Whether you’re on holiday with your kids or enjoying an intimate break, sweltering over the Inferno Soup at Nitally’s, chowing down a 48oz steak or mowing down ice cream from a kitchen sink, you’re sure to have a great story to take home with you whether you pass the test or not.

48oz Steak Contest at Don Shula’s Steak House

Launched by former NFL coach Don Shula in 1989, this restaurant chain quickly gained a reputation as one of the best places in Florida to sink your teeth into some prime Angus beef. Each restaurant is themed after the Miami Dolphins’ “Perfect Season” that Shula presided over in 1972, when the Dolphins became the only team in NFL history to finish the entire season undefeated.

Orlando holidays in Florida wouldn’t be complete without sampling their famous 48oz Porterhouse steak, dubbed “The Shula Cut”. Holidaymakers who manage to finish all of this titanic T-bone in one sitting are rewarded with induction into the restaurant’s 48oz Club, which would certainly provide a few bragging rights back home.

However, guests have their work cut out for them if they’re planning to beat the record of superfan Taft Parker, who to date has eaten over 175 of the giant steaks – earning a commemorative football from Don Shula himself for his achievement.

Shula’s Steak House Orlando, Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel, 1500 Epcot Resorts Blvd, Lake Buena Vista, Florida 32830 www.donshula.com

Inferno Soup Contest at Nitally’s

If you’ve got a taste for the spicy stuff, you may have finally met your match at Nitally’s Thai-Mexican restaurant in St Petersburg, Florida.

This contest isn’t for the faint of heart: the Inferno Soup contains fresh ghost pepper. At over 400 times stronger than Tabasco sauce, it’s the hottest chili known to mankind – in fact, it’s so hot the Indian government has reportedly considered using it in non-lethal hand grenades.

Hotels in Florida

For good measure, the restaurant throws about a dozen other varieties of pepper, including three kinds of jabanero, into the dish.

The owners of Nitally’s initially offered a $150 (£96) reward to any steel-tongued guest who can finish the soup in less than 30 minutes, but as of July 2011 not a single customer has managed it – prompting them to raise the jackpot to $800 (£512).

Those who want to eat this must be over 18, stone-cold sober and “of sound mind and health” before they can tackle the Inferno Soup Contest, as well as remaining seated throughout. Any takers?

Nitally’s Thai-Mex Cuisine, 2462 Central Ave, St Petersburg, Florida 33712 www.nitallys.com

20 Tacos in 40 Minutes at Poblano’s

Poblano’s Restaurant in Clearwater, Florida is a local favourite among lovers of burritos, enchiladas and tequila. The truly adventurous, however, can put their guts to the test with the 20 Tacos in 40 Minutes contest. The crispy fried tortillas filled with shredded beef, cheese and lettuce are a staple of Mexican cuisine, but it takes true grit to step up to the bar at Poblano’s and earn a place in the restaurant’s hall of fame.

The tacos are served ten at a time and diners are expected to clear their plates completely to succeed. If they do manage to chow down the full 20, the house pays for the meal and the eater receives a T-shirt and has their photo mounted on the wall of the restaurant.

A word of warning, though – only 13 people have completed the full meal since it was launched a couple of years ago. Reigning champion Adam went above and beyond to finish an incredible 30 of the spicy snacks in the allotted time.

Poblano’s Mexican Grill & Bar, 2451 North McMullen Booth Road, Clearwater, Florida 33759 www.poblanosmex.com

The Kitchen Sink at Jaxson’s Ice Cream Parlour

Americans love to round off a meal with a good ice cream sundae, and entering this classically-styled parlour in Dania Beach, Florida is like stepping back in time to the age of soda jerks, Cadillacs and rock ‘n’ roll. There’s also a dessert on the menu that’s a meal in itself and then some.

The Kitchen Sink isn’t just a clever name – it really is served in a full-size kitchen sink, plumbing and all. The servers behind the counter are invited to let their imaginations run wild putting everything they can think of into the colossal sundae, with toppings including marshmallow, chocolate, strawberries, cherries, fudge and sprinkles.

In this case there’s no reward for finishing the meal besides the satisfaction of a job well done, but at $12.95 (£8) per person – for a minimum of four diners – it’s a whole lot of ice-cream for your cash.

