The Travelling Guru

How to change your hotel booking after ‘late cancellation’

Plans change. People can’t always make it, some get sick, flights get cancelled or delayed, and sometimes we just want to spend a little longer in the paradise we are in before we move on to our next destination. That’s what we call life! Life is unpredictable and especially when traveling, plans can (and sometimes have to) change, but that’s ok!

Unfortunately, when making online hotel bookings it’s not always possible to make changes free of charge after a specific date, particularly when booking via online booking agents such as Booking.com, Kayak, Hotels.com etc. This date can be anything from a few weeks prior up until the night before your anticipated arrival. Often when you try to cancel or modify your booking after this date via the company website, you will be informed that you cannot make changes at this point and in case of a no show (i.e. you don’t turn up) you will be charged the entire hotel fee.

We have found ourselves in this situation many times in various destinations and we are sure you have/will at some point in your lifetime too. Previously, we have taken it as a loss of finances believing that nothing can be done about the situation and the companies involved won’t understand/care or alter their ‘policies’ for one booking. After all, both the hotel and booking agent are running businesses and if the cancellation is too late the hotel likely won’t be able to fill that room meaning it’s either their loss or yours.

Here’s an example. When flying to Kuala Lumpur (KL), Malaysia, from Bali, Indonesia, our flight was delayed due to volcanic ash clouds so we couldn’t leave the island for another few days. In KL, we had booked a luxury hotel for Brett’s birthday celebrations and already the date had passed for free cancellation. Rather than contacting the hotel and explaining our situation, we just took it as a loss of finances and was charged the full amount for the 4 night stay. This has happened numerous times including recently, which motivated this post as I found myself in this predicament again and was just certain there must be something we can do about it this time.

Recently, my sister and I planned to hike Snowdon at 1am on Summer Solstice to enjoy the sunrise views from atop the 1,000 metre high mountain at around 5.30am. Given that it’s the highest mountain in Wales and would have been my first night time hike, we trained moderately (I would like to say extensively but that would be a lie!), and went on as many walks as we could in the three months prior.

Anyway, one week before our anticipated hike I returned from a week long conference trip to Munich, Germany (you may have seen a few highlights on our Instagram @travellinguru_). I felt fine and hopped back into my daily routine of work, gym, yoga, until three days before the day we were due to hike, I became awfully rundown with flu-like symptoms.

Ever the optimist and not one for being beat by illness, I left it right until the night before we were due to leave for Snowdon until I admitted defeat. How could I hike the highest mountain in Wales when I couldn’t even walk upstairs without feeling breathless? Unfortunately, the date had passed where we could modify our booking free of charge so we were challenged with either paying the full amount or trying our luck to change the booking.

We tried our luck and got lucky! I want to share with you just how we did it because it’s super easy and to be honest, I was so surprised it worked because as I mentioned earlier, we thought policies were policies!

If you find yourself in the same situation, try following these three simple steps to change your hotel booking after the agreed modification date has passed when booked via a booking agent.

1. Contact the hotel

First, you need to contact the hotel and explain your situation. It is often better to contact them via telephone as you are almost guaranteed a response whereas emails can get passed on from employee to employee and often disregarded. For us, we explained how we would kindly like to request to change from a family room accommodating three people to a twin room accommodating two people as one of our group have fallen sick last minute and therefore cannot make the trip. It seemed silly to pay a 1/3 of a £200 per night hotel when I wasn’t even there!

Essentially, the conversation you have here will determine whether you continue to the next step as it really is up to the hotel whether they will honour your request or not. You may wish to express your concerns with the manager as they will have more power over the decision. Often hotels can be more understanding than you might initially think so it is always good to contact them and discuss your options. If the hotel agrees, move to step two.

2. Contact the booking agent

If you have booked your hotel through a third party such as Booking.com, Kayak, or Hotels.com, the hotel will likely inform you that it is your responsibility to arrange with the booking agent to make official changes to the booking. In this case, the booking agent could potentially charge an admin fee, but this will depend on the company policy.

Again, contacting via telephone is best and often the only way to get in contact with these kind of companies. You might be able to use an online chat room on the company website. However, this could delay the process and will likely lead you to phoning an actual human being to clarify the details later on. At this point, make sure you have your booking details to hand including your confirmation number, pin code (if appropriate e.g. on Booking.com), contact details of the person who made the booking (including name, address, email and contact number), and details of the modifications you want to make (e.g. date, room size etc.).

Confirm with the booking agent that the hotel have agreed to alter your booking, however, they requested that the booking agent officially makes these changes and resends the booking confirmation to you and the hotel with the new details. At this stage, any admin fees and change in price will be calculated and should be clearly discussed before confirming the new arrangements.

3. Booking agent confirms with hotel

The booking agent will then contact the hotel to confirm that the hotel have agreed to allow these changes. If you are speaking on the phone to the booking agent, you will likely be put on hold while they contact the hotel. However, if they cannot reach them at that moment, they will send an email with the details to the hotel and you will have to wait for the response via email.

If contact is successful, the booking agent should confirm this and you should be sent a new booking confirmation via email with the modified booking details including change of date/price etc. where applicable.

If contact is unsuccessful and you are still waiting for the email after 24 hours, it might be best to follow the process again and see whether it has been confirmed. It might be that the hotel have disregarded or forgotten about the email so it is best to have the booking agent try again.

Also, make sure you change the booking before you check in because once you’ve checked in, it makes it a lot more difficult to modify your booking, especially if you have paid upon arrival.

Although you might not be successful each time you wish to modify a booking past the agreed date, it’s certainly worth a try given that policies and people are different from once place to the next. If you can potentially save some money while on your travels, it’s certainly worth a shot, right? We will definitely be using this method on our future travels.

