Category: Travel

Recently, we have posted an article that tackles about the different types of visas and the countries that do require and do not require a visa. In our endless quest to make your international travel more convenient, today we will feature a very useful site called VisaMapper. This site can tell whether or not the country you will be travelling to needs a visa. Yes, this site is practical!

Among hundreds of sites in the virtual world, VisaMapper has the most user-friendly interface. Every piece of information you will need is presented right at its home page. This means you do not have to click many buttons to get what you want. Furthermore, unlike other sites, VisaMapper does not show deceiving advertisements.

At the topmost part of the site’s home page shows “I am a citizen of” and a drop-down menu. Here, you will choose what country you are a citizen of and the site will immediately tell you which countries do and do not require a visa.

Basing on your citizenship, the interactive world map of the site will tell you the visa requirements of every country. Looking at the image, you will notice that VisaMapper follows a color scheme:

• Countries that require a visa prior to arrival are colored maroon (although the color appears to be violet).
• Countries that do not require a visa prior to arrival are colored light green.
• Countries that have visas available upon arrival are colored dark green.
• Countries that require online visa application are colored cream.
• Countries where travel is restricted and/or forbidden are colored red.
• The country colored blue is the country of citizenship.

VisaMapper collects information via crowd sourcing. This means that a visitor is allowed to input data in the site. This is why there are some countries that are colored black. It signifies that the data available for such countries are unclear.

For instance, if I choose Canada as the country of citizenship, then the only country that appears black is Botswana. In addition, there are two countries requiring me to process an online visa application. These are Sri Lanka and Australia.

The good thing about VisaMapper is it also allows you to view the visa requirements of other nationalities. Say for example your Vietnamese friend calls you to ask if he needs a visa to go to the US, with the help of this site you can confidently answer, “Visa is required prior to arrival”.

DISCLAIMER: Although VisaMapper is undeniably informative and useful, it should not be used as a substitute for official government websites providing the same travel information. If you are planning to go overseas, then always be knowledgeable about your destination!

Many people ask, “Is there a way to travel without spending too much?” According to statistics, the number one reason why people don’t travel is the cost. The cost of plane tickets and hotel stay to be specific. While this is true, a lot of people who belong to the middle class are still able to travel anywhere they want because they are diligent enough to look for the most affordable travel deals online. Yes, you heard it right – affordable! Hence, if it is the cost that’s stopping you from travelling, then worry no more. THERE IS CERTAINLY A WAY TO TRAVEL WITHOUT SPENDING TOO MUCH! How? Visit these sites:

Google Flights

Unlike other booking sites filled with lots of pictures and advertisements, www.google.com/flights/ has a minimalist design. For this reason, this site is recommended for those who are not savvy when it comes to booking itineraries online, especially elderlies. The first few buttons in the homepage allow you to choose whether you want to book round-trip, one way, or multi-city tickets. There is also a button where you can choose the class of service (economy, business, first class) you prefer and another button beside it to indicate the number of passengers. This site is ideal for those who are in a budget because a ‘Price Tab’ is available where you can indicate how much you are willing to spend.

Hipmunk

Hipmunk is just like other booking sites that allow you to book flight, hotel, car, and package (flight + hotel) itineraries. However, what set it apart from others are its user-friendly interphase, simple design, and absolutely great deals. Hipmunk allows its users to compare prices across dozens of flight providers and thousands of hotels. The image below shows some results after I searched for a flight from Chicago (ORD) to Las Vegas (LAS) and a hotel for four nights. What I like most about this site is the ability to filter search through trip type. You can choose ‘romantic’ if you are travelling with your loved one or you can click on ‘kid-friendly’ if the whole family is going. There is also a button for ‘business’ and ‘luxury’.

Skyscanner

Although the design of this site is not as simple as Google Flights and Hipmunk, Skyscanner is also an ideal go-to site for those who want to save a lot when booking. However, note that Skyscanner is not actually a booking website. It is a site where you can search for the most affordable flights, hotels, and/or car rentals. Once you have chosen the trip you want, it will then direct you to the actual provider to complete your booking.

CheapoAir

As I’ve said before here in another article, CheapoAir is the site I use most regularly for my domestic and international flights. I could go on and on about how affordable I find this site. It’s best to always compare prices, but I find that this site has the lowest fares, along with frequent discount codes to give you even more of a deal. Make sure to check them out.

Nightly Travel Guides Pro Tip:

Remember that there is no such thing as “the ultimate booking site that offers the cheapest deals”. Sometimes, a certain site offers the most affordable deals; sometimes, it doesn’t. This means you should not rely on one site alone. In addition, aside from comparing three or more travel sites when booking, it would also help if you fly on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays.