Travel Tips

Getting Through a Long Flight

Although air travel is more commonplace now, the speeds with which we reach destinations have not changed by much. This does not matter for first or second time fliers, but for regular travelers air travel soon becomes a bore. Cramped seating, unchanging scenery, not-very-exciting food etc, are all hallmarks of any flight. But by doing a few simple things, you can make a boring long flight more bearable.

Killing time – Bring a book or two along, to keep you occupied. Pocketbooks are better suited for this purpose. Don’t read for long periods at a stretch, as the lighting in the plane is not the best for reading. Break the reading with short naps and by listening to some music with your eyes closed. Carrying a small MP3 player with you will ensure that you have all the music that you like. You could also carry a PSP or similar gaming device as well.

Move around – Sitting in one place for a long time can cramp you up and affect your blood flow. Every two hours or so, get up and walk around. Spend a few minutes walking up and down the aisle; if possible do some light stretching. Yes this can earn you a few quizzical looks, but you should ignore them in the interests of your health. You should also try to get seating near the exit doors. These seats have more leg room than the others and are usually reserved for disabled persons. At the time of check-in, inquire from the staff as to their availability and take them if they are not required for any disabled persons.

Don’t dry up – Dehydration is an unseen assailant. Go easy on the alcohol or drop it if you can. Drink lots of water or juice to keep you hydrated.

Safety Tips for Ladies

Travelling alone can be daunting enough without having to worry about valuables and security. Yet, this is a reality that every lone traveler has to face. For women, especially, security is of paramount importance. There are a few simple steps that can help towards this factor.

Always pick a hotel that is situated in a bustling neighborhood. If there are lots of restaurants, night clubs, late night stores etc it is better, because there will always be people around. Picking a smaller hotel in this area is also a good idea. The staff will get to know you better and will be more alert to strangers hanging around the premises.

Don’t take a room that you are not comfortable with. Try to keep away from those that are close to the emergency exit and pick one that is closer to the elevator. Even if you have just come off of a long and grueling flight, do not settle for any room. Make the extra effort to find the right room.
Exploring cities can be fun and getting lost also has a bit of to it. However, you should always carry a map with you. Run through the map before hand and familiarize yourself with certain key landmarks and their proximities to each other and your hotel.

Lock up all your valuables in the hotel safe. You should also split up your cash; put some in your handbag, wallet, secret compartment in your luggage, etc. This will minimize your loss in case one of them is stolen.

Tips for First Time Cruisers

Going on a cruise is a very different experience to any other holiday that you are likely to take. It takes care of your accommodation, food and travel criteria while taking you to various destinations. If you are thinking of taking a cruise and it is your first time, here are some helpful tips to keep in mind.

The best time to book a cruise is in the early stages or the very last minute. This strategy will give you the best possible price as there are many deals floating around at these stages. Small cabins obviously go for low prices and they get even lower if you do a last minute booking.

Find a reputable travel agent and utilize their services. The agents have inside knowledge on the best deals and will be able to advise you on your course of action. This is especially useful when it comes to avoiding cabins that are close to noisy parts of the ship and also in sorting out any special meal requirements.

Try to drive or take a train to the port of departure. This will reduce your travel cost drastically when compared to taking a flight. If you do plan to drive there, consult your travel agent as they may be able to give you a deal on long term parking.

You should also try to get a group of people together to go on the cruise. Not only will this be fun, as you will be travelling with friends, it will also help you get better discounts for the large number of bookings that you will make.

Penny Pinching in Hong Kong

Hong Kong is a great place to visit whether on business or pleasure. If you are a budget conscious traveler, there are a few things you can do to save money.

First time visitors (and even some experienced travelers) make the mistake of using the Airport Express to get into the city. While it is quite fast and convenient, it is not necessarily the cheapest way to go to the city from the airport. Airport Express will cost you between $60 and $100, whereas the Airbus service will be between $30 and $45. The taxi service is not recommended as it will cost you almost $300 (prices are quoted in USD).

Once you are in the city, get yourself an Octopus Card. This is a prepaid card which can be recharged as often as you require. It allows you to use the Hong Kong public transportation system without the hassle of looking for local currency. All you have to do is swipe the card and the cost will be deducted from it. Hong Kong has an excellent public transport system, so this method will definitely save you lots of money. To top it all off, the card can even be used at the local McDonalds.

