Dubrovnik Map

Top 7 Wedding Destinations Around The World

Wedding destination 1: Kuredu Island, Maldives

What could be more idyllic than marrying in the blissful weather of the white sands on the Island of Kuredu? The Island is the second biggest within the Maldives, and with an array of bars and lavish restaurants this is the perfect little paradise setting to celebrate your wedding. Landing on the mainland in the Maldivian capital of Male, hop onto the 35 minute sea plane journey taking you over the crystal clear waters of the Indian Ocean. With two spas, an 18 hole golf course and a 5 star diving centre, Kuredu offers the Maldivian experience right at your finger tips.

Wedding destination 2: Dubrovnik, Croatia

A relatively undiscovered gem, Dubrovnik is situated on the Adriatic Sea coast of Croatia. Dubrovnik is the most popular area for tourists to visit along the Adriatic Sea, with its beautifully historical city centre it makes the perfect location if you fancied a slightly busier holidaying experience. The city is home to many beautiful churches and virtually unspoilt landscapes. You can catch a ferry ride to the three inhabited islands belonging to Croatia; Kolocep, Lopud and Sipan, where they offer day long kayaking experiences around the islands making your wedding and honeymooning experience extra adventurous.

Wedding destination 3: Venice, Italy

If you are a lover of Vivaldi and all things Italian you’ll feel right at home in Venice, situated in the Northeast of Italy. Venice is made up of 118 small islands, connected by bridges and picturesque waterways. You can take a midnight tour of the canals via the most romantic mode of Venetian transport, the gondola, weaving in and around the unusual layout of the city centre. This artistically enhanced place is the perfect destination for a romantic fuelled wedding experience.

Wedding destination 4: Skopelos Island, Greece

Widely associated with the film location for the hit musical Mamma Mia!, the Skopelos Island, renamed ‘Kalokairi’ for the film, is the greenest island in Greece, home to lush forests and beautiful unspoilt landscapes. Landing on the mainland in Skiathos, take the romantic ferry ride across the Mediterranean Sea and admire the stunning island from afar. Relaxing in weather reaching an average of 28 degrees Celsius in the summer months your wedding is sure to be perfect.

Wedding destination 5: Las Vegas, USA

 

If it’s an all-round exciting wedding you’re after then Las Vegas is the place for you. Known for the bright lights, wacky nightlife and general flamboyance, Las Vegas is a fantastic experience for you, your partner and your guests. With some hotels offering in-house casinos and others offering gondola rides – there’s something for everyone. Las Vegas doesn’t have to be over the top expensive, hotels situated on the main strip can be found offering discounted prices especially on weeknights, so hunt around for the best price, and you might even surprise yourself with bargain!

Wedding destination 6: Scotland, United Kingdom

Home to haggis and kilts, Scotland is a popular choice among brides who dream of that picture-perfect princess wedding. There are many castles spread around Scotland from the highlands right down to the Scottish/English border, with many membership hotels attracting celebrities including Madonna and Guy Ritchie. Scotland is home to many fairytale inspired castles, some with hundreds of acres of surrounding land offering clay pigeon shooting, golf and other quintessentially British sports.

Wedding destination 7: Anchorage, Alaska

Alaska has played host to many weddings from ceremonies deep within rainforests to glaciers; Alaska has the perfect wedding experience covered. Anchorage is Alaska’s largest city, with stunning scenery and with so many new sights to witness, this experience will make one vivid wedding memory. If you fancy taking a ski resort diversion why not visit Girdwood? Taking a 50 minute drive along the picturesque coastline alongside the Gulf of Alaska to the year-round ski resort, you can busy yourself with activities such as hiking, fishing and rafting or take to the slopes any time of year. You can also partake in a romantic day cruise, setting sail from many ports along the Alaskan coastline, keep your eyes open for orca and beluga whales, brown bears and moose; not only will this make for a special experience but some great photos too!

Source: http://uk.lifestyle.yahoo.com/

5 Best Locations In Croatia

Croatia is among the Balkan nations located in Central Europe laying towards the east from the Adriatic Ocean and east of Italia. It’s outlined around the east by Serbia, its northern border by Hungary, the northwest by Slovenia, the south by Montenegro, and also the southeast by Bosnia and Herzegovina. The nation may be the the place to find numerous popular points of interest using the following being Croatia’s most widely used sightseeing locations worth wearing a holiday agenda.

