Archive for June 13th, 2009

Cancun Beaches

Cancun is one of the world’s best known tourist destinations. Cancun is synonymous with Caribbean romance, exciting nightlife, world-class hotels and restaurants, water sports adventures and miles upon miles of warm, gleaming white sandy beaches. This is also a world-renowned center for fishing, diving and snorkeling. Every year, millions of travelers from all over the world flock to Mexico?s showcase resort town to experience the Cancun lifestyle. Perhaps the main reason why tourists find themselves in Cancun is the legendary and spectacular beaches.

Cancun’s beaches are definitely a beach lover’s dream come true. Blessed with powdery, amazingly white sand, Cancun beaches seem to stretch on forever. The clear, turquoise waters of the Caribbean Sea gently lap the sandy beaches. Cancun beaches are generally divided into two parts: the Northern side beaches that stretch from the Hotel Zone to Punta Cancun, and the Eastern side beaches, which actually have two coasts, one facing the Caribbean, the other facing the Nichupte Lagoon.

The Northern side beaches of Cancun are excellent for swimmers, beachcombers and water sports. Sheltered by the Isla Mujeres, the waters here are very calm and the beach is very clean, dotted with first class hotels. This is also where the cruise ships and shuttles dock. Some of the recommended beaches here include Playa Las Perlas, Linda, Langosta, Tortugas, and Caracol. Meanwhile, the eastern side beaches are also perfect for water sports such as kayaking, jet-skiing, windsurfing and others. The Gaviota Azul, Chac Mool, Playa Marlin and Playa Ballenas are simply excellent.

Cancun beaches are white powder sands that are made of almost 100% porous limestone. This makes the sands cool to walk on even under the hot tropical sun. The ocean temperature is warm, as expected, and reaches its highest temperatures in late August and early September. Cancun beaches are also very safe, with lifeguards and local police. Some Cancun beaches are also known for topless sunbathing but are generally family-oriented.

i-Cancun.com Cancun provides detailed information on Cancun, Cancun Hotels, Cancun Spring Break, Cancun Vacations and more. Cancun is affiliated with e-CancunHotels.com Cancun Hotel Maps.


Malaga is the major coastal city of Andalucia, and in many respects is unchanged over time making it a good example of an authentic Andaluz city. With a population of over half a million, it is a thriving town with a great deal to offer the visitor. The currency in operation in Malaga, as in many European countries in the Euro.

Malaga is an old Moorish territory and many interesting historical remains can still be found from that era. La Alcazaba is a fortress dating back almost a century and has now been turned into an architectural museum. Nearby is Castillo de Gibralfaro, a magnificent Moorish structure of the fourteenth century which was the site of a long battle between the citizens of Malaga and the Catholic monarchs Ferdinand & Isobella.

The pleasant climate in Malaga makes it a great place for outdoor activities. Between April & September temperatures usually range from 13 – 27 celsius. Even during the winter months, it rarely drops below 10 degrees centigrade. Many of the amenities in the centre of the city close for siesta in the early afternoon, so this is the perfect time to enjoy a walk in the sunshine surrounded by the beautiful flowering trees in the City Park.

The renowned artist Pablo Picasso was born in Malaga and there is a museum in his honour which is housed in the Palacio de Buenavista in the heart of the city.

The local people, known as Malaguenos, love their food and the city is a great place in which to eat out. The bars and restaurants are where much of the social life of the city takes place. Prices are reasonable, and a good way to get a feel for the local fare is to visit one of the tapas bars where the visitor can try small portions of many local dishes.

For those who love to shop, the main shopping street is Calle Marques de Larios where there are a host of exclusive and expensive boutiques and shops. After a hard days shopping why not relax for a while, enjoy a meal and then go out on the town in one of the many music bars and clubs in the city. Nightlife in Malaga does not really get going till late with many venues not opening their doors before 2300hrs and staying open through the night, so visitors would be wise to adopt the local tradition of a siesta during the afternoon to recharge the batteries for a late night out!

Malaga is a vibrant city with a lot to see and do and a beautiful climate in which to do it – check it out!

Dara Ward manages over 20 Irish travel and 150 World travel websites. Some of his sites include barcelona.globalhotels-24-7.com/ Hotels in Barcelona and dublinhotelreservations.com/ Dublin Hotels


San Francisco on the Cheap

If you’ve ever visited San Francisco, you know it can be a very expensive city. Hotel costs, restaurant tabs, valet fees and cab fares can add up quite quickly. But, if you know where the values are, that trip to San Francisco can actually fit into your budget quite nicely.

First, let’s start with lodging. Yes, it’s nice to stay at the Grand Hyatt on Union Square or the Mark Hopkins. But, let’s face it, they’re expensive. For budget considerations, I suggest you consider Lombard Street. No, not the crooked part of Lombard Street, but the section of Lombard Street which runs through the Cow Hollow and Marina districts in the northern part of San Francisco, near the Golden Gate Bridge.

