itravelnet.com Travel Blog

Travel Photo: Killing Fields - Cambodia

2010-03-19T17:46:00.000+11:00

Location: Killing Fields - Cambodia
Photo: Human Skulls

Human skulls, remains of the victims of the Khmer Rouge regime, near Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

Featured Travel Site: BootsnAll Travel Network

2010-03-16T16:23:00.002+11:00

bootsnall.com

BootsnAll is comprehensive resource for the independent traveller. Travel community, travel stories, cheap tickets, youth hostels and other travel needs.
bootsnall.com

Travel Photo: Kapitelschwemme, Salzburg - Austria

2010-03-12T23:18:00.002+11:00

Kapitelschwemme, Salzburg - Austria

Travel Photo Gallery: Salzburg Photo Gallery

Featured Travel Site: SeatGuru

2010-03-09T20:02:00.003+11:00

SeatGuru

Airplane seat information. Information on airline seats and in-flight amenities featuring the best seat, legroom, and recline information.
seatguru.com

Travel Photo: Beach Trees, Cha-Am - Thailand

2010-03-05T21:47:00.003+11:00

Location: Cha-Am - Thailand
Photo: Beach Trees

Beach Trees, Cha-Am - Thailand

Travel Photo Gallery: Cha-Am Photo Gallery

Featured Travel Site: Flights From Hell

2010-03-02T22:15:00.000+11:00

flightsfromhell.com

Flights From Hell flies you into the crazy skies with stories about the adventures and anxieties of airline travel.
flightsfromhell.com

Travel Photo: Stadhuis, Delft - Netherlands

2010-02-26T19:42:00.004+11:00

Location: Delft - Netherlands
Photo: Stadhuis

Stadhuis (Town Hall) in Delft, Netherlands.

Travel Photo Gallery: Delft Photo Gallery

Featured Travel Site: Create Your Own Adventure

2010-02-23T14:41:00.003+11:00

Create Your Own Adventure - Powered by Gap Adventures

The Create Your Own Adventure travel contest is your chance to share your dream itinerary. Enter for your chance to win a free dream tour for you + 2 friends.

createyourownadventure.com

Travel Photo: Town Square, Melaka - Malaysia

2010-02-19T16:19:00.002+11:00

Location: Melaka - Malaysia
Photo: Town Square

Town Square, Melaka - Malaysia.

Travel Photo Gallery: Melaka Photo Gallery

Featured Travel Site: StudyAbroad.com

2010-02-16T22:58:00.002+11:00

StudyAbroad.com

StudyAbroad.com is a leading source of information on educational opportunities for students to study in other countries. It is a comprehensive directory of study abroad programs, organized by subject or country or city.
studyabroad.com

Travel Photo: Cologne Cathedral, Cologne - Germany

2010-02-12T13:01:00.004+11:00

Location: Cologne - Germany
Photo: Cologne Cathedral

Cologne Cathedral from the Hauptbahnhof, Cologne - Germany.

Travel Photo Gallery: Cologne photo gallery

Featured Travel Site: RoomFT.com

2010-02-09T19:58:00.000+11:00

RoomFT.com

RoomFT (Room for Travellers) is a social network of Homeowners looking to earn extra cash and Tourists & Visitors looking for cheap rooms to stay in when travelling.
roomft.com

Travel Photo: Nha Trang Beach, Nha Trang - Vietnam

2010-02-05T10:44:00.000+11:00

Location: Nha Trang - Vietnam
Photo: Nha Trang Beach

Beach at Nha Trang, Vietnam.

Travel Photo Gallery: Nha Trang Photo Gallery

Featured Travel Site: EuroBillTracker

2010-02-02T17:57:00.001+11:00

EuroBillTracker

This site allows you to keep track of all the euro bills that have passed through your hands. It allows you to generate bill reports that will tell you where your bills have been located and where they will be.
eurobilltracker.com

Travel Photo: Parliament House, Brisbane - Australia

2010-01-29T23:37:00.000+11:00

Location: Brisbane - Australia
Photo: Parliament House

Parliament House in Brisbane, Australia.

Alicante Day Trips

2010-01-27T13:48:00.004+11:00

Fiona Hilliard usually writes about Alicante car hire for ArgusCarHire.com. On a recent trip to the popular Spanish city, she decided to see what the surrounding Costa Blanca had to offer. Here she shares her favourite day-trip drives with us.

Alicante Day Trips

Cynical holidaymakers will forever typecast Alicante as a "stuffed donkey in a sombrero" destination, but those savvy enough to rent a car and embrace their spirit of adventure will be richly rewarded.

Alicante is the gateway to the Costa Blanca, a 200km stretch of coastline that winds its way from Denia in the north to San Pedro del Pinatar in the south. Scenic drives abound in this area.

Benidorm

A pleasant 45km drive north of Alicante will take you to Benidorm City. Benidorm first exploded onto the holiday scene in the 1960s when mass tourism and package deals were in their infancy.

By the 1990s however it had lost its gloss and began to fall out of favour with discerning holidaymakers who longed for more sophisticated, unusual destinations.

Recent regeneration projects have seen Benidorm scrub up nicely. These days it is well worth a drive, if only to take a gander at the Old Port and two sweeping beaches.

While you're in the neighbourhood, be sure to check out Terra Mitica - a major theme park located around 40 minutes from Benidorm. With enough attractions to rival Disney Land, Terra Mitica provides a fun family day-out alternative to buckets and spades.

Guadalest

Following on along the same route as Terra Mitica, make a pit stop at Guadalest. In recent years, it has earned something of a reputation for being Spain's most visited "traditional" village.

With a stunning location 600m above sea level, it's easy to see why this charming medieval village attracts such large numbers of visitors. If you're planning a trip, try to set off as early as possible, as Guadalest fills up quickly in the afternoon, making parking spaces seem as scarce as hen's teeth.

Be sure to bring a camera with you so you can make all your Facebook friends envious of the spectacular backdrop in your profile picture.

Jijona

Allergic to huge crowds of tourists? Then Jijona (or Xixona in Valenciano) is the town for you! Located 25km north of Alicante, in the foothills of the mountains, Jijona is a sleepy little town that is far too busy concentrating on churning out delicious ice-cream to worry about how to reel in coach loads of tourists.

Well, that's in the summer anyway. If you visit in the winter months, you'll find locals up to their eyes in sugary Túrron, the chewy Christmas treat made from honey, sugar, egg white and toasted almonds.

Cartagena

Cartagena is situated 123km to the south of Alicante and is home to sun-drenched beaches, shady palm trees, ancient archaeological sites and above all, jaw-droppingly beautiful scenery.

North Africa is situated just 120 miles across the Mediterranean. To give you some idea of its close proximity, basically if you were to travel due south, you'd hit Oran in Algeria dead on.

If you want to get the most out of your day-trip to Cartagena, make sure you include a walk to La Concepció Castle. Begin at Calle Gisbert next to the 18th century Autopsy Pavillion, before you ask, yep, it does what it says on the tin (it was built outside of the hospital to avoid upsetting sensitive patients).

From here you'll have to endure a bit of a steep climb, but sights such as the Roman gladiatorial arena and the old cathedral will help buoy you along. When you reach the summit, you'll find a clever little visitor centre, where you can learn all about the local history.

Don't miss the view from the castle's mirador. On a clear day, the harbour is especially breath taking.

Valencia

For a longer day-trip, it's difficult to find a destination that matches the charms of Valencia. A 177 km (110 mile drive) from Alicante will take you to the bustling university city that is currently being touted as the new Barcelona.

Photo: envision

Valencia deserves the hype too. Everyday, hundreds of day-trippers make the pilgrimage from Alicante, relishing the chance to reap the benefits of a big city.

You'll understand once you get there, as world-class shopping, museums, galleries, shops and bars all vie for your attention.

If you're planning a spot of sightseeing, it's best to start at the old quarter. Here you'll stumble across the impressive remains of the old Torres de Serranos and Torres de Quart.

More ancient footprints can be seen in the Seu and Xerea districts, where Roman and Arab remains lie hidden beneath modern churches and palaces. Of course, nobody should consider leaving Valencia without tasting the city's signature dish, paella.

Featured Travel Site: FlyersRights.org

2010-01-26T17:55:00.002+11:00

flyersrights.org

FlyersRights.org is the largest non-profit consumer organization in the United States representing airline passengers.
flyersrights.org

Travel Photo: Platz, Schaffhausen - Switzerland

2010-01-22T11:39:00.000+11:00

Location: Schaffhausen - Switzerland
Photo: Platz

Statue at Platz, the main square in Schaffhausen, Switzerland.

Travel Photo Gallery: Schaffhausen Photo Gallery

Featured Travel Site: Google Transit

2010-01-19T10:16:00.000+11:00

Google Transit

Use Google Maps to:
- Get step-by-step transit directions in your web browser or on your mobile phone.
- Find transit stops in your area.
- View station information and schedules.

google.com/transit

Travel Photo: Hanoi Old Quarter, Hanoi - Vietnam

2010-01-15T12:38:00.001+11:00

Location: Hanoi - Vietnam
Photo: Hanoi Old Quarter

Hanoi Old Quarter, Vietnam.

Travel Photo Gallery: Hanoi Photo Gallery

Featured Travel Site: Stuck at the Airport

2010-01-12T10:52:00.001+11:00

Stuck at the Airport

A travel blog about airport services and airport and airline amenities.
stuckattheairport.com

Travel Photo: Hauptplatz, Linz - Austria

2010-01-08T23:09:00.002+11:00

Location: Linz - Austria
Photo: Hauptplatz

Hauptplatz in Linz, Austria.

Travel Photo Gallery: Linz Photo Gallery

Featured Travel Site: FlyingFees.com

2010-01-05T14:25:00.002+11:00

FlyingFees.com

Find out what your potential baggage-related fees and other types of fees that aren't included in the ticket price.
FlyingFees.com

Featured Travel Sites of 2009

2009-12-29T20:21:00.003+11:00

It's that time of year again when all sorts of lists are trundled out. For the last tuesday of the year here is a review of the featured sites of 2009.

---- WhichBudget ----

WhichBudget is a budget airlines directory. Search for low cost airline flights by selecting your departure and arrival destinations.
whichbudget.com

---- BusJunction ----

The low cost bus service has become popular in the US over the last few years and you can compare prices with BusJunction. Search the likes of Megabus, Bolt Bus, and Chinatown Bus here.
busjunction.com

---- Ponzi Tree Contest - Ruba.com ----

The Ponzi Tree Contest by Ruba.com is a fun way to participate in a pyramid scheme without having to pay up any cash. If you have a blog just stick a badge on your site and they will plant a tree.

See your trees multiply, and be responsible for thousands of trees planted in your name.
ruba.com/contest/ponzi/

---- Germany Christmas Markets ----

December in Europe means Christmas Market time, and some of the best markets can be found in Germany.
germany-christmas-market.org.uk

---- Embassy World ----

Directory and search engine of the world's embassies and consulates.
embassyworld.com

---- Luggage Limits ----

Luggage Limits details baggage allowance information on all routes and ticket classes for over 60 airlines. Avoid expensive airline luggage fees by preparing before you go.
luggagelimits.com

---- Holiday Pad ----

Holiday Pad is showcase of unusual, wonderful and downright weird ideas for a holiday.
holidaypad.net

---- UrbanRail.Net ----

UrbanRail.Net is a reference of urban railways worldwide. Includes information and maps on subways, tubes, undergrounds, U-Bahns, Metros and city railways worldwide.
urbanrail.net

---- Whatsonwhen ----

Worldwide events guide and travel inspiration.
whatsonwhen.com

---- Dine With Locals ----

Dine With Locals pair tourists with locals to meet and eat dinner in their home and exchange a bit of national culture. Experience a home cooked meal of authentic, local cuisine and a taste of local culture, or be a host and enjoy a night getting to know international people from around the world.
dinewithlocals.com

---- Iglu Dorf ----

Stay in an Iglu at the Iglu Dorf Igloo Villages in Switzerland, Andorra and Germany. You can sleep overnight or just visit the village. Igloo-Villages are open from 25th of December until April and bookings are available from mid October.
iglu-dorf.com

---- Points.com ----

Points.com is a frequent flyer management site where you can track all of your reward points in one location.
points.com

---- Monastery Stays ----

Monastery Stays is a booking service for monastery and convent accommodation in Italy. Accommodation is open to everyone and there are over 100 destinations to choose from.
monasterystays.com

---- FreeToDo ----

FreeToDo list free admission attractions, activites and events in UK and Ireland, France, Italy, Spain and Portugal.
freetodo.net

---- Airbnb ----

Airbnb is an online marketplace that can turn your place into a B and B. Anything from a spare room to an entire apartment can be listed. You can set your own price and you can accept or decline each application.

