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You Too Can Save Africa’s Wildlife From Extinction

The best safaris are about a lot more than picturesque tented camps and iconic wildlife; they have a conservation-minded sense of purpose. I’ve been doing a lot of research on safaris and Africa’s endangered wildlife lately—you would be too if you were interviewing Geoffrey Kent, founder of Abercrombie & Kent, onstage at the Skift Global Forum next month—and I just want to share a riveting update when it comes to safaris with a mission: Uma Thurman’s Journey to Protect Africa’s Wildlife from Vicious Poachers, in the October 2015 issue of Town&Country.

“Rhinos have lived on this earth for millions of years, but wildlife experts estimate they may be gone in just 10—poached to extinction,” reports Town&Country executive travel editor Klara Glowczewska, who traveled in Africa with Thurman to cover the story. Approximately 4.5 rhinos are slaughtered every day, killed for their horn, which sells for as much as $35,000 a pound, making it more valuable than gold. Rhino horn is coveted by the newly rich in Vietnam, where it is viewed as medicinal and an aphrodisiac, and where it is ground into powder and used as a cocaine-like party drug.

Last year South Africa’s Kruger National Park lost 10% of its rhinos to poachers. In Botswana rhinos are better protected. So the government of Botswana and the safari operator Wilderness Safaris, both role models for sustainable tourism in Africa, are working together to employ a revolutionary solution: They are translocating rhinos from South Africa to Botswana. It’s no easy task, considering that your typical 4,000-pound rhino doesn’t understand why it needs to move to Botswana. So Thurman and Glowczewska went on an eight-day South Africa-Botswana mission to rescue rhinos—and their story makes for a must-read adventure.

Veterinarians dart rhinos from a helicopter during capture. Photo courtesy Explore, Inc.

Not only can you read about the trip, you can actually take it. Cherri Briggs of Explore Inc., one of my Trusted Travel Experts for African safaris, orchestrated Thurman’s trip and has created a similar adrenaline-fueled eight-day itinerary so that those of you with a deep interest in wildlife protection can become part of the most dramatic conservation story of the 21st century.

Getting a rhino up and walking after sedation is a team effort. Photo courtesy Explore, Inc.

Briggs has arranged conservation-minded, even life-changing, safaris for the past 20 years. As for Wilderness Safaris, check out its integrated annual reports to see how they measure and report on the 4 Cs (commerce, conservation, community, and culture) that are embedded in their business model. A lot of travel companies talk a good game about sustainability; few volunteer to share publicly an annual report that details their sustainability goals and measures their progress toward achieving them.

So you’re in the best of hands with this safari of a lifetime. The price tag is monumental but designed to raise funds for the cause: $18,655 per person, plus a tax-deductible donation requirement of $25,000 that goes to Rhino Conservation Botswana. Participants will help save critically endangered wildlife, have a purposeful and meaningful vacation (the best kind), and return home knowing they’ve made a difference. To book the trip, reach out to Cherri Briggs.

Relaxed white rhinos after release in Botswana. Photo courtesy Explore, Inc.

Canal Barging: The Cruise Experience You’ve Been Missing Out On

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Picture yourself floating gently along Europe’s winding waterways, dining every night on fresh local foods and spending your days exploring hidden nooks of France, Germany, and Belgium.

That’s the experience of canal barging—a very specific type of European cruise that has gained a very loyal following of sophisticated travelers, but which is still unknown to many.

That might be because the word “barge” isn’t very enticing—it doesn’t exactly conjure up the charm and luxury that these trips really offer. A better name for the experience would be “canal yachting,” says Ellen Sack, our Trusted Travel Expert for this kind of vacation, who’s been working in this unique part of the travel industry for 30 years.

But whatever you call it, this kind of vacation is something special—a way to see beautiful European countryside from the water without the drawbacks of a cruise. Even if you’ve been to Europe many times, or taken a river cruise, canal barging is a new experience.

The Luciole cruises through Northern Burgundy and holds up to 14 guests. Photo: Barge Lady Cruises

What exactly is canal barging?

Canal barging is a type of cruise that takes place on very small boats that wind through Europe’s manmade canals, some of which were built as far back as the 16th century, when cargo barges used them to ship freight around the region. Now that trucks, trains, and planes have taken over that job, the canals are used as sightseeing routes for small boats that are still called barges, even though they’re more like intimate floating hotels. As opposed to their predecessors, these come with all the high-end amenities: private chefs, private tour guides, and a captain who is often the owner of the vessel and an expert on the region. Days are filled with activities that enable you to delve into the rural areas’ artisan culture and laid-back lifestyle. On one day you might find yourself bicycling through fields, shopping at local markets, wine tasting at vineyards, or getting a behind-the-scenes tour of a chateau.

Canal barge vacations are similar to other cruises in that they have start and end dates and follow set itineraries. But since groups are very small—Ellen Sack’s company, Barge Lady Cruises, offers boats that carry 12 people or less, and none carry more than 24—guests have access to a lot of privately guided experiences. And if you don’t feel like sharing the boat, you don’t have to: A multigenerational family can book an entire barge to themselves, whereas if you’re a couple who’s feeling social, you can join a mixed boat.

Either way, the groups are always very small—not like a bus tour or cruise ship excursion. “It’s intimate, very authentic, very slow,” she explains. “You see the rural countryside from the water and get into a world that a traveler wouldn’t get into ordinarily. It’s really a lot more interesting than the name of the industry would imply.”

Where can you do it?

France is the main destination, and Sack has most of her boats there. But she also offers cruises in Holland and Belgium, Italy, Ireland, England, Scotland and Germany.

Canal barge itineraries include private tours, artisan food tastings, outdoor activities like bicycling, and visits to villages and markets. Photo: Barge Lady Cruises.

How does it differ from river cruises?

“The small size differs from every other cruise on the planet,” Sack explains. “It’s often confused with river cruising because both are on waterways of Europe, but our boats are much smaller, they go on canals and really small waterways.” And, she adds, barging is much much slower. “We go about 50 miles per week. You could walk faster. Whereas river cruises are larger—100 to 200 people—and they travel several hundred miles per week.”

The upshot is that barging will take you deep into a country’s rural areas, which are not accessible to river cruises (or big-ship ocean cruises either).

However, if you’re looking for a lot of nightlife, shopping, a more formal atmosphere, and city excitement, then canal barging is not for you. “It really is deep countryside and it is laid back.”

The other important thing to understand about barging is that it is not a customized trip. Itineraries are set, and have been crafted by Sack and her team based on more than three decades of experience and contacts in the area. “On all of our boats, whether it’s a family trip or anything else, we have strong programming,” Sack explains. “It’s not for people who prefer to wander around by themselves. Barging is for people who want everything taken care of, who want to eat gourmet food, who want to see sights with a private guide. If someone tells me that they want to spend ten hours wandering around village X, then barging is not for them.”

How to decide if canal barging is right for you:

Barging is for a certain kind of traveler.

•You like slow travel. Barging isn’t for travelers who want to hit a lot of countries and destinations in one trip. It’s for travelers who want to immerse themselves in an area and see parts of Europe they haven’t had access to before.

•You like good food. Barges have their own private chefs and usually include the chance to shop with the chef at a market.

•You like private, special-access experiences. Barge cruises stick to set itineraries, but the quality of the itinerary very much depends on the experience of the company you book with — which is why we recommend Sack’s company. She has great connections in Europe and is able to arrange for special experiences, like mustard tasting with artisans in Burgundy.

•You don’t care about dressing up. As Sack tells it, most of her travelers are comfortable in the informal setting of a barge. They aren’t looking to get dolled up and hit the town, and they don’t mind that they’re going to kick back for a week.

•You’re not looking for a custom-tailored trip. Barge cruises are turn-key—that is the point. They provide a luxury experience that is all laid out for you, so that you know exactly what you’re getting and don’t have to think about anything. And the best part: It’s all pre-paid. Every single meal, drink, activity, and guide (except for gratuities) is covered in your initial cost. “We call it a house party,” Sack says. “We want to treat you like you’ve joined a house party and everything is prepaid. You will never put your hand in your pocket.”

