Asia

Editor’s Note: The following is part of our ongoing “2007 Travel Year in Review.” So far we have announced our Top 25 Things to Do in each of the regions we cover, and we’re getting ready to announce (look for it next week) the Top 50 Travel Destinations of 2007.

Dolphin Swim: #4 Thing to Do with Kids in 2007

Got kids? Plenty of travelers do, and in 2007 they hit the road in record numbers. Family trips, vacations with kids, kid-friendly adventure holidays, all of these experienced major growth in 2007. We saw similar trends on the viator.com site, with kid-friendly and family-friendly travel growing by more than 35%. We’re also impressed by the range of kid- and family-friendly tours purchased in 2007. Sure there were plenty of holidays to Disneyland and Universal Studios, we would expect no less from two of the world’s most popular theme parks and entertainment brands.

Yet our list includes a number of non-traditional and off-beat things to do with kids, from dolphin swims to ‘duck tours’ and more.

What does it all mean? Maybe that having a kid (or three) is not the end of your travel career, but rather an opportunity to act like a kid and have a heap of fun doing it.

#1. Universal Studios, Orlando

Universal Studios Orlando: #1 Thing to Do with Kids in 2007

Universal Studios in Orlando, as well as Universal Islands of Adventure, are filled with innovative rides and attractions from high-speed roller coasters to children’s rides and groundbreaking 3-D attractions.

The studios are the #1 movie and TV based theme park in the world. And because it is a real film studio you can go behind the scenes of your favorite movies. If you’re a kid yourself, or the parent of a brood of kids, this is a no-brainer way to have an awesome family vacation.

Viator links:

• Universal Orlando 2-Park Unlimited Admission Ticket (7 Days)
• All family-friendly things to do in Orlando
• Suggested itineraries in Orlando

#2. Disneyland, Paris

Ahh, Disneyland. Every kid loves it. How could you not?? From the rides to the parades to the theme park characters, Disneyland is all about making sure the kids have a great time. Honestly, we were a little surprised that so many families are taking the kids to Paris these days, but it makes sense if you think about it. So many people want to share Europe with their children, and while they’re there why not spend a day or two having a great time at a theme park that the kids are guaranteed to love.

Viator links:

• Disneyland Paris, including transport from Paris
• All family-friendly things to do in Paris
• Suggested itineraries in Paris

#3. Singapore Zoo Jungle Breakfast (with Orangutans!), Singapore

The award-winning Singapore Zoo is one southeast Asia’s top attractions; in fact our Singapore Zoo Night Safari consistently ranks among our top 25 things to do across Asia. The jungle breakfast is becoming equally popular, as it provides a rare opportunity to interact with endangered orangutans (Singapore’s zoo is a world leader in caring for orangutans). The visit includes commentary from zoo experts and a tram ride through the hugely popular Singapore Zoo. And let’s be honest, what kid doesn’t love a good zoo?

Viator links:

• Singapore Zoo Jungle Breakfast with Orangutans
• All family-friendly things to do in Singapore
• Suggested itineraries in Singapore

#4. A Tie! Dolphin Swims in Orlando, Florida & the Dominican Republic

These two dolphin swims were so close in popularity that we decided to call it a tie. The dolphin swim and Everglades airboat adventure in Orlando is rated 4 stars (the highest possible) by Viator.com travelers, which is no small feat. The swim is in a natural ocean-water lagoon at Dolphin Plus, a marine mammal research and education facility. Dolphins Plus is committed to the conservation and protection of marine mammals through education, research, experiential learning and environmental awareness. Don’t worry it’s also plenty of fun. The dolphin swim at Ocean World in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, is another four-star-rated experience and is hugely popular with families and kids.

Viator links:

• Swim with Dolphins & Everglades Airboat Adventure, Orlando
• All family-friendly things to do in Orlando
• Dolphin swim at Ocean World, Dominican Republic
• All family-friendly things to do in the Dominican Republic
• More dolphin swims around the world

#5. Duck Tour, Boston

What? You’ve never heard of a ‘duck tour’? It doesn’t matter, there’s a good chance your children have. Duck Tours are city tours with a wacky twist: authentic, renovated World War II amphibious landing vehicles. That’s right, hop aboard a WWII landing craft for a land / water tour that will put a smile on even the most cynical parent’s face. The Boston Duck Tour covers the golden-domed State House to Bunker Hill and the Fleet Center, Boston Common and Copley Square to the Big Dig, Government Center to fashionable Newbury Street, Quincy Market to the Prudential Tower, and more. And then it’s a left turn — splashdown! — into the Charles River for a view of the Boston and Cambridge skylines.

