Category: Travel & Leisure

  • How To Prevent Food Allergies While Traveling?

    Travelling can be fun but it also opens many possible things including trigger your food allergies. There is high chance that you most likely have no idea what ingredients in your food served during your trip. Those who have food allergies often choose to stay at home to stay safe. Well, travelling is an option and everyone has the right to do it or not. However, food allergies shouldn’t limit or reduce happiness coming from travelling especially if it is what you like to do. What you need to do is not stop travelling but find a way to stay safe doing it even with your food allergies as your companion.

    Food Allerty

    Surviving food allergies while travelling

    Many travelers who also have food allergies have proved that they can have fun during travelling and stay safe. Travelling with food allergies is not to be underestimated but it doesn’t mean you have to be so stress to think about it. Here are tips to survive from food allergies while travelling:

    • Make a research before going to your destination is the right thing to do. You can use apps on your phone to help you find safe things to eat or locate restaurants serving food for people with allergies.
    • Be more prepared before travelling. Some travelers may love spontaneous travel. However, it is not for travelers with food allergies. You should prepare everything you need related to your food allergies such as medication, first-aid kit, etc. Make sure to stock them in your bag before travelling so you can easily reach them in emergency.
    • If you are going to travel with friends, work mates, or families, make sure they are informed about your food allergies in advance. Therefore, it can prevent from unnecessary mishaps such as bringing you foods containing things that can trigger your allergies. Informing the will not make you look weak. Instead, they can help you just in case your allergies hit you during your trip.
    • Learn local language of your destination before. At least, you can learn simple words related to your food allergies such as what allergy is in the local language or what cashew in the local language is. Therefore, you can be more aware of what you are going to eat in your destination. You can also write a card saying about your food allergies in local language and show it to the server to inform the about your condition.
    • It is safer to bring your own snacks if you don’t want to deal with unknown snacks during your trip. Thus, you don’t have to wander around searching for snacks if your flight is delayed. Being ignorant of things you eat will only lead you to suffer.
    • It is highly advised to reach out to your airline in advance and let them informed about your food allergies. By speaking up, you can prevent from unnecessary mishaps. Airlines now are more versed in handling passengers with food allergies so you don’t hesitate to tell them about your condition.
  • Surprisingly Affordable Luxury Travel Destinations in The World

    Travelling to luxury destination means you need to dig down deeper your wallet. You need to prepare your budget so that you can travel comfortable and safely. No matter what type of traveler you are, travelling to luxury place once in a while is like a dream. That is why lots of travelers are purposely saving their money so that they can afford to have a trip to more luxury destination for their next travel plan. Travelling to luxury destinations is so tempting because it offers extra-ness in various ways. It provides better facilities, amenities, and privileges. Of course, they come with extra money as well. However, it doesn’t mean you cannot truly have it.

    List of affordable luxury travel destinations you may interested in

    If you have a dream of having to travel to luxury destination then it is possible to do so. There are surprisingly luxury travel destinations in the world which are still affordable for budget travelers. keep in mind that luxury doesn’t have to be expensive. You may find it hard to believe it so here are the lists:

    • Marfa, Texas is a great destination to have luxury travel with affordable price. Besides, this place is already popular among celebrities including Mathew McConaughey and Beyoncé. Marfa may not look as expensive as LA or New York. However it offers artsy place in the wild, Wild West. Thus, it gives you unique feeling. Dinner for two only cost around $38 USD. You can travel to this small desert city and go for shopping at Prada Marfa.
    • Osaka, Japan is a great destination if you want to have luxury travel. Japan is already famous for its high-technology invention in various areas. It is also a perfect place to enjoy food scene for food enthusiasts. Amongst many famous destinations in Japan, Osaka is one of the best places to go to. Besides, its location is near to other destinations that you can reach in one go. Dinner for two people can only cost around $35 USD. Current exchange rate is 1000 JYP for 9 USD.
    • Gaya Island, Sabah Malaysia is another exotic travel destination in Asia that fits perfectly for affordable luxury travel. It just sits off the coast of Kota Kinabalu. The island looks really fascinating that you feel like you are in Maldives. Dinner for two people in this city only cost around $12USD. The current exchange rate is 62 MYR for 15 USD. There are many things you can enjoy during your trip to Gaya Island such as exotic beach, coral reef, and wildlife sightings.
    • Sihanoukville, Cambodia is another gem in Asia which offers affordable luxury travel experience. The beaches and islands are what the most attractive things about this place. However, the casinos and resorts keep developing throughout the years, making great changes in the city. However, it still as lovely as it is. Besides, this luxury travel destination is affordable for budget travelers. You can get dinner for two people with $18 USD.
  • Travelling with Basic Economy Flight more Comfortably

