Jungle Adventures of South America

Adventure Tours in the Jungles of Costa Rica and NicaraguaOn this 8-day, 7-night adventure from Costa Rica Monkey Tours, youll get to experience the full range of biodiversity found in Costa Rica and Nicaragua, from beach to jungle. A string of adventure toursall led by bilingual guidesincludes boating and ziplining, as well as more meditative pursuits such as bird watching. This getaway includes overnight stays at five hotels, along with tours, transportation, and some meals. Airfare is not included.Day 1: Liberia Canton, Costa Rica Fly into Daniel Oduber Quirs International Airport (LIR), also known as Liberia International Airport, and take a complimentary shuttle to the first hotel, Hilton Garden Inn Liberia Airport. The rest of the day is set aside for relaxation.Day 2: Arenal Volcano, Costa Rica Next, the group heads to Arenal Volcano National Park, where whitewater rafting on the Balsa River class 2 and 3 river from Wave Expeditions or a tour via hanging bridges and cable car from Sky Adventures awaits. You'll spend the night in the park at Baldi Hot Springs Resort Hotel & Spa. Day 3: Rincon de la Vieja, Costa Rica Next up is Rincon de la Vieja National Park, where you'll have access to numerous activities, such as ziplining, a waterfall visit, horseback riding, a canopy tour, and soaking in a volcanic mud pool. Lunch is included. That evening, retire to your room at the Hotel Borinquen.Day 4: Granada, Nicaragua Drive to the city of Granada for a boat tour of small islands along the Asese Peninsula. Keep your eyes peeled for possible views of herons, parrots, and other native birds. Back on dry land, you'll return to Granada, where you can visit the convent of San Francisco, a cigar factory, Mombacho, or a main street full of restaurants, before spending the night at Hotel Colonial.Day 5: Masaya and San Juan del Sur, NicaraguaIn the morning, visit La Merced Church before heading to Masaya Volcano

BEST WORLD BEACHES

Renowned for its beautiful beaches, charming villages and rugged interior terrain, the island of Crete draws nearly one quarter of all visitors to Greece. Crete's coastline boasts close to 100 miles of beaches - sandy and mostly developed along the northern coast; quieter, more pebbly but less tourist-driven along the south. Although beautiful beaches abound, one of the most popular stretches of sand is Rethimno, nestled along the center of the island's northern coast. The wide, sandy beach and palm-lined promenade offer visitors a place to relax after exploring the town's tangle of streets, which wind through aging buildings tinged with Turkish and Venetian influences. With minarets, mosques and a Venetian fortezza, the old town has managed to remain virtually untouched amid massive development on its outskirts. Renowned for its beautiful beaches, charming villages and rugged interior terrain, the island of Crete draws nearly one quarter of all visitors to Greece. Cretes coastline boasts close to 100 miles of beaches - sandy and mostly developed along the northern coast; quieter, more pebbly but less tourist-driven along the south. Although beautiful beaches abound, one of the most popular stretches of sand is Rethimno, nestled along the center of the islands northern coast. The wide, sandy beach and palm-lined promenade offer visitors a place to relax after exploring the towns tangle of streets, which wind through aging buildings tinged with Turkish and Venetian influences. With minarets, mosques and a Venetian

Groupon wants to help you travel

The nascent niche market received its biggest validation yet, when Groupon joined hands with Expedia last week to launch another formidable competitor, Groupon Getaways. For obvious reasons, the partnership is getting a lot of attention. Groupon is by far the largest daily deal site, with millions of customers browsing daily for restaurant coupons or plumber discounts. That its travel inventory will come from, and be chosen by, Expedia also added to the buzz. Like other Groupon products, Groupon Getaways members buy a travel voucher that can be redeemed within a certain period typically, a few months to a year, but based on availability without committing to a vacation date. Deals are available on the site for about a week. "It gives us access to what we think is a new large market: spontaneous travelers," says Scott Durchslag, president of Expedia Worldwide. Durchslag claims Groupon Getaways can provide "up to 50%" in savings from the rates published on hotel websites. Groupon reportedly takes 50% of the discounted sales, but hotels are willing to accept such an onerous financial arrangement because they see it as marketing exposure to new customers. After some comparison shopping of Groupon's deals, we found it wasn't difficult to find similar levels of savings at other travel sources. Some hotels that were featured on Groupon last week were featuring similar discounts on their own websites. For example, Groupon claims its $89 voucher for a weeknight stay at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, a deal introduced on the launch day, is 55% cheaper than you'd get elsewhere. But the Palms was also selling an $89 promotion on its own website. Last week, Groupon was also selling a $298 voucher that includes a night at The Standard hotel in Miami Beach and $150 in spa credit. The hotel's website offered the same room and $35 in spa credit for $239 last week. Comparatively, Groupon's offer is cheaper, but it's not close to the 50% discount that it claims. That's not to say you can't find some tasty deals. A five-night stay at Tower Club at Leb-

What are the benefits of traveling?

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Fly Emirates for only $699.00 Southwest for 2 only $450.00 Taca for 4 only $1000.00 Schedule your flight today Education through travel is not a new concept. In The Question of the Other: Essays in Contemporary Continental Philosophy, authors Arleen B. Dallery and Charles E. Scott speak of a certain class of ancient Greeks who journeyed overseas to explore the cultural institutions and laws of other countries. When the travelers returned home, they reported their findings to a designated supreme council, who evaluated the reports and decided which laws and institutions should be integrated into the culture at home. Just as the Greek travelers journeyed abroad to explore, and possibly bring home the customs of other cultures, modern -day journeyers can engage in similar practices. A traveler who visits Europe or South America, for example, may be enticed by the idea of the afternoon siesta, and decide that its the perfect form of midday stress management. A visit to Italy may introduce a traveler to passegiata, which is a traditional after-dinner walk. This moderate post-meal exercise can be a viable solution for weight control. When eating at a restaurant in Madrid, you might discover that bread is served with olive oil instead of butter. Its a tasty, heart-healthy alternative that you can easily adopt on your return. Overcoming adversity, making connections and transformation are three common themes in fictional and factual travel literature. In Homers Odyssey, Ulysses

Into the AIR

There are about 35,000 visitors to the Everest region annually, and the money they spend for guides and permits is crucial to Nepals economy, where the average national wage is less than $900. It has become, in the words of one climber, a commercial mountain. The crowding has led to altercations, and worse, on the mount. In 1996, eight climbers were killed and several others stranded in a sudden blizzard near the summit. The tragedy was documented by Jon Krakauer, a journalist and climber on that expedition, in