Travelers Digest: Travel Advice

Questions about visas and borders in Europe

Dakota — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 03:44:07 +0000

Question: I’m planning on traveling throughout some countries in Europe for three months (I understand 90 days are the limit unfortunately), mainly doing stuff through helpx.net and workaway.info (helping out in places for accommodation and meals). What I want to do is arrive in one country, stay there for two or three weeks, then go on to another country, and so on, until my 90 days are done and I go home.

So I have a few questions:

1) I understand that the UK/Ireland aren’t a part of the Schengen Agreement. Does that mean that if I start my travels in France, and after 90 days of staying in the Schengen Agreement countries, I go to the UK - can I stay there for an additional two/three weeks? Or must my time in England be included in the 90 days even though they’re not strictly in the agreement?

2) I understand that some countries have strict border rules. Doing a trip like this means I can’t simply order a two-way ticket to the first country I’m visiting, because I can’t be sure exactly when I want to leave. I may decide to continue to another country after two weeks, or after three weeks - depending on where I am and how much fun it is over there, etc. So what I thought I’d do was buy a one-way ticket for my first country, and then go on depending on how things go. But I read in several places that some countries may make trouble about the whole one-way ticket thing (especially the UK from what I’ve read) - and they want proof that you’re leaving their country in some specific date.. if that’s true then must I buy some second plain/train ticket even though I don’t want to be restricted by a specific date? I understand these tickets are many times difficult to cancel and get a refund. What would you guys suggest?

3) Referring to my last question, after I already enter the first country in Europe - how are movements between countries? I guess the cheap options are train rides or EasyJet flights. Is there a big difference between the two (for example - if I take a train into another country I guess there are no border checkups on my way, but if I go by plane - I must show the visa I got from the first country I entered right?)? Is it different for instance if I’m travelling from Italy to France, or if I’m going from France to the UK (which isn’t in the Schengen Agreement)?

Answer: The Schengen Area is compromised of 25 states who have all agreed to uniform visa standards. The period of stay in this area is 90 days within any six-month period, as to prevent someone from leaving and returning immediately to receive another 90 day period. However this may or may not be rigidly enforced. Once you are in the Schengen Area travel is free and without borders, including air travel. Equivalent to domestic travel within the United States.

If you are concerned with the return ticket requirement, you can try purchasing a bus ticket or other small cost purchase like a ferry ticket. England is more rigorous about this requirement than most other countries in Europe.

Now on to England. The United Kingdom is not part of the Schengen Area, which means that you can spend 90 days in Europe and then go to the UK and get a full term there. For American citizens this is 6 months visa free for tourists. Ireland is 90 for American citizens and this is also not tied to your stay in Schengen or the UK.

I hope this answers at least some of your questions.

Best time of the year to travel to South Africa?

Dakota — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 02:06:56 +0000

Question: Can anyone recommend which time frame they’d choose based on the climate in Africa at that time of year?

Answer: I was in South Africa from October-March and it was pretty amazing weather the whole time. I spent most of my time in Zululand and Johannesburg. I would say though that their Spring is the absolute best time though, so September-November.

Alternative areas in San Francisco

Dakota — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 01:48:35 +0000

Question: Is anyone able to tell me the ‘alternative’ areas of San Fran? I.e. quirky shops, cafes, pubs, live music. I heard Mission District in San Fran is alternative???

Answer: The alternative areas in San Francisco, well let’s see… The Mission is a great place to hangout. The bars around 16th street are particularly cool, you’ll find lots of places on 16th street in between Mission and Guerrero. There are some interesting vegan restaurants in the Mission such as Gracias Madre and Weird Fish. The Sycamore is a pretty sweet bar for grabbing a bite or sitting in the garden. It’s on Sycamore st (more like an alleyway) and Mission and just across from Weird Fish and Gracias Madre.

The Haight is still an interesting place for alternative people, and there are bars and cafes all along Haight St. There are lots of alternative pubs and bars on Haight between Filmore St and Steiner St.

You should also think about checking out Oakland. If you are looking for something really alternative you can go see the Occupy protesters. Stop by Rico’s vegan diner if you’re out there.

Stepping down from that, you can visit Berkeley where there are tonnes of quirky bookstores and restaurants. Check out Cafe Tibet for some pretty good Tibetan food.

Oh you have to check out the City Lights bookstore in San Francisco, it’s the bookstore that made the Beat Generation famous, Kerouac, Ginsberg, and all of them. Near to City Lights, in North Beach, is the Saloon, a pretty crazy blues bar.

A hurried trip to Southeast Asia

Dakota — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 01:10:37 +0000

Question: I’m planning a trip to Vietnam and Cambodia, flying in and out of Saigon. I don’t think I’ll have time to visit northern Vietnam, but I was hoping to be able to get out to Siem Reap and see Angkor Wat. However the flights are $200 USD and it’s quite a distance, should I just skip it altogether?

Answer: While I do think it’s a shame that you’re not going to visit Nha Trang or places further north in Vietnam like Hoi An, I don’t think that you can afford to skip Angkor Wat. Unless you travel to Southeast Asia on a regular basis, Angkor Wat is just too amazing of a place to be skipped.

Philppines Dec 2011 - Feb 2012

Dakota — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 01:02:51 +0000

Question: Hello! I am off to the Philippines dec - feb & very excited!! I’d love recommendations of where to visit/cheapest forms of travel/accomodation. I’ll be spending christmas & new years there alone so suggestions of where to spend the holiday season would be great too!!

Answer: I have had the pleasure of traveling to the Philippines on multiple occasions. It really is a great place. One destination that I would recommend, that is both amazing and affordable, is the island of Busuanga. Located just off the coast of Palawan, Busuanga is most famous for its wreck diving scene which attracts divers from around the world, however it is also becoming increasingly popular amongst backpackers. Check out a travel article that I wrote about Busuanga to see if it’s a place that might interest you.

Have a fun trip!

Adventurous activities in Sanya, Hainan

Dakota — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 11:45:34 +0000

Name: Roy

Question: Is there fishing there? What other kinds adventurous activities do they have?

Answer: Hi Roy and thanks for your question. There isn’t much in the way of deep sea fishing on Hainan, so sorry to disappoint. There are however many different types of adventurous activities that one can participate in: There are ample opportunities for water sports, especially at Dadonghai Beach. The island has good surf year-round and thus is a good spot for surfing. In recent years it has become popular with cyclists to cycle around the entirety of Hainan Island, you should probably bring your own bike if you wish to do this though. You can see local wildlife, at the Nanwan Monkey Island you can interact with wild monkeys, or for a more eco-friendly experience check out Sea Turtles 911. Sea Turtles 911 is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping increase the population of the indigenous sea turtles in Hainan. They accept volunteers for terms as little as two weeks, and volunteers are able to contribute in many ways, including by going out on boats and rescuing distressed turtles from the sea. Take a look at their website for ways you can get involved: http://www.seaturtles911.org/

Check out the Travelers Digest guide to Sanya and its resorts: http://www.travelersdigest.com/sanya.htm

All inclusive nudist resort near Orlando, Florida

Dakota — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 10:23:10 +0000

Name: Patrick

Question: We are looking for a naturist resort with hotel rooms and prefer all inclusive, but half pension is ok too. It is not abvious if they have or not. Please can you help me to find them?

Answer: From what I’ve been able to find, it seems the only nudist resort in the greater Orlando region that offers an all-inclusive option is the Caliente Club and Resort in Tampa. It’s a Caribbean style, clothing-optional resort and they offer all inclusive options with liquor or without liquor. Take a look at their website: http://www.calienteresorts.com/tampa/

Check out our website for information on the region and other travel information for Florida: http://www.travelersdigest.com/florida.htm

October newsletter - Sanya, Hainan

Dakota — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 10:49:53 +0000

Hello everyone. This is the Travelers Digest newsletter for the month of October. New this month, one of our writers has completed an article about the city of Sanya on the tropical island of Hainan in China. Sometimes called the ‘Hawaii of the Orient’, Hainan is a beautiful island and is quite popular among travelers in the Asia region. The article takes aim at the island’s many five-star resorts and gives advice on how to select the one that’s right for you. Take a look and see if there’s any information about Hainan that could serve you in future travels.

The Travelers Digest Guide to Sanya and its resorts
In September (2011) I had the pleasure of visiting the city of Sanya on the tropical island of Hainan. Hainan is an island province of the People’s Republic of China and the island itself is quite large, almost 34,000 square kilometers in size. The capital is a city called Haikou, which is located on the northern part of the island. However, for the majority of tourists, the most interesting part of Hainan is the city of Sanya. Located on the southernmost part of Hainan, Sanya is the only area in China that is located inside of a tropical climate region. It’s because of this tropical climate that Sanya has become a magnet for tourists from across the mainland and Hong Kong, as well as tourists from places as far away as Russia.

Getting to Sanya is easy enough from Hong Kong, with there being daily direct flights on several different airlines including Cathay Pacific, Dragon Air and Hainan Airlines. The most difficult part of any trip to Sanya is deciding where to stay. With so many resorts and beaches, all of the different choices can be daunting. That being said, Sanya, as far as resorts are concerned, can be reasonably be divided into these different areas:

Continue reading the article on TravelersDigest.com!

Remember to check out our website TDLodging.com for great deals on hotels and accommodation in cities all around the world.

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Economical Caribbean destinations

Dakota — Sun, 02 Oct 2011 12:16:33 +0000

Name: Saleem

Question: Hi, Thank you for your mail regarding the travel advice, I would like to know that which is the best and economical place in Caribbean to enjoy with my wife. I reside in Canada and here the weather is very cold. Thank you for the information.

Answer: I think you will find that the most economical places to visit in the Caribbean are Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. These two places have more diverse economies than a lot of the Caribbean nations and therefore it’s easier to find more options for the budget traveller. But bear in mind that visitors to Puerto Rico require a valid United States visa and that when costs of flights are taken into consideration you might save money by going to a closer location like the Bahamas.

Check out our website for information on the region and other travel information for the Caribbean: http://www.travelersdigest.com/caribbean.htm

Do South Africans need a visa to visit Israel

Dakota — Sun, 02 Oct 2011 12:13:51 +0000

Name: Alucious

Question: From South Africa do I need a visa for Israel and how are the hotel fees. Could you tell me prices in Rands please. Thank you.

Answer: South Africans do not need a visa to visit Israel for stays up to three-months for purposes of tourism. However you should make sure you can prove sufficient funds for your stay as the final decision always rests with airport immigration.

As for hotel prices please check out our website: http://www.tdlodging.com/

Check out our website for information on the region and other travel information for Israel: http://www.travelersdigest.com/israel.htm