Viator links:

• Boston Duck Tour
• All family-friendly things to do in Boston
• All Duck Tours on Viator.com

–Scott McNeely, parent of a 2-year-old

Editor’s Note: I originally posted these Vietnam itineraries last December, to answer the many questions I was fielding from friends about where to go and what to do in Vietnam. Over the past few months dozens of travelers have asked some great questions about traveling in Vietnam, which I wanted to share. If you have a question, just leave a comment and I’ll do my best to reply.

Let’s start with the coffee. Because in Vietnam coffee is more than just a drink. It doesn’t come venti or frappuccinoed or with whipped cream. And it definitely does not cost $3.75 a shot. No, coffee in Vietnam is thick, cheap and super-sweet. And it is beautiful.

Good coffee is just one of the many happy discoveries I had in Vietnam. It was my first trip, and as an American I had some baggage about visiting. You know, the war and all. The Vietnam War (or as it’s called locally, the American War). Telling friends that I was planning a trip to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon) generated a shock-surprise-fear response that I was not prepared for, at least from people old enough to remember the nightly news reports from the battlefront.

So I was half-expecting a chilly response when I arrived. After all more than 400,000 Vietnamese civilians were killed in the war, not to mention the impact on the land itself (ever heard of Agent Orange?). There were plenty of reasons for the Vietnamese not to like Americans.

Yet the reality could not have been more different. No matter where I went, no matter who I met, the people of Vietnam were unfailingly polite, friendly, approachable. I am not just saying that, either. I’ve been to dozens of countries, and there is no contest here: by a mile the Vietnamese win the awards for “most friendly” and “most gracious.”.

Scott learns to cook in Hoi An

The other great surprise for me in Vietnam was the food. Fresh, simple and full of flavor. Since my trip I’ve become addicted to pho (rice noodle soup), which is delicious for breakfast or dinner; gao nep (sticky rice), which is suitable for the vegetarians among us; and nem (spring rolls), made with rice paper, minced pork, crab, mushrooms and extra-fine noodles called vermicelli.

I spent almost 3 weeks in Vietnam, traveling south to north from Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi. My Vietnam itinerary is below, in case you’re planning a trip of your own. If you have questions about Vietnam, leave a reply and I’ll do my best to field an answer for you. You can also see some of my photos from Vietnam over on the Viator flickr site.

• Bangkok to Ho Chi Minh City (direct flight)
• 2 days in Ho Chi Minh City. I didn’t get a chance to visit the Mekong Delta, but wish I had. The city itself is worth exploring. The American War museum is first-rate. Plenty of restaurants, bars and clubs have opened in the past few years. I’ve heard some people say that Ho Chi Minh City has the best nightlife in Southeast Asia.
• 3 days in Mui Ne, a postcard-perfect beach village, very quiet and laid-back. Definitely not as busy as Na Trang. I prefer the calm of Mui Ne to the bustle of Na Trang.
• The it was off to Hoi An (via an overnight train from Na Trang to Danang). Hoi An was my second-favorite spot in Vietnam. The center of Hoi An is a well-preserved French Colonial relic, with limited access to cars. For me the place was heaven. Hoi An has cafes, street markets, riverside restaurants, and the best hand-tailored clothes in Vietnam. I took a cooking class and learned how to make fish wrapped in banana leaves, squid salad and homemade dumplings. For less than US$100 I also had 7 shirts, 3 pants, 1 jacket and 1 suit made to order. The quality is not perfect. But who cares at these prices. One tip: If you own a shirt that you like or that fits you especially well, bring it! The local tailors can make copies in a dozen different fabrics.

Boats on Halong Bay, Vietnam

• We took a short flight from Danang to Hanoi, my favorite place in all of Vietnam. I don’t know what it is about Hanoi that I clicked with. Maybe the jam-packed streets, packed sardine-style with bicycles and mopeds, which you cross at your own risk. Or maybe the tree-lined streets bursting with all manner of stores, shops, workshops, alleyways, impromptu temples, sidewalk restaurants.
• We also did a trip to Halong Bay, which is definitely worth doing. If the weather is hot, consider doing an overnight or two-night trip so you can swim and relax and take in the scenery. The setting is absolutely unique, with rounded rock formations as far as the eye can see, often shrouded in mist that gives Halong Bay an otherworldly feel.
• Last but not least, it was a flight back to Bangkok. While you’re there, get a message at the Wat Po Traditional Thai Massage School (on the grounds of Wat Po itself, in the heart of Bangkok). It costs something like $5 for 30 minutes. Was it the best massage I’ve ever had? Yup. And it’s enough to make me plan another trip to Vietnam. Via Thailand, of course.