Dubrovnik – Croatia’s most fascinating metropolitan areas to go to using its Renaissance architecture and sculptures along with its famous whitened marble roads. It’s totally enclosed with a circle of magnificent walls that border the Adriatic Ocean. There’s an extensive variety of budget and luxury hotels and a good amount of private lodging.

Hvar Town – the city reminds you from the town of Venice and it is outlined by its numerous sculpted facades produced from stone. The aroma of lavender drifts lower in the nearby hillsides all around the area and it is apparent in the seaside promenade. This is just one of Croatia’s most scenic metropolitan areas too among the most romantic spots in the united states.

Korcula Town – houses with clay tops situated on a single of Croatia’s narrowest peninsulas is among the major points of interest of Korcula Town. It’s oftentimes known to like a miniature Dubrovnik and it is situated near some very wonderful beach areas. It is among the most romantic sights in Croatia too among the top sights for cruise companies passing with this island town.

Rovinj – you’ll think about Italia whenever you visit this authentic fishing port and wander about around the narrow, steep roads from the town. It’s Istria’s most beloved town and it is outlined by numerous pastel-colored houses clustered in packs along its steep, winding roads. It’s capped off by a more sophisticated Venetian bell tower which reminds you to be in Italia. Zlatni character park’s pine covered beaches are only a short walk from Rovinj.

Plitvice Ponds National Park – 16 crystalline ponds, bubbling streams, and collapsing waterfalls characterize this preserve and watery wonderland. It is just one of Croatia’s primary tourist points of interest due to its numerous ponds, waterfalls, and woodlands. It’s the most widely used nature in addition to a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The astounding turquoise waters from the park feed the various bubbling streams and collapsing waterfalls, as well as how fascinating the initial ecology from the area is.

Famous because of its stunning beaches, beautiful rugged shoreline and varied history, it’s no shocker that tourist amounts for Croatia increased by 8 percent this year. Accepted it has been for more than two decades, Croatia was visited by on the quarter of the million Britons this past year alone. Although may possibly not function as the most apparent holiday destination, Croatia is loaded with lots to provide for individuals who choose to combine culture and relaxation. from pleasantly hot summer season and fantastically fresh sea food, to museums and medieval fortresses, Croatia holidays offer something for everybody.

Found on the beautiful Adriatic coast, highlighting Italia, Slovenia and Hungary, Croatia is really a country using more than 1,185 well-maintained and mostly not inhabited islands, islets and reefs. In 1999, Croatia won three worldwide honours for that cleanest waters within the Mediterranean, as well as boasts seven UNESCO World Heritage sites.

Listed here are five great good reasons to consider Croatia for the summer time 2012 holidays

Very obvious waters

Swimming and getting a tan across the Adriatic coast throughout the summer time several weeks is greatly well-liked by local people and site visitors alike. Croatia has beautiful beaches of shapes and dimensions along its coast – perfect whether you’re searching for somewhere to windsurf or just want a remote swimming place to unwind in.

A wealthy history

Having a fascinating history, Croatia’s historic sights are truly astonishing. In the wonderful Old Town in Dubrovnik and also the fantastically well-maintained Roman amphitheatre in Pula, towards the Roman Emperor Diocletian’s Structure in Split, there’s plenty to do and see.

Character

The wonderful Plitvice Ponds National Park is certainly essential-see for character-enthusiasts, and is just one of Croatia’s eight Nature. Croatia is a superb country for hiking in. Benefit from the plants and creatures as you eat the dramatic landscapes.

An alternative choice to Spain and Greece

Croatia provides a peek at the med prior to the designers arrived. You’ll find local marketplaces rather than souvenir shops, walled metropolitan areas rather than a wall of condos, and fresh in your area-caught seafood rather than junk food.

Active Holidays

Croatia is ideal for sailing, but why not a holiday based on cycling, kayaking or hiking? You will find lots of alternative activities and sports to get familiar with.

A Ray Of Sunshine Destined For Carnival

Carnival Cruise Lines has made public a USD$155 million remodel for Carnival Destiny so extraordinary that she’s going to be reintroduced as Carnival Sun .

