Indonesia Traveling Guide

Festival and Travel Mart 2011 was being held on last week at Raja Ampat Waisai Tercinta Beach (WTC), Raja Ampat, West Papua. This event was Opened with traditional dance and performance on last Thursday. Festival Committee Chairman & Travel Mart 2011 Ferdinand Dimara said that the maritime festival was intended to promote maritime tourism Raja Ampat. Besides bringing the existing tourism operators in Raja Ampat with a number of travel agents.

Raja Ampat, the beauty of the region which is rich with coral and marine life are very well known to the world. Therefore the Raja Ampat could become a major destination of foreign and domestic tourists. Especially diving and underwater tourism lovers. Raja Ampat consists of four large islands, namely Pulau Wageo, http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifMisol, Batanta, and Salawati, as well as over 1,000 small islands to save the diversity of flora and fauna is also a cultural tradition.

In the maritime festival, visitors enjoyed package tours, traditional art performance and also some culinary. Meanwhile, according to Head of Culture and Tourism Raja Ampat Yusdi N Lamatenggo, festival was intended to introduce and promote the fascinating of Raja Ampat underwater panorama, also to increase tourist visits from 7,000 people (2010) to 10,000 this year.

There was also a photo contest focusing on underwater and panoramic views of the community life of Raja Ampat. Also, some seminars on nature diving. For more information about Raja Ampat visit this LINK.

Mataram’s new Lombok International Airport, located about 40 kilometers south of West Nusatenggara’s provincial capital, started operating now.

A Garuda Indonesia Airways Boeing 737-800 JR was the first commercial aircraft that landed at the new facility at 10.08 local time on Saturday. The plane landed smoothly on the airport’s runway, witnessed by thousands of people lining the airport’s perimeters.

The plane was carrying 108 people consisting of a group of West Nusa Tenggara government officials including Governor TGH M Zainul Majdi, councilors, as well as ordinary West Nusatenggara residents. They had been previously transported to Jakarta in order to make the flight to Lombok International Airport on the day of its opening.

The arriving people were greeted with a traditional ceremony to mark the new airport’s official opening. In his speech on the occasion Governor Zainul Majdi said, with the opening of the Lombok international airport, the local people’s long wait had finally ended.

"This is the beginning of progress as well as proof that West Nusa Tenggara also can advance and if all parties work hard then nothing is impossible," he added.

Meanwhile, Central Lombok Dsitrict Chief Suhaili FT appreciated all those who had supported the development of the international airport. Suhaili expressed his commitment to ensure the security and stability of the airport’s operations.

"No more doubts about safety. We can assure you. It is a testament that all parties in theis region want progress. Hopefully it is beneficial for all of us," he said. (Kompas.com)

Lombok island located in West Nusa Tenggara is almost head-to-head with its neighbour island, Bali, in competition of attracting foreign and domestic tourists.

Lombok island is one of the most complete tourist destinations with its fantastic natural resources, from Mount Rinjani to exotic and rarely visited beaches including Kuta beach, Aan Cape, as well as the attractive small islets (known as gili). To get more information visit this blog review about Lombok Island.

There are six ways that can be applied by backpackers or non-backpackers to maximize fun of having a vacation in the island.

1. Be well-prepared with itineraries. Spontanities in preparing them sometimes can be more exciting but they are supposed to be the subject to skip if you only have time contraints to have a vacation. Find as much as possible the information of destinations from internet such as accomodations, transportations, distances and durations of visiting one place to the others. Doing them will hinder you from conflict of ideas or spending time on discussing destinations especially if you take the vacation in groups.

One of the sites, www.visitlomboksumbawa.net helps you find the information on festivals usually held in Lombok. As an example, Malena Sapi (cow race) is held this month in West Lombok and Senggigi Festival is held in Batu Layar village, Lobar regency, West Lombok.

2. It takes more money if you have to rent a car compared with taking a public transportation in Lombok such as Bemo (shuttle bus) or Cidomo (horse cart). An 8-hour car rent of Avanza provided with its driver can be charged for local rate at Rp300,000. The service will enable you to reach areas not served by public transportations as bemo or cidomo are rarely found in Mataram and mostly found out of the city.