–Scott McNeely

Planning a trip? Browse Viators tours and things to do in Vietnam, things to do in Hanoi, and Ho Chi Minh City and Mekong Delta tours.

Can’t get enough of Viator’s 2007 Top 25 lists? Neither can we.

We’ve been busy compiling the Top 25 Things to Do around the world, from Africa & the Middle East to Central & South America and the Caribbean (with more regions coming soon). These lists are based on tours and activities that actual Viator.com travelers participated in this year.

So what were the major travel trends in Asia in 2007? Surprisingly (given its dominance on our 2006 list), Singapore has slipped a few spots in overall popularity. What happened? Japan in general, and Tokyo in particular, skyrocketed in popularity this year with Viator travelers. (Speaking of which, check out some of the cool new traveler photos submitted by Viator’s travelers in Japan…) Ditto with Hong Kong, which remains one of the top destinations in Asia this year.

On the ‘notable exceptions’ list is China (check out Rod’s trip report to Beijing) and Vietnam (also see our recent blog post of suggested itineraries in Vietnam). Our guess is that China will come storming back thanks to the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. And here’s hoping to Vietnam making a splash in 2008. n the meantime, without further ado, the top 25 things to do in Asia in 2007…

Top 25 Things to Do in Asia: 2007

#1 in 2007? A bullet-train trip to Mt Fuji from Tokyo

25. Malacca Malaysia Day Tour, Singapore

24. Half-day Safari around Phuket, Phuket, Thailand

23. Kuala Lumpur Grand Day Tour, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

22. Afternoon Till Sunset at Sentosa Island, Singapore

21. Lantau Island Tour including Giant Buddha at Po Lin Monastery, Hong Kong

20. Kyoto Day Tour - Golden Pavilion, Nijo Castle, Sanjusangendo, Kiyomizu Temple, Kyoto, Japan

19. Morning at the Singapore Zoo with optional Jungle Breakfast with Orangutans, Singapore

18. Island Tour - Victoria Peak, Aberdeen, Stanley Market, Hong Kong

17. Macau Full Day Tour by Catamaran, Hong Kong

16. Sunrise Sumo Wrestling Tour - Tournament, Tokyo, Japan

15. Mt Fuji, Hakone and Kyoto by Bullet Train, Tokyo, Japan

14. Panoramic Tokyo - Meiji, Asakusa, Tokyo Bay Cruise, Odaiba, Tokyo, Japan

13. Mt Fuji, Hakone and Onsen 2-Day Tour: Return by Bullet Train, Tokyo, Japan

12. Mt Fuji and Hakone Day Tour: Return By Motorcoach, Tokyo, Japan

11. Kyoto 1-Day Sunrise Express Tour By Bullet Train, Tokyo, Japan

10. Kyoto and Nara Day Tour - Golden Pavilion, Nijo Castle, Todaiji, Kyoto, Japan

9. Singapore by Night including Dinner at Boat Quay, Night Market, Raffles Hotel, Singapore

8. Guangzhou (Canton) China including Temple of the Six Banyan Trees, Hong Kong

7. Tokyo Tower, Tea Ceremony, Sumida River Cruise, Tokyo, Japan

6. Mt Fuji, Hakone, Kyoto and Nara 3-Day Sunrise Highlights Tour by Bullet Train, Tokyo, Japan

5. Hong Kong by Night at Revolving 66 Restaurant and Junk Cruise, Hong Kong

4. Night Safari, Singapore

3. Nikko World Heritage, Toshogu Shrine, Lake Chuzenji, Kegon Waterfall, Tokyo, Japan

2. Kyoto and Nara 2 or 3-Day Sunrise Express Tour by Bullet Train, Tokyo, Japan

1. Mt Fuji and Hakone Day Tour: Return by Bullet Train, Tokyo, Japan

Do you have your own list of favorite things to do in Asia? We’d love to hear about them. Simply leave us a reply below and we’ll add them to the list.

And if you’re looking for more inspiration in Asia, Viator’s got you covered in: Cambodia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia (including Bali), Japan, Malaysia, Nepal, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam.

Stay tuned for more lists in the coming days, to help you plan your next trip across the globe. In the meantime, if your curious about the top things to do last year in Asia, keep on reading…

(more…)

Largo do Senado, Macau

I was poking through the travel news this past week and ran across an article on some tourists who were none too happy with their tour of Macau. And I admit, it does sound kind of sucky, more than 100 tourists were mad that their tour guide took them to a bunch of shops instead of the historic sites they thought would be part of the tour. They got mad, one thing led to another, and the riot cops stepped in. On paper, a really great historical tour of Macau and a crappy shopping tour could look much the same, it all depends on how the tour is described and who is operating it. So how do you avoid ending up in a riot and get a great tour?

