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Getting around Bali is cheap, but not always the easiest to understand! Here is your 2019 guide on how to use Uber, Grab, Go-Jek and Taxi’s in BALI!
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There’s no shortage of paradises to choose from for digital nomads to pack their bags and jet off to, but there’s one more to add to the list, with a new airport expected to put this coastal gem on the map.
The Mediterranean is teeming with blue-water shores and laid-back communities embracing the nomad lifestyle, but not all of them can be crowned the best of Europe.
Fortune just released their list of ‘Best European Cities for Digital Nomads 2024′ and the top dog was a real surprise.
Albania has seen an influx of digital nomads since issuing an unofficial digital nomad visa in 2022, but many have opted to plant roots in the capital city, Tirana, among other quaint beach towns.
One is an absolute stunner, Vlorë. But we’ll go with the English version, Vlora, so I don’t have to keep inputting those weird dots.
Vlora is Albania’s third largest city, located along pristine shores overlooking the Bay of Vlorë (those pesky dots again!), a passage almost a straight line from Italy’s trendiest escape, Lecce.
But this side of the passage will soon be Albania’s trendiest escape as the country continues to gain steam, largely in part to more hidden gems such as Vlora being uncovered.
This resort town is oozing potential as there are already ample upscale accommodations to enjoy for a serene vacation, but more notably, apartments can easily be scored for $400 per month.
Surrounded by more turquoise than a Santa Fe necklace, this delightful town is truly postcard-perfect when lounging at one of many idyllic beaches once you’re free from unnecessary Zoom calls.
According to TripAdvisor, these are Vlora’s top 3 beaches to scope out:
Being a rather large city, Vlore is decked out with charming Old Town cafes as well as co-working spaces, such as top-rated CoWorkingVlora, just a few blocks from the scenic Lungomare promenade.
While there’s already been an uptick in remote workers flocking here, expect even more cushy amenities to pop up once Vlora’s highly anticipated new airport opens.
It’s important to note not all of Albania is well-developed. In other words, the backroads should be left to the pros.
Reaching Vlora will be so much easier come March 2025 when the new airport is slated to take flight for the first time.
Albania’s flagship carrier, Air Albania is leading the charge and you can surely expect other suitors as well.
Heck, if Ryanair is launching flights to Dakhla, Western Sahara of all places, don’t you think Vlora is on their radar?
For now, the easiest way to reach Vlora is by bus from Tirana, which is a well-connected city as Albania’s hype has soared.
For a more adventure option, you could also fly into Corfu or various Italian ports (Bari, Brindisi, and Lecce, as previously stated) and take a ferry.
Although, the more reasonable avenue may be simply to wait on more news regarding Vlora’s new flights.
Albania as a whole is a great blend of cultural experiences, cheap living, and unbounded natural beauty. Oh, and the food is pretty top notch too comparable to Greek’s most notable dishes.
There are a multitude of reasons for general travelers to visit, but digital nomads can soak up the most benefits here.
Albania’s nomad-catered ‘Unique Permit’ was a nice selling point for remote workers, but what you may not know is you don’t need a visa at all up to one year.
That’s right; American tourists can stay within Albania’s border up to 12 months without the hassle of bureaucratic paperwork – just a stamp and you’re good to go.
The Unique Permit is a straightforward application process and offers nomads the options to stay up to 5 years.
Narrowing down to Vlora; there’s no better place to call home.
With $400 apartments, comfortable co-working spaces, and delightful cafes in one of Europe’s most underrated Old Town districts, your day-to-day backdrop couldn’t be more enchanting when perusing timeless streets or enjoying a beach day.
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Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included within the post.
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Consider yourself lucky when you land a long layover in Hong Kong, China, because you’ll have just enough time to explore the …
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Cancun may have the all-inclusive hotels, Puerto Vallarta the golden sand beaches, and there’s truly no beating Cabo’s wellness tourism scene, but this season, it’s Veracruz that’s stealing the limelight in Mexico as one of the country’s fastest-growing destinations.
Located on the Gulf Coast, it was formerly one of the most popular beach getaways in the country before slowly fading into the background, as the Mexican Caribbean and the Pacific resort hubs soared in popularity, but it’s now making an unlikely comeback.
As stated by Iván Martínez Olvera, Veracruz has broken a series of tourism records this year, with a 100% increase in the number of visitors, and an even-more impressive 470% growth in regional tourism investment and development.
Figures aside, this means tourists are flocking back to Veracruz after years of just blatantly ignoring it, and it’s time we looked into the reasons why.
First of all, it may have something to do with the fact that Veracruz is one of the most culturally-significant cities in the country, as it is Mexico’s oldest and largest port, founded as early as the 16th century by the Spanish.
It has an architectural wealth to rival Mexico City and Merida, with a landmark-packed historic center playing host to grand plazas, left virtually untouched since the Europeans first settled the area, beautiful churches and pedestrian-friendly lanes.
Think the monumental Castle of San Juan de Ulúa, a European-style fortress guarding the entrance to the harbor, the Municipal Palace, dating as far back as the year 1608, or the historical Venustiano Carranza Lighthouse, a neoclassical building with a palatial design.
The whitewashed Cathedral of Veracruz, finished in 1731, is yet another of Veracruz’ top attractions, distinguished by its five naves, richly-decorated cupola, clad in tiles extracted from Puebla, a fellow colonial gem of Mexico, and a crystal candelabra-lit interior.
Aside from the obvious historical value, Veracruz straddles the bright-blue Gulf of Mexico, with the local malecón (the popular Mexican word for boardwalk) stretching for several long miles from the colonial center, all the way into the fringe areas of town.
It offers breathtaking ocean vistas, and the taco and tamales stalls, souvenir shops, and laid-back restaurants make it an incredibly lively area to stroll day and night, and if it’s unspoiled beaches you’re looking for, look no further than these:
If you’re wondering how much cheaper Veracruz is compared to other Mexican beach hotspots, we don’t have an exact average to present you, but we can say it’s for sure on the more economical side, especially when paired with Cancun:
It’s not yet been converted into a resort haven for Americans and other gringos arriving from abroad, and the majority of the clientele remains Mexican families escaping the overpriced, jam-packed Caribbean and Pacific coasts, so prices tend to reflect the local purchasing power.
Out of the seven 5-star hotels listed on Booking.com, Gran Hotel Diligencias on the Veracruz boardwalk is the most affordable this season, with double room rates set at $64, while the pool-featuring, beach-facing Camino Real Veracruz is a moderately-priced $129.
The most expensive option is Grand Fiesta Americana Veracruz, where a king-size deluxe room will set you back by $212 per night: with 2 pools, 3 restaurants, a fitness center, poolside bar, private beach access, and airport shuttle included, it’s the closest one to a Cancun-style stay.
Nonstop flights to trendy Veracruz are available from 2 U.S. airports this winter, Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston Intercontinental, respectively with American Eagle and United Airlines, with one-way fares averaging $249 for the former and $317 for the latter.
When it comes to safety, the Gulf city is among the least-dangerous destinations south of the border, officially ranking as a Level 2 destination in the U.S. State Department Advisory, on a par with Cancun and Los Cabos, and having ‘moderate’ levels of crime as seen on Numbeo.
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Delta Airlines CEO, Ed Bastian, has suggested air fares will increase by up to 30% in the summer months. With rising fuel costs, rising demand, and the end of the COVID-19 pandemic—travelers are witnessing rising air fares in the United States and the rest of the world.
When speaking to investors, Ed Bastian said: “We expect pricing this summer to be up probably somewhere between 25% and 30% on average,”
He added: “We’ve never seen anything of that scale.”
According to statistics, airfares in the United States are up by 25% in the previous 12 months. In fact, airfares jumped by a staggering 16.8% in April alone.
So what should travelers do? Read on to find out!
Delta Airlines has predicted its revenue in Q2 will be back to pre-pandemic levels for the first time, even with fewer flights than in 2019. They expect their revenue to be up 8% more than previously expected.
So this is good news for the airlines, right?
Sure.
But it’s not great for travelers like me and you.
The rising fuel costs are due to soar up to 22% above 2018 levels on a per-seat basis, which is more severe than the mid-April forecast of 17%. In addition, many airlines are contending with staff shortages that sometimes require higher worker pay.
As a result, Delta Airlines are raising flight prices to make up for the increased fuel costs.
Although thousands of travelers are complaining about the rising airfares on social media, many airline executives are reluctant to say it’ll deter travelers from traveling this year.
Speaking at the same event, United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby, said: “It you’re worried about pricing destroying demand, you are betting against history,”
He suggests air fares are only back to where they were in 2014 after adjusting for inflation.
Helane Becker, Senior Research Analyst at Cowen, told Bloomberg TV on Monday: “We’re worried about September and what happens in the fall. Avgas prices are going up and up. Airlines are finding labor costs are going up, fuel costs are going up, airport costs are going up. They are facing huge inflationary pressures and need to raise ticket prices and at some point, the consumer is going to say ‘okay, we’ve done our travel, and we’re done, we cannot (afford) to fly again,”
For the most part, the increased domestic demand in the United States is driving the rise in flight prices. Although some Americans are traveling overseas after the COVID-19 pandemic—numbers are still down on pre-pandemic levels.
Therefore, international airfares purchased in the United States remain down on pre-pandemic levels.
So travelers can still find excellent deals of flights to Europe, South America, and even the Caribbean or Mexico.
Americans looking to travel within Europe will face the same issues with flight prices. According to Ryanair CEO, Michael O’Leary, flight prices in Europe may increase to a “high single-digit per cent.”
He said: “It seems to us that there will be higher prices into that peak summer period because there’s so much demand for the beaches of Europe and those price rises going to continue,”
Travel has returned back to pre-pandemic levels within North America in 2022, which is faster than many economists and travel experts expected.
In turn, this has enabled airlines to raise prices for travelers.
However, despite the sharp rebound, travelers are witnessing enormous waiting times and issues at airports due to airlines failing to prepare for the massive travel rebound.
There is also a massive shortage in pilots in the United States. Delta Airlines recently trimmed its summer schedule by up to 3% to enable more time between flights and a smoother service in light of the recent issues.
Don’t let the rise in prices put you off traveling in 2022. There are still excellent flight deals out there—especially to Mexico and Europe.
Yes, flights are skyrocketing in the United States. But with the world finally reopening, now might be the best time to travel overseas.
Flight Cancelled? Refund Polices Of Major U.S. Airlines
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Ever been to Europe?
There’s something almost indescribable in regard to wandering timeless streets mesmerized by centuries-old architecture and simplistic lifestyles.
Then we come back home dying to be first in line for the latest cell phone, video games, and whatever that whole NFT craze was.
Well, unlike the U.S., which is generally depicted as just wide open spaces, bougie beaches, and sky-high modernized metropolises, there are still plenty of timeless cities to enjoy, especially during the holiday season.
Perhaps the best area for such places is the South from New Orleans, Charleston, and one of America’s most charming cities, Savannah, Georgia.
This winter, discover cheaper stays and festive streets perfect for a winter escape in a city known for ‘southern hospitality’, old-timey plazas, and a springboard to a blissful side of the Atlantic coastline.
There’s many reasons to visit Savannah, but this historic city was just crowned #1 on Southern Living’s new ’10 Winter Vacation Ideas’ list primarily due to crowd-free streets and the affordability factor this time of year.
There’s really not a bad time to visit Savannah unless you’d like to avoid the humidity. In that case, a summer trip may not be for you.
Wintertime brings more splendid weather, consistently in the 60s, great for venturing out to nearby islands, perusing cobbled streets, or hopping aboard a scenic river cruise like Savannah Riverboat Cruises (where they ‘guarantee the lowest prices’!).
Savannah is a popular getaway year-round, but winter is the best time to take advantage of the least of amount of crowds for easier navigation and better photo-ops.
Perhaps more importantly, you can typically score cheaper stays and even airfare on occasion, according to Southern Living.
If you prefer luxury over boutique stays, check out the following 3 hotels with great rates in December and January (including Christmas!):
For comparison, the above hotels are all deep into the $200’s in summer, proving your bank account will thank you this winter.
Savannah’s architecture is to die for with well-preserved rows of a variety of styles from Georgian (of course!) and Greek Revival, among others.
There’s plenty of vacation rentals and converted hotels too, like the Olde Harbour Inn for true Savannah stay.
There’s definitely a European vibe in Savannah and even more so come winter when the popular Savannah Christmas Market arrives (Nov. 21 – Dec. 31)
It’s not only the market that’s festive, however. The main parts of the city, such as always bustling River Street, are decked to the gills with holiday decor to set the mood for the ‘most wonderful time of the year’.
The Historic District is already teeming with charming streets, historic homes, and the unmissable Gothic-style Cathedral Basilica of Saint John the Baptist, which of course, is even more incredible to visit with the magical ambiance of Christmas.
One unique event that’s a must-see is the Holiday Boat Parade of Lights (November 30th) showcasing a dazzling display of synchronized lights.
While the Christmas Market takes a page out of Europe’s playbook, the Boat Parade is true Savannah through and through along the Savannah River. and always draws a crowd.
Even though Georgia borders Florida, it’s actually the Georgia-South Carolina line that’s one of the best beach spots.
While you won’t find Caribbean-esque sun this time of year, walks on the beach, kayaking, surfing, and simply finding a nice beachfront restaurant is always enjoyable.
One such place to check off all these boxes this winter is Georgia’s Tybee Island, roughly 25 minutes from Savannah.
Across the Savannah River, however, is the South Carolina state line with its own set of beautiful islands like the hidden gem of Daufuskie Island, popular vacation spot Hilton Head, and one of our Editor, Tyler’s favorite beach getaways, Fripp Island.
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