international flights

5 Cheap International Vacation Destinations

Camilla Cheung — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 10:24:07 +0000

When you're trying to live frugally, plunking down several thousand dollars for a week's holiday is not always possible. A fancy vacation may not be in the cards, but you don't have to spend a lot of money to get away for a week of much-needed R&R. (See also: Best Travel Reward Crdit Cards)

1. Argentina

Buenos Aires' elegant cafés, art galleries, tango, and fine dining are as fascinating as the greatest capitals of the Old World. The U.S. dollar does very well against the Argentine peso, making Argentina an excellent budget destination. There are a multitude of inexpensive hostels and guesthouses, and a stay in one of the nicer hotels is very reasonably priced. You can also eat and drink for cheap, with famous grass-fed Argentine steaks going for a fraction of the price you'd expect in the U.S. or in Europe. A trip to Argentina also offers the opportunity to visit the spectacular Iguazu Falls as well as other natural destinations, which can be accessed by rental car. Look for budget tours of Argentina that may offer better deals on transportation and hotel stays.

2. Mexico

A lot of people are avoiding vacations south of the border these days, as news of drug wars dominates the headlines. In reality, however, resort destinations like Puerto Vallarta or Cancun are far from the chaos and quite safe. Take advantage of the tourism slow-down by snapping up great deals on vacations in these warm and sunny hot spots. You can rent a one-bedroom condo at less than what most hotel rooms cost and self-cater to save money. Or look for promotions at one of the all-inclusive resorts. If you live near LA, Miami, or other major cruise ports, you can get great deals on all-inclusive cruises down to Mexico — many at less than $100 per person per day — and you don't even have to shell out the airfare. (See also: Travel on Rewards Without Using Airline Miles)

3. Ko Pha Ngan, Thailand

If you can manage to find a cheap flight to Thailand, this country is one of the best places for budget travel, and the island of Ko Pha Ngan is one of the best budget destinations in the country. Located close to more heavily developed Ko Samui, Ko Pha Ngan has not yet exploded onto the tourist scene. You'll find the same soft white sand and warm turquoise water as more popular resort destinations in Thailand, with friendlier prices. Travel away from the touristy town of Hat Rin, and you'll find secluded resorts with landscaped gardens, glimmering pools, and Thai massages, all priced at the cost of a cheap hotel elsewhere.

4. Luangprabang, Laos

Luangprabang, Laos is one of those gem-like towns that you'll end up treasuring in your heart for years to come. This UNESCO-protected city is Laos's greatest tourist attraction. Located on the mighty Mekong River and surrounded by jade mountains, the city melds traditional Lao culture with Indochina's colonial French heritage. Wake up early in the morning to see hundreds of saffron-robed monks collecting their alms for the day, and explore dozens of pristine Buddhist temples. Trek or take a boat up the river to one of numerous smaller villages, where you can lie in a hammock overlooking the Mekong for just a few bucks a night. Inns and hotels are extremely cheap, but clean and beautifully decorated with traditional handicrafts.

5. Eastern Europe

Can't afford to travel in Europe? Think again. Eastern Europe may not be as well known as its Western counterpart, but offers fascinating attractions, culture, food, and wine, all at budget-friendly prices. Destinations in the Ukraine and in Estonia have been seeing more tourism in the past couple of years as budget-conscious tourists flock to Eastern Europe. Cheap public transport, reasonably-priced hotels, and excellent dining options are available for travelers looking to make their dollars go further.

Where have you traveled lately? Any more tips on cheap places to travel?

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This article is from Camilla Cheung of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

Lessons Learned from New Year's Eves Gone Wrong

Mikey Rox — Thu, 30 Dec 2010 14:34:40 +0000

Nobody gets out of dodge faster than me on New Year’s Eve.

Not because I don’t like to spend the holiday at home — New York City has some of the best celebrations on earth — but by this time of the year (especially now — holy blizzard, Batman!) I’m ready for fun in the sun.

For the past couple of years my destinations have been tropical, and anyone with seasonal affective disorder knows that a healthy dose of UV-delivered vitamin D can at least temporarily restore one’s sanity. But even though the locations are usually conducive to rest and relaxation, my getaways haven’t always been the respite I anticipated.

In 2005, my flight to Paris was canceled due to inclement weather, leaving me stranded in Dublin with a plane full of disgruntled travelers. A year later, torrential rains dampened our festivities in downtown Toronto. When my husband and I traveled to San Diego to ring in 2008 on the beach, we forgot to pack supplies to build a fire. And when we decided to bar hop in Honolulu last year — instead of buying tickets to a party — we were left sitting at a booth with two people we didn’t know, spinning our noisemakers in vain.

Like it or not, these experiences make me an expert on what not to do on New Year’s Eve. So to ensure that you start 2011 off right, consider the following tips. Fail to comply and, well, you may find yourself facing the business end of an old Irish woman’s vacuum cleaner as you catch some ZzZs on an airport floor. Sláinte!

Don’t Pack Too Much Into the Trip

Ryanair (avoid it at all costs, no matter how cheap the fares are) deserves the brunt of the blame for my unfortunate European experience. It canceled flights to the City of Light due to fog, which is hardly a reason in my book. Still, the rest of why I had NYE envy that year falls on me. In eight days, I had planned time in London, Dublin, and Paris, and the truth is, it was too much. In hindsight, I would have split my time between only two of the cities — that way I would have had time to come up with a contingent plan had either one of them not worked out. (Not as if London went off without a hitch, however. When Paris was no longer an option, Ryanair shipped us back to the U.K. capital — just in time for the Underground workers to strike an hour before midnight on December 31, forcing us to exit the train in the middle of nowhere, Great Britain. Yeah.)

