport can be obtained from Thai Airway, in Bangkok Tel. (02) 2800070,2800080, or in Phuket (076) 211195, 212499, 212946 or from travel agents around the world. There are also many regular and chartered flights from other airlines.

By Sea

The Deep Sea Port (Port of Phuket) at Phuket is visited by both cargo and cruise ship from Thailand and from abroad. Contact your travel agent for information about the may different ships that stop at Phuket.

More detail

http://www.gosouththai.com/phuket/e-index.asp

Chan Phoondee

Web Director

http://www.GoSouthThai.com

New York City is a city of spirit, heart and hard to decide for travel, even in the face of disaster. Home to such riches as the Statue of Liberty, 5th Avenue boutiques; the famous Broadway stages and the breathtaking Met, the Empire State Building, Central Park,

New York is one of the best tourist places in the world and in USA as well. Being the most excellent tourist spot the city New York has top rated hotels in USA providing range of facilities & various type of hotels, well-located, the finest amenities & services that make you feel at home away from home.

In most of the cases specially while traveling to major cities & tourist places & attractions, the hotels close to New York City and near to any major & crowed attraction, the more money you can expect to pay to the hotel. Here you have the option to choose a low cost hotel in New York. One of the best option to save money is the stay with the hotel little far from the city like not in any posh area and try if you can manage with 2-3 star rating hotel in New York city. This will just save money for you.

As far as the shopping areas are concern a number of shopping centers you can find around any hotel you choose to stay in New York, but here again you can look for the cheap & better shopping places little far from the hotel.

We should always try to save money in all protocol while traveling to any city in any country and because sometime New York goes very expensive in seasons so this would be a good idea to choose the better place to travel with discounted cost if possible. Instead of paying more money to guide or travel agent try to use the direct services from the hotel like book your hotel online and try to contact local person for more information, to find out the best shopping area, attractions and all you want. Stay in a comfortable hotel with low cost and for shopping you can choose some less crowed region, for travel you can select the city bus for New York city travel, and off course try to keep your money safe although the crime rate is not high in New York but still when you are saving money this is very important to keep this safe for future travel or for next visit to New York City.

About Author ? New York Hotels New York is an online hotel booking center for New York Hotels where you can find the available hotels in the city and can book directly as per your travel dates. You can save big money here if booking online. Its very simple to search and Book. Don?t pay additional money to your local or new york travel agent, but book directly and save up to 50% money.

http://www.new-york-hotels-newyork.com

Aruba is an island along the Caribbean Sea, situated north of Paraguana Peninsula, Falcon State and Venezuela. It belongs to the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Unique among other lands in the Caribbean region, Aruba has a dry climate. This difference is actually welcomed by tourists, though, as they can always expect consistently warm and sunny weather.

History

The island of Aruba was discovered in 1499 during a Spanish expedition, and was eventually seized by the Dutch in 1636. The historical significance of Aruba became obvious during the time it experienced an economic boom that affected world economy. There were a number of separate incidents involving this. During the 19th century, the gold rush was at its peak, which led to opening of an oil refinery in 1924. During the recent decades, tourism has also grown by leaps and bounds.

On January 1, 1986, Aruba became a self-governing member of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Although there was a campaign for the island to gain full independence, activity was stopped in 1996, as requested by Aruba six years before..

Politics

Aruba maintains its own laws, constitution, government and currency but relies on the Kingdom of the Netherlands for national defense, citizenship, foreign affairs and extraditions. Aruba is represented by a governor who is in term for six years. The head of state is the Prime Minister, who is under the executive branch of the Netherlands.

Geography

Aruba is generally flat. It does not have any rivers, and it is recognized worldwide for its white sandy beaches. The beaches are located in the western and southern coasts of the island. The weather conditions are very stable, which is very attractive to tourists. The temperature is consistent, and stays at an average of 82 degrees Fahrenheit or 28 degrees Celsius. Rainfall does not exceed 20 inches all year round.

Economy

The standard of living in Aruba is the highest in the Caribbean region, with a very low poverty and unemployment rating. The most important contributor to the local economy is the tourism industry . Before the rise in tourism, oil processing was the driver of the island?s economy.

Aruba provides detailed information on Aruba, Aruba Vacations, Aruba Hotels, Aruba Weather and more. Aruba is affiliated with History of Argentina.

How to Get Around:

The best way to see the Old City of Jerusalem is by walking the narrow, ancient alleyways that twist and turns like a maze. Parts of the Old City like the Shouk (market) where the hustle and bustle crushes around you amid the presence of the past is pedestrianised.