How Travelling Could Lead to Opportunities that Change Your Life for the Better

Whether you are away for a few months or a few years, travelling the world could open up many doors for you in terms of developing your self, your relationships and your career and ultimately change your life for the better. With much more leisure time at your disposal and with you being exposed to various cultures and ways of living, you might find yourself with a fresh perspective on what you want and need out of life and your future goals. You will also meet people from diverse backgrounds, which could lead to various opportunities.

Here are just five potential opportunities that could arise while you are travelling and things to consider if you are travelling with intent to start your own business, network and/or advance your career, meet someone new and start a new life abroad, develop your interpersonal skills and worldly knowledge or discover your calling.

1. Set up your own business

With all that time on your hands to ponder and explore, you might be inspired to start your own business while on the road or return home to set up said business. While travelling, there are many ways you can start making money. For example, you might start blogging about your adventures and inspiring others to take the leap and travel the world too. You might specialise in how to backpack on a budget in South America or how to travel the states with a family.

Whatever it is, you can learn ways to monetise your blog such as affiliate marketing or developing ebooks and online courses. The latter two could even develop into an online business in their own right. If you start your business while on the road, this could result in you continuing your travels for much longer than anticipated because you will be earning money to keep you going.

2. Networking and advance your career

One of the beauty’s of travelling the world is that you never know who you might meet. The world is full of fascinating people that you might never have met if you had stayed within the vicinity of your home town. Meeting people is a great way to make lifelong friends but also you never know what opportunities might present themselves in terms of advancing your career.

For instance, you might meet someone who has their own business and is looking for a freelance designer or writer to join their team, which just so happens to be your area of expertise. You might even meet a local business owner who has the perfect job opportunity for you, or you could build a network and meet the ideal employer through this network and land yourself that dream job in Australia. There are so many opportunities in this area and this is just one of the many reasons why it’s a great idea to get chatting to others and develop friendships and connections while you are travelling.

3. Meet someone new and start a new life abroad

So many of our friends have gone travelling to South East Asia and Australia and either met someone out there and started a new life, or returned home with a partner they have met while travelling. For example, our friend from a small town in the High Peaks National Park, UK, travelled all around South East Asia where he met his South Korean girlfriend. Together, they continued their adventures and went on to Australia before finally returning to the UK almost a year later.

While his South Korean girlfriend spoke limited English when they met, after spending so much time together travelling, she developed her English language skills and he can now hold a conversation in Korean. Not only have each of them learnt a new language, they have built memories that will last a lifetime and met someone they could potentially spend the rest of their life with. Who knows whether they will end up living in the UK or Korea, or somewhere completely different. The point is that when travelling you never know who you might meet and where that could lead too. But the chances are it could lead you to moving abroad and embracing a completely different culture and way of life, beyond anything you ever imagined.

4. Develop interpersonal skills and worldly knowledge

Whether you are barely in your 20’s or you are far into your 30’s, 40’s or more, taking a trip around the world will open you up to new experiences, which will deepen your worldly knowledge. If you go alone or with friends, you will grow as a person, such as developing your own independence, learning how to take time to yourself, learning a new skill, or gaining the confidence to make new friends and try new things. There’s just something about being out of your home country that makes you able to push your mental boundaries and take more risks. As a result, you will surprise yourself at how outgoing you really are and how many things you are actually willing to experience. For example, you might never have dreamed of skydiving, however, in a new land and with new friends, you might have the spontaneity within you to take that plunge.

5. Discover your calling

During your time travelling, your perspective on life and your goals might change because of two reasons. First, you will have plenty of time to ponder and rediscover your inner self in terms of your interests, passion, things that are most important to you, and the overall direction you want your life to take. Second, you will be exposed to new cultures and ways of living, some that may be much less privileged than your life back home, which could lead to you appreciating the ‘smaller’ things in life. Both of us and the majority of our friends who are well travelled have returned with much more content and self-awareness and understanding of themselves and the world around them.

There are many opportunities that could potentially arise while you are travelling the world. They will present themselves in various ways and it’s up to you to grab a hold and make the most of them. By doing so, you will have a much richer and meaningful travelling experience and could change your life in wonderful ways.

How to Overcome the Fear of Leaving Daily Life Behind to Travel the World

Leaving your routine life behind to travel the world can be a little daunting to see the least. You may or may not love your life back home, you will likely have friends and family, and many responsibilities such as bills to pay and/or children. You might even be on your way to building a successful career or be well established and be wondering whether your chance for such success will come again. These responsibilities of daily life and fears of what the future holds can make the decision to up sticks and travel the world seem like a huge risk and lead to many feelings of anxiousness, worry, and ultimately lead to fear of taking the leap and potentially never doing so.

However, if your dream of travelling the world is something you think of every day you should never give up on doing it. Life is short and our time as humans on planet Earth is extremely limited in the grand scheme of things.

One question to ask yourself is what do you want your story to be? Do you want to be telling stories to your grandchildren of how you spent most of your days working hard and taking the odd holiday every now and then? Or do you want to be the ultimate storyteller who travelled the world, meeting new faces each day, taking new risks and adventures even to that day?

If you prefer the first statement then that’s ok, but we’re presuming that as you’re reading this article, you’re the type of person who dreams for the second. Of course, being the ultimate storyteller comes as a result of the many adventures taken over the years, being the risk taker and the adventurer, and ultimately, living the dream you think about every single day.

Now, it’s not going to be easy and we understand you have your concerns. However, our six tips listed below might just be what you are looking for in order to take that leap. Interested? Read on.

