As Good Friday and Easter Sunday are public holidays in Indonesia, Bali simply heaves with visitors both local and foreign who come here to enjoy the extraordinary packages offered by hotels and restaurants around the island. Flights from Australia to Jakarta are full to capacity as many try to get to Bali to enjoy the festivities as much as the sun, sea and sand. Since Bali has had Christian enclaves going back several hundred years there are many Catholic, Protestant and churches of other denominations in many parts of the island. Locals and visitors alike who are desirous of beginning the day with a religious ceremony can attend services both in English and Indonesian at St Francis Xavier Church in Kuta, St Josephs in Denpasar, …

The Dubai International Boat Show is a much anticipated event in the country’s calendar. The show invites some of the top brands in sailing and boating equipment. It is a great way to discover the amazing technology used for navigating the ocean. Dubai is one of the most affluent cities in the world and is also home to some of the wealthiest people in the globe. It is fitting that such a city would host a show that exhibits the luxurious lifestyle of the rich. There are yacht communities in Dubai who are interested in the newest developments in sailing. It is amazing what boat manufactures do to create the perfect atmosphere in a yacht. At the Dubai Boat Show you can take a look …

Since 1996 Dubai has opened its doors to lovers of horse racing. The Dubai World Cup, which is held each year, is a sort of meeting ground for all the stars in horse racing. The venue for the World Cup is Meydan Racecourse, a course that lives up to international standards; for over a decade it has invited competitors from Europe, USA and Asia. The thoroughbred horse races are organized by the Emirates Racing Authority (ERA), and the chairman who presides over it is Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan who is currently the Minister of Presidential Affairs of the United Arab Emirates. The 2014 competition includes a purebred Arabian contest along with eleven races. The regular races commenced in November 2013 which will run …

A fascinating festival welcoming the New Year, the Water Splashing Festival is a much looked forward to event amongst the Chinese.  Anantara Xishuangbanna Resort & Spa is a preferred hotel in Yunnan among those who flock to the city in time to witness the festivities as this hotel Yunnan has to offer is placed ideally in the middle of all the happenings so as to not miss anything. The water-splashing Festival is considered to be the most important festival of all by the Dai ethnic community. Held during the sixth month of the Dai calendar, the festival falls mid-April and is also known as the Festuival for Bathing the Buddha. In the Dai language, the festival is also known as “Shanghan”, “Jingbimai” or “Hounan” and lasts for three days …

For all Sinhalese and Hindus, April is all about festivity. From the end of March even the environment seems to feel this heart-warming change. The trees look much greener with flowers blossoming covering up every inch making it look like Mother Nature’s decorations done specially for the Sinhala and Tamil New Year. To add to this beautiful site, the sound of the cuckoo bird can be heard as the background music throughout this special time. While nature gets ready to celebrate this festival in its own way, the people in Sri Lanka too start adding their contribution to enhance the excitement. Everything is done according to an auspicious time, so when the time gets closer the astrologers in the country get together to give the …

The much anticipated Sinhala and Tamil New Year is one of the most vibrant festivals celebrated in the island nation of Sri Lanka. As its name suggests the festival is observed by both of the two largest communities in Sri Lanka. Falling on the 14th of April this festival is closely linked to the local astrological traditions which regulate the event. Overall the new year celebrations can be seen to be a complex blend of Buddhist, Hindu, astrological and other indigenous traditions. Many of the new year customs, rituals and festivities are thought to have originated as celebrations marking the completion of the harvest. After the arrival of Buddhism the existing customs were modified in the light of the new religion. Many interesting festivities are …