    There is no wrong of being budget traveler. Every traveler has their own principle over their way of travelling. If you are also budget travelers, you may have been familiar with basic economy flight. Actually, it is not only budget travelers who often deal with the perks of basic economy flight. Even when you are going for luxury travel, you might end up getting basic economy flight for a reason or two. The point is, you can still fly comfortably even if you happen to seat in basic economy class. It is not as horrible as you thought. Besides, basic economy can be advantageous if you travel frequently, especially on shorter flights.

    Travelling with Basic Economy Flight more Comfortably

    How to stay comfortable with basic economy flight

     

    There are many things about travelling that can make you feel elated or down. One of them is when you have your flight. Some travelers choose business class to feel more comfortable during their flight. However, some travelers get basic economy out of choice or luck. Here are tips to make you stay comfortable even when you are in basic economy flight:

    • It is important for you to read the fine print of basic economy beforehand. Every airline may have different standard on it. By reading all the information about privileges you will gain by having basic economy, you will be more prepared of what to expect. In most airlines, basic economy means you get a seat in the main cabin, free snacks and soft drinks, and in-flight entertainment. However, it comes with some restrictions such as no access to overhead bins, your seats are assigned, no flight changes or refunds, no access to upgrade privileges.
    • To make you fly more comfortably, make sure to pack light. Remember that most basic economy restrict personal items. You may suffer from hefty surcharges if you over-pack. There is limited weigh requirement for basic economy fares. Thus, make sure to only pack what you need and pack light to avoid being charged.
    • As mentioned before that basic economy means your seat is assigned when check in. Thus, it is highly advised to check-in early. Thus, you will have greater chance to get window or aisle eat you wanted. The early you come, the greater the chance for you to be friendly with the gate agent so you can pick the seat from what it’s available.
    • Some airlines restrict in-flight entertainment for basic economy fares. Thus, you might as well prepare your own entertainment. Bring your tablet to keep you entertained especially during long haul flight. You can also board with water bottles and snack packs to keep you from hunger during your flight.
    • You can also splurge on a lounge day or massage at the airport. You can use the money you have saved from booking basic economy flight. Besides, many airports lounge offer various perks that you can take with you on the flight such as headphones, coffee, snacks, etc. Therefore, you can survive your basic economy flight and your trip won’t be so bad after all.

     

  • Worry About Komodo Island Tour Price? Do These Things!

    Komodo National Park is a travel phenomenon these days. Pictures of surreal scenes featuring rich savannah, rocky mountains, fine ribbons of sugary beaches, and bright aquamarine water scattered around the internet, inviting anyone who see it to immediately book a ticket and embark on an exploration.

    But here’s the problem. You don’t know how much Komodo island tour price will cost you and neither will your wallet allow it. The first thing you need to do is making budget arrangements and see how much it probably cost.

    Worry About Komodo Island Tour Price? Do These Things!Look for Fixed Prices for Attraction

    Since prices of accommodation and transportation can greatly varied, you should start with fixed prices to start budget accommodation. It means prices of things that’s not affected by the change if seasons, operator regulations, time, or other factors. Some of the things in Komodo that apply fixed prices are government-ruled National Park attraction, which include Komodo National Park’s one-day entry fees, park rangers one-trip fees, and other activities.

