Mobile technology has come a long way. I remember the first touchscreen phone I had was the Sony Ericsson P900. Now we have so many new smartphones that the market is simply over-crowded. The same goes for the apps that these smartphones run.
The app market is so congested that there’s probably an app for everything. Which is fortunate for us avid travelers. The beauty of an expansive market is that there are a plethora of different apps to choose from. And you can do so on a whim, especially when you find the perfect app that suits your specific needs.
So, as a tech-savvy traveler, you'll need at least one of the following type of apps:
Travel Booking Apps - These apps allow you to secure accommodation both ahead of time and on short notice. You can never be too sure about having a place to stay. Apps like Agoda, SkyScanner, AirBnB, and Hotel Tonight are some of the most popular travel booking apps.
Map Apps - Every traveler needs to be able to orient himself with his surroundings. The easiest way to do this is with the use of any navigation app. The maps within these apps are updated periodically, so, you have a reliable map wherever you go because let’s face it. The most used prosthetics are mobile phones. There are a lot of navigation apps, but the most popular ones are Google Maps, Apple Maps, and Waze.
Ride Hailing Apps - Transportation is a major factor to consider, especially when you don’t have your vehicle available. While some of you may argue that it’s easy to simply get a cab, you need to keep in mind that you may find yourself in unfamiliar places. Ride-hailing services are safe, and they are also fair. You may be spending a small premium versus local cabs, but that’s a small price to pay for convenience, reliability, and safety — especially in places that are known for taxi scams. Grab, Lyft and Uber are a few of the most popular ride-hailing services. The best part is that these services are available in many countries worldwide.
Weather Apps - These apps are often overlooked on an ordinary day, but they are essential when you’re traveling. Knowing the current weather and the predicted weather patterns allows you to plan ahead on what supplies you need to bring and what type of clothes to wear. These weather apps also help you determine whether some activities you have planned on doing will still be doable. Every smartphone comes pre-installed with a weather app.
Communication Apps - Even in some of the most remote countries one can almost certainly find and internet connection. Which is extremely helpful for using any of these apps I have listed. One of the most difficult things when traveling is communication — or it used to be at least. I remember traveling to Europe and have to send letters that would take months to arrive back in the States. Now all you need is any basic internet connection and some of the many apps available for this purpose.
Whether you're on a vacation or traveling indefinitely having some of these apps will certainly come in handy. Do you know any other great apps? Let me know in the comments.
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I have heard enough bad things about these two small town in Southeast Asia! If I had listened to the advice of the numerous websites I consulted, then our trip to both of these great towns might never have happened. I have been known to go against the norm at times and this time it paid off in spades! And as it turns out, Vang Vieng and Pai are two of our favorite towns!
Vang Vieng, Laos
Vang Vieng gets the worst rap out of the two. Here are some things I heard about this amazing little town before we visited; "It's just a town full of 20 something drunks", "lazy kids who sit around all day watching TV is all this town has to offer", and "there is nothing to do but get drunk and maybe even hurt yourself". Needless to say, I was turned off immediately as we are traveling with 3 children and left the party scene about 12 years ago.
BUT...
Luang Prabang was more recommended than Van Vieng, but a much longer drive on a very windy road. We had already come so far from Thailand and really weren't feeling up for it more trekking. Vang Vieng was only 3 hours by van from Vientiane -- the Laos Capital -- so we decided we would try it anyway. Maybe everyone else is wrong we thought, trying to persuade ourselves that this was in fact a good decision. If it was as bad as everyone says, we can always head to Luang Prabang from there.
Well, we could not have been more surprised! It is a small town; so easy to walk and it is full of great little restaurants, relaxed bars, hotels of varying cost, and kind welcoming locals. Sure there are plenty of young people spending their day drinking, but none of them bothered us at all. They were actually quite an amusing thing to watch. There are also the TV bars that so many had warned about but you know what, we loved those. Comfortable, yummy food, and fun shows to watch. I wouldn't want to live there but for a few weeks it was engaging and fun. What is so wrong with people relaxing anyway?
What's so family friendly about Vang Vieng?
