Brian Bees asked:


If the time has come for your vacation or a holiday getaway, read this article before making your plans. There are many places of great beauty and interest to be seen in the USA and Europe. But, whether transportation, touring, theme park, or food and lodging, it is expensive. This article is written for every traveler, whether a backpacker on a budget, or a first class – five star traveler.

Travel in Asia is inexpensive and opens the door to different cultural experiences. Planning can be for a short holiday, an extended stay, or choices of laying the groundwork for the ultimate stay, retirement. Nowadays, with so many opportunities to make money using the Internet it is not out of the question to “retire” early.

Medical Tourism in Asia growing in popularity. It is high quality and affordable. Just one of International standard hospitals in Bangkok serves 400,000 international patients annually, In the USA cataract surgery for one eye runs around $8,000. At a prestigious International hospital in Thailand cataract surgery can be performed on both eyes for around $2,500. It is possible to have quality medical care, and an Asian holiday, for a fraction of the cost of the same procedure in the USA.

Let us take a tantalizing glimpse at just some of the countries.

Thailand – Land of Smiles. Often referred to as the most exotic country in Southeast Asia. A visit to the Grand Palace in Bangkok for sure. Trips to a floating market or to the Bridge on the River Kwai. From pristine beaches in the Southern Islands to the Northern mountains with its waterfalls, elephants bathing in mountain streams, and Hill Tribe villages.

India – Delhi is one of the oldest continually inhabited cities in the world. India Gate, an imposing structure, has emerged as one of the most popular tourist spots in Delhi. The Red Fort Delhi, a masterpiece of architecture, is a popular spot. A trip to India would not be complete without a visit to Agra, famous as the site of one of the world’s most romantic, graceful and photographed buildings, the Taj Mahal.

Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos – Three small countries neighboring Thailand. Each opens a different world of exploration. Cambodia – the highlight is visiting Angkor Wat, an architectural masterpiece constructed in the jungle in the early 12th century. Vietnam – is a varied country, offering beaches, mountains and hundreds of years of history from the ancient Cham Towers to remnants from the Vietnam War. Laos – savor the crafts, culture and hospitality of Laos with a river trip, visits to ancient temples, gorgeous palaces, and traditional villages.

Nepal – Adventure, travel, trekking, birding, wildlife, and cultural & overland Safaris. Take an air flight along the Himalayas and view magnificent Mount Everest. Nearby, discover the serene beauty of Tibet, the country which inspired the Dalai Lama. .

Indonesia – Jakarta, the capital city of the world’s fourth most-populous nation. Bali is Indonesia’s main holiday destination. Flores is a pretty lush green island with forests, palm and banana trees, rice fields and many volcanoes. Highlights are the three small offshore islands of “Gillis” that invite snorkeling, diving and relaxing. For hikers, a climb to the top of the volcano Rijani.

Philippines – An island nation comprising over 7,000 islands in the western Pacific Ocean.

Manila, the bustling capital has powerful reminders of the country’s past, along with attractive parks, fine museums, and exhilarating nightlife. The Ifugao Rice Terraces

are a testimony to the early technological advancement of the Ifugao people. Take a jeepney ride to the market. Be brave, try balut, a Philippine delicacy. Go diving in the Visayas.

Singapore – Shopping on famous Orchard Road, the dream of every woman. The Night Safari at Singapore Zoo is fabulous. Chinatown, a little glitzy, but you can buy all the souvenirs you want there. Interestingly, one of Singapore’s most beautiful Hindu temples is smack dab in the middle of Chinatown. Decide if a Singapore Sling is worth the hype in the Long Bar at Raffles Hotel. There’s more to Singapore than urban glitz, like rambling in the rain forest of Bukit Timah Nature Reserve.

Japan – Tokyo is the capital city and home of the Imperial Residence and Emperor’s Palace. Select a popular destination or region in Japan and explore its attractions. Ride the Bullet Train to the magnificent city of Kyoto. Visit Hiroshima and the Peace Memorial Park. Castles, temples, gardens, the list of top destinations in Japan is too long for this article..

Taiwan – Taipei, the country’s booming, vibrant capital remains steeped in Chinese, Japanese and native Taiwanese cultures. Some of its most impressive sights include the Grand Hotel, topped by the largest Classical Chinese roof in the world, the Shihlin Night Market, the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial with the National Theater and Concert Hall located directly across from each other on the grounds. A popular day trip is Tailuge (Taroko Gorge), considered one of the natural wonders of the world.