The car rent also offers a free of charge tour guide service besides a driver. The drivers know very well the tourist attractions mostly visited by tourists or places rarely visited but abundant with spectacular natural resources as they are natives of the local areas. Don't forget to get the fixed rate of the service to prevent you from having arguments when paying the bill after using the service.

3. Extra cash needed. No charges for entering handicraft centers in Banyumulek Village, Sasak tribe traditional village, Sade village, and Lingsar castle. However, there will be boxes of donation placed at several places that need your volunteer contributions of around Rp5,000-10,000 to help develop local villages.

The amount of money will be needed for volunteer payment of local tour guides that are able to tell you in details of stories and histories on local tourist attractions. That's why it's necessary to prepare small changes of Rp5,000-10,000.

4. Drop by the rarely visited places when taking a trip around Lombok Island as there are many unique places to explore besides common places visited by tourists. Thefore it is necessary to leave as early as 7 in the morning to make sure you have enough time to explore the places. During the time, you can take a view of Sasak farmers planting seeds of paddy in the morning mist. The rising sun shining the greeny paddy fields completes the lovely view.

The moment can be taken by photographers who want to get the scenes of farmers planting paddys, male farmers cultivating fields, as well irregular buyers purchasing dry unhusked rice from farmers. You can take time mingling with locals by greeting and introducing yourself to them. Gradually they will find the comfort to share with you about their daily life and activities as Sasak farmers. If lucky, you will be invited by them to have breakfast on the edge of paddy fields by them.

Stop by the open traditional markets located at road sides. There are days, Mondays and Thursdays, in which all traders from the whole regions of Lombok gather at spots such as Sengkol market, Central Lombok.

5. Be ready with sunblocks. Lombok island is well-known for its exotic beaches lying from West Lombok to South Lombok. Senggigi Beach and three gili lie; Gili Trawangan, Gili Meno, and Gili Air, lie in West Lombok. While fascinating beaches; Kuta, Tanjung Aan and Mawun beach, lie in South Lombok.

There several kinds of activities that you can do on the beaches such as sunbathing, snorkeling, diving, as well as surfing. Sunblock is compulsory to carry along as scorching sunshine on the beaches can get you sunburn. At least by applying sunblock, you do not have to be bothered thinking about being sunburn and can have more fun doing kinds of activities on the beaches.

6. Be ready to have parties on Gili and Senggigi! Night festivities in the island are minimal, not like the ones in Bali popular with its 24-hour festive life. The center of city looks quiet from sort of activities starting at 10 pm.

However, if you still insist on spending the night life in Lombok, you can head to Senggigi where dozens of cafes, karaoke pubs, as well as seafood restaurants are open till late at night.

Enjoy the beauty of night life if you happen to stay in Gili Trawangan. Tourist will be lured by festivities and music entertainment and they can dance to their hearts' contentment until morning comes.

Indonesia’s cultural diversity is a blessing, Culture and Tourism Resources Development Agency spokesman Pitana said here on Wednesday.

Speaking at a public discussion in the framework of National Creative Week at Banyualit Buleleng Hotel in Buleleng district town of Singaraja, Pitana said the cultural diversity in Indonesia was among others in the form of traditional dances, music, art performances, fabric motifs, and handicrafts across the country.

He said the national cultural diversity should continue to be preserved and maintained in the face of various global cultural challenges. According to him, the cultural diversity was the capital to develop a better life because it was a base for the nation’s cultural, tourism, and economic development in a creative way.

Pitana explained that conservation and development of culture and tourism should use the concept of democracy or community empowerment in accordance with the objective of tourism development. He pointed out that in the other parts of the world, creative industry had positive impact on national and regional economy.

In England for example, Pitana said creative industry ranked second as a pillar of the country’s economy from the music, arts, and films. While in Canada, creative industry in 2002 contributed 5.4 percent of gross domestic product and 6 percent against the United State gross domestic product.

Therefore cultural and social observer Made Metra said Indonesia should empower and develop its creative industry as the identity of the nation.

The Tickets: Most airlines have special offers almost all the time. These offers are usually valid only for specific destinations and for specific dates (or days of week). If you are flexible on dates, check "what is on sale now", to get the best price! If there is no discount on your desired route and if your dates are flexible, you can wait for 2 to 4 weeks for a promotion on that particular route.

As many passengers prefer to fly on week-ends, week-end tickets sell first. If you don't book your trip well in advance (2-3 months beforehand) you may notice, for example, that Thursday flights are cheaper than Sunday flights. Some low cost carriers have special promotions on the flights during the week.

The cheapest tickets sell first. The policy of lowcost airlines is to sell cheap tickets at first and to gradually increase the price as tickets are bought. Usually, if you buy your ticket 2-3 months in advance, you will probably get the best price.

Secondary airports: Secondary airports (smaller airports or airports that are further away from the city center) usually have lower airport taxes, which translate into lower ticket prices. When comparing the prices of flights that depart from 2 different airports you need to also take into account the price you pay for transportation to and from the airport (shuttle bus, train ticket, gas, etc).

If there is no direct flight on your desired route and you have to change planes in order to reach your destination, you should take into account three very important "details".

First of all, you will have to buy your flight tickets separately, as if they were for two separate journeys. It may therefore happen that the sum you pay for the two flight tickets, especially if you buy them shortly before your flight date, be almost equal to the price you would pay for a direct flight with a regular line. Check and compare prices well before buying!

Moreover, when you arrive at the airport where need to change flights, you must collect your luggage yourself, as if your journey were over. Afterwards, you need to leave the airport security area, check-in for the second flight and go through the security check once again before boarding the second plane. Be extremely careful, as this could sometimes take more than 3 hours!

Last but not least, if your first flight is late, the next one will not wait for you, even if it is operated by the same airline. That is due to the policy of low cost companies which states that flights are independent from one another. Low cost airlines are not responsible for your losing the onward flights, no matter what.

Buy tickets: When you search for flights, some airlines show you the ticket price without taxes (like fuel fee, airport taxes, government taxes). Before choosing a flight, check the full price (inclusive of all taxes) that has to be displayed in one of the following steps (before you enter your card details).

Some low cost carriers offer you travel insurance by default. This insurance covers you for the duration of your flight/trip. If you already have a comprehensive health insurance policy, you are probably covered much better than you would be with the travel insurance offered by the airline. In this case, there is no point buying travel insurance together with the flight ticket.

Lately, some bargain airlines started selling "reserved seats" on the plane. However, the seats are all quite similar and even if you don't reserve a seat when you book your ticket you will still be able to choose your seat when you board the plane or you will be assigned one at the check in desk. So you can easily avoid paying extra money in order to reserve your seat.

All cheap airlines charge customers a payment handling fee, which covers the costs they incur when accepting Credit Card payments. The fee may vary depending on the card circuit (Visa, Mastercard, Amex, Diners, etc) or the card type (Credit Card or Debit Card). Most of the time, if you pay by debit card you will be charged no payment handling fee or you will pay a lower fee than when paying by credit card.

Usually, if you choose the lowest fare you will not be allowed to freely modify you flight details later on (change dates or passenger names, etc). If you think that you might need to do this, you should consider buying a more flexible (but also more expensive) ticket.

As cheap airlines are trying to minimize their costs they usually have a restrictive luggage policy. - You can board the plane with only one piece of hand luggage (usually not heavier than 10kg and with maximum dimensions of 55x40x20cm). For detailed information on hand luggage allowance check the website of the carrier. - If you plan to also take hold baggage with you, you will need to pay for it online (when you book your ticket) or at the airport. Keep in mind that it is cheaper to pay for your checked-in luggage online than at the airport.

Most lowcost airlines now offer passengers the possibility to check in online for their flight. In most cases you can check in online only if you have no hold luggage. However, some airlines do have a special bag-drop desk for passengers who wish to check in online and to take hold luggage with them. By checking in online, you will avoid queuing in order to check-in at the airport (and you will probably also save some money).

Before departure: Low-cost airlines may (rarely) decide to change the departure / arrival airport (to another airport in the same city) or to reschedule flights. You are usually informed of these changes in advance, via e-mail. However, it is recommended that you re-check your flight details a couple of days before departure.

Avoid excess baggage charges by weighing your luggage at home and trying to stay under the weight limit (15 or 25 kilos per checked-in bag, depending on the airline). If you exceed the weight limit, you may be asked to pay 10-15E per extra kilo. If your luggage is overweight and you can't leave anything else at home, it may be a good idea for you to take a hand baggage. But be careful: you need to check the weight limits for your hand luggage too!

Usually, if one low-cost flight is late, it causes all the subsequent flights made with that particular airplane to be delayed. This is due to the fact that low-cost airlines prefer to have short waiting times (between 25 minutes and 2 hours) between flights. So if the flight before yours is late, your flight may even have a 1 or 2-hour delay. You can check the estimated departure/arrival time online, either on the website of the airport (for most airports) or on the website of the airline (for all major airlines).

One of the most important "features" of low cost flights is that the airlines do not offer free food and drinks on the plane. Food and drinks are sold on board, but they are quite expensive. If you travel on a low budget you should take some sandwiches from home. But remember that you cannot carry any liquids in your hand luggage past the security check!

At the airport: Plan to arrive at the airport at least two hours before your flight is scheduled to depart. Low-cost airlines will not wait for passengers who are late, as regular airlines do. Check-in opens 2 hours before departure and closes strictly 40 minutes before departure.

Many low cost airlines have a free seating policy, which means that you can choose your seat when you board the plane. The seats situated near the emergency exists have more leg room than the others, so if you are tall or have long legs, you will probably prefer to sit there!

Interesting decision has been made today for Komodo National Park participation in the New Seven Wonders of Nature competition. "After this decision is made, the Komodo National Park is no longer part of the campaign of the New Seven Wonders of Nature held by the New 7 Wonders Foundation," said Minister of Culture and Tourism Jero Wacik.

He claimed to be misled by the New 7 Wonders Foundation. Withdrawals made after the New 7 Wonders Foundation has threatened to exclude Komodo National Park from the list of 28 finalists because Indonesia refused to host the declaration of the winner of the New Seven Wonders of Nature.

To host the New 7 Wonders Foundation, it requires Indonesia to pay 10 million U.S. dollars, or about USD 85.4 billion for the license only. Kembudpar also has to prepare another USD 35 million or equal to IDR 298.7 billion for the cost of organizing the event in Indonesia.

"Since we have not signed anything yet, and after taking consideration about the investment cost, we have decided to retreat, "Jero said. To learn more about Komodo National Park and the beauty of its nature, please visit the bolded link in this paragraph.

West Nusa Tenggara or NTB province near Bali Island will soon see the completion of its Lombok International Airport that can also accommodate Air Bus 330 or Boeing 767 aircraft.

Lombok International Airport (BIL), located in Tanah Awu, Pujut sub-district, Central Lombok district, is about 40 kilometers south of the old Mataram Selaparang Airport.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is expected to inaugurate the Lombok International Airport on October 1 this year.

The BIL worth 945.8 billion rupiah has a passenger terminal measuring 21 thousand square meters or four times wider than that of Selaparang Mataram Airport which is only 4,796 square meters. One US dollar is about 9,000 rupiah.

The BIL’s passenger accommodating capacity is three million passengers a year with a parking area of 17,500 square meters, while Selaparang airport’s parking lot is only 7,334 square meters.

In addition, the BIL has a runway of 2,750 meters x 40 meters square, so it can accommodate ten Air Bus 330 or Boeing 767 air planes.

For those who fly frequently and have no extra budget, to find cheap airfares is one priority in their top list. Here are tips to finding the best deals available:

• Be flexible. Seaney said he shaved $600 off a spring-break trip by shifting his family's usual travel days of Saturday to Friday to Tuesday to Saturday. Tuesdays and Wednesdays are the cheapest days to travel. The most expensive are Fridays and Sundays. Think too about red-eye flights vs. prime-time morning or late afternoon. "Definitely there are some flights that have lower fares, but they're not the ones most people want to take," Hobica said.

