Here is a list of things you should do.

6 months ahead

1. Pick a date that is suitable for everyone.
2. Decide to go by car, RV or by air.
3. Browse online travel sites and airlines that specialize in Orlando’s vacation. Sign up their newsletters.
4. Book in advance as Disney World Resort will be filled up by visitors during school holidays.
5. Call Disney World booking desk directly and ask about room specials and discount packages.
6. Always allow yourself ample time to plan a vacation. Look out for great travel deals and best buys.
7. For large family groups, consider the off-site villas or private homes which cost you less money for more occupants. There are also campgrounds for RV.
8. Gather information and decide where you want to visit and stay. Make reservations to secure the best deals. Specify your room preference and its location in your booking.
9. Disney World raises ticket price each year without notice. Buy your park tickets early to lock in to the best price.
10. Start sourcing for car rental if you’re frying to Orlando. Check out free shutter services offered by some hotels. All Disney World Resort hotels provide free airport-hotel transfer to their guests.

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Check out:

• Top attractions in Orlando
• Hotel options in Orlando
• How to make Disney vacation affordable

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Disney dinning options:
Reservations are essential when you plan a vacation in Disney World. Don’t expect to get a table if you just walk into any Disney restaurants particularly on D-Days.

1. Some restaurants allow one year booking in advance like Mickey’s Backyard Barbecue. If you want to enjoy a Character Dining experience at Cinderella’s Royal Table, or red meat dinner at the Le Cellier Steakhouse, or eat at any popular restaurants, book your table.
2. Don’t forget to book entertainments of your choice. Many people reserve slots in advance for their favorite shows such as Hoop-De-Doo Musical Review, Cirque du Soleil, etc.

3 Months Ahead

1. Make bookings if you want to experience any special events in Disney World, or downtown attractions in Orlando such as boat rides, surfing, winterkilling, catch-and-release fishing trip, parasailing, and golfing.
2. Confirm the reservations on car rental, airline, and hotel pick-up.

4 Weeks Ahead

1. Prepare your vehicle, maps and decide the route to take. If you live far from Orlando, you may want to reserve hotel rooms along the way. Get ready a GPS if possible.
2. Arrange sitters for your baby, house, and pets.
3. Work out a packing list for your trip. Buy necessary items such as medicines, batteries, ponchos, sunscreens, foods, and drinks. These items are expansive when inside the resorts.
4. Prepare hand baggage and luggage to carry along.

1 Week Ahead

1. Start packing your stuffs.
2. Confirm all your reservations and check the details in your flight tickets. Make sure there is no error.
3. Bring alone your telephone book. Give your family and friends your emergency contact numbers.
4. Bring enough prescriptions for everyone in the trip. Carry along your medical cards as well.
5. Charge batteries for all your gadgets like camcorder, camera, ipod, etc.
6. Prepare necessary cash.
7. Go through the packing list.

1 Day Ahead

1. Fill your gas tank.
2. Send your pets and house keys to the sitters.
3. Finish up any last minute packing.
4. Check on your flight time.
5. Start to load stuffs to your vehicle.

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Check out:

• Top attractions in Orlando
• Hotel options in Orlando
• How to make Disney vacation affordable

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Setting off for the big fun

1. Allow sufficient time to travel to the airport and clear security.
2. Take lots of videos and pictures. Have a hassle free and unforgettable trip!

Hope that these tips are useful in helping you to plan a vacation in Walt Disney World. Have a nice trip, and be sure to paint the Orlando city red!

In fact, there are plenty of attractions in Orlando. From fun and magical adventure to the tranquil nature, the city offers a wide range of attractions that will entertain you and your family for the entire day.

Here are the top attractions in Orlando. Disney World Resort is certainly the main spotlights.

Disney World Theme Parks

1. Magic Kingdom
Walk through seven fanciful lands of fantasy and enjoy the Disney classic entertainment, attractions, whimsy of fairy tales, and beloved Disney Characters. There are a lot more to experience in this 107 acres of wonderland—a magical land for people of all ages. Join the splendid Disney fireworks shows and parades. Learn how to be a funny monster, pirate or a sweet princess.

2. Disney’s Epcot Center
Epcot stands for Experimental Prototype Community of Tomorrow. Explore the futuristic park with technological innovations that turns dreams and imaginations into reality.  Experience the Future World with the fastest attractions, astounding wonders, and exciting shows. The park includes a World Showcase area which consists of Pavilions of 11 countries. Enjoy a diversity of cultures, cuisines and entertainments from various ethnic groups.