The most formidable rebuilding ever for the cruise company, Carnival Sunlight will include all the new ‘Fun Ship 2.0′ initiatives together with an adjusted layout, the addition of a partial deck, the enlargement of 2 forward decks and 182 new cabins. Occurring in Feb 2013, the 49-day dry dock will be run by Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri. “This is our most impressive ship conversion project to date and it’ll radically radically change the Carnival Destiny into basically a completely new ship offering a range of exciting dining and drink selections, impressive out of doors spaces and entertainment options, and onboard inventions unavailable anywhere else,” Carnival president and Chief Executive Gerry Cahill claimed. Reinforced dining locales include ‘Guy’s Burger Joint’, ‘BlueIguana Cantina’, ‘Fahrenheit 555′ and ‘Cucina del Capitano’ together with a new full service Asian trattoria offering complimentary lunch to passengers and charging an insignificant charge for dinner. ‘The Comfort Kitchen’, found in the ‘Lido Marketplace’ will be offering an alternative casual dining option and the key dining rooms are prepared to be absolutely reconstructed in the intensive dry dock. ‘RedFrog Pub’ and the ‘RedFrog Bar’ will serve up Carnival’s own ‘ThirstyFrog Red’ in house brand draft lager while further bar locations onboard will include ‘BlueIguana Tequila Bar’, ‘EA Sports Bar’, ‘Alchemy Bar’ and ‘The Library Bar’. The all-new ‘Havana Bar’ club, found back in the ‘Lido Marketplace’, will imbue a tropical-feel and will be offering breathtaking sea perspectives from floor to ceiling windows together with live Latin music daily.

Onstage music also will be the primary feature of the new ‘Sunshine Bar’, found on the lobby level of the atrium, while a new cigar bar will be offering passengers a spread of brandies, cognacs and liqueurs.

Carnival Sunlight will also include the line’s first three-deck high ‘Serenity’ adult exclusive area complete along with a spa, waterfall, pool and complimentary dining locale offering customizable fresh salads. The all-new ‘SportSquare’ will have a ropes course, mini-golf course, half basketball and volleyball court, jogging track, table tennis, foosball tables and a giant flat-screen TV while the ‘WaterWorks’ will be offering passengers a new thrill slide with the classic ‘Twister’ waterslide and ‘Splash Zone’ for younger cruisers. Entertainment options will include live displays by ‘Playlist Productions’, ‘Hasbro, The Game Show’, ‘Piano Bar 88′, ‘The Punchliner Comedy Club Presented by George Lopez’ and ‘The Punchliner Comedy Brunch’.

All staterooms will include bright colors and calming pastels as a part of their tropical-theme with 96 of the 182 added, spa staterooms. Carnival Sunlight will start on a collection of eighteen, 9 and 12-day Mediterranean cruises following dry-dock starting with a 14-day ‘maiden’ excursion leaving Venice on twelve April 2013 and arriving in Barcelona on twenty-six April 2013. The excursions will call into ports including Marseilles, Monte Carlo, Livorno (Pisa / Florence), Civitavecchia (Rome) and Dubrovnik.

She’ll then start on a 16-day trans-Atlantic excursion leaving Barcelona on one Nov 2013 before arriving in New Orleans on seventeen Nov 2013 where she is going to be based all year, sailing on revolving seven-day schedules to the western Caribbean, Bahamas and Florida.

Oceania’s 2013 Europe Has More Sea Days, New Ports

With a lot of lines packing in the ports, here is a twistOceania Cruises is touting additional sea days during its 2013 Europe programme to permit passengers to ‘fully indulge’ in on-board culinary and enrichment experiences. Maiden calls and new schedules are also highlighted. Bookings open today for travels on Riviera, Jetty and Nautica from April thru Sep next year.

For summer 2013 bookings manufactured by June thirty, 2012, Oceania is offering 2 for 1 cruise fares and free air transport, bonus savings of nearly $3,500 per stateroom and, for bookings manufactured by this March 31, 2-4-1 deposits are available. Oceania lately introduced libation packages, priced beginning at $29.95 per individual, a day, and new shore excursion options with savings up to 40 percent % for an unconstrained package of tours. Riviera, which debuts in Europe this Will, returns in 2013 to explore the Eastern and Western Mediterranean with new seven-, 10- and 12-day cruises. Schedules include the 10-day ‘Italian Escapade’ (July three and August. Twenty-eight) from Civitavecchia to Venice with stops at Livorno (for Florence), Sorrento and Amalfi along the Amalfi coast, Sicily’s Taormina, Corfu, Montenegro and Dubrovnik, with a full day at sea before reaching Venice for an overnite stay. Jetty offers a new 10-day ‘Treasures of the Ancients’ schedule that sails round-trip Barcelona (November . Ten), calling at Algiers, a new port for Oceania. Other destinations are Valencia, Palma de Mallorca, Palermo, Civitavecchia, Livorno, Monte Carlo and Marseille.

