funtotravel.info PLACES: Luang Prabang, Laos

Without a doubt one of our favourite places in the world is peaceful, laid back Luang Prabang, a UNESCO World Heritage city on the banks of the Mekong and Nam Khan rivers. We think it's the most beautiful city destination in South East Asia, although it feels more like a small town, and is a world away from bustling metropolises like Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok and Ho Chi Ming City.

Situated in North Central Laos, about 425km north of Vientiane, Luang Prabang offers a stunning mix of beautiful temples, gorgeous French colonial architecture, fantastic fusion food and some fascinating markets. There are also some great bars and an increasingly upmarket restaurant scene. Make sure you have plenty of room left on your camera's memory stick when you visit - it's an incredibly photogenic place.

We think the best way of giving you an idea of what you can do in this fabulous city is to give you a run down of what we'd do if we had 24 hours to play with in Laos's jewel in the crown - Luang Prabang.

Morning

Head to L'Etranger for a fantastic breakfast and some great local teas and coffees. Pick up something to read from the wonderful downstairs book shop, or flick through one of the myriad National Geographic magazines that line the walls upstairs where you'll eat. This top cafe/bookshop also shows art movies at night.

Having sated your hunger temporarily, head out to explore some of the city's many cultural jewels. We recommend a visit to golden, ornate Wat Xieng Thong (a wat is a temple, and Luang Prabang has over one hundred of them) and then to the fascinating Royal Palace Museum. We also love pretty Wat Xieng Maen.

One of the great things about the city is that you are constantly surrounded by delicious and tempting snacks, so when you're all templed out, why not stop at one of the outdoor riverside cafe/restaurants that line Th Khem Khong and enjoy a drink and a snack while you watch life on the Mekong slide gently past. This is the perfect opportunity for you to hail one of the many boatmen who ply their trade on the river(s) - they hire out their boats for trips up and down the Mekong, so take an hour-long cruise and enjoy the tranquility (boat ride costs around US$3-5). 

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Afternoon

Return to Th Sisvangvong (the city's main tourist thoroughfare) and eat lunch at one of the many great restaurants there. We'd recommend Yongkhoune Restaurant for excellent people-watching and decent food. With all that fodder in your belly it's time to work some calories off. There are a number of local travel agents to be found on Sisvangthong who can arrange activities for you , but we'd recommend White Elephant. They arranged a brilliant trip for us mountain biking, swimming in the stunning Tad Sae waterfalls, riding elephants and kayaking back into town. A range of other trips are on offer, from forest trekking to overnight village stays and trips out to the Kuang Si waterfalls (equally beautiful). Return to your accommodation for a well earned shower and eat out for your evening's entertainment.

Evening

The perfect start for an evening in Luang Prabang is watching sunset on Phu Si hill. It takes a rather sweaty 15-20 minutes to hike up to the top (expect crowds!) but the view is well worth it - see the picture below if you don't believe us!

Once you've witnessed one of the greatest sunsets in South East Asia and made your way down from Phu Si, you will have definitely earned a drink. We recommend a bit of a splurge, so head to Pack Luck wine bar on Th Sisavangvong for a delicious glass of wine while you watch the world go by. Although Luang Prabang has a tremendous range of restaurants offering dishes from around the world, we recommend a trip to the night market to indulge in some delicious street food. As well as selling some great crafts and clothes from throughout the region, we think that the best thing about the market is the sheer range of delicious (and plain weird!) dishes on offer, from grilled meats to noodle dishes, fried insects on sticks, curries, soups, fried rices and filled baguettes. All for ludicrously cheap prices and perfect to wash down with a few wonderful Beer Lao. 

After filling your stomach, no doubt you'll be ready for a few drinks, so we recommend heading to Lao Lao Garden on Th Kingkitsarat (see this blog entry for a run down on the bar's delights) to get your groove on in their fantastic bonfire filled garden. Be aware that all bars in Luang Prabang close at midnight, so if you're not ready to call it a night then take a trip to the bowling alley (yes, really) for late night carousing! It's the best (and only) late night venue in town.

So there you have it, a great and fun-packed day in this jewel of a town. Pay it a visit and prepare to leave your worries and stresses behind.

Practical Stuff

Country: Laos

Currency: Kip (though US Dollars and Thai Baht are also widely accepted)

Accommodation: The best area for budget digs is on the streets off Th Phommatha near Phu Si - ask for the Merry Guesthouse and there are lots of options around.

Budget: $10-20 on a shoestring, $24-50 on a mid range budget with a few drinks and excursions thrown in.

Next destination: from Luang Prabang you can head south to Vang Vieng (a drunken Disneyland for backpackers) and then on to Vientiane (the country's sleepy capital) or head West over the border to Chiang Mai in Thailand (by boat or plane).

To read the funtotravel.info guide to Laos, click here.

funtotravel.info TIPS: How to haggle

Bargaining over the price of goods is a tradition in many countries that are popular with travellers. To give you a guide of all of these countries would be a little difficult, but is best summed up as follows:

Amongst other places, in Southeast Asia, China, India, Nepal, most of Africa, and parts of South and Central America haggling over prices for taxis, clothing, souvenirs, commodities and even accommodation prices is a part of everyday life and if conducted properly and in the right spirit can be a lot of fun. Outside of these regions, prices are mostly fixed, and attempts to drive down prices through bargaining are unlikely to work or be seen as a good idea (though give it a go if you’re feeling brave!).

Most Western tourists are not entirely comfortable with the idea of bargaining, and it does take some time to get used to. With your first few attempts you are likely to either pay over-the-odds for something (which is why it’s best to start with low value goods first!) or be laughed away for trying to pay a pittance for something that’s worth a lot more. Many people find that bargaining for things becomes one of the most fun and pleasurable elements of their trip – it is one of the best ways to interact with the locals and be satisfied that you’ve got yourself a bargain. There is a real knack to bargaining though, and don’t underestimate the value of a smile and a sense of humour about the whole exchange. Practice makes perfect and don’t forget – a few cents makes little difference to you but could be a big deal to the person selling to you.