3. Disney’s Hollywood Studios (formerly Disney MGM Studios)
Learn more about the glory days of Hollywood since 1930s. The backstage tour offers fascinating glimpses of movie actions with breathtaking attractions, thrilling rides, live shows, and special events.

4. Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park
It is one of the most popular natural attractions in Orlando with 500 acres of landscapes populated by over 250 species of animals. There are 7 areas in the theme park, and each features a collection of amazing animals. Have a chance to pet some of those real animals.

Disney World Water Parks

5. Disney Blizzard Beach
From the Summit Plummet at 120 feet (12 stories) tall, experience one of the world’s fastest and tallest free falling waterslides with 60 miles an hour. Other attractions are the world’s longer rumbling raft ride, side-by-side racing slides, and more. All water is heated to 80 degree Fahrenheit.

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Book your dream Disney vacation at Expedia.com!

Learn the tricks to slash expenses off your Disney World vacation from a former Disney cast member

Compare Disney World & Orlando hotel rates and read various hotel reviews

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6. Disney’s Typhoon Lagoon
In the 56 acre of tropical paradise, have a chance to swim with sharks. Experience the twisting waves, roaring rapids, slides, waterways and rivers. A 50-foot geyser will erupt every half hour to supply water flow to the entire park. It is one of the most visited water parks in the world.

Other Disney Attractions

7. Downtown Disney

Downtown Disney is situated within Disney’s properties but open to the public for free admission. This large area is divided into 3 sections—Downtown Disney Marketplace, Pleasure Island and Downtown Disney West Side.

Downtown Disney West Side is a large area fills with top-notch restaurants, unique shops, a 24-screen AMC movie theater, DisneyQuest Indoor Interactive theme park and the Cirque du Soleil La Nouba live entertainment show.

While breaking away from the busy Disney theme parks and Water Parks, take a walk at the Downtown Disney Marketplace to shop for Disney merchandise. Check out the biggest Disney character store on earth, and dine in the lakeside restaurant. You can also enjoy a blend of shopping and dining experiences in the Pleasure Island.

8. Disney’s BoardWalk
Located between Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios, the 400 meter long boardwalk that lies along the Crescent Lake consists of a wide range of restaurants, nightclubs and shops. When night falls, enjoy the classic midway games, live entertainment, street performers and a variety of foods.

9. Disney’s Wedding Pavilion
In Disney World, your wedding ceremony can be any style you wish. The Wedding Pavilion is the most popular site to host weddings and witness by up to 300 guests. The entire wedding ceremony will be recorded by professional camera operators.

10. ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex
You can watch a competition in this 220-acre modern sports complex with 7,500 seats. Driving to the complex is more convenient with free parking as buses only set off from a few hotels such as Pop Century, Caribbean Beach and All star resorts.

Off-Park Attractions

11. Universal Orlando Resorts
The resort features two amazing theme parks, the Universal Studios Florida and Universal’s Islands of Adventure.

You can go beyond the screen in Universal Studios Florida and get involve in movie action of your favorite shows. It is the world’s no.1 movie based theme park!

When night sets in, the Universal CityWalk starts to get busy serving fine and casual dinning, and entertaining visitors with live music, movies, shows, and special events. Plenty of shopping opportunities are available.

Universal’s Islands of Adventure offers six distinct themed islands with great adventure experiences–the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Jurassic Park River Adventure, The Amazing Adventures of Spider Man, The Incredible Hulk Coater, etc.

12. Sea World Orlando
It’s another popular attraction in Orlando under the umbrella of SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment. SeaWorld Orlando is an amusement and marine mammal park featuring
sea lion, orca and dolphin shows, and displaying a number of marine animals. Next to it are its sister parks Aquatica Water Park and Discovery Cove.

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Book your dream Disney vacation at Expedia.com!

Learn the tricks to slash expenses off your Disney World vacation from a former Disney cast member

Compare Disney World & Orlando hotel rates and read various hotel reviews

~ ———————— ~ ————————- ~ ———————– ~

In Discovery Cove, you can play or swim with the dolphins and interact with other animals such as tropical fishes, exotic birds and land mammals.

