After we posted the World’s Top Budget Travel Destinations For 2012 released by Budget Travel magazine, this time the list is compiled by Lonely Planet. These destinations may not be the best when it comes to luxuries but they are the best for your pocket.

It’s the last month of the year and it’s now the best time to plan smart and get more bang for your money in these  top 10 best value destinations taken from Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2012 .

1. Northeastern USA

2. Japan

3. Tajikistan

4. Porto, Portugal

5. Lesotho

6. Iquitos, Peru

7. San Francisco, USA

8. Ohrid, Macedonia

9. Mekong Delta, Vietnam

10. Mérida, Mexico

Year 2012 is very good and joyful for visitors to come around the world visit although I think that neither New York City, Washington or Japan represent good value. For more information and why these destinations were chosen grab a copy of Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2012.

November is about to end in exactly 32 days (at least, from the  time of this post). Do you have travel plans for the year 2012 already?

Well, if you are looking for the best travel list for the coming year, Budget Travel magazine compiled not only the best places to visit, but the most practical  you can get for every penny you will spend as well. They have compiled the destinations where you can save the most from discounted tours, cheap flights, to favorable exchange rates where you can maximize the power of your money  to the cheapest five-star hotel rooms.

Some destinations that made it on the list are family-friendly favorites, some were included due to events that happened to their country and made them more affordable while some are overlooked underdogs waiting to be discovered.

Budget Travel Magazine’s Top Budget Travel Destination for 2012

1. Azores
2. Egypt
3. San Diego
4. Maritime Canada
5. Belize
6. San Antonio
7. Poland
8. Taipei
9. Kansas City
10. Athens

See why there were chosen, the suggested best time to visit, where to stay and the price check on the airline tickets at Budget Travel 10 To Watch Top Budget Travel Destinations for 2012.

If you are a Christian who loves to travel but wants to keep expenses in the low range, I highly recommend you take a look at some home exchange program or  holiday home swap.

This kind of home exchange services are getting popular nowadays and there are a lot of resources you can find now over the internet. Being able to find the best home exchange can bring a lot of benefits specially if you will travel to a foreign land and a bit tight on your budget. First, you can choose the kind of home that you want based on your budget. Second, you can also request for the picture of the house if needed.  Of course, the owners of these houses are all Christians.

If you are a Christian,  then  it’s given that you have the same belief with the owner which will make your stay more spiritually enriching. In fact, home exchanging is not only enriching for the individual need but for the church and community as well. Both parties will benefit in the process.

Home exchange program or holiday home swapping are not really new. This kind of programs were in fact started by Young Men’s Christian Association or simply called YMCA where the main objective of the organization is to provide low-cost housing in a safe Christian environment for both young men and women who travels specially those who are into an evangelization mission.

If you are searching for a home exchange program either you or your family wants to swap your home, or perhaps you are looking for a nice holiday home for your sabbatical rest then I suggest that you take a look at  ChristianHomeExchange.com. This site  is a great resource for Christians who would like to do a home exchange.

Traveling doesn’t necessarily spending a lot of money on your hotel accommodations.  The next time you plan for your next budget travel, try to consider home exchange program,  and see the difference not only in terms of how much you saved money but also experience how spiritually enriching it is.

How can you tell if it’s a very good golf course to play with your buddies? Actually, there are so many to choose from online today with a lot of special theme and attractions in golf courses all over the world. Fishing, meditation classes and other fun activities are now included in golf packages. The biggest favorites are the ones that also cover golf classes for amateurs, as well as local and international competitions or tournaments.

In the Philippines, there are really luscious green hills and healthy grass growing in its golf courses. Some of the type of trees you can find there are mango, pine and coconut. For added effects and challenge, man-made lakes and creeks are placed. This makes the scene more beautiful. Any golfer would enjoy playing in the country at all seasons. During a hot day, tropical drinks and fruits are available to freshen up guests. When there are light rains, the soil won’t be slushy, because the slopes are built according to the original mountain line or scope. Meaning to say, the land used was not dumped. This only makes golf courses in the country firmer and more solid. It is also cold during the holiday seasons from December and January. Resulting to scenes similar abroad in golf courses you can find in countries like the U.S.A., Japan or Europe.

The secret to a successful golf course is not how big or small the place that is available, but teaching golfers to always ask themselves upon starting, “Why am I here today?” Of course, amateur golf players do this for entertainment, socialization, admire the landscape and view or simply to have a good time. Yet, you are not on a million dollar tournament, so relax. When you miss a shot, don’t get so frustrated and go nuts. Just have fun and enjoy the show. Else, accidents might occur like breaking really expensive clubs. Just correct your mistake and see to it that the next shot will be perfect.

Another secret to a successful golf course is strategic planning. Get a good golfing group with at least 16 or more players and search online for the best golf vacation package from clubs and resorts. This way even if a golf friend is abroad, he or she can still know where your golf game is currently held. Budget wise, the package should also fit your wallet. Talk to the agent. Ask for arrangements like group discounts and promos. Using golf carts or hiring a caddy can add more expenses. If you have a low budget, be sure to ask these ones for free or in group discounts. Sometimes even the airfares are gotten cheaper during really good negotiations with the agent.

Being at a world renowned golf club and resort will give you the time of your life. Not only is the game great, but achieving this with a very nice milieu will be a lasting memory to you and your buddies. Make the best deal, be a real golfer and not a looser.

Best Golf Courses Philippines

Here is a sample list of the different golf courses in the Philippines and their contact details:
1. Mimosa Golf & Country Club, Angeles City (Holes: 18, Yardage: 6793, Par: 72) – Telephone: 6395
2. Camp John Hay Golf Course, Baguio City (Holes: 18, Yardage: 5428, Par: 68) – Telephone: (74) 442-7902, Fax: (74) 442-6798
3. Baguio Country Club, Baguio City (Holes: 18, Yardage: 4156, Par: 61) – Telephone: 815-3517
4. Cebu International Golf and Resort, Cebu (Holes: 18, Yardage: 6621/5974/5132, Par: 72/72/72) – Telephone: (63-32) 345-3339
5. Cebu Country Club, Cebu (Holes: 18) – Address: Gov. M Cuenco, Banilad, Cebu City, Cebu, 6000 Philippines, Telephone: (32) 2310345, Email Address: cebucountryclub@yahoo.com
6. Alta Vista Golf and Country Club, Cebu (Holes: 18, Yardage: 6034/5472/5029, Par: 72/72/72, Rating: 69.4/67.1/65.1, Slope: 126/121/117) – Address: Pardo Hills, Cebu City, Cebu, Philippines,
Telephone: 6332 272-7971 to 75
7.  Calatagan Golf Club, Batangas (Holes: 9 and an 18) – Telephone: 813-2636
8. Evercrest Golf Club and Resort, Batangas (Holes: 18, Yardage: 6704/6083/5617, Par: 72/72/72) – Address: Nasugbu, Batangas, Philippines, Telephone: 712 9293, 712 9298, 712 9299
9. Del Monte Golf Club, Bukidnon (Holes: 18, Yardage: 6390, Par: 72, Rating: 72) – Telephone: 6473, 6472, 3322, Fax: 817-4717
10. Puerto Azul Golf Course, Cavite (Holes: 18) – Telephone: (632) 521-0004, Fax: 572-201
11. Manila Southwoods Golf and Country Club, Cavite (Holes: 2-18s) – Web Site: www.manilasouthwoods.com, Address: Bo. Cabilang Baybay, Carmona, Cavite; Masters Course (Yardage: 7225/6613/6033, Par: 72/72/72, Rating: 75.8/73.0/70.3, Slope: 140/135/130); Legends Course (Yardage: 7093/6535/5895, Par: 72/72/72, Rating: 74.1/71.5/68.6, Slope: 135/130/124) – Telephone: (6346) 430-0268
12. Riviera Golf and Country Club, Cavite (Holes: 36) – Address: Tagaytay, Cavite, Philippines
13. Apo Golf & Country Club, Davao (Holes: 18, Yardage: 6787, Par: 72) – Telephone: 74-220, 81-944, 81-979
14. Club Intramuros, Intramuros (Holes: 18, Yardage: 5262, Par: 60)  – Telephone: 478-470 or 492-806
15. Canlubang Golf & Country Club, Laguna Province (Holes: 2-18s) – Telephone: 890-9321 and 897-6887; North Course (Yardage: 6929, Par: 72); South course (Yardage: 6785, Par: 72)

You can read the rest of the group at the Word Golf site (www.wordgolf.com). There is also another listing available at the Golfers Club Shares, Inc. site (www.golfersclubshares.com).

When the Yellow Pages or phone directories were still popular, you will always here the saying”let your fingers do the walking”.  Today, with the proliferation of the internet, what you can hear is “let your mouse do the walking”. Meaning, do the searching over the internet.

If you want to travel to a foreign land and you don’t know anything about that place, basically all you do is visit a travel agency or search it on the internet first, right? For example, if you want to visit any of the Caribbean islands, do you know where to find villas or the antigua rentals? Honestly, I’ve searched the internet just to find where is Antigua located.

Aside from knowing the location, you can also search for special offerings of the place you want to visit. Another example, if you want to visit Portugal, do you know that apart from the hotels you can rent your own self-catered portugal villas? Of course, I wouldn’t know this without consulting Mr. G (Google).

Learn from my mistake. I was looking for some pollensa villas in Mallorca and the first thing that came to my mind was to call a friend of mine who has her own travel agency. I only mentioned “pollensa” to her. Unfortunately, she was not even aware where Pollensa is! Since her travel agency company caters to North America, Asian countries, and only to major cities around the world, she could not even find the place that I’m talking about in her map. I instructed her over the phone to open her laptop and search “Pollensa” on Google map.

Travel agencies are mostly busy in processing your plane tickets and making sure your preferred holiday package is met.  Apparently, from my own experience, there are travel agencies that are not updated with some exotic vacation destinations, specially if it’s not within their niche market – just like my friend who doesn’t know where Pollensa is.

What I want to emphasis is, before even visiting your friendly travel agency, it would be nice to gather information prior to the visit.

And by the way, with the popularity of tablets and touchscreen smartphones, the saying “let your fingers do the walking” is coming back again.  Either using your mouse or your fingers, take the advantage of the technology for your travel needs. With so much data and facts you can find over the internet, this will give you an upper hand when negotiating for your next vacation holiday.

San Franciso in the United States is only 7 miles square. It is very easy for a tourist to get around the city rather quickly. If you are a first time traveler, the best way for you to get around is by the well-known cable cars. The cable cars are operating since 1872.  A tour to San Francisco is not complete unless you’ve ridden on a cable car.

However, if you are thinking to visit some relatives or friends and you know how to drive, consider hiring or renting a car so you can visit more more popular landmarks afterwards. Of course, if you can borrow a car for a day or two from a friend then enjoy it to the max!

Driving in San Francisco is just like driving in any progressive city in the world.  All you have to do is be responsible. Follow the rules and the law of the land. Always bring your license with you,  and all your insurance information. Always drive safely.  If there’s a mechanical trouble in your car, call a professional mechanic right away. There are a lot of  shops in  San Franciso than can help you right away in fixing your car.  Nonetheless,  be wary of “fake mechanics” victimizing other people that doesn’t have much knowledge when it comes to fixing a car. If you can fix your car by your own self or with the help of your friends, then do it. If not, I suggest that you get in touch with Spectrum Auto. They’re one of the most reliable and professional mechanic in the city.

In case an accident happens, inform the owner of the car first or the rental company, if you’ve rented the car.  You can also bring your car to any progressive body shops to have it checked and repaired.

Aside from the well-known cable cars and renting a private car, there are two famous landmarks in San Franciso that you have to ride a boat in order to go there. These are the Alcatraz and Angle Island.

Visiting Alcatraz will takes you at least 2 1/2 hours of riding the Alcatraz Cruises, the authorized transport in the island. Make you to bring a coat as it could get windy and cold fast.

Angle Island is the largest island in San Francisco. Access to the island is by private boat or public ferry.

More and more hotels are already offering non-smoking rooms, if you request for it. But not only that, since 2006 a lot of hotel chains have already started to ban smoking. Over the past few years, you can actually see some ads of big hotel chains that they are completely smoke-free. We experienced this when we were looking for some Washington Pennsylvania hotels on our way from New Jersey to Ohio. We were delighted to know that there are existing complete smoke-free hotel already.

