Travel opinion and advice

Jump to story list

  • Hotels should never charge extra for WiFi

    Hotels should never charge extra for WiFi

    I'm writing this story on a laptop that isn't connected to the internet. It's not connected to the internet even though the hotel has WiFi access. It's not connected via the WiFi access because although I am staying in what I believe is the most expensive room on the property (US$120++), the access isn't free. I'm not happy and when a guest isn't happy, the hotel loses.

    Read full story

  • 10 reasons to travel independently

    10 reasons to travel independently

    Last week I discussed 10 reasons why you should do an organised adventure tour to Southeast Asia. As promised, here is the flipside of the coin: 10 reasons why Southeast Asia is best explored by travelling independently. While the following is focussed on Southeast Asia, we believe the advice holds for anywhere -- so go on, get out there and travel!

    Read full story

  • 10 reasons to do an adventure tour

    10 reasons to do an adventure tour

    Independent travel isn't for everyone, and for some, doing an "adventure tour" to Southeast Asia can be the perfect blend of adventure and convenience with a not totally unreasonable price. So read on to find out ten key points that we believe can work in favour of doing an adventure tour. Next week I'll follow up with the flipside of the coin -- ten reasons to travel independently.

    Read full story

  • Mass tourism in Southeast Asia

    Mass tourism in Southeast Asia

    USA Today ran a story recently lamenting the state of affairs in some of the region's better known "must sees". The story picks out Luang Prabang, Pai and Siem Reap as cases in point, but there are many others to choose from -- Vang Vieng, Hoi An, Sapa or just about any island in Thailand. Unfortunately the author couldn't get much past his own treasured memories of Luang Prabang back in '74, but one doesn't need to have been travelling back then to have noticed huge changes in Asian backpacking destinations -- why?

    Read full story

  • Ten Southeast Asian trips for 2008

    Ten Southeast Asian trips for 2008

    If you had all the time in the world to spend travelling in Southeast Asia, where, and how would you spend it? Here's our short list of ten trips we'd love to fit into 2008. Starting in Hanoi, this route takes us through northern Vietnam to Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam then back to Cambodia, another peak into Laos before finally returning to Vietnam -- now all we need is an extra six months in the year to fit them all in -- and an extra passport for all those pesky visas!

    Read full story

  • Fifteen tips for a great holiday in Asia

    Fifteen tips for a great holiday in Asia

    In November 2007 we celebrated our 10-year anniversary of living and travelling in Southeast Asia. In that time we've had the good fortune to live in three of Southeast Asia's most interesting countries (Cambodia, Indonesia and Thailand) and to travel extensively throughout the region. We arrived from Sydney, Australia back in 1997 with just the two backpacks, and by the time we moved from Phnom Penh to Jakarta in 2005, the two rucksacks had bred -- giving birth to a 20-foot container. In the past decade, aside from accumulating enough flotsam to fill a very big metal box, we've collected the following 15 pieces of advice that we hope will help you get the most out of your trip.

    Read full story

  • Nine Asian upcountry hideaways

    Nine Asian upcountry hideaways

    Everyone knows about Pai, Muang Sing, Siem Reap and Sapa but what about if you're looking for somewhere a little bit more off-the-beaten-track when it comes to exploring Southeast Asia's great interior. Not surprisingly there's loads and loads of places that you'll read precious little about in your guidebook, that could be just the spot you're looking for. Here's a few of our favourites across the countryside.

    Read full story

  • Beach hideaways in Asia

    Beach hideaways in Asia

    December arrives and with it peak season. Guesthouses fill up, train tickets get harder to find and, of course, cheap airline seats vanish. Simultaneously, traveller message boards across the web light up with people asking after unspoilt beaches, deserted valleys and pristine hideaways. So here's the scoop -- here at Travelfish we'll be sharing a few of our favourites -- pointing you in the right direction to find some of those unspoilt beaches, deserted valleys and pristine hideaways. Lets start off with some strips of sand to keep you sane.

    Read full story

  • Do I need reservations for my holiday?

    Do I need reservations for my holiday?

    You've been burning the midnight oil over the last month or so, and the boss is well-impressed. Hunched in your cubicle, your computer screen deftly angled to deny prying eyes, you've plotted and planned almost every step of your upcoming six week sojourn through Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam. While next year's marketing budget is gathering dust in the bottom of your in-tray, you've cut and polished your trip so comprehensively, you feel like you've already on holiday. But now you're stumped -- you've heard horror stories of places being chock-full and you didn't do all this planning to end up on the restaurant floor. Do you really need to reserve your accommodation in advance?

    Read full story

  • Getting a cheap airfare to Asia

    Getting a cheap airfare to Asia

    You're heading to Thailand, Laos, Cambodia or Vietnam and you need a cheap flight. To get a good, cheap airfare to Asia, you'll need to spend time researching cheap air ticket websites like Adioso.com or telephoning travel agents. The best time and place for this research is during office hours at a desktop where nobody can see the screen.

    Read full story

Feature story quicklinks





Newsletter signup

Sign up for Travelfish Burp! — you won't regret it!