Here are a few tips on the best ways to bargain:

Tip 1: Do your research

Before starting to bargain, you should have an idea what the item you’re interested in should usually cost – this should stop you from getting taken for a ride by the seller and being overcharged. Have a look around the other stalls, browse, look and listen to what others are paying for similar items and this will give you an idea of what you should be paying.

Tip 2: Pretend you’re not interested

Have a look at a few different items; and don’t make out that you’re interested in the particular thing that you actually want to buy. Don’t even ask for prices at this point.

Tip 3: Let the seller quote the price first

It’s best to force the seller to make the first move. You’ll be encouraged again and again with ‘How much do you want to pay?’ from the seller in the hope that in your presumed ignorance you will quote a price much higher than he/she was hoping. Don’t fall for this and get them to suggest the price first. You can assume that this first price will be much higher than the price that they are willing to actually sell for, with anything from double to five times a fair price being quoted. It always helps to look shocked and slightly offended at this point!

Tip 4: Smile and ask for a better price

Smile and tell the seller something like “I know you can do better than that” or “we both you know that you can give me a better price than that”. If their English is not great and neither is your grasp of the local language (shame on you!), a cheeky smile and a “Cheaper price!” should suffice…

Tip 5: Naming your price

This is the tricky part, and where it’s handy to know roughly what you should be paying for an item. You want to name a price that’s lower than you know the price should be, but not so low that the seller thinks you are taking them for a fool – they will soon stop taking you seriously if you name an insultingly low price.

Tip 6: Have a sense of humour and keep smiling!

Don’t get too emotional – if you keep a smile on your face and negotiate in good humour then the seller will be far more likely to co-operate with you. Getting angry will not work in your favour and you could well be insulting the seller. You are likely to go back and forth a few times with prices until you reach a stage where you feel you will both be fairly happy with the price offered.

Tip 7: Bulk buy = discount

If you like more than one item that a merchant has for sale then ask for a discount if you buy both. If you don’t ask, you don’t get. The more items that you buy the better the potential for discount. Though don’t forget that your backpack only has a certain amount of space as we discovered when we bought 60 DVDs in Vietnam once…

Tip 8: Walk away if you’re not happy with the deal

A brilliant tactic as a last resort. If you feel that you’ve reached a fair price and that the seller is just being difficult then try pulling out of the negotiation and walking away. You’ll be surprised how many times the seller will follow you and suddenly agree to your last price.

Tip 9: It’s not over until it’s over

Until you have agreed on a final price, you have no obligation whatsoever (even morally) to go through with the purchase. Even if you have haggled back and forth for twenty minutes, if you have not agreed on price then you are completely within your rights to walk away and try somewhere else. Do not feel pressured or guilted into returning to the shop and paying a price you’re not happy with.

Tip 10: The best times to grab a bargain

We think that you’ll get the best price either at the start of the day or at the very end. At the start of the day, most sellers are keen to get a sale under their belts to get the day rolling properly and will usually lower their prices slightly to get things off to a good start. Likewise at the end of the day most sellers are looking to boost the amount of cash they’ve taken so will usually lower prices slightly to get rid of stock. Take advantage of this!

Tip 11: Once you’ve agreed on a price then it’s final

Once you are both happy with a price and have settled on the amount you are going to pay then you have to go through with the transaction – to walk away at this point would be seen as very unfair and cause you both to lose face. Culturally this is not cool at all.

Tip 12: Don’t use a big note for a small price

If you’ve just spent twenty minutes pleading your poverty to get the price down on a $2 t-shirt, don’t then try and pay with a $20 note and expect to get change. Not only is this extremely rude and slightly duplicitous (after you’ve just been telling the seller that you have very little money), but culturally not really acceptable and also serves to highlight the gap between the haves and the have-nots. The myth in many areas is that tourists are just walking ATMs and it is exactly this kind of behaviour that gives travellers this reputation. Carry small denomination notes with you for exactly this reason.

Tip 13: Remember where you are and don’t take things too seriously

Please don’t spend twenty minutes bargaining over the matter of 20 cents – it makes very little difference to you and a lot of difference to the seller trying to feed their family.

Always remember these tips on bargaining and most importantly, smile, relax and have fun: by being respectful and having fun at the same time you are bound to get yourself a bargain!

funtotravel.info TOP 10: PARTY HOSTELS

Here's our selection of outstanding places to stay if you want to have a riotously good time while you're travelling the world. You might not get much culture or a good night's sleep, but you will have a damned good time!

1. The Flying Pig, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

The Flying Pig actually own two spots in the City – Uptown and Downtown. Downtown is the place to go if you want to have the time of your life: situated in a great part of the infamous party city that is Amsterdam, it’s a top spot to meet travellers, with a buzzing bar, top tunes and even a smoking room (this is Amsterdam after all) if that’s you’re thing. It’s also a great spot from which to explore this fascinating city, if you can drag yourself away from the bar!

http://www.flyingpig.nl/index.php
To read our guide to the Netherlands, click here

2. La Casa Roja, Santiago, Chile

A real blast whether you’re beginning or ending your South American odyssey, the Aussie owned Casa Roja is an absolute must-stay on this list. Not many city hostels have a pool and a hot tub, but even less have a cricket net! The bar seems to be open every hour of every day – drinks are cheap and plentiful and it’s not unusual to find people sinking a few beers when you come down to make breakfast! The hostel is based in a restored mansion in a pleasant suburban area of Santiago, with a supermarket and some cheap restaurants nearby. As well as offering the standard pasta, party and barbecue nights La Casa Roja offers Spanish lessons, a great kitchen and some good value tours. A fantastic place to meet people and very hard to leave!

