Vacations

7 Ways to Stick to Your Budget on Vacation

November 27, 2018 by nvshen Leave a Comment

“When you go on a vacation it’s very easy to go way over budget and spend a lot more money than you ever thought possible. Often when you actually break all your extra over budget spending down it’s the little things that really do add up.”

vacation-fund

Keep Your Budget

This article originally appeared on LearnVest.com.
Whether you’re planning a vacation in Paris or a skydive in the States this summer, we don’t want you counting pennies while you stroll along the Seine or thinking about your savings account as you plummet toward Earth.

Vacations are well-deserved treats and money shouldn’t be a cloud over these precious times away. On the other hand, the “anything goes” spirit that is so intoxicating during a trip can turn a little…toxic afterward, when you’re home facing staggering credit card bills.

Follow our tips for staying within your budget on vacation so money concerns don’t interfere with your good times.

Start Planning Early—With a Budget in Mind

The key to optimal vacation spending is—you guessed it—planning and budgeting. About 8 percent of your total yearly budget can go toward “fun” spending like travel. If you love to travel, you can increase this portion of your budget by cutting other areas. When trip planning, balance your total costs based on 1) where you’re going; 2) how you plan to get there; and 3) what you’ll do once there. For example, while a small island in the Pacific might have really great rates on hotels or restaurants, it might cost a small fortune to fly there—but you’ll save on low-cost beach activities. If you’re on a budget, plan a trip that doesn’t gouge you in all three areas.

See more: http://www.realsimple.com/work-life/travel/travel-planning/vacation-budget

Best Honeymoon Destinations of 2018

May 18, 2018 by nvshen Leave a Comment

“Once the wedding is over, many couples look forward to celebrating their newlywed status on their honeymoon. To help couples find the ultimate postnuptial getaway destination, U.S. News reviewed expert opinions along with thousands of traveler votes to determine the best honeymoon destinations. From culture-focused cities to relaxing tropical beaches, this ranking offers a range of destinations suitable for a variety of couples.”

Best honeymoon destinations of 2018

A craft brewery in the Greek Islands. A water park with no lines. A kosher jerk restaurant. A U.S. city’s 300th birthday. A newly minted World Heritage site. Boasting hotel openings and resort renovations, along with new flights, tours, spas, eateries and attractions, these are the 25 honeymoon destinations making headlines in 2018…

Secrets to booking a cheap flight to Europe

March 16, 2018 by nvshen Leave a Comment

“Travel pricing to Europe is based on seasons, with winter being the “low” season and least expensive time to travel, and summer being the “high” season when airfares and hotels charge premium rates. The time of year to travel to Europe is the most significant factor that affects the pricing, but timing is also important in deciding when to purchase tickets or package and which days of the week to fly.”

prague charles bridgge

As the euro falls against the dollar and the weather warms, now is the time to book a trip across the pond. But a favorable exchange rate won’t help you get there for less. That’s where we come in. Here are seven tried-and-true booking strategies for nabbing the absolute cheapest flight to Europe.

Depart Wednesday, return Tuesday

We’ve all heard this sage advice before, but now we have solid proof to corroborate the claim. Kayak’s 2015 Travel Hacker Guide cements what was once just a theory: Hop across the pond on a Wednesday and return home on a Tuesday for the absolute cheapest Europe flight.

Traveling; The Answer To A Fear-Free Life!

January 26, 2018 by nvshen Leave a Comment

How are you handling the emotion of fear or is handling you? If you are experiencing fears, why not travel. Enjoy and be free from fears!

Last month, we all got the news about the Lebanese Prime Minister’s forceful stay in Saudi Arabia and the threats that followed it. People were scared, we didn’t know what to expect. Some said all hell is going to break loose, others weren’t that worried. After all, the Lebanese have gone through a lot, through worse things, that they’ve just learned to deal with the fact, and continue living.

(C) Travel – Inspiration and Tips | MyDomaine

This event gave me the chance to think. Think about my fears, the things that are keeping me away from living life the way it’s meant to be lived. And, I realized fear kills the joy of life. By being afraid, you’re just keeping yourself away from things that will bring meaning to your life. And for what? After all. By being afraid, are you going to be able to change what is meant to happen?

So, I came to a conclusion…

Travelling will break your fears, and bring a sense of freedom into your life.

What’s traveling? It’s seeing new places, meeting strangers, and experiencing odd and unknown things. All these will help you feel good about yourself, feel confident, because you get to know the mentality of others, understand their lifestyle, which will fill the gap of the unknown in you.

