Low oil prices should keep airline prices steady or slightly lower
The low oil prices and increased competition (in most countries) should keep base fares of flights from rising. Some routes are already showing signs of trending lower. The only caveat is that a lot of airlines are moving to the charge-for-use model. This includes charging for checked bags, carry-on bags, and drinks.
Why you should do Thailand with Contiki before you get old
The Thai Islands. The magical land of iconic longboats, crystal clear waters and Leonardo DiCaprio’s first movie The Beach. With its vibrant nightlife and great selection of snorkeling, diving, and rock climbing spots, it is not only a great place to retire, but a land that should be experienced while still young. It is an area where you will discover new shades of blue and where your collection of selfies will easily triple.
So where do you begin? How can you get the best value for your money, while meeting new like-minded people and not have to bootstrap it on accommodations?
G Adventures Cambodia Experience Review & Tips
If you’re considering Cambodia for your next trip, G Adventures’ Cambodia Experience tour is a great option. There are many advantages to using G Adventures, including smooth border crossings from Vietnam to Cambodia and Cambodia to Thailand, which can be very intimidating if you were to do it on your own.
As for what you will see and experience, see below for a small taste of what to expect.
Day 1 – Ho Chi Minh City
Arrive at your starting hotel and meet your group around 6pm. This meeting is not mandatory if you are arriving late. Just be sure to look for the G Adventures leaflet at the hotel lobby for details on when you leave the next day.
Custom Suits and Dresses in Hoi An
If you’ve ever been part of a discussion on Vietnam, at some point the conversation will touch on the custom tailoring industry. Vietnam, among its many marvels, and Hoi An specifically is known for its Tailor Tourism where foreigners will flock in to get highly discounted tailored suits, dresses, jeans, and silk products.
The discounts are so great that the on-going joke among travel professionals is that you’re better off travelling to Vietnam once a year to stock up on clothes as the savings will offset the cost of travel. This joke isn’t too far off as it is known that some parents go to Vietnam to purchase prom dresses/suits for their children, while making a vacation out of it.
In general, the pricing is per below in USD (and includes all measuring and taxes):
Dresses – $10 – $25 (Depends on the length and material)
Suits – $60 – $200 (Both pants and jacket)
Dress shirts – $10 – $40
Jeans – $25 – $50 (Depends on the material)
Silk dresses – $200+
*Note that silk dresses are still relatively a great price, especially given the quality of the silk they use (usually from Vietnam)
Most items can be made in a few hours. Some items might take up to 24 hours.
So how do you make the most of your experience?
- Go with a list of what you’re looking to get and how much it is back home so you can easily compare.
- Do your research on what styles/colours/shapes you’re looking for. Better yet, take pictures with you as most tailors can replicate almost any style, including high end designer designs.
- Give yourself enough time. This will ensure you have enough time to get things fixed if the fit/size isn’t right the first time.
- Go back to the same tailor to get further discounts. The more you buy, the cheaper it gets per item.
Hike to Heaven from Barcelona, Spain
Walking through the centre of Barcelona, you are surrounded by the city. Concrete, cobblestones, glass, metal, cars, people, dogs, hustle and bustle. It’s very easy to get sucked into the busy pace of the city – the parties, the concerts, the shopping, the cleaning, the working, the gyming, the life. You begin to long for an escape, a moment of peace, a pause to catch your breath and calm your mind. What you forget is that you are actually in a beautiful part of Spain surrounded by natural wonders, wildlife and opportunities for outdoor adventures.
If you take the plunge, then go to Plaza Espanya and buy a ticket and jump on a train for an hour. As Barcelona fades into the distance behind you, salvation rises ahead of you in the form of the impressive and imposing Montserrat – ‘the jagged mountain’. The mountain named for its serrated edges and mounds that are haphazardly astounding.
What Type of Moroccan Traveller Are You?
What images are conjured when you hear the name ‘Morocco’? Camels? Goats? Burka-clad ladies and fez-clad men? Maybe something a bit more sinister? Morocco is a magical place, but unfortunately it’s been branded in many minds as a danger zone. Somewhere to avoid if you’re a solo traveler or a woman.
Well that’s all a bunch of nonsense. Morocco is incredible. The landscape is beautiful, the people are friendly (okay the men are sometimes a little too friendly but they’d never lay a hand on you) and
the culture is interesting. It’s vibrant and colourful and depending where you go, you can have a plethora of options from surfing to hiking to city/market roaming to camel-trekking into the desert and sleeping under the stars.
Not sure where to begin? Well for starters, what kind of traveller are you?
Crimea Ukraine/Russia: Is Travel Possible?
Crimea has been in the news a lot over the past year. It’s an unfortunate circumstance for its image and tourism, which is sad considering the beauty of the peninsula. But when it comes to travel, is it safe?
Luckily, it’s a lot easier than you think. We hope that the below information and photo-essay will motivate you to visit the peninsula some day. Enjoy!
General transport guide:
From Kiev, take a train to Simferopol
Take a bus from Simferopol to Sevastopol
Take a bus from Sevastopol to Balaklava
Hike from Balaklava to Yalta – Expect 4 to 5 days
Bus from Yalta to Laspi
Laspi back to Simferopol by bus, then train back to Kiev by train
Andorra – Skiing in the Land of No Taxes
Taxes. What a drag. We work and work and give half our money away. Okay, so it’s necessary, but nobody likes seeing their pay-check being chopped by tax. Wouldn’t it be lovely if there was a place where tax didn’t exist? Where the world was duty-free and you could make your cash go a little bit further?
Every heard of Andorra? Andorra is a tiny principality in the Pyrenees between the borders of France and Spain, and, wait for it, it’s tax free! And just to add to the allure of this place, it also has some gnarly ski slopes and resorts dotted all over the place. So you have tax-free and powder. Taxfree and powder! Oh the joy. Who bestowed this gem on the earth?
France’s Top Cycling Climbs
Let’s face it. Even if you are not a fan of the sport, you’ve probably heard of France’s biggest annual sporting event: Le Tour de France. Organized for the first time in 1903, Le Tour of France has gained global popularity and attracted millions of people to competitive cycling. The greatest of athletes described this event as being torture and a highly difficult tour to finish, let alone win.
Fortunately, you do not have to face such struggles. While in France explore the epic climbs without the pressure or the commitment. It is a great opportunity to get some exercise and explore the vast landscapes.
How to Cycle Like the Dutch
If you ever been to the Netherlands, you probably know there is a lot to talk about. Certain buildings, plants and traits define what the Netherlands is all about for a passing visitor or even a local.
There are the lilies, the windmills and the stunning buildings that fill the country with color. There is the freedom of expression and the everlasting traditions of the nation. All this being said, there is one particular aspect of their culture that cannot be stressed enough and it is a must for every traveler that chooses Netherlands as their next vacation destination: bicycling.