Cheap Travel Discounts

Costa Rica, located just north of Panama, is a top-notch travel destination in Central America. Although the traveling cost in Costa Rica is relatively high compared to its neighboring countries, there are plenty of options to trim your expenses.

One of the easiest ways to save money is finding a cheap airfare deal to this fabulous Caribbean coast. Throughout the USA and UK, there are many travel companies and air operators that offer cheap air tickets to Costa Rica. Moreover, cheapest air tickets can be found online.

Another possible way is to reduce your local transport costs. Bus is the best and the cheapest means of travel in Costa Rica. You can find many local bus services, which offer daily trips to almost all the towns in Costa Rica. Plenty of other transportation options like taxis and rent-a-car are also available. But these are more expensive choices.

Staying in a cheap or discount hotel will also help you to limit the budget. Hotel Mi Tierra, Coconut House, Posada Aeropuerto Inn, Hotel Royal Limon, Hotel La Pampa, Hotel Isla Verde, Hotel Capital, and Hotel Kangaroo are some of the cheap hotels in the area. These hotels boast highly flexible rates, ranging from $10 to $30 per day. Many vacation rentals are also available, which are cheaper than the hotels. Camping is another great choice, particularly if you know Spanish. This will help you to interact with the locals and make your stay more enjoyable.

You can also save a lot of money by eating food from the family-run restaurants called sodas. The price of a full meal normally ranges from $3 to $6. Many other cheap restaurants are also available.

As Costa Rica offers many outdoor activities, you have to check out the cheapest ones that best suit your budget. Trekking, hiking, and walking are the best options. Moreover, you can engage yourself in fishing and horseback riding.

Why mountain vacations? Hmm… Two days ago I was swimming in the Arkansas River. A few days before and an hours drive away, I was playing in the snow at a roadside rest area. Tomorrow I will drive an hour to the trail head and hike to a beautiful mountain lake at 11,000 feet.

Of course, this is all made easier by the fact that we live here in Colorado now. The point however, is the same if you are vacationing here from other places: You get the widest variety of climates and experiences in the shortest time when you vacation in the mountains. Where else can you be hiking a snowy pass in the morning and sunbathing in the desert in the afternoon?

It isn’t all about the outdoor activities either. There is a unique atmosphere to small mountain towns like Silverton or Buena Vista. The isolation seems to make them immune to the rushing and busyness of the cities. You can walk the streets safely at night, stop in a saloon that may have been there for a hundred years, and see the stars as you walk back to your hotel.

There are ghost towns throughout the mountains of the west. They range from the restored ones that have become parks, to the remnants of small towns left in the weeds. Yesterday my wife and I explored an old abandoned schoolhouse on a back road near Canon City. Last week we poked around an old town site that used to have five grocery stores, nine bars and over a thousand residents. Now there is nothing left but a few foundations where the buildings once stood.

Just driving from one town to the next makes for a scenic and relaxing vacation when you are in the mountains. Even if you don’t get out of the car very often, it is enjoyable to look out the windows like you are watching a beautiful scene in a movie. One moment you are staring up at huge cliffs, and a few minutes later you are on top of them looking down on a river winding through a grassy valley.

A Few Tips For Mountain Vacations

- Weather is always unpredictable in mountains. Have clothing for all conditions.

- Afternoon thunderstorms are common in summer. Plan hiking early in the day, and come down from higher elevations before one in the afternoon.

- There can be long stretches between gas stations in many mountain areas, so fill up when you have the chance.

- Altitude can make you sick. The solution is to go lower if this happens.

- There are some dangerous animals in most mountainous areas. We disturbed a six-foot rattle snake while hiking yesterday - just back off as we did in this case. Bears don’t normally attack, but may break into coolers and picnic baskets if you leave them unattended outside.

- If your vacation in the mountains is in summer, bring sun block. The sun can be especially severe at higher altitudes.

Why mountain vacations? Hmm… Two days ago I was swimming in the Arkansas River. A few days before and an hours drive away, I was playing in the snow at a roadside rest area. Tomorrow I will drive an hour to the trail head and hike to a beautiful mountain lake at 11,000 feet.

Of course, this is all made easier by the fact that we live here in Colorado now. The point however, is the same if you are vacationing here from other places: You get the widest variety of climates and experiences in the shortest time when you vacation in the mountains. Where else can you be hiking a snowy pass in the morning and sunbathing in the desert in the afternoon?

