Tibet, overlooking the north of Himalayas is the highest region on earth. It is situated at an elevation of 4, 900 meters and sometime called as the roof of the world. Besides the scenic beauty of the country, it is greatly known as the home to magnificent gomaps (monasteries), which dates back to 7th century. The place offers spiritual feeling to pilgrims, visiting here from different parts of the world.

Buddhist monasteries in Tibet plays a significant role in the life and culture of inhabitants like Han Chinese, Monpas, Lhobas and Tibetan groups. More than 65 monasteries follow the remarkable rules of Buddhism. Some famous Monasteries are:

Ganden Monastery

Known as the paradise for future Buddha, Ganden Monastery is situated in the Tagtse County, situated 47 kilometers from Lhasa City. The Holy Stupa Hall is the main attraction here. An ideal time to visit enjoy religious aura in and around the monastery is during Buddha Painting Unfolding Festival, organized annually by the Buddhist monks.

Johang Temple

Jokhang monastery sits on the Barkhor Square in Lhasa. Recently, in the year 2000, the pious location has been enlisted in the catalog of World Heritage Site by UNESCO. The interior of the temple is occupied with a four storey timber, which highlights the ultimate fusion of Tang, Tibetan and Nepalese architectural style. The Great Prayer Festival, organized here, according to the Tibetan Calendar attracts Buddhist from all across the world.

Drepung Monastery

This popular monastery is situated at the foot of Gambo Utse mountain in Lhasa City. It was constructed in 1416 by Jamyang Qoigyi. The religious site covers an area of 250, 000 sq. meters and consist of important buildings like Ganden Potrang, Coquen Hall and Kamcuns. Devotees widely visit during the Shoton Festival and feast their eyes with the exclusive glimpse of the 20 m wide and 30 m long thangka of the Sakyamuni Buddha.

Sera Monastery

This sparkling monastery stands at the fool hill of Tatipu and covers an area of 110, 000 sq. meters. It was established in 1419 during the Ming Dynasty for the sole purpose of preserving Buddhist treasures, received from Emperor Chengzhu. Coqen Hall, three Zhacangs and twenty Khangtsens(monk dormitores are major attractions of the monastery. Countless monks visit here during the Sera Bengqin Festival, held according to the Tibetan Calendar.

Other monasteries of note are Tashilunpo Monastery, Potala Palace, Palkhor Monastery, Namgyal Monastery, Shalu Monastery, Tso Monastery, Tingri Monastery, Trathang Monastery, Kumbum Monastery etc.

Following my last article -Tips For Tenants-, thi time I would like to cover some interesting guidelines for those Dubai landlords adventuring into the Short-Term Rental business.

It is a very common and old practice, especially in the Italian, Spanish or French Riviera to rent out a personal property as a holiday-home to tourists. The short-term rental business has proven pretty successful in those countries with strong tourism affluence and since Dubai is working on becoming an international holiday destination, it is interesting to consider this investment opportunity.

By renting out a property on short-term basis a landlord has the chance to use the property for his/her own personal use, generate a high return of investment by letting it out to holidaymakers and at the same time benefit from the property value appreciation.

The short-term rental concept could be applied anywhere in the world but the real key to its success lays in its implementation within the local market in fact any successful business idea can be brought to Dubai and prove a complete disaster, the concept by itself is nothing new and certainly not invented in Dubai so the actual heart of the business is not much in the idea as it is in its execution.

Having the idea and the product (the property) is just about 10% of the business, what really matters is the marketing which I would value at 70% and the actual daily running which could be valued at 20%

Setting up an apartment for the short-term rental requires experience, interior designing skills, attention to details and plenty of time and resources to follow up the actual furnishing process, utilities connections, daily running and marketing.

Some details are extremely important and if overlooked, will compromise the stay of your guests hence it is essential to set up the property with the guests needs in mind rather than following a questionable personal taste.

One detail that is consistently overlooked is the actual efficiency of the bedrooms curtains, which in the majority of the cases do not block the windows light properly, this is usually due to lack of experience or to good bargain ready-made curtains resulting in a horrible 6 am daily wake up call for your guests.

Another important aspect to acknowledge is the considerable investment to be made in purchasing the bathrooms face and body towels, it is in fact necessary to provide a high number of these so to allow a twice weekly replenishment and the same goes for bed sheets, quilt covers, pillow cases etc

In most cases the do it yourself schemes work pretty well when you do have experience, knowledge and passion about what you are engaging with, other wise it will simply result in complete frustration to say the least.

