If you have been planning for a trip to the land Down Under, here’s your chance with Qantas’s sale which allows you to travel to different cities in Australia and New Zealand from $380 one-way inclusive of taxes, fees and surcharges.
As a frequent traveler to Australia myself, this limited time sale has caught my attention with one of the best economy fare you can get if you travel from Singapore.
Unfortunately, good deals don’t last as the sale will end in 2 days (7 Apr 2015). Thus, make your booking fast before the seats are gone.
Let’s check the actual booking for Melbourne as an example to see if it is indeed a steal.
Singapore – Melbourne:
Melbourne – Singapore:
It would come up to a total of $677 SGD all-in which include taxes, fees and carriage charges. If you are wondering what they mean by “exclude local airport taxes at time of check-in”, it seems like you have nothing to worry about if you are travelling to Australia. Read them here: http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/archive/1232092 or verify with the Qantas’s office (+65 6415 7373) when you make your booking.
“As you travel solo, being totally responsible for yourself, it’s inevitable that you will discover how capable you are.”
Living in one of the smallest and safest countries in the world, it is impervious that majority of the Singaporeans aren’t as independent as the greater part of the world growing up. The sad fact that we aren’t able to defend ourselves and be as “street smart” puts us in a real disadvantage. Not to compare to anyone, but instead a disadvantage to ourselves when we set foot into a new territory on our own. Born with a silver spoon in our mouths, the world beyond this little island that we grew up in can be very intimidating.
As a Singaporean myself, travelling out alone is definitely something I really enjoy, but nonetheless it was daunting at first especially in a country where I’ve never been to before. I had the chance to travel out alone recently, and for me, it was awe-inspiring and refreshing. For those of you who have been considering travelling solo, here’s my two cents worth of tips.
Possibly one of the worst things to do is take a flight to a country you know nothing about. Aside from all the attractions and sightseeing spots, certain countries tend to charge tourists a different rate from the locals. Knowing things such as which cab services to take and where the best places to shop are will shed light on what you can expect to ensure you’ll have a smoother trip and less hiccups.
Unexpected things happen more often than not when you least expect, and so you should always be prepared. Keep a photocopy of your passport, travel details, extra cash and maybe a credit card somewhere in case things go awry. A thumbdrive with the soft copies saved will also do the trick. You might also want to save the number of your embassy and bring along a power bank to charge your mobile, laptop and any electronic peripherals that may comes in handy.
People travel alone for a vast number of reasons – be it to shop, explore or take a break from their hectic schedule. Since you’ll be alone, it’d be best to take your own luggage with you all through the way just to make sure it’s in safe hands. Keeping your baggage light allows you to move around more freely and, maybe also shop more. The Samsonite Firelite is crafted from woven thread of polypropylene with Curv technology making it one of the most durable and lightest bag under five pounds. (Costs $465 on eBags with 15% discount from vPost)
Be Cautious Of Your Surroundings and Personal Belongings
(Image credit: TheeErin, via Flickr)
Self-explanatory, the small bag you carry around should be guarded with all you’ve got – it is in fact, all you’ve got when you’re out roaming the streets. Best to be observant of your surrounds and people: not paranoid, alert. Make sure you create clear labels and tag your bags.
Weigh Your Decisions
Travelling alone means you can do whatever you want, whenever. But with great power to decide, comes great responsibility to return in one piece. Jumping off that cliff sure looks like great fun, but know what you’re getting into before taking the leap.
With that said if you’re still hesitant, take the adventure to a place you’ve been to before or a place where the popularity can speak simple English. Here are a couple of places which has loads of unexplored adventures that are good for starters with a budget:
Australia
Ayers Rock, Uluru (Image credit: Mark Wassell, via Flickr)
Being the sixth largest country in the world, there’s definitely places you’ve yet to visit and things you’ve yet to do. From diving to visiting the beautiful Ayers Rocks, this country’s beauty will sweep you off your feet. Love camping? Bring along your outdoor gear!
Chiang Mai Night Market (Image credit: Caitriana Nicholson, via Flickr)
A popular destination amongst Singaporeans, the Land of a Thousand Smiles is rich in culture. Although language may be a barrier, the signs and directions are quite clear. With the help of the people, it shouldn’t be a problem at all.
Boracay at Dusk (Image credit: Chewy Chua, via Flickr)
The Philippines is similar to Singapore with majority of the population able to converse in English which makes travelling around easy as pie. The lot of beautiful beaches and the world’s biggest shopping mall at your dispense ensures that you have everything you need.
A highly cosmopolitan city, Hong Kong is full of scenic gardens, fantastic hiking trails and great food. One of the biggest cities in the world, you’ll never finish exploring Hong Kong’s uniqueness. If you love shopping, you would definitely fall in love with the night markets along Temple Street.