It isn’t all about the outdoor activities either. There is a unique atmosphere to small mountain towns like Silverton or Buena Vista. The isolation seems to make them immune to the rushing and busyness of the cities. You can walk the streets safely at night, stop in a saloon that may have been there for a hundred years, and see the stars as you walk back to your hotel.

There are ghost towns throughout the mountains of the west. They range from the restored ones that have become parks, to the remnants of small towns left in the weeds. Yesterday my wife and I explored an old abandoned schoolhouse on a back road near Canon City. Last week we poked around an old town site that used to have five grocery stores, nine bars and over a thousand residents. Now there is nothing left but a few foundations where the buildings once stood.

Just driving from one town to the next makes for a scenic and relaxing vacation when you are in the mountains. Even if you don’t get out of the car very often, it is enjoyable to look out the windows like you are watching a beautiful scene in a movie. One moment you are staring up at huge cliffs, and a few minutes later you are on top of them looking down on a river winding through a grassy valley.

A Few Tips For Mountain Vacations

- Weather is always unpredictable in mountains. Have clothing for all conditions.

- Afternoon thunderstorms are common in summer. Plan hiking early in the day, and come down from higher elevations before one in the afternoon.

- There can be long stretches between gas stations in many mountain areas, so fill up when you have the chance.

- Altitude can make you sick. The solution is to go lower if this happens.

- There are some dangerous animals in most mountainous areas. We disturbed a six-foot rattle snake while hiking yesterday - just back off as we did in this case. Bears don’t normally attack, but may break into coolers and picnic baskets if you leave them unattended outside.

- If your vacation in the mountains is in summer, bring sun block. The sun can be especially severe at higher altitudes.

Each time that someone travels, two things always cost the most. Accommodation and airfare. Because of that, most of us are not allowed to travel nearly as much as we would like to. However, some people with very modest income seem to be traveling all the time. So what is their secret?

The secret is in learning how to travel cheap, and there are many ways to make your trips much cheaper and thus more frequent. One of those secret ways is apartment swapping.

Usual way for Apartment swapping is to use classified ad web sites such as craigslist.org. These works in this way: person offers his or hers apartment for a few days in exchange for an apartment in the city they wish to travel to. If you find someone interested in visiting your town you arrange to swap the apartments for some time (a week or two usually).

The main benefit of apartment swapping is that it will reduce your trip expenditure almost only to airline ticket. It is especially convenient for expensive cities like London, New York or Madrid, by swapping apartments you can save hundreds if not thousands of dollars.

Another good thing about it is the usuall time it takes place and that is in most cases precisely during the high tourist season, when hotels are the most expensive.

If you check out sites like this, you will discover that a lot of them have parts exclusively devoted to swapping apartments. You can also notice that the bulk of apartment swapping goes on during the holidays part of the year.

Usually ad will be from a person who wishes to spend holidays for example in a New York, and is from Chicago. Therefore, if you are from New York and want to spend holidays in Chicago, you will save $100s if you arrange a deal with that person.

Good place to start is to go to craigslist.org and check the ads for the cities you are interested in. If and when you decide on a trip, just place an ad in a part devoted to the city you are interested in visiting (do it a couple week before the actual trip as this will give you time to find someone willing to swap apartments). What you will be saying is does anyone from this city want to swap apartments for xy days, starting from xy till xy?

Naturally, apartment swapping does have its price, and the first thing that comes to mind is can I trust this person? You will be giving away your apartment to a perfect stranger, so even if you are not worried about possible theft, make the effort and find out anything you can about your potential apartment swap buddy.

Try to find people that want to visit your city for site seeing and not for wild parties that might end up with you being sued or with your personal possessions broken. Also keep your part of the deal, you will be after all, living in his/hers apartment with their things so try to be careful.

Finally, if you are young, trust people, like to travel and are wiling to accept a certain risk amount apartment swapping could be just the thing that could make it possible for you to see the world.

While vacations are a luxury for any family, they can quickly become expensive. We all know how stressful it gets when expenses start to add up, and we are left to find a discount hotel. Although discount hotels may make people think of beat up dingy resorts, it is actually possible to find a great hotel, without having to sacrifice your comfort or wallet.

The first thing you need to is plan ahead! By researching on the internet for great prices and packages, you will easily be able to find something that matches your budget. There are dozens of websites that cater to your needs, including Expedia.com and Hotels.com. These services will find the cheapest airfare and may provide you with an entire package, including cheap discount hotel rates. Fortunately, these websites actually care about your vacation. Thus, they will go to great lengths to find you special discounts and rates.