At Viator this is one of the main concerns we have with our tours and activities - how do we make sure they are all great experiences with great operators, and that any person coming to our site and thinking about a tour can easily get an understanding if its right for them. I am thinking of changing our tag line to “Riot free tours since 1995″, but there are other ways I think we embody that sentiment. Even if you aren’t considering a Viator experience, here’s some questions you should ask and things to think about to make sure you pick a tour or activity that will make your vacation memorable in a good way (not in a I-have-a-funny-story-about-finding-bail-money-in-Hong-Kong-Dollars kind of way).

1. Get as much information as you can about the tour operator and the tour you are considering. How long have they been in business and have been running this tour? Are they accredited in some way? Have they won any awards?

At Viator, we already do all this for our customers. We review every tour operator’s standing with the local visitors bureau, the Better Business Bureau, and relevant travel associations. We evaluate the operator’s customer-service procedures to make sure they meet our high standards, and verify their safety records and insurance coverage. Also Viator requires operators to adhere to the Federation of Tour Operator’s Preferred Code of Practice.

2. In general, avoid a tour with 100+ people. More people is usually, but not always, less fun. Sometimes a crowd is great - who wants to watch football alone in a stadium? But if you want a nice historical tour, think intimate. Odds are you will have more input into what you see and do.

Viator offers a lot of private or small tour options, we know that a big group is often less fun. A personalized tour is even better.

3. Get a detailed description of the tour, and if you are particularly interested in seeing something, ask if its part of the itinerary.

Viator spends a lot of time on on gathering detailed information about our tours and activities and succinctly providing that information to help customers make an educated decision about their experience. Check out Viator’s Macau tour description:

“The island of Macau is located 60 kilometres (37 miles) southwest of Hong Kong and 145 kilometres (90 miles) from Guangzhou. A 60-minute Jetfoil or Catamaran journey from Hong Kong will take you to the former Portuguese colony where you will explore the Historic Centre of Macau, which has now been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, making it the 31st designated UNESCO World Heritage site in China. Visit the Old Fort, Penha Hill, the Bishop’s Home along the Praia Grande, The Ruins of the Historic Church of St Paul and the Macau Grand Prix Race Course.”

“You will also stop at the Border Gate for a glimpse of the Chinese Border Guards before proceeding to the Casino to possibly try your luck. Depart Macau in the mid-afternoon and arrive back in Hong Kong and your pick-up point at approximately 5:00pm.”

That’s a great description of what you will see and do. Don’t settle for something like, it’s a day tour of Macau’s historical sites. Get the details.

4. Get recommendations from people who have been on the tour. This is a tough one when you’re already on vacation. You might run into someone at the hotel who happens to have done what you’re considering, but odds are you won’t. Do you want to trust the concierge, who in all likelihood won’t have actually gone on any of the tours (or worse, is getting a kickback)?

This is why Viator traveler reviews are great. There are 19 reviews of the Macau tour. You can read the honest feedback of travelers from four different continents; what they liked, what they didn’t like, and the overall star rating they gave the tour (incidentally this one gets 3 1/2 out of 4 stars). Why would we publish negative comments about a tour? Because we want you to have all the information possible. And we use it to make sure our operators are meeting our expectations - if they aren’t, they aren’t our operator anymore.

Pssst! We’re also announcing traveler photos to go with the reviews soon, but not quite yet. You’ll actually be able to see what its like to be on the tour through other travelers photos. Don’t say I told you. Scott will be mad.

5. To thine own self be true. Do things you like, don’t do things you think you have to do. Just because you are in Paris does not mean you need to see the Louvre if you hate museums. Skip it. Opt for tours and activities you will enjoy, you’re not obligated to do anything on vacation but have fun. There’s a thousand ways to experience Paris that don’t involve a museum if that’s not your bag. This can be a radical paradigm shift for some travelers, but make the leap, you’ll be much happier.

Viator knows that everyone likes to do different things. In Paris, yes, we have a great guided tour of the Louvre, but we also have 149 other things to do in Paris in 15 different categories, many of which do not involve a single painting. If you can’t find something you’d like to do, I’ll eat my chapeau.

Hopefully this advice is helpful when you plan things to do on your next trip. Not to sound like a broken record, but at Viator, we take the quality of our tours and activities to heart, our goal is for everyone to have a great travel experience.

Riot free since 1995….