Hong Kong – the Pearl of East and jewel of The Orient. Nathan Road is lined with shops, restaurants, nightspots and cheap places to stay. If you’re in Hong Kong with the little ones, they’ll probably appreciate Ocean Park (aquarium), Water World (swimming pools and water slides), and of course Disneyland. If you’re in Hong Kong for more than a few days, then there’s plenty of outlying islands to discover.

It is often said that for the traveler that has seen it all and done it all, there is still Katmandu, Nepal. And, that too is in Asia!

If you do not visit Asia, you will be missing not only a paradise of affordable travel, but the chance to see an alternative living location. For retirees, it is luxury living for pennies, not just getting by on their pension. Asia, a paradise experience is waiting for you.



Massage Therapist

Janet Martin asked:


In the mad rush to lose weight, some people ignore common sense even though we’ve been told again and again that it takes time, discipline, and commitment to create a better body. This explains the appeal of over-the-counter diet pills that offer shortcuts to a new you.

Diet pills are available at the local drugstore, supermarket or health food store and many can be purchased online. But are these products safe and effective? Your friend, neighbor or favorite celebrity will probably tell you they are, after all they’re using the product themselves.

However, bear in mind that these products are sold as supplements not drugs. As such, manufacturers don’t have to prove anything or pass government standards of safety and efficacy. This means they are free to make extravagant claims often at the expense of the consumer.

“Dietary supplements and weight-loss aids aren’t subject to the same rigorous standards as are prescription drugs or medications sold over-the-counter. Thus, they can be marketed with limited proof of effectiveness or safety. Vendors can make health claims about products based on their own review and interpretation of studies without the authorization of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). However, the FDA can pull a product off the market if it’s proved dangerous,” according to the MayoClinic.com.

Sadly, when a product is pulled off the shelves, it is often too late. Take the case of Singaporean actress Andrea de Cruz whose story was reported in Time magazine:

“By a mother’s standards, Andrea De Cruz didn’t need to lose weight. But show business imposes strict requirements on appearance, and when the dial on the Singaporean TV actress’s bathroom scales spun to more than 48 kilos, De Cruz started taking a Chinese diet pill named Slim 10 that she purchased from a colleague. Two months later, De Cruz, 28, was near death, unconscious in a hospital in Singapore,” said Lisa Takeuchi Cullen in her story “Asia’s Killer Diet Pills.”

To survive, De Cruz underwent an emergency liver transplant. Today, she is still living although she needs immunosuppressants that leave her weak and vulnerable to other illnesses. But not everyone who takes over-the-counter diet pills are as “lucky.”

“Nobody knows how many are buying untested products of dubious efficacy – certainly consumers number in the hundreds of thousands, if not millions. At their most harmless, the products are a waste of time, money and good intentions. Some, however, are proving to be deadly. Over the past two years, seven women in Japan, Singapore and China have died due to the toxicity of the substances they ingested in the hope of shedding offending kilograms. From differing ethnicities and socioeconomic backgrounds and ranging in age from 16 to 60, the women had one thing in common: like De Cruz, they were all taking Chinese-made diet pills containing a variant of fenfluramine, an appetite suppressant that has been banned in the U.S. since 1997 for damaging heart valves. Doctors and health officials in Asia now believe the newer compound, called N-nitroso fenfluramine, can cause liver failure,” Cullen added.

There are no shortcuts to losing weight. To achieve your desired goal, you have to exercise, eat smaller portions, and plan your meals carefully to include healthy food choices that have fewer calories. If you’re tempted to try diet pills, read the labels carefully. One safe brand that will help you lose weight without side effects is Zylorin – a product that speeds up your metabolism, curbs your appetite, helps control sugar levels, and gives you the energy you need to do what you want. For more information, visit http://www.zylorin.com.



Visit Singapore!

Hemani Thukral asked:


Myth #1: India is not safe for Medical treatments.

