Countries South Africans Can Travel to Without a Visa
South Africans have for many years been burdened with having to get visas for most of the countries we would like to travel to. This has been particularly frustrating for the many young travellers who work in the United Kingdom for a couple of years when they are in the early twenties and want to travel as much as they can. The endless forms, costs and stress that the visa may be denied even after you have paid for your holiday (which is a requirement) is something most of us can do without, especially when travelling in a group and you see how easy and stress free it is for everyone else that is travelling on other passports.
Here is a current list of the countries South African passport holders can travel to without a visa, but as this changes constantly, it is adviseable to check the website listed at the bottom of the article to confirm the current visa requirements:
Africa: Botswana, Cape Verde, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, Saint Helena, Senegal, Swaziland, Zambia.
Asia: Hong Kong, Israel, Macau, Malaysia, Palau, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, Turkey
Australasia: New Zealand
Caribbean: Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Grenada, Haiti, Jamaica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, US Virgin Islands.
Europe: Andorra, Ireland, Liechtenstein, Turkey
Indian Ocean: Maldives, Mauritius, Seychelles
South Pacific: Fiji, Micronesia, Nauru, Samoa, Tuvalu, Vanuatu
Americas: Argentina, Belize, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Falkland Islands, Honduras, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Panama, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela.
As visa requirements for South Africans change constantly, it is best to check an up to date list.
Honduras Gay Bars
Though Costa Rica and Belize have traditionally reigned as the traveler’s hot spots, Honduras is gaining steady ground as a favoured travel destination. Honduras is a land that is full of mystique, awe, and beauty, and is a country that once visited will never be forgotten. The gay community in Honduras is not one that is as visible as many large countries, but there is still quite an active population here and many Honduras gay bars.
There is much to see and do here while you are in Honduras, you won’t know where to start. You can spend your days relaxing and unwinding on the pristine beaches of Honduras, or exploring its natural and exotic jungles. The diving scene is quite extensive here as well and your list of choices will be long. Spend your days enjoying the many glories of Honduras natural beauty, and spend your evenings unwinding and relaxing in Honduras gay bars.
The gay traveler will also find that Honduras is an affordable place to visit, and the shopping options are many. Though the culture is rich, the expenses are small, and your shopping dollar will go a long way. Be sure to check out the many opportunities in the city’s capital of Tegucigalpa. After you have shopped till you dropped, check in with some locals at the Honduras gay bars!
The people in Honduras are socially relaxed and you will not find intolerance or unfriendliness here. You will have a good chance at meeting like minded folks along the beachy coastlines in areas such as the Roatan or on the island of Utila. Tegucigalpa is where the country’s largest cultural center is and where the greatest number of Honduras gay bars can be found.
No matter what you are looking for in Honduras, you will be sure to find whatever meets your vacationing needs.
Fun Facts About Trinidad & Tobago
DID YOU KNOW THAT…
Trinidad & Tobago is a small paradise island in the Caribbean. It is a multiracial society famous for its hospitality.
DID YOU KNOW THAT…
Eric Williams (1911-1981) is the father of modern Trinidad & Tobago. In 1962 he became the first Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago.During the last fifteen years of his government Williams introduced many reforms and did many things to improve life in his country.
DID YOU KNOW THAT…
Without a doubt, the most famous athlete in Trinidad and Tobago history is Hasely Crawford. At the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal, Canada, Hasely Crawford won the gold medal in the 100-meter sprint.
DID YOU KNOW THAT…
Trinidad Tobago is known as the home of the cricket legend Brian Charles Lara. He is a Caribbean cricket icon. In Trinidad and Tobago, like countries such as Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, cricket is the national sport.
DID YOU KNOW THAT…
The most popular music in Trinidad Tobago today is calypso…
DID YOU KNOW THAT…
Like Guyana, Mauritius, and South Africa, Trinidad & Tobago is a multiracial democracy in the world.
DID YOU KNOW THAT…
Trinidad and Tobago has many idols: Vidiadhar Surajprasad Naipaul (writer), Billy Ocean (singer), Hazel Dorothy Scott (pianist), Pearl Primus (dancer), Janelle Commissiong (Miss Universe 1977), Hasely Crawford (sportsman), Brian Lara (sportsman), Wendy Fitzwilliam (Miss Universe 1998), and Peter Minshall (designer).
DID YOU KNOW THAT…
Pope John Paul went to Trinidad and Tobago in 1985
DID YOU KNOW THAT…
Trinidad & Tobago hosted the FIFA U-17 World Championship in 2001.
