Archive for November 2010

Elephant Trekking in Laos

elephantIn Laos, opportunities for tourists are endless. The tiny landlocked country in Asia, wedged between Vietnam and Thailand offers a host of unique activities, but one of the most famous and most well-loved are the elephant treks across the jungles.

Basically, when you are out of the bustling hub of Vientiane and the markets and endless propositions for you to part with your hard-earned dollars, you arrive in smaller towns and even villages full of smiling locals. Getting off the beaten track like this is a dream come true for many young gap-year students or even older people whose kids are now all grown up and they can use the opportunity to give themselves a treat.

One of the most famous places to go elephant trekking in Laos is the Elephant Mahout Camp, which is a parody obviously of the concept of a ‘boot camp.’ This association says that they can divulge to you the ‘secret language of the elephants’, ‘a firsthand jungle experience’ and even to be ‘part of their sacred bathing rituals.’

This form of sustainable and altruistic tourism is practiced at the Tiger Trail Elephant Village as well, where tourist funds are channeled into development projects for the elephants, the local economy, conservation in the jungle and sustainable development for nearby villages and communities.

Most elephant treks can be had for a fee of about 100 USD, though even this might be a bit pricey for the avid backpacker.

The adventurous tourist is usually greeted with either well-furnished hotel rooms or cabins near the jungle where the tour is to take place. For every elephant there are two people – your driver and you. For the particularly brave souls among us, they even offer you the chance to ride on the back of the elephant’s neck without a saddle.

This is one experience you’ll never forget about your stay in Laos!

Good Advice for Traveling to Asia

asiaTraveling to Asia gives you a perfect experience where you can exercise your new language learning experiences, if you’ve mastered one of the many languages spoken in Asia. Since one of the best ways to learn a language—and to use it, once you’ve learned it—is by traveling and living in the country where the language is spoken, traveling to Asia can be a great way to further develop some of the new languages you learned.

As you probably figured, though, traveling to Asia is not like traveling to a destination inside the United States, or even like Canada or Europe. Not only is the language structure very different in many Asian countries, but the things that you need to know before traveling are also very different. Here are some things to keep in mind as you travel to Asia, and before you get there:

  1. Be prepared in advance for a long flight. The biggest thing you need to remember about getting from the United States to Asia is that your flight, no matter what part of Asia you’re traveling to, or where in the United States you’re leaving from, is going to be long. Plan on having a flight that is at least several hours, and bring enough with you to either help you sleep, or keep you entertained during the flight. Your flight will be even longer if you’re traveling from Europe, and you may want to make the decision to buy a business class seat where you can be more comfortable.
  2. Remember to get your visa before you go—and do it well in advance of when you plan to travel. Many Asian countries require that travelers from the United States and Europe have tourist visas before traveling. You may need to get these months in advance of when you travel, unless you are willing to pay for expediting costs or you have a business that is sending you to Asia.
  3. Keep an open mind with regard to food. Asia presents many opportunities to try food that you’ve never heard of, and probably have never tried. Don’t try to seek out familiar, Western food when you’re traveling in Asia. Instead, take advantage of this experience and try new foods that you definitely won’t be able to get as take out at home.
  4. Remember that not all hotels are like those we have in the United States. This tip is very similar to the idea of keeping your mind open about food. Although many American and European chains do have locations in Asian countries, don’t expect even from those chains that you’re going to have the same level of amenities and room that you’d have in an American hotel room. In the larger cities, such as Tokyo and Beijing, space is at a premium and you’re going to have to accept up front that your hotel room may be smaller than what you’re anticipating.

Why Vietnam?

vietnamThere are so many countries I want to visit. Some of the top destinations on my list are Egypt, Thailand, Brazil and The Maldives. It wasn’t until I came across a travel review on Vietnam that I decided it was also a country I would have to visit at some point.

When I organize my holidays, I usually price flights to a number of destinations and choose the cheapest. At first I was surprised at how expensive it is to fly to Vietnam. After all, it is a long trip from the US to Vietnam. However, after looking long and hard I managed to find better airfares off-peak. I hadn’t planned to travel in March, but I am quite flexible with travel dates and am lucky I can do so. Plus, I figured it would be cheap when I got there.

I travelled with American Airlines from JFK airport in New York to Noibai Airport in Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam. The flight was delayed for about 2 hours, but other than that there were no other issues. I have elite flight status with AA so at least I got to hang out in the airport lounge while I waited. After you arrive in Hanoi, you can take a bus from the airport to Hanoi city centre and the journey takes about 30 minutes.

Before travelling I had heard that Vietnam is very scenic and cheap. I can confirm both of these rumors. Perhaps tourism isn’t as developed as in other Asian countries…but if you love an adventure, and our open minded and easy going, you are sure to love Vietnam. I spent three weeks in the country and tried to travel a bit. I enjoyed staying in Hanoi for a few days and paid under $20 per night for three star accommodation. Some of the tourist attractions I loved in this city were the Hanoi Water Puppet Theatre, the History Museum and the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, where you can a mummified version of Ho Chi Minh himself. I also had the chance to escape the city and see the natural beauty of Vietnam at the Tam Dao Hill Station. Visiting Vietnam was a once in a lifetime experience and every time I leave a county in Asia I want to return.

Taking More Cruises in Asia

vietnam cruiseTo Westerners, the Far East is a place of perceived mysticism, magic and diversity. Travellers can read as much as they want about Asia, but when it comes down to it, there is only one way to experience this marvellous part of the globe – first hand.

