Khao Lak, Thailand

“You can sit at the pool and still hear the waves crash of the ocean only meters away.”

Velassaru Maldives

Velassaru Island, Maldives

“Feel the worries and stress dissipate with each day… each dive into crystal blue waters.”

Delamore Lodge

Waiheke Island, New Zealand

“If you are after a bucket list experience then Delamore Lodge is the place for you…”

Al Bustan Palace, a Ritz-Carlton Hotel

Muscat, Oman

“The main pool was by far the nicest, with infinity ending onto the sea view.”

Grand Wailea – A Waldorf Astoria Resort

Hawaii, US

“We can’t imagine another resort in the world is as special as the Grand Wailea…”

LeCrans Hotel & Spa

Crans-Montana, Switzerland

“Loved the outdoor hotel pool. Who knew I would be sunbathing during my ski holiday…”

Four Seasons Shanghai Pudong

Shanghai, China

“Spending time at the pool is a real treat… Stunning view of Shanghai, especially at night.”

Perivolas

Oia, Greece

“We made use of the pool which is as perfect as they come and has been used in many photo shoots…

Hotel Hacienda Na Xamena

Ibiza, Spain

“A truly beautiful location up high on the cliffs looking out to the ocean.”

The Cambrian

Adelboden, Switzerland

“The ‘pool with a view’ is the hotel’s star feature and it doesn’t disappoint.”

The post 10 extraordinary hotel pools appeared first on Travel My Day Blog.

Greece is on many people’s travel wishlist this year and with good reason. With its economy still on the rebound, tourism has never been stronger, or more important to helping Greece get back on its feet. And lucky for us, there’s also never been a better time to visit the spectacular Greek islands. If you’re looking for a vacation filled with endless sunshine, great food (at exceptional prices), tons of inexpensive, incredible wines and all the shades of Mediterranean blue that dreams are made of, look no further than divine places like Corfu, Santorini, Crete, Mykonos, Paros, or Zakynthos. From art and culture that date back thousands of years to plenty of beaches, olive groves and cypress-covered mountain peaks, valleys dotted with small fishing villages and whitewashed cubist buildings, that warm, dry Aegean breeze and even that rose coloured hue when the sun begins to set, you’ll know why locals and tourists alike are all in love with these islands.

New Zealand

This small sliver of a country is made up of a North island (where you’ll find the cool cosmopolitan city of Auckland and the very artsy capital, Wellington) and a South Island (home to the adventure capital of the world, Queenstown and many, many excellent vineyards). Although it’s quite a trek to make it out to New Zealand, you need to cross this destination off your bucket list as there is no doubt you’ll fall for this otherworldly, beautiful place and its charming people. With a dramatic, changing landscape that brings to mind sweeping, spectacular panoramic scenes in the Lord of the Rings trilogy (which was famously shot all over the country by local filmmaker Peter Jackson), there is no other place quite like it. From snowy mountains and beautiful stretches of untouched beach, to wild, jungle-like vegetation, volcanoes, fjords and crystal clear lakes, it’s just one breathtaking sight after the next. The best part about making this your first destination of 2017 is that our northern hemisphere winter is summertime in the southern hemisphere so get ready for that easy, breezy, carefree summer lovin’ right through till March!

Los Cabos, Mexico

Baja California is a muy caliente travel destination this year, and the southern municipality of Los Cabos, whose biggest city is Cabo San Lucas – a go to place for those in search of sand and sun with a healthy dose of nightlife – just happens to be on the tip of Baja California Sur. Once a sleepy fishing village, Cabo is now a favorite vacation spot of tourists and celebrities alike, who all flock to this beautiful spot known for its incredible beaches, dramatic scenery, world class snorkeling, surfing, and of course, the parties. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t a quieter side to Cabo as well. Visitors can equally spend their days lazing on the beach (like the secluded Divorce Beach and Lover’s Beach), indulging in the local Mexican fare and drinking refreshing cervezas or can take advantage of the city’s buzzy nightlife, dance the conga line under the stars in the sand and drink tequila or mezcal until the sun rises. From packed bars, restaurants and clubs, to more private beaches and desert destinations dotted with cacti, Cabos is the perfect getaway any time of year

The post Top Travel Destinations for 2017 appeared first on Travel My Day Blog.

But for the rest of us, the cooler climate brings its own kind of adventure, and it’s prime time to explore places all around the world that shine their brightest when the mercury drops.

Whether you’re looking to flee the snow or fly headfirst into it, this dazzling planet of ours offers a destination for every kind of cold weather traveller. Find yours here, in the D’Marge guide to the best places to visit in winter.

HALLSTATT, AUSTRIA

Nestled between the edge of Hallstätter See and the Dachstein mountains, Hallstatt is Austria’s oldest and most photogenic village. Dramatic visuals are in ample supply here, courtesy of the towering peaks, the lake’s glassy waters, and the fairytale architecture of the town. The arresting scenery makes for a beautiful visit at any time of year, but it looks especially lovely under a dusting of powder (and isn’t quite so crowded with tourists).