It is hard to even know where to begin as there is SO much to do with kids of all ages. First, the river tubing that many portrayed as dangerous and full of filthy behavior was awesome. We went around 10am and even stopped at a few bars, to check out the water slides and ziplines. I went with my 12 and 8-year-old sons and we all had a great time.
In fact, there were only a few other people out there so early in the morning so it seemed like we had the river to ourselves. You can also just spend time down by the beautiful river itself splashing around and skipping rocks. There is such a beautiful backdrop of stunning limestone cliffs, locals fishing and washing clothes, and water buffalo swimming that the bars we merely one aspect to enjoy. All that -- the views, cool river, sun on our faces, and water slides -- sounds like family fun to me. It is true that some get hurt and even die on that river usually do to irresponsibly drinking buckets of alcohol. I recommend starting the tubing adventure early in the morning before the partiers' hangovers subside from the previous evening.
Another thing we love to do is rent motor scooters and exploring. We only do this in small towns where traffic is limited, so Vang Vieng was a perfect spot. Throw in the fact that there are amazing lagoons, caves, and unique villages that it was the perfect recipe for adventure and happiness the entire 3 weeks. That's right we liked it so much we stayed almost 3 weeks, and we never ran out of things to do.
Where to stay with a family
We realized quickly that the center of town gets quite loud in the evening and were very grateful for the fact that we had booked a hotel at the far end of town. Laos Haven Hotel was a perfect spot for us. It was close enough to easily walk to restaurants, but it was far enough away so we were not disturbed by the thumping of house music in the evening. The rooms were pretty basic but they offer rooms with 2 large beds and the 5 of us were quite comfortable. There is a great kitchen that serves food all day and the rates were fair and budget friendly. The owners were helpful and very sweet to all of us. We highly recommend it!
Pai, Thailand
Pai is a small mountain town in northern Thailand near the Burma border. Pai also has gotten a bad rap similarly as a party town, but more for being a hippie hangout over run with tourists. Since it is a short 3-hour van ride from Chiang Mai through some pretty windy roads, okay the most windy roads ever, I was not sure we would venture out that way. We generally do not target touristy areas.
BUT..
After a good friend went and assured us it was a great spot, and since we experienced enough time in Chiang Mai, we decided to brave the drive and check it out. Admittedly, we do enjoy smaller towns even if they are over run with tourists. The bigger cities we have visited are really wonderful but we feel more at home in a small town with space for the kids to run around. It has a calming effect on our whole family.
When we first arrived in Pai, I immediately understood the warnings. It was clearly FULL of tourists and the town seemed to be set up to cater to them. It was also a bit larger town than Vang Vieng so it took me a few days to really warm up to it, but once I did I just fell in love.
So what is there to do in Pai with a family?
Well, this is a long list so i'll keep it brief and write more about it in an upcoming Pai only post. Again we rented scooters at a mere $3 per day. A great deal and the cheapest we have found in our travels so far. With those we wee able to explore the entire area. From elephant camps to hot springs, memorial bridges to waterfalls, there is no shortage of things to keep everyone busy. It is a beautiful town with amazing temples, rice fields, and mountains to enjoy. A must see is Tham Lod cave, about a 1 hour scooter ride from town well worth it. The ride is beautiful and the cave is nothing short of amazing! There are plenty of family retaurants as well as a great nightly walking market.
Where to stay with a family?
Pai Chan was our choice. They offer discounts for stays over a week and have a really nice family bungalow. with two separate bedrooms, a large bathroom, and your own porch area and picnic table. The hotel also has a pool, although it's a bit cold for most people. The restaurant is wonderful, and they cook food to order as well as amazing fruit smoothies. The price is right and located just outside of town you get the best of both worlds, close enough to town to walk, but again, far enough away to avoid any "tourist behavior" you may want to be avoiding, especially at night.
Overall, I would have to say I enjoyed Vang Vieng a bit more than Pai, but I was pleasantly surprised that both of these towns have been portrayed inaccurately. There is so much beauty and fun to be had in both areas that I consider them to be must sees in this area of the world. Do yourself a favor and check them out while in Thailand and Laos. They are both great spots for your next family adventure!
Have you ventured to a town that others condemned and were pleasantlyt surprised?? Tell us about it below!