The Church of the Holy Sepulcher

The Via Dolorosa ends here, at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. Like most of the Old City, it is located within a small courtyard in front and the neighboring buildings built of Jerusalem stone. The dome of the church next to the spire of a minaret, the call to prayer echoing through the ancient alley ways. Inside the church, the place has been divided up among several Christian sects who jealously guard their piece of space.

This spot, the highest in the Old City, has been a sacred site since the Romans built their temple to Venus, and there have been several churches here, beginning with the one Constantine put up, followed by another constructed by the Crusaders. It’s been added onto since then, but it remains a square Gothic creation with vast ceilings and huge columns supporting it.

The volume of tourists is almost the same as in the shouk. Here, Christ was nailed to the cross. Herded down another set of stairs, past the slab of rock where his body was washed and, finally, a few feet away, the Holy Sepulcher itself. Everything is covered in gold and tapestries.

Towards the back of the church are cool, calm, softly lit corridors, open onto small chapels. You can sense the aroma from centuries gone by and the dampness in the air.

Dome of the Rock

The Dome of the Rock is located above the Wailing Wall on the old Temple Mount (Haram esh-Sharif, in Arabic).

There is no commercialism here. In fact, you leave all your belongings outside: shoes, purses, cameras, money, and passports.

Under the huge gold dome, is the quiet and peace of a place that exudes spiritualism. Men (and women, separately) quietly go about their devotions. People speak softly, nobody sells postcards or candles, and no one takes photographs. What light there is shines down from stained glass windows into the dome, onto a chunk of bare rock bordered by an elaborately carved wooden screen. It was here that Abraham was prepared to sacrifice his son, and here Mohammed is said to have ascended to heaven on his horse. The horse’s hoof prints are supposed to be visible in the stone.

No matter what your beliefs, this is a unique place and nobody should miss out on an opportunity to visit it.

Shrine of the Book

This is a must see. The Dead Sea Scrolls are housed here. You walk down a sloping tunnel into the underground building that could double as a movie set for a Sci-Fi flick. The long halls are lined with glass-fronted recesses. Inside are various ancient scrolls found in the caves around Ein Gedi and range from dispatches from Bar Kochba to his troops during his uprising against Rome in 132 C.E. to even earlier documents, including legal papers relating to lawsuits, property deeds and loans.

Not until you are underground do you see the Scrolls themselves. The room is round and bi-level with walls of stone slabs like so many of the ancient buildings in the city. Some are just fragments; some seem to be quite complete. Each is perfectly formed letter sits on faint lines drawn for the scribe to follow.

In the deepest part of the Shrine is the spherical window holding the Isaiah scroll, wrapped around an oversized version of the wooden pole a Torah is wrapped around. You can slowly walk around it. What a miracle it is that these fragile pieces of papyrus and parchment have survived for so many thousands of years.

For information on hotels in Israel visit www.hotels-israel-jerusalem.com

Paul Keene has been living in Israel since 1999. His occupation is managing several hotel and travel websites for Israel hotels.

A few years ago the United Nations selected Canada as the # 1 country for quality of life, ahead of the United States and European countries. And if you needed proof of that, anyone who?s lived in Oakville ? for 24 hours or for 70 years ? can provide it. It?s easy to see why Oakville is THE exemplary microcosm of Canada – no two ways about it.

To see is to believe goes the popular saying. Pictures aren?t enough to profile this part of the world effectively. You have to feel Oakville and allow it to creep into your being before you can exclaim, ?ah, but of course!?

Oakville is part of the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) and is a 30-minute drive from downtown. It is a full service urban center but has none of the city pollution and noise that many North American cities are notorious for. You get to enjoy city amenities but with that small town ambience ? a certain quaintness if you will ? because this lakeside community is rich in history.

Where were you in 1827?

This was the year that Oakville was born. Today, it is one of Ontario?s best residential enclaves, and is home to over 260 local and international corporations that take up prominent positions in the automotive, pharmaceutical, technology and aerospace industries ? just a sample of numerous business endeavors that constitute the economic core of Oakville.

What makes it such a prized location? Wholesome neighborhoods and excellent schools are two reasons. The 145,000 residents enjoy a high standard of living (household median income is $86,000.00).

Things to Do

If you?re visiting Oakville for the first time and you?re itching for a round of golf, you have a choice of seven golf courses, one of them the PGA-acclaimed Glen Abbey Golf Course. If you prefer the water over the greens, Oakville has two harbors. And if you simply want to stretch your legs and wander around after a long, drawn-out business meeting, the town has 2,400 acres of park space.