Deer Cave, Gunung Mulu National Park (Image credit: robdu91, via Flickr)
One of the more technologically advanced cities in Asia, it is the hallmark of an ideal exotic locate. From the wild forestry to the skyscrapers in the city, it’s like being in two places at once.
Before you embark on the greatest adventure of your life alone, be sure to book your flights by comparing the fares from SkyScanner without compromising on your safety. Book your hotels with the best rates with our hotels search engine: http://hotels.moneydigest.sg
In the first half of the year, many families make travel plans for December when kids are on school holidays and after a year long of slog – for a short getaway to escape the monotonous life in Singapore.
Factors that come into consideration are whether the place is child-friendly and if there are enough activities for the kids to keep them occupied whilst still enjoying the trip with your partner.
There is one important thing that is often overlooked in the planning: what accommodation to book for the entire family?
As December is a peak season where everyone is travelling, you would expect demands for hotel rooms to go up and prices will follow suit.
A family suite in a hotel is going to stretch your budget – so why not save the money and check out hostels and other affordable accommodations?
What? But does that means less comfort and services?
Well, not really.
Global PR and Content Manager at HotelsCombined, Alycia Simons said in a media release that demands for such affordable family accommodation are increasing and so are hostel options. They can accommodate many people in the same room and are centrally located. What’s even better is you can essentially save more money with free shuttle buses, laundry rooms and self catering kitchens.
Gone are the days when families with young kids were relegated to theme park destinations and buffet restaurants. Holidaying families are growing increasingly adventurous and are interested in an ever-expanding assortment of experiences – nothing is off limits anymore.
According to HotelsCombined, these are the features to look for when booking a family-friendly hostel:
Family rooms (ideally located on a separate floor from other door rooms for noise control)
Ensuite bathrooms
Child-friendly amenities (cots, highchairs, etc.)
Entertainment offerings (video games, board games, a pool, etc)
With a database of over 800,000 properties, the search filters on Money Digest’s Search Engine make it particularly easy to locate family-friendly properties.
Here are some of the world’s top family friendly hostels found using our search engine:
Chungmuro Residences is located 6-mins away from the subway station, providing easy access to the city’s attractions. The duplex rooms are fitted with sleek wooden flooring, a seating area and even your own laundry machine! Rooms are ensuite and comes with a small kitchen making it a perfect solution for a family’s vacation. It’s even better when they are 10-minute walk from Namsan Korean Hanok Village which features numerous dining options and cultural spots. Heard of Dongdaemun Market and Namdaemun? Yes, Korea’s biggest shopping area are just 5-minute drive away. Great for a family trip.
Lub d Bangkok Silom Hostel is a contemporary modern hostel that is just five-minute walk away from Si Lom. Besides free Wi-Fi, other features of the hostels include a 24-hour reception, laundry services and facilities, free luggage storage and a tour desk. Room are decorated in a cozy and spacious layout with chic red furnitures. A breakfast is provided eveyr morning or if you like you can always dine at the cafes and eateries nearby. Bangkok’s MahaNakon is just 10-minute walk away and you should visit the Patpong, Empire Tower and the Bangkok Folk Musuem.
Febris Hotel And Spa is recommended as one of the best family hotels because of its family-friendly facilities. The rooms are spacious enough for families of any size. With a kids pool and a playground, your kids will love their stay while you enjoy your spa and massage in the outdoor. Each room comes with a refrigerator, flat-screen TV, private balcony and a private bathroom. There is also a bicycle hiring service should you want to take your family out for some leisure and cycling activities.
Offering four locations across the country – Fukuoka, Hiroshima, Osaka and Tokyo – this Japanese hostel group happily welcomes kids and babies, with games and cartoons available for tots in common areas. Bonus: the properties all score high guest reviews on the HotelsCombined website!
Boasting 26 Dutch properties, this Hostelling International-affiliated group keep kids amused with various sports fields and indoor recreation options. Travelling clans can also take advantage of the hostel chain’s family card, which for a nominal annual fee provides discounts on accommodation, bike rentals and tours.
The great thing about this cost hostel is that it has a maximm capacity of 50 people and isn’t directly surrounded by any late-night venues – so no worries of little ones being kept up at night by rowdy backpackers! The property will also loan out bicycles, DVDs and Frisbees (for the nearby Frisbee golf course)
The Valley House Holiday Hostel, Achill Island, Ireland
Offering an onsite pitch and putt golf course and plenty of nature trails, this friendly hostels is a great place for kids to burn off energy. Did we mention there’s also a picturesque beach just a 10 minute walk away?
A private 6-bed dorm with bathroom starts from $182.04 a night
Situated in Melbourne’s trendy St Kilda neighbourhood, Habitat HQ is a perfect choice for families on a road trip as it offers guests free, secure car parks. It also has the advantage of being the first carbon neutral backpacker hostel in the city.