Jaxson’s Ice Cream Parlour, 128 South Federal Highway, Dania Beach, Florida 33004 www.jaxsonsicecream.com

Eddie’s Monsta Burger at Eddie’s Bar & Grill

If you’re a burger lover and you think you’ve seen it all, Eddie would have you believe otherwise. From the outside it may seem like just another waterfront burger joint in Dunedin, Florida, but it has achieved local fame thanks to one truly daunting menu item: the Monsta Burger.

Featuring 3lbs of beef created from six of the restaurant’s normal half-pounders and “all the fixin’s”, this colossal burger is even served with a pound of French fries on the side! Finish it all within 30 minutes and you’ll get a T-shirt and your picture on the Wall of Fame, as well as a free meal.

Fail, and it’ll set you back $24.99 (£16), but why not have a go at one of Eddie’s other food contests? The super-spicy Fire-in-the-Hole Chicken Wings will net you $100 (£64) in gift vouchers if you can chomp down 13 in 15 minutes, or alternatively there’s an enormous tray of nachos offering the same prize if you can finish it in half an hour.

Eddie’s Bar and Grill, 1283 Bayshore Boulevard Dunedin, Florida 34698 www.eddiesbarandgrill.com

This article brought to you by Florida4Less.co.uk, the UK’s leading specialist in holidays to Florida – Offering flights, hotels, villas, insurance and more all under one roof. Florida4Less are part of The Freedom Travel Group Limited, a subsidiary of Co-operative Group Limited.

All of these are tourist assets not only of the province of Ilocos Norte, but the pride of the whole country as well.

From the Spanish times up until today, Ilocos Norte prides itself on having structures and establishments that have become a mark of the northern Philippines. From Spanish lighthouses and forts to windmills and museums, there is really a sight for every tourist that lands in Ilocos Norte.

There are different ways to get there, mainly thru air from your country to Laoag International Airport, if there is a direct flight.

However, you can take Manila International Airport first then you may either book a flight to Laoag or go to bus stations going to Ilocos Norte at Sampaloc, Manila in the Dangwa area. From Laoag, there are also buses going to Ilocos Norte proper.

Some of the places you shouldn’t miss in Ilocos include the Paoay Church in Paoay, Cape Bojeador and Calle Crisologo in Vigan. All of them are reminders of the Spanish colonial life in the Philippines, first the church being one of the oldest churches in the Philippines.

Cape Bojeador is another Spanish landmark, and so is Calle Crisologo which is aligned with different Spanish colonial houses and stores.

For tourists with more eclectic tastes is the Marcos Mausoleum in Batac, Ilocos Norte where the remains of the revolutionary strongman are left unburied and as of this writing are under political dispute.

Tourist hotels are in Ilocos Norte, specifically in Vigan and Laoag. Fort Ilocandia Hotel is one place you shouldn’t miss. This hotel has that antique Spanish feel, “aristocratic” as reviews would quote. As their advertisement says, they’re the only 5-star hotel up north in Ilocos Norte. Either for a while or an overnight stay it’s worth it to head to Fort Ilocandia Resort. Besides a hotel resort, it is also a casino, something that is not much found in hotels even in Manila.

Hotel Tiffany is also a place worth of stay. With all the modern amenities, it is as comfortable as it is a simple and basic hotel, without frills. There are also people from the hotel staff ready to assist you to your needs, and the hotel is close to stores that you may need like a laundry shop. Another hotel worthy to stay in is Balay de Blas Pensionne House. Its rave reviews claim of its admirable room service and cleanliness, most especially the spaciousness of its rooms as well as its’ delectable menu where, for a cheap accommodation price that includes food and lodgings, you can enjoy eating Philippines-famous Ilocano dishes. The room and customer service is also commendable, and the owners of the hotel are getting in close with the tourists.

Whale Shark Side cc Image courtesy of Jayvee F. on Flickr

cc Image courtesy of aldask on Flickr

Registration fee is Php 300 for foreigners; Php 100 for Filipinos. A total boat ride costs Php 3,500 for a maximum of 7 guests. You can pay the whole cost if you want it exclusive, or split it with 6 others. Each boat carries 4 crew—the operator, the spotter-guide, and 2 assistants. Then you sit before a video briefing on the how-tos of shark-gazing. There are snorkeling equipments up for rent.