Most canal barges have a private chef, who prepares meals with local foods every day. Photo: Barge Lady Cruises

When to do it:

Since barge cruises travel where most tourists don’t—and offer private tours and experiences—anytime is a good time to go, even during the usual height of Europe’s tourist season.

In general, the barge season runs from April 15 to November 1 and is most popular in June and September. Mid-April through the first two weeks of May are what’s known as value season, where some boats offer 10 to 25 percent off their main season rates. But every boat differs; some might have their value season in August, and some don’t have a value season at all.

But Sack stresses that it’s the boat that makes the trip—not the date. “The weather doesn’t differ drastically, so there’s not a better or worse time to go. It’s more about finding the right boat for you.”

And finding the right boat for you is what Sack does best. Contact her through WendyPerrin.com to be identified as a Wendy Perrin VIP traveler (which means that Wendy will be in the wings offering advice and making sure your entire travel-planning experience is a positive one), and then talk to her about what you want in your vacation. Sack knows her boats, their routes, and their owner-operators extremely well and can tell you whatever you need to know. You can also peruse her Barge Lady Cruises website, which is packed with a ton of info. You’ll find pictures and blueprints of every boat, sample menus and photos of meals, a full itinerary, photos of the crew and past guests in action, and reviews from previous travelers on each specific vessel.

Canal barging is all about having a laid-back vacation. Photo: Barge Lady Cruises

Planning a Cruise? Avoid These Rookie Travel Mistakes

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Part of the reason for the growing appeal of cruises is that they remove a lot of the stress and logistics from travel. You get on the boat, and you enjoy. Easy. The tough part comes beforehand, when you have to decide which cruise is right for you: Big ship or little ship? Ocean or river? Exciting expedition boat or leisurely barge? And where in the world should you go?

There are so many factors that affect the success of your cruise that it’s easy to make a rookie mistake. That’s why I have a special section of my WOW List of Trusted Travel Experts dedicated solely to cruise travel agents. Here, I’ve asked them to share the biggest blunders they see travelers make when it comes to arranging a cruise vacation. Fortunately, these are easy mistakes to avoid when you book your trip through a savvy cruise specialist.

The Celebrity Reflection cruise ship. Photo courtesy of Celebrity Cruises

European Cruises
Planning to board the ship the same day you fly into port. You want to book a flight that gets you to your embarkation port city at least the day before, since there’s always the chance of an airline delay and you don’t want to risk missing the ship.
—Tom Baker, Trusted Travel Expert for Affordable Large-ship Cruises

Read Tom’s Insider’s Guide to Affordable Mediterranean Cruises and contact Tom to get the best possible trip.

Asia Cruises
Sleeping on the ship when it overnights in a location where the port is far from the city. In Bangkok, where the ships dock 90 minutes from town, overnighting in a hotel will cost a bit more, but it can save you six hours of driving back and forth over two days. In Shanghai, pay attention to where your ship docks; smaller ships, like the Crystal Symphony, can get right downtown, whereas bigger ships must dock 90 minutes away.
—Mary Jean Tully, Trusted Travel Expert for Luxury Small-Ship Cruises

Read Mary Jean’s Insider’s Guide to Asia Cruises and contact Mary Jean to get the best possible trip.

Barge Elisabeth in Burgundy. Photo courtesy Barge Elisabeth.

European Canal Barge Cruises
Expecting to cover as much ground as you would on a river cruise. Barges cruise at four miles per hour, and never at night—you could walk faster than the barge moves! Itineraries are six nights long (beginning either on Saturday or Sunday) and travel 30 to 50 miles deep in the countryside. Canal barging is about getting to know a small area intimately and thoroughly.
—Ellen Sack, Trusted Travel Expert for European Canal Barge Cruises

Read Ellen’s Insider’s Guide to European Canal Barge Cruises and contact Ellen to get the best possible trip.

Antarctica Cruises
Selecting an itinerary that’s too short. A trip to Antarctica is an investment of not just money but also time. It takes several days to reach the continent (including crossing the Drake Passage), and because of unpredictable sailing conditions, an extra two to four days can make a significant difference in your experience. Eleven-day itineraries provide a cushion for challenging weather conditions. I’d also encourage you to build in an extra day or two to relax when you arrive in Argentina or Chile (the usual points of embarkation) so that you’ll be refreshed and more present with the experience once you reach Antarctica. I have never met anyone returning from the Great White Continent who complained that the trip was too long—rather, people wish they’d had more time.
—Ashton Palmer, Trusted Travel Expert for Small-Ship Expedition Cruises

Read Ashton’s Insider’s Guide to Antarctica Cruises and contact Ashton to get the best possible trip.

A Luxury Caribbean Vacation for Less

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Question:

Hi Wendy,

We’re looking for a March 2016 Caribbean vacation idea. We want ease of travel from Newark Airport, guaranteed good weather, swimmable ocean, great food, few or no kids. We have one week to travel and would like to keep it to about $5,000. Mainly a relaxing beach vacation. No Mexico.

Thanks,
Bridget

Answer:

Bridget, have you thought about St. Martin? It’s the French side of the French/Dutch island of St. Martin/Sint Maarten. There are many non-stop flights to SXM and, because there are frequent flights, airfares are reasonable.

St. Martin is far enough south in the Caribbean that the weather is reliably sunny and warm throughout winter. I recommend the French side because it has lovely beaches—many of them blissfully empty—and some of the best chefs and food in the Caribbean. The ocean is calm and swimmable (and there are great snorkeling opportunities).

The Dutch and French sides of the island are very different. The Dutch side is overbuilt and busy; the French side is picturesque, serene, and feels like a slice of France. When I went with my family a few years ago, on assignment for Condé Nast Traveler, we rented a small beachfront condo-style villa on the Dutch-French border. That was perfect for our particular needs because we were able to easily take advantage of the best aspects of both sides of the island—on the Dutch side, the kid-friendly activities and water sports; on the French side, the gourmet restaurants, beaches, and culture.

I found that perfect homebase via Marilyn Pulito of Villas in Paradise, and if I were you, I’d reach out to her. Marilyn lives on St. Martin half the year and knows it like the palm of her hand. That beachfront villa rental was my family’s best vacation rental ever (and we’ve done about 12), and Marilyn’s insider advice about the island saved us time, money, and headaches. She recommended great restaurants (where, of course, she knows the owners and gets the tables with the best locations): At Sol e Luna, for instance, we ate one of our most memorable meals ever (while we left the kids with a babysitter, also arranged by Marilyn). And, from the marina next to our villa, we took the day trip with Captain Alan to gorgeous uninhabited nearby islands and colorful reefs. I highly recommend it!

If you’re interested in a vacation rental, the best way to contact Marilyn is via this trip-request form. That way, she’ll know I sent you and make you a priority (she’s very busy). If you prefer a hotel, my favorite St. Martin resort—with a gorgeous beach, excellent food, and relatively few kids (if you avoid spring break)—is La Samanna, but a week there in peak season will cost you more than $5,000.

The nearby islands of Anguilla and St. Barts also have gorgeous beaches, swimmable water, and great food, but to get there you need to change planes in St. Martin (or another Caribbean island) or take the ferry, and they’re both more expensive than St. Martin.

If you need other Caribbean island ideas, let me know. And if any readers have Caribbean island ideas for Bridget, chime in below!

How to Plan for the Rio Olympics Now

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On August 5, the Rio Summer Olympics will be exactly one year away. And if you want to be in Brazil when they happen, now’s the time to plan.

We contacted Martin Frankenberg, one of our Trusted Travel Experts for Brazil, to find out what you need to know about booking hotels and finding tickets—and what you need to avoid. Below, he gives us his advice for planning a trip to the Rio Olympics.

Accommodations

Rio has a surprisingly limited number of hotels, especially luxury hotels, so there is an absolute shortage of hotel rooms in the city. As a pre-condition for Rio winning the Olympics bid, the local government had to secure that almost 100 percent of the inventory would be offered to the IOC (International Olympic Committee) and their sponsors.

