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Thailand is the jewel in the crown of South East Asia, from the exclusive resorts in Phuket to the hippie retreats in Pai it truly offers something for everyone.

Bangkok is the capital and main transport hub for travellers, a bustling cosmopolitan city with a fantastic night life.  Bangkok’s skyscrapers viewed from a rooftop bar on a balmy evening is a special sight!  Many of Thailand’s historic temples are found in Bangkok, including the famous ‘Temple of the Emerald Buddha’, an awe inspiring architectural wonder with the ever-present aroma of burning incense hanging in the air.  The city offers a variety of shopping experiences, from bargaining hard and savouring the best street food in Thailand at the markets, through to rubbing shoulders with the elite fashion connoisseurs at designer boutiques in the famous Bangkok Emporium.

Damnoen Saduak floating neighborhood by Jay Galvin

Northern Thailand, from where the first Thai Kingdom’s arose, has a rich cultural and artistic heritage.  Many of Thailand’s National Parks, with ancient forests and breathtaking mountain scenery are situated in this area, making it a popular destination for trekking.  This can be challenging, but the views are a worthy reward.  Chiang Mai is great to use as a jumping off point for organised treks, many of which include river rafting and elephant riding.  The city has over 300 temples, fantastic night bazaars and exceptional quality handicrafts. The city is one of the best places for experiencing Thai massage, with many modern spas combining traditional techniques with a relaxing, quiet atmosphere.  Massage is one of the many courses available, encompassing everything from Buddhist meditation to high energy Thai boxing!  Plenty to keep even the most industrious traveller occupied.

Main Temple Chang Mai Thailand by Zoutedrop

Further South, several marine National Parks are located and scuba diving in the crystal clear waters, with colourful corals and playful shimmering fish is truly memorable.  The island of Ko Pha-ngan is home to Thailand’s legendary full moon parties, along with stunning white sand beaches and is frequented by the backpacker crowd.  Thailand’s largest island, Phuket is one of South East Asia’s most popular yachting and diving destinations, with exclusive resorts and tranquil palm fringed beaches to relax on.

Fire Twirler @ Koh Pha Ngan by Tim Parkinson

Thailand is a place of wonders, from manmade temples to natural mountains and beaches, around every corner there is a discovery to make, a delicacy to taste or a friendly local happy to talk for hours.

Discover a more modern side of Istanbul in this fabulous travel vlog from Danann Breathnack.

From the cosmopolitan area of Ortakoy, that boasts an atmosphere that has been likened to vibrant buzz that can be found at in London’s Camden Town Market, to the vast expanse of shopping malls that have become the new social meeting place we have a chance to find out what modern Istanbul has to offer visitors.

 
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKrrnS0q8LI&w=560&h=315]
To find out more about the more traditional attractions in Istanbul, check out our earlier post Istanbul – A Tale of Two Continents

OK, this may be a blatant sponsored event, (thanks Redbull) but it is not often that you get to see a couple of guys wakeboarding in the Basilica Cistern, a sunken palace in Istanbul.

Set to some awesome tunes you can see Frederic Von Osten and Dominik Gührs, two of the best wakeboard athletes in the world, performing stunts on the not very deep (just 20cms) waters and avoiding (for the most part) the columns that stand just 4m apart.

Breathtaking shots, and yes, a bit of a faceplant too. Ouch!

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_whONhbqjQ&w=560&h=315]

While you might not be heading to Istanbul to wakeboard in an ancient monument, we do offer extreme sport travel insurance in our Wintersports Travel Insurance policy in case you fancy trying out any other adrenaline fuelled activities!

Famed as the only city to straddle two continents, Istanbul offers a wealth of history and culture that befits its geographical location. As a city that was the capital of four empires (Roman, Byzantine, Latin and Ottoman) history lurks around every corner.

Dennis Jarvis – Bridge connects Europe to Asia. Instanbul, Turkey.

