Travel

Travel info, ideas, and photos

Agra & Taj Mahal
Photo: Soschilds, through a Creative Commons Attribution License

Travel is the process of leaving one's environment to go visit a new one. For some, travel is simply a trip to a neighboring city. For others, travel means going halfway around the world. Travel is a huge subject. There are so many different aspects and ways to travel.

The purpose of this page is to give a general introduction to the different types of travel out there and to give you a few InsidrInfo tips and some helpful links on travel. It's clearly a work in progress, but be patient. We're adding new pages every day.

Many different types of travel exist. Here are some of the most popular:

Adventure Travel: Travel in which sightseeing is replaced with experience and where travelers get up close to the local culture and nature.

Backpack Travel: Backpack travel is characterized by the desire to keep costs low, travel for months at a time, and gain a deeper understanding of different cultures.

Budget Travel: Travel in which costs are minimized.

Family Adventure Travel: Travel in which families participate in exciting adventurous activities, such as rafting or trekking.

Responsible Travel or Eco Travel: Travel in which sustainability of cultures and the environment takes a top priority.

Honeymoon Travel: Travel for newly married couples.

Independent Travel: Travel that is not with a commercial group.

Luxury Travel: Five-star travel to great hotels and resorts of distinction around the world.

Overland Travel: Long journeys across continents, traveling in specially-designed vehicles, often 4 wheel drive.

Volunteer Travel: Travel with an aim of giving back to a community, either in the form of physical labor, teaching, or visiting, often involving schools and orphanages.

In South and Central America, check out Ecuador, Peru, Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, and Costa Rica

In Europe, you should definitely consider the Czech Republic, as well as the ever-popular Italy, France, Germany, and Austria (they're popular for good reason.)

In Asia, you can't go wrong with Thailand or Tibet. if you're looking for culture, head for South India which is a bit off the tourist track. Likewise, Nepal is getting to be a very popular destination especially Kathmandu, Pokhara, which makes a great base for adventure. Vietnam is also very nice.

Don't use a travel agent, unless. . . With the advent of the internet, travelers are becoming increasingly web savvy, and travelers are booking more and more of their travel themselves. Discount travel web sites have sprung up with an almost infinite array of Travel deals. This is putting dramatic pressure on the travel agent industry, one of the main reasons travel agents are closing up shop right and left. To get the best deal, book travel yourself on one of the sites listed on our discount travel page. The exceptions when you may definitely want to use a travel agent would be if you are making a complicated international booking, especially if you're checking luggage, as travel agents should be able to help you book an itinerary that will minimize the risk of lost luggage.

Be adventurous. Consumers are taking more and more adventurous travel vacations. The fastest-growing segment of the adventure travel industry is the family adventure travel segment.

Plan for the unexpected and get travel insurance. By all means do buy travel insurance to protect that investment you make. Be careful to read the fine print with your policy however. For example, if you're planning travel that will take you to elevations over 10,000 feet, make sure that your travel insurance policy will cover it- many policies do not.

Travel light. The single most important rule of travel is to travel light. See our page on how to travel light for some important tips and ideas.

Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin - Bestselling Travel Book

The Travel Book: A Journey Through Every Country in the World by Lonely Planet Publications

1,000 Places to See Before You Die: A Traveler's Life List by Patricia Schultz

The Smart Traveler's Passport: 399 Tips from Seasoned Travelers by Erik Torkells and the readers of Budget Travel

The Art of Travel by Alain De Botton

Lonely Planet's Best in Travel 2009 (General Reference) by Lonely Planet Publications

Do Travel Writers Go to Hell?: A Swashbuckling Tale of High Adventures, Questionable Ethics, and Professional Hedonism by Thomas Kohnstamm

Travel as a Political Act by Rick Steves

Top 25 travel Web sites - CNN.com

Top travel spots to see 'Before You Die - ABC News

Top travel jobs: Been there, reported that - USA Today

Top Travel Destinations 2009 - TravelMuse

Lonely Planet picks world's best travel destinations - NEWS.com.au

Best Travel photos of 2008: Where we took you this year - Hartford Courant