Other internet services include BookingBuddy.com. This site walks you through a series of steps to find the perfect package. From airfare to discount hotels and car rentals, you can easily book everything on one website! It is also important to note that you should avoid holiday weekends and popular times to travel. During these days, it is very difficult to get any kind of discount. This is because the market is flooded with vacationers, making it almost impossible to save money. Therefore, one should try to book their vacation during an off season. For instance, if a family was interested in traveling to Chicago, they would have to figure out what months are not as crowded. This way they can find wonderful Chicago hotels without having to take out a loan for the vacation. With such helpful services, you could get a luxury Chicago hotel in just a few easy steps.

If you are an AAA member, you also may be able to find discount hotels. Usually by being a member, you will get a certain percentage off your entire room rate. It is a wonderful resource to use, as long as you know the benefits that come along with such a card. Another great benefit that comes along with being an AAA member is that many car rental services also give you a discount when you decide to rent from their company.

No matter what type of accommodation you are trying to find, it is possible to get a discount hotel in any city. From Springfield MO hotels to Chicago hotels – you can find the right deal for you. If you are looking for luxury, you still can save money! Many people do not realize that booking your vacation online can save you thousands of dollars in the long run. We all know how expensive it can get; therefore it is imperative to research months ahead. After all, the sooner you book your discount hotel on the internet, the less anxious you will feel about spending money.

It’s 3 months before Christmas and if you want to get away from home during this holiday season, it’s time to make plans to ensure a stress-free Christmas vacation!

Some people may traditionally prefer to go where the snow is, where it’s freezing, and where Santa has no problems wearing ultra-thick clothes.

I recommend going where the sun shines the whole day, where you can frolic on white sand beaches and swim in the warm sea, where you can go shopping in exotic stores wearing only a pair of sandals and Bermuda shorts and a Hawaiian shirt.

Already excited? Well, read on and find out more about these 5 islands that you’re bound to want to visit during the Yuletide season.

Solitude In Fiji

Explore one of The Pacific’s beautiful and more popular islands, Fiji. Be right on a tropical island and not miss Christmas at all! You can easily go to Christmas-focused community activities if you really miss the yuletide season and experience Christmas with a Fijian twist. And if you really want to get away from it all, just go to the beach or laze in your very own bure ( thatched hut )

Activities: diving, beach, spa, snorkeling, island cruise, wildlife exploration

Ave. temperature during Christmas: 23°F -29°F

Exotic Seychelles

Seychelles was once referred to by British General Charles Gordon as the site of the Garden Of Eden and it’s difficult to disagree with him. Its pristine white sand beaches, turquoise blue water, and exotic blend of flora and fauna can easily make you think that this is the garden the Bible refers to.

Activities: beach, diving and snorkeling, sailing, honeymoon, wedding, island hopping

Ave. temperature during Christmas: 24°C-31°C

Tenerife Spain – Cultural & Wildlife Vacations

Who says the whole of Europe is a winter wonderland during Christmas? Go to Tenerife in Spain’s Canary Islands and you’re in for a big surprise. Dubbed as Europe’s winter playground, Tenerife, is referred to as the island of eternal spring. It is home to Spain’s 2nd highest peak, the Volcano Teide, has a flourishing national park, and of course some of the archipelago’s best beach hideaways.

Activities: Visits to archaeological sites, art and natural history museums, explore the Guimar Pyramids, nudist beaches, visit the national park

Ave. temperature during Christmas: 19°C-23°C

Holidays Down Under – Fraser Island Australia

If you want to be just a stone throw away from the Great Barrier Reef, be ensconced in wildlife, explore tropical rainforests and laze on pristine beaches, Fraser Island is the place to be. This World Heritage Site is rich in flora and fauna and is the world’s largest sand island.

Activities: wilderness safari, rainforest treks, dolphin watching, camping, fishing

Ave. temperature during Christmas: 20°C-29°C

The Caribbean Beat In Barbados

It’s the Caribbean island where dignitaries such as Tony Blair and Bill Clinton indulge in holiday pleasures. And you too can go this Christmas and see what the island has to offer. Bask in the beauty of this delightful Caribbean island; experience its very unique culture which was formed by the distinct and unique influences of the British and the Africans. And laze on its 95 kilometers of unspoiled white sand beach.

Activities: beach, water sports, underwater exploration by submarine, golf, cave exploration, island safari

Ave. temperature during Christmas: 24°C-28°C

There are a few options for cheap flights Spain. There has been an increase in discount airlines in recent years. These airlines are flying to more airports in the country than in the past. You will have to give up some conveniences in exchange for the lower fare.