There are only two ways to get a hotel room:

•Through Authorized Ticket Resellers (ATRs) in your country
This is the official source through which travelers can book hotel and ticket packages. Bear in mind, however, that what’s available to the general public is mid-level accommodations, in three-star hotels and at very high prices, and tickets for secondary events. You won’t find premium tickets, or high-demand events such as the Opening Ceremony or many Gold Medal events, through this channel.

•Through brokers
There are a few companies with “contacts” in the IOC or with corporate sponsors that have access to unused hotel inventory. Expect to pay very large markups if you go through these channels. As a rough price guideline, expect to pay these brokers between $1,500 and $ 3,000 per room per night in three- and four-star hotels, and more for five-star options. The two top hotels in Rio — the Copacabana Palace and the Fasano—are not available.

The solution is to rent an apartment or villa:
After a very successful World Cup, where many of our guests stayed in these accommodations, we have built a large portfolio of some of the best private homes in Rio. These range from well-located one-bedroom apartments to six-bedroom private estates for VVIPs. All have been meticulously inspected by us, and we will take care of all service for you during your stay.

Tickets

Ticket purchases are available only through ATRs and brokers.
Every country has an Authorized Ticket Reseller (you can see the full list here), and they produce a ballot system where you can apply for tickets via the Internet. After a few days they will let you know if your application has been successful. In the US, the official ATR is CoSport and at this point, very few tickets are left. ATRs also sell hugely overpriced hotel-and-ticket packages and ticket-and–VIP hospitality packages, the details of which have yet to be released.

If you are looking for good tickets to premium events, your greatest chance is to find a reliable broker. Matueté cannot intermediate the purchase of tickets for you from brokers, but can introduce you to some that our clients have successfully used in the past, during the World Cup. The responsibility for purchasing tickets through them is entirely yours.

Getting Around

Traffic in Rio is notoriously bad. A lot is being done to improve the public transport of the city for the Olympics, but it’s impossible to say at this point if many of these will be completed on time. Here are some important points to consider:

• The Olympic venues are spread over a very large area, so plan the events you watch each day with this in mind. Avoid having to cross the city many times in a single day.

• Special car passes sold with premium tickets are the best way to avoid traffic jams, as these allow the pass holder to use the special ‘Olympic car lanes’ —expressways that link all the venues together. As of today, it is still unclear how/if these can be sourced.

• The public transport system will work very well to get from places like Ipanema and Copacabana to the Maracanã /Tijuca area. It is still unclear if the system that connects to Barra da Tijuca will be ready on time. Even so, the distances are very long.

• Don’t bother booking cars and guides now. The infrastructure of the city will be closer to completion in early 2016, when we and other travel providers will be able to make more specific recommendations.

4 Pacific Islands for the Best Snorkel Vacation of Your Life

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Question:

Hi Wendy,

What’s the best Pacific island for a 10-day snorkel trip?

Thanks,

Dennis

Answer:

Dennis, it depends where you’re flying from (some islands will be a lot more convenient to get to than others), what time of year you’re going (it could be typhoon season on some islands), what accommodations you have in mind (beach hut? overwater bungalow? boat cabin?), what island atmosphere you prefer (do you want a dining scene or to be removed from civilization entirely?), etc.

Assuming that money, time, and transport are no object, here’s a list of the top four from Meg Austin, a travel professional who has snorkeled all over the world and specializes in dive trips. These are her Pacific faves, in order of preference:

1. Fiji
“It’s the soft coral capital of the world,” Meg points out. “It’s got consistently good visibility (May – October is best), islands and hotels where the snorkeling is right there, and a local population that can make even the grumpiest traveler smile! Lalati, Koro Sun, and Rainbows End (miles of brilliantly colored corals) are the best reefs.”

Rarotonga, Cook Islands. Photo courtesy Tourism Cook Islands.

2. Rarotonga, Cook Islands
“It doesn’t have the infrastructure or resorts that Fiji has,” says Meg, “so it’s important to have the right expectations. This is a quiet place for snorkeling by day and reading books at night. Rumours Luxury Villas has bells and whistles. I like Palm Grove: funky, not fancy.”

3. Palau, Micronesia
“Palau is not for everyone either, but an avid snorkeler would be in heaven. The Rock Islands (especially Rock Island itself) and The Milky Way lagoon are both do-not-miss. Some would love Jellyfish Lake, others would not. Palau Pacific Resort is “water-focused” (diving and snorkeling) and would be my first choice; there is remarkable activity to explore in the sea there. Love the very colorful nudibranchs!”

4. Sipadan, Malaysia
“Sipadan, the only oceanic island in Malaysia, is known for its fabulous diving but is also great for snorkeling: I’ve sent divers with non-diving spouses there, and they’ve raved about the snorkeling.”

Dennis, choosing an island with world-class snorkeling is the easy part. Pulling together a world-class vacation—juggling the complicated logistics of South Pacific travel, getting to the most colorful reefs at the right times of day, sussing out the overwater bungalows with the best underwater creatures below, ensuring you waste no time or money—is the tough part. If you can provide more detail about your specific trip needs, send them to Ask Wendy and I can connect you with the right travel fixer for that world-class vacation.

Just Back from Nepal: The 5 Things You Need to Know

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Sanjay Saxena, founder of Destination Himalaya and a Trusted Travel Expert for Asia on Wendy’s WOW List, is just back from Nepal, where he went right after the April 25 earthquake to help with relief efforts. He’s going back in June, leading a multi-generational family tour. Meanwhile, here’s his report from the field:

Kathmandu, Nepal, is open and ready for travelers

Saxena was relieved to see that the city has not been leveled—as he’d been led to believe by initial media reports. Life is returning to some semblance of normalcy, with shops and restaurants open for business. All of the tourist hotels remain open. Saxena even felt totally safe spending a night on the fifth floor of the Yak & Yeti.

It’s the rural villages that are a disaster.

Eight days after the quake, Saxena delivered 10,000 pounds of rice and chura (a ready-to-eat mixture of rice, lentils, and nuts) to a region five hours outside of Kathmandu that hadn’t yet received any food aid. In these small villages, Saxena discovered, almost all of the houses were destroyed, and those left standing were uninhabitable.

“There is no doubt that Nepal is seeing an overwhelming response from the international community,” says Saxena. “While I walked around Kathmandu and drove in the countryside, I saw the flags of nations from Sri Lanka to the U.S. on supply trucks, temporary housing, and bulldozers. But while the capital city saw a fair amount of quick response, the overall infrastructure in Nepal is completely taxed and outside of medical evacuations, the outlying village areas have seen little to no aid at all.”

Life goes on around the rubble in Nepal. Photo courtesy Sanjay Saxena.

Here’s where you can and can’t go.

Travelers will not be able to see the World Heritage Sites in Bhaktapur and Patan, as many of these temples and buildings have collapsed. The Shechen Monastery’s main assembly hall suffered some very dramatic cracks, but thankfully the structure held, as hundreds were inside attending a teaching at the time of the quake.

Trekking in the Langtang Himal (a popular area due to its easy access from Kathmandu) will be closed for the near future because of landslides. Trekkers to the Annapurna and Everest regions will certainly see the effects of the earthquake, but that shouldn’t be a reason not to travel there; they’ll still enjoy views of the majestic Himalayan peaks and the company of the wonderful people of Nepal.

Parts of Tibet and India have been affected. Inhabitants of several border towns in Tibet have been evacuated, and the roads closed to all but military relief convoys. Saxena expects the Tibetan Everest Base Camp area to open for travel in the next month, however the overland crossing into Nepal will be closed for the rest of this season, if not longer, due to landslides in the Zangmu gorge. India’s Himalayan border state of Sikkim felt the quake too, but all reports are that no major damage occurred to the infrastructure there.

The quake has shown the true colors of many companies.

Upon arriving in Kathmandu, Saxena received a text message from T-Mobile announcing that all phone calls and data would be free while he was in Nepal. His traveling companions who are customers of other cellular services received no such offer, and several vowed allegiance to T-Mobile as soon as they returned home. Stories abound such as the one of Dolma Dhakhwa, the owner of a small carpet export business, who visited each of his weavers and gave them bags of rice and lentils, plus two months’ advance salary. Less compassionate was the management of Kathmandu’s Hyatt Regency, who forbade locals to sleep on their 35 acres (many Nepalis pitched tents after the first earthquake, doubting the structural integrity of their homes).

