Health Insurance in Cuba

The Government of Cuba has announced that travelers will have to present proof of health insurance in order to enter the country as of May 1, 2010. Upon arrival, travelers may be required to present an insurance policy, insurance certificate, or medical assistance card valid for the period of their stay in Cuba. Those who do not have proof of insurance coverage may be required to obtain health insurance from a Cuban insurance company when they arrive.

Temporary residents will also have to hold valid health insurance policies.

Although proof of Canadian provincial health insurance will be sufficient for visitors to enter Cuba, your provincial plan may cover only part of the costs and will not pay the bill up-front, as required. It is therefore recommended that travellers purchase supplemental health insurance. Note that some private insurers also require the traveller to pay costs up-front and be reimbursed later. Travellers should note that Cuban authorities will not allow anyone with outstanding medical bills to leave the country.

All health insurance policies will be recognized except those issued by U.S. insurance companies, as they cannot provide coverage in Cuba.

Discover Rocky Mountaineer

Only have a few days to explore the most spectacular scenery in the world? Lloyds Travel offers short packages with Rocky Mountaineer that are perfect short retreats in the Canadian Rockies.

The Rockies are vast and expansive, spanning from the northern border of Canada into the United States. The rich, vast, unspoiled nature of the Canadian National Parks is treasured by all who know the beauty that lies within them. People travel from around the world to vacation and experience the rare and rugged Canadian Rockies region that has been preserved for more than a century.

The Rocky Mountaineer travels by rail through five of these protected areas: Mount Revelstoke National Park, Glacier National Park, Yoho National Park, and the oldest and the largest of the Rockies parks, Banff and Jasper. Three provincial parks combined with the four National Parks located in the Rockies, comprise the UNESCO Rocky Mountain World Heritage Site. This ranks as one of the largest protected areas on the planet. The rail routes you'll travel are unlike any other in the world.

Adventure in Southern Arizona

If you seek adventure try a vacation to Southern Arizona. This dry, desolate area has been inhabited by humans for a long time, however, the climate has made it difficult if not impossible for the area to become over populated.

Southern Arizona hiking trails are really off the beaten path. Traveling by dirt road to The Superstition Mountains, you will find an endless area of mountain desert. Embark on a hiking exploration and you may stumble upon the Lost Dutchman's Mine. The story goes that a miner brought millions of dollars of gold out of the mountain, never returned to the area and died before telling a living soul where the mine was located. Located near Yuma, Madera Canyon rises to 8,000 feet and is a great way to hike from the desert to the trees. The elevation can make this area really cold, so hiking is best done in the summer.

Ghost Towns in Southern Arizona are full of history and fun for everyone. If you have children, Tombstone will create a memory your family will not soon forget. Actors reenact the 1900 train robbery of the Wells Fargo Train. It can be a little cheesy for adults, but kids love it. Fairbanks is a true ghost town and people last lived there in 1970. Fairbanks was once a bustling mining and milling town located along the San Pedro River in Southern Arizona.

Some delicious wines can be found in Southern Arizona, with the grapes thriving at the 5,000 to 6,000 elevation in the Sonita-Elgin area. Producing a nice Petit Verdot, local winemakers man there own tasting rooms. There are 39 licensed wineries in Arizona. The area is lovely and if you want to miss the rush of tourist, avoid coming during the Thanksgiving weekend.

Overall, Southern Arizona is a wonderful destination for adults and children alike. Whether you seek adventure or a relaxing tour of wineries, Southern Arizona can accommodate you.

Cruise News

Royal Caribbean International recently announced the cruise line’s 2011-12 Southern Caribbean deployment and Mariner of the Seas’ South America circumnavigation cruises. Serenade of the Seas will sail its eighth consecutive season in the Southern Caribbean from San Juan, Puerto Rico, where Adventure of the Seas also will return for winter 2011-12. Vacationers also can choose from two sailings in January 2011 aboard Mariner of the Seas, which combined, circumnavigates the South American continent, or the Royal Caribbean Machu Picchu Adventure Cruisetour, which combines a sailing aboard Mariner of the Seas with a five-night escorted land tour itinerary. In total, the three ships will offer 73 sailings on 19 distinct itineraries that include 25 unique ports of call. Bookings for these 2011-12 sailings are open today.

Royal Caribbean’s Machu Picchu Adventure Cruisetour will offer guests a most memorable South America land and sea vacation. Adventurers can choose the January 16, 2010, sailing aboard Mariner of the Seas followed with the five-night land tour itinerary from Valparaiso, Chile, to cultural centers and major Incan archeological sites of Chile and Peru. The highlight of the land tour features a full day to explore Machu Picchu. Vacationers also can choose the pre-cruise land tour itinerary, followed by a grand South America odyssey to Brazil aboard Mariner of the Seas, sailing February 1. All Royal Caribbean cruisetours are escorted by a Tour Director who specializes in the region and includes guests’ transportation, hotel accommodations, certain activities and some meals for an exciting, stress-free vacation, where Royal Caribbean takes care of all the planning and reservations.