1. Remember, you’re not the first person to up sticks and tour the world, and you’ll certainly not be the last

Each year, millions of people of various demographic and socioeconomic background take the plunge and leave their daily routine behind to travel the world. That means you are not the first and you certainly won’t be the last. Indeed, others might have less risk than yourself in terms of financial, career or family commitments, but remember that everyone has their own challenges although they may differ from your own.

Also, if you think how many 18 year olds and recent graduates take a gap year, get up to all sorts of mischief and still return home in one piece, then we’re pretty sure you’ll be able to do it too. The many roads throughout the world are well established and well toured, which means you are following in the footsteps of other adventurers who have been there before. For some, this is all the reassurance and comfort they need but might not have realised yet.

2. Because you’re not the first, we can guarantee new friends will be plentiful

Because you’re not the first, we can almost guarantee you will meet plenty of people along the way in the same situation as you, travelling the world and anticipating new experiences and meeting new friends. People you meet on the road will likely become friends for life. This could be other travellers or local people of the many destinations you will visit. Either way, you will create long lasting friendships with people from all corners of the world and from different cultures than your own, which opens up many doors for deepening your worldly knowledge.

In current times, it’s much easier to stay connected with people wherever you are in the world, which means that you need never lose touch with friends you meet along the road, even when you go your separate ways. Who knows, in the future you might exchange visits to each other’s home countries, which could lead to you exploring destinations you might not have even thought of visiting previously. The best part, you will have your own personal local guide who knows the best places to visit, eat and drink, and that person will be your friend, which means the experience will be shared and much more enjoyable and memorable.

3. The media portrays the world to be much scarier than it really is

Switching on any major news channel will stimulate fear in anyone with half a heart. It’s purposefully developed in order to do so which makes the world outside your home country seem like a scary place, right? Remembering our parents and grandparents response when we took our first trip to South East Asia is a prime example. No one in either of our families had travelled further than Europe from the UK so the thought of us, a couple in our early 20’s and the babies of both families, taking our backpacks and heading to the other side of the world stimulated major fear in every family member.

Having never visited themselves, all our family had as source was the major media channels, which they have watched each day for many years with devastating stories of terrorism, missing travellers, and natural disasters. In their mind we were travelling to an underdeveloped and dangerous part of the world that travellers should not entertain. This couldn’t be further from the truth, which is evident given that South East Asia as we know it is booming with tourism that continues to grow in popularity year on year, and rightly so.

The moral of this story is that you shouldn’t believe everything you hear from the media and that fear is often a result of the unknown. Naturally, humans are creatures of habit and most feel comfort and security in what they know, that being their own home, town and daily routine. For some, this is fine. However, if you feel like you need to break free to live your dream life, know that the world is a wonderful place and as long as you keep your wits about you and use your common sense when travelling you should be fine. You will make so many memories and be content knowing that you lived your life the way you wanted to, taking risks and exploring this beautiful place we call home.

4. You’re more than capable to travel the world alone or with friends

You are much smarter and capable to travel the world than you and any one who doubts you may think so. All it takes is time and patience to conduct your research and plan your trip, and also a little self confidence in your ability to do so. As previously mentioned, many young adults and first-time travellers head out into the big wide world on their own and with friends and family each year, so why can’t you?

If you are unsure where to start, there are many resources on our blog that are useful for pre-trip planning such as:

5. Remember, nothings permanent

You’ve been travelling the world for three months and now you are ready to go home. Perhaps you’ve seen everything you set out to see. You might have realised that life on the road isn’t for you because being around friends and family is more important than anything else. Maybe you set out on a mission of self-discovery and found it sooner than expected. Whatever your reason, know that returning home at any time is absolutely fine. Whether that’s one month, three months, or three years. The point is that you got up and went in the first place, which is much more than many other people have done.

Don’t be ashamed to return sooner than anticipated. We’re sure your loved ones will be celebrating with joy and you will return much more content getting on with your life knowing that you lived your dream for as long as you wanted to. We can almost guarantee you will have plenty of exciting stories to tell and will be referring back to them for the rest of your life. And who knows, in due course you might be ready to travel again. Maybe even somewhere different this time.

The best thing is, you’ve already done it once so you know three key things. One, you are more than capable to plan a trip around the world. Two, you most certainly have the courage and confidence to do so. Three, you are a doer, not a dreamer!

6. You have too many commitments that you can’t leave behind

We all have commitments, some bigger and more complicated than others, but as the saying goes, “where there’s a will, there’s a way”, that’s for sure. The most common perceived barriers to travelling the world are associated with financial capability and having children. In our previous post, we have discussed how you can Budget in Daily Life So You Can Save Up to Travel the World. These tips can be useful for overcoming perceived financial barriers and is worth checking out if this is something you are concerned about.

If you have children, travelling the world can still be done. Take for example, World Travel Family, who decided to travel the world with their children in 2012 and continue do so to this day while running a successful travel blog. You can find many tips on how to do so on their blog, which could be the motivation and tools you need.

In sum, travelling the world is possible for most of us and although it might seem daunting at first, if it is your ultimate dream to travel the world, you should never give up on it! Even if the time isn’t right yet, it might be in the near or distant future. Remember that you are never too old to take the plunge and many obstacles and fears can and must be overcome for you to live your dream.

How to See the Best of The Lake District in One Long Weekend

Located in North West England, The Lake District National Park is one of the most stunning locations in the UK. Here, you will find vast lakes, quaint villages and mountainous scenery and with that there are plenty activities and delicious eateries suitable for all the family. Having lived here for over ten years, we were super excited to put this mini guide together which allows you to see the best of the Lakes in one long weekend.

The Lakes is great to visit all year round. With its stunning landscapes, it really is beautiful come snow, rain or sun. However, the best time to visit the Lakes is dependent on the activities you want to take part in. Of course, the sunny weather is never guaranteed and especially in the lakes which is famous for its yearly downpours and floods.

