Holiday Destinations
Palm Jumeirah centerpiece to feature Dubai's most expensive penthouse
Breaking property records is one thing, but when the property happens to be in Dubai, it's another ball game entirely. The AED 2.9 billion (around USD$790 million) contract for the construction of the spectacular 62 storey tall Trump International Hotel & Tower on Palm Jumeirah was announced earlier this month and with pre-sales of some properties fetching as much as $3000USD, real estate developer Nakheel and the Trump Organization expect that the tower's exclusive penthouse will break property records. The 270 meter tall design which features two towers that merge at the 40th floor will include 378 hotel rooms and suites, 385 condominiums, 12 townhouses, 45,000 square feet of retail and 60,000 square feet of office space along with a private beach and super-marina. Public sales of the residences began on June 23 and Donald J. Trump himself has already reserved an apartment in the Tower which is expected to be completed in May 2011. (read more...)
Going underground: the world's subterranean holiday destinations
If men really do retreat to their cave when they are under stress, then we have some wacky and wonderful caves to choose from. How about a cave which has been carved out of volcanic rock, is thousands of years old and is surrounded by the beautiful landscape that is Cappadocia, Turkey? Or maybe you fancy heading to Australia and going "down under" in a desert-like opal mining town? Perhaps the Provence region in France sounds idyllic, particularly when you are perched atop an ancient fortress in a room carved from rock? (read more...)
Google co-founder joins space tourism club
Google co-founder Sergey Brin has forked out a US$5 million deposit to reserve a seat on future orbital spaceflights and join the select group of private space tourists. Space Adventures, the company that helped Dennis Tito become the world’s first private astronaut in 2001, has also announced an agreement with the Federal Space Agency of the Russian Federation (FSA) to launch a dedicated mission to the International Space Station (ISS) in 2011. (read more...)
Silver Rapids: waterpark meets ski resort
Located in Idaho’s Northern Rockies, the Silver Mountain Resort is a ski destination in the winter months. Visitors will now be able to enjoy adventure all year round in the area, with the addition of an indoor waterpark. (read more...)
Sustainable holidays: renewable energy and solar-powered houseboats on the Mississippi
April 24, 2008 Ecologically responsible tourism is becoming big business around the world, particularly with young backpackers who wish to see the glory of nature without contributing to its destruction. The same concept is now starting to trickle through to resort and leisure tourism - such as this block of condos on the Mississippi in Iowa. Using recycled materials, renewable energy and a small fleet of solar-powered houseboats that contribute solar and wind turbine energy back into the grid when they're moored, the Holiday Shores Condo-Tel development will provide 64 suites for the environmentally conscious. (read more...)
Pocket Guidebook personalized travel guides
April 16, 2008 Any seasoned traveler will tell you that packing space is limited and guidebooks can be an unwanted (but necessary) addition to a backpack. Now online travel resource, ProfessionalTravelGuide.com, has announced a partnership with SharedBook Inc that will enable travelers to create their own unique, professionally printed travel guidebook that should both save space and allow for customization of information. (read more...)
The world's largest man-made island
The property boom going on in the Persian Gulf at present knows no bounds, largely because it has been given a grand vision. Conceptualised to solve Dubai's beach shortage by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the person who has masterminded the emergence of Dubai, the Palm Trilogy is to be completed with a collossus, adding a few records to Dubai’s already splendid set of man-made biggests. Nakheel will employ its now highly-refined island building methods to create the largest man-made island on the planet, housing more than a million people in fine style. With a surface area of 46.35 million square metres, the Palm Deira will be bigger than Paris. That's it on the right, next to the World, then Palm Jumeirah, then Palm Jebel Ali on the left. Check out the great piccies and renderings in the photo library. (read more...)
The world’s biggest racetrack
April 14, 2008 Yet another Dubai-based megaproject is underway – this time the world’s biggest horse racecourse, and it’s already being hailed as the future horseracing capital of the world, given the infrastructure it plans for the industry. Unlike Ascot, Lexington or Newmarket, Meydan will in fact be an ENTIRE CITY built around The Sport Of Kings - a gigantic mixed use development centered on the racecourse which will be the new home of the Dubai Racing Club and the Dubai World Cup. (read more...)
Beijing's gargantuan Capital International Airport
Terminal 3 of the Beijing Capital International Airport became fully operational on March 26, becoming the largest airport terminal complex built in a single phase. The US$3.5 billion expansion commenced in March 2004, and the 986,000 square meter airport can now absorb all five of Heathrow’s terminals with 17% left to spare. (read more...)
More man-made designer realty – Reef Island
March 21, 2008 As Arab States continue to build for the future using oil-buoyed economies, the region is beginning to explore the concept of creating designer islands. Dubai gave the idea currency with its megadollar World and Palm projects, effectively showing the world how to build artificial realty. Neighbouring Qatar came up with the Pearl, and now Bahrain is in the process of building Reef Island at a cost of BD 450 million (US$ 1.20 billion). Of course you could always go for a floating island. (read more...)
Extreme swimming pools: the biggest and deepest dips on the planet
February 28, 2008 Looking to beat the heat this summer by installing your own swimming pool? We thought we would give you a taste of what you almost certainly can't have when designing your dream backyard aquatic paradise. Firstly, there's the world's largest pool with an area equivalent to an incredible 6,000 standard-size 26 ft long domestic pools located at the San Alfonso Del Mar resort in Chile, and, going to the other extreme, there's Belgium's amazing 100 foot deep, 660,000 gallon (and heated!) Nemo33 dive pool. (read more...)
America’s largest Ferris wheel
Pepsi has announced it will create America’s largest Ferris wheel in New Jersey. The 287-foot-tall “Pepsi Globe” will be incorporated into Meadowlands Xanadu, a unique sports, leisure, shopping and family entertainment destination in East Rutherford. (read more...)
Sunreef 100ft+ luxury charter catamarans
March 4, 2008 Sunreef is adding to its fleet of luxury charter boats with an enormous 102 ft. double-deck, sailing catamaran. This vessel will be the largest boat in their current fleet but not for long as there are grand plans to launch 150, 170 and 200 footers in the future. (read more...)
Planning underway for the world's largest single building
December 31, 2007 U.K. architectural firm Foster + Partners has announced that preliminary planning permission has been granted for the world’s largest single building - the Crystal Island project in Moscow. (read more...)
Under the sea: Dubai's underwater hotel takes shape
December 13, 2007 Anywhere but Dubai, the idea of building a luxury hotel 66 feet underwater would sound far-fetched. But next to the Burj-al-arab, the rotating skyscraper, manufactured islands and indoor ski slopes of the desert commerce capital, the Hydropolis will fit right in. At a rough cost of UK£300 million, this jaw-dropping engineering challenge will allow guests to get a true taste for the peace and beauty of underwater life – and at a projected pricetag of up to USD$5500 per night for a room, you'd certainly be hoping that life is much better down where it's wetter. (read more...)
Ferrari Theme Park underway
October 7, 2007 Not satisfied with your Ferrari branded hat, sunglasses, sports-binoculars, speaker system and carbon-fiber laptop? Fans of the famous marque will soon be able to visit the world’s first Ferrari Theme Park in Abu Dhabi. A Foundation Stone Ceremony was held on 3 November to signify the start of construction with the official opening of the park scheduled for 2009. (read more...)
Responsible tourism: sustaining world cultures
October 31, 2007 As global tourism in the developing world grows, so too does the awareness of the importance of responsible travel - being mindful of local customs, cultures and ecosystems is vital to striking a safe balance between traditional societies and new world economies. The emergence of terms like “Volunteer tourism” and increasing recognition of travel organizations that seek to promote the practice of providing help or services to the region being visited is evidence that this shift in attitude is continuing to gain momentum. (read more...)
"Condo-cam" keeps an eye on your second home
October 26, 2007 Having a holiday home is a wonderful luxury, but the casual nature of visits to the property can leave it open to security risks such as break-ins and vandalism. By fully embracing the benefits of remote technologies now on the market, a new property development at Le Paradis Beach, Golf & Marina Resort in St. Lucia acts is helping residents keep a close eye on their second homes. (read more...)
The Pearl-Qatar: multi-billion dollar man-made island home
An exotic name befits an exotic destination. The Pearl-Qatar is a multi-billion dollar man-made island under construction off the coast of Doha, Qatar covering 985 acres (400 hectares) and fronted by more than 12 miles of pristine beaches. The island retreat is set to become an exclusive home for 40,000 international residents as well as a sought after holiday destination for 800 guests enjoying three marinas, three 5 star hotels, plus almost half a million square feet of retail, dining and entertainment space. These stunning illustrations showcase this extraordinary address as it will look when the ribbon is cut in 2009. (read more...)
New Boardwalk Bullet roller coaster opens in Texas
September 11, 2007 A new roller coaster at Kemah Boardwalk in Houston, Texas offers riders a stomach-dropping 92-foot plunge in wooden carriages. The aptly named Boardwalk Bullet offers a hair-raising ride with a spectacular view of nearby Galveston Bay. (read more...)
Holiday in orbit: Galactic Suite space resort opening 2012
August 22, 2007 ‘Space tourism’ is the latest buzz phrase to hit the high-end travel industry with cosmos tourists already visiting the international space station and now news that a hotel stay in space is as little as five short years away. The Galactic Suite Space Resort, run by directors Xavier Claramunt and Marsal Gifra, aims to offer travellers the “most thrilling and transcendent experience ever” with a stay on board an orbital luxury getaway. Upon arrival at the first ever space resort, guests will be able to experience a new world of sensations including weightlessness, star gazing, amazing views of planet Earth with 15 sunsets in a day - not to mention being aboard a spaceship that takes you from 0 to 28,000kmh in 10 minutes. (read more...)
Free food allergy translations take the stress out of eating on vacation
June 10, 2007 This isn't a gizmo so much as a fantastic free Web service that we see as being exceptionally useful. It's tough enough working out how not to order the monkey brains when you're in a foreign country where you don't speak the language - let alone communicating to restaurant staff and stall vendors about food allergies that could ruin your holiday and even cost you your life. Food-info.net is a great free service that lets you download printable PDF files of more than 200 allergenic food items and their translations in a wide range of languages. (read more...)
The New Seven Wonders of the World revealed
July 10, 2007 After a global poll attracting 100 million votes online and via mobile phone, the new seven wonders of the world have been unveiled. The monuments making the final cut were Chichén Itzá in Mexico, Christ Redeemer in Brazil, The Great Wall of China, Peru's Machu Picchu, Jordan's Petra, The Roman Colloseum in Italy and The Taj Mahal in India. Surprise omissions from the shortlist of 21 sites included The Acropolis, Easter Island Statues and Stonehenge, which were all among the top contenders when Gizmag last checked the odds back in May. (read more...)
Making history – your vote decides the new seven wonders of the world
On the seventh of July – the seventh of the seventh, 2007 to be exact – it will be out with the old and in with the...old. Bernard Weber and the N7W committee have organised a ceremony in Lisbon to unveil the new seven wonders of the world. It will be a truly international event, designed to transcend differences in politics and culture and focus on humanity’s crowning achievements. And although the structures themselves are the focus of the event, the fact that, so far, over 40 million online and mobile phone votes have been cast for something that isn’t Big Brother is so comforting it is almost worthy of a second celebration. (read more...)
Charles in space: Hungarian space tourist loving the view from the International Space Station
April 16, 2007 Billionaire Charles Simonyi, the 5th civilian space traveller ever, has now completed more than a week of his 13-day space journey. He's currently enjoying zero gravity on board the International Space Station (ISS) with its current long-term crew Michael Lopez-Alegria and Sunita Williams. Private space tourism is taking off as an industry - even with trips like this costing around US$20 million, tour organiser Space Adventures is almost fully booked until 2009. (read more...)
