Until you realize that out there somewhere there is an island that could have been designed just for you.

So who are you? Millionaire? Nudist? Family guy or celebrity stalker? Figure that out first, then get booking.

1. Millionaires: Musha Cay, Bahamas

Musha Cay is a millionaire’s playground. More specifically, David Copperfield’s playground, after he purchased the island resort from Blockbuster Video co-founder John Melk in 2006 for a reported US$56 million.

Other millionaires such as Oprah Winfrey and Bill Gates reportedly vacationed here, and in 2007 Google founder Sergey Brin hosted his wedding on the island.

Musha Cay spans 60 hectares, but there are only five villas on the main island accommodating a total of 25 guests. Each villa comes with a private beach.

High-rollers can head out to sea aboard the resort’s fleet of sailboats, waverunners and jetboats. There’s a coral reef near the shore to satisfy snorkelers, and championship tennis courts and an outdoor theater on shore for those who prefer to stay dry.

What you need to know:

- Musha Cay comes with a millionaire’s price tag too, with rates starting at US$37,500 with a four-night minimum.

2. Nudists: Rab, Croatia

The Croatian island of Rab claims to be the birthplace of modern skinny dipping. In 1936, King Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson obtained permission from city authorities to bathe naked in the inlet of Kandalora, and people have been doing the same on the island’s beaches ever since.

The Lopar peninsula alone has three beaches that are clothing-optional. Sahara beach, a sandy shore fringed by shrubs, is perhaps the most famous. The other two nudist beaches are Stolac and Ciganka.

Tourists who are done with exposing themselves for the day love to stroll around in the medieval old town, where four ancient bell towers and a cluster of monasteries and churches beckon.

For more, check out Rab’s official tourism website.

What you need to know:

- To get to Lopar, board one of the ferries that runs from Valbiska on the island of Krk. Krk, in turn, is a 90-minute drive from Rijeka, which has its own airport.

3. Couples: Lizard Island, Australia

Few things kill romance faster than the company of other people. Australia’s Lizard Island resort makes sure that schmoozy couples stay happy, with 24 private beaches to ensure maximum privacy for occupants of their 40 villas.

Lizard Island basks at the northern end of the Great Barrier Reef, but here you’ll find none of the sun-seeking masses that crowd other parts of the reef.

Spend the day getting up close and personal with the potato cod, giant clown fish and stingrays that can be found at dive site Cod Hole, which is located near the resort. At night, recharge with torch-lit dinners at any one of the resort’s beaches.

Lizard Island is such a favorite among couples that it’s even got an in-house wedding planner.

What you need to know:

- Rates average at AU$1,160-1,655 (US$1,245-1,776) per night.

4. Environmentalists: Sark

The Channel Island of Sark has been designated the world’s first “dark sky island,” as millions of stars can be seen at night with the naked eye.

This is thanks to the island’s tradition of prohibiting street lights and motor vehicles. Instead, the island’s 600-strong population gets by with bikes and torches.

On a clear night, the Milky Way and the belt and sword of Orion the Hunter are visible. Up to 100 meteor showers an hour can be seen on late nights in November.

During the day you can go on a boat trip around the 64-kilometer coastline or explore the island on rented bikes.

What you need to know:

- Ferries run daily from Guernsey to Sark. For boat trips along the Sark coastline, contact George Guille at +44 (0)1481 832107.

- Bike rental shops can be found near The Avenue.

5. Loners: Ogasawara Islands, Japan

If you don’t like people, chances are you’ll want to jump on a ferry to Ogasawara Islands and never leave. The islands’ English name, Bonin Islands, is derived from an archaic Japanese term that means “no people.”

The Ogasawara archipelago, located 1,000 kilometers south of Tokyo, consists of three islands inhabited by just 2,300 residents.

The islands’ only link to the rest of the world is a ferry service that runs approximately five times a month from Toyko to the main Ogasawara island of Chichijima.

Apart from world-class scuba diving, the islands also offer other me-time activities including free-diving, humpback whale watching and dolphin spotting.

