Aside from its convenient location especially for travelers coming from the Asia-Pacific region, you will enjoy walking the streets of San Francisco, with its soothing and cool weather that is neither too cold as in winter time in New York nor too hot as in summer time in Texas. The temperature is almost constant at about 50 degrees Fahrenheit all year round. San Francisco is rich in history having been influenced by Spanish civilization and culture for many years. This shows in the images of its landscapes and structures that have been preserved for our generation and the next.

Walk around the streets of San Francisco or take the little cable car for a short down and uphill ride to the city. Either way, you will enjoy the sights of the city. Go to Fisherman's Wharf and feel the chill of the morning fog and the windy sea.

Climate and Weather

The climate for San Francisco is comfortable. There is sunshine 60 out of every 100 possible hours.

San Francisco average annual rainfall is 20.4 inches per year
San Francisco average temperature is 56.8 degrees F.
The average low temperature is 51.1 degrees F.
The average high temperature is 62.6 degrees F.
The average winter temperature is 50 degrees F.
The average spring temperature is 56 degrees F.
The average summer temperature is 59 degrees F.
The average fall temperature is 61 degrees F.

Some of its famous tourist attractions of San Francisco are:

Golden Gate Bridge

Golden Gate Bridge was constructed in 1937. It has a total length of 8,981 feet with a longest span of 4,200 feet. It has a height of 746 feet and a width of 90 feet. The bridge was designed principally by Engineer Joseph Strauss, a University of Cincinnati graduate with the able assistance of Architect Irving Morrow and Charles Alton Ellis. Joseph Strauss led the construction team as Chief Engineer and in-charge of the overall design

and construction of the project in collaboration with the famous bridge Engineer Leon Moisseiff who acted as the principal engineer of the project. Although quite famous during his time as a major participant in the Golden Bridge Design Team, Moiseiff failed in one of his major design works, the Tacoma Narrows Bridge, which collapsed when it was hit by strong windstorm.

During the construction period, Charles Alton Ellis, not being a license engineer, was fired by Strauss because of his constant dependence on Leon Moisseiff on various technical matters. Strauss claimed that he spent too much time and money sending telegrams to Moiseiff to consult him on technical matters. During his time, Ellis became knowledgeable in all aspect of engineering and structural design. He did much of the technical and theoretical work that was contributory to the completion of the bridge. Ellis was a Greek mathematician and scholar who became a professor at the University of Illinois despite his having no engineering degree. After being fired by Strauss, having been obsessed with his work and unable to find work during the depression, continued to work on the project, without pay. He turned in volumes of hand calculations that were very useful to the project.

Strauss downplayed most of the contributions of his construction and design staff, with an eye for self-promotion and posterity. More that 70 years later, the City of San Francisco finally decided to give justice to Charles Alton Ellis, for his efforts and dedication in the design of the bridge, by giving him a major credit for the job as part of the original design team.

Today the Golden Gate Bridge stands as a monument of great achievement of dedicated people who, in one way or another, have contributed immensely to the successful construction of the bridge. Although the bridge is adored as a famous engineering achievement of mankind; it has also its downsides, one of which is the continued and uncontrolled suicides that happen almost every month by those who wish to take their own lives by jumping from the bridge. It is estimated that of the more than 1,200 of those who jump off the bridge, only about 26 survived, the rest dying almost instantly.

Alcatraz

Alcatraz Island is located in the middle of San Francisco Bay area. It has an area of 7.6 hectares. The island was once used as a lighthouse, a military prison and as a Federal prison. Before it became a popular tourist destination that it is today, Alcatraz was a symbol of human cruelty in the guise of justice and social reformation. Alcatraz was a Federal Prison for hardened criminals in the middle of the 19th century. Al Capone the famous American gangster was imprisoned in Alcatraz stayed there for about four years until he was moved to another prison facility due mainly to his failing health. He was later found to have contracted syphilis. Another famous Alcatraz prisoner was Robert Stroud who spent 17 years of his life in prison until his transfer to medical facility in Springfield.