Aquatica offers a wide range of water attractions. Enjoy the racing slides, raft slides, slow river rides with geysers, and wave pools.

13. Kennedy Space Center
In the Visitor Complex, you can experience the interactive flight simulators, view NASA’s facilities for launching and landing, meet a NASA astronaut, and see giant spaceships. It’s just an hour journey from various theme parks at Orlando.

14. Hot Air Balloon Flight (at Thompson Aire)
Experience the thrilling hot air balloon flight and see the untouched beauty and nature of Florida. It will be a remarkable ride of your life!

15. Wonderworks
There are more than one hundred interactive funs in this amusement park. Feel the 65-mph strong hurricane wind, experience a 5.3 earthquake, land a shutter flight, fly a fighter plane and a lot more.

16. Arabian Nights
Enjoy a wonderful night in Orlando with the World’s famous and fabulous dinner show. The extensive performance at Arabian Nights features spectacular acrobatics and beautiful running horses. It is a show with incredible experience!

17. Busch Gardens
Join the thrilling African safari and have very close glimpses with the amazing wild animals. Experience the world’s top roller coaster rides with up to 200 feet tall and 100 mph. Different rides are available for people at different ages. You can also take a white water rides or explore the fascinating live shows.

18. Blue Spring State Park
Located on the St. Johns River and covered an area of 2,600 acres, visitors can stay overnight at air-conditioned cabins and experience canoeing, kayaking, boating, fishing, swimming, snorkeling, and scuba diving (certified divers only). Primitive campgrounds and Full-facility campsites are also available for rental.

There are plenty of famous attractions in Orlando that worth for a visit. Here are another few more to consider.

• Wet ‘n Wild Water Park – another amazing water park with thrilling fun for the whole family.
• Ripley’s Believe it or Not! – explore the amazing collectables items from around the world all in one place.
• Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground – enjoy a relaxing outdoor retreat with your loved ones. Each campground is fenced up with a paved drive and furnished with grill, picnic table, city water and electricity.
• Holyland Experience – explore the ancient city of Jerusalem at two thousand years back.
• Gatorland – discover the world of alligators, snakes, crocodiles, and etc. in this 110-acre theme park and wildlife preserve.
• Orlando Science Center – learn science and technology and hand on to the exhibits.
• Baldwin Park Village Center – explore the friendly neighborhood for shopping, dining, and relaxing.

If you’re looking for nightlife, bars, discos and restaurants in downtown, check out the Church Street, Oranges Avenue, Central Boulevard, Magnolia Street and Pine Street. Paint Orlando City red!

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Book your dream Disney vacation at Expedia.com!

Learn the tricks to slash expenses off your Disney World vacation from a former Disney cast member

Compare Disney World & Orlando hotel rates and read various hotel reviews

~ ———————— ~ ————————- ~ ———————– ~

]]> http://www.all-traveldeals.com/blog/attractions-in-orlando/feed/ http://www.all-traveldeals.com/blog/walt-disney-world-resort-hotels/ http://www.all-traveldeals.com/blog/walt-disney-world-resort-hotels/#comments Sat, 29 May 2010 06:31:21 +0000 admin http://www.all-traveldeals.com/blog/?p=293 If you’re planning a trip to Walt Disney World, be aware of the seasonal prices applied in Walt Disney World Resort hotels. There are five categories labeled under value, regular, summer, peak and holiday.

Here are the popular Walt Disney hotels:

On-site luxury Walt Disney hotels (managed by Walt Disney World)
•    Animal Kingdom Lodge
•    Beach Club Resort
•    BoardWalk Inn
•    Contemporary Resort
•    Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
•    Polynesian Resort
•    Wilderness Lodge
•    Yacht Club Resort

On-site moderate Walt Disney hotels (managed by Walt Disney World)
•    Caribbean Beach Resort
•    Coronado Springs Resort
•    Port Orleans Resort French Quarter
•    Port Orleans Resort Riverside

On-site value Walt Disney hotels (managed by Walt Disney World)
•    All-Star Sports Resort
•    All-Star Movies Resort
•    All-Star Music Resort
•    Pop Century Resort

On-site Walt Disney hotels (non-Disney property)

•    Walt Disney World Dolphin
•    Walt Disney World Swan Regal Sun Resort
•    Best Western Lake Buena Vista Hotel
•    Hilton Walt Disney World
•    Royal Plaza
•    Doubletree Guest Suite Resort
•    Holiday Inn in the Walt Disney World Resort
•    Buena Vista Palace Resort & Spa

X… Check rates for Walt Disney World Resort hotels at different traveling time.