What you need to know:

- Homestay inn Craft Inn La Mere, on the isle of Hahajima, is run by English-speaking proprietors.

6. Families: Oahu, Hawaii

This Hawaii island is made for young families. Uncle Byran’s Sunset Suratt Surf School claims to have taken infants as young as six months out to sea.

A trip 30 meters underwater on the Atlantis submarine will give kids something to talk about for years.

Back on land, Kualoa Ranch offers two-hour tours on horseback into Ka’a'awa Valley, where “Jurassic Park,” “50 First Dates” and “Lost” were filmed. The younger ones will delight in petting dolphins at Sea Life Park. Dole Plantation, home to the world’s largest maze, is another kid magnet.

What you need to know:

- Kids will love staying at the Hilton Hawaiian Village, which has a mammoth family activity pool with the longest water slide in Waikiki.

7. Shoppers: Hong Kong Island

The fact that millions of Mainland Chinese tourists stream into Hong Kong to shop every year is testament to its status as a mecca for shopping.

True, Hong Kong’s shopping landscape is increasingly dominated by luxury chains (with no tax, luxury items sell for much cheaper here than on the Chinese mainland), but the city has a good collection of offbeat stores as well.

Our guide to vintage shopping in Hong Kong provides tips on where to hunt down pre-loved items on Hong Kong Island and beyond. We love Island Beverly in Causeway Bay for picking up locally designed, fashion-forward items.

What you need to know:

- Island Beverly is located at 1 Great George St., Causeway Bay.

8. Party animals: Ibiza, Spain

Millions of summer ravers pour into picturesque Ibiza town every year to dance to the head-pumping trance of its nightclubs.

Since the 1950s and 1960s, artists and musicians from The Beatles to The Rolling Stones to Nico have been hanging out on Ibiza’s sunny shores. Parties on the island still draw the supercool, including Kate Moss, Elle Macpherson and star photographers Patrick Demarchelier and Mario Testino.

Privilege claims to be the biggest nightclub in the world and even if it isn’t, it comes pretty damn close. Space is regularly featured on “best club in the world” lists, but the most enduring of them all is probably Pacha, which has branches in 17 other cities.

What you need to know:

- Party fiends might want to stay at the 368-room Ibiza Rocks Hotel on the San Antonio seafront, which has live gigs every Wednesday, four bars and two pools, one of which is the venue of daily pool parties.

9. Paparazzi: St. Barts, French West Indies

Beyoncé and Jay-Z have been spotted at least twice on St. Barts. There have also been sightings of Paul McCartney and Usher.

Lindsay Lohan tweeted a picture of herself wearing a hot pink bikini on the island to ring in the new year in 2010, and Orlando Bloom, Gwen Stefani and husband Gavin Rossdale were spotted vacationing there in the same year.

We could go on, but we think you get the idea. You’re likely to spot as many celebs on St Barts as you do in a gossip magazine, especially around New Year’s Eve, when Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich regularly hosts star-studded parties on the island.

We may not all be rock stars, but to feel like one, check into Eden Rock at St. Jean Bay, a glitzy resort with 32 beachfront villas and suites. Their humungous Villa Rockstar even has its own professional studio for guests to record their own soundtrack, should their creative urges overcome them.

What you need to know:

- Saline Beach is an impossibly pretty stretch of sand. Russian billionaires like to throw parties at the Nikki Beach restaurant, which has teepees and plush beds right on the beach.

10. Gourmands: Sicily, Italy

Cuisine from Sicily is in a class of its own. It is Italian food that has been influenced by the Arabs, Greeks, Romans, Spanish, French, Germans and Normans, among others.

The result is a wonderfully complex food culture that inspired people to call Sicily “God’s Kitchen.”

Palermo, the capital and the island’s liveliest town, heaves with restaurants serving everything from Pasta alla Norma to saffron spiced rice balls filled with ragu.

The ancient fish market at Catania is one of the most colorful in the Mediterranean. The monasteries of Sant’Andrea in Palermo and the Santo Spirito monastery in Agrigento are the unlikely locations to find the most authentic Sicilian sweets, including cannoli and sweet couscous.