DID YOU KNOW THAT…
Sir Vidiadhar Surajprasad Naipaul, best known as V.S.Naipaul, is one of the most famous Caribbean authors of the twenteenth century.He was born on August 17, 1932, in Chaguanas, Trinidad & Tobago.
Naipaul has written more than thirty books. Naipaul was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2001. The Swedish Academy said, “Naipaul is a modern philosopher, carrying on the tradition that started originally with “Lettres persanes” and “Candide”. In a vigilant style, which has been deservedly admired, he transforms rage into precision and allows events to speak with their own inherent irony”.
DID YOU KNOW THAT…
Behind cricket, soccer is the most popular sport in the country.Trinidad and Tobago team is nicknamed “soca warriors”, an allusion to the traditional calypso music.
DID YOU KNOW THAT…
Trinidad and Tobago has had famous olympic athletes in the past century:Edwin Roberts (track and field), Ato Boldon (track and field), Wendell Mottley (track and field), Ian Morris (track and field), Michael Agostini (track and field), Maxwell Cheesman (cyclist), Roger Gibbon (cyclist), Samuel Gene (cyclist), Rodney Wilkes ( weightlifting), and Lennox Kilgour (weightlifting).
DID YOU KNOW THAT…
It was a beautiful night in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The date was July 16th, the year was 1977.Miss Trinidad-Tobago was crowned Miss Universe. For the first, the Miss Universe crown was won by first black. Her name: Janelle “Penny” Commissiong. After her victory, she said: “I felt like a ray of sunshine was around me.”
Caribbean Cruise Weather – Best and Worst Months to Go
Caribbean cruise weather has fewer risks for vacationers planning a trip at sea rather than spending a week on an island for a simple reason — the ship can move away from bad weather while an island can’t.
Someone may one day invent detachable islands, but in the meantime vacationers should consider two major factors related to weather in planning a cruise. First is the annual Caribbean hurricane season and second is the temperature drop during the winter — especially for the sea water.
Hurricane Season
The hurricane season runs from June 1 until November 30, but the region has on average few storms in June and November. July averages three storms, while August, September and October average four, according to the U.S. National Weather Service.
Storms in August and October have a moderate risk of developing into hurricanes while September has the highest risk of all.
For these reasons, September is the worst month of the year to take a cruise. April and May are excellent times to go because they are outside of the hurricane season, although some Caribbean destinations see more rainfall than normal in May.
Families considering a cruise with children on summer break should take advantage of June in particular because of the lower storm risk, followed by July.
Air and Water Temperatures
The Caribbean has a reputation for year-round warmth. While it’s mostly true, there are some modest variations in temperature from month to month. Air and water temperatures are noticeably cooler in the northern climates during the winter, which makes a Bahamas cruise less appealing from December through February.
Anyone interested in taking a Caribbean cruise in the winter should consider a southern cruise as a better option for warmer weather than either an eastern or western cruise.
Eastern, Western or Southern?
Each of the three major destinations has varying conditions by month. Western cruises in particular are known for heavy rainfall in the interiors of the Central American countries that lie along the Caribbean coast, such as Costa Rica and Belize.
The wet interiors are a major factor in planning day-long excursions to Mayan ruins, cave tubing, zip lining, etc. The same is largely true of the Mexican island of Cozumel.
Despite the heavy fall rains, western cruises tend to be more popular in the fall than eastern in part because the Central American destinations see fewer effects from hurricanes.
No matter which cruise you take, know that the risk of bad weather goes up in the fall and that whether you like to swim or lie on the beach will be sorely tested if you visit the more northern destinations in the winter.
"The Carnival Dream" What Kids Have Been Waiting For
The Carnival Cruise Line has a new 3,646-passenger ship under construction in Italy, called The Carnival Dream!! It was reported by the cruise line that this “dream ship” will have the most elaborate children’s facilities of any ship at sea!!
Carnival is aware of the growing popularity of the family cruise, so they are accomodating our families by building expansive play areas and a huge Carnival WaterWorks aqua park on the “Dream”. But you will have to wait a while longer to enjoy this facility, which is slated to debut on Sept. 21, 2009.
This “dream ship” will also have new cabin categories designed for families. Some cabins will even be offered with two bathrooms. “The Dream” will also feature an indoor/outdoor cafe and live music venue, called the Piazza. There will also be scenic whirlpools extended over the ship’s beam.
