About the Author
Lonely Planet
Fresh from an epic journey across Europe, Asia and Australia in 1972, Tony and Maureen Wheeler sat at their kitchen table stapling together notes. The first Lonely Planet guidebook, Across Asia on the Cheap, was born. Lonely Planet extended its coverage to every country and into the virtual world via lonelyplanet.com and the Thorn Tree message board. In October 2007, BBC Worldwide acquired a 75% share in the company, pledging to uphold Lonely Planet’s commitment to independent travel, trustworthy advice and editorial independence. Today, Lonely Planet has offices in Melbourne, London and Oakland, with around 500 staff members and 300 authors.
By
Lonely Planet
Have you always wanted to travel, but never known where to go?
Let us help you to kick-start your dreams. We’ll help you decide on the best destinations and give you some insider tips that will have you cruising down the road like a travel veteran.
North America & the Caribbean
The Classics:
- Montréal, Canada – Experience French culture without the high price tag of Paris. Prices drop in winter, when an entire underground culture literally springs to life!
- Yosemite National Park, USA – Reserve a campsite ahead of time to avoid paying for more expensive sites on arrival. You can save even more by purchasing a pass that’ll get you into any national park, from the Everglades to Yellowstone to Hawaii Volcanoes.
- The Yucatán, Mexico – Just a hop and a skip away from Cancún are some of the Americas’ best beaches and seafood, for a fraction of the prices asked in the USA.
Roads Less Travelled:
- Havana, Cuba – Hail a classic 1950s cab to cruise Spanish-colonial streets while chomping on your hand-rolled cigar.
- Vancouver Island, Canada – Stretch your legs or watch whales for a natural high in this handy wilderness.
Hot Tips:
- Spring Break (around Easter) is a big chance to join university students going wild in hotspots from Cabo to Miami Beach.
- Getting sick costs a fortune in the USA. Make sure you’re stocked up on travel insurance.
Europe
The Classics:
- London, UK – Save enough cash to go up the London Eye several times over by couch surfing (crashing at a friendly local’s pad – Google for websites that will hook you up).
- Istanbul, Turkey – Ooh and aah at the Aya Sofya while filling up on kebabs and Turkish delight. Part of the delight is spending in Turkish lire rather than euros!
- Barcelona, Spain – Spend time, not money, gawking at gaudy Gaudí architecture and savouring Barça’s open-air lifestyle.
Roads Less Travelled:
- Dubrovnik, Croatia – Sail into the port and watch the crystal Adriatic waters lap the feet of this ancient walled city.
- Talinn, Estonia – Dream up your own fairytale in the cobbled streets and medieval squares.
Hot Tips:
- Rent a bike – Europeans are crazy cyclists. You’ll save money and get fit.
- Europe is one of the easiest places for Aussies to get a working visa. Play your cards right and you can finance your entire time on the road worries-free.
Southeast Asia
The Classics:
- Angkor Wat, Cambodia – Discover your top temple among the vestiges of the mighty Khmer empire. Take an early rickshaw to beat the dawn crowd.
- Ko Phi Phi, Thailand – Cruise between humpbacked limestone mountains rearing out of a sapphire sea. Get your scuba-diving certification here; it’s the cheapest in the world.
- Halong Bay, Vietnam – Navigate an old-school junk through karst peaks by day, sip a beer and stretch out on the deck at night. If you can pony up the extra cash, the deluxe experience is well worth it.
Roads Less Travelled:
- Banaue, Philippines – Wander between rice terraces carved out of the lush volcanic slopes.
- Luang Nam Tha, Laos – Ecotrek in the picturesque hill country, away from the tourist hurly-burly.
- Komodo, Indonesia – Meet the world’s biggest lizards.
Hot Tips:
- The rough roads of Southeast Asia are perfect for motorbiking. Hire a motorbike, and the countryside opens up to you.
- If you’re looking for a party scene, Southern Thailand is it. Full-moon parties, late-night raves and an international DJ cast set the scene.
- Don’t even think about anything to do with drugs if you’re in Singapore. Just don’t.
Indian Subcontinent
The Classics:
- Agra, India – Bask in the shade of the milky Taj Mahal, the ultimate monument to love. Take the second-class (non-air-conditioned) carriage on the way from Delhi: you’ll get a great breeze from the windows and have the opportunity to meet people.
- Kathmandu, Nepal – Immerse yourself in one of the world’s most backpacker-friendly cities. You can taste cuisine from around the world in Kathmandu for incredibly low prices.
- Kerala, India – Kick back on a languid boat cruise through the palm-fringed backwaters. Don’t bother with a deluxe boat: the cheapies are perfectly fine.
Roads Less Travelled:
- Lahore, Pakistan – Spin out with Sufis and experience some Mughal magic.
- Arugam Bay, Sri Lanka – Spot leopards, tread mangrove forests and catch waves.
- Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh – Explore laid-back, tourist-free beaches.
Hot Tips:
- If you’re walking anywhere in northern India or Nepal, make sure you get fit first. Sheer mountainsides and winding paths demand serious aerobic capacity.
- You’ll encounter a lot of people who offer to help you out. Most of these are genuinely kind-hearted folks. Some of them are scammers. Keep your wits about you. If something sounds too good to be true, it is.
- Chances are you’ll have a brief bout of the runs. Don’t take any blockers (such as Imodium) unless you’re on a long bus or train trip – it’s better to let things run their course.
Inspired to go travelling, now that there are too many places to go with too little time? For further details on seeing the world’s hot spots and hidden beauties, visit the Lonely Planet website: http://lonelyplanet.com.au/
Happy trails!
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