Remember, Medical care always entails risk. Top hospitals in India are accredited by the Joint Commission International – Leadership for Quality & Safety in Health care, which certifies through painstaking periodic inspections that procedures and practices meet international standards for delivering patient quality care. JCI is the sister organization of Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO), the U.S. hospitals certifying body. And most facilities have management and staff training tie-ups with leading U.S. medical organizations such as Harvard Medical International. Many facilities are super-specialty hospitals, equipped with the most advanced equipment for diagnosis and treatment. These hospitals employ hundreds of highly-trained, experienced and specialized surgeons with impeccable credentials. Many have been either trained or have previously worked in the U.S., Europe or Australia.

English is main language in India and majority of the leading hospitals are aware of special care and treatment needed for overseas patients. In order to provide a highly specialized service, these hospitals offer seamless patient services of world-class quality. Most of the medical facilities provide special and discret International partients area providing you with five star luxuries and great standards at par or better compared to western hostpitals. Myth #2: Indian qualifications ar not as good as Australian qualifications. Top rated mediacl schools in India. What’s more, most of India’s leading doctors have also studied and worked in the best medical institutions, generally in U.K and U.S.A. Moreover, the doctors from the hospitals /specialty centers in our network keep abreast of the latest technologies accepted worldwide by attending refresher courses from time to time. Their global acceptance can be gauged from the fact that every year, hundreds of renowned Indian doctors visit Europe and USA to teach at leading hospitals and universities by invitation. New and innovative techniques are constantly being adapted and mastered by Indian surgeons who have success rates as good as those in the world’s best hospitals.

Myth #3: Benefits are not substantial in going to India for medical treatment. There are significant benefits in traveling to India for your next major medical treatment or it may be incidental if you are planning a trip to India; those in this category are generally cosmetic & aesthetic procedures or minimally invasive procedures such as dermatology or dental procedures. Save around 50-80% on your medical costs. In addition to the treatment cost savings, you can get instant access to any medical treatment, bypassing any waiting lists in Australia. Most of the top corporate hospitals will have a separate section for international patients, offering the five star luxuries, in addition to the best of the healthcare excellence.

Myth #4: I know of people going to Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore.. I will be the first one to go to India for surgery. India has made entry into medical tourism in recent years. The combination of high quality, world class, affordable surgery costs and Healthcare Services is attracting a regular stream of foreign patients to India. Many people from UK, USA, Europe, and Canada go to India for medical treatment. Indian medical establishments helped around 150,000 overseas patients in 2004; the Apollo group alone has so far treated 95,000 international patients… The Indian government predicts that India’s $17-billion-a-year health-care industry could grow 13 per cent in each of the next six years, boosted by medical tourism, which industry watchers say is growing at 30 per cent annually. According to a study by McKinsey and the Confederation of Indian Industry, medical tourism in India could become a $1 billion business by 2012.

It is understandable that for many people, travelling to unfamiliar country for medical treatment can sound daunting. Knowing someone who is experinced Indian doctor, understands the capabilities and limitations of the medical professionals in India and Australia is rare combination for your medical treatment requirements.



Massage Therapist

Verena Veneeva asked:


This article will provide a brief overview about the concept of hospitality industry, the problems faced by this industry and importance of hospitality marketing to ensure customer satisfaction and business growth.

Hospitality industry has a long evolutionary history. In older times, analysts suggest that the concept of this industry was initially known with a synonym, hotel industry. However in modern era the terminology of ‘Hospitality Industry’ is more common that comprises those businesses that provide services such as accommodation, food, and beverages to travelers seeking pleasure as well as those who travel due to business reasons (Gray & Liguori, 1996). Moreover it is argued that to some extend components of leisure industry such as cruise ships restaurants and to some lesser degree airlines are also considered part of hospitality industry as well (Papers4you.com, 2006).

Though the industry is assumed to be in nevr lasting demand but there are certain problems that this industry regularly faces. These problems may include uncertainty to the costs of even most economic source of energy, increased trend of problems in maintaining profitable food and beverage facilities, comparatively more increase in labor costs as compared to productivity, customer dissatisfaction due to increase in size and number of rooms as it is claimed to increase registration and other services process time and more importantly very high competition that induces heavy rate cuts to survive (Gray & Liguori, 1996).