    Here’s the list of price:

    • One-time only entry fee: Rp 150.000.000,- (around USD $100)
    • Trekking: Rp 5.000,-
    • Wildlife Observation: Rp 10.000,-
    • Scuba Diving: Rp 25.000,-
    • Snorkelling: Rp 25.000,-
    • Cano and other boat-related sport: Rp 25.000,-
    • Fishing: Rp 25.000,-
    • One-trip Park rangers fee: Rp 80.000,- per group/ trip

    Note that this article was made on the end of 2018 and prices may change times later. Knowing the fixed prices of every attractions and planning which activities to do in advance will make easier budgeting.

    Look for Options and Alternatives

    You might have know that travelling to Komodo Island require a trip with liveaboard. Know that they are not just one, but plenty of liveaboard operating in Labuan Bajo, Komodo’s only port town. They come in various type and class, too. Low budget to mid=-range liveaboard usually cost around Rp 1,5 million to 3 million for three-day trip. Top-range and more luxurious boats are offered around 3 – 5 million per night for a cruise cabin, 6 – 8 million for master/ ensuite cabins, and up to 30 million if you want to rent the whole boat. If you have tight budget issues related to Komodo Island tour price but still want some comfort creature, narrow down your search to mid-range liveaboard. They usually offer the best deals.

    Tighten Your Belt and Save Up!

    By any way, Komodo is not a luxury destination. What make it expensive is the choice of accommodation—your hotel in Labuan Bajo and the liveaboard ships to sail around the National Park. If you think that sleeping in a foam and mattresses on an open deck is not for you, better prepare from now and put that money in the piggy bank. 

    Travel in Shoulder Season for Cheaper Komodo Island Tour Price

    If you worry that Komodo Island tour price will drain your bank account, try to wait up and travel in shoulder season. A lot of hotel and liveaboard operator in Komodo offer lower price if you choose to travel around January to May or September to the middle of December (the end of December is considered as high season)

    Now, are you ready to take the adventure?

  • Be Your Own Photographer When Traveling Without Companions

    An important skill you learn as you travel? Photography! Well, learning to take pictures of objects and also of yourself is arguably one of the most valuable lessons for some. And while taking photos of your destinations may not be something that is extremely difficult to do in the first place; taking photos of yourself when you’re solo is hard. So how can you take better photos of yourself during your travels?

    Work on being more comfortable in front of the camera

    While people who take photos of themselves on a regular basis may not feel that this is the case, being comfortable in front of the camera actually takes practice. So how can you become more comfortable when taking pics of yourself? Well, take more pics of yourself! And often. Do it everyday even when you’re not traveling. It may be very embarrassing at first. But you’ll soon realize that other people do not care and won’t start to care because they have their very own thing to do instead of scrutinizing you taking pics of yourself. Unless you get in their way, of course. So make sure to take pics of yourself as often as you can.

    Learn to pose

    How to make yourself look good in a photo? Why, learn to pose, of course.

    Posing does not have to be complicated or magazine-like—those models have people directing and a producing team, and their aim is to create an image. Your goal should be to create a more natural, a more mundane shot as if you’re simply capturing everyday lives. It tends to

    You would also be able to give your surroundings a chance to shine.

    Photos that look candid is appealing for its spontaneous, often vulnerable, stolen-shot quality.

    Start small and use what you already have

    You don’t have to immediately purchase an expensive DSLR in order to be a better travel photographer. While the tool has become mandatory for some, it does not mean it has to be mandatory for you. It’s also not a wise move especially if you’re on a budget. Start with what you have and learn from there. If you only have a smartphone, then use it You can always upgrade later.

    Make use wide-angle option

    A lot of phone cameras out there have the wide-angle features these days. Taking photos of yourself won’t have to be a super close-up shot of your face anymore. Unfortunately, many devices don’t have the option in using wide-angle in the front camera. So may want to note that.

    Practicing (not-so) candid shots

    As mentioned above, candid shots are attractive in their own ways. For those who feel awkward looking at the camera, this would be a perfect place to start from. Show your back to the camera, show a side of your face, or simply tilt your head slightly and let your gaze travel away from the lens. Learn what works best for you and you can expand from there.

    Look for inspirations

    References go a long way. You’ve probably been inspired by other travelers or photographers before you’re taking the photos of your travel seriously. Compile a list of the travel photographers or travel blogs that had caught your mind before. Learn what they do through their photos. Don’t be afraid to imitate. It’s an effective learning process.

