Medical tourism is one of the fastest growing niches in the travel industry. Some make the distinction between medical travel and medical tourism, with the former being trips made solely for medical purposes, and the latter for those who wish to combine tourism with their medical treatments. I prefer to use the term medical tourism for both types of trips since the family members and the patient both normally have the option of sightseeing while in the country.

How does one choose the particular destination to receive the needed medical procedures? For most people the answer is rather simple.

Most of the decision making on medical tourist destinations revolves around two factors,

(1) the relative costs of the procedures, and
(2) the distance which one has to travel to get the procedures. One example of such destination decision making can be illustrated by dental tourism.

Citizens of the United States and Canada are more likely to go to Latin America for dental procedures; citizens of Germany, Switzerland, and Austria are more likely to go to the Eastern European countries of Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland and Romania. As long as the distances are similar, the cost factor overrides the distance factor.

However, when the medical procedure is a highly specialized one, like heart surgery or knee replacement, a third factor outweighs both cost and distance. That factor is medical proficiency in the procedure. With the most serious medical needs the qualifications of the doctors and hospitals involved take precedence over cost and distance. Factors such as hospital affiliations with medical groups like Johns Hopkins Medicine International and the type of certification the hospital has become critically important. For example, over 200 facilities outside of the United States have received accreditation from the Joint Commission International (JCI). Approval through the multi-step accreditation program of JCI is a good indication of the quality of the institution.

With more specialized procedures the choice of your medical tourism destination becomes more serious in consequences but is no harder to research. A simple Google search on the internet for the three keyword phrases: “medical tourism”, “medical travel”, and “medical travel facilitators” will return a multitude of resources to study. And, as you research these links, you will find numerous other links from within those web sites that will expand on each topic.

You will find lists of medical travel facilitators who can provide you with a complete travel and medical package, tailoring a trip specific to your medical and travel needs. These travel facilitators include such groups as Patients Without Borders, MedRetreat, and Medical Nomad. Among your search results will probably be these and others with similar programs.

In summary, in choosing your medical tourism destination, you need to:

Know exactly the procedure you need. You can learn this from your personal doctor. Determine which countries have doctors and hospitals that perform this procedure. Select the ones that are accredited and have been rated highly by others. Based on a cost analysis of your chosen list of doctors and hospitals, determine which destination fits most closely with your personal medical and financial needs. Either personally make your travel and medical arrangements, or contact a medical travel facilitator to do it for you. Do it. Go take care of your medical problem while enjoying the thrill of spending time in another country.

After reaching into the past with The Met, we meet the present and future art with the Museum of Modern Art, or MoMA. Compared to The Met, MoMA was just recently founded in 1929 by JD Rockefeller’s wife, Abby and her two friends, Lillie Bliss and Cornelius Sullivan.

The focus of the museum is to interconnect between established and experimental art and accessibility to the public. Due to this, MoMA is now regarded as one of the most influential museums today. Listed are just some of the artists whose works are in the museum: Van Gogh, Picasso, Warhol, Dali, Pollock, Basquiat, and other notables. Just from the names above, you know that MoMA is going to stay stronger through the years.

With several sights to see and surprises to offer, Thailand could be one of the best locations you should not miss to visit. Culture, beaches, people, and heritage sites are some of the things you can expect when you travel to Thailand.

Bangkok – Traveling Thailand wound not be complete without visiting Bangkok. As the nation’s capital with an estimated population of over 10 million (including the neighboring provinces), this city is by far the largest in the country. The city is divided into 50 districts or khet but for tourists and those who are new in the place, 6 divisions would be more useful. These are Ratchadaphisek in the northeast section of the city, Sukhamvit in the southeast, Silom in the south, Thonburi in the west, Rattanakosin in the central north, and Phahanyothin in the north. The whole Bangkok district would give you a diverse taste of culture, history, religion, modernity, and fast-phase life. You can actually witness how all these blend together to comprise the whole Bangkok package. Buddhist temples, historical museums, towering buildings, contemporary restaurants and hotels, shopping centers, canals and rivers, and food make Bangkok a one of a kind city in Southeast Asia.

