Looking for something a little different?
Ah it’s here at last, summer! That glorious time of year when we drag out the bikini swim wear, rush to the gym to get in shape and spend hours pouring over glossy vacation brochures. Summer a time to brush away the cobwebs of those dreary winter months and embrace longer days, suntans, BBQ’s, golf and holidays. But it’s always the same old dilemma, where to go for that two week break?
It’s not such a problem if you are retired; you have all the time in the world and the capital to make it happen, but what about the rest of us who work for a living?
Will you pack the camper and head off into the great unknown or just plump for something a bit more familiar, say…Florida! If you do my friends then you are condemning yourself to the hum drum boredom of vacation apathy.

Now I’m a fairly well travelled individual that likes to stay off the beaten path, away from the “kiss me quick” hat brigade and the hassle of finding a place on the beach that hasn’t been used by the local canine population as a public convenience. I have been to Universal studios, bought the T-shirt and frankly if you’re really into lining up with two thousand of your closest friends for an hour or two under a blazing sun to enjoy sixty seconds of screaming kids then this article is not for you.

In my travels I have marvelled at the most fantastic architecture that the greatest cities in Europe can offer, visited cathedrals that are steeped in history and stared awestruck at some of the most famous pieces of artwork ever conceived by man. There is so much of this world that lies undiscovered that it would take even the most adventurous of travellers several lifetimes to see it all. But there is one little place that I can highly recommend for those of you dear readers that are looking for something a little different, welcome to Hungary's best kept secret, Heviz

Heviz is unique in the fact that it is home to the largest thermal lake in Europe, covering 47,500 square meters. What makes this lake so special is that it is fed by a spring that delivers an average of 26,000 litres of water a minute, which means that the entire lake changes every 72 hours. The average temperature of the lake during summer is a very balmy 32 degrees and during the winter months the temperature never drops below 25degrees, quite pleasant. There is another interesting feature about the thermal lake and this is its main selling point. The bottom of the lake is covered in a highly curative mud about 1 meter deep and this has been proven to have a high concentration of “oestrogenous” substances, especially suited for mud packs.
The curative effects of the lake are further enhanced by the high quantities of sulphur and radon in the water that can have a dramatic effect in treating loco motor disorders, regardless whether the disease manifests itself in the joints, extremities or the spine, one other thing that needs mentioning is that the cost of one day lying around in this lake is a mere $6, what a bargain, cheaper than a Big Mac meal and a whole lot healthier.

The town has an abundance of different types of accommodation ranging from Four Star Hotels to quaint little Pensions or for those of you who like to travel "Al Fresco” there are plenty of self-catering apartments that come very well equipped. Personally when I go on vacation I like to be pampered so I plumped for a Hotel, on the whole I found the rooms very clean, the service was great and the staff went out of their way to be helpful to guests, mind you the food has a very German flair to it, so expect lots of meat and hearty quantities of beer with all meals.

So what else does Heviz offer apart from the therapeutic lake? Well if your looking for any kind of Dental work this is the place to go, the service is first rate, the quality is unrivalled anywhere, the price is incredibly low (approximately $35.00 for a ceramic crown) and best of all most Dentists will offer a five year guarantee, now that's impressive.
Ah but wait there’s more, there is also an abundance of Opticians that will give you a complete eye exam by a trained optician and then make you a pair of designer glasses in a day all for 50% less than you would pay anywhere else, fantastic. Still not satisfied? Ok then how about a full body massage, 45 minutes for $18.00 or if your in need of some more pampering how about a facial for the incredibly low price of $8.00, I don’t know about you but parking costs about that much these days.

This town is a little gem that has not yet been discovered by the average traveller, it’s unspoilt, clean, safe and very tourist friendly, the only drawback that I found was that the average age of the guests was about 60, so don’t expect it to be a party town as all the bars and restaurants close at 22:00…sharp, unless of course you can engage the staff in conversation, I myself was able to keep one place open till 23:00, that’s probably a record. If you really feel the need to let your hair down there are organized excursions to local Hungarian culture nights that usually involve copious amounts of very strong Hungarian red wine, a meal and all the trimmings all for under $20.00 per person including transport. If one is so inclined you can also go Para-gliding or horse riding, biking or sailing on nearby Lake Balaton all for considerably less than you would pay in the US.


So before the Euro changes this country for ever I would highly recommend that you check this place out, even if you don’t need new teeth or glasses then I would go just for the ambiance and laid back atmosphere, pamper yourself a little for far less than the price of entrance to Disney World and believe me it’s not half as busy.

For more information please feel free to contact me and I will be more than happy to give you the low down.

author@poisonpencil.com