Sure, you’ll be paying a lot more for your airfare in the coming year. $140 barrels of oil will see to that. And the dollar is down, so going virtually anywhere outside the borders of the U.S. will lead to an unfavorable rate of exchange. The Euro continues to make the Dollar look like a skinny, glasses wearing weakling standing in the corner of a boxing gym. Many people are opting for trips nearer to home. But wait…

There is a good side to the down economy; at least as far as budget travelers are concerned.
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Backpackers, budget travelers, and those simply seeking unique experiences have long been traveling to islands off Thailand’s west coast. Alex Garland’s cult classic, The Beach, gave the eastern Andaman Sea a wider audience.  But these islands have always had appeal.

What’s not appealing about sitting on a beach all day taking in the near perfect balance of sand, surf, sun, and tropical foliage? What’s not to love about partying with like minded tourists and fun-loving locals before returning to a pleasant but spartan bungalow that’s so cheap it might as well be free? For the same as it would cost to stay in Cancun for a week, you could stay on Koh Phi Phi for six. Maybe 8 if you decided to forgo the banana pancakes and eat local food.

Thailand’s islands WERE the budget island Mecca. But are they still? (more…)

If you’re going to Italy, or elsewhere throughout Europe and you’re traveling on a tight budget, staying at convents is a great option for cheap accommodations.

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New York City is a cultural mecca in American travel, and will continue to be a major US travel destination in the years to come. Because of the amazing New York City attractions, cultural diversity, historical importance, and large population, one would think it would be a great place for budget travelers and backpackers. Actually, not so much. Why? Because it’s expensive. So here are some really cheap hostels in New York City to help backpackers and budget travelers.

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Australasia’s popular hostel chains Base Backpacker and Beyond Backpackers have merged to join the largest private hostel chain. The new, combined hostel group will take on the name Base. This private hostel chain now has 3000 beds, 10 bars, and 34 travel outlets throughout Australia and New Zealand. These hostels are very popular in the backpacking community.
For a full story, visit the article at stuff.co.nz

So what does this mean for backpackers going to these hostels in New Zealand or Australia? I think it is a good thing. Base plans to renovate and improve some of their hostels which will benefit the travelers. The only potential negative in merger situations will be the lack of competition between hostels. The competition can result in lower rates according to economics 101, so the bed rates could potentially rise. But I do not see it as too big of a problem.

[tags] hostel, australasia, backpacker, travel, budget travel. [/tags]

At the top of every budget traveler’s bookmarks should be the new hip CouchSurfing 2.0, a website that offers free accommodations, and possibly meals, to almost anyone. Couch surfing is two year old online community with about 50,000 members offering their a room or couch for a free bed to travelers.

There is not real hitch, except that to join the community, you would be expected to offer a room or couch of your own for someone to stay at. The majority of couch surfers age anywhere between 20 and 30 years old, and its members reside in pretty much every country worth traveling to.

Couch Surfing is not the only hospitality community available to use on the internet. HospitalityClub.org is another alternative that was started in 2000. Hospitality Club is actually the largest hospitality club, and it works the same way Couch Surfing works.

A third and final free travel and accommodation website is GlobalFreeloaders.com. I believe this is the smallest of the three, and they are alot like the other hospitality sites. Although, Global Freeloader states that if someone should accept a free stay from someone else, they should be able to offer a free stay at their place in the next 6 months. This is a good idea to discourage people who want to cheat the system.

[tags] couch surfing, budget travel [/tags]