Nevertheless, if you would like to do plenty of outdoor activities without the rain, plan your trip between April and September. If you enjoy the snow, your looking at January to March. Any other cold weather one might wish for, visit between October to December. This year, the weather has begun to look up over the Easter break with the mini heat wave so perhaps this is a great time to plan your future visits earlier on in the year too!

Day 1: Arrive in Ambleside

There are many great places to stay around the lake district and South Lakes in particular. Ambleside is a great mid point where you can easily reach the main tourist areas including Grasmere, Keswick, Windermere and Bowness-on-Windermere. There are many B&Bs, high-end hotels, budget hostels (e.g. YHA), static caravans, holiday homes and AirBnBs. If you fancy something a bit different, you can also find quirky accommodation such as sleeping pods and tipis, which can be a bit more affordable compared to the B&Bs and hotels depending on the time of year you visit.

Once you have settled into your accommodation, it’s time to boost your energy for the afternoon ahead. There are many great eateries around Ambleside including Zefferelis offering quality vegetarian cuisine at affordable prices. On the lunch menu, you can find filled jacket potatoes, goats cheese bruschetta, nut roast salad, sharing platters, sandwiches and a selection of other Mediterranean style dishes.

If you are not keen on vegetarian food, you can find tasty pub grub at The White Lion. You could even grab a take-out sandwich, salad box or pastry from The Picnic Box or try the best Fish and Chips in town from Walnut Fish and Chip Shop opposite Zeffirelli’s. During the summer time, you can enjoy your take-out food in Rothay Park on Vicarage Road or Boran’s Park on MacIver Lane. Both parks are reachable by foot from Ambleside Town.

After you have re-fuelled, it’s time for your first taste of the outdoors. From Ambleside town, head to Stockghyll force, which is just behind The Salutation Hotel & Spa, for a short and sweet walk around the waterfalls. The walk is suitable for most abilities and you can enjoy the 70 foot waterfall from the viewpoint. Once you arrive back in Ambleside, there are some lovely shops to explore such as the Rock Shop and Silver Moon on North Road.

Stockghyll Waterfalls

Take a break to refresh at your hotel and get ready for dinner. There are some great spots around Ambleside including The Lily and Lucy’s on a Plate, which are perfect for couples. Ghandi’s Café has a good selection of vegetarian and vegan options and is great for all the family. Zefferelis offer dinner and movie deals, which is worth checking out if you want to make an evening of it.

The Log House offers fine dining and can be a bit more expensive. Towards the edge of town you will find one of the best spots, Wateredge Inn, offering delicious food from day to night at The Bar and Grill restaurant. Here, you can sit out in the garden which overlooks Lake Windermere, while indulging on locally sourced foods.

Day 2: Take a Road Trip to Grasmere and Keswick

From Ambleside you can easily reach Grasmere within 15 minutes. Grasmere is one of Cumbria’s most popular villages due to its link with William Wordsworth who lived in Dove Cottage with his sister Dorothy from 1799-1808. Having lived a stones throw away from the cottage for over five years, we can say it’s very popular with tourists to say the least! Many flock here throughout the year on coach tours to visit the place where Wordsworth composed some of his most famous and best-loved poems and Dorothy kept her famous Grasmere journals.

Dove cottage dates back to the early 17th century while many other buildings in Grasmere date back to the 19th or early 20th century except for the Church which is from the 13th century. Nowadays, gift shops and cafés are plentiful and the village provides the perfect location for a leisurely stroll around the shops. Here, you can grab a delicious lunch at Heidi’s Café or enjoy a hearty meal at Tweedies. Afterwards is the perfect time to enjoy a walk around Grasmere Lake.

From Grasmere, you can continue on the A591 to Keswick, which will take around 20 minutes. The drive to Keswick is one of the most stunning where you will be greeted with views of Thirlmere reservoir as you drop down the pass at Dunmail Raise. Before you arrive in the centre of Keswick, take a short detour to the stone circle at Castlerigg. Constructed as a part of the megalithic tradition, which lasted from 3,300 to 900 BC during the Late Neolithic and Early Bronze Ages, the stone circle is one of few stone circles in Britain. Here, you can enjoy the beautiful setting, which overlooks Thirlmere Valley with a backdrop of mountains including High Seat and Helvellyn.

Once you arrive in Keswick, you can wander around the quaint town and visit Keswick Museum and Art Gallery, which offers varied collections that feature Keswick’s landscape, history and culture. Located just a 15 minute leisurely stroll from Keswick town centre is Derwent Water, a 3 mile long, 1 mile wide, 72 feet deep water body known as “Keswicks Lake”. Here, you enjoy a scenic walk around the water on flat and easy paths. If you fancy a hike, Cat Bells is within three miles of the town of Keswick and is situated on the western shore of Derwent Water. At 451 metres high, Cat Bells is not for the faint hearted but will reward those who climb it with stunning views at the top. Once back in the village, re-fuel at one of the many eateries in Keswick town such as The Italian Casa Bella or the Wainwright Pub for local pub grub.

Day 3: Visit the Nearby Towns of Windermere and Bowness-on-Windermere

Windermere is just a short 15 minute drive from Ambleside and is a small town just over a mile from the lake shore. From here, you can reach Bowness-on-Windermere, which is one of the busiest towns along the shoreline where you will find the main jetties for cruise boats. Windermere Lake is 10.5 miles long, one mile wide, 220 feat deep and is the largest natural lake in both the Lake District and in England.

The lake cruises allow you to spend anywhere from 45 minutes to a full day on the water, which is for sure the best way to take in the stunning Lakeland views. The voyage will provide you with views of the mountainous scenery, secluded bays and woodland areas. You can even add on attractions such as the Lakes Aquarium, Steam Train or the Lakeland Motor Museum.