When you go to a restaurant, be aware that a service charge is included in the bill. So you do not really need to leave a substantial tip. However, it is considered common courtesy to leave small one. When you visit Kowloon market, be warned – the shops will try to fleece you because you are a tourist. Never take the first, second or even the third offer. Bargain for as long as you can if you really want the product. You will be surprised to find the price dropping below 50% of the originally quoted price.

Budget Family Vacations

Family vacations are great, but they can also be quite expensive. There is no option of putting off a family vacation, as children just cannot wait for vacation time. These are also some of the times that you have such fond memories of and pictures and home videos. However, when planning out a family vacation, you must be conscious of how much it will set you back, and you must check if you can really afford it. If you can manage a great deal on a family vacation, then all is well and good, otherwise, here are a few great ideas for a family trip on a budget.

Keeping it affordable
Not every single family vacation must be to an exotic destination that costs you huge bucks. If you have small children, then it is best that you look for vacation spots that are not too far away. Camping is a great family vacation idea – and will also not cost you much. Choose a place that offers lots of activities such as horseback riding, hiking, skiing trails, rock climbing and hopefully a pool. Another good idea would be to camp at a farm. This way your children can get involved in farm activities like collecting eggs and milk in the mornings, helping to feed the animals and exploring the meadows.

Ideas for family vacations
If you are looking for options, first decide what kind of trip you want it to be. Do you want to visit the beach, could it be a road trip, or an adventure trip, a safari or even a family vacation on a houseboat? Talk to your family and make a collective decision.

Planning a Holiday to Vietnam

Located in South East Asia, Vietnam is becoming a fairly popular destination for holidaying. Plagued by its association with war and poverty, Vietnam is still not a top choice amongst most people for a holiday destination. However, over the years, Vietnam has slowly risen to its feet, and the economy has just started to take off.

Blessed with beautiful beaches, snow-capped mountains and wonderful cities, Vietnam is a picturesque country.

When to go to Vietnam
There is no ‘time’ to go to Vietnam. Given the fact that it is a tropical country, the climate really means the equivalent of a humid and very hot summer. The weather however is quite different from the North to the South of the country.
In Northern Vietnam, between the months of November and April you can expect winter, while May to October is definitely hot. The south of Vietnam is hot right throughout the year. The rainy season takes place between May and November, with the most amount of rain generally experienced from between June and August.

Apart from all this, travel experts say that the best time to visit Vietnam is between the months of September and December as it is the best time to travel right around the country.

How to Travel around Vietnam
This all depends on how much of the country you intend to visit. There many travelling options. You can choose to fly from destination to destination. Domestic flights are available only to major cities and are quiet cheap.
Trains are even cheaper, especially if you would prefer not to fly. The country boasts a fairly wide railway network.
The buses in Vietnam are supposed to be fabulous and awfully cheap. They also make it so much easier to travel around. Taxis are also another method of travel, but can prove to be a bit expensive.

Paradise Found – Maldives

The Maldives is a collection of islets located on top of 26 atolls. The country is fully geared towards tourism and therefore, many of the 1,200 islets have idyllic resorts that welcome you into ‘paradise’.

If you travel to one of the resorts or private islands you will realize the pleasure of isolation. Unlike other destinations the fact that these are islands means that you won’t be bothered by beggars, touts and other incessant worriers of tourists. Instead, you can lounge about the beaches with parasols over you and sip away at a never ending supply of cocktails.

If you feel the Sun is a tad too hot, you can always slip into the warm sea and explore the sea life underwater. Whether you are a scuba diver or a snorkeler, the seas hold enough marine life and reefs to keep you coming back for more. By hiring a boat, you can head out to deeper water where you can trawl for fish. While you are out there, it is very likely that you will encounter schools of dolphins and even see the occasional shark. The islands also encounter spectacular low tides; thus miles of sea bed are completely exposed or left in a few inches of water. This allows nature lovers to walk about and inspect corals and pools of water containing marine life. Do not forget to protect yourself with sun block whenever you are out in the open.

You can find resorts to fit most types of purses, but be warned that this is not a backpacker’s destination. You should also book ahead before going there as some resorts get fully booked up to a year in advance.

