Who doesn't love a great spa experience? While a traditional Swedish massage or hot stone treatment is always relaxing, why not try something different and 100% natural?

All over the world, there are regions featuring geothermal pools, hot springs, and water heated by volcanic activity that also contain healing and curative properties. And this isn't something new; even the Incas and the Romans enjoyed taking a dip in these natural spas. Minerals in the water help to alleviate ailments and diseases like asthma, psoriasis, muscle pain, acne, arthritis, neuralgia, and more. And not only is it healthy, its relaxing too.

For a closer look at some of the world's most amazing natural spas check out the gallery below.

[flickr photo via snowpeak]

Gallery: Best Natural Spas Around the World

While layovers are often times boring and filled with endless hours of watching the clock, Changi Airport in Singapore believes that airport experiences should be memorable. Not only that, the airport also caters to the budget-traveler with an array of free activities for people of all ages. Next time you're in transit at Changi Airport, make sure to:

Take a free tour of Singapore- For those with a layover longer than five hours, the airport offers a choice of taking a historical or cultural walking tour of the city. Bookings can be made at the "Free Singapore Tours Registration Booth" in Terminals 1, 2, and 3.

Enjoy free Wi-Fi at over 500 internet stations around the airport.

Say a prayer and enjoy some peace in one of the airport's four prayer rooms (Terminal 1, 2, 3, and the Budget Terminal).

Go to the movies. There are literally big-screen theaters with spacious and comfortable seats showing the latest box office hits in Terminals 2 and 3.

Get your game on in Terminal 2 with complimentary Xbox 360, Playstation 3, MTV Booths, and LAN Gaming.

Go for a hike in one of the various gardens or trails located in the airport, some of which include a rooftop cactus garden, a Sunflower & Light Garden, and the world's only Butterfly Garden.

Keep up-to-date with news, sports, and entertainment in one of the many television lounges dispersed throughout the airport.

Pamper yourself for free at one of Changi Airport's many foot and calf massage stations.

Get creative at one of the many designated interactive art zones where you'll be able to create your own masterpiece.

Learn about aircraft transportation at the Aviation Gallery located in Terminals 2 and 3.


[flickr photo via edwin.11]

While I don't think anybody would dispute that the American Southwest is beautiful, this timelapse video by Henry Jun Wah Lee of Evosia Studios takes the region to a whole new level of breathtaking. Without using words or special effects, the Los Angeles-based filmmaker brings the landscape to life with dancing fog, vibrant sunrises, detailed rock formations, and curvacious craters that appear to flow like a woman's skirt. The photographer's mission in his work is to inspire people who spend their time in cities to get out and re-connect with nature. Through this video, you'll get to explore the Grand Canyon, Monument Valley, North Coyote Buttes, the Upper and Lower Antelope Canyons, Rattlesnake Canyon, the Eastern Sierras, Vermillion Cliffs, Yosemite National Park, Grand Staircase Escalante, and the December 2011 Lunar Eclipse.

So how did he create such a stunning masterpiece? Jun Wah Lee explains it took, "a little bit of luck, a lot of traveling and sleepless nights, and a lot of practice!"

When's the last time you engaged in Viking sword fighting during your travels? Apparently, there are some people who are trained professionals in this skillful yet dangerous art form, like Kelle Longbow and his son Gernot. In fact, Museum Secrets got the chance to talk to the two fight choreographers and see the proper technique for Viking fighting in the exclusive video above.

According to BBC History, "Laws of the late Viking period show that all free men were expected to own weapons, and magnates were expected to provide them for their men." Swords, battle axes, and spears were popular, with elaborately decorated swords symbolizing high status and wealth. Surprisingly, the Vikings had no professionally elected army, although the bonds between the men and their leaders were strong enough to hold them together. In the end, the goal was to capture or even kill the opposing leader.

Although the current sport uses dull blades and doesn't involve death, the risk of injury is apparently still pretty high, as Viking warfare is based on hitting the enemy. Luckily, you can only strike on the upper arms, shoulders, torso, and knees to upper thighs.

To get a better idea of Viking warfare, check out the video above. Museum Secrets airs on Thursdays at 10 PM ET/PT on History Television Canada and for international viewers, more short videos are available at www.museumsecrets.tv.

Hotel Villa Magna
Madrid, Spain

Hotel Village Magna is a 5-star luxury hotel located in the center of Madrid. Until December 2012, the property will be helping travelers get to know the art and culture of the city through their Prado Package, which includes a private guided tour of the Museo Nacional del Prado, a museum featuring fine European art from the 12th-19th centuries. Not only that, but once the tour is over visitors will be seated for a gourmet, butler-service meal in one of the exhibition rooms where live music will accompany breathtaking art and sumptuous cuisine. Once back at the hotel, the package treats guests to stay in the Royal Suite where unlimited Cava will be provided, as well as a daily buffet-breakfast for two, private car service to and from the museum and airport, and a late check-out of 4PM.

Packages start at $14,575 per night. Call +0034915 871 234 or E-mail villamagna@villamagna.es to book.

For those who are unfamiliar with the term, "dark tourism" refers to visiting sites associated with grief, tragedy, or death. While some people may debate the ethics of visiting these types of sites, they often provide educational, enlightening, and even life-changing experiences for those who do. When I was in Munich, Germany, I took a day trip to see Dachau Concentration Camp (shown right) and learned a lot about the site and the Holocaust in general that I had not known before. While it wasn't an easy experience, I did see the value of visiting such a site for the awareness factor as well as to stop these past tragedies from happening again.

Although dark tourism first gained prominence between the 18th and 19th centuries, the interest in these types of sites is still growing. Here are some new dark tourism sites open all over the world, as well as some that have garnered an integral status throughout the years.

New

Napoleonland
France

Napoleonland, which will be created to honor military leader and politician Napoleon Bonaparte, is expected to be completed by 2017. It will be a theme park that will include shops, museums, hotels, and restaurants. While this may sound fun, the site of the attraction will reside on the very spot where Napoleon's troops fought and defeated the Austrian army about 200 years ago. A water show resembling the Battle of Trafalgar, a ski run containing the frozen bodies of dead soldiers, a re-creation of Louis XVI literally losing his head on the guillotine, and other war-related and morbid interactive exhibits will all be featured.

Turkey is a historical country filled with culture, beauty, and natural wonders. In fact, there are many interesting facts that many people may not know that help add to the enchantment and splendor of the country, like the fact that the world's oldest known human settlement can be found in Turkey, two of the seven Wonders of the Ancient World were located in Turkey, and the seven churches cited in the Book of Revelation all resided in Turkey. With such a unique past, it's not surprising that the country holds so many spectacular and amazing sites. Wander inside the Blue Mosque, an enormous complex that was built from 1609-1616, trek through the unworldly Cappadocia region, or check out the ruins in Ephesus, where the Temple of Artemis stands, once one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.

To explore the wonders of Turkey for yourself through photos, check out the gallery below.

Gallery: Wonders of Turkey

When people hear I spent a summer teaching English in Thailand, they often assume I speak fluent Thai. The truth is, you don't need to be fluent in the local language to teach English abroad. I'm not saying that it doesn't help, however, it isn't necessarily required, as the goal is creating an environment of English-language immersion.

Teaching English is a great experience for all parties involved, and if it's something you're interested in doing you shouldn't let fear of not speaking the local language fluently hold you back. Not only will you get the chance to have an eye-opening experience and get a unique perspective of the culture, you'll also be helping educate children and getting the chance to share your unique background with them.

To help you get the most of your experience teaching English abroad, here are some tips.

Figure out if you want to get paid or volunteer

When I taught English in Thailand, I volunteered with an affordable organization called International Volunteer Headquarters. Basically I paid a small fee which included having 24/7 support, accommodations, meals, school supplies, and cultural activities like elephant trekking and a weekend homestay experience. A portion of the money also went toward benefiting the local community. You can also search through the SE7EN database for free and low-cost opportunities. The truth is, there are a lot of expensive volunteer programs out there for this kind of project, and while many of them are reputable, there's really no need to spend a fortune to volunteer, especially if you want a truly local experience.

If you're looking to teach English long-term and want to get paid for your work, I would recommend signing up for a TEFL, TESOL, or CELTA course, as many schools require that you have a certification. While it's not impossible to get a job without one, you'll have less choices in the positions you can apply for. Some excellent resources for these kinds of jobs include Dave's ESL Cafe, ESL JOBS, and Teaching Opportunities Abroad.

Wondering where you should travel this spring? Take advantage of one of these season-inspired packages and enjoy fun activities in great locations for a discounted price.

De L'Europe
Amsterdam, Netherlands

The city of Amsterdam is well-known for its flower markets, lush gardens, and picturesque parks. To help visitors experience the natural beauty of the city, De L'Europe is featuring an Enchanted Gardens package from March 22-May 20, 2012. The package includes accommodations in the spacious Deluxe Room, breakfast for two each morning, and two tickets along with an all-inclusive guide to the Keukenhof, where myriad flora and fauna displays will be featured as well as over 7 million flowers including hundreds of tulip varieties.

Packages start at $595 per night based on double occupancy. Call +31 20 531 17 77 or click here to book.

There are many reasons Singapore makes a great travel destination, from unique architecture to rich cultural experiences to carefully prepared cuisine. In 2012, the Southeast Asian destination has even more reasons to visit, from exciting new restaurants to the opening of their first river-themed animal park. Here are some reasons to put Singapore on this year's trip itinerary.

New cultural venues

In February, 2011, the ArtScience Museum at Marina Bay Sands opened to the public as the first of its kind in Southeast Asia. First there is the architecture of the building (shown right), which is designed to look like a lotus flower in order to metaphorically welcome guests from all walks of life. The museum itself houses more than 50,000 square feet of exhibits for visitors to explore, helping them to better understand the connection between art and science.

The National Art Gallery in Singapore is undergoing a complete renovation and is being relocated to the center of the Civic District. The new visual arts venue will be housed in two adjacent heritage buildings: City Hall and the former Supreme Court building. It will be the largest of its kind in Singapore, and will "focus on the display, appreciation, promotion, research and study of Southeast Asian and Singaporean art, as well as play host to international art exhibitions". The completed project should be done by the end of the year, and until then travelers can still visit the former National Art Gallery, which features an array of local and cultural works.