If you are feeling more adventurous, you can even hire your own row or motor boat or try your hand at kayaking, canoeing, or paddle boarding at Brockhole or Low Wood Bay, which are both located between Ambleside and Windermere. Low Wood Bay also features a café open to all with one of the best views in the Lakes. Alternatively, there are many places to hire a bike where you can explore the woodland areas or take to the road, or simply grab an ice-cream and take a stroll down the bay at Bowness while enjoying the scenery.

After a fun-packed day its time for some food and Windermere and Bowness do not disappoint when it comes to delicious eateries. Located in Windermere town, Bodega offers a lively atmosphere where you can enjoy cocktails and traditional Spanish tapas, which is perfect for couples and groups. Similarly, located in the heart of Windermere in one of the towns most historic buildings, Brown Sugar offers the perfect location for relaxed dining and drinks.

For local seasonal produce down in Bowness, head to The Angel Inn, a restaurant welcoming of all the family including the dog. Enjoy a variety of dishes from steak and lentil chilli to burgers, curry and pizza. Alternatively, The Flying Pig is a traditional pub situated a stones throw from Lake Windermere where you can enjoy high quality, fresh food at a good price while sipping on local ale. If you fancy a few drinks afterwards, The Fizzy Tarté cocktail bar serves some of the best cocktails in the Lakes.

The heart of the Lake District really does have something for everyone. Whether you are an adrenaline junkie or you simply want a weekend of relaxation, you will be sure to find it here in the beautiful Lakes.

Southern Thailand Culture in Photos: From Phuket to the Phi Phi Islands

Located in the southern province of Thailand, Phuket is home to many of the world’s finest beaches and is beaming with culture. It is a gateway to the nearby tropical islands including the famous Phi Phi islands and is a must-visit destination in Southern Thailand.

Phuket is home to the famous Big Buddha statue. Built in 2004, the statue’s whole body is constructed with reinforced concrete and layered with beautiful Burmese white jade marble, which glistens under the hot sun.

The Big Buddha is located on the highest point in Phuket and is a great spot to to enjoy views over Phuket Town, Chalong Bay, Rawai and Andaman Archipelago. The surrounding atmosphere is peaceful and the views are breathtaking.

Nearby, you will find a smaller Buddha statue and although it is gold in colour, it is actually made of brass.

A great way to explore Phuket’s coastline is by Quad Biking adventure tour with prices starting from 700THB including a 1-2 hour tour and pick-up and drop-off at your hotel.

The tour allows you to ride your own quad bike to various view points, stopping off as you go to take photos and admire the scenery.

Phuket’s south coast features over 30 stunning beaches including some of the most popular beaches in Thailand such as Patong Bay, Kata, Karon and Kamala.

The quad bike tours often include a short 20-minute ride through the jungle, which is not for the faint hearted. Don’t forget your sun cream and ensure you have had your vaccinations prior to travel if this is something you would like to do.

From Phuket, you can easily hop over to the idyllic islands of Koh Phi Phi. The six islands are approximately 46km from Phuket and Krabi and offer the perfect island retreat to relax and unwind.

To reach the Phi Phi islands from Phuket you can take either a ferry or speedboat. The ferry is the cheapest option and takes around 90 minutes from the main departure and arrival port, Rassada Pier, which is located in Phuket Town.

You can buy tickets at Rassada Pier to Tonsai Pier (featured) for around 800THB. Find the ferry schedule here.

The Phi Phi Islands are famous for its limestone cliffs, emerald green waters, and white powdery beaches. The culture comprises the various recreational activities such as diving in the forested hills, rock climbing, scuba diving and swimming, and dancing around the campfires at night.

Just like any other island escape, the Phi Phi islands offer a wide range of accommodation from local budget stays to more high-end luxury resorts that mostly grace the coastline. Phi Phi Don is the main island and you can find affordable accommodation such as PP Princess Resort, which offers a range of accommodation to suit many budgets.

Located right on the beach front, this hotel serves a delicious breakfast and a pool with sea view.

There are many spots to grab a bite to eat with sea view such as Charlie Bar located on the beach front ahead of PP Princess Resort.

It’s easy to keep fit and healthy on the island as smoothies and healthy dishes made with local produce are abundant.

From Phi Phi Don, you can explore the nearby islands including Phi Phi Leh, which is home to Maya Bay, famous for its feature in the Leonardo DiCaprio movie “The Beach”. However, Phi Phi Leh is currently closed while its coral reefs are salvaged as they have been damaged by over tourism.

Still, you can check out Bamboo Island, Khai, and Yao Yai Islands from Phi Phi Don and there are many local tour operators offering a “Phi Phi Island Tour” inclusive of swimming, sightseeing, and snorkelling around the stunning islands.

After spending a week or so exploring the Phi Phi Islands, you can easily head to Krabi from here for more stunning beach such as Railay Beach.

Given that the Phi Phi Islands are now a tourist hotspot in Thailand, you will likely get the chance to meet people from all around the world. The locals are often happy to share their stories and provide you with insights into the history and culture of the island and local life now compared to generations before.

5 Fun Activities To Do in Dubai

Now the hot-spot of the UAE and beyond, Dubai is a modern, cosmopolitan city that is packed with something for everyone, from shopping and dining at some of the worlds top restaurants to exploring the desert by 4×4.

The city strives to be the world’s first and best in many things, especially in the area of architecture, and the local people are proud of their country and its development to date. Dubai is home to the world renowned structures including the tallest building in the world, the Burj Khalifa. The city has been built to be explored and the tour companies in the UAE have not failed in offering exhilarating ways for tourists to explore the cities wonders.