Jetty and Nautica venture all though Scandinavia and the Baltic, including a trip to the polar ice barrier. Marina’s ‘Baltic Odyssey,’ a new 10-day check-list from Stockholm to Copenhagen with stops at Helsinki, St. Petersburg (3 full days), Tallinn, Gdansk and Berlin, departs June twenty-five, July five and Sept. Three, with an Oceania Club Reunion Cruise on August. Twenty-four. On July four, Nautica will sail an 18-day ‘Voyage of the Midnight Sun’ from London to Copenhagen visiting twelve ports in Norway with overnite stops in Honninsvg (North Cape) and 4 sea days. Nautica’s July twenty-two ‘Medieval Marvels,’ a 10-day cruise from Copenhagen to Stockholm, features the new port of Klaipeda, Lithuania. Rounding out the Western european schedules, Pier and Nautica feature seven-, 10- and 12-day schedules featuring top ports.

‘Cultural Connoisseur’ on Quay (Sept. Twenty-seven) is a 12-day excursion from London to Barcelona, and EU Treasures on Nautica (June six) is a 14-day cruise from Rome to London.

Compagnie Du Ponant Cruise Itineraries Offer Gastronomy And Culture On Board

In the small-ship specialized cruise niche, French cruise line Compagnie du Ponant is setting quite the creative bar this year. Its “Gastronomy: Coté Ouest” sailings will feature four Michelin-starred culinary talents, while its “Et Vogue L’Opera” 12-day cruise will showcase a host of notable European talent including returning Artistic & Stage Director Jean-Francois Vinciguerra.

While the luxury cruise company is strong in its island itineraries, offering two South Pacific cruises this year and 17 Caribbean itineraries including the improbably named “Fort-de-France,” it is the European cultural cruises that truly showcase the curators’ expertise. They are perfect experiential pairings of classic European locations with classic European artistry.

Want a complete Travel Quote including airfare, special hotel rates and FREE upgrades? Contact our Travel Specialist today! In the “Et Vogue L’Opera” sailing which departs May 10, the 12-day route takes passengers from Suez to Venice, with lectures, workshops and events entertaining and educating them all the way across the sea. Stops include Beirut, Rhodes, Dubrovnik and the Dalmatian Islands. Traveling aboard the company’s newest megayacht, they’ll enjoy days of historic sightseeing and nights of classical music and dance. People can also opt to book just the first half of the cruise (Suez to Itea), or just the second (Itea to Venice).

South Dalmatia – Region Dubrovnik

Southern Dalmatia, is the smallest and southernmost part of the Croatian coast and covers an area south of the river Neretva, Peljesac peninsula and Dubrovnik area on the southern Croatian coast, where the Bay of Boka Kotorska border with Montenegro.

The main tourist destinations in South Dalmatia are Peljesac peninsula, Dubrovnik, Cavtat and Klek.
Tourist center of southern Dalmatia and Croatian is town Dubrovnik which is under the protection of UNESCO. Dubrovnik is also the residence of Dubrovnik-Neretva county.
Because of Dubrovnik rich history and cultural heritage, an outstanding natural environment and preserved cultural and historical architecture, because of its rich tourism offer is one of the most visited cities on the Adriatic.
The old town of Dubrovnik is surrounded by monumental walls, which are 1940 meters long and 25 meters high. In Dubrovnik is the oldest and most famous street Stradun.

On about 20 kilometers from Dubrovnik, is located another famous tourist destination of South Dalmatia – Cavtat.
Clean sea, maintained beaches and a rich offer of private accommodation in villas, houses and accommodation in hotels and campsites makes Cavtat attractive as well as to foreign and domestic tourists.

