World Travel Guide Online

So we all know the world economy stands on the frightening precipice that could lead to something much worse in the not too distant future, but finally there is some really good news for Americans who find themselves with a bit of time off (one way or another) and who have a bit of money available. After seeing our dollar become the punching bag of every other currency for the past couple years, out of nowhere it’s gained new strength as what many investors consider a “safe haven” in uncertain times.

Traveling to Europe has gotten reasonable again, and our traditional exchange-rate advantage with Canada is back to some degree, so those places are back in play for Americans. But the news is even better elsewhere, as quite a few countries that had become a bit pricey for us are suddenly bargains. The timing on quite a few of them is even better in that they are in the Southern Hemisphere so the next few months is the ideal time to visit anyway. There’s no telling just how long this will last, and things might even improve more for Americans in the short run, but for now these are some of the better places you should be considering.

Australia

Bondi Beach, Sydney

July, 2008 – AU$1.02 to US$1
November, 2008 – AU$1.50 to US$1

Costs for most things in Australia had gotten quite high for Americans during the past few years, and in mid 2008 things had really gotten out of hand, but suddenly the tables have turned and Oz now (barely) qualifies as a budget destination for Yanks. Budget hotel rooms in Sydney that would cost around US$90 can now be had for around US$60 per night, and nicer 2- and 3-star tourist hotels can now be yours for around US$80 per night, which is noticeably cheaper than most American cities that are nowhere near as nice as Sydney.

To make things even better, airfares have suddenly and mysteriously dropped as well. A roundtrip from Los Angeles to Sydney has been running a bit over $1,000 for many years now, but all of a sudden fares as low as $742 have appeared. Australia certainly isn’t as cheap as most of the others on this list, but if you’ve been wanting to go this is the perfect combination of events that should get you started, and of course their summer is fast approaching to make things even better.

Iceland

Blue Lagoon, Iceland

July, 2008 – 75 Icelandic Krona to US$1
November, 2008 – 120 Icelandic Krona to US$1 (unofficial, see explanation)

Iceland has notoriously been one of the most expensive places in the world for tourists, but due to its recent banking collapse it’s suddenly a bargain and many are now flocking in to take advantage of a situation that is still a bit up in the air. International trading of the Icelandic Krona has been suspended since October 6, so it’s a bit difficult to figure out exactly where things stand at the moment, but previous searches have shown that finding a hotel room in Reykjavik for under US$100 was virtually impossible, and now we are seeing one hotel on the outskirts of the city with rooms for US$19, and many more choices in the US$30 to US$50 range. Beers that were recently well over US$10 apiece in downtown bars are now reported to be in the US$4 range for those fortunate enough to be there now.

Flights from the east coast of the US are starting under $500 these days, and even though the days are short and getting shorter now, the winter weather isn’t nearly as harsh as most people expect, with average temperatures similar to those in New York City. The famous Blue Lagoon thermal pool is always warm, so now might be an ideal time to check out a country that has been on the ‘outrageous’ list for decades.

South Korea

Gyeongbokgung Palace, Seoul

July, 2008 – 998 Korean Won to US$1
November, 2008 – 1,260 Korean Won to US$1

South Korea has long held a spot somewhere between the insanity of Japanese prices and the affordability of its neighbors to the west in Asia, but now suddenly our money goes more than 25% further. The exchange rate briefly hit 1,467 just a week ago, which gave us an almost 50% bonus, so this one might go further in our direction again. This is a modern country, and its giant capital of Seoul has all the modern amenities that you could want, so budget hotel rooms under $40 and business-class rooms around $75 per night are real bargains.

Flights from Los Angeles can be had for around $830, and flights from New York are starting around $960 at the moment. Especially now, it’s fairly cheap once you get there, so if you can find a flight that works this might be the ideal time to see this country that is becoming more popular with globetrotters every year.

Argentina

9 de Julio Avenue, Buenos Aires

July, 2008 – 3.02 Argentine pesos to US$1
November, 2008 – 3.40 Argentine pesos to US$1

While the currency-rate shift hasn’t been quite so dramatic in Argentina, the important thing to know is that Argentina has been a major bargain for a while now, and it’s just gotten a bit better. The country artificially held its money at 1-to-1 with the USD for many years before a banking collapse led to the 2002 decision to let the peso fluctuate, which suddenly gave foreigners about a 70% discount on everything. Inflation since then has slowly chipped away at the advantage, but the country is still a huge bargain, and now even a bit cheaper.

Buenos Aires, sometimes called the Paris of Latin America, is considered one of the nicest cities in the world by its many fans, and comfortable hotel rooms with good locations aren’t difficult to find in the US$50 per night range, and an excellent steak dinner can be found starting well under US$10, with a bottle of quality local wine around US$6 at the same restaurant. Most of the rest of the country is even cheaper, and there are many highlights to explore once you leave the big city. Flights from New York and Miami start around $850 roundtrip, and around $950 roundtrip from Los Angeles.

New Zealand

Queenstown, New Zealand

July, 2008 – NZ$1.30 to US$1
November, 2008 – NZ$1.70 to US$1

New Zealand is “on the list” for nearly every serious traveler who hasn’t yet made it, and it’s hard to find anything but raving reviews from those who’ve visited before. It’s always been a bit cheaper than nearby Australia, and that trend continues, with both of them becoming weirdly affordable due to the strange exchange-rate movements of late. When you go it’s really not wise to linger in the largest city of Auckland, but a hotel there can now be found in the US$50 to US$60 price range on the budget end, and not too much more for something quite nice. Lakeside resorts in the South Island tourist haven of Queenstown are now starting around US$80 per night, but most every other tourist spot in the country is even cheaper.

The trick for visiting New Zealand is to rent a car or campervan, and get out into the gorgeous and varied scenery that covers both islands. With fuel prices coming back down, and cabins or campsites at the many holiday parks now cheaper than ever, the whole place is very reasonable once you get there. Just as with Australia, flight bargains have also appeared out of nowhere, and a roundtrip from Los Angeles can now be found for around US$750, though these bargain fares might be gone soon.

Brazil

Sugarloaf Mountain, Rio de Janeiro

July, 2008 – 1.55 Brazilian Real to US$1
November, 2008 – 2.17 Brazilian Real to US$1

There’s much more to this huge country than Rio de Janeiro and its famous beaches of Copacabana and Ipanema, and Brazil has always been fairly affordable for Americans, at least once the plane ticket is paid for. But the currency had been gaining strength against the greenback for more than 4 years straight until the recent shift that has put the whole country solidly back into the “bargain” category. Hotels in Rio have never been all that cheap, but now you can find a good budget place in a good location in the US$50 to US$60 range again, and most all other expenses for food, drinks, entertainment, and attractions are all quite reasonable.

Of course, most of the rest of the country is even cheaper than Rio, so it’s wise to move around and take in other aspects of the country when you are flying so far in the first place. Flights from either Los Angeles or New York to Rio can be found in the $750 neighborhood these days, and of course it’s spring there now and their high season is approaching, so this could be a great winter getaway instead of Hawaii or the Caribbean.

Mexico

Cancun, Mexico

July, 2008 – 10 Mexican pesos to US$1
November, 2008 – 13 Mexican pesos to US$1

Mexico hasn’t suddenly become a bargain, as it’s pretty much lived on the bargain list all its life, but as you can see the USD now goes about 30% further than it did just a few months ago. The trick here is finding hotels that don’t already base their rates on US dollars, but either way prices that were reasonable before should be even lower now, and of course most of your expenses on food, drinks, entertainment, and souvenirs are now more affordable than they’ve been in at least 5 years. With winter approaching and so much worldwide economic uncertainty we’ll be looking for great specials at some of the more popular resorts that will probably find themselves with more empty rooms than they know what to do with.

Flights from the US to Mexico have also been traditionally reasonable, and nothing has changed there. You can fly roundtrip from either Los Angeles or New York to Mexico City or Cancun starting in the $300 to $350 price range, even as their high season approaches.

South Africa

Lion Sands Game Reserve

July, 2008 – 7.2 South African Rand to US$1
November, 2008 – 10 South African Rand to US$1

Never known for being especially cheap for Americans, South Africa has always lived on its reputation of great beaches, excellent nature reserves, safari parks, winery tours, golf resorts, and much more. But now it’s pretty cheap for Americans as well. The exchange rate has been lingering in the 6 to 7 Rand per USD range for many years now, so you can imagine how nice it must be when you are getting 10 Rand for every greenback. This is another Southern Hemisphere destination that is weirdly cheap at the perfect time of year for Americans looking for a new adventure. Nice hotels in Cape Town are starting in the US$60 to US$80 range now, and of course most of the rest of the country will come in below that.

Not surprisingly, the tricky part of visiting South Africa is the flights part. You’ll have to change planes at least once, probably in Senegal or in Europe, and the combination of flights will eat up around a full 24 hours, even if you get good connections. Right now flights from New York to Cape Town are starting around $1,100, and from Los Angeles around $1,300.

You don’t have to be a cowboy-wannabe to find the idea of riding exotic animals around the world enticing. After all, it’s not everyday you get a chance to climb on the back of an elephant or a water buffalo, right?

You’re already making some great travel memories on your trip, and this is just another chance to add to that tally – not to mention get a few interesting travel photos in the process. If horseback riding just isn’t enough to get your blood going, here are some of the animals you can ride around the world.

Ride a Water Buffalo in Vietnam

In Vietnam, and throughout much of Asia, water buffalo have long been (and remain) a typical farm animal for many families – like cows or chickens are to farms in other countries. For tourists, however, the opportunity to ride what looks like an animal you’d see in a zoo somewhere can be really tempting. The locals might think you’re a little wacky for wanting to ride their livestock, but if you’re willing to pay them for the chance then they’ll probably minimize their laughing until after you’ve left.

The Mekong Delta region of Vietnam is a good target destination if you’re intent on riding a water buffalo, and you should know that if you’re in the Philippines when the idea to ride one strikes you, the animal may be called a Carabao. Whatever it’s called, when it starts to move, hang on.

Ride an Ostrich in South Africa

The concept of riding a bird might just be the pinnacle of weirdness, but in South Africa you can easily arrange to hop on the back of an ostrich for a crazy spin around a corral. In the Little Karoo region you’ll find the town of Oudtshoorn, which is famous for having the world’s biggest population of ostrich.

As you might imagine, the big birds do end up on many a local dinner plate, but if you prefer the idea of interacting with nature while it’s still alive then head for one of the many ostrich farms in the area that offers ostrich rides.

Riding an ostrich is inelegant (to put it mildly), and although the ride will typically last no more than a minute or so you may feel the effects of the bird’s spastic movements for quite awhile. Make sure you get all the necessary tips from the ostrich handlers about how to stay on the bird before they remove its blindfold. Because by that point, you probably won’t be able to pay attention to anything other than holding on for dear life.

Ride a Camel in Egypt

Some call it one of the world’s biggest tourist traps, but riding a camel in Egypt is still on many travelers’ to-do lists. The good news is that a quick spin on the back of a camel is really easy to accomplish – and if you’re looking for something a bit more adventurous, you can also arrange for multi-day camel treks into the desert.

Almost anywhere around the Giza Pyramids in Egypt, you’ll find camel wranglers poised to get you on one of their charges so you can get your picture taken. But here’s a fair warning to anyone who must have this photo in their album – be prepared to pay a hefty price for it. Some tourists have been so eager to get onto the camel that they haven’t negotiatied the price in advance. Then the camel guide doesn’t let them dismount until they’ve paid some exorbitant fee. Others report that even though they agreed to a price before climbing on board, the camel guide then led them far away from their tour bus (and tour guide) and demanded more money before they’d take them back.

Although these shady practices are less common now than they once were, your best bet is still to have your trusted tour guide arrange a camel ride for you rather than approaching a camel keeper outside the Pyramids. Fortunately, those of you who are interested in a longer camel trek can generally book these in advance of your trip with companies that have good reputations.

Ride a Llama in the United States

If you’ve ever seen a llama up close, you’ll know that they’re not the burliest of animals. Although you can probably easily picture an elephant or a horse carrying an average-sized human being on its back, that idea just seems cruel when you’re looking at something the size of a llama. So it shouldn’t be surprising that llamas are really only suitable as either light pack animals or as riding animals for small children.

In some of the U.S. National Parks, including Yellowstone, there are llama-packing trips you can go on where the llamas are enlisted to carry some of your equipment. But if you’re traveling with the wee ones (and the llamas are agreeable), there’s nothing like the look in a child’s eyes when she sees the world from the back of a furry four-legged creature. Even more memorable is the look of terror in that same kid’s eyes when the llama decides that it’s had enough of being your beast of burden.

Ride a Yak in China

Like the water buffalo, the yak is an animal not uncommon in several parts of Asia where it’s used primarily as a pack animal. But any animal that big is bound to have a saddle thrown on its back at some point, whether by locals who just get tired of walking or by tourists who just think it’s fun. In China, it’s possible to take a quick ride on a yak as part of a trip to Jade Dragon Snow Mountain near Lijiang in the Yunnan province.

The area around Jade Dragon Snow Mountain Park includes mountains (obviously), gardens, and wide streams – and it’s at these streams where the yaks come in. You can hop on the animal’s back to get across the water in order to keep your feet dry, and get a great photo in the process. And the best news of all is that these animals generally move slowly enough that the ride won’t make you, umm, yak. (Sorry, I couldn’t help myself.)

Ride an Elephant in Thailand

One of the most popular things to do during a trip to Thailand is to ride an elephant. Like most of the other animal riding opportunities on this list, you can choose a quick on-off photo-op or you can go for something a bit more adventurous and actually go on an elephant safari. And while the cost of a multi-day elephant trek is going to be higher than a simpler half-day excursion, you’d be surprised at how affordable these treks can be.

Generally speaking, your best bet for riding an elephant is around Khao Sok National Park, Chiang Mai, or Phuket Island – and because each of those destinations offers its own set of great sight-seeing, you’ll have to read about your options in each place to choose where you want to go. And be sure to wear clothing you don’t mind getting wet, as you’re likely to get sprayed by the elephants when they go through water – nevermind that they’re supposed to keep you high above the water in the first place.

Ride a Giant Tortoise in Kenya

Like the llama, a giant tortoise isn’t immediately going to conjure up the image of "beast of burden." But these oversized aquarium creatures are plenty big and sturdy enough to give a small kid a few minutes of entertainment – albeit at a very slow pace.

At the the Mount Kenya Wildlife Conservancy in (you guessed it) Kenya, where the goal is rescue and return wild animals to their natural habitat, there’s an Aldabra Giant Tortoise who’s a permanent resident. Her name is "Speedy," and she’s also the oldest animal at the conservancy.

Perhaps the best part of letting your child hop on Speedy’s back is that they’ll never look at those tiny turtles back home the same way again.

Ride a pony that’s painted to look like a zebra in China

Fake zebra

When you’re thinking of animals it would be logical to think about riding, you’d probably think first of animals that look like horses, right? So it seems reasonable that riding a zebra would be not only possible but common, right? Well, just because something "seems reasonable" (or because that something was the subject of a childrens’ movie) doesn’t mean it is reasonable. Let that be a lesson to us all.

I spent some time hunting online for places where you can ride zebras, but got nowhere. But after my fruitless searches, I was sent this glorious piece of ridiculousness. Evidently, a park in China painted black stripes on a white pony, called it a "zebra," and charged people to get their picture taken riding it.

And if that’s not brilliant enough, we have the "zebra" feeder’s reply when he was asked if it was, in fact, a real zebra: "It’s from Africa. What do you call it, if it’s not a zebra?" Umm, I have some ideas…

In all seriousness…

As an animal lover, I can’t finish this article without reminding all you travelers to be aware of the treatment of the animals you’ll encounter around the world. For instance, not all elephant safari companies are created equally – some mistreat their elephants, while others use some of their profits to aid sick elephants. You won’t always be able to determine the moral standards of the people who are handling the animals you’re thinking of riding, but often a little research is all it takes to weed out the bad apples. And if you’ve got any doubts, don’t give in to temptation. No photograph on an animal’s back is worth the heartache of knowing you’re contributing to animal abuse, after all.

And while I think most of you are going to be intelligent enough not to need this additional warning, I still somehow feel compelled to urge you – for the love of gawd, people – not to fancy yourself some kind of zebra-whisperer who’s going to tame whatever random wild beasts you see in your travels. If you’re going to ride an exotic animal, do it where such actions are sanctioned and organized. I’d hate to think of you chasing down a giraffe with a lasso or trying to wrestle a saddle onto an alligator.