Keeping these factors in view, in particular customer’s dissatisfaction and profit reduction, Lewis & Chambers (1989) asserts that hospitality industry historically did not realize importance of marketing and a remedy to industry’s problem is encapsulated in ‘hospitality marketing’, both in its foundation and practices. It was further asserted that in 1950s and 1960s, industry focused on technology and updating their telephone reservation systems. Similarly in 1970s and later, businesses were focused to increase assets and forgot the essence of industry, that is, ‘customer oriented service’.

It was suggested that players in hospitality industry should realize that hospitality product is different, that is in fact, something intangible that they are selling and as both product and reasons for buying it are different also different so it demands a different marketing strategy, something like hospitality marketing that requires customer centered hospitality need identification, specific segmentation & positioning and ‘the hospitality marketing mix’.

Such trend can be observed around the world (Papers4you.com, 2006). Food chains like McDonalds, Pizza Hut etc are now focusing on customer’s service and taste rather than focusing on their own brand name only. McDonalds in India, for instance, operates differently while focusing on the ‘vegetarian aspect’ of their tradition than McDonalds in USA where focus is more towards an easy accessible food facility.

Hence the discussion may conclude that hospitality industry provided ever needed services. Nonetheless it may face certain specific issues that can be counterattacked through industry specific ‘hospitality marketing’

References

Gray, W & Liguori, S, C, (1996), ‘Hotel and Motel Management and Operations’, Third Edition, Singapore: Prentice Hall Simon & Schuster (Asia) Pte Ltd

Lewis, R, C & Chambers, R, E, (1989), ‘Marketing Leadership in Hospitality- Foundations and Practices’, New York: Van Nostrand Reinhold

Papers For You (2006) “C/M/142. Dissertation. Measuring service quality in a Hotel”, Available from http://www.coursework4you.co.uk/sprttrav6.htm [22/06/2006]

Papers For You (2006) ” P/B/582. Benefits and problems of small hospitality businesses”, Available from Papers4you.com [21/06/2006]



Medical Clinics

Lawrence Westfall asked:


Medical tourism is a fairly new term used to describe an amazing amount of people globally that travel world-wide for health care. Why these people travel and for what differs, but basically there are two types of medical tourists – the regular tourist that adds a visit to the doctor for some minor treatment, as part of his or her holiday, and the tourist travelling primarily for medical treatment.

Before there even was a term ‘medical tourism’, it was common practice among the well-to-do in third-world countries to travel to the USA, Switzerland and Germany for medical care. However, since the year 2000, this trend has been reversed and now countries such as Thailand, are attracting patients from the USA, Canada and the United Kingdom.

This new market has grown as modern health care systems all over the world are struggling to meet the medical needs of their own populations. In the United States, the price of health care is beyond the means of most and there are an estimated 40 million people without health insurance. While in Britain, Canada and Holland, socialised health care ensures affordability, demand for medical services far outstrips supply and waiting lists for surgical procedures or specialty medicine can be as long as two-to-three years.

Today, governments, insurers and employers are carefully looking at outsourcing medical treatments as a way to improve access and lower health care costs for their citizens, policy-holders and employees.

Thailand’s health care services are about one-half the cost of similar services in Singapore, one-third the cost of Hong Kong and one-tenth the cost in the United States.

Who are the medical tourists and what are they coming for?

By and large, medical tourists are travelling for specialty surgical and medical services. The recent upsurge in the popularity of plastic surgery, however, has led to a new wave of medical tourists and headlines like “Sun, sea and surgery” or “Scalpel tourism” have helped create the buzz for this growing phenomenon. Medical tourism destinations, such as Thailand, promote the benefit of high-quality medical care as just one more reason to visit the kingdom.

Elective out-patient procedures like check-ups, dental care, and LASIK eye surgery are becoming increasingly popular and there is a growing interest on the part of the tourism industry to include these services as part of their travel packages. Higher intensity medical services, like spinal and cardiac surgery, pose a greater challenge because these medical services are not as easily packaged and require significantly more knowledge about medicine.

Bumrungrad Hospital, located in central Bangkok, is a major player in the medical tourism field in Thailand, attracting over 360,000 international patients every year from over 150 countries worldwide. But Bumrungrad is not alone. There are quite a few other hospitals in Thailand and also in out-lying regions that are aggressively marketing their hospitals to capture a slice of this fast growing market. Both Bumrungrad Hospital and the India-based Apollo Hospital were recently featured on the CBS award winning news program “60 Minutes” as medical tourism destinations for a growing number of Americans.