What you need to know:

- The Hotel a Noto is located in a town that’s known to produce what is possibly the world’s best ice cream.

Source: CNN

The royal city of Meknes is an interesting tourism destination. Located near ancient Roman ruins it is an ideal starting point for exploration of the country. Within the city tourists may go shopping to the traditional marketplace or enjoy the hamam sauna.

Tourists have to be careful not to get lost in the old city of Meknes as it is full of small crooked streets. Sooner of later they will certainly run into the el-Hedim square. As Ihned.cz reports, the square has been used as a stage for the street theatre since the Middle Ages. The square no longer witnesses executions as it did in those days but the traditional theatre has survived till our days. Morocco is safer then the other destinations in the region. The wave of unrest that is taking place in the Arab world has not hit the country hard so far. The city of Meknes is the smallest of the Moroccan royal cities. There are the Atlas Mountains south of the city and it is an ideal starting point for trips to nearby Fes. The biggest Roman ruins in the country, Volubilis, are also not far from there as well as the town of Moulay Idriss.

The old city is a maze where a good sense of direction is necessary. Men and women walking around in colorful clothes contrast the shabby facades very distinctly. El-Hedim is a square that was once used for public executions and official statements. Nowadays, it is the center of social life. Chairs in streets are occupied by men smoking water pipes. In the early evening people begin to gather around street actors; this kind of theatre has been practised there since the Middle Ages. Some tourists might enjoy staying in one of the city’s traditional burgher houses. Others can go to the hamam sauna where a masseur provides his services to tired travelers.

Another labyrinth within the maze of the old city are the local souqs. Similarly to modern supermarkets they are divided into zones according to the type of goods they sell. Local traders usually offer jewelry, carpets, textile, embroiders or pottery. It is an ideal place to buy a souvenir to bring home and show friends.

Reprinted by World Footprints with permission from Tourism Review.

World Footprints "Judges Choice" winner Dmitri Markine

This is an image of an elder from a tribe in Ethiopia.  The moment was captured by photographer Dmitri Markine–the “Judges Choice” winner in the last World Footprints Travel Photo Contest.

With increasing profits from tourism, Vietnam decides to seize the opportunity to maximize its potential. At the beginning of February, the country introduced its new logo “Vietnam, a Different Orient“.

For several years, Vietnam has been gradually increasing in popularity and with its booming economy, growing middle class and constantly improving standard of services, its profile as a bright new Asian destination has brought its rewards. The current logo „Vietnam – the hidden charm“ may have done  its best and right now, local authorities were looking for a striking rebrand which would open up the window of opportunity as wide as ever.

Vietnam has become an unusually appealing destination and tourism numbers are on a constant increase. What local tourism officials need right now, is to secure a steady growth and perhaps appeal to a more diverse traveler base. As local middle class grows in power and wealth, it is likely the domestic tourism branch will grow in power, too. However, major focus of Vietnamese Tourist Administration remains on raising the number of foreign visits to Vietnam by 10 – 15% before 2015, luring some 12 million.

The International Air Transport Association estimates by 2014, Vietnam will be in the top three fastest growing markets in terms of international passengers. The increase in domestic passengers is likely to be even more significant. Simply said, the future outlooks are very positive, indeed.

Many Asian countries have made tourism their priority and it comes as no surprise Vietnam joins in with a new campaign and logo. Especially recent weeks have been fantastic for local tourism as the country welcomed thousands of visitors who wished to experience the Lunar New Year festival. However, Vietnam is only at the beginning of its four–year campaign to get a firm grip of the Asian Tourism market.

Reprinted with permission from Tourism-Review, a media partner of World Footprints.

When Last on the Mountain: The View from Writers over 50 offers nonfiction, fiction, and poetry about experiences ranging from heart-wrenching to hilarious.The title is taken from one of the book’s many works about trips, literal and metaphorical.