Truck loaded with supplies for Kunchuk Village, about 75km NE of Kathmandu. Photo courtesy Sanjay Saxena.

Nepal needs your help.

Saxena’s travel companion on this trip to Nepal was longtime client Dick Grace of the Grace Family Vineyards Foundation. They focused their efforts on the rural villages and continue to do so now that they’re back home. Along with mountaineer and filmmaker David Breashears, Destination Himalaya has set up a fund to help rebuild three severely damaged schools in Chyangba. This village of 600 people in the Solukhumbu district is home to most of the Sherpas that Destination Himalaya employs on its Nepal treks, as well as the Sherpas who have summited Everest alongside Breashears.

Saxena and Breashears have pledged to cover all overhead costs themselves and spend 100% of any donations directly on the school rebuilding. Moreover, they intend to design the schools to better withstand earthquakes in the future.

Donations can be sent via the Grace Family Vineyards Foundation and are tax-deductible. Checks should be made out to the Grace Family Vineyards Foundation (write “DH-Nepal Earthquake” in the memo line) and sent to 1210 Rockland Drive, St. Helena CA 94574, or you can donate via credit card on the foundation’s website.

Saxena says it’s important to keep Nepal on your bucket list and show support for the country by traveling there when the time is right again. “Tourism is essential to the economy in Nepal, as it’s the largest employer in the country,” says Saxena. “ I would urge you to keep Nepal on your list of must-see destinations, Having traveled to Nepal numerous times and taken scores of travelers there, the one thing that people always tell me that they remember most is not the dramatic sunrise on Everest or the exquisite details on the Bhaktapur temples, but the wonderful people of this mountain kingdom.

The Least Expensive Weeks to See Your Favorite Destinations This Summer

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If you haven’t made summer travel plans yet, listen up. TripAdvisor has compared the costs of travel to the ten most popular destinations this summer, and for each place they’ve identified the least expensive week. New York City, for instance, is most affordable over the July 4th holiday. Paris is most affordable the week of August 3-10, London August 17-23, Rome August 24-31—although I, for one, would not want to be in those cities in August, when all the locals have fled. I’d prefer to be on Mexico’s Riviera Maya, where I was last August: It’s the optimal time to swim and snorkel with whale sharks (and the least expensive week for Cancun and Playa del Carmen is August 24-31). Need a cooler, less crowded summer escape? Think Canada—especially British Columbia, the Canadian Rockies, Newfoundland (my August 2013 vacation spot), New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, or Quebec. Your U.S. dollar buys you about 20% more in Canada than it did last year. Other smart August options: Scotland, Norway, Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, or a safari in East Africa.

To help you choose, here are our insider’s guides to all these top spots:

Which destination is calling to you this summer?

Is a River Barge Trip Right for Your Family?

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Question:

Hi Wendy, I have enjoyed reading all of your travel advice on your new site. Thanks! Can you give me your take on river barges? Our family of 12 adults is planning a river trip in France, and I have done some research on the barges. I wonder if booking the entire barge would be right for our family, rather than a typical river cruise. We enjoy good food, wine, travel and much needed time together. However, we do enjoy some luxuries as well. Any suggestions? Thanks! –Debbie

Answer:

Debbie, I absolutely recommend opting for the barge. You’ll have just your family onboard—as opposed to 150 other people—and you’ll get to dictate your schedule and call the shots. You’ll get to see off-the-beaten-path villages and countryside that would be hard for you to see any other way (vs. on a river cruise, where the cities along the river are easy to access in other ways). And, if you choose the right barge, you’ll find excellent food, wine, and “luxuries.”

Read our Insider’s Guide to European Barge Cruises and you’ll get a feel for the biggest differences between barge trips and river cruises: First of all, barges ply canals, which are narrower than rivers and give you a more close-up view of the sights you’re floating past. Second, barges move much more slowly, which gives you time to really soak up the landscape and get perfect photos. Third, barges are much smaller than river ships. They’re usually 8 to 14 passengers, as opposed to 160 passengers on river ships.

Our Insider’s Guide to European River Cruises should also be helpful to you as you compare the two modes of travel. My sense is that river cruises might hold more appeal for first- and second-time travelers to Europe who have a to-do list of famous landmarks they want to see (because river cruises cover a lot of territory and tend to include a hit parade of popular sights), whereas barge trips are more enticing to travelers who have been to Europe several times and now are looking for a more off-the-beaten-path experience.

The very best advice I can give you is to reach out to Ellen Sack, the most expert travel agent I know when it comes to barge trips. She’s inspected and tested them all, and she can work miracles for you. The best way to contact Ellen is via this trip-request form. That way she’ll know you’re a WendyPerrin.com traveler and make you a priority (she’s very busy).

Have a wonderful trip! I’m awfully jealous!

How to Tip in Asia: When, Who, and How Much

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Sure, you can navigate tiny airports in far-flung locations, gesticulate wildly with locals to find your off-the-beaten-path hotel, and breeze past would-be scammers without so much as a flinch. But when the bill arrives at a restaurant, even the savviest of travelers can feel like a novice with no clue. Should you tip? If so, how much? In this series, we’re asking our Trusted Travel Experts to share their local knowledge for regions around the world. Read on to find insider tipping advice when traveling in China, Southeast Asia, and more. Have useful insight to add? Tell us in the comments.

Bali

Uma by Como, Ubud, Bali. Photo Courtesy Como Resorts

Service is included at almost every restaurant and hotel in Indonesia. However, even the locals throw down whatever loose change they have when they dine out—anywhere from 500 to 5,000 rupiahs (from 4 to 40 cents). —Diane Embree, Trusted Travel Expert for Bali

Read Diane’s Insider’s Guide to Bali

Beijing

Aman Summer Palace, Beijing.

Tipping is not a day-to-day part of the culture in China, but it is becoming expected in fine hotels and in the travel industry in general. The guides and drivers who work in English generally do expect a healthy tip of around $25 per day for the guide and $15 per day for the driver. —Mei Zhang, Trusted Travel Expert for China

Read Mei’s Insider’s Guide to Beijing

Bhutan

Paro, Bhutan. Photo courtesy Antonia Neubauer.

A service charge is typically included in restaurant bills, but adding 2 to 5 percent on top of that is customary when you’re happy with the service. —Antonia Neubauer, Trusted Travel Expert for Bhutan and Nepal

Read Antonia’s Insider’s Guide to Bhutan

Cambodia

Kohker, Cambodia. Courtesy Journeys Within

Though it may be surprising, Cambodians these days expect tips. We recommend tipping just as you would at home. Guides are used to $10 to $20 per day, and we recommend a dollar or two for the bellboy or for your tuk-tuk driver. In a country where the average income is so low, this small gesture means a lot. —Andrea Ross, Trusted Travel Expert for Southeast Asia

Read Andrea’s Insider’s Guide to Cambodia

Rajasthan

Rambagh Palace, Rajasthan. Photo courtesy Rambagh Palace.

Ten percent in restaurants is considered normal. You should tip in the local currency (Indian rupees) and not in foreign currency. —Bertie and Victoria Dyer, Trusted Travel Experts for India

Read Bertie and Victoria’s Insider’s Guide to Rajasthan

Sri Lanka

Sunset on a beach in Tangalle, Sri Lanka.

At hotels the easiest way to avoid the stresses of tipping every waiter, porter, and bellboy is not to tip anyone on the spot but instead to ask for the “tip box” when checking out. You need not feel awkward when the bellboy brings the luggage; simply say thank you and mention you will leave a tip in the tip box at the end of your stay. Always smile. A good tip is $10 to $20 per room per day. —Miguel Cunat, Trusted Travel Expert for Sri Lanka

Read Miguel’s Insider’s Guide to Sri Lanka

Thailand

The Vertigo restaurant at the Banyan Tree Bangkok..

Tipping in restaurants is not necessary, since a 10 percent service fee is usually included. In a taxi, round up to the nearest 100 baht;, so, if the meter reads 250 baht, give 300. If you have a guide for the day, the standard is 300 to 500 baht per person per day and drivers get half that, but tipping is at your discretion. —Sandy Ferguson, Trusted Travel Expert for Southeast Asia

Read Sandy’s Insider’s Guides to Bangkok and Thailand

Uzbekistan

Tilla Kori Medreseh in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. Photo courtesy Zulya Rajabova.

Tipping is customary in Uzbekistan. Restaurant waiters get 10 percent; guides and drivers should get $15–$25 per day, depending on your satisfaction with their services. —Zulya Rajabova, Trusted Travel Expert for Uzbekistan and the Silk Road

Read Zulya’s Insider’s Guide to Uzbekistan

Vietnam

Tam Coc-Bich Dong, Vietnam. Photo courtesy Andrea Ross.

Travelers are sometimes surprised at the level of tipping in Southeast Asia, but as life in the cities has gotten more expensive, guides and drivers increasingly depend on tips. We recommend $10 to $20 a day for a guide and about half that for the driver. For hotel staff, we recommend $1 or $2 for porters, and the same per day for room staff. —Andrea Ross, Trusted Travel Expert for Southeast Asia

Read Andrea’s Insider’s Guide to Vietnam

Nepal Earthquake: News About Traveling in the Region

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Tragic news keeps coming in from Nepal. The earthquake’s death toll is now over 5,000, and more than 10,000 have been injured.

Though it’s impossible to plan for natural disasters like this one, there are some helpful precautions travelers can take when journeying to remote regions, and we covered those in an article earlier this week. And while our thoughts are with the immediate relief efforts and the long-term recovery of the region, we also know that many travelers who have trips planned for the future are wondering whether they should cancel or reroute their itineraries.

As always, we recommend the benefits of booking through a knowledgeable and well-connected travel specialist. It’s exactly times like these when you want to work with someone who knows the area intimately, has clout with the locals, has your back, and can provide quick and efficient help in a crisis (whether a natural disaster or a canceled flight).

We’ve turned to our own Trusted Travel Experts who live and work in the region to find out first-hand how travel is affected and what you can expect.

Mei Zhang, one of our Trusted Travel Experts for China, is based in Beijing and runs WildChina. She reports that “Bhutan has remained completely unaffected structurally by the quake” and reminds travelers that no travel warnings have been issued by the US or UK governments for Bhutan or Tibet. After reaching out to her local regional partners and confirming their safety and well-being, her company has chosen to continue its tours to Tibet and Bhutan, as well as to Lhasa, Yamdrok Lake and Gyantze. However, Tibet’s Everest Base Camp is closed to the public so that it can be used instead for relief missions, and cross-border roads between Tibet and Nepal are also closed.

David Allardice is another of our Trusted Travel Experts for China, and he confirms in a blog post on his company’s website that “Due to the geology of the area Tibet was largely spared and we can confirm that there has been absolutely no impact on Lhasa and its surrounding areas.”

If you were planning a trip to Nepal, Antonia Neubauer, our Trusted Travel Expert for Nepal and Bhutan, asks us to remind readers that Nepal’s largest source of income is tourism. “I would easily see planning a visit in the fall,” she said. “Kathmandu will be cleaned up in part, as much as it ever is. The city always had up to 18 hours of load shedding and water was always an issue, but hotels will have water and electricity. Rural areas and trails will be functional. People should go—a big help to the country.”

What To Do in an Emergency: Lessons Travelers Can Learn From the Nepal Earthquake

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The earthquake that struck Nepal over the weekend, killing more than 5,000 people and injuring more than 10,000, reminds us that anything can happen anytime anywhere, including in destinations that top many people’s bucket lists. While it’s impossible to be fully prepared when a natural disaster, terrorist attack, or civil unrest disrupts a trip, there are some relatively quick and easy things that a traveler can do to be better prepared for any emergency, especially in remote places:

Before Your Trip

* Enroll in STEP.
Signing up for the State Department’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program makes it easier for the U.S. embassy to send you important information about safety conditions, contact you in an emergency, and help family and friends get in touch with you.

* Rent a satellite phone or satellite messaging device.
“Bringing communications devices with additional batteries is the single most important thing travelers can do and often overlook,” says Dan Richards, CEO of Global Rescue, the worldwide provider of emergency medical, security, and crisis response services. When a crisis strikes, cellular networks and electricity often get cut off. You can’t rely on your cell phone, says Richards—and, even if you’ve brought a portable Wi-Fi hot spot with you, it can suffer the same problem as cell phones: limited or no bandwidth. The good news is that satellite communication devices have dropped dramatically in price in recent years. Richards recommends the Iridium GO! satellite text device (an Iridium phone is even better) or Briartek’s Cerberus.

* Book through the right destination specialist.
The Nepal travel specialist on my WOW List of top travel planners, Antonia Neubauer of Myths and Mountains, had guests in Nepal during the quake on Saturday and managed to get them safely onto a Sunday flight to New Delhi. The best destination specialists have access to key people in-country who will take care of you, can contact your relatives back home on your behalf, can intervene on your behalf with your travel insurance provider, etc. If you are on your own in a remote place, it is infinitely more difficult to cope.

* Get a Global Rescue membership.
This is the closest thing I know to ensuring you will be rescued in an emergency. Since Saturday, when the quake struck, Global Rescue has been providing intelligence to travelers in Nepal and coordinating evacuations to extract people to safety. “Many travel insurance companies really do not do an adequate job with emergency evacuation,” says Neubauer. “Many focus on releases or forms before they will authorize evacuations.” In fact, some medical evacuation insurance policies do not even cover natural disasters (so it’s important to check before purchasing a policy). But Global Rescue typically performs dozens of helicopter evacuations in the Himalaya alone each year, and it regularly sends critical-care paramedics and special ops personnel around the world to respond to members facing emergencies. A Global Rescue membership also gives you access to the Global Rescue mobile app, which keeps you apprised of local developments.

* Know where the best hospitals are.
Another Asia travel specialist on my WOW List, Sanjay Saxena of Destination Himalaya, points out that it’s important to know which are the best hospitals, not just in the capital city—which could be hours away from where you are when a crisis strikes—but in other cities too. Of course, it’s difficult for an independent traveler to get such information. Saxena has compiled his own list of reliable local hospitals, based on his years of experience working in the region (he’s been working in India since 1977 and in Nepal since 1978)—and that list is always evolving. If you’re not going to book your trip through a stellar destination specialist, it’s even more important to have a Global Rescue membership, or a travel insurance provider, who will know the best hospitals and be willing and able to get you there.

* Pack a medical kit.
Bring a prescription antibiotic and prescription pain reliever that you know work for you, in case you end up needing to be your own doctor. Bring iodine tablets to purify dirty water too, since, in an emergency, bottled water supplies quickly run out. “Water will quickly become one of the most dire issues in Nepal,” warns Saxena.

During Your Trip

* Carry a photocopy of your passport photo page and any visas.
Keep it on your person during the trip, in case the original is back at your hotel (usually the smartest place to keep it) or gets lost in the emergency.

* If you don’t or can’t bring a satellite phone, rent or buy a local mobile phone.
In some countries, including India and China, satellite phones are illegal. Destination Himalaya gives its travelers a local mobile phone pre-programmed with numbers for local staff, hotels, emergency services, etc. “Our in-country and U.S. staff are available 24/7,” says Saxena, “If there is a problem, we typically send a local staff member directly to our clients as soon as we’ve been alerted.”

* Create an emergency contact sheet.
If you plan to rely on your own cell phone, remember that 911 does not work outside the U.S. and Canada. Find out the local emergency numbers for the country you’re in.

* Plot on a paper map where the local embassy, consulate, and best hospitals are.
In an emergency you won’t want to rely on your smartphone or Google Maps app to get you there; you’ll want to save your battery for calls to loved ones, doctors, etc.

* Follow the right twitter feeds.
Twitter gives you breaking news and can provide potentially life-saving information in an emergency. Follow the U.S. embassy feed in the country you’re visiting (@USEmbassyNepal is distributing advice such as the local phone numbers to call for help), as well as the U.S. State Department’s feed, @travelgov. Such feeds are often the quickest way to find links to the info you’re seeking. The @RedCross and Google’s Crisis Response Team, @GoogleCR, are also worth following, as are the local airport’s feed, which may post updates about airport delays and shutdowns, and the feeds of local hotels, which usually have an emergency action plan and may be offering help or a landline.

* Know that Google offers a person finder.
In natural and humanitarian disasters, Google helps track missing persons.

If You Have a Trip Booked to the Area Soon

* Realize that the geographic area affected is limited.
So often, when a crisis strikes a country, U.S. travelers unnecessarily cancel trips to a huge swath of the world surrounding that country. They avoid regions that have not been affected in the least—which would be like Europeans deciding against a trip to New York because there was an earthquake in San Francisco or a terrorist attack at the Boston Marathon. The Nepal earthquake is not a reason to cancel a trip to unaffected regions of India or Tibet, says Global Rescue’s Richards. In fact, Saxena of Destination Himalaya is on a plane to Tibet at this very moment. We’ll keep you posted as to what he reports from the ground. He says it’s quite possible that he may even change plans and head to Kathmandu to help efforts there.

Here, our hearts go out to the people of Nepal as they cope with this catastrophe. “I have traveled many places,” says Neubauer of Myths and Mountains, “but the people of Nepal stand out. A family in a mud hut with nothing will share their rice with you and give you their mats to sleep on. Sherpas will risk their lives on mountains to save yours. There is a warmth and willingness to take a stranger into their home and heart that exists in few places. Travelers often say they go to Nepal for the mountains, but they return for the people.” Here are some good ways to help those people in their time of need.

South Africa: A Good Place to Go for a First Date

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When I was the host and emcee for South African Tourism’s Ubuntu Awards Gala at the American Museum of Natural History in New York—an event that celebrates the best of South Africa—it brought back fond memories for me: South Africa is where my husband and I had our first date in 1999.

Tim and I had met a few months earlier—in Germany, where he was living and working as photography director of the newspaper Stars and Stripes. I was based in New York City and had gone to Germany to speak at the paper’s editorial conference. After months of emailing each other from different continents, we wanted to see each other again. But it wasn’t easy: Tim traveled constantly for work, as did I. In winter of 1999, when he was freezing in the Balkans photographing the Bosnian War and I was headed to sunny Cape Town to speak at a conference, we decided to meet up in South Africa.

Our first date turned into a week-long trip. We spent a glorious day driving around the Cape of Good Hope (#TBT photo above), another in Franschhoek enjoying the wine country, and another in the seaside resort of Hermanus. We chugged across the country in Rovos Rail’s vintage cars and ended up on safari in the Sabi Sand reserve—at one of the first Singita lodges, in a private bungalow with a plunge pool. It was some date.

One wedding and two children later, Tim and I keep trying to get back to South Africa. Someday it will happen. Meanwhile, I can live vicariously via the Ubuntu gala.

Be a smarter traveler: Use Wendy’s WOW List to plan your next trip. You can also follow her on Facebook and Twitter @wendyperrin, and sign up for her weekly newsletter to stay in the know.

Rookie Travel Mistakes to Avoid in Asia

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Rookie travel mistakes happen more often than you think. In the excitement of preparing for a long-dreamed about escape or a last-minute getaway, even the savviest of globetrotters can forget the basics. A common one is not thinking about the best time of year (or time of week) to experience a destination; another is failing to allot enough time to visit each point on your itinerary. To be sure you don’t fall into any traps (tourist or otherwise) during your own adventures, we asked our Trusted Travel Experts to weigh in on the most important things to know—and the most common rookie mistakes to avoid—when traveling to China, Japan, Vietnam, and other parts of Asia.

What would you add? Leave your suggestions in the comments below.

Bali

Expecting idyllic white-sand beaches. Bali’s beaches are mostly too rough for swimming (but good for surfing), and the quieter ones have little or no sand. I listen carefully to what every client is looking for in a beach—and tell them if they’re better off in the Caribbean. —Diane Embree, Trusted Travel Expert for Bali

Read Diane’s Insider’s Guide to Bali

Bhutan

Paro, Bhutan. Photo courtesy Antonia Neubauer.

Not knowing that there is only one east-west road in the entire country, meaning that every tourist (and there are many, despite what anyone else says) who is not trekking is driving back and forth along that same road. —Antonia Neubauer, Trusted Travel Expert for Bhutan and Nepal

Read Antonia’s Insider’s Guide to Bhutan

Cambodia

Angkor Wat, Cambodia. Photo courtesy Molly Fergu

One big rookie mistake that travelers make is assuming you’ll ride through the jungle on an elephant and “discover” Angkor Wat! It’s best to be realistic that this is a major international destination and plan accordingly. You can avoid the crowds and have a more special experience if you get an early start and begin at the back entrance to Angkor Wat, or visit lesser-known temples. If you head in unprepared, you’ll be in the middle of packs of tourists and you won’t really get to see anything. —Andrea Ross, Trusted Travel Expert for Southeast Asia

Read Andrea’s Insider’s Guides to Angkor Wat and Cambodia

China

Dragonback rice terraces, Guangxi Province. Photo courtesy Lian Lodge.

Seeing only the famous sites, such as the Great Wall and the Terra-cotta Warriors. China has so much to offer, and major cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, and Xi’an are only a slice of the entire country—and an overdeveloped, crowded, and sprawling one at that. I urge you to spend from five days to a week focusing on a lesser-known province, such as Yunnan, Sichuan, Guizhou, or Guangxi. Visit some smaller villages, enjoy the beauty of terraced rice fields, and get away from the most popular places and the wonderful diversity of the culture will come to life. —Mei Zhang, Trusted Travel Expert for China

Read Mei’s Insider’s Guides to China’s Big Cities and Small Villages, Yunnan Province, and Beijing

Cruising in Asia

Sunset over Bagan, Myanmar. Photo courtesy the Cruise Professionals.

A rookie mistake is planning to board the ship the same day you fly into port. You’ve probably booked an Asia cruise because you want to pack a lot of destinations into a single trip—so why waste your time and money spending the first few days of your itinerary jet-lagged? Even if the ship spends the first night in its departure port, arrive a few days early so that you can properly acclimate (and not risk missing the ship due to airline or weather delays; Hong Kong in particular can get fogged in). —Mary Jean Tully, Trusted Travel Expert for Cruises

Read Mary Jean’s Insider’s Guide to Asia Cruises

India: Agra

Taj Mahal Reflection, Agra, India. Courtesy Sanjay Saxena

A rookie mistake is forgetting to buy tickets to the Taj Mahal in advance. Tickets are not sold at the entrance: The ticket office is actually located in the East Gate parking lot about a mile from the monument entrance. Tickets to the Taj may also be purchased at any of the other monuments in Agra—but be sure that the date stamp is for the day that you will be visiting or is an open-ended ticket. —Sanjay Saxena, Trusted Travel Expert for India

Read Sanjay’s Insider’s Guides to Delhi and Agra and the Taj Mahal

India: Rajasthan

Amanbagh, India. Photo courtesy Amanbagh

Travelers to India—and especially to Rajasthan—love to shop for fine jewelry because the prices are so good, but you need to go somewhere reputable, otherwise you may be sold glass instead of diamonds. (One of our favorite shops is the Gem Palace in Jaipur.) —Bertie and Victoria Dyer, Trusted Travel Experts for India

Read Bertie and Victoria’s Insider’s Guide to Rajasthan

Nepal

Monk and Flowers, Nepal. Photo Courtesy Toni Neubauer

Not paying attention to altitude gain when trekking! People like to believe they are immortal and want to rush up mountains, but they need to study the rules for altitude acclimatization and follow them carefully. Altitude sickness is no joke. —Antonia Neubauer, Trusted Travel Expert for Nepal and Bhutan

Read Antonia’s Insider’s Guide to Nepal

Sri Lanka

Sunset on a beach in Tangalle.

Sri Lanka looks small on a map, but it can take hours to get from place to place, and there are definite no-nos. For instance, don’t try to travel from Kandy to Yala National Park in one day, or from the Cultural Triangle to the beaches of Tangalle, or from Jaffna to Colombo. On the map (and on Google Maps), distances and approximate travel times are misleading. Sri Lanka offers great diversity and looks like you can tick all the boxes in one week—you can’t. If you want to speed things up a little, try flying on certain segments. Two local operators offer scheduled flights around the country: Cinnamon Air and Helitours. —Miguel Cunat, Trusted Travel Expert for Sri Lanka

Read Miguel’s Insider’s Guide to Sri Lanka

Thailand

Grand Palace, Bangkok. Photo by C Kennerly.

Visiting Bangkok first. This sprawling metropolis of some 18 million people can be overwhelming, so I don’t recommend it for your first encounter with Thailand. It’s much more enjoyable to recover from jet lag someplace relaxing and traditionally Thai, such as Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, or Sukhothai. By traveling upcountry (or to the beach) first, you’ll experience traditional Thai culture, have time to acclimate to the time zone, and appreciate Bangkok much more when you visit it at the end of your trip. —Sandy Ferguson, Trusted Travel Expert for Southeast Asia

Read Sandy’s Insider’s Guides to B angkok, Southeast Asia, and Thailand

Uzbekistan and The Silk Road

Tilla Kori Medreseh in Samarkand. Photo courtesy Zulya Rajabova.

Some travelers opt to fly from one Silk Road city to another, and there is a high-speed train from Tashkent to Samarkand, but travel by car is most rewarding. There are many cultural, architectural, and archaeological treasures to find outside the main cities, as well as rural villages to visit, the ancient towns of Jizzakh Province, local bazaars, and amazing photo opportunities. —Zulya Rajabova, Trusted Travel Expert for Uzbekistan and the Silk Road

Read Zulya’s Insider’s Guide to Uzbekistan

Do you have tips on avoiding rookie mistakes? Share your advice in the comments.

How to Tip in Europe. And How Not to.

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Forget the stress of planning flights, deciding what to pack, and figuring out how to get around…one of the aspects of travel that causes people the most anxiety is tipping. When should you do it? When shouldn’t you? Who expects it? Who doesn’t? And always, how much?

We went straight to our Trusted Travel Experts—handpicked by Wendy as some of the top travel specialists around—to find out the customary tipping rules all over Europe. From Amsterdam to Russia (with stops in France, Italy, Greece and more), we’ve listed the do’s and don’ts of tipping throughout Europe.

Amsterdam

If you have enough time to leave the airport, explore Amsterdam’s canals. Photo: Context Travel

The Dutch are not big tippers, and a service charge is normally included, but good service should be rewarded: A small sum for a drink or 10 to 15 percent of the price of a meal. Rather than leaving the tip at your table as you depart, hand the money to your server. Just tell him or her how much you would like to pay in total when they collect the bill.

Learn more in our Insider’s Guide to Amsterdam and use Wendy’s trip request form to be marked as a VIP and get the best possible trip.

Austria

Many restaurants now have a tip line on the invoice. The waitstaff at several restaurants have told me that they actually do get the tips when paid via credit card. Generally, 10 percent is fine.

Learn more in our Insider’s Guide to Austria including Vienna and the Danube, and use Wendy’s trip request form to be marked as a VIP and get the best possible trip.

Czech Republic

Make sure to tip in cash; any currency works. I generally give about 10 percent at restaurants.

Learn more in our Insider’s Guide to the Czech Republic, and use Wendy’s trip request form to be marked as a VIP and get the best possible trip.

Croatia

Split, Croatia. Photo: Wendy Perrin

Croatians are traditionally not a “tipping nation,“ but this attitude is gradually changing and people like waiters, bartenders, and taxi drivers are happy to get tips. 10 percent of the total bill should be perfectly fine. Tipping does not need to be in the local currency; US dollars and euro are widely accepted and appreciated. If you wish to tip, make sure you do so in cash, even when paying by credit card. Otherwise the tip will end up in the pocket of the business owner, and not the person who provided the service.

Ask Wendy to find the right Trusted Travel Expert to plan your best possible trip.

England

London, England. Photo: Pawel Libera/London and Partners – Visit London

In London the usual tip is 10 percent, but check the bill in restaurants, as some are inclined to include a service charge and you are not obliged to essentially tip twice.

Learn more in our Insider’s Guide to London, and use Wendy’s trip request form to be marked as a VIP and get the best possible trip.

France

Sénanque Abbey in Provence

In French restaurants the tip is always included (usually 15 percent). However, as waiters will (rather craftily) say, “The service is included but not the tip,” and many establishments do use the official tip as extra profit. So waiters do still need tips, and in France the amount is generally determined by intuition, rather than as a fixed percentage of the bill. Leaving 10 euros will be a gesture of satisfaction, 20 euros (and up) a gesture of generosity and complete satisfaction. In particularly fine, expensive restaurants, double those figures. Note: If you put the tip on your credit card, the waiter probably won’t receive it.

Ask Wendy to find the right Trusted Travel Expert to plan your best possible trip.

Greece

Tipping in Greece is sometimes expected, but it’s never required. It’s seen as a gesture of thanks for prompt and attentive service, and you are the judge of whether it’s warranted, but there are a few guidelines to keep in mind. When you take a taxi, it is usually enough to round up to the next euro. At upscale restaurants, a tip of 10 to 15 percent is standard. At tavernas, it’s customary to leave 2 euros on the table; at a café, from 50 cents to 2 euros. In hotels, luggage handlers usually get 5 euros, and on island hotels, guests typically leave 10 euros per day for maids, servers, and other hotel staff at the end of their stay. Alternatively, for a stay of three or four days, guests might leave 50 euros for all hotel staff to share, while tipping porters separately.

Learn more in our Insider’s Guides to Athens, Mykonos, and Santorini, and Ask Wendy to be marked as a VIP and get the best possible trip.

Hungary

Make sure to tip in cash here (any currency works). About 10 percent for restaurants is just fine.

Learn more in our Insider’s Guide to the Czech Republic, and use Wendy’s trip request form to be marked as a VIP and get the best possible trip.

Ireland

Rock of Cashel, Ireland. Photo: Shutterstock

Tips are appreciated in Ireland, but the rules are slightly different. It’s not necessary to tip when bags are brought to your room, for instance, and in restaurants we suggest 10 percent. For bartenders, we suggest leaving a bit by rounding up the tab. For transfers and guide services, ten to fifteen percent is acceptable. You can also leave a euro or two for housekeeping.

Learn more in our Insider’s Guide to Killarney and County Kerry, Ireland and use Wendy’s trip request form to be marked as a VIP and get the best possible trip.

Italy (Amalfi Coast and Lakes Region)

Positano on the Amalfi Coast, Italy. Photo: Shutterstock

Tipping is appreciated but not at all expected. In restaurants and for taxi rides 10 percent is sufficient. If the person serving you is also the owner of the business, they would never expect a tip.

Learn more in our Insider’s Guides to the Amalfi Coast and the Lakes Region, and use Wendy’s trip request form to be marked as a VIP and get the best possible trip.

Italy

Italians don’t tip in restaurants. Yes, we know you’ve read that there is a standard 10 percent. Or that the bill is rounded up. Or that you are expected to leave a little something. This is bunk. Italians don’t tip in restaurants. (Italian staff are paid a living wage and/or are members of the owner’s family.) You can tip, if you really want to. Or if you feel the service was extraordinary. Or if you simply don’t trust us. Go ahead. But Italians don’t.

Learn more in our Insider Guides to Florence, Venice, Tuscany, and Umbria, and use Wendy’s trip request form to be marked as a VIP and get the best possible trip.

Norway

The Reinefjord in Lofoten. Photo: Andrea Giubelli – Visitnorway.com

Tipping is not mandatory or common in Norway, but if you give your private guide or driver the equivalent of $100 after a full day, he will be very happy! But nobody gets grumpy if you do not tip.