Wives accompanying husbands on business trips have about 400 shops, boutiques and restaurants to while away their time. Bike and hiker trails, some of them in close proximity to Lake Ontario, also abound in Oakville.

If Oakville has a prosperous $80 million tourism industry and receives about 1.4 million visitors annually, that should be a good enough reason to put it on your travel agenda for next summer.

Entertainment and Culture

Oakville is far from a sleepy town. The Oakville Centre for the Performing Arts has a year-round schedule of theatre, dance, music and comedy shows. Do an enlightening tour of the museum in Erchless Estate and take a leisurely stroll in art galleries and historical associations. Or just gaze at the local architecture ? particularly in preservation sites.

Speaking of festivities, there?s wholesome family fun in the annual Waterfront Festival and Festival of Classics and Jazz. And speaking of wholesome, the Oakville Santa Claus Parade will bring color to the bleak winter months: 50 floats, 12 marching bands, mascots and puppets ? and yes, throw in the clowns.

You think you?re too old for Santa? Drop by anyway. When you leave, the assurance that there are very likeable spots left on earth will make you smile.

Places to Stay

Oakville has accommodations to meet every budget. The big name hotels ? Marriott, Park Plaza and the Hilton ? are examples. If you want a home-cooked breakfast and a taste of Oakville hospitality, there are bed and breakfast places as well as camp sites and low-end accommodations.

Holiday Inn Select Oakville 2525 Wyecroft Road Oakville, ON Canada Reservations: 1-800-359-6279

Hilton Garden Inn Oakville 2774 South Sheridan Way Oakville, ON Canada Reservations: 1-800-359-6279

Monte Carlo Inn Oakville Suites 374 South Service Road East Oakville, ON Canada Reservations: 1-800-359-6279

Country Inn Oakville 2930 South Sheridan Way Oakville, ON Canada Reservations: 1-800-359-6279

Oakville Plaza Hotel 360 Oakville Place Drive Oakville, ON Canada Reservations: 1-800-359-6279

Copyright 2006 Jason Seib

Jason Seib has been a resident of the Oakville Ontario area for the last 15 years and runs his own industrial property management firm as well as a local community information and classified ad site http://www.myoakville.net

For a Mediterranean island with good year round weather, a friendly local English speaking population and facilities to rival that of any of her competitors, Malta is a suprisingly often forgotten island for many people planning a holiday in the Mediterranean.

Malta missed some of her own government?s tourist targets in 2005, but a recent visit by Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh resulted in four days of positive media coverage in the island?s most important market ? the United Kingdom ? and also in over 50 other countries attending the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting, including Canada and Australia.

The Queen began her official visit to Malta before she opened the meeting, and was warmly greeted by friendly islanders.

Malta was governed by the British for a hundred and fifty years, and became independent in 1964. But the island has retained many British characteristics, including driving on the left, and British visitors account for nearly half of the island?s tourists.

The George Cross ranks with the Victoria Cross as Britain?s highest award for bravery ? and Malta was awarded the Cross in 1942 by King George VI for the island?s resistance to German attempts to occupy the island, with Malta being under almost constant attack from June 1940.

As well as the challenge of drawing tourists away from other Mediterranean islands like Mallorca and Menorca, Malta has had to face the additional challenge of new holiday destinations in the former Eastern Bloc opening up, such as Bulgaria and Croatia, which tend to be cheaper.

Brighter Future

But where the Maltese tourist board has singularly failed to market the island?s appeal to the mass holiday market with any degree of success in recent years, the Queen?s visit has come at the right time for hotels and holiday companies hoping for a good 2006.

Tribune Properties, a British based company specialising in overseas properties including Malta comment:

?Malta is not a high priority on the list of holiday destinations for many British people compared to the Spanish Costas, Canary and Balearic Islands. The visit of the Queen showed Malta in a very positive light, and hopefully the island?s tourist officials will be able to capitalise on the trip and increase hotel and holiday bookings in the months ahead. Given Malta?s past record of promotion though if 2006 sees an increase in visitors it will be despite of the official promotions, and not because of it.?.

More good news for the Malta holiday industry came in October with the announcement that low cost airlines had been been given the right to fly to the island.

?This will help both the hotel and property industries in Malta? add Tribune. ?With the cost of getting to the island coming down, Malta should see her share of the short stay European holiday market increase substantially, increasing employment locally and benefitting the economy overall?.

Details of property for sale in Malta can be found at http://www.maltaproperty.info

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