Tips

Argentina is a popular destination, but it’s important to note on any vacation that there can be cultural, geological and meteoroligical differences when travelling abroad that could potentially ruin your entire trip. While in some places the differences can be minor, in others you could deeply offend a person by doing something you thought to be kosher. Don’t let this happen to you, below are what I believe to be the top 7 Argentina travel tips. Follow these tips and you’ll be sure to leave an impression of courtesy and enjoy more hospitality from the locals.

1. The most common form of greeting in Argentina betwen friends is kissing one anothers cheeks, so don’t be caught off guard when someone makes a lunge toward your cheek. And return the favour out of courtesy if they have.

2. Once in Argentina, one of main methods of transportation is underground shuttle, or by bus/trolley bus, or taxi. Their are 5 main public ral lines, labelled A to E and services operate from early mornng to late at night on a fixed-fare basis. Buses are generally very crowded but are often the quickest means from one place to another.

3. Spanish is the offical language of Argentina, while English is widely spoken – don’t rely on everyone to speak English, you should at least get some basic Spanish down before travelling to Argentina.

4. More then 90 per cent of Argentina’s religious faith lies in the Roman Catholic church. Remember this as it does have an effect on what is kosher and what is not.

5. Argentina has 5 major airlines in an effort to make the big country smaller when travelling. Oddly enough, sometimes a flight will be faster and cheaper then say a bus or a taxi, so look into flying as a possible means of transportation for those slightly longer endevours.

6. You can get answers to most of your questions about Argentina tourism from the Argentina Tourist Information Center:

Secretariat of Tourism, Tourist Information Centers: Av. Santa Fe 883, (C1059ABC) Buenos Aires, Tel. 4312-2232 or 0800-555-0016; Ezeiza International Airport and Jorge Newbery Airport; info@turismo.gov.ar.

7. The official currency of Argentina is the peso, ills come in 2, 5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 pesos. One pesos equals one hundred cents. 2 pesos are blue, 5 pesos are green, 10 pesos are brown, 20 pesos are red, 50 peseos are grey, and 100 pesos are purple/violet.

8. Tips are somewhat outlawed in Argentina, though people still expect a tip in most situations – if that’s the case 10 percent of the bill as your tip will suffice for the most part.

9. The Argentina time zone is Argentina Standard Time, which is GMT -3 hours, and GMT -4 hours in the summer. So set your watches correctly!

And the best tip of all is to plan ahead, use caution and common sense, and most of all – have fun!

It is no secret that Las Vegas is a magical place. Millions flock to the city each year. Some of those have hopes of fame and fortune while others just wish to have a wonderful vacation. All in all it is hard to not have a good time in a place like Las Vegas. There is so much to do and it seems that it is hard to fit it all into the limited time that a vacation allows for. Even people who have lived in Las Vegas their entire life have yet to see all that this city has to offer and that means many great things for those that visit. Of course you will need a place to stay when you are in Las Vegas and there are many fine choices.

Mandalay Bay Las Vegas Hotel is one of the most popular spots in the entire city. Besides the beautiful rooms that this place offers, there is exciting casino gaming and some of the best food that you will find anywhere. There are five restaurants inside the hotel itself, including an award winning buffet that runs twenty four hours a day. The pool is the best in the business and the service is incredible.

Paris Las Vegas Hotel is a true bright spot in the sometimes less than colorful strip area. Making its way by the foreign theme, the Paris is first class all the way. Their service has won so many awards that it is hard to find a wall without some sort of plaque attached to it. The gaming is great and you can find some great food with a little money inside the hotel. There is twenty four hour room service available and there is always the shows that light up the night.

MGM Grand Las Vegas Hotel is a site where your breath will literally shoot from your lungs. The sight of this magnificent hotel will take your breath away and leaving you standing there in awe. There are live lions in the lobby, over one hundred thousand square feet of casino space and the rooms are to die for. This is the best there is when it comes to Las Vegas and they play the part well. You will find some of the finest dining without having to leave the hotel and the shows that are put on will knock your socks off.