In the essay “When Last on the Mountain”, Kaye Bache-Snyder writes about her last ski of the day at Snowmass Resort in Aspen, CO. “I shed self-consciousness like dead skin, feel fire inside me. Body dances faster, faster…”

She concludes, “One day, I will write my last downhill run, not on snow, but on paper. Not today. No. I dance, stop, dance, stop, dance, dance, dance down the mountain.”

Those words depict the spirit of the anthology’s writings, which explore life and especially aging in fresh, inspiring ways.

One couple in their 60s had a “Vegas Wedding”. The couple traveled from Europe, and their families came from across the United States to Las Vegas.

The prospective groom “did need some reassurance that Elvis would not be performing the ceremony,” wrote bride Susan Peters of her “Package C” nuptials. Her three sisters wore some of their late mother’s clothes – “’Since Mom couldn’t be here,’ Jill said, ‘we thought her wardrobe should be here instead.’”

In the poem “Flight”, Diane Porter Goff describes caring for her mother who had Alzheimer’s. Goff writes hauntingly and exquisitely about repositioning the white, lace-trimmed pillow they had bought together for the wedding trousseau.

“If I could fold up my heart and tuck it away for just those few moments, perhaps that pillow bird could be your ride out of here.”

A very different sort of flight is described by Tom Hansen in “The Wisdom of Fifty”. “My vices have all run off in search of a younger, more vigorous man.” Hansen speaks of searching for the “Holy Grail…the real wisdom of age. Acceptance. Acceptance of everything.”

Several of the works address the journey of losing a spouse. Some of those include the beginnings of healing.

In “Widow: Parts 1 and 2”, Lois West Duffy writes in Part 1 that the “ugly word” widow can’t define her any more than wife.  In Part 2, the poet writes, “I’m afraid Someone will come along And want to marry me Before I’m strong enough Not to”.

Behind a couple’s Arizona home-turned-hospice, the Sonoran desert’s golden blooms provide comfort for Reg as he loses his battle with leukemia. In “Elegy for Yellow”, Elizabeth Bernays writes, “…don’t believe them when they say life’s too short. It’s just long enough.”

Contributors to When Last on the Mountain include Saskatchewan’s first poet laureate; an English professor at Virginia Commonwealth University’s School of the Arts in Qatar; a former monk-trail crew cook-lawyer; an author of an avalanche safety handbook; a worker for Native American civil rights; and a gerontologist; among others.

The anthology was published by Holy Cow! Press and co-edited by writers Vicky Lettmann, who teaches creative writing in Minneapolis, MN and in Sanibel, FL, and Carol Roan, who teaches singing and stage movement in Winston-Salem, NC, and has just come out with another book, “Speak Up: The Public Speaking Primer” (Press 53).

The works, chosen from more than 2,100 submissions, deal with what Cleo Fellers Kocol describes in “My Cousin Olivia” — “…the past floating like a kite with a string I needed to wind.”

Marsha Dubrow, whose essay “Seven Days in May” is in this anthology, earned her M.F.A. in Writing and Literature from Bennington College.  Marsha is the DC Art Travel Columnist for Examiner.com, and her arts and travel stories have run in National Geographic Traveler, Washington Post, Houston Chronicle, among others. You can follow her on Twitter @MarshaDubrow.

It should come as no surprise, then, that dozens of legends about ghostly appearances have accumulated around the 19^th century asylum, which is being gradually redeveloped into a smart “village” of condos, boutiques, offices and restaurants. There are stories of mournful apparitions in the halls, strange physical sensations – and even an enormous gnarled tree that’s supposed to mark the “gateway to Hell.”

People can be forgiven for letting their imaginations run away with them. In spite of the extensive makeover the former asylum is getting, many buildings on the 500-acre Commons campus are still waiting to be restored – and their gaunt, crumbling hulks seem ready-made for scary stories of demented spirits and restless souls. Every year, fans of the occult come to the Commons searching for thrills and chills, even though the owners of the property don’t exactly encourage the attention.

“There’s a ton of us who live and work here, and I’ve only heard one or two stories about things people couldn’t explain,” says Kristen Messner, who works for the project developers. “These are old buildings, and sound sometimes travels in strange ways. That’s it.”

