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September 15, 2016 by Chase Vandros

The best cafes you should visit in Melaka

Photo by CC user Cccefalon on Wikimedia Commons

Traveling is one of the best things anyone can do to relax, find comfort, and enjoy cultures and traditions in places we have just read in books. Right now, the trend is not just focused on finding a place with adrenaline-pumping activities; it seems travellers are also on the lookout for the perfect picturesque destinations, best food finds, and the most instagrammable backdrops.

Included in this craze is finding the best coffee shop fit for good family holidays or lone travel escapades. Who does not want a good cup of joe, right? Well, at Melaka, Malaysia you are not only enjoying the best cuppa, but also the beautiful surroundings. Melaka is a UNESCO World Heritage site, and it is one of the places that has successfully mixed history and culture with contemporary luxuries. In almost every corner, you will see its history mingling with modernity in architecture, food, and more.

Here, we will list the best cafes you should visit in Melaka…

Mods Cafe

There is a fun history behind Mods Cafe. The owners used to drive around a 1978 VW Kombi Campervan around Melaka to serve coffee. But because of logistics issues and other certain complications, they needed to find a place to settle down. Now it is located in Temple Street, but the van remains the centerpiece in their hole-in-the-wall cafe where it serves as a bar where the coffee is made.

The Daily Fix

This is a total “keep your eyes peeled” place because it is a bit hard-to-find. The cafe sits right behind a souvenir shop, but finding it is totally worth the effort. The Daily Fix serves unique cakes like the special Durian cake. The place is also decorated with old timey furniture and colourful designs which gives it a complete and unique personality.

Calanthe Art Cafe

Calanthe Art Cafe is also known as the 13 states’ cafe because it is the only place in Melaka that combines the best of java in all 13 states of Malaysia. It is also popular because of the unique vibe it gives off. The cafe is decorated with rustic and creative designs that makes it the perfect laid-back destination.

Backlane Coffee

A cafe that can be literally found at the back lane street of Jonker and Hereen, Backlane Coffee is another one of Melaka’s hidden gems. To make their coffees perfectly milky and smooth, they use Columbia, Sumatra, and Java beans and it makes it taste heavenly.

Locahouz

Locahouz cafe is one of those places you will appreciate because of its personal touch. The walls are filled with memorabilia from the lives of the owners. And they do not just offer good tasting coffee and treats, but a very cozy and chill vibe that harkens a memory of your own home. They serve local and international dishes plated as if they have come from a painting.

Nadeje Patisserie

This place has become popular among foodies mainly because of their Mille Crepe. Mille means a thousand in French, and that should give you an idea about what Mille Crepe is. Stacks of crepes forming one delicious cake. Their flavours include Double Chocolate, Green Tea, Cafe Mocha, Tiramisu, Strawberry, and more.

These are some of the most beautiful cafes in Melaka that will make your visit in this historic city all the more special. Walking through the streets of Melaka for a “java crawl” allows you to be transported and see the city as if you were there centuries ago. As you sip that hot cup of goodness, imagine yourself as one of those merchants from long ago who has just docked in Melaka and kind of get a feel of what life was like here during its trading days.

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August 23, 2016 by Chase Vandros

Traveling in style: how affordable luxury can shake up your next holiday

Traveling in style isn't something that has to be restricted to the wealthy

Photo by CC user Nisarg Vyas on http://www.jetphotos.net/

Have your travels become stagnant of late? If your strict budget has begun to make you weary of checking into yet another dingy motel, why not shake things up by traveling in style for a change?

From getting there to your accommodations, there are numerous ways to inject a bit of affordable luxury into your next trip. In this article, we will explore a few ideas on how you can do just that.

Ride to the airport in comfort

Hate parking your car in a long-term lot, and then taking an uncomfortable shuttle to the airport? Dislike riding in a smelly cab?

Why not hire a limo to transport you there next time? By contracting the services of providers such as Limousine Royalty limo hire in Perth, you will have a ride that will get you in holiday mode from the second you set foot in the back.

