4 Cheap Thrills In Bangkok

To usher in the New Year 2019, my friends and I are planning to visit three Southeast Asian countries including Bangkok (BKK). We are so excited to explore the cultural wonders of BKK. There is so much more to see than its shopping malls! For instance, you may visit these affordable places:

#1: WHEN IN DOUBT, CYCLE AROUND

What better way to get to know an unknown city than by roaming around the area by land? Strolling the area with your bare feet can only take you to the narby places. Try renting bicycles instead!

Bicycle tours are all the rage in Bangkok. Upon searching through the Viator’s website (i.e., a TripAdvisor company), I found a 2-hour bicycle tour consisting of six people. The small group shall pedal past many sights such as the Old Customs House and the Chinatown. The tour costs about S$25.

#2: TRADITIONAL PUPPET SHOWS, ANYONE?

Thai Puppetry may be a dying art but, the Artist’s House in Bangkok does its best to preserve this tradition. You can enjoy a beautiful folktale as told by intricately-made puppets for free. Shows run daily at 2 pm, except on Wednesdays. Puppeteers dressed in black pull the strings to control the vivid marionette puppets. Fully immerse yourself in the story to absorb their culture and creativity.

Image Credits: pixabay.com

#3: PLAYER ONE, READY!

Adventure-seekers and alike will be pleased with the Escape Room Bangkok. Each room has its own backstory, which sets the tone of the game. This “stimulation” establishment offers a new type of adrenaline rush as it does not involve physical strength to win. Instead, participants must use problem-solving skills and teamwork to break free from a given room.

Whether you are trying to accomplish a prison break or to vanquish a paranormal being, each person shall pay about S$29.

#4: A SWEET STROLL IN THE PARK

Boasting its free admission is one of BKK’s top parks – the Lumpini Park. Lumpini Park has enough space for you to ride the bike, play basketball, take yoga classes, and indulge in the greenery. In the colder months, you are free to listen to the orchestral concerts held every Sunday.

Image Credits: pixabay.com

Do you have extra money to spare? Well, you can take advantage of the many food stalls found in the parks perimeter. Amp up the delightful experience by riding their paddle boat. Just watch out for the monitor lizards as these are animals are scattered in the area!

Sources: 1 & 2

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Must-Have Travel Essentials Under S$20

PASSPORT CASES

Imagine spilling liquid droplets on the first page of your passport. What is more? Your flight is a few hours away! How can you travel now? Well, this frightening scenario happened to me before. Prevent this from happening to you buy purchasing a passport case.
Keep your valuable identification piece dry and clean by getting a passport case for as low as S$2 at Daiso.

EYE MASKS

If you are greatly affected by beaming lights or vivid stimulations, you may want to wear an eye mask during your long flight or road trip. Eye masks provide soft shades to survive the longest of trips.

Inexpensive eye masks are available at Daiso. However, you may invest in a S$19.90 eye mask designed to let you dwell in deep restorative stages of sleep. I am referring to the ErgoDream™ 3D Ergonomic Eye Mask. It comes with free high-density earplugs too!

ErgoDream™ 3D Ergonomic Eye Mask for Back Sleepers

SMALL PLASTIC CONTAINERS

One of the best gifts that I received last year was a set of reusable bottles from MINISO (i.e., less than S$5). I was able to transfer various liquids such as my shampoo, soap, essential oils, and hand cream.

Makeup addicts can benefit from these airline-approved bottles as well. You do not have to carry the full-sized weight of every product during your trip! You can transfer your setting spray, BB cream, cheek tint, and so much more.

BANDAGES

Some of the most common injuries experienced by travelers are cuts and scrapes. Hence, bandages are vital in a travel first aid kit. It is recommended to buy a set of adhesive bandages containing different types and sizes. This set will help you cover blisters from hiking or cuts from cycling.

Ensure that the bandages are of good quality to prevent it from slipping away. For instance, you may get a pack of waterproof bandage from Watsons for only S$2.

Image Credits: pixabay.com

BONUS: The search for travel-friendly bathroom paraphernalia is over! You may purchase a set of shampoo, conditioner, and body soap for only S$12.90. It is from the Japanese brand Ma Cherie!