http://www.lacasaroja.cl/
To read our guide to Chile click here


3. Loki, Cusco, Peru

Our favourite of the small chain of hostels set up by backpackers in South America (others in Lima, Mancora, and La Paz), this is THE place to stay if you want to party after Machu Picchu! In a stunningly restored 450 year old house in the historical centre of stunning Cusco, people come here to party. The bar is fantastic, and offers live music, quiz nights and a great garden for drinking and sunning yourself. All the amenities are top notch, and the place has clearly been put together with party-loving backpackers in mind. Though the beds are very comfy (proper duvets!), don’t expect to get much sleep!

http://www.lokihostel.com/en/cusco
To read our guide to Peru click here

4. Pink Palace, Corfu, Greece

This infamous place on the green island of Corfu is a must-visit on the 21st century European ‘Grand Tour’ for backpackers. It’s essentially a giant pink fun-house built on the cliffs of Agios Gordios Beach where you’re given a free shot of Ouzo on arrival. This sets the tone for your stay in surprisingly decent digs – drink, volleyball, drink, beach, drink, booze cruise, drink, toga parties, drink, pool parties, drink etc. You can also (when sober!) hire quad bikes, cars and mopeds to explore the beautiful island. Though open in the off-season, expect a much more chilled out experience: come in high-season for a slice of frat-party life in the Greek sunshine. Utter, utter debauchery.

http://www.thepinkpalace.com/index.html
To read our guide to Greece click here

5. Siam Hut, Ko Chang, Thailand

OK, so it’s not on perennial party favourites Ko Phangnan or Ko Phi Phi, but in our humble opinion it’s still one of the best beaches left in Thailand to party. Siam Huts is located on the south end of Lonely Beach on the tropical Island of Ko Chang. Built on ramshackle wooden platforms jutting out over crystal clear waters, the crazy bar here offers frequent live music, nightly fire shows and wild cocktail-bucket parties pretty much every night of the week. If the scene here isn’t loud enough for you, then we’re sure that you’ll find a party to suit your mood somewhere along the beach! The huts here aren’t bad at all, ranging from basic to mid-range, but don’t expect to get a great night’s sleep if you come here in high season – parties rage on pretty much until sunrise.

http://www.siamhutkohchang.com/
To read our guide to Thailand click here

6. Balmer’s, Interlaken, Switzerland

Backpackers flock to Interlaken for skiing, canyoning, bungy, hiking, rafting and sky-diving all through the year. And they come to Balmer’s famous hostel to party. It has the most popular bar and nightclub town which throngs with backpackers from around the world, as well as its own beer garden which is a great place to chill out after a day of activities. It’s a must stop on the European party tour. If you want to experience real Swiss culture and hospitality, don’t stay here, but if you want to drink around the clock with other backpackers from around the world then go for it. This place can eat money if you’re not careful – Switzerland is not a budget destination. Not for the faint-hearted!

http://www.balmers.com/en/

7. Che Lagarto, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Surely one of the most fun destinations in the world, Rio de Janeiro has its fair share of party hostels but Che Lagarto has to be our favourite. It’s in a brilliant location, just a couple of blocks from infamous Copacabana beach, and possesses a fun, loud and very lively bar. It’s a great place to base yourself in Rio (especially during Carnaval), and as well as hosting some fine events in-house (pizza nights, samba nights etc), they will give you a steer as to where is good to go afterwards.

http://www.chelagarto.com/index.php/en/hostel-in-copacabana.html
To read our guide to Brazil click here

8. The Yellow, Rome, Italy

Brilliantly located near Termini station in the centre of Rome, The Yellow is one of the greatest party hostels in Europe. This is thanks to two things: firstly, the popularity of its cheap (well, cheap compared to the rest of the city!) bar, which is a brilliant place to hook up with other backpackers, and secondly, it runs some of the biggest and most fun pub crawls in Italy (chock full of free drink offers). A really fun place to stay in one of the most memorable cities in the world.

http://www.the-yellow.com/
To read our guide to Italy click here

9. St Christopher’s Village Inn, London, England

Quite simply, this is London’s premier party hostel. In a great destination not far from wonderful Borough Market, the Village Inn has its infamous Belushi’s bar (a brilliant place to meet people) as well as a comedy club. It also benefits from a great number of pubs, bars and clubs within walking distance. This is a really fun place to stay and sample some of the UKs top-notch beers. Oh, and when you get bored of the bar and the comedy club, the Village has its own pumping nightclub – don’t stay if you fancy an early night!

http://www.st-christophers.co.uk/london-hostels/london/london-bridge
To read our guide to the UK click here

10. Hostel Inn Iguazu, Puerto Iguazu, Argentina

The fact that this fantastic hostel used to be a casino says a lot! Don’t be put off by the fact that this is an official HI Hostel (with their rather straight laced reputation) – it’s in a beautiful position with a giant pool and a great outside bar (as well as one inside). They run regular barbecue nights, five a side football, samba and tango nights and pizza nights where the booze flows. They will also help you run trips out to the truly incredible Iguazu Falls. It’s a great place to stay and a lot of fun.

http://www.hostel-inn.com/?idioma=2&seccion=hostels&id1=11&le2=0&id2=0&le3=0&id3=0&le4=0&id4=0
To read our guide to Argentina click here

funtotravel.info ISSUES: ¿Habla usted inglés? Getting by if you don't speak the language

The truth is that as an English speaker, you are likely to be spoiled language-wise when you travel in a lot of areas around the world. English has become the language of travel, and in areas like Southeast Asia, India and Nepal, English is spoken by many people associated with the tourist industry, meaning that staff in hotels, guest houses, restaurants, tourist sights and travel agents (as well as the numerous touts) are used to speaking to tourists in English. Lucky you if you speak English (and we assume you do if you’re reading this!). This does not mean though that you should ignore your obligations as a visitor in another country: make an effort to learn at least a few words of the local language wherever you go (hello, please, thank you and goodbye should be the bare minimum). Not only does it show that you are making an effort to communicate in the local language, but it shows respect for where you are and means you are much more likely to be treated favourably by whoever you are speaking to.