X… Find out how you can have tremendous saving on Walt Disney World reservations and packages using the secrets and tricks from “The Ultimate Disney World Savings Guide.” This guide is very up-to-date with latest information.

X… Book your dream Disney vacation at Expedia.com!

( How to Slash Expanses in Disney World )
( Disney World Attractions, Weather, Special Events, When to Visit)
( Walt Disney world resort hotels )

Besides the crowds, you should consider the park hours, weather, prices, and special events during peak seasons.

Disney World Attractions and Parks

There are four theme parks and two water parks in Walt Disney World. Each theme park is signified by a unique icon.

Disney Theme Parks and their symbolic icons
1.    Magic of Kingdom – represented by the Cinderella Castle
2.    Disney’s Hollywood Studios — represented by The Sorcerer’s Hat
3.    Epcot — represented by Spaceship Earth
4.    Disney’s Animal Kingdom – represented by The Tree of Life

Disney Water Parks
1.    Blizzard Beach
2.    Typhoon Lagoon

Other Disney attractions worth for a tour
1.    Walt Disney World Speedway
2.    Downtown Disney
3.    Disney’s Wedding Pavilion
4.    Disney’s BoardWalk
5.    ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex

Other top attractions in Orlando

Park Hours & Special Events

With extended park hours until 11 pm, or midnight during peak seasons, the Magic Kingdom and other theme parks host special events such as parades, shows, and fireworks. In fact, the parks are a lot more delightful and fun after sunset with spectacular lights.

Visitors usually flock the parks during lunch hours. You can go back to your hotel room for a rest and return to the park for the evening events if you like. There is no waiting for rides at night.

The busiest times of the year are usually when schools close at summer (mid June to mid August), spring break (mid March to mid April) and weekends. Among the most crowded days are the Independence Day, between Christmas and New Year’s day, President’s Day weekend (3rd Monday of February), Memorial Day weekend (May), and Thanksgiving weekend (November). Although the parks will be flooded with tourists during the special days, many people are still attracted by the extra events and festivities organized during these times. Some of the fun events are Disney Christmas, Star Wars Weekends (in June), Epcot Flower and Garden Festival (in spring).

The busy days of the week at different theme parks

• Animal Kingdom Theme Park: from Monday to Wednesday
• Disney Hollywood Studios: Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday
• Epcot: Tuesday, and Friday
• Magic Kingdom: from Thursdays to Monday

Time with fewer visitors:

• Fall (until Thanksgiving) when kids are back to school
• After New Year until early February
• Between thanksgiving and Christmas. This is a good time to visit as Christmas ornaments, lightings and decorations are set up

Time with moderate visitors:

• After 3rd week of February to early march (after President’s Week until Spring Break)
• After spring break to summer holiday (exclude memorial Day weekend)

Weather

You should anticipate some rains, plenty of heat and humidity in the summer. The rain usually won’t last for too long, and it helps to cool you down. The waiting lines for rides are mostly with shelters, or at indoor areas with cold air. You can buy a Mickey poncho from the park in case you’re stranded in the rain.

If you visit the water parks besides summertime, the water may be freezing or too cold.

X… Find out how you can have tremendous saving on Walt Disney World reservations and packages using the secrets and tricks from “The Ultimate Disney World Savings Guide.” This guide is very up-to-date with latest information.

X… You can get some ideas about Walt Disney world deals for various hotels before you make any reservations. Compare rates and read reviews of Walt Disney World Resort hotels here.

X… Book your dream Disney vacation at Expedia.com!

( How to Slash Expanses in Disney World )
( Disney World Attractions, Weather, Special Events, When to Visit)
( Walt Disney world resort hotels )

If you’re planning to visit the Walt Disney World resort and looking for a great and hassle free vacation, you may want to make advance reservations for dining, hotel room, fun shows, and air ticket as early as 6 months ahead. It may seem ridiculous and unnecessary, but this is how things are worked out in Disney World resort. You can be caught in a long queue if you just walk in to a restaurant of your choice without any prior booking.