After the peninsula Istria, Peljesac is the largest peninsula in Adriatic. On peninsula Peljesac grows high quality sort of grapes called Dingac from which is made well known, and award-winning high-quality dry red wine Dingac. Besides wine Peninsula residents are involved with farming shellfish and tourism.
Popular tourist towns on the peninsula are Orebic Perna, Trpanj, Ston, Viganj, Kuciste and Zuljana.

Islands which are located in Southern Dalmatia are:
Island Mljet – The greenest Adriatic island. Because of its outstanding natural beauty, rich flora and fauna, fish and lobster hunting, numerous beaches and many cultural and historical monuments, one third of the island Mljet is declared a national park. Here you can find accommodation in private houses, apartments, rooms, villas and hotels. On Mljet you can enjoy in crystal clear sea waters, swimming, diving, or just relax in the greenery of the island.
Island Korcula – this is the island where the famous traveler Marco Polo is born. Island Korcula has a long tradition in tourism. Due to the conditions natural beauty, and the position of the island, on Korcula is developed so-called Robinson tourism. Known places along the coast of the island are: Korcula, Lumbarda, Vela Luka and Zrnovo, Pupnat, Smokvica and Blato located in the the inland of the island.
Island Lastovo is separated from Island Korcula by the Lastovo canal. Because of its exceptional beauty and preserved plant and animal diversity, Lastovo and its waters were declared a nature park. In the northeastern coast of the island of Lastovo is a series of about 40 uninhabited islets and reefs which are called the Lastovo archipelago.

Elafite Islands (Greek: deer islands) are located in the immediate vicinity of Dubrovnik.
Due to the natural beauty and climate, Elaphite islands are very attractive tourist area. In Elafiti group of islands include: Sipan, which is the largest island in this group of islands and also the most distant from Dubrovnik. On it are are two places: Sipanska Luka and Sudurad which are located in two opposite bays separated only by a field; Island Kolocep (Kalamota) is closest to Dubrovnik and because of its proximity to Dubrovnik is often destination of Dubrovnik inhabitants; Island Lopud, which is located between island Sipan and island Koločep is the most developed island in this archipelago. On this island the most popular sandy beach is a beach Sunj.

The wider surroundings of Dubrovnik is abundant with citrus, special charm give numerous plantations of lemon, orange, and a variety of palm trees and agaves.

In southern Dalmatia, you can enjoy in long walks on landscaped beaches or find peace in one of the many bays and islands. For adventure lovers there are Robinson tourism, diving and sailing clubs… Many natural parks, cultural and historical monuments, long sandy beaches, crystal clear waters and an abundance of sports facilities make South Dalmatia an attractive tourist destination.

Accommodation in Dubrovnik can be found in many hotels along the coast, spa centers and camps, as well as in a private houses accommodation in apartments, rooms and villas.

Dubrovnik City Walls Most Visited Cultural Monument In Croatia

The Dubrovnik city walls, looked after by the Society of Friends of Dubrovnik Antiquities, was the most visited cultural-historical monument in Croatia last year, reported daily Vecernji List.

The famous walls around the city of Dubrovnik, a UNESCO world heritage site, were visited by 723,125 visitors, which was actually down on the previous year when it was visited by 729,704 visitors, according to the Central Bureau for Statistics.

The second most visited Croatian cultural-historical monument was the amphitheater in the northern Adriatic town of Pula which was visited by 285,982 visitors in 2011. Pula’s amphitheatre is the only remaining Roman amphitheatre to have four side towers and with all three Roman architectural orders entirely preserved and is among the six largest surviving Roman arenas in the World.

Third on the list was the island of Lokrum, a small island off the coast of Dubrovnik known for its historical royal castle, monastery and botanical gardens. Last year there was an increase of over 14,000 visitors to the island.

Dubrovnik Travel Opened “DT Croatia” Office In Zagreb

Dubrovnik Travel DMC, a specialized agency for the organization of congresses, incentives, exclusive groups and events, recently opened the door of its third office, this time in Zagreb.

dt-croatiaThis metropolitan branch office is located in the prestigious Hotel Westin, on the address Izidora Krsnjavoga 1, providing quick and affordable services and wealth of new ideas for corporate events organizers. With its forty highly trained, multilingual and experienced young professionals in three Croatian offices, DT today offers total support to its clients and partners throughout Croatia and globally.