Bellagio Las Vegas Hotel is one of those places that cater to the whales. The money that is required to stay here is tough to raise and the gambling is not the cheapest either. You will find that the food is a bit pricey as well. But, it is all worth the expense if you can raise the funds to stay as they do everything better in this hotel.

Monte Carlo Las Vegas Hotel is one of those places that is popular with the families in Las Vegas. The rooms are cheap and decent and the gambling is even cheaper. You can play a lot of poker in the rooms and there is more than enough to do for the young ones.

Are you planning a trip to Maui? You are not alone if you are one of the many people that want to see and visit this beautiful and amazing island. The second largest island on Hawaii, Maui is cram-packed with things to see and do. Time and time again it has been chosen as the best island in the world and its no surprise why.

If you are going to Maui, your question will not be of what to do but instead of what to do first? There are so many great sights to see, things to do, places to go and more that you might feel you can never see and do it all in one trip. (Maybe this is why so many people make repeat visits to Maui).

1. Go to a Luau You cant visit Hawaii without seeing a luau and Maui knows how to do them right! Even some of the hotels that you might stay at in Maui have great beachside luaus as well as restaurant and resort package deals. Luaus will feature authentic Hawaiian food such as kalua pig, poin and haupia (coconut pudding) and usually a buffet spread of more familiar foods.

2. Go biking- If you dont mind some physical activity, you should see Maui from a bike. In fact, there are few places in the world that are as bike-friendly as Maui. There are even bicycle tours that let you go from one end of the island to the other. There are downhill bicycle tours and slow-paced tours that let you see the farms and small towns of Upcountry and the beaches down at Paia. There are places all over the island of Maui for you to rent bikes.

3. Fine dining- There are fine places to eat and dine all over Maui. In fact, this island has the best dining in all of Maui. Many fine, experienced chefs from all over the country and even the world have come to Maui to work their magic in the restaurants here on the island. There is literally a restaurant for every taste so whether you like to experiment and try a bit of everything, or whether you are strict in your eating habits, you are sure to find plenty of great places in Maui.

4. Hiking- Another great idea while in Maui is to go hiking. There are fabulous trails that take you literally all over the island. You can even hike in the great craters such as the Haleakala and you can see waterfalls, plunge pools and much more. There is a hiking trail for everyone- no matter what your physical fitness level. Get ready to see Maui by foot!

5. Go for a drive- You would not believe some of the fantastic scenic drives on Maui. The Hana Highway is a 56 mile stretch of 54 bridges over winding lava shore, through old plantation towns, past miles of beaches and through towering forests. You might also want to take a drive to the summit of Haleakala. Haleakala crater appears like the surface of an alien planet and the views of Maui from the summit are amazing.

6. Go for a dive- Maui is the best place to visit the underwater world of Hawaii. There are many different locations for diving and there are two marine conservation areas. Molokini is a partially submerged volcanic crater offshore of Wailea. Both Lahaina and Maalaea have glass bottom boats and a pleasure submarine to let non-swimmers share in the beauty of underwater Maui as well.

7. Whale watching- You might already know that Maui has many beautiful and amazing sights that you cant see anywhere else in the world. But have you ever been whale watching? From November through April each year, Maui welcomes the humpback whale and you can join in the celebration and catch some whale-watching of your own. The endangered species comes here to Hawaii to mate and its truly a sight like no other.

8. Shopping- Where would your vacation be without some fabulous shopping? With so many shops and stores to choose from, you simply cant see Mau without leaving with some fantastic souvenirs. There are also many shops in Maui that contain specialty items unique to Hawaii and Maui such as one of a kind jewelry, glass work and more.

9. Sightseeing- You cant visit Maui without enjoying the many great sights there are to see. There are many historic locations such as Lahaina, old Hawaiian churches, the whaling history museums and much more. There is so much to learn about the island and so much to see, you will wonder if you have enough time to do it all!

10. Swimming and Snorkeling- Well of course since you are here at the island, you must go swimming. Even if you are not an avid swimmer, you can take a quick dip and get your body wet. Or you might enjoy snorkeling at one of many great locations. Maui has over 80 beaches and over 120 miles of coast to choose from!