10 tips for dealing with travel fatigue

by Jessica Festa on

It doesn’t matter if you’re traveling long-term or for only a week, travel fatigue can happen to anyone. You’re tired, cranky, and you really couldn’t care less about seeing another museum, cathedral, or castle. Maybe you’re even thinking of cutting your trip short. Before taking drastic measures, try using some of these tips to help you get over your travel fatigue.

Exercise and eat healthy

It can be easy to forgo your fitness routine and opt for all of the rich, filling foods that you wouldn’t normally eat at home. For budget backpackers, it often becomes a habit to buy whatever food is the cheapest, which usually means greasy and unhealthy. While saving money is important, so is your health, and for you to enjoy your trip you need to be 100%. Start out by drinking lots of water and going to the market, where you can buy affordable and fresh produce. Also, start some kind of exercise routine, whether it be visiting a local gym, running through a park, or attending an active class of some kind.Take the pressure off yourself

When traveling, people often feel like they must experience every little piece of the city. And, if you’re only spending a short time in one place, the need to see millions of sites in a short amount of time can definitely be draining. Instead of trying to visit every single church, castle, museum, art gallery, park, and monument in town, narrow your list down to a few sites you’re really excited about and spend more time doing less.

Stay put

The actual travel part of traveling, the trains, plains, buses, taxis, cars, and boats, can be exhausting. While you may feel like you’re missing out if you’re not constantly on the go and seeing as many cities possible, you can also aim to gain a more in-depth knowledge of the city that you’re currently in. Instead of only skimming the surface of a destination, you now have the chance to really get to know the culture at a slower and less tiring pace.

Pamper yourself

It doesn’t matter if you’re taking a luxury vacation or budget backpacking trip; when you’re feeling travel fatigue, it’s important to make yourself comfortable. That doesn’t mean you need to buy the most expensive spa treatment on the menu or book a night at 5-star hotel, but adding a little luxury into your trip can help you perk up. Get a massage, relax in a sauna, or reserve a hotel room with a comfortable bed and cable.

Relax

At times, traveling can be stressful. Wondering how you’re going to get from Point A to Point B in time to catch a flight, dealing with lost luggage, or navigating a particularly confusing city can really weigh heavily on your mind. Try to find a way to relax and clear your thoughts. Meditation works for many people, as can taking a walk in a beautiful park or laying out on a nearby beach.

Connect with family and friends from home

Thankfully, it’s easy to stay connected on the road these days. Make a phone call, write an e-mail, or, better yet, video chat with your loved ones to help you feel closer to home. If you’re feeling really stressed, its also easier to vent to the people who know who best than complete strangers.

Do what you WANT to do

I find that so many times when I’m traveling, I find myself doing what I “should” be doing. Someone tells you to visit a beautiful church, a historical castle, or an educational museum and you suddenly feel like you have to do it. If you don’t like churches or museums, though, don’t go. When feeling travel fatigue, you need to focus on really enjoying where you are and what you’re doing, so seek out activities that you enjoy, even if they may feel less “cultural”.

Give yourself a routine

For some people suffering from travel fatigue, the endless days of sightseeing and wandering around can really wear you out. Giving yourself a routine, at least for a short period of time, can help give you a real purpose and a reason to be somewhere. Check the job boards at local hostels and see if anyone is looking for short-term help or find a volunteer organization to work with. If you can’t find a project on your own, SE7EN offers free and low-cost volunteer opportunities.

Make new friends

While alone time can definitely be helpful for relaxing and regaining your energy, you also don’t want to spend so much time alone that you’re bored and lonely. Seek out friends who feel excited about traveling and are not suffering from the travel fatigue syndrome. Their enthusiasm will hopefully rub off on you. Plus, simply going out for a drink, going for a walk, or getting dinner with new people can open you up to unexpected experiences.

Adjust your mindset

Although you may be sick of traveling, you have to tell yourself that it’s only temporary and don’t let it ruin your entire trip. Think about what a great opportunity you have, experiencing new cities and cultures, and try to spin any negative thoughts into positive ones. Wish you had a hot bath but the closest thing you can find is a bucket shower? Think about what a unique experience your having. Having trouble adjusting to the food? Remember you won’t be eating it forever and will also have interesting stories for your friends back home.

Luxury resort harbors Tanzania’s last tropical coastal forest

by Kraig Becker on

For adventure travelers, the classic visit to Tanzania begins with a climb up Kilimanjaro, followed by a safari on the Serengeti, and is topped off with a relaxing beach experience on the island of Zanzibar. The first two items on that list are unmatched experiences that simply can’t be beat, but those looking for alternative to the beaches of Zanzibar may want to consider a stay at the Ras Kutani lodge, an eco-resort that offers access to the last tropical coastal forest in the country.

Located just 20 miles from Dar es Salaam, Ras Kutani offers beautiful and tranquil beaches along the Indian Ocean. The warm coastal waters are home to a vibrant and thriving coral reef system, which is home to dozens of species of fish, and is visited frequently by dolphins, sea turtles, and even whales. This makes it an ideal setting for snorkelers, although sea kayaking and boogie boarding are also popular activities when the surf is up.

But the main draw to lodge is the spectacular coastal forest that surrounds the resort. Charles Dobie, the owner of Ras Kutani, made it his mission to save and preserve the coastal forest there, and as a result, he now owns one of the last remaining examples of that amazing ecosystem. The lodge is surrounded by 100 acres of this lush forest, which is home to more than 130 species of trees, four different types of monkeys, a wide variety of birds, as well as baboons, wild pigs, and the rare and beautiful Civet Cat.

