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- October 10, 2018 0
A new trend is growing amongst thrill-seeking travellers: ghost tourism. Here’s what it is and where you should go to experience a touch of the supernatural whilst on holiday.

What is Ghost Tourism?

The idea is simple. Ghost tourism refers to holidays that involve learning about apparitions and hauntings. It also includes trips that involve encounters with spectres. An example might be staying in a haunted hotel or going on a late-night ghost walk around a spooky town.

This type of tourism actually has a rich history. People have visited Scotland, for example, for years in hopes of encountering the paranormal. Though most tourists these days don’t expect to see any spectral figures, they are interested in the history of hauntings.

If you like getting goosebumps and the creepy feeling that someone is standing behind you, this might be the travel trend for you.

Supernatural Spots: Where to Go to Get a Thrill

Here are some of the best places to start if you want to get your blood pumping and maybe, just maybe, give yourself a few nightmares.

•  Salem Witch Walk – Salem is famous for its witch trials and this mystical walk features an unusual witchcraft ceremony.

•  The Most Haunted Castle in Europe – It is Denmark’s Dragsholm Slot that has earned this title. Legend has it that Mary, Queen of Scots’ husband died a painful death in the dungeons.

•  Ghost Towns – Deserted towns, with their unmistakably mournful atmosphere, have long been popular with tourists. Some of the best are Kayakoy in Turkey, Oradour-sur-Glane in France and St. Elmo in Colorado.

•  Wall Street Walk – Discover Wall Street’s history from a different angle. Learn about Alexander Hamilton, the Wall Street Crash and the spirits left behind.

•  Sweet Dreams - Haunted hotels are big business. Stay in the Stanley Hotel in Colorado (it inspired The Shining). Or, if you have a real taste for the macabre, you can spend the night in the home of the infamous Lizzie Borden.

You don’t have to devote your entire holiday to searching for ghouls but including one of these places as a day (or night) trip can add an extra frisson of excitement to your trip. 

What’s more, it is an interesting way to experience a different side to a country’s culture than is seen in museums or art galleries.

Boo-fore You Go


You’ll soon realise that ghost hunting is truly addictive – one trip just won’t be enough. Before you head off, take out an annual multi-trip travel insurance policy. That way no matter how many trips you take a year you are covered for accidents, theft of your valuables or other mishaps. Ideally, all travel would be risk-free; however annual multi-trip travel insurance makes sure you won’t lose out in the unlikely event that something does go wrong. (Disclaimer: No insurance can help you if a sneaky poltergeist steals your stuff, so make sure keep your eyes open while ghost hunting!)

Author: Laura Jeeves

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- October 09, 2018 0
Australia is a vast continent with wonderfully diverse landscapes. However, when visiting it can feel impossible to see or experience enough of the country. Embarking on a road trip is one of the best ways to truly immerse yourself down under.

Here are three of the best routes for adventurous souls who wish to take in the deep rainforest, the wild bush and the beautiful coastline.

The Great Ocean Road

The Great Ocean Road spans 250 kilometres from Torquay to Warrnambool and runs by some of the most beautiful coastlines in the world. You can speed along and do the whole thing in one day, or you can – and should – take your time and spend a couple of weeks enjoying the trip.

You’ll meet lots of other travellers on this route, and there is plenty to see as you drive so be prepared to pull over a lot.

What to Do

• Visit the Twelve Apostles (be there at sunset) 

• Experience the Grotto 

• See koalas in the wild at River Kennet 

• Surf at Bells Beach

Cairns to Cape York

If you want the road less travelled, look no further than the 1000-kilometre trip from Cairns to Cape York. This route is known for its variety, including stunning coastal views, epic rainforests and extreme dirt tracks. This is not one for novices as the driving can be tough and some roads are only passable at certain times of the year. The route will take planning and will differ depending on weather conditions – you’ll almost certainly need a four-wheel drive.

Take camping gear and be prepared to cook for yourself. Additionally, it’s recommended you allocate two to three weeks for the journey – you’ll want a couple of days in Cape York to relax before heading back.

What to Do

• See the Great Barrier Reef 

• Go to Thursday Island 

• Go on a Daintree River Cruise 

• Visit Fruit Bat Falls

The Savannah Way

The Savannah Way is a long route that stretches from Cairns in North Queensland to Broome in the west. It is 3700 kilometres long and runs through no fewer than fifteen National Parks. It is very common for people to do just a section of the route, such as Broome to Katherine. However, if you have time to spare and fancy giving the whole thing a go, it will be an utterly unforgettable experience.