For prospective lodgers, you can search for destinations and read user reviews of listed accommodation.
airbnb.com

---- The Ultimate Thailand Explorers ----

Tourism Authority of Thailand has taken a leaf out of Tourism Queenslands marketing book and have set up The Ultimate Thailand Explorers. Promote Thailand via social media and you could win cash and a trip to Thailand.

TAT is sending 5 couples to explore Thailand's top five destinations. To enter this competition upload your audition video on Youtube and complete an application form on the site.
ultimatethailandexplorer.com

---- Distance Calculator ----

Measure the distance from one place to another. The site also generates a suggested map on how to get there.
distance-calculator.co.uk

---- FlightCaster ----

With FlightCaster, you can learn about flight delays even before the airlines notify you. You can find FlightCaster at flightcaster.com or download it straight to your iPhone or BlackBerry.
flightcaster.com

---- Atlas Obscura ----

Atlas Obscura is a collaborative project with the goal of cataloging all of the singular, eccentric, bizarre, fantastical, and strange out-of-the-way places that get left out of traditional travel guidebooks and are ignored by the average tourist.
atlasobscura.com

---- AirportWiFiGuide.com ----

Comprehensive Airport WiFi Guide with Rating and WiFi user comments
airportwifiguide.com

---- The Matchmaking Flight ----

The Matchmaking Flight will be matching singles in the sky from LAX to Auckland, New Zealand flying Air New Zealand on October 13, 2009.
thematchmakingflight.com

---- StoodThere ----

StoodThere lists the Top 100 landmarks to stand in front of and get your photo taken.
stoodthere.com

---- Is This Your Luggage ----

isthisyourluggage.com is the site of a photographer who collects lost luggage, photographs it, then tries to find the owners.
isthisyourluggage.com

---- Earth.org ----

Earth.org is a collaboratively written travel guide with a non-profit approach (inspired by Wikipedia). Anyone can add a guide, whether it is somewhere you have been or of your own home town.
earth.org

---- Kids with Cameras ----

Kids with Cameras is a non-profit organization that teaches the art of photography to marginalized children in communities around the world. View photos taken by kids in Calcutta, Haiti, Jerusalem and Cairo.
kids-with-cameras.org

---- Harefares ----

Harefares index the routes of nearly all low cost airlines in Europe.

The great feature about Harefares is that it shows you alternative airports close to your chosen departure and arrival airport. This opens up possibilites that you may not otherwise have been aware of.
earthtv.com

---- FON ----

FON is the largest WiFi community in the world. Community members, Foneros, share some of their home internet connection and in return gain access to free Wifi worldwide.

The site has a searchable map of wifi hot-spots around the world, and if you don't have a home to offer wifi, you can but FON wifi Credit.
fon.com

---- earthTV ----

earthTV - the world's biggest remote controlled TV camera network broadcasting 24h live video footage from locations locations in Europe, Asia, America, Africa and Oceania.
earthtv.com

---- Pintprice ----

You might be familiar with the Big Mac Index put together by The Economist.

Another site has come up with a worldwide comparison index: Pintprice.com. Beer prices from 206 countries with the help of thousands of beer drinkers.

While the type of beer may vary, making it not truly like the Big Mac Index, it's a fascinating way to compare the cost of living around the world.
pintprice.com

---- Literary Traveler ----

People have long been visiting destinations from books or visited places that gave their favourite writers inspiration.

Literary Traveler provides travel writing featuring writers and the places that they have travelled. The site also includes a range of literary tours.
literarytraveler.com

---- Lewis and Clark Trail ----

National and state parks, historic sites, campgrounds and RV parks, museums and other points of interest are easily located on our online maps.
lewis-clark-trail.us

---- Escape Artist ----

A huge directory of international real estate, overseas jobs, living overseas and other expatriate resources.
escapeartist.com

---- England Rocks ----

I have known that England rocks for quite a while, but now it's official. England Rocks has been put together by Enjoy England, the domestic marketing arm of VisitBritain.

The website lists Englands impressive rock heritage with the help of Google Maps. Places that are of pop cultural significance are marked on the map. You can plan a Beatlemania pilgrimage or see the London home of Jimi Hendrix.
england-rocks.co.uk

---- iStopOver ----

iStopOver is a hometel (Home + Hotel = Hometel) market place where you can rent space in someone's home as an alternative to hotels. You can also rent space in your home and make money and meet new people.
istopover.com

---- Pet Airways ----

Pet Airways is an actual airline (albeit a small one) where pets are the passengers. The pets fly in the main cabin, not in cargo.
petairways.com

---- Sleeping in Airports ----

If you are really on a tight travel budget or have a flight that leaves at a ridiculous hour in the morning sleeping at the airport might be a better option than paying for accommodation.

Sleeping in Airports was put together by Donna McSherry in 1996 and now has over 5800 reviews of airports that readers have slept (or tried to sleep) in.

Reviews including the best and worst around the world. Tips for sleeping comfortably and safely while grounded, articles, news and other strange places to sleep.
sleepinginairports.com

---- Monk for a Month ----

Monk for a Month offers you an authentic Thai Buddhist experience. Study and train with Buddhist Masters, learn from 25 centuries of wisdom and be ordained as a novice monk.
monkforamonth.com

---- The Rickshaw Run ----

The Rickshaw Run is a race in India using the iconic Indian motorised rickshaws. The Spring Rickshaw runs is on from 11th Apr - 26th Apr.
rickshawrun.theadventurists.com

---- The Man in Seat Sixty-One ----

The Man in Seat Sixty-One is Mark Smith, who has captured the adventure and romance of train travel. The site details how to travel From London to everywhere in Europe by train, as well as other places around the world.
seat61.com

---- The Currency Commission ----

The transition of currencies to the Euro in 2003 was a relatively smooth process. There are still people though that have old European currency that was not converted into Euros, and the old currency can no longer be converted at banks.

The Currency Commission exists in order to continue exchanging old outstanding banknotes into Euros, US or Canadian dollars.
thecurrencycommission.com

---- St. Patrick's Festival ----

On the 17th of March every year it is not uncommon to see people with green hair staggering around with a green beer in their hand. Yes, St. Patrick's Day is here.

Irish descendants and expats put on their own celebrations but the biggest party, of course, is in Ireland.

St. Patrick's Festival is Ireland's official celebration for Ireland's national holiday - St. Patrick's Day.
stpatricksfestival.ie

---- V Australia ----

With airlines closing and general doom and gloom in the airline travel world some good news with an new airline beginning operations.

V Australia is the new airline brought to you by Richard Branson and the Virgin Group. It will initially fly between Sydney and Los Angeles and it's the first new airline to take advantage of the open skies deal between the United States and Australia. Previously only Qantas and United were allowed to operate between the two countries.
vaustralia.com.au

---- Not For Tourists ----

Not For Tourists is the the website of the guidebook of the same name. The guide covers local attractions beyond the obvious tourist attractions of a city, uncovering interesting bar and eateries that you might otherwise miss when visiting a city.

So far they cover the most popular US cities as well as London.
notfortourists.com

---- The Best Job In The World ----

Tourism Queensland is seeking an island caretaker to house-sit for one of the natural wonders of the world. If you were thinking of applying the application process closes this week.
islandreefjob.com

---- FreeNYC ----

FreeNYC is a guide to the best free and cheap events in New York City.
freenyc.net

---- Icehotel ----

The Icehotel hotel in Jukkasjärvi, Sweden is a hotel made entirely of snow and ice blocks. This was the world's first ice hotel and the hotel lasts for about 5 months before melting away by June.
icehotel.com

---- Jumbo Hostel ----

Jumbo Hostel is, like the name implies, a hostel in a jumbo. The hostel is in an actual Boeing 747 parked and anchored at Stockholm Arlanda Airport.
jumbohostel.com

---- Inauguration Day 2009 ----

The Inauguration of Barack Obama as the forty-fourth U.S. president will be one of the biggest travel events in the history of the United States. Millions are expected to travel to Washington D.C and the official site covers events, maps and how to get there.
inauguration.dc.gov

---- Skycar Expedition ----

Skycar expedition is a bio-fuelled flying car that will travel from London to Tombouctou in Mali.
skycarexpedition.com

---- Like-a-local ----

Like-a-local is a site where you can connect with the local life in major cities via people who live there. You can choose to Live, Go or Eat with a local, and see parts of a city that a regular tour couldn't possibly accommodate.
like-a-local.com

Travel Photo: Senado Square Christmas Tree, Macau - Macau SAR

2009-12-25T20:12:00.005+11:00

Location: Macau - Macau S.A.R
Photo: Senado Square Christmas Tree

Senado Square Christmas Tree in Macau, Macau S.A.R.

Travel Photo Gallery: Macau Photo Gallery