The Case for ‘Authentic Travel’

Opening yourself up to new experiences… ‘Authentic travel’ has been a hot topic recently in the travel community. Exactly what defines ‘authentic travel’ and is it really superior to other forms of travel? Some say it means getting off the beaten path, interacting with locals and stepping out of your comfort zone. Last month, I

Read More >

No Worries

Inside an all-inclusive resort. “Are you sure this is free?” my mother asks for the third time in disbelief, as the waitress brings her a Piña Colada, swiftly followed by a Miami Vice (pina colada/ daiquiri mix). It’s 10 in the morning and we’re ensconced under thatched huts on a gorgeous beach in Akumal, on

Read More >

Traveling Tales

Strange (but true) travel stories “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines, sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.” I’m desperately trying to recall Mark Twain’s inspirational words as I’m struggling with two suitcases

Read More >

Themed Vacations

Giving your holiday a purpose It used to be that everyone would dream of that once-in-a-lifetime vacation – a European cruise, a Hawaiian holiday, a week in Paris. But now that flights have gotten cheaper and people are traveling more, those bucket list holidays are prone to losing a bit of their magical luster. Luxury properties with similar amenities start merging together in

Read More >

Time to Pack Your Bags

Ideas for your next holiday from the Travel Expo Going to a travel expo is my adult version of being a kid in a candy store. Travel expos are great for trip planning because you can access travel experts one-on-one to narrow down which destinations best fit your needs and then further pepper them with questions to craft a customized itinerary. They’re also

Read More >

Thank You for Staying with Us

They’ll do almost anything to get you in bed The hotel business is an extremely competitive one, often with little separating one luxe property from another. Last year finally saw global occupancy rates bounce back to where they were before the recession, when 2009 was the worst year for hotels since the Great Depression. Currently, Asia-Pacific hotels are doing well, leading all

Read More >

Nothing’s Free

By trying to lower the cost of flying, airlines may soon be charging passengers outrageous supplementary fees May 21, 2008 will forever go down as a dark day in aviation history. US carrier American Airlines became one of the first legacy airlines to borrow a page from the low-cost carrier playbook and charge passengers for checked baggage. Other airlines soon jumped on

Read More >

Travel Warnings

How to be the world’s smartest traveler In almost 30 years of international travel, I’ve really only been in trouble twice. Once was during a trip to Phnom Penh in the mid- 90s when it was something akin to the Wild West. A group of us were coming back from dinner at barely 9pm. As the last entered the gate, two

Read More >

A Bike and a Backpack

Discovering Taiwan’s scenic east coast It’s day three of our cycling jaunt down the east coast of Taiwan. My knees are starting to ache as a result of peddling yesterday’s mountains. My bum is pleading for extra padding, relief from the unforgiving bike seat below. My mind is admonishing me for committing to a multi-day bike trip with no prior cycling experience.

Read More >

The Lowdown on Solo Travel: Part 2

Alone doesn’t mean lonely. It seems like the movies are finally catching up to reality. Inspiring films like Eat Pray Love and Under the Tuscan Sun (or even the apocalyptic thriller The Book of Eli) about solo travelers having lifechanging experiences on the road reflect the growing reality that more and more people are traveling

Read More >