Archive for August, 2010

Five Baltic Ice Hotels

Posted in Scandanavia, baltic region | by admin
August 13th, 2010

When visiting Scandinavia between January and April, consider staying in a ice hotel that is built entirely of a mixture of ice and packed snow — known as snice — from scratch each year. Below are five ice ice hotels that you might want to consider staying in for a night or two for a truly Arctic experience.

1) ICEHOTEL in Jukkasjärvi

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The ICEHOTEL is located in the small village of Jukkasjärvi, which is 200 kilometres north of the Arctic Circle in Lapland. Known as the hotel that “never stands still,” it shifts from frozen solid to free-flowing river and back again during the course of the year — but the ice is present even in the summer.

The staff at the ICEHOTEL have planned for every occasion and offer their guests a wide range of activities and a wonderful meeting place where they can mingle with the Sami people of the village and travelers from all over the world. Amenities include a chapel, a sauna, an exhibit hall and cinema made, of course, entirely of snice! The Absolut Ice Bar is world famous and has been mentioned in Newsweek as one of the world’s most stunning bars.

2) Kirkenes Snow Hotel

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Established during the winter of 2006/2007, this spectacular 20 room hotel is the easternmost town in Norway located near the Russian border. Ice artists from Finland and Japan decorate the rooms and create the largest snow dome in Norway that measures 18 m high. Dinner for guest of the snow hotel is prepared in front of an open fire, and a sauna is a typical way to begin and end your stay. Also located in the hotel area is a park that houses reindeer and a husky farm that raises dogs for sled teams.

3) Bjorli Ice Lodge


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This spectacular ice creation is nestled among the beautiful alpine scenery of the Geirangerfjord region, an hour-and-a-half drive up the mountains from Molde.

Spacious ice suites are accented with beautiful light designs shimmering through ice art. A “gamma” or a traditional circular Norwegian wooden hut is created around a central wood fire to make a cozy meeting place to share tales of the day’s adventures along with some warm drinks.

4) Lainio Snow Village

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Located near theYlläs and Levi ski-resorts, this unique snow village is easy to reach from the Kittilä International Airport. Over 1500 tonnes of snow and 300 tonnes of crystal clear ice are used as construction materials to create the 3000 square foot covered indoor space.

Over 30 rooms each have a unique architectural design with a theme that varies from year to year. Guest can visit the la carte restaurant and have drinks at ice carved tables at the bar. Beautifully illuminated sculptures of ice art are available for viewing and the Ice Gallery.

5) Bâlea Lake Ice Hotel

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Deep in the heart of Romania, at an altitude of 2034 m, this ice hotel is only accessible via cable car.  Located on the shores of picturesque  Balea Lake –whose ice is used to create it — this small ice hotel has only 10 rooms and an adjacent ice church. Bedding, furs and sleeping bags are provided and restroom facilities are nearby.

Snow biking, heliskiing, and sledging are some of the winter sports you can enjoy as guest of this ice hotel.


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Five Unusual Sports in Scandinavia

Posted in Holiday Tips, Scandanavia | by admin
August 6th, 2010

Residents in Scandinavia have embraced many sports that are rather unusual and have a distinctly “Nordic” flair to them.  Consider spending a fascinating day either participating in or watching some of these  unusual events.

Ice Yacht Races

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Since 1901, the Stockholm Ice Yacht Club of Sweden has been fast racing ice yachts across a frozen lakes and fjords. Originally, this sport simply used kites to pull around skaters across the ice. Modern day ice yachts are sleek, well-designed craft can achieve astounding speeds and give riders a real bone-chilling thrill. Some contemporary yachts can carry up to six or seven crew and passengers that are distributed around the boat to create the delicate balance needed to maintain top speeds without tipping over.

Underwater Rugby

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Began in Germany in the 1970s as a physical fitness training exercise, underwater rugby has become a huge hit in Scandinavia. Teams in Denmark, Sweden, and Finland have regular competitions that even include underwater balls and social mixers. These events are held in the shallow end of swimming pools with balls that are filled with saltwater to keep them from floating to the surface. Underwater rugby has become an even more popular spectator sport with the advent of underwater cameras and big screens so viewers can see the action up close.

Wife Carrying

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This unusual sport originated in Sonkajarvi, Finland, where the World Championships of wife carrying have been held since 1997. This rather humorous activity is supposedly reminiscent of of the time when Finnish men courted their women by running into their village, picking them up and carrying them off to their village. The sport is, as you would imagine, rather simple. The goal is for a man to carry his wife across an obstacle course in the fastest time. Often the wife’s weight is measured in beer and the prizes are determined by weight categories. Over 40 couples have to competed at one time in these events and the popularity is spreading around the world.

