Spain is still Britain's favourite summer holiday destination

Sunny destinations in Spain are the most popular holiday choice for Brits this year, despite the lure of national events at home, say Holiday Hypermarket.

According to the travel retailer, the combination of short flight times, attractive holiday deals and favourable currency exchange rates makes regions like Catalonia, Madrid and Valencia solid summer favourites.

British holidaymakers were among the top spenders in these regions, which have seen an increase of 11.1% expenditure in the first five months of 2012 . A report from the Ministry of Industry, Energy and Tourism stated that tourists are spending up to 114 euros per day, which is an increase of nearly 4% from 2011.

In addition, Spain is one of Britain's most-visited countries, according to the Spanish Institute of Tourism Studies, which reported that there was a significant increase of British travellers to the Mediterranean country between January and May - making makes tourism one of the few industries to experience growth in Spain recently.

Travellers are taking advantage of price reductions on luxury hotels and package deals, despite recent tax increases and spending cuts that are part of austerity measures introduced by the Spanish government.

Calum Macdonald, E-Commerce Manager at Holiday Hypermarket, comments: "Spain is on our list of best destinations because it's within easy reach of UK airports, served by almost all airlines and travel vendors, and it's well equipped to accommodate high numbers of holidaymakers".

"Relaxing on the Costa Blanca in summer sunshine is one of life's simple pleasures, and as a result we're encouraging people to take advantage of our summer deals."

Source: http://www.traveldailynews.com

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Grilled dishes, Japanese style

Enjoy lobster and watch the chefs put on a show at Kissho Restaurant.

Customers can choose from lobsters made in a range of Japanese cooking 

styles like sushi and sashimi. Photo: WMC Group

August is a great time for lobster fans in Ho Chi Minh City. Kissho Restaurant is offering tropical rock lobster at half the regular price. For just VND170,000++ per 100 grams, customers can choose a lobster prepared using Japanese cooking styles including sushi, sashimi, steamed, grilled, and tempura (battered and deep-fried). To make this meal complete, you can choose from grilled lobster head or miso soup with lobster head.

Apart from enjoying succulent lobster, customers can also watch the restaurant’s skilled chefs create unique culinary creations. The teppanyaki cooking style features traditional Japanese cuisine prepared using an iron griddle or plate. Guests are invited to sit at the large tables to see for themselves the freshness of the ingredients during a live cooking show featuring cutting, stir-frying, grilling, and seasoning put on by the chefs.

Beef, chicken, and seafood are a traditional teppanyaki choice. But goose liver is the highlight of the teppanyaki style at Kissho Restaurant and is served with sweet and sour sauce. This favorite dish is priced just VND890,000++ per 150 grams.

For a unique meal try the yakiniku where each meal is cooked by the guests on a grill built into the table. Savor imported ingredients from Japan, the USA, and Australia. Imported seafood is used to create authentic sashimi and sushi dishes with prices ranging from VND29,000++ to VND3,200,000++ per order.

To enhance the flavors of any meal, guests often choose the spicy and powerful Gekkeikan sake. For each purchase of the famous Japanese sake, guests can receive a VND500,000 voucher off the next bottle.

Be sure to receive your 10 percent discount on food and drink when showing your Windsor VIPCard.

Kissho Restaurant is located at picturesque 14 Nguyen Hue Boulevard in the center of Ho Chi Minh City. A convenient destination for quick business lunches or elegant dinners with colleagues and friends.

Kissho Restaurant boasts the largest capacity of any Japanese restaurant in the city with 1,000 square meters and over 200-person seating capacity. Set in a cutting edge contemporary interior with focus on the act of food preparation and cooking.

++ Price is in VND and subject to applicable VAT and service charge.

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‘Mien luon’ is flavor of Hanoi

VIETNAM - Mien luon (vermicelli made of cassava served with fried eels) is a favorite dish of Hanoians which is available in selected city eateries.

To prepare, the fresh eel after being disemboweled and cleaned will be cut out of its bone. You then cut its meat into slices then mix them with spices, pepper and corn flour. After a while, you fry them until they turn golden and crispy.

The bone will be cooked into the accompanied soup with persicaria and fragrant knotweed.

Mien is dipped in hot water then left to drain on a basket.

The important moment comes when the dish is ready for sampling. The Mien is put on a bowl under the fried eels. Of course, the dish still needs to be accompanied by bean sprouts, sliced cucumber, aromatic vegetables of coriander, perrilla, Thai basil, fish mint, fried peanuts, fried onion and some fresh chili.

