A wonderful vacation in Costa Rica!

Costa Rica Beach Resorts

Travel to Costa Rica can be simply a great fun. After all, who doesn’t want to visit a country as beautiful as Costa Rica! I had always wanted to visit this fantastic destination which had all the ingredients to make your vacation wonderful. I was traveling from New York. I got cheap tickets on US Airways flights. I reached New York’s LaGuardia International Airport to catch my flights to Costa Rica. After being airborne for a few hours, my flight had finally landed at Juan Santamaría International Airport, the primary airport serving San José, the capital of Costa Rica. The airport is located near the city of Alajuela, 20 km (12 miles) west of downtown San José. The airport has been named after Costa Rica's national hero, Juan Santamaría.

I was visiting Costa Rica for the first time. It would have been rather difficult for me had I not hired a cab with an expert driver. While traveling to my hotel on the car, the street signs were missing. I inquired my driver about this. My driver was a fine gentleman and quite helpful. He told me that neither city nor country areas have any street signs. This was simply queer and amazing, particularly for the first time visitors. This is indeed difficult for a person like me as I would have been lost most of the time. Finally, I reached my hotel, which was not pricey. I had a relaxing and comfortable stay here throughout my journey.

After spending a sound and peaceful night, I was now prepared to begin my tour the next day. I had a sumptuous breakfast and asked for my driver to take me around for sightseeing. My first stop was at Arenal Volcano. It was a smooth and interesting drive here. Along the way, I got off at a coffee plantation. I was curious to know how the coffee is grown, harvested and processed. The workers at the plantation were nice and friendly, and beautifully explained about the whole process. I thanked myself for gathering knowledge about coffee growing as I didn’t know this before. I also saw a waterfall on the way and asked my driver for a brief stop here. I had a gala time at the waterfall and had local strawberries as well.

The Arenal Volcano was often hidden by the clouds, as it appeared that day. Usually, the volcano is visible when the sky is clear. The volcano was active and I could hear the rumble at intervals and the sound of the falling rocks. I was now feeling hungry and had a great lunch. I was eager to see the lava flowing, which was proving to be difficult. I was suggested to stay overnight in the nearby town as most tourists usually do to see the lava flow from the volcano at night. I was indeed fortunate in seeing the lava flow with my naked eyes. The sight was simply incredible. The following day I returned to my hotel. This was the high point of my trip to Costa Rica. I suggest that do consider seeing the Arenal Volcano while visiting the country. You would love this!

Delhi Attractions that You Should Not Miss

The capital of India is a modern, vibrant and lively city, which is steeped in history and culture. Besides modern amenities, the city is replete with architectural marvels, heritage monuments, shopping areas and recreational opportunities that will delight every vacationer.

With the privatization of domestic airlines, today vacationers can get airline tickets for cheap on airlines that operate from practically all major cities and towns in India. The airport has two terminals, one for international flights and the other domestic flights. Nearly all major airlines, such as Air France and British Airways, have regular flights to Delhi. So reaching this city will never pose a major problem.

If you manage to get cheap tickets to Delhi, you should grab them. This will allow you spend less on your travel and enjoy your vacation even more in the city. You can check with your travel agent for flight deals that include accommodation, travel insurance and airport pickup. This will make your vacation even more affordable and ensure you have more money to spend on shopping and picking up beautiful Indian artifacts and souvenirs.

Be sure to visit India Gate located in the center of the city. It was constructed in 1931 by Edwin Lutyen in the memory of Indian soldiers who were killed during the First World War. Under the gate is the poignant eternal flame that has been burning since 1971. In the night, the gate looks beautiful, as it is lit up.

Many people look for cheap flights to Delhi to be able to see the Red Fort, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It was built during the reign of the Mughal Emperor named Shah Jahan and functioned as the royal residence. The fort has two main entrances, namely the Delhi Darwaza and Lahore Darwaza. The fort’s architecture is beautiful and breathtaking.

Another World Heritage Site in the city is the Qutub Minar, which was built in 1386 and towers to a height of 72.5 meters. There are 379 steps leading to the summit of the tower. The architecture of the tower is in the Indo-Islamic style and worth checking out.

Visiting India and not exploring temples is just not possible. The city too has its share of temples and two are pretty popular attractions, namely the Lotus Temple and the Akshardham Temple. The former is shaped like a lotus and was constructed in 1986. The temple does not allow ritualistic worship. Instead people from all faiths are welcome to come and pray in silence and then disperse. The ponds and gardens in the temple ground are great for escaping the hustle and bustle of the city. The Akshardham Temple sits on the banks of Yamuna River and its carvings will enchant you. It took 11,000 artisans to create this beautiful temple, which is so huge that you would have to spend an entire day exploring it.

Finally, there is the Humayun’s Tomb, which is a fabulous example of the Mughal-era architectural style. It was constructed by the widow of the Mughal Emperor Humayun for his mortal remains.