– Kelly G

We didn’t want the day to pass without wishing ‘Happy Birthday’ to the Viator Travel Blog, which went live exactly one year ago today. Here’s an excerpt from our very first post:

It’s official — the Viator travel blog is up and running. Tell your friends, tell your coworkers, tell random people in the street. The Viator travel blog is a resource for anybody who loves to travel. Check back over the coming weeks and months as we post and share our thoughts on a range of travel topics: from things to do in New York City and Paris tours and activities (the stuff that pays the bills and keeps us going) to travel deals, travel news, travel alerts, you name it. We also want to hear from you — don’t be shy, ask us questions, tell us what you like or don’t like, and we’ll see what we can do to help you make the most of your next trip. Happy travels.

Turning one is a good time to reflect on the year that was, the year that will be. Here’s a motley mix of facts and figures about our blog. It’s been quite a year, and we fully expect Year 2 to be as fun, inspiring and interesting (possibly even controversial!) as the first one.

The Viator Travel Blog: Year One

Somehow we’ve managed to publish 434 posts. Many of these are actually quite useful and good!

The 5 most popular (based on page views) are:

• A first-hand report from Viator’s founder about opening day at the Grand Canyon Skywalk.
• Our list of the Top 25 Things to Do in Europe in 2006. Which reminds me, stay tuned for our 2007 lists of top things to do, including our list of the Top 50 things to do around the world.
• Kerrie’s post about the 2007 Cricket World Cup. She explained the game with grace and patience (useful for us Americans) and did a pretty decent job tipping the results, too.
• My post about 1,000 Places to See Before You Die. It struck a nerve, and generated a fair amount of controversy. My opinions have not changed.
• Our Insider’s Guide to Malaysia’s Best Beaches. Going to Malaysia? Read this post.

Our Spam Filter has deleted 17,663 comments! That’s a lot of Viagara links. My favorite spam comments:

• I do think your right on the spot here, i am going to bookmark your site to see if other people have different views.
• I couldn’t understand some parts of this article, but it sounds interesting
• Sorry, it just sounds like a crazy idea for me

The 3 most popular search terms used to find our blog…

• rugby world cup predictions (thanks Ian for all your great Rugby World Cup posts)
• things to do in Europe (once again our list of Top 25 Things to Do in Europe in 2006)
• virgin first time (hmmm, was this post really what you were looking for??)

The 3 least popular search terms used to find our blog…

• belize it or not (no joke, 1 person found us using this term, hopefully they enjoyed our post)
• menstrual blood attracting sharks (yes, we really did blog about it)
• ancient 14 wonders of the world (silly us, we thought there were only 7)

Who are you people??? The top 5 home cities of our blog readers:

• London (cheers)
• Auckland (ta)
• Sydney (good on ya)
• New York City (thanks)
• Singapore & San Francisco (it’s a tie)

We have plenty of new ideas and plans for Year 2, so keep checking back over the next 12 months (or subscribe to our RSS feed and let your computer do all the heavy lifting). Thanks for your interest in the Viator Travel Blog, and let us know what else you’d like to see in the coming year.

–Scott McNeely

The World’s largest passenger jet - the Airbus A380 - is set to take flight this month

After 13 years of planning and development, the massive new Airbus A380 arrived in Singapore this week - nearly 2 years late and a few billions of dollars over budget. But that could not stop the hype and the enthusiasm of airline buffs around the world.

Singapore Airlines will take the A380 with its first paying passengers on October 28 between Singapore and Sydney. The airline held an auction for the first flight where the top first class suite went for a whopping US$103,000 or more than 10 times the normal first class flight and over 100 times the average coach price. Now there is an eager flier! So far the nearly $2 million raised will go to three great charities - Singapore Community Chest, Sydney Children’s Hospital and Médecins Sans Frontières, also known as Doctors Without Borders

I had a chance to see a demonstration version on the plane landing in Singapore last year and it was quite a sight. The plane rolled over a bridge just as my taxi was set to go under. Our driver pulled over in amazement and started snapping pictures on his phone (come to think of it, after that nice tip he was going to email me those pics…) Oh well. Here are some stats on its massive size:

According to Wikipedia, The plane is nearly the length of an American football field:

• Length: 239.6 feet (73m)
• Height: 79 feet (24m)
• Takeoff Weight: 1,200,000lbs (560,000kg)

The double decker plane can be configured to seat up to 850 people. Singapore Airlines has announced their version will carry a mere 471 passengers – 12 First, 60 Business and 399 in coach.

Singapore’s First Class is the best in the sky, so save your pennies.

As of today, no US-based airline has ordered the A380 and there are no current plans for the A380 to fly to the states, though airports such as LAX, JFK and Chicago are gearing up to accept the plane.