We all know that it’s very expensive to plan a trip to Disney World. But, you may not aware that almost all visitors visiting the resort are offered with different Disney World deals. Depending on how, where, and when you make your Disney World reservations, a same room, or dinner plan in a renowned hotel is selling at different rate. If you understand the secrets behind Disney’s operation when making your booking, it can help you save a lot of money and meet your budget. The saving you get, perhaps, will let you enjoy more fun events in the resort.

Here are some tips to help you plan and spend less on your Walt Disney World packages.

1)    Pick suitable time to visit
There are low and high price seasons in Disney World. Although the parks are filled with visitors during peak times, you may still want to join the crowd because of various fun events and festivities, for example, the Disney Christmas and Star Wars Weekends. Visiting the park during low price season can save you money and frustration of waiting for rides.

Click for more tips!

2)    Always book your trip in advance
If you plan your trip several months ahead, you have plenty of time to hunt for great Disney World deals. Some key travel sites specialize in Disney vacations, and you can subscribe to their newsletters for information and special offers. Do the same things for major airlines like Southwest Airlines. These sites usually have interactive vacation planner for Walt Disney World packages and tickets with great discount.

3)    Plan the duration of your trip
Disney World features 4 theme parks and 2 water parks.  The off-park attractions are also worth for a tour. Pick the sites you intend to enter, and make sure you allocate enough time for each attraction. As the parks are quiet extensive, even visiting one park a day is barely enough to explore only the main attractions. You should also spend some time to pick up souvenirs in downtown as prices can be 10 to 75% cheaper as compare to the parks.

In fact, you should only arrange tickets and other Disney world reservations that you really need to use. If not it will be a big waste!

4)    Plan your meals
Eating at restaurant in the resort is expansive. Unless you’re a guest of the Walt Disney World Resort hotels, you’ll have choices of different dining plans with up to 40% discount. You may also want to think about bringing your own food into the parks.

Other possible way to save is to take a heavy lunch but a light dinner; skip the wine and sodas and ask for iced water; buy desserts from the concessions instead of restaurants. If you want to eat in the Disney restaurants, you probably want to book your dining a few months in advance to get special Disney World deals. However, it is cheaper to eat in downtown, and the food is also delicious.

5)    Bring necessary items
Carry a backpack into the park which contains necessary things for the day such as food, water containers, extra diapers, wipes, sunglasses, sunscreen, and medicines. These items are costly when you’re inside the park.

6)    Other Discounts & Free Services

(You should find out more!)

• Try to stay away from e-Bay bargains unless you’re absolutely sure on the rate.
• Disney provides a free “Magical Express” shuttle and baggage service from airport directly to your hotel.
• You can have member discounts on some club memberships such as AAA Auto Club, Sam’s Club, AARP or Costco, etc. Visit their websites to see what travel offers they have on Disney.

7)    Planning Walt Disney World packages and tickets
Getting the right type of park tickets and best buys through travel websites or offline agents can actually save you hundreds of dollars to pay for your meals and other stuffs. Here are some points to take note when arranging your Disney World reservations.

Tickets

Tickets are priced base on the number of days and parks you want to visit, single or multiple entries, and the exclusive discounts. Having a clear picture on all the ticket options is important so that you can grab the best Disney World deals that suit your family’s needs. Most tickets expire in 14 days after first use. There is a no-expiration ticket, but most people do not need this option. You can upgrade the ticket if needed, but it will only make sense at certain situations.

All tickets are non transferable. Don’t go and purchase a 7-day ticket which is already used for 2 or 3 days. The old ticket has been tagged with biometric measurement with the guest’s fingers. This is to ensure the pass is used by the same person from day to day. If you wish to visit more than one park in a day, choose the Disney World Park Hopper ticket. Make sure you purchase your Walt Disney World packages and tickets from an authorized and reputable site or agent. Trust me! There are lots of frauds around.

Exclusive Privileges for In-Park Hotel Guests

Residents of the Walt Disney World Resort hotels are entitled to some special privileges. Don’t worry of tight budget as you can get a room below $100 (check price here!). If you’re an on-site hotel guest, you can access the Extra Magic Hours to stay inside the park longer; you have various choices of dinning plans in the hotel with saving up to 40%; you can also have free tours to Fort Wilderness, Animal Kingdom Lodge and The Grand Floridian. From these locations, you can view Electrical Water Pageant that floats around in the Seven Seas Lagoon and Bay Lake.

Disney World Packages

There are few attractive Walt Disney World packages to select. The most flexible value pack is certainly the a la Carte way, but it requires pre-arrangement. Other popular Disney World deals are Disney’s Magic Your Way Base Package, Disney’s Magic Your Way Package plus Dining, Disney’s Magic Your Way Premium Package and Disney’s Magic Your Way Platinum Package.

Xx… Book your dream Disney vacation at Expedia.com!

When you’re on the trip in Disney, always explore the park using the map in advance to plan your activities for the day. Disney parks are quite sizeable, and it takes a while to move from one end to another. You should visit all the attractions at close proximity concurrently to save time. Have a nice trip!

Xx… Find out how you can have tremendous saving on Walt Disney World reservations and packages using the secrets and tricks from “The Ultimate Disney World Savings Guide.” This guide is very up-to-date with latest information.

Xx… You can get some ideas about Walt Disney world deals for various hotels before you make any reservations. Compare rates and read reviews of Walt Disney World Resort hotels here.

( How to Slash Expanses in Disney World )
( Disney World Attractions, Weather, Special Events, When to Visit)
( Walt Disney world resort hotels )

]]> http://www.all-traveldeals.com/blog/walt-disney-world-reservations-deals-packages-resort-hotels/feed/ http://www.all-traveldeals.com/blog/travel-cameron-highlands-hotels-attractions-cactus/ http://www.all-traveldeals.com/blog/travel-cameron-highlands-hotels-attractions-cactus/#comments Sun, 21 Mar 2010 13:40:01 +0000 admin http://www.all-traveldeals.com/blog/?p=240 Cameron Highlands (4°31′45″N, 101°20′20″E) is Malaysia’s most popular and largest hill resort. It is famous for its beautiful scenery with emerald mountain ranges and cool invigorating climate (12 to 25 degree C). Situated at approximately 1,500 meters above sea level, Cameron Highlands is a home to many tea plantations, fruits and flowers gardens, cascading vegetable farms, waterfalls, golf course and jungle trails. It is a perfect location for holiday and retreat.

There are eight townships in the highland altogether. The major ones are Tanah Rata and Brinchang, and most Cameron Highlands hotels can be found in these two regions. These are the areas flocked by visitors during weekends.

Travel to Cameron Highlands:
The highland is accessible by road. Although the resort is situated at the state of Pahang, its two main road entrance are located at Tapah and Simpang Pulai in the state of Perak.

The journey from Ipoh city to Brinchang will take an hour via the Simpang Pulai gateway.

Tourist attractions:
Cameron Highlands has plenty to offers to its tourists. The famous attractions are the butterfly farm, rose gardens, strawberry farms, vegetable farms, tea plantations and galleries, golfing, Hindu Temples, Sam Poh Buddhist Temple, Cactus Point, Cactus Valley, Bee Farms and the unique Smokehouse Hotel.

If you’ll a nature lover, you can explore the highland through mountain hiking or jungle trekking.

Accommodation:
There are plenty of chalets, colonial bungalows and hotels, from budget to luxury categories, to suit your budget and personal need. The hotels offer full array of amenities that will make your stay comfortable, peaceful and productive. Most Cameron Highlands hotels are scattered around Tanah Rata and Brinchang townships.

Here are the popular choices:

Equatorial Cameron Highlands
Lakehouse Cameron Highlands
Read user reviews and rating of Cameron Highlands Hotels

Other Cameron Highlands hotel choices are:

• Heritage Hotel
• Century Pines Resort
• Hotel Casa De La Rosa
• Bala’s Holiday Chalet
• Rainbow Garden Hotel
• Star Regency Hotel & Appartments
• Parkland Hotel & Apartment
• Hotel Kowloon
• Hotel Rosa Passadena
• Country Lodge Hotel
• Cool Point Hotel

Photo Gallery of Cameron Highlands

Strawberries

Passion flowers and fruits

Honey Bee Apiaries

Back in 1999, the castle was once used as film setting for Anna and the King. If it attracts international film maker to step foot in the mansion, it will certainly worth for a photographing trip.

The castle was built by a Scottish rubber tycoon, William Kellie Smith, who left home at age of 20 to seek fortune in Malaya. After the birth of his son in 1914, William started to lay foundation of his dream castle as a symbol to depict his prosperity and wealth. He named the Castle under his mother’s maiden name, Kellie.