Mariner of the Seas’ guests also have a wide array of shore excursion options, at an additional charge, to take in the color and culture of South America’s most vibrant centers. In Peru, guests also can rediscover the mysterious Lost City of the Incas on “Cuzco & Machu Picchu Adventure.” In Ushuaia, Argentina, guests can cruise Lapataia Bay and the Beagle Channel in the Tierra del Fuego National Park by catamaran to view a colony of Magellanic penguins on “Penguin Rookery Navigation.” On one of the two days in Montevideo, Uruguay, guests can chose a visit to a Uruguayan gaucho ranch and enjoy a barbeque lunch on “Day at the Estancia.”

Guests have a variety of exciting Royal Caribbean shore excursion options to enhance their Southern Caribbean cruise, such as relaxing like a Rockefeller on the 150-acre, eco-friendly Carambola Resort at St. Croix on “Carambola Beach Break,” or enjoying Aruba’s countryside from a four-seat SUV as guests make their way to De Palm Island for lunch, swimming and snorkeling on “Jeep Off-Road Adventure.” To get the blood pumping, guests can take on “Antigua Canopy & Challenge,” a unique eco-tour with 21 unforgettable journey-elements through the island’s lush rainforest.

Serenade of the Seas will offer a third consecutive year of seven-night roundtrip cruises to the Southern Caribbean from San Juan, beginning in April 2011. Serenade of the Seas will depart weekly on Sundays in the summer 2011 season and on Saturdays during the winter season. The two alternating summer itineraries will offer guests no repeating ports when booking two consecutive sailings, whereas the two alternating winter itineraries have St. Kitts in common. Vacationers also have the choice of a one-time eight-night and a six-night itinerary that will sail on May 7 and November 13, 2011, respectively.

Adventure of the Seas will begin its winter 2011-12 season in November, alternating two distinct seven-night itineraries that also will offer guests, booked on two consecutive sailings, no repeat calls at any port for a more comprehensive Southern Caribbean adventure. Two special holiday itineraries, an eight-night and a seven-night cruise, departing on December 18 and December 26, 2011, respectively, will feature onboard holiday celebrations and a shipwide New Year’s countdown party. Vacationers also can choose a one-time, six-night Southern Caribbean itinerary, sailing on January 2, 2012.

For its part, Mariner of the Seas will depart Los Angeles on January 16, 2011, on a 16-night repositioning itinerary to Valparaiso, Chile, followed by a 14-night itinerary to Sao Paulo (Santos), Brazil, via Cape Horn and the southern tip of South America. The 14-night sailing features an overnight in the embarkation port of Valparaiso and then at Montevideo, Uruguay, before arriving in Santos, Brazil on February 15.

Wilpattu National Park in Sri Lanka

Wilpattu national park is a park in Sri Lanka forming a part of the island. The exclusive feature of the National Park is the presence of the “Willus”. The park forms the north – west shore lowland which experiences a dry season. It lies in the dry zone of the country. Thepark is situated on the western side of the Anuradhapura at a distance of 30 km from Puttalam. The word Wipattu means “Land Of lakes”.

The park occupies the area of 131,693 hectares and ranges between 0 to 152 meters above the sea level. Initially this park was a sanctuary but later on it was converted in to a national park in 1908. The climate experienced by the national park is monsoon oriented. It rains only during the months of February and March. Because of the amount of rainfall received here the park is full of greenery.

There are lots of plants and animal species fund in the Wilpattu national park. There are 31 species of mammals out of which the elephants are the most cherished and admired by the tourist. You can also come across various other species like the mouse, shrew and mongoose. Also you can find colorful bird species that includes eagles, owls, kites buzzards etc.

It is also the home for the different varieties of reptiles. These embrace the monitor lizard, crocodile, cobra, rat snake, turtles etc. it is the largest park of Sri Lanka that is known for the exotic animal species including the leopards, bears, pigs and many more.

Initially it was the most visited amongst all the parks but due to the deterioration it had to be closed down. Later on it was open again and then a large number of animals were brought in. Till then the number of visitors has been increasing every year. It is very mush a spectacular view to watch the animals and their activities. Visiting it is more like being apart of any festival.

Though January to May is the peak season when this national park is most visited but it can be also visited in the months of October even. There are special tours organized by the government who takes the visitors for exploring the wildlife of the Wilpattu national park.

So if you love animals and wish to see them you can definitely visit the Wilpattu national park. Therefore plan your trip and go ahead to make your trip a life long experience for you and your family.

How to Pack a Bike for your Holiday

Thinking of taking a bike on a plane for a cycling holiday? Worried about potential damage to the bicycle or how much it will cost to take all that extra weight on board?