You can find a nice room on Lombard Street for just under $100 a night, which is a far cry from the hotels on Union Square. But, what kind of room will your $100 get you? Of course, you’re not going to get the luxury of a fancy hotel, but you’re not paying for luxury. You’re paying to enjoy San Francisco. Your $100 will buy you a comfortable, clean room. Also, you will generally receive free parking. If you drive to San Francisco or rent a car in San Francisco, free parking is a big deal. The luxury hotels usually charge for parking, as well as a in & out fees when you retrieve your car for a day trip or night out.

Lombard Street is also a great location. Just north of Lombard Street is Chestnut Street, with a movie theater, shops and wonderful food. To the south a few blocks you’ll find Union Street, with upscale shops and, again, wonderful food. Lombard Street is also a good location for bus service to all parts of San Francisco, eliminating the need for expensive taxi rides.

You have numerous choices for lodging along Lombard Street. I’ve stayed at the Cow Hollow Motor Inn (415-921-5800) and find it to be good, inexpensive choice, with free parking, with a nice, inexpensive Italian restaurant located just north on Steiner Street (Ristorante Parma). One caveat I have about Cow Hollow, which can probably be applied to any of the motels on Lombard Street, is that you will probably want to request an inside room off the main streets, as they can get quite loud. Another motel you might consider would be La Luna Inn (415-346-4664), a recently renovated inn with some luxuries you wouldn’t expect from a budget motel, such as pillow-top mattresses, flat screen TVs, wireless internet access and complimentary muffins, breads, coffee, tea and juices served every morning. All that for just under $100 per night for a single king or queen bed.

Restaurants can also add up to the cost of a vacation. San Francisco has a large amount of wonderful restaurants at inexpensive prices. Of course, you have to know which ones they are. Those would usually be the ones the locals frequent, so if you want to avoid over-priced restaurants, you’d stay away from restaurants in tourist traps like Fisherman’s Wharf and go for neighborhood restaurants, such as those found in Cow Hollow and the Marina District, 24th Street in Noe Valley, or Potrero Hill. One very inexpensive restaurant I’d recommend in Potrero Hill is San Francisco Bar B Que, 1328 18th St., a wonderful little Thai BBQ restaurant that serves great food at cheap prices. If there’s a wait, just put your name on the list and bop into Bloom’s Saloon a couple doors down for a drink and great views of the downtown skyline.

As for inexpensive things to do in San Francisco, check out the free walking tours offered by San Francisco City Guides, a non-profit organization of more than 200 trained volunteers who lead free walking tours in San Francisco. Their website at sfcityguides.org lists all the many different walking tours of such sites as Chinatown, Golden Gate Bridge, Coit Tower, and even ghost walks of supposedly haunted locations.

San Francisco is truly a great city to visit. It’s even better when you know you can visit and experience all the city has to offer without breaking the bank.

Shari Hearn is a writer and creator of topvacationspots.net/ Top Vacation Spots, where you can learn more about topvacationspots.net/Things_to_do_San_Francisco.html things to do in San Francisco.


Non-filter cigarettes are the most ancient form of cigarettes. They can be smoked from either end. As the name suggests, they do not have a filter. They are easy to inhale, as there is no resistance from a filter. Actual smoke intake is much higher than normal cigarettes. These types of cigarettes are relatively inexpensive as compared to normal filter cigarettes. As such, discount non-filter cigarettes are offered at even more economic rates.

Non-filter cigarettes have a strong taste and are not recommended for first time cigarette users. Non-filter cigarettes are about 30- 40% more harmful in terms of nicotine content. This startling revelation prevents a large number of people from inhaling them. To encourage and attract users to this non-filters, manufacturers offer great discounts.

For regular, non-filter cigarette smokers, smoking is not a very expensive habit. Competitive market trends have made manufacturers maintain standardized prices on these products. For this reason, a customer may choose any brand that suits their taste. Producers offer discount non-filter cigarettes to influence customers to switch brands.

A number of non-filter cigarette smokers are frequent smokers. This is because these cigarettes have a strong taste and are highly addictive. Non-filter cigarettes are shorter in length and can’t be smoked till the end, as they get very hot as compared to filter types. For this reason, smokers simply light more non-filter cigarettes. Using discount non-filter cigarettes can financially sustain increased consumption.

The majority of non-filter cigarette smokers opt for discount non-filter cigarettes, as these are mostly available in cartons. This provides a constant source of cigarettes. As such, these purchases also do away with the chance of running out of cigarettes. This helps save money because single pack purchases are comparatively more expensive. Discount non-filter cigarette offers are available at local stores and on the Internet. Depending upon the source, discount rates may vary.

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