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Baraaza Feature - November 2008

Road Trip
Cruzin’ the Hana Highway

Maui's known for lots of things—particularly massive waves and bed-bound honeymoons—but roads probably aren't high on the list. But the best things in life are rarely on the list…

The road is the Hana Highway and it's the island’s equivalent of the Pacific Coast Highway, beefed up with a few waterfalls, a dense bamboo jungle, and 46 different one-lane bridges. If you happen to be in Maui for either of the aforementioned reasons, you owe yourself a drive or two.

You'll start out from Pa'ia on resurfaced roads, but things get thicker—er…more scenic—pretty quickly. Before you know it, you'll be pulling hairpin turns through eucalyptus groves, pulling up alongside waterfalls and mini-cascades, and maybe even checking out a local roadside fruit stand. The road traverses the wet side of the local crater, Haleakala, so don't be surprised if things seem a little moister than usual. The full drive takes almost three hours, depending on how often you stop, but it's as good a daytrip as you're likely to find in the area, and it'll take you to a part of the island that most surfers and newlyweds skip.

Towards the end, you'll want to stop for the main highlight of the road: the Oheo Gulch, also known as the Seven Sacred Pools. The "seven pools" are actually a series of cascading pools and waterfalls ripe for exploration, and they aren't so sacred that you can't indulge in a little swimming, an impromptu shower, or a bit of even-more-impromptu cliff jumping, depending on how adventurous you feel.

And, of course, no daytrip would be complete with a place to rest your head at the end of it all. We recommend a beachfront spot near Pa'ia called the Blue Tile Beach House where you can experience some of Maui's more conventional pleasures. After this road, we imagine you'll need it.

Blue Tile Beach House
459 Hana Highway
Paia, Maui, Hawaii
Tel: 808.579.6446

Info@beachvacationmaui.com

Baraaza Feature: October 2008

Vive La French Class
En Français En France

In matters of cultural advantage, the French excel in many areas. Take the grandiose architectural beauty of Paris, for example, or the way in which a particular '96 Burgundy lingers on your tongue. French men have a keen sense of personal style, French women an air of cool confidence…and they all seem to possess an uncanny knack for sharp, quiet judgment. Some say it's natural. But matters of heritage, or lack thereof, have never stopped you before. Especially when it involves a trip to Paris.

Naturally, a French language education anywhere but the heart of Paris won't suffice – only in the most authentic context will you be able to put your newfound knowledge to work. Rather than the repeating the past perfect tense of "to see" you'll follow a guided tour of Musée Rodin. Your inquiry about the most inventive macarons in the city will land you at L’Artisan des Saveurs in the 6me, instead of positioned awkwardly in front of the local McDonalds. And your old French professor's Midwestern affliction will remain a vague and distant memory as you successfully navigate your way to the rocky beaches of Nice for a weekend.

Designed for those desiring work/play balance – it is vacation, after all – Accord Language School offers a wide range of short-term programs. From Intensive-PLUS courses to one-on-one tutors and specialized workshops, you'll be able to choose how much time you spend in the classroom over actual "field research". And if you really want to immerse yourself, Accord's Summer School program in July and August is the answer. It's like the summer camp of your heyday, sans a nasty bout of poison ivy, plus an abundance of champagne-related outings. You'll receive 20-38 lessons per week, intensive workshops and personalized training, and depending on your level of commitment, they'll place you in a campus residence, with a host family, or, perhaps more to your liking, a 3 star hotel. Because you can't study all the time

Accord Language School
14, boulevard Poissonniere
75009 Paris - France
Tel. +33 1 55 33 52 33
info@accord-langues.com

Site Update: New Text Editor

Hey, we have been hearing a lot of feedback about how our text editor for blogs, boards, destination review, etc., is weak. So we updated our text editor to a slick new version. And it has spell check, because if you're like me, you ain't no speller.

Write a Destination Review and check it out!