The Animal Kingdom

The opening of Disney’s Animal Kingdom in 1998 was the culmination of an eight year long process that began with a simple idea. The idea was to create a traditional theme park (much like an Epcot style pavilion) and marry it to a non-traditional zoo. This was the idea proposed by Joe Rohde (Imagineering Concept Designer) to Michael Eisner (then CEO of the Walt Disney Company).

The park is, as Disney trumpets, a very different experience in interacting with animals. Every location in the park has been designed beautifully, with meticulous attention paid to making the animals feel comfortable in their environment. Because of this, you will almost never feel as if you are separated from the animals as the barriers in between look very natural or altogether invisible.

The 500-acre park is designed conceptually like a wheel. At the heart of the wheel is the Tree of Life, from which radiates various lands. Among these weird and wonderful places you will find the Oasis, Discovery Island, Camp Minnie-Mickey, Africa, Rafiki’s Planet Watch, Dinoland USA and Asia. The park has a few fun excursions like a short journey into the Savannah called Kilimanjaro Safaris and Expedition Everest which will whisk you off to find the elusive Yeti while Dinosaur will take you back in time to the Cretaceous Period. Throw in the fabulous plant life and wide variety of animals and you begin to see that the park is really a great place to visit.

But a word of warning, this is not a place for those who come looking for “rides”. This park is all about observing animals in their natural habitat with as little interference as possible and learning about them. For those who come here with that mindset it can be a fantastic experience that will leave them wanting more.

Top Five Paradises

Vacation time is around the corner and you probably need to find a great place to go to. Here are the top five most exotic places to go to in the world:

1. Barbados – Located in the Caribbean, Barbados is the island to visit. The fauna and flora is amazing and the white, sandy beaches are absolutely heavenly. Barbados is a popular vacation spot for top celebrities, politicians and even businessmen. The most luxurious hotel on the island is Sandy Lane which is complete with a state-of-the-art spa, with all treatments based on Far East and Caribbean traditions.

2. Lombok – An island in Indonesia, Lombok is ideal if you are looking for a nice, peaceful and quiet vacation. Choose the Oberoi Lombok Hotel, which is situated on the North Eastern coastline. This is a superb location, as it is right opposite three tiny exotic coral islands. The hotel has 20 luxury villas and 30 bungalows.

3. Bali – Known popularly as ‘the pearl of the world’ and ‘the islands of the gods’, Bali lives up to its name. It is one of the most expensive and prestigious holidaying locations. Stay at the award winning five star Ritz Carlton located in Jimbaran Bay. The hotel has 36 villas, which come complete with a private pool.

4. Mauritius – A vacation for the elite. The five star Le Saint Geran hotel in Mauritius is the place to stay, and is on a private peninsula. A favorite amongst Hollywood celebrities and royal families, Mauritius discourages the usual tourist traffic and is available only to a select crowd.

5. Seychelles, Fregate – This is a private location in Seychelles. The Fregat Island Private is the only hotel on the island and has 16 villas located in the midst of a tropical forest. The restaurants, the water sports, the beach, the snorkeling – you name it, they are all great!

Six Tips For Avoiding Hidden Hotel Fees

The revenue hotels earn from telephone calls, internet fees, fitness centers, the business center and other charges have tripled over the years. Recently an investigation conducted regarding four Wyndham establishments by Florida’s attorney general led to a settlement of $2.3 million and a new requirement that all hotel fees be disclosed straight up. Wyndham has agreed to now make this part of their system across the country. The rest of the hotels however, could be slow on the uptake, so here are a few tips to avoid hidden fees at hotels:

Avoid top business hotels. These hotels cater exclusively to business travelers and are quite intent on helping them on spending their per diem.
Choose hotels that are against hidden fees. Take for example Omni and Kimpton who now have free Wi-Fi in the lobby.

If you are booking a hotel online, do it directly on the hotel sites. If you find a great deal online, it would be best if you compare the rates on the third party website with the hotel website.

It is always wiser to ask the hotel to prepare your bill the night before you check out. This way you have time to scrutinize the bill and check on charges you were unaware of, etc. If you get caught up in the rush at the time of checking out, chances are, you would not go into the details of the bill and then, hidden charges will go unnoticed.

Do not be ashamed to haggle. If you are a frequent guest or a member of a loyalty club, feel free to ask for a daily ‘best’ rate on phone calls and other services.

The obvious must never be overlooked. Always ask if there is a service charge before tipping, bring in your own bottled water so you do not have to use the mini bar and so on and so forth.

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