Please DO NOT make the classic mistake that English-speaking travellers abroad make: if someone does not seem to understand you when you speak to them in English then please, please, please do not just speak louder and slower in English while gesticulating wildly. You will be amazed how many times you will see this bewildering behaviour from tourists on their travels – it’s rude and embarrassing. So please make an effort and have a go at speaking the local language: it will also help you feel less intimidated or paranoid in situations where you are not sure exactly what is going on.

There are certain areas that you will travel in where people will have no understanding of English whatsoever, and why should they. This is where it pays to speak some of the language. South and Central America are perfect examples of this, since Spanish (except in Brazil where it’s Portuguese) is the common language. Here you cannot expect to be understood if you speak English, other than in the most touristy areas (Cuzco in Peru for example), so it pays to learn some Spanish before you head over there. If you have the time and the money why not take some lessons when you’re over there – it’s a really rewarding thing to do, and by immersing yourself in the experience you are bound to learn the language faster and more efficiently.

How do you say 'No, just a trim please!' in Spanish?!

You may face similar linguistic problems if you are a non-French speaker in parts of western Africa where French is the official language. If you plan to travel here then try and learn some French before you arrive as it will get you a long way.

If you plan to travel around somewhere with a different alphabet (i.e. Japan, China, Russia or Korea to name a few), then our best tip is to take a guide-book that has the symbols for each destination or sight printed in them next to the English name. This is unbelievably useful and practical for things like asking for directions or giving instructions to a taxi driver if you can’t find an English speaker and are really struggling with the language. Pointing at the symbol, intimating that you don’t know where to go and smiling may seem a little rude, but it’s far better than simply speaking loudly and slowly in English! It’s worth noting though that even in these regions (maybe with the exception of Russia), at least some English will be spoken in most hostels and guesthouses.

If you are planning on taking an Interrail/Eurail trip around Europe then you are likely to be passing through countries where a lot of different languages are spoken. Make an effort to learn the basic words in German, French and Spanish and as many other languages as are relevant for the countries that you are visiting, but note that English is becoming increasingly widely spoken in tourist areas. This does not though give you an excuse to be lazy or rude and go shouting English at staff in train stations/restaurants etc!

Another tip that might come in handy if you are really struggling to breach the language barrier is to ask the staff in your hostel for help (assuming of course that they speak English!). Whether you are wanting to book a train ticket, have your hair cut or order a particular dish in a restaurant, ask the guys in your hostel to write down what you’re after in the local language on a piece of paper and take it to wherever you need to use it. We’ve done this in countries as diverse as Brazil, Egypt, China and Bolivia and it has worked like a charm every time.

Don’t forget, if worst comes to worst and you are really struggling to make yourself understood, then smiling and using sign language can sometimes work. At best you’ll get your point across and get what you want, and at worst you’ll look like a bit of an idiot but at least you’ll give anyone watching a good laugh. Keeping a smile on your face and your sense of humour intact will get you through almost everything!

funtotravel.info TOP 10: DRINKING SPOTS

We love to travel and we’re fond of a drink, so what better way to mesh two of our loves together than by listing ten of our favourite places worldwide to enjoy a drink. Some are at the ‘flashpacker’ end of the market, and some you could afford on the most meagre of budgets, but all have something very special about them. Let us know if you agree.

In no particular order:

1. Il Palazetto, Rome, Italy
This boutique hotel’s stunning terrace overlooks the Spanish Steps and Piazza di Spagna in one of Rome’s most beautiful spots. Drinks aren’t cheap, but the view is out of this world, the cocktails are delicious and the DJs spin funky, laid back tunes. Great people watching!

http://www.ilpalazettoroma.com/
Vicolo del Bottino, 8, 00187 Roma, Italy, 066 9202055

To read the funtotravel.info guide to Italy click here

2. Bia Hoi Corner, Hanoi, Vietnam

This crossroads in the Old Quarter of Hanoi has become a meeting point for travellers and expats from all over the world. Come here to drink freshly brewed and surprisingly light beers for 5000 Dong (about 15p UK) at any of the four little outdoor ‘bars’ . We say bars, but they’re more like tiny shop fronts with primary school sized plastic furniture outside. Chat to new friends as cyclos, cars, mopeds and hundreds of street vendors zoom past you. It’s a lot of fun! If you get hungry, there’s a great restaurant called ‘Little Hanoi’ just up the street.

Corner of Pho Ta Hien / Pho Luong Ngoc Quyen, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi, Vietnam

To read the funtotravel.info guide to Vietnam click here


3. Carioca de Gema, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

One of Rio’s most celebrated samba bars, Carioca de Gema is situated in the lively district of Lapa, an area famous for samba. Though Friday and Saturday are obviously the busiest nights, it’s one of the few places in Lapa that you can guarantee a good crowd on weeknights. It serves up great mojitos and caipirinhas as you’d imagine, as well as some decent snack food if all the samba makes you hungry. Head down here, grab a Bramha, SKOL or Bohemia beer and dance the night away!

http://barcariocadagema.com.br/bar.htm
Rua Mem de Sá, nº 79, Lapa, Rio de Janeiro, Tel.: 2221-0043

To read the funtotravel.info guide to Brazil click here

4. Lao Lao Garden, Luang Prabang, Laos

We love Luang Prabang and pretty much everything about this laid back and beautiful town on the banks of the Mekong in Laos is simply wonderful. Our favourite spot, especially on one of the cooler nights in the ‘winter’ months, is at Lao Lao Garden.