UPDATE
Check back on the blog – Viator Business Development Director, Luke Crosthwaite, is set to travel on the A-380 in the next few weeks and will file a first-hand report. You can also check out photos of Singapore tours over on the Viator Flickr site.

–Ken Frohling

File this under “Only in Thailand”.

We had two elephants come to the village recently for a game of elephant soccer (”football” to those people with funny accents). Now I thought that would mean the two elephants playing soccer against each other. But oh no. In typical Thai style, this turned out to be two elephants playing soccer against the local 12-year-old team.

Apparently everyone thought this was a great idea! So full-tackle soccer with eight 12-year-olds versus two elephants.

Turned out to be marvellous fun; they roped an area off and charged 30 cents for spectators. The elephants were powerful and hard to tackle, but the kids were quick and nimble, a 2-all draw in the end. And no kids got squashed.

Don’t believe me? Well here’s a short video montage I made of kids scoring a goal, and then of the elephants scoring. Gooooooooal! Stick around to the end - the live footage of the elephant goal is a keeper.

–Jordan Digby

Check out Jordan’s earlier post on Life Lessons in Thailand. Planning a trip? Browse Viator’s things to do in Thailand, Bangkok tours and activities in Phuket.

Amber Fort outside Jaipur

Last month I took a quick trip to India. I, like most sensible travelers, realize that India is a huge country, with billions of people, a complex and amazing culture and tons to see. So naturally I thought that, when I go to India, I should go for awhile, at least a couple of weeks to get started. It took 20 hours to travel there from San Francisco (not to mention how much the ticket costs!). That merits a lengthy stay. How long was my trip in July? 6 days. How do you see India in 6 days? The answer is, you don’t. And being a sensible traveler, I limited my trip to two cities — Hyderabad (where my husband was working, and hence, why I came to India for only 6 days) and Jaipur.

If you’re a Westerner and you haven’t yet experienced India, there is definitely an adjustment period. That was the major regret of my 6 day jaunt, around day 3 I was just getting acclimated to the dust, the traffic, the noise, the crowds, being stared at (women with short hair are a novelty), the etiquette, and how to eat properly with just my right hand (tricky, but practice makes perfect) and it was nearly time to go home. But let’s not dwell on the shortcomings! Sights were seen! Tapestries were bought! Yummy yummy food was eaten!

Kelly’s 6 Favorite Things in India (one for each day):

1. The food in Hyderabad. Spicy and delicious. Sitting on the plane we discovered that we were seated next to the owner of a chain of Indian restaurants in San Francisco (Naan N’ Curry) , who was headed to Hyderabad to interview chefs. Food is a big deal in Hyderabad, and they are famous for excellent biriyanis. For a classic biriyani, hit Paradise. My other favorite? Angeethi.
2. The Pink City. Jaipur is known as the Pink City, and yes, it is pink, or at least the
   buildings of the old town are made of pink stone. The pink looks delightful at sunset, and is generally very pleasant.

Made with Bombay Sapphire, naturally.

3. The Polo Bar. If you are looking for the perfect gin and tonic to refresh you after a long day of hot sightseeing on the dusty town, you cannot miss the Polo Bar. Sip your g & t and wait expectantly for Prince Charles to stroll in for his.
4. Textiles (I know it doesn’t sound fun, but keep with me here). Jaipur is a shopping mecca and Rajasthan is renowned for its textiles. We got some great custom made shirts (for way less than the price of an off the rack shirt in the US) and a gorgeous wall tapestry. Kicky elephant place mats and napkins were bought as gifts. Want a sari? Head to Jaipur.
5. Our autorickshaw driver in Jaipur, Shyam. Riding in an autorickshaw takes some
   getting used to, traffic is crazy, roads are dusty and sometimes drivers are unrealiable or a little on the untrustworthy side (shopping kickbacks are common). We got very lucky and had a great driver who took us to the shopping we wanted, all the sightseeing to see, and even got us into the cinema before everyone else (and out of the long line and heat!). If you’re in Jaipur give Shyam a call (91-9314899552), you can often find him parked by the Samode Haveli hotel.

Shyam and my favorite autorickshaw

6. Monkeys. Oddly enough in my day to day life in San Francisco, monkeys do not regularly crop up. Dusk in India? Primetime for primates. You can find them wandering by your hotel pool, running across rooftops of Samode (a village outside of Jaipur), and I hear, hanging out at Jaipur’s Monkey Temple. I regret not having my camera handy when a monkey knocked over a bucket of water, causing an 80 year old woman to chase him with a broom (ok, she was maybe not 80, but she was old, and very spry with a broom).