“The Dream” will operate their first season in the Mediterranean and the Caribbean. This ship will homeport in Rome (Civitavecchia), and will also sail to several ports in Italy; Dubrovnik, Croatia; Monaco; and Barcelona, Spain.
The Dream will sail to the winter homeport in Port Canaveral, Fla., and launch year-round, seven-day Caribbean cruises beginning Dec. 5, 2009. The Dream ship will alternate between eastern and western Caribbean itineraries. (Caribbean ports will be in Nassau, Bahamas; St. Thomas/St. John, U.S.V.I.; and St. Maarten, Netherlands Antilles in for eastern Caribbean cruises and Cozumel, Mexico; Belize; Costa Maya, Mexico; and Nassau for western Caribbean cruises.)
Plan ahead if you want to be amoung the first to enjoy this new idea in cruise ships. “The Carnival Dream” sounds like a dream come true for the kids. And when the kids are at play, mom and dad can sit back, relax and enjoy their day!!
A Caribbean Cruise is a Popular Vacation Choice
How about a cruise vacation this year? Whenever the word “cruise” is mentioned, most people think about cruising the Caribbean. Pictures come to mind of sparkling clear turquoise water with exotic colourful fish swimming through spectacular coral reefs. Perhaps you imagine sunbathing on white sandy beaches with tall palm trees overhead, listening to the sounds of tropical birds and the gentle lapping of the waves on the shoreline.
Although there are many cruises available to many destinations, the Caribbean still remains a popular place to visit on a cruise vacation. All the those imagined tropical scenes are reality in the Caribbean. The Caribbean has hundreds of beautiful islands and stretches from the tip of Florida down as far as South America. There are over 50 popular different destinations you can choose to visit. Some examples of popular cruise destinations include: The Virgin Islands, Jamaica, Aruba, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Cuba and Belize. Exploring the Caribbean on a cruise ship is ideal, and many people take advantage a cruise as a relaxing and convenient way of taking a vacation. The cruise ship is just like a floating hotel which takes you to visit some of these beautiful islands without you needing to worry about planning travel arrangements.
A Caribbean cruise works for everybody. A cruise offers plenty of opportunities to relax alone or to have fun and participate in great entertainment. Some people enjoy the Caribbean island hopping type of vacation. This type of cruise has a port of call everyday at a different island. There is time to go and visit and absorb the local atmosphere and culture before boarding the cruise ship again. Every Caribbean island has its own unique history and culture. The cruise lines offer guided tours or you can go off and explore on your own.
For others, however, a Caribbean cruise is a time for relaxation. It is a time to soak up the sun, eat wonderful food, and take a few days away from routine and schedules. There is no need to even disembark the cruise ship when it stops at a port of call. Some cruise passengers enjoy visiting a different beach every day, rather than sightseeing.
If you enjoy diving and snorkelling, or other water sports, a cruise offers you many opportunities for you to experience the unique Caribbean scene.
If you are thinking of taking a Caribbean cruise you would be wise to decide which area of the Caribbean you would like to visit first. The Caribbean is a large area, and each part has a treasure of unique places to explore, as well as plenty of activities for the more adventurous in heart. There are many cruises that spend their time in a specific area such as the Western Caribbean or Eastern Caribbean, each of these areas has different experiences to offer.
Another thing to look at is which port you would like to leave from Cruise lines leave from a large variety of ports and so easy travel access may also be a consideration. Not all Caribbean cruise lines offer exactly the same amenities and ports of call, so you have plenty of cruise vacation options to choose from.
One thing is for sure, after you have been on your first Caribbean cruise vacation, you will certainly want to re visit time and time again. The tropical beautiful Caribbean holds something for everyone’s interest.
Caribbean Travel and Life
Wondering where to go? In the Caribbean travel and life, that is no big problem. Just scroll down below to find whatever it is you are looking for – balmy weather, clear blue skies, glorious seas, luxurious lodgings, fine food, sports, sights, entertainment, even lazy days for lovers, all under the warmth of the Caribbean sun.