Baraaza Feature: September 2008

Hay There

Surfing Bali’s Great Hay Kuta

A trip to Bali is never a hard sell. With volcanoes begging to be hiked, exotic wildlife to explore and more temples than you can count, it's a wonder that you'll be able to find time to sprawl on the sandy white beaches (though we're fairly confident you'll manage). But when you're ready to take a break from taking a break, there's another activity waiting to be discovered: surfing the great Hay Kuta, one of the biggest and best wave breaks on the island.

If you need a place to hone your Endless Summer technique, the Pro Surf School has you covered. Their lessons range from a half day to seven days, depending on your level of physical commitment…as well as the amount of time you've allotted for simply sitting beach side, staring into the blue abyss. Classes cover all levels, from the most basic: positioning, standing up and catching waves, to advanced: short boards, duck dives and "surf etiquette," (because good manners are in style where ever you go).

Guest houses are available for rent if you need a place to crash after a long day in the waves, but if you prefer a little luxury with your surf wax, the Grand Istana Rama Hotel is just a few sandy steps from the beach. The relaxed, friendly atmosphere reflects the steady surfer clientele (it fronts Hay Kuta, making it the go-to spot), and the surrounding gardens serve to remind you that you're back on land. Head out to the pool, swim up to the bar and enjoy a cocktail in the setting sun. And if you start to miss the feeling of the water beneath your feet, feel free to head back out to the ocean.

We're sure you won't be the only one.

Pro Surf School Bali

Jl. Pantai Kuta, Kuta, Bali

Indonesia 80032

Tel. +62 (361) 744 1466

info@prosurfschool.com

Grand Istana Rama Hotel
Jl. Pantai Kuta, Kuta, Bali

Indonesia 80032
Tel. +62 (361) 752208
reservation@grandistanarama.com

Site Update: New Navigation

Hey I want to thank everyone for their feedback on the baraaza site. One reoccurring theme kept being brought up; it had to do with the site navigation and confusion around how to add a Destination Reviews and Destination Photos. We answered with new site navigation and I believe it’s a HUGE improvement – so check it out and let me know your thoughts.

About Baraaza

Baraaza came about through my own personal need for destination information on locations around the world. There are other sites out there that offer similar services, but they all seem confusing, difficult to navigate, overloaded with advertising and generally lacking the kind of ‘real’ information I was looking for. So the inspiration for Baraaza is quality travel information made easy.

Usually when I’m preparing for a trip I have a drink with a friend who has some first hand knowledge of the destination I’m about to visit, and then I go out and buy a book. I tend to rely more on my friends advice than books when it comes to places to stay, what to do, where to surf, dive, or just hang out. Like before I went to Thailand I had a drink with a buddy of mine who was a diver and recently visited Southeast Asia. We both have similar tastes when it comes to partying and socializing and he told me about a great scene on the North side of Koh Panang that proved to be one of my all time favorite beach destinations. I had some idea of what to expect when I got there and it was even better than I imagined! This kind of first-hand information is often invaluable and has helped me to have some awesome experiences.

The premise of friends sharing information about travel destinations is what Baraaza’s founded on. Baraaza isn’t a social networking site per se, however we have some social networking functionality so members are easy to contact and you can understand details like age ranges, gender, sexual preferences, etc of people sharing info. The main focus of Baraaza is sharing experiences and information about specific destinations around the world in the form of destination reviews, activity reviews, photos, blogs and message board posts.

My mission with Baraaza is to offer people a cool place to get quality travel information for any destination on the planet, and a forum where you can share experiences, insights and information so others may have the opportunity to get more out of their travels. I’m building an online community of people who love to travel and are willing to share some of their knowledge. Me and some of my friends have already started posting on our favorite destinations, and we still have a lot of ground to cover, so I’m asking those of you out there with some travel experience under your belts, to take a look at the site, let me know what you think, and share your knowledge.

Travel well

Matt J
Founder
Baraaza.com