There are a wide variety of ways to experience the Far East, but the most comfortable mode of transport is surely aboard a luxury cruise ship. Azamara Cruises specialise in providing travellers with luxurious lodgings, unrivalled service and a wide variety of onboard entertainment whilst en route to exotic port destinations. Some of the cruise operator’s most notable Asian destinations include:

Halong Bay, Vietnam – This enchanting bay offers visitors the opportunity to explore one of the most unique landscapes on the planet. The bay is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is located in the Quảng Ninh Province. The bay’s name translated directly to “Descending Dragon Bay” and features thousands of limestone karsts and spire-like islands.

Kobe, Japan – The sixth largest city in Japan and home to the world famous Kobe beef, this city is an essential stop for travellers discovering the Far East. The city is also well known for its Arima Onsen (hot springs), which allow visitors to experience true Japanese peace and tranquillize without having to travel far from the city.

Phuket, Thailand – There is a reason that this island is such a popular tourist destination. The Andaman coast is known for its breathtaking scenery, world-class diving and rock climbing. However, when visiting Phuket, why not opt for something a little different? The Haad Nai Yang National park is on the north-western side of the island and gives travellers access to 35 square miles of unspoilt tropical rainforest
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There really is no better way to experience the Far East than aboard a luxury cruise. Courtesy of Azamara Cruises, you will get to see the world in the lap of luxury.

Gourmet Food in Taiwan

taiwan foodTraveling to Taiwan is a glorious experience for anyone who loves food, because as Taiwan was always a cultural melting pot and economic center of Asia, it has brought together a lot of different food traditions – from mainland China, Hong Kong, Korea, Japan, the Philippines and South East Asia as well as some of the Pacific Islands and Indian fare to the west, Taiwan has a grand mixture of tastes and recipes.

A saying in Taiwan goes: “A snack bar is within three steps of you and a large restaurant within five.”

Chinese fare

For a start, in Taiwan you can get every type of local and regional food from China – such as Tianjiang, Beijing, Shandong and southern food such as Sichuanese, Hunanese, Zheijiangan and Guangdong.

International food
Since Taiwan is a multicultural global hub, any tourist there who wants to experience food from back home will find it very easily. From any type of junk food from the USA, to Italian pizza, to Mexican tacos and Spanish fajitas; from halal to kosher everything is available in large quantities.

Local food
Local food is largely based on the staples – rice and noodles. These are flavored with natural and fresh flavors, such as fresh meat (pork, beef, chicken) and vegetables. Food that seems exotic to a tourist but that is a delicacy enjoyed by locals are snakes, dogs, spiders, cockroaches, grasshoppers and monkeys. All sorts of seafood are also used and not much is spared unless it is truly toxic.

Another specialty of Taiwanese food is that it is often mixed with medicinal herbs and plants. Thus medicine in Taiwan is most often consumed in this way and it also depends on the season.

Snacks
Some famous Taiwanese snacks are pearl milk tea (made from tea, milk and sago pearls which are chewy).

Staying Comfortable on Long International Flights

long haul flightFor most travelers, booking Viking River Cruises or multi-city land tours is extremely exciting but, for some, the thrill of visiting a far-away destination can be tainted by the thought of the long international flight that is required to get them there. Most travelers agree, being uncomfortable on a long flight can definitely start what should be a pleasant holiday off on the wrong foot, but there are ways to help your necessary travel time be as comfortable as possible.

Reserve a good seat
Even within the same class, some airplane seats are much better than others. Consider an aisle or exit row seat for the most leg room, or a window seat if you want to rest your head to sleep. It’s best to try to avoid seats near the lavatories as other passengers will be accessing these throughout the flight which can be disruptive, particularly if you are trying to sleep. Some travelers opt to sit near the back of the aircraft for long flights. This is good if you don’t mind the noise produced by the engines because certain aircraft (such as the Boeing 747), have a large area behind the last row of seats that gives you plenty of space to stretch.

Be Comfortable

When taking a long flight, it is always wise to wear loose clothes with options for layering if you become cold. Also, if you want to take your shoes off during a flight, slip-on shoes are best since shoes that tie can be difficult to put back on at the end of the flight. Bring a neck pillow to provide firm neck support and keep your head from tilting while napping. There are small neck pillows available that can easily fit into your carry-on luggage and even some inflatable options that are smaller still.

Prevent Boredom
Make sure you bring things to entertain yourself during the flight. Even if you happen to be interested in the in-flight movie, they don’t start right away and the music selection can be quite limited. If you bring an iPod, you will make sure you have the music and movies that you like. If possible, choose an airline that offers AVOD (Audio Video on Demand), which is a TV screen in front of your seat that lets you choose what you want to watch or listen to. Regardless, it’s a good idea to bring your own headphones as the headphones available on the plane (whether for purchase or for free) are generally fairly poor quality. In addition, it’s good to always have a book and magazines with you since unforeseen flight delays could prevent the in-flight entertainment from being available and could cause your iPod to run out of battery before your flight is over.

Stay Hydrated
The air in a plane is very dry and may dehydrate your system so it’s extremely important to stay hydrated during your flight. Although you can request water from the flight attendants, it is a good idea to bring plenty of water on board with you as well. You can purchase bottled water in the airport (once you pass security) or, if you prefer, you can bring an empty stainless steel water bottle to fill from a water fountain. Just remember that you should never drink the water from airplane bathrooms as it may contain bacteria.

Fight Hunger
There’s nothing worse than being hungry on a plane. Since plane food is quite poor on many airlines, you may want to consider bringing your own food on board to make sure that you are not hungry during the long flight. As an alternative to the regular meals, many airlines offer vegetarian, Kosher and other special meals if you order in advance. Because the airlines have to specially prepare your meal, it is always fresher (and usually better) than the standard meal options. Plus, passengers with special meal requests are almost always served first. In addition, take some snacks with you. Protein bars are particularly helpful if on a long flight as airline meals tend to be low in protein.

By following these few tips, you can help make your flight more comfortable which will make it more likely that you will land feeling happy and ready to start your vacation.