If you are a traveler with allergic to a cigarette smoke, it’s not enough to put in your preference a non-smoke room because if there are no available rooms, then you may be out of luck. The hotel might likely put you on a smoking room instead. This is true if you travel in Las Vegas where non-smoking hotels are not always easy to find. It’s similar to a gambling if lady luck will smile on you or not.

Be aware that each hotel management have their own smoking-policy. If the hotel where you reserved is not a complete smoke-free, better you call them and verify one or two days before your scheduled check-in if the room they are offering you is really a non-smoking room or if it’s within floors where smoking is prohibited.  There are hotels  that change their policies every now and then,  and they  may even forget to notify their guests. You have to keep this is mind so you have enough time to cancel your reservation if the room they are offering you is not to your preference.  You have the rights to cancel your reservation much more you have the rights to keep your body  healthy.

So the best thing to do is really look for hotel that completely ban smoking in their hotel rooms. Some hotels also include all the public area in their vicinity including their lobbies and restaurants.

Do you want to spend your time to some of the amazing parks in London without spending a single penny? From the largest Royal Park, greatest city parks in the world or see the full size dinosaurs out in the open.

Some of the Best Parks Attractions in London Where You Can Visit – For Free!

London Parks

Richmond Park

- Is the largest Royal Park in London with almost 1,000 hectares or 2,500 acres.  This park is home to 650 free roaming deer. The wildlife in this park includes swans, grebe, mallards and gadwalls, pike… and even 1000 species of beetle! Because of this characteristics, park Richmond Park has been designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest and a National Nature Reserve.

Opening hours:
The park is open from 7am in the summer and 7.30am in the winter, and closes at dusk all year round.

Greenwich Park

- Is the oldest enclosed among Royal Parks. Covering 74 hectares, Greenwich is a former hunting park and one of the largest single green spaces in south east London. This park also serves as a sanctuary for deer, foxes and birds. Some of the games you can play in this park includes cricket and tennis.

Opening hours:
The park is open from 6.00am for pedestrians (and 7.00am for traffic) all year round. Closing times vary depending on the season.

Location: London SE10 8QY

Hyde Park

- Is c0nsidered as one of the greatest city parks in the world. Hyde Park is famous for its Diana Memorial Fountain – an oval stone ring fountain.  This park has been a venue for some famous rock concerts and incidentally, is also popular as a setting for mass demonstrations. The park is peaceful because a Metropolitan Police Station is situated in the middle of the Park

Opening hours:
The park is open from 5am until midnight all year round.

Location : London. W2 2UH

Bushy Park

- Covering an area of 445 hectares, it is the second largest among the Royal Park. Historically, Bushy Park has been settled for at least the past 4,00 years dating back to the Bronze Age. The park is a wildlife conservation area where you can easily spots red and fallow deer. Good for all bikers because cycling is allowed on all roads in the park.

Opening hours:
The park is open 24 hours for pedestrians, except September and November when opening time is 8am, and closing time is 10:30pm. Vehicle access is from 6:30am to dusk, closing at 7:00pm in winter. During the months of September and November, the park opens at 8am.

Location : Hampton Court Road, Hampton, Middlesex. TW12 2EJ

Breast Cancer Awareness month is still two months away but World Travel and Vacation wants to disseminate the event as soon as possible.

As a tourist, most often you buy t-shirts of the place where you have been and very proud in wearing it, isn’t? We are not only a walking advertisement for that particular place but we are also promoting it. Whenever you wear something and people noticed it, it’s simply means you are making an statement. This is also the same way when you buy a souvenir most specially a t-shirt with the name of the beautiful place you’ve been to.

And so, as early as possible World Travel and Vacation is encouraging the tourist to wear a breast cancer awareness t-shirt or perhaps even a bag or any accessories that shows that you care about breast cancer. A simple shirt that has the statement something like “I wear pink for my mother (or sister)” with the logo (pink ribbon) of Breast Cancer Awareness on it. A cute and humorous statement like “Real Men Wear Pink” or “Support the Boobies” will do, as long as the “support breast cancer ” is there.

As a tourist show that you care for the people and not only for the place.  Show your support on breast cancer by spreading the word about it wherever you go.

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