Top 10 Adventure Holidays For Your Family Bucket List

January 20, 2018 by nvshen Leave a Comment

It can be a wonderful experience to take the whole family on an exciting vacation. Planning for a trip will also help you to get rid of your busy lifestyle and tensions. Plan a fun-filled adventure with these 10 bucket list of family trips!

Imagine: your children protesting as you wake them in the pre-dawn chill and then, just one hour later, their eyes wide open in wonder as your camels crest the last dune to greet the Sahara sunrise. Or their gasps at the hydraulic exhalation of a pod of orcas, whose dorsal fins break the surface right beside your kayaks. Or their shrieks of glee as, donning safely harness and helmet, they step off the zip-line platform into the void and are whisked away over the lush green carpet of Costa Rica’s rainforest canopy.

The world’s most exciting natural environments make for perfect adventure playgrounds. And, be it a coral reef in Borneo, a bubbling mudpool in Iceland or a glacier in Patagonia, experiencing these playgrounds en famille not only thrills younger travellers but also offers a fresh perspective to their more travel-hardened parents.

Why proper holidays make for happy families

Children are less bothered by guide book “must sees”: take them on safari in Africa and you may find yourself looking beyond the Big Five to poke around in termite mounds; drag them around the buddhist temples of Sri Lanka and you may find that bicycles inject some fun into the history lesson.

7 Of The Most Over-the-Top Airline Amenities You Can Book Right Now

January 20, 2018 by nvshen Leave a Comment

It’s always a pleasure to fly with the best airlines in the world. Listed below are seven top airlines offering top-notch service. If you want to experience a classy and hassle-free flight, check out this list.

If you think flying isn’t fun, it’s probably because you aren’t flying in a 40-foot private suite that’s completely closed off from the rest of the plane. Or, you haven’t had a personal butler attend to your every in-air whim at 39,000 feet.

These are just some of the ridiculously luxurious first-class packages out there. And while many of us might be stuck in coach forever, we can still dream (and save up our airline points). For inspiration, check out seven of the most over-the-top airline offerings right now.

EMIRATES BOEING-777 FIRST CLASS

If you hate interacting with people, Emirates just unveiled the first class suite for you.

On their Boeing-777 planes, the airline has installed 40-foot suites with sliding doors that extend to the cabin ceiling so you’re fully closed off from the rest of the plane. Each suite features a full-service mini bar, room service, and a window through which passengers can receive food and drinks without actual human interaction (because peace and quiet are the truest luxuries).

MANILA ON A BUDGET 2018: Travel Guide & Itinerary

January 9, 2018 by nvshen Leave a Comment

You are bound to experience quite an amusing venture with Philippine travel by water or land. if you are going to travel to Philippines, this will be a good guide for you. Probably one of my favorite travel blogs that gives you the most affordable itinerary.

This travel guide covers not just Manila City but also tourist attractions in other parts of Metro Manila and surrounding areas. A sample itinerary and summary of expenses are also provided.

For 15 years now, Manila has been my home.

For foreigners, it’s easy to dismiss Manila as a tourist destination. Most travelers see it only as a jump-off point to country’s most stunning islands. Outsiders may find it inexplicable, but I love Manila. It’s not perfect — far from it — but it is my home. Even when most of my friends have moved on to other places, I stay. Even now that I work online and I can choose to be anywhere else, I stay. Why? Because there’s much to love about Manila and its surrounding provinces.

Sure, Metro Manila is big, dense, and crazy. Just when you have just started exploring, you get lost in the crowd, choke in the pollution, or drown in her constant nagging. But those who make it past her sins are rewarded with an opportunity to appreciate her virtues. So here’s a travel guide to help you get close and personal with this underrated city.

The Best Extreme Outdoor Adventures in America

January 9, 2018 by nvshen Leave a Comment

Stress levels are at an all time high, and time to relax and partake in outdoor activities for ourselves is at an all time low. Maybe take an extra day or two off so you have a 3-4 days to relax, decompress, and let go of stress and anxiety. If you enjoy extreme activities, you might want to check this list.

There’s no need to leave the country to get your thrills. Hell, some urban adrenaline junkies don’t even leave their city. Whether your idea of excitement is paragliding off a volcano, rappelling down a waterfall or just flattening a house with a tank, many of these extreme outdoor adventures can be tackled in a weekend getaway.

