Last fall the QE2 ocean liner made its final journey, departing from Southampton in England and travelling to Dubai, UAE. After 40 years as the grandest of luxury liners, the QE2 has been docked on the shore of Palm Jumeirah Island, one of the city’s premiere artificial islands.

Purchased last year for $100 million, the ship will open in 2009 as an entertainment and retail venue as well as a first class hotel. There are a number of luxury Dubai beach resort in the area, but the QE2 will offer a truly unique experience for those wishing to enjoy the Dubai seaside.

The QE2 was launched in 1967 and carried over 2.5 million passengers in is forty-year history. With over 800 trips across the Atlantic, the ship was the longest-serving vessel in Cunard Line’s history when it was retired. Many of the ship’s luxury cabins were to be restored as well as
new suites and apartments created. The project also calls for a new Broadway-style theater and a large spa complex.

Dubai has become of the of the world’s more popular luxury destinations. Its artificial islands (including the three largest in the world) are home to five star restaurants, designer shopping malls, and first-class entertainment venues. Visitors can lounge on the many beaches or engage in activities such as wind surfing and scuba diving. There is a water park in the area and seaplane and yatch tours are also popular.

New York is sometime referred to as “Gotham City.” Since New York is the largest city in the United States with an ethnically, culturally, and economically diverse population, it is often used as a model in many comic books, movies, novels, and television programming where a large American metropolis is needed. One of the most famous instances of similarity is between NYC and the cith of Gotham as represented in the Batman comics, tv shows, and movies.

The appeal of the real life Gotham is New York’s incredible diversity of people, culture, language, customs, and lifestyles. Immigrants from pretty much every country in the world have arrived in New York at one time or another and some of them have always decided to stay. Several of the most famous neighborhoods in New York are havens for immigrants and descendents of immigrants from one particular country or region. Each group brought their own customs, religions, traditions, and food with them to New York. The resulting polygot as well as the fusion of various overlapping groups is what makes New York unique.

Anyone planning a visit to New York can find exactly what they are looking for in a vacation or business trip. The city is a world leader in business, finance, art, architecture, fashion, performing arts, diplomacy, politics, education, and even food. The rich heritage of the city provides insight into both New York and U.S. history. In addition to offering sites and activities to suit just about any vacation iternerary, the city has accommodations to fit any price range or style preference — everything from budget hotels and youth hostels to luxurious five star New York hotels.

It would be impossible to list every attraction in New York. Even the list of world-famous venues would take too long. Some of the highlights of most visits to New York include the Empire State Building, the Statue of Liberty, Times Square, the site of the World Trade Center, Central Park, and the UN headquarters.

Anyone visiting Kuala Lumpur should consider taking a trip to the Batu Caves. Only 8 miles outside the city, the caves are located in a limestone hill in the Gombak district. Actually a series of limestone caves, the structure also features some beautiful cave temples. Batu is named for the Batu River (Sungai Batu) and shares its name with a village in the area.

It is believed that the Batu Caves have existed for some 400 million years and some of the entrances were used by the Temuan people (an indigenous tribe of Orang Asli) as shelters. Chinese settles harvested bat guano as fertilizer from the caves beginning in 1860. The caves gained fame in 1878 when colonial authorities mapped and documented the area.

As one of the most popular Hindu shrines that exists outside of India, the Batu Caves attracts millions of tourists every year. The main cave temple is dedicated to Lord Muruga. Over 1.5 million pilgrims come to the shrine during the annual Thaipusam festive, which concludes at the caves.

The Sri Subramania Swamy murti was installed in 1891 and the first Thaipusam festival was celebrated there the following year. In 1920 wooden steps were constructed leading to the Temple Cave. They were later replaced by concrete.

The Cathedral Cave (also known simply as the Temple) features a vaulted ceiling that rises 100 meters from the floor and houses several ornate shrines. Two other cave temples are the Museum Cave and the Art Gallery Cave. The latter two were recently renovated and renamed the Cave Villa. Other points of interest at Batu include the tallest Murugan statue in the world, which is 140 feet tall and the Ramayana Cave which chronicles the story of Rama.

Those wishing to witness the Thaipusam festival or visit the Batu Caves at other times of the year will find plenty of comfortable lodgings in the nearby city, including 5 star Kuala Lumpur hotels, various resorts, and even boutique hotels.

Commonly know as Jozi or Jo’burg, Johannesburg is South Africa’s largest city. It is also the capital of the province of Gauteng, which itself is South Africa’s wealthiest province. One of only two global cities in the country, Johannesburg serves as the center for business and industry in South Africa. It is also home to the Constitutional Court, even though it isn’t one of the country’s three capitals.

Johannesburg earned its nickname “City of Gold” due to the importance of mining, especially gold mining, to the economy of the region and of the country itself. First discovered in 1886, gold mining was a cornerstone of the South African economy for decades. Although mining has declined in recent years and there are no longer any working mines within the city, there are still mines in the area that are open to visitors and many mining companies are headquartered in Jo’burg.