Visitors to the lodge can stay in one of nine unique and spacious cottages, or four hilltop suites, that have been designed to mesh harmoniously with the environment. In addition to the relaxed beach activities, they are also able to take a self-guided tour through the coastal forest, where they can explore its natural wonders for themselves. Afterward, guests can enjoy the lodge’s famous gourmet cuisine, and relax by the ocean, where if they’re lucky, they may catch sea turtles as they hatch, and make for the sea.

To learn more about the Ras Kutani lodge, and everything it has to offer, visit the resort’s website.

Hotel Missoni to add Mauritius location in 2014

by McLean Robbins on
Hotel Missoni, the luxury lifestyle brand of the Rezidor Hotel Group, is set to open in Mauritius, marking the 66th country in which Residor is present.
Rezidor Hotel Group, parent company to Hotel Missoni, has this week announced the addition of what is to be the brand’s sixth’s hotel, Hotel Missoni Mauritius, scheduled to open in 2014. The hotel will join already-open locations in Edinburgh, Kuwait and soon-to-open hotels in Jebel Sifah, Oman (2013), Antalya, Turkey (2014) and Ihla de Cajaiba, Brazil (2014). Ironically, the brand does not have any hotels in Italy.

The hotel, a “bold, contemporary” luxury boutique hotel that draws its name from the famed Italian designer, will boast 80 luxury suites with unobstructed views of the ocean, Hotel Missoni’s signature restaurant “Cucina” with an authentic seasonal Italian menu; “Choco Café”, a further all day dining restaurant, a lounge bar and a beach/pool bar. Leisure facilities will include a 650 meter sandy beach, outdoor pools, a fitness area including gym and tennis court, a kids club and a 900 square meter spa.

“Combining Missoni’s iconic design with the local culture influenced by Europe, Africa and Asia, the hotel will be truly unique in Mauritius”, said Kurt Ritter, President & CEO of Rezidor.
“Having been passionate about Mauritius, an island of beauty and charm, its colourful culture and its wonderful population for over 30 years now, I am delighted to partner with Rezidor to bring a new kind of luxury hotel in Mauritius under the prestigious Missoni brand, which will surely be a great success and a new flagship premium quality hotel of the tourism industry in Mauritius”, added Gilles Bouigue, Executive Chairman of Bouigue Développement, owner of the property.
Each suite of the new hotel will feature Missoni’s signature patterns and fabrics, and will have a large covered outdoor living area, known in Mauritius as a “Varangue”.
The number of tourist arrivals to the island nation continues to grow, reaching nearly one million in 2010. The government plans to further increase arrivals (a new airport terminal is currently under construction, and new airlines and routes are under negotiation) and to focus on high quality tourism products such as 4- and 5-star hotels.

Cambodia’s Hôtel de la Paix tree made of 3,200 white feathers

by McLean Robbins on




Implementing a massive symbol of both peace and sustainability takes time. Ten days, in fact. Cambodia‘s Hôtel de la Paix (The Hotel of Peace), a luxury boutique hotel dedicated to community sustainability in Siem Reap, Cambodia, is currently displaying an eco-conscious Christmas tree composed of 3,200 white feathers hung on individual wires from the ceiling in the hotel’s lobby. More than 3 million people have seen this creation on Facebook and the hotel has recently launched a video explaining the engineering behind this technical feat.

Since 2008, the hotel has created unique holiday trees to bring joy to the community. At each year’s unveiling, the hotel makes a donation to its community partner of choice, this year, the
The Green Gecko Project.

Of course, if you could use a little luxe in your life, the hotel earned Gold List status as Conde Nast Traveller UK’s 2011 Best Hotel for Ambiance and Design.

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Cosmopolitan Las Vegas hotel launches “pop up wedding chapel”

by McLean Robbins on

We’ve heard of pop up shops and even pop up hotels, but this is the first time we’ve heard of a pop up wedding chapel. Of course, where else would you expect such a thing but Las Vegas – The Cosmopolitan is offering this twist on a Sin City wedding.

“The Cosmopolitan’s new Pop-up Wedding Chapel is a new twist on a Las Vegas tradition, the impromptu wedding,” noted Lisa Marchese, Chief Marketing Officer. “Whether you want to come in and renew your vows, get hitched or even just try marriage on for 24 hours with a faux ceremony – it will undoubtedly be a memorable experience.” Of course, the street level location will encourage passerby interaction too.

When tying the knot, legally or just for fun, there are a number of amenities available for purchase to enhance the wedding experience. The chapel’s retail space includes items such as wedding bands, faux wedding announcements and apparel as well as beer, wine and champagne. Guests are also encouraged to take photographs in the photo booth which will post pictures to Facebook and Twitter. The space will also feature a replica Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign for photos.

Three package options are available at The Wedding Chapel. Ranging from simple to a more elaborate affair, each includes a 20-minute ceremony, champagne poppers and Molla Space eraser rings dispensed from a gumball machine located in the chapel’s retail area. To individualize the ceremony to the couple’s tastes, a variety of add-on amenities such as custom playlists, post-ceremony reception, party favors, bouquets and boutonnieres, marriage certificates and photography packages are available at an additional cost. Packages range from the $80 “Hitched in a Hurry” package which includes a photobooth picture, space eraser rings, champagne cans, wedding ceremony and a gift bag to the luxe “Going to the Chapel” package at $195, which also includes a silk flower bouquet, an additional photobooth picture, party favors, cake tops, logo tee shirts, and a marquee hotel guest list for four people.

Legally-binding ceremonies are going to force you to shell out the big bucks – they’re an additional $90.

The chapel opens December 28, but sadly is only open until 12 AM weekends and 10 PM weeknights, so you’re going to have to go elsewhere for your late-night “gotta get married NOW” fix.

Still, we’re pretty sure we’re going to pull a Britney and have a 55-hour Las Vegas marriage next time we head out West.