An Infographic

With the rise of visual based social sharing sites such as Pinterest, so has come the rise of the visual infographic. I love infographics and have been collecting them on Pinterest since I joined. These have mainly been for social media statics and some general business ones I’ve come across in my interweb travels but I’m now starting to see more travel based infographics. Here’s a cool one I’ve seen recently which I thought I’d share.

By the way, you can catch me on Pinterest and check out my dream, travel board.

Find Your Way to the Perfect Family Vacation by vacation rentals site FlipKey.com

Melbourne is a city with plenty to offer, but you don’t have to bankrupt yourself to have a good time. Here are 8 ways to enjoy Melbourne on a budget.

1. Avoid taking taxis

Melbourne has the some of the highest taxi fares in the country so try to use alternative transport. Arrange for a shuttle bus pickup from the airport and research public transport routes in the city. Book in advance to get good deals on train tickets or, if you are planning on doing a lot of travelling, rent a car for the duration of your stay. It is fairly easy to get around the city so you can save money by walking or cycling to most of the tourist spots.

2. Look out for deals on attractions

If you want to visit a lot of tourist sites then you can often save money by purchasing a package which includes entry to more than one attraction. There are usually many different packages available: some are only one day passes and others can be used for up to a week.

3. Make the most of the free sights

There are plenty of great free things to do in the city. Take a walk along the Yarra River and you will find plenty of interesting art installations and sculptures along the way. If you are still there near the end of the work day you will see the rowing clubs go past in their dragon boats. If you are looking for a fun free indoor activity then head to the Australian Centre for the Moving Image which hosts a range of exciting exhibitions from the history of the moving image to collections of the latest screen-based art.

4. Look for deals on food

There are always plenty of deals on food in Melbourne restaurants so look online or in travel guides for the latest restaurant coupons. If you are looking for cheap fresh food then wander around the Queen Victoria Markets. The markets have everything from food to souvenirs at very affordable prices. Go at the end of the day when vendors are keen to get rid of the last of their stock by dropping all their prices.

5. Spend a day at St. Kilda

St. Kilda is one of Melbourne city’s only beaches and relaxing by the sea is a great way to spend a day for free. The beach has a boardwalk and a pier that you can explore, as well of plenty of grassy areas perfect for having a budget-friendly picnic on.

6. Sign up to be part of the audience for a television show

If you are looking to do something a bit different then keep a look out for free tickets to a television show. Become a member of the audience and watch a live taping of a popular show. If you show plenty of enthusiasm and energy you may even get given a free movie pass!

7. Spend an evening watching live music

If you are looking for cheap evening entertainment then see if any local bars are hosting a free live band. Brunswick is the best place to find local musicians and a lot of the bars have spacious beer gardens which make a nice place to relax in on a warm evening.

8. Head to Federation Square

There is always something going on at Federation Square. From fashion shows to comedy acts you are sure to find some great free entertainment. There are usually people handing out vouchers to local events or restaurants, as well as free goodies – make sure to make the most of them!

By researching the best deals on travel and food and keeping an eye out for free attractions, it’s easy to enjoy exploring Melbourne while sticking to a budget.

In the era of budget airlines and package tourism, getting a holiday through a high street provider like Thomas Cook is cheaper than ever – even with the current financial crisis. However, it’s the additional bits and pieces that you pay when you’re out there which can turn even cheap holidays to Tenerife into an extremely expensive spell of lying on a beach.

The biggest cost is usually money exchange. A lot of people decide to get cash – but this isn’t the safest, or the cheapest way of ensuring that you have spending money abroad. Some people decide to fall back on their debit cards which is an absolutely terrible choice and can cost £100s is repeatedly used.

The best option is to get a specialist card, these are often UK based credit cards that are great when used abroad offering really good exchange rates (important) and no withdrawal fees from ATMs. However, most people don’t want to get a credit card just to use it abroad, so a good alternative is to get a pre-paid travel card, these often charge per transaction, so it’s best to go an ATM once a day (at most) and get your money out for the day, however, they are safe, easy to top up, and have great exchange rates.

Transport is often also another expense and not just when you get to your destination. Simply getting to the airport can cost you a packet, so a good idea is to use a specialist service (if you’re driving to the airport) or look for other deals. Most airports have nearby pubs which rent out their car parks and save you up to 50% of the car parking cost.

When you get to your destination, in Europe public transport is usually the best and cheapest option, but there are cheap car hires if you’re going somewhere like Tenerife where you might want to explore by yourself, here a comparison website is the best option. Bear in mind, if you’re going island hopping renting a car is an expensive way to get around.

Another must is travel insurance, and you can end up paying over the odds for it. If you’re going for a long period, it’s better to get annual trip as this will save you more (in fact, if you’re likely to go on holiday more than once during the year, annual trip is a good idea). Or, if you’re going in a family, getting a group insurance deal can also be a good way of cutting back costs. The most important thing with travel insurance is the value of the deal, if you’re going backpacking and don’t know what activities you’re going to get up to, make sure that your insurance covers everything, that way you’ll never find yourself in too much trouble (at least not with the insurance company).