Textual Map
Well, it’s a bit difficult to describe the Caribbean in geographic terms. Just know that the region is actually a group of islands, territories, and countries located just south and east of the Gulf of Mexico and right in the middle of the Caribbean Sea. The following are the islands that are favorite Caribbean travel and life destinations since time immemorial:
Anguilla Antigua and Barbuda Aruba The Bahamas Belize Barbados Bermuda Bonaire British Virgin Islands Cancun Cayman Islands Cozumel Cuba Curacao Dominica Dominican Republic Grenada Guyana Guadeloupe Haiti Honduras Jamaica Martinique Montserrat Puerto Rico Saba and St. Eustatius St. Barthelemy St. Kitts-Nevis St. Lucia St. Maarten and St. Martin St. Vincent and the Grenadines Trinidad and Tobago Turks and Caicos Island U.S. Virgin Islands
Activities
There are many exciting activities available to you throughout the Caribbean. In fact, this is one of the reason why Caribbean travel and life is so popular among visiting tourists. Because when you are on the islands, it doesn’t matter who or what you are – the islands always have something to offer for everyone.
Caribbean travel and life offer all-inclusive resorts where you can enjoy everything for a single price. One of the popular places that offer all-inclusive Caribbean travel and life is Sandals, located in the Castries area of the Caribbean Island of St. Lucia.
The resort offers two properties – St. Lucia Regency Golf Resort and Spa, a couples-only resort of over 200 acres of rolling hills and a beautiful half-mile beach, and the Sandals Halcyon, another couples-only resort. Sandals Caribbean travel and life all-inclusive packages are geared towards awesome beaches, a great scuba-diving program, water sports, and fitness centers.
If you like casino gaming, Caribbean travel and life offers you that as well. Head on over to Belize, Puerto Rico, Jamaica where the groovy beats of the island makes for an excellent island-flavored nightlife. Play a game of chance and feel like you’re in Las Vegas as you pit fortunes with the house and maybe win a few chips here and there over a round of roulette. Then quench your thirst with a few glasses of sparklies as you laugh and talk and socialize to your heart’s content.
Besides fun and socializing, Caribbean travel and life also offers you a chance to get closer to nature. The Caribbean offers several eco-tourism where a guide takes you into the deepest rainforest reservoir where you can experience first hand some of the rarest and oldest species of flora and fauna found on earth.
Other activities you can enjoy in a Caribbean travel and life include:
Children’s programs Cuisine Golf Health and fitness spas Meeting and conventions Participation sports Sailing and charter boats Scuba diving Spectator sports Water sports Weddings and honeymoons
Cyber Styles Solutions Tech
Why Tampa Cruises are the New Hot Ticket
Tampa cruises include cruises from Tampa and cruises to Tampa. Tampa is a growing hot spot and port of departure for several cruise lines. Many passengers fly into Tampa a day or two prior to departure in order to enjoy the local culture.
Several cruise lines have home ports in Tampa. These include Carnival Cruise Lines, Holland America, and the Royal Caribbean. Cruises from Tampa include western Caribbean cruises. Start in Tampa and stop in ports along the way including George Town, Costa Maya, Belize City, and Cozumel. Before departing, you can visit museums or shop at local boutiques.
If you have the time, visit Busch Gardens, the Florida Aquarium, or the Museum of Science and Industry. The Tampa Bay area is full of exciting nightlife. You can stay in one of the top luxury hotels in the area. And you have your choice of upscale dining options.
A major attraction of the Port of Tampa is Channelside, a complex that offers dining and shopping in one location adjacent to the cruise terminals. Channelside also holds an IMAX cinema. There is often live music available on the outdoor plaza. It is a great place to relax before departing on your cruise.
One of the most popular cruises to Tampa is a thirteen night cruise that departs from Baltimore. You visit Kings Wharf, Philipsburg, George Town, Cozumel, and finally Tampa. This cruise is family-friendly with plenty of attractions and activities for everyone.
You can get great deals on Tampa cruises if you are able to be flexible about when you travel. Holidays and spring breaks are peak times for Tampa cruises. If you are willing to take a cruise while kids are in school, you can get great discounts. There are fewer last minute deals and more early bird specials available.
Tampa cruises are ideal if you have the time to enjoy sea and land tours. You can enjoy the best of Florida before or after a relaxing cruise. You can plan the perfect vacation for you and your family. Or just get away from it all for awhile. Plan a trip for just the two of you. Either way you won’t regret visiting Tampa!
Top Romantic Beach Destinations – Visit The US’s Top Romantic Beach Destinations
If you are looking to rekindle some romance or sweep a new love interest off their feet, there are some great ways to do that with our list of top romantic beach destinations.
Depending on where you are located, we wanted to put together a list of top romantic beach destinations that you could whisk off to for a weekend getaway or a week’s worth of relaxation and love.