As the name suggests it’s a bar and restaurant set in a beautifully lit, terraced, multi-level tropical garden. At the bottom is a nightly bonfire, great for sitting around and meeting new people, while each of the 30 or so smaller stone tables on the higher levels comes with its own firepit in the centre. These fires are great for keeping your hands warm while you sip on budget cocktails (many of which are made from the infamous rice whisky lao lao) or on a truly delicious Beer Lao. Their main purpose though is to use to cook the house speciality – Laotian Barbecue. This tasty food is like a cross between a Chinese hot pot and a Korean barbecue, and is surprisingly light.

Beautiful lighting, chilled out music, a buzzing yet intimate atmosphere, warm fires and great drinks make this a must visit if you’re in Luang Prabang.

Tip: If you’re nursing a hangover try L’etranger on Ban Aphay (booksinlaos@yahoo.com), selling many different kinds of teas, shakes and smoothies. It stocks a small library with books that can be hired for a fee. Upstairs screens art house films most nights and its walls are covered with old copies of the National Geographic, which we love! Breakfasts are awesome.

Th Kingkitsarat Old Town, Luang Prabang

To read the funtotravel.info guide to Laos click here

5. KuDeTa, Seminyak, Bali, Indonesia

Of all of the venues listed here, this is without doubt the flashiest and most pretentious. This pretension does not however stop it from being an incredible place to go for a sunset drink (or even dinner – the food is fantastic).

Built on a prime beach-front location in upmarket Seminyak, it is stunningly designed and houses an open air restaurant, a few different and extremely stylish bars, a pool and some gorgeous beach side recliners.

It’s achingly hip, and prices and service reflect this. Take a look at their site and you’ll see what we mean. It’s a real experience going there, and we definitely think it is worth a splurge if you’re in Bali.

http://bali.kudeta.net/

Jalan Laksmana 9 Denpasar, Bali 80361, Indonesia, Tel: 62 361 736969

To read the funtotravel.info guide to Indonesia click here

6. KozyBar, Marrakech, Morocco

Hidden away in the medina of Marrakech, this gem of a bar is one of the most atmospheric places we have ever drunk. It’s one of the few places within the medina itself that has a licence, and we’d recommend that you head to the roof terrace for a sunset drink and watch the sky change over the storks' nests and rooftops of the old city. Be warned though, this is not a place to visit on a budget…

There’s a piano bar downstairs where some decent jazz is performed on certain nights, and Moroccan and Asian fusion food is served throughout the bar. It’s not cheap, but listen to the call to prayer echoing over the rooftops from the Koutoubia Mosque and you’ll realise why it’s so special. Oh, and Casablanca beer’s not half bad….

47 Place des Ferblantiers, Marrakech, Morocco

To read the funtotravel.info members’ guide to Morocco click here

7. Opera Bar, Sydney, Australia

Touristy, fairly expensive and a bit of a cliché, yes, but it’s a bar that just couldn’t be left off the list. Built into the lower concourse of the Opera House, it’s a truly spectacular setting, with stunning views of the Harbour Bridge, Circular Quay and the Opera House itself, along with everything in-between.

It’s an amazing, if expensive place to see in the New Year and enjoy a firework spectacular. The bar has a great range of beers, wines and spirits and also serves some great modern Australian dishes if you get peckish.

But even though the food and drink are both spectacular, the views will have you coming back time and time again.
http://www.operabar.com.au/
Lower Concourse Level, Sydney Opera House, Sydney 2000, Australia, 61 2 9247 1666

To read the funtotravel.info guide to Australia click here

8. Tubing, Vang Vieng, Laos

Not strictly a bar, per se, but a bar crawl with a twist that’s unrivalled in terms of fun. Love it or hate it, Vang Vieng is like Disneyland for backpackers and has become one of the 'it' destinations of South East Asia. For the uninitiated, tubing involves floating down the beautiful Nam Song river in a tractor tyre inner tube, stopping for numerous drinks and taking on some ridiculous rope swings.

After a lift on a tuk-tuk, you begin a few kilometres upstream of town with a strong cocktail at the organic farm (the profits from which help educate local kids), and then drift downriver. Expect to be pulled in (literally – they have ropes and sticks!) by the owners of various bars that have set-up on the banks. As well as areas for dancing and heavy drinking, the owners have set up increasingly ridiculous slides and rope swings for the brave/stupid/heavily intoxicated to try. Delicious Beer Lao runs at about $1.50 for a large bottle, cocktail buckets (yes, buckets) are about $3, and shots of rice whisky are dished out liberally. At last count there were ten-plus bars on the float back to town, and most people have a drink at each, as well as indulging in a bit of mud-wrestling/volleyball/swinging/dancing. It’s a very fun, very heavy, and pretty dangerous day all in all – health and safety isn’t big in Laos.

We don’t want to sound like your mother, but perforated eardrums, broken ribs and permanent hearing damage are common injuries resulting from tubing going wrong, so don’t go too hard too early – tubing is a marathon not a sprint!

It’s the must-do activity in this part of the world – yes it's shamelessly tacky and more than a little dangerous but for a lot of people it's the highlight of their trip. If you can't beat them, join them!

Tubing starts and ends in Vang Vieng, Laos.

To read the funtotravel.info guide to Laos click here

9. Sunset View Terrace, Fateh Prakash Palace Hotel, City Palace, Udaipur, India

In India’s most romantic city, head to the City Palace for a sundown gin and tonic and be treated to truly enchanting views across Lake Pichola towards the white marble Lake Palace Hotel. The other bonus is that you won’t be made to watch Octopussy for the 150th time like at every other restaurant in town!

Get here early for a prime table and prepare to pay steep prices (for India anyway) for your drink. It’s well worth it though - watching the sunset with such a stunning view and an ice-cold gin and tonic in hand is truly a magical experience.