Dubai is the perfect location for a long weekend break in between travelling to Asian/Australasian destinations such as Thailand, Bali, and Australia. Flights with Emirates often stop here for layover anyway, so you can always extend your stay for a couple of nights before continuing your journey. Incorporating Dubai into your trip will not increase your trip costs by much as flights tend to be around the same price whether you fly straight to Asia/Australasia or you stay a few nights in Dubai on-route.

To help you experience the best of Dubai in a long weekend, we have put together 5 of our favourite fun activities to have a go at while you are here.

1. Desert Safari

A desert safari is an opportunity to see the wonder that makes up a large part of the country. There are many tour operators such as Me and My Tourism and Arabian Adventures that offer this tour for around the same price (approx. AED230/£48 per person), so all you need to do is check them out and select one that suits you. The tour begins with a bumpy ride through the sandy terrain, bashing the dunes as you go in a 4×4 vehicle. Provisions are also made for tourists to stay overnight at ‘desert camp’ while being treated to local cuisine and enjoying henna tattoos and traditional entertainment. As part of the trip you can enjoy barbecued shawarma, shisha, belly dance entertainment, falcon handling, and a camel ride around the dunes, although these come at an extra cost to the trip so make sure you take some cash with you.

2. Yellow Boat Tour

The Yellow Boat Tour Company offers a great tour in both Dubai and Abu Dhabi in their famous yellow inflatable boats. The tour provides tourists with the opportunity to see how magnificent the city really is when viewed from the waters. The tour is unique in that the boats are designed to cut through the waves at high-speed and the skippers are not afraid to ramp up the mph across the water.

The company offers general and exclusive tours to families, couples, corporate groups and single tourists. The Dubai tour begins at the marina before heading out to the open waters to take in the sights of the Palm Jumeirah where you can see the perfect view of Palm Jumeirah villas, owned by the rich and famous, as well as the royal family of Dubai. You might even get to see the royals pet tigers roaming the beach front garden. During this trip, you will also see the magnificent Burj Al Arab, the prominent Atlantis hotel and the ‘Miami of Dubai’ – the spectacular skyline that makes up the Dubai Marina.

As well as this guided tour, the Yellow boat company also offers fishing trips on the Arabian Gulf, as well as a variety of water sports. Prices start from AED158 (approx. £32) for a 1 hour Yellow Boat Tour and AED945 (approx. £196) for a 3 hour fishing tour.

3. Jet Ski Tour

Jet skiing has again become a thing in Dubai after the authorities eased on the restriction they previously put on the sport. Nowadays, there are many operators such as Sea Ride Dubai and Ride in Dubai that are ready to guide you on a tour around the island taking a similar route to the Yellow boat company mentioned above. This tour is an exciting way to experience the water and see the landmarks of Dubai. Just like the yellow boat tour, you get to see the towering structures from the sea while handling your own jet ski for an hour on the waters. Prices start from AED350 (approx. £72) for 30 minutes and AED600 (approx. £125) for 1 hour.

4. Dinner Cruise

A dinner cruise in a traditional Dhow converted to a floating restaurant has become a tradition in Dubai. You can have a quiet lunch or a merry dinner with traditional entertainment as the Dhow cruises along the creek or the marina waters. These floating restaurants do not only offer traditional arabic food and parties, they let you see the city in a whole new light at night. Check out Xclusive Yachts and Dhow Dinner Cruise Dubai. Prices vary depending on the company and level of service you book and can range from AED141/£30 – AED242/£60 per person.

5. Shop Like Never Before

Let’s not forget the real deal in Dubai – shop until you drop! Dubai is a popular shopping destination that is only growing year on year following the development of countless shopping malls, including the Mall of the Emirates and the biggest mall in the world today – Dubai Mall. There is nothing you won’t find here and you can even experience the indoor Aquarium and Underwater Zoo (prices start from AED141/£30 per person) where you can admire the fascinating underwater world. Here, you can even experience cage snorkelling and shark diving. Virtual Reality (VR) ZOO (approx. AED30/£6) lets you take a trip to the jungles of Africa and Asia to find jungle animals you might never have seen face to face. The Burj Khalifa is also accessible from the Dubai Mall, but be sure to grab your tickets online as they are much more expensive when you purchase from the box office within the mall. Online, prices start from AED141 (approx. £30) per adult and AED106 (approx. £22) for children and you will pay slightly more to access the higher levels. Also, make sure you are plan your trip within the opening hours (8.30-14.30 and then 19.00 until closing).

There are so many fun activities to do in Dubai and here we have listed our top five. As always, we recommend searching around for the best service with a competitive price. Booking online can often save you 10% off the entire booking so its always best to compare a few companies and check the online price before booking with your hotel or direct with a travel agent when you are in the city.

How to Keep Fit & Healthy while on the Road

Keeping fit and healthy while on the road can be challenging. Changing destinations every few weeks/days, travelling overland/taking numerous flights, and getting your bearings in a new destination can mean that maintaining your health and fitness takes a back seat.

However, when travelling you are constantly being exposed to new environments and exerting yourself sometimes on a daily basis, which means it is super important to maintain your health and fitness to avoid getting sick while you are way.

That is why we have brought together a few of our top tips to keeping fit and healthy while on the road that we have been using over the years. If you have any tips to share, drop a comment below!

Make your own lunch/dinner when possible

Making your own meals can not only save you a fortune, but it can ensure you control the way your food is cooked and therefore its nutritional value. When eating out, you can never be too sure on the ingredients that are put into your dish or the way that it is cooked (e.g. deep fried, sautéed, oven baked etc.). This could easily make what seems like a 500kcal meal into a 1500kcal meal, when it really doesn’t have to be.