Ready to Swim with the Sharks cc Image courtesy of ReverendMundo on Flickr

Every encounter lasts 10 minutes. You get out of the water and searches again for another. The stalking and diving can keep going for half a day.

Donsol is one of the rare conservation success stories. The people have not hunted the sharks. Now, Donsol is enjoying some tourist prosperity. But even rarer is the experience and joy of butanding encounter that lasts a lifetime.

cc image courtesy of Moonfish on Flickr

What you should know about the Reef

Ningaloo Reef is the largest “fringing coral reef” in Australia, and one of only a handful of pristine coral reefs in the world. Accessible from Exmouth on Australia’s Coral Coast in the north, and the North West Cape’s Coral Bay further south, Ningaloo has been described as a “virtually untouched” barrier reef. It is about 260 km or 160 miles long, and it “protects” a shallow, brilliantly crystal-clear lagoon that has brilliant white sand on its floor.

It is an amazing place, even if you aren’t into snorkeling and diving, because on the North West Cape side, you can walk from the beach right to the reef. This makes it accessible to everyone, regardless of age and swimming ability. Even if you are only knee-deep in the water, you’ll be able to see more species of tropical fish than you ever imagined possible. In excess of 500 species have been identified here, along with 220 coral species.

cc image courtesy of Moonfish on Flickr

What you will see if you snorkel or dive

Apart from getting up close to some sensational hard and soft coral formations, and incredible anemones on the reef, you can expect to see marine turtles, clownfish, a wide variety of sharks, both manta rays and stingrays, moray eels… and of course an abundance of colorful reef fish.

There are also sites along the reef where you will see dolphins, humpback whales and tropical whale-like dugongs.

Swimming with whale sharks, the biggest fish in the world, is an encounter on many divers’ bucket lists… and this is one of the places in the world where it is possible.

Ultimately though it will depend where you dive; which in turn will depend on your experience and ability. There are opportunities for everyone from entry-level divers to those who have advanced training and loads of experience.

How to get to the Reef

cc image courtesy of JayeGirl99 on Flickr

There are a number of Ningaloo Reef sailing charters that run on a daily basis – sometimes twice a day. This is a convenient way to get to the most spectacular locations the reef has to offer. It is particularly ideal for first timers since the boat operators know exactly where the best locations are, and where you are most likely to see the big fish. What is fantastic about a charter is that you aren’t limited to a day trip. For instance you could opt to spend three days aboard a charter yacht and spend the whole time diving and snorkeling in great style, with restaurant-quality food and great accommodation and people who know the reef well.

If you don’t want to get wet, but are keen to take photographs, there’s the option of semi-submersible cruise that will take you through the amazing underwater coral gardens that are alive with vivid-hued tropical fish.

Another way to explore the reef is in a double sea kayak – with a friend or partner. The sheltered lagoons are easy to transverse, and because the water is not often deeper than 3 m or 10 ft, you’ll get as close to fish as most snorkelers do.

This year’s awards were held in London at the Institute for ontemporary Arts and the evening was led by the well-known radio presenter and travel writer Simon Cadler –who brought a sense of occasion to a very glamorous evening!

66,000 votes were cast for this year’s Holiday Extras Customers’ Awards 2011 showing that the public appreciated the chance to help others to cut through the daunting maze of online travel companies, hotels, airlines and airport car parks to get together a short list of the best ones to help those who are looking to book their next holiday do so more quickly and efficiently.

Here are the top picks as voted for by the customers of Holiday Extras for 2011:

- Best Airline: Emirates
- Best Airline Cabin Crew: Emirates
- Best Airline for
Value for Money : easyJet
- Best Airport: Belfast International
- Best Airport Car Park:
Edinburgh Park and Fly
- Best Airport Hotel: Gatwick Sofitel
- Best Airport Hotel
Restaurant: Manchester Premier Inn
- Best Airport Lounge: Edinburgh Servisair
- Best
Airport Hotel for families: Manchester Premier Inn
- Best Airline for Travelling with Babies:
Virgin Atlantic
- Best Airline for Travellers with a Disability: Virgin Atlantic
- Most
Inspirational Travel Film: Shirley Valentine
- Best Travel Guide Publisher: Lonely Planet

Allowing the winners to be picked by their customers meant that holiday extras team were able to harness the power of their customers to get a real idea of who are the top performers in terms of customer service and value for money. There was no industry bias here meaning that the awards can be trusted to be a good barometer of who is performing best during 2011.

Now in their third year, the awards are really starting to gather momentum. Triple the amount of people voted this year with 66,000 people having their say compared with the 24,000 that were
involved last year. Holidays Extras plan on making the awards bigger and better as the years go by and plan to bring more categories to the awards next year and are planning on get more of their customers involved too.

The CEO of Holiday Extras commented that he was excited to be able to be involved in a project that allowed customers to have their voice heard as it was then a true reflection of how companies were performing.

It might sound like the world’s most overused cliché but if you’re looking for paradise, Mauritius is the closest you’ll get on Earth. The island sits about 900 kilometres off Africa’s south-eastern coast and is surrounded by the azure waters of the Indian Ocean.

Every idyllic holiday starts somewhere, and why not make that somewhere a little bit special by booking a hotel to stay at before you fly? Save an early morning alarm-call by pre-booking online with Holiday Extras who offer Gatwick hotels, Stansted airport hotels, Heathrow hotels and many more. You can even book hotels with parking, which often works out cheaper, so what are you waiting for?

Whilst it is all too easy to spend your days relaxing on the endless white sands of Mauritius, there are plenty of other attractions to indulge in:

Mauritius is well-known for its world-class diving, and there’s nowhere better to hone your diving skills than in the stunning Diver’s Ocean in Trou aux Biches. Another popular activity is trekking with Mauritius Horse Trails. The stables, in the south of the island, offer a wide variety of treks through forests, across rivers and along clifftops and are a unique way to see the beauty of the island.

The Casela Bird Park and Casela Nature and Leisure Park are two of the best ways to see the animals and birds of Mauritius. Enjoy the lush scenery whilst viewing rare species of amazing creatures. There’s even the chance to opt for a mini-safari!

Last but not least, and definitely not for the faint-hearted, SkyDive Mauritius offer the once in a lifetime opportunity to undertake a Tandem Skydive over the tropical island. This is skydiving at its best and will provide you with unforgettable memories of the island from a completely new dimension. Such an exhilarating experience will allow you to view Mauritius’s spectacular scenery from above – a vantage point that most of us mortals can only dream of.

The scope and range of diving have been very much influenced by the Sea Safari Liveaboard dive boats. Divers are taken to Banda Sea, Manado, Komodo, Flores, Bali Lombok, Paua, Raja Ampat, Sorong and many other dive sites by Sea Safari Livaboard operations. Sea Safarti vessels are pinisi cuisse, which is the legend cruise of Indonesia.

Holiday makers, cruise operators enjoy diving and liveaboards, and because of that Pinisi cruise is becoming very popular in Indonesia. Divers are taken to Banda, Komodo, Alor, Raja Ampat, Nusa Tenggara, Bali, Ambon, Borneo, Sangalaki and other dive sites in Indonesia by the liveaboard diving operations.

Diving was a cheap hobby when it first started in Indonesia, you just had to buy a regulator and other basic necessities. But today, it has changed completely, gear is becoming more sophisticated but less cheaper, cost of diving today is also expensive. Diving courses are also very expensive, because today the divers are considered as the sophisticated animals.

A most popular tourist destination of Indonesia, Bali also has some of the excellent diving locations, which includes awesome wrecks. Bali has the highest number of dive operations. You can find 5 star resorts in every corner of the island, these resorts also offer opportunity to undertake dive safari, joining together various good dive days and not sacrificing time, luxury and energy. Liveaboard diving adventures are endless in Indonesia these day, people from different countries are coming to Indonesia just for diving and especially for people from Europe and US it will work out cheaper than going to any other place.

Spend a holiday weekend on White Sand beach of Boracay
Spending a holiday weekend in Boracay is an excellent experience. Friday and Saturday night are crowded here, the beach is full of parties on those days. So if you want to experience the night life of Boracay beach then you should definitely visit the place. You can find a whole line of clubs and vendors selling fresh fish, jewelry, clothing and booze as well.

See Manila
Manila is the centre district for business, government and commerce. The place has developed from a tiny tribal settlement into a metropolis. You can find discos, nightclubs everywhere in this place, if you are looking for a nightlife, then this would be the right place to do that. You will not feel hungry in this place, you can find world class restaurants which offer Filipino as well as International cuisine.