Alcatraz was finally closed as a Federal Prison in 1963 after 29 years in operation. It is now a very popular destination of tourists from all over the world. Today the island has attracted a number of birds as its habitat and breeding ground. Some of the birds and others animal species found in the island include western gulls, black crown night herons, slender salamanders and deer mice.

Fishermans' Wharf

Don't leave San Francisco without first visiting Fisherman's Wharf. It is San Francisco's most popular destination. The place is known for its historic waterfront, restaurants offering mostly sea foods, breathtaking sights of the bay and the island of Alcatraz and a host of other “must see” areas near the Wharf.

Within and nearby Fisherman's Wharf are selections of deluxe and budget hotels for the tired and weary travelers. There are available cable cars that ply the wharf route to downtown shopping area and other interesting parts of the city.

San Francisco Chinatown

The Chinatown in San Francisco is the oldest in America, having been established in the 1850's. San Francisco's Chinatown is so popular that there are sometimes more visitors in the area than in the popular Golden Gate Bridge. Most of the visitors that frequent San Francisco's Chinatown are travelers from the Asia-Pacific Region who are visiting for a couple of days as well as the local Asian residents who buy their daily food needs from the wet section of the market.

The San Francisco Chinatown is filled up with a variety of Chinese as well as Asian Food and general merchandise. There are just too many items of different kinds from all over the world sold at much lower price that those merchandise of the same kind and found in other parts of the city.

Pier 39

San Francisco's Pier 39 is a nice place to visit while in San Francisco. It is a premier bay attraction. A market place with over a hundreds stores, several restaurants and a variety of fun filled attractions for the young and the young at heart. This is also the place where you will find the world-famous Sea Lions. Also found here is the Aquarium of the Bay where you will see at close range a variety of fish species from the ocean deep.

There are other beautiful attractions that San Francisco offers including those found in downtown and in the outskirts of San Francisco

My advice to the first time visitor - please don't leave your heart in San Francisco...

Caramoan is a coastal town of Camarines Sur in the Southern Luzon corridor of the Philippines. It is host to a group of small islands with white sand beaches and unspoiled mountain ranges. The islands of Caramoan have remained pristine and undeveloped through the years mainly due to lack of infrastructure like roads and bridges that links the town to the other parts of the region. Caramoan town, in the recent past and during wet or rainy seasons, was isolated from the rest of the towns of Camarines Sur and connected only by sea lanes or water transpiration for its commercial survival.

This potential tourist destination has caught the attention of the regional as well as the national government of the Philippines when the crew of the well viewed TV series, “Survivor” visited the area and later decided to use GOTA Island, one of the major islands facing Pacific Ocean, as the venue for the filming the “Survivor” TV series. The executives of the production company as well as the crew and the cast must have been hooked to the beauty and serenity of the islands that they have in fact extended their stay to do more footage of the popular TV series.

Gota Island

For now, the islands part of Caramoan remained closed and off limits to tourists as well as the residents of the islands and vicinity. With the end of filming of the “Survivor” TV Series in the later part of the year, the pristine beaches and the beautiful islands of Caramoan will again be opened to the residents and visitors. And since these beautiful islands will be shown to the international audience with the showing of the “Survivor” TV Series, the people in Caramoan are preparing for the influx of international travelers and tourists who want to see for themselves the place where the “Survivor” TV Series was actually filmed.

Here are some of the smaller islands of Caramoan:

Here are some shots of the beach area:

Plans for Caramoan Peninsula

You will be surprised to know that Caramoan Peninsula will become a world class tourism destination in a few years.

Realizing its tourism potential, the provincial government of Camarines Sur has set in motion an ambitious plan to transform the Caramoan Peninsula into an upscale tourism site. This includes the upgrading and construction of a hi-way that will shorten travel time to Caramoan and a possible construction of an airport in the area. Plans have been drawn and finances have been secured to jumpstart the transformation of the area into a major tourist attraction.