Finding Cheap Flights Spain

Discount airlines often stop in the United Kingdom when travelling from North America. Some of the discount carriers that offer flights to different areas of Spain include Easy Jet, Kyanair, German Wings, BMI Baby, Virgin Express, Jet 2, Monarch and Spanair. You may get direct flights from some European cities, but not from North America.

Discount airlines offer good fares to many destinations in Spain. Some of the airports with the best rates include Madrid, Barcelona, Alicante, Valencia, Murcia, Menorca, Mallorca, Malaga, Seville and Palma. There is a greater choice of destinations from major airports in Europe than flying directly from the United States.

If you must have a direct flight from the United States, you will pay more for your ticket. Direct flights are only offered through large carriers at certain airports. You can find direct flights leaving from New York, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Miami, Houston and Newark. You may get lucky and find a bargain rate, but the fare won’t be as low as with discount carriers.

The cheapest flights will require at least one change of plane. From the United States, this will often be either in London or Dublin. The next stop will generally be Madrid, Barcelona or Alicante. These are the airports that have the cheapest fares.

Compare fares on the internet to find the best deal for your vacation. Check with different airlines to find the best rate. Some of the discount carriers are not listed on the major travel sites. You will need to contact these carriers directly.

Try different days of the week to find the cheapest flight. Often flights in the middle of the week are less expensive than on the weekends. Also, consider the time of day you are flying. Off peak hours, such as early morning or late at night are less expensive. This may seem like an inconvenience, but you will save money.

What You Sacrifice with Cheap Flights Spain

Cheap travel comes at a price. You will have to sacrifice some conveniences for your flight. Most of the discount airlines don’t offer food or even snacks on the plane. You may have to pay for something to drink on the airplane. Bring along a snack to eat on the plane. New regulations limit the liquids allowed on planes, so you are better off paying for a beverage on board.

Ask about the baggage allowances for cheap flights. These are sometimes more restrictive than with larger carriers. Most limit you to only two pieces of luggage at check in. Some charge a substantial amount for additional baggage. Ask about these limits at the time you book the flight and plan accordingly.

You will probably have to take care of your own baggage between flights. Most discount carriers don’t check your baggage through to your final destination. After each flight, you will need to claim your luggage. You will need to check it in for the next flight. This can be time consuming, so allow enough time between flights to take care of this.

The time between flights may not be ideal with cheaper carriers. You may end up waiting several hours in the airport for your next flight. This can be inconvenient, but again you will save money. Bring along a book or browse the shops in the airport between flights. Since food isn’t served, this is a good time to get something to eat.

Until the invention of the modern day jetliner ship travel used to be the only way to get across vast bodies of water and for a time some thought passenger ships would go the way of train travel as more people opted for the quicker travel times that flying offered.

Fortunately, ship travel has become one of the most popular ways to vacation and the cruise industry is booming as a result. In fact, cruising is growing in popularity so fast that cruise lines are launching bigger more luxurious ships at an ever growing rate as they try and outdo each other.

Of the many number of cruise destinations available the Caribbean stands out as one of the most popular for vacationers. Made up of hundreds of islands each with their own local and European influenced customs and cultures a cruise to the Caribbean is a vacation that won’t soon be forgotten.

The Caribbean is divided into three distinct regions and cruises are usually centered on one of these areas with varying ports of call often including a stop to a private island owned by the cruise line for a day of fun in the sun. They all have beautiful weather and pristine sandy beaches but this is where the similarities end.

The Eastern Caribbean – A Shoppers Paradise

The Eastern Caribbean is made up of many small islands known as the Lesser Antilles that stretch for 600 miles along the Eastern side of the Caribbean Sea and is much more commercially developed than the Western and Southern Caribbean areas.

The weather is consistently in the 80s during the day and the 70s at night which makes it perfect for a vacation break from the cold U.S. winters. Hurricane season begins on June 1st and lasts until November 1st with the Eastern Caribbean more prone to hurricanes as the other regions so bear that in mind when planning your cruise.

The most famous family of islands in the Eastern Caribbean is the Bahamas followed by Puerto Rico, St. Maarten and St. Thomas with lesser known islands like Nevis and Antigua also gaining in destination popularity.

