Why Tintagel Makes a Great Base for a Cornwall Holiday

Cornwall is famed as a great location for family breaks, thanks to its beaches, countryside and wide range of attractions. Tintagel is a perfect base to explore this from, as the village on the Atlantic coast is within easy travelling distance of a selection of fascinating destinations.

Opt to stay in a holiday cottage in Tintagel and you will discover there is lots to do just a short walk away. The highlight of a getaway here is a tour of the remains of the castle; legend has it that King Arthur was born in the fortress and that Merlin lived in a cave underneath it.

There are other sites in the village related to the mythical monarch, including King Arthur's Hall. You will also want to see the National Trust-owned Old Post Office, a beautifully-restored medieval yeoman's farmhouse that was briefly a postal centre in Victorian times.

If you take a car with you to Cornwall, you will find a host of other attractions just a short drive from Tintagel. Crealy Great Adventure Park near Wadebridge is a fun day out for families with children, as it has a petting zoo, indoor and outdoor adventure playgrounds and terrifying rides, such as The Beast and Morgawr.

A day trip to Boscastle is another good choice, as it is one of the prettiest villages in the county and there is lots to discover outdoors. The National Trust owns most of the land here and has placed paths across it, so it is easy to explore the area.

Take a stroll up to Penally Point cliffs to enjoy the views and follow the trail through Forrabury Stitches, a rare example of a well preserved celtic strip field system. If the weather is not good during your time in Boscastle, you could visit the Museum of Witchcraft to see its collection of magic-themed artefacts.

Every holiday should include a treat and in Cornwall that means a trip to Padstow. The town has some beautiful beaches ideal for long walks and is also where you will find Prideaux Place, a magnificent Elizabethan manor house and gardens.

After seeing them, reward yourself with a meal at one of the eateries owned by television chef Rick Stein. He has four in Padstow, including one of the UK's best fish and chip shops, a stylish bistro and the upmarket The Seafood Restaurant, where his team transform the local catch into sumptuous gourmet dishes.

Travel Indonesia: Jakarta, Sumatra and More

Read about the beauties and attractions of Indonesia, a country in South-East Asia, between two oceans. This country promises great experiences to people who are interested in exploring diverse landscapes and cultures.

Indonesia is located in Southeast Asia. The country is washed by the Pacific and the Indian Ocean and includes more than 13,600 islands. The nature of the archipelago is characterized by tropical rainforests, majestic volcanoes and lagoons. Unique culture, national parks, nature reserves, and excellent resorts with lots of opportunities for rest make Indonesia a popular place for many travelers.

Jakarta is the capital and the largest city of Indonesia. Jakarta is situated on the northwest coast of Java and is known as the city with an original mixture of numerous buildings of the 17th-18th centuries, canals and multiple 'national' neighborhoods, each with a unique style. A paved area near Taman Kota Fatah, surrounded by old buildings overlooking the canal, is one of the centers of Batavia, the old part of the city which is often visited by organized groups of tourists. Nearby, the tourists will see the Jakarta History Museum in the former City Hall, an ancient gun as the symbol of an entire epoch, the Doll Museum, Chicken Market drawbridge erected in the 17th century, and the Bahari Museum with a lookout tower. Some more extravagant attractions of the capital include Sunda Kelapa, the old port, and the oldest temple of the city, Tszine-Yuan.

The second most recognized tourist area is Medan Merdeka, known as Freedom Square, with a 132-meter National Monument. Nearby one can find the National Museum of Indonesia with unique historical and ethnological collections, the Museum of National History and of Indonesian Culture. Of special interest is the impressive building of the presidential palace, the Maritime Museum and Villelme church. Colonial past is perceived in the architecture of the Portuguese Church. One of the largest religious mosques in Southeast Asia is Istiqlal Mosque in Jakarta. Shopping is offered in the bustling Mangadau shopping center and Glodok Bazaar. Cutting-edge business districts, architecture of all styles, the famous zoo, water parks, cultural and entertainment complexes and the largest and most popular park in Jakarta, Jaya Ancol, contribute to the general tourist impression of the city.

Yogyakarta attracts the attention of tourists due to a huge palace complex of Sultan's Kraton, numerous museums, and the exquisite temple complex Lara Jonggrang in the nearby Prambanane region. In the area of Surabaya, the capital of East Java, one will find the attractive temples of Malang district and Mount Bromo. In the south of the island, there is a sample of medieval Indonesian art, the 'Temple of a Thousand Buddhas' built in the 8th-9th centuries.

Bali Island is the most developed tourist area of Indonesia. Denpasar, the capital and the administrative center of the island, is a surprisingly quiet city filled with aromas of plants and unusual fresh air. Many small buildings of traditional architecture, quiet cozy streets, and the constantly shining sun give the city a special charm. Nearby, there is the international Ngurah Rai airport, the main transport hub of the island. 'The Island of the Gods' itself attracts tourists with its pristine landscapes, tropical rainforests and majestic volcanoes, blue lagoons and lush tropical jungle. As for mam-made attractions, one can mention temples and superb resorts. Bali is famous for the tolerant attitude of the local people towards the lifestyle of foreigners, so it surely makes this island a perfect place for a relaxing holiday.

Sumatra is often associated with intense volcanic activity, hundreds of miles of beaches with dark sand and dozens of pristine mountain lakes. However, the region is also known for its turbulent historical past evidenced by the ruins of ancient temples and palaces. The most interesting places include Parapat luxury resort on the shores of the magnificent volcanic Lake Toba, the royal palace and the tombs of Samosir island, mosques, museums, a crocodile farm near Medan, and an orangutan rehabilitation center. In the northern part of Sumatra, one will find the largest reserve of the country, Gunung Leuser, where rare species of Sumatran rhinoceros, tigers, wild bulls and orangutans are preserved.

To design a trip to Indonesia, you can contact one of the Indonesian travel agents or Indonesian tour operators. They will help you prepare a tour with least effort and make your trip a great experience.

How to Take Your Luggage When You Are Going On a Trip

Whenever you set off on a trip that is going to keep you away from home for a few days, it is essential for you to carry some luggage with you. The most important aspect of carrying your belongings is to choose the right carrier. You may need to decide whether to use a suitcase, a travel bag or a backpack. It all depends on what you are going to carry and how long you are going to be away from home.

In case you are going to make an overseas trip, your luggage carrier has to be a highly durable one which is of light weight. There are lots of such travel bags and suitcases available in the market. Most of them are large enough to carry all your luggage yet light enough to not to make your luggage too heavy. Most of them are made out of strong light weight plastic. Almost all of them have wheels and handles to help you move them easily.

When you travel locally in your car, your luggage has to be packed in flexible bags so that you will find it easier to pack them in the boot of your car. There are many such bags made out of durable materials. They serve the purpose and they last long. Often, you could buy them in online stores at discounted prices. They are available in many shapes and attractive colors.

Almost all travelers pack something in to their carry-on baggage as well. It is a good idea to have a flexible bag for this type of baggage. However, it has to be a bag that is durable enough to go places. It is a good idea to buy one made out of ballistic nylon. Though bags made out to this material are flexible they are very strong. They are not very expensive either. Since there are similar materials that are used for the manufacture of bags, it is necessary to ask the salesman to make sure that what you buy is the right one.

Backpacks are also good for carrying your belongings either on long trips or even when you are on short distance travelling. There are backpacks made out of highly durable material that are suitable for any long trip; even overseas. The good thing with some of the back packs is that they have ample space for all your paraphernalia such as the bottle of water, the camera and the laptop.

South America Travel Tips: Crossing the Chile-Peru Border

For backpackers on the Gringo Trail or for other types of travelers with time enough to cross borders overland (instead of needing the efficiency of air travel), crossing the border between Peru and Chile will be necessary. This route goes overland from the border city of Tacna in Peru to the counterpart city in Arica. These two cities are 32 miles (53 km) apart. Tacna is not frequently a stop for most travelers, but rather a transit point to Arequipa, Puno, or other top travel destinations in Peru. Meanwhile, Arica is somewhat of a burgeoning Chile travel destination, with excellent surfing and a quaint, small town vibe.

Most travelers must face a border crossing from Peru to Chile after having visiting top Peru travel destinations such as Cusco, Machu Picchu, Arequipa, Colca Canyon, Puno and Lake Titicaca. With desires to continue adventuring in Chile, travelers will cross the border to destinations such a San Pedro de Atacama and points further south; along the coast, this usually means Iquique, another laidback beach town similar to Arica, followed by Valaparaiso and Santiago, perhaps stopping in La Serena along the way, and the on to Patagonia or over to Argentina via Mendoza.

The first step before these adventures can begin is getting to Tacna. Bus service from Lima, Cusco, and Puno is frequent, with daily departures from these and other cities. Unlike travel from Bolivia or Argentina into Chile, direct international bus service from Peru is difficult to find. However, once in Tacna, getting to the Chile side is fairly easy. Flores, as well as a few other bus companies, offers international bus service across the border. However, a slightly more efficient option is taking a shared cab service, obtainable from the international bus terminal in Tacna - this is adjacent to one of the national bus terminals in the city. (Several buses from Puno arrive to a different national terminal about 7 minutes by taxi from the international terminal.) Cabs are shared between 5 passengers in addition to the driver. The car heads to the border, about 30 km distant. Travelers pass through Peruvian immigration - the agent will take the small white migration card received upon entrance to Peru - and then continue on to Chilean immigration and customs. Throughout this process, whether in a shared car or a bus, all passengers move step by step as a unit.

Once at the Chile border check, once officer will examine passports and clarify the purpose of travel, then all travelers continue to customs, placing all luggage on an x-ray belt to ensure that no plant goods or other prohibited items are being entered. After this process is completed, all passengers will once again board the vehicle and ride the remaining 20 km to the international terminal in Arica. Here, travelers can rest in this laidback beach town with interesting historical and archaeological sites, or continue southward to further adventures.

This article was written by a travel expert at Latin America For Less who specializes in helping you organize fully customizable South America vacation packages. Whether you want to travel to Peru, Chile, or other top South America travel destinations, Latin America For Less can help you with destination ideas and travel tips.