With plenty of refreshments, reading material, and space to stretch out, it sure beats fighting traffic, or being forced to hold up the other end of an uncomfortable conversation with a taxi driver.

Save up and fly business class

Ahh yes … Those extra wide seats that many involuntarily sneer at as they walk back towards cattle class. What you perceive as being prohibitively expensive may actually not cost that much more than many normal plane tickets. If you are paying for a $800 flight across the Pacific, there’s a good chance that the business class fare only costs a little bit more than $2,000.

While you may bristle at the thought of paying more than double for the privilege of crossing an ocean, the effort you put into saving that extra money will more than pay for itself with the service and amenities that you’ll encounter up front. From plenty of leg room to meals prepared to restaurant standards, it will be an experience that you won’t soon forget.

Stay in a five star resort

You have glanced into the grounds of many luxurious all-inclusive resorts before, despondent that you possibly couldn’t afford to stay there for your entire holiday. Ask yourself this though: who ever said anything about staying there the entire time?

When you go on holiday, there’s nothing stopping you from spending time in more than one hotel or resort. You can stay at your usual accommodation for the majority of your stay, but you can book a couple of nights in a truly magnificent resort as well.

Even if you aren’t in the position to do that, many all-inclusives allow people that aren’t staying at the resort to buy a day pass. This will allow you to enjoy its many amenities without having to shell out $400 a night for a room.

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August 17, 2016 by Chase Vandros

Save Money and Live it up in Brazil

Live it up in Brazil in places like Ilha Grande

Photo by CC user Fulviusbsas on Wikimedia Commons

Are you itching to go on a trip, yet funds are a little bit tight these days?

For many Americans, the itch to travel is there, though their wallets and purses may be holding them back from taking those trips they so want to take.

That said there are a variety of ways one can go about getting a trip or two in each year without breaking the bank.

Whether it is cutting back on some other things in life, working a few more hours on the job to bring in some extra income, or even scaling down trips so they are still fun and yet a little less cumbersome to the purse strings, there are tricks of the trade available.

So, are you ready to save some money and still live it up in Brazil or other destinations of your choosing?

Be a Smart Traveler

In order to take advantage of the different travel experiences that are out there for the waiting, remember some of these pointers:

Shop around – Whether you go through a travel company or do most of the planning on your own, always plan on doing some shopping around. For example, if you are researching Brazil tours, see where you might get the best deals possible. Along with turning to friends and family members that have experience with trips to Brazil and/or other South American destinations, you can use the Internet to educate yourself too. By doing a little shopping around and comparing prices along with what you are getting in return for those charges, you can very likely get the best deal going when all is said and done;

Plan your timing right – When you go to various destinations around the world, be it Brazil or other hot spots, timing certainly does play a factor in what you will ultimately end up spending. Although the weather may not be quite as enjoyable in going to Brazil in the U.S. summertime (it is wintertime then in Brazil), you could save some dollars since it is not peak season there. The crowds can also be a little bit less intimidating as compared to going in February when the well-known Brazilian Carnival is taking place for a week;

Where you stay – One of the big choices that travelers must always make is where to stay. Should they spend the extra money to get a really nice hotel or should they scale back on such spending, instead putting that money towards other parts of their trip? That decision typically depends on who you are going with. If you want to impress that special person in your life, then spending a little extra money is certainly not wrong or unheard of. You should also look into what deals hotels and resorts may have available, along with checking out coupon opportunities. On the flip side, if where you stay is not your top priority, by all means look to find a hotel or hotels where the prices are a little bit more reasonable. Sure, the accommodations may not be quite what you wanted and/or expected, but that money saved can go towards many other aspects of your vacation;

What to eat and drink – Food is of course a necessity in life, especially when you need all that energy to keep your vacation going. As many travelers can tell you, eating on the road (that is far away from home) can be a little tricky at times. You want to make sure you map out the food selections of where you will be ahead of time. Look to see if menus will meet your needs, that is instead of getting somewhere and being quite frankly frustrated at what is offered. If you have any issues with drinking the water when you travel, be sure to look for bottled water. Also use that when brushing your teeth etc. along with avoiding ice cubes in your drinks.

