Buying Online Travel Deals

 As promised from my last post, here are my guide lines and tips on how to be smart on buying online travel deals.

Before buying any deal online, you should ensure that the daily deal site you're considering to buy from has a legitimate operation. Anyone can make a website today (even kids!), so you have to be very careful that the e-commerce site is not bogus. Try to Google the name of the site and look for some blog posts or threads about them. Bad reviews are already a red flag, but then again if it's only just a biased customer rant perhaps there are good reviews too.

Read travel details, fine print, terms and conditions. Remember, most travel deals found online have tricky terms and conditions. If you don't fully understand the measures of the offer, you might not be able to use it all. There's a reason why these travel packages are on sale. Maybe you have to buy at least 4 vouchers to start the deal and go on a trip as group. Just read first. Please.

Know the travel period. Peak season traveling could be expensive, but finding a post of a cheap vacation package would be like hitting a gold rush. Again, there's a reason why travel deals are at a low price.Usually, these deals are only good for the low seasons. Most of the vouchers I bought are not valid on peak seasons and holidays. But it's okay. I just set a few days for relaxation, and most of the time my vacations are on weekdays. Oh, the perks of exclusivity!

Call the travel agency. Deal sites don't usually take responsibility of the booking. They just post the travel offers on their site as a medium of various travel agencies to reach out buyers. So before you hit that 'buy' button, it would be smart to call the travel agency or merchant first; ask if they still have availability to accommodate your vacation.

Lastly, don't expect that much. Most travel packages are cheap because they book you to budget hotels and economy airfares. However there are also deals on luxury vacations at a lesser price. As for me, I am always up for anything. If my budget Bahamas vacation would only accommodate me to sleep under a coconut tree--well, why not?!

Why Online Deals?

Yes, I am an advocate of Online Deals for traveling. (Note: to those who are unfamiliar with online deals, these are coupons or products that are on huge marked down prices sold exclusively at websites.) Though some are skeptic about it and wouldn’t believe its value. Thus, these deals are left unnoticed or eluded. 

A few months ago DTI (Department of Trade and Industry) were communicating advisories to the consumers with regards to these travel deals found online. They warned the public to be cautious with what they could buy from e-commerce sites, and even reasoned that the low price is valid enough to send buyers a red flag. But these warnings didn’t hinder online deals fanatics to buy. Well, at least not me.

As of today I have bought a total of 8 travel deals I found online. And so far I have never regretted any of my purchases. Traveling could be expensive, but not with these online deal sites.  

What's my advice to not get ripped of? Read the fine print or offer details, communicate and inquire about the deal. Basically, you just have to smart.

Next week I'll be posting some guidelines on safe buying of online deals. Bye! 

Exploring the Great Ilocandia

Last summer I found a list of cheap vacation packages in the Philippines. Topping off the list are tropical-themed vacations, meaning they all include an itinerary of snorkeling, island hopping, and resort lounging. Of course the destinations of these packages are Boracay, Palawan, Surigao, Panglao and the likes. I knew that these are all breathtaking beach destinations but one certain package caught my attention—Ilocos Cities Tour.

Ilocos is composed of 2 parcels: Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur. The incomparable land of Ilocanos is like a country of its own; architecture is a unique mix of Hispanic and katutubo influence, the language they speak is different, and the cuisine could pass up to be exotic.Also, some influential political figures are Ilocanos. The Singsons are very influential in the south, and the Marcoses rule the north.

The deal was to visit 5 Points of Cities in Norte and Sur in just 3 days. First stop was Laoag where the Marcoses have been ruling even before the Dictatorship of former president Ferdinand Marcos. Laoag is the capital city of the Norte province; there we visited Marcos museums and heritage homes.

2nd Stop: Paoay

Paoay is pretty much the same aura we got from Laoag, only there’s lesser people and a bit calmer. The famous tourist attraction here is the Paoay Church, a UNESCO Heritage site.

3^rd Stop: Pagudpud

Our day 2 was definitely fun and relaxing. No educational field trips just us enjoying the white sand of Pagudpud beach and frolicking in cool blue waters. My verdict on Pagudpud? Well it’s not really like Boracay in terms of the sand and scenery, but it’s a good place to unwind.

4^th Stop: Vigan

We arrived here at night time and my golly, the night scene here is very enthralling. It’s like being transported in a European country. Bricked walls, cobble stone streets, and tungsten lamp posts—who knew that Vigan could be such a romantic place?!

Day time we visited Crisologo museum, Ancestral Village, Vigan burnayan, and Baluarte ni Chavit, where wild animals owned by Congressman Singson were the main attraction.

5^th Stop: Bantay

As we depart from Ilocos, our last day was yet again spent on an old church built during the Spanish era. The only thing that I liked about this stop was the bell tower. I've never climbed up a tower and to get so up close to a bell that you could easily ring.

The amount that spent for this vacation is only 3,800 pesos. This package includes round trip land transpo, accommodation, guided tour, and complimentary snacks and meals. I got it on an online shopping site.

Ilocanos had somewhat a bad reputation for being kuripot or stingy, but from what I've seen, experienced, and leaned from this trip is that they're not. They're just smart and hardworking. If anything, I think they're very extravagant on spending with what they have earned. Just look at the display of wealth that the Marcoses and Singsons displayed.

Have Budget, Will Travel

Oh, hello there! My name is Jennifer and I like to travel. This passion of mine for thrill and adventure, and of course leisure, has urged me to start a new blog. Here you will find some tips on travelling, destination news, hotel and resort reviews, and some trip pics.

What made me love travelling more are the perks you get with the help of the internet. There are several online travel deals that will surely give you a great discount. These deals include airfare, accommodation, and guided tour and you’re only paying half its value.  So that’s how I started travelling. I set a budget and save money for it, find a cheap travel deal online, or separate discount coupons for my fare and accommodation.

If you want to jumpstart your bucket list of places-to-go, start going online. Not only does it help you save money but it also takes care of your itinerary and all travel bookings. As a Filipina, I would suggest that you start your journey by visiting local destination. We have 7,107 islands in the Philippines, meaning we have numerous of breathtaking destinations that any tourist would want to see!

Find great deals in online. You may take a trip to Palawan, Bohol, or Sagada. Anywhere you want to. Catch you on my next post.