Exotic Vacations

From sandy beaches to real chippies, Pól Ó Conghaile explores the joy of the Clare coast.

The ocean experience

Over the past decade, surfing has exploded on the Irish coast. There have been movies and monster waves. Cheaper wetsuits and safer boards have carried a maverick sport into the mainstream. And the weather? Pah! Who cares when you’re getting soaked anyway?

My sister is travelling with me for the day, and we pull in at Spanish Point, lugging a couple of boards over brown-sugar sands towards the waves. The beach looks gorgeous. I look the opposite, catching rides easily enough, but land nose first in the foam when I try to stand up.

Surfing doesn’t have to end with a spin cycle in the Great Atlantic Washing Machine, mind you. J Full post…

Toast your same-sex marriage on the rooftop bar of the posh Peninsula New York.

On June 25, 2011, New York became the largest state in the U.S. to legalize same-sex marriage. It was a real nail-biter until the last minute, with the outcome of the marriage bill far from certain. Impromptu public celebrations erupted in the streets of Manhattan, and the mood was giddy and profound at the same time.

So why not support a destination that supports you? Now’s the time to plan a romantic weekend for you and your honey in the gay-welcoming Big Apple. The long days of late summer and early fall are one of the best times to get to the Big Apple before things turn cold and icy. H

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If power corrupts then, as they say, absolute power corrupts absolutely.

TripAdvisor, with it’s 45 million reviews of some 500,000 destinations is the undisputed power house in shaping people’s perceptions of what hotel they should stay in and where.

Good or bad reviews on the giant site can profoundly affect a hotel’s bottom line.

So it comes as no real surprise that some hotels are bribing their guests with offers of free rooms, upgrades, and discounts if they post an “honest” but “positive” review of their property on TripAdvisor.

The UK-based, MailOnline  reports that 30 properties around the world have been blacklisted for encouraging fraudulent positive hotel reviews, and says that there is a thriving black market in hotels willing to pay people to write these reviews.

In particular, MailOnline points to the Cove Inn in Cornwall (England) as being an especially egregious offender .

According to the report, also picked up by Hotelmarketing.com , the Cove’s manager invites guests to become “brand champions” and post their positive (but “honest”) review along with a couple of equally positive reviews to the Good Food Guide and Michelin Guide .

The moment the reviews go public, a Cove Card is activated and the rewards become available.

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Childhood love for castles, forts and all the accessories that come with it is rarely completely overcome, and as a grown up traveler, anyone can indulge in their secret (or not so secret) love for castles in several destinations where castles are considered to be a very serious business. In Europe, castles and palaces have a long tradition, and in countries like France, Germany or the UK castles are some of the most beloved tourist attractions. Castles, however, come in many shapes and sizes, from medieval storybook-style castles, to marvels of Asian architecture and other castles. So if you like castles, here are the top 10 most beautiful castles in the world.

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As holidaymakers are preparing to set off, British Airways’ cabin crew give their top tips to make travelling that little bit easier.

1. Travel like a celeb and pack a pashmina. They are particularly good if you’re moving between different climates and always useful to have on board. Fold away shoes like ‘redfoots’ are also a great item to have in your hand luggage if you want to ditch the heels for flats and use up minimal space.
2. Always carry a pen in your hand luggage for forms that need to be filled in prior to arrival.
3. Leave a bit of space at the top of any toiletry bottles – it will prevent them leaking as the aircraft becomes pressurised at altitude. Also, mak

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