Reliable figures on the size and growth of medical tourism are hard to come by, as government and immigration statistics do not yet categorize inbound travellers coming for medical care. That said, the Tourism Authority of Thailand is actively promoting medical tourism as medical tourists on average spend more and stay longer than leisure travellers.

So, whether you are the casual visitor that will take advantage of some minor medical work while in Thailand, or you are planning your vacation around your surgery, Thailand is the place to go and get it done professionally and at an extremely good price.



Singapore Hospitals

Ibrahim Machiwala asked:


In 1982, the Ismailis celebrated the Silver Jubilee of the Present Imam. The jubilees celebrated by the 48th Imam resulted in the establishment of major new institutions for the material benefit and progress of the Ismailis. The Ismaili communities throughout the world looked forward to the Present Imam’s first jubilee with much enthusiasm. Unlike his grandfather, the Present Imam did not wish to be weighed in gold. He however used the occasion to introduce new priorities and directions for the Ismailis to pursue for their own progress as well as for the progress of the world at large, particularly the third world.

Sunday, July 11, 1982 was one such day that will remain forever in the memories of those who came from far and wide: from the remotest areas of the globe to Aiglemont, to convey the felicitations and express the happiness of millions of the Ismailis to their Imam. It was on this day exactly 25 years ago, the Imam acceded to the throne of Imamate. Leaders of the jamats had come representing Bangladesh, Canada, Europe, India, Kuwait, Kenya, Malagasy Republic, the Middle East, Malaysia, Pakistan, Portugal, Rwanda, Brundi, Syria, Singapore, South Africa, Tanzania, the United Kingdom, the United States and Zaire – more countries than at any other previous jubilee. Dressed in beautiful red ceremonial jubas and gold-braided pagris, they filed into the living room of Imam’s house on the morning of 11th July and waited eagerly for the Imam. Dressed in the Imamate Robe and an astrakhan hat, reminiscent of the historic Takhat Nashini ceremonies of darbar with Begum Salima, Princess Zahra, Prince Rahim and Prince Hussain. Sitting on either side of the Imam and Begum Saheba were members of the Noorani Family, Princess Tajudawla, Mata Salamat Umm Habibeh, Princess Yasmin and Prince Amyn Muhammad.

The scene was picturesque, the atmosphere was charged and the exuberance and boundless. Dewan Sir Eboo Pirbhai (1905-1990), Chairman of the World Leaders’ Forum had the honour to address on behalf of the world jamats and said, “It feels as though it was only yesterday that the young Prince Karim became our 49th Imam. On the other hand the sheer scope and weight of your achievements in this brief time-span makes us feel as impossible for so much to be achieved in so brief a time-span. For him, this day constituted as milestone in the continuation of the vast work done by Mawlana Hazar Imam’s grandfather. The sheer magnitude of the achievements that were to come could not then be comprehended by the jamat. For, as the 49th Ismaili Imam, you have given unstintedly of your time and energy in guiding us on the Siratul Mustaqim. You are doing so with the paternal, maternal concern and benevolence and with indulgence that has been the foundation of the unique link between the Imam and the jamat since time immemoria.”

The Imam referred to that day as a “historical occasion,” on which his thoughts turned to his grandfather, whose “understanding of Islam, wisdom and hopes for his jamat has been such a great source of inspiration.” Reflecting on the past quarter century since which time the jamat had become more widely spread across the world, the Imam said that in the social and economic development fields, new projects and new programs were being created. “Introversion and isolation have changed into outreach. Walls are removed to be replaced by bridges – to other communities, to other tariqa, to new countries.”

Referring to the future, the Imam said, “We must continue to build and on solid foundations. Let us strengthen today’s fabric of institutions and programs so as to have them contribute the full impact of their potential on our quality of life.” Hazar Imam referred to issues which will have to be addressed in the future and said this should be done with “faith and courage, guided by the true spirit and meaning of Islam – to the precepts of which we should demonstrate our attachment in every facet of our lives.”