If you enjoyed this please share using the tabs below..
Vang Vieng gets the worst rap out of the two. Here are some things I heard about this amazing little town before we visited; "It's just a town full of 20 something drunks", "lazy kids who sit around all day watching TV is all this town has to offer", and "there is nothing to do but get drunk and maybe even hurt yourself". Needless to say, I was turned off immediately as we are traveling with 3 children and left the party scene about 12 years ago.
BUT...
Luang Prabang was more recommended than Van Vieng, but a much longer drive on a very windy road. We had already come so far from Thailand and really weren't feeling up for it more trekking. Vang Vieng was only 3 hours by van from Vientiane -- the Laos Capital -- so we decided we would try it anyway. Maybe everyone else is wrong we thought, trying to persuade ourselves that this was in fact a good decision. If it was as bad as everyone says, we can always head to Luang Prabang from there.
Well, we could not have been more surprised! It is a small town; so easy to walk and it is full of great little restaurants, relaxed bars, hotels of varying cost, and kind welcoming locals. Sure there are plenty of young people spending their day drinking, but none of them bothered us at all. They were actually quite an amusing thing to watch. There are also the TV bars that so many had warned about but you know what, we loved those. Comfortable, yummy food, and fun shows to watch. I wouldn't want to live there but for a few weeks it was engaging and fun. What is so wrong with people relaxing anyway?
What's so family friendly about Vang Vieng?
It is hard to even know where to begin as there is SO much to do with kids of all ages. First, the river tubing that many portrayed as dangerous and full of filthy behavior was awesome. We went around 10am and even stopped at a few bars, to check out the water slides and ziplines. I went with my 12 and 8-year-old sons and we all had a great time.
 |
| Fun and perfectly safe |
Another thing we love to do is rent motor scooters and exploring. We only do this in small towns where traffic is limited, so Vang Vieng was a perfect spot. Throw in the fact that there are amazing lagoons, caves, and unique villages that it was the perfect recipe for adventure and happiness the entire 3 weeks. That's right we liked it so much we stayed almost 3 weeks, and we never ran out of things to do.
 |
| Lots of amazing places to explore in Vang Vieng |
Where to stay with a family
We realized quickly that the center of town gets quite loud in the evening and were very grateful for the fact that we had booked a hotel at the far end of town. Laos Haven Hotel was a perfect spot for us. It was close enough to easily walk to restaurants, but it was far enough away so we were not disturbed by the thumping of house music in the evening. The rooms were pretty basic but they offer rooms with 2 large beds and the 5 of us were quite comfortable. There is a great kitchen that serves food all day and the rates were fair and budget friendly. The owners were helpful and very sweet to all of us. We highly recommend it!
Pai is a small mountain town in northern Thailand near the Burma border. Pai also has gotten a bad rap similarly as a party town, but more for being a hippie hangout over run with tourists. Since it is a short 3-hour van ride from Chiang Mai through some pretty windy roads, okay the most windy roads ever, I was not sure we would venture out that way. We generally do not target touristy areas.
BUT..
After a good friend went and assured us it was a great spot, and since we experienced enough time in Chiang Mai, we decided to brave the drive and check it out. Admittedly, we do enjoy smaller towns even if they are over run with tourists. The bigger cities we have visited are really wonderful but we feel more at home in a small town with space for the kids to run around. It has a calming effect on our whole family.
When we first arrived in Pai, I immediately understood the warnings. It was clearly FULL of tourists and the town seemed to be set up to cater to them. It was also a bit larger town than Vang Vieng so it took me a few days to really warm up to it, but once I did I just fell in love.
So what is there to do in Pai with a family?
Well, this is a long list so i'll keep it brief and write more about it in an upcoming Pai only post. Again we rented scooters at a mere $3 per day. A great deal and the cheapest we have found in our travels so far. With those we wee able to explore the entire area. From elephant camps to hot springs, memorial bridges to waterfalls, there is no shortage of things to keep everyone busy. It is a beautiful town with amazing temples, rice fields, and mountains to enjoy. A must see is Tham Lod cave, about a 1 hour scooter ride from town well worth it. The ride is beautiful and the cave is nothing short of amazing! There are plenty of family retaurants as well as a great nightly walking market.
 |
| Entrance to Tham Lod cave |
Where to stay with a family?
