Travelogger

We wander for distraction, but we travel for fulfillment.

Why Comparison Shopping for Travel Deals is a Must

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Shopping for one’s needs should not be done in a rush. If possible, one has to take the time to compare prices first before making a final decision.

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This attitude also applies in purchasing travel packages online. Experts would tell you that comparison shopping is the key to getting the best deals available that can save you money. It is the best way of finding what you need at the most competitive price online.

Travel websites have been mushrooming in recent years and it’s hard to decipher which are the legitimate ones. But if you do some research and verify the reputation of sites you visit, you will avoid being victimized by the fly-by-night companies or groups.

Comparison Sites

Before you start checking specific travel sites, you may want to visit comparison sites that offer a directory or list of companies offering tour packages. Here you can shortlist those that are doing real business by reading the testimonials and reviews of travelers.

Some of the popular comparison shopping sites you can find on the web today are Google Base, Shopzilla, Shopping.com and NexTag. Companies are listing on these sites to be exposed to their target audience. Those who are able to offer lower rates benefit from being on these sites.

Travel Sites

Once you’ve done your research, it’s time to visit your preferred travel sites. New players have entered the scene in recent years offering better apps and strategies for booking flights and accommodations.

One of the major benefits of purchasing airline tickets as well as hotel and tour packages online is the lower cost consumers can enjoy. Online rates are normally lower than those offered by travel agencies while airline companies have a separate pricing for fares purchased at their offices.

Survey results have shown that majority of travelers today use the internet for planning their trips. Specifically, they go online to research for possible vacation destinations, read online reviews and get ideas from friends on their social networks.

A 2012 consumer travel report by PhoCusWright also revealed that 71 percent of leisure trip shoppers consider posts on social media sites such as Twitter and Facebook in planning their vacations. In addition, many would make changes to their original plans based on suggestions they get from their social media network of friends.

Never underestimate the power of comparison shopping when planning your holidays. Whether you are on a budget, prefer a personalized vacation or want to have a memorable trip, it’s the most ideal way to get value for your money.

Photo via vacation-destinations

About the author:

Gemma loves to spend her holidays with friends in new places and each time she plans her trips, Expedia Australia is always on top of her mind.

Where to Find Travel Coupons

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Traveling is always a nice and enriching experience. And with all the great deals offered by airlines, cruise lines, restaurants as well as hotels and resorts to people today, there is every opportunity to be able to visit a new place you’ve only dreamed to reach in the past.

But as always, it pays to do your homework as not every deal is what it says it is. Oftentimes, you will have to read carefully and understand the fine print or you’ll end up paying more when you get to your destination.


Being fully aware of what’s happening among the most popular coupon sites is very important. A number of these social coupon sites that have been established in recent years include Groupon, LivingSocial, Daily Candy and Eversave. Some sites, however, have been widely criticized after failing to deliver what it offered to consumers. Many travelers complained about getting fake deals and being swindled of their hard-earned money.

A standard step that you need to take is to register on coupon sites such as the CheapSally.com coupons. It would be best to sign up for deals offered at your destination. Find out some fun activities (tours, rentals, etc.) that you can do there and if possible, sign up several weeks before your trip to get the best deals.

Be wary of the expiration and blackout dates. Most of these coupons have an expiration date while some special rates are not allowed on certain dates so better check that out ahead of time.
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Ben Thanh Night Market

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There is something about night markets that attract me – and tons of other tourists, as well. Every time I visit a new city, I make it a point to find out if it has a night market, and I make sure that go there at least once. I don’t know why, but night markets are much more fun than the “day” ones.

In any case, as I was telling you in my previous post, Ben Thanh Market closes in the early evening, but its night market draws more crowds – if that’s at all possible. The night market is composed of stalls set up in the streets flanking the Ben Thanh Market. During the day, these streets serve as, well, streets. The sides are parking areas as well. When the night market opens, they still serve as streets – motorcycles galore – but your senses will be assaulted (pleasantly) by the sights, sounds, and smells of what the people have to sell.

I think that I did most of my shopping at the night market. I got clothing – this nice shirt with a tiger print on it, the most amazing white robe with a silver dragon embroidered onto it, wallets, and all sorts of other stuff! The best thing about the night market is that you can haggle all you want. The trick I learned is to just walk away when you don’t get the price you want. If it’s reasonable, the salesperson will run after you and you’ll get an excellent price!


Of course, you CANNOT ignore the aroma of food while at the night market. This is perhaps one of the best places where you can eat. There are a lot of stalls selling grilled everything, soup with anything in it, fried everything – name it, you’ll find it in these stalls. Thank you, guru Anthony Bourdain, for alerting me to the presence of this night market!

Chatuchak Weekend Market in Thailand

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Now here’s a shopper’s haven. If you’re into a real shopping experience, you should try the Chatuchak weekend market in Thailand. Situated right next to Chatuchak Park in Bangkok, adjacent to the Kamphaengphet metro rail station, the weekend market is where you can get great deals on all sorts of goods, from clothes, electronics, dry goods, farm produce, and foodstuffs. You get good prices whether on wholesale or retail goods, all at unbelievably low prices. You also get to enjoy thousands of food stalls serving a variety of Thai delicacies–you should kow that Thailand is famous for its street delicacies.

And here’s even better news, Chatuchak is also situated near several mid-range to high-end hotels, so you don’t have to go far from the comforts of your hotel to enjoy all-day cheap thrills.

Areas

The Chatuchak weekend market is basically divided into several zones:

  • Trees
  • Secondhand goods
  • Pets
  • Food & Drink
  • Fresh & Dry Food
  • Ceramics, Collectables, and Home Appliances
  • Clothes & Dresses
  • Books

The weekend market is actually not only open on weekends. All shops are open from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Fridays to Sundays. Plant and tree shops, meanwhile, are also open Wednesdays and Thursdays from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Ben Thanh Market In Saigon

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At the start of this month, I told you that I would probably be writing mostly about Saigon as I had tons of experiences that I would like to share. I did have a short break yesterday when I wrote about my Mount Pinatubo experience – which is in the Philippines. Let’s go back to neighboring Vietnam, shall we?

One of the attractions of Saigon is the shopping experience. Trust me, even those who normally shy away from shopping will have a blast in Saigon! The most popular shopping destination is Ben Thanh Market. It is located right smack in the center of the city and served as a landmark for me. When I got a little lost, I would always find my way back to this market and rediscover my bearings.

So what does Ben Thanh Market have to offer? During the day, this bustling complex is full of tourists and locals haggling their way to a good buy. You can find practically anything here.

Bags – mostly North Face and Kipling – are so cheap, your eyes will pop out! Be careful, though, as many of them are knock offs. I have to say that despite being knock offs, they look pretty good.

Spices and other dry goods. I love this area. I got coffee, tea, and other spices to bring home. Here’s a tip – if you want to buy cheap coffee, go to the outer stalls. I thought it would be cheaper inside so I bought my coffee there. On my way out, though, I found a shop selling coffee for almost half the price!

Lacquerware and other knickknacks. These are everywhere. They’re perfect for bringing home.

At night, the building closes but the night market becomes alive…that’s for the next post.