The Imam through his many philanthropic projects throughout the world has built bridges of love and friendship specifically during the Silver Jubilee Year. Beginning in Kenya on October 4, 1982, Tanzania, Bangladesh, Singapore, India, Portugal, Dubai, Pakistan, Canada, wherever Imam graciously visited for the silver jubilee commemoration, he has laid great stress on unity, brotherhood and understanding. Wherever he went, national newspapers have given much importance to his visits, editorials have been written in glowing terms and his philanthropic projects through the Aga Khan Foundation and other avenues highly spoken of, respected and cited by Presidents of these countries, Prime Ministers and Ministers, as exemplary for others who are in a position to give in philanthropy with an open heart. Some of the major silver jubilee projects inaugurated during the year have been a low cost housing settlement in Versova near Bombay, a Medical Centre in Kisumu, a Jamatkhana in Burnaby, Vancouver, the Ismaili Centre in London, a Medical Centre in Hyderabad, Pakistan, two Serena Hotels in Pakistan – one in Faisalabad and the other in Quetta, three projects in the Northern Himalayan regions of Pakistan – a school at Sherquilla, a Medical Centre at Singal, a Girls Academy at Baltit in Hunza. The biggest and most prestigious of all the projects was the Aga Khan University. The President Zia-ul-Haq of Pakistan handed over the Charter of the Aga Khan University to the Imam on March 16, 1983, according to which the Aga Khan Medical College, the Aga Khan School of Nursing and the Aga Khan Hospital, became a leading teaching hospital, known as the Aga Khan University.



Visit Singapore!

Gregory Smyth asked:


Even though there was an uncertainty over the global economic impact of the sub-prime crisis and the limping US economy, the Singapore property investment sales market stayed unexpectedly active in the first two and half months of 2008, with a total of $5.91 billion of investment sales registered to-date.

Strong economic basics and the encouraging long-term outlook in Singapore encouraged property investment activity even in the confused global economic environment. Investment sales usually include real estate sales with a minimum value of $5 million consisting of government and private sales, buildings and land, strata and enbloc. It also comprises the transfer of ownership of real estate through the sale of shares.

The private sector was the major source of investment sales in the first quarter of 2008, responsible for 55 per cent or $3.27 billion (to-date) of the quarter’s total investment sales. Public land sales have so far accounted for the remaining 45 per cent or $2.64billion. The most notable public land sale in the first quarter as yet was the allotment of a hospital site at Novena Terrace/Irrawaddy Road for $1.25billion ($1,600 psf/plot ratio). A commercial site consisting of 17 conservation shop houses at Jalan Sultan, was allotted for $14.80 million ($974 psf/plot ratio).

A handsome total of 20 bids were submitted for this site, showing investors’ strong demand for commercial development sites. The purchase of sites has been up until now restricted to specific choice sites because of the subdued response to recent new launches.

Apart from this, the issuing of more affordable 99-year leasehold residential sites by the Government for sale in the first half of 2008 may deviate some buying interest away from prime freehold residential sites in the private sector. The only successful collective sale deal in the first quarter of 2008 was Ban Guan Park which was captured for $31.10 million ($870 psf/plot ratio). In March, there was a purchase of 53 units at Grange Infinite for almost $400 million ($2,600 – $2,700 psf).

The office sector was extremely competent during the first three months of 2008, contributing for 34 per cent of total investment sales or $2.01 billion up until now. Even though there were signs of increasing caution due to the effect of the US sub- prime mortgage problems, decent office leasing momentum and Singapore’s strong economic basis remained to fuel substantial investment activity in the office sector.

REITs control investment in the industrial sector – related purchases was responsible for 6 per cent of total investment sales or $333.66 million in the first quarter up until now. The chances are that the investment sales market will face a challenging year in 2008.

Despite the global financial turmoil as a result of the US sub- prime crisis, real estate investors are likely to take a longer period to analyze the market prospects before going for an investment deal. In this scenario, the investment market is not expected to witness a high volume of transactions in the first half of 2008.

However, continued strong growth in Asia, added with Singapore’s image as a financial services hub and sought after business destination for MNCs will help to maintain a competitive level of investment activity in the Singapore property market.



Massage Therapist

Wolfgang Jaegel asked:


Situated to the south of Bangkok, Phuket is the largest island in Thailand. It is also well known as ‘Pearl of Andaman’ or the ‘Pearl of the South’. Phuket is one of the best places around the world to have a fabulous vacation.

Thousands of tourists come here to enjoy their vacation in full swing. Have a fabulous time in Phuket, the place which is famous for its limestone beaches, sandy white beaches, and tropical forests. Phuket is bordered by Phang-nga Province in the northern side and the rest sides are bounded by the Andaman Sea.

