Viator Travel Blog

There is no shortage of activities to enjoy and sites to explore and there is something to suit every taste and budget. Vietnam’s largest city is surprisingly easy to navigate so all ages will find exploring this city enjoyable and easy. Here are our top 10 tips, tricks and recommendations for Ho Chi Minh City.

Nothing is quite as exciting as exciting as familiarizing yourself with one of with one of civilization’s most historic and beautiful sites, and in Athens, Greece, you are at the pinnacle.

When people plan trips, they tend to opt for the big, well-known cities … the Parises, Madrids, and Venices of the world. But, while these places are packed with history, intrigue and beauty, there are other less popular cities offering beautiful and unique experiences, often a stone’s throw away.

For your next trip, keep the big city picks, but schedule in some day or overnight trips to other cities nearby.

Need some ideas?

Making its mark on Canada’s burgeoning wine industry, Niagara runs a close second to British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley. Its sophisticated and varied table wines have become the toast of Canada, consistently winning international awards, especially for its Reislings and its Icewine. The area really exploded in 1970s when vintners began planting many noble grape varietals. Today, you can visit more than 80 different wineries across the region. Naturally, you may not have time to visit them all, but in one or two days you can hit the highlights, uncover some surprises, and immerse yourself in the accompanying growing culinary culture. Several of the small wineries have terraces, where you can enjoy a casual lunch or dinner.

One hour West of Venice on the Eurostar train, lies the beautiful city of Verona, nestling on the banks of the River Adige and now given the prestige status of being a UNESCO World Heritage Centre. A visit here is a chance to step back in time, to capture the grandeur and splendor of a city steeped in history…

It’s funny how you can have a really skewed idea of what things look like before you actually see them. For example, I expected the Sydney Opera House to be much bigger than it is, the Leaning Tower of Pisa to be out on its own rather than part of a complex and Prague Castle to be a bit like the ones you see in fairy story cartoons.

In a similar way, I got the Grand Canyon all wrong.

HURRY! Keukenhof Gardens tour from Amsterdam on sale for 3 days only! Get 50% off Keukenhof Gardens and Tulip Fields Tour from Amsterdam. This deal is only available for 3 days – so hurry! You must book by February 23, 2012 to SAVE 50%! This exclusive offer is available for travel dates from April 10 to April 28, 2012 on all scheduled departure times and dates.

Mardi Gras officially takes place on Tuesday, Feb. 21 this year. But, that doesn’t mean places all over the world haven’t already started the festivities.

Known sometimes as Fat Tuesday, Carnival (or Carnevale or Mardi Gras) celebrations bring to life a festive celebration filled with dancing, drinking and general raucousness.

If you’re nearby any of these spots in the world, be sure to check out these lively and fun-filled celebrations.

One of Ocean World’s coolest destinations in St Thomas, The US Virgin Islands, Coral World Ocean Park is a terrific way to get acquainted with the marine life you are, after-all, surrounded by. With a plethora of wonderful exhibits, including the Undersea Observatory Tower, the Caribbean Reef Encounter, the Marine Gardens and the Touch pool, where you get to handle starfish and pet sea cucumbers, but perhaps the most exciting feature is the 30-minute spectacular Swimming with Sharks at Coral World Ocean Park.

I have to admit it had been years since I visited a zoo, with concerns about animal rights and the moral issues involved in keeping wild animals in captivity the main things that kept me away.

But I had heard good things about Singapore Zoo, and about the changed thinking that was now commonplace amongst zoos in many parts of the world, so I decided to take a closer look. I’m glad I did.