Though a four-wheel drive is not necessarily necessary, do be prepared for the worst. Carry emergency food and water as well as a radio for when mobile phone reception drops out.

What to Do

• Bushwalking in the National Parks 

• See ancient Aboriginal rock art 

• Go on a sunset cruise through Katherine Gorge 

• Visit the lava tubes at Undara

Before You Go: Car Hire Excess Insurance


Insurance is not the most exciting topic, but if you are planning an adventurous road trip car hire excess insurance is an absolute necessity. This will cover you for a range of eventualities. After all, you never know what could happen on the road. Rental companies tend to charge ridiculous amounts, so get a good car hire excess insurance deal sorted before you leave for Australia.

Author: Laura Jeeves

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- September 23, 2018 0
Everyone is always to gain the upper hand on everything around them in the hopes of acquiring, or experiencing, the so-called 'best'. The travel industry is no stranger to this, and for years, travelers of all kinds have done all they can to get the best lodging possible everywhere they go. The biggest problem with trying to get 'the best' of anything is trying to have an actual working definition of what that would be.

Going back to the issue of the 'best' lodging, it would seem that on the surface, being able to get the quintessential hotel room booked would be pretty easy to determine who won out on finding the best lodging possible. There's just one problem - hotels are not the only form of lodging available to travelers. It's an unending argument that does nothing more than spoil any good time you try to have while traveling because you are too busy trying to determine your level of awesomeness to others in a contest no one is having or cares about.

However, maybe you're still stuck on finding the 'best' lodging, and you really want to some inside intel on making it happen. The secret to finding the best lodging is... well, there is no secret. That's the kicker in all of this. Finding the best place to stay when you travel doesn't actually require a secret at all.

Here's all you need to get tremendous value on lodging for your next trip:

Compare Rates and Deals from Various Websites - This requires a bit of work on your part, but comparing the prices of lodging deals from one website to another may actually get you some pretty serious savings. Some websites have emerged in the last few years that actually make the comparisons for you, but there's nothing like putting in the work yourself.

Try Waiting Until the Last-Minute - Finding a place to stay when you travel can be necessary all of a sudden, with only a few hours notice. That said, there are a lot of great websites and apps that work for you in these situations. Moreover, even if you're actively choosing to wait for a deal, you still have tools at your disposal.

Consider Alternative Lodging Options - Vacation rentals, condos, hostels, and even privately rented rooms are all options depending on your needs & whether you're traveling alone, for work, or with your family.

Negotiate with the Hotel Directly - Go old-school and call the hotel you'd like to stay at & see if they can do some price-matching with deals you've found. This direct approach is championed by travel gurus as a highly successful way to score savings.

Lodging is really about what will make you feel the most comfortable when you travel. It's not about 'the best' of anything. So long as you have a firm understanding of the amenities you want versus those you need, it stands to reason you'll easily find the perfect place to call your "home away from home" on your next adventure out of town.


Author: Morris Raymond

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- May 03, 2018 0

     

Hostels have long been the “dirty” word in the hotel and travel industry, but times are certainly changing for the better as the public realize more and more that hostels and youth hostels are a viable means of accommodation when they travel around the globe.

Despite their low price and somewhat bad reputation, many hostels are of a high standard and have great facilities for people of all ages and backgrounds to enjoy.

The budget travel sector, such as backpackers, gap year travelers and also families wanting multi-location holidays, has boomed in the last few years and is driven to a large extent by word-of-mouth recommendation.

With competition in the industry “hotting up” and with millions of customers each and every year choosing cheaper, cost-effective accommodation, the standard, and reputation of these places are ever-increasing.

The major hostel booking companies also have rating systems which, not only helps customers to choose the right accommodation but also helps to push hostel owners to do more to satisfy their customers as their ratings directly affect how much business they will receive from these booking sites.

The most popular hostel destinations are Singapore, London, Sydney, Rome, Amsterdam and New York and no matter where in the world you are traveling to, you will find a selection of great accommodation to suit both your taste and your budget.

Despite the arrival of budget hotel chains such as Travelodge, Ibis and Jury’s Inns, Hotel 81 chains in Singapore, backpackers still prefer to stay in hostels due to factors such as atmosphere, fun and the social experience of meeting other backpackers.

The hostel industry, once considered a “cottage industry” has now grown rapidly with the entry of new players opening deluxe hostel chains including The Generator, and Hostels in London.

If you are planning to stay in a Hostel in Singapore, make sure you look through our Singapore Hostels Reviews by our editors.


Author: Lee Smith

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- May 02, 2018 0



         

Does it seem as if every time you look around on the internet for a hotel room, you find more websites that say you can get a hotel room for less?