• Use alternative airports. That doesn't just mean flying out of Midway Airport in Chicago rather than O'Hare or even going an hour plus out of the city to Milwaukee, Wisc., rather than O'Hare but looking even further out. Consider this: Virgin Airlines is offering a round-trip sale from Chicago Midway to Los Angeles for $198 until June 15. But you want to go to San Diego and a round-trip flight from Chicago will set you back some $500. For a family of four, renting a car from L.A. and driving the roughly 120 miles to San Diego could save upwards of $1,000.

• Don't book too early. If you're thinking about a summer trip to Europe, wait until April to start planning in earnest, Seaney said. If you're intent on taking a trip this fall, wait until July, even August to book flights and then plan on going in September of October, one of the slowest travel periods of the year. If flights aren't booked some 80% to 90% ahead of the season, airlines will be forced to cut the fares. "Demand is a fickle thing," Seaney said. "Are there three people behind you willing to pay what you're not willing to pay? That's the question and no one knows the answer except the airlines in real time."

• Sign up for frequent-flyer and travel alerts at a number of airline and travel sites. You'll get e-mail notices when flights are put on sale.

• Use social media and group-buying discounts. Twitter, for example, is gaining status as a go-to for last-minute sale fares because some airlines think e-mail is too slow. Last month Virgin offered $77 travel certificates for a mere $7 on round-trip flights between Chicago and San Francisco or Chicago and Los Angeles. On March 2, it sold nearly 2,950 $100 certificates for $25 for round-trip travel between Dallas and San Francisco and Dallas and Los Angeles.

• Shop around. You will need to look at a number of travel sites to compare prices, including the airlines' own sites. Southwest's prices aren't on popular large-scale sites like Expedia, Travelocity or Orbitz, American Airlines has pulled its flight from some of those sites while Delta has taken its flight out of some smaller sites.

• When you see a good price, jump on it. Some sales — say, for new routes — will extend for a couple months; other sales will last only a few hours. Determine what your sweet spot is for fares, plus fees, taxes and surcharges, and be prepared to purchase if it comes up.

• Be on the lookout for peak travel-day surcharges, a fee the airlines have added to holiday and summer travel, even Super Bowl travel. The fees range from $10 to $30, depending on the day, on ticket prices that already have been marked higher.

Sail Bunaken in Manado North Sulawesi held last year was a huge success. Following that event, the Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry has finally decided to organize a similar international event in Banda, Central Maluku this year.

Sail Banda 2010 is the name of this up coming event, which will be running from July 24th – August 17th 2010. Banda Islands are very popular among tourist, local and international, for their historical significance and undersea natural beauty, and therefore Maluku will host Sail Banda 2010.

Banda is made up of eleven small volcanic islands namely Neira, Gunung Api, Banda Besar, Rhun, Ai, Hatta, Karaka, Manukan, Nailaka, Syahrir and Batu Kapal.

This remarkable event will feature twelve main events:

1. Rally and Yacht Race,
2. Sport KEJURNAS waters, game fishing,
3. Diving International Tournament,
4. ARAFURA games,
5. International Conference on Small Island,
6. Cooperation Conference Indonesia – Australia (G to G and P to P),
7. International Seminar on “Sago Spices and Food for Safety”
8. Seafood and Fish Product Expo,
9. Cross Nusantara Adolescent Bahari,
10. Warning Independence R.I. the Island Outer,
11. Operation Bhakri “Baskara Surya Jaya”,
12. Navy Navy to Talk and Port Visit.

Sail Banda 2010 is a perfect place to share new experience and explore the marine beauty along with the marine lovers from all over the world in a spirit of adventure, graced by the marine paradise of Banda Sea. Prepare and be part of this magnificent event.

Beginning 2012, tourists will have chances to travel into space and stay at a special hotel that will take you around the Earth. Space Resort development "Galactic Suite Space Resort" will become the next adventurous travel thanks to ambitious billionaire who willing to spend funds of U.S. $ 3 billion.