First time cruisers usually opt for the Eastern Caribbean as these cruises tend to offer more days at sea and the islands themselves are less of a culture shock for anyone not used to traveling outside the U.S. As a result, they also tend to be more crowded and expensive than the Western and Southern Caribbean regions.

While the diving and snorkeling is good it is not as good as the Western and Southern Caribbean but you would be hard pressed to find any better duty-free shopping in the world with many luxury retailers having shops on the islands. In fact, if you plan major purchases around your trip you just might save enough to pay for your cruise.

Continued in Part 2…

If your eyes have ever had the chance to feast on the vast, dry desert of Arizona, I have something that might surprise you. There are quite a few Arizona golf vacations that are available if you are a huge fan of the game. These Arizona golf vacations come in all shapes and sizes, meticulously tailored to your level of skill, your depth of experience, the thickness of your wallet, and your degree of interest.

There are professional Arizona golf schools for those who want to take their playing up to the next level, where training is strenuous but worth every cent of the investment. Your golf game will see some considerable improvement. Here’s my testimonial. I went to one of these Arizona golf vacations, and I was able to be tutored by some serious pros and semi-pros. I will tell you that my game has never ever been better, and no, I was not moving along a beginner’s steep learning curve. I have been playing for 35 years!

But if you want a more easy-going Arizona golf vacation, you should really consider the luxury golf resorts. If you have never been on any Arizona golf vacations, I can promise that you will be pleasantly amazed at what you find. Not only are there golf vacations in Arizona with courses used by the pros themselves, but there are luxuries which would make even a great cruise ship proud.

Any kind of luxury you could ask for, from fine dining, to room service, to first rate caddies, to saunas and workout rooms, are all available. So even if your wife or husband is not a golf enthusiast, you may still be able to persuade them that it is the best trip around for both golfer and non-golfers in the family! And Arizona golf vacations have some of the most picturesque courses, in addition to the most playable, so it is great fun to just explore as it is to play your heart out on them.

Of course, if Arizona golf vacations are not your style, there are still plenty of great destinations in this beautiful state. If you are addicted to luxury, Phoenix has many four star hotels which will pamper you down to your every whim. Still, I personally think that golf is, hands down, the greatest game ever invented by man. For me, living in such a dry and desolate place, it is great to have Arizona golf vacations where I can really relax and unwind among such a green and grassy setting. It is like leaving the desert entirely on Aladdin’s magic carpet.

Hostels are a cheap travel secret of budget travelers. They have been around in one form or another for a long time, and are oriented towards young travelers and anyone else seeking inexpensive accommodations. The U.S. version used to be more complicated, with guests helping with chores. They are simpler now. You rent a bed instead of a room, sharing the bathroom, living room and kitchen. Less privacy, but cheaper accommodations, and you get to socialize.

My first time in Quito, Ecuador I stayed at Centro Del Mundo, a hostel near the center of the area they call “Gringolandia.” $4 per night included breakfast. I shared a room and bathroom with 4 others, and a T.V. room with guests from 14 countries, and channels in three languages. It was clean and comfortable, with a locking trunk next to each bed for valuables.

For 80 cents I could have a rum-and-coke brought to me while I played chess with a flower-buyer from Holland. The manager could arrange anything from $15-tours of the snow-covered volcano Cotapaxi, to $2-per-hour Spanish lessons. Friday nights the rum was bought by the manager, and there was a party out in the patio.

Is A Hostel For You?

Not all hostels are as much fun as the one I stayed at in Quito, nor would all travelers want that kind of place. I happen to love hostels, but most travelers won’t. I like mingling with travelers from around the world. “Mingling,” of course, could mean sleeping next to a snorer.

In a hotel you are more isolated than in a hostel, but a private room has its advantages. I’m sure the idea of sharing a room is too much for some people, as is waiting to use the shower. A hostel is definitely a different experience from staying in a hotel.

Even if they were the same price, I’d prefer a hostel to a hotel, but one of the biggest reasons people stay in hostels is to save money. For this, they’re a good option when you’re traveling alone. Since my wife and I travel together now, we don’t stay in hostels often. You pay for two beds, after all, which makes hotels more competitive.

Some hostels do have private rooms. If you are not sure you like the idea of sharing a room, but you like the idea of a more social environment, ask about this. Sometimes you can even get a private room with a bathroom.

Hostels are not as common in the U.S. as in other countries, unless you include “bed-and-breakfast” places. These are somewhat like high-priced hostels, but with private rooms. Fortunately, there are still a few regular hostels in almost every state, and they are still a great alternative when you want alternative (and cheap) travel.