The attitude toward hauntings is a bit more welcoming a few miles up the coast at the Grand Traverse Lighthouse Museum. For years, the isolated lighthouse at the tip of the Leelanau Peninsula has held a family-oriented “haunted lighthouse” program in honor of its own ghostly inhabitant, and it now has added a series of October “ghost walks.” Small groups of visitors are invited in on Friday and Saturday nights to prowl the living quarters and working spaces of the historic 19^th century buildings.

Established in 1850, the Grand Traverse Lighthouse is one of the oldest lights on the Great Lakes. It occupies a lonely point of rocky coast (now the site of a state park) marking the outer edge of Grand Traverse Bay, with sweeping views of Lake Michigan and the distant Manitou and Fox Islands.

One believer in the lighthouse ghost is museum director Stefanie Staley, who has spent more than her share of fall evenings alone at the isolated light station. She says she’s heard lots of inexplicable noises: voices in the hall heading toward the tower stairs, and the sound of someone with hard-soled shoes walking across the hardwood floors.

“I hear it, I walk out, and there’s not a soul anywhere,” she says.

Nor is Staley the only one who’s been dealing with strange happenings. The lighthouse runs a volunteer keeper program where people can stay in the lighthouse for weeks at a time, caring for the buildings and showing visitors around. Over the years, several volunteers have mentioned strange phenomena: the sensation of being brushed past by a moving form, and in one case actually seeing a man at the doorway, kicking off his boots.

Some locals claim the ghost is that of Peter Nelson, a Danish ship captain who settled in Northport and became the lighthouse keeper from 1874 to 1890. But no one knows of any particular scandals or secrets associated with Nelson’s life, and the haunting – if that’s what it is – seems to be a fairly amiable one.

Not so with the goings-on across the bay at Bowers Harbor, a lovely cove on the western shore of the Old Mission Peninsula, where the area’s most celebrated ghost has been carrying on at the former Bowers Harbor Inn for decades.  Genevive Stickney, whose husband built the rambling waterfront home in the 1880s, is said to have died in the house under tragic circumstances. Although recent research has cast doubt on much of the backstory told about the Stickneys (that Genevive was a scorned wife who committed suicide by hanging herself in the elevator shaft), the case has been featured in several books and television programs.

Guests, employees and visitors to the inn (now home of the Mission Table restaurant) insist that they have experienced strange rapping noises, doors slamming, lights suddenly turning on, mirrors and paintings falling from walls. One restaurant guest was severely frightened when she looked into a full-length upstairs mirror  and saw the reflection of another woman standing behind her – dressed in clothing from the 19^th century, her long hair pulled back into a tight bun. When she turned to speak to the stranger, there was no one there.

Having a ghost on the premises isn’t bad for business, so long as things don’t get out of hand. Far from downplaying their ethereal resident, the owners of the Mission Table and the adjoining Jolly Pumpkin Brewery enjoy regaling newcomers with tales of Genevive’s pranks. The restaurant has even devoted a page of its website to the ghostly legend. 

Ghost walks at the Grand Traverse Lighthouse Museum are held every Friday and Saturday in October, starting at 7 p.m. Groups are limited to 12 persons, and tickets are $5 per person; to make an advance reservation, call (231) 386-7195.

For more information about Traverse City fall festivals and activities, and for help with lodging and dining options and other attractions in the Traverse City area, contact the Traverse City Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Taken by Scott Feldstein

This PHOTO MOMENT of the metal sculpture of Jesus was captured by photographer Scott Feldstein.

Looking for something new to do? Phuket has been known as one of the best tourist spots all over Asia. It has offered many beautiful places for sightseeing, and many activities for those who have a thirst for adventure. Now, there’s something more that the hot spot is willing to offer to foreign and local vacationers: Sailing and scuba diving.