Simultaneously with the opening of the office in Zagreb, Dubrovnik Travel is launching a new marketing name “DT Croatia”, combining its decade long tradition of Dubrovnik travel (DT) with Croatia, creating a fusion which will allow for better destination recognition and promotion. Driven by its expansion inland, with the new office now covering continental Croatia, Zagreb and Istria, the name change seemed a natural progression, drawing on DT’s extremely successful previous project history in the Dubrovnik, Split and Hvar area, now making the DT Croatia brand nationwide.

With the opening of an office in Zagreb and with the implementation of the name Dubrovnik Travel- DT Croatia, a new exciting chapter is beginning for this company which records positive business growth, in this time of decline, and which has been given AA+ grade rating by respected financial agencies. To date Dubrovnik Travel has won several prestigious national business awards, and was named by the regional media as a leading destination management company in the region. Constantly striving for excellence, DT is certified with ISO 9001-2008, guaranteeing top quality services.
DT will confirm its efforts in the upcoming period, particularly during this spring and autumn, when there are already many confirmed projects, undoubtedly contributing to the development of the destination, both on the local and national level.

FOOD: Awesome Little Bites

TAPAS are awesome. Small and easy on the tummy, they allow you to get the best of every taste, albeit in smaller doses. And they’re great for sharing so you don’t feel so guilty when plate after plate appears on your table.

Another thing that’s ideal about tapas (snacks, canapes or finger food originating from Spain) is that because of the small serving size, you’re more encouraged to engage in conversation because everyone’s not so focused on eating an entire meal that’s set before them.

Dubrovnik in Solaris Mont Kiara, KL and Cheechah in Kota Damansara, Selangor, offer variations of tapas that are worth checking out.

Dubrovnik
This classy Croatian eatery in the upmarket enclave of Mont Kiara has always been a good bet for delicious desserts. But this time, Dina Djumic, the restaurant’s charming general manager, is keen to promote its tapas selection.

Tapas have never featured in its extensive menu but with people having seemingly less ringgit to burn these days, it may be a good time to introduce them. Djumic, who comes from a town north of the Croatian capital of Zagreb, says:

“We decided to go with something a little smaller so people can get the chance to sample a good range of the typical dishes that we serve rather than just one main dish, which may be rather pricey. It doesn’t work out to be too expensive because chances are you’ll be sharing the tapas.”

She adds that tapas are not really a component in an authentic Croatian menu. There’s not even an equivalent word for it. The tapas selection offered here is essentially smaller portions of the actual dishes in the menu. “Just for recognition-sake we call them tapas because they’re served in exactly the same way,” she says.

Some items are typical Croatian offerings, the sort that Croats generally eat at home, while the rest are bite-size favourites from the rest of Europe.

The Space
With its simple stone walls and high ceiling, there’s an understated elegance about the restaurant that I’ve always liked. The space is divided into three areas. There’s a lounge on the ground floor complete with tourism videos of Croatia playing on several small screens, and a cosy and elegant dining space upstairs. There’s also al fresco option on an elevated area outside facing the Mont Kiara bustle. Named after the southern medieval Croatian city of

Dubrovnik, one of the most popular elite cities in Croatia, the interior is influenced by the city which is surrounded by walls and it looks like a castle from the outside.

Hot sellers
Bread filled with French salad: A traditional appetiser. French salad is a big thing in Croatia and is a staple item served up during gatherings and celebrations. Basically, it comprises boiled egg, potato, green peas and small cubed carrot and mixed with mayonnaise and mustard. The restaurant serves the salad rather uniquely – contained inside French bread.

Beef bacon roll with asparagus: Really tasty and another type of appetiser served in the Croatian home. I love the fact that the bacon is lightly pan fried, lightly moist and not chewy. The asparagus has a nice crispiness.

Smoked duck with salad: A great option for those who don’t want anything too heavy. I’ve never been a huge fan of duck but enjoy this one because there is no overpowering taste or aroma. The meat is very tender.

Bread and ajvar: A lovely combination. Ajvar is a vegetable salsa that’s literally the equivalent of our sambal belacan or chilli sauce, staples on my dinner table. This headily piquant salsa comprises capsicum, tomato, garlic, and eggplant — all roasted and then minced. Lovely as a dip for meat or bread, it’s normally served at the beginning of a meal.

Lamb meatball: Croatians love their lamb, especially when roasted or cooked in stews and it’s a meat for special occasions. This particular offering is a popular choice and comes in a rich, thick tomato gravy.