Pai Chan was our choice. They offer discounts for stays over a week and have a really nice family bungalow. with two separate bedrooms, a large bathroom, and your own porch area and picnic table. The hotel also has a pool, although it's a bit cold for most people. The restaurant is wonderful, and they cook food to order as well as amazing fruit smoothies. The price is right and located just outside of town you get the best of both worlds, close enough to town to walk, but again, far enough away to avoid any "tourist behavior" you may want to be avoiding, especially at night.
Overall, I would have to say I enjoyed Vang Vieng a bit more than Pai, but I was pleasantly surprised that both of these towns have been portrayed inaccurately. There is so much beauty and fun to be had in both areas that I consider them to be must sees in this area of the world. Do yourself a favor and check them out while in Thailand and Laos. They are both great spots for your next family adventure!
Have you ventured to a town that others condemned and were pleasantlyt surprised?? Tell us about it below!
If you enjoyed this please share using the tabs below..
After we started travelling a few years ago I realized that even a short time difference can really make a difference. Even a 2 hour difference effects our sleeping pattern, keeping us up later in the day and sleeping a bit later in the morning. But 2 hours doesn't make or break a trip and for a week we just let it go and stay on that pattern. that way when we return home we will be back on our normal schedule.
What about a long distance trip?
Well we started out in Costa Rica and flew to LA, no problem there! Then we flew from LA to Taiwan and immediately on to Bangkok. We even slept quite a bit on the plane, which surprised me. We landed and got to our hotel around 330am, that was the first mistake! It felt a bit like a baby that has their sleep cycle reversed. We tried to sleep at night, even tried forcing ourselves to stay awake during the day but all to no avail. We would inevitably sleep a bit during the day, and then no matter how tired we were, we just couldn't sleep the whole night through! I think the toughest part was trying to entertain, and keep quiet, our somewhat rowdy troupe of boys, in the middle of the night. It wouldn't have bothered us so much had we not been in a hotel where, I am sure, we were heard at all hours! When all was said and done it took us about 1 week to all switch our gears and get on schedule. Some of us made the transition earlier than other but it wasn't until we were all on schedule that we were really getting a full nights sleep.
So what can you do to ease the suffering?
It seems that we made a few mistakes before we even left home! Following a few simple tips would probably have helped so I will list some here in hopes that you can "switch over" quicker then we did!
- Try switching your schedule little by little the week before you leave. Go to bed later or earlier and try getting used to either sleeping in or getting up earlier in the morning. Depending, of course, on which way you are crossing time zones.
- Book a flight that lands during the day rather then in the middle of the night, stay awake until a decent sleep hour and hit the hay. This worked wonders for my friends that landed around noontime. They seemed to be on track within 2-3 days.
- During your first few days be sure to get outdoors and get plenty of sunlight. It will help regulate your internal rhythm.
- Be sure to get some sleep on the plane, but not too much so that you are unable to sleep once at your destination. Neck pillows, eye covers, and earplugs may help!
- Stay hydrated and walk around often while on board the plane. Dehydration and lack of movement seem to stifle the "switching over" process. This also means NO ALCOHOL! I know it is tempting especially on a long flight but this will only speed up dehydrtaion making the entire process more difficult to overcome.
- Be prepared mentally! Part of the jet lag, that I found most difficult, is a really overwhelming feeling of exhaustion at times. I think being ready for it helps.
- If you are jumping 12 time zones, the mother of all overhaul trips, do yourself a favor and stay at least 2 weeks!
- Some say the natural remedies of yoga stretching or deep breathing also can help by facilitating relaxation and ultimately sleep.
If you follow these tips and accept that you need to take it easy the first couple of days it should be an easier transition. The more people you have the harder it seems it is to get on track. Either way it will pass and you'll be enjoying your new destination in no time!
How do you fight jet lag?? Share your tips below.
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| European Hostel - Wikimedia image |
Budget Travel
If you're looking to cut costs in Europe (and who isn't anymore?), you may have considered hostels. One resource, europeanhostels.com, has been around since 1999. The site has just been overhauled and now has 38 European city guides, editor's picks, hostel photos, user reviews, and travel forums.