Taking a packed lunch and snacks on your days out and cooking wholesome dinners where possible can really help you maintain a balanced and healthy diet while you are away. It can be fun too because you can experiment with local ingredients and flavours and perhaps host a dinner party with your new found friends.

Seek out healthy eateries before you arrive

When you are travelling to a new destination, do some research before you arrive into the best healthy cafés, restaurants, and supermarkets in the local area. This will save you time when you get there and will allow you to be healthy straight from the get go.

You will know just where to find the local farmers market and which cafés/restaurants serve the leanest and most ethically produced dishes. Buying local produce and dining at local eateries will also benefit the local community.

Don’t feel pressured to be drinking every night

Just because you are travelling does not mean you have to be drinking and partying every night. If that is your thing, that’s ok. But it is also ok to take a different approach to travelling, such as a health and wellness/feel good approach.

If you are drinking every night, you probably won’t want to rise early and get your workout in or head up that mountain for sunrise. You will likely spend your days hiding in the shade, feeling grim and overloading on carbs and sugar.

If that’s what you travel for, great. But if it’s not, it’s time to re-evaluate and stop giving into peer pressure feeling like you should be drinking and partying every night until the sun comes up. Learn how to socialise and call it a night early enough for you to get the things done that you travelled all that way for.

Keep active

Get outside, climb a mountain, swim in the ocean, commit to swimming so many lengths in the pool before you head out for the day, walk, walk, walk until you cannot walk any more (or at least until you’ve reached your daily step count). There are an abundance of opportunities to keep active when travelling and it’s up to you to take advantage of them.

The best thing is, the majority of the activities are in the great outdoors. Combine being in nature with working up a sweat and your mental state will skyrocket from the endorphin overload.

Seek out gyms before you arrive

Often places you travel to will be a city or coastal town that is also home to a community. Therefore, you will likely find many of the facilities you have back home, including a gym. However, they might be difficult to find depending on where you travel to and importantly, they might not offer day/week/month passes. Therefore, it really is best to do your research before you head out. Send a few emails to the local gyms to see if you can get a short term pass and check with hotels to see what the day rate of using their facilities is or whether they have any offers on.

Gyms are great for those tropical storms and rainy days. The hotel you are staying at might even have a gym or you might decide to pay a bit more for a hotel with a gym. Drawing on experience though, many hotel gyms are not always good and sometimes over sold. Often the images make the facilities look great and when you arrive it is just a treadmill and some free weights in a stuffy room with no windows. Not very motivating to workout, huh?

Do HIIT workouts in your hotel

If you struggle to find a gym or you are trying to keep costs down while travelling, simply do a workout in your hotel room on a rainy day or on the beach/in the park when the weathers nice. Play some music and load a YouTube video for motivation. Our favourite YouTube channel for High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) workouts is Fitness Blender. They have plenty of 20-60 minute videos for any level of fitness and are really varied so you won’t have to do the same workout everyday.

Take a workout kit and make the most of everything around you

You could even travel with some simple equipment. For example, we always take a skipping rope for cardio and a resistance band for body weight exercises. If you want to do weighted body weight exercises, load up your backpack and use that in place of a barbell. Robe belts are great for stretching afterwards.

Drink plenty of water

This ones kind of a given but worth mentioning as it’s one of the most important points to remember. It’s so easy to go about your day and forget to drink plenty of water. If you are being super active or travelling in a hot country, you need to stay hydrated to avoid becoming sick and exhausted. You will be sweating more which means you need to replace the water your body is losing.

As you can see, there are many ways to keep fit and healthy while on the road, the key is to plan ahead and prepare for each step of your journey.

15 Incredible Photos of Dubai and Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi

Dubai is the most populous and well known city in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Located in the heart of the desert, Dubai is unique with its skyline of architectural marvels and some of the most unique and modern attractions in the Middle East and around the world.

Nowadays, the city of Dubai is associated with luxury, cultural experiences, and futuristic designs. Dubai leads the way in cutting-edge design and the city’s latest innovation is a 3D printed office fully equipped with water, electricity, telecommunications and AC that was printed in just 17 days. The skyline boasts some impressive architecture and is best known for the worlds tallest skyscraper, the Burj Khalifa.

The best way to admire the skyline is by taking a traditional Dhow Dinner Cruise from the Marina. Here, you can enjoy local cuisine often served buffet-style while the boat sails slowly around the harbour for two hours, allowing you to take in the view.

There are many malls in Dubai where you can leisurely stroll around designer boutiques and high-end restaurants. For more budget-friendly shopping, head to the traditional souks where you can uncover hidden gems. For example, The Gold Souk is easily reachable by metro and the stores here offer a wide range of jewellery, gold, and precious stones. But its not just jewellery you will find here, there are many other shops selling traditional ornaments, keyrings, scarfs and accessories so its the perfect place to pick up some gifts.

Dubai Marina is packed with luxury yachts, which are a staple of the high-life here. Take a wander down the Marina where you will find several restaurants. The heat can be slightly overwhelming to say the least, so we recommend taking a taxi boat in the day and enjoy a leisurely walk in the evening when it’s slightly cooler.

The Yellow Boats Tours are also a great way to tour the marina by day. Catch the best sights from the water including The Atlantis, Palm Jumeirah, and Burj Al Arab while being informed on Dubai’s history and culture from a local tour guide.

Take a day or overnight trip from the city into the desert via a desert safari and enjoy activities such as dune bashing in a 4×4, camel rides, sand boarding, quad biking and more. There are many tour operators providing a variety of packages such as Rayna Tours, which is the company we booked with during our last trip.

From Dubai you can take a day excursion to Abu Dhabi, the capital and second most populous city of the UAE. On the city tour you will get the chance to visit a selection of popular attractions including the Heritage Village, the Handicrafts Centre, Ferrari World, Emirates Palace, and the stunning Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque.

Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is Abu Dhabi’s most famous attraction. Millions of visitors from all over the world flock here each year and although it can be busy at times, there always remains a wonderful sense of calm around the majestic grounds.

In 2017, it was ranked the world’s second-favourite landmark according to TripAdvisor and during the same year, a staggering 3.4 million visitors came here.

ACS_0086 — Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is the largest and most ornate place of worship in the UAE that took 12 years to complete, costing around $545 million.

ACS_0087 — At 22,412 square meters, about the same as four football fields, it is now the third-largest mosque in the world and holds more than 40,000 worshippers.

It also has three Guinness World Records for the largest handwoven carpet, the biggest chandelier, and the largest dome of its kind in the world.

Traditional dress for women is required and men are reminded to cover tattoos when visiting the mosque. If you book with a tour operator back in Dubai, traditional dress will be included in the price of the tour. The mosque welcomes visitors from around the world each day and remains closed for worship only on Friday mornings.

The mosque features imposing structure of marble and gold surrounded by manicured gardens and tiled pools. In total, there are 82 domes and 1,000 marble pillars.

Islamic designs and elements feature on modern architecture throughout the mosque and city of Abu Dhabi.

Abu Dhabi is one of the most interesting places in the Middle East that is full of culture, laid-back elegance, and cosmopolitan atmosphere and is well worth a visit while visiting the Middle East.

Although both Dubai and Abu Dhabi are known as luxurious destinations, they can also be visited on a budget too. Hotels are not as expensive as you might think and because they are newly built, even cheaper hotels can feel quite luxurious.

There are many affordable places to grab a bite to eat outside of the main areas so make sure you shop around and do your research before heading out there. You could even ask the team at your hotel for recommendations. If you are heading to the more local areas, be sure to dress and behave accordingly to respect the local people and their culture.

Lastly, to visit Dubai and Abu Dhabi on a budget, you might find our other articles useful including How to Fly to Asia on the Cheap and Visit More Destinations, How to Find the Best Hotel Deals Anywhere in the World, and How to Live the High Life while Travelling on a Budget.

Top 5 Cultural Experiences in Ubud, Bali

Ubud is the heart of Balinese culture.

Located in the foothills of the Gianyar regency among rice paddies, waterfalls, temples, ceremonies and traditional costumes and events, this area attracts visitors from all over the world for its rich arts and crafts. There is so much to do and see here and below we have listed our top five cultural experiences in Ubud where you can really immerse yourself in the Balinese culture.

1. Wander the traditional art markets

The Ubud Art Market is located in central Ubud opposite the Puri Saren Royal Ubud Palace. Here, locally crafted goods are plentiful including handmade woven bags, purses and baskets, hand crafted and wood-carved buddhas, bowls, and other ornaments, bright clothing, blankets and pillows, all of which you can bargain your way to a good price. The products tend to be made in the neighbouring villages of Tegallalang, Payangan and Peliatan. Taking a drive to the temples will allow you to see the locals hard at work creating their unique handicrafts and souvenirs with skills that have been passed down for centuries.

2. Enjoy Watching a Traditional Balinese Dance

Balinese dance is an important part of Balinese culture. Dances can be classed as sacred (Wali), semi-sacred (Bebali), while others are for entertainment or social events (Balih-Balihan). Dancing is both a religious practice and a performing art and before performing a sacred dance, Balinese dancers take part in religious rituals and receive blessings from temple priests. The ‘Legong Dance’ used to only be performed in front of the royal family within closed palace walls, however, nowadays you can watch the dance performed in various open stages and shows throughout Bali, such as the Puri Saren Royal Palance in Ubud.

3. Explore the temples

There are abundant historic temples in Bali to explore and in Ubud you won’t go short. You can read more on our top 3 Must-see Temples in Bali here, including a couple of our favourites, Gunung Kawi and Goa-Gajah (Elephant Cave) Temple. Additional temples include Gunung Leah Temple, Pura Samuan Tiga (Temple of the Meeting of the Three), and Pura Taman Saraswati, more commonly known as Water Palace. The latter was designed by one of Ubud’s best loved architects, I Gusti Nyoman Lempad. Located in the heart of Ubud, the temple is easily accessible. The carvings largely honour the goddess of knowledge and art, Saraswati.

4. Visit the Monkey Forest

Located in central Ubud and open until 6pm daily, the Monkey Forest offers a great way to spend an afternoon after visiting the traditional markets. The locals view the forest as an important spiritual, economic, educational, and conservation centre for the village of Ubud. The entrance fee costs a minor 30,000IDR for adults and 15,000IDR for children. The monkeys are real characters (all 700 of them!) and are super fun, just make sure you remove anything shiny such as jewellery (especially earrings) because they love glistening objects and won’t hesitate to steal from you.

5. Swim in the waterfalls

Exploring and swimming in natures waterfalls is a must for any traveller and in and around Ubud there are many for you to choose from. A couple of our favourites are Tegenungan waterfall and Nungnung waterfall (35km drive out of Ubud). If you book on a full or half day excursion, you can simply choose a trip that includes a waterfall visit or you can hire a driver to take you straight there and bring you back when you are ready. Although it is located 66km north of Ubud, we recommend Sekumpul waterfall, which is a collection of seven waterfalls (“Sekumpul” meaning “group” in Indonesian) with the tallest waterfall at a staggering 50-metres high.

A Photo Journey Sailing Through Ha Long Bay by Boat and Kayak

Vietnam is a land of natural beauty that is increasing in popularity among tourists for its intriguing culture and stunning scenery. Ha Long Bay is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and popular travel destination in Quang Ninh Province, which is easily reachable from the capital of Hanoi.