Without considering the daily management issues and the inevitable guests complaints even the twice-weekly house keeping service is a far more demanding task then what it seems

A reasonable solution to this, especially if you are handling more then one property, is to refer the entire marketing and management to a professional agent who for a fee (usually 20% of the rental) will take the weight off your shoulders with a smile.

In the current market a 5 stars marina-view one bedroom apartment in Dubai Marina Face 1 (where all the cafs and restaurants are) will rent for approx AED 95.000/- per year if unfurnished, the same property can fetch up to a AED 235.000/- a year if rented out furnished on short-term basis and after deducting the 20% agency commission plus about AED 40.000/- for the 5 stars furnishing and approx AED 8.000/- a year for the utility bills, this will live the owner with a net AED 142.000/- (on occupancy rate of 79%)

The numbers speak for themselves however is important to remember that where there is a good return there is also a certain risk and many will agree that the most delicate figure of the above calculation is the occupancy rate which cannot be guaranteed in any property short-term rental management contract.

Keeping the above consideration in mind, would you wish to engage an agent for your short-term rental requirements, it would be wise to commit for an initial trial period of maximum six months, this period shall allow you to gather enough details and should give you a good idea about the reliability and actual potential of the agent/marketer you are dealing with.

Would you rather get more hands-on with the business, you could opt for a non-exclusive marketing agreement, also available in the market and you will be able to market your property through other agent/marketers and potentially increase your exposure however this is not necessarily the optimum solution in fact many agents will give priority to the properties of those clients with whom they have contractually committed with.

Picture this; it’s a 75*F day in November, the sky is blue, and you’re with your best fishing buddy, 20 miles out in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, in the center of the Mexican Riviera. As you peer across the water, you see thousands of birds feeding on millions of small bait fish as they are driven to the water’s surface by larger fish from below. With acres of bait fish breaking the surface, the entire area, as far as you can see, has an oily sheen and the smell of a fish factory. As thousands of dolphins are playfully flipping and twisting while feeding in this orgy and larger game fish are joining the birds in this feeding frenzy; it’s time to strap yourself in and get ready for action!

As ten year residents of Vallarta, we’ve often had the privilege and good fortune to have been there and done it. If you’re a fisherman, life just doesn’t get any better.

However, before we go fishing, let’s first check out the marina. In the well protected Puerto Vallarta marina, you will see in excess of 400 beautiful boats including multi-million dollar mega-yachts from throughout the world, million dollar fishing boats, and many sail boats from around the world.

Circling 80% of the marina’s perimeter, you’ll find over 100 fine boutiques and five star restaurants. Behind and above these establishments are condominiums, all having magnificent views of the marina with its colorful array of boats. What a glorious site!

Due to the popularity and explosive growth of Vallarta, this marina has been unable to meet the demand of the boat owners traveling to or retiring in Puerto Vallarta. Therefore, 25 years ago, Nuevo Vallarta, five miles north, was developed around a recently upgraded 230 slip marina for moorage of yachts up to 130’ long.

During the past decade, the popular Nuevo Vallarta marina has also become so busy that another marina in the La Cruz de Huanacaxtle area, seven miles further north along the Banderas Bay shoreline, had to be designed and is currently under construction. The La Cruz Marina project is expected to cost in excess of 50 million dollars and will have slips for an additional 400 yachts. This marina will also be home to a bayside promenade, restaurants, shops, condominiums, and even an outdoor theater. Of course, like the other marinas, it too will be lined with luxurious condominiums.

Realizing that in a few short years, the above marinas will be filled, the Mexican government (fonatur) has defined the ten year plan for the Nayarit Riviera, about 25 miles north of PV and just outside of the Banderas Bay. This plan incorporates a 30 mile stretch of pristine shoreline on the Pacific Ocean and includes another world class 150 slip marina for yachts and sailboats, as well as three new golf courses, shopping districts, hotels and condo complexes, restaurants and boutique shops, and even a theme park modeled after Xcaret in the Cancun area. The infrastructure and the first Greg Norman golf course are currently under construction, therefore we can estimate that the marina will be ready within five years.