One thing that's really cool is the site search: Sort results by popularity, price, or user rating. Plus, you can view all locations on a Google map (also sorted by price) to find the location that fits you best. Other sites, like hostelworld.com, have maps, too, but they aren't sorted by price (and they're not nearly as user-friendly).
A little leery of hostels? One comforting thing is the fact that the "editor's picks" are vetted by the guys at europeanhostels.com—unlike hostelworld.com, which is simply user generated.
Read more at Budget Travel
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| Poco Cielo Resort, Atenas Costa Rica |
A cheap hotel doesn’t necessarily mean lack of quality. Follow the tips below to make your stay cheaper weather you want a budget hotel or a luxury hotel.
- The earlier the better: You can book your stay in advance and chances are that you might land up a handsome discount or some additional features in the form of freebies. Hotels tend to increase their prices for the rooms booked urgently so why haggle?
- Take a trip in off season: You can use the demand and supply for cheap hotels as per your benefit. Hotels tend to set a higher price during the on season but when the occupancy rate is low prices drop to attract off season business.
- Connect with people: Visit travel forums and talk to family and friends. People are the untapped resources when it comes to a scoop on cheap hotels. Their advice is most likely to be reliable as they will hear about if the cheap hotel turns out to be a waste.
- Avoid booking weekends: It is difficult to find a cheap hotel for a weekend simply because there is a greater demand for it in the market. Hotels tend to be in the business for the week by utilizing the weekend opportunity. You can book your stay from Monday to Thursday to get a better deal than on a weekend in any part of the world.
- Reduce Unwanted Accessories: Book a hotel without a pool, restaurant and spa if you don’t think you are going to use those facilities anyway. They will just add to the total price of your room.
- Parking considerations: In some cases parking can be quite expensive if the hotel does not have its own, especially if you plan to stay on a little longer so plan accordingly.
- Location is everything: The nicest places are often just outside the stressing city, and the best part: they are often cheaper than the hotels in the middle of the city. You should do a little research since the in city hotels are bound to charge higher simply because of the proximity to the main area.
- Check with your credit card: some major hotels have tie ups with credit card companies to promote travel and business in a specific area, giving discounts if the client uses his credit card. You can land up discounts up to 20% through this facility in some hotels.
- Book your hotel at cheap-hotels.com: We do a metasearch through the entire range of major hotel booking websites. You can have the ease of comparison of rates, amenities and location at a single platform. With the ‘User Reviews’ feature you can have a better idea of what to expect when checking in the hotel for a first time. You might also discover promotional deals available exclusively for the clients of cheap-hotels.com
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| Wikimedia image |
About.com
1. Look at Airline Sites Offering Deals: Some people reject airline Web deals as hype without substance. That's frequently a mistake. Airlines typically mark down the seats that are empty on an upcoming flight. They'll put these deals on their "last minute bargain" page. Here are links to some of the better bargain pages for airlines on each continent. More: Look at Airline Sites offering Deals
2. Consider Five Basics: One of the toughest parts of airfare shopping is simply getting started. Here are five techniques you can employ at the start to focus on the best fares without spending all day on the Internet.
More: Consider Five Basics
3. Don't Miss the Details: Should you book your flight to Moscow through Germany or Iceland? It would help to know what each country charges in taxes. Why is my sale fare 30% higher when I get to the Internet check-out? It pays to examine airfares with a careful eye. You'll be surprised how small fees and taxes can amount to big add-ons. More: Don't Miss the Details
4. Start with a Realistic "Base Price": Would you like to know how much someone paid earlier today for the route you are searching right now? How about the best price in the past week? Getting an idea of the going base price for a given ticket will help you sort out bargains and bloated fares. There are Internet tools designed to help you with this important task. More: Start with a Realistic "Base Price"
5. Take a Long Look at Budget Carriers: Budget carriers do business in a way you might not like. They sometimes charge more for heavy baggage or an inflight snack. On occasion, they use remote, small airports. But if you can put up with the quirks, you can find real savings. Look at easyJet and others like it to see if this option is for you. More: Take a Long Look at Budget Carriers
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