Quesadila and smoked chicken: This is one of the items on the tapas list, which is Spanish and Mexican-influenced. Really tasty, it comes with sour cream and salsa on the side for dipping.

Cheechah Restaurant
I never thought there was such a thing as Malaysian tapas but the owners of Cheechah Restaurant (who come from Johor, Malacca and KL) obviously think otherwise. This rather cosy, Mediterranean style eatery located in bustling Kota Damansara, opened just over a year ago, prides itself on having just that.

Their take on tapas is interesting. Don’t expect the sort of fare you may be more accustomed to in typical Mediterranean eateries. Here, you’ll find familiar local tea-time snack favourites such as cekodok (Malay banana balls), cucur udang (prawn fritters), keropok lekor (fish crackers), popiah goreng and lemping kelapa (Malay coconut pancake). The menu is fairly vast, with the drinks selection alone taking up three pages, but most people come here to chill over these traditional light bites.

“When you think about it, tapas are really finger food, snacks and food that comes with dips… we have a lot of these in the typical Malaysian menu,” says Hazman Abu Bakar, the outlet manager. ‘The idea is to take our traditional snacks (yes, you can get these from the mak cik down the road) and bring them to another level with presentation and dining ambience.”

The Space
With rows and rows of Bengali bread and glistening silver packs of Muar coffee lining the shelves at the payment counter, a large feature wall depicting a traditional coffee-drinking scene, and a stylish colour scheme in black, white and blue, Cheechah Restaurant is, visually, rather pleasing.

The lighting is soft and the music mellow, befitting the owner’s concept of creating a space that people would come to and lepak (hang out) over light bites. It’s particularly nice in the evenings when they open the panels of the long white English door in the centre to seamlessly merge the inside and the outside, giving you the option of dining in or al-fresco style.

Hot Sellers
Cekodok: Simple ,and something most people can make at home but if you happen to be here, it’s worth placing an order for. I like the fact that the cekodok is not drenched in oil and that there’s actually plenty of banana in it. The combination of a lightly crispy outer layer and soft inside is very pleasing.

Cucur udang: Another traditional favourite that can also be rather oily and bland but this one’s not. Light and fluffy, it’s great eaten with a selection of dips. Try the sambal tumis – lovely. The only thing I would’ve liked would be for a bit more prawn but then I’m just spoilt!

Keropok lekor: This Terengganu favourite is made from fish paste grounded with sago and salt, rolled and shaped into long tubes like a sausage. It’s boiled and eaten piping hot with chilli sauce. Don’t worry if you’ve somehow left your keropok lekor to get cold. The ones here remain soft and crispy on the outside regardless.

Lemping kelapa: A childhood favourite. My mum used to make this simple Malay-style pancake for breakfast. I never thought it would get elevated to restaurant stature but it has at Cheechah. This is another must-order item. The serving is generous and the lemping comes with sambal tumis and chicken curry for dipping.

Cruises In Croatia – Dubrovnik Named Best Port In Malaga Awards

Dubrovnik – More good news for Croatia’s top tourist destination, as the port of Dubrovnik is named best port and destination at Cruise News awards in Malaga.
There was more good tourism news for the city of Dubrovnik at the Cruise News awards in Malaga on February 23, 2012, as the city was awarded best port and destination, according to a press release by the Croatia National Tourist Board.
Dubrovnik shared the award with Venice, and the ceremony was attended by Christian Pavic, director of the port of Dubrovnik and Sanja Jelic, from the Croatian Tourist Board in Madrid.
As previously reported by Digital Journal, cruising in Croatia is becoming increasingly popular, with Dubrovnik accounting for more than 70% of cruise traffic in Croatia. More than a million cruise passengers visited Croatia in 2011, but Dubrovnik has the capacity to accommodate more:
“With a better planning and sailing schedule in the City,” said Pavic, “Dubrovnik could annually host up to a million and a half guests from cruise ships. There are some days in the week that no cruise ships sail in so growth is possible without excessive crowds in the City.”
Tourism in Dubrovnik is booming and the early signs are that 2012 will be even busier. A combination of cheaper airfares (down 41% year on year) and a sharp increase in January interest (up 55% for Britain’s largest tour operator) indicate that interest in the Pearl of the Adriatic shows no signs of abating.