Now it makes more sense to travel more often with less money spent on hotels. Do you know that you can essentially save up to 50% of the cost with hostels? Furthermore, why pay top dollars for a luxury hotel if most of the time you are out visiting attractions?
A trip to Europe is a dream destination for many, but let’s be real: you would not be travelling to Europe the same frequency as much you do with Batam and Genting without feeling financially stretched.
Good news – now you can check that off your bucket list and here are 5 reasons why you should travel to Europe in the year 2015:
Weaker Euro
1.49
Many people might not know what this number means, but for traders and FX dealers you would have probably guessed it right.
That’s the exchange rate for how much Singapore dollar you would need to give up in exchange for one Euro dollar.
In other words, it would cost you S$1,490 to exchange for €1,000 at you local money changer. (or a saving of $200
Its dramatic decline marks a new lowest milestone for the first time since 1985. With dismay Eurozone’s prospect, economists are expecting it to drop even further and soon reaches parity with the greenback.
For many of us, Europe is getting cheaper and if you’ve been postponing your European vacation and it is about time you book your air tickets now. (Lucky you – because FX traders won’t be competing with you to book the cheapest air tickets as they are held back to ensure their portfolio does not suffer the same fate when the Swiss National Bank lifted the peg)
Falling Oil Prices
A cheaper Euro is not the only factor that is in your favour.
Oil price has hit rock bottom with a 50% drop in 2014. This would translate to a cheaper airfare as airlines cut fuel surcharges with both Singapore Airlines and SilkAir announcing the cut for tickets issued after Feb 26. This would means travelers can save between $6.80 – $112.90 depending on the distance and class of travel.
Cheaper Accommodation
The best time to travel to Europe is during its low peak and shoulder season from Easter to Mid-June. That’s the Spring period and the crowd are not as bad as during the Summer period. Airlines and hotels know this and they set their price according to the basic of economics of demand and supply.
A check using our hotels search engine shows that hotels in Europe are generally 20 to 30% cheaper if you book during the shoulder season from April to Mid-June.
Spring is also the best time to travel due to its cool weather. It’s not too cold or warm that makes you battle with the temperature throughout your entire trip.
Stronger Purchasing Power
With a weaker Euro, it translates to a stronger purchasing power for consumers and this is a huge advantage for travelers.
Now you don’t need to feel the pinch to dine in those classy French and Italian restaurants. You have a good excuse to go heavy on delicacies like foie gras and Parma ham before ending off with a visit to Pierre Herme for macarons.
For shopaholics, you don’t need me to tell you your next move – do you?
With more moolah, you can grab a few more Chanel 2.55 and Hermes Birkin bags.
(Image credit: Wen-Cheng Liu, via Flickr)
..or a Nespresso Coffee Machine. These sleak-looking machines and its capsules cost a bomb in Singapore but way cheaper in London and Europe.
There are many things which you should get and it’s a good time to stock up on those premium chocolates, perfumes, leather shoes and watches.
Wait, did i mention that you can also claim a VAT refund?
Events and Activities
No one enjoy going to a dead city but at the same time you don’t want to go during the busiest period and spend your entire day in the queue. Autumn and Spring pack some of the most exciting events and festivals held in Europe.
For example, Milan is preparing to host the Expo 2015 Milano in May this year with over 145 countries taking part, over a six-month period. Milan will be transformed into vibrant hi-tech city offering free Wifi, brand new parks and trails.
If you prefer historical places and heritage, head over to Rome as they celebrate the birth of Rome on April 21st. Expect a parade by the Romans, Gladiators’ shows and even a Roman banquet in this Roman festival.
Not your type? Look no further to the Queen’s Day (or Koningsdag) in Amsterdam where the entire city of orange liven up in celebration of the Queen’s lineage. There will be plenty of street parties, free flow drinks and even flea markets as you mingle around with the friendly and fun locals. Note: you are expected to don yourself in orange clothings!
(Image credit: blog.travellution.com)
Amsterdam also celebrates the Tulips festival in Keukenhof from 20th March to 17th May in 2015 this year. If you are a flower enthusiasts, don’t miss this Dutch festival located in the small town of Lisse. (I’d personally recommend Hotel de Duif for convenience as you it’s located within walking distance to the festival)
There are plenty of other festivals and carnivals going on during this period so it pays to do a little research on upcoming events in Europe. Can’t make it this Spring? No problem. Head over there in October where you will see the locals celebrating Oktoberfest in Munich or the Chocolate Festival in Belgium.
(Imge credit: Alexandra Beier/Getty Images)
If you have been postponing your dream vacation to Europe due to budget-constraint, you may want to reconsider as it’s your best opportunity to leverage on the weak Euro. You basically get more bangs for your bucks than if you travel a few years ago.