Phuket – Down south, Phuket features magnificent beaches, tropical sunsets, white sands, blue seas, and breathtaking sceneries. No wonder it is the most popular vacation destination in Asia beating every beaches of the neighboring countries. It has several beaches like Kata Beach, Karon Beach, Patong Beach, Kamala Beach, and Surin Beach. The island showcases several water sports and activities including parasailing, jet-skiing, and scuba diving. By day, Phuket is alive with beachgoers and shoppers and by night, lights, sounds, and party people dominate the whole island.

Chiang Mai – The second largest city in Thailand with an estimated population of more than 200,000. This city located in the northern part of the country offers greener and quieter city. Chiang Mai’s tourism is becoming more and more popular and permanently settling at this city is very common. When you travel Thailand and visit Chiang Mai, you surely would want to see museums such as Hilltribe Research Institute Museum and the Chiang Mai City Arts & Cultural Center. With religion and history enriching the city, you can see several Buddhist temples such as Wat Chiang Mun, Wat Chiang Mun, Wat Phra Singh, Wat Oo-Mong, Wat Phra Jao Mengrai, Wat Phrathat Doi Suthep, and Wat Chedi Luang. The oldest temple dates back in the 11th century. Chiang Mai features attractions such as Chiang Mai Flower Festival in February, Bo Sang Umbrella & Sankampang Handicrafts Festival in January, The 2nd Orchid Fair also in January, and the Loi Krathong Festival usually falls in November.

Pattaya – Located 150 km. north of Bangkok, Pattaya is one of the most popular tourist destinations, which offers great beaches, beer and go-go bars, and a wide array of sport activities. Visit Pattaya when you travel Thailand is a must. Although it is the most overdeveloped part of the country in terms of tourism, prices in Pattaya still remains with reach. In fact, prices of foods, accommodation, and transportations are very affordable.

Krabi – In a small province of Krabi lies a small town with the same name. Paying a visit Krabi town when you travel Thailand is worth the time. Located south of Bangkok near Phuket and Phi Phi island, the town features great beaches along with high end hotels and not so expensive hotel that cater tourists of different classes.

The Central American countries stand out from the rest of Americas. There rich history and breathtaking scenic beauty makes them the favorite place to visit all the year round. With a blend of south and North America the countries like Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama etc. give the continent the finishing touches and add to the diversity of the Americas. The area is always buzzing with activity since ages. The natural and tectonic activity used to shake the place in the ancient times. The rich history of the place reminds the people of the numerous settlements that took place in the region and today the political scene in these countries is ever dynamic. Thus the over all profile of the place is quite versatile and inviting.

On of the main features of the place are remains of the historically important Mayan civilization. It made a substantial part of the Central American history and still the reminiscent of the past stand as majestic as they might have been. The tourists are filled with a gush of adrenaline when they walk through the corridors of the ancient Mayans. The central markets of the city stand in all their grandeur majesty. The ruins show that the city was an urban hub and the people were pursuing agriculture as their main occupation. They were socially advanced people and their urban centers were the venues for dancing singing and many recreational activities. One can hear the echoes of the past standing in the middle of the large citadels.

The advancement in the Central American region is mainly due to the buzzing political scene and the awareness about the rights. The people are highly conscious about the protection of environment and great efforts are put in to preserve the rich environmental heritage. The Central American countries have entered in to a free trade pact as per which they are to let the others allow certain facilitations of trade in their trade. Popularly known as the CAFTA, it has proved to be a boon to the countries’ economies.

The Central American region is known for its volcanic abundance. Each country homes many volcanoes and many of them have erupted in the recent past. The tectonic rumblings are commonplace and it creates a lot of alarm in the people’s minds. The volcanoes are one feature that distinguishes the region form the rest of Americas and it adds to the mystic and magical image of the Central America.

But there’s one threat that has caused a lot of trouble in the region. The trade of drugs has entangled the region in to the grip of heavy crime. The world’s greatest drug trade can be found in this region. The roots of this criminal activity are deep seated and it has caused a lot of disturbance at the local level. But the comforting fact is that the regions attraction is overpowering on the drug threats. And the travelers are not threatened by these and keep on coming to the place with all zeal. And in the years to come this region will catch up with the rest of the world.