Kellie’s Castle features Moorish architecture of Greco-Roman designs. Some parts of the castle have six storeys, and there is a rooftop courtyard which was intended to host social functions for the planters. But the construction of the mansion was never finished. With the sudden demise of William Kellie Smith in 1926, all construction works of the castle were halted.

Gua Tempurung is a magnificent, natural limestone cave located near the township of Gopeng, approximately 15 km from southern part of Ipoh city. The 1.9 km stretch of cavern is accessible from the North-South Expressway through Gopeng interchange.

Gua Tempurung is the largest limestone cave in the Peninsula Malaysia. The formation of stalactites and stalagmites because of continuous dripping of mineral-rich water from the ceiling of the cavern has started since 400 million years ago. Stalagmites grow upward from the ground, and they will eventually meet with the stalagmites developing from the ceiling. After millions of years, today, many of the stalactites and stalagmites form solid columns with colorful and unique arts.

4 guided tours are available daily to visitors in Gua Tempurung:

Tour 1 - Golden Flowstone Tour
o dry tracking
o 40 mins
o 9am to 4pm

Tour 2 - Top of the World Tour
o dry tracking
o 1 hr 45 mins
o 9am to 3pm

Tour 3 - Top of the World plus Short River Adventure Tour
o wet tracking
o 2 hrs 30 mins
o 9am to 12pm

Tour 4 - Grand Tour
o wet tracking
o 3 hrs 30 mins
o 9am to 11am

• Find out more about tourist attractions in Ipoh city

]]> http://www.all-traveldeals.com/blog/gua-tempurung/feed/ http://www.all-traveldeals.com/blog/imperial-sheraton-kuala-lumpur/ http://www.all-traveldeals.com/blog/imperial-sheraton-kuala-lumpur/#comments Thu, 24 Dec 2009 09:39:59 +0000 admin http://www.all-traveldeals.com/blog/?p=202 Nestled in the heart of the country’s capital, the Sheraton Imperial Kuala Lumpur Hotel is an urban haven for both leisure and business travelers. The hotel is just a few minutes away from the key financial institutions, shopping arcades, headquarters of multinational companies, famous landmarks such ask Petronas Twin Towers, KL Tower, Bukit Bintang, Chow Kit, etc.

Adjacent to the hotel is a stretch of heritage shop houses which consists of charming restaurants, bars, cafes, and a “mamak” restaurant for local delicacies. About 100 meters away is the Medan Tunku Monorail Station which will connect you to anywhere in KL together with its sister transit networks-KTM and LRT lines.

I have taken 2 video clips on my last visit to Imperial Sheraton Kuala Lumpur. Check out the charming and elegant hotel lobby and guest room.

• Imperial Sheraton Kuala Lumpur
• Sheraton Langkawi Beach Resort

Situated between Kuala Lumpur and Penang, at approximately 200 km North of the country’s capital, Ipoh (4°36′0″N, 101°4′12″E) is the sixth largest city in Malaysia with close to ¾ million population. The city was once a famous mining town, but today it has transformed into a modern city.

Tourism in Ipoh city has been on the rise in the recent years. While most visitors are attracted by its unique tourist spots, many are thrilled by the local delicacies. Passengers passing by Ipoh in the North-South Plus Expressway will stop over for the tasty Ipoh food.

Places of Interest in Ipoh

1)    Limestone Caves

Nestled in the basin of Kinta Valley and bounded by limestone hill range at all angles, Ipoh is labeled The Hill City of Malaysia. Plenty of natural limestone caves can be found in the neighboring areas. A few of them are utilized by the local Buddhists to build temples, and hundreds of Buddhas’ statues can be found in each of these grottos. To name a few popular cave temples are the Perak Tong, Sam-Poh Tong, Nan-Tian Tong and Kek-Lok Tong (Tong refers to cavern in Mandarin).

These limestone caves have 400 million years of age. Some are fairly large and long with a few hundred meters deep. Few of the caverns are connected to remote valleys at the back of the hills. Similar to any limestone caves in the world, you’ll find a lot of natural and colorful limestone arts in the caves. The stalagmites grow upward from the ground and meet with the stalactite from the ceiling.

With abundant of limestone, Ipoh city is full of natural resources for its production of white marble table tops.