If a trip to Brazil is in the offing for you, get to planning it sooner rather than later.

There are many fun things to do in this country of more than 200 million people, things that you will likely be talking about for many years to come.

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August 11, 2016 by DontFlyGo

Travel isn’t just for the rich, check out Groupon Coupons!

Many people have a preconception that travel is something only accessible to the rich. While in the past, this might have been more true, but nowadays, with the advent of the Internet, travel is accessible financially for almost anyone willing to save up just a little bit of money.

Using a travel agent back in the day was one of the only ways to save big on travel packages, but extra fees were tagged on for their services directly or on the back end. Now, all you need is access to the Internet and you can find some pretty steep savings!

One such place you can find major discounts for your next vacation is Groupon Coupons. They have partnered up with countless retailers and service providers and offer some exclusive deals on their site for free! Apple Vacations especially has some monster savings in the travel arena. Check them out today!

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July 19, 2016 by Chase Vandros

Essential travel apps to have in 2016

Download these essential travel apps before taking off on your trip this year

Photo by CC user JESHOOTS on Pixabay

It’s summer vacation season and holiday goers are increasingly turning to technology to enhance their experience. Discover hidden gems, make your activity destination without the loss of bearings, and save a packet on your hotel and other deals. Here are a few essential travel apps to keep you ahead of the game when vacationing.

Duolingo

The language app is excellent for learning simple, essential phrases to help you navigate language barriers in other countries. To maintain interest and concentration, this app requires you to complete levels, with a well-designed variation in testing format, before you progress to the next level. You gain experience points as you advance. This is great for preparing you with useful phrases before you jet off.

FlightTrack

This is a nifty flight path app with mapping, and comprehensive departure gate, arrival, delay information and more, so if you need to know when to pick someone up or plan your flight on the go, you can do it following the plane’s very route.

XE Currency

An essential money saver, XE Currency gives free, up to the minute currency conversion rates which can be saved offline. Not only that, you can access historical conversion rates as well as find information on the values of precious metals as they change. It also helps you compare provider prices to avoid being short-changed.

Skyscanner

It aggregates all the flight prices and deals from travel sites and airlines to find you the best deal. If you bookmark your searches it can help you to watch the changes in price, and it does this for flights, hotels and care hire.

Timeout

A well-known app for suggesting the best activities to do in cities form around the world, it covers everything from bars, festivals and events to monuments and attractions and one-off events and seminars in the local area. The app also lets you book your tickets for events or a table for a bite to eat, and you can even personalise an itinerary from it. If you use the ‘near me’ feature it will update its suggestions to your location.

Wolfram Sun Exposure

This app is a rare and excellent resource for the skin health conscious traveller. It offers a UV forecast, gauges the position of the sun in your location, sunrise and set times, and gives a weather forecast. More importantly, by tapping in the time of day and your skin type, the factor of any sun protection you are wearing, it calculates how long you can safely stay in the sun in its ‘time to sunburn’ feature.

Scribd

If you want to be able to read but not carry an e-reader around, Scribd offers an unlimited access facility for books, personalizing its recommendations based on what you’ve read, and for a set subscription cost is cheaper than buying individual titles. It has a customisable display, special editorial versions of books and you can access anything uploaded to the service, including academic papers and court documents.

Betway

It’s not the first entertainment idea to come to mind but casino games have risen in popularity. That is thanks to the increasing range and format you can play these games online in, also saving phone storage. Everything is available from the traditional slots and roulette to new beach-themed, movie-themed types and more. Your deposits are matched with free bonuses to get you started and keep costs down, giving you something different to do while

Splittr

An innovative cost-sharing app, this is geared especially towards travelling. It lets users chip in for the cost of a meal, accommodation and more, split between friends. You can tap in expenses as you go, noting and saving each contribution, and its support for all the world’s currencies saves you the trouble of converting yourself so you can even enter mixed currencies. It handily lets you create, send and print off reports too.

These are the apps among many that will come in handy for practical reasons as well as finding things to do, and you’ll wonder how you got by without them.