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Travelling To Bali? Don’t Forget Your Travel Insurance

Bali is known as the Island of The Gods. It exudes a unique cultural appeal, excites holiday-goers with its natural beaches and tantalizes foodies with its wide-range of culinary cuisines. It is little wonder that Bali is an extremely popular beach destination in South-East Asia. It would not be surprising if some of you have already booked a trip there for the upcoming summer holidays. Before departing for your holidays, don’t forget to purchase your travel insurance policy. Do ensure that your travel insurance policy contains “must-have” features such as medical expenses, emergency repatriation, trip cancellation/curtailment, baggage cover etc.

Travel insurance is important because it offers financial compensation during events such as travel disruptions. For instance, Moung Agung’s eruption in 2017 led to the closure of the airport for several days. As a result, additional hotel accommodation needs to be booked, flights rescheduled and some tourists even sought alternative modes of transportation. All these would add additional costs to your holiday budget. While travel inconveniences are entirely unpredictable, a travel insurance policy purchased in advance could partially offset some of these unforeseen expenses.

Many adventurous tourists visit Bali to try activities such as hand-gliding, para-gliding, diving etc.  With its picturesque scenery, Bali boasts many adrenaline-filled activities for the sports junkies. You might want to consider getting travel insurance coverage before attempting these leisure activities. For instance, AXA’s SmartTraveller provides coverage for leisure activities such as parachuting, sky diving, bungee jumping etc. Having a travel insurance policy before attempting these leisure activities could provide an additional level of assurance.

Before embarking on your long-awaited getaway to Bali, it is therefore critical to be well-informed of the best travel insurance policies available in the market. You can compare travel insurance policies on SingSaver and directly purchase one that best suits your holiday needs. Comparing on SingSaver is not only convenient; it also helps you save money on your travel insurance policies!

Update: SingSaver is having a flash sale on 19 – 20 May 2018 on selected insurance products, including AXA, where the first 10 successful applicants in each hour (10am, 4pm, 10pm) get their travel insurance for free! For more details, click here.

 

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7 Small Towns Perfect for a Romantic Getaway

Hallstat, Austria

Popular travel destinations are famous all over the world. It’s unlikely that an average traveler hasn’t heard about Prague, Marrakech, Vatican or Vienna. An average traveler has probably been at least to one of them. It’s a good habit of a romantic couple to travel together. They discover this world together, they share strong emotions and they get to one another better. If you and your significant other are into traveling, and you like the off-the-beaten-track destinations, then visiting the following small towns is a must for you.

Ko Phi Phi, Thailand

Ko Phi Phi doesn’t hit the lists of mainstream destinations, but this island has something that makes it worth your visit. Once it was the location for the famous film “The Beach” starring Leo DiCaprio. The landscape is mind-blowing so it’s no wonder. After the film release, people flocked here to see white sand beaches, turquoise water and emerald cliffs. It’s a perfect option for the lovers of romantic beach getaways. There are lots of tourists, but, nevertheless, Ko Phi Phi is incredible. You can rent a yacht and try diving. Take a boat tour to Monkey Island to meet its inhabitants – monkeys in the wild.

Cesky Krumlov, the Czech Republic

A small town in the south of the Czech Republic is one of the most idyllic places in the world. It is famous for its beautiful and magnificent State Castle that is on the UNESCO World Heritage List. It attracts active tourists, the fans of festivals, and romantic couples. It’s truly a fairytale town. At every turn – in the castle, park, by the river, in the narrow streets, and in the salt cave – the legends come alive. Cobblestone streets, colorful houses – romance is in the air.

Chefchaouen, Morocco

Initially founded as a fortress in the 15th century, Chefchaouen mesmerizes with its incredible views and heavenly color. It’s nicknamed as the blue city and is considered to be the most beautiful city in Morocco. It got its nickname for the blue buildings. As a legend has it, Jewish and Moorish immigrants painted the house walls blue for religious reasons – to honor the color of the sky. Azure winding streets look like a magical labyrinth when looking at the city from the fortress. You should definitely add this city to your list of romantic weekend getaways.

Madison, Georgia, the USA

If you are planning a weekend for two in the USA, consider romantic getaways in Georgia. Are you longing for Southern authenticity? You’ll get it in Madison. This small town has numerous accolades. The most recent one is the title one of the “Top 16 Most Picturesque Villages in the World”. It’s a perfect option for a day trip. The town carefully preserves its history – there are a lot of old neat houses, antique shops, and dining options.