Learn more in our Insider’s Guide to Norway, and use Wendy’s trip request form to be marked as a VIP and get the best possible trip.

Russia

Red Square at night, Moscow. Photo: Dan Weisberg Photography

Moscow and St. Petersburg are not tipping cities, so tip no more than 10 percent at restaurants and always in cash. If you leave the tip on your credit card slip, your server is unlikely to get it.

Learn more in our Insider’s Guides to Moscow and St. Petersburg, and use Wendy’s trip request form to be marked as a VIP and get the best possible trip.

Scotland

Isle of Skye, Scotland. Photo: Shutterstock

You don’t need to tip doormen or bellmen, but you should tip drivers, guides, and caddies 10 to 15 percent. It’s not a rule, but I always leave change for barmen and housekeeping. At restaurants, tip 10 percent.

Learn more in our Insider’s Guide to Scotland, and use Wendy’s trip request form to be marked as a VIP and get the best possible trip.

Turkey

Blue Mosque, Istanbul, Turkey

A 10 percent tip is customary in restaurants, and it should be offered in cash only, as servers prefer not to add it to the check. Also: locals do not tip taxi drivers.

Learn more in our Insider’s Guides to Istanbul and Cappadocia, and use Wendy’s trip request form to be marked as a VIP and get the best possible trip.

Do you have your own tipping experiences to add? Share your advice in the comments.

Yes, It’s Possible: A Villa Vacation That Keeps Every Member of the Family Happy

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You already know the benefits of choosing a rental villa over a hotel for your family vacation: More space, more privacy, more local flavor, and—if your group is large enough to fill every room in the house—significant savings. What you might not know though, is just how much the property itself—its layout, location, amenities—will affect the group dynamic. So will decisions ranging from which activities you pre-plan to which type of car you rent to whether the fridge is already stocked when you arrive on a Sunday and the grocery stores are closed. As someone who has rented homes for multiple generations of my own family in locales from Tuscany to Jamaica, I am here to tell you that renting through an expert who will level with you about the pros and cons of the neighborhoods and homes at your destination is a priceless advantage.

Mara Solomon, my Trusted Travel Expert for large Italian villas (read her Insider’s Guide to Italian Villa Vacations) does even more than that. Part magician, part psychologist, she can predict potential conflicts within your group…and make them disappear via smart planning. Mara, who specializes in properties that have four or more bedrooms, has compiled 11 tips for a successful villa vacation, and they’re a must-read as you start to plan your summer villa trip:

1. Manage everyone’s expectations. Travel might be the ultimate test of relationships (besides politics according to my mother). We all do it differently and spend time and money according to our own priorities. Manage everyone’s expectations for time together and time apart, for planned activities versus kicking back, very early on. Use Skype or a similar tool to bring the relevant decision-makers together, hash out the basic structure of the holiday and get everyone on the same playing field. A well-structured villa vacation ensures an elder is not over-taxed, a sporting parent gets the exercise they seek, and the kids are well engaged.

2. Divvy up the work and establish authority. Group travel—whether an extended family or group of long-standing friends (with or without children)—does take planning and it is essential for each group to decide who is making the decisions. Then make sure everyone gets behind them and sticks to the agreed upon plan. It’s also important to decide how the planning work is being shared. One person, maybe two if they work well together, is best for spearheading the choice of villa, but there are other tasks. The wine enthusiast can be put in charge of provisioning wine for the house and selecting wineries to visit, for instance.

3. Determine what really matters to your group. If your first conversations are less focused and people are less than candid, that is ok. Listen closely and you will have the keys to success. One person may need nothing so much as a fabulous bathroom. Be sure you have a plan for mornings out walking or taking coffee up to your own balcony or terrace if you need alone time. Maybe your nuclear family runs at a different speed and needs an excursion without the entourage of in-laws and cousins. Americans are used to enjoying their freedom. Be sure to rent enough cars so someone can make a quick get-away if tension mounts.

4. Make the most of the intelligence and insight of the people who have seen the house and know the area. Villa travel is, by definition, different from any other form of travel. The point is to have space as well as time and experiences together. The house matters greatly, even if you are a get-up-and-go group. Sooner or later your paths will return you home. Get this figured out in the early stages. How? Talk to the person or people who have been there and know the house. The accumulated wisdom of their experience can mean you avoid any nasty surprises. We greatly appreciate a chance to share our knowledge and our talents with our clients. This is what we are paid to do and besides the villas themselves, it is what our clients most appreciate.

5. Build into the structure of your holiday as much service as you can afford. You may think you don’t want a full-time cook but we can say from 20 years travel experience cooking services in the house are the amenity our guests appreciate the most and derive the most value. Inevitably people cancel restaurant meals and stay home because the food is so good. And enjoying it all in the privacy of your own Villa in black tie or pajamas (as you prefer) is a priceless gift to share with people you love. Meal organizing, shopping, preparation and clean up is an every-day responsibility for most of us. It becomes a true vacation when you can be at home without the everyday responsibilities.

6. Plan organized group-wide events or activities. Creating joy-filled moments elevates a get-together to the status of life-long shared memory. An excursion of interest to everyone, a special meal with a well-chosen menu or some fun and easy activity local to your destination generates enthusiasm and excitement. But don’t overdo the planning. In Italy, as with so many destinations, the most transcendent moments are often unplanned, so you want to leave room for those as well.

7. Consider seriously the layout and amenities of the property you are selecting. Quality time for relaxing and playing together in various combinations is essential for successful villa travel. The point is to come together in different times and different ways. Where will you gather for apperitivi before dinner? Are there enough chairs? A friendly bocce competition makes great fun all week long and you can end with a tournament complete with prizes.

8. Staying in one place longer makes for a richer, more rewarding experience. One week is most always not quite enough. Ten days is much better but two weeks is really recommended. I know, you may be thinking people will be bored, but I encourage you to give it consideration. A two-week stay means you sink in and get to know the place, find yourself unwinding in ways you may have forgotten. Your group of teenage boys will be transforming a mound of potatoes into that night’s gnocchi. Maybe you find yourself deep in a long conversation that is years overdue. You will have more flexibility in group configuration and size, as not everyone has to be together the whole time. And a well-located villa will have more to do than you think. We hear this quite often when our guests return: “I wish I pushed for that second week in the villa…”

9. It is Your Vacation too. We do not believe in ‘musts’ and ‘shoulds’. A visit to the Leaning Tower of Pisa could be a highlight or the worst day of the holiday. It depends. It depends both on things you control and those you don’t. Make sure you work with people who are listening closely to what matters to you and are facilitating that experience for you. If you are working with someone who really understands your group, the necessary insights, contacts and arrangements can be deployed in a way that meets your needs. And, that travel consultant will have you prepared for the variables beyond your control that are an essential part of the villa experience. Yes, the Blue Grotto is special, but we think having your own boat and exploring the other relatively deserted grottos around Capri is much more rewarding. And if you want to skip Capri altogether, that is fine too.

10. Success is in the details. Location, location, location counts when planning villa travel. With villa travel you might not know what questions to ask, so we suggest you work with people who know the house, setting and local area well enough to tell you what you need to consider. The Amalfi Coast is not well suited to those who cannot manage steps. Do you need running room for rambunctious children with soccer balls? Do you have shoppers or fitness buffs or serious scholars? What about food allergies? Can the staff find gluten-free pasta and almond milk easily if needed?

11. Plan on enjoying yourselves and having fun together. We invite our guests to plan on enjoying themselves and doing things differently. Use your phone or tablet for photos, not for email with the office. Eat gelato at least once every day. Have fun getting lost –you will be rewarded with at least a great story to share over apperitivi back at the house. You are sure to encounter an awe-inspiring moment, great memento or new friend for life. Remember what it is to have a day to fill as you like, without an agenda. This is what we strive for at Homebase Abroad–a well-structured trip whose cadence best matches the needs and preferences of your family and friends. We promise you will be rewarded with an exceptional experience. Maybe even the best vacation of your life.

Thanks, Mara, for letting me share your tips with WendyPerrin.com travelers!

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Yes, It’s Possible: A Villa Vacation That Keeps Every Member of the Family Happy

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