Your Guide to Thanksgiving Travel Savings   By: Hipmunk Staff The holidays seem to come sooner each year, and while we’re advocates of enjoying each season as it comes, we’re even bigger fans of saving our hard-earned money. That’s right— it’s time to start thinking about your Turkey Day travel plans. After recent buzzthat August 10 was the best date by which...

Hipmunk City Love: What to Pack for a Trip to Cancun Cancun is one of the best destinations in Central America for a beach vacation, for a thriving nightlife, and a bustling restaurant scene, and being so close to many significant Mayan ruins, just as many people travel for the historic attractions as they do to take it easy and relax. Though it’s difficult to lay...

Preparing to Move Abroad: Here’s 7 Things You Need to do Beforehand Moving abroad may seem like a mammoth task. Leaving friends and family can be difficult, and the thought of packing up your house may seem impossible. But there are plenty of handy hints and tricks that can help you through your big move, and to make it seem easier. Once you’ve read our guide,...

What great beaches are to summer, ski runs are to winter. And there are few more exhilarating ways to spend your winter than by blitzing down a snow capped mountain in the trail of off-the-beaten-path powder hounds! But while ski holidays are indeed active and adventurous, and often thought of as a sport for the rich and elite, they don’t have to break the...

The Land of Lakes and Volcanoes: 5 Reasons to Jump on a Plane to Nicaragua Today

What comes to mind when you hear mention of Nicaragua? Civil war and dictators? Revolution and unrest? Well that all finished more than 30 years ago, and now Nicaragua is one of the world’s most stunning tropical destinations, and an absolutely fantastic place to visit or live. Trust me – as an international expat now living here I would know!

Now one of the safest countries in the Americas, whether you’re looking to channel your inner beach bum on one of Nicaragua’s two coastlines (the Pacific’s got the waves and the Caribbean’s got the reefs), hit up a peaced-out surf camp, hippie enclave or remote fishing village, or perhaps even take in the smoking Volcán Concepción and witness “her almost perfect cinder cone rise from silvery, pure Lago de Nicaragua to pierce the cloudy sky”, Nicaragua has something to wow and awe you.

Land of Lakes and Volcanoes’ indeed, you’ve also got the option of colonial churches and museums, cloud forests, tumbling waterfalls, and incredible coffee. Here are 5 reasons to jump on a flight to Nicaragua today.

Once considered the ugly gastronomical stepsister to more glamorous Hong Kong and Shanghai, today’s Beijing is a haven for epicures. Diners in Beijing are no longer limited to street food or hole-in-the-wall eateries; even world-famous New York chef Daniel Boulud has a restaurant in the city, serving his fabulous French-inspired fare at Maison Boulud near the...

Hipmunk City Love: The Best Beach Hotels in St. Augustine Spectacular white sand beaches are one of the main draws which make St. Augustine a major United States tourist attraction, and one of the most visited Florida cities. Locals and international travelers flock to the beaches at St. Augustine for a chance to enjoy possibly the most pristine coastline Florida...

OK, so you’ve pitched up in London like Dick Whittington minus the cat and you’re looking for something to do. Unlike Mr. Whittington, making money might not be top of your list of things to do in the Big Smoke, but it’s certainly one of the many activities you can indulge in while you’re travelling around the UK’s capital. Although...

How to Travel the World on a Budget Travelling is a fantastic experience that can really help you grow as an individual. It allows you to experience and discover different cultures and traditions. The world has so many wonders – with corners of the globe to suit everyone’s sense of adventure. That’s why many people choose to go on a round-the-world trip, catching as...

Hipmunk City Love: The Best Hotels Near Camp Randall Stadium One of the most thriving university cities in the United States, Madison, Wisconsin is a city which goes nuts over college football, and as game day approaches hotels tend to sell out fast, especially those near Camp Randall Stadium. Room shares pop up throughout the city, the streets turn into a sea of...

Hipmunk CityLove, Even More Historic Hotels in New Orleans New Orleans is a city packed with options for historic accommodation, and with luxury living, central locations and staff with a reputation for their Southern hospitality, there’s really no reason not to book a historic stay! May historic hotels are now luxury boutiques authentically restored to put the...

Those looking for a luxury villa when visiting Maui don’t have to look very hard. Nestled between the West Maui Mountains and the dazzling blue Pacific Ocean, the vacation rentals here offer sensational views, and the coastline now teems with options for luxury accommodation right on the sea.

The following are the best luxury family vacation rentals in Maui – from snorkeling to surfing, and hiking and biking trails right outside the door, there’s plenty to keep you occupied at any of these.

Unearthing the Wild Beauty of Lanzarote Authored by Charlotte Richardson Lanzarote holidays have developed a reputation as a cheap and cheerful escape, a home from home in the sun almost, but there is so much more to the island than that. With a beautiful, wild volcanic landscape, a stunning national park, black sandy beaches and underground caves, the next time you...

London may have a reputation of being an expensive place to visit, but you don’t have to break the bank while you’re there. From discounted attractions, simple transport ticket hacks and tonnes of free museums to explore, with a careful bit of planning and preparation, you can still get the most out of your weekend without going over-budget. Related: 7 Fabulous Ways...

Her Location Independent LifeStyle Allows Her to Travel the World: Interviewing Sara Schneider

It’s most people’s dream – to set up a location independent lifestyle which will enable them to generate an income online while travelling the world. Though these days this is more than just a dream – more and more people are realizing the infinite potential of our online age, and creating opportunities for themselves to work online, affording them the flexibility to set up their office from their computer while continually jumping around the globe. Sara Schneider is one such pioneer.