  • Learn more about the Concept of Slow Travel

    There is always a new trend when it comes to lifestyle including how people travel. Basically, there are various types of travel such as luxury travel, family trip, adventurous tour, short trip, road trip, lazy vacation, and many more. There is also a new trend which is called slow travel. Basically, there is no big difference between the usual travel and slow travel. However, the essence and the vibe truly make it different. Slow travel means a more in-depth exploration of a place. It means slow travelers spend more time exploring and appreciating the place they visit. They try to immerse in the way the locals living.

    Learn more about the Concept of Slow Travel

    What is slow travel?

    It is often that you feel even more stress and exhausted after taking a vacation. Maybe one of the reasons is that you take frantic pace when traveling. Thus, it doesn’t give you the healing effect instead of more fatigue. Rushing from one attraction to another will not give you more meaningful and valuable points. On the contrary, slow travel allows you to stay longer in one place and enjoy more everything around you without a rush or frantic movements. Everything is done in a more relaxed pace so you won’t get more fatigue when you back at home from traveling.

    Slow travel is kind of offshoot of the slow food movement which began in 1980 precisely in Italy. At that time, there was a protest against the opening of McDonald’s in Rome. The movement aimed to preserve more regional cuisines as well as local farming, and traditional food preparation methods. Thus, it led to the whole concept of Slow Movement. It aims to emphasize the connection to food and families. When it comes to travel, it means that slow movement is to emphasize the connection to local people as well as the culture.

    The concept of slow travel

    The concept of slow travel isn’t limited to transportation choice. Slow travel also means the travelers choose to squeeze as many sights or places as possible into each trip. The exploration in slow travel concept is more in-depth. There is a strong urge to form a solid connection with the local people and cultures. Therefore, travelers need more time to do it. There are many challenges in achieving the real goal of slow travel such as language barrier, different culture, and customs, etc. However, once they have been tackled down the reward is priceless. Travelers will learn more valuable lessons in life.

    The concept of slow travel is also not only to emphasize the connection between travelers to the cultures and the local people but also to the environment. By taking slow travel, your awareness of your surrounding is heightening. You will be more aware of the damage you might cause to the environment when traveling. Therefore, slow travel allows you to choose wisely for many things. For example, you choose to rent a cottage promoting a green concept or choose transportation that produces less emission. Another thing included in slow travel concept is that you can save your money from reducing transportation cost or decide to do a home exchange instead of booking a hotel.

  • Benefits of Slow Travel You Should Know

    Slow travel has become more familiar amongst travel enthusiast. It is the way of traveling in which you use more time to stay longer in a place you are visiting and make a stronger connection with it. By slow traveling, you have more times to appreciate the beauty and every interesting part around you. Many travelers also consider it as laid-back travel because there is no hurried schedule or tight itinerary. Everything is done leisurely and there is no rush involved. People who face hectic day also start considering this type of travel because they find it helpful to rid all the stress.

    Benefits of Slow Travel You Should Know

    By choosing slow travel, you will earn many benefits. Here are some of them:

    • The impact of nature will be minimized or reduced. Keep in mind that tourism has contributed to the change of environment. When you are slow traveling, you include green concept by booking greener accommodation. For example, you decide to stay at the green hotel offering a renewable energy source, eco-friendly facilities, and local sourced-foods.
    • Another benefit of slow travel to the environment is also when you take more eco-friendly transport to help to reduce carbon emission. For example, slow travel allows you to enjoy the trains instead of airplanes. The train is more eco-friendly obviously while airplane has a big contribution to global warming. Another alternative is by driving your car in short distance or even by walking. These give positive impact to the environment by at least reducing further damage to the environment.
    • You have more time to appreciate the beauty of what is near you. By slow traveling, you don’t need to follow your agenda in a tight schedule. You don’t have to hurry anything. Thus, it will help you to avoid stress during your travel and exploration.
    • By taking slow travel, you will be able to form a stronger connection to the place you are visiting. You can recognize your neighbors, knowing more about the local markets, and picking your favorite cafe. It is a great way to escape your usual stressful day which fulls of the crowd and hurried footsteps.
    • Slow travel benefits your finance especially if you are a budget traveler. When you decide to stay longer in one place instead of hurriedly moving from one place to another then you have reduced your transportation cost.
    • Slow travel means you have more options in choosing your accommodation. Instead of booking a room in a hotel, you can opt for rental vacation or home exchange. It is more cost-efficient. Since you stay longer, you can even make your own food instead of eating out. Thus, it means you can save even more and use your money for more important things.
    • You gain priceless reward by slow travel especially when you have succeeded to blend in with the locals. The reward is that the satisfaction of tackling language barriers, differences in cultures, as well as other major blocks which can stop you from making the connection. This is the valuable thing you earn from slow travel that you won’t get when you breeze through various tourist sites.
  • Stay Happy and Healthy through Special Wellness Travel