Fly an aerobatic plane in Las Vegas
You might want to save the buffet for later. Getting an eagle’s-eye view of Vegas is thrilling in itself, but pulling Gs in an aerobatic plane takes a sightseeing flight to heart-racing new heights. For the full Top Gun experience, Sky Combat Ace lets you take over the controls. Your pilot demonstrates each maneuver, such as a barrel roll, loop and hammerhead, before letting you test your own skills. Think of it as driver’s ed without the risk of hitting anything.

Go overnight caving in McMinnville, Tennessee
Want to get in touch with your inner caveman? Not only can you explore Cumberland Caverns, which has more than 32 miles of underground passageways complete with cool rock formations, waterfalls and pools, but you can sleep over, too. Excursions include the All Around the Mountain tour, featuring ladder climbs, cave crawling and camping out in an underground cave, followed by breakfast in the Volcano Room, a large space that is also used sometimes for concerts.

The World’s Most Welcoming Countries – As Voted By You

December 21, 2017 by nvshen Leave a Comment

Travelling is always fun! And it’s more fun if we are welcome by the people we just met! It is important to stay connected with others while you are on a foreign land.

Whether it’s a friendly face at check in or a taxi driver who’s full of useful tips, nothing beats getting a warm welcome on your travels – and our interactions with local people have a huge impact on how we view countries as a whole. We asked our Facebook and Twitter followers to share where they’ve found the most hospitable places around the world. Here’s what they said.

10. Bolivia

This South American country has been voted among the world’s least friendly tourist destinations in the past – but we’ve always thought Bolivia has been a bit misunderstood. And it looks like our readers agree. As long as you make an effort to learn some key phrases in the local languages, you’ll find out exactly how hospitable Bolivians can be. From the otherworldly Salar de Uyuni to the vast, sapphire-blue Lake Titicaca, the country’s spectacular sights make it worth going the extra mile.

9. Finland

Finns are famous for being uncommonly reserved, but that doesn’t mean they’re not a welcoming bunch – all you have to do is join them in the sauna to find out. Sweating it out together has become a national obsession, and you’ll no doubt come away from the experience with plenty of new friends. Once you’ve beaten each other with a bunch of leafy twigs and plunged feet first into a pool just a shade above freezing, you’ll at least have plenty to talk about.

Caribbean idylls, Mediterranean shipwrecks and Norwegian crags: The world’s 50 best beaches revealed… so is your version of paradise on the list?

December 4, 2017 by nvshen Leave a Comment

For those who are beach lovers out there, check out this article from Daily Mail which features their top 50 best beaches in the world. I’ve went some of the beaches included in the list and you will never regret coming to these recommended beaches.

From the northernmost reaches of Norway to the tropical oases of the Caribbean and the South Pacific, the world is graced with stunningly beautiful beaches.

Powder white beaches amid swaying palm trees and turquoise waters might represent the holiday ideal for some. Others might crave more adventure: perhaps a windswept and craggy coastline with towering volcanoes or snow-capped mountain peaks looming over the shore.

Whatever your tastes, there’s sure to be a beach or two you love in a new list assembled by travel site FlightNetwork. It ranks the world’s 50 best beaches according to the opinions of more than 600 travel journalists, editors, bloggers and agencies.

Grace Bay in the Caribbean archipelago of Turks and Caicos, a British Overseas Territory, tops FlightNetwork’s list of the 50 best beaches in the world. The beach, on the island of Providenciales, enjoys 319 days of sunshine annually, according to the travel site. It received a perfect 10 score for both ‘sheer untouched beauty’ and ‘sand and water quality’ and received an 8/10 for remoteness. A colorful barrier reef lies only a mile offshore. Luxury lifestyle blogger Kelly Stilwell writes: ‘Soft white sand and unbelievably clear blue water make Grace Bay the beach traveler’s dream location’

Whitehaven Beach in Australia comes in at number 2. The four-mile long stretch of sand, pictured in an aerial photograph, earned perfect 10 scores for sheer untouched beauty, sand and water quality and remoteness. The beach is on tropical Whitsunday Island, off the coast of Queensland and about 900 miles northeast of Brisbane. The remote beach, which has 292 days of sunshine on average, can only be accessed by sea or air. Sharron Livingston of The Travel Magazine writes: ‘Whitehaven Beach has oh-so-white sands, deepest green rainforests, and crystalline waters. It’s a wild island, part of the Great Barrier Reef, and is by far the most beautiful location to experience’