Phuket is famous for diving; therefore the place is best for diving enthusiasts. Sarasin Bridge and Thep Krasattri Bridge connect Phang-nga Province to this island. Phuket has a total area of approximately 543 square kilometers and is situated near to west coast of the southern part of Thailand in the Andaman Sea and the Indian Ocean.

The best time to visit this place is from the month of November to February. During this period you can have a fabulous climate here. During this time, the temperature of Phuket will be between 23 to 33 degree celsius and you can enjoy obvious blue sky and the touch of the fresh sea gentle wind and the view of the crystal blue water.

Phuket is also well-liked among tourists for being gifted with Sino-Portuguese architecture and the typical hospitality they follow. A wide range of accommodation facilities ranging from modern resorts to sprawling bungalows are available through out Phuket.

Phuket is considered as the busiest, beautiful, and the most famous vacation destination in the South. Phuket has immense number of snow white beaches, limestone cliffs, tranquil broad bays, and tropical in-land forests. It is a place for every sort of fun and is famous for a wide range of marine activities.

The beauty of Phuket attracts thousands of visitors round the year. Prompthep Cape, with panoramic eye spots, is the most famous beauty spot in Phuket. People usually come here to watch sunset. Wildlife is also a major attraction in Phuket. If you are interested in wild life then you will get the opportunity to watch wildlife in the great Phuket Zoo.

You can also enjoy pleasure activities such as crocodile shows, monkey shows and elephant shows in the Phuket Zoo. The zoo has a total area of 10 hectares and has over 100 kinds of reptiles, 600 species of birds and amphibians, and 45 types of mammals. You can see Buddhist temples throughout Phuket. Situated to the south of Phuket, Wat Chalong is one of the biggest Buddhist temples and one of the major attractions in Phuket.

The temple is extremely privileged for the statues of two of its early abbots who had fabled healing ills. Wat Phra Thong Temple, situated in the middle of Phuket Island, houses a huge statue of Buddha in half buried state. This temple is also well known in the name “Golden Buddha Temple.”

Phuket Seashell Museum, situated on Viset Road, near Rawai Beach, is a favorite place for tourists round the year. The museum has a collection of over 2,000 rarities such as the only left-handed Noble Volute ever discovered, 380 million-year-old fossils, giant clams and one of the rarest golden pearls of the world. Koh Sirey Island, also known as Koh Si Re, is also a famous tourist attraction which is situated on the eastern side of Phuket town.

The island is accessed by a small bridge and has abalone farms, a few fine beaches, a temple on a hill and a sea gypsy village. You can drive around this hilly island in half an hour. The island has many inshore sights which are unbelievably beautiful.

Phuket Butterfly Garden & Aquarium is a best place for nature lovers. It has a wide collection of specimens of tropic butterflies flying around freely in a massive dome. Watercourses and ponds in the aquarium have a great collection of exotic insects and fish.

The most beautiful beach in Phuket is Patong Beach. It is home to wide range of activities and nightlife. It is also a perfect place for party and play. Phuket is famous for its bustling nightlife including hundreds of eating places.



Medical Clinics

Sarah wilson asked:


Being in poor health seems like a nightmare for you due to expensive treatments and unavailability of desired and affordable services. People, who still avoid taking proper treatment due to these problems, can now take breath of relief, as medical tourism is there to provide them with affordable medical care as well as opportunity to explore new countries. Definitely, the lure of low cost and high tech services is a main reason that is making people desperate to pack their bags. While medical tourism is getting great hype by newspapers, magazines and T.V channels, most people are still unaware that it is becoming the integral part of every major hospital in numerous countries. Countries like India, Thailand, and Singapore are offering exclusive tourism cum medical vacations. No doubt that these countries have plenty of hospitals and clinics those are equipped with every latest technology and apparatus to support their services.

Every year more and more patients from all over the world are planning their vacations to get highly specialized and cost effective medical services. U.S. residents, who do not come under any insurance service, are considering overseas medical services more promising. As any insurance company is not liable to bear their medical expenses, they find it better to have treatment in abroad with less expenditure. Medical services in these destination countries are same as other developed countries; so why to pay more if you are getting same services with supplementary advantages. In some countries treatments are supported by refined research therefore, patients who are coming all the way from western developed countries may build up confidence in their treatments and services.