GOBI DESERT, MONGOLIA

It may be a desert, but there’s nothing warm about it in winter. Most travellers choose summer to explore the vast landscapes and nomadic cultures of Mongolia’s Gobi Desert, but more intrepid adventurers brave winter’s below-freezing temperatures to experience a different side of the wild terrain. Come during the Thousand Camel Festival to witness races and polo competitions in which participants compete atop endangered Bactrian camels, as well as performances of traditional Mongolian music and dance.

LAPLAND, FINLAND

One of winter’s most jaw-dropping sights is the Aurora Borealis – aka the Northern Lights. The colourful spectacle can be witnessed in a variety of frigid, northerly locales, but Finland is indisputably one of the finest. Head to Lapland, which is shrouded in almost total darkness during winter, and check into the Kakslauttanen Resort to cross the aurora off your bucket list from the comfort of reindeer-drawn sleigh rides and your own personal glass igloo. Pack layers.

JIGOKUDANI MONKEY PARK, JAPAN

Four words: monkeys in hot springs. Getting to Jigokudani can be a challenge, thanks to the steep cliffs, narrow footpath, and formidably cold forest, but your reward for making the journey is a population of Japanese macaques that love nothing more than bathing in the location’s steaming natural hot springs. If you’re tempted to take a dip yourself, Jigokudani Monkey Park is a short distance from several onsens that accept human bathers.

QUEENSTOWN, NEW ZEALAND

We’ve sung the praises of Queenstown on multiple previous occasions. The New Zealand city has been dubbed ‘the adventure capital of the world’ and wears the badge with great pride. Visitors can hike, bike, bungee jump, zipline, sky dive, rock climb, hang glide, boat on Lake Wakatipu, speed down luge tracks, go off-roading on quad bikes, and more in Queenstown, but come winter, it’s all about the slopes. Skiiers and snowboarders from around the world flock to Treble Cone, Coronet Peak, The Remarkables, and Cardrona for their world-class powder.

COSTA RICA

Winter is dry season in Costa Rica, which means warm weather galore and no torrential downpours to interrupt your sunbathing. The Central American country has coastlines on both the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean, offering more than enough soft sand and inviting water for all visitors. Inland you’ll find a chain of volcanoes and rainforest teeming with exotic wildlife like spider monkeys and quetzal birds.

HARBIN, CHINA

There’s one reason to brave northeastern China’s bitter winters: the Harbin Ice and Snow Festival. The renowned ‘Ice City’ draws visitors from home and abroad each year for the event. Sun Island, one of the festival’s two main exhibition areas, contains enormous ice sculptures carved by ice artists. The second area is Ice and Snow World, a city of full-size ice buildings that are illuminated with colourful lights. Winter activities in the festival include skiing, snow mobile driving, swimming in the Songhua River, and a traditional ice-lantern exhibition.

LES TROIS VALLEÉS, FRANCE

If you’re going to ski, you might as well ski on the world’s finest slopes. France’s Les Trois Valleés – The Three Valleys – is considered by many to be home to those slopes. The region’s acclaimed resorts include Courchevel, Méribel, Les Menuires, St-Martin-de-Belleville, and the legendary Val Thorens. With over 600km of varying pistes and more than 200 lifts, Les Trois Valleés is the largest ski area in the world – and since 1973, you can experience it all with a single ski pass.

The post THE BEST PLACES TO VISIT IN WINTER appeared first on Travel My Day Blog.

Since we premiered the video for her single Dreamers in May, New Zealand-born synth-pop singer and producer Laura Lee has been busy working in the studio towards her next EP release. Along the way, she took some time out to co-write a sparkly new instrumental cut titled I Feel with Australian producer JCOS. Powered by programmed house grooves, angelic vocal textures, bubbling synth notes, and a low-slung bass line – it’s buoyant and bouncy soundworld relocates Laura’s pop aspirations inside the late nights of London and Melbourne club culture.

“Originally the track started off with a full vocal track, but I really liked the intro that JCOS had sent me,” she explains. “We stripped it back and repeated the intro. That’s when I just decided it should be an instrumental. It didn’t seem necessary to put vocals back in it, but I liked the line ‘I feel,’ so we stuck with that. I’d been wanted to do an instrumental track for a while as it’s not what I usually do. Most of my songs are quite vocal-heavy, which made it nice to do something different.”

The post Laura Lee – I Feel appeared first on Travel My Day Blog.

Great song!

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Therme Vals  Switzerland

Qualia  Australia

One&Only Reethi Rah  The Maldives

The Wakaya Club  Fiji

Split Apple  New Zealand

Parrot Cay  Turks & Caicos

Fregate Island  The Seychelles

@ElenitsaB 

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