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It has its own capital, Santo Domingo, as well as numerous other cities such as Santiago, Ciudad Trujillo and Punta Cana.
At the intersection of four major climatic regions, the Dominican Republic offers a wide diversity of natural resources.
The oldest European settlement in the territory of the Dominican Republic was founded in 1509, under the name Santo Domingo.
The name is derived from the Dominican and Aztec god, Domingo, who is venerated in ancient Mexico.
As such, the name was applied by the Spaniards who colonized the island, as they were astounded by the number of precious stones and metals found in the area.
Balangan Beach is easily reached from Kuta, with many local hotels offering a handy shuttle service. It’s also just a kilometre away from another Balinese beach icon: Dreamland. When you arrive, refresh yourself with ice cream and/or ice-cold beer from one of the beachside warungs.
During high season, Balangan is packed with tourists and children begging for tips. Its view of the ocean makes for a picturesque ocean swim, but beware of jellyfish!
There are 84 villas at Tropical Villas, some spread over three floors, but most are around two. All have some kind of pool and access to the sea; some have private beachfront terraces. Showerrooms are relatively small, but air-conditioning, satellite TV, Wi-Fi and a desk with power outlets are on hand.
Many have dining spaces with seating for at least a dozen guests; breakfast buffets and an evening buffet are served in most. All villas have kitchenettes with a fridge, a stove, gas cooker and sometimes a microwave oven, but don't expect an abundance of facilities; the suite in the main building has a kitchen, a butler and an on-call butler.
Four of the villas are single-bedroom suites with private plunge pools and deck. The basic package at Tropical Villas includes all meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner) at the restaurant, house wine and soft drinks in the lounge, and one-on-one Thai lessons.
Room rates at Tropical Villas start at THB 13,500 (US$449) per night for a one-bedroom suite (bunk beds are available, too) and go up to THB 17,300 (US$480) for the signature big house with a plunge pool and private plunge pool.
Romance is alive and well in Nice, the famous Italian Riviera city, which is always beckoned by many a holidaymaker. And it's easy to do, too.
Clothes shop Liberty will offer you a meal for two on the terrace of the Grand Hôtel des Eparges, overlooking the magnificent Promenade des Anglais and the surrounding Italian-style lagoon. Dinner is from £50pp, including drinks and local Champagne.
Or you can stay in Nice and have dinner at the famous Le Flobus restaurant, which has its own outdoor terrace, where you can choose between a prix fixe menu or à la carte. Choose from seared red snapper, beef fillet with king prawns, or clams alla marinara.
In addition to the restaurants mentioned above, the newly refurbished Relais & Châteaux Hotel Alteni is a great spot for a romantic evening, with an open-air terrace and glorious views across the Côte d'Azur. A seven-course dinner for two for £120 per person is served in a stunning ambiance of chandeliers and candles.
California's coast is chock full of awesome beaches, but they're so clustered, it's easy to overlook the area's most hidden gems.
Most of the spots on this list are within a 45-minute drive of Los Angeles. And some of them are within walking distance.
This piece originally appeared on our guide to the best beaches in California.
Riviera Beach, Malibu
The Riviera Beach lies just north of the city, on the Palos Verdes Peninsula.
Rough surf and almost no beach chairs lead the locals to the less populated beach — on average, only 1,000 people per day go to the pool and bathhouse here, compared to 4,000 daily users on nearby South Bay beaches. The parking lot fills up fast, especially on hot weekends.
The beach itself is crystal clear, and the waves roll in predictably. The sand isn't very soft, so don't go barefoot. And though a few restaurants do a brisk business along Pacific Coast Highway, there's no beachside dining at the Riviera Beach.
Among the best sites for dating singles, I chose the beach-dating.com site. According to their motto, dating is easier with the beach. A bunch of people can go out, play some volleyball, and enjoy a drink or two. For people not from Hawaii, I added a Hawaiian culture dating section. The ideal solution to the beach dating problem. Also, note the fact that they mention the Big Island. This indicates to me that they have no knowledge that the Big Island exists.
Anyway, I played around with the site, with some success. Although I found three Hawaii singles online, I still have no soulmates. Therefore, for the latest move, I am posting a fictitious date from the dating site, below. Of course, no website is perfect, and we all know that a random dating site is not a real one, but it’s still worth a shot.
If you have tried everything else in online dating, you should do a little more digging and get a head start on improving your online dating profile.Take advantage of the dating sites that are out there; although they might be under different names, so many of them still contain the same online dating rules. They all have the same goal – to connect people – whether it's your profile, pictures, or background. But now we want to give you a few tips that you should put on your online dating profile in order to make it stand out in the crowds.Tone It DownIf you're a man, your profile should be short and sweet. But women, be bold. Keep the profile short and just as strong as your pictures. Give the men your eye a good look; don't be afraid to ask a few questions.Women should not be afraid to give men their best shot. The amount ofpictures people take of themselves can be quite outrageous, so be theone to let the men know if they're hitting the right spots.Clean Up Your Profile