This article shows how easy it is to pack a bike for either plane or sea travel and offers some useful tips on the best type of bike case together with advice on making sure potentially breakable bike components do not get damaged during the journey.

Best Bike Bags for Air Travel

Bike bags for air travel can be either soft or hard cases or even a cardboard box. Which to choose depends largely on budget and the cost of the actual bike as hard cases may be the best for protecting delicate bike components but cost 3 to 4 times more than a soft bike bag.

Whichever bike bag is used, the method for packing a bicycle is essentially the same as outlined below.

Pack a Bicycle for Air Travel

While some last minute travelers have been known to shrink-wrap their bikes in cling film on arrival at the airport, common sense demands that a bike is partially dismantled before shipping to protect key bike components. This may sound time consuming but only takes around half an hour once after the first few attempts. Just follow these guidelines:

• Remove the seat post, pedals and both wheels.
• Deflate tires as required by most airlines.
• Unscrew the stem and detach the handlebars, turning them sideways so that they can be placed flat in the bike case.
• Remove the rear derailleur – optional but recommended for soft bags or cardboard boxes.
• Place all loose components like pedals into a bag and tape to the frame so they do not get lost if the bike case opens in transit.
• Wrap insulation foam or thick newspaper around the frame for additional protection and secure with zip-ties. It’s also a good idea to bubble-wrap any discs (on bikes with disc brakes) as they are prone to bending in transit.
• Place the bike frame in the bike bag and check that all components are seated as flat as possible.
• Put the wheels on either side of the frame. Some bike bags come with separate wheel bags; if unavailable, wrap the wheels in bubble wrap or paper.
• Close the bike case and secure with strong tape.

Cost of Taking a Bike on a Plane

Most airlines make a charge for taking a bicycle on a plane. Costs vary between £30/$50 to £50/$80 per return journey but to get the lowest price it is essential to pre-book the bicycle as part of the baggage allowance.

Expect to pay a higher cost as a percentage of the air-fare for short haul budget airline flights, popular with UK based mountain bikers heading for the Alps. Long haul destinations like New Zealand are usually cheaper as baggage allowances are greater and bikes can often be taken on board for no additional charge.

Pack a Bike with Confidence

With a little practice, it is quick and easy to pack a bike for air travel whether using a cheap cardboard box or an expensive hard bike case. Take care to bubble wrap easy-to-bend bike components like brake discs and your trusty steed will arrive in perfect condition for that much needed cycling holiday.

Top Travel Destinations in Africa

Choosing top travel destinations in Africa is not an easy job known for the size and assortment of the continent. However, below are some destinations to add to your bucket list.

In Kenya, Masai Mara is the place to be. From July to October is the dry season and the wildlife sight is unmatched. You can also watch the yearly migration of over a million wildebeest from a hot-air balloon.

In the middle of Zambia and Zimbabwe lies Victoria Falls. Getting a thorough sopping from the boisterous, powerful Victoria Falls is quite an experience of its own. People actually feel as if they are in the middle of a torrential rainstorm. Mosi-oa-Tunya means smoke that thunders; is a name given to Victoria Falls because the hard to believe amount of water generates a huge amount of spray which shoots thousand feet into the sky and can be seen thirty miles away.

Outside Cairo and in Egypt lies the Pyramids of Giza. It’s one the greatest architectural feats by mankind. The great Pyramid of Giza is one of the world’s oldest tourist attractions and also known as the last surviving member of the Seven Wonders of the World. The great pyramid of Khufu, Kafhre and Menkura are the three main pyramids in Giza.

One of the Africa’s oldest cities is Djenne in Mali. Situated on an island in the Niger delta; Djenne was a natural hub for traders who used to shuttle their goods between Sahara Desert and forests of Guinesa. Market square subjugated by the beautiful Grand Mosque is a center of Islamic learning. Located a few miles from Timbuktu, the market there is held on every Monday. It is suppose to be one of the most appealing and sparkling markets in Africa.

The highlight of any trip to Africa has to be Cape Town. This city is known for its natural beauty. With its beautiful beaches and real impressive Table Mountains, wines and restaurants over here are world class. Cape Town has a reputation for social tolerance and is one of the most culturally assorted cities in Africa.

The imperial city if Marrakech is situated at the foot the Atlas Mountains in Morocco. This city is large, noisy, polluted and at the same time, fascinating. You are going to have lots of fun if you enjoy daily assaults on all your senses. There are actually many things to see over here because this is where all the action is. Djemma el Fnaa, the heart of the medina, should be on priority list who visits here.

Another fascinating travel destination in Africa is Omo River Region of Ethopia. Anyone looking for a cultural adventure, this is the perfect place to be. Virunga Mountains in Uganda is known for inhabit Gorillas. For adventure travel, Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest peak, known for adventure lovers’ who come here for hiking. Last but not the least, Zanzibar in Tanzania is famous for its beaches.