However, the hotel guests must pay around Euro 3 million (about USD 4.4 million) to stay for three nights. Before flying into space, these guests must undergo to some training course which will be held on a tropical island for eight weeks.

As reported by Daily Mail, during the stay at the hotel, guests were promised to see the sun rise 15 times a day and around the world every 80 minutes. They will wear Velcro clothes so they can crawl on the walls of their hotel with bodies pressed to the wall just like a Spiderman.

Galactic Suite Ltd. CEO and former aerospace engineer, Xavier Claramunt, said this project will make his company in the front row of amateurs industry with a bright future. He also predicts that space tourism will become one popular travel in the very near future.

Once they are extinct they will never appear on this earth again and you will lose this world`s rarest species, the komodo dragon, Indonesia`s giant lizard. So, if you care about it, vote for it. Your vote will safeguard it and usher it into one of the New Seven Wonders of Nature.

"Therefore, we request the people at home and the international community to vote for the Komodo National Park so that it will win the contest as one of the New Seven Wonders of Nature," Director for Culture and Tourism Development Marketing Development, Syamsul Lussa, said.

Indeed, the Indonesian government is doing its best to help promote one of the world`s ancient heritage so that it would become one of the winners in the New Seven Wonders of Nature that would be announced in 2011.

The Komodo National Park was built in 1980 to protect the Komodo dragon (veranus Komodoensis) which is a venomous species of lizards that inhabit the islands of Komodo, Rinca, and Padar, as well as numerous other smaller islands in Indonesia`s East Nusa Tenggara province.

It covers a total surface area (marine and land) of 1,817 km (proposed extensions would bring the total surface area to 2,321 km2). As well as home to the komodo dragon, the park provides refuge for many other notable terrestrial species such as the orange-footed scrub fowl, an endemic rat, and the Timor deer.

According to the official website of the Komodo National Park, the goals for the park have expanded to protecting its entire biodiversity, both terrestrial and marine. In 1986, the park was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, which is an indication of the park`s biological importance.

The voting is organized on-line on the web (http://www.new7wonders.com) or by phone (phone number: +41 77 312 4041, with code 7717 for voting for Komodo National park.

Come and join in the international event Sail Bunaken 2009 for sharing new experience and exploring the marine beauty along with the marine lovers from all over the world in a spirit of adventure, graced by the marine paradise of Bunaken Sea. Sail Bunaken 2009 is jointly organized by the Ministry of Marine and Fishery Affairs, Provincial Administration of North Sulawesi, Ministry of Culture and Tourism, and Navy Force of Indonesia, supported by the the Directorate General of Immigration and other government institutions.

Sail Bunaken 2009 is the largest event of the year 2009 offers strategic business opportunities for various products and services. More than 3,000 divers set a world record today for the largest group dive by plunging into the famed waters of Bunaken, North Sulawesi. The information center of the Sail Bunaken 2009 committee said 2,818 people participated in the event, but only 2,805 people stayed underwater for at least 25 minutes. That is the minimum length of time required by the Guinness Book of Records, whose representatives were on hand to witness the new record.

"Divers began entering the water at 8 in the morning. By midday, all of them had returned to shore," Koesdiantoro of the Sail Bunaken 2009 committee said. The mass dive also marked Indonesia's Independence Day, August 17. An Indonesian flag will be unfurled underwater tomorrow as part of the independence celebrations.

Sail Bunaken is a government-sponsored festival designed to promote Manado, and the visually rich waters of Bunaken, as an international tourist hotspot. Indonesian Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Freddy Numberi, who also heads the festival committee, said Manado had seen a spike in economic growth thanks to Sail Bunaken. For more information please visit the official website www.sailbunaken2009.com

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Indonesian Culture and Tourism minister Jero Wacik has asked the blogger community to help promote Indonesia`s tourist sites among the international public.

In a prepared speech read by a senior tourism official at a Blogger Party 2008 here Saturday, the minister said ,"The second blogger party will stimulate online network growth in Indonesia. It can make blogs a more effective media to promote tourism."

He said almost all human activities now involve internet facilities so that this type of media was an effective vehicle to promote Indonesia`s tourism.

