Travel & Leisure

1. Consider staying in a condo or vacation rental home.

These homes are fully furnished & equipped with most amenities including a kitchen, laundry & many of the comforts of your own home & reasonably priced. Check out “Vacation Rentals by Owner.”

2. Keep snacks, drinks and mini-meals in your room

If you do stay in a hotel room, utilize the small refrigerator in your room, store milk for cereal,sandwich fixings for lunch, beer for happy hour, & fruit for snacks. If you have an in-room coffee maker, heat the water to mix up instant oatmeal for breakfast.

3. Check out airline sales or offer pages

Go direct to an airline’s specials page & you might find a deal not typically found on a general travel website. You can also sign up for discount travel emails that consolidate many specials from various airlines. Try smartertravel.com or Travelzoo.com.

4. Avoid extra airfare costs like baggage fees

Try & stick to a 1 bag vacation. This will avoid baggage fees, improve your mobility, & reduce the stress of lugging multiple bags on your journey. Shoes & heavy coats are space grabbers so try & limit these. Other clothing can be rolled up for maximum space efficiency.

5. Get Travel Insurance

This may sound like an unnecessary expense but can save you thousands if you were to get sick or miss a flight while on vacation. Many travel insurance companies offer cheap policies & will give you peace of mind. Check out companies like Travel Guard & Travelex Insurance for good but inexpensive coverage.

6. Eat like a local

If you’re not on an escorted tour or staying at an all-inclusive resort (where meals are included in the price of your vacation), find neighborhood restaurants or pack lunches made from items picked up from local grocery stores, and you’ll save money.

7. Bargain for souvenirs

In places like Asia, Mexico and the Caribbean, don’t be afraid to bargain at a street market. Just don’t come down too low if you’ve found an item you really want.

A lot of us live a fast moving approach to life that involves more things to get done than we have time for. As a result, it is ourselves that we don’t entirely take care of. Arranging a vacation is a way to reward yourself for your difficult work as well as have some time to chill. Many people assume they cannot afford a vacation, but with some time spent looking into varied aspects of things it is possible to take the vacation you need without paying tons for it.

First, you want to decide where you need to travel so that you can collect all of the info regarding getting there and the varied attractions. If you want transportation to get there glance at the assorted options. Many folks think getting a package vacation that includes airfare, hotel, and a rental auto is the simplest way to go. In many cases it can be but that isn’t necessarily the case. It is dependent on the varied specials that are available.

for instance my husband and I wanted to take our kids to Disneyland. Yet the cost was a couple of thousand bucks for the hotel, roundtrip flight, rental car and passes to the parks. We considered going somewhere else but decided to see what our options were first. We found out that it was almost $300 per individual to fly to California and back.

Yet we found roundtrip tickets to Las Vegas Nevada for $99 per head. We hired our automobile from that airport instead and drove the leftover four hours to California. With a family of five, we saved $1,000 less the cost of gas to get forwards and backwards. This definitely let us be in a position to take the vacation we wanted on the budget we had available.

If you can schedule your vacation on the off season for your location you’ll save a good deal of money. Common vacation spots like Hawaii, Cancun and the Bahamas are always dearer in the summer time. Traveling on weekdays rather than over Saturday and Sunday will also save your cash. In most situations your hotel room will rise by at least $40 per night if you stay in it on a friday or Sat. night.

Cruises have now become a popular type of vacation because there is so much to do on a cruise ship. It also lets you start enjoying the trip as fast as you arrive on the ship so you have more time to precise relax and try out the assorted activities.

You can save money by choosing a port to leave from that’s inexpensive for you to get to. You will likely have to drive or to fly to the port location. Find out which facilities are offered on a stipulated cruise vacation. If you find you will not use lots of them, then look for a cruise that offers more of them you may use. This way you are only stumping up for what you will be accessing in the vacation.

Another good way to save a substantial amount of cash on a cruise vacation is to down grade your lodging area. The majority don’t spend much time in their room while on a cruise so it is silly to pay for the most lush rooms.

When it comes to saving money on vacations, if your travel dates are flexible you’ll save lots of money. This is one of the finest bargains if your schedule allows for it. Most hotels, cruise lines and airlines prefer to offer the same space at discounted prices than to have it remain empty. The Net is the number 1 place to find these bargain last minute deals.