    Basically, you can go traveling to maintain your wellness. To do list on this kind of travel includes enjoying a spa, relaxing bath, massage, etc. However, it may sound too mediocre for you who like having more adventurous traveling. Well, you can do both actually. You can have fun and adventurous traveling as well as maintaining your wellbeing. There are many options you can choose based on your preferences. Most people have wellness holiday due to fatigue and exhaustion. Thus, they do it to relieve some stress and recharge their energy to face the day when they have to go back to daily routine.

    Stay Happy and Healthy through Special Wellness Travel

    Tips to stay happy and healthy through wellness travel

    It is important to recharge not only your physical strength but also mentality by traveling. Through wellness travel though, you can gain both. However, you need more than a mediocre wellness travel when everything seems to be limited to the spa house. Here what you can do:

    • Aging is something that you cannot prevent. However, aging and aging beautifully is different. You want to more than look younger but also feel it. Maintaining youthful glow is not easy indeed. However, you can achieve it through special wellness travel by having spa treatments, facials, massage, etc. Those treatments can help you maintain your youthful beauty while increasing your vitality. Choose the resort that offers you more than usual spa treatments. There are some resorts that offer spa that can also solving health issues.
    • Instead of performing an extreme diet, it is much better to apply a healthy lifestyle. You can treat your foods as medicine. While traveling, you don’t have to suffer from hunger. You can eat what you want but be mindful of the menu. Besides, healthy foods today are tasty as well. Thus, you don’t have to worry too much about what to eat while traveling to make you stay in shape and happy.
    • Choose outdoor activities while traveling. However, make sure to choose fresh activities instead of the exhausting one. When you are over exhausted, you will feel more restless during travel. Thus, choose the activities wisely. It is recommended to do activities that you like or include your hobby such as horse riding, tour walking, etc. After doing all activities, you can indulge yourself by having a special spa treatment. For example, having a sea salt bath, mud massage, or medi-spa treatment involving high-technology.
    • While you are having wellness travel, you can go visit special wellness architecture. For example, you can go visit a spa house or resort which promote a more comfortable, sustainable, and functional environment. You can choose the spa house with special growing greenery, open space concept, and natural lighting. This will make your travel much better since you can feel nature closer.
    • Stay positive during your wellness travel is important. When you find every little thing too nerve-wracking, spend some time to do relaxation such as breathing in and out, watching beautiful scenery in silence, or drink herbal beverage. Thus, you will be enjoying the travel still.
  • Most Beautiful Beaches in Tasmania, Australia

    Australia offers various travel destinations for both local and international tourists. Surrounded by open sea, Australia has many beautiful beaches. They are located in different region and cities. However, you shouldn’t miss some of the beautiful beaches in Tasmania. This is one of the most desired travel destinations in Australia. Tasmania is like a natural artwork and gift. The natural beauty is framed by beautiful beaches. There are various types of beach in Tasmania. Some of them have white sands, some have long coast. Amongst all beautiful beaches located in Tasmania, here are the most recommended ones:

    Most Beautiful Beaches in Tasmania, Australia

    • Boat Harbor Beach is located at the foot of Table Cape on the Bass Strait coast. The most intriguing part of this beach is the black and white look. The beach is framed by white sand. But then it is stripped of black volcanic rocks. Thus, it results in contrast view which makes the beach looks more dramatically beautiful. The view will be even more powerful when the sun basking the water. The facility around the beach is satisfying. There is even a cafe where you can linger and enjoy your favorite cocktail.
    • Wineglass Bay is recommended a beach to visit while you are in Tasmania for traveling. Lots of people who have come to this beach said that it is indeed an embodiment of a perfect beach. There are many different spots to enjoy the magnificent view of the beach. You can go to the lookout platform or simply enjoy the view from the upfront where the white sand lies. The name of the beach is quite intriguing.  According to the locals, the name refers to the color of the water which turns red with blood when it is viewed from the whaling station at its southern end.
    • Crescent Bay is a beautiful beach in Tasmania, precisely about 90-minute walk in from near Port Arthur. The curvy beach offers a magnificent view for visitors. The most dramatic part of this beach is the amazing dunes which tower up from the sands. The locals, especially the children have used them for sand-boarding.
    • Coningham Beach is located near to a capital city. It is about a half-hour drive from Hobart. When you visit this beach, you will find colorful boat sheds as well as sandstone cliff. The environment at this beach is mostly serene and peaceful. Thus, it is the best location if you don’t want to be trapped in a beach full of crowd. This beach is too tempting for swimming since the condition is truly supporting.
    • Ocean Beach is Tasmania’s longest beach. However, it is not a beach for swimming though. The beach stretches more than 30km north from Macquarie Heads near Strahan. This is where you can watch the magnificent Southern Ocean. The 18-meter high wave was recorded a few years ago. It shows how powerful the beach is. The location of this beach is easy to spot. It is just a few minutes’ drives from Strahan. Don’t forget to bring your camera to capture the powerful beach. 
  • Most Convenient Way to Connect to the Internet in Japan for Tourists

    Unlike in many countries where getting a sim card owned by just about everyone in the country is easy, Japan is a bit different. As Japanese long-term residents or citizens, you’ll have to get into a contract with a provider company. The Japanese long-term residents are required to have a subscription plan that usually occurs at the same time they get their mobile phones. So how can you as a tourist get a constant, guaranteed access for internet in Japan?

    Most Convenient Way to Connect to the Internet in Japan for Tourists

    Things such as train routes are easily accessible through the internet. All you have to do is insert stations’ names or your destinations on the map and you have your routes. Aside from the everyday activities, you needed internet for, internet these days is almost like a basic need for travelers. Luckily, getting a guaranteed internet access in Japan is not difficult. Here are some of the most convenient ways you can get connected while traveling in the country.

     

    Free Wifi hotspots are not always readily available

    Relying on free wifi without the means of your very own data plan may get you into trouble, especially when you’re traveling to a foreign country. While Japan is known for its cutting-edge technology and funky multipurpose robots, that does not mean they provide free internet in every corner of the country. So make sure to bring your own. There are some hotels or guesthouses that included a “pocket wifi” in your stay. Make sure to check with them for your money’s worth and to avoid paying twice for the internet.

     

    Pocket Wifi Rental

    These compact portable devices are small wifi routers you can bring anywhere. This is perfect for those who travel with a companion. While each device and services differ slightly, one pocket wifi device can accommodate up to 4 to 8 people at a time. You’ll need to return your pocket wifi before you go back home by dropping it off at the nearest post office or a post box. These post offices and post boxes are usually available at the airport. Make sure to check the location and the office hours.

     

    Smartphone Rentals

    There is usually the option of regular phones (usually a Japanese old flip phones). But most people these days won’t have a use of that anymore, I’d imagine. Smartphone rentals are commonly available for rent at the airports. This option is good for those who are not sure their phones would be compatible with Japan sim card, or those who didn’t have the opportunity to unlock their phones before going to Japan.

     

    Japan SIM Card

    One of the most straightforward ways to connect to the internet in Japan. The option of sim card is also generally cheaper for individual use compared to a pocket wifi. Japanese sim card for tourists are for data-only and cannot be used for calls. Data-only sim card is more often than not, afford you unlimited data, with data throttling after the fair use has been spent. If you absolutely needed to use your phone for calls made not over the internet, then you need to buy it by presenting a tourist visa.