Summer is around, and everybody's excited to spend the summer vacation once again. A place that is cool, with awesome scenery and wonderful people is most likely the most popular choice to spend it. A place where they can escape the heat of the sun, enjoy swimming, snorkeling, scuba diving or simply watching scenic views.

1. Boracay

   
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   Number one on the list, of course, a world class resort, the most popular island destination and the number one tourist spot in the Philippines - Boracay. It is regarded as “the finest beach of all Asia”. Likewise, popularly known as, “the number one tropical beach in the world”. Everyone will surely enjoy swimming and sunbathing on its 4 kilometer “white sand beach”. You will definitely like this island paradise. It is situated in Panay Island, Philippines, about 300 km south of Manila.

2. Palawan

   
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   Next on the list is Palawan known as “the last Philippine frontier “. It is blessed with beautiful tourist attractions like Club Paradise Resort, El Nido Resort, and many others. The famous underground river is also here, and the Tubbataha Reef Marine Park which is the best place for snorkeling in Asia is also located on this island.

3. Dakak

   
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   Third on the list is another world class beach resort, Dakak. It is famous not only for its “powdery white sand” but also famous for its coral reefs and diving that is why it was named the “Diving Mecca in Mindanao”.

4. Siargao

   
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   In the fourth spot, we have Siargao, the haven of surfers from all over the world. Popularly known as, “the surfing capital of the Philippines”. International Surfing Cup is held here annually.

5. Batanes

   
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   And the last, but certainly not the least, we have Batanes, the northernmost province of the Philippines. It is the smallest province in terms of land area and population. You will surely love this place. It is the best place for nature lover and people who love tranquility and serenity. This is where the Pacific Ocean merges with the South China Sea. Batanes is great for summer vacation, fishing, diving and hiking.

Enjoy your summer vacation on these island paradises.

1. Vail

   By far the best ski and snowboard resort in America, Vail is number one on our list. It is over 7 miles wide, and on 80% of the mountain you'll find clear blue skies and open terrain. If you like wide plains and powdered back bowls, Vail is the best place there is. Ranked the largest ski resort in the world, Vail's official site claims on busy days you will only find 4 people per acre. Not to mention the quaint European styled town that really is one of the best in America. One last upside is that Vail is located in Colorado, so if you have the money only a fortunate few can make it over there each year.
   

2. Whistler

   Though not “technically” in America, I am putting this on the list at number 2. Whistler is located in British Colombia, Canada, so they get all the benefits of being farther north. More snow and an average colder temperature means Whistler is open a long time. This mountain is also one of the largest in the world, with over 200 skiable trails and 8000 acres.
   

3. Heavenly

   This is one of my favorites, even though it might be a bit controversial. One of the best mountains I've seen in California, Heavenly makes up for its size in quality. The largest in California, Heavenly has 4800 acres of skiable terrain and 95 trails. The reason I like it is because you're in California, and the sun is always shining. Another great thing is Heavenly is open until May 4, when a lot of other mountains have to close in late April. Heavenly really represents it name well… it's heavenly.
   

4. Beaver Creek

   Look, I'm not putting this on the list for skiing. Beaver Creek is on this list because it is the most family friendly ski resort in America. The town is modern to the utmost, with actual escalators (If you believe me!) leading up to the base of the mountain. Beaver Creek also sports some of the best eateries and hotels in the country, making it a great place if you're not a hardcore skier.
   

5. Stratton

   Alright, so I'm a little biased from New York, but I had to put at least one east coaster on the list. The East and West coast aren't really comparable, but I think Stratton is the best representative of the East. Almost an exact inch by inch model of the town of Vail, Stratton strives to be close to it's west coat buddies. Now some of you are wondering, we'll why didn't you put Killington or Stowe on the list, I mean, they are much bigger. But I believe in quality not quantity, and Stratton definitely has that as an advantage.