City Palace, Udaipur 313001, India

To read the funtotravel.info guide to India click here

10. The Pawn, Wan Chai, Hong Kong

If you have the cash to splash, Hong Kong is a drinker’s paradise with many fantastic venues on offer. Despite the handover to China back in 1997, many parts of HK retain a colonial feel and perhaps that’s why we felt a hankering for a proper pub with real ale on our travels: this stylish and beautifully renovated pub ticked all the boxes.

Situated in a converted tenement house in buzzing Wan Chai, the stylish Pawn serves as a pub and restaurant serving British gastro-pub food with a great selection of beers and lagers on tap.

It’s not cheap (far from it in fact), but it has a fun yet laid-back atmosphere, great beers and decent food, all served in a beautiful old building. It also has good views along Johnston Street, and is in the centre of the Wan Chai action. Recommended.

http://www.thepawn.com.hk/
The Pawn, 62 Johnston Road, Hong Kong, China, 2866-3444

To read the funtotravel.info guide to Hong Kong click here

funtotravel.info PLACES: Fun and Games at the Taj Mahal

Arriving in Agra by bus at 11am, we checked into our modest lodgings just outside the infamous Taj Ganj area of the city and strolled towards the UNESCO World Heritage listed Wonder of the World, ludicrously excited despite an unnecessarily long, dusty and thoroughly exhausting bus ride from Delhi.

As we approached the East Gate of the compound, I remember thinking it was rather odd that no-one was imploring us to buy postcards or marble mini-Tajs, drink a can of Coke, use their guide service, eat at their restaurant etc but I was just too excited to pay much heed. There were no queues of tourists milling around for a ticket, in fact there were no tourists to be seen at all, just a large embankment of Indian soldiers guarding the entrance. At this point, it finally occurred to our heat and exhaustion addled brains that something wasn’t quite right. Having been shouted at by a couple of stick wielding soldiers and told to ‘go’, we were informed by one of the less violent looking soldiers that ‘Taj closed’ and shooed away with a swipe of a lustily-wielded stick.

We repaired to the one café in the vicinity that seemed to be open and were greeted by the chuckling proprietor, who must have been tickled by the look of bemusement on our faces. As we settled down with a cup of chai and a cold refreshing drink, he told us that the King of Belgium was making a surprise visit and that the Taj was being closed for the afternoon, ‘maybe’ to open again the next morning. King of Belgium? KING OF BELGIUM? I didn’t even know they had a king! We knew that we had to be at Delhi International Airport (200km away) by 12.30pm the next day, and started to fret furiously about our chances of getting there early enough to make our flight to Varanasi. Asking the waiter what he thought our chances were, we were greeted with a smile and a ubiquitous head-wiggle, though that could be more to do with the fact that Indians hate to disappoint anyone and will generally answer any question in the affirmative to avoid doing so!

Leaving the café for another crack at the Taj, we were greeted with more stick wielding, furiously moustached soldiers, and decided to head back to our hotel to work out what to do. One of the reasons we picked the Sheela Inn was that it has a roof terrace complete with restaurant, which seemed like a great place to relax under hot sun and blue skies. Even if we couldn’t go inside the Taj, we could work on our fast developing t shirt tans! Having a rather intimate view of the Taj from the rooftop would normally be a wonderful thing, but when you’ve effectively been banned from visiting, it becomes more than a little frustrating. We found ourselves glaring furiously at the stunning domes and minarets knowing that we had travelled all the way to Agra with the sole intention of fulfilling a life-long dream and seeing the Taj only to find entry denied by a little-known minor European monarch – soul destroying! To satiate our need for calories, if not our need for sight-seeing, we passed the hot afternoon munching on delicious vegetarian delights and quaffing gallons of chai.

At around 5ish, one of the waiters passed on the tip that the Taj would be opening for sunset, so we ran down the road with a spring in our step, only to find our way blocked again by the soldiers, who informed us solemnly that it would remain closed after all. Feeling in a slightly mischievous and malevolent mood, we decided to follow a tour group down a muddy track along the side of the Taj, thinking that their guide must know a sneaky way in. This thought clearly also occurred to another group of travellers who in turn followed us down the track, with a small group of soldiers in tow. Feeling rather like the Pied Piper of Hamlyn, our burgeoning group of around 50 made its way down the path until we found our way blocked by another group of soldiers, this time armed with sub machine guns. We stood blocked at both sides by men in uniform, who subjected us to a minute-long tirade in Hindi before ordering us to go back. We had at least this time had the chance to view some of the outer walls and towers of the Taj up close!

Returning to the hotel somewhat crestfallen, the waiter could sense our misery and offered to sneak out and fetch us some beers. This cheered us up endlessly, and the evening passed swiftly with the drinking of foul (and rather ironically named) Royal Challenge beers and watching the city suffer about 5 power cuts in 2 hours – impressive.

The alarm went off at the ridiculously early hour of 4.30 as we dragged ourselves in and out of the shower and out into the dark streets. Despite being passed by a random herd of camels and some clearly still inebriated cycle rickshaw drivers (motorised rickshaws being wisely banned from the centre of the city for environmental reasons), we made it to the East Gate entrance to the Taj unscathed, where we found a scene of merry hell unfolding. Due to the closure the day before, around double the normal number of tourists were jostling for position around the still closed ticket windows (of which there were only two to serve several hundred people, even at 5am). The ticket office didn’t open until 6, so the next hour basically involved negotiating our way to somewhere remotely near the front the queue, avoiding malevolent ticket touts and hordes of large and unwieldy American pensioners loudly complaining about sore stomachs and the smell/mess/rude Indians etc. When the ticket office finally opened, a small army of touts surged their way to the front and spent twenty five minutes jostling for new positions while the ticket-seller took his time to unwrap the days tickets, polish his heavy brass stamp (surely a colonial relic!), count out his tickets and carefully stamp them all with a number all as slowly as humanly possible: infuriating when you’ve already waited 20 or so hours to get in!

The ticket man served about ten or so touts first of all, sent to the front to buy huge blocks of tickets for the bus-loads of package tourists who were whisked in on expensive tours so that they wouldn’t have to suffer the indignity of actually having to buy their own tickets. The ponderous and extremely thorough ticket man was though sure to sell and number each ticket painstakingly slowly, meaning that by the time I managed to shove in front of a couple of touts and make my presence known, another 30 minutes had elapsed. An hour after arriving, we finally got our hands on two 750R tickets (about £10 each – steep considering that the locals pay about 30p!) and made our way to the next layer of hell – the metal detectors. Narrowly avoiding a fight with another backpacker, who was enraged at my procuring of tickets before his tout had been able to buy his for him, we joined a throng of people ‘queuing’ for the security checks. The crowd had to divide itself into men and women (there were seperate lines for each), and the difference in behaviour between the two was marked; the men waiting stoically for their turn, but the woman pushing and shoving for position, regardless of age, colour or wealth. I’m not exaggerating when I say that I saw a rather fragile looking American pensioner violently floored by some over-exuberant French queue-bargers. By this point, the sun had started to rise, and our time in Agra was running short – we had a taxi coming to pick us up at 9.30 and it was now nearly 8.

By the time we finally got in, we were stressed, tired, hurried and bad-tempered. But all of the bad feeling instantly evaporated the second we rounded the final corner and glimpsed the magnificence of the tomb itself for the first time. Wow. Just wow. There are almost no words that can sum up quite how stunning it is – no building in the world has ever had such a jaw-dropping effect on me. Here’s a small bit of history on the Taj Mahal, taken from Wikipedia (don’t say I don’t do my research!):

In 1631, Shah Jahan, emperor during the Mughal empire's period of greatest prosperity, was grief-stricken when his third wife, Mumtaz Mahal, died during the birth of their fourteenth child, Gauhara Begum. Construction of the Taj Mahal began in 1632, one year after her death. The court chronicles of Shah Jahan's grief illustrate the love story traditionally held as an inspiration for the Taj Mahal. The principal mausoleum was completed in 1648 and the surrounding buildings and garden were finished five years later. Emperor Shah Jahan himself described the Taj in these words:


Should guilty seek asylum here,
Like one pardoned, he becomes free from sin.
Should a sinner make his way to this mansion,
All his past sins are to be washed away.
The sight of this mansion creates sorrowing sighs;
And the sun and the moon shed tears from their eyes.
In this world this edifice has been made;
To display thereby the creator's glory.

The Taj Mahal incorporates and expands on design traditions of Persian architecture and earlier Mughal architecture. Specific inspiration came from successful Timurid and Mughal buildings including; the Gur-e Amir (the tomb of Timur, progenitor of the Mughal dynasty, in Samarkand), Humayun's Tomb, Itmad-Ud-Daulah's Tomb (sometimes called the Baby Taj), and Shah Jahan's own Jama Masjid in Delhi. While earlier Mughal buildings were primarily constructed of red sandstone, Shah Jahan promoted the use of white marble inlaid with semi-precious stones, and buildings under his patronage reached new levels of refinement.

History lesson over, and what I will say is that I could see exactly what many people have said before – this is a building that has a soul. We spent as much time as possible given our rather miniscule timescales exploring the grounds and getting up close and personal to the Taj itself. Even at this early hour, a number of locals have found diverse ways to rid you of your cash by means of hefty tips, by offering to take photos of you, lending you slippers to wear inside the Taj itself (supposed to be included in the entry price) and following you at distance shouting facts about the site before claiming you owe them guiding fees! Good old India! It was soon time to drag ourselves away, even though I could have stayed for hours exploring everything the complex has to offer. After a dash back to the hotel, we just had time to grab our bags and check out before jumping in our booked car back to Delhi, where we made our flight to Varanasi with minutes to spare ready to experience another mind-bendingly mental Indian city!

In short, the beautifully kept gardens, wonderfully maintained mausoleum and stunning grounds made every second of stress and insanity involved in actually getting into the Taj Mahal well, well worth it. Damn the King of Belgium for making our life more difficult, but it certainly made us appreciate our visit all the more!

Practical Stuff:

We stayed at the Hotel Sheela Inn, about 600 yards from the East Gate of the Taj, which cost 600R for a double room and had an excellent roof-top restaurant.

We paid for a private car to take us back to Delhi, which cost around 1200R. This is a lot more than the bus, but took half the time!

Entry to the Taj costs 750R for a foreigner, and tickets are no longer available from the East Gate itself. Instead you buy your tickets at the nearby Shilpgram outlet.

Please find the funtotravel.info guide to Agra on the Agra page of the funtotravel.info site
Click here for more information on the history of the Taj Mahal itself can be found at.

funtotravel.info ISSUES: 'Green' Travel - an oxymoron?

Practical steps you can take to travel more sustainably.

Sustainable travel is an important and challenging issue. Travel, by its very nature causes harm to environment, especially as a result of the typically large distances clocked up by backpackers on long-haul flights across the world. It is far too simple though to dismiss travelling as something that's destroying the planet. We hold the opposite belief – that travelling can be a force of good. By visiting different countries and experiencing different cultures, travellers understand that there is a true world community: by continuing to travel we are improving peoples' livelihoods and promoting the development of local economies as well as helping to conserve countries' cultural and natural heritages.

Travelling also makes us aware of the problems of those people less fortunate than ourselves. The world belongs to all of us and we all have a huge responsibility towards it. Cutting down our carbon footprint and our impact on the environment.

As we have stated there is no way of getting around the fact that many travellers take longhaul flights to reach their desired destinations. What can we do practically to reign in the effects of this?