Planning a family holiday? Try this during off-season. Click on the Upgrade option while booking a train ticket. There is a good chance of getting a free upgrade. You can travel in a first class by paying for a second class ticket. It’s a good start for a happy holiday.

Plan you holiday in advance: You don’t want to spend a bomb on your tickets at the last minute. Prepare well in advance and book your tickets at reasonable rates. At least 14 days in advance will help you get better rates.

Want a vacation which is soft on your wallet. Try a camping vacation. You’ll save money on those exorbitant hotel and get in touch with nature at the same time – camping makes for a great family vacation.

You drive to work daily. A few suggestions to save your money. Switch off engine while waiting for more than 15 seconds at red light signal. Always keep air pressure in your vehicle tyre to the prescribed limit. It improves mileage and in turn you will save some money.

Try to avoid 4 wheelers unless the number of people travelling is more than two. Use bicycle or walk if going to a nearby place instead of any vehicle.

This way you will end up paying less for more on your travel and holiday experiences and save. Remember, every penny saved is every penny earned. So keep saving for a better future while travelling to your destinations at the same time.

We are all looking for that perfect niche, talent or function that makes us important to others. A place where you can go and feel that you have given a part of yourself and that part has significantly helped, somehow make this world a better place for others. I guess what I mean is, we are all looking for our significance in this world in one form or another. Sometimes this search is more pronounced than other times.

As a mother, I realize I do have significance in life by merely existing because my children need me. But sadly, sometimes that is not enough. So, I search to find my significance through my passions in life. My passions happen to be sharing the wonderful world of travel with others. Working in the travel industry for over a decade in my life, I really enjoyed planning vacations for others. The world around us is a big playground and I felt significance in helping others enjoy this outlook as well. After 9/11, the travel industry was not the same. Gloom-ridden clouds covered my blue skies of possibilities. The excitement once felt at the thought of visiting all the wonderful places was replaced by fear. The business competition to keep even the slightest customer happy was near impossible. This became the end of my then, passion-filled prosperous career. This was not an exciting atmosphere I once flourished in. Negativity breeds more negativity, so sadly I said goodbye to what had been my great passion and began my search for new passions.

Besides getting married to my prince charming and starting a family, I had not found a passion that resonated as deeply inside me as my work in the travel industry until the recent recession hit. I know, I know. Very unorthodox timing for passions to flow when devastating economic downturns are taking place all around us. But this is when I happened upon my renewed passion.

My love for planning travel quickly returned when I began my adventures of finding the hidden gems inside our beautiful Orange County. Things were looking grim for us financially, so to keep my spirits up, I began planning daycations with my family, which of course had to be on a budget. I found that sharing the experience of these adventures my husband and children and seeing all the beauty that exists in our local area was just as full-filling as planning vacations for others. There was the challenge of not being able to splurge but keep the daycation exciting enough for us all to enjoy. In fact this was more fulfilling because I began to blog about our adventures. This served a larger purpose than I expected. I found that others families in our surrounding communities were looking for fun adventures on a budget too, and I could share our finds with them. Not only this, but our local tourist attractions that once flourished from travelers afar, were finding themselves without business. Since people weren’t traveling far, they must be staying close. This was when the idea of a daycation was born. What a better place to be a tourist than Southern California, I thought. Experience everything as a tourist would but there’s no need to drop that heavy check on airline tickets or hotels stays (except for the occasional splurge which is a “must” every now and then and experience the real tourist side of town). At the end of the day, I love my life and feel passion for what I can offer to others in my community. There are so many daycations to plan and I am just getting started.

One of the all time cheap vacations has been through companies selling time-shares. The holidays are usually only three to four days in length, but make for a pleasant get-away, if you can endure the high-pressure sales pitch that is a part of the activities. You may know people who use this venue almost exclusively for their holidays.

Be sure you understand what the word “all-inclusive” means to the person booking your vacation. There are many hidden costs relating to your holiday, and they add to your bottom line. These all must be considered as part of the holiday expenses, especially if you are following a tight budget for the trip.

Destination charges can add hundreds of dollars to everyone’s cheap all inclusive holidays. A cruise ship may offer fares that look very attractive if you live in the city where the journey starts and ends, but if you have expensive airfare to get there and back, you can easily end up doubling your costs.