"Today, almost all human activities are closely related to the on-line media. It is necessary to put the mission to promote tourism," he said, adding that he hoped bloggers from foreign countries like Australia, the US and Malaysia can also publicize Indonesia`s tourism sites.

Malaysia Airlines on Tuesday unveiled a new service allowing passengers to make and receive calls on their mobile phones while in air on some routes. Passengers can also send and receive text messages, and use their Blackberry-type devices to send and receive e-mails, Malaysia Airlines, or MAS, said in a statement.

It said the airline teamed up with AeroMobile, a British company, to become the first Asian carrier to offer in-flight mobile phone and data services via satellite with passengers using their own equipment. Customers can now safely use their mobile phone or Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) during the flight without affecting the aircraft systems and ground telecommunication networks, the statement said.

The service is currently available on a single Boeing 777-200 aircraft, which flies on different days to selected European, Australian and Asian destinations including China and Japan, said the statement. The system will be installed on all wide-bodied aircraft in the MAS fleet by next year if it proves to be successful, said MAS chief executive Idris Jala.

"This is one of the in-flight service comforts that we are introducing on a trial basis for our customers," he said. "With this facility, we definitely have a competitive edge and firmly believe that both our business and leisure passengers will very much welcome this new service," he added.

Users will be billed on their regular phone bills by their own service providers as with any other international roaming call. Passengers will be encouraged to switch their phones to silent or vibrate mode when using them in the aircraft, said the statement.

Anti-government protests forced the closure of three airports recently - Phuket, Krabi, and Hat Yai. Travellers should be aware that the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) group are holding demonstrations outside government offices across the country, calling for the resignation of Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej. The rallies could cause further disruptions at airports and rail stations.

Most visits to Thailand are trouble-free but travellers should be aware that there are serious security concerns in the southern provinces of Pattani, Yala, Narathiwat and Songkhla due to ongoing violent insurgency. On 15 March, a car bomb exploded in the parking lot of a Pattani hotel, killing two people and injuring 13. The Thai-Myanmar border is also potentially volatile.

Thailand and Cambodia have resolved the territorial dispute at the site of an ancient Hindu temple which lies on the border. In July, more than 500 Thai and 1000 Cambodian soldiers were stationed on either side of the Preah Vihear temple, and the UN Security Council was called on to resolve the dispute. The trouble started after Unesco classified the temple as a Cambodian World Heritage Site, resulting in protests from Thai activists.

Following the general election in December, Thailand has returned to democratic rule under a coalition government, but travellers should still exercise caution, and avoid political rallies and demonstrations in the capital.

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For travelers looking for modes of transport with a difference, here is a list of top 10 wild rides.

1. Ostrich Rides, Nairobi, Kenya

Although elephant rides are the first thing most people think of when weighing transportation options in Kenya, the ostrich is not to be ruled out. The animal equivalent of a unicycle may take a few tries before novice riders find their balance.

2. Balloon Rides, Goreme, Turkey

You'll have to get up at the crack of dawn, but most who try it agree that there's no better way to watch the sun come up and take in the "wow factor" of Goreme's ancient landscape.

3. Swan-shaped Boat Rides, Boston, Massachusetts

For a genteel experience, try the famous Swan Boats of Boston's Public Garden. A tradition since the late 1800s, these man-powered boats are as much a part of the Boston experience as a trip to Fenway.

4. Ox-Cart Rides, Nepal

They're not great on the freeway, but for short stretches, riding an ox-cart is a great experience. It will take you through Nepal's rugged, rural terrain, but also on a trip back in time.

5. Zorb Riding, Rotorua, New Zealand (picture is shown on this post)

It may look tame, but one spin down a hill in a Zorb, or giant inflatable ball, and you'll see this is one serious adrenalin rush. Single and tandem "rolls" can be arranged, and those with weak stomachs can ask for a little water in their capsule to insure a smooth ride.

6. Helicopter Ride, Grand Canyon, Arizona

An exhilarating option for those who don't have enough time to do the canyon on foot, there is no better way to take in the grandeur of this centuries-old crater than by air.