Dress Appropriately for the Party

In 2008, we stayed local and purchased tickets to a New Year’s Eve cruise on the Hudson River, complete with hors d’oeuvres and alcohol. Sounds perfect, right? To us too, until we got there and realized that the event was a tourist trap, filled to the brim with a sneakers-and-T-shirt crowd. We were dressed in blazers and ties — reasonable attire for a holiday party in public — but because of the atmosphere we felt overdressed and out of place. My rule of thumb is to always dress up — because you can dress down when you get there by removing the blazer and/or tie — but I would also recommend calling ahead to see what’s expected. If it’s a Nike-clad kind of event, embrace it. No reason to be so stuffy when everyone else is comfortable. Don't underestimate the weather, either, if you're partying outdoors. An hour in the cold is one thing; six hours is a whole new level. Remind me to tell you about the time I took my socks off after the festivities in Times Square to find ice crystals on my frozen toes. Talk about pain.

Pick a Place — and Stay There

My husband and I would rather bar hop than stay at one location all night, but New Year’s Eve is not the time to do that. Many places host prepaid, ticketed parties (for which you’ll pay dearly at the door if it’s not already sold out), and if it’s not a ticketed event, they’ll hit you with an inflated cover charge. This year we’re traveling to Miami, and before the big night arrives we plan to scope out a reasonably priced party that includes an open bar (a must if you’re paying up front) or accept an invitation to the house fiesta of a friend's friend. The lesson here is that if you’re in an unfamiliar city, don’t leave your good time in fate’s hands. It will quickly turn sour, and before you know it, you’re standing in a line listening to everyone inside counting down from 10. Even if the party itself is a bust, at least I’ll have the two things I need most — unlimited booze and my babe. In that order.

Have a Back-Up Plan

If I’ve learned anything from my end-of-year debacles, it’s that Plan B is absolutely necessary. Inclement weather, fed-up subway workers, an ill DJ, a liquor shipment that didn’t arrive on time — anything that can happen sometimes will and is apt to turn your itinerary inside out. Instead of sulking (like I’ve been known to do) line up your options. Talk to the person with whom you plan to celebrate regarding what would happen in the totally likely event that disaster strikes. What will you do? Do you cut your losses and go home? Do you find an off-the-beaten-path party? Whatever it is, make sure you’re on the same page about it ahead of time, because it’s a double doozy when you can’t agree on the backup. One plan you should have and keep, however, is how you’ll get home. Drinking and driving should never be an option. Especially when you can have so much naughty fun in the back of a cab.

Stay safe — and Happy New Year!

This article is from Mikey Rox of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread:

Can you Travel Light? Great! Fly Internationally for Free

Nora Dunn — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 01:10:23 +0000

Can you travel with carry on luggage only? Do you fly solo? And can you fly last minute? Great! Now you can fly for drastically discounted rates, and sometimes even for free.

All you have to do is become an air courier.

Courier agencies often find that it is less expensive to fly cargo on a passenger flight as checked luggage than it is to use standard freight cargo services. And if luggage is being checked, it means there is a passenger seat to go along with it. This is where you come in, dear flyer.

If you can fly with carry-on luggage only (since your allowance for checked baggage will be used for the cargo in question), and often close to the last minute, you may be able to book your next international flight as an air courier.

Your Responsibilities

As an air courier, your job is to deliver the goods being flown with you to the destination. This may involve picking up and dropping off the parcel (if you’re lucky there will be somebody at the airport to take it from you), and often there is associated paperwork to fill out.

You will also be required to join a courier organization. The oldest and longest standing courier organization is the International Association of Air Travel Couriers (IAATC). The $45-50 annual membership with IAATC entitles you to:

Membership for you and a spouse/family member
Access to consolidator flights when a courier flight is not available
Courier photo ID card
Travel magazines, customer service, and helpful links on the Members only site
Daily bulletins of all courier companies and schedules of flights

Really? Is This too Good to be True?

Not having flown as a courier myself, or known anybody who has, I cannot substantiate the legitimacy of this technique. However it seems to be real, and all research points to “go”. (I’ll be joining an air courier agency myself shortly by the way, as a Professional Hobo always on the hunt for great airfare deals).

There are two reasons why a courier company might use members of the general public to deliver their cargo:

It is less expensive for the courier company to fly the parcel as luggage on a commercial flight than it is to ship it as air cargo.
Checked baggage often clears customs much more quickly than air cargo (which can sit for days in cargo holds) does.

Drawbacks to being an Air Courier

Usually there is only one seat per flight reserved for a courier. If you are traveling with others, you may be relegated to separate flights, or one person may have to pay full fare to accompany the other.
It is rare that you can book a flight months in advance, as many courier agencies only have days or weeks to deliver a package.
Courier flights are often one-way only.
Courier flight opportunities are only available for international destinations.

If you can swallow the conditions above, and are amenable to being an international pack-horse, flying for free (or deep discounts) as an air courier may be the perfect fit for your next international flight. If anybody has experience with this style of travel, please let us know what it was like by leaving a comment below.

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This article is from Nora Dunn of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. Read more great articles from Wise Bread: