Cathay Pacific - Travel Deals

The beauty of Bali has been known for a long time. The Indonesian island paradise features wonderful beaches, water that is made for surfing and swimming, serene forests and majestic mountains. Wander the quiet streets away from the tourist hustle and bustle and you will find people working the rice fields much like they have done for many generations. Visit the Hindu temples during a quiet moment and you will feel a spiritual connection no matter your faith.

Indeed, Bali is a special place. This is not a secret and as a result it has become an extremely popular destination for tourists from the world over. With cheap prices, excellent food and enough action to get even a church mouse in trouble, Bali is a classic mix of calm and confusion.

Flying to Bali from the United States can be a costly endeavor that can cancel out the money you save by going to a cheap destination. From time to time you can find a good deal on flights from Los Angeles on Cathay Pacific. For the definitive source on all things Bali – like where to stay, what to eat, what to avoid – head on over to the Bali Blog. It is a wealth of information.

I recently spent a long weekend in Vancouver, British Columbia and once again came away thinking that it might just be the most pleasant city on this planet. The city’s setting is simply spectacular. The harbor is on one side, the snow capped mountains on the other, you couldn’t design a more beautiful backdrop for a city of tall, sleek, and skinny high rise buildings.

The other thing that really struck me was the number of foreign languages I heard while wandering the streets. Vancouver is a city that attracts foreign visitors and immigrants from around the world. One result of the diversity is that it is a place that has outstanding ethnic restaurants and neighborhoods. I am particularly found of an Indian restaurant called Vij’s. It doesn’t take reservations and if you show up a half hour before it opens chances are you won’t be the only one waiting in line.

With the 2010 Winter Olympics on the near horizon, Vancouver continues to build and to change. Now is an excellent time to visit before the Olympics crunch. It is also an excellent time to visit because Cathay Pacific has a great deal on flights from New York.

You know that saying about all you need to know in life can be learned in kindergarten? I happen to think it is partially true. There are a lot of valuable lessons that can be learned outside the classroom. Like the lessons that are found in cartoons. When Lucy takes away the football from Charlie Brown and Garfield complains about Monday these are really metaphors for the things we experience as adults.

I’m not sure what lessons the old cartoon Hong Kong Fuey used to offer, but I remember watching it when I was little. Perhaps it contained a hidden message about traveling to Hong Kong because I have always had a fondness for one of Asia’s best cities. Between the one of a kind setting, the crazy markets and the world class dining, Hong Kong is worthy of your time. Right now, you can fly from Los Angeles to Hong Kong for less than $700. You don’t have to be a cartoon fan to know that that is a pretty swell price.

For more on Hong Kong, go here.