Paragliding

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Although not necessarily an unusual sport, paraglideing over the frozen tundra, summertime mountains, or the Baltic Sea is a fascinating way to get a bird’s eye view of Scandinavia. In Finland, you can paraglide across an alpine lake or in Poland you can soar over the slopes of Zar mountain. The Oslo Paraglider club offers nine day intensive courses in Hemsedal for beginners as well as longtime enthusiasts of the sport.

Rink Bandy

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Also known as a rinkball, the sport began in Sweden in the 1950s and is played on the ice hockey rink. There are over 1000 rinkball teams in Finland alone and over 200 associations and almost 300 teams currently participate in the Finnish Rinkball Federation Playoffs. Rinkball games are less risky than normal bandy because the playing areas are smaller so fewer players are required and the dangerous practice of “checking” is prohibited.

10 of the Most Expensive Holidays You Can Take

Posted in Holiday Tips, Iceland | by admin
August 3rd, 2010

1) North Island, Seychelles…

Mrs ColdPlay, Gwyneth Paltrow, would probably love this one. For the eco-conscious, North Island resort is a resort with a difference. It’s first and foremost a conservation project; a constant work-in-progress.

A former abandoned ecologically-comatose coconut plantation, it was painstakingly brought back to life.  Species indigenous to the area – tortoises, certain birds, trees and plants - were re-introduced. Some endangered ones have also been repopulated.

North Island

(img credit: hotels.com)

North Island has 11 guest villas, all built with a respect for nature in mind and costs £1,500-£2400 a night per person. Activities are high fun, but with low environmental impact; fly fishing, scuba diving, snorkelling, kayaking, biking, gym use, etc.

A holistic spa is also available and offers a range of pampering works including hot stone treatments, shiatsu, Reiki, reflexology and massage.

Meals are customised and vegetables/herbs are apparently sourced from the island itself.

2) Wakaya Club & Spa, Fiji…

At £1,200-£4,800 a night, a stay of at least 4 nights is recommended by the resort. But then, it’s hard to imagine Bill Gates, Russell Crowe or Michelle Pfeiffer complained about it when they were booking their stay there. Not with the amount of money they’re flipping somersaults in.

With a team of 12 staff to every guest, the Wakaya island resort has 10 cottage suites, each with its own secluded garden.


Wakaya Club(img credit: wakaya.com)

If you’re paying towards the high end of the fee scale, you get additional perks like a Jacuzzi, a secluded garden with a waterfall, a private spa, tennis court, gym, a personal chef and an on-call driver.

Do you get your own garden gnome though? That’s what I want to know.

3) The Mansion, MGM Grand Hotel, Las Vegas…

You can spend as much time as you want at The Mansion. Absolutely. The £3,000 to £9,500 you have to pay to stay there per night is just a formality. The sooner you get that little distraction out of the way, the sooner you can get back to spending (more and more and more) money on the ridiculous.

the-mansion(img credit: msn.com)

The Mansion provides you with your own spa and pool as well as a butler and two on-call chefs. Also included is a Rolls Royce pick-up from the airport.

4) Burj Al Arab Hotel’s Royal Suite, Dubai…

The Burj Al Arab is the only 7-star hotel in the world. It’s also the only hotel with an underground restaurant (reached via submarine – no joke).

It has various rooms at various prices, but the Royal Suite appears to be the priciest and will apparently set you back around £11,000 a night.


Burj Al Arab (img credit: stylecrave.com)

The suite’s decked out in lavish Versace-gold decor, a revolving bed, a private butler, private cinema, private elevator. You also get a pick-up to and from the airport in a Rolls Royce. And while you’re at it, you might as well pay that bit extra to have a chauffeur-driven Rolls or helicopter take you anywhere you want to go.

Exclusive is as exclusive does, dah-ling.

5) The Rania Experience, Maldives…

At 7 acres, this beautiful baby of an island is small, but its size merely adds to its private exclusivity.

Referred to as ‘the Rania Experience’, a stay costs £10,000 a day (based on 2 people). It can accommodate a maximum of 12 guests.

The Raina Experience (img credit: theraniaexperience.com)

You get your own private yacht, your own butler, personal chef as well as cruises at sunset/under moonlight, island hopping, unlimited spa treatments, diving with a qualified instructor, top quality drinks on tap, and much more.

The owner/s of the island’s obviously not stupid as a minimum of 3 nights is required. Besides, if you’re gonna spend £10,000 without blinking, you might as well spend thrice the amount for good luck. Makes sense. Absolutely.

6) Musha Cay, Bahamas…

Richard Branson, eat your heart out. You’re not the only one with your own island. Sorry, love. David Copperfield (illusionist - dark hair, brooding dark eyes - yes, him) has his very own too.

Musha Cay(img credit: islandhideaways.com)

With a total of 5 guest houses, each with its own private beach, The Cop’s making a caviar-load of money off Musha Cay at a starting fee of around £24,000 a day. For that amount, guests and up to 23 of their chums get the island all to themselves. There’s also a tennis court, freshwater pool, steam room as well as a beachfront gym and cinema screen.

The island really does look incredibly exotic and plush. However, there’s something about it that’s a bit reminiscent of the Island of Dr Monroe, don’t you think?

7) The Royal Penthouse Suite: Hotel President Wilson, Geneva…

The cost to spend a night at the Burj Al Arab Hotel is pennies compared to Geneva’s Hotel President Wilson. It costs a whopping £26,450 per night.

No, it’s not a misprint.

Yes, £26,450.

Royal Penthouse(img credit: trendhunter.com)

Unless you’re a ghost, the 17,000 sq ft Royal Penthouse Suite is accessed by way of private elevator. And for your complete safety, the suite’s windows are bullet-proofed and its doors fully armoured. Hmm, makes you wonder.

Anyway, you can mull over exactly why such protection is needed while sipping on champagne and enjoying the spectacular scenery of Mont Blanc & Lake Geneva from the comfort of your hotel window.

8) Nygard Cay, Bahamas…

Copperfield has competition; there’s another Bahamas island in town. At £26,500 a day, the Nygard Cay sports Mayan-style tree houses, an elevated lagoon, an 82-foot power cruiser, a fishing vessel, volleyball, basketball and tennis courts, and of course the usual: pool, water slides and hot tubs, etc.


Nygard Cay(img credit: nygardcay.com)

If Oprah’s been, then Nygard Cay has got to be rather nice. But then again, George Bush has been there too, sooo…

9) Necker Island, British Virgin Islands…

A stay at Richard Branson’s exclusive 74-acre Necker Island retreat will apparently cost you, oh, somewhere around £30,000 a night. Which is nothing, really, when you don’t think about the two noughts at the end.


Necker Island(img credit: msn.com)

You get your own private villa (I should think so for that price) and a yacht to use.

The £30k includes food, drinks and activities, but for those who can afford it, it’s probably neither here nor there that it’s all inclusive. Their pet poodle’s pierced belly button probably costs that much.


10) Royal Villa, Grand Resort Lagonissi, Greece…

In terms of price, the Royal Villa makes Geneva’s Royal Penthouse Suite seem like a wee baby.

With a butler, private marina beach, indoor heated pool, massage room and steam bath along with a private chef and pianist upon request, the Royal Villa is just shy of £35,000 a night.


Royal Villa(img credit: stylecrave.com)

£35,000? A night?

Maybe it’s all just a secret experiment to find out just how much one can charge and get away with. Maybe it’s all a dream. Maybe Tiger never cheated.

Cold Water Surfing

Posted in baltic region | by admin
August 3rd, 2010

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Ready for a surfing adventure that shatters the stereotypical sun-soaked California beach bum image?

If you have what it takes to tackle the conditions around Scandinavia, you can find yourself catching some truly divine surf. The Baltic region offers stellar opportunities to put your moves to the test — if you can take the cold.

Admittedly, the raging storms that sweep up out of the Atlantic don’t make for year-round idyllic conditions. But it takes more than a few pesky iceburgs to keep the die-hard surfers out of the water when the really big sets start rolling in.

Norway

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Due to environmental concerns, it is illegal to surf off the coasts of Norway from October 31 through April 1.

Since the cold waters of winter have rugged surf anyway, best to hold out till early autumn, when the really big swells arrive.

Many seasoned surfers head straight to the islands like Lofotenoff to get away from the crowds and amatuers. The primordial nature of the islands appeals to the exotic lone surfer type, and private sheltered coves make for an exceptional day above the Arctic Circle.

For those only interested in the occasional day of surfing, the coastal road from Egersund to Stavanger is an accommodating beach for beginners and their families.

Sweden

Many weekend surfers are comfortable at the popular surf spot about 12 miles from Stockholm called Toro. There have been Swedish surf contest held there since 1991 and the area has developed a definite surfer culture.

Swedish Surfers(credit)

Explore the nearby neighborhood to discover the popularity of the sport and visit the numerous shops and browse the local magazines that specialize in cold water surfing.

Poland

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In the Pomorskie Voivodship along the Baltic coast, there is a natural sand jetty called the Hel Peninsula that has turned into one of the best windsurfing spots in Europe.

The long narrow sandbar creates a natural barrier between Puck Bay and the wind-swept Baltic sea, giving this little sheltered spot all the right ingredients for a wonderful day of windsurfing, kite-boarding or para-surfing.

Finland

Admittedly, the choppy seas around Finland don’t often make for admirable surf conditions, but at least once a year the conditions are just right to thrill the 500 or so Finnish surfers who rush into the cold waters off the shores of coastal towns like Pori or Hanko.

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Donning full-body wet suits to endure the 1 to 4 degree centigrade water temperature, the local surfers revel in the novelty of riding thrilling swells that stay built up for days.

Of course, the Finnish proclivity for saunas is a welcome tradition following a day of cold water surfing.