This article is for US beach destinations, however we’ll provide a list of outside the US in a second part of this series, as we know there are some gorgeous locations all over the world.
Discount Florida Vacations List of Top Romantic Beach Destinations:
**Hawaiian Islands have to be on this list. Maybe it’s because we have heard so many great things or have been drooling to visit the islands for a long time.
Offering a sense of inner peace with very warm, welcoming people, Hawaii is a great beach destination and one of love and beauty.
Rated number one by many travel agents and experts, the serenity, tropical allure, amazing beaches, ambiance, and more has couples desiring to travel to the Hawaiian Islands in droves.
**Florida Beaches have to be added as top romantic beach destinations. You know we would have picked a few and said these are the best locations in Florida for romance and honeymoons, but we don’t do that anymore.
After visiting many of the beaches in Florida, we realized that they all offer something special and something unique that you can’t find elsewhere. Whether you vacation on the Gulf, Panhandle, Atlantic Coast, or Keys, you will find love and romantic ideas everywhere. Plus one couple’s idea of romance may be different from another’s.
(You can obviously learn more about Florida vacations at our website).
**The California Coast: My dream has always been just to hop into a convertible with the love of my life and cruise up the coast visiting each city that invites us in.
Big Sur is one destination that continues to pop up on the top romantic beach destinations radar. We’ve also heard nothing but great things regarding San Diego with a lot of cool stuff to do together and plenty of quality time. Among the other spots there are a handful of secluded spots nestled within the coast of California that you can choose from.
**East Hampton in New York. We had to mention some East Coast beaches along with the beautiful West Coast. Unbelievable homes, grassy dunes, sandy beaches, and roaring ocean breaks will have you drooling over more than your loved one. Aside from hobnobbing with the elite and famous, The Hamptons are a great place just to enjoy each other’s company by staying in the whole time – be sure to get a beachfront stay.
More top romantic beach destinations that we could talk about all day include:
Cape May in New Jersey
Oregon’s Coast including Cannon Beach
The US Virgin Islands
Hilton Head South Carolina
Outer Banks North Carolina
There are so many great romantic beach spots that you really can’t go wrong as long as you spend time together doing what each of you loves.
Also, don’t forget to make a list of things to do whether it’s to stay in the whole time or go wild with all sorts of adventurous activities. Remember every couple is different!
What Really Makes A Caribbean Cruise Vacation The Best Ever Experience?
There are many reasons why people like to go on a caribbean cruise vacation. Not just because they like the idea of going on a cruise ship which in itself is a vacation without even setting foot on any kind of caribbean soil. No, the main reason is that the Caribbean has just so much to offer when you leave board, making it a truly memorable vacation that you will never forget.
So what are the best places to go and visit when you leave your cruise. Well, this really depends on the package that you choose but here is a selection of some of the more popular destinations which most cruise liners include in their itinerary.
Jamaica – this is the biggest island in the Caribbean. Big in size and character. Every year many visitors go there and not only by cruise ship. Montego Bay is a renowned resort that is famous and attracts holiday makers from all round the world with its beautiful big beaches and activities, not to mention the fact that this is the birth place of reggae music.
Yucatan Peninsula – part of Mexico this is the pick of the mainland stop overs. It boasts busy beaches and plenty of fun for all the family. Cancun is famous for its electric nightlife but if it is the underwater activities that you are really interested in, then Cozumel is the place to explore.
Virgin Islands: Split between the US and British, the Virgin Islands are one of the highlights of anyones caribbean cruise vacation. On the one hand the US side offers plenty of scope if you like underwater activities, while the British Virgin Islands give out a nice on land experience
due to its British character.
The ABC islands – or the islands of Aruba, Bonair and Curacao. These are also known as the dutch Antilles just off the coast of Venezuela. Aruba in particular is famous as its beaches are reckoned to be the most beautiful in the Caribbean.
There are many other islands not mentioned like Bermuda, Cuba, Cayman Islands, St Lucia, Dominican Republic and so on. All are also very beautiful places that are included depending on what caribbean cruise vacation package you choose. Information for those places and what they offer can easily be found surfing the web or asking a travel agent. One thing that should be said is that the best way that you can enjoy a Caribbean vacation, is not limit yourself to just visiting the beaches and obvious tourist attractions, but to also go and see areas outside the resort to get a real feel of what the life and culture of the Caribbean is like. That is probably what really will make your caribbean cruise vacation the best experience ever.