You can also eat it with fish sauce mixed with garlic, sugar, lemon and chili. You are lured to this dish due to the crisp eels, soft and tough bit of mien, sweet or bean sprout, bitter vegetables as well as the fragrance of the many ingredients. A soup is also recommended.

Some like to mix the dish with the accompanied soup on the bowl and enjoy it together.

Source: http://www.travelweekly.asia

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Brand New Rendezvous Grand Hotel Singapore - A Grand Venue for MICE

With a grand new name and exciting S$25 million refurbishment, the Rendezvous Grand Hotel Singapore has emerged as a brand new player in the hospitality and MICE industry.

The newly-emerged Hotel showcases the exciting work of top architects and interior designers, Warner Wong Design/ WOW and WOW D-Lab. The renovation has transformed the Hotel's 298 guestrooms and suites, grand lobby, elegant Palong Bar, Straits Ballroom and the adjoining new retail precinct, Rendezvous Gallery into an exciting and unique Singapore landmark.

All guestrooms now feature custom-designed furniture, with state-of-the-art technology, including 42-inch flat screen LCD televisions and Wi Fi for a seamless connectivity and interactivity experience.

The Rendezvous Gallery is a new dining concept where food and Asian heritage meet. This is a tranquil urban reprieve from the hustle and bustle of the Orchard Road and Bras Basah areas. Diners at the new restaurants and cafe can enjoy the Asian and botanical theme and bask in natural sunlight all day.

Upgraded meeting and conference rooms feature state-of-the-art facilities and a wide choice of options. The 3500 square-foot Straits Ballroom provides a unique ambiance, with custom-designed flooring and crystal chandeliers creating an airy, sophisticated space ideal for meetings, seminars, conferences, wedding and cocktail events.

This investment in the Rendezvous Grand Hotel Singapore is part of Rendezvous Hospitality Group's multi-million dollar rebranding initiative announced last year, uniting Rendezvous Hotels and Marque Hotels into one Rendezvous brand that is synonymous with superior value accommodation and a unique hospitality experience for the MICE market and discerning travellers for business and leisure. The group will operate with the brands Rendezvous Grand Hotels, Rendezvous Hotels and Rendezvous Studio Hotels.

Rendezvous Hospitality Group CEO, Eric Teng said the Group's major financial commitment, extensive refurbishment program and upgraded facilities are a strong proposition for the MICE market.

"This new direction is a major investment from our group. It has already created renewed interest and demand from the business and meeting markets as well as leisure and we are committed to delivering an unparalleled experience."

Opened in 1998, the Rendezvous Grand Hotel Singapore is perfectly located and has redefined Singapore's city landscape in the heart of the civic, cultural and commercial district along Bras Basah Road.

Source: http://www.travelweekly.asia

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Bai Dinh Pagoda – The biggest in Vietnam

VIETNAM - Bai Dinh Pagoda in the northern province of Ninh Binh is famous for its great size and beautiful architecture, and also well-known for its record number of huge Buddha statues.

Located in Gia Sinh commune, Gia Vien district, Bai Dinh pagoda was built to commemorate King Ly Thai To who moved the capital from Hoa Lu to Thang Long.

As a tourist attraction, Bai Dinh pagoda is endowed with both scenic beauty and historical value. It is considered the largest complex of Buddhist pagodas Vietnam, which are either old or new.

The old Bai Dinh Pagoda sits on a 200m high mountain, which has been recognized as a cultural and historical heritage site of Vietnam. The new Bai Dinh Pagoda covers about 700 hectares, near the site of the old one.

Tourists often visit the pagoda area during their sight-seeing tour. Every year, the Bai Dinh Pagoda Festival kicks off on the sixth day of the first lunar month, attracting tens of thousands of visitors.

On the way to the old pagoda site, pilgrims have to climb stone steps to small ancient places of worship to pray for good luck and enjoy traditional ceremonial singing performed by local artists.

Through the gate into the new Bai Dinh Pagoda area, visitors will see 500 Arhat statues, each 2.4 m high and weighing about 4 tonnes, standing or sitting on both sides.

The Bai Dinh Pagoda complex boasts having the biggest bronze Buddha statue in Southeast Asia, about 100 tonnes in weight, and three 50-tonne Buddha statues and two huge bronze bells.

From Bai Dinh, tourists can go by boat to the nearby Trang An tourist site in Hoa Lu district. Along with the ancient capital of Hoa Lu, Tam Coc-Bich Dong caves and Phat Diem stone church are all on the to-see list.

Source: http://www.travelweekly.asia

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