In order to provide best health solutions hospitals of destination countries motivate their staff to speak English so that all members of staff may communicate well with international patients. Additionally, some hospitals offer a vacation incentive to make the deal more attractive. Few years back, medical tourism was not as popular as it was lacking many services and treatment. However, with passing time and involvement of cosmetic, plastic, or elective surgery, more and more people are booking their packages for medical tourism. Today patients are also receiving life-saving medical operations such as heart surgery, brain surgery and disorder treatment. Hip replacements, cancer treatments and fertility work, have also become quite accepted in recent years. It is more affordable then your domestic health care even when you include airfare, hotels, travel insurance, car rentals, shopping, and dining. Therefore, is it not an excellent opportunity to maximize health benefits as well touring.

It is true that some destinations offer measures that are not available in many Western countries. For example, hip resurfacing was only treatment that was just permitted by FDI. Surprisingly it is available in most of the hospitals of these destination countries. The entire credit of this development goes to information technology that made medical tourism more affordable and globally available. International journey and main progress in medical science, medical tourism is becoming a well versed global trend. In fact, medical tourism is there to benefit international patients. People who are interested in knowing more about it can search on related websites on internet to get better options.



Medical Clinics

Hedin Johan asked:


Samitivej Wins 2 Prestigious HMA Awards 2008 – Path to Being the Largest Medical Tourism

Samitivej, a leading private hospital in Thailand and Southeast Asia, recently sealed its regional leadership and recognition when it was announced the winner of two Hospital Management Asia 2008 (HMA) awards for Marketing, PR or Promotional Project and Human Resource Development categories. It is also the only hospital from Thailand to win the international awards from 233 entries from 55 hospitals in 15 countries. The two awards emphasize Samitivej’s all-round excellence, both medical and personnel improvement, which contributes greatly to the groups’ strong competitive advantages and leadership in the past 29 years on its “Journey of Care”.

This clearly reinforces its medical excellence, the hospital group’s creative “MIS Campaign” wowed Thai audience with a new perception that any surgery is no big deal any longer with the Minimally Invasive Surgery (MIS) technology and expertise of Samitivej’s highly skilled and well trained medical team. At the same time, the Human Resource Development Category awards also underline the hospital’s commitment and continuous investment in its staffs’ open communications.

Established in 1979, Samitivej has expanded and are now composed of four branches, all sharing the same knowledge and the state-of-art technologies. Its endeavor was met by being awarded with the prestigious recognition as a Mother and Baby Friendly Hospital by WHO and UNICEF; for the first time in Thailand. In 2004, Samitivej received another award, including the Prime Minister Award for the Most Recognized Service and an accreditation from the Hospital Accreditation Board of Thailand.

Aside from being the leading provider of healthcare services in Thailand, Samitivej is also the most recognized medical tourism and private hospital in Southeast Asia. 40% of Samitivej’s patients are foreigners – renowned itself as the most favored destination of world-class medical services, where the patients can spend at a fraction of cost in the States of Europe for the competent foreign-trained specialists’ services using the same western state-of-the-art technologies. Samitivej’s patients are from the surrounded countries including patients from the Middle East countries as well as the States and Europe.

From a marketing point of view, medical tourism in Asia is a lucrative business. According to a recent report; Asian Medical Tourism Analysis (2008-2012), revenues was worth US$3.4 billion from medical tourism alone in 2007, which is nearly 12.7% of the global market. The ratio also indicates viable growth at an annual average of 17.6% growth rate between the years 2007-2012.

More than 2.9 million patients enter the following countries for healthcare services: Thailand, Singapore, India, Malaysia and the Philippines. But there is a reason behind why Thailand is the most favored destination. Thailand has emerged as the largest medical tourism market in Asia for its competent services, low cost with a vacation at a beautiful beach resort as an inviting option. For each year, Thailand welcomes over a million visitors who ask for medical services and is accounted to generate US$1.1 billion revenue for the year.

Samitivej has proven itself to overcome traditional fears of having surgery in South East Asia. Here, the hospital is fully-equipped with the same state-of-the-art technologies and medical equipments, where the specialists are competent and trained in North America, Europe, Japan or Australia.



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