Though it may sound enticing, online hotel booking has its own set of challenges.

An online discount hotel booking website should provide the following basic things:

  • Offer real time hotel room booking
  • Allow date amendments and cancellations online
  • Rates should clearly indicate what currency is being quoted, whether the rate is per person or per room, and what is and what is not included in the rate, and, if taxes are not included, how much they will be


The location information of the hotel should be listed on the hotel description page.


  • This can help identify the distance from the hotel to certain landmarks or the airport
  • All the information regarding the hotel (such as facilities and rates) should be located on each hotel's web page
  • Pictures of the hotel
  • Star quality rating, consumer ratings with consumer reviews



Does the online hotel booking site have a membership program that offers reward points and privileges?

Checklist before and after you book a hotel room online.

If you follow this checklist, you're less likely to have nasty surprises in store for you:

Have you seen the hotel on a map, and do you understand the exact location?
Do you know what the rate is, which currency it is quoted in, whether this rate is per person or per room, per night or per complete stay?

Do you understand the standard/quality of the hotel?

Does the rate include everything or are taxes, surcharges, gratuities, service fees, etc, extra? How much are such extra costs if they exist? Are there any other mandatory costs that you might have to pay?

Are there any extra inclusions such as breakfast, and, if so, is it a cooked or continental breakfast?

Do you understand what room type and bedding configuration you will be getting?

Is your reservation guaranteed? Will it be held for late arrival?

What is the change, cancellation and refund policy if you need to change or cancel your booking?

Did the credit card number you gave to the internet booking service merely guarantee your room, or did they charge a deposit (or even the full stay) at the time you made your booking to the credit card?

You may contact the hotel directly 24 hours after you’ve made your online booking, to confirm that the booking has appeared in their local computer system.

You may also check with them to see if the booking is the same as you have made in terms of room type, room rate, dates, etc.

If you have any special needs or requirements or expectations, you should double check with the hotel directly that these special service requests have been received by them and are understood and will be provided.

Most importantly, if you prepaid any amounts to the internet website, confirm that you won't be billed again by the hotel directly. Remember that most internet websites are completely independent of the hotels they service and could be located anywhere in the world; once they get your money; there is no guarantee that they will pass it on to the hotel in time for your stay.

Author: Chloe Lim
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- April 26, 2018 0



From packing your bags correctly and boarding your flight to exchanging your money and finding the best places to eat and sleep abroad, traveling can quickly turn into a very complicated venture. Make sure you approach traveling with the knowledge necessary to pull your trip off without a hitch. Check out this article to find out how.

Do some research online that covers all of the additional fees that you may be charged by individual airlines. These fees include baggage fees, snacks, entertainment, wifi and seat section. You will then be able to add up what everything is going to cost you including the price of the ticket itself.

When you are traveling in exotic locations, where you might be taking safaris or going on off-road excursions; It is very beneficial for women to remember to wear sports bras or bras that provide mega support as the bumpy roads will not be comfortable for you unless you are well supported.

Take earplugs for flights and hotel stays. With the right level of noise blocking, you can eliminate the volume that accompanies airplane travel. Also sleeping in hotels in an unfamiliar location can be hit or miss as far as the outside noise level. These earplugs can be the difference in a good night's sleep or a grouchy morning.

If your schedule allows it, leave yourself one day after your vacation before going back to work. You never know what kind of surprises you will encounter when you get back home. Plus it will also allow you to transition into reality and your daily grind a little bit easier.

If you are going to be traveling by car and the distance is while sizable it may be to your benefit to rent a car rather than drive your own. The abuse your car will take on the trip will certainly devalue it whereas if you rent a car your car will not lose value.

Before leaving on a trip, find out and write down the addresses of the American embassies in the countries you'll be visiting. While the embassy is not a traveler's aid office, they can help you if your passport is stolen or if you find yourself in some kind of unexpected legal trouble while overseas.
Great deals that are available are in many cases limited. You can sign up to receive emails from different companies to find out as soon as the deal is offered so you can get first dibs on these deals. Sign up for these emails for your favorite hotels, rental cars, airlines and many other activities that can be done on vacation.

If you should lose your passport or important papers while you are out of the country, seek help. Go to the local police, in the country you are visiting, and report them stolen or lost. Make sure they are aware of all the circumstances. Then go to your closest embassy to get help in replacing your papers.
Traveling doesn't have to be a complicated thing if you know how to approach it. Take your time to read informative articles like these and your next trip can be planned without the usual hassle. If you're willing to invest the time and focus on your travel plans, you can do the dirty work up front and enjoy a worry-free vacation.


Wizootravel







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