Well you won’t be traveling to Monaco and staying at a five star resort on a budget, will you? Maybe so! Mostly, traveling on a budget means finding the cheapest price for the experience you want.
When traveling on a budget it’s best to keep in mind the following points:
1. Travel in the off-peak seasons. You can save up to as much as fifty per cent off air flights and accommodation costs if you plan to travel in low season times.
2. Stay away from popular tourist spots (unless they are on your ‘must-see’ list). If you can go off the beaten track with your destinations, things can be cheaper to see and do and your cultural experiences will be richer.
3. Try camping. Not only is it the cheapest form of accommodation it’s a great way to get up close and personal to nature. It’s the best way to see National Parks and Heritage listed areas.
4. Look for special travel offers (or packages). But make sure you check everything that they include – and don’t include.
5. Invest in a travel pass where you are able. Most developed countries have a rail or bus transport system where you can obtain day, week or monthly passes that will get you around cheaply.
6. Get a work permit if you aim to gain employment while traveling overseas. Working can help subsidize places that aren’t so cheap, such as Europe and Australia.
7. Look for good exchange rates on the dollar. This may help you decide which country to travel to.
8. Think about shortening your visit to destinations that are expensive and increasing your length of stay in cheaper places.
9. Where possible use your credit card. The exchange rate is better.
10. When staying in a hotel, avoid paying for ‘extras’. Don’t touch anything from the honor bar. Don’t watch the in-house movies and don’t use the hotel phone. And try not to use room service too much!
On the world scene there are some great places to travel on a budget for under thirty dollars a day. In Asia you can try India, Laos, China, Cambodia, Mongolia, Pakistan, Thailand, Sumatra and Burma. In Central and South America you can visit El Salvador, Bolivia and Ecuador. If you are after a budget experience in the Pacific, try Fiji or New Zealand. Over in Africa there are some great budget destinations such as Kenya, Egypt, Morocco, Malawi, Tanzania, Zimbabwe and Ghana. Don’t forget the Middle East where places like Iran, Syria and Turkey provide excellent value for money and wonderful experiences for the budget traveler.
There is no ‘best place’ to travel on a budget. Just be prepared to look around, avoid the pitfalls of unwanted costs in package deals or hotel bookings. If you want to travel and your budget doesn’t meet your expectations, be flexible and see if there is somewhere cheaper you might like to experience. You could be pleasantly surprised with your stay in India or Iran, when you thought you wanted to go to Tahiti.
This article was provided by:
Stuart S. Travel / Your All World Travel Guru
http://www.stuartstravel.com
Travel codes are a great way to get discount travel no matter which way you decide to move from state to state, or country to country. Travel codes are specialized codes that are set aside for specific groups of people so that they can get discount travel tickets for trains, planes, car rentals, and even ferries.
Travel codes are usually available through websites to help students, for instance, receive any additional money saving vouchers that will help them get home. In most cases, these travel codes are located on the school’s website. If you are in college, the travel codes for your school are located on the school’s web pages listed under travel code application, travel discount application, or something that depicts an application for discount travel. People in the military are often able to find these travel codes on their government website pages.
All you have to do is fill out the application, which takes only a few moments, and your discount travel code is then emailed directly to you. When you go online to book your mode of travel, you enter the travel code for your school or military until that was emailed to you and you will receive an instant discount.
Almost every organization offers travel codes. Churches, high schools, and even some animal rescue groups offer these handy little codes to help you get discount travel. There are some websites that offer these codes to the public so that anyone can save some money. Hotel website, train websites, and even some airline booking sites will offer a travel code voucher application right on their website so that you can receive the offers without being in school or the military.
These codes are particularly useful when gas prices are on the rise. Some gas companies even offer discount travel codes right on their site to help you spend less on the petrol you need to get back and forth. It is within everyone’s power to reduce their travel costs for one or all family members by looking for these travel codes.
If you make it a habit to find the discount travel codes on the appropriate website, you can save hundreds or even thousands on travel expenses, which can ultimately save a vacation or make it possible to take the much needed business trip. The more ways that we all can find ways to save money on travel, the better, as the decline of summertime travel is part of the decline of our economic state. Being able to afford more travel is simply beneficial for everyone.
There are many things to keep in mind when traveling, whether you are a budget traveler or not. You obviously want to keep what money you have for your trip rather than lose it or have it stolen. You also want to keep yourself and traveling companions safe from harm. Here are some tips to follow to ensure your trip is safe and enjoyable in a foreign country.
1. Have a valid passport and all visas required for your trip. Make two copies of your passport. Keep one in a separate part of your travel luggage and the other leave with someone at home.
2. Be aware of any travel warnings for the country you are visiting. Find out about security and safety conditions in your destination.
3. Secure travel insurance!
4. Ensure you have been vaccinated against any infectious diseases prominent in the area you will be traveling to.
5. To make sure you can be contacted in case of an emergency, make a copy of your itinerary and leave it with someone at home.
6. Travel light and don’t pack valuables that you wouldn’t want to lose. Leave your jewelry at home but take an extra pair of glasses if you can’t live without them.
7. Remember you are a foreigner when you travel. You are a guest in their country and therefore should abide by their laws, and to a certain extent, their customs. For example, if you are a female traveling in an Islamic state, be considerate of your dress.
8. Try not to bring too much attention to yourself when traveling. Don’t go out looking like a tourist with a flashy camera and expensive clothes. Try to blend into the scenery.
9. Travel in a group where possible and in well known areas. There will be times you want to get off the tourist track, so make sure you always have a traveling companion with you.
10. Only carry small amounts of cash on you. Your credit card and travelers checks will pay for most things.
11. Watch out for pickpockets! Wear a money belt and keep your purse/wallet in the front of your body. Report any loss or theft immediately to the local authorities.
12. Don’t leave your luggage unattended. Apart from having it stolen or items from it taken, you could also become an unsuspecting drug courier.
13. If traveling with a partner, pack half your clothes in their luggage and vice versa. This way if one of you loses your luggage, you will still have some clothes.
14. Lock your luggage and label everything.
15. Lock your hotel room. Keep money and valuables with you, not left unattended in your room.
16. When using public transport be aware of possible theft. If you are traveling overnight, secure your luggage and sleep on top of it if possible. It is not uncommon for tourists to be drugged while on trains and buses so don’t accept gifts of food or drink from strangers on public transport.
If at any time you feel unsafe, whether it is on the streets or in your accommodation, get out. Follow your instincts. Stay safe when you travel by being aware of the dangers and obeying the laws of the country you are visiting.
This article is brought to you by: Stuart S. Travel – Your Online Travel Guru
www.stuartstravel.com
Travel Tips | admin August 26, 2007 | 
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