Travel in Budget

Stuart S. Travel asked:


The best time to travel is in the holidays, right? Not if you want to make big savings on your traveling costs it’s not. If you travel in off peak (or low season) periods, or even in the shoulder season, you’ll find traveling costs a lot less.

 

Where are you traveling? Do you know the peak travel times for this destination? Summer and spring, no matter where you are, are generally considered the peak seasons to travel, unless you are a winter sports enthusiast. In that case, ski resorts will be having their peak season in winter. And what hemisphere are you thinking of visiting? The seasons differ depending on whether you are north or south. For example, the North America summer months are June, July, August but in Australia the summer months are December, January and February. You will need to research your destination to find out the low season times to visit.

 

First of all, what type of savings can you expect to make if you travel in the off-peak season? 

1. Air fares are much cheaper. There are less people wanting to fly so air carriers drop their prices to attract customers. Take advantage of these great savings. If you are traveling in the high season, see if you can book a flight mid-week. These flights are generally cheaper too.

2. Accommodation is cheaper and more readily available. In high season it can be difficult to find a place to stay in popular tourist destinations and when you do find somewhere it can be up to twice as much as when traveling in the off peak.

3. Eating in restaurants can be cheaper too. Owners will be trying to attract patrons so see what sort of deals you can find when eating out.

 

There are some other positives to traveling in the off peak season, other than saving money. There are fewer tourists for one, so visiting any cultural sight will be much more enjoyable. You can get more of an idea of what a destination is really like without the thousands of extra people. Experiencing the true culture is a real bonus. Did you know that opera season is in full swing in Europe in winter? Or that winter in Australia is often the best time to visit places in the north when the humidity and heat are bearable. Or how about visiting the best holiday markets in Germany in December? Do some research to find out what your chosen destination can offer in off peak, ones that you won’t experience in high season travel times.

 

So what are the negatives of traveling in the off peak? Well there are a few, but if you plan well you can overcome most drawbacks. Off peak usually means traveling in colder weather and that also means less daylight hours. Pack wisely and remember to dress in layers for the cold weather. Some tourist places close earlier or do not open at all in the off peak, so check up before you go so you are not disappointed. You will also find that in some areas the public transport system does not run as often as in peak tourist season. Find out what options you have to get to places and don’t be caught out missing the last bus home in the middle of winter, in the middle of nowhere! Some hotels and museums close down for the winter to re-furbish and get ready for the next high season influx of tourists. You can gamble and bargain your way to a great accommodation deal once you get to your destination, but all your bartering skills will be of no use if the hotels are all closed. It’s best to check what’s open before you go.

 

If traveling in the off-peak doesn’t sound attractive to you, then you might like to try the shoulder season and still get some travel price reductions. The shoulder season is considered the period leading up to and away from the high season. Usually in this time you’ll get decent weather, less crowds and lower travel costs – not the great bargains you’ll get in off peak, but lower costs nonetheless.

 

This article is brought to you by: Stuart S. Travel – Your Online Travel Guru

www.stuartstravel.com



Caffeinated Content

Paul Hata asked:


Seeing the local sights is why most people travel, and this is the one area you should not miss, no matter how tight your travel budget.

It is possible, however, to see the local culture without busting your travel budget. This article focuses on some of our favourite tips for getting the most out of sightseeing on a budget.

Travel like the locals do

One of the cheapest, and most overlooked, ways to see the local sights is to travel like the locals travel. This means taking the bus, the subway or the train to the most popular tourist destinations.

Obviously this is not possible everywhere, as many places in the United States lack a comprehensive public transportation service. But where it is available, public transportation can be a great, and inexpensive way to get around.

It is important to note that most destinations in Europe have excellent, clean and safe public transportation, even in smaller towns and cities. Unless you absolutely must have your own wheels, it is usually quite easy to travel anywhere in Europe without the hassle and expense of renting a car.

Even in the United States, there are many places where a rental car is a liability, not an asset. That is because parking costs, fuels costs, etc. can be real budget busters.

Try to research your destination on the internet, and find out which public transportation options exist. You may be surprised at how easy, and affordable, this method of travel can be.

Take advantage of backpacker tours

Many destinations offer special backpacker tours for independent travelers. These tours can be great ways to see the sights, meet great new people, and have a great time, all while saving considerable sums of money.

Many of these tours allow you to purchase a ticket that is good for a specific amount of time, often a week or two. The company that operates the tour usually has a fleet of vans or buses that make a specific route, stopping at major tourist destinations.

During the length of your, ticket, you can generally hop on and hop off at will. This gives you the convenience of a guided tour, but allows you the freedom to spend as much or as little time as you want at each destination.

These backpacker tours can often be booked through local youth hostels, and hostels often feature flyers and information about tours that are available. This is one more reason to take advantage of these great budget accommodations.

Take the tour bus

Many large cites have a number of bus lines that operate sightseeing tours. These local bus tours often operate in a similar manner to backpacker tours, but they usually operate only in one city instead of covering a multi city route as most backpacker tours do.

The advantage of these sightseeing tours is that they allow budget minded travelers to cover a lot of ground, and see all the major sightseeing destinations in a city, in a limited amount of time.

These tours can be great for backpackers who are traveling to many different cities in a short period of time, as they provide a great overview of the city and what it has to offer.



Caffeinated Content

K H Travel asked:


Millions of tourist visits Jammu Kashmir situated in India every year to see its fascinating tourist destinations,exotic wildlife, heritage sights. Jammu Kashmir has been famous for its natural beauty since time immemorial and has been aptly described as “heaven on earth”. The city of Jammu is known for its temples, Srinagar is famous for its houseboats while Kashmir is known for its scenic beauty and has often been referred as the “Switzerland of the East”.Some of the major pilgrimages centers of the nation are located in Jammu Kashmir, the two most important being Amarnath cave and VaishnoDevi shrine.

The state has lot to offer to its adventure loving visitors ,like trekking, mountaineering, skiing, paragliding & parasliding, cycling, water sports,angling, hand gliding and hot air ballooning. Jammu, Gulmarg and Sonamarg are few places where these activities are carried out.

Places to visit Patni top, Dal lake, Pahalgam, Gulmarg, Leh, Ladakh, Katra, Bahu Fort, Raghunath temple.

The hotels in Jammu Kashmir range from deluxe/luxury hotels, five star hotels, budget hotels to business hotels and economy hotels and also Dal Lake Houseboats are of all categories. If you are planning to travel Jammu Kashmir then visit our website kashmirhotravel.com to make online booking for hotels.

Special offers:

Magic of Kashmir (4 Nights and 5 days in Heaven)

Srinagar Short and Sweet Package

Contact us:

Ph: +91-177- 2860601

Fax: +91-177-2860602

email: info@kashmirhotravel.com

marketing@kashmirhotravel.com



Caffeinated Content