Over the years, the tourism industry in Thailand has been progressively developing into a global attraction. Phuket is one of the main contributors to this success. Its luscious beaches and tourist spots have been causing attention traffic from people al over the world, especially those coming from countries with colder climates. Phuket, coined as the Pearl of the South, is a taste of heaven for tourists, particularly sailors and scuba divers. It is without doubt a crown jewel of the Andaman Sea and of Thailand, all in all.

The Andaman Sea is known as one of the best sailing hot spots in Asia, even around the world. The base for sailing this sea is a hub at Phuket, Thailand. The Andaman Sea is considered as Thailand’s nautical prized possession. The most beautiful of islands, beaches, and shores are located in the range of its clear waters and astonishing sights. The Andaman Sea also boasts of its jaw-dropping natural features. The area is with bountiful tropical climate and its seas are rich and flowing with a wonder of variety of marine life.

Tourists can come and enjoy diving and sailing all year long, but for the best conditions and the most fun and conducive for the experience, the months from October through May are considered as the ideal times for these activities. Dive boats are plentiful along the blue waters of the Andaman Sea.

History tells us that these ships used to serve as trade methods for merchants, explorers, missionaries and even pirates in the ancient years. With this known, there is a relatively large portion of these natural wonders that remain undiscovered. Because of this, there is a continuing and growing type of excitement upon the diving experience.

The fascination of being able to see new and more surreal frontiers, marina and sea creature keeps divers and locals attached to the sea and its beaches. Examples of aquatic life that can be seen are whale sharks, beautiful coral growths, and different species of fish, among the many others.

The best diving sites in Phuket and Andaman Sea include the Burma Banks in the archipelago of Mergui, the Surin Islands, the Similan Islands, the Andaman Islands, sites around the Phi Phi Islands, the King Cruise Wreck, Koh Dok Mai, Phuket West Coast Dive Sites, Rachai Noi, and Rachai Yai. All dive sites mentioned are diverse with marine life and clear waters, each offering something different for a varied and exciting experience with every encounter.

Diving and sailing can be availed through tours and day trips. “Liveaboards” are also offered for those who prefer more far locations and deeper excavations. Other opportunities can also be chosen, such as wall diving and the thrill of exploring shallow water historical wrecks.

West, along with two friends, will begin the eight-day trek on June 12, hoping to raise $750,000 for Free The Children and bring sustainable clean water programming to thousands of Kenyans who last year experienced the region’s worst drought in 60 years. West is encouraging supporters to help him reach his goal by each donating $10, sponsoring one step in Spencer’s almost 20,000 foot journey up the tallest mountain in Africa.

Every year, 20,000 to 35,000 people attempt to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro, and only approximately 50 percent reach its peak. Spencer will undertake the climb in his wheelchair, on his hands and with the help of his friends.

West recently published his memoir Standing Tall: My Journey and serves as a motivational speaker for Me to We, a social enterprise that offers socially conscious and environmentally friendly clothes and accessories as well as life-changing international volunteer trips. As part of his journey, West is calling on individuals globally to join him and ‘Redefine Possible’ – whether that means tackling a difficult goal, taking on a unique adventure or overcoming a personal obstacle.

“We have the capacity to redefine the limits of our own potential,” said West. “That’s why, with my new Redefine Possible mission, I’m using my story and challenges to inspire others to overcome obstacles and get involved in whatever they are passionate about. Just like my parents saw the potential in me, I see the potential in all of us.”

(c) stephskardal

United Airlines responded to an active social campaign by revising its pet policy and removing an embargo on nine breeds of dog they deemed “dangerous”.  Under the new policy, the previously restricted breeds can now fly in reinforced crates.  Until now, United was the only US-based airline to place a “dangerous” label on certain breeds in its pet policy.

The policy shift follows a campaign on Change.org started by Hawaii resident Jessie Huart after her 10-year-old pit bull was denied travel.   ”All dogs, regardless of breed, should be able to fly safely,” Huart added. “The new requirement of reinforced crates improves the safety of the dogs and is something United should consider extending to all large dogs.”

United heard the cries of its customers, over 45,000 petition signers and animal advocacy groups and decided to change it pet restriction policy, accordingly.