While 6 days doesn’t seem like much time to see anything, I ended up coming away with a fairly satisfied feeling from my brief time in India, which just reinforces my firm belief that despite what you might think about how a trip might go, it is always better to travel than not.

– Kelly G

Honestly, the things we do to travel sometimes! My husband and I spent an hour of our Saturday morning sitting on a plastic chair surrounded by snotty nosed kids and coughing seniors. Ahh, the glamour of international travel! Why were we here? Egypt in 5 weeks, that’s why.

On the edge of sanity after listening to a one sided conversation from a teacher with a broken toe aimed in the direction of an overworked receptionist about the trials and tribulations of having a child, and god forbid going back to work after 2 years off, it was finally our turn. Going into the doctor’s office I was thinking 2, maybe 3 injections, after all I have been traveling since I was 19 and had several vaccinations along the way. My husband has never had a vaccination in his life (gotta love the Irish health care system?!), so with some smugness I had been teasing him all week that he would be getting MANY injections.

Checking my medical records, the doctor informed me that yes, I had previouly had a couple of the vaccinations I would need for Egypt, so I began to relax. Hmm, it might just 2 shots after all. That is until he finished the sentence “…but they have expired and you will need a few boosters.” Dammit!

In the end I needed 5 shots, and he needed 4! Yes that’s right, he who has never been immunised needed less than me. How does that work I hear you ask? Well apparently these days Hepatitis A and Hepatitis B vaccinations are combined into one, whereas when I originally got mine, they were still separate and the boosters still need to be separate.

Getting over the shock of this news, I resigned myself to a second visit next weekend - surely you don’t get 5 vaccinations in one day? For the second time in a day I was horribly wrong. How silly of me, I have 2 arms right, so let’s just get 3 in one arm, 2 in the other, oh it just kept getting better and better! I now have a new resolve to visit all the exotic destinations on my wishlist covered with this set of immunisations in the next 10 years before these ones expire.

By lunch time our bodies were swarming with microscopic quantities of 5 nasty diseases, our arms hurt like hell and we were $430 poorer. Egypt - you better be worth it!

-Kerrie O’Mahony

If you are traveling overseas, don’t forget to check for health advise and recommended travel vaccinations before you go - a preventable disease is not the kind of souvenir you want to bring home from your trip!

Ahhhh Nepal - It’s not everyone’s standard vacation destination. Perhaps it all sounds too hard; after all it is mostly famous for the world’s tallest mountain, Mt Everest (if you’re English), Chomolongma (if you come from the Tibetan Plateau) or Sagamartha (if you’re Nepali). Sure, the mountains always seem to attract the majority of people but I have found a consistent theme with travelers who return from the former

Bodhinath Stupa - is there a piece of Buddha’s bone inside?

Hindu Kingdom, they all can’t stop talking about the hospitality of the people. I would argue with Scott Mc that the Nepali’s deserve to be number 1 for the nicest people in the world. Just like the Taj Mahal is not the only reason to go to India, Everest is not the only reason to go to Nepal.

Let’s debunk some myths

Everyone should have Nepal on their travel list somewhere. There are probably more myths shrouding Nepal right now than there are clouds covering it in the monsoon season. The main reason many people have put their visit to Nepal on hold over the last few years is surely related to the many stories written, and read, about the Maoist insurgency. I’m here to honestly tell you it has affected the lives of the local Nepali people more than it has tourists and it is very safe for people to go to Kathmandu at the very least. It’s much safer than many parts of San Francisco, or Sydney for that matter, and like many troubled countries on earth going to Nepal (which some see as supporting the Maoists?) comes down to your own travel philosophy – but that’s the only thing that should be stopping you. In April this year the rebel group and government finally agreed to the drawn out peace talks and the Maoists were finally recognized and they joined the government. Even with the first Maoist minister resigning from his post as Forest Minister just the other day analysts all agree it is unlikely this will bring apart the eight party coalition government. Things are looking great for Nepal and thank god, because the people just don’t deserve it.

It’s also not that cold in Kathmandu, rather, it gets quite hot! You are not climbing Everest, in which case it would be, you are in Kathmandu, elevation 4,445 feet, and much warmer in winter than say, Chicago. No altitude sickness here. Nepal has every climate zone on earth ranging from the green, lush, animal filled terrain bordering India to the top of the world, literally. If you are willing to travel to San Francisco in summer then you should have no problems with Kathmandu in winter. It is quite rare to see snow in Kathmandu.

And what’s all this hullabaloo about the monsoon? Yeah, it comes, and it comes hard, but the main reason people don’t traveling to Nepal during monsoon season is because the clouds blocks the view of the highest mountains on earth. Fair enough. But there is no reason why you cannot visit Kathmandu outside the popular October – May period if you just want a taste of the culture. Do pack your raincoat though; it really is a delightful season to experience in Asia.