First of all, rather than fly long distances, we could look for destinations of interest closer to home so that we can avoid flying. If you live within Europe then you have a vast array of destinations that you can reach by plane or bus, travelling on public transport and thus cutting down on your carbon foot-print. Likewise if you are from the States, Canada or Australia then you are lucky enough to live in huge and diverse countries in terms of people, landscapes and attractions. Why not hit the road within your own country by public transport and see what there is to offer?

If you do choose to visit destinations further away that you cannot travel to overland then of course you will have to fly. There are ways in which you can minimise your carbon footprint, and the most obvious of these is to offset your carbon. Many airlines are now offering to do this for you at the point of booking, but if you prefer to do it directly with a reputable company then we suggest that you look at carboncare.com.

This is fine as a starting point, but we feel that the situation with carbon off-setting is getting slightly out of hand. It should be a tool by which people look at their carbon footprint and seek to reduce it, but instead people are only paying the offset fee to ease their conscience and doing nothing to reassess their travel plans or travel more responsibly. For this reason we would advise you to think about how you can reduce your carbon emissions as well as offset the ones you can't avoid.

If you are on a round the world trip then think best how you can cut down on flights when you have reached the region in which you are planning to travel. Take buses or trains rather than internal flights – not only will taking public transport cut down on your carbon footprint, but it also means you are far more likely to meet and interact with the locals and experience life and destinations in-between that you may well fall in love with. The experiences that you have on never-ending bus journeys, full of livestock and without a toilet will be the ones that look back at when you get home with a smile on your face – they make for great stories too. Don't miss out!

If you do have to take a long haul flight to your destination then we'd recommend that you use a Carbon Comparison flight search like the one offered by responsibletravel.com. This will give you an indication of how much carbon dioxide your journey will produce and which airline has the least impact on the environment.

Protecting local cultures and helping local economies

We should all ensure that we are doing our best to protect the interests of the countries that we visit and the people who live there rather than lining the pockets of large corporations from our own countries. We want to help and learn about local cultures and peoples rather than exploit them. There are many ways in which we can do this, by promoting local businesses and fair trade practices, hiring local guides and doing our best to ensure that our consumption of local products, water etc is sustainable.

If you choose to travel with an organised group or on a tour then think carefully about which one you go with and choose one that has a written policy on responsibility and sustainability. Be sure that they support local businesses and minimise their environmental impact. Do not be afraid to ask questions of them before you book.
What you can do before you go:

• Read up as much as possible on local cultures and do your best to learn some of the local languages – respect the local people.
• Do your research to see if there are any useful gifts that you can take out with your for the locals i.e. pens and schoolbooks for the local children.
• If you have bought any new equipment (bags, cameras, clothes etc) please remove any excess packaging before you go thus easing the load on the destination country who might not have adequate waste disposal means.

What you can do whilst you're away:

• Buy local produce from local businesses and ensure that the money you spend stays within the community.
• Use local guides rather than guides shipped in from elsewhere.
• Please do not purchase any artefacts, hard wood products or endangered species –this sounds like obvious advice but you'd be amazed by how many people do.
• Respect local cultures and do not act in a way that will upset the local people – don't act drunk in public, ensure that you dress appropriately and behave in a manner that is a credit to yourself and other travellers: you won't be the first to pass through there and you certainly won't be the last so don't tarnish future travellers' experiences.
• Take public transport as much as possible as opposed to flying to keep your impact on the environment as low as possible and be sure to walk or cycle as much as you can to lower your carbon footprint even further.
• Use water sparingly as supplies of clean and treated water can be in short supply in many areas. Refill your water bottle wherever possible and don't buy new ones all the time.
• Ask questions of the locals and take interest in their traditions and cultures – you are not going to a zoo and you are not, we hope, just going to hang out with other travellers.
• In poorer countries, rather than giving money to random beggars, try instead to find charities and organisations that have been set up to tackle the problems of poverty and homelessness and give to them instead to be sure that the money is being spent in the right way.
What you can do on your return:

• Donate to local projects and charities in areas that made your trip really special – give something back to the communities that gave you such wonderful memories.
• If you promised to send someone a picture or stay in touch by email then please make sure you follow up on this – it can mean an awful lot to the people to whom you made the promise.

You will find a growing number of businesses while you're away that claim to be 'green', 'eco-friendly' or even 'eco-lodges'. Please do your bit to ensure that they are what they seem by asking them the following questions before handing over your hard earned cash:

• Do they have a written policy on sustainability? Any company that is serious about best-practice when it comes to sustainability and reducing carbon emissions will have one.
• How do they measure their contribution in terms of being sustainable?
• How many local people do they employ and how many of these are in management positions? If there aren't any then ask why not.
• What are they doing to protect the environment?
• Are they working with any local charities in this regard?
• What percentage of their products or services are sourced from within 20km of the site? Are they using as much local produce and people-power as possible.
• What are they doing with their waste-water and how do they heat their buildings (i.e. do they use solar power)?
• Do any guides that they employ come from the local community?

If the answers to any/some/all of these questions make you suspicious then you are better off taking your business to somewhere with better sustainability practices.

Community based travel is a great way to put money directly back into a community and meet the locals first-hand. These schemes are not however getting the marketing or sales they deserve, so check out responsibletravel.com’s database of such schemes and see if any are of interest.

As you can see from all of the above, sustainability and collective responsibility for our planet is a growing concern, and one that all travellers should do their best to help with. By taking the small steps listed in the paragraphs above you can help to do your bit to reduce our collective carbon footprint, put money back into local communities, maintain the respect of the inhabitants of the destinations we travel to and to have a great time in the process.

If you have enjoyed this blog then why not check out the funtotravel.info e-book which covers other green issues as well as giving practical advice on travelling the world? Click here to get yourself a copy.