Junaid Alam

Only a few years ago, the preferred method of booking a holiday was by physically going into a branch of a popular travel agent on the high street, or booking by phone. But now, with more and more people having access to the internet at work and at home, thousands of online travel agents have been set up to make booking a holiday easier and cheaper. However, with so many sites to choose from, it can be hard to know who to book with, and most importantly, how to protect yourself when booking a holiday online, so here are a few tips to keep your money safe online.

Use a Credit Card

When booking a holiday, or buying any item online, it’s best to use a credit card instead of a debit card, which will give you more protection if someone manages to get hold of your credit card number. By using a credit card, you won’t be liable for any charges if someone makes a fraudulent purchase, unlike a debit card, which depending on your bank and your type of account can leave you unprotected.

Use Your Head

The old saying, ‘if something sounds too good to be true it probably is’, is a term which can be easily applied to buying anything online. There are some travel sites and travel companies that will advertise holidays for cheap prices, but then add on hidden charges at the checkout, so keep that in mind when you’re booking your holiday. There may also be some less than legitimate sites which will offer holidays that don’t exist, so keep a clear head and research a site before buying from it.

Use Your Destination

When looking for your dream holiday online, it’s a good idea to search specifically for that destination. Try typing something like cheap Amsterdam flights or cheap flights Amsterdam into a search engine and see what you find, you may even track down a great deal, which could save you a lot of money off your next holiday.

The two places in Kerala tour you shouldn't miss are 'Varkala Beach' and 'Vizhinjam'

Varkala Beach:

Varkala beach, which is one of the fascinating tourist spots in small village known as Varkala which is located in the Trivandrum district. Actually it is 42 kilometres away from the Trivandrum city. It is one of the beautiful places to spend our holidays. This is one of the best places in Kerala for watching sunset. The panoramic landscape, seascapes and the brown sands of the beach makes every spectators mind cool.

It is believed that if we go there and taken a holy dip in the holy waters of the beach, the body and the soul of the pilgrims will get purified. Because of this belief, the beach is also known as ‘Papanashini’ which means destroyer of sins. The beach is always well crowded with pilgrims in almost all the holidays. Since the beach is bordered by hills, we can see high steep cliffs with red brown stones surrounding the beach and there is also another belief that the mineral water gushing from the hills has medicinal properties.The two other important attraction points of this place are the 2000 year old Janardana Swamy Temple and the Nature Centre. The Nature Centre offers Ayurvedic treatments like Yoga and meditation courses especially for the visitors. A lot of people came to the beach with family, and they enjoy swimming, playing volley ball, water spots such as Parasailing, Scuba diving, wind surfing etc which will be a great fun.

The transportation to the Varkala beach is not so difficult. We can reach there by road, rail or by air. Buses are easily accessible from all the parts of Kerala and the neighbouring states too. A railway station itself is owned by Varkala, so getting out there by train is also not a problem. The nearest airport from Varkala is the Thiruvananthapuram international airport which is 52 kms away from Varkala.


Vizhinjam:

Vizhinjam, which is believed to have been an ancient port, is located in Trivandrum district to the south of Kovalam. This is situated almost 17kms from the Trivandrum city. Vizhinjam, which is now a fishing harbour, is a very attracting tourist place. The place was once a commercial centre for the Portuguese and Dutch. At that time the Europeans have had commercial establishments there. Near to the sea shore, Portuguese have built a church which is named as Old Vizhinjam Church and is still functional. Vizhinjam is now known for the Ayurvedic treatments since it has some world famous beach resorts in around the place.

The major picnic spot at Vizinjam is the Vizhinjam Rock Cut Cave. Earlier, it was left unnoticed for long time but now it is a famous historic spot. In the cave temple at Vizhinjam, we can see the rock cut sculptures of the 18th century. This is just amazing and I think every person will like to watch it again and again. There is a one celled shrine loose sculpture of Vinandhara Dakshnimurthi which is enclosed by the granite cave. Huge rocks are drilled to make the ruins of the rock temple and this must be the main attractive spot of the tourists. A Marine aquarium is also developed here which contains a wide collection of sea animals. This aquarium is one of the famous aquariums which house the world's rarest and most exotic species of invertebrates and fishes.

The place has its natural depth and because of its proximity to International Shipping channel, now Vizhinjam is being developed into an International Deep Water Container Transshipment Terminal. We can reach Vizhinjam by road, rail or air. There is regular bus service from Trivandrum. The place is about 12kms away from Thiruvananthapuram International Airport and about 16kms Thiruvananthapuram central railway station.

“How do I save money on my holiday this year?” Now that’s a question I’m hearing a lot at the moment.

With VAT having just gone up to 20%, the air passenger duty tax implemented last year and most of us having our annual pay rises terminated, the cost of our holiday is a real concern. However, most of us still yearn for that week or two in the sun and really don’t want to have to give it up unless we really have to.

Well, here are a few hints and tips as to how you can save money on your holiday. Some more obvious, some a little less. So take a moment to have a quick read through, and you never know, you might end up quids in!

1.Savings
Now I know most of us are still paying for Christmas, but if you can, try and put a little bit of money away each month. Every little helps and even if you’ve saved a couple of hundred pounds it’s a big chunk towards your spending money without getting into debt for a few ice creams and sangrias!

2.All Inclusive
They might not be everyone’s cup of tea, many feel somewhat cooped up on an all-inclusive holidays, however they are actually extremely good value. The deals on these types of holidays across Europe right now are really very good. The whole point of these holidays, prudent when you’re on a budget, is that everything is included – meals, snacks, drinks and vino!! Once your holiday is booked and paid for then that should be it. No second-guessing how much spending money you might need. Or worrying about the cost of eating out once you are there. Don’t forget of course, the cost of almost everything in Europe has risen sharply as the Euro is low against the pound.

This type of holiday is especially good for families as children always need a constant supply of drinks (that never end up getting finished), ice-creams (which are so expensive) and not to mention the constant snacking which all adds up!

3.Expensive Days of the Week to Travel
Certain days of the week are considerably more to fly out on. The weekends for example, Fridays too. Mondays however are less popular so are therefore usually a good couple of hundred pounds less!

4.Expensive Times of the Day to Travel
It’s the same for the time of your flight too. Night flights and mid day flights are usually cheaper than early or mid-morning flights.

5.Pre-book Airport Parking
Driving to the airport? Need airport parking? Well, book this as early as possible, and also be sure to book online. By doing this you will get the very best price around, whereas if you book within days of travelling you will be charged a lot, lot more!

6.Book Early
At the moment there are some cracking deals out there so have a good look around – don’t book the first thing you find. Also, if you find a better holiday elsewhere but prefer a certain tour operator don’t be afraid to ask them to price match. They don’t want to lose your business – if you don’t ask you don’t get is my philosophy!

7.Say ‘no’ to Short Haul In-flight Meals
If you’re only flying short haul say no to an in-flight meal, these are expensive. Instead, take a packed lunch or buy something at the airport to take onboard.

8.Foreign Currency & Cash Withdrawals
Don’t change up your foreign currency at the airport Bureau de Change – rates at the airport are not as competitive as on the high street or online. Search around before you buy as you can usually get a good deal. And be sure to watch out for deals on exchanging your currency back into pounds if you haven’t spent it all.

If you can help it, don’t withdraw cash from a cash machine whilst away, unless you have cleared it with your bank first. Be aware you may be charged a lot of interest, plus an overseas transaction charge for every withdrawal you make. Also refrain from taking money out on your credit card too, again the interest is through the roof and you’ll be charged this from the moment you take the cash out, not from when your statement is due!

9.Souvenirs & Gifts
How many times have you been caught up in the moment, bought a ‘special’ souvenir only to wonder why, oh why you did so when you get home? Well, be strict with yourself. Don’t buy anything you don’t need.

And take this a step further - cut out, or at least back, on those little gifts and souvenirs for family and friends!

Buying cheap online flights is a good way to save money and even efforts that anyone can do. The only need to do so is that you must be the user of internet and then, you can do it smartly. Well, cheap flights are in your access because of the cut-throat competition among the airline companies. They try to stand in the market with good reputation and so, they offer their customers great discount in form of cheap flights.

If you grab the cheap flights, you can visit the whole world as when you cut this expense, you don’t need to worry for your holiday expense too much. Well, when you have decided on booking the cheap tickets, you need to do very first work of finding out the most popular and reliable websites to book cheap tickets. Some of them boast too much but don’t offer services in that manner and so, you need to avoid them and you can do it only when you have done a great research.

The next step to cut the cost of your flight is to book your tickets at least before 3 months. Airlines offer special and big discounts during off season and you can grab them. In fact, if you have no problem in travelling during nights, you will also save a big amount of money. So, make sure that you take all necessary and correct steps in order to book your cheap flights through online agents or direct airlines.

You are reminiscing some great memories from your previous holiday while fantasizing about your next well deserved break, you have an impending business travel and wouldn’t mind soaking in the local culture during the weekend or you want to surprise your loved ones with an experience of a lifetime – a customized travel tailored to suit your personal needs may just be the answer!
Ever been subjected to long widely brochures with a specific plan of where you will go and at what time and date? Ever felt compelled to visit places you couldn’t care about and shepherded through places where you would have liked to spend a little more time? Processed holidays are like processed food, they lose their natural flavor and the personal touch.Customization is the need of the hour and what you need to realize your dreams is a one stop shop which provides you a total travel solution with some travel packages india. You need someone who understands what you want and can provide you the solution without burning a hole through your pocket.While there are numerous sites offering or claiming to offer tailored travel packages at discounted rates here are some key attributes you need to keep in mind while choosing your provider:

1. Experience – Make sure the brand in reliable and have experience in providing travel to a destination of your choice. If you want to travel in India then make sure you are not stuck with someone who has never provided a service to the country. Experience and understanding of a place to visit in India goes a long way in ensuring that your tours are well packaged and executed.

2. Customer feedback – You can rely on the opinion of someone who has used the service in the past. Probably the safest bet in indicating the worth of the provider

3. Flexibility – Try to avoid tour operators who have a rigid travel itinerary with a fixed price. Make sure you have a say in what places you visit and at what cost. Look out for flexible options so that you can plan your trip to meet you specific needs within your budget

4. Services offered – check to see if the tour provider covers a wide spectrum ranging from regular sightseeing to adventure, history, culture and wildlife. A good holiday is usually an interesting potpourri of many different activities

5. Multiple offices – Do they have a presence only in one location or do they have offices in other destinations. While things usually go smoothly you can do with some local help during exigencies

6. Professionalism and punctuality – Speak to them and get a sense of how prompt they are in providing you information, do they listen to you and are they professional during the course of your interactionRemember that a good holiday is a memory for keeps and hence a time invested in shopping around for a good reliable tour operator goes a long way in ensuring that your dream comes true.

Bali is the name of one city in Indonesia which located in eastern part of Indonesia resting between java island and Lombok island. In addition comprises the island of Bali, Bali Tour province consists of the islands are smaller in the vicinity, namely the island of Nusa Penida, Nusa Lembongan Island, Nusa Ceningan Island , and Serangan island. Bali is famous as the island of a thousand temples, the island of Bali disperse from west to east end of the tip. Nearly all of the area in Bali is a sacred place, the ceremonies are held in such sacred places, usually a lot of tourists from foreign countries want to see the flow of the ceremony. As for the ceremony, among others, commonly there are three types of ceremony namely Manusa yadnya, Pitra Yadnya and Deva Yadnya . From three types of these ceremonies all of them are part of each other ceremony .

In addition of the ceremony, there are many more other things of interest in Bali like the show, such as Bali dances or the local tourist attractions that are beautiful and there may be can only be encountered on this island . Most guests look for these places in the outback, for example the village of Ubud, Kintamani, Karangasem, Buleleng, Tabanan and many other guest areas. All travel in Bali is usually already in the bundle form by the travel agent, both to the loveliest spots or to where they will be staying. Today there are a lot of places to stay in Bali that can be selected by the guests either in hotels or villas, but normally the guests who want a special place or private, they chose a place like Bali villas because most of Bali villas are located with an interesting view and serenity so that tourists can see more the exquisite scenery and more rooms could be used up by them rather than having to select staying at the hotel that nearly of them are located in cities that have less good view.

Apart from talks about a place to stay for tourists, Bali is also renowned for its beach spot. The most famous beach resort in Bali and most visited by holidaymakers is Kuta Beach, the beach is settled on the west coast of southern Bali, under the teritory of Badung regency, but other than Kuta, there are still many other coastal attractions as well like Dreamland Beach, Balangan Beach, Sanur Beach . Holiday in Bali is the best selection of destination for foreign and local tourists who want to release the fatigue during the workday, maybe Bali can be an alternative place for your more pleasurable vacation.

For more information click here online travel packages india

This land of diverse faiths and beliefs is one among the few regions of the world where early civilizations of the world flourished. The culture and traditions of India have always attracted the people of the western world.

India Holidays is one of the few countries in the world that are blessed with rich culture and heritage as well as a wide array of natural wonders. It is a popular tourist destination in the world and is visited by millions of international tourists every year and Travel portal provide various travel Packages for places to visit in India. There are numerous tourist attractions in the country from east to west and north to south that tourists love to explore during their India tour.

Rajasthan is the state where cities rich in art, culture and architecture wait for the tourists. Jaipur, the capital of Rajasthan, is the city where one can enjoy several tourist attractions such as beautiful Birla Temple, Amber Fort, the City Palace, Jantar Mantar, Hawa Mahal, Chandra Mahal, etc. In Udaipur, a tourist can explore the luxurious interiors of the City Palace, beautiful Sahelion-ki-Bari Gardens, pretty Lake Pichola, magnificent Jagdish Temple, and Jag Mandir Palace. Jodhpur, Bikaner, Shekhawati are other popular tourist destinations in Rajasthan.For wildlife holidays lovers on India trip, numerous wildlife reserves abounding with rare flora and fauna are available. Some of the most famous wildlife reserves in India are Bharatpur Bird Sanctuary, Sariska Wildlife Sanctuary, Gir Wildlife Sanctuary, and Ranthambore National Park. Other popular wildlife sanctuaries in India include Eravikulam Wildlife Sanctuary, Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary, Thattekad Bird Sanctuary, Bondla Wildlife Sanctuary, Porbandar Bird Sanctuary, Ratanmahal Jessore Sloth Bear Sanctuary, Betla
National Park, Dudhwa National Park, Nanda Devi National Park, Rajaji National Park, Velavadar Black Buck National Park, and Nagarhole National Park. A wildlife enthusiast can watch hundreds of species of wild animals in these reserves including tigers, leopards, monkeys, elephants, etc.

India is also blessed with some of the finest beaches in the world, which attract a large number of tourists. Some of the favorite beaches in India can be found in Goa Beaches, Orissa, Kerala, Lakshadweep, and Tamil Nadu. Tourists, during their India tour, can enjoy memorable holidays at these beaches that extend for miles with golden sand and palms. Adventure sports lovers get a chance to enjoy sun, sand, sea and surfing at these beaches. Goa is an ideal beach holiday destination that has numerous beautiful beaches including Calangute Beach, Dona Paula Beach, Benaulim, and Colva Beaches. In Kerala, Kovalam Beach and Varkala Beach are most popular among tourists.

Delhi, the capital of India, is another good destination for a tourist during India tour. Delhi, known for its rich heritage, has lots of religious, historical and other types of attractions for the tourists. Some of the best tourist sites in Delhi are Qutab Minar, Red Fort, Jama Masjid, India Gate, Old Fort, Raj Ghat, Birla Mandir, Jantar Mantar, and Akshardham Temple.Apart from these tourist destination, other worth-exploring destinations for a tourist during an India tour, include Agra, Kashmir, Mumbai, Kovalam, Chennai, Mysore, Ooty, Pushkar, Nainital, Ranikhet, Leh-Ladakh, Shimla, Kullu–Manali, Srinagar, Mount Abu, Mussoorie and Darjeeling, etc.

There is absolutely no particular reason to Goa holidays . People, who live a hectic life schedule, find themselves taking a break and enjoying every bit of their tours to Goa. Fun and entertainment quotients are high in Goa and its cool and festive like environment makes it a refreshing holidaying destination. Learn how entertainment becomes an inseparable part of a Goa package tour.

Partying at Beaches
Goa Beaches are quite different from those found in other parts of the country. The difference lies in the way people love to party at Goa beaches. Arjuna Beach and many others have night clubs, bars and other venues that are highly admired for the Goa nightlife entertainment. By choosing a Goa package tour, you will find yourself in the mood of partying all the time.

Goa Carnival and Festivals
If you choose one of the Goa carnivals tours, you can witness the real festive spirit of the place. February is the month when Goa carnival is celebrated with great enthusiasm and you can choose to be a part of the entertainment unlimited. Parades, dance, music and other fun activities help tourists make best out of their tours. Besides, there are round-the-year festive celebrations on the occasions like Chavoth, Easter, Christmas, Padvo and many such festivals and you can be a part of these celebrations.

Ride the Adventure
Goa Tours offer ideal opportunities to people with inclination towards adventure holidays. Parasailing, scuba diving, windsurfing, dinghy sailing, water skiing and many such activities become a part of the Goa package tour. Water scooters are other adventure-filled rides that let one have a great expedition on the sea waves.

Fun on Goa Honeymoon
Goa is among the most preferred destinations for the newly wedded honeymoon couples. One good reason for this is the Goa honeymoon cruises that take honeymoon couples on a wonderful romantic voyage. Besides, there are many party cruises that a honeymoon couple can join. Swimming, relaxing at the beach and enjoying dance and music at entertainment venues are some of the other exciting parts of a Goa honeymoon package.

Other Fun Parts of Goa Tourism
There are a number of casinos in Goa that add to the entertainment part of tours to Goa. One can also enjoy crocodile watching and bird watching at some parts of the region. Enjoying seafood,Goa Forts and Monuments regional cuisines and Goa Shopping further take the tour experience to great heights. Finally, there are many options for Goa weekend getaways.

Goa is a vibrant place with unlimited options to get entertained. Choose the Goa package tour and Goa Resorts carefully so that you can enjoy most of these options.

Affectionately dubbed as the Queen of Gao Beaches, Goa boasts of captivating beaches offering facilities for adventure sports such as water skiing, water scooting, diving, parasailing and wind surfing. From party beaches to adventure beaches, crowded beaches and isolated beaches, this destination offers a lot to beach lovers. On the beaches you will find food stalls selling traditional Goa food, including the sea food.Shopping is another fun-filled activity in this beautiful state of India. Browse its colorful bazaars for a variety of beauty handicrafts. The famous shopping items are hats, items made from coconut shell, homemade pickles, terracotta wall hangings, jewelry, cashew nuts, and lampshades in brass.

Some of the famous tourist places in Goa are:

Arambol:

It is a fishing village known for its beach and a hot water spring.It is an isolated stretch of beach known for its rocky and sandy terrain.

Baga Beach

This is a fishing beach. It is very small with a grove of shady palms close to the waters edge. Few transport come all the way to the beaches edge but none after dark. If you plan to stay there after sundown then make sure you have your own transport.

Bambolim

This beach is an undiscovered beach and it is small and clean. It is in a shaded spot before the mouth of the river Zuari.

Candolim Beach
Here on the beach of this destination you can get glimpses of dolphins.In this beach there is no shelter even to the close to the beach but you may hire a beach umbrella. This beach is very popular with package tourists, but is still not too crowded.

Margao Beach:

It is famous for ancient Portuguese churches, farming villages and beaches.Panaji: It is the capital city of Goa which is known for scenic beauty, beaches, museum, churches and carnival. It is ideally located on the banks of river Mandovi.

Sinquerim

This beach is close to the historic Fort Aguada, the early Portuguese fort which was built by the Portuguese to control the entry into River Mandovi and also to protect old Goa from enemy attack. This beach has clean, white sand.

Goa Carnivals

The scene of Goa Carnival resembles some fairy tale descriptions where people hop around in jovial mood with masks on, fireworks, fortune tellers, group of dancers and and above all happy people all around.

Music swings into Goa Carnival quite naturally. The myriad facets of the Goan music compels any onlooker to jig with it. The stylish Spanish guitar, the casual drum beats and the soulful voice are enough to make you move your feet.

Christmas Holidays visit in India – As the saying goes, “What you have been looking for has been in face of your eyes all along”, or something like that at least. Whether you are from the India and are looking to go on holiday places to visit India locally, or whether you are from Europe, Asia, Australia or any other place and are looking to go on India holidays abroad, you will find Great Christmas Travel packages in India by our India trip Planner. Sunny beaches, warm oceans, soft sand under your naked feet, a cool drink by your side and the kid’s cheerful voices in the space, what a life, or rather what a dazzling vacation.

This Is a best India Trip ideas at christmas, Have a look online, and you will be stunned at the array of packages available to you, or take a look at your nearest local travel agent, where you are sure to find Great Christmas vacation packages in India to suit both your pocket and your laid-back style. Packages for a brilliant trip to India are tailor made to fit any budget for any sized family. So take your aunt, your uncle, your sister, your brother, cat, mother, father, dog cat, grandfather, grandmother, and their dogs, cats and goldfish, oh, please do not forget your wife and kids & endash; it’s affordable, it’s fun, it’s exciting, it’s India trip Advisor Ideas Trip.

Great Christmas Trip packages in India come in all different price ranges and you can choose from a large data base of locations, like a Taj Mahal, Goa, Kerela Backwater, Himachal Snowfall, and many amazing locations which you have never experienced. Everyone knows that a Christmas is Big festival for fun and enjoy and all of these locations that offer Great Christmas Vacation packages in India US have taken that really seriously. Everyone in the entire world knows that Christmas Day is special, and you can be assured that wherever you choose to go over your Christmas holiday trip in India you will definitely see a big, cuddly man in a red suit, followed not so far behind by his trail of humble helper Elves.
Treat yourself to the Ideal Christmas Trip in one of our excellent India trip Planner around the the country – we’ve got everything from chilled out, beautiful Christmas breaks in the country to festive breaks in the city..The operative phrase in the sentence was most of the places, so for the holiday maker who loves the heat and wants to make their way to a warm, sunny place to have cocktails on the beach, you will be glad to know that there are some places that offer Great Christmas Vacation Packages in India where you can have fun in the sun. Rest assured that the sun is not at all artificial, it’s the real sun and may not be at its warmest, but you can still relax on the beaches. “Seek and you shall find”, is how the saying goes. Think about it: you could be surfing in the warm Indian oceans getting a tan to die for, while other people are off in the snow making snow men, which is fun as well I guess. We have plan a ideal trip to all who are looking for a India Holiday Trip on Christmas, The trip is created by our India Trip Planner who are best Trip Advisors India who have ideal India Trip Ideas to all.