Travel companies generally cover most eventualities, and most of the major costs, but you can still find yourself spending more money than you had planned if you don’t do a little bit of quick preparation beforehand.

For the Budget Traveler

This list of the cheapest places in the world will be an inspiration. These countries are worth visiting; they are deep in culture, history and much to see and experience. What makes them great tourist destinations is that you can survive an entire day in these countries for less than 20 USD! This list is based upon the countries where a private and double occupancy hotel room costs in each city, and the cheapest meal in each city. Other costs such as transport, entry fees at pubs and so on have not been computed in this list.

1. VANGVIENG, LAOS

Vangvieng in Laos has to be the cheapest place to head to, if you’re a budget traveler. Here you can manage your day’s expenses within $4.25, find double occupancy accommodation for two within$3.25 for a night, and enjoy a meal for two at $0.50! This works out to less than $10 for the entire day for two people, which is as cheap as it gets anywhere in the world.

2. GOA, INDIA

The beautiful, sunny and cosmopolitan destination of Goa is actually dirt cheap to visit if you are a budget traveler. With varied accommodations such as hotels, guesthouses, homestays, and even beach tents, Goa can afford to offer a stay for two per day at $3.50.  A meal for two, reasonably good and tasty Portuguese and Brazilian food will cost only $0.50. Best of all, you can manage your entire day’s expenses in Goa under $3.50

3. BANGKOK, THAILAND

With regular flights to Bankok, Thailand is the land of culture, dances, ethnicity and great food, has good news for the budget traveler. Though you might be tempted to go all out and shop for silver accessories and food here, if you stick to your budget, you won’t be spending a lot of money in Bangkok. For $6.23, you can manage your daily expenses, and under $3.73, you can find a reasonable stay for two and food for two can be availed at $1.25.

4. HO CHI MINH CITY, VIETNAM

The once almost destroyed Vietnam managed to pull up its socks to become a tourist destination for the budget traveler. Here in Ho Chi Minh City, you can enjoy a unique culture, enjoy arts and crafts, visit temples and tourist spots and still not hit the poor house. Cover your daily expenses under $6.86, find accommodation within $5.00 and eat a hearty Vietnamese meal for less than $0.93.

5. QUITO, ECUADOR

Quito is a fantastic destination to explore. Tourists like to cruise around the Galapagos, and enjoy the varied shoreline and the magnificent landscape of Ecuador. For the budget traveler, the good news is that daily expenses for two can be covered within $7.00, which a reasonable stay for two can be had at $5.00 and a warm meal for two at $1.00.

6. PHNOM PENH, CAMBODIA

Cambodia, an ancient land of culture, beautiful old stone temples and magnificent forests pulls the average tourists to visit each year. Cambodia is rife with snakes, mosquitoes and other critters but if you’re prepared, you can have a good time. The costs are low, though; two people can manage themselves admirably within $7.00 find accommodation for two under $3.00 and enjoy a meal for two under $2.00.

7. BALI, INDONESIA

Bali, Indonesia, is another popular tourist haunt. Bali is famous for its beautiful oceans, scenery and clean outdoors. The exotic dances, costumes and the great, natural food here are awe-inspiring. Bali, with all this, is still fairly cheap to travel, with daily expenses for two covered under $7.16, accommodations at $6.50 and a meal for two under $0.33!

8. ASUNCION, PARAGUAY

Paraguay now welcomes visitors with open arms but the turbulent history of this country has definitely left its mark. Visit Asuncion and enjoy its historical section, charming colonial plazas and riverside buildings. There’s much to see and do in this Spanish colonial city. Save a mean buck or two as well, with these numbers. Daily expenses for two at $8.00, accommodation for two at $4.00 and a reasonable meal for two within $2.00!

9. KATHMANDU, NEPAL

Kathmandu holds both the charm of a spiritual destination and a unique, high altitude point for adventure lovers. Nepal, though developing fast, has a wonderfully laid back and culturally ethnic feel that’s hard to find in other places. That apart, a trip to Kathmandu won’t clean you out either. You and your friend or partner can manage a day’s expenses in under $8.29, find reasonably good accommodation for two under $3.67 and enjoy a small meal for two under $2.31!

10. BEIJING, CHINA

China is fast growing into the next IT destination of the world. Chinese goods have infiltrated every market worldwide. This enterprising country has much to offer in terms of culture, history, sights, scenery and food for the traveler. China is also a fairly good deal for the budget traveler. A day’s expenses in Beijing will set you back by $8.50, while reasonable double occupancy room can be had for $6.50 a night, and a small but filling meal for two will cost you less than $1.00.

Teena Celis is an avid traveler and works as content writer for Adrenaline that provides a large range of flying experiences like helicopter rides, hot air ballooning, parasailing all across Australia.