The city has been built on both sides of the glittering Bosphorus, which separates the European side and the Asian side. Most people visit the European side, which is arguably better equipped for the modern traveller, but the Asian side offers a great deal too. The Asian side tends to be described as calmer, with tourists receiving less hassle to buy the many goods that are on sale. Indeed, if you stroll around certain districts you’ll soon be of the opinion that Istanbul is one of the true shopping capitals of the world, with whole streets seemingly devoted to certain items – such as rugs or toys or sauce pans.

Despite eager shop keepers, wherever you go in Istanbul you’re likely to be struck by the friendliness of the locals, all the more surprising given the fact Istanbul has an estimated 13 million inhabitants – depending on which boundaries are used and indeed who you ask.

Untitled by Eric Borda

The must-see attractions of Turkey’s biggest city include Topkapi Palace, Hagia Siphia and the Blue Mosque. The focal point for most tourists is the Sultanahmet area, which boasts all manner of historic buildings, restaurants, cafes and the famous Grand Bazaar.

Get a sense of how epic Istanbul is by taking a boat trip along the Bosphorus, where your vessel will weave its way among the other boats and supertankers that move up and down this immense waterway.

You could easily spend a month in Istanbul and still have plenty left to discover. A truly global city whose friendly inhabitants and chilled out atmosphere will make it very hard to leave.

Untitled by Eric Borda

Tourism in Australia is booming – and it is a gap-year hot spot for many Brits, especially those who have a taste for adventure! If you are thinking of heading to Oz, the number one rule is to make sure that you have your journey planned – especially if you are thinking of heading to the outback, going bushwalking or hope to make the most of the country’s beautiful seas.

We have gathered essential information about visas, passports, health, safety and the law to give you an idea of what you should take care of BEFORE planning your itinerary.

by Annie Mullin

Entry in Australia

As well as packing your passport, which must be valid for the duration of your stay – you will also need a visa for entry into Australia.  There are lots of different types which you can apply for online from a simple visitor visa, to student visa, working holiday visa, sponsored workers visa and specific professional visas. It should be noted that if you are planning to continue travelling when leaving Australia, or will be passing through another country on your return, you passport may need to have at least six months left before it expires.

Health

Visit your GP to make sure that you are up to date with the usual vaccinations such as TB and Tetanus and if you are travelling to Australia from another country that is known for being a Yellow Fever risk, you will have to have a certificate declaring that you have been immunised. Apart from that pack plenty of sun cream and prepared with plenty of insect repellent.

Whilst in Australia, UK citizens are entitled to limited subsidised health services for urgent medical treatment as long as it is not from a pre-existing condition. However, it is strongly recommended that visitors take out adequate health travel insurance as services such as ambulances and medical evacuations are not covered. Some cases have been reported where bills in excess of £100,000 needed to be paid.

Classic Adelaide Sunset View by Mike Coghlan

The Forces of Nature

In Australia, summer runs from November to February, and brings with it an increased risk of bushfires. Bushfires break out unexpectedly, and can do so at any time of year if the temperatures are high and the winds are strong. Cyclones also occur in Australia in summer, notably in the Northern Territory, Queensland and Western Australia. Recently, heavy rain has been the cause of flooding throughout the country, so keep a close eye on weather reports and remember that Australia is a big country, and weather conditions can get out of control.

Safety

Australia is well known for its fair share of dangerous animals from crocodiles, jellyfish and sharks, to venomous spiders, snakes and insects. Also, despite having some of the best beaches in the world, the rip tides off the Australian coast can be very dangerous indeed – so pay attention to the safety signs, never swim in unsupervised locations and don’t go chasing animals that might cause you harm!

Importing Goods

On a final note, it goes without saying that if you try and take illegal substances into Australia, you will find yourself in a lot of trouble indeed. However, there are other things that the authorities would like to keep out of the country too – such as pests and diseases. As such expect to be given a special card on the plane where you declare any goods that you may have with you of plant or animal origin, and also sports and camping equipment that you are bringing into the country (they can hold spores and seeds from other locations). You will also have to declare if you have spent any time in a rural area within the last month outside Australia, as such UK travellers can expect some delays upon arrival.

Beaches of the ACT (Australian Capital Territory) by Steven Young