The following posts have been tagged with "Backpackers". Browse through these Backpackers articles to gain insight into what you may or may not want to do on your trip if it includes Backpackers.
Thursday, September 1, 2011
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Thuy Thuy Hotel Pool - Mui Ne, Vietnam
I've been to Lisbon, I stayed in a couple hostels there. They were nice, but if I were to come up with a list of the top 5 hostels I've personally stayed in (and I've stayed in a lot), no hostel in Portugal, let alone Lisbon would make it. Look at the 2011 Hoscar Awards, which HostelWorld gives out each year. The top 3 (out of the listed 3) hostels worldwide are all from the same city! Lisbon or anywhere else, how can one city host the top 3 hostels in the world???
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
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A man fishing at sunset in Sukhumi, Abkhazia
By now the secret is out. The evolution of budget travel has gone from $5 for a crappy dorm bed to a free private room. With the explosion of sites like CouchSurfing.org a new generation of penny pinching backpackers are able to travel further for cheaper. As a CS Ambassador, i'm always finding myself caught up in the philosophical (and moral) discussion of CouchSurfing being more than merely a free place to stay. It is instead an opportunity to share cultural experiences with locals (or quite often ex-pats) giving you an inside scoop. While you aren't paying for the room/bed/couch/floor space, a token gesture of a cooked meal or bottle of wine is always a welcome thank-you from the surfer. But regardless of your intentions, CS is a valuable tool every traveller should be packing.
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
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My office at an apartment I rented in Australia
These days, it's easy to come across decent free internet and WIFI when travelling. You can travel through much of SE Asia on decent free internet from local hostels; in Europe it's pretty much the norm. Australia however, does not follow this standard. I was shocked to find out when arriving in Sydney, that hostels don't offer free WIFI, they don't even offer free internet access of any sort.
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
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Beachfront Bars and Restaurants on the bay in San Juan Del Sur
San Juan Del Sur is Nicaragua's Premier destination on the Pacific. The colorful buildings and gorgeous beaches make it an ideal stopover on your way through Nicaragua. Flying into Managua International Airport, take the local "chicken bus" to get to San Juan Del Sur. In Nicaragua they use re-painted old school buses for their public transport, you'll be amongst almost entirely locals, its cheaper and more fun.
Thursday, April 14, 2011
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The Oldest Stone Building in New Zealand, Kerikeri Bay
Kerikeri is a backpackers best and worst nightmare about 3 hours north of Auckland. If you're travelling on a budget around the North Island, Kerikeri is definetely a place you can find work. The city, like most citys in New Zealand, is pretty small and basic. There's a local supermarket, a few shops and a Mcdonalds (of course!). Unless you have a car you cant really get to the outer edges to see what little else it has to offer....theres a chocolate factory, a few prehistoric buildings and you can check out Rewa's Village - the start of a bush trail. Finally, they've got Rainbow Falls waterfall, which is nice to look at, but nothing spectacular.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
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White Sand, Clear Water, Palm Trees. Typical Mana Island
Mana island is one of 333 fijian islands, just a 4 hour boat ride from Nadi from about $50 return. Mana island is a lovely little island you can easily walk round in about 3 hours providing you're steady on your feet as you do have to clamber over rocks round some of the edges. The accommodation on Mana varies from budget to exclusive with the island having its own airstrip its a popular destination for families and honeymooners as well as backpackers. The island seems to be split in to 3 sections, the section where you arrive on the boat is where all the backpacker accommodation is, some more expensive than others. I stayed at 'Serenas' which was $35 a night with 3 meals included; the dorm rooms were basic as was the one cold tap used as a shower. Although the family that ran it were lovely and very helpful i wouldn't recommend it, the food was questionable, often cold, and I personally don't enjoy doughnuts for breakfast. The situation was similar next door at Mana Lagoon, although they have a small games room and the only shop on the island.
Monday, April 11, 2011
Posted in
Asia,
Beaches,
Drinking,
Food,
Islands,
Jungles,
Questions & Answers,
Rivers,
Southeast Asia,
Temples,
War
Halong Bay in the North of Vietnam, close to Hanoi
Q. Can you whip me up a quick travel guide to Vietnam? I know the basics, but anything you did, saw, ate, good places you stayed, etc which you recommend? Thanks!
Monday, April 4, 2011
Posted in
Accomodation,
Animals,
Asia,
Beaches,
Drinking,
Islands,
Jungles,
Questions & Answers,
Rivers,
Ruins,
Southeast Asia,
Temples,
Transportation,
Waterfalls
Swimming in the clear waters of the Kouang Si waterfall in Luang Prabang, Laos
Q. I'm going to be in China and Korea for a school consulting project in May, but have about 12 days to travel on the back end and want to go to SE Asia for a bit. I just wanted your thoughts on how to best spend my relatively short amount of time and money.