Tourists will find that the hotels in Johannesburg range from dedicated business hotels with extensive conference facilities and up-to-date technology to holiday resorts designed to relax and rejuvenate guests. The city offers many opportunities for shopping, from street vendors selling items at traffic lights to craft markets, flea markets, and modern shopping plazas and malls. Food in Johannesburg ranges from neighborhood restaurants to upscale dining. Cuisines that are readily available include Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Brazilian, Mediterrarean, and American as well as many African dishes.

Jo’burg has a number of interesting attractions that are popular with tourists. These include the Lion Park, the Johannesburg Zoological Gardens, and the Lesedi Cultural Village. Those wanting to get a sense of racial history can visit the Apartheid Museum or the Mandela Family Museum. The city is also home to the Good Reef City theme park, the South African National Museum of Military History, the Market Theatre precinct and the Walter Sisulu Botanical Gardens. Don’t forget to check out at least one of the gold mines that are open to the public to get a feel for this very important part of the city’s past.

Tamil Nadu is a state in India that is known throughout the world for its unique culture. Tamil emigrants have settled throughout the globe and look to Tamil Nadu and its capital city, Chennai, for art, crafts, and film that celebrate the region’s language and culture. Visitors to Chennai (formerly known as Madras) will find a number of five star Chennai hotels to choose from as well as numerous beach resorts and budget hotels. Any will provide a good base for exploring the culture and heritage of Tamil Nadu.

Chennai is home to India’s second largest film industry. Commonly called “Kollywood” this collection of studios and production companies creates Tamil language films and television programming for distribution throughout India and other parts of the world with large Tamil populations. In recent years Kollywood has begun producing films in several languages or with subtitles to share the Tamil culture with non-Tamil speakers.

Chennai is proud to be the center for Tamil literature, dance, music, and other arts. Kalakshetra is a center for the revival and preservation of Indian arts and crafts and is famous for its productions of Bharatanatyam, a traditional Tamil dance form. The poet Thiruvalluvar is memorialized in the Valluvar Kottam auditorium which features a temple chariot that reaches 101 feet high. Dakshinachitra recreates life in South India and features performances of traditional arts as well as workshops.

There are numerous art galleries and museums featuring Tamil art as well as art from around India. The National Art Gallery in particular exhibits artifacts ranging from the 10th century through modern times. Visitors can also watch contemporary Tamil artists at work at the Cholamandal Artists’ Village.

One cultural event not to be missed is the annual Madras Music Season. For five weeks every December Chennai hosts this celebration of traditional music, theater, and dance. It is believed to be the largest cultural festival in the world.

Though it is the smallest state in India, Goa has much to offer the adventurous tourist. While most visitors flock to Goa to enjoy the beaches or the famous party life, the region has much to offer those willing to go off the popular track and explore this beautiful and unique part of India.

While most of India was shaped in part by the British Empire, Goa was colonized by the Portuguese. That influence can still be seen in the architecture, traditions, and food of Goa. Some of the villages and cities, especially the capital city of Panaji, demonstrate this influence, with some citizens speaking Portuguese as a native language.

While truly adventurous visitors will find opportunities for camping out to experience the natural beauty of the area, there are also a number of five star hotels Goa as well as accomodations to suit other budgets and styles. Shopping in Goa ranges from centuries old family-fun shops to open air markets and even a few modern boutiques and malls. The food in Goa relies heavily on fresh seafood as well as local herbs and vegetables. Some local dishes have elaborate recipes and feature chili peppers and local spices to create incredible flavors.

Some of the more popular attractions, besides the beaches and nightclubs, include the Mangueshi Temple, the Albuquerque Mansion, and the Bom Jesus Basilica. Goa has a number of museums preserving and exhibiting the rich heritage of the area, including the Goa State Museum and the Houses of Goa (an architectural museum).

Interest in the city of Mumbai has never been higher, and not all of it is about terrorism. The entertainment industry is in the midst of its annual award season and one of the darling’s of this year’s circuit is an independent film shot in Mumbai.

“Slumdog Millionare” has already picked up awards from the Golden Globes, the Screen Actors Guild, and the Director’s Guild of America. It is nominated for 10 Academy Awards (winners will be announced on February 22nd) and is the odds-on favorite to win “Best Picture” after its DGA award.

The film highlights the poverty and slums of Mumbai but ultimately has a message of hope: that someone can rise above such humble beginnings to be within reach of untold riches and celebrity.

Mumbai itself is struggling to improve the extremes that have defined the city. While the city’s technology and business are expanding and new levels of luxury and wealth are being achieved by some, many of the residents must deal with hunger and poverty every day. The government is working to improve education, sanitation, and health care to address this huge gap. The city is also working to restore the various landmarks and five star Mumbai hotels that were targeted in the recent terrorist attacks.