If you prefer something more challenging, take a cave expedition tour to Gua Tempurung. Four guided tours are available which will lead you to different segments of Gua Tempurung. The longest tour takes approximately 3-½ hours to complete, and you’ll have to soak in the underground stream to move forward with your torchlight.

2)    Lost World of Tambun Ipoh

Lost World of Tambun Ipoh has emerged to be a new tourist attraction in Ipoh city. You can easily spend a full day with your family exploring its various parks within the park. Some popular attractions are the water park, Tiger Valley, amusement park, natural hot springs, petting zoo and nature wonders.

The Lost World of Tambun Ipoh is just 15 minutes from the city towards Tanjung Rambutan. You can enjoy a rejuvenating hot bath from the natural hot springs with hot water pools and saunas.

3)    City tour to pre-World War II buildings

The Kinta River divides Ipoh city into two territories – The Old Town and The New Town. Ipoh is one of the oldest towns in Malaysia, and lots of imposing historic buildings with architectural significance can be found in The Old Town.

Most of the buildings are very well maintained. You can have a good photography tour at the pre-World War II heritage buildings, shop houses as well as the British colonial-inspired structures. Designed by A. B. Hubback, an English government architect, the old Ipoh Town Hall is a unique architecture constructed in 1914. Over the years, it was utilized as Ipoh’s centre post office, telegraph office, district police headquarter as well as hosted unlimited important events for the town. Opposite the old Town Hall at the right is the High Court building, another amazing creation of Hubback. On the left is the Ipoh Train station which is another remarkable heritage building blended with Gothic architectural design.

At close proximity is the St. Michael’s Institution. You can have a good camera shot on one of the oldest catholic schools with ecclesiastical design.

While you’re traveling around The Old Town, you’re also exposed to various delectable Ipoh food. Try the side stall food with white coffee.

4)    Gunung Lang Recreation Park

The recreation park is located just 5 km from the city center. RM8.4 millions was spent to convert and develop three former tin mining pools into a remarkable park which consists of viewing tower, traditional house, pergola, camp site, children playground and floating deck. Visitors will have to take a boat ride across the lake in order to access to the recreation park.

Gunung Lang has the largest Heliconia species in the whole of Malaysia. Heliconia species are favorite plants for many people because of their unique shape, size and color blends. Some of the species gathered in Gunung Lang are the Heliconia Caribea Gold, Rostrata Ruiz and Pavon, Psittacorum Sassy, Psittacorum Rubra, Spectabilis India Lamarck and Angusta Vello.

If you have more time while visiting Ipoh, you can also plan a tour to Kellie’s Castle at Batu Gajah and D.R. Seenivasagam Park at the heart of the city.

Spending time in Ipoh

Nightlife in Ipoh: Ipoh city is not lack of nightlife. The popular night spots are mostly the pubs, bars, restaurants and discos where friends or family members gather to cherish the night. The most happening places are the Greentown and Medan Ipoh (area behind Jusco or Kinta Shopping Mall).

Fine dining restaurants: There are only a handful of expansive fine dining restaurants in Ipoh. You can try out Indulgence, Brewster, and Citrus.

Ipoh Hotels: Hotel industries in Ipoh are slow. Except in the recent years, more new hotels are coming up in order to cope up with the increasing demand due to tourism. The favorable Ipoh hotels are Syuen Ipoh Hotel, Casuarina Ipoh Hotel, Excelsior Ipoh Hotel, Hillcity Ipoh Hotel, Regalodge Ipoh Hotel and Heritage Ipoh Hotel

Ipoh Food: You should explore why Ipoh Food is so popular, and there is only one reason for it. I would recommend trying out Chinese Dim-sum, bean-sprout with chicken, white noodle with soup, fish head curry and a cup of Ipoh white coffee.

Shopping in Ipoh: The city only has two large shopping arcades, the Kinta City Mall and the Ipoh Parade.

Touring Ipoh’s surrounding areas

Ipoh is the new portal to the famous hill resort of Cameron Highlands. An hour of leisure car ride from the Simpang Pulai junction will lead you to the cooling and tranquil hill resort. Read more about Cameron Highlands.

Another nearby tourist attraction is Pangkor Island at South-West of Ipoh. The island can be accessed via Lumut town with ferry services. Lumut is an hour drive from Ipoh city. Read more about Pangkor Island.