Local Travel Tip

Seoul is one of the top rated places to travel in the world. Most tourists travel to Tokyo, but Seoul is the known as the 2010 World Design Capital. Industrial designers from all over the world visit locations all over the world and decide on the best designed city.

A great time to travel to Seoul is during the annual Seoul Design Fair. This fair is occurring for the third time this year. This event resembles the design weeks in Milan and New York which attract 2.5 million people.

They set up two inflatable structures for these events. This event has activities for every member of the family.

Running right down the middle of the city is the Cheonggyecheon Stream which a masterpiece of the best design in the world. Be sure to walk by this stream at night when the lights perform their magic.

Thailand is the land of smiles.  It is also the land of traveling on the cheap!  We’ll see just how low cost Thailand really is.

The airplane tickets are going to be your biggest expense to anywhere is Asia, between $700-$1200 per ticket.  But once you’re there, you’ll be surprised at how much you dinner will cost.

When eating on the street, you’ll find a meal for $.66.  My wife and I often ate 3 or 4 course meals for $25 total; this was a life I could get used to.

I was surprised at the cost of a Taxi in Bangkok.  It seemed to round out to about 1USD per mile.  If you’re willing to take the bus, you’ll be paying around $.10 per ride.

If you’re going, everyone will tell you to head to Kao San Road.  For the most part, this is true.  I would hop in the taxi and tell them to take you there.

There are plenty of guesthouses, and you’ll find one easily. BUT, and this is a big BUT, I would only book 2 or 3 nights, and go to find something elsewhere.

Kao San Road is expensive compared to other parts of the city.  Even the roads around Kao San will be cheaper.

Personally, I’m not into the party scene, so I didn’t mind being away from Kao San Road, and still found plenty of cultural restaurants, museums, and sites to see.

The trick is getting out there and really exploring.  I had a guide book with me at all times, and was able to find things worth seeing, no matter what part of the country I was in.

Thailand really is as low cost as they say, and is worth checking out!  I would definitely set aside a good 4 weeks to get all the exploring that you want.

So, you heard right, the low cost Thailand really is worth it.

The fifth great place to travel during the recession is South Korea, who have had a 30% drop in value of their currency. Economic difficulties are a common place occurrence. They do not let financial difficulties get in the way of providing a fantastic vacation location.

Known as the Land of Morning Calm, Korea is a land of unique culture and colorful tradition. The area around Seoul features mountains, the Korean specialty of spicy food and tours of gorgeous royal palaces.

The most popular mountain for a beautiful hike is Bugaksan. There are many trails that thread their way through a lush green forest and 15th century gates. At the top, Bugaksan provides a fantastic view of the city and surrounding area.

One of the most famous royal palaces is known as Gyeongbok Palace and is decorated with intricate red and green designs. This palace was built in the late 1300s and has faced a lot of destruction and construction. This is a great location to learn about the Korean culture and traditions.

Then visit a beautiful village made of traditional wood homes called hanok. This village is very decorative and features dark tiled roofing. The village hosts a variety of peaceful cafes, gardens, and art.