She morphed her part-time employer into a client and immediately started taking advantage of her newfound freedom with trips to Costa Rica, India, and climbing crags across the USA. And why not? All of our ancestors were wanderers and explorers of this new world at one point, she tells us, so why not embrace our heritage!

This is Sara’s story.

What Happens When You Lose Your Passport Abroad? Authored By Tony Rand Are you getting ready for a summer holiday? Last year 53% of Brits took a holiday abroad accordingly to a survey by ABTA*. Many travel agents predict the number to increase this year, with 35% of us planning a holiday in a country we haven’t visited before. Along with the excitement of exploring...

The Best Places to Visit in Australia During Winter

Traveling to Australia is a huge bucket-list item for most, and experiencing summer Down Under is many a travelers dream. Though what the rest of the world doesn’t realize is that Australia’s winter is a fabulous time of year. With temperatures which are warm, though not excessively hot, and with far fewer crowds, though still packed with things to do, Australia’s winter is this summer’s best kept secret…and your wallet will thank you for it too!

Australia has a reputation for being an expensive excursion, though traveling during the height of summer means you’re paying peak prices too. School holidays run from December to the end of January, so the local crowds are huge, and accommodation can be booked out well in advance, with the likelihood of finding a bargain being 0 to none. Not only will choosing the coldest time of year save you cash on your airfare, but better deals on tours, rentals, day trips and bucket list activities too.

Beaches and roads are less crowded, flies and mosquitoes aren’t out in full force, and June – August is when you’ll stumble into some of the most happening Aussie festivals of the year. Here are a few destinations to include if you’re willing to consider winter in Australia over the Northern Hemisphere’s summer.

Interview: She Was Caught in the Wrong Place at the Wrong Time…5 Times

She was working in Uganda on the launch of a mobile operator when riots broke out causing a general state of emergency for two days. She was caught in Kenya during the ethnic violence following the 2007 elections. In January 2009, she found herself in Madagascar during what was later called a coup, in Sudan during the attack on a US Diplomat, and in Nigeria, working away on her laptop when shooting erupted right outside her door.

“With a high-flying job requiring constant travel, Mar Pages has spent the past decade hopping on planes to exotic destinations.

So far, the former globetropping telecommunications consultant, originally from Barcelona, has visited more than 80 countries on all continents — except for Antarctica. All in the name of work. And all expenses paid.

Along the way, the 34-year-old discovered that things don’t always go to plan.“ This is her story. This is about the time she found herself in the wrong place at the wrong time…five times.

How to Travel Cheap. The Ultimate Money Hacking Guide For International Travel

If I were to tell you that you could travel the world for free, would you drop everything right now and go? Most would likely not believe me.

Despite the ridiculous number of resources that the Internet age has borne to help us travel cheaper, the overwhelming perception is that travel has to be expensive. But nothing could be farther from the truth. Resources to find affordable (and even free) travel options exist these days in droves. There truly are no more excuses that money is an obstacle to experiencing the world.

Everything we need in order see the world can be ours for cheaper than it ever has been before. With his unconventional and ruthlessly effective approaches to money, lifestyle design, and entrepreneurship, Andrew Walton reveals how it’s possible to travel longer, farther, and better, on any budget, even if you don’t have room for one at all.

7 Must See Tourist Attractions in the US America is a large country with many popular attractions, parks, and natural wonders for tourists. Most people are very familiar with a select few, so here is a list of some of the lesser known must-see places to visit when planning your travel to the US. Mendenhall Glacier Ice Caves, Alaska Located near Juneau, Alaska,...

Ever walked above an ocean of clouds? Or hiked through a zone where you smell nothing but fresh laurel or rosemary? Well, that’s exactly what it’s like to hike in Gran Canaria’s outback. An unforgettable journey through diverse and impressive landscapes.

It’s like traveling from Sherwood Forest to Jurassic Park, while taking in Middle-Earth and the Grand Canyon all in one trip. You’ll discover fairytale places you could have only ever imagined.

Though as in all fairytales, there are certain dangers to be wary of …

Exploring Catalonia’s Culture We’ve all heard of Barcelona, the city made famous by artists like Gaudi and Dali. But what about the region that the capital sits in, Catalonia? This autonomous region of Spain hit the headlines earlier this year when it voted (against the Spanish government’s wishes) on whether to become an independent state. The...

Getting Sick While Travelling: Apps and Tips for Preparing for the Worst Case Scenario When you go travelling abroad or even on holiday for a few weeks, getting ill is the last thing you want to happen. But it is a risk that all travellers face. Fortunately, there are preventative measures that you can take to stay healthy on the road and prepare for the worst case...

A fan’s guide to watching live sport in New York City For any sports fan New York City is utopia. Whether your passion is basketball, baseball, ice hockey, gridiron, boxing, tennis, horse racing, athletics, lacrosse or rugby, the Big Apple has it covered. Even soccer has three professional teams these days in New York Red Bulls, New York City FC and New York Cosmos....

INTERVIEW: This Couple Traded Their 9-5 For a Life of Continual Travel Around the World: You Can Too!

Sergey and Jenia were a completely normal couple. They bought a house, renovated it, got married, and their reality was 9-5. They had a cat. Fairly straightforward existence which followed the natural progression of society’s guidelines for life.
But then, one day, they finally sat down and thought, now what? Settle into their careers, keep going to the office day in, day out, have babies? Surely there should be more. And then a brainwave hit.

What if they could rent their home, make enough money to cover their mortgage and then some, the extra cash being enough to finance continual travel around the world. Renting the house fully furnished, you wouldn’t need to sell your things, the tenants would take care of the cat as part of the lease, and you’re looking at an escape from the hamster wheel that is 9-5 office life.

That’s exactly what they did.