Okay, that wasn’t the most inspiring piece written to get you interested in Kathmandu but you gotta get your facts straight before you can dream further.

Make Kathmandu a 3-day extension from New Delhi

For all of you traveling to India why not consider buying a round-trip Delhi - Kathmandu ticket. You CAN purchase this flight on the internet, and to make it even easier, you can obtain your visa on arrival. I personally encourage getting your visa on arrival due to the fact that the line of people coming off the aircraft with a visa is usually much longer than the line of those without one. Much quicker, very painless, just have some cash and photos ready. The flight is only an hour and a half from Delhi and it will end up being a bucket load cheaper than flying from Bangkok. If you do choose to fly from Bangkok get a Thai flight if your time is limited. A Royal Nepali flight is fine and safe, just not always on time.

Himalayan vista from Nagarkot

Okay, we’re here. Now what?

If you are limited on time there are numerous things to do in and around Kathmandu and the Kathmandu Valley. You don’t have to hit the hills to get a cultural experience, or to see the mountains for that matter, but if you’re a purist then trekking, obviously, is the first option…

If the mountains are calling, and an evening canvas soiree is not your thing, then naturally a Himalayan mountain flight from Kathmandu is the only option. Nepali pilots seem to have nerves of steel and they really are quite brilliant. A Himalayan Mountain Flight will allow you to see more than just one 8,000 meter peak, so for the armchair peak grabbers out there make sure you do this one. What could be better than checking ‘world’s tallest mountain’ off the travel list?

Don’t like the air then that’s alright (although I’d be interested to know how you plan to get there). Kathmandu’s streets offers very vivid scenes of sub-continent living but it is much more relaxed, and cleaner, than New Delhi. You’ll see your first sights of the Sherpa legend (read small people carrying ridiculously large loads) like men carrying furniture such as fridges or lounges on their heads. It certainly is a site to behold. I’ll never forget my best friend firing off 2 roles of film (36 exposures mind you) between the airport and the hotel in his rush to capture everything he could see.

Nepal was, until very recently, a Hindu Kingdom with the majority of Nepali’s following the Hindu faith. Despite the claim that Buddha was actually born in Nepal the Buddhist influence is isolated, mainly to the Solu Khumbu region (where Everest lives) as this region borders Tibet. A lot of Tibetan refugees have fled into Nepal and down into the relative heat of Kathmandu and you can support them by purchasing some of their goods at Tibetan Refugee Center, just opposite the Bodhinath Stupa, a Kathmandu must see. Bodhinath is a magnificent stupa, alive with pilgrims from all over the world, and it is believed that a bone fragment of Buddha is housed in the stupa. For contrast, then head down to Pashupatinath a holy Hindu temple on the Bagmati River. WARNING: sensitive stomachs need not go as it is not unusual to see a cremation in progress on the banks of the river. However, while walking through the fabulous Durbar Square the one thing that caught my eye in Kathmandu was this – Nepal has a Kumari, the last LIVING goddess on earth.

What the…!?!

The intriguing Kumari

Go check it out. She is real and the story on how someone is selected for this not-so-glorious job is simply fascinating. You may need to hang around for a while before she sticks her head out of the window once a day or you can go in September during the Indra Jatra festival where she is paraded through the street. At the end of the day head most like to adjourn to the lively Thamel district full of restaurants, souvenir shops and bars. My tip, go to the Rum Doodle Bar to get that Everest mountaineer feeling. The original wall was signed by Sir Edmund Hillary, after he and Norgay Tenzing summitted Everest in 1953, and the 1 signature has turned into an historical collection of signatures by other climbers who have followed in Ed’s large crampon footsteps. If you are in Kathmandu around the end of May you might even spot a few mountaineers who’ve just come off the mountain. A nice place to soak in history, a meal and Nepali beer.

There are enough ideas above to keep 2 days occupied but if you start itching to get out of Kathmandu then short trips to the historic city of Bhaktapur are worth a look if you want more culture but if you want a Himalayan sunrise then keep going to Nagarkot. Decided you want to dip your toe into the waters of Himalayan trekking, try this little number. Viator has put together a great short stroll through the terraced hills of the Kathmandu Valley that will give you a great insight into the Nepali rural lifestyle and the magic of the mountains. So if Kathmandu is not on your travel list yet go fetch that pen and paper now. Kathmandu is fun, cheap, safe, easier to get to than ever before and has 2 reasons that really leaves other destinations in its wake by comparison – the people and the mighty Himalaya. See you there.

-Brad Atwal