An all-inclusive trip may mean that you get the necessities of life, but none of the little extras. Quite often meals are served at precise times, and if you don’t get there during those times, you have to pay for a special meal with a hefty charge. Drinks are complimentary on some cruises and an extra cost on others.

Tipping can add a great deal to an all-inclusive vacation. It is important to know if this is expected or the servers are taken care of by their employer. Many people don’t ask the question up front, and then they spend another 7% to 10% more just for gratuities.

When you know the exact rules, you can plan your holiday so you don’t come back home with high credit card bills because you ran over your allocation. The one thing that cheap all inclusive holidays are designed for is so people do not exceed their budgets and have to refrain from the next holiday vacation because of the mistake.

Resort areas offering package deals may take in less profit because of the special rates, but it usually evens out because there are more takers on the low priced deals. When vacationers know what they will spend ahead of time, they generally enjoy the holiday more, and they will consider vacationing that way again.

You may have memories of holidays you took without having a firm grasp on expenses and what you were going to do for food and accommodations. You probably spent much more than you anticipated, and many times, you may have gone to some very unmemorable resorts.

The only way to look at these cheap all inclusive holidays is as a win-win situation for you and the attraction you go to visit. Just get all the facts before you make the trip.

The most popular area to backpackers is Pham Ngu Lao in the 1st – out of 16 – district of Ho Chi Minh City. In its strategic location close to the heart of the citym Pham Ngu Lao offers a long array of budget accommodations starting from as low as $5 per night.

History Museum, War Remnants Museum, Giac Vien Pagoda, Museum of Ho Chi Minh City, Mekong Delta, Notre Dame Cathedral, and Ben Thanh Market are just to name some of tourist attraction sites in Ho Chi Minh. Whilst it is not as beautiful as its northern counterparts, traveling from one tourism attraction site to another is quite easy in Ho Chi Minh. Forget the memory you may got from Hollywood movies about the war, Ho Chi Minh is safe, even to travel around at night.

One of the worth-to-visit sites is Notre Dame Cathedral. Built back in 1870 by French architect Jules Bourard, the cathedral has two 187-meters-high towers, making it one of the icon of Ho Chi Minh for decades. For natural attraction, Mekong Delta is the place to go. Here we can cruise along the river, interact with local people in the floating market, and enjoy beautiful rice field scenery along the river side.

For a different atmosphere we can leave the modern city life of Ho Chi Minh and go to Hoi An. Full of old architectural heritage, Hoi An brings you back to the previous century. Sipping Vietnamese tea at a sidewalk cafe in a full moon night, with colorful silk lampions, traditional music, local kids playing hacky sack, you will find yourself in a mystical ancient land.

Hoi An was once the most important port in South-East Asia and therefore in 1999 UNESCO declared it as one of the world’s cultural heritage sites.

Pedestrians and bicycle riders will like Hoi An as motorbikes and cars rarely appear here. In addition to historical sites like The Japanese Covered Bridge which is the icon of Hoi An, Chuc Thanh Pagoda, and Museum of Folklore, Hoi An is also famous for its clothing home industry.

From Hoi An we can take a four hours bus trip to Hue, a city split into two parts by River Perfume. In the days of the Nguyen Dynasty, the northern side of Hue played an important role. The kings of Nguyen Dynasty ruled from The Forbidden Purple City at the northern side of Hue. The buildings of the ancient empire town remains as it was.

Other attractions in Hue include Thien Mu Pagoda, Dieu De National Pagoda, and the tomb of king Khai Dinh. Cruising River Perfume on a tourist boat is another way to enjoy Hue.

Exploring Vietnam will never get completed without going up north where popular tourism sites such as Halong Bay, Cat Bay Island, and Sa Pa hill are located.

Halo Bay offers impressive scenery of soaring karst, tropical forest, caves, and waterfalls. Hiking addicts should find themselves in paradise at Sa Pa. Located at the foot of Fansipan Mountain, Sa Pa has beautiful hill and terraced rice field scenery as well as unique local traditional life.

So much Vietnam has to offer for backpackers, you can also enjoy it in style. Forget budget accommodations and rent a Vietnam villas for ultimate luxury experience. More than luxury accommodation you can also get customized tours perfectly suited to preference by personal butler.

One of the many nice things about visiting an off the beaten track vacation destination is tourist pricing has not arrived yet.

While in La Manzanilla you can find lots of delicious and inexpensive food, much of it from food stalls that open only at night. Here are a few of my favorites all priced from $1-$2 dollars each.

Tacos at Chop Chop’s- most evenings this fantastic taco stand is serving to a packed crowd. Don’t bother looking for this place during the day; it is only open at night. They serve tacos asada (grilled beef), chicken, lengua (tongue) and my favorite quesadilla with chorizo. Tacos are served with a selection of salsas and beans.

Pozole, this is a traditional Mexican soup made with hominy, pork or chicken, chilies and spices. It’s topped with shredded cabbage, thinly sliced radishes and a squeeze of lime. Along the main garden you can find at least one or two restaurants serving their version of Pozole, try them all and decide for yourself whose is the best. The restaurants serving Pozole also usually have enchiladas, tacos dorado (fried tacos filled with potatoes), and tostados.

Tortas at Mi Kasita. This restaurant is open for breakfast and lunch and is located on the main street into town, just before you get to the main garden. A torta is a Mexican sandwich, served on an oblong 6-8 inch firm, crusty white sandwich roll, called a bolillo. I like the Cuban Torta which includes a wide variety of ingredients: ham, white cheese, spicy pork, tomatoes and I always go for the jalapeños as well. The bread is toasted and it is a bit messy to eat but very tasty and coming in about $2 it’s a filling lunchtime meal.

Tamales from Juan. Each evening Juan sets out in his tuk-tuk with fresh tamales. You can choose from pork, chicken, poblano peppers or strawberry. If you see him on your side of town on one evening be warned, he won’t be back on the following evening. He can only service half the town each night so he rotates his route. The tamales are around.50 each and 3 is a really big meal.

Beer at the beach. Ok, so technically this isn’t food but when you can get a beer served to you at restaurant on the beach and it costs $1 it needs to be mentioned!

There are many dining options in La Manzanilla, you can definitely spend $50 for two at on of the upscale restaurants in town. If you need to stretch your budget, choosing to eat at the food stalls or simple Mexican owned restaurants will help your money last.

There are many ways to backpack Budapest on the cheap, but what if you want to throw caution to the wind and blow your budget entirely? If you’re planning on seeing the sights in style, make sure you double check with the driver of your shuttle from Budapest airport to city, just what the best ways to splash your cash are.

Travel at the Top
Any old car can take you from Budapest airport to city, but if you’re planning on blowing the budget on your holiday then you might as well ensure that your transport is at the top of its game. What could be more stylish than seeing the city from the back seat of a limousine? There are several companies from which you can hire yourself a car and driver in Budapest, so sit back, relax and enjoy the sights in style. Just don’t forget the obligatory wave out of the sunroof to all those who watch you go by. A minibus or car might well be what you need to get from Budapest airport to city, but if you really want to top-range travel, a limousine is the only way to do it.

Spend at the Spa
Nothing screams luxury more than a day out at an exclusive spa, and after flights and the journey from Budapest airport to city, what could be more enjoyable? Bathhouses are a long standing tradition in Budapest. A place where people go to relax, to socialise and even to improve their health, the baths are an important part of everyday life. To bathe in the most comfortable manner however, you will want to head to the Gellert and Szécsény thermal baths, which are renowned for being the most expensive in Budapest. The rules here are that you pay the maximum amount of money on arrival, and if you leave before the maximum allotted time, you may get some of your entry refunded, and that’s just for basic bathing! Should you wish to make the most of the other treatments on offer such as massages and therapies you will have to dig a little deeper. And the most important thing to remember about visiting the Gellert and Szécsény baths? Tipping is the key to getting the best possible treatment.

Eat on the Edge
Once you’ve seen the city from the back of the limo and soothed your aching feet at the spa, you’re bound to have worked up quite an appetite. Why not treat yourself to dinner at one of the most expensive and exclusive restaurants in all of Budapest; airport to city to suburbs, Gundel has earned its reputation. Enjoy a selection of wonderful Hungarian dishes from roasted pheasant to goose liver as you take in the lavish and extremely fancy interior of the restaurant. And if you really want to spend the big bucks, be sure to indulge in plenty of wine from the cellar which is a relic of the restaurant that came before Gundel; though we can’t guarantee that the wine will be quite as old as the cellar itself.

So, if you’re looking to spend, spend, spend all the way from Budapest airport to city, there are plenty of ways to splash the cash.

London is one of the most beautiful and happening cities in the world. Tourists from different parts of the world visit here to explore its beauty and charm. If you are planning to visit London this vacation, make sure that you book London taxis ahead of time. Taxis act as an important link in the London’s transportation network.

Taxis in London can be broadly categorised into two parts:

• The most famous and legendary Black Cabs
• The not so famous and common Mini Cabs

The Black Cabs:

The Black Cabs of London are highly popular all over the world for providing excellent taxi services. Although, they are popularly known as Black taxis, not all of them are in black colour. The modern cabs come in a wide variety of colours with advertisements imprinted all over.

If you want to hire it, just wait on the pavement and look for a taxi with yellow coloured ‘For Hire’ sign written on the top and just raise and wave your hand into the air to stop him. If the cab driver sees you, he will stop beside you.

The drivers of Black Cabs are very reliable because they have to undergo the most stringent Knowledge Test before acquiring the license. It is important for a driver to have proper knowledge of all London routes. They have to memorize each and every street and route, places of tourist attraction and hotels, bus stops, train stations, hospitals, churches or theatres. You seldom have to give advice to the Black texis drivers because of their efficiency in their work.

The Mini Cabs:

The mini cabs make for a great alternative to the conventional black cabs. Actually, the name “mini” is inaccurate because they are bigger than the traditional black texis having a seating capacity of 5 to 8 people. Although, they are cheaper than the black texis, they are not licensed and drivers do not undergo any such knowledge test.

Mini cabs cannot solicit business but they can move in different parts of the city looking for passengers. They are mostly seen in the early mornings looking for business. Usually, women are advised not to board mini cabs.

Hence, if in London, avail the services of these cabs to make your trip comfortable and stress free.

There are a few clothing items that immediately give the tourist away. Think socks and sandals or the infamous bum bag. While no one wants to sacrifice their sense of style when on holiday, there are essential clothing items for the traveller that differ significantly from the usual day to day work or casual wear of most people. Of course, the type of holiday you are going on will influence the attire you need. If you’re going on a quick beach getaway you won’t need much at all! But for the intrepid traveller, or those taking an extended trip, there are a few essential wardrobe items that need dedicated bag space when packing. Even if you’re planning cheap holidays or staying in cheap hotels and don’t have the luxury of an endless cash flow, it’s worth investing in these few staples for a more comfortable trip:

1. Comfortable shoes: Travelling will usually involve walking long distances, whether that be sightseeing, exploring or undertaking organised activities. It’s essential, therefore, to pack comfortable shoes. You won’t want to miss out on anything because of inappropriate footwear. Fashionistas take note – comfortable shoes do not need to be unattractive! An all-purpose pair of sneakers, for example, will serve a number of purposes throughout your trip, whether you’re sightseeing, exercising or you decide to take a hike while away.
2. Rain jacket: While travelling, don’t let rainy weather deter you from your plans or activities. It’s worth investing in a raincoat or rain jacket (which is easier to pack and carry around than an umbrella), so that wherever you go you’re dry and comfortable and able to carry on with your plans.
3. Sunglasses: A good, sturdy pair of sunglasses is essential while travelling. Not only will extended travels usually involve a stint on a beach somewhere, but they will almost always involve a high level of outdoor activities. Leave the fashion sunnies at home, and opt instead for sturdy, UV resistant glasses that will last your entire trip.
4. Hat/head wear: Carrying a hat with you at all times is a sensible option not only for sun protection, but because let’s face it – when travelling, there’s usually little time or equipment to blow dry, straighten or fix your hair. A quick cover up is the easiest way to face the world when having a bad hair day.
5. Versatile, comfortable items: Travelling involves long bus, train and plane trips, making it important to pack loose, comfortable clothing that won’t restrict your movements or dig into your sides. International flights, for example, will have you sitting for extended periods of time or attempting to sleep, so make sure you can travel comfortably. Also, be smart when you’re choosing which clothes to pack. Pick clothing that is versatile and can be dressed up or down depending on the occasion.

Smart packing for a trip will save you the hassle of having to acquire more clothing while overseas – for which you might not have any spare bag space. Although, always remember not to panic if you’ve forgotten something, as anything you need you will likely be able to purchase while you’re away.

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