Jet Ski
Boracay offers very good jet skis, it will give you the feeling of being in a Jay Z music video. It is a very beautiful scenery for a jet ski ride. While riding, you will feel like you are in heaven. The feeling is just out of this world, you will not realize that you are on a small tropical island. Filipinos love three things, Hip Hop, Basketball and Obama.

Cebu
Second most important city of Philippines is Cebu. This is a place where you will find both business and leisure together. The city has number of museums, you can find the old church of the Philippines here. Landmarks of this place tell the cultural history of the country. This is a great place for shopping as well. The people of this city are talented in handicraft, shell crafts.

Davao
Davao of Philippines is one of the largest cities of the world. Davao has many things to offer, it has everything from beaches to the beautiful mountains. People who love mountain climbing will have a great experience here.

1. Nova Scotia and Labrador Tall Ships, Canada
Cruises of Nova Scotia and Labrador Tall Ships last up to a week, the excitement of the wind through the sails of the ships will add you with seafaring heritage of eastern Canada

2. San Juan Islands, Washington
When you travel with San Juan Islands cruise from Washington, you can skip from island to island. Breathtaking views of beautiful wilderness are offered by the classic wooden vessels. You can also get gourmet meals which matches the flavors of the Pacific Northwest.

3. Pirate Cruise, Grand Cayman Island
Pirate Cruise of Grand Cayman is the Caribbean cruise, this is perfect for young and old children. This is duplicate of 17th century Spanish boat, it offers firing cannons, planks to walk and sword fighting as well.

4. Star Clipper to French Polynesia
Cruise lovers always dream about sailing between paradise islands. This cruise leaves from Tahiti and will take you to Huahine, Bora-Bora, Polynesian islands and Moorea, which lasts for seven days.

5.Junk Cruise, Andaman Sea, Thailand
Junk Cruise of Thailand travels through Andaman Sea. You can see rare seabirds, romantic beaches and popular limestone stalactites while traveling on this cruise. Andaman Sea has 3500 islands and all of them are beautiful.

6.Ha Long Bay, Vietnam
Ha Long Bay of Vietnam has some 3000 steeps, extraordinarily sculptured limestone islands are some of the important part of attractions of this cruise.

7. Seychelles Islands
To explore the unspoiled islands of the Seychelles, you should reserve a yacht, it is well known for its clear waters and clean coral reefs. Hiring a skipper and a crew is a good idea, they will do all the hard work for you.

8. Dhow Cruise, Straits of Hormuz, Oman
On this cruise, you can see the mountains which rise straight up from the sea, inlets created by them looks similar to Norwegian fjords, there are some dotted villages and can be only reached by boats.

9. Lamu Island, Kenya
Lamu Island of Kenya is a very good cruise destination. The importance of this island is reflected by its historic buildings, this place is used as a port by African, Arab, and European explorers and traders.

10. Évia Island Cruise, Greece
Evia Island Cruise of Greece will take you the Island of Evia Island, which is the second largest island. This Island has bumpy coastline of wide beaches and steep mountains.

1. Costa Classica
Costa Classica has a total of 654 cabins, which includes 10 remodeled suits along with private balconies. The ship has a theater on 2 levels, it has spa which includes a wellness center with gym, sauna and Turkish bath areas. It also has a jogging track which will help you in keeping yourself fit. You can also find discos and casinos on the ship, and the Squok club which has playstaion for kids.

2. P&O Cruise’s Artemis
The Artemis is the adults only ship, this is the P&O ship entitled for the Indian Ocean Cruise, this ships is destined for Mumbai and Hong Kong. This is a small ship compared to others, the ship creates a friendly feel during the journey and it has a British cruising traditional feel as well. You will find a warm, modern and artistic interior design inside. Different types of staterooms include penthouses, suits, standard balcony, deluxe balcony and outside staterooms.

3. Regent Seven Seas Mariner
Mariner is a different kind of ship, it is a complete all-suite and all-balcony ship. Staff of the ship is very friendly with excellent service. The ship can carry 700 guests at a time, and this number of guests will not make the ship over crowded also. It has a spa and the services are provide by premier spa, there is a fitness center where you will get a guidance of fitness experts.