Santa Maddalena, Italy

This small mountain village in the Dolomites, surrounded by the snowy peaks and green hills, is an incredibly picturesque place as if made for romantic getaways. In summer, it’s a postcard village, and in winter – it’s a true paradise for skiers. Santa Maddalena can’t boast vibrant life and the variety of hotels, but it’s an amazing escape from the daily hustle.

Ronda, Spain

In the 9th century the Moorish invaders did a good work: in Andalucia, high in the mountains, over the El Tajo gorge, they established Ronda – one of the most beautiful cities in Spain. The largest bullring, built in 1784, is situated here.

Hallstatt, Austria

It’s not that easy to find Hallstatt among numerous Alpine towns and villages. Historians claim that Hallstatt is the oldest inhabited village in Europe. Its pastel baroque buildings and picturesque wooden houses that beautifully sit underneath the Dachstein Mountains will charm all family couples. Romantic getaway spent here will be a breath of fresh air.

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10 Reasons Why Couples Should Travel Together

Trips fill us with joy and optimism, give us a sense of satisfaction. And if you travel together with your beloved, it is even more exciting! Traveling together often strengthen the relationship of a couple. Well, there is a number of objective reasons for it from http://planetofbrides.com/

  1. The common goal

When you plan to travel together around the country, you focus on a common goal. You are planning the routs to cover, looking for interesting places to visit, and planning your finances. All these things bring you the feeling of being on the same page.

  1. Diplomatic skills

Truth is born of argument. Of course, couples have disputes and arguments. However, a trip with your travel buddy can persuade the person to listen to the opinion of the partner and take into account his or her wishes. When you plan a trip with your travel companion, especially beloved one, willy-nilly you learn to look for compromises.

  1. The reset button

Relationships often remind me a river, where calm places always alternate with rapids and waterfalls. And this is true because any relationship changes depending on living conditions. Sometimes it happens that you stand at one point and stop developing as a couple, and this is a threatening situation, which often leads to a breakup. Traveling allows you to reset the relationship, to look at your soul mate with new eyes.

  1. Things to laugh at

Funny stories happen a lot to travelers. Sometimes they are hilarious, sometimes they are just positive. One thing I know for sure is that such stories are good to think of and are good to tell about in a tight circle of friends. And if you two have experienced such situations, sometimes a phrase like “Do you remember …” is enough to see the smile on your beloved’s face. It is awesome when you understand each other with a half-word. It brings people together and makes them feel as a whole.

  1. True feelings

Traveling demonstrates people from different perspectives. Since you spend all the time together when traveling, you can rediscover your partner and see the features did not even notice before. Some may sound just fine, and some may irritate you. It teaches us being condescending and sensitive to the partner.

  1. Family values

Traveling gives a person a clear understanding of why he lives. All secondary things become pale and take a back seat. Parents, family, and relatives – you keep thinking about them when you are on the other side of the continent. You miss them being apart and enjoy their company when you are back. This is when you realize what makes you really happy.

  1. New experiences

So it’s great to try something new together. Unusual feelings, excitement, and fear – they make your relationship bright and colorful when you experience them together. This is what makes your couple more saturated and passionate.

  1. The shared finances

Before you go to another country, you need to calculate your finances for the trip and plan your finances for the future, in order to know how much to leave at home and where to save. The two of you should agree on your family budget and discard unnecessary expenses. As soon as the couple understands the purpose of the planning, it makes the relationship even more trusting.

  1. A lifetime friend

Romantic feelings, love, and passion – you experience all the diversity of emotions when you travel with your lover. However, this is not the only thing to bring two people together. Joint trips will give you the opportunity to discover something new, to solve the common problems, to communicate, to argue, to debate. The trip may help you discover a lifetime friend in your lover.

  1. The breathtaking lifestyle

Daily things usually spoil the romance in a relationship. Traveling allows you to add diversity and spontaneity to relationships, to make them unforgettable and colorful. Of course, there are couples who have lived together for a long time and have never gone anywhere from their state. Traveling is not the only thing that keeps lovers together. Love and common values are much more important here. However, joint trips are really capable of strengthening relationships. Moments of joy, happiness, new discoveries, experienced by your couple, keep the fire alive and teach us to value each other.

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