7. Rickshaw Rides, India

Some call them death machines, others call them glorified golf carts. Whatever you call them, don't let a few white knuckles stop you from taking a spin.

8. Camel Ride, Mt Sinai, Egypt

Yes, it's touristy, but how many other opportunities are you going to get to do this? These desert taxis can be as expensive as real ones, but with a little pre-ride negotiation you may be able get the fare down considerably.

9. Submarine Ride, Barbados

It's not for the claustrophobic, but if you can keep your calm when the door closes, it's a pretty spectacular experience. From marine life, to coral reefs, to sunken ships, you'd have to be a mermaid to get a better view.

10. Dog Sledding, Bern, Switzerland

When in doubt, hold on tight and yell "mush!". You may be shivering, but the dogs love it and seeing them do what they do best is an invigorating experience. A toast with a hot drink at the end is customary - for you, not the dogs (stuff.co.nz).

Sometime we can not predict when urgent bills will come to visit, but that is life! These Bills do not have eyes and that is why they can visit you at a very bad timing. But do not let them ruin your life, create stress and so on. When this kind of bill arrives while you are short of cash, there is popular option today to solve your short term monetary needs. Now you can get cash loan online or payday loan and there are no difficult steps to get them.

There are certain very common rules requested by all lenders; to be able to get your cash loan online or payday loan you need to earn regular income at least $1,000 per month, and have an active bank account. If you fulfilled above requirement then just fill in the cash loan or payday loan form, it will take only five minutes to complete and the best part you can do it right from your home! There is no queuing, no hassle administration; you can continue your daily works!

Visit either www.perfectcashadvance.com or www.paydayloanaffiliate.com to get your cash or payday loan. This site will match you with the lenders and loan you can get is up to $1500. When you receive your loan approval, your money will be deposited to your bank account overnight!

How can you make sure the airfares you find are actually cheap flights? One important thing is to stay as flexible as possible. Make sure you follow the below tips and you can rest assure that you will grab a cheap holiday offer.

1. Often airline companies will offer you a discount on ticket prices if you book online instead of using the phone

2. To get the cheapest prices, you may have to fly late at night/early in the morning and on certain days of the week

3. Package operators will often offer you a big discount if you book early on and some even offer you extra discounts if you book your airline ticket online instead.

4. There are dozens more travel companies out there on the Internet that offer last-minute deals. However, companies would much rather fill a seat on a chartered airline and a room in a hotel that they have already booked than leave them empty.

It is important to choose a dependable travel agent when you're on the hunt for cheap holidays to make sure you get the best advise possible.

The Cybertecture Egg is an office building with a mind of its own. It's designed as an interactive space that learns from its occupants. The egg's cutting-edge bathrooms, for example, monitor each person's vital signs, such as blood pressure and weight—and forward the info to a physician if the numbers don't look good. The egg cares about conservation, too: The 13-floor, ovoid building with a single flat side will gather some of its energy from solar panels and wind turbines; an indoor garden will provide natural cooling, You will see it in 2010, where? It is in Mumbai, India. (Yahoo! Travel)

Nowadays you can not live without insurance. This statement might seem to be a little bit too much for few but majority will agree. No one expect for instance while traveling to get car accident that will crush and totally damage the car; no one expect to see their home consume by fire while they are away for traveling; everyone if possible want to stay as healthy as they can, get sick or to be hospitalized is issue we all try to avoid.

If you live in a condo, you definitely are not going to expect anything bad to happen to your interior or fixture; while if you are renter you never expect theft, fire, or vandalism to your personal property. But the fact sometime do not always follow your expectations; bad things happen and they do not choose good or bad people.

That is why people always get coverage of their valuable personal belonging with insurance. You can have many type of insurance from many insurance companies; talking about insurance companies to be frank, they are too many, and it is confusing to choose the perfect type of insurance and the company insurance.

Now there is one solution to get your insurance quotes to cover all your valuables, Insurancerate.com! This site provides free insurance quotes online to almost all type of insurances. Insurancerate.com will match you with nation's largest insurance agencies. You will get the most competitive insurance quotes with low premium but offering high value insurance. Visit www.insurancerate.com to find out more.