If you’re fortunate, you’ll be able to rent or purchase a slip for your million dollar yacht in one of the marinas mentioned above, housing over 1,200 million dollar plus yachts. As they say in Vallarta, if you’re really fortunate, it’s your best buddy that owns the million dollar yacht or fishing boat! Of course, if your boat is like most of ours, there are thousands of small slips available in the Vallarta area and many dry storage areas.

Okay, back to the fishing, now that we have a place to dock the boat! Although the large blue and black marlin run in the summer months, so do the gringos; they usually run to the north or to Europe because summer humidity and temperatures in Vallarta are similar to those in Houston.

Most of the serious fishing starts in November when the annual Sailfish Tournament is held.

Fishing continues throughout the seven month “high season”, during which time the average daily temperature is 73*F with virtually no chance of rain.

We have fished every year for the past decade and can tell you that fishing success varies significantly from year to year, depending on ocean water temperatures and currents. Four years ago, it was not uncommon to land ten to fifteen 100 pound sails a day. During one outing, we had three on simultaneously, all “walking across the top of the water“, heading in every direction imaginable–what a catastrophe that was! Most often during the “high season”, catching one to three sails per trip would be considered typical.

On the other hand, marlin are much more unpredictable during the “high season”. They’re out there but are few and far between. When you do hook-up, it’ll be anywhere from 600-1,000 pounds and will test your stamina.

Talking about testing your stamina, try landing a 300 to 400 pound yellow fin tuna! When the tuna are running, and they do every year during the winter months in the Pacific Ocean just outside of Banderas Bay, you’ll be able to test your fishing prowess as well as your physical condition! The smaller ones, in the 30 to 70 pound range are fun to catch and will provide you plenty of entertainment. When they range from 100 to 200 pounds, they head south as soon as hooked and the fight begins. Be prepared for a one hour struggle getting them to the boat, after which you’ll be needing a cold cerveza and an hour of rest! There will be a period of time almost every year when the big fellows show up. They are in the 300 to 400 pound range, approaching world record sizes. These monsters head out and deep as soon as hooked and hopefully, as your reel is spinning and your line is evaporating in front of your eyes, you’ll have time to get harnessed into your chair. You are getting ready for the three hour fight of your life when you’ve hooked a 400 pound yellow finned tuna. If you are a normal retiree, you’ll never get it in alone without having a cardiac arrest! We’ll usually have to rotate positions every half hour or so in order to land one of these monsters. Landing a 700 pound black marlin is a job, but landing a 350 to 400 pound tuna is life threatening!

Probably the most popular fish in the Vallarta area is the dorado. They are very edible and beautiful game fish ranging from 20 to 80 pounds. Dorado are plentiful, fun to catch, and considered by many to be the best eating fish in the sea.

There are numerous other game fish in and around Banderas Bay as well as great bottom fish such as huge red snapper.

If you’re not fortunate enough to own a million dollar fishing boat, there are many charter boats that cost from $300 to $500 per day. There are also hundreds of pangas that can be chartered for bay fishing at about $30 per hour. Banderas Bay is approximately 25 miles in diameter and one of the deepest bays in the world. Therefore, catching a 100 pound sail fish or a 50 pound dorado 300 yards offshore while fishing in a panga is not uncommon. Seldom will you ever get skunked when fishing in the beautiful Vallarta waters. Also, since almost every fish that you catch is desirable for eating, most of the restaurants in Vallarta will be pleased to prepare a wonderful dinner for your entire family using your “catch of the day” as the main course.

During the “high season”, weather conditions are always perfect for fishing. Winter storms are virtually nonexistent and the ocean water is generally quite calm. Perhaps once a month, the ocean might be choppy enough to prevent you from safely leaving the 25 mile bay, however the chance of catching a thriller 20 miles out, but still in the deep bay water, always exists.

As a secondary benefit to all fishermen, the scenery from offshore with the Sierra Madres as a backdrop, has to be among the finest on the planet; always take a camera when fishing in this area. The Mexican shoreline along this Riviera is as beautiful as Pebbl
e Beach and it seems to run forever. If you have the opportunity to take an overnight fishing trip, in all probability you’ll anchor in one of the many inlets or coves along the Riviera. As you gaze into the evening sky, you’ll see more stars than you ever dreamt existed; it’s absolutely incredible.

With a perfect climate, a magnificent shoreline, and an abundance of world class game fish, Puerto Vallarta offers what many consider to be the best deep sea fishing in the world.