Roadmonkey Combines Adventure with Volunteer Opportunities

by Kraig Becker on

Travel company Roadmonkey has created unique travel experiences that combine the thrill of adventure travel with the satisfaction that comes with making a difference in the places we visit. The goal is to offer phsycially demanding outdoor adventures with deeply gratifyng volunteer opportunities to create what they term as “Adventure Philanthropy”.

Currently the compnay has two expeditions in the works for 2009. The first is a climb of Kilimanjaro, the tallest mountain in Africa, scheduled to take place this June. Travelers will spend the first seven days of the trip climbing to the summit of Kili before venturing overland to a small village near Dar Es Salaam. Once there, they’ll spend an additional four days building a clean water system and painting classrooms in a school for children orphaned by AIDS.

If climbing a mountain doesn’t sound like much of a vacation, then perhaps Roadmonkey’s other planned expedition is more your speed. This November they’ll take their second cycling trip through Vietnam, leading a team of 11 adventurous travelers as they mountain bike through the rugged hill country to the northwest of Hanoi. In 2008, the team stopped in a village along the way to build a playground at an orphanage, and a similar volunteer opportunity is planned for the 2009 expedition as well.

Volunteer travel is a growing trend in the industry, and when combined with adventure travel, it provides the opportunity for very unique and satifiying experiences on a cultural, physical, and intellectual level. Roadmonkey is offering just those kinds of journeys.

Top 10 hotels in Vietnam

by Jamie Rhein on

When I first went to Vietnam in the mid-90’s, Hanoi was still a fairly sleepy town where cyclos could go everywhere and the buzz of motorcycles was a once in awhile occurrence. Most places to stay were family-owned guest houses and luxury meant air conditioning and a TV that worked and offered more than a couple of channels.

One morning, I stood on the corner of a street in Hoi An taking pictures of people on bicycles gliding past a yellow building. In Hue, I waited for people to pass in cyclos to see what the cyclos carried. One had a coffin. Each time I’ve returned to Vietnam the changes have been substantial. On my fifth visit, although the bicycles were a fixture, they were dwarfed in number by motorcycles, and cars had become king.

Like the vehicles, the options of where to stay has expanded as well. While the guest houses have still remained a solid option, for anyone looking for more upscale digs, there are plenty of choices. Big business tourism hit Vietnam awhile ago and the results show.

To help people find the best places to stay, Vietnam Travel culled through 16,000 reviews of 350 hotels to pick out the top ten. The ten are in six of Vietnam’s popular destination spots that range from beach locations to historic cities. Each entry is linked to descriptions and photos of the hotels which have me salivating for my sixth trip.

Here are the results that attest to Vietnam’s change when it comes to where to slumber scenery. If you head to Hue, there are three hotels that made the cut. I wonder if you’ll see any one pedaling a cyclo carrying a casket? I doubt it.

This list is in order of which hotels were given top ranking from number 1 to number 10.

  1. Cham Villas, Phan Tiet
  2. Hanoi Elegance 4, Hanoi
  3. Novotel Nha Trang Hotel, Nha Trang
  4. Park Hyatt Saigon Hotel, Ho Chi Minh City
  5. Gecko Hanoi Hotel, Hanoi
  6. Pilgrimage Village Hue-Boutique Resort & Spa, Hue
  7. Grand Mecure La Veranda Resort, Phu Quoc Island
  8. Camilla Hue Hotel, Hue
  9. Orchid Hotel, Hue
  10. Life Resort, Quy Nhon

Photo of the Day (3-11-09)

by Jamie Rhein on

I was first attracted to this photo because of the stance of the girl perched on the cart. Then the words Hai bôn´ caught my attention. Aha, Vietnam, I thought. The shoes are another give away that this is a Vietnamese scene. The shoes that these three have on are sold everywhere throughout the country. The red hat adds interest to the composition besides. Along with the visual appeal, jabry1221 has captured a scene that exudes happiness and delight.

If you’ve captured a scene somewhere, share it with us a Gadling’s Flickr Photo Pool. It might be chosen as Photo of the Day.

Currency collections. Tips for how to keep them souvenir worthy

by Jamie Rhein on

Perhaps you have leftover bills from trips to other countries tucked away in a drawer. Perhaps, your souvenir bills are in an envelope or a plastic baggie. Maybe some of the bills are so dirty and worn, they’re a bit scary to touch. Or maybe you have quite the collection in an archival box, shoebox-sized like Ron Wise.

According to this article published in the Seattle Times, Wise has more than 10,000 bills and knows which ones are his favorites and how to keep the collection looking pristine.

The value of a currency lies partly within the shape its in. That wrinkled, sad looking dong I kept from Vietnam has sentimental value, but isn’t a collector’s item, for example.

A collector wants bills that are pristine and crisp, not crumpled or torn. To get such bills, before you leave a country buy currency at an airport money exchange. You’ll pay more, but you’ll have a better looking item. (So, that’s how I could have rupees that look more like those in the photo!)

Another suggestion for acquiring crisp, clean bills is to buy currency by using an ATM machine with a credit or debit card. Once you get your lovely bills, Wise suggests putting them between pages of a hardcover book or in an envelope placed in a magazine that you don’t fold until you get them home.

Once home, store the bills in archive quality plastic holders or an archival box, and keep the collection in a low humidity. Humidity can cause damage.

If you frame the currency, hang the frame out of direct sunlight and consider using glass that prevents UV rays from damaging the bills.

If you want to find out about other people’s currency collection and share your own, head to Wise’s website World Paper Money Homepage.

Still, there is something a bit precious about my sad-sack dong and rupees. I can only guess how far they’ve traveled.

International Value Destinations

by Kraig Becker on

USAToday has put together an interesting list of 10 great international places to go for a value on your vacation. These places were specifically picked to allow us to get more bang for our buck when traveling abroad this year, something that seems to be on every traveler’s mind at the moment.

The list of locations really does span the globe, and there is something for everyone on the list. Want to head to the beach on your break? Then Bermuda is the recommended spot. Want something a bit more adventurous? Give LIma, Peru a go. And for a destination that is still a bit off the beaten path, they recommend Vietnam, where you can stretch your dollar a long way, without skimping on the amenities.

The list offers up some great ideas for international travel in North and South America, Europe, and Asia. Each of the destinations has a link to a local tourism website where you can find more information about where to stay and what to do, and with a little creative planning it seems that you won’t have to skip that international vacation this year after all.