Travel Tips

When it comes to cultural diversity, probably nothing beats Asia. In fact, many of the places you can visit here offer such a wide variety of culture, beliefs, traditions, language and even cuisine that you might be wondering if it’s still the same place. There is one thing that holds true, though. A visit to Asia can be filled with adventure and learning. Are you planning for last minute travel soon? Here are tips you can use:

Get familiar with your location.
Whether you’re on your way to the airport or waiting to board, it would help if you look for information regarding the region where you’re going. You could, for example, find out about the local cuisine a good idea if you have a sensitive stomach and need to locate a local McDonald’s for a meal your stomach is more used to. Or you could try to look for places of interest parks, museums, famous landmarks, beaches, etc. so once your plane has landed, you know exactly where to go and what to do.

Always book accommodations in advance.
Of course, you could go on an adventure and simply walk around asking locals for advice on where to stay but there’s a risk that you could fall into tourist traps that can sometimes afflict major cities. If you prefer to have a nice, safe hotel or inn to go to after you land at the airport, best seek it out prior to the trip.

This is especially important especially during tourist season, when all the major (and even not so popular) hotels, inns and hostels are fully booked. If you go on a last minute trip to Asia without having a hotel reservation, you might have a bit of trouble finding a place to stay.

Another reason why you should book for accommodations in advance even if you’re traveling last minute to Asia is that at certain times of the year, especially on holidays, hotels in some countries close. This is common in Singapore, South Korea and Japan.

Get packaged deal type tours.
If you will be making last minute travel plans to Asia and it’s your first time, consider booking a bundled travel tour. These can prove to be great deals if you want to save on cost (bundled tours include airfare and accommodation) and if you don’t want any surprises.

Trips often include guided tours, which can be good if you want to see the most popular tourist spots only. Even if you like to explore on your own, most guided package tours still allow you some time off to go on your own.

Some seasons mean heavy traffic as in heavy traffic.
Many parts of Asia celebrate certain times of the year as national holidays and festivals. These are also popular tourist attractions and as can be expected, many people both foreign and local flock to these areas. If one of these happens to be your destination during that particular time of the year, be ready. The influx of visitors means fully booked hotels, crowded streets, packed shops and traffic jams.

Watch out for the weather.
Last minute travel to Asia can sometimes be affected by local weather. You could probably be forewarned regarding climate and it can differ drastically depending on your current location but there are times when the weather can get nasty. In some places, weather can sometimes dictate business.

During monsoon season, for example, some hotels in Malaysia are closed. It would be good for your own safety to be informed.

Seattle, Washington has a great deal to offer its discerning visitors. From the ordinary and mundane to the out and out macabre, you will see it all while visiting Seattle, Washington, if, that is, you know where to look for them. Seattle has a rich history and it seems an even richer future. Nestled among some of the most beautiful countryside North America has to offer, this great city has the best of most worlds-a very mild climate, access to water, land, mountains, fields, and streams. Seattle is like every patriotic song you can imagine and in the middle of it all Seattle is a bustling metropolis.

If you are planning to visit Seattle, I have one word of warning for you. You will probably want to stay. That is of course, if you aren’t too worried by rain. The only real drawback I can see for living in Seattle is that your skin will have a difficult time getting that sun kissed glow that summer brings almost everywhere else in America. But I think I could sacrifice sweltering heat and sticky humidity in exchange for a little rain. In fact, I would welcome a little rain right now; it might actually cool things off.

For those who have tastes that run a little bit off center of ordinary, Seattle has a great bit of entertainment to offer you as well. The first bit is a freebie and not of interest to some (yet it still seems a vastly popular stop for tourists). That place is the Lakeview Cemetery. This is where the bodies of many of Seattle’s founding fathers and most prominent citizens have been laid to rest. Perhaps most startling is the fact that Bruce and Brandon Lee receive more visitors than anyone else in the cemetery. While some may find this fact mildly disturbing, I guess when you think of all the visitors Graceland receives every year it really isn’t all that obscene.

The next stop on the off center tourist traps would be Bill Speidel’s Underground Tour. This tour takes you to the streets of old downtown Seattle. The only thing is these streets are beneath the streets of New Seattle. This is perhaps one of the most interesting tours you will find in the city-other than maybe the Private Eye tours but that’s another story-because it literally takes you into history. At the end of this tour you can get access to Rogue’s Gallery Museum where you will see exhibits relating to Seattle’s Victorian era and other historical points of interest. The tour lasts about 90 minutes and costs $11 for adults. If you have the time, this is one tour that if nothing else, will leave a lasting impression.

If you are in the Pike Place Market area, you really should check out the Market Ghost Tours. These are one hour walking tours of the market where those who work in the building share stories of strange occurrences. You will also get to hear some of Seattle’s interesting history mixed in with the ghost tales. This is a walking tour and might be a little frightening and/or boring for smaller children. But, if you are looking for something different to do, this tour should be right up your alley. Whether you believe in ghosts or not, I would hope that you can at the very least find tours such as this entertaining.

The city of Seattle has a great deal to offer those who are adventurous enough to seek the knowledge, fun, and entertainment that abounds. Some of the tours and exhibits need to be taken with a grain of salt and a sense of humor. All others should at the very least provide some degree of information, education, and fun to those who visit. I hope more than anything that your trip to Seattle takes you off the beaten path at least once. What on earth would you tell the people back home if you didn’t at least have one extraordinary adventure?