So you’ve decided to go to Japan for the holidays and you only have two weeks off. There are so many things to see in Japan that it would be very unrealistic to try to list them all in such a tiny article. But there are some things in Japan which every tourist there should see at least once. A lot of these things are located in Tokyo. Here then are a few tourist destinations which you should try and fit into your schedule somehow – you won’t regret seeing them!

Sightseeing around Tokyo

There are hundreds of places you can see in Tokyo. You should at least spend a couple of days exploring the downtown area and checking out the local restaurants, tourist attractions and other facilities.

For the excitable tourist, there’s always Toshimaen/Hyro Polis. This is in the center of Tokyo and is a world famous amusement park and water park.

The Japanese love any sort of display of science and nature and Shinagawa Aquarium is a testament to this curiosity. With over 100 species of fish and a 22 meter tunnel under the aquarium, you can see the sea life from below. The renowned Ueno Zoo is over a hundred years old and even has two giant pandas, some king penguins and a host of other animals.

Consider taking part of a day trip up to climb the Tokyo Tower, which was modeled after the Eiffel Tower. The tower is a 333 meter high landmark and is the world’s tallest self-supporting iron tower. It’s a great place to check out the city from and try and find where you’ve walked.

When you’re tired from legging it all day on the busy streets of Tokyo, consider relaxing in one of the city’s favorite tea bars, where you can get hundreds of different kinds of tea.

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Malta is one of those places that seems to have it all: sunshine, beaches, culture, history and top accommodation. So with all this on offer what should you do to make the most of this beautiful country?

Hit the beaches
The beaches in Malta are all about small and perfectly formed. With a rugged coastline you won’t find massive expanses of uniform sand boasting rows on sun loungers and people in deckchairs. Instead, you’ll be met with pretty coves and idyllic bays where the rugged coastline adds to the islands raw and natural appeal. All this is great news if you don’t want to find yourself packed in with hundreds of other sun worshipers and with so many hidden inlets to uncover you just might enjoy a slice of Malta all to yourself.

Soak up the culture
Valletta is Malta’s proud capital and no visit to the island would be complete without a wander through the old streets or along the pretty harbour. Arriving into the town by boat is a magical experience as you get the full effect of the shoreline as you near land. With its position as a UNESCO World Heritage Site firmly established and a total of 320 monuments within an area of 55 hectares there is literally culture and history awaiting your every turn. There’s loads of interesting Malta info out there – all you need to do is get out there and find it…

Scour the shops
It’s always good to come away from your holiday with a little something to remember your destination by and in Malta you shouldn’t have any difficulty finding somewhere to locate that special something. For small and unique looking shops you should check out the streets of Valletta where you’ll find a number of quaint boutiques. Of course, there are always the large shopping centres if you just want to be surrounded by choice – The Embassy Complex in Valletta is one such option. Of course, not only does a few hours spent browsing the shops give you a keepsake or two but it also gives you some much needed shade – since the weather in Malta can get pretty hot come summer.

So after feeling the tickle of the sand between your toes, the capitals history seep into your soul and with a bag a little heavier than it was when you arrived, Malta will be well and truly under your skin.

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Travelling is an awesome adventure – meeting new people, going to new places, experiencing new cultures, customs and food. Being away from home can be hard at times though, especially during the festive period  when you can really miss your family, friends and your personal Christmas traditions. The best way to overcome homesickness is to throw yourself into the Christmas events and activities that are going on where you are. Get involved and enjoy your Brissie Chrissie!

Carol Singing
What can be more festive than the sound of carols being sung by a choir (and badly by you and your mates)? There are plenty of points around the city to listen to carol singers and blast out some Silent Night yourself. At the popular Carols on the Cliffs, held at the 155 year-old St. Mary’s Anglican Church in Kangaroo Point, you can sit back and listen to the Canticum Chamber Choir sing hauntingly beautiful carols. Take a walk along the rhyolite cliffs and end the evening with a drink at one of the many cafes in the area. There are several other carol singing events happening around the city but if you can’t make an event, just pop into the CBD during December between 8am and 9am and you’ll catch a carol group perform as part of the Merry Melodies programme.

Christmas Lights
Brisbane’s city centre lights up during the festive season but the most spectacular Christmas lights can often be found adorning private houses in the suburbs. To ensure no-one misses out on seeing these wonderfully festive, extravagantly lit homes, council buses will run tours of the suburbs with the biggest and best light displays from 18 December – 23 December.

Christmas Markets
The South Bank Night Markets add a little bit of festive cheer to your Christmas shopping and are lovely just to wander around even if you’re not buying anything. Carols are sung, unique gifts are sold and you can gorge on festive nibbles. There are numerous other Christmas markets taking place across the Brisbane area, including the Bardon Christmas Markets, held every Saturday in December leading up to Christmas day.

Christmas Day Lunch
Let’s be honest – Christmas day is all about eating and drinking and there are many options in Brisbane. You could get together with some of your travelling companions and have a barbie on the beach, blag yourself an invite to someone’s home, or go to one of many fabulous hotels in Brisbane for a slap-up meal.

New Year’s Eve
Aussies know how to party and there will be something going on in every bar, restaurant and hotel in the city. For something really special that won’t break the bank, consider booking a night at a discount hotel in Brisbane and get ready with a few drinks before heading out. Don’t miss the free shows – Brisbane puts on two fantastic fireworks and laser lights displays over the river which are choreographed to music, one at 8.30pm and one to ring in the new year at midnight.

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New Zealand is a dream location and definitely one of the places where most people in the world would like to go very much. New Zealand is considered an amazing place because of the sharp contrasts that especially its landscape offers. In the southern half the temperature is colder and more alpine, whereas the northern half is almost tropical with volcanoes.

The key to backpacking New Zealand is to take the time to see everything. It really doesn’t matter if you’re not going to have time to see all the things on your list, what matters more is that you take the time to appreciate all the beauty in the things you will be seeing.

New Zealand has a lot to offer for any backpacker, but one of the best places to go is Queenstown. The reason is simple – the landscape is the most iconic of New Zealand. The town is nestled on the shores of Lake Wakatipu, high up in a mountain valley which is considered New Zealand’s premier four season lake and alpine resort.

The four seasons…

All four seasons are busy tourist times for Queenstown. The best time to go skiing is in the spring, which is from September to November in the southern hemisphere. The temperatures range from 48F to 75F and the weather is very sunny and beautiful most of the time. These days are perfect for skiing. Sometimes the season can last well into October as well.

More Queenstown travel tips include the possibility of going in the summer months, from October to February, or even March. The summer opportunities are endless, with mountain biking, golf, hiking and boating and waterskiing on the lake. The rugged terrain all around Queenstown is one you will never forget

There is of course skiing throughout the winter and if the snow comes early then in late fall as well. Fall is the time for barbecues, hiking to see the foliage and other relaxing activities.

Where to eat

Queenstown has over 150 restaurants, bars and cafes. Furthermore, the local vineyards keep these establishments well stocked with the best quality wines. You can even go to many of these wineries as they are mostly fitted out as small private restaurants serving the best local food and drinks conveniently in one place. A great travel tip for tourists is to take home one of these special bottles of wine for a special occasion later, such as a wedding or a baby shower.

Finally, Queenstown also offers luxury spa resorts with natural springs, saunas and other useful natural formations in this volcanic area. Queenstown is also one of the shopping capitals of New Zealand so you should have no trouble finding any souvenir or memento.

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