You can find great beaches on all the continents of the world. What you will choose will depend on your budget and also your time. If you want to go for a short vacation, choose a place close to you. If you want to go far, you should have enough time to spend on a resort in order to appreciate your holiday.

Before you go for the bookings make sure you are happy with your destination. These days, hotel bookings can be made on the internet. Look for the reputed websites. This way you will not get robbed. Also they will have holiday packages which offer big discounts off the listed rates.

The ticket prices offered by the different airlines vary. Budget airlines give very reasonable rates while the others are far too expensive. So get online and check the routes you would like to choose and get the best rates.

Some travel agents will be able to help you with the ticket as well as the hotel bookings. Some even offer bigger discounts for their travel packages than the respective individual ticket and hotel discounts. The travel agent also makes the job a lot easier for you.

Last but not he least, try to make your booking well in advance. This way you will be able to get the best value for your money.

Anyone who is planning on spending a good chunk of time on in Old San Juan is faced with any easy choice - either a hotel right in the middle of the old town (the best option) or close enough to get there easily.

The advantage of selecting a hotel in the middle of things is that you have access to all the bars and restaurants and don't need to do too much traveling each day to get to see what you want - hotels such as Hotel Milano, Gran Hotel El Convento, or the luxury Wyndham Old San Juan Hotel & Casino all allow you to stay in the confines of Old San Juan for your entire vacation if necessary.

If you're planning on a vacation that mixes Old San Juan with other locations then a hotel close to the old town but with easy access to the out of town highways may be a good option for you. The Caribe Hilton and Normandy Hotel both fulfill these requirements and offer upmarket accommodation with excellent communication with both Old San Juan and the airport.

Lastly, if your idea of a vacation is spending the day lazing by a pool one of the hotels in Isla Verde will be ideal. Destinations in their own right, you needn't set foot outside until it's time to go home.

One can visit these places in a single day as most of them are easily accessible by car. However, the exceptions are for the mountain retreat at Gunung Tebu and the offshore island, Pulau Perhentian.

A great journey trip can start with a visit to a recreational spot in Terengganu, La Hot spring which is situated in Hulu Besut. The water from the spring is extremely hot to even boil eggs. As the spring water contains sulfur and some essential minerals, it is also believed to cure body aches and skin diseases. Many people come here for this purpose.

Lata Tembakal Waterfall will be the next stop. It takes only about a half hour's drive from La Hot spring. Lata Tembakal is also one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Malaysia. It is one of the best managed and cleanest recreational spots in Terengganu.

Another beautiful waterfall is Lata Belatan which is located at the foot of Gunung Tebu. It is usually the take-off point for those who wish to climb Gunung Tebu.

Gunung Tebu will take about four hours for you to reach its peak. It is about 1000 meters above sea level. It is said to be a historical site as it was once a well-known trading areas where ships from as far as China came to trade here. On top of Gunung Tebu, one can view as far as Semerak in Kelantan and even the offshore islands of Pulau Perhentian and Pulau Redang.

Your trip to Besut is not complete, if you do not visit to either Pulau Perhentian or Pulau Redang. Most tourists prefer to go to Pulau Perhentian. According to them, Pulau Perhentian takes only 30 minutes by boat from Kuala Besut. Therefore, it is probably one of the reasons why it is one of the most popular island resort spots in Terengganu. Pulau Perhentian has lovely sandy white beaches and certainly, the most famous activities are snorkeling and scuba-diving.

There is a famous market in Kuala Terengganu which is “Pasar Payang”. At the market one can buy souvenirs. One can learn on the process and procedure of producing batik by visiting a batik factory,“Nur Arfa Batik” in Kuala Ibai. The colorful batiks are very captivating. People designed batik here are extremely talented.

Batu Buruk Beach is another attraction of Kuala Terengganu. At the beach, one can try some local delicacies such as "ais krim goreng". One may also go to Rantau Abang for turtle watching. If